The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Michy Batshuayi

  • Batshuayi settles down with Borussia Dortmund

    Batshuayi settles down with Borussia Dortmund

     

    Michy Batshuayi has completed his first training session with Borussia Dortmund following his arrival from Chelsea on loan as a replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has joined Arsenal.

    The Belgian striker completed the final piece of a three-way transfer merry-go-round on transfer deadline day with Olivier Giroud joining Chelsea from the Gunners in an £18million move.

    And he was thrust straight into action with his new team-mates as he pulled on a training bib and strutted his stuff ahead of a potential debut in Dortmund’s next game against Cologne on Friday.

    ‘In order to reach my big goal, I want to play as much as I can and score many goals. In summer, the World Cup takes place,’ said the 24-year-old following the transfer.

    BVB sporting director Michael Zorc said: ‘Michy is a young, very interesting striker, who impresses with a high scoring and his extraordinary at both Chelsea and in Marseille, in the Belgian league and the national team quality has already proved.’

    Antonio Conte has been desperate to replace Batshuayi with another striker this January, with Chelsea chasing Roma’s Edin Dzeko, Andy Carroll of West Ham and even 37-year-old Stoke star Peter Crouch before sealing a move for Olivier Giroud.

    Batshuayi joined Chelsea in the summer of 2016 for £33million but he failed to win a regular first-team spot, and Conte was clearly never convinced by the 24-year-old Belgium international.

    Batshuayi arrived at Dortmund as a replacement for Aubameyang, who completed his deadline-day move to Arsenal, who can now release Giroud to Chelsea.

    As Alvaro Morata continues to recover from a back injury, Chelsea trained on Tuesday with Batshuayi involved in case his Dortmund move broke down and he was needed for the game against Bournemouth on Wednesday night.

    Conte has urged the Premier League to avoid a clash between fixtures and deadline day in the future. ‘To have this situation with Batshuayi in the balance is not easy. We don’t make excuses, there is no alibi. The game tomorrow won’t be easy for us.

    ‘This is not right. To have a match when there is a transfer deadline is not right. To have players who are staying half-and-half…in the future the fixture-makers need to reflect and prepare this kind of situation. Many coaches do not like to have a game when there is the deadline.’

     

     

     

     

  • Batshuayi strikes late to give Chelsea win

    Batshuayi strikes late to give Chelsea win

    Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi came off the bench to snatch a 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday with the last kick of the game.

    The result took Antonio Conte’s side top of Champions League Group C.

    France international Antoine Griezmann rammed a penalty kick beyond former Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to give the home side a barely-deserved lead in the 40th minute.

    He was scoring the first European goal at their new stadium after striking the first Liga goal there this month.

    Former Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata, who also spent time in Atletico’s youth system, pulled Chelsea level by glancing in Eden Hazard’s cross in the 60th minute.

    This was after the visitors had failed to make their first-half dominance count.

    Batshuayi replaced Morata with seven minutes remaining and inflicted a first home defeat on Atletico since September, 2015.

    It turns wide a Marcos Alonso cutback from close range deep into stoppage-time.

    “It’s very difficult when Atletico score [first] to come back, but in spite of this we deserved to win. We continued to play with good personality, we kept our heads on the pitch in every moment,” Chelsea coach Conte told a news conference.

    “We must be pleased with the performance and overall the personality we showed.

    “I always tell my players that it doesn’t change when you play at home or away, you have to play with the same personality and desire to play and try to deserve to win.”

    Atletico coach Diego Simeone has likened his side’s new home to the Circus Maximus in Rome.

    The club’s famously vociferous fans made a noise fitting of the biggest game in the stadium’s short existence, but Chelsea soon calmed the crowd.

    Hazard, without a goal in the Champions League since March 2015, was Chelsea’s chief creator.

    He dashed through the middle to lay the ball off for Morata to screw wide and then hitting the woodwork himself with a ferocious long-range strike.

    “Chelsea felt more comfortable than us and won the game deservedly,” said Atletico coach Simeone.

    “They were superior tactically and physically. They are a very competitive team, they showed more maturity than us and we have to congratulate them.”

    Atletico struggled to get into Chelsea’s half but capitalised from their first real foray forward.

    A deflected shot from Saul Niguez earned a corner kick from which David Luiz hauled Lucas Hernandez to the floor, leaving Griezmann to score a third goal in four games.

    Simeone’s side could have grabbed a second on the cusp of halftime when Courtois could only hold Koke’s stinging shot but Saul slotted the rebound just wide of the near post.

    A two-goal deficit would have been grossly unfair on Conte’s adventurous side, who also had the better of the second half.

    Morata wasted a chance to strike again when he skipped towards goal unchallenged, scuffing the ball wide of Jan Oblak’s goal.

    But Belgian international Batshuayi needed just one chance to grab the win that was as dramatic as it was deserved.

  • Batshuayi strikes late to give Chelsea win at Atletico

    Batshuayi strikes late to give Chelsea win at Atletico

    Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi came off the bench to snatch a 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday with the last kick of the game.

    The result took Antonio Conte’s side top of Champions League Group C.

    France international Antoine Griezmann rammed a penalty kick beyond former Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to give the home side a barely-deserved lead in the 40th minute.

    He was scoring the first European goal at their new stadium after striking the first Liga goal there this month.

    Former Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata, who also spent time in Atletico’s youth system, pulled Chelsea level by glancing in Eden Hazard’s cross in the 60th minute.

    This was after the visitors had failed to make their first-half dominance count.

    Batshuayi replaced Morata with seven minutes remaining and inflicted a first home defeat on Atletico since September, 2015.

    It turns wide a Marcos Alonso cutback from close range deep into stoppage-time.

    “It’s very difficult when Atletico score [first] to come back, but in spite of this we deserved to win. We continued to play with good personality, we kept our heads on the pitch in every moment,” Chelsea coach Conte told a news conference.

    “We must be pleased with the performance and overall the personality we showed.

    “ I always tell my players that it doesn’t change when you play at home or away, you have to play with the same personality and desire to play and try to deserve to win.”

    Atletico coach Diego Simeone has likened his side’s new home to the Circus Maximus in Rome.

    The club’s famously vociferous fans made a noise fitting of the biggest game in the stadium’s short existence, but Chelsea soon calmed the crowd.

    Hazard, without a goal in the Champions League since March 2015, was Chelsea’s chief creator.

    He dashed through the middle to lay the ball off for Morata to screw wide and then hitting the woodwork himself with a ferocious long-range strike.

    “Chelsea felt more comfortable than us and won the game deservedly,” said Atletico coach Simeone.

    “They were superior tactically and physically. They are a very competitive team, they showed more maturity than us and we have to congratulate them.”

    Atletico struggled to get into Chelsea’s half but capitalised from their first real foray forward.

    A deflected shot from Saul Niguez earned a corner kick from which David Luiz hauled Lucas Hernandez to the floor, leaving Griezmann to score a third goal in four games.

    Simeone’s side could have grabbed a second on the cusp of halftime when Courtois could only hold Koke’s stinging shot but Saul slotted the rebound just wide of the near post.

    A two-goal deficit would have been grossly unfair on Conte’s adventurous side, who also had the better of the second half.

    Morata wasted a chance to strike again when he skipped towards goal unchallenged, scuffing the ball wide of Jan Oblak’s goal.

    But Belgian international Batshuayi needed just one chance to grab the win that was as dramatic as it was deserved.(Reuters/NAN)
    OLAL

  • Chelsea crush Qarabag in UEFA Champions League

    Chelsea crush Qarabag in UEFA Champions League

    Chelsea enjoyed a triumphant return to the UEFA Champions League after a year out on Tuesday, thumping the competition’s debutants Qarabag 6-0, including a stunning, if miscued, strike from new signing Davide Zappacosta.

    The Azeri champions were never any match for their English counterparts and it took only five minutes for Pedro to open the scoring with a curling shot from the edge of the area.

    Deadline-day signing Zappacosta, apparently looking to cross the ball, produced a swirling screamer of a goal from some 35 metres out on the half hour.

    Chelsea ran riot in the second half, with goals from defender Cesar Azpilicueta, new French signing Tiemoue Bakayoko and two from Michy Batshuayi rounding off an impressive display against the Group C underdogs.

    In other UEFA Champions League matches also played on Tuesday, Romelu Lukaku opened his Champions League account as Manchester United marked their return to the competition with a 3-0 rout of Basle in their opening Group A match at Old Trafford.

    A mesmeric Lionel Messi scored twice and inspired Barcelona to a 3-0 win over Juventus as the Catalans got off to a flying start in Champions League Group D.

    It was a sweet revenge for Barcelona following their last season’s quarterfinal elimination by the Italian champions.

    Also, Paris Saint Germain flexed their attacking muscles with a 5-0 victory at Celtic in their opening Champions League Group B game on Tuesday as the world’s most expensive frontline produced a potent display of force.

    Neymar, making his first European appearance for PSG after his world-record move from Barcelona,scored first in the 19th minute. He was joined on the scoresheet by Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani, the other two members of PSG’s expensive forward trio.

  • Arsenal 0-3 Chelsea: Michy Batshuayi at the double

    Arsenal 0-3 Chelsea: Michy Batshuayi at the double

    A review of Saturday’s major pre-season action, including Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Arsenal in China.

    Chelsea made the perfect start to their pre-season tour as Michy Batshuayi scored twice in a 3-0 win over Arsenal.

    Two goals in as many minutes from Willian (40) and Batshuayi (42) put Chelsea 2-0 up at the break in Beijing before the Belgian striker added his second four minutes into the second period.

    Chances were few and far between for Arsenal and it was Chelsea who looked the more likely to score the game’s fourth goal but, ultimately, they had to settle for three – still more than enough for a comfortable win.

    The Blues and Gunners meet again in the Community Shield at Wembley on August 6. Chelsea are odds-on at 4/6 to lift the trophy and Arsenal are 11/10 to leave with the silverware.

    Everton earned a 1-1 draw against Genk at the Luminus Arena on Saturday, with Wayne Rooney again on the scoresheet.

    The summer signing, who netted against Gor Mahia in Tanzania, turned home Sandro Ramirez’s cross at the back post to put the Toffees in front.

    But Genk hit back through Mbwana Samatta, who also forced Maarten Stekelenburg into a remarkable reflex stop as Everton held on to preserve a draw.

    Ronald Koeman picked five of his new signings in his starting XI as Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane, Davy Klaassen, Rooney and Sandro all got run-outs.

    Brighton continued their preparations for their maiden Premier League season with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Crawley, their second pre-season victory on the spin.

    Fresh from their win over Fortress Dusseldorf in Austria, Chris Hughton’s men raced into a four-goal half-time lead thanks to strikes from Solly March, Pascal Gross, Tomer Hemed and Jamie Murphy.

    Only Shane Duffy remained after the interval as the Seagulls made a raft of changes – but normal service resumed as Connor Goldson and Glenn Murray’s penalty secured a comfortable victory.

    Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster had a moment to forget as his error giftedBrentford a 2-2 draw at Griffin Park.

    Saints were on course for victory after Charlie Austin’s second-half double – his first goals since November 2016 – had cancelled out Lasse Vibe’s opener.

    But, with just eight minutes remaining, Forster fumbled Josh Clarke’s deep cross into the back of his own net after Mauricio Pellegrino’s men were held.

  • Chelsea wins the English Premier League

    Chelsea wins the English Premier League

    Chelsea wins the  Premier League title after defeating West Bromwich Albion in an away match 1-0 at the Hawthorns.

    Late goal from  Michy Batshuayi  gave the Blues the league, which mean they hold an inviolable 10-point advantage over Tottenham.

    It is the sixth time that blues have won EPL title and the fourth time since 2004-05 season that they have claimed the Premier League title.

    Their campaign has been one of virtual unabated excellence since a sticky period in September, when they lost successive matches against Liverpool and Arsenal saw them drop as far as eighth.

    The Chelsea first team manager Antonio Conte, who arrived in the summer to guide the team after a disappointing 2015-16 season, thereafter altered his side to play with three at the back, and that proved the catalyst for a 13-match winning streak that proved to be the decisive run as they claimed the crown.

    Chelsea can yet complete a league and cup double as they face Arsenal on May 27 at Wembley in the FA Cup final.

    Conte’s men have been recognised individually as well as collectively, meanwhile. Summer signing N’Golo Kante won the PFA Player of the Year award and also claimed the Football Writer’s prize, with Eden Hazard finishing as runner-up in both categories.

    Diego Costa has been their top scorer in the Premier League this season, having netted 20 goals for the campaign to date, just four shy of the division’s leading marksman, Romelu Lukaku.

    The long-term aim for Conte must be to maintain the momentum created by this success and ensure that his squad does not fade in the same manner that Mourinho’s did previously.