VICTORIA MBOKO VS. LEYLAH FERNANDEZ | WTA | STRASBOURG 2026

 

DIANE PARRY VS. EMMA RADUCANU | ROUND 1 | STRASBOURG 2026

 

GARY O"NEAL SLAMS CHELSEA OWNERS FOR 'MESSING UP' RECRUITMENT AND CULTURE AT STRASBOURG SINCE BLUECO TAKEOVER

 

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Strasbourg manager Gary O’Neil has sensationally targeted club owners BlueCo, accusing the consortium that also owns Chelsea of undermining his squad through poor recruitment and a failing internal culture. The former Wolves boss did not hold back after a series of disappointing results, claiming the hierarchy actively weakened the side during the January transfer window.

Recruitment failures and squad frustration

O’Neil has launched a scathing attack on BlueCo, the joint owners of both Strasbourg and Chelsea, accusing them of "messing up" recruitment and questioning the overall culture within the organisation.

O’Neil, who took charge in January, has overseen two semi-final defeats in the last month, with the club exiting the Coupe de France and the Conference League. The manager believes the January transfer window actively weakened his squad rather than strengthening it.

He highlighted the loaning of striker David Datro Fofana and defender Aaron Anselmino from Chelsea, alongside the recall of influential loanee Mamadou Sarr to London. Additionally, Ecuador international Kendry Paez saw his season-long loan cut short by Chelsea, only to be immediately re-loaned to River Plate in Argentina.

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O'Neil demands a culture shift

Following Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Angers, O’Neil spoke to L’Equipe to express his dissatisfaction with the current setup. He was explicit about the needs of the team and the errors made by those at the top. “I need two centre-forwards. The owners want to give me the means to perform next season, but we have to improve the culture around the club, the quality of the players, and the depth of the squad. We messed up in the January transfer window. We weakened instead of improving the squad,” O’Neil stated.

The manager's frustration stems from a feeling that the multi-club model is prioritising Chelsea’s movement of assets over the competitive stability of the Ligue 1 side.

Anger following disappointing performances

Reflecting on his team’s recent performance, O’Neil did not mince his words when discussing the mentality of his players and the environment they are operating in. He warned that the final games of the season would be a litmus test for who deserves to remain at Strasbourg. "I am angry. I hope that the players are, too. There are two matches left and they have to show me that they have to level to play with us next season. But we won’t get anywhere playing like that," he stated.

O’Neil continued his critique by highlighting a lack of fight in recent fixtures. "They really disappointed me, even more so than on Thursday (against Vallecano). They have to do better. The world of football is full of sharks. They need to know that. I told them that we were playing a final and they didn’t play like they had to," the manager added.

- Mohamed Saeed

CHELSEA COULD NOW APPOINT SHOCK MANAGER WITH ENZO MARESCA EXPECTED TO LEAVE

Enzo Maresca is ‘highly likely’ to leave Chelsea on Thursday (January 1) after a ‘complete breakdown in his relationship with the club’. This is according to a shock report from The Guardian, who understand that emergency talks are being held over the Italian manager’s position at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca is no longer expected to be in charge for Chelsea’s upcoming Premier League clash against Manchester City on Sunday. Sources have indicated to The Guardian that Maresca wants to leave the Blues, although it’s unclear if he is willing to walk away without a payoff.

Chelsea currently sit fifth in the Premier League table, 15 points behind leaders Arsenal, but December’s results have put Maresca under increased pressure. The west London outfit have won just one of the previous seven league matches.

Maresca, 45, was appointed by Chelsea in June 2024, replacing Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge. The former Italy Under-21 international, who played for the likes of West Brom, Juventus, Fiorentina and Sevilla during his playing career got the Chelsea job after guiding Leicester City to the Championship title.

While Maresca has enjoyed success at Chelsea - winning the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup titles - it appears the breakdown in relations between him and the club’s hierarchy will lead to his imminent departure.

Early Contenders to Replace Maresca at Chelsea

It’s currently unclear who will replace Maresca if the Italian does leave, although The Guardian say that ‘one solution’ would be to appoint Liam Rosenior - the current Strasbourg head coach.

The 41-year-old Englishman, who spent most of his professional playing career with Hull City before managing the Tigers between 2022-2024, may jump at the opportunity to coach one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs.

Rosenior has impressed at Strasbourg, who are Chelsea’s partner club, although his potential appointment will depend on whether his current employers are able to find a quality replacement now.

Other names that currently among the bookmakers’ favourites include Como boss Cesc Fabregas, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner and Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez.

In any case, it feels increasingly likely that Chelsea will now be on the hunt for their fifth permanent manager since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed their takeover of the club in 2022.

- Rob Swan

MIRRA ANDREEVA VS. VICTORIA AZARENKA | AMAZING BATTLE | BEFORE STRASBOURG 2025

 

EXCLUSIVE | ‘I DON’T BELIEVE IN IT. I THINK IT COULD KILL CHELSEA’ – FRANK LEBOEUF SLAMS MULTI-CLUB OWNERSHIP

As part of our extended interview with Frank Leboeuf, Get French Football News asked the former France international and 1998 World Champion for his thoughts on multi-club ownership and the state of football today.

You played for Strasbourg and then for Chelsea, who are now linked through the BlueCo Group. The Strasbourg fans are very sceptical about this and I wanted to know what you think of multi-club ownership.

For me it raises a big deontological problem – when you see that Manchester City and Girona are the same and if they play each other in the Champions League – well they can’t play each other – Girona would be out of the Champions League – it’s not normal and it’s something that I don’t understand. But there you go, it’s the new system, it’s a financial issue. I think it’s good that Chelsea is close to Strasbourg to help them out financially. But when you’re not close to a club you can’t give your opinion – you don’t know the region, and you don’t know how football works there. Strasbourg is known as “little Marseille” – the club belongs to the locals – it’s their club – it would be like asking Newcastle to do whatever Chelsea want.

You can put money in – no problem – but you can’t be the one making decisions if you don’t know the region, you don’t know how it works. So you need to be really careful because the fans are sceptical, they’re disappointed for the moment because they’re not seeing anything happen. And you get the impression that Chelsea are transferring their issues on to Strasbourg – so no players of experience, only youngsters, only trading business, all about the future and nothing for the present. And that raises issues for me, as neither at Strasbourg nor at Chelsea, will it work for me. I don’t believe in it. I think it could kill Chelsea, it could also lead Strasbourg towards a slow death. So it can bring money in but at some point you need results and if it’s to end up in Ligue 2, or in the Championship for Chelsea, then it won’t do.

And you mentioned City and Girona. The situation is even worse for ESTAC Troyes. Take Savio who is a Troyes player, has never played for them, impresses at Girona and moves to City and Troyes lose out…

Yes, well that’s the system and maybe those in charge at Troyes shouldn’t have accepted it, but then they needed the money. That’s the problem – money. And we have the issue with Ligue 1 and TV rights – I know Vincent Labrune and he’s trying to raise the price but Ligue 1 doesn’t have the attraction because the best players leave for the best Spanish, German or English clubs. We have a problem in terms of the clubs’ tax liability which makes it impossible for them to compete, so they lose all their best players. And this has been going on for 30 years, since the Bosman ruling. I was one of the first examples – as soon as I had the opportunity to leave, I left for Chelsea. By leaving for Chelsea, I earned twice as much money, because it costs as much for Chelsea as it did for Strasbourg – a player costs twice his fee, compared to an English club, in terms of tax. It’s not workable.

It’s a big problem. I saw this week Bielsa talking about how football is becoming more a business than a sport.

Yes, I saw that too. I’m not a fan of Bielsa but I thought what he said was very interesting – the more people watch, the more it becomes a business and the less it’s about the game. I watched Brazil against [Bielsa’s] Uruguay [in the Copa America] and it’s one of the worst matches I’ve watched in my life. I saw players falling over all the time, complaining all the time – it was horrific. I was watching it with Steve McManaman – we’re both here in the US at the moment so we watched it together – and we were saying it’s not possible, how can people pay for tickets to watch this match, it’s horrific, there is no football, there is nothing. It’s just a match with so much at stake that everyone is just playing out their own little drama – it’s no longer football.

Lebeouf was speaking to Get French Football News in association with BoyleSports, who offer the latest Euro 2024 Betting.

- GFFN | Jeremy Smith

FOOTBALL: PSG WIN 12TH LIGUE TITLE AFTER MONACO DEFEAT

Paris Saint-Germain's French forward Kylian Mbappé (L) fights for the ball with Le Havre's Ivorian French defender Christopher Opéri during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Le Havre AC at the Parc des Princes Stadium, in Paris on April 27, 2024. FRANCK FIFE / AFP

 Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has won the French league in Kylian Mbappé's last season at the club after Monaco lost 3-2 at Lyon on Sunday, April 28. PSG has an unassailable 12-point lead over second-place Monaco, which has three games left. The Ligue 1 triumph is PSG's third in a row and a record-extending 12th overall. Mbappé has been involved in six of them, but comes off contract at the end of the season. He's expected to be signed by Real Madrid.

PSG is on course for a potential historic treble as it will play at Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday and face Lyon in the French Cup final on May 25. In coach Luis Enrique's first season at the club, PSG produced one of the most dominant seasons in league history with just one loss in 31 games so far.

PSG could have clinched the title on Saturday with a win at home to struggling Le Havre, but in the end they needed a 95th-minute equalizer to snatch a 3-3 draw. However, after that game, coach Luis Enrique insisted his side had won the league "without any doubt," as they were 12 points clear with only 12 points left to play for and also boasted a far superior goal difference to that of Monaco.

The principality club's loss in Lyon nevertheless makes PSG's coronation official and sets them up for Wednesday's Champions League semi-final first leg away to Borussia Dortmund in Germany.

Monaco had taken the lead inside the opening minute in Lyon thanks to a Wissam Ben Yedder goal, but Alexandre Lacazette equalized for the hosts and Said Benrahma put them ahead before the half-hour mark. Ben Yedder struck again to bring it back to 2-2, only for substitute Malick Fofana to net a late winner for Lyon, who are still hoping to qualify for Europe.

PSG have won 10 of their 12 titles in the last 12 seasons, a record that goes to show how the Qatari takeover of the club in 2011 has utterly transformed them and the face of French football as a whole. They are on course for a clean sweep of trophies this season, with the French Cup final against Lyon to come on May 25 and the French Champions Trophy already in the bag. Luis Enrique's side are also hoping to see off Dortmund and win through to the final of the Champions League on June 1.

Brest wins nine-goal thriller

Elsewhere, Brest took another big step toward qualifying for the Champions League for the first time by scoring deep in injury time to beat Rennes 5-4 in an incredible game. Former Rennes defender Lilian Brassier popped up with the decisive goal six minutes into stoppage time to decide the Brittany derby in Brest's favor. They had been 2-0 down inside nine minutes after Arnaud Kalimuendo netted twice for the home side at Roazhon Park, but quickly pulled one back through Steve Mounie and then equalized just after the break via a goal by Warmed Omari.

Uruguayan striker Martin Satriano put Brest in front, and Mahdi Camara made it 4-2, seemingly wrapping up the points. However, Arthur Theate and Martin Terrier both scored to bring Rennes back level again, apparently securing them a precious point in the fight for European qualification before Brassier struck. It is a huge three points for Brest after they lost their previous two matches, and the win ensures they end the weekend in third place, two points behind Monaco and a point clear of Lille, which won 2-1 at Metz.

The top three teams in Ligue 1 qualify automatically for next season's expanded Champions League, with the team in fourth entering the competition in the preliminary rounds. Ismaily and Yusuf Yazici scored Lille's goals as they came from behind to take all three points after Georgian international Georges Mikautadze put Metz ahead from the penalty spot.

Nice strengthened their grip on fifth spot by winning 3-1 at Patrick Vieira's Strasbourg. The Côte d'Azur club remains four points behind Lille, meaning Champions League qualification looks to be beyond them. Lorient remains in the automatic relegation spots and three points from safety after a 2-1 home loss to Toulouse. Clermont is still bottom but is now only four points from safety with three games left after beating Reims 4-1 with Austrian international Muhammed Cham netting two penalties and Elbasan Rashani also scoring twice.

UEFA URGED BY FRENCH MINISTER TO PROTECT SOCCER FROM RISKNOF OWNERS INVESTING IN MULTIPLE CLUBS

AP Photo

 PARIS (AP) — European soccer leaders were urged to protect soccer from the risk of owners taking control of multiple clubs, in a speech by France’s sports minister on Thursday.

Amélie Oudéa-Castéra warned the UEFA annual congress of a scenario where “a small number of investors would have control over European football.”

UEFA has longstanding rules monitoring multi-club owners in its competitions, and its in-house researchers warned last year of integrity risks to games on the field and in the player transfer market with about 200 clubs globally in the growing trend. Fans have been concerned their team can be used as a feeder for parent clubs.

“These are threats to our sporting principles and we need to be vigilant to such threats,” Oudéa-Castéra said.

Fans of French club Strasbourg have protested at games in recent weeks against their club’s American owners who have a new much bigger investment in English club Chelsea.

STRASBOURG VS. PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN FIRST LEAGUE 1 GAME TO BE POSTPONED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK

League 1 has postponed a top-flight match between Strasbourg and Paris Saint-Germain due to Corona Virus outbreak...

ASTON VILLA: REMI GARDE KOCHA MPYA

Aston Villa wameamua kumchukua kocha wa zamani wa Lyon, Remi Garde, baada ya kumtimua Tim Sherwood...Remi ambae ni mfaransa atasaini mkataba wa miaka 3 na nusu...Garde alikuwa midfielder na pia alikuwa mchezaji wa kwanza Arsene Wenger kumsajili...Amewahi kuichezea Lyon na Strasbourg...Bofya hapa upate habari zaidi.