Today’s edition of Chelsea news and notes draws upon a few different themes: managers, past and present, and a lot of Serie A connections. So let’s dive right in, but of course, if you missed today’s Chelsea transfer talk, go to this link.
La Repubblica, a newspaper based in Rome, has drawn similarities between Antonio Conte’s issues at Inter Milan and Maurizio Sarri’s problems at Juventus, prior to his getting the sack.
The report, as SempreInter points out, “details how both coaches are known for their specific preferred style of football, rarely deviating from the system in any major way.”
And both Serie A clubs knew exactly what they were getting when they hired these ex-Chelsea managers. If they expected something different from these two coaches, well that’s on them for not realizing with whom they were dealing.
Winning the league title of the top flight in Italy was not enough to save Sarri’s job, due to Juve’s crashing out earlier than they expected in Champions League. Where he goes next is up in the air right now, but Conte and Inter have confirmed that he will be back next season.
On to the current manager now, Frank Lampard wants to get Lionel Messi at Chelsea, according to Manchester United club legend and football talking head Rio Ferdinand.
Of course he does, with Messi trying to force his way out of Barcelona now, what manager wouldn’t want him on his club? Obviously, the real question is- who can afford him?
And for the final Chelsea news item in this round-up, we talk about another wing player with a Barca connection- Pedro. We also bring it back to Rome, bookending this post with news items relating to the eternal city.
Pedro was unveiled as a new member of AS Roma today, signing a deal that will keep him at the club until 2022-23. His time at Chelsea ends with 43 goals and 28 assists in 206 matches. The Brazilian scored 99 goals and registered 62 assists in 321 appearances with Barca
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly contributes to WGN TV, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Now and SB Nation.
You can follow Banks, a former writer for Chicago Tribune.com, on Twitter and his cat on Instagram.