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Chelsea’s Club World Cup triumph a ‘statement’, but what might be the cost?

NEW YORK: For Chelsea, victory in Sunday’s Club World Cup decider completed a fine first season under Enzo Maresca, and also finally brought the curtain down on a marathon campaign that they must hope does not catch up with them down the line. The Cole Palmer-inspired 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain at the MetLife Stadium outside New York was Chelsea’s 64th game of a season which lasted 11 months. By any measure it was one of Chelsea’s best ever campaigns, with their Club World Cup triumph — placed on a par by Maresca to winning the Champions League — following victory in the UEFA Conference League and a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League. Maresca, an ex-assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, could not have asked for much more after arriving off the back of leading Leicester City to promotion. “It has been a fantastic season but I am especially happy for the players,” said the Italian, who has succeeded in putting together a coherent team out of the endless line of new signings being brought in by the club’s owners. “We have said many times that talent alone is not enough.

Jorge Jesus returns to Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr

RIYADH: Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr have reached an agreement with coach Jorge Jesus to take charge of the club’s first team ahead of the 2025-26 season, it was announced on Monday.

Barca snap up Copenhagen’s Bardghji, sell Torre to Mallorca

Barcelona signed right winger Roony Bardghji from FC Copenhagen and sold midfielder Pablo Torre to Mallorca, the La Liga champions said Monday. The 19-year-old Sweden Under-21 international joined for around 2.5 million euros ($3 million), according to reports in Spanish media. “(Bardghji) has signed for the next four seasons, until June 30, 2029,” said Barca in a statement, without specifying the cost of the deal. Bardghji scored 15 goals in 84 games for Copenhagen after reaching the first team in the 2021/2022 season. He suffered a severe knee injury in May 2024, which kept him out of action for nearly a year, with the youngster making his return in March 2025. Bardghji becomes Barcelona’s second signing of the summer after they brought in goalkeeper Joan Garcia from local rivals Espanyol. The Catalan giants also announced the sale of 22-year-old playmaker Torre to Mallorca for an undisclosed fee, estimated to be 5 million euros according to Spanish media, as well as a percentage of the profit on any future sale. “Torre is a new Mallorca player for the next four seasons, until June 30, 2029,” said the island club in a statement. “Torre arrives from Barcelona, where he moved in 2022 and with whom he won La Liga twice, two Spanish Super Cups and the Copa del Rey.” The midfielder played a total of 27 times for Barcelona’s first team, scoring five goals.