Football

Christian Pulisic Rested by US National Team Ahead of Mexico FriendlyChristian Pulisic, the star striker for AC Milan and the United States national team, has been rested ahead of Tuesday's friendly against Mexico in Guadalajara. The decision was announced by US Soccer on Sunday, citing the need to manage Pulisic's workload after a busy period for both club and country.Pulisic played a pivotal role in the United States' 2-0 victory over Panama on Saturday in Austin, Texas. He set up the first American goal, marking a successful debut for new coach Mauricio Pochettino. However, the 26-year-old winger has accumulated a significant number of minutes in recent weeks, prompting the decision to release him back to AC Milan.In addition to Pulisic, four other players have been sent back to their clubs due to minor injuries. Marlon Fossey, Weston McKennie, Ricardo Pepi, and Zack Steffen will undergo evaluation and treatment before rejoining the national team."As we have said, we are always going to make decisions that are in the best interest of our players and respect the relationship we have with their clubs," said Pochettino.The United States will not add any additional players to their roster before Tuesday's match against Mexico. The rivalry between the two nations is one of the most intense in international soccer, and the friendly is expected to draw a large crowd in Guadalajara.Pulisic's absence will be a blow to the United States, but Pochettino has a number of talented players at his disposal. The team will be looking to build on their victory over Panama and continue their preparations for the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cup tournaments.

Mauricio Pochettino, the former manager of Chelsea, has been appointed as the new head coach of the United States men's national soccer team. The announcement was made by U.S. Soccer on Tuesday, September 11, 2024.Pochettino, who parted ways with Chelsea in May after one season in charge, will take the reins of the U.S. team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States. The Argentine manager, who previously led Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur, expressed his excitement about the opportunity to coach the U.S. team."The energy, the passion, and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here — those are the things that inspired me," Pochettino said in a statement. "I see a group of players full of talent and potential, and together, we’re going to build something special that the whole nation can be proud of."U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker praised Pochettino's track record and his commitment to developing players. "Mauricio is a serial winner with a deep passion for developing players," Crocker said. "His track record speaks for itself, and I am confident that he is the right choice to harness the immense potential within our talented squad. We are thrilled to have Mauricio on board as we embark on this exciting journey to achieve success on the global stage."The U.S. team has been without a permanent head coach since Gregg Berhalter was fired in July following a disappointing performance at the Copa America. Berhalter had led the team to the knockout stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but his tenure was marred by a public dispute with one of the team's brightest young talents, Gio Reyna.Pochettino will take over from Mikey Varas, who has been serving as interim coach since Berhalter's departure. The U.S. team will play a series of friendlies against Panama on October 12 and Mexico on October 15 as part of their preparations for the 2026 World Cup.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has expressed his dismay over Chelsea's decision to sack Mauricio Pochettino, describing it as "harsh" and a "sad" moment for the Premier League. Pochettino was dismissed after just one year in charge, despite guiding Chelsea to a sixth-place finish and securing European qualification.Howe, who has been linked with the Chelsea job, praised Pochettino's managerial abilities and questioned the timing of his departure. "I think Mauricio is a very, very good manager," Howe said. "He's done incredibly well regardless of the club he has managed in various countries. I think it's sad for the Premier League when a manager loses his job, especially when I think it is harsh as his performances have been very strong."Pochettino's tenure at Chelsea was marked by both highs and lows. He led the Blues to a sixth-place finish, securing European qualification, but also faced criticism for inconsistent performances and a lack of attacking flair. Chelsea fans booed the team on several occasions, and Pochettino's side suffered disappointing defeats in the League Cup final and FA Cup semi-final.Despite these setbacks, Howe believes Pochettino was making progress at Chelsea. "The latter part of their season their form was very strong, they pipped us for sixth place," Howe said. "I think he was doing a really good job."Pochettino's sacking is the latest in a series of managerial changes at Chelsea since the club was acquired by Todd Boehly's consortium. Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter were both dismissed before Pochettino, and it remains to be seen who will be appointed as the Blues' next manager.

Mauricio Pochettino's tenure as Chelsea manager has come to an end after just one season, with the club announcing his departure by mutual consent on Tuesday. The Argentine coach leaves Stamford Bridge after a turbulent campaign that saw Chelsea finish sixth in the Premier League, lose in the English League Cup final, and reach the semifinals of the FA Cup.Pochettino's appointment last summer was met with high expectations, as he had previously led Tottenham Hotspur to the Champions League final and won the French Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain. However, his time at Chelsea was marred by inconsistent performances and a failure to secure a top-four finish, which would have guaranteed Champions League qualification.Despite Chelsea's heavy spending on transfers under new owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, Pochettino was unable to translate that investment into on-field success. The club's sixth-place finish in the Premier League was their lowest since 2016, and they were eliminated from the Champions League in the group stage.Pochettino's departure marks the end of a disappointing season for Chelsea, who have now gone two years without a major trophy. The club's hierarchy will now be tasked with finding a new manager who can restore Chelsea to their former glory and challenge for the Premier League title and Champions League.

Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea tenure remains uncertain despite a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth on Sunday that secured European football for the Blues next season. The Argentine manager dined with Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly ahead of the match, but Pochettino expressed uncertainty about his long-term future at Stamford Bridge.Chelsea's victory, aided by Moses Caicedo's spectacular goal from the halfway line, ensured a sixth-place finish in the Premier League. However, the club's European fate remains in limbo, as an FA Cup final victory for Manchester United over Manchester City could relegate Chelsea from the Europa League to the Conference League.Pochettino had anticipated a meeting with Chelsea executives at the end of the season to assess the campaign, but he admitted on Sunday that he was unsure if it would take place. "I don't know if (the meeting) is going to happen or not," he said. "On Friday night, Todd invited me for dinner. It was a very nice dinner together."Despite the uncertainty, Pochettino expressed some optimism from his dinner with Boehly. "If I invite you alone, and you and me have a dinner, it's not for a bad thing," he said. "If I need to tell you something, I call to go for a coffee, not for a dinner."Chelsea's victory over Bournemouth marked their fifth consecutive league win, a testament to the progress made by a young squad under Pochettino's guidance. Raheem Sterling doubled Chelsea's lead after halftime, and although Bournemouth pulled a goal back through Enes Unal's deflected strike, the Blues held on for the win.Pochettino emphasized the importance of continuity for Chelsea's future. "Always you can improve," he said. "They're going to be much better next season. They're going to have one year experience, tough experience. That's the advantage of being solid and consistent and not too many changes.""If next season we keep 80, 85 percent of the squad, for sure it's a big step forward. It's about having continuity in the ideas, and the knowledge between (the players)."

Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea were denied a dramatic late victory at Aston Villa on Saturday, as a controversial VAR decision disallowed a goal that would have sealed a 3-2 win. The Blues had fought back from two goals down to earn a hard-fought point, but Pochettino was left furious by the intervention of the video assistant referee.Villa took an early lead through an own goal from Marc Cucurella, and Morgan Rogers doubled their advantage before half-time. Chelsea responded with goals from Noni Madueke and Conor Gallagher, but their hopes of a comeback were dashed when Axel Disasi's effort was ruled out for a foul by Benoit Badiashile.Pochettino was incensed by the decision, claiming that it had "damaged English football." He said: "The referee is unbelievable and it's ridiculous. It is difficult to accept. They didn't see a foul on the pitch and then VAR changed the decision of the referee. For me that was a normal challenge."It is painful as it has damaged English football. Villa's players and their fans didn't understand why the goal was disallowed. For me it damaged a little bit the Premier League. If we want to be the best league in the world it should be protecting the spectacle and the decision."The draw was a blow to Villa's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League, but they remain seven points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham, who have three games in hand. Unai Emery's side will be hoping to avoid a repeat of last season, when they missed out on a top-four finish on the final day.Chelsea, meanwhile, remain ninth in the table, but Pochettino insists that he has the backing of his squad. The Blues have spent over £1 billion on new players since Todd Boehly's takeover, and Pochettino will be under pressure to deliver results in the coming months.

Chelsea's 3-2 victory over Newcastle on Monday provided a much-needed respite for manager Mauricio Pochettino, who had faced mounting pressure from fans. The win propelled the Blues back into contention for European football next season.Nicolas Jackson opened the scoring for Chelsea within six minutes, flicking in Cole Palmer's shot. However, Newcastle fought back and equalized through Alexander Isak's low finish just before halftime.Palmer restored Chelsea's lead in the second half with a powerful effort, while Mykhailo Mudryk, who has struggled since joining the club, added a third goal with a blistering run and finish. Jacob Murphy's late strike set up a nervy finish, but Chelsea held on for the victory.The win moves Chelsea up to 11th in the Premier League table, just four points behind West Ham in seventh, which would secure a place in the Europa Conference League. Newcastle, meanwhile, remain in 10th place, one point ahead of Chelsea.Pochettino's position had come under scrutiny after a difficult first season in charge, including a League Cup final defeat to Liverpool. However, the win over Newcastle provided some promising signs, with several of his young recruits showing glimpses of their potential.Jackson has now scored 12 goals in his debut season, while Palmer has contributed 11 Premier League goals. Mudryk, despite his struggles, showed his quality with a decisive goal.The pressure remains on Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, whose team has failed to build on last season's fourth-place finish. The Magpies have now lost 12 games this season, leaving them just one point above Chelsea in the table.