CHELSEA PREFER TO SELL AZPILICUETA TO ATLETICO MADRID THAN BARCELONA

According to Futbol Total, Atletico Madrid will have a good chance of securing the services of Cesar Azpilicueta in the summer transfer window. Chelsea might not do business with Barcelona after the Blaugrana stole a march on them in the race to sign Jules Kounde from Sevilla. Cesar Azpilicueta joined Chelsea nearly a decade ago, arriving from Marseille in 2012. And the Spaniard has been a dependable performer for the west London club in the last ten years, reprising every role in the defensive unit while barely putting a foot wrong. In addition, the veteran defender has been the Chelsea captain since Gary Cahill’s departure a few years ago.

WEST HAM INTERESTED IN CHELSEA STAR CALLED "SPECIAL" BY IVANOVIC

According to Sky Sports, West Ham United are looking to test the waters at Chelsea by launching a fresh bid for Armando Broja. The young forward has been on the radar of the Londoners for quite some time now, with the club now poised to make a £30 million proposal for his services. A product of the Chelsea youth academy, Broja plied his trade for Southampton this past season. He had joined the Saints on a season-long loan deal last summer, in an attempt to make a breakthrough in the Premier League. He did not disappoint either, emerging as one of the rising stars in the English top-flight during the 2021/22 season.

IVANOVIC URGES LUKAKU TO STAY AT CHELSEA AMID BARCA LINKS

Romelu Lukaku has reportedly emerged as an alternative to Robert Lewandowski for Barcelona, who will look to sign the Chelsea forward on loan. According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Romelu Lukaku is the subject of interest from Barcelona over a possible move in the summer transfer window. The Catalan giants view the Chelsea forward as an alternative to Robert Lewandowski, with a loan approach on the cards.

RUSSIAN GIANTS ZENIT CELEBRATE FIVE YEARS OF THE GAZPROM ARENA

The stadium hosted its first game on 22 April 2017 and it's been an eventful five years since then! Five years at the Gazprom Arena: 103 matches, 258 goals, three league titles. The first match played there was against Ural from Ekaterinburg, Zenit ran out 2-0 winners with Branislav Ivanovic scoring the first goal at the Gazprom Arena. That first goal was quite some time coming, only arriving in the 86th minute of the first game at the new Stadium. Branislav Ivanovic would go on to get a total of six goals in his Zenti career.

IVANOVIC CELEBRATES FIVE YEARS AT ZENIT

Russian Premier League outfit Zenit Saint Petersburg recently celebrated five years at their new stadium known as the Gazprom Arena. The Russian champions moved to the Gazprom Arena on April 22, 2017.
Serbian defender BranislavIvanovic would go down in history as the recipient of thefirst goal at the Gazprom Arena. BranislavIvanovic scored the opening goal as Zenit beat Ural from Ekaterinburg 2-0 in a league encounter. It was the first match hosted by Zenit at the Gazprom Arena. The opener from Ivanovicarrived four minutes from time and it was crucial in Zenit getting the win at the expense of Ural. BranislavIvanovic scored five more goals in his Zenit career to make it a total of six goalsuntil he left the club in the summer of 2020.

IVANOVIC THINKS CHELSEA CAN RETAIN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

BranislavIvanovic has put Chelsea down as fourth favourites to win this season’s Champions League competition. Chelsea are in the hat for the quarter-final draw, which takes place this morning at 11:00am. The Blues are joined by English rivals Manchester City and Liverpool, who they could be pitted against now there are no restrictions on clubs from the same country playing each other.

BENT HAILS IVANOVIC AS ONE OF THE BEST RIGHT-BACKS

The English Premier League has seen a lot of dominant defenders in the past couple of decades, and the right-back position is one that has given rise to some of the best in the world. There have been some legendary right-back a to have played in England for some of the biggest clubs in the country and one of them is former Chelsea star Branislav Ivanovic.

Branislav Ivanovic was so good he was virtually impossible to play against, Darren Bent has recalled. The former Premier League striker was asked about the former Chelsea right-back on the day he turned 38 and labelled him a ‘tank’ who was one of the club’s best players having won everything in a nine-year spell.

BRANISLAV IVANOCI A TRUE CHELSEA ICON

The Serbian may be plying his trade at Championship side West Brom, but he would always be a fan’s favorite at the Premier League Club Chelsea. Branislav Ivanovic joined Chelsea in the winter of 2008 and went on to win everything at the club. He won the Premier League three times, the FA cup thrice, the UEFA champions league, one Europa League title, and also a League cup.

Life at Chelsea wasn’t the smoothest for the rampaging right-back. The defender had to endure a difficult period with then Chelsea manager Avram Grant and was regularly outshone in training by academy players. Six months after joining the club, he was linked with a move to Italy and only stayed because Shevchenco convinced him to stay.

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