Exclusive by Alessandro Schiavone in Paris Ligue 1 PSG 2-0 Lyon Goals: Mayulu 72', Godts 84' How can anyone go from being one of the Premier League’s top-performing centre-backs to a Ligue 1 struggler? This is the baffling case of ex-Bournemouth star Illia Zabarnyi, who was once on Chelsea and Tottenham’s wishlist. Luis Enrique had as much faith in him as Mikel Arteta currently has in Viktor Gyokeres. And the lack of playing time in big matches was a reflection of that. The U

By Alessandro Schiavone at Stade Roi Baudoin, Brussels Nations League Matchday 2 Belgium 0-1 France Goal: Olise 88' Defender Maxence Lacroix has started four games for Chelsea this season and has had to watch on as the opposition scored a staggering 10 times. Remarkably, he has been a crucial cog in France keeping back-to-back clean sheets against Turkey and Belgium in the Nations League in the past four days. Newspaper L’Équipe, something of a footballing Bible in France, de

Both pics by Wikimedia Common Exclusive by Alessandro Schiavone at Elland Road, Leeds Walter Benítez admitted that his hopes of ever becoming Argentina’s No.1 goalkeeper are slim due to the presence of Emiliano Martínez. The 34-year-old’s Blues career may not have got off to the best of starts after shipping 10 goals in just four Premier League fixtures. But the man from Mar del Plata has won one World Cup and two Copa América titles with La Selección. He also kept his countr

By Alessandro Schiavone at Elland Road Leeds United 0-0 Crystal Palace Daichi Kamada looked dejected as he left Elland Road with countryman Tomiyasu after the game. And politely declined interview requests from the numerous Japanese reporters in attendance who had come for him, the ex-Arsenal defender and Tanaka. Well, no surprise. He knows what every Crystal Palace supporter is fully aware of too: that he should have won them the game late on. And that bittersweet feeling ar

Exclusive by Alessandro Schiavone The son of a Dutch football legend has alerted the Premier League about his desire to move to England next summer. Lyon defender Ruben Kluivert was in talks with Crystal Palace over a potential deal in late August to replace Maxence Lacroix. But the Eagles eventually struck a deal with the Frenchman's new club Chelsea to bring in Axel Disasi on a season-long loan deal after failing to meet the French side's valuation for the Dutchman AND Mal

Exclusive by Alessandro Schiavone A Lens legend has urged Crystal Palace supporters to be patient with Pierre Sage — insisting the Frenchman will eventually deliver the goods at Selhurst Park. That is because the Eagles’ new French manager has been handed the baton by the club’s greatest-ever manager, Oliver Glasner. Succeeding the Austrian, who lifted the FA Cup, Community Shield and Conference League, means big shoes to fill. Not least for someone whose only previous coachi

By Alessandro Schiavone in Strasbourg Conference League semifinal second-leg Strasbourg 0-1 Rayo Vallecano (0-2 on aggregate) Goal: Alemão 42' Crystal Palace can breathe a sigh of relief as they avoided a reunion with Strasbourg in the final of the UEFA Conference League with Madrid minnows Rayo Vallecano now awaiting them in Leipzig. The Spaniards got the job done at La Meinau, where the Eagles lost 2-1 in the group stages nearly six months ago. It was only 1-0 but it could

By Alessandro Schiavone While Arsenal look increasingly likely to cement their serial bottlers status once more on current form following their 2-1 defeat at Man City yesterday, their hated rivals from down the road Tottenham Hotspur are flirting with a shock relegation, and two-time European kings Chelsea could miss out on the Champions League once again, with fifth-placed Liverpool now holding a SEVEN-point lead. And that with only five fixtures left to negotiate before

By Alessandro Schiavone Arsenal have been fired a warning by hothead Arda Turan ahead of their semi-final against Atletico Madrid in less than two weeks. The ex-Turkish midfielder, who scored against Chelsea at the same stage of the competition back in 2014 as Atleti ran riot at Stamford Bridge (1-3), has tipped this to be the Colchoneros ' season. Madrid's second force lost two finals in three years against Real Madrid back in 2014 and 2016 respectively. Yet with Los Mereng

By Alessandro Schiavone in Alkmaar Conference League QF second-leg AZ Alkmaar 2-2 Shakhtar Donetsk (2-5 on agg) Shakhtar Donetsk made it a 5-2 aggregate win over AZ Alkmaar's B team to set up a date with Crystal Palace in the semis of the Conference League. With the KNVB Cup final looming and the chance to end a 13-year wait for silverware when they face NEC Nijmegen on Sunday, AZ manager Leeroy Echteld decided to rest up to 11 players. Yet despite being played off the groun