Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By DAN KARELL
Chelsea are resting their UEFA Champions League hopes on the health of forward Samuel Eto’o.
The former Barcelona and Inter Milan star has been dealing with a hamstring strain since going off early on March 22 in Chelsea’s 6-0 victory against Arsenal, but over the course of the season has been the best center forward on Chelsea’s roster. Eto’o has scored 11 goals this season in all competitions, with all of them coming at home.
After losing 3-1 at Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is hoping that Eto’o can become fit enough to start. Eto’o took part in training on Monday, though he mostly trained on the side with an assistant coach. If Eto’o isn’t available, it’s thought that Mourinho will turn to Fernando Torres or Andre Schurrle to play as the lone striker.
Here are some more stories to start off your week:
CAMP NOU RENOVATIONS APPROVED
Even with all of the money spent by Barcelona on Neymar’s transfer over the past eight months, the club is ready to reach deep into its pockets once more.
Barcelona club members, known as socios, voted last Saturday overwhelmingly to approve a referendum to improve and renovate Barcelona’s stadium, the Camp Nou, and its surrounding structures. The main part of the project will see the Camp Nou undergo a face lift and increase its capacity to 105,000.
27,161 members of the club voted yes to the “Espai Barca” project, which will cost an estimated 600 million euros ($824 million) for the whole project and 400 million euros for the Camp Nou renovations. The Camp Nou remodeling is scheduled to begin in 2017 and be finished by 2021, with work mainly being done in the summer months.
ZIDANE TO TAKE OVER AT REAL MADRID IN 2016
Real Madrid are looking into promoting a club legend to the manager position in two years.
According to reports in France, former ‘Galactico’ Zinedine Zidane is rumored to take over for manager Carlo Ancelotti when the Italian’s contract runs out at the end of the 2015-2016 season. Zidane is currently Ancelotti’s assistant manager, after spending two years as Real Madrid’s sporting director.
Zidane spent the last five years of his career in Madrid with Los Blancos, appearing in more than 200 matches in all competitions and scoring 49 goals.
QUICK KICKS
Real Madrid are linked with the summer signing of Southampton left back Luke Shaw. (REPORT)
Bayer Leverkusen, currently in fifth place in the Bundesliga, have sacked manager Sami Hyppia. (REPORT)
Nicolas Anelka has signed for defending Copa Libertadores champions Atletico Mineiro after mutually terminating his contract with West Bromwich Albion last month. (REPORT)
Inter Milan owner Erick Thohir has publicly backed manager Walter Mazzarri but reports in Italy state that the Italian coach could be on his way out of the club. (REPORT)
Norwich City manager Chris Hughton has been sacked after four losses in the team’s last six games. (REPORT)
Catania have sacked head coach Rolando Maran for the second time this season. (REPORT)
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What do you think of these reports? Do you expect Eto’o to start for Chelsea? Think they can still defeat PSG with Fernando Torres up top? What do you think of Barca’s stadium renovations?
Share your thoughts below.