Lukaku, who was signed for around 80 million euros (71.2 million pounds) from Manchester United in the close season, is the club's leading goalscorer in Serie A alongside midfielder Stefano Sensi, with three goals.
Giampiero Ventura, a 68-year-old who has never won a major title, was named on Tuesday as the next Italy coach to replace Antonio Conte after Euro 2016.
New Chelsea signings David Luiz and Marcos Alonso are not ready for a first-team place in Sunday's Premier League clash with SwanseaCity, manager Antonio Conte said on Friday.
Title contenders Germany will come face to face with their ultimate tournament nightmare when they take on Italy in their Euro 2016 quarter-final in Bordeaux on Saturday.
Midfielder Cesc Fabregas must continue to sharpen the defensive side of his game to earn a place in Chelsea's starting line-up, manager Antonio Conte has said.
Midfielder Cesc Fabregas insists he can play a key role for Chelsea after scoring an extra-time brace to help the Blues knock Premier League champions Leicester City out of the League Cup on Tuesday. Fabregas has been on the fringes of new manager Antonio Conte's Chelsea side since the start of the season, having made just three league appearances from the bench.
Italy midfielder Antonio Candreva gave a dazzling performance as he scored a penalty and set up a second goal in a 2-0 win over Finland in their fast-paced final Euro 2016 warm-up in Verona on Monday. The 29-year-old winger coolly converted a 27th-minute spot kick after being brought down and delivered an inch-perfect cross for Daniele De Rossi to head home midway through the second half. Thriving on the right flank in an adventurous 3-4-3 formation, Candreva was a handful for the visitors throughout the evening, showing blistering pace as well as neat footwork. With their coach Antonio Conte fielding a three-pronged attack of Stephan El Shaarawy, Ciro Immobile and Simone Zaza, the Italians pressed high and hard to keep the Finns on the back foot from the start.
Juventus suffered their first defeat of the season at Lazio but the champions put pressure back on Antonio Conte's side by moving one point clear at the top
Italy coach Antonio Conte summoned help from astronaut Luca Parmitano to inspire his players ahead of Friday's Euro 2016 game against Sweden in Toulouse.
John Terry has recovered from an ankle injury and will be available for Chelsea's home clash with Manchester United on Sunday, manager Antonio Conte said on Friday.
Maverick striker Mario Balotelli has been called up by Italy for the first time since the World Cup in June after being included on Sunday in the squad for next weekend's Euro 2016 qualifier at home to Croatia.
Tottenham Hotspur have appointed former Celtic coach Ange Postecoglou as their new manager on a four-year contract.
Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi looks unlikely to face Germany in Saturday's Euro 2016 quarter-final because of a bruised thigh.
Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri wants to keep Belgian forward Eden Hazard at the Premier League club and improve him as a player.
Chelsea striker Diego Costa has been ruled out of Spain's matches against Macedonia and England through injury, the Spanish football federation said on Thursday. Costa had been struggling to shake off a groin injury he suffered in Chelsea's 5-0 Premier League win over Everton on Saturday and immediately underwent medical tests when he met up with the Spain squad.
Chelsea coach Antonio Conte welcomed the pressure other clubs are trying to maintain on his runaway Premier League leaders and said he expected a battle until the season is over.
Following is a match by match look at the English Premier League's weekend fixtures:
Premier League leaders Chelsea moved 10 points clear at the top on Sunday despite being held by Burnley in an entertaining game played amid flurries of sleet and snow.
Manchester United's Jose Mourinho, humbled for the second time this season in front of the Chelsea fans who once idolised him, did not go quietly on Monday as he declared that he remains the London club's number one manager.
Andrea Pirlo says he has no hard feelings towards Italy coach Antonio Conte after the veteran playmaker was overlooked for next month's European Championship in France.
Goalkeeper Eduardo has joined Chelsea on a one-year deal from Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb, the Premier League club said on Thursday. The 33-year-old, who has 35 caps for Portugal, spent two seasons with Dinamo, making more than 70 appearances. Eduardo was a non-playing member of the Portugal squad that won Euro 2016.
Former player and reserve team boss Santiago Solari has been put in caretaker charge after negotiations between the club and former Chelsea, Italy and Juventus boss Antonio Conte broke down on Monday, the club added.
Chelsea celebrated their title and captain John Terry's last game at Stamford Bridge with a 5-1 defeat of relegated Sunderland on Sunday , bringing their season's Premier League win tally to a record 30 games.
Chelsea staged a spectacular comeback with three goals in nine second-half minutes to beat Southampton 3-2 on Saturday and revive their faint hopes of a top-four Premier League finish as Saints remained in the drop zone.
Juventus's Montenegro striker Mirko Vucinic has been left out of their squad for the trip to Lazio in Serie A on Saturday (1945 GMT) after his move to Inter Milan fell through this week.
Chelsea striker Diego Costa is looking for a move away from Stamford Bridge after being told by manager Antonio Conte that the 28-year-old is not part of his plans at the Premier League club, the Spain international has said.
Guardiola beat out Chelsea's Antonio Conte, Burnley's Sean Dyche, Liverpool's Juergen Klopp, Manchester United's Jose Mourinho and Arsenal's Arsene Wenger for the award.
Chelsea have agreed a fee with Paris Saint-Germain for the return of Brazil international defender David Luiz, the Premier League club announced on Wednesday. "The move is now subject to him agreeing personal terms and passing a medical," said a statement on the club website (www.chelseafc.com). PSG paid a reported 50 million pounds ($65.59 million), a world record fee for a defender, when Luiz moved to west London in June 2014.
Rediff.com brings a preview of the main matches coming up this weekend in the English Premier League.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Chelsea's 1-0 win over Liverpool on Sunday shows they have rediscovered the kind of work ethic it takes to get results in the Premier League, defender Gary Cahill said.
Eden Hazard believes he has been given more freedom to score goals after being pushed to a central attacking role under Chelsea manager Antonio Conte. The 25-year-old Belgian winger struck four goals in the Premier League last season but has already racked up three after the opening eight league games this campaign, with Conte opting for a wing-back formation in recent games. "When you are strong defensively you bring confidence to all the team, and it is more easy to score goals," Hazard, who scored a goal in Saturday's 3-0 hammering of champions Leicester City, told Chelsea's website.
Chelsea's 3-0 win over Middlesbrough on Monday moved them seven points clear at the top with three games left and a win at West Brom will make them champions.
Lionel Messi had to wait 12 years and endure a goal drought of eight games against Chelsea but he finally broke his duck in Tuesday's 1-1 Champions League last 16, first leg draw.
Spending by Premier League teams has already broken last season's record and could exceed one billion pounds ($1.32 billion) by the time the transfer window closes at the end of the month.
With dreams of European glory in tatters, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur turn their attention to the FA Cup quarter-finals this weekend clinging to their last chance of silverware this season.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been named the Premier League manager of the month for February, while in-form Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane picked up his fourth player of the month award.
How quickly affections can switch in soccer. Where once they would serenade coach Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge with an operatic flourish, now Chelsea fans have fallen headlong for another man driving them inexorably to the Premier League title.
Eden Hazard is enjoying life under new Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri but says reports that he is about to announce the signing of a new deal with the London club are wide of the mark.
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