Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho has left the club by mutual consent just six games into the Premier League season, the club said on Thursday.
Chelsea scored twice in the last two minutes in a stunning comeback against Aston Villa on Sunday only to concede an injury-time equaliser in a 3-3 draw that severely dents their hopes of retaining the Premier League title.
Chelsea took a five-point lead at the top of the English Premier League after beating champions Manchester United 1-0 in Sunday's show piece match. In Spain, Barcelona retained their one-point lead over Real Madrid.
Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari gets his first crack at Manchester United on Sunday when his table-topping side host the Premier League champions. The Brazilian has enjoyed an impressive start at Stamford Bridge since taking over from Avram Grant and will relish locking horns with one of Britain's greatest managers.
With the Premier League season kicking off on Saturday we look at the prospects of the 20 top-flight clubs.
On a dramatic days in England's history, John Terry spoke with team manager Fabio Capello and campaigned openly for Joe Cole's inclusion in the starting line-up to face Slovenia on Wednesday. He also voiced the team's desire for Wayne Rooney to play up front on his own.
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard will captain England in Wednesday's friendly against Switzerland.
Chelsea won the English Premier League earlier this month with three games to spare. And the players tried to make maximum out of the situation.
Thierry Henry was voted Footballer of the Year for the third time in four years by the Football Writers' Association
Chelsea moved to the top of the English Premier League after beating Arsenal, two points ahead of Manchester United.
First-half goals from Didier Drogba earned Chelsea a 2-0 win over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, securing them a return to the top of the Premier League, two points ahead of Manchester United.
John Terry's sacking as England skipper Friday opened the door for a significant turnaround in fortune for Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand who will take over the captain's armband.
Steven Gerrard, John Terry, David Beckham, Michael Owen and Owen Hargreaves have been included in the 28-man squad for next Wednesday's friendly against Germany at Wembley.
Diego Maradona enjoyed a winning start as Argentina coach with victory over Scotland on Wednesday while Marcello Lippi equalled a world record in charge of Italy. Among the pick of the other friendlies in Europe, a late header from captain John Terry earned England a 2-1 win against old foes Germany, European champions Spain swept Chile aside 3-0 and Robin van Persie's brace helped the Netherlands beat Sweden 3-1.
England defender Rio Ferdinand said the national team set-up was like a circus until the arrival of Italian Fabio Capello as manager.
Captain John Terry's headed goal after 76 minutes at Stamford Bridge was enough to give Chelsea a victory they just about deserved to put some daylight between them, Arsenal and Manchester United at the top of the table.
England hope to put behind their gloomy recent experiences against Croatia when they travel to Zagreb on Wednesday for an early key World Cup qualifier. Croatia beat England twice in the Euro 2008 qualifiers, costing them a place in June's finals in Switzerland and Austria and coach Steve McLaren his job.
Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien will be out of action for at least five months after rupturing an anterior cruciate knee ligament. The Chelsea website said Essien had sustained the injury playing for Ghana against Libya in a World Cup qualifier last Friday and would undergo surgery once the swelling had subsided.
Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari says he has a strong side capable of winning not just the main prizes, the Champions League and Premier League, but the FA Cup and League Cup too.
Lionel Messi of European champions Barcelona was named the European Club Player of the Year on Thursday for helping his side lift the UEFA Champions League trophy last season. Argentine Messi was also named forward of the year with his club mate Xavi Hernandez, who also played a key role for Barca last season, named as midfielder of the year ahead of a third Barcelona club mate Andres Iniesta.
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard will miss the next few weeks after tearing a muscle in his right thigh.
British Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe has attacked spiralling wages in the Premier League.
Though deprived of victory, England, coming off a series of poor results, will take heart from the way they grew in confidence as the game progressed and will aim to show more of the same in Wednesday's Euro 2008 qualifier.
Cristiano has been promised a record-breaking annual salary $18.5m a year to move to the Primera Liga club.
Andriy Shevchenko broke a seven-week drought on Tuesday with two goals which helped send champions Chelsea to the final.
Lampard won the award ahead of Chelsea captain John Terry and Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.
Chelsea assistant manager Steve Clarke said the English Premier League leaders do not need another central defender.
Frank Lampard scored Chelsea's winner in a 1-0 pre-season victory over Feyenoord.
Chelsea failed to score for a fourth successive English Premier League match in a 0-0 draw with Fulham.
Chelsea ended their pre-season tour of the US with a 1-0 win against Los Angeles Galaxy.
England will resume their Euro 2008 campaign in Estonia on Wednesday.
League leaders Chelsea and Liverpool however won their matches in the Premier League.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has much to ponder as he prepares his side for Saturday's local derby against Fulham at Stamford Bridge.
England ground out a 3-1 victory over Hungary in a World Cup warm-up on Tuesday
Chelsea, looking for a league and Cup double, reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup with a 1-0 win over Newcastle United.
The Spanish champions went through on 3-2 aggregate after the second leg pre-quarter-final ended 1-1. Juventus and Villarreal also made it to the quarter-finals.
Barcelona put one foot in the Champions League last 16 with a 5-0 away drubbing of Basel and are the only team with a 100 percent record.
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