Mauricio Pochettino is the front-runner for the Chelsea job

Former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino has emerged as the favourite to become Chelsea’s new permanent manager after holding positive talks with the club’s owners. The Blues are still looking for a permanent manager to take over from Graham Potter, who was sacked last month. For now, ex-player and legend Frank Lampard is managing the team. But he has not had a successful return to the club and has lost all four matches he has overseen. Chelsea had spoken to former RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann about taking the role. However, after speaking with the Chelsea owner, the German has pulled out of the running for the job.s Read more: PSG is ready to enter the race to sign Harry Kane As such, the Stamford Bridge side turned their attention to Pochettino after further talks over the vacancy. Chelsea do not want to make a hasty decision in who they hire, so they are doing their due diligence on several candidates. They want to ensure the next appointment is not a misstep, as it turned out to be with Potter. Pochettino, who has been out of work since quitting PSG last summer, has recently held talks with Chelsea. The Argentine has always been in the frame to become Chelsea boss since new owner Todd Boehly took over the club. He was a candidate to succeed Thomas Tuchel in September and is now open to joining the Blues. He is understood to be equally willing to discuss a return to Tottenham, who are also looking for a permanent manager after sacking Antonio Conte. Meanwhile, former Barcelona and Spain boss Luis Enrique had previously discussed the vacancy at Chelsea but is not considered a candidate. Burnley boss and Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany is on the shortlist for both Chelsea and Spurs but is not seen as a main contender at this stage.

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Mainz vs Bayern Munich: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Bayern Munich will travel to Mewa Arena this Saturday to face Mainz in the 29th Round of the 2022/23 Bundesliga season. After back-to-back draws, Mainz will be desperate to return to winning ways and get their top-six quest back on track. The hosts are loitering just outside the top six but well placed to make a late assault on the Bundesliga table in search of a first appearance in European competition since 2016/17.  They find themselves in a cluster of four sides who harbour realistic hopes of claiming the Bundesliga’s sixth and final European spot, and their aspirations certainly boosted by a nine-match unbeaten league run (W5, D4). Read more: Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo: Preview and Expert Football Prediction  However, head coach Bo Svensson will be worried that all four draws in that run came in their last five games. But having scored in 14 consecutive Bundesliga games (a club record), they will fancy their chances of getting a result here against a Bayern side still finding their feet under Thomas Tuchel. The former Chelsea boss, who played under Svensskn at Mainz, has lost and won just two of his opening six games at the Bavarian club (D2, L2). His last outing was in the Champions League, where his side were kicked out after a 1-1 draw with Manchester City at Allianz Arena. When Tuchel arrived, Bayern were on course to win three trophies. But as it stands, they only have the Bundesliga title to fight for, having been kicked out of the DFB Pokal and Champions League. But no guarantee just being able to focus on the Bundesliga will help them, as their 59-point haul is their worst after 28 games in 11 years. Playing away from home probably wouldn’t be the Bavarians’ premier pick to improve upon that tally either, not only because they’ve alternated between wins and defeats across their last five away league games (W3, L2) but also because they’ve lost both Bundesliga away games against a Svensson-managed Mainz. Both sides do not struggle to score goals, so we can expect a BTTS/GG game at Mewa Arena on Saturday. Click here to get soccer Predictions today.

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Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo: Preview and Expert Football Prediction 

After their Champions League exertions at Stamford Bridge in midweek, Real Madrid will turn their attention to La Liga when they welcome Celta Vigo to Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday. The hosts secured their place in the sending final of the Champions League with a 2-0 win over Chelsea on Tuesday. A brace from Rodrygo Goes sealed the win for Carlo Ancelotti’s men, handing them a 4-0 aggregate win and securing a date with Manchester City in the next Round. Their attention will now turn to securing their 20th win in La Liga this game as they look to keep their unlikely league title charge alive. However, they come into this tie sitting eleven points behind Barcelona, with little or no chance of closing the deficit. Read more: Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest: Preview and Expert Football Prediction  But they will keep trying to win games, especially at the Bernabéu, where they will be hoping their fans are treated to a battery performance than their most recent home outing when they were beaten 3-2 by Villarreal. Meanwhile, Celta Vigo will look to get back to winning ways after their Monday night 1-0 defeat to Mallorca ended their seven-match unbeaten run in the league (W3, D4). That loss dented their ambitions of a top-half finish this season. But it is still achievable, given that they come into this Round of games sitting just two points off ninth-placed Girona.  Repeating their top-ten finish two seasons ago would be a fine way to mark their centenary year, as would beating Madrid, which they haven’t managed in the league since May 2014 (D2, L15). Yet they are unbeaten in the league away action since the start of February (W2, D3) and will fancy their chances here. But you have to go back to November 2006 for the last time they claimed a head-to-head league triumph in Madrid (D1, L9), highlighting the scale of the task Celta face. Click here to get Football Prediction for today.

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Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest: Preview and Expert Football Prediction 

Liverpool will continue their quest for an unlikely top-four finish this Saturday when they welcome struggling Nottingham Forest to Anfield.  The Reds are looking to make it two league wins in a row for the first time since early March after ending a run of five games without a win (D2, L3) with an emphatic 6-1 win over Leeds United at Elland Road last time out. They looked very much like the Liverpool of old in that game, and the remainder of their Premier League season will have to follow suit if they’re to salvage anything tangible, considering they still trail the European spots by six points.  They return to Anfield, where they have enjoyed most of their success this season, looking for another huge win. While they have not enjoyed much success this season, Jurgen Klopp’s men remain solid at home, losing only one of their last 37 home league matches (W27, D9). Read more: Arsenal vs Southampton: Preview and Expert Football Prediction They will be confident of recording another win here, given that they are unbeaten in the last 25 home head-to-head meetings with Forest (W18, D7). But, given they lost the reverse fixture 1-0 in October shows, nothing can be taken for granted, while a return of just one clean sheet in their last six games shows their defence can’t be trusted. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest will be keen for another upset against the Reds, having beaten them at City Ground earlier this season. However, the visitors travel to Anfield in terrible shape, having failed to win any of their last ten matches (D3, L7).  They’ve conceded in every one of those games, meaning manager Steve Cooper has only celebrated a league win this season when his side has kept a clean sheet. The chances of manager Steve Cooper masterminding one of those resilient defensive performances here are slim, given that only two promoted teams have ever claimed a PL double over Liverpool.  Also, Forest’s haul of six points and five goals scored on their PL travels this season (both being league-lows) makes the possibility of a win here unlikely. Click here to get today’s Football Prediction.

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Barcelona agree on deal with Roberto Firmino

Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino will reportedly join Barcelona when his contract at Anfield expires at the end of the season. After eight successful years at the club, the Reds forward is out of contract at Anfield this summer. Liverpool wanted to extend his deal, but Firmino decided it was time to end his association with the club. He has offers from several clubs worldwide, including clubs from the Middle East and America’s Major League Soccer. Read more: Pep Guardiola says his players are exhausted after Man City reach third straight Champions League semi-final However, according to the Daily Mail, the Brazilian has opted to switch to Barcelona when he calls it quits at Liverpool this summer.  The Catalan side are looking for an extra striker to reduce the burden on number 9 Robert Lewandowski and have identified Bobby as the perfect option. The fact that the 31-year-old Brazilian will join for free makes it a low-risk option, especially as Barcelona is struggling financially. The Catalan club are expected to sell some players to be able to sign new ones, so they are prioritizing players on the bossman list, with Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan and Paris Saint-Germain forward and legendary player Lionel Messi.  Firmino joined Liverpool in 2015 from Hoffenheim shortly before Jurgen Klopp became the club’s manager. After struggling early in his Liverpool career while playing as a winger under Brendan Rodgers, the Brazilian came alive when Klopp began playing him as a false nine. He was part of the famed front-three alongside Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah that led Liverpool to Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Club World Cup titles. 

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Borussia Dortmund vs Frankfurt: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Borussia Dortmund will look to return to winning ways this Saturday when they face Eintracht Frankfurt at Signal Iduna Park. Last time, they failed to take advantage of Bayern Munich’s draw with Hoffenheim oas they, were held to a 3-3 draw against Stuttgart after taking the lead in the game. Edin Terzić can only hope that his side’s failure to defeat Stuttgart in that pulsating draw won’t be a season-defining moment in the title race, as that was a golden opportunity to draw level with Bayern at the Bundesliga summit. Regardless, the visit of Eintracht Frankfurt may provide some much-needed respite for the hosts, who hope to build on their patchy five-game league form (W2, D2, L1) against the side they’ve defeated more often than any other in the top-flight (W48, D20, L31). Read more: Mainz vs Bayern Munich: Preview and Expert Football Prediction If that’s not enough to inspire confidence, then perhaps boasting the league’s strongest home record (W11, D1, L1) will be enough to rally the troops after last weekend’s disappointment. Frankfurt enters this clash in terrible form, having suffered an almighty fall from grace in the league, with a seven-game winless run seeing them tumble out of the European places (D4, L3).  Yet, Oliver Glasner’s side have a DFB Pokal semi-final on the horizon, so if they fall further adrift of the top six here, they’re likely to focus more on earning European qualification via the cup competition. But things don’t look much better on the road for the Eagles, who are enduring their longest wait for an away league win since 2017 (D4, L4). Stopping the rot against this particular opposition will be tricky, to say the least, with Glasner losing each of his seven personal Bundesliga H2Hs with Dortmund. His embarrassment may not stop there, as one more defeat would equal the Bundesliga record for one coach against a specific opponent. Click here to get Betting Tips Today.

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Angers vs Paris Saint-Germain: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain will look to extend their lead at the top of the league table when they travel to Stade Raymond-Kopa on Friday to face bottom-of-the-table Angers. The hosts have had a miserable season, with just three wins in 31 games (D5, L23). The 14 points they have won this season are only better than Elche in La Liga, who have won just 13 points after 29 games. So mathematically, Angers are the worst team in Europe’s top five leagues this season. Meanwhile, they could be mathematically relegated to Ligue 2 if they lose this game, proving again how poor they have been this season. Doing whatever it takes to help their team, last weekend, some SCO fans even tried to distract then-opponents Clermont by showing their backside during the two penalties that their team conceded, but it didn’t work as Angers eventually lost 2-1 to remain rock-bottom. Read more: Arsenal vs Southampton: Preview and Expert Football Prediction Coach Alexandre Dujeux lamented his players’ “lack of sharpness” during that defeat on Sunday after his team scored first within 30 minutes and even played the whole second half with eleven men against ten. Nevertheless, a return to the Stade Raymond-Kopa will be welcome for Angers, who have taken points in their last two home outings (W1, D1), and their recent 1-0 win against in-form Lille shows that a positive result isn’t impossible. Paris Saint-Germain extended their lead at the top of the league table thanks to a 3-1 win over closest challengers Lens last time out. The win ended a return of two consecutive home losses for the Parisians and relieved some pressure off head coach Christopher Galtier. The French coach stated that his men shouldn’t believe that “it (the title) is already done” after his side opened an eight-point lead at the top. But it seems nigh on impossible that PSG will be denied a record 11th French title considering they will only face teams currently ranked tenth or below until the end of the season.  They travel to this venue in confidence, too, having won their last six visits to Angers, while their last H2H loss here dates back to January 1975. Click here for the best Over 2.5 Goals odds.

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Juventus 15-point deduction temporarily REVOKED

Juventus have successfully appealed their 15-point deduction in Serie A, as the penalty have not been revoked. The Old Lady were slapped with a 15-point dediti9in February following allegations of financial rascality and mismanagement by the club over some seasons. They were charged for false corporate communications, false communications to the stock market and obstruction of watchdog agencies. This led to the club’s offices being raided by CONSOB – the finance regulator responsible for monitoring club dealings on the stock exchange – in November 2021 to seize documents relating to the transfers under scrutiny. Read more: Pep Guardiola says his players are exhausted after Man City reach third straight Champions League semi-final An investigation was opened on the club, and the entire Juventus board – including Andrea Agnelli and Pavel Nedved – resigned late last year. Early this year, they were handed a point deduction due to the charges, taking them out of the top four race.  But that has been revoked, meaning Massimiliano Allegri’s side now have a great chance of qualifying for the Champions League. With 15 points added back, the Italian giants move up to third with 59 points. Meanwhile. AC Milan and Inter drop down to fifth and sixth in the Serie A table.  Meanwhile, the number one spot is off the table, with Napoli expected to secure the title imminently. Still, the Bianconeri could steal the second spot from Lazio with a good run of form.

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Harry Maguire among THIRTEEN players that could leave Man United ahead of MAJOR summer clear-out  

Manchester United are planning a summer clear-out that will see them sell over a dozen players. The Red Devils have improved under Erik ten Hag, who arrived from Ajax last summer. The Dutchman has overseen a rebuild of the Manchester United team, and the club is reaping the harvest with one trophy ready in the cabinet and a place in the Champions League almost guaranteed next season. However, the Old Trafford side wants to completely refresh Erik ten Hag’s squad this summer. Read more: PSG is ready to enter the race to sign Harry Kane But United are currently in ownership limbo and are also walking a tightrope with Financial Fair Play. They also have an incredibly bloated squad, which needs addressing. According to the Daily Mail, that will require them to sell off their first team and fringe players. Anthony Elanga and Eric Bailly are two players that have been attracting interest from other clubs and are first on the list of players that will be moved on. Error-prone Man United captain Harry Maguire is another player who could be sold. Meanwhile, Brandon Williams, Alex Telles, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Donny van de Beek and Anthony Martial can also be encouraged to seek a new club. Youngsters Facundo Pellistri and Amand Diallo could be given a place in the first team next season. United already have transfer targets in mind and have spoken to the representatives of Bayer Leverkusen full-back Jeremie Frimpong.

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Arsenal vs Southampton: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Premier League returns this weekend as league leaders Arsenal welcome bottom-of-the-table Southampton to the Emirates Stadium on Friday. The Gunners will look to get back to winning ways when they return to the Emirates after back-to-back away games that saw them drop four points from Te’o games. That came with back-to-back 2-2 draws away to Liverpool and West Ham in their last game, cutting their lead over Man City at the top of the Premier League table to four points. After dropping points from a strong winning position in those two games, Mikel Arteta will hope his side can see off Southampton without any hitches. The clash with the Saints looks like the ideal fixture to get back to winning ways, given that the Gunners have won each of their seven home games against current bottom-half opponents. Read more: Sporting Lisbon vs Juventus: Preview and Expert Football Prediction They have also scored a remarkable 27 combined goals in those games while conceding only seven in reply. So they will fancy their chances of extending their winning run at home in the PL to five games. Meanwhile, Southampton travel to London in dire form. The Saints come into this tie without a win in six Premier League games (D2, L4).  Their last outing was an embarrassing 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace, meaning that they come into this Round sitting four points from safety, despite the tight nature of this season’s relegation fight. Apart from being rooted at the bottom of the table, Southampton have not beaten Arsenal away from home in their last 27 head-to-head meetings.  So, this game is a huge mountain for Rubén Sellés’ side, who are running out of time to secure their Premier League status beyond this season. Click here to get Sure Home win Prediction.  

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