Match Preview: Chelsea vs. West Brom

Chelsea begins the defence of their Premier League title with a home game against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday evening.

The Blues won an historic league and FA Cup Double last season, but go into the new campaign short on momentum after a disappointing pre-season campaign – where they won just once – was capped off by defeat to Manchester United in the Community Shield.

Defeats to Ajax, Hamburg and Eintracht Frankfurt before their loss to the Red Devils at Wembley caused concerns for manager Carlo Ancelotti, who has also had fitness worries over a number of his key players in recent weeks.

There are likely to be new faces at Stamford Bridge – the likes of Ramires and Neymar are being heavily linked to the Blues – before the end of August, but it is the current crop that needs to get the season off to a winning start.

And despite their problems before the big kick-off, few will be betting against a Chelsea victory on home soil as the serious business gets under way.

The Blues, who scored over 100 league goals in 2009/10, have won their last 10 matches against Saturday’s opponents and it will be a major upset if that sequence is not extended to 11.

West Brom have certainly been the 'yo-yo' club of the 21st century so far, being promoted four times from the Championship and relegated back to the second tier on three occasions.

That means they are now starting a new season in a different division for the eighth time in ten campaigns.

The Baggies did buck the trend and dramatically stay in the top-flight on the final day of the 2004-05 season, but the odds are against them repeating that feat this time around - the bookies rate them as the second most likely side to go down, behind only Blackpool.

Boss Roberto Di Matteo has signed Boaz Myhill, Nicky Shorey, Pablo Ibanez and Steven Reid over the summer, as well as securing Gabriel Tamas on a permanent deal ahead of what is set to be a long struggle against the drop.

Games against the likes of Chelsea will not be the ones which decide the Baggies’ fate, though, so anything they do pick up will be considered a bonus and this may be a good time to play the champions with their worries over form and fitness.

In all likelihood, though, Di Matteo will already have one eye on next week’s home game against Sunderland as his search for around 40 Premier League points begins.

FORM GUIDE

Chelsea 1-3 Manchester United
Hamburg 2-1 Chelsea
Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 Chelsea
Ajax 3-1 Chelsea
Crystal Palace 0-1 Chelsea

West Brom 1-1 Osasuna
Coventry City 1-1 West Brom
Doncaster Rovers 1-0 West Brom
Bristol Rovers 0-1 West Brom
VVV Venlo 1-2 West Brom

TEAM NEWS

Chelsea

Chelsea are hoping that goalkeeper Petr Cech will be fit enough to return in time for the game, after problems with a calf injury meant Henrique Hilario and Ross Turnbull stood in for him throughout pre-season.

Didier Drogba should be fit enough to play a full part in proceedings after being restricted to a substitute appearance in the Community Shield, although Alex is out with a thigh problem and Ricardo Carvalho has joined Real Madrid.

That means Branislav Ivanovic is set to continue in the centre of defence alongside John Terry, with Paulo Ferreira at right-back.

Possible Starting XI: Cech; Ferreira, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Mikel, Essien, Lampard; Anelka, Drogba, Malouda.

West Brom

West Brom’s main injury concern comes in the form of key player Graham Dorrans, who had to pull out of Scotland’s midweek friendly against Sweden with a groin strain.

He will be assessed in the run up to kick-off, as will new signing Pablo Ibanez, who looks likely to recover from a minor problem that forced him to withdraw from last week’s friendly with Osasuna after the warm-up.

Possible Starting XI: Carson, Jara, Tamas, Ibanez, Shorey; Mulumbu, Brunt; Morrison, Dorrans, Thomas; Bednar.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Chelsea

Didier Drogba scored 37 goals in a sensational 2009-10 season as he helped Chelsea to the Double - a return which saw him finish 11th in the Goal.com 50.

After his World Cup and pre-season campaign were disrupted by injury, though, the Ivorian will be desperate to make up for lost time and get off to a goalscoring start.

A home game against newly promoted opposition gives him the perfect chance to do just that.

West Brom

Scott Carson has a big season ahead of him as he aims to get back into the England set-up after David James was dropped and Paul Robinson retired from the international scene.

The Baggies shot stopper is likely to be busy on Saturday and will need to be on top of his game if the visitors are to pick up anything from their trip to west London.

Kalou: This Season Could Be Last Opportunity For Chelsea’s Ageing Squad To Win Champions League

Saloman Kalou believes that the forthcoming season could be this Chelsea squad’s last chance of winning the Champions League.

Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, John Terry and Ashley Cole will all be in their 30s when the season draws to a close, but Kalou thinks they can all put disappointing World Cup campaigns behind them to inspire their club this season.

"That's the reason why we should win, we should go for every challenge," the 25-year-old Ivory Coast international told the Guardian.

"And I think this season will be a great season for Chelsea because this may be the last opportunity for us to win the Champions League or to win more prizes together. Everyone is concerned by that and we have a decent goal and this team is willing to do their best to achieve all those trophies.

“We have good professionals in the team, good experience and people are hungry to win because, at the World Cup, it was not so good for everyone at Chelsea. They have that hunger to win games because we know that the World Cup was a disappointment for everyone."

Kalou feels the team will also benefit from the return of midfielder Michael Essien, who played in the community shield against Manchester United.

"We know how important he is for the team, how important he can be to the whole season, because having him in the team is a bonus," Kalou said.

He also dismissed Chelsea’s poor pre season, blaming the World Cup for disrupting the club’s preparations.

"Some players came in at different moments [from the World Cup], and some players didn't train for one week, so they need time to be fit. It can be a problem but we have the players and the experience of these kind of competitions. I think they will be ready for Saturday, I have no doubt of that."

Chelsea Complete Ramires Signing After Successful Tribunal Appeal

Chelsea have been given the go-ahead to complete the £18.2m transfer of the Brazil midfielder Ramires from Benfica after the player was granted a work permit at a tribunal today.

The clearance came this afternoon after the Chelsea assistant manager, Ray Wilkins, and the club secretary, Dave Barnard, attended a hearing in London and argued their case for Ramires to receive a permit under the special circumstances clause, given that he has not played the required 75% of games for Brazil over the past two years.

The panel sanctioned the signing of the 23-year-old widely recognized as one of the most sought-after young talents in the game. The Brazilian is expected to arrive in London on Saturday to complete the paperwork, although he is unlikely to be considered for the visit of West Bromwich Albion to Stamford Bridge.

City To Pip Chelsea To David Luiz Signing

Manchester City are beating Chelsea in the race to land Benfica’s £27 million-rated Brazilian centre half David Luiz.

City are willing to outbid the double winners in the chase for the curly-haired defender who is now a priority signing for both of the Premier League giants.

Luiz has been lined up by Chelsea as a replacement for Real Madrid new boy Ricardo Carvalho, but City believes they will win the race - even if it means paying over the odds for a player yet again.

Coach Roberto Mancini wants Luiz signed quickly to let him sort out his defence and then push out some well-known faces when he trims his squad to 25 for the Premier League rules.

City already have a handful of top centre halves but Mancini believes Luiz, who also plays left back, is the answer and negotiations are at an advanced stage.

Luiz’s signing would push the likes of Vincent Kompany and Joleon Lescott down the pecking order as Mancini and his team put the squeeze on Mark Hughes’s signings.

The news that City have stepped up their bid will be a blow for Chelsea who have seen the Arab-backed outfit move ahead of them in the signing stakes - with this a potentially major reminder of that wealth.

Luiz will have City’s promise to weigh up against Chelsea’s status, but both the player and his handlers - who are used to dealing with both clubs - could go where the money is instead.

Both City and Chelsea hope to make progress on their moves over the weekend, with Luiz back from international duty with Brazil in America.

It is also an extraordinary fee for a player who has barely got into the Brazil side but most experts tip him as a star of the next decade.

Chelsea's Neymar Interest Confirmed By Carlo Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti, the Chelsea manager, has confirmed that he would like to sign the Brazil striker Neymar from Santos.

Chelsea has antagonized the Brazilian club with their determined approach to the transfer, with Santos threatening to report them to Fifa for "unethical" conduct and "harassment".

"I know nothing about this," said Ancelotti, whose club has already had a £17m bid for the 18-year-old rejected. "I can only speak about his technical quality. He is a fantastic player.

"We are interested in all the young players that come through all over the world and Neymar is one of these but this doesn't mean we have to buy this player."

France U-19 Star Gueida Fofana: I Want To Join Gael Kukuta At Chelsea

Team captain of France's Under-19 European Championship winning side and tracked by Europe's elite, Gueida Fofana, the midfielder of Le Havre has delivered an exclusive interview to Goal.com about his future.

Goal.com: About your future, you are tracked by big clubs (Chelsea, Liverpool)...

Gueida Fofana: Yes, there are big European teams interested in me. Honestly, this is very pleasing. But I will ask to leave Le Havre. I need a good sports project behind the club to allow me to progress, with a framework that helps me improve.

Currently under contract, would you leave if a club makes an offer that Le Havre can’t refuse? And what club would you go to? Chelsea?

Yes, it's true [I would leave]. Obviously, playing at a big club tempts me, but I do not really have a favourite destination. As I said, I want a club that proposes a good sports project.

Would it make you happy to play with France Under-19 team-mate Gael Kukuta at Chelsea?

(Laughing) Yes, of course it would make me happy. As well as with Gilles [Sunu] at Arsenal, Francis [Coquelin] in Lorient or Chris [Mavinga] in Liverpool. To go to a club where there is already one of my [international] team-mates, it would be nice, for sure. I'll be happy if there is a beautiful sports project for me. But playing with Gael, of course it would make me happy.

Are you not afraid you would ‘polish the bench’ if you left Le Havre for a big European team?

Sure, it is not easy. I must weigh up the pros and cons. But that does not scare me. The important thing is that the club offers me a project that will allow me to progress, to gain experience. There is a risk, but I'd say that’s football. Overnight, you can be pushed or forgotten.

What are your goals for the new season?

To win promotion to Ligue 1. I really hope we will succeed. We are all highly motivated to earn a spot in Ligue 1 next season, and hopefully it will happen. From a personal standpoint, my goal is to play more, to have as much playing time as possible.

You've won the European Under-19 Championships against Spain this summer. Is not it difficult to get back into club football?

Psychologically, it is not easy. We [the France U-19s] spent six weeks together. We had other rules, other ways of doing things, a way of training. But we're all back to work and to do the right things!

Speaking of the Euros, what happened during the competition?

It was very cool. We were a united group who lived well together. We tried to put aside our individuality and it worked well. We all had the same goal: to be crowned European champions, and we all gave everything to go in this direction.

How did you feel about the competition as captain of France's Under-19s?

When you wear the armband, you have certain responsibilities that suit me perfectly. It takes a person who likes to talk, give advice, to invest in the field. I really enjoyed being the captain of my team and I am satisfied with the role that I played.

As captain, you lifted the trophy for the U-19 European Championship. How did you feel at the moment?

I felt great pride. It only happens to one player and it happened to me. I'm super proud. In addition, it was not very far from home, for my family, in front of the French public. It was unforgettable.

Do you think about a selection for the senior team?

The national team is a bonus. It happens when you have demonstrated your potential with your club and played very good seasons. So you think about it, but much work remains.

Do you think you have brought some joy to some of the French public after the fiasco of the France team at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa?

We arrived after what happened at the World Cup. We did not know we were going to generate much excitement, either from the public or the media. We did not expect to play before such a crowd. If the team is a pleasure to people, so much the better. We are pleased to be able to bring happiness, especially as we have played a good competition with four wins and a draw. All of this is exceptional.

Fergie - Blues Are Favourites

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes defending champions Chelsea must be considered favourites for the Premier League title.

The Red Devils finished one point behind the Blues last season after an epic tussle which went right down to the wire.

Chelsea's success brought an abrupt end to United's top flight dominance, with Ferguson's men having taken the title in each of the three previous years.

Between them, United and Chelsea have now shared ownership of the Premier League crown for the last six years, with no other club able to get a look in.

Many expect that trend to continue in 2010/11, with it difficult to see where a sustained challenge is going to come from.

Ferguson accepts that United and Chelsea will be among the frontrunners once more this time around, but insists that it is the men from Stamford Bridge who are under the most pressure to perform.

"My thoughts are not necessarily on the top four, because we've got to think about how we're going to win this league," he said.

"You have to think that Chelsea - having won the league last season - are going to be the favourites. That's what you have to think - the team that won it the previous season, you have to try and knock off their perch."

Ferguson, who stopped short of suggesting that 'noisy neighbours' Manchester City could be potential challengers, feels the battle for a top four finish will be as intense as ever this season.

He added: "The interesting one is Everton. They have got all their players back. The first half of last season was a nightmare for them, with the injuries for major players like (Mikel) Arteta and (Phil) Jagielka - they were big losses to them.

"Now all these players are fit, they could be an interesting prospect for the season.

"I say that with the events of last season, when Tottenham got into the top four, so they broke that monopoly of established teams like ourselves, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool. I expect Everton to do very well this season."

And Ferguson is also expecting Liverpool, who finished seventh last term, to be back in the mix after drafting in Roy Hodgson to succeed the departing Rafa Benitez.

"You would expect Liverpool to improve with Roy. Tottenham are on the upswing, with Harry's (Redknapp) experience," he said.

"It tells you the top four is going to be a competitive four again, because that's what we're all aiming for - to be in the Champions League. That's the priority for all these clubs."

Ricardo Carvalho: I Have Always Wanted To Play For Real Madrid

New Real Madrid signing Ricardo Carvalho says that he has always longed to play for los Blancos and is also looking forward to his reunion with Jose Mourinho.

The Portuguese has joined Madrid from Premier League champions Chelsea on a two-year deal for a reported €8 million transfer fee and will be officially presented as a Blanco today. Ahead of the press conference, the 32-year-old told Spanish sports daily Marca that he had always dreamed of playing for the nine-time European champions.

"This is an important step for me in my career. For a long time I have wanted to play for Real Madrid."

He added: "Wherever Mourinho goes, he wins. He is a great coach, as has already been demonstrated. Players have full confidence in him."

Alex: I'm Feeling Good

Alex may have missed the pre-season campaign but he's feeling sharp and ready to line up against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

The Brazilian, who missed pre-season due to injury, rotated his position with Ricardo Carvalho last campaign, but with the departure of our former number 6 to pastures new, he's likely to become a more regular name in the starting line-up.

However, despite this extra responsibility, Alex is relishing the opportunity and insists the pressure upon him is no different from the beginning of any other season.

'It is a normal start to the season,' he said. 'The pressure is the same for every player; we just have to win every game.

'I am feeling very good. I had a problem about one month ago but now I have been training in the sand, on the pitch and in the gym, so I am ready to start on Saturday and have a great season.'

With the Double still fresh in everyone's mind, many will think the possibility of more silverware will spur the side on this campaign, but Alex has a different message.

'We have to concentrate on this season. We will forget last season, it was a great season, winning a Double, but now we have to focus on the new season.

'Every team will come to play us and they will try their best to beat us, so we have to think about this.

'We can do it better [have a more successful season]; we have the quality to do it a lot better but we have to forget about last season a little bit and focus on this season now.'

As he narrows his focus into this campaign and considers potential silverware, there's one trophy on the Brazilian's mind.

'I want to win the Champions League,' admitted Alex, 'the club wants to win the Champions League and every player wants to win the Champions League.

'It is a very good competition, one of the biggest in the world. In Brazil everybody says Chelsea needs to win the Champions League, here it is the same, so we need to concentrate on the Champions League.

'We have a good midfield, a good defence; we have a very good team. It is my opinion that we have the right team to win the Champions League.'

But for now the fans will be thinking only of the Barclays Premier League and our opening game against West Bromwich Albion.

The last time Chelsea played at the Bridge, it ended 8-0 in our favour, as we thumped Wigan in the last League game of 2009/10. But after a summer of World Cup football, which resulted in late returns to pre-season for many Blues, Alex warns the side may not be as prolific on Saturday.

'The fans will want a greater result but the start of the season is difficult.

'The first two or three games of the season are always difficult but we still need to win. We need to start the season well, with three points, because it is a long competition and so we need a good start.'

Chelsea Chuffed As Target Romelu Lukaku Snubs Real Madrid

Chelsea's long term target Romelu Lukaku has given the Blues a boost by snubbing Real Madrid and insisting he will stay with his club Anderlecht.

The 17-year-old striker is regarded as one of the hottest prospects in Europe and has been linked with Chelsea and Madrid over the summer.

However Lukaku says he is going nowhere and wants to stay in Belgium in a setback for Real boss Jose Mourinho who wanted to breeze him and tempt him away from Anderlecht with a £16million bid.

Chelsea, on the other hand, is prepared to sit and wait for Lukaku and will pleased learn that the Spanish giants have been warned off.

Lukaku, who scored 18 goals in 43 games for Anderlecht last season, said: 'I'm staying. My desire is to play Champions League with this club and continue my studies in Brussels.'

Clarets Capture Cork

Burnley has signed Chelsea midfielder Jack Cork on a season-long loan.

Cork, 21, enjoyed a successful four-month spell at Turf Moor last season and scored his first Premier League goal in the win against Tottenham on the final day of the campaign.

A statement on the club's official website said: "The 21-year-old was an outstanding success in his four-month stay as a Claret, making 11 appearances, with his influence on the field matched by his popularity in the dressing room."

The England Under 21 international has had previous loan spells with Coventry, Scunthorpe, Southampton and Bournemouth, clocking up over 100 league appearances.

Santos Striker Neymar Agrees To Move To Chelsea

Santos starlet Neymar has agreed to join Premier League champions Chelsea in the coming days, according to latest reports.

One of Brazil's most important newspapers, Folha de Sao Paulo, claims that in a meeting held in New York the decision to allow the Brazilian international striker to leave Santos for Chelsea was finalized.

It's been reported that the meeting was held in the presence of the player, his father, agent Wagner Ribeiro, Santos president Luiz Alvaro de Oliveira Ribeiro, Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck and agent Pini Zahavi. Neymar agreed to sign for the Blues, who will pay Santos €25 million.

Neymar has been a target of Chelsea's all summer and at one point it appeared that the move had fallen through when Santos officially rejected a €20 million bid from the English giants. However, with Neymar having agreed to put pen to paper, it now appears that an official declaration will be made in the coming days.

Santos Report Chelsea To FIFA For 'Trying To Tap Up' Neymar

Santos FC are reporting Chelsea to FIFA, claiming that the Blues tried to tap up Brazilian wonder-kid Neymar, according to reports in the South America country.

Santos have accused Chelsea of approached the 18-year-old before playing, and scoring, for Brazil against the USA in New York on Tuesday.

Chelsea has been chasing the teen for a while and Santos rejected a £17.5million bid for the player last month. Santos had previously snubbed a £12m bid for the player from West Ham.

It's not the first time Chelsea has become embroiled in transfer controversy.

The Blues were dealt a two-window transfer ban last year following the signing of French midfielder Gael Kakuta from Lens – an embargo that was eventually overturned by UEFA.

Dutch Debut For Bruma

Chelsea has a new full international after 18-year-old Jeffrey Bruma made his debut for Holland against Ukraine on Wednesday night.

The young defender had been called into the Dutch squad by coach Bert van Marwijk, who had opted not to name any of his World Cup group that came runners-up in the World Cup, and the Chelsea man was picked from the start in Kiev.

Although he was beaten by Andriy Shevchenko, who shot just wide, Bruma turned in an impressive performance, and will have whet his appetite for international football in this game, which ended 1-1.

Yury Zhirkov played the first half for Russia as they entertained Bulgaria in St Petersburg, winning 1-0 despite being under pressure for much of the game. Their goal game from Roman Shirokov inside the first 10 minutes.

Branislav Ivanovic was back at right-back after featuring in the centre of Chelsea's defence, as Serbia were beaten 1-0 at home by Greece. The goal came from a close-range Dimitris Salpingidis header after he had escaped the attentions of Man United's Nemanja Vidic.

At Under 21 level Patrick van Aanholt helped the Dutch become the first side to reach the European Championship play-offs, thanks to a 3-0 qualifying win in Liechtenstein. The left-back played the full 90 minutes.

Nemanja Matic played the full 90 minutes for Serbia, but like their senior side they were defeated, 2-1 away in Slovakia. The Chelsea man was booked after 18 minutes.

Finally, Philipp Prosenik played the first half for Austria Under 19s in their 1-1 draw against Russia. Lively throughout his run-out, the striker, who spent much of last season sidelined through injury, had a couple of chances and worked the Russian goalie into a smart save shortly before half-time.

England Stars Get Mixed Reception On Wembley Return

England's World Cup flops endured a mixed reception on their return to Wembley as John Terry and Ashley Cole were singled out for jeers in Wednesday's friendly against Hungary, but the rest of Fabio Capello's side were spared the predicted abuse.

Just 45 days after England's dismal World Cup campaign ended in a humiliating 4-1 defeat against Germany, Capello's team were back in action and it quickly became clear who their own supporters blamed for the debacle in South Africa.

England coach Capello and captain Steven Gerrard had both admitted before the friendly that they expected a hostile reception from the Wembley crowd.

Their worst fears were only partially realized as Terry, Cole, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney were booed by sections of the estimated 60,000 crowd when their names were read out over the public address system before kick-off.

The fact that over 20,000 fans had opted to stay away suggested that supporters preferred to show their discontent by voting with their feet.

And once the match started it was only Chelsea duo Terry and Cole who had to suffer a continued chorus of disapproval whenever they touched the ball.

It was hardly surprising that those two were to get the worst treatment.

Cole has been public enemy number one with the English football public since he made what has been perceived as money-motivated transfer from Arsenal to Chelsea several years ago.

He has already been booed by England fans in the past and was reported to have told a friend after the World Cup that he would love to leave the country due to the reporting of his separation from his popstar wife - hardly a comment guaranteed to win favour with patriotic fans of the national team.

Terry was also something of an unpopular figure even before England's World Cup flop after being stripped of the captaincy following his affair with the ex girlfriend of former international team-mate Wayne Bridge.

The jeers gradually seemed to subside for those after the first 20 minutes however, suggesting England fans are a more forgiving bunch than many believed.

The Thursday Interview: Michael Essien

After the euphoria that brought last season to a close, the summer has been something of a frustration after four consecutive pre-season defeats, but the one highlight has been the return to action of a much-missed midfielder.

Absent for seven months, Michael Essien made his comeback in the first friendly of the summer at Crystal Palace, scoring the winner, and has gone on to play more minutes in the build-up to the season than any other Chelsea player.

Now we stand on the verge of another Premier League campaign, and the early signs are that the midfielder will be a central figure in Carlo Ancelotti's plans, both literally and metaphorically speaking. Essien though seems delighted to be back doing what he loves after a testing lay-off.

'It feels so good to be back, it has been a long way back but everything is behind me now and I'm enjoying playing football again,' explains the Ghanaian. 'I never feared for my career, it never crossed my mind.

'These injuries are part of football, so you have to take them when they come and not get too down about it.

'I knew if I worked hard I would be back again so that's what I did and I am back on my feet. I know a few years ago it could have been the end of my career but with new technologies, surgery and techniques things are good, so yeah, let's go again this season.

'We've had a bit of a bad pre-season with losing games but more importantly it has been good for me to be gaining fitness again and making sure I am sharp and ready for the season.'

In contrast to many of his team-mates, Essien had to sit out Africa's first World Cup, a blow for a man proud of his roots, but in doing so he has given himself the best opportunity of a clean bill of health in the new campaign, and demonstrated the importance of pre-season to a footballer.

He reported back at Cobham on July 5 ready to go, three weeks before the English and Portuguese internationals who were in South Africa, and although at first he had a tailored program, he is now with the rest of the squad and feeling the benefits.

'It is good to have a pre-season under my belt, personally I think I have done well and I keep getting fitter the more games I play. I feel like I am ready for the season and I am looking forward to it so much,' he says.

'I think this season could be a big one, the last two seasons I didn't take too big a part in, I didn't start in one but finished it, then I started okay last season but didn't finish it, so this year has to be a good one and hopefully I will stay injury-free and help Chelsea win some trophies.

'My main aim has to be to stay fit, to keep working hard and helping the team to get as many points as we can.'

If the 27-year-old can achieve that goal, then there is every chance silverware will be returning to Stamford Bridge at the end of May, and he will once more be able to celebrate alongside his team-mates on the pitch, rather than as a mere onlooker from the stands.

Club Continues Fight Agaiinst Ticket Touting

Ticket touting is a serious crime in English football and Chelsea would like to remind fans of its dangers.

Last season, 2,500 members and season ticket holders were suspended due to fraudulent claims for match tickets, which denied die-hard fans the opportunity to attend games.

Tickets sold illegally often result in large numbers of away supporters being in the home areas of Stamford Bridge, threatening the safety of fans in those seats.

Ticket touting is a serious criminal offence, which will be dealt with by the authorities, but inside the ground Chelsea can implement our own reprimands, and there will be repercussions for anyone caught touting.

Suspensions will be put in place, regardless of whether it's a first offence, so Chelseafc.com decided to ensure fans were fully informed on the threat of ticket touting ahead of the new campaign.

It is legal to pass on tickets and season tickets so long as certain criteria are adhered to.

Firstly, you must ensure the ticket is not sold at anything above its face value. Secondly, tickets must not be sold as part of a package or given away at a charity event without permission of the club. And thirdly, tickets must not be sold in a public place, and fans should note, this includes the internet.

In fact, the only outlet allowed to sell single match tickets online is Viagogo, other than match packages with Thomas Cook, so be aware when surfing the web.

Fans can give or sell tickets, at no more than their original value, to friends or family but must take care not to receive money or pass tickets over in a public place, as this will constitute an offence.

You should also be aware that, regardless of who you have passed your seat onto, you are still responsible for that ticket. As you are the person who was originally supplied with the ticket, it is you who will receive any repercussions that ticket may cause.

'The club takes this matter very seriously,' said a club spokesman. 'We need to protect the genuine ticket purchasers.

'Over the last few years the club has stepped up its campaign against ticket touts. We now do this more intensively than any other club.

'It is a disservice to genuine members who want to get tickets that fraudulent members will have bought. It denies real Chelsea fans the chance of going to a game.'

The club is here to help fight against ticket touts but we need your help. If you're a season ticket holder and the seats around you are regularly taken up by different people, then let the club know.

There may be legitimate reasons for this, but Chelsea promise to investigate and deal with accordingly.

'Between Fulham Broadway and the ground you're likely to walk past 10 people who'll be trying to sell tickets,' added the club spokesman.

'Unfortunately this is outside Chelsea's jurisdiction and the only advice we can offer is to ignore it, because it's more than likely you will be ripped off.

'Another thing to remember is that sometimes tickets are still available from the box office, so instead of paying extortionate prices outside the ground, you could have paid the normal price inside the ground.'

Chelsea Ready To Dig Deep To Bring Benzema To Stamford Bridge

Chelsea are rumoured to be ready to make a significant bid to bring Real Madrid misfit Karim Benzema to Stamford Bridge. Carlo Ancelotti is looking to bring in more youthful attacking options as he sees the likes of Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka entering the latter stages of their illustrious careers.

The Blues boss was apparently greatly displeased with his sides showing in the Community Shield encounter with Manchester United and as a result is looking to spend big to help beef up his squad ahead of the new season. Jose Mourinho may well be looking at offloading the French international and there were rumours that a deal to bring Ashley Cole to the Bernabeu could have been tied into such an approach but Ancelotti has no desire to sell the full back so will instead try to get the former Lyon man in a straight cash deal.

The young forward hasn’t had the best of times at the La Liga giants and only managed 18 starts in all competitions last term and spend long spells on the bench. There is no sign that the new Real boss will be looking to push him back up the pecking order so if a big enough bid came in then it would surely be considered.

The 22 year old missed out on French World Cup squad due to his lack of first team action and is currently embroiled in a sex scandal that has rocked his home country. He may well therefore be keen on a fresh start and a new challenge.

Real Madrid will be looking to recoup as much of the £34m outlay they spent last summer and Roman Abramovich is apparently more than happy to fund new additions and the west London side haven’t really spent big at all so far this summer, having only spent money on Yossi Benayoun, so clearly funds won’t be an issue.

Chelsea On Alert As Asmir Begovic Demands First-Team Football

Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic will look to leave the Britannia Stadium unless he is Tony Pulis' first-choice goalkeeper.

Chelsea is thought to be monitoring the situation and could pounce for his signature.

The 23-year-old was excellent at Portsmouth last season and with Pompey desperate for money, he was sold to Stoke City during the January transfer window.

However, Begovic has been unable to unseat Danish World Cup goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen as first choice at Stoke.

The Daily Mirror reports that Begovic will look for a move if it becomes clear that he will sit on the bench and that Chelsea are keep to snap him up.

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti currently has the unconvincing Hilario as back-up for Petr Cech and is keen to add more strength among his goalkeeping options.

Real Madrid To Battle Chelsea For Benfica Centre-Back David Luiz

After sealing an agreement to buy Portuguese centre-half Ricardo Carvalho from Chelsea, Real Madrid is set to battle the Blues for Benfica central defender David Luiz.

Carvalho's expected transfer has paved the way for Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti to sign another non-home-grown player according to new Premier League regulations, and the Mail reported that he is prepared to pay £27 million for Luiz.

Madrid, meanwhile, appear to have given up on buying the expensive Maicon from Inter, and want to sign both Luiz and AC Milan centre-back Thiago Silva , according to the Spanish Marca newspaper.

Benfica are said to be willing to offlaod Luiz to Madrid for 25 million euros plus Dutch midfielder Roysten Drenthe.