Sport
Maresca Praises 16-Year-Old Reggie Walsh After Chelsea’s Europa Win
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was full of praise for teenage midfielder Reggie Walsh after the Blues sealed a 1-0 win over Djurgarden in the Europa Conference League semi-final second leg on Thursday.
The 16-year-old made his first senior start for Chelsea, slotting into Maresca’s system seamlessly. A first-half goal from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall proved enough to secure the victory at Stamford Bridge, sending Chelsea to the final with a 5-1 aggregate win.
They will now face Real Betis in the final later this month. Betis edged Fiorentina 4-3 across both legs in their own semi-final clash. Speaking after the game, Maresca shared his thoughts on Walsh’s standout performance.
“He was smiling, relaxed, and just enjoying himself,” Maresca said. “I told him to play like he does in training. You could see he wasn’t scared, just confident.” The Chelsea boss added, “Reggie fits perfectly into the way I want my team to play. At just 16, the way he demanded the ball and handled possession was impressive.”
Maresca also gave a lighthearted reminder of Walsh’s age: “Tomorrow, he still has to go to school—but there’s no doubt he’s a very talented player.” Chelsea return to Premier League action this weekend as they prepare to take on Newcastle United.
Former footballer Thierry Henry has shared his thoughts on Arsenal’s match following their loss to Atlético Madrid on October 13.
Speaking during a brief interview on CBS Sports, Henry criticised the practice of players or coaches expressing certain opinions through the media instead of addressing issues directly within the dressing room.
“I’m not a coach anymore, but I always say, whoever speaks like that, out. Keep that in the dressing room, it’s as simple as that,” Henry said on CBS Sports.
“That is the only way it can work. You have to say those things to a person’s face… going through the press, I am not really a fan of that.”
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has shared his thoughts on the 2026 Ballon d’Or award, revealing that he hopes the winner will come from his team.
The manager spoke about how hard his players have worked and expressed his belief that they deserve the recognition.
“What I hope is that we win this trophy. We have players who deserve it.”
“Last year, we were the best team. We showed that it wasn’t just Ousmane Dembélé who deserved it.”
French football pundit Walid Acherchour has named Lamine Yamal as his pick to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, sparking reactions among football fans.
Acherchour’s choice came as a surprise to some fans, who expected him to support fellow Frenchman Kylian Mbappé instead.
Speaking about his prediction, Acherchour expressed confidence in Yamal’s chances of winning the prestigious individual award.
“For me, Lamine Yamal, he is going to get it [2026 Ballon d’Or]. For me, there’s no doubt anymore,” Acherchour said, as quoted by Actu Foot. That start to the season shows that in fact, he was injured during the World Cup. He was the best player in La Liga, and he won the World Cup.
“Even if, for me, in fact, he doesn’t have the Ballon d’Or unanimously because his World Cup was average, even being average, he won it with Spain. He won La Liga with Barça.”
Judge Tells Duane Davis He Must Face Justice for Tupac’s Murder
Timini Egbuson Reflects on Embracing YouTube Movies in Nollywood
