Tom Burrows

Paulo Fonseca: From a nine-month ban to rebuilding Lyon’s reputation – ‘Football is a pleasure’ The Portuguese coach is loving life in Ligue 1. After a nine-month suspension, he is spearheading Lyon's push for silverware

My interview with Paulo Fonseca - very engaging company

▪️ Lyon’s 13 straight wins
▪️ Navigating a nine-month ban
▪️ Why he deserved more time at AC Milan
▪️ Calling football 'pleasure' but sadness at how game's changed
▪️ Heartbreak over the war in Ukraine

www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Inside Roberto De Zerbi’s wild ride at Marseille – TV bust-ups, European highs and a 2.35am exit The Italian's tumultuous reign contained big highs and crushing lows before ending on a sour note this week

Roberto De Zerbi is gone, but the drama continues at #OM

Another 2-0 lead thrown away (with a 96th min equaliser). Protests during the game. And now Mehdi Benatia has departed too

My piece on De Zerbi’s 18 months at a club lurching toward yet another crisis

www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

Timothee Chalamet – the soccer years: ‘I’m sure his dream was to become a professional’ Timothee Chalamet has been nominated for this year's Academy Award for Best Actor - but before all that, there were his years on the pitch

Timothée Chalamet, the football years

🧤 Playing in goal at Manhattan Kickers
🇫🇷 Summers at French football camp
💚 His love for AS Saint-Étienne
⚽️ Idolising Bafétimbi Gomis growing up (I spoke to the ex-France striker about that)
🥅 Facing Joe Gomez in pre-season match

www.nytimes.com/athletic/700...

Inside Roberto De Zerbi’s wild ride at Marseille – TV bust-ups, European highs and a 2.35am exit The Italian's tumultuous reign contained big highs and crushing lows before ending on a sour note this week

Roberto De Zerbi’s 18-month spell in charge of #OM featured real highs but there were also moments of severe turbulence + wildly inconsistent results

A big read on his tenure, exit, and a dramatic final fortnight at one of Europe’s most volatile clubs

www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

Inside RC Lens: The David challenging Paris Saint-Germain’s Goliath in France We visit northern France to speak to the key figures at a small club taking on the might of a team funded by a nation state

'It’s David against Goliath'

I went behind the scenes at RC Lens last week, who are trying to do the unthinkable and pip Paris Saint-Germain to the Ligue 1 title

Includes interviews with their owner, head coach and captain

#FiersDEtreLensois #RCL

www.nytimes.com/athletic/701...

Spent some time with Racing Club de Lens this week, one of the feel-good stories in Europe this season, who are dreaming of a first title since 1998

At Stade Bollaert-Delelis for tonight’s match vs Le Havre

A win puts RC Lens back to the top of Ligue 1, above PSG

Football’s sleeping pills problem: ‘My usage was ridiculous – I was in La La Land’ The Athletic spoke to people involved in football about the problems with sleeping pills

At his worst, Omar Bogle was taking 18 or 19 sleeping pills every night.

Bogle is not an isolated example — one expert warns that “most clubs have got at least three or four people who are taking sleeping pills on a regular basis.”

@tburrows16.bsky.social on football’s sleeping pills problem.

Football’s sleeping pills problem: ‘My usage was ridiculous – I was in La La Land’ The Athletic spoke to people involved in football about the problems with sleeping pills

'I was in a constant state of sedation'

Football has a hidden problem with sleeping pills

I spoke to a number of players who developed an addiction to them - and explored why footballers may be especially vulnerable

www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...

Could Chelsea and Liam Rosenior benefit from looking after rather than protecting Estevao? Estevao was the difference maker for Chelsea against Crystal Palace on Sunday

Chelsea’s most complete performance under Liam Rosenior so far, vs #CPFC

Estevao the standout, but Santos - whom Rosenior has compared to Dunga - excellent too

A platform for #CFC + Rosenior to build on, ahead of a packed schedule

My write up from Selhurst Park

www.nytimes.com/athletic/699...

McLaren awarded more than $12m in legal case against IndyCar champion Alex Palou The dispute dates back to October 2022, when Palou agreed to sign for McLaren’s IndyCar team, Arrow McLaren.

McLaren has been awarded more than $12m in its legal case against four-time IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou.

The dispute dates back to October 2022, when Palou agreed to sign for McLaren’s IndyCar team, Arrow McLaren.

More from @tburrows16.bsky.social ⤵️

Chelsea 1 Pafos 0 – Low-block toils, set-piece reward but will this do in Naples? Liam Rosenior's side dominated against the Cypriot minnows but only prevailed with a goal from a set piece 12 minutes from the end

Piece with @sjohnsonsport.bsky.social from an unconvincing #CFC victory against Pafos

#CFC struggled again against a team set up in a low block, while Delap + Garnacho flattered to deceive

Still, an important win for #CFC who are now 8th

Napoli (a) their last game

www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...

PSG defender Lucas Hernandez denies charges of human trafficking and undeclared work from Colombian family The Versailles Judicial Court have confirmed that an investigation is underway. Hernandez denies the charges.

Paris Saint-Germain defender Lucas Hernandez and his wife say they have “never acted with malicious intent or in contempt of the law” after it was alleged they had trafficked and overworked a Colombian family in their employ.

More from @nnamdionye.bsky.social & @tburrows16.bsky.social

At Stamford Bridge where there’s a #CFC fan protest against the club’s ownership

‘We don’t care about Clearlake, they don’t care about us, all we care about is Chelsea FC’

Other chants of ‘BlueCo out’

RC Strasbourg fans also have a protest planned tomorrow against BlueCo

At Stamford Bridge tonight for #CFC v #AFC where Liam Rosenior has just been introduced to the home supporters for the first time

Liam Rosenior, Chelsea and the benefits and risks of hiring within a multi-club model Rosenior has joined from their French sister club Strasbourg. How will that impact his time at Stamford Bridge?

If Liam Rosenior had any doubts about the scale of the job he’s taking on, it was made clear during Wednesday’s defeat at #FFC

As he looks to win over #CFC fans, starting in the FA Cup vs #CAFC, what are the supposed benefits of hiring within a multi-club model?

www.nytimes.com/athletic/695...

What Liam Rosenior might have learned watching Chelsea from the stands The new Chelsea head coach watched the loss at Fulham alongside co-owner Behdad Eghbali and there was plenty to digest

At Craven Cottage yesterday, #CFC travelling fans turned on their owners

It puts Liam Rosenior - who was watching from the stands next to Behdad Eghbali - under even greater pressure to hit the ground running

Here's what he would have learnt from last night

www.nytimes.com/athletic/695...

At Craven Cottage tonight for #FFC v #CFC

Chelsea fans in the front of the away end holding up a ‘BlueCo Out’ banner

New #CFC head coach Liam Rosenior watching from the stands tonight, seated next to Behdad Eghbali

Strasbourg fans on Liam Rosenior’s potential exit and comparisons with INEOS-owned Nice BlueCo's Strasbourg drew 1-1 with INEOS' Nice on Saturday – The Athletic spoke to supporters of both clubs about life in a multi-club model

Piece from Nice where I spoke to RC Strasbourg away fans about how they feel about Liam Rosenior’s potential exit to #CFC, BlueCo and how all that compares to INEOS-owned Nice

With INEOS still actively looking to sell Nice, it’s left the club in limbo

www.nytimes.com/athletic/693...

At the Allianz Riviera tonight for Ineos-owned OGC Nice v BlueCo-owned RC Strasbourg - a multi-club clash

Strasbourg head coach Liam Rosenior is the frontrunner for the Chelsea job 

Nice have lost their last 7 Ligue 1 matches + have a new manager in the returning Claude Puel

Strasbourg head coach Liam Rosenior has said “you never know what tomorrow will bring” after he was linked with the managerial vacancy at Chelsea.

More from @tburrows16.bsky.social & @sjohnsonsport.bsky.social

🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/693...

Chelsea have parted ways with head coach Enzo Maresca less than two years into his contract.

Full story from @david-ornstein.bsky.social and @sjohnsonsport.bsky.social ⬇️

🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/693...

Graham Scott was a Premier League referee for a decade.

He sat down with @tburrows16.bsky.social to discuss:

▪️ Handling abuse
▪️ Why he wouldn’t allow for ref post-match interviews
▪️ Feeling “rinsed” after VAR game

🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...

What is it like to be a Premier League referee? An interview with Graham Scott Scott refereed in the Premier League for a decade before retiring in 2024. He has spoken to The Athletic about his career...

▪️How he dealt with abuse
▪️Why referees shouldn’t do post match interviews
▪️Working as a VAR
▪️His defence of English referees

What it’s like to be a Premier League referee, an interview with Graham Scott

www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...

West Ham need leaders like Billy Bonds if they are to survive in the Premier League The defeat against Villa once again highlighted West Ham’s defensive frailties, as well as their dearth of leaders

Watched #WHUFC yesterday at the London Stadium

Some grounds for optimism - Nuno seems to have found a balanced midfield trio + Bowen excellent

But defence is leaky and on an emotional day celebrating Billy Bonds, there's a lack of leadership in the current team

www.nytimes.com/athletic/688...

Kylian Mbappe and PSG are claiming hundreds of millions of euros from each other. This is why One of the world’s greatest footballers wants €263million. The European champions' counterclaim is for €440m

He scored 256 goals for PSG and won six Ligue 1 titles with the club

Now Kylian Mbappe and #PSG are locked in a bitter €700m legal battle

This is the story of how a once-harmonious relationship collapsed

www.nytimes.com/athletic/687...

Jude Soonsup-Bell on Chelsea, Spurs and his new international career with Thailand The former Chelsea and Spurs youngster - an England youth international - has switched to play for the country of his mother's birth

🔹 Pride at representing Thailand
🔹 Missed penalty on his international debut
🔹 Scored two in his second game, an Asian Cup qualifier
🔹 His time at #CFC and #THFC
🔹 A new start at #GTFC

My interview with former #CFC striker Jude Soonsup-Bell

www.nytimes.com/athletic/684...

Nice players physically assaulted in confrontation with hundreds of fans following Lorient defeat After Sunday's 3-1 loss around 400 Nice supporters gathered at the club’s training ground.

Sense of shock among the Nice squad after facing a hostile reception from hundreds of fans at their training ground last night, with particular anger directed at Boga, Moffi and sporting director Maurice.

After Lorient defeat, Nice have now lost six in a row

www.nytimes.com/athletic/685...

Domenico Tedesco interview: ‘Everywhere you go, you have Fenerbahce fans. You feel this electricity’ The Athletic spoke to Fenerbahce's head coach before the Intercontinental Derby against Galatasaray on Monday

Excl interview with Domenico Tedesco ahead of the Intercontinental Derby

🏆 Trying to win Fenerbahce's first title for 11 years
🇹🇷 Following Mourinho + the level of refereeing in Turkey
💻 On being labelled a 'laptop coach'
🇧🇪 Belgium spell + fallout with Courtois

www.nytimes.com/athletic/684...

Chelsea’s one-game wonders: ‘I didn’t realise how big an achievement it was’ The Athletic has spoken to some of the players who only made solitary appearances for Chelsea

🔹 A punch from Dennis Wise on the subs bench
🔹 An earful from Roy Keane
🔹 Tactical lessons from Thomas Tuchel

I spoke to the one-game #CFC players about their memories of a day they'll never forget

www.nytimes.com/athletic/680...

Cole Palmer’s celebration trademark: Have others done the same? Will it become more common? Cole Palmer's decision to trademark his celebration has led to a series of other questions

From @theathleticfc.bsky.social: By trademarking his celebration, Cole Palmer joins a select group that includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappe.

His move could signal the start of a trend among soccer players.