Chelsea have confirmed the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as the English Premier League (EPL) club’s new manager.

The club announced Pochettino’s appointment via a statement on Monday.

The former Tottenham coach signed a two-year contract, with the option of a further year.

He takes over from July 1, replacing Frank Lampard, the club’s departing interim manager.

“Chelsea Football Club is pleased to confirm Mauricio Pochettino will become head coach of the men’s team from the beginning of the 2023/24 season,” the statement reads.

“The Argentine will begin his new role on 1 July 2023 on a two-year contract, with a club option of a further year.”

Speaking on the appointment of the former PSG coach, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, said Pochettino’s experience, commitment to development and winning were key in his selection to replace Thomas Tuchel who was sacked earlier in the just-concluded season.

“Mauricio’s experience, standards of excellence, leadership qualities and character will serve Chelsea Football Club well as we move forward,” they added.

“He is a winning coach, who has worked at the highest levels, in multiple leagues and languages. His ethos, tactical approach and commitment to development all made him the exceptional candidate.”

Chelsea finished a disappointing 11th in the 2022/23 EPL season despite the new owners spending over £500 million in the season’s transfer market.

Lionel Messi was spotted visiting a Coldplay performance in Barcelona just one day after winning his second Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain.

The 35-year-old returned to Spain for one of the year’s biggest music festivals.

Meanwhile, his PSG teammates attended the UNFP awards in Paris at the same time.

The World Cup winner quickly discovered that was impossible when the assembled Barcelona supporters recognised him sitting in the lower stands and started singing his name in unison.

Messi reportedly skipped the annual UNFP ceremony, which recognizes the top players in Ligue 1, Ligue 2, and the D1 Arkema (Women’s first division), in favour of attending the concert, according to RMC Sport.

The Argentine talent was named to the Ligue 1 team of the year alongside Kylian Mbappe, Achraf Hakimi, and Nuno Mendes.

In a video shared on Twitter, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was seen in the audience at the concert at Montjuic Stadium and seemed to be trying to maintain a low profile.

Watch the video below;

Leo Messi, not at UNFP ceremony with PSG tonight — he’s at Coldplay concert in Barcelona. 🏟️🎶 #Messi

Barça fans chanting for Leo there, via @gerardromero ⤵️🎥 pic.twitter.com/Kqia0eWXR0

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 28, 2023

Lionel Messi in Barcelona at a Coldplay concert on Sunday.pic.twitter.com/jyuk1qqAkN

— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) May 29, 2023

Juventus have been handed a 10-point deduction following a year-long investigation of improper transfer dealings.

The appeal court ruling, handed on Monday evening, sees Juventus, previously second with 69 points, drop to seventh on the Serie A table with 59 points.

We had earlier reported that the Turin-based giants were handed a 15-point deduction for alleged financial irregularities and false accounting.

While the ban was temporarily lifted pending an appeal, the latest ruling places Juventus out of spots for the UEFA Champions League (UCL).

In a club statement released after the ruling, Juventus said it will appeal the verdict at the country’s national olympic committee (CONI), a body saddled with the responsibility to consider disciplinary decisions in sports.

“Juventus Football Club takes note of what was decided by the FIGC Court of Appeal and reserves the right to read the reasons to evaluate a possible appeal to the Guarantee Board at CONI,” the statement reads.

“What was established by the fifth instance of judgment in this matter, which began more than a year ago, arouses great bitterness in the club and in its millions of supporters who, in the absence of clear rules, find themselves extremely penalised with the application of sanctions that seem to take into account the principle of proportionality.

“While not ignoring the need for urgency, which Juventus has never shied away from during the proceedings, it is emphasised that these are facts that still have to be evaluated by a judge.”

Juventus have won the Italian Seria A on 36 occasions.