Blues' Rosenior returns to France to renew rivalry

THE renewal of Chelsea's rivalry with Paris Saint-Germain in the Uefa Champions League this week sees Liam Rosenior make a quick return to France, just two months after he left Strasbourg for Stamford Bridge.

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Rosenior, 41, was appointed by Chelsea in early January on a six-year deal on the back of a solid body of work over 18 months at Strasbourg, as well as the close links between the two clubs run by the BlueCo consortium.

It is hard to imagine the former Fulham, Hull City and Brighton right-back would have been hired by one of the biggest sides in the English Premier League without that controversial relationship, but Rosenior still made a major impression in Alsace.

He led Strasbourg to European qualification last season and laid foundations that have been built on by his successor Gary O’Neil, who has taken the team to the French Cup semifinals while they are one of the leading contenders to win the Uefa Conference League. Rosenior got a young side — in which almost the entire squad is aged 23 or under — playing a sophisticated brand of football, with high pressing, man-to-man marking and players very comfortable in possession.