Chelsea Were Own Worst Enemies in Burnley Draw, Says Palmer

Burnley's Northern Irish midfielder #24 Josh Cullen (R) shoots to score their first goal during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Burnley at Stamford Bridge in London on March 30, 2024. (AFP)
Burnley's Northern Irish midfielder #24 Josh Cullen (R) shoots to score their first goal during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Burnley at Stamford Bridge in London on March 30, 2024. (AFP)
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Chelsea Were Own Worst Enemies in Burnley Draw, Says Palmer

Burnley's Northern Irish midfielder #24 Josh Cullen (R) shoots to score their first goal during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Burnley at Stamford Bridge in London on March 30, 2024. (AFP)
Burnley's Northern Irish midfielder #24 Josh Cullen (R) shoots to score their first goal during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Burnley at Stamford Bridge in London on March 30, 2024. (AFP)

Chelsea have shot themselves in the foot on multiple occasions throughout the season and were simply not good enough defensively in their 2-2 Premier League draw to 10-man Burnley, attacker Cole Palmer said.

Palmer's two goals were cancelled out by strikes from Josh Cullen and Dara O'Shea as Chelsea dropped points despite having a man's advantage over relegation-threatened Burnley to remain 11th in the league standings.

It was the fifth match in a row that Chelsea conceded two goals.

"The changing room is really down," Palmer told Sky Sports on Saturday. "When they went down to 10 men, we were 1-0 up and just got too comfortable. Same story, we kill ourselves every week. It's got to improve from us as players.

"We had many chances and then that time we defended sloppy. It's very disappointing. On a personal level it's good to score two, but if you don't get the three points they count for nothing.

"I think it's our consistency all around the pitch, being alive and not switching off like we did today. It's poor, it can't happen. Especially when they go down to 10 men."

Chelsea next host sixth-placed Manchester United in a league clash on Thursday.



Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony: Saudi Team Highlights Cultural Heritage

Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)
Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)
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Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony: Saudi Team Highlights Cultural Heritage

Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)
Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and his deputy, Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz, attended the opening ceremony of the 33rd Olympic Games in Paris.

Held outside the traditional stadiums for the first time in history, the ceremony featured a parade of the 206 participating countries on 100 boats traveling approximately 6 kilometers along the Seine River.

The Saudi show jumping team player, Ramzy Al-Duhami, and his colleague, the Saudi Taekwondo champion Dunya Aboutaleb, raised the Saudi flag at the opening of the world’s largest sporting event.

Al-Duhami expressed his pride in raising the Kingdom’s flag alongside his teammate, noting that it was a dream for any Saudi citizen. He wished success for the Saudi athletes in representing Saudi sports with distinction.

Aboutaleb, in turn, said he was honored to carry the Kingdom’s flag at the Olympic Games, stating: “I aspire to perform at a level that reflects the support and attention given to sports in the Kingdom.”

The Saudi athletes’ uniform was admired by the international media and the audience, who applauded the players the moment their boat appeared on the Seine River.

The designs for the opening ceremony were chosen through a national competition organized by the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee, with the participation of designers from across the Kingdom.

Out of 128 competing designers, the chosen uniform by Saudi designer Alia Al-Salmi featured traditional men’s thobes and bishts and brightly patterned thobe al-nashal for women, symbolizing the athletes’ pride in their homeland and cultural roots.

Mashael Al-Ayed, 17, will be the first Saudi athlete to compete, taking to the pool for the 200 meters freestyle swimming event on July 28. Al-Ayed is the first female swimmer to represent Saudi Arabia at the Olympics.