Soccer-Chelsea manager Rosenior keeps faith in keepers, James extends contract


Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Round of 16 - First Leg - Paris St Germain v Chelsea - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - March 11, 2026 Chelsea's Filip Jorgensen during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

March 13 (Reuters) - Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior on ⁠Friday threw his support behind Filip Jorgensen despite the goalkeeper's costly errors in their 5-2 Champions League thrashing ⁠at Paris St Germain in midweek, insisting both his shot-stoppers are of the "highest quality."

The 23-year-old Dane Jorgensen, ‌who has replaced Robert Sanchez as first-choice keeper in recent weeks, was at fault for PSG's third goal in Chelsea's first-leg loss.

The London club have had issues between the sticks before, with previous manager Enzo Maresca also promoting Jorgensen to the first-team for a few matches last season before ​backtracking and returning Sanchez to the number one position.

Asked if he was content ⁠with the pair, Rosenior told reporters: "For sure... His (Jorgensen's) ⁠performance against PSG for 75 minutes was magnificent.

"He makes a mistake, we get punished and we go on to ⁠lose ‌the game in a manner which we definitely shouldn't have lost," he added ahead of their Premier League game at home to Newcastle United on Saturday.

"Rob Sanchez is one of the best goalkeepers in the league. There's no ⁠question about those two players' quality at this level ... I've got no ​issues, no lack of trust with ‌the two goalkeepers I have or the team."

Chelsea, fifth in the standings, will look to bounce back from ⁠their defeat when they ​host 12th-placed Newcastle, who find themselves facing a balancing act.

NEWCASTLE'S 'BIG JOB'

While Chelsea's Champions League hopes appear dim after their crushing first-leg loss to PSG, Newcastle could still reach the quarter-finals after drawing 1-1 at home to Barcelona.

They travel to face LaLiga leaders Barca on Wednesday, ⁠but manager Eddie Howe warned against looking too far ahead.

"There are ​mental challenges for this game that we need to get right. There will be a lot of focus on Barcelona and rightly so," he told reporters.

"But this game (Chelsea) is a tough one. If we do not focus 100%, they are a dangerous team. ⁠They've got some very good players. It will be viewed as one of the toughest away games we will have.

"We can't go there underprepared. So it's a big job today to get the players ready."

JAMES SIGNS EXTENSION

Chelsea also announced on Friday that club captain Reece James had signed a new six‑year deal, keeping the 26-year-old England international at Stamford Bridge until ​2032.

"I can't stop smiling because we have secured the best player in world football ⁠in his position," Rosenior said.

"He had many opportunities to leave this magnificent club and the good thing is not just the ​size and stature of the club but he's come through from a very ‌young age, places belief and confidence in what we're doing, ​where we want to go.

"We've had many conversations about it and for him to sign the deal and put his faith in us is a massive deal."

(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Football

Soccer-Constantine to coach Rwanda for second spell
Soccer-Man United raring to go again after first loss under Carrick
Soccer-Arsenal's Arteta shrugs off siege mentality talk as quadruple dreams grow
Soccer-'You can cry or you can fight': Tudor urges struggling Spurs to rise to the challenge
Soccer-Man City's Guardiola focused only on West Ham, blanks Real Madrid questions
Soccer-Everton's Moyes defends 'brilliant' Arsenal amid criticism of their playing style
Soccer-Injured Davies ruled out of Canada friendlies, says Marsch
Soccer-Bayern coach Kompany hopes to have fit squad for season finale
No problem with MFL ruling on heritage players, says AFC
FIFA-banned Harimau Malaya quartet blocked from MFL action

Others Also Read