Fulham have announced that Marco Silva is leaving after five years as their head coach. The Portuguese is wanted by Benfica, who are poised to lose José Mourinho to Real Madrid. Silva departs having led Fulham to 11th in the Premier League for the second successive season, the fourth time the club have finished mid-table since winning promotion in Silva’s first campaign.
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Jean-Philippe Mateta fired Crystal Palace to their first European trophy as the Eagles edged out Spanish side Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final. The France striker turned home a close-range winner on the rebound from an Adam Wharton strike early in the second half in Leipzig. Outgoing Palace boss Oliver Glasner leaves the club having led them to the FA Cup, Community Shield and now Conference League in a remarkable two-and-a-half-year spell at Selhurst Park.
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Dominant Aston Villa dispatched Freiburg to win the Europa League and end a 30-year trophy drought. First-half stunners from Youri Tielemans and Emi Buendia gave Villa control before Morgan Rogers’ strike sealed a second major European title 44 years after they won the European Cup. After falling short in the Conference League semi-finals and Champions League last-eight over recent times, Unai Emery brought European success back to Villa Park at the third time of asking.
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Southampton have been thrown out of the play-offs after admitting they spied on three clubs in the Championship season. Middlesbrough, beaten by Southampton in the semi-final, have been reinstated and will now play Hull City for a place in the Premier League. The EFL charged Saints with watching training sessions involving Oxford United and Ipswich Town, in addition to filming Middlesbrough as they prepared for the first leg of their play-off semi-final on 7 May.
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Xabi Alonso’s appointment as Chelsea manager has been confirmed on a four-year deal. The former Real Madrid boss will take charge of the Blues from 1 July in what is his first managerial role in the Premier League. Callum McFarlane has been in interim charge since the sacking of Liam Rosenior last month and was on the touchline for Chelsea’s FA Cup final loss to Manchester City on Saturday.
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