BREAKING: Jose Mourinho 'sacked by Chelsea

The Portuguese boss, who has been under fire following the Blues' poor start to the season, has been relieved of his duties by club owner Roman Abramovich

Jose Mourinho has been sacked by Chelsea after a meeting with the club's hierarchy on Thursday, according to reports.

The 52-year-old, who guided Chelsea to the Premier League title last season, ends his second stint at Stamford Bridge with the team languishing in 16th place in the Premier League, registering just 15 points from 16 games.

Mourinho in subtle dig at Casillas after Porto's Champions League exit

Jose Mourinho has reignited his feud with Iker Casillas by highlighting the goalkeeper’s ability to now win the Europa League following Porto’s Champions League exit.

Mourinho has been accused of instigating Casillas downfall at Madrid after he dropped the Spaniard during his final season in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Mourinho’s decision to bench Casillas subsequently caused a split in the Madrid dressing room, while the Portuguese had accused one of his players of being a “rat” for leaking information on his side’s tactics to the Spanish press.

But when asked about his relationship with Casillas after Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Porto on Wednesday evening, Mourinho told Spanish television station MEGA: “No problem. I've done my job and he has done his, and he has done well.

Diego Costa admits bib throw at Mourinho was a MISTAKE

Diego Costa admits he has been unhappy with his start to Chelsea’s season and admits he made a mistake when he threw a bib towards Jose Mourinho.

The 27-year-old has scored just four goals in 18 appearances this season, while tensions with Mourinho escalated during Chelsea’s goalless draw with Tottenham at the end of November after the striker threw a bib at his manager for not being brought on as a substitute.

“I have to improve a bit,” Costa told Onda Cero.

“The start of the season has not been good for me - not in how I have played nor in goals. 

I know I have to be better to go to Euro 2016 with Spain. I have to work hard and fight, but I know I have time to improve and I hope I will. 

“The bib [incident] is in the past. I made a mistake, but my relationship with Mourinho is amazing, we get on really well. There are things you need to control, but the bib thing was an impulse. 

“The truth is Chelsea haven’t been in a great moment, above all losing the other day in home. Today it was important to win to make the fans happy and to recover our confidence.”

Costa clashed with Iker Casillas during Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Porto in the Champions League on Wednesday but the striker has played down the incident.

“Nothing happened with Iker, we just had a joke, there are no problems with him,” said the striker.

Why low-key Atletico Madrid can shock Spain - and Europe

COMMENT: When Real Madrid hit Mälmo for eight on Tuesday evening and other surprises won headlines in the Champions League the quiet revolution at Atlético de Madrid continued on almost unnoticed.

Just as it had at the weekend when all eyes were on Mestalla as Valencia's new and inexperienced coach, Gary Neville, watched his side hold last season's treble winners Barcelona

Diego Simeone's team were quietly taking on Granada and it was business as usual for Los Colchoneros as they remained resolute and impenetrable at the back and clinical in front of goal.

The 2-0 win in Los Cármenes was unremarkable in itself as the side that won the league in 2013/14 and finished in third place last term went up against a team that once again face a struggle to maintain their status in the top flight.

That win, however, combined with the Champions League victory against Benfica in Portugal three days later is a sign that Atlético are once again on the rise and coach Simeone has them playing the sort of football that has brought them such success in previous seasons.

Victory in Europe was their 13th consecutive game unbeaten while the win at Granada saw them make it four clean sheets in a row in the league and their ninth of the campaign.

Statistics like that are what won Atlético their first league title for 18 years in 2013/14 as they conceded just 26 goals in their 38 games while Barça let in 33 and Real Madrid 38.

Goalkeeper Jan Oblak is rarely mentioned when talking about great goalkeepers, but the Slovenian international, who was signed in 2014 to replace the highly-rated Thibaut Courtois, is slowly turning heads.

In front him stand four defenders who are hardly household names, but Juanfran, Filipe Luis, José Giménez and, in particular, Diego Godín are the best defensive unit in European football currently and that is a bedrock upon which Simeone has made Atlético champions before.

The coach and the club are experts at rebuilding and replacing. Several regulars left in the summer, with Arda Turan, Mario Mandzukic and Raúl García, among them, but Simeone knew what he was doing and that he had the pieces in place and signed shrewdly.

Jackson Martínez was the marquee frontman brought in from Porto and is still finding his feet, while Luciano Vietto and Yannick Carrasco made few people stand up and take notice outside of the Vicente Calderón.

José Giménez was advised he would be an important player this term, while Oliver Torres returned from loan at Porto to push for a first team place and Thomas Partey has been slowly introduced to add to the mix that has made Atlético such a potent force this term.

The spine was already there and the changes have only improved the squad, but the resounding feeling was that would only mean that the team could, once again, push for a top four finish as Barça and Real Madrid would, no doubt, run away with the league title.

Three points at Granada allied with Barcelona only earning one at Valencia saw Atleti edge to within two points of the Blaugrana and stay in second place ahead of their city rivals Real Madrid and there is talk that another championship push could be on the cards.

Simeone does not kowtow to a set of fans demanding open and attractive football because he does not have to and hard work and a structured way of playing and grinding out wins when necessary keeps everyone very happy; Los Colchoneros have won 1-0 and 2-0 four times each this term.

In the Champions League they have topped their group and are flying-high in La Primera, but you will not hear Simeone, nor anyone at the club, make bold predictions.

Any drop in form from Barça, and it may well come just as Real Madrid slipped last season, and Atlético de Madrid's results, performances and players will suddenly become noticed by everyone and even more so should they win the title for the 11th time next May.

- See more at: http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/why-low-key-atletico-madrid-can-shock-spain-and-europe-4107839#sthash.v8tvAKEx.dpuf

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - GROUP F: Arsenal overcome odds at Olympiacos.

Arsenal have claimed a memorable victory by beating Olympiacos 3-0 to progress to the Champions League knockout stages.

The Gunners are through to the Round of 16 for the 16th straight season after clinching the victory they required at the Karaiskakis Stadium to finish second in Group F after a dismal start to their European campaign.

Olivier Giroud was the hero for Arsene Wenger's side with a match-winning hat-trick to send the North Londoners home from Greece on an enormous high.

The French striker opened the scoring in the 29th minute when he squeezed a front post header from Aaron Ramsey's cross past Olympiacos keeper Roberto Jimenez, just five minutes after Mathieu Flamini's effort had deflected onto the crossbar.

Four minutes into the second half, Arsenal were two goals ahead when Giroud started the play which saw former Olympiacos loanee Joel Campbell heavily involved. The Costa Rican controlled well before dazzling the defence and supplying a lovely reverse pass for Giroud who finished coolly.

Less than 20 minutes later and the Gunners had skipped away to a three-goal lead when Olympiacos were penalised for handball when Nacho Monreal's goal-bound effort struck the arm of the outstretched Omar Elabdellaoui.

Giroud stepped up to the spot and confidently tucked his 12-yard attempt away to notch his very first hat-trick for Arsenal.

The magnitude of Arsenal's win cannot be ignored as Marco Silva's Olympiacos had won seven of their past eight Champions League matches at home prior to tonight.

The North Londoners join German giants Bayern Munich in the next phase after recording nine points in the group stage after losing two of their first three fixtures while Olympiacos drop to third and will now compete in the Europa League with Dinamo Zagreb finishing bottom.

2015/16 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - GROUP F

Olympiacos (GRE): 0
Arsenal (ENG): 3 (Olivier Giroud 29'/49'/(PEN) 67')
Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus, Greece - 30,000

PSG commence discussions with Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd target Aubameyang

Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly opened talks with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

According to Tuttosport, in addition to a report from Fichajes, the French giants are eyeing the Borussia Dortmund star as a possible replacement for Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

It is widely believed that Swedish ace Ibrahimovic will leave Parc des Princes when his contract expires this summer and PSG want to move quickly to ensure his vacancy is filled with a quality goalscorer.

Premier League clubs Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and even Liverpool have all been linked with Aubameyang but it is believed that PSG have stolen a march on their European rivals by commencing talks.

26-year-old Gabon international Aubameyang has starred for Dortmund this season with 17 goals in 15 Bundesliga appearances for a total of 25 in 23 outings in all competitions.

Man City young gun Sterling modelling himself on Ronaldo and Messi

Raheem Sterling has revealed that he is trying to follow in the footsteps of the world's two best footballers.

The 21-year-old Manchester City forward has an undoubted potential as evidenced by his new club's decision to pay Liverpool£49million for him this past summer.

Sterling showed glimpses of his ability during his time at Anfield and at City is now beginning to reap the rewards of completely dedicating himself to the game just as Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Lionel Messi have done before him.

"I look at the biggest players in the world and try to see what they've all got," he said. "Definitely Messi and Ronaldo. They basically just set their life to play football. I know that's obvious - they should - but they just take it so seriously.

"They've got massive self-belief and know they're the best players in the world. That's what makes them unique and so special.

"I don't like to compare myself with people but I try to learn as much as I can from everyone around me.

"I push myself really hard. I sometimes criticise myself a bit too much because I know where I want to be. That's no different if I score or I don't score.

"It's because I know what I'm capable of. To put it on the world stage is the most important thing now, showing people that I can play regularly and consistently, scoring goals and helping my team win matches.

"I'm a different person now to two or three years ago, especially in terms of my self-belief. I just take everything I hear in one ear and put it through the other. I concentrate on my football and that's all that matters.

"I just need to keep working hard at what I know I can do and it will all fall into place. When it does it'll be a great moment."

Since arriving at the Etihad Stadium, Sterling has scored eight goals and provided six assists in 22 appearances in all competitions for City.