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• Bompaster 'likes the pressure' of replacing Hayes at Chelsea

  Sonia Bompastor says she "likes the pressure" that comes from succeeding Emma Hayes at Chelsea.

  Hayes, who won Olympic gold earlier this month with the United States, left the Blues at the end of last season after a glittering 12-year spell in charge that saw her win seven Women's Super League titles, including each of the last five in a row.

  She also led them to five Women's FA Cups and two Women's League Cups to bring her tally to 14 major trophies.

  Bompastor, who spent three years in charge of Lyon, winning three consecutive league titles and a Champions League, is now hoping to build on Hayes' success.

  "I just feel a lucky manager to have this opportunity to build from Emma and have this opportunity to show who I am as a manager but also as a person," Bompastor said in her first Chelsea press conference.

  "I already told everyone that we are here to win every single title, every single game, so this is why I came. I like the pressure.

  "When I had the meeting with the sporting directors, I said this is something really special to win the Champions League.

  "I think we have all the quality at this club to have this trophy at home."

  Hayes came close to winning the Champions League with Chelsea, but fell short in 2020-21, losing to Barcelona.

  With one eye on achieving European success this season, the Blues have already brought in Lucy Bronze and Sandy Baltimore, but Bompastor is keen to get some more additions through the door to ensure they can make a strong challenge.

  "You know how competitive the league is here, maybe one of the most competitive in the world, so it's so difficult for an English team to perform in every game," she added.

  "I'll make sure we have the good numbers and the quality to perform in every game."

• Arteta keen to set opening day tone for Premier League success against Wolves

  Mikel Arteta is hoping for a fast start as Arsenal begin their quest for the Premier League title when they welcome Wolves to the Emirates on Saturday. 

  Arteta's side concluded their pre-season preparations with a comfortable 2-0 win over Lyon last week, with William Saliba and Gabriel on target in the first half. 

  And the Gunners head coach explained that his side must set the tone in the opening exchanges against Gary O'Neil's side in North London. 

  "Look at today with the way we started, for sure. It’s about maintaining that for 95 minutes and that’s the target and objectives that we need to have," Arteta said after the win over the French side. 

  "There’s a lot of positives to take from today’s performance again.

  "I think overall it's been a really positive pre-season with the tour and the club and a lot of people put a lot of effort into making it work. I think it was a success again."

  Wolves, meanwhile, will be hoping to improve on a dismal end to the 2023-24 season, but face a side they have failed to beat in the Premier League since February 2021.

  O'Neil's side lost five of their last six league games (W1), including the last three in a row, concluding their pre-season fixtures with a 1-0 defeat to Rayo Vallecano at Molineux last Saturday.  

  “Next week is a big one for me to make sure the lads are ready for the Premier League and next week is a big one for us in the transfer market," O'Neil said.  

  "We’ve made another £100m this summer, we made £100m last summer, and that does provide its challenges to keep the team staying competitive and keep the team as strong as it once was four or five years ago.

  “We’re trying to get it back to that, but with a very different make-up behind the scenes that we’re working to. But I enjoy those challenges a lot.”

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Arsenal - Martin Odegaard

  Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard enjoyed his joint-most prolific season for the Gunners last year, netting 11 goals and adding 11 assists across 48 appearances in all competitions. 

  Odegaard has scored more Premier League goals against Wolves (four) than he has against any other opponent, but three of those have come away from the Emirates. 

  The Norwegian will hope to have an effect at the top end of the pitch, with his 102 chances that he created for the Gunners last year a total only bettered by Pascal Gross (103) and Bruno Fernandes (114). 

  Wolves - Matheus Cunha

  With Pedro Neto's transfer to Chelsea confirmed last week, last year's top scorer in all competitions, Matheus Cunha will pose a significant threat to Arsenal's defence. 

  Cunha contributed 22 goal involvements (14 goals and eight assists) in 36 appearances last year, registering the highest expected goals (xG) total in the Wolves squad in the Premier League (9.49). 

  The Brazilian scored in his last visit to North London in a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal and will be hoping to continue his scoring streak at the Emirates this weekend. 

  MATCH PREDICTION: ARSENAL WIN

  Arsenal are the clear favourites to start their campaign with three points, winning 76.4% of Opta's data-led simulations, with Wolves emerging victorious in 9.5% of those. 

  The Gunners have won each of their last six Premier League encounters with Wolves, their joint-longest winning run against them (also six in a row from 2003 to 2011).

  Arteta has won his opening Premier League fixture in each of the last two seasons, with another victory securing three consecutive opening day triumphs for the first time since between 2007-08 and 2009-10. 

  Arsenal have scored in each of their last 33 meetings with Wolves in all competitions, last failing to do so since a 1-0 home defeat in February 1979. 

  It’s both the Gunners’ longest scoring streak against an opponent, and Wolves’ longest run without a clean sheet against a side in their respective histories.

  But O'Neil will be hopeful of changing his side's opening day fortunes. Wolves have lost their opening Premier League game in each of the last three seasons and have never started a league season with defeat in four seasons in a row in their history.

  Wolves have also won just one of their last 13 away top-flight visits to Arsenal (D4 L8), winning 2-1 at the Emirates in November 2020 under Nuno Espirito Santo.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY 

  Arsenal - 76.4%

  Draw - 14%

  Wolves - 9.5%

• Michel: Girona can light up LaLiga once again

  Michel is optimistic about Girona's chances of extending last season's remarkable LaLiga run into their 2024-25 campaign, which begins at Real Betis on Thursday.

  After a third-place finish in the standings, their best ever, Girona secured a place in the Champions League for their first taste of European competition.

  Though Girona may have lost the element of surprise, Michel is confident the club will continue their upward trajectory.

  "I don't have a crystal ball to know where we will sit in the end [of the season], but I'm convinced that, with collective thinking in defence and attack, we will have a great season," Michel told a press conference on Wednesday.

  "The objective is the club's growth and to always honour their colours. All the players who are here must be players who have that feeling and understanding, that playing here is a source of pride and that they are doing it for our people. That is the objective we have as a club: growth, growth and growth."

  The Spaniard added that he still expects new signings to arrive before the summer transfer window closes at the end of August.

  Michel, whose project was constructed around a youthful squad with an attacking style, has lost several of his key players in the transfer window so far, including winger Savinho, who moved to Manchester City.

  Meanwhile, striker Artem Dovbyk, who scored 24 league goals last season, left for Serie A side Roma and versatile midfielder Aleix Garcia was signed by Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.

  To make things worse ahead of a difficult clash at Manuel Pellegrini's Betis, he will be missing at least three players due to illness.

  "The sports management and I have the same way of seeing things," Michel added. 

  "It is true that the process has been complicated and difficult because important players have left. We had problems during the offseason and now with this virus, but I am convinced that we will make the best possible squad."