Winners win trophies. That was the simple message that Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor gave her players before Sunday’s League Cup final. It clearly got through, too, because her Blues put on a performance of champions to beat Manchester United and win the first silverware of the season, while sending a message to the rest of England - and Europe - that, despite a disappointing campaign so far, they are still a huge threat.
Lauren James' brilliance took centre stage as Chelsea retained the Women's League Cup on Sunday, the England international once again coming back to haunt Manchester United as her goal was backed up by Aggie Beever-Jones' opportunistic finish to give the Blues a 2-0 win and the first piece of silverware of the season. In a tight game of few chances, James' clinical touch looked set to prove decisive before Beever-Jones made sure of the win in the latter stages, rounding off a remarkable effort from a Chelsea side plagued by injuries.
Manchester United came up short in Sunday's Women's League Cup final, losing 2-0 to Chelsea after a catastrophic Dominique Janssen error gifted Lauren James the opening goal. Marc Skinner's side did have plenty of the play in Bristol across the course of the 90 minutes, but their hopes of a fightback were extinguished by substitute Aggie Beever-Jones in the second half.
USWNT sensation Alyssa Thompson has lifted the lid on her daunting transition from Angel City FC to the relentless spotlight of the Women's Super League. Trading the sunny comforts of her Los Angeles hometown for a blockbuster move to Chelsea, the 20-year-old forward revealed the leap was so intimidating that she braced herself to go four months without finding the back of the net in a star-studded Blues squad.
Chelsea’s season hasn’t gone to plan so far. After romping to a sixth successive Women’s Super League crown last year, going unbeaten through all 22 games to set multiple records, the Blues’ title defence has fallen incredibly flat. Sat nine points behind leaders Manchester City with six games to go, it’s simply not been good enough for a club with such high standards.
Chelsea will be without captain Millie Bright for Sunday's League Cup final against Manchester United, dealing the Blues a big blow in their bid to retain the trophy. However, head coach Sonia Bompastor will be able to welcome back another key player this weekend, giving her side a necessary boost amid a flurry of injuries.
Genoa hold the record for the most Serie B titles, winning Italy's second-tier six times. Their most recent Serie B title win came in 1988-89.
How many teams are in the Serie B?
20 teams contest in the Serie B and battle it out for promotion to Serie A. The first-ever season of Serie B was played in 1929-30 and featured 18 teams.
Who has made the most Serie B appearances ever?
Luigi Cagni holds the record for the most appearances in Serie B. The former Italian defender played for Brescia and Sambenedettese between 1970 and 1987, making 485 appearances in Serie B.
Who is the all-time top scorer of the Serie B?
Stefan Schwoch, a former Italian striker who was a journeyman, scored 135 Serie B goals with five different clubs to become the all-time top scorer in Italy's second division.
Who is the oldest player ever in the Serie B and how old was he?
Andrea Pierobon is the oldest player to play in the Serie A. The former Italian goalkeeper was 45 years and 307 days when he appeared in his final game ever for Citadella in 2015.
Who is the youngest player ever in the Serie B and how old was he?
Gaetano Renna is the youngest player to ever feature in a Serie B game. Renna was just 14 years and 89 days old when he played for Brindisi in a game against Cosenza in 1948.
Which famous players have played in the Serie B?
Paulo Dybala, Mauro Icardi, Gabriel Batistuta, Diego Simeone, Diego Milito, Pavel Nedved, Gianluigi Buffon, Alessandro Del Piero, Giorgio Chiellini, and David Trezeguet are among the most famous players to have played in Serie B.
Which famous managers have managed in the Serie B?
Didier Deschamps, Filippo Inzaghi, and Maurizio Sarri are among Serie B's biggest managers of all-time.
What is the biggest stadium in the Serie B?
Bari's Stadio San Nicola, with a capacity of 58,270, is Serie B's biggest stadium.
Who is the most expensive player in the history of the Serie B?
Kevin Bonifazi is Serie B's most expensive signing of all-time. Bonifazi was signed by SPAL from Torino for €11 million ahead of the 2020-21 season.