Borini hands sunderland a resurrection line by sinking Chelsea

Liverpool loanee Fabio Borini boosted
his parent club's Premier League title
bid as Sunderland claimed a shock 2-1
win at Chelsea.
Borini, who was once on the books at
Stamford Bridge, converted an 82nd-
minute penalty after Cesar Azpilicueta
had fouled substitute Jozy Altidore to
end Jose Mourinho's 77-match
unbeaten run in home league
encounters as Chelsea boss.
It is the second time this week that
Sunderland have bolstered Liverpool's
cause following the 2-2 midweek draw
with third-placed Manchester City.
And the result simultaneously
provided a huge lift to the survival
chances of Gus Poyet's side, who are
now only three points from safety.
Having scored a brace in Wednesday's
encounter at the Etihad Stadium,
Connor Wickham struck in the 18th
minute to cancel out a Samuel Eto'o
opener for Chelsea.
An error from Vito Mannone had
handed City a point but Chelsea found
Sunderland's goalkeeper in superb
form as he produced an inspired string
of saves before half-time.
Eto'o and substitute Demba Ba
spurned chances in the second period
before Borini struck - meaning that
Liverpool can now open up a five-
point cushion ahead of the top two's
crunch meeting at Anfield next week if
they beat Norwich City in Sunday's
early kick-off.
Chelsea went into the match boasting
nine consecutive home clean sheets -
a record that 41-year-old goalkeeper
Mark Schwarzer had to protect on his
Premier League debut, with Petr Cech
laid low by a virus.
The veteran Australian watched Borini
fire a seventh-minute drive wide
following some impressive hold-up
play from Wickham.
Eto'o was then denied by a perfectly
timed sliding tackle from Santiago
Vergini but responded to volley home
the resulting 12th-minute corner.
The lead was soon wiped out, though,
when Schwarzer spilled Marcos
Alonso's dipping drive and Wickham
reacted quicker than John Terry to
convert the rebound.
Slack set-piece marking almost
undermined Sunderland again in the
37th minute but Mannone grasped
Branislav Ivanovic's header at the
second attempt via the crossbar.
There was little let up for the Italian
goalkeeper as half-time approached
and he produced impressive saves to
thwart Willian and Nemanja Matic from
close quarters.
In the 44th minute, after Mannone
had parried from Willian, Sebastian
Larsson out-muscled Ramires as the
Brazilian looked to convert into an
empty net.
Perhaps still suffering the frustration
of that incident, Ramires was then
fortunate to escape punishment when
he struck Larsson with his elbow.
A breathless opening period concluded
when Chelsea defender Azpilicueta
made a last-ditch challenge to deny
Adam Johnson having conceded
possession to the Sunderland winger.
Chances continued to flow for Chelsea
and Eto'o guided the ball wide after
Willian had driven forward on the
counter-attack in the 48th minute.
Mourinho sent on Ba in place of the
ineffective Oscar but the player who
netted vital goals in the recent
triumphs over Paris St Germain and
Swansea City found the Midas touch
had deserted him, losing his footing
when trying to get on the end of
Willian's 66th-minute cutback with the
goal gaping.
Sunderland weathered further
pressure before Azpilicueta clumsily
bundled Altidore to the floor and
Borini stole the points from the spot
with eight minutes left.
Poyet's team remain bottom of the
table but three of their four remaining
games are at home against fellow
strugglers Cardiff City, West Brom,
Swansea City.

Toure: Africans are not recognized

The Ivory Coast international, who has won
league titles in England, Spain and Greece,
as well as the Champions League with
Barcelona, was among the six names
shortlisted for the Professional Footballers'
Association’s Player of the Year award on
Friday .
Following the club’s Capital One Cup victory
at Wembley in March, Samir Nasri claimed
Toure would be considered as the best
midfielder in the world if he wasn’t African.
“I think what Samir was saying was
definitely true,” Toure told BBC’s Football
Focus. "To be honest, proper recognition
has only come from the fans.
“I don't want to be hard and I don't want
to be negative, but I want to be honest.
"If you go to any part of Africa now, people
will say 'yes, we know him [Lionel Messi]',
but when you come to Europe and say
'Yaya Toure' people will say 'who is that?'
"Some will say they know my name but not
know my face. But they will know Messi's
face.
"I am very proud to be African, I want to
defend African people and I want to show
to the world that African players can be as
good as the Europeans and South
Americans."

Morning Gossip

THE SUN
Chelsea are shocked John Terry has been
left off the Player of the Year shortlist.
Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis insists
he will prove he is no cheat after being
accused of spying by Cardiff.
Palace winger Yannick Bolasie could be on
his way out of Selhurst Park after talks
over a new deal stalled.
DAILY MIRROR
Manchester United boss David Moyes has
told Everton's fans: I deserve respect, not
abuse.
But Everton manager Roberto Martinez has
warned Moyes to expect a hot reception at
Goodison Park.
Liverpool are still chasing Barcelona
wonderkid Cristian Tello - even though the
Spanish club are under a transfer ban.
Laurent Koscielny has promised to give
Arsenal an answer on his future before this
summer's World Cup.
DAILY STAR
Eden Hazard faces a race against time to be
fit for Chelsea's Champions League trip to
Atletico Madrid.
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers insists he
would not swap Steven Gerrard for any
midfielder in Europe.
DAILY MAIL
Roma are showing an interest in
Tottenham midfielder Paulinho.
Manchester United have been offered
Valencia midfielder Adil Rami after a move
to AC Milan stalled.

Kaita joins Enyimba

Former Super Eagles Midfielder, Sani Kaita
has teamed up with Enyimba on a three
month loan deal.
The former Sparta Rotterdam player,
famous for his red card in Nigeria’s 2-1
defeat to Greece at the 2010 Fifa World
Cup in South Africa.
“It is a good thing for our league that a
player like Kaita, who has played at every
international level for Nigeria, is joining
Enyimba,” sources revealed to
Kickoffnigeria.com.
“He brings a wealth of experience from
Europe and from his time playing for the
Super Eagles that will benefit the club and
the younger players in our club,” the
source said.
The former Kano Pillars player had to
return home following a failed expedition
in the Cyprus league where he was on
loan to Olympiakos following spells in
Monaco, Rubin Kazan, Lokomotiv Moscow,
Metalist Kharkiv, Iraklis and Tavriya
Simferopol.

Ranieri likely to be axed

Claudio Ranieri is set to pay the price for
Monaco's trophy-less season by being axed
as coach at the end of the season.
The principality club are looking for a new
boss as they prepare to make a concerted
challenge to the growing dominance in
France of Paris Saint-Germain, as well as
establish themselves as a force in Europe.
Ranieri, who took over in 2012, steered
Monaco to promotion to Ligue 1 in his first
season at the helm and they currently lie
second in the top flight. However, their
French Cup semi-final defeat to Guingamp
on Wednesday night means they will end
the campaign without a major honour.
The Monaco hierarchy, led by Russian
oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev, have decided to
dispense with Ranieri as they set their
sights on a coach who can make even more
of the club's vast resources.
With Rybolovlev's backing, a huge
recruitment drive has brought a series of
marquee players to the Stade Louis II,
including Radamel Falcao, Joao Moutinho,
Dimitar Berbatov, Jeremy Toulalan, James
Rodriguez, Ricardo Carvalho and Eric Abidal.
The Monaco board had hoped that the
team could present a greater challenge to
league leaders PSG, who are 10 points clear
in Ligue 1 with five matches remaining.
Ranieri's job will be regarded as a plum
post around Europe, with super-agent Jorge
Mendes, who represents Falcao, Moutinho,
Rodriguez and Carvalho, expected to be an
influential voice in the selection of a
successor.
Goal understands that former West Brom
boss Steve Clarke is among those ready to
throw their names into the hat to replace
Ranieri.
Since being sacked by Chelsea in 2004, the
62-year-old Italian has coached Valencia,
Parma, Juventus, Roma and Inter as well as
Monaco.

Season over for Lamela

Tim Sherwood says record signing Erik
Lamela will not figure again this season
and still has plenty to prove at Tottenham
Hotspur.
Spurs splashed out £30million on the
Argentine playmaker last summer, but
have seen him offer little return on that
sizeable investment.
A debut campaign blighted by injury has
delivered just three Premier League starts
and one goal in all competitions - with that
coming in the Europa League.
He is unlikely to get the opportunity to
improve on that record before the
summer, with Sherwood claiming that a
back complaint will keep him on the
sidelines.
The Spurs boss has also sought to bring an
end to disruptive rumours suggesting that
he has been put under pressure to play
Lamela before the season comes to a close
- allowing him to work on fragile
confidence.
Sherwood said: "There'll be no chance
Erik's fit.
"I read in the paper, or someone told me,
that the hierarchy here are asking for him
to get more opportunities. Chance would
be a fine thing, he's injured."
Lamela has not figured for Spurs since
stepping off the bench against Stoke City
on 29th December - and for that reason
Sherwood believes it would be wrong of
him, and others, to pass judgement on
what he has to offer.
He added: "You know what, I haven't seen
enough of him. He's never been fit.
"I think he was fit for about three weeks
while I was in charge, and then he's been
out injured.
"That's still an unknown quantity as far as
I'm concerned. I've assessed the rest of
the squad and I've got my ideas on who's
capable and probably who's not. On Erik,
the jury's still out on him because I
haven't seen enough of him, so he's been
very unfortunate.
"I think the benefit he will have is he'll be
settled so he'll improve from that, but as
regards settling into the Premier League, I
think the jury's still out because he's not
played enough football."
On those branding the South American a
big-money flop, Sherwood said: "I think it's
unfair because obviously he has not been
fit, so it has been hard to judge.
"The price isn't his fault. He comes with a
huge price tag, but it is not Erik that sets
that price."

Neymar out for four weeks

The 22-year-old endured a miserable night
on Wednesday as Barca were beaten 2-1 by
Real Madrid, with the Brazil star guilty of
missing a glorious chance in the final
minute of normal time.
Neymar's misery has now been further
compounded by the news he will miss the
games against Athletic Bilbao, Villarreal,
Getafe and Elche, though the club will be
hopeful of him returning for the last day
clash with Atletico Madrid.
A statement on Barcelona's website said:
"The player suffered a concussion that
caused an edema in the fourth metatarsal
in his left foot that will require specific
treatment. Recovery time is approximately
four weeks."
Jordi Alba was withdrawn at half-time in
Wednesday's defeat and a further
examination has revealed the left-back
suffered a torn hamstring in his right leg.
As a result, the former Valencia man will
also be out of action for a period of three to
four weeks.

Drogba launches men underwear line

Former Chelsea striker, Didier Drogba
has launched his own men's underwear
line. The 36 year old football star
shared a pic of himself modeling shorts
from the line. Hmmm...#betterthingz.
He  teamed up with Marseille-based
designers HOM last year to create the
exclusive range of men's underwear and
beachwear which will start selling
from May 1.
According to Drogba, a percentage from
every pair of pant sold would go to his
charity foundation, Didier Drogba
foundation.

Evening Gossip

LONDON EVENING STANDARD
Arsene Wenger is disappointed with the
Football Association's decision to allocate
just 25,000 tickets to Arsenal and Hull
supporters for next month's FA Cup Final at
Wembley.
Inter Milan president Erick Thohir has
confirmed the club are looking to bring in a
top striker this summer, with Man City's
Edin Dzeko and Chelsea's Fernando Torres
as their main targets.
Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is an
injury concern ahead of the Premier
League leaders' trip to Norwich on Sunday
because of a muscle strain.
MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS
Former Manchester United left-back Arthur
Albiston believes Luke Shaw should be top
of David Moyes' wanted list this summer
Man City midfierlder Fernandinho says that
last night's draw with Sunderland was a
"complete disaster" and City boss Manuel
Pellegrini accepted that his side are now
third favourites for the title after a morale-
sapping result.
LIVERPOOL ECHO
Simon Mignolet insists the absence of
Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge
won't derail Liverpool's Premier League
title charge.
Luis Suarez has urged supporters to "stay
calm" as Liverpool close in on Premier
League glory.
Roberto Martinez insists qualifying for the
Champions League remains in Everton's
grasp despite their shock home defeat to
Crystal Palace.
THE CHRONICLE
Sunderland midfielder Jack Colback's
representatives have touched base with
Newcastle United over a move this
summer.
Gus Poyet insists unlucky Sunderland
keeper Vito Mannone must forget about
his mistake at Manchester City and focus
on this weekend's trip to Chelsea.
THE JOURNAL
Newcastle are facing competition from
Marseille in their pursuit of Frenchman
Remy Cabella.
Loic Remy and Mathieu Debuchy will hand
Toon boss Alan Pardew a welcome boost
ahead of the visit of Swansea.
BIRMINGHAM MAIL
Real Betis have admitted they were wrong
to sack Pepe Mel as manager before he
was appointed at West Brom.
Aston Villa striker Nicklas Helenius could be
on the way back to former club Aalborg BK
at the end of the season, according to his
agent.
Ben Foster believes West Brom need one
more win to secure survival - but feels
crisis club Aston Villa are still very much in
trouble, too.
EXPRESS AND STAR
West Brom fans have handed a major snub
to Manchester City's £56 ticket prices with
just 300 supporters buying seats for their
Easter Monday visit to the Etihad Stadium.
Gordon Cowans has called for calm after a
turbulent week at Aston Villa propelled
him into the dugout.
YORKSHIRE EVENING POST
Jimmy Kebe will remain with Leeds until
the end of the season despite the
hamstring strain which has ruled him out
of the club's Easter programme.
Leeds will spend part of pre-season in
Sardinia if new owner Massimo Cellino
follows through with preliminary plans for
his first summer in charge at Elland Road.
EVENING TIMES
Rangers manager Ally McCoist is set to
shuffle his Rangers pack against
Stenhousemuir this weekend.
Midfielder Beram Kayal has given a
massive hint that he sees a future for
himself at Celtic.

Monaco stunned

Monaco were on the wrong end of a shock on Wednesday as Guingamp won 3-1 to book a place in the Coupe de France final.
Claudio Ranieri's men were strong
favourites to progress to the Stade de France showpiece in their last-four meeting with a side who are just five points above the relegation zone in the league.
But the principality club were completely outplayed by their hosts, who deservedly
progressed after the additional period to set up a final with Brittany rivals Rennes,
whom they defeated in the 2009 decider.
Mustapha Yatabare gave Guingamp the lead early on, before Dimitar Berbatov
equalised for Monaco late in the first half.
Ranieri's side then held on for extra-time despite struggling to cope with determined
Guingamp's pressure.
However, the five-time champions tired in the additional 30 minutes, with a strike from substitute Fatih Atik and a second from Yatabare sealing a famous victory for
the hosts.
Guingamp took the lead after just six minutes as Yatabare beat goalkeeper Sergio Romero to a Steven Langil free-kick
to slot home.
Monaco struggled to find a way back into a
first half of few chances, but Ranieri's side
did level matters nine minutes before half-
time when Berbatov struck.
The Bulgarian finished off a sweeping move,
his close-range effort deflecting past
Mamadou Samassa and into the net.
The visitors were, though, unable to take
full control of the game and Guingamp
were unfortunate not to find the winner in
normal time, Claudio Beauvue seeing a
header cleared off the line before Ladislas
Douniama's fierce long-range drive was
tipped on to the post by Romero six
minutes from the end.
Guingamp's relentless pressure continued
in extra-time, with Yatabare flashing an
excellent long-range volley narrowly wide
of the post.
And their dominance finally told in the
second additional period when substitute
Atik 's 112th-minute volley from Thibault
Giresse's cross proved too hot for Romero
to handle.
Yatabare then made sure of Guingamp's
place in the showpiece five minutes later
when he finished off a sweeping
counterattack with another fine volley into
the bottom corner.

A day of upsets .

Bale hands Real Madrid Copa del roy

Gareth Bale scored a stunning solo goal to earn Real Madrid a dramatic 2-1 victory over Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday night.
Angel di Maria opened the scoring for Los Blancos just 11 minutes in but Marc Bartra
dragged the Blaugrana level with a
towering header midway through the second half.
However, Bale saved the best until last, poking the ball home from close range after a sensational surge down the left wing.
Even then, Neymar had a the chance to equalise but the Brazilian struck the post in
the dying seconds, as Madrid held on to claim a famous win.

Crystal Palace stuns Everton

Everton 's hopes of holding onto fourth place in the Premier League took a huge blow as Crystal Palace
ran out 3-2 winers at Goodison Park.
Tony Pulis's men took the lead through
Jason Puncheon midway through the first
half before Scott Dann netted from a
corner just after the break to give them
total control of the game.
Steven Naismith tapped into an empty net
on the hour to give the Toffees some hope
of maintaining their lead over Arsenal but
Cameron Jerome's strike put them down
and out, while giving the Eagles their
fourth consecutive league win despite a
late consolation for Kevin Mirallas.

Sunderland frustrates Man. City

Manchester City's quest to keep pace with Premier League leaders Liverpool faltered on Wednesday
as they let an early lead slip but recovered to a 2-2 draw with Sunderland .
Fernandinho struck in the second minute, capitalising on a disastrous Lee Cattermole error, but the relegation-threatened
visitors battled back superbly and deserved their second-half equaliser.
Connor Wickham got it, pouncing on the chance to volley home when Aleksandar Kolarov was out of position, and the striker
then stole a second on the break in the 83rd minute, though Samir Nasri restored some pride with a goal at the death.
It came largely thanks to a mistake from Vito Mannone and the City midfielder would have wrapped up all three points but for a dreadful miss just moments later.
The result puts Gus Poyet's side back to within six points of safety, with one game still in hand, but City's title bid is left on the ropes, behind the Reds by the same
margin even with one extra match to play.

Crystal Palace stuns Everton

Everton 's hopes of holding onto fourth place in the Premier League took a huge blow as Crystal Palace
ran out 3-2 winers at Goodison Park.
Tony Pulis's men took the lead through
Jason Puncheon midway through the first
half before Scott Dann netted from a
corner just after the break to give them
total control of the game.
Steven Naismith tapped into an empty net
on the hour to give the Toffees some hope
of maintaining their lead over Arsenal but
Cameron Jerome's strike put them down
and out, while giving the Eagles their
fourth consecutive league win despite a
late consolation for Kevin Mirallas.

Evening Gossip

LONDON EVENING STANDARD
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger felt his
side showed maturity to fight back from a
goal down and beat West Ham amid
pressurised conditions.
Sam Allardyce felt West Ham might have
taken something away from Emirates
Stadium had his players taken their slender
lead into the break.
It is rare for the strongest English clubs to
place faith in home-grown players but
Harry Kane believes Tottenham can force
their way to the top if they trust their own
crop.
Tony Pulis says he does not have a
problem with Everton's use of the loan
system as Crystal Palace prepare to face
them at Goodison Park tonight.
MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS
Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus is
understood to be under scrutiny to add
some much-needed speed as well as
versatility to the Reds midfield.
City can strike a blow back in a thrilling
title race by thumping rock-bottom
Sunderland tonight. And boss Manuel
Pellegrini is set to unleash Sergio Aguero in
a bid to boost the Blues goal difference.
LIVERPOOL ECHO
England Under-21 boss Gareth Southgate
admits he has been keeping a close eye on
Jon Flanagan after the 21-year-old caught
the eye with a series of solid displays for
Liverpool this season.
Roberto Martinez says Goodison Park helps
makes Everton's players bigger, faster and
stronger.
NEWCASTLE CHRONICLE
Moussa Sissoko has handed Newcastle
United fans a boost by insisting he will be
"back soon".
THE JOURNAL
Gus Poyet is determined to stay at
Sunderland and change the club for the
better insisting he will not resign.
SUNDERLAND ECHO
Gus Poyet admits Sunderland have
reverted to bad habits over the last month
after hoping that he had found a solution
to the Black Cats' long-term problems.
Connor Wickham insists Sunderland's trip
to Manchester City is NOT a lost cause.
BIRMINGHAM MAIL
Aston Villa suspended two members of
their coaching set-up after relationships
with players in Paul Lambert's first team
squad became fractured.
EXPRESS & STAR
Scott Sinclair's girlfriend today confirmed
one of football's worst-kept secrets by
revealing the Albion misfit will be leaving
the Midlands this summer.
Albion defensive lynchpin Jonas Olsson
today revealed he hopes to be fit for
Monday's trip to Manchester City despite a
recurrence of his troublesome Achilles
injury.
Stan Collymore today branded Villa a
"complete shambles" and said owner
Randy Lerner should sell the club if he
can't splash the cash this summer.
Wolves are set to keep Bakary Sako this
summer - unless a Premier League club
comes in for him, it emerged today.
THE SENTINEL
Stoke City have kicked out Kenwyne Jones'
appeal against a maximum two-week fine
of around £75,000 after he refused to play
for the club.
Port Vale skipper Doug Loft has spoken for
the first time about the training ground
incident which left him with horrific facial
injuries.
SOUTH WALES EVENING POST
Huw Jenkins has insisted Swansea City are
focused on staying up - and then
"regrouping" this summer - despite reports
of clashes on the training ground.
THE PINK UN
Neil Adams will relish the task of trying to
plot Liverpool's downfall in an epic Carrow
Road game which carries repercussions at
both ends of the Premier League.
HULL DAILY MAIL
Sone Aluko admits he has been left with a
point to prove to manager Steve Bruce
after he was overlooked for a lead role in
Hull City's FA Cup semi-final win over
Sheffield United.
YORKSHIRE EVENING POST
Massimo Cellino has promised that he will
not see Cagliari "go to waste" or allow his
focus on Leeds United to be diluted while
he works towards the sale of his Italian
club.
LEICESTER MERCURY
Nigel Pearson has warned his Leicester City
players not to think they are champions
until they have mathematically got the title
in the bag.
LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH
Micky Mellon has urged Burnley to keep
faith with the methods that have kept
them in the top two for practically three
quarters of the season, and pave the way
to promotion.
Ben Marshall is ready to hand Blackburn
Rovers a major injury boost by returning
before the end of the season.
BLACKPOOL GAZETTE
Barry Ferguson says he'll play through the
pain barrier for as long as it takes to
secure Blackpool's safety.
EVENING GAZETTE
Kei Kamara is hoping to be back in action
before the end of the season after a
successful hernia operation.
DONCASTER FREE PRESS
Rovers could be without James Husband
for the crucial relegation run in after the
full back suffered a hamstring injury at
Ipswich.
EVENING TIMES
Anthony Stokes will welcome allcomers
when the battle to be Celtic's main striker
kicks off again next season.
Bilel Mohsni today vowed to help Rangers
bury the painful memory of back-to-back
cup defeats - by going the entire SPFL
League One campaign unbeaten.

Morning Gossip

THE GUARDIAN
Manchester United are set to offer Toni
Kroos £260,000 a week as they do their
best to secure the 24-year-old midfielder
from Bayern Munich.
Gus Poyet will not resign as Sunderland
boss despite their struggles this season and
will demand owner Ellis Short to back him
or sack him in the coming months.
THE SUN
Manchester City will commence talks to
keep hold of striker Edin Dzeko .
Man Utd boss David Moyes has been dealt
a final blow over his hopes of signing İlkay
Gundogan after the German midfielder
penned a contract extension with Borussia
Dortmund.
Hull face a battle to sign Jake Livermore
with West Ham and Stoke also interested
in the on-loan midfielder from Spurs.
DAILY MIRROR
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is upbeat over
his chase to sign Diego Costa for £50m in
the summer and Atletico Madrid manager
Diego Simeone insists he is willing to see
his striker leave.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Manchester United are looking to offer
£30m for Southampton defender Luke
Shaw ahead of the World Cup and appear
ahead of Chelsea in the race to sign the
18-year-old.
DAILY MAIL
Manchester United players Tom
Cleverley, Danny Welbeck and Ashley
Young were forced to take part in an extra
training session after being photographed
in Manchester on a night out following the
club's Champions League exit in Munich.
United are working hard to finalise a deal
for Sporting Lisbon midfielder William
Carvalho with chief exec Ed Woodward
working overtime to overcome the £37m
buy-out clause believed to be in the 21-
year-old's current contract.
Man City are the world's best-paid sports
team with average first-team pay reaching
£5.3m a year, according to a new report.
THE INDEPENDENT
Fulham players Scott Parker, Brede
Hangeland and Sacha Reither have done
their bit for the club by calling fans who
have renewed season tickets for next
season to say thank you.
DAILY EXPRESS
Brighton's 21-year-old loanee Jesse
Lingard says he will be hugely confident
when he returns to Manchester United at
the end of the season.

Simeone : Costa can leave

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has
insisted he will not stand in Diego Costa's
way if he has a chance to join Chelsea in
the summer.
Costa has been the standout player in
Atletico's exceptional season to date, with
his 26 goals in 31 Primera Division matches
giving his side an excellent chance of
winning their first league title since the
1995-96 campaign.
It is therefore unsurprising that the Brazil-
born Spain international has attracted the
attention of several leading European
clubs, and Jose Mourinho's Blues are
reportedly at the front of the queue.
It would take a substantial offer for
Atletico to contemplate selling their prize
asset, although Simeone believes Costa
will ultimately decide his own future.
"It will depend on him and what he thinks
is best for his future," Simeone told radio
station Onda Cero.
"I will support any decision he makes. It's
natural that Chelsea are interested in him
and that makes me happy, because my aim
and that of my coaching staff is to see our
players improve.
"We understand that Chelsea have huge
financial power and if he wants to live off
football for the rest of his life, I will have
no problem in him going.
"It was like Radamel Falcao - how could I
tell him not to go to Monaco? He gave life
to this club."
Simeone believes that Costa would
improve Chelsea's side, despite Samuel
Eto'o's presence at Stamford Bridge
"Samuel Eto'o has made them better and
Diego Costa could do his thing there, but
for now he is ours."
Chelsea's Fernando Torres has been linked
with a move in the opposite direction and
Simeone admits he is a fan of the 30-year-
old, who is still an Atletico legend despite
leaving back in 2007.
"Fernando is always with us, obviously I
have sent messages to him," Simeone
said.
"He is very happy with everything that is
happening to this team and he is always
present, wishing us luck.
"Of course he would love to come back to
the club he grew up in and where he was
happy."
Costa will be hoping to showcase his
talents against Chelsea in the Champions
League semi-finals, a clash that has been
made more intriguing by the prospect of
the Blues' own goalkeeper turning out for
Atletico.
Thibaut Courtois is on loan at Atletico for a
third successive season and Chelsea insist
he will be free to play against them, in line
with UEFA rules, as the clubs compete for a
place in the May 24 final in Lisbon against
Real Madrid or defending champions
Bayern Munich.
It was reported that Chelsea would allow
the Spanish side to play the Belgian in
both legs of the semi, provided they paid a
fee of around 3million euros for each
game.
However, UEFA moved to clarify that it
expects Courtois to be free to face the
Blues in both legs and Simeone has no
doubt that the 21-year-old will be available
for selection.
"I have no doubt that he will play against
Chelsea. He also has no doubts. Not a
concern," Simeone said.
There has been some suggestion Courtois
could be used as a makeweight if Chelsea
do pursue their interest in Costa, but
Simeone does not know whether the
Belgian's future lies at the Vicente
Calderon.
"It is not yet known where he will play
next year," he added.

Evening Gossip

LONDON EVENING STANDARD
Bayern Munich striker Mario Mandzukic
has emerged as Arsenal's principal centre-
forward target after the Gunners admitted
defeat to Chelsea in their pursuit of Diego
Costa.
Tom Ince will become one of Tony Pulis'
top targets for a permanent Selhurst Park
switch if Crystal Palace complete their
Barclays Premier League safety mission.
MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS
Midfielder Yaya Toure is keen to get off the
treatment table as quickly as possible as
Manchester City look to fight back in the
Premier League title race.
Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo criticises
former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson for
using Park Ji-Sung as a 'guard dog' against
him during a 2010 Champions League tie.
Manchester City midfielder James Milner
has come to the defence of skipper Vincent
Kompany after his blunder put Liverpool in
control of the league title race.
LIVERPOOL ECHO
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has
dedicated the thrilling 3-2 victory over
Manchester City to the 96 and their
families as Liverpool prepare to mark the
25th anniversary of Hillsborough.
Everton boss Roberto Martinez has
expressed his relief after Gareth Barry
avoided missing a hat-trick of vital games.
Defender Martin Skrtel said Liverpool
delivered a "demonstration of our spirit" in
the thrilling win over Manchester City.
Everton manager Roberto Martinez can't
wait to hear a packed Goodison Park roar
on his side's Champions League charge
against Crystal Palace.
NEWCASTLE CHRONICLE
Sunderland boss Gus Poyet is desperate to
extend Vito Mannone's stay on Wearside,
but admits summer recruitment must
come first.
Adam Armstrong's cameo performance at
Stoke City, during a 1-0 defeat at the
Britannia Stadium, was one of the few
highlights of a difficult afternoon for Alan
Pardew's team.
THE JOURNAL
Alan Pardew is today battling to regain the
respect and trust of the Newcastle United
dressing room.
Lee Cattermole has refused to write off
Sunderland's slim hopes of taking even a
point from Wednesday night's daunting trip
to the Etihad Stadium.
SUNDERLAND ECHO
Blackburn Rovers are considering a move
for rookie Sunderland defender Louis
Laing.
New Sunderland technical director Lee
Congerton is compiling a double list of
transfer targets for next season.
BIRMINGHAM MAIL
Youssouf Mulumbu has leapt to the
defence of West Bromwich Albion team-
mate Saido Berahino following his most
recent misdemeanor.
Aston Villa have moved to address fan
unrest by taking the unusual step of
publicly calling for support ahead of this
weekend's crucial match with
Southampton.
EXPRESS & STAR
Kenny Jackett today re-iterated to Wolves'
returning exiles they are unlikely to be
part of his Championship plans after
declaring: "We've moved on".
Midfielder Chris Brunt hopes the return to
fitness of key players will breathe new life
into Albion's Premier League survival bid.
Captain Andy Butler today said he wants to
know Walsall's plans for next season before
committing his future.
Brad Guzan today moved to ease the
pressure on Villa boss Paul Lambert and
insisted the whole club must cope under
the spotlight.
THE SENTINEL
Mark Hughes has launched his recruitment
campaign for next season by signing up
Stephen Ireland on a new three-year
contract.
Former Stoke City favourite Ade Akinbiyi
says he might have to work harder than a
white man to land a managerial role in the
English game.
NEWHAM RECORDER
David Mooney's double against Gillingham
ensured he became the first Orient player
in 16 years to hit 20 goals in a season.
SOUTH WALES EVENING POST
Swansea City head to a Newcastle side
blighted by division, with midfielder Leon
Britton insisting their unity could be the
key to Premier League survival.
Swansea have played down reports that a
training session ended in a mass brawl -
but admitted there were "incidents" during
a practice match.
WALES ONLINE
The Premier League have confirmed they
will investigate after Cardiff City made a
formal complaint over the Crystal Palace
'spygate' scandal.
Swansea City have admitted some of their
players clashed in training ahead of
Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Chelsea.
THE PINK UN
Norwich City chief Neil Adams insists he
has the characters to win a Premier League
survival fight after hailing Robert
Snodgrass' 'mind-boggling' display at
Fulham.
THE DAILY ECHO
Southampton supporters have seen the
cost of season tickets rise by about four
per cent for next season.
Saints midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin,
above, has avoided suspension after the
deadline for ten yellow cards passed.
HULL DAILY MAIL
Hull midfielder Jake Livermore admits
Arsenal will be a formidable force to
conquer in next month's FA Cup final, but
insists Hull City can make Wembley history
all over again.
YORKSHIRE EVENING POST
Manager Brian McDermott is predicting
some fun times for Leeds United under
Massimo Cellino - and says life will never
be dull under him.
Leeds United boss Brian McDermott says a
fresh look at tactics and work on the
training ground paid dividends against
Blackpool.
DERBY TELEGRAPH
Derby wide player Simon Dawkins is back
in training ahead of their Easter double
header.
NOTTINGHAM POST
Caretaker boss Gary Brazil has urged young
midfielder Ben Osborn to fight to earn a
first team place under Stuart Pearce at
Nottingham Forest next season.
LEICESTER MERCURY
Leicester City could face a difficult fight to
keep goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel this
summer, who is out of contract at the end
of June.
LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH
Burnley boss Sean Dyche is confident that
they will get the wins they need to achieve
automatic promotion, providing they keep
delivering performances as good as
Saturday's.
In-form winger Craig Conway insists
Blackburn Rovers will overcome their
'horrible' feeling of gut-wrenching
dejection in time for Good Friday's crucial
home clash with Yeovil Town.
WIGAN EVENING POST
Wigan Athletic player James Perch reckons
they have proved they can mix it with the
best during their FA Cup run.
BLACKPOOL GAZETTE
Tom Ince will become one of Tony Pulis'
top targets for a permanent Selhurst Park
switch if Crystal Palace complete their
Barclays Premier League safety mission.
THE STAR
Nigel Clough, the Sheffield United
manager, has warned Stevenage to expect
no favours when his team return to League
One action following their remarkable FA
Cup adventure.
Barnsley boss Danny Wilson is under no
illusions about the importance of tonight's
away clash with fellow relegation-strugglers
Charlton Athletic.
Rotherham United manager Steve Evans
admits he may well rest players to ensure
he has them as fresh as possible for the
League One Play-offs.
THE ARGUS
Full-back Mat Sadler believes Crawley are
going places under John Gregory next
season - but wants them to guarantee
their League One safety first.
IPSWICH STAR
Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy is
bracing himself for plenty of interest in
left-back Aaron Cresswell this summer.
BOURNEMOUTH ECHO
Defender Tommy Elphick believes Cherries
will need to win their final four games of
the season to stand any chance of reaching
the Championship play-offs.
EVENING TIMES
Celtic midfielder Stefan Johansen knows
the history - and he is very happy to be
part of it, having helped Celtic win their
third title in a row.
Manger Ally McCoist admits Rangers could
get left behind in the transfer market this
summer as he waits to discover what his
budget will be for his sides' Championship
campaign next season.
The umbrella body of Rangers supporters'
groups has confirmed its plans to withhold
season-ticket money from the club after
the Ibrox board of directors refused to
discuss the issue.

Ronaldo to miss Copa del roy final tomorrow

Real Madrid haveconfirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo will miss his side's Copa del Rey final clash with
Barcelona on Wednesday.
The Portuguese star limped off during the 3-0 Champions League quarter final first- leg win over Borussia Dortmund earlier this
month.
He subsequently missed the league
meetings with Real Sociedad and Almeria and was an unused substitute in the return
game with Jurgen Klopp's side.
And coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed
that the 29-year-old will not be risked
against the Catalans at Mestalla on
Wednesday.
"We won't risk it with Cristiano so he won't
play. He will train tomorrow then travel to
Valencia to see the game," he said at his
press conference.
"I found out that I can't count on Cristiano
this morning. We can do well tomorrow
despite the absence of some players."
Real Madrid lost twice to Barcelona in La
Liga this season but Ancelotti is confident
that his side can respond.
"We're not setting out to block the other
team but to win with our own identity.
We've gone a whole year playing the same
way and we're going to continue.
"At the Bernabeu, we played well, we were
winning and then we made some little
mistakes. We have to be focused on the
whole game. There are no problems with
motivation and the team will play well.
"To win this final, we need courage and
personality. We will show our quality on
the field. It's an important competition and
we're playing Barca, a historic rival. It's the
first trophy we can win.
"Barca attack well and control the ball, even
in recent games. We should have more
control over games."

More responsibility for Bale haha, big money, big expectations.

Yaya out for two weeks

Manchester City will be missing talismanic
midfielder Yaya Toure for up to two weeks
due to a groin injury.
The Ivory Coast star limped out of
Sunday's 3-2 defeat at Liverpool 19
minutes in - shortly after shooting off-
target and appearing to tweak a muscle.
Toure, 30, was initially all but ruled out of
playing again this season, so the news will
come as a boost to City as they attempt to
overhaul Liverpool at the business end of
the Premier League campaign.
The Manchester City Twitter feed quoted
manager Manuel Pellegrini as saying of
Toure: "Yaya has a muscle injury and we'll
see how it is. Maybe it's not as bad as we
thought at the beginning but he needs at
least ten days or two weeks to recover."
Better news for the Chilean comes in the
forms of captain Vincent Kompany and star
striker Sergio Aguero, who both came
through the game at Anfield with no
adverse reaction to recent injuries.
The 2012 Premier League champions play
host to bottom-placed Sunderland on
Wednesday evening at the Etihad Stadium,
and Pellegrini is expected to name both in
his starting XI.
Pellegrini said of the pair: "Vincent is fine -
he is on the squad list for tomorrow and so
is Sergio. We'll see tomorrow who starts.
It's important we start with the same high
performance we showed in the second half
of the Liverpool game."
On a thrilling title race in prospect,
Pellegrini added: "There are still six games
for us to play. The important thing is that
we win our games because we can do
nothing about the other teams.
"We can do a lot of things here and I'm
sure the players know exactly what they
have to do. They know that that starts
tomorrow in winning one of the two games
postponed so both Liverpool and Chelsea
can feel that we are just four points and
three points behind them."

Chelsea optimistic about Hazard return

Eden Hazard could return from injury
'sooner rather than later' as Chelsea
continue their push for the Barclays
Premier League title.
The Belgian star missed Sunday's 1-0 win
at Swansea after limping out of Chelsea's
midweek Champions League quarter-final
victory over Paris St Germain.
Manager Jose Mourinho made five
changes for the trip to south Wales,
where his team triumphed through
Demba Ba's second-half strike which
keeps them two points behind league
leaders Liverpool .
"Every player is fit at this stage, with the
exception of Eden, who should be sooner
rather than later. It is still a little bit too
early to say for sure," Chelsea assistant
first-team coach Steve Holland said.
"Having a clear week this week is a big
advantage.
"I can't stress enough the extra demand
that the Champions League brings with
those fixtures in the week. It is just what
the doctor ordered to give the players a
bit of a break this week."
Chelsea are next in action when the
Premier League's bottom club Sunderland
visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
And the Blues know there can realistically
be no slip-ups between now and the end
of the season - including when they visit
Liverpool on April 27 - if they are to land
a fourth Premier League title in 10
seasons.
Liverpool's thrilling 3-2 victory over
Manchester City on Sunday was played
out as Chelsea prepared for their fixture
at the Liberty Stadium.
"No matter how much you try to hide it
and take the players' minds away from it,
in this world of technology that we live in
there is always a way of someone finding
out at some point," added Holland.
"We were aware as the afternoon
progressed from when we had the team
meeting to when we left for the stadium,
then when we were in the dressing room
and out on the pitch, that the scenario
was changing all the time.
"Obviously, it was a good day for
Liverpool, and it looks like being an
exciting conclusion to the season.
"We have probably got to win all of our
games, one way or another.
"That's the likelihood, but we have been
facing that task now for a good couple of
weeks, certainly on the back of our result
at Crystal Palace. I think any leeway we
had was eliminated after that result."
Swansea's target over their final four
league games is all about securing top-
flight survival.
They visit Newcastle next Saturday,
standing only three points above the
relegation zone. The Swans have won just
two out of 10 league games since Garry
Monk assumed head coach responsibility
more than two months ago.
"We are not in a good position, clearly,"
Monk said.
"We're not secure and we have four
games left. It's not a situation we want to
be in.
"The difference is we are not chasing
anything, we are not looking to scramble
six or seven points to get out of it.
"We have it in our own hands, but we
have to do something quickly and get
points on the board in our next game.
The players are aware of it, but it's a case
of making sure we do it.
"Two wins should make it secure, but we
can only think about winning the next
game.
"I said to the players that we've had it a
few times where we have shown the
desire and attitude to not be beaten and
try to push on and win the game, but
unfortunately come away with nothing.
"But I've told them if they do exactly
what they did there (against Chelsea) for
the last four games, we will have no
problems."

Premier league investigating Cardif City allegation

The Premier League are to investigate
Cardiff City's claims that their starting
XI was leaked to Crystal Palace earlier
this month.
Reports on Friday suggested Cardiff
owner Vincent Tan had written to the
league's chief executive Richard
Scudamore calling for an investigation
into the incident, which is alleged to
have occurred prior to the Welsh
club's 3-0 home defeat to Palace on
April 5.
The Selhurst Park outfit's sporting
director Iain Moody, formerly of
Cardiff, was reportedly accused of
obtaining information by underhand
means, but described the allegations
as "incredibly, extraordinarily untrue".
Moody said he sought to get as much
information as possible on Palace's
opposition but insisted his work
crossed no boundaries.
"That is untrue, completely untrue.
Absolutely not - not under any
circumstances," he told The Sun.
However, the Premier League have
now confirmed it will be looking into
the issue.
Cardiff, who are also said to be taking
action against two employees over the
incident, currently sit three points
adrift of Premier League safety.

Final phase of world cup tickets up for grabs

A total of 199,519 tickets for the 2014
FIFA World Cup™ will be up for grabs in
the last sales phase, which will open on
Tuesday 15 April 2014 at 12h00 CET /
07h00 Brasilia time, via
FIFA.com . Tickets for 54 matches will
be available on a first-come, first-served
basis. There will be no tickets for ten
out of the 64 matches: opening (Brazil
vs. Croatia), final and matches 2 (Mexico
vs. Cameroon), 8 (England vs. Italy), 11
(Argentina vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina), 17
(Brazil vs. Mexico), 19 (Spain vs. Chile),
33 (Cameroon vs. Brazil), 34 (Croatia vs.
Mexico) and 35 (Australia vs. Spain).
Only credit and Visa debit cards will be
accepted in this phase – there is no
option to pay with a Boleto. Visa is the
preferred payment method of the 2014
FIFA World Cup. It is important to
ensure that ticket buyers have enough
funds for their respective payment
method. Tickets can also be purchased
over the counter at designated FIFA
Venue Ticketing Centres from 1 June
2014 to 13 July 2014. All spectators,
including children of all ages, require a
ticket to access the stadium.
“With less than two months to go, this is
the last chance for fans to secure their
tickets for football’s flagship event. I am
confident we will have a high demand
for the remaining tickets, not only from
Brazilian fans but also from people all
over the world,” said Thierry Weil, FIFA
Marketing Director in charge of
ticketing.
So far, a total of 2,577,662 tickets have
already been allocated through all sales
phases and channels (including the FIFA
Hospitality Programme and other
constituent groups) – 61% went directly
to general public via FIFA.com .
FIFA would like to take this opportunity
to reiterate that FIFA.com is the only
online sales platform for tickets for the
2014 FIFA World Cup. Any ticket
products being offered by other
companies or on other platforms are not
part of, or related to, the official ticket
sales programme. FIFA has not
appointed any company to act as its
agent for the sale of match tickets.
Supporters are strongly advised not to
buy tickets through other channels.
For further information, please visit the
official website www.FIFA.com/tickets .

Free 50,000 tickets for workers

By way of thanks for their unstinting
efforts in helping to make the 2014 FIFA
World Cup Brazil™ a reality, FIFA has
announced that it will hand out nearly
50,000 tickets to workers involved in
the construction and refurbishment of
the tournament’s 12 stadiums. The
announcement was made at a press
conference following this Thursday’s
Brazil 2014 Local Organising Committee
(LOC) management board meeting at
the Estadio Maracana.
The tickets, all of them Category 4, will
be distributed to the construction
companies responsible for carrying out
work at the stadiums, who will then
hand them out to the workers. The
constructors are free to decide the
distribution criteria and the number of
tickets to be allocated to each worker.
The tickets are for all the first-round
games with the exception of the
Opening Match between Brazil and
Croatia on 12 June in Sao Paulo.
As agreed with the constructors, tickets
were allocated in accordance with the
final number of workers involved in the
construction of each stadium, the
number of tickets per stadium being
proportional to the percentage of
workers employed there.
The tickets will be distributed in the
middle of May and can only be collected
by a representative appointed by each
constructor. The companies will in turn
hand out the tickets to their workers,
who will not be required to collect them
from the Brazil 2014 Ticket Distribution
Centres.
Ticket sales
More than 2.56 million tickets have
been sold for Brazil 2014 to date. Some
295,387 of those tickets have been sold
in the current sales phase, which comes
to a close on 1 April at 7:00 Brasilia time
(12:00 CET). The next phase begins on
15 April at 7:00 Brasilia time (12:00
CET).
Ticket Distribution Centres will open to
the public in the 12 Host Cities on 18
April, and will initially remain open on
weekends only. Nearly 540,000 tickets
will be made available for collection
from the start of May. Fans who
selected the option of picking up their
tickets at these centres will be able to
do so then.
In collecting their tickets, fans eligible
for concessions (over 60s, students,
recipients of the Bolsa Familia family
grant and people with disabilities) must
present documentation proving said
entitlement.

Beckham's bid hangs on loose

Opponents of David Beckham's plan to
build a football stadium on the waterfront
in Miami have joined forces and launched
an advertising campaign.
An alliance of shipping interests and a
billionaire car dealer have gone to the
newspapers with claims that a stadium
would have a negative effect on Miami's
role in the expansion of the Panama Canal.
"We cannot jeopardise well-paying jobs,
like crane operators, longshore workers,
and mechanics, for low-paying stadium
jobs, such as concession sales," the Miami
Seaport Alliance said in a full-page ad in
the Miami Herald.
The opposing group is led by John Fox,
former head of governmental affairs at
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and high-
profile car dealer Norman Braman, the
one-time owner of Philadelphia Eagles.
Former England and LA Galaxy star
Beckham, 38, recently unveiled a blueprint
for a 25,000-seat waterfront stadium - the
development of which would cost an
estimated $200m.
An advisor for the Beckham group, Neisen
Kasdin, said: "The plan doesn't interfere
with port operations. It will likely generate
more revenue for the port in the shorter
term than other concepts that have been
discussed."

Ireland signs new deal

Stoke playmaker Stephen Ireland has
signed a new three-year contract at the
Britannia Stadium.
The Republic of Ireland international has
rebuilt his career with the Potters under
manager Mark Hughes and is now
committed to the club until the summer of
2017.
The 27-year-old told the Stoke website:
"It's important for every player to feel
wanted and to be a part of a family and to
be honest I haven't had that for a long,
long time.
"Thankfully I have felt that warmth here at
Stoke and truth be told I couldn't really be
in a better place than I am at the moment.
"For that, I have to thank the gaffer
immensely because he is the main reason
why I came here in the first instance, and
of course, he is a big factor in why I am
delighted to agree this new deal now.
"I have also been able to build a good
relationship with the supporters too, and
that is very warming to me, because it has
been a long time since I have felt loved at
a football club."
He added: "I wouldn't have been able to
enjoy my football again like I have done if
the manager hadn't brought me here in
the first place, so of course, I am incredibly
grateful to him and the club for doing
that."
Ireland was considered one of the hottest
properties in the Premier League during
his early career at Manchester City but a
subsequent move to Aston Villa saw his
career take a nosedive.
An unsuccessful loan to Newcastle was
followed by another temporary stay at
Stoke, who made the switch permanent in
January 2014.

Ac Milan after Mikel and Ashley Cole

AC Milan are weighing up moves for out-of- favour Chelsea duo
Ashley Cole and John Obi Mikel as head coach Clarence Seedorf looks to bolster his ailing squad in the summer.
Cole's current contract at Stamford Bridge expires at the end of the season and his long-term future is uncertain after falling behind Cesar Azpilicueta in Jose Mourinho's affections.
The Portuguese boss is eager to keep the 33-year-old but Blues owner Roman Abramovich is yet to sanction a new deal, prompting Cole to explore other options.
After watching his struggling Milan side record an underwhelming victory over Catania on Sunday, Seedorf spoke of his desire to strengthen his squad in the full-
back positions.
"I'd prefer the likes of Cafu and Serginho on the flanks, but we don't have them!" he told reporters.
"[Daniele] Bonera has brought great
balance to the side, [Kevin] Constant is a midfielder, [Urby] Emanuelson has played as a full-back a few times in his career, but
we don't really have a left-back."
Mikel is also a target, but any move for the Nigerian this summer depends on whether Milan decide to sign Valencia loanee Adil Rami and QPR midfielder Adel Taarabt on permanent deals.
Should they not, the Rossoneri will free up somewhere in the region of €14 million to use in their pursuit of Mikel, who moved to Stamford Bridge from Lyn Oslo in a deal worth €19m in the summer of 2006.
Milan and Chelsea remain on good terms, having successfully negotiated the transfer of Michael Essien to San Siro for an undisclosed fee in January.

Curitiba to finally host world champion Spain.

CURITIBA, Brazil (AP) — Widely
considered the most advanced city in Brazil, Curitiba was in serious danger of being excluded from the World Cup because of delays at its stadium.
After repeated warnings, FIFA was forced to give an ultimatum to the southern Brazilian city, prompting local organizers to scramble to find additional funding to expedite renovation work at the 41,000-
capacity Arena da Baixada, which is
owned by local club Atletico Paranaense.
A solution came in at the last minute, keeping Curitiba from becoming the first host city to be excluded from the tournament because of construction delays.
The payoff should come when world champion Spain plays Australia on June 23. The other three group matches at the venue will be Iran vs. Nigeria on June
16, Honduras vs. Ecuador on June 20, and Algeria vs. Russia on June 26. Spain is also expected to train in Curitiba during the World Cup.
Atletico Paranaense and local officials faced difficulties funding the renovation work at the Arena da Baixada from the beginning, and at one point had to cancel
plans of a retractable roof because it would not be ready in time for the World Cup.
The city is known worldwide for its
efficient transportation system and urban planning, and it has been praised by the United Nations and others for being environmentally friendly. Located in the south, relatively cold weather is expected for some matches.

Worlds finest stadium

What was the world’s first stadium with a full colour-changing exterior? You’re looking at it – and at just how dazzling it is when illuminated.
The Allianz Arena’s pneumatic panels light red when Bayern Munich play there, blue when 1860 Munich play there and white
when the Germany national team plays there.
The above shot was taken last Wednesday, during Bayern’s 3-1 comeback victory over Manchester United in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final.
And though that result booked Pep
Guardiola’s team a semi date with Real Madrid, the Allianz hasn’t always proven a profitable platform for the German giants in
the king of Europe’s club competitions.
In the Champions League final in 2012, Bayern appeared en route to victory until Chelsea’s Didider Drogba headed home an 11th-hour equaliser and, after Peter Cech had saved Arjen Robben’s spot-kick in extra-time, the Blues pulled off a come- from-behind 4-3 victory on penalties.
Bayern did rebound by winning the
competition last year and, if they get past Real, will head to Lisbon for their fourth Champions League final in five seasons, against Atletico Madrid or Chelsea.

Evening Gossip

Petr Cech has warned Liverpool that Chelsea are ready to capitalise on their lack of experience to pip them to the Premier League this season.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is
convinced his side's dramatic FA Cup semi-final penalty shoot-out win over Wigan can prove the turning point of their season -
and feared what defeat would have done to the squad.

Tony Pulis will not speak to chairman Steve
Parish about his plans for next season until Crystal Palace are safe from relegation.
Felix Magath says Fulham are learning to enjoy the pressure of the Premier League relegation battle.
Lewis Holtby wants Fulham to defeat Tottenham at the weekend even though he still belongs to the north London club.

Rio Ferdinand has said he wants to
continue playing football beyond this season.
Martin Demichelis sent out a defiant message after City's 3-2 defeat at Liverpool - "We will fight until the end."

Jon Flanagan insists Liverpool will answer captain Steven Gerrard's call not to get carried away with their dramatic 3-2 victory over title rivals Manchester City.
Tim Howard insists Everton's scrappy victory over Sunderland proves they have the stomach for the fight to hold onto fourth place.

The Chronicle understands that some senior players wanted to know why Hatem Ben Arfa found himself back in the team so quickly following the dressing room bust-
up between Pardew and the Frenchman against Manchester United.

Connor Wickham hopes to catch Gus Poyet's eye in the remainder of this sorry season, to ensure he remains in the Sunderland manager's long-term plans.
Gus Poyet spoke of a heart of darkness within Sunderland Football Club as his side
headed closer to relegation at the weekend.

Paul Lambert has appealed for the Villa Park faithful's support after the away fans turned against him with angry chants of "We want Lambert out".

Shell-shocked Pepe Mel today backed Albion to bounce back and secure Premier League survival despite their latest heartbreaking giveaway on Saturday.

Young West Bromwich Albion striker Saido Berahino has apologised after being caught
on camera using laughing gas.
Villa chief executive Paul Faulkner today issued a rallying cry to fans and insisted the club can handle "adversity".

Erik Pieters says finding the net is a happy bonus after scoring his first goal in six years past his best friend in football.
Mark Hughes says Marko Arnautovic has been a pussycat compared to some of the controversial characters he's dealt with in the past.

West Ham skipper Kevin Nolan is a doubt for Tuesday night's trip to Arsenal, while George McCartney and Marco Borriello will certainly miss out.

Hugo Rodallega thought his days at Craven Cottage were numbered - now the frontman is spearheading Fulham's survival charge.

Garry Monk paid tribute to ten-man
Swansea City's desire after defeat by Chelsea but admitted: "We have to get points on the board - now."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said the Crystal Palace spygate saga made his players mad- but gave them the exact focus they needed.

Neil Adams insists Seb Bassong will play his part in Norwich's Premier League run-in after embarking on a new era at Craven Cottage without the Canaries' team captain.

Saints deserved to beat Cardiff, but
suffered from a lack of cutting edge, according to Mauricio Pochettino.

Steve Bruce has set his sights on upsetting Arsenal in the FA Cup final after creating Hull City history with an epic 5-3 win over Sheffield United at Wembley.

Luke Murphy looked forward to happier times with Leeds United after his first goals since the opening day of the season rounded off a momentous week at Elland Road.

Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson has
urged his players not to let their historic season be tarnished by failing to claim the league title.

Keep calm and carry on - that's the
message from defender Ben Mee as Burnley's promotion push extends into the Easter weekend.

Emmerson Boyce has challenged Wigan Athletic to return to Wembley next month and put right some "unfinished business".

Barry Ferguson revealed talks with his staff and players led to him returning to the Blackpool team at Leeds.

Stuart Findlay says he would rather go out on loan for a second season than face life as a Celtic reserve.
Dave King last night stepped up his war of words with the Rangers board.

No world cup for Willems

PSV defender Jetro Willems will miss the remainder of the season and the Netherlands ' World Cup campaign with a knee injury.
The 20-year-old was forced off in the first
half of his side's 2-0 defeat to
Feyenoord on Sunday and faces "several months" out after damaging "the inner tube of his knee".
Willems has 11 caps to his name, with his most recent coming in the 2-2 draw against Japan in November last year, but will not
be available to Louis van Gaal for the competition in Brazil.
Following tests on Monday, PSV's medical staff confirmed that he will play no further
part this season and will instead focus on
the next campaign.
"Jetro Willems is no longer in action for PSV
this season," read a statement on their
official website. "The left-back has damage
to the inner tube of his knee and is
therefore out for several months.
"Willems now focuses on preparing for the
new season."
The Netherlands, who will also be without
Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman due to a
knee injury, start their World Cup campaign
against reigning champions Spain on June
13 before they take on Australia and Chile
in Group B.

Feel his pains.

Bayern snatches Rode

Bayern Munich have announced the signing of Sebastian Rode from Eintracht Frankfurt on a four-
year deal.
The midfielder, who is out of contract this summer, has long been expected to join the Bundesliga champions, with Frankfurt sporting director Bruno Hubner stating in January that the move was set to be completed .
Bayern have now confirmed that the 23-year-old will join the club on July 1 this summer after agreeing to terms at the Allianz Arena.
"I'm very pleased that this transfer has worked out," he told Bayern's official website.
"Bayern is the next big step for me. I want to develop here and win a load of titles with my future team-mates."
"Sebastian Rode is an excellent
professional, he embodies the highest level
of professionalism and dynamism," added
sporting director Matthias Sammer.
"I'm certain he will give our team plenty of
momentum and enthusiasm to tackle
obstacles in the future."
Rode, who joined Frankfurt from Kickers
Offenbach for a €300,000 fee in the
summer of 2010, has made 28 appearances
in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Europa
League for Armin Veh's side this season.

Wenger: Wilshere might play again this season

Arsene Wenger is
confident Jack
Wilshere will feature
for Arsenal before the
season ends and
insists the midfielder
is "progressing well".
The 22-year-old is recovering from the
broken foot he suffered during England's
win over Denmark on March 5, and has
stepped up his return ahead of Arsenal’s
push for fourth place and FA Cup final
against Hull City.
"Jack Wilshere should start to jog this
week," he told reporters. "It is all going
well, but we have to monitor him now day
by day.
"The next three weeks will be very
important for him. Can he play this season?
Yes."
After reaching the FA Cup final on Saturday
following a tense penalty shootout victory
over holders Wigan, Arsenal will now focus
on league duties having been leapfrogged
by Everton into fourth place over the
weekend.
Up next for Arsene Wenger and his squad is
West Ham on Tuesday, and the manager
has revealed his injury crisis has deepened
following the win at Wembley.
"I can't give you team news because there
are so many uncertainties, muscular
problems or fatigue.
"[Tomas] Rosicky and [Laurent] Koscielny
we will test [on Monday]. I will decide later
whether to take a risk with him.
"The main uncertaintities are [Nacho]
Monreal, he has a large bruise, [Alex]
Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was not even
supposed to play on Saturday, [Aaron]
Ramsey, who had to come off with muscle
tiredness."
A run of seven consecutive victories has
seen Everton move into pole position for
the final qualification spot for the
Champions League, but Wenger believes
Arsenal winning their remaining games will
see them finish fourth.
He continued: "We want to finish strong
now, we have a battle with Everton and of
course it's now down to consistency in our
final games.
"We want to achieve it and that's simple.
We just want to not imagine the
consequences of not doing it, what you
want is just to focus on doing it.
"That's where I think we have the focus,
the quality of the spirit, we have the desire
and we are slowly getting our players back
so the squad is not depleted any more. It's
much more stronger than it was two or
three weeks ago.
"The target is of course to win every game.
Experience [of finishing in fourth every
season] counts, yes of course. But the
difference will be the quality that you
produce on the pitch and that is down to
desire, to be faithful to our game we want
to play, and get everybody back into the
squad."

Morning Gossip

Steven Gerrard admitted the edge-of-the-
seat drama yesterday was the longest 90
minutes of his glittering career.

A half-time team talk from captain Curtis
Davies helped inspire Hull to a 5-3 win
over Sheffield United and reach their first
FA Cup Final.

Newcastle United skipper Fabricio Coloccini
shocked colleagues by blowing his top
after defeat at Stoke that makes it 11
defeats in their last 16 league matches.

Swansea City boss Garry Monk blasted
Chelsea's dirty tricks as Jose Mourinho's
side kept their title hopes alive with a 1-0
win.

Lukas Podolski has described the prospect
of Arsenal failing to qualify for the
Champions League as "a disaster".

West Brom keeper Ben Foster is at the top
of Tottenham's wanted list as Hugo Lloris
nears the White Hart Lane exit.

Stevie May was delighted to prove the
doubters wrong as his brace took St
Johnstone to their first Scottish Cup final.

Lyon shocks PSG

Lyon condemned Paris
Saint-Germain to their
second defeat inside a
week thanks to Jordan
Ferri's 31st minute
strike.
Laurent Blanc's men were eliminated from
the Champions League on Tuesday, losing
on away goals to Chelsea in the quarter-
finals, and they delivered another below-
par performance on Sunday.
The Stade de Gerland had been the scene
of last year's title triumph for the visitors
but their march to this year's championship
suffered a blip, as Lyon claimed a deserved
victory.
With it, Remi Garde's side also gained a
psychological advantage in what was
effectively a dress rehearsal for the Coupe
de la Ligue final next Saturday.
Lyon midfielder Ferri scored the only of the
game in spectacular fashion after 31
minutes, netting for the fifth time this
season in all competitions with a
magnificent long-range effort to end PSG's
16-game league unbeaten run.
Despite the reverse, Blanc's side still lead
the top flight by 10 points and can retain
their crown with a win over Evian a week
on Wednesday, providing that Monaco lose
to Nice next Sunday.
Midfielder Yohan Cabaye was called into
the PSG starting XI as Blanc made four
changes from the defeat to Chelsea, while
injury-hit Lyon were still without star
midfielders Clement Grenier and Yoann
Gourcuff.
PSG made a fast start and would have
taken the lead inside two minutes had
Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes not tipped
Edinson Cavani's close-range header onto
the near post.
Six minutes later the visitors cut through
the Lyon defence again. Cavani latched
onto a through ball from Blaise Matuidi
before rolling the ball to Lucas Digne to slot
home into an empty net, only for the goal
to be disallowed for offside.
Lyon responded almost instantly as striker
Bafetimbi Gomis outmuscled Digne in the
box, however, the former Saint-Etienne
man could only turn his shot into the side-
netting.
But just after the half-hour mark Lyon did
take a surprise lead, as Ferri capitalised on
a loose pass from Ezequiel Lavezzi to curl a
shot brilliantly into the bottom corner.
The visitors struggled to find a way back
into the game from there, although Cabaye
flashed a volley narrowly wide of the post
just before half-time.
There was little change in the second half
as PSG - once again minus the talents of
injured top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic -
struggled to create much in the final third
against a determined Lyon defence.
Digne did draw a strong save from Lopes
with bending effort from the edge of the
area, with Lavezzi's follow up correctly
ruled out for offside.
Lyon continued to carry the greater threat
and they went close to a second as Jimmy
Briand glanced a header wide from a right-
wing cross by Ferri, who then forced PSG
goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu to palm the ball
over the crossbar with a vicious volley from
range.
And PSG's frustration was summed up soon
afterwards when Lavezzi wasted arguably
their best chance to level, shooting into the
side-netting from six yards late on.

Breaking news: Diego Costa stretched off

Atletico Madrid striker
Diego Costa has been
stretchered off with a
knee injury during his
side's La Liga clash
with Getafe after scoring the league
leaders' second goal shortly before the final
whistle.

Maybe Brazil might be glad about this considering their lenghty wrangle with Spain over his nationality of which Spain won, remember the saying "he who laughs last, laughs best ".
Just saying shaa, wish him the best though.

Khedira: speedy return boosts world cup hopes

Germany midfielder Sami Khedira's
chances of being fit in time for the FIFA
World Cup™ were given a boost as he
returned to training with his Real Madrid
team-mates for the first time in five
months on Sunday. The 27-year-old
suffered cruciate ligament damage while
playing for Germany in a 1-1 draw
against Italy in November and has spent
the majority of the time since
recuperating in his homeland.
Khedira has been a key part of the
Germany side under coach Joachim Low
over the past four years and could still
force himself into the squad for the
World Cup if he is able to return to
match fitness before the end of the
season. Of more pressing concern for
Madrid is their Spanish Copa del Rey
final clash against Barcelona on
Wednesday.
Brazilian full-back Marcelo and Spanish
international Sergio Ramos could be fit
despite missing Saturday's 4-0 win over
Almeria due to injury as they both took
part in training. However, FIFA Ballon
d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo remains a
serious doubt as he missed the session
due to a hamstring injury.

Nigerian refs may finally officiate in 2018 world cup

FIFA referees assistant programme
instructor, Lee Kim Chong stated in Abuja
that Nigeria referees could get the chance
to officiate in their first ever world cup in
2018.
Kim Chong said that with the kind of
programme the Nigeria referees
embarked upon, they are most like to
finally make the cut for the list of referees
for the world cup.
Chong who was the center referee when
the Super Eagles won Zambia 2-1 to lift
1994 Nations Cup in Tunisia also pointed
that unlike before Nigeria now has more
qualified referees who are called to
officiate at international competitions.
He said “Nigeria is coming up gradually
and has many referees who are fit. This
year alone, a good number of them have
officiated at CAF organized competitions
and they did well.
“There are lots of potentials who I have
seen myself and I know that before 2018,
some of them will be mature to be
selected to officiate at the world cup. I
have been in Nigeria severally; I was in
Aba when I officiated Enyimba match. I
have also been involved in some qualifiers
involving Nigeria.
Chong bemoaned lack of tactical and
technological know how by some Nigeria
referees but implored them to brace up
to square up with challenges ahead.