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Sunday, April 29, 2012

EPL

Arsenal Boss Arsene Wenger insists 'nothing is guaranteed' in the race for a third-placed finish despite Arsenal edging closer with a point at Stoke. Aston Villa Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish has hailed his side's performance against West Brom and has special praise for Shay Given and Richard Dunne. Blackburn Blackburn boss Steve Kean claims he has identified a couple of weaknesses in the Tottenham side which Rovers can exploit at White Hart Lane. Bolton Manager Owen Coyle believes his Bolton side did enough to warrant three points against Sunderland but declared himself satisfied with one. Chelsea Juventus are reportedly chasing after Serb defender Branislav Ivanovic, who is valued at EUR8 million and his Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard. Everton Everton boss David Moyes has praised Nikica Jelavic and Steven Pienaar after they helped the Toffees to a big win over Fulham at Goodison Park. Fulham Fulham first-team head coach Billy McKinlay was left to rue a slow start from his side in their crushing defeat by Everton at Goodison Park. Liverpool Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish preferred to hand praise to his whole team rather than single out striker Luis Suarez after the win at Norwich. Manchester City Man City captain Vincent Kompany has no intention of changing his tackling style despite being sent off when he last encountered Man Utd. Manchester United Sir Alex Ferguson says there will be a deep sense of regret for whichever Manchester club fails to lift the Premier League title this term. Newcastle United Alan Pardew remains confident that his Newcastle side can finish in the top four of the Premier League despite a crushing defeat by Wigan. Norwich City Norwich City coach Paul Lambert was disappointed to lose to Liverpool, but has underlined that his team are sitting in a really good position. Queens Park Rangers QPR boss Mark Hughes fancies his side to avoid relegation from the Premier League but is calling on his side to improve away from Loftus Road. Stoke City Head coach Tony Pulis is pleased to have got through the season without losing to any of the 'big teams' at home after Stoke held Arsenal. Sunderland Martin O'Neill admits his relief at watching Sunderland end a barren run of over four games without scoring, following the draw with Bolton. Swansea City Swansea City manager Brendan Rodgers was disappointed with his side's defensive display after surrendering a 3-0 lead to draw with Wolves. Tottenham Captain Ledley King admits Tottenham's confidence has dipped but he is adamant the club can still qualify for next year's Champions League. West Brom West Brom boss Roy Hodgson believes that his side's draw with Aston Villa at The Hawthorns was a just result, but admits it was a bit strange. Wigan Athletic Coach Roberto Martinez was delighted that Wigan's decision to stick to their own game was rewarded with the big win over Newcastle United. Wolverhampton Wolves coach Terry Connor praised his team for the draw with Swansea, but admitted that he did not enjoy their display in the first 20 minutes.

Serie A

AC Milan Zlatan Ibrahimovic is prepared to walk away from AC Milan, should Silvio Berlusconi convince Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola to join the club. AS Roma m Atalanta Atalanta coach Stefano Colantuono is wary about facing in-form Fiorentina and confirms there will be changes to the squad to keep them fresh. Bologna Bologna coach Stefano Pioli wants to see motivation and determination on the field so that the Rossoblu can end the season without regrets. Cagliari Cagliari players failed to score for the third time in five games to register their eighth home draw following the match against Chievo Verona. Catania Nicola Legrottaglie scored his 5th Serie A goal of the season as Catania registered their 9th away draw following the match against Palermo. Cesena Cesena are mathematically in Serie B, but Mario Beretta assures everyone his players will give their all against Inter Milan at the San Siro. Chievo Chievo Verona players failed to score for the fourth straight game to register their sixth away draw following the match against Cagliari. Fiorentina Fiorentina registered several shock results in recent weeks, but coach Delio Rossi wants his team to get points against small or big sides. Genoa There are claims a Genoa player was slapped when ultras invaded a training session this season, but the club never reported it to the police. Inter Milan Inter Milan coach Andrea Stramaccioni admits president Massimo Moratti's praise gives him strength and fired him up ahead of the Cesena clash. Juventus Juventus are reportedly chasing after Serb defender Branislav Ivanovic, who is valued at EUR8 million and his Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard. Lazio Manager Edy Reja hopes Lazio can find that bit of luck his side have not had all season to reach the Champions League as they take on Udinese. Lecce Lecce midfielder Manuele Blasi says he is ready to take to the field against Parma and will do his best to replace Cuadrado, who is banned. Napoli m Novara Novara coach Attilio Tesser has warned Juventus the Biancoazzurri will not focus only on defending their goal and insists anything can happen. Palermo Fabrizio Miccoli scored his 13th Serie A goal of the season as Palermo registered their 2nd home draw following the match against Catania. Parma Parma coach Roberto Donadoni knows that his team must interpret the game well against Lecce and also believe that their goal is within reach. Siena Siena coach Giuseppe Sannino has confirmed that Bogdani, Destro and Larrondo will lead the Robur's attack in their clash against AC Milan. Udinese Coach Francesco Guidolin has stressed that Udinese is his home and has no plan to leave as long as the club are still happy with his work.

La Liga

Athletic Bilbao Athletic Bilbao coach Marcelo Bielsa insisted that the never considered himself as a candidate to replace Pep Guardiola, despite the rumours. Atletico Madrid Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone wants his team to be efficient in every area as they seek to fulfill the great expectation at the club. Barcelona It was reported that Valencia full-back Jordi Alba has agreed to be the first signing of soon-to-be Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova this summer. Espanyol Adrian Colunga scored his 8th La Liga goal of the season to condemned Espanyol to their 6th home defeat following the match against Sporting. Getafe Victor Casadesus scored his 9th La Liga goal of the season to condemned Getafe to their 4th home defeat following the match against Mallorca. Granada Xavi Torres scored his 5th Primera Liga goal of the season to condemned Granada to their 13th away defeat following the match against Levante. Levante Xavi Torres scored his 5th Primera Liga goal of the season as Levante registered their 10th home victory following the match against Granada. Malaga Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini has stressed they are not thinking about making history, but to score the points needed to reach their target. Osasuna m Racing Santander Antoine Griezmann scored his 5th La Liga goal of the season to condemned Racing to their 9th away defeat following the match against Sociedad. Rayo Vallecano Rayo Vallecano coach Jose Ramon Sandoval has confidence in their own style of football, but admits any mistakes can be fatal against Barcelona. Real Betis Real Betis coach Pepe Mel is missing defenders Jose Dorado and striker Molina for the Atletico clash, but has recovered Isidoro and Paulao. Real Madrid Gonzalo Higuian's agent is set to have a talk with Real Madrid to discover whether the player will be given more playing time next season. Real Mallorca Victor Casadesus scored his 9th La Liga goal of the season as Mallorca registered their 5th away victory following the match against Getafe. Real Sociedad Antoine Griezmann scored his 5th La Liga goal of the season as Sociedad registered their 8th home victory following the match against Racing. Real Zaragoza Real Zaragoza coach Manolo Jimenez wants his team to pick themselves up and make sure they match the result of their nearest rivals Villarreal. Sevilla Sevilla coach Michel has doubts over the availability of Andres Palop after the veteran goalkeeper was taken off training as a precaution. Sporting Gijon Adrian Colunga scored his 8th La Liga goal of the campaign as Sporting registered their 3rd away victory following the match against Espanyol. Valencia Coach Unai Emery says it is important for Valencia to show positive reaction to their Europa League exit with a good display against Malaga.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

EPL

Arsenal Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal will have to combat Stoke's aerial threat, but believes the Gunners must stick to their footballing philosophy. Aston Villa Norwich City manager Paul Lambert believes it is 'extremely unfair' that he is being linked with replacing Aston Villa coach Alex McLeish. Blackburn Steve Kean admits Blackburn are going to have to win at least one of their away games at Tottenham and Chelsea to have a chance of staying up. Bolton Bolton head coach Owen Coyle has urged his plucky players to continue defying their critics as they look to climb out of the relegation zone. Chelsea Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has revealed that he is confident that Chelsea will allow him to stay on loan at Atletico Madrid a second season. Everton Everton are believed to be interested in Wigan midfielder Mohamed Diame, who will be available on a free transfer at the end of the season. Fulham Martin Jol has warned Simon Davies he will only be a bit-part player if the veteran stays at Fulham next season as he wants a younger team. Liverpool Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish would be happy just to see some league victories before the end of the season irrespective of how his side play. Manchester City Midfielder James Milner admits he is frustrated by his lack of playing time, but insists Man City winning matches is the most important thing. Manchester United Sir Alex Ferguson has stated that choosing players to leave out of his side's crucial clash against Manchester City is a 'torturous' process. Newcastle United Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is targeting a third-place finish in order to avoid the heartbreak of missing out on the UEFA Champions League. Norwich City Norwich City manager Paul Lambert believes it is 'extremely unfair' that he is being linked with replacing Aston Villa coach Alex McLeish. Queens Park Rangers QPR head coach Mark Hughes says the club's recent form has given the Hoops a better chance of survival than many people would have expected. Stoke City Stoke coach Tony Pulis is hoping to pick up enough points in the next four games to be where they deserve to be - in the top half of the table. Sunderland Sunderland coach Martin O'Neill would love to bring a striker like Fernando Llorente of Bilbao, but accepted that he is an unrealistic target. Swansea City Joe Allen believes Swansea is the best place to continue his footballing education and that the club have a bright future under coach Rodgers. Tottenham Tottenham defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto will miss the rest of the season after suffering a dislocated shoulder, Harry Redknapp has confirmed. West Brom Striker Shane Long is adamant that West Brom still have plenty to fight for this season, as they aim to take the local bragging rights again. Wigan Athletic Everton are believed to be interested in Wigan midfielder Mohamed Diame, who will be available on a free transfer at the end of the season. Wolverhampton Wolves keeper Dorus de Vries has no regrets about leaving Saturday's opponents Swansea last summer despite the Midlands club being relegated.

La Liga

Athletic Bilbao Bilbao coach Marcelo Bielsa has praised Fernando Llorente's display against Sporting CP, stating that he has never seen him play like that. Atletico Madrid Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has revealed that he is confident that Chelsea will allow him to stay on loan at Atletico Madrid a second season. Barcelona Inter Milan have denied they will be making a move for Pep Guardiola, after the coach announced that he will be leaving Barcelona this summer. Espanyol Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino has warned his players that their European dream will come to an end if they fail to beat Sporting Gijon. Getafe Getafe are looking to register their third win in five games when they take on Mallorca, who have dropped 34 points away from home this season. Granada Granada are keen to register their second victory in five games when they take on Levante, who have suffered five home defeats this season. Levante After extending his contract at Levante, defender Juanfran Garcia admitted it has been his dream to finish his career in his hometown club. Malaga Malaga defender Martin Demichelis has urged his team to play a complete game, even if they are nervous about meeting Valencia this weekend. Osasuna Osasuna head coach Mendilibar is not worried about the missing players as his team have learned to cope with absenses throughout the season. Racing Santander Racing are hoping to avoid their fourth defeat in five games when they take on Sociedad, who are looking to register their eighth home victory. Rayo Vallecano Rayo Vallecano are hoping to avoid their fourth consecutive defeat when they take on Barcelona, who have dropped 16 points away from home. Real Betis Betis are hoping to register their third win in five games when they take on Atletico Madrid, who have suffered nine away defeat this season. Real Madrid Juventus director Beppe Marotta has insisted that Arturo Vidal is not for sale after Real Madrid reportedly showed an interest in the player. Real Mallorca Real Mallorca are hoping to register their second straight victory when they take on Getafe, who have dropped 21 points at home this season. Real Sociedad Sociedad are looking to pick up points for the sixth straight game when they take on Racing, who are keen to avoid their ninth away defeat. Real Zaragoza Zaragoza are desperate to avoid their second straight defeat when they take on Bilbao, who are looking to register their fifth away victory. Sevilla Sevilla defender Juan Cala is aware of the difficulty that awaits his team at Bernabeu, but insists they have no choice but to go for the win. Sporting Gijon Sporting Gijon are desperate to register their second straight win when they take on Espanyol, who have dropped 21 points at home this season. Valencia Valencia coach Unai Emery admitted that Atletico Madrid deserve to go to the Europa League final and that the first leg played a key role. Villarreal Villarreal coach Miguel Angel Lotina said his team is growing stronger and that makes him hopeful about their chances of avoiding relegation.

Serie A

AC Milan AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi is reportedly planning to push the club forward by sacking manager Max Allegri and half of his squad. AS Roma Roma coach Luis Enrique has told his players to learn to wear the colours with more pride because they can win titles as early as next year. Atalanta Atalanta are hoping to register their third win in five games when they take on Fiorentina, who are keen to avoid their ninth away defeat. Bologna Bologna are looking to pick up points for the 5th straight game when they take on Genoa, who are desperate to avoid their 13th away defeat. Cagliari Radja Nainggolan insists he does not know how close Juventus came to signing him in January because he never spoke to any of their officials. Catania Coach Vincenzo Montella is delighted with the timing of the Derby della Sicilia with Palermo, as he believes it can break Catania's poor form. Cesena Cesena President Igor Campedelli has thanked his club's fans for their reaction at the final whistle on Wednesday, as relegation was confirmed. Chievo Chievo are hoping to avoid their second straight defeat when they take on Cagliari, who are determined to register their eighth home victory. Fiorentina Fiorentina are looking to pick up points for the fifth straight game when they take on Atalanta, who have suffered only three home defeats. Genoa It was reported Catania director Pietro Lo Monaco has agreed a deal to join Genoa once he leaves the Sicilian side at the end of the season. Inter Milan Inter Milan have denied they will be making a move for Pep Guardiola, after the coach announced that he will be leaving Barcelona this summer. Juventus Juventus director Beppe Marotta has insisted that Arturo Vidal is not for sale after Real Madrid reportedly showed an interest in the player. Lazio Devis Mangia, who was sacked by Palermo in December, has denied reports that he has been approached by Lazio ahead of the 2012-13 campaign. Lecce Lecce are desperate to avoid their second consecutive defeat when they take on Parma, who are hoping to register their fourth away victory. Napoli Napoli boss Walter Mazzarri admits Ezequiel Lavezzi is still a doubt for the clash against Roma, even though the striker has resumed training. Novara Novara are hoping to avoid their third defeat in five games when they take on Juventus, who have conceded only eight goals away from home. Palermo Palermo head coach Bortolo Mutti has warned his side that it will take character, determination, grit and self-confidence to beat Catania. Parma Parma striker Sebastian Giovinco declares that the Ducali are very keen to finish the season well, reaching as high as possible on the chart. Siena Siena coach Giuseppe Sannino has Destro and Brienza available again for the clash against Milan, while Gonzalez is out with a muscle problem. Udinese Udinese are keen to avoid their second consecutive defeat when they take on Lazio, who are determined to register their eighth away victory.

Friday, April 27, 2012

EPL

Arsenal Alex Song's agent has moved to play down speculation linking the midfielder with a summer move to Inter and expects him to remain with Arsenal. Aston Villa Richard Dunne has urged fans to put aside their grievances with Alex McLeish 'for a few weeks' and instead support Aston Villa's survival bid. Blackburn Blackburn youngster Ryan Edwards has agreed a professional contract and is expected to be pushing for a place in the first-team next season. Bolton Bolton boss Owen Coyle has confirmed FIFA now have the necessary paperwork to prove young winger Gregg Wylde is clear to play for the club. Chelsea There will be no pre-match handshake for the game between Chelsea and QPR due to the legal situation involving John Terry and Anton Ferdinand. Everton Hoffenheim manager Markus Babbel claims the club are yet to receive any serious approaches for Gylfi Sigurdsson, despite links to Everton. Fulham Fulham coach Martin Jol believes that if midfielder Alex Kacaniklic can handle the Premier League then he is good enough to play for Sweden. Liverpool Liverpool manager Kenny Daglish has confirmed that midfielder Steven Gerrard is fully fit and he has been training all week with no issues. Manchester City Veteran Owen Hargreaves will not be offered a new deal by Manchester City - a decision that casts doubt over his long-term future in the game. Manchester United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that Manchester United are going to have to get used to facing their local rivals in important games. Newcastle United Papiss Cisse has admitted he is thriving on the pressure of trying to live up to the demands of wearing Newcastle's famous number nine shirt. Norwich City Full-back Adam Drury has pinpointed Norwich's attacking ambition as the main difference between success and failure in the Premier League. Queens Park Rangers Anton Ferdinand's lawyers have advised the QPR defender not to shake John Terry's hand prior to Sunday's west London derby against Chelsea. Stoke City It was reported that Stoke City are interested in capturing Molde striker Magnus Wolff Eikrem, but faces competition from Gladbach and Genk. Sunderland Sunderland have confirmed that Seb Larsson will miss the last three games of the season after hernia surgery, but he is hopeful for Euro 2012. Swansea City Swansea coach Brendan Rodgers believes Terry Connor has done a terrific job and deserves the chance to bring Wolves back into the Premiership. Tottenham Tottenham have been put on alert after Espanyol midfielder Javi Marquez announced that he will leave the Spanish league outfit this summer. West Brom England legend Peter Shilton has urged West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster to reconsider his decision to quit international football. Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic coach Roberto Martinez insists he and his players are focused on keeping the club up, despite speculation over their future. Wolverhampton Swansea coach Brendan Rodgers believes Terry Connor has done a terrific job and deserves the chance to bring Wolves back into the Premiership.

La Liga

Athletic Bilbao Athletic Bilbao will meet Atletico Madrid in the final after Ibai Gomez scored his second Europa League goal to eliminate Sporting Lisbon. Atletico Madrid Atletico Madrid will meet Athletic Bilbao in the final after striker Adrian Lopez scored his 10th Europa League goal to eliminate Valencia. Barcelona Barcelona have announced that playmaker Xavi is out for two weeks with a calf injury and will miss the match against Rayo, Malaga and Espanyol. Espanyol Midfielder Javi Marquez has confirmed that he will not be extending his contract at Espanyol and will leave the club in 2013 at the latest. Getafe Luis Garcia said the Mallorca clash is key to keep Getafe's European hopes alive, but it would not be a disappointment if they fail to qualify. Granada Granada striker Alex Geijo insists they are not yet safe from relegation and must try to secure all three points against Levante this weekend. Levante Levante coach Juan Ignacio Martinez has declared that their 'grand finale' to secure a place in Europe begins with the match against Granada. Malaga Malaga midfielder Ignacio Camacho admits he is still hoping to overtake Valencia and claim a spot in next season' Champions League competition. Osasuna Ibrahima Balde is delighted to have helped Senegal qualify for the Olympic and has thanked Osasuna for allowing him to join his national squad. Racing Santander Racing midfielder Manuel Arana is happy with his recovery and is feeling good, but believes the match against Sociedad is too soon for him. Rayo Vallecano Rayo Vallecano head coach Jose Ramon Sandoval admits injuries have had an affect on his team, but he insists he will not use it as an excuse. Real Betis Real Betis defender Nelson says his team are motivated heading into the Atletico clash because they want to forget the painful Valencia defeat. Real Madrid Jose Mourinho claims he will continue his spell with Real Madrid beyond this summer if he can reach an agreement with his current employers. Real Mallorca Real Mallorca winger Michael Pereira said his team will be ambitious against Getafe because they still have a slim chance of playing in Europe. Real Sociedad Xabi Prieto admits Real Sociedad must beat Racing and secure their safety, as it will difficult to do against Atletico, Osasuna and Valencia. Real Zaragoza Real Zaragoza midfielder Luis Garcia is convinced that his side will avoid relegation if they can win all four of their remaining fixtures. Sevilla Sevilla boss Michel is looking forward to the Bernabeu trip after claiming that Bayern have given him some ideas on how to take on Real Madrid. Sporting Gijon Sporting Gijon coach Javier Clemente could field Alex Menendez against Espanyol after the reserve player joined the first team in training. Valencia Atletico Madrid will meet Athletic Bilbao in the final after striker Adrian Lopez scored his 10th Europa League goal to eliminate Valencia.

Serie A

AC Milan Good news for AC Milan coach Max Allegri as Thiago Silva could return to the side for their game at Siena following a spell on the sidelines. AS Roma AS Roma striker Pablo Daniel Osvaldo has been banned for two games for verbally abusing the referee and then applauding the fourth official. Atalanta Atalanta manager Stefano Colantuono will have to face Fiorentina without the services of Luca Cigarini after he was handed a one-match ban. Bologna Fiorentina captain Alessandro Gamberini is being linked with a summer return to hometown club Bologna, which he left in the summer of 2005. Cagliari Cagliari are in 6th place in the Fair Play chart with 77 penalty points after accumulating 73 yellow cards and 2 red cards so far this season. Catania Catania have announced the arrival of new board member Sergio Gasparin, who will be taking over from Pietro Lo Monaco at the end of the season. Cesena Cesena will have to take on Inter Milan without the services of Colucci, Moras and Rennella after the trio were handed a one-match suspension. Chievo Chievo coach Domenico Di Carlo will have to face Cagliari without the services of Bostjan Cesar after the defender was handed a one-match ban. Fiorentina Amauri has probably his last game of the season after Fiorentina confirmed that he would be out for around 3 weeks with a thigh muscle strain. Genoa Genoa coach Gigi De Canio will have to face Bologna without the services of Bosko Jankovic after the striker was handed a one-match suspension. Inter Milan Massimo Moratti has suggested that Andrea Stramaccioni's hopes of staying on at Inter next season hinge on qualifying for the Champions League. Juventus Antonio Conte insists that Andrea Pirlo will continue to take penalties for Juventus, despite having missed both of his spot-kicks this term. Lazio Keisuke Honda's agent has played down reports linking the CSKA Moscow midfielder to Lazio, insisting there has been no contact from the club. Lecce Lecce coach Serse Cosmi will have to face Parma without the services of Cuadrado and Stendardo after both were handed a one-match suspension. Napoli Walter Gargano and his agent with talk to Napoli director Riccardo Bigon about the player's future, even though he is contracted until 2015. Novara Novara boss Attilio Tesser is thinking about upsetting Juventus this weekend, but acknowledges that his team must be able to play without fear. Palermo Fabricio Miccoli admits the mood in the Palermo camp is not good, but believes it will improve as they head into the derby against Catania. Parma Parma manager Roberto Donadoni believes there is still room for growth for Sebastian Giovinco and that he reminds him of Antonio Di Natale. Siena Siena coach Giuseppe Sannino will have to face AC Milan without the services of Andrea Rossi after the defender was handed a one-match ban. Udinese Udinese patron Giampaolo Pozzo has made it clear that there is no chance Francesco Guidolin will manage another Italian outfit before 2015.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

EPL

Arsenal Denmark hitman Nicklas Bendtner, who is on-loan from Arsenal, has admitted he may not stay at Sunderland even if he is offered the opportunity. Aston Villa Aston Villa midfielder Barry Bannan feels the club's players, and not under-fire manager Alex McLeish, are to blame for their recent troubles. Blackburn Junior Hoilett has insisted that troubled Blackburn Rovers have a 'great belief' that they can escape the Premier League relegation battle. Bolton Owen Coyle insists Bolton are 'masters of their own destiny' - and warned critics they can write off their survival chances at their peril. Chelsea Roberto Di Matteo must wait until the summer to see if he gets the Chelsea job on a permanent basis, according to chief executive Ron Gourlay. Everton Everton defender John Heitinga believes he still has room to improve despite claiming that this season has been his best as a professional. Fulham Martin Jol is happy with comparisons between his Fulham side and Everton, but has challenged his team to overhaul their weekend opponents. Liverpool Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has warned his team-mates they will need to play for their FA Cup final places in the next league fixtures. Manchester City Pablo Zabaleta is confident title-chasing Manchester City have the quality to prevail in next week's derby against rivals Manchester United. Manchester United Former England striker Michael Owen hopes he could still have a role to play for title-chasing Manchester United before the end of the season. Newcastle United Manager Alan Pardew has revealed injured duo Sylvain Marveaux and Gabriel Obertan are closing on a first-team returns for Newcastle United. Norwich City Norwich boss Paul Lambert is looking to strengthen his squad in the summer, with Portsmouth defenders Joel Ward and Jason Pearce on his radar. Queens Park Rangers QPR head coach Mark Hughes has called on his side to end their horror run of away form when they take on Champions League finalists Chelsea. Stoke City Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has revealed that defender Andy Wilkinson could miss the rest of the season with his troublesome hamstring injury. Sunderland Denmark hitman Nicklas Bendtner, who is on-loan from Arsenal, has admitted he may not stay at Sunderland even if he is offered the opportunity. Swansea City Manager Brendan Rodgers will lose no sleep over Roberto Mancini's recent claim that Manchester United have an 'easy' game against Swansea. Tottenham Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp insists there will be no mass exodus at White Hart Lane if his team fail to qualify for the Champions League. West Brom West Brom's Paul Scharner is to undergo a scan on his injured wrist before it is decided whether he will be available to face Aston Villa. Wigan Athletic It was claimed that Wigan Athletic defender Ronnie Stam would welcome a move to PSV Eindhoven, who already made two attempts to bring him in. Wolverhampton Wolverhampton caretaker boss Terry Connor wants the decision makers at Molinuex to not be afraid to sacrifice him for the good of the club.

La Liga

Athletic Bilbao Athletic Bilbao boss Marcelo Bielsa has declared that his side are ready to take on Sporting CP and vowed they will retain their style of play. Atletico Madrid Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has acknowledged that their semi-final rivals Valencia are worthy of their absolute concentration respect. Barcelona President Sandro Rosell refused to blame Lionel Messi for Barca's Champions League exit and is proud of his side's performance against Chelsea. Espanyol Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino declares that his players fully believes in their European dream and are looking forward to their next game. Getafe It was reported that Olympiakos has identified Getafe coach Luis Garcia as the leading candidate to take over the reign from Ernesto Valverde. Granada Granada defender Borja Gomez insists he does not know whether the club want to take up the option to purchase his contract from Karpaty Lviv. Levante Levante striker Arouna Kone was absent from training with a bruised foot, but the medical team are confident he will be available on Saturday. Malaga It was claimed that midfielder Diego Buonanotte will leave Malaga at the end of the season, with Cruz Azul set to open talks with the club. Osasuna Osasuna defender Jon Enchaide has successfully underwent surgery to his left shoulder and is expected to return to training in the pre-season. Racing Racing head coach Alvaro Cervera has doubt over the availability of Christian Stuani after the striker picked up an injury during training. Rayo Vallecano Striker Dani Pacheco admits in order to win, his Rayo Vallecano team need to play a perfect game and pray that Barcelona are having an off day. Real Betis Bad news Real Betis coach Pepe Mel because striker Jorge Molina has been handed a two-match suspension following his red card against Valencia. Real Madrid m Real Mallorca Mallorca midfielder Fernando Tissone has said that his team will not change their approach and will play calmly and responsibly against Getafe. Real Sociedad Real Sociedad defender Mikel Gonzalez is confident of beating Racing and insists his side are not affected by what is happening in Santander. Real Zaragoza Zaragoza midfielder Apono believes there is a good chance for his side to overtake Villarreal if they can beat Athletic Bilbao this weekend. Sevilla Sevilla president Jose Maria Del Nido is optimistic about their chances at the Bernabeu, but hopes Real Madrid will be asleep this weekend. Sporting Gijon Sporting Gijon striker Oscar Trejo wants his squad to put on another fearless performance against Espanyol, who love to dominate the ball. Valencia Coach Unai Emery admits there may be some changes for the second leg clash with Bilbao, as Valencia head into the bigges match of his career. Villarreal Villarreal president Fernando Roig insisted that a relegation would not be a catastrophe for the club, but he would rather avoid such scenario.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

EPL

Arsenal Sao Paulo loanee Denilson announced he will return to Arsenal in July after the Brazilian club failed to reach an agreement to extend his stay. Aston Villa David Ngog scored his third goal in the Premier League to condemned Aston Villa to their eighth home defeat following the match against Bolton. Blackburn West Brom could move for Blackburn keeper Paul Robinson, should the Baggies fail to secure Ben Foster to a permanent deal at the Hawthorns. Bolton David Ngog scored his third goal in the Premier League as Bolton registered their sixth away victory following the match against Aston Villa. Chelsea Chelsea are in the final after Fernando Torres scored his 3rd Champions League goal of the season to eliminate Barcelona from the competition. Everton Everton manager David Moyes wants the club to make an early splash in the summer transfer market as it will make a big difference to the group. Fulham Republic of Ireland defender Stephen Kelly is determined to guide Fulham to a top-eight finish before switching his attention to Euro 2012. Liverpool Liverpool will have to find a new club for Alberto Aquilani as Milan are set to send the midfielder back to England at the end of the season. Manchester City Roberto Mancini remains adamant the Manchester derby is just 'one more game' despite its apparent importance as a Premier League title decider. Manchester United Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted his liking for Lille star Eden Hazard, adding to speculation that Manchester United may make a bid this summer. Newcastle United It was reported that Valencia and Newcastle are interested in acquiring the services of Mathieu Debuchy of Lille and Romain Hamouma of Caen. Norwich City Norwich have reportedly been linked with a summer move for Birmingham City centre-back Curtis Davies - but will face competition from Reading. Queens Park Rangers Tony Fernandes thinks the appointment of Mike Rigg as QPR's new technical director is one of the most important of his time at Loftus Road. Stoke City Stoke winger Jermaine Pennant says he is fully recovered and ready to return to the Potters side after two weeks out of action due to illness. Sunderland It was reported that Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill remains keen on Bolton Wanderers ace Kevin Davies, who is a free agent in the summer. Swansea City Goalkeeper Michel Vorm insists that he has no intention of turning his back on the Swans this summer, as he is happy at the Liberty Stadium. Tottenham Highly-rated Feyenoord winger Jerson Cabral is reportedly a target for a number of Premier League clubs, including Tottenham and Newcastle. West Brom West Brom could move for Blackburn keeper Paul Robinson, should the Baggies fail to secure Ben Foster to a permanent deal at the Hawthorns. Wigan Athletic Emmerson Boyce believes Wigan players will this week seek to correct the mistakes which saw their run of good form come to an end at Fulham. Wolverhampton CEO Jez Moxey insisted Wolves are in a sound financial position and will not be panicking, despite their relegation from the Premier League.

La Liga

Athletic Bilbao Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz believes the keys to beating Sporting is to enjoy the game and have confidence in their own style. Atletico Madrid Juanfran Torres is calm and confident that Atletico Madrid will be able to overcome Valencia at the Mestalla and reach the Europa League final. Barcelona m Espanyol Bad news for Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino as Juan Albin is sidelined for the remainder of the season after sustaining a hamstring injury. Getafe Head coach Luis Garcia has stressed that Getafe belongs in mid-table position and cannot be compared to Atletico, Sevilla, Bilbao and Malaga. Granada Granada striker Franco Jara has warned his side not to relax yet, even though they have a comfortable 8 point cushion with 4 games to play. Levante Gustavo Cabral has made it clear that he would like to stay with Levante, but the club is reluctant to pay EUR1 million to buy his contract. Malaga Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini said he was satisfied with his team's performance in the draw against Osasuna after they met all his demands. Osasuna Youngster Manuel Onwu Villafranca has signed a professional contract with Osasuna until June 2015, with his buyout clause set at EUR9 million. Racing Santander Racing midfielder Julian Luque is hoping to improve the squad's image in their remaining four games in order to give some joy to the fans. Rayo Vallecano Rayo defender Raul Bravo is confident that his side can give Barcelona a hard time at Vallecas just like they did against Real and Atletico. Real Betis Real Betis are in 7th place in the Fair Play chart with 102 penalty points after accumulating 88 yellow cards and 7 red cards so far this season. Real Madrid Jose Mourinho hopes Chelsea progress to the Champions League final, but dismissed speculation that he is poised to return to Stamford Bridge. Real Mallorca Real Mallorca midfielder Joao Victor is happy with his campaign and claimed coach Joaquin Caparros gives him confidence that others do not. Real Sociedad Sociedad defender Alberto de la Bella is not worried about having 4 yellow cards and will play his usual game for the remainder of the season. Real Zaragoza Coach Manolo Jimenez had to intervene a training ground scuffle between Franco, Oriol and Zuculini as tension mounts in the Zaragoza camp. Sevilla Good news for Sevilla coach Michel as defender Emir Spahic is back in training and is likely to be available for the clash against Real Madrid. Sporting Gijon Mate Bilic has stressed that it is important for his Sporting team and the fans to keep a cool head because games are not won in one minute. Valencia It was reported that Valencia and Newcastle are interested in acquiring the services of Mathieu Debuchy of Lille and Romain Hamouma of Caen. Villarreal Cristian Zapata said Villarreal will treat their match against Osasuna as a final, but hopes his side will not concede any last minute goal.

Serie A

AC Milan Liverpool will have to find a new club for Alberto Aquilani as Milan are set to send the midfielder back to England at the end of the season. AS Roma Alberto Aquilani's agent has admitted that uncertainty surrounds the midfielder's future, but he has ruled out a possible return to AS Roma. Atalanta Max Moralez scored his sixth Serie A goal of the season as Atalanta registered their eighth home victory following the match against Chievo. Bologna Bologna coach Stefano Pioli has decided to rest Gaby Mudingayi for the clash against Siena as the midfielder is suffering from muscle fatigue. Cagliari Thiago Ribeiro scored his fourth Serie A goal of the season as Cagliari registered their seventh home win following the match against Catania. Catania Thiago Ribeiro scored his fourth Serie A goal of the season to condemned Catania to their seventh away defeat following the match at Cagliari. Cesena Mario Beretta admits Cesena will have to play 'beyond their means' to have any chance of taking a result off Juventus and avoid relegation. Chievo Max Moralez scored his sixth Serie A goal of the season to condemned Chievo to their eighth away defeat following the match against Atalanta. Fiorentina Manager Delio Rossi wants to see the same spirit and 'freedom of mind' from Fiorentina that he says is responsible for recent upward form. Genoa Genoa President Enrico Preziosi claimed he is ready to walk away after the conclusion of the campaign if he is no longer wanted at the club. Inter Milan Inter will be without Walter Samuel, Javier Zanetti, Cristian Chivu, Luc Castaignos, Diego Forlan and Angelo Palombo for the Udinese clash. Juventus Juventus could decide to make a move for Emmanuel Adebayor after it was confirmed that Tottenham will not exercise their rights to buy him. Lazio Lazio manager Edy Reja has again expressed his frustration at the number of injuries his side are suffering in a key stage of the campaign. Lecce Lecce coach Serse Cosmi has Manuel Blasi back after serving his suspension and is likely to push Andrea Bertolacci to the bench against Napoli. Napoli Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri has admitted that the club will decide at the end of the season whether he will stay for the 2012-13 campaign. Novara Novara coach Attilio Tesser has confirmed that Jeda has failed to recover in time, while Radovanovic will be on the bench due to groin problem. Palermo Palermo have confirmed new director Christian Panucci has resigned from his post following a disagreement with President Maurizio Zamparini. Parma Parma midfielder Stefano Morrone is set replace Francesco Valiani, who will be on the bench for the Palermo clash due to a knee complaint. Siena Siena coach Giuseppe Sannino will have to face Bologna without the services of Luigi Giorgi, after it was confirmed that he is out for 2 weeks. Udinese Udinese captain Antonio Di Natale is convinced that his side can qualify for the Champions League competition for the second season running.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

EPL

Arsenal Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia has revealed that he is ready to leave Arsenal at the end of the season, but insists he wants to remain in England. Aston Villa Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish has confirmed Richard Dunne is less than two weeks away from returning after two months on the sidelines. Blackburn Blackburn midfielder David Dunn admits the unrest surrounding the club is hurting him but is still hopeful they can avoid relegation the drop. Bolton Bolton boss Owen Coyle insists he has no worries about throwing teenager Josh Vela into their relegation dogfight in their trip to Aston Villa. Chelsea It was reported that Lazio and Napoli are chasing after Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou, who is likely to move to a Champions League outfit. Everton Marouane Fellaini believes his Everton side could have beaten Liverpool in the FA Cup if they had re-produced their display at Manchester Utd. Fulham It was claimed that Fulham striker Danny Murphy has no plan to move away in the summer market as he is happy with life at the Craven Cottage. Liverpool Kenny Dalglish says there is nothing drastically wrong at Liverpool as his team have been playing well despite dropping more points at Anfield. Manchester City AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has distanced the club from making a move for Manchester City pair Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez. Manchester United Nani has warned Manchester City that they will face an 'angry' Manchester United side in next week's title showdown at the Etihad Stadium. Newcastle United Highly-rated Feyenoord winger Jerson Cabral is reportedly a target for a number of Premier League clubs, including Tottenham and Newcastle. Norwich City Striker Grant Holt would relish the opportunity of an England cap should one come his way, but remains focused on scoring goals for Norwich. Queens Park Rangers Mark Hughes thinks Adel Taarabt will go on to fulfil his potential after watching the controversial QPR star sink his former club Tottenham. Stoke City Stoke manager Tony Pulis is delighted with Jon Walters' all round displays and will stick with him despite his poor strike rate this season. Sunderland Sunderland head coach Martin O'Neill will look at his strikers as a matter of priority as he plans the way forward at the Stadium of Light. Swansea City Swansea star Gylfi Sigurdsson has been valued at GBP10 million as Liverpool, Everton and Manchester Utd all set their sights on the Icelander. Tottenham Highly-rated Feyenoord winger Jerson Cabral is reportedly a target for a number of Premier League clubs, including Tottenham and Newcastle. West Brom West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster thinks he was very lucky to keep a clean sheet against Liverpool after his face was hit twice by the ball. Wigan Athletic Wigan manager Roberto Martinez is mentally prepared for more last-day drama as the race for Premier League survival heads down to the wire. Wolverhampton Wolves CEO Jez Moxey insists Terry Connor could have a future at Molineux and that the club are under no financial pressure to sell players.

La Liga

Athletic Bilbao Bilbao boss Marcelo Bielsa believes his side were superior in the win over Racing, but they should have scored killed the game with more goals. Atletico Madrid Diego Simeone said the goals scored from set pieces speak well of the possibilities Atletico have in the team, following the win over Espanyol. Barcelona Gerard Pique insisted that Barcelona are not dependent on star forward Lionel Messi and also denied that they might have a mole in their camp. Espanyol Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino has admitted the individual abilities of Atletico players was key in determining the outcome of their clash. Getafe Getafe manager Luis Garcia said his team 'have fallen out of bed' following the defeat to Granada, but they are still 'dreaming of Europe'. Granada Granada coach Abel Resino believes his team have the character to stay in the La Liga, but warned them that they are not safe from relegation. Levante Levante goalkeeper Gustavo Munua said his team are not content to play in the Europa League and will push for third or fourth place finishing. Malaga m Osasuna m Racing Santander Racing coach Alvaro Cervera has urged his players not to complicate matters further and to continue to do their best, despite their relegation. Rayo Vallecano Rayo star Mikel Labaka was disappointed to be sent off against Sporting, but believes his replacement will do well when they face Barcelona. Real Betis Real Betis coach Pepe Mel has admitted that things did not go well at all against Valencia, but acknowledged Los Che deserved the three points. Real Madrid Cristiano Ronaldo expects the Bernabeu crowd to 'score the first goal' as soon as Real Madrid players step onto the pitch versus Bayern Munich. Real Mallorca Real Mallorca are in 17th place in the Fair Play chart with 123 penalty points after accumulating 111 yellow cards and 6 red cards this season. Real Sociedad Real Sociedad coach Philippe Montanier is satisfied to be one step closer to safety and believes a win over Racing this weekend will secure it. Real Zaragoza Real Zaragoza are in 16th place in the Fair Play chart with 122 penalty points after accumulating 106 yellow cards and 8 red cards this season. Sevilla Winger Jesus Navas knows that Sevilla will have to use all their five senses against Real Madrid, but insists it is not impossible to win. Sporting Gijon Sporting defender Gregory Arnolin is still hoping to secure La Liga safety, even though his side will have to win all remaining four matches. Valencia Sergio Canales has refused to confirm reports that Unai Emery has told Valencia's players that he will be leaving at the end of the season. Villarreal Villarreal manager Miguel Angel Lotina was pleased to draw with a good side like Sociedad, but believes his team should have won the match.

Serie A

AC Milan Milan defender Ignazio Abate insists the Scudetto race is still alive because history has proven that titles can be claimed on the last day. AS Roma AS Roma midfielder Erik Lamela has been banned for three League games after he was caught spitting at Juventus defender Stephan Lichtsteiner. Atalanta Atalanta are determined to register their second victory in five games when they take on Chievo, who have dropped 31 points away from home. Bologna Bologna coach Stefano Pioli says he expects to still be in charge of Bologna next season after masterminding their probable Serie A survival. Cagliari Cagliari are desperate to avoid their third consecutive defeat when they take on Catania, who are still looking for their third away victory. Catania Catania transfer guru Pietro Lo Monaco has confirmed he will leave the club in the summer after a breakdown in his relationship with President. Cesena Cesena are hoping to pick up points for the sixth straight game when they take on Juventus, who are looking to register their eighth away win. Chievo Chievo are hoping to register their third win in five games when they take on Atalanta, who have dropped 21 points at home so far this season. Fiorentina Fiorentina are hoping to pick up points for the fourth consecutive game when they take on Roma, who are keen to register their 11th home win. Genoa Bottom side Genoa have confirmed that Gigi De Canio is their new manager after Alberto Malesani was sacked for the second time this season. Inter Milan Inter will probably travel to Udinese without captain Javier Zanetti and defender Cristian Chivu after both were injured against Fiorentina. Juventus Juve defender Andrea Barzagli believes a new stadium, Andrea Pirlo and coach Antonio Conte have been key to their scudetto push this season. Lazio It was reported that Lazio and Napoli are chasing after Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou, who is likely to move to a Champions League outfit. Lecce Lecce President Giovanni Semeraro expects to lose Juan Cuadrado and Luis Muriel at the end of the campaign – whether the club stay up or not. Napoli Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri will give Ezequiel Lavezzi a last fitness test before deciding whether to take the striker on their trip to Lecce. Novara Novara are hoping to avoid their third consecutive defeat when they take on Lazio, who are confident of registering their eighth away victory. Palermo Palermo President Maurizio Zamparini says that it is almost certain that Siena's Giorgio Perinetti will become their new sporting director. Parma Parma are hoping to register their third consecutive victory when they take on Palermo, who have dropped 17 points at home so far this season. Siena Palermo President Maurizio Zamparini says that it is almost certain that Siena's Giorgio Perinetti will become their new sporting director. Udinese Udinese are keen to register their second win in five games when they take on Inter Milan, who have suffered seven away defeats this season.

Monday, April 23, 2012

La Liga

Athletic Bilbao Gaizka Toquero scored his fourth La Liga goal of the season as Bilbao registered their fourth away win following the match against Racing. Atletico Madrid Arda Turan scored his third La Liga goal of the season as Atletico Madrid registered their tenth home win following the match against Espanyol. Barcelona Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola admitted that Chelsea will be the fresher side on Tuesday but believes his players will be able to bounce back. Espanyol Arda Turan scored his third La Liga goal of the season to condemned Espanyol to their eighth away defeat following the game at Atletico Madrid. Getafe Franco Jara scored his second La Liga goal of the season to condemned Getafe to their tenth away defeat following the match against Granada. Granada Franco Jara scored his second La Liga goal of the season as Granada registered their seventh home victory following the match against Getafe. Levante Levante coach Juan Ignacio was happy to draw with Sevilla as he underlined that they started the season aiming only to remain in the La Liga. Malaga Coach Manuel Pellegrini said Malaga team fight to defend their Champions League position and believes the Osasuna clash will not be decisive. Osasuna Osasuna coach Jose Luis Mendilibar wants his players to do their part so that they can achieve their dreams of playing in European competition. Racing Santander Gaizka Toquero scored his fourth La Liga goal of the season to condemned Racing to their eighth home defeat following the match against Bilbao. Rayo Vallecano Rayo Vallecano coach Jose Ramon Sandoval rued the fact that none of his four defenders were able to finish the match against Sporting Gijon. Real Betis Jonas Goncalves scored his 7th La Liga goal of the season to condemned Betis to their 11th away defeat following the match against Valencia. Real Madrid Sergio Ramos believes Real Madrid were full value for their win over Barcelona, but refused to accept that they have won the La Liga title. Real Mallorca Mallorca coach Joaquin Caparros has congratulated his team for securing their safety, despite the club's financial difficulties this season. Real Sociedad Carlos Vela scored his 11th La Liga goal of the season as Real Sociedad registered their 6th home draw following the match against Villarreal. Real Zaragoza Coach Manolo Jimenez lamented that Mallorca won the match by jumping higher and through set pieces, without ever coming near Zaragoza's box. Sevilla Sevilla boss Michel insists he is happy with the team's work, but believes they have been unlucky this season, following the draw with Levante. Sporting Gijon Sporting Gijon coach Javier Clemente believes his side could have gotten at least 2 more goals in the final minutes of the match against Rayo. Valencia Jonas Goncalves scored his seventh La Liga goal of the season as Valencia registered their ninth home win following the match against Betis. Villarreal Marcos Senna scored his fourth La Liga goal of the season as Villarreal registered their fourth away draw following the match against Sociedad.

Serie A

AC Milan Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored his 24th Serie A goal of the season as Milan registered their 5th home draw following the match against Bologna. AS Roma Arturo Vidal scored his sixth Serie A goal of the season to condemned AS Roma to their tenth away defeat following the match against Juventus. Atalanta Stefano Colantuono has warned Atalanta that they risk ruining a great season and wants them to secure their safety in the next two home games. Bologna Gaston Ramirez scored his sixth Serie A goal of the season as Bologna registered their seventh away draw following the match against AC Milan. Cagliari Cagliari coach Massimo Ficcadenti blasted his team for a dreadful second half performance and believes Parma could have scored more goals. Catania Catania Coach Montella was delighted that his decision to take a massive risk with debutant goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano paid off hansomely. Cesena Vincenzo Rennella scored his first Serie A goal of the season as Cesena registered their seventh home draw following the match against Palermo. Chievo Chievo coach Domenico Di Carlo praised his side's maturity and desire in the match against Udinese and said the draw boosted their self-esteem. Fiorentina Fiorentina players failed to score for the second consecutive game to register their fifth home draw following the match against Inter Milan. Genoa Mattia Destro scored his ninth Serie A goal of the season to condemned Genoa to their fourth home defeat following the match against Siena. Inter Milan Inter Milan players failed to score for the second time in five games to register their third away draw following the match against Fiorentina. Juventus Arturo Vidal scored his 6th Serie A goal of the season as Juventus registered their 12th home victory following the match against AS Roma. Lazio Francesco Matuzalem scored his first Serie A goal of the season as Lazio registered their fifth home draw following the match against Lecce. Lecce Striker Valeri Bojinov scored his third Serie A goal of the season as Lecce registered their fifth away draw following the match against Lazio. Napoli Napoli head coach Walter Mazzarri was relieved to win against Novara, as his team were feeling the pressure after three consecutive defeats. Novara Novara coach Attilio Tesser admitted that his team are repeating their previous mistakes and they are demoralised after the Napoli defeat. Palermo Silvestre scored his fourth Serie A goal of the campaign as Palermo registered their seventh away draw following the match against Cesena. Parma Parma coach Roberto Donadoni insisted his side are not safe yet from relegation, as he believes that the season can still hold many surprises. Siena Mattia Destro scored his ninth Serie A goal of the campaign as Siena registered their third away victory following the match against Genoa. Udinese Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin was pleased with his players and insisted that they could not have done more against an in-form Chievo side.

EPL

Arsenal Thomas Vermaelen claims to have no plan of leaving Arsenal, with it his desire to repay the faith shown in him by the club and Arsene Wenger. Aston Villa Aston Villa head coach Alex McLeish hopes striker Gabriel Agbonlahor will be fit to face Bolton, but is less optimistic about James Collins. Blackburn Blackburn boss Steve Kean remains confident his Rovers side can get themselves out of trouble in their final three games of the campaign. Bolton Gretar Steinsson admits Bolton must make the most of their games in hand if they are to drag themselves clear of the Premier League drop zone. Chelsea Striker Didier Drogba looks set to be fit for the second leg of Chelsea's Champions League semi-final versus Barcelona after resuming training. Everton David Moyes branded Everton's performance in the draw with Manchester Utd as 'brilliant' and was pleased to see a positive approach pay off. Fulham Fulham defender Philippe Senderos believes that Fulham could overtake Everton and Liverpool to equal their best Premier League finish of 7th. Liverpool Head coach Kenny Dalglish admitted it was another case of deja vu as he saw Liverpool lose at home to West Brom despite dominating the game. Manchester City Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini believes his team still have a 'chance' in the title race after beating Wolverhampton at Molineux. Manchester United Sir Alex Ferguson admits United have handed initiative back to City and that the Manchester derby next Monday will be vital in the title race. Newcastle United Harry Redknapp has admitted that Newcastle are in a great position to beat Tottenham to fourth place as there is no pressure on the Magpies. Norwich City Norwich City coach Paul Lambert admitted that he is looking forward to the Liverpool clash as he look to bounce back from the Blackburn defeat. Queens Park Rangers QPR head coach Mark Hughes has challenged his team to take their excellent home form on the road when they travel to Chelsea this weekend. Stoke City Stoke boss Tony Pulis has put the blame on defeat at St James' Park on striker Jon Walters who 'could have scored a hat-trick by himself'. Sunderland Defender John O'Shea believes Sunderland deserved more from their draw against Aston Villa, as his side dominated large spells of the game. Swansea City Ashley Williams was pleased with Swansea's performance against Bolton and felt the display had deserved another away win for the collection. Tottenham Harry Redknapp has admitted that Newcastle are in a great position to beat Tottenham to fourth place as there is no pressure on the Magpies. West Brom West Bromwich Albion boss Roy Hodgson has admitted his side rode their luck to register their first win over Liverpool at Anfield in 45 years. Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic have apparently signed 19 year old Swede Alieu Darbo on a three year contract following his release from French club Le Mans. Wolverhampton Striker Karl Henry has labelled it a 'sad day' for Wolverhampton after their relegation was confirmed following the defeat to Manchester City.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

La Liga

Athletic Bilbao Athletic Bilbao manager Marcelo Bielsa has dropped Iker Muniain on technical decision and brought in Gaizka Toquero to take over his place. Atletico Madrid Atletico president Enrique Cerezo believes their second leg clash against Valencia will be the most important match of the season for his club. Barcelona Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 42nd La Liga goal of the term to condemned Barcelona to their 1st home defeat following the visit of Real Madrid. Espanyol Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino believes he is quite different from his Atletico counterpart Diego Simeone, who has won titles in Argentina. Getafe Getafe manager Luis Garcia admits he is wary about facing the teams from below, as he believes that they can be more dangerous than others. Granada Granada coach Abel Resino reveals that he has been working on his team's mental preparation as excessive anxiety can be fatal against Getafe. Levante Arouna Kone scored his 14th Primera Division goal of the season as Levante registered their 4th away draw following the match against Sevilla. Malaga Malaga defender Sergio Fernandez believes concentration and second half performance will determined the outcome of their match against Osasuna. Osasuna Osasuna defender Marc Bertran declared that he is fit again and hopes to be selected for their clash against direct rivals for Europe, Malaga. Racing Santander Racing coach Alvaro Cervera insisted that no one at the club has thrown in the towel, even though they already have one foot in Segunda Liga. Rayo Vallecano Mate Bilic scored his third La Liga goal of the season to condemned Rayo to their ninth away defeat following the match against Sporting Gijon. Real Betis Real Betis coach Pepe Mel has reminded his team that a win over Valencia would finally allow them relax and turn their attention up the chart. Real Madrid Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 42nd La Liga goal of the term as Real Madrid registered their 14th away victory following the match at Barcelona. Real Mallorca Victor Casadesus scored his 8th La Liga goal of the season as Mallorca registered their 7th home victory following the match against Zaragoza. Real Sociedad Real Sociedad boss Philippe Montanier has stressed that what matters right now is beating direct rivals Villarreal and not his 'personal case'. Real Zaragoza Victor Casadesus scored his 8th La Liga goal of the season to condemned Zaragoza to their 12th away defeat following the match versus Mallorca. Sevilla Alvaro Negredo scored his 12th La Liga goal of the campaign as Sevilla registered their 4th home draw following the match against Levante. Sporting Gijon Mate Bilic scored his third La Liga goal of the season as Sporting Gijon registered their sixth home victory following the match against Rayo. Valencia Valencia coach Unai Emery said this is critical time of their campaign and has urged his side to be more effective in their remaining matches. Villarreal Villarreal's Giuseppe Rossi has confirmed that his knee operation has been a success and is now expected to face 7 months of rehabilitation.

Serie A

AC Milan It was reported that AC Milan have won the race for Bayake Traore after the Nancy midfielder agreed to a three year contract at the San Siro. AS Roma Fabio Borini and Maarten Stekelenburg are in the Roma squad travelling to Turin, although it is not clear if they are fit to face Juventus. Atalanta Alejandro Gomez scored his fourth Serie A goal of the season to condemned Atalanta to their sixth away defeat following the match at Catania. Bologna Bologna boss Stefano Pioli thinks this could be a very unusual end to the season as the teams are set to play six games in the next 20 days. Cagliari Sebastian Giovinco scored his 12th Serie A goal of the season to condemned Cagliari to their 10th away defeat following the match versus Parma. Catania Alejandro Gomez scored his fourth Serie A goal of the season as Catania registered their ninth home win following the match against Atalanta. Cesena Cesena coach Mario Beretta are set to field Santana, Mutu and Malonga in attack against Palermo, while Iaquinta is not fit and is on the bench. Chievo Chievo Verona players failed to score for the second consecutive games to register their fifth home draw following the match against Udinese. Fiorentina Bad news for Fiorentina coach Delio Rossi after it was confirmed Stevan Jovetic will miss their match against Inter due to a muscle problem. Genoa Genoa coach Alberto Malesani is missing Belluschi and Moretti for the clash against Siena, while Antonelli and Constant are back in the squad. Inter Milan Coach Andrea Stramaccioni welcomes back Wesley Sneijder against Fiorentina and assures a player like him can never be a problem for Inter. Juventus Juventus coach Antonio Conte has revealed that striker Fabio Quagliarella could miss the match against Bologna due to upper thigh problem. Lazio Lazio coach Edy Reja has urged his team to stay focused against Lecce as it is a decisive match if they want to go to the Champions League. Lecce Lecce coach Serse Cosmi has warned Lazio that his side will be looking for the full three points, despite the Biancoceleste's top 3 status. Napoli Edinson Cavani scored his 20th Serie A goal of the campaign as Napoli registered their 8th home victory following the match against Novara. Novara Edinson Cavani scored his 20th Serie A goal of the campaign to condemned Novara to their 13th away defeat following the match against Napoli. Palermo Palermo head coach Bortolo Mutti is struggling with absenses, is likely to continue with his 3-5-2 formation for the match against Cesena. Parma Sebastian Giovinco scored his 12th Serie A goal of the season as Parma registered their 8th home victory following the match against Cagliari. Siena Siena head coach Giuseppe Sannino has dropped Marcelo Larrondo and Nicola Belmonte for the Bologna clash, but both could return on Wednesday. Udinese Udinese players failed to score for the second time in five games to register their sixth away draw following the match against Chievo Verona.

EPL

Arsenal Coach Arsene Wenger bemoaned Arsenal's lack of sharpness against a Chelsea side that decided to 'lock the game up' after being held to a draw. Aston Villa Aston Villa head coach Alex McLeish was disappointed with the draw against Sunderland as he believes they had enough chances to win the game. Blackburn Coach Steve Kean praised the fighting spirit of his players after Blackburn Rovers boosted their survival prospects with victory over Norwich. Bolton Manager Owen Coyle admitted he was frustrated with the inconsistent play of his Bolton Wanderers side in their home draw with Swansea City. Chelsea Chelsea's interim boss Roberto Di Matteo felt his Blues side enjoyed the better chances in a disappointing draw with Arsenal at the Emirates. Everton David Moyes still feels any kind of a top-10 finish in the Premier League this term would represent a 'great' outcome for his Everton side. Fulham Martin Jol was delighted with the win over Wigan and believes Fulham deserved the 3 points, despite admitting that it was a difficult match. Liverpool Liverpool's rising young stars are helping keep more experienced players on their toes and Kenny Dalglish hopes that bodes well for the future. Manchester City Manager Roberto Mancini insists Manchester City did all they could to get striker Carlos Tevez back to the club after he went AWOL last year. Manchester United Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed defender Fabio will spend next season on loan to develop his game, probably in Portugal. Newcastle United Alan Pardew was full of praise for Newcastle after seeing them pick up a sixth straight win and put down a marker to their top-four rivals. Norwich City Manager Paul Lambert was disappointed with the way Norwich conceded the goals to Blackburn, but still hopes to finish the season on a high. Queens Park Rangers QPR coach Mark Hughes has praised the effort of his team against Spurs and believes it would have been travesty if they had not won the game. Stoke City Manager Tony Pulis admits his Stoke side paid the price for their failure to make the most of their chances as they went down at Newcastle. Sunderland Martin O'Neill does not believe he has many friends in football and felt Sunderland were denied a victory at Aston Villa by match officials. Swansea City Brendan Rodgers was impressed with his Swansea side and believes they were unfortunate not to thrash Bolton after only being held to a draw. Tottenham Tottenham coach Harry Redknapp rued the absence of strikers Emmanuel Adebayor and Louis Saha as his side failed to score in the defeat to QPR. West Brom Sporting and technical director Dan Ashworth feels West Brom would have to spend GBP30 million on players each year to break into the top 8. Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic manager Roberto Martinez was disappointed with the defeat to Fulham as he felt his team's performance was worthy of a point. Wolverhampton Terry Connor insists the pressures at the top and the bottom of the Premier League table are the same, as Wolves prepare to welcome Man City.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

EPL

Arsenal Juventus are interested to take Robin van Persie away from Arsenal, and have already contacted the player's agent to discuss a potential deal. Aston Villa Head coach Alex McLeish admits he is unable to predict whether Aston Villa striker Darren Bent will be fit for England's Euro 2012 campaign. Blackburn Steve Kean insists his relegation-threatened Blackburn squad are still close-knit, despite the latest ructions which saw Gael Givet left out. Bolton Owen Coyle shrugged off Bolton's fixture backlog as just another thing that has gone against them as he sets his sights on a win over Swansea. Chelsea Roberto Di Matteo insists he has not spoken to anyone at Chelsea about becoming a full-time manager, as he focuses on their upcoming matches. Everton Everton boss David Moyes believes the trip to Man Utd is the perfect game to get over the agony of their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Liverpool. Fulham Fulham manager Martin Jol is determined to keep hold of Clint Dempsey, but admitted the club are expecting bids to come in for the American. Liverpool Hamburg technical director Frank Arnesen has expressed his admiration for Dirk Kuyt as speculation over the Liverpool star's future continues. Manchester City Roberto Mancini has voiced his frustration with the standard of refereeing in England and claimed 'the rules are not the same for everyone'. Manchester United Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed Manchester United are waiting on Paul Pogba to decide whether he wants to sign a new deal at Old Trafford. Newcastle United Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote has insisted his future remains on Tyneside as he focuses on helping the club qualify for Europe. Norwich City Manager Paul Lambert insists Norwich must not let Blackburn's struggles to stay in the Premier League deflect their own focus at Ewood Park. Queens Park Rangers Queens Park Rangers head coach Mark Hughes is hoping to beat Tottenham at home in order to put the pressure on the teams in and around them. Stoke City Tony Pulis insists he has no regrets at having passed on a deal for Demba Ba, only to see him prove his Premier League pedigree at rival clubs. Sunderland Black Cats coach Martin O'Neill is confident he can achieve with Sunderland what he did at Aston Villa and establish them as a top-six club. Swansea City Swansea City coach Brendan Rodgers admits to have 42 points with 4 games to spare leaves them very proud, but concedes they are not safe yet. Tottenham Harry Redknapp believes Ledley King's dip in form can be attributed to the fact he has been playing with an injury for the past two months. West Brom Roy Hodgson expects a hot reception from Liverpool fans on Sunday when returning to Anfield for the first time since being sacked by the Reds. Wigan Athletic Roberto Martinez has called on Victor Moses to stay at Wigan and improve as a player, after his agent claimed the forward wants to move on. Wolverhampton Dorus De Vries is poised to make his Premier League debut against Man City and claims he is ready to ease Wolverhampton's goalkeeping concerns.

La Liga

Athletic Bilbao Athletic Bilbao coach Marcelo Bielsa has conceded that Sporting deserved the win, but is confident they can overcome the goal deficit at home. Atletico Madrid Atletico Madrid president Enrico Cerezo believes his team have taken a major step forward following their first leg victory over Valencia. Barcelona Coach Pep Guardiola believes the league title is for Real to lose and all Barcelona can do is to push Los Blancos for as long as they can. Espanyol Espanyol striker Sergio Garcia has acknowledged that Atletico Madrid were not as aggressive before the arrival of head coach Diego Simeone. Getafe Getafe are keen to register their second consecutive victory when they take on Granada, who are desperate to avoid their sixth home defeat. Granada Granada are desperate to avoid their second straight defeat when they take on Getafe, who are looking to register their fifth away victory. Levante Levante defender Gustavo Cabral insists that his side are not worried about the chasing teams and focused only on winning their next match. Malaga Malaga's Nacho Monreal is still hoping to go to Euro 2012, but knows that it will be very difficult as he was not selected in the last call-up. Osasuna Striker Roland Lamah said the secret to Osasuna's success this season are hardwork and determination, as they chase for European qualification. Racing Santander Racing are desperate to avoid their fourth defeat in five games when they take on Bilbao, who are looking to register their fourth away win. Rayo Vallecano Rayo are determined to avoid their third straight defeat when they face Sporting Gijon, who are desperate to avoid their eighth home defeat. Real Betis Real Betis are keen to register their fourth win in five games when they take on Valencia, who have suffered four home defeat this season. Real Madrid Real Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka has dismissed the notion that his side will take a defensive approach against Barcelona at Camp Nou. Real Mallorca Mallorca are determined to avoid their third defeat in five games when they take on Zaragoza, who are looking for their fourth away victory. Real Sociedad Sociedad are keen to pick up points for the fifth straight game when they face Villarreal, who are desperate to avoid their 12th away defeat. Real Zaragoza Real Zaragoza are looking for their second consecutive win when they take on Real Mallorca, who are keen to avoid their sixth home defeat. Sevilla Sevilla coach Michel does not want his team to forget about their defeat at the hands of Getafe, but to use the humiliation to spur them on. Sporting Gijon Sporting are hoping to register their second win in five games when they take on Rayo, who are determined to avoid their ninth away defeat. Valencia Valencia manager Unai Emery has reportedly told Los Che players that he will leave the club in the summer after four years at the Mestalla. Villarreal Villarreal are determined to pick up points for the third straight game when they take on Sociedad, who are looking for their eighth home win.

Serie A

AC Milan Director Adriano Galliani has denied rumours of a poor relationship between Milan President Silvio Berlusconi and Coach Massimiliano Allegri. AS Roma Young striker Fabio Borini is a late fitness doubt to face Juventus this weekend, after picking up a muscle injury in training for AS Roma. Atalanta Atalanta are hoping to register their third win in five games when they take on Catania, who have suffered only three home defeats this season. Bologna Bologna are hoping to pick up points for the third consecutive game when they take on Milan, who have dropped 14 points at home this season. Cagliari President Massimo Cellino has claimed that Cagliari have been forced out of their own city by the council, ahead of their match in Trieste. Catania Young coach Vincenzo Montella has looked to end speculation on his future by indicating that he will be staying at Catania for next season. Cesena Cesena are hoping to pick up points for the fifth straight games when they take on Palermo, who are still looking for their second away win. Chievo Chievo Verona centre back Francesco Acerbi would not turn down a move to Milan, but his agent insists no deal between clubs has been struck. Fiorentina Fiorentina are keen to pick up points for the third straight game when they take on Inter, who are looking for their seventh away victory. Genoa Genoa President Preziosi has claimed that Siena striker Mattia Destro will return to the Stadio Ferraris and that he is destined for greatness. Inter Milan Palermo shot-stopper Emiliano Viviano has hinted that he would be happy to return to Inter Milan, who own half of his contract, in the summer. Juventus Juventus are interested to take Robin van Persie away from Arsenal, and have already contacted the player's agent to discuss a potential deal. Lazio Lazio boss Edy Reja will have to do without Cristian Brocchi, after the midfielder was ruled out for the rest of the season with a foot injury. Lecce Lecce are keen to register their third consecutive win when they take on Lazio, who have dropped only 17 points at home so far this season. Napoli Walter Mazzarri believes Napoli have all the determination necessary to secure Champions League qualification again, but admits they are tired. Novara Head coach Attilio Tesser wants his Novara players to forget their current predicament so as to face Napoli at the San Paolo without fear. Palermo Palermo shot-stopper Emiliano Viviano has hinted that he would be happy to return to Inter Milan, who own half of his contract, in the summer. Parma Parma have insisted that boss Roberto Donadoni will remain at the club - but they are not so sure when it comes to striker Sebastian Giovinco. Siena Genoa President Preziosi has claimed that Siena striker Mattia Destro will return to the Stadio Ferraris and that he is destined for greatness. Udinese Francesco Guidolin has confirmed that Maurizio Domizzi would not play for Udinese this weekend after training ground clash with Pablo Armero.

Friday, April 20, 2012

EPL

Arsenal
Striker Gervinho believes Arsenal should feel proud if they can hold on to third place in the Premier League after a poor start to the season.

Aston Villa
Heerenveen striker Bas Dost will not be moving to Aston Villa this summer after his agent revealed the player wants to go to a 'top club'.

Blackburn
Blackburn are believed to considering a summer approach for Napoli defender Ignacio Fideleff, who is struggling for play time this season.

Bolton
Bolton's bid to avoid relegation has been boosted by the news that Lee Chung-yong is on track to return to first-squad training next week.

Chelsea
Shakhtar Donetsk manager Mircea Lucescu has told Chelsea that they can take Brazil international Willian this summer - for the right price.

Everton
Everton announced that Leighton Baines will be forced to sit out their weekend trip to table-topping Manchester Utd with a hamstring problem.

Fulham
Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer insists there will be no let-up in the Fulham camp before the end of the season as they aim for a top 10 finish.

Liverpool
Joe Cole would welcome the opportunity to make his stay at Lille permanent, but concedes that any decision regarding his future rests with Liverpool.

Manchester City
Winger James Milner has refuted claims from inside the Manchester United camp that Manchester City are a divided unit that lack team spirit.

Manchester United
Manchester United chief executive David Gill has admitted the club's attention is starting to turn towards potential summer comings and goings.

Newcastle United
Manager Alan Pardew says there would be no sense of disappointment at Newcastle United were they to end the current campaign in fifth place.

Norwich City
A Norwich fan who leaked pictures of the new kit 12 hours before the official launch will not be punished by either the club or the police.

Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers manager Mark Hughes remains confident the club will be able to keep hold of their star even if the worst was to happen.

Stoke City
Stoke coach Tony Pulis is reportedly interested in Real Betis striker Jorge Molina and would be willing to pay EUR3.5 million for his transfer.

Sunderland
Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill is confident he will not have to sell any of his star players this summer, as he looks to improve on his squad.

Swansea City
Steven Caulker hopes he will be able to compete for a place in the Tottenham team next season after a successful campaign on loan at Swansea.

Tottenham
Steven Caulker hopes he will be able to compete for a place in the Tottenham team next season after a successful campaign on loan at Swansea.

West Brom
West Brom manager Roy Hodgson insists there will be no major clearout at the club in the summer, but will be looking to improve the squad.

Wigan Athletic
Victor Moses' agent has revealed that the highly-rated Nigeria international has turned down the offer of a new contract at Wigan Athletic.

Wolverhampton
Kevin Doyle has admitted that three seasons of battling at the wrong of the Premier League has taken its toll on Wolves' players and fans.

La Liga

Barcelona
Barcelona midfielder Alexis Sanchez is a doubt for El Classico after sustaining a foot injury during the Champions League defeat to Chelsea.

Espanyol
Espanyol midfielder Raul Baena does not expect an easy game versus Atletico, even though their opponents have just played in the Europa League.

Getafe
Getafe midfielder Diego Castro is hoping his team's relatively easier fixtures will help them collect the points they needed to enter Europe.

Granada
Granada winger Guilherme Siqueira insisted that his team do not feel pressured about facing Getafe, despite the importance of winning the game.

Levante
Levante coach Juan Ignacio Martinez is sweating over the availability of David Navarro, who suffered some muscle discomfort during training.

Malaga
Winger Santi Cazorla said Malaga will not give up on their Champions League hopes, but they would be happy to play in the Europa League too.

Osasuna
Osasuna defender Jon Echaide is set to undergo surgery on his dislocated shoulder, while Marc Bertran has resumed full training with the squad.

Racing Santander
Racing coach Alvaro Cervera would not rule out the pressure he suffered in the last two months could have triggered his recent health scare.

Rayo Vallecano
Rayo striker Daniel Pacheco said his side will observe Sporting at the start of their match before deciding the best way to play their game.

Real Betis
Stoke coach Tony Pulis is reportedly interested in Real Betis striker Jorge Molina and would be willing to pay EUR3.5 million for his transfer.

Real Madrid
Spain boss Vicente del Bosque believes that Real Madrid can score two or three goals at home in their second leg clash against Bayern Munich.

Real Mallorca
Real Mallorca midfielder Jose Luis Marti is hoping to beat Zaragoza at home this weekend so that his side can enjoy the rest of the season.

Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad striker Imanol Agirretxe believes the key to beating Villarrel this weekend is for his side to quickly score the opening goal.

Real Zaragoza
Real Zaragoza goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez has warned his side that losing to Mallorca means they will have to win all their remaining matches.

Sevilla
Good news for Sevilla coach Michel as Jose Antonio Reyes is available again after 10 days out and set to start against Levante this weekend.

Sporting Gijon
Sporting striker Adrian Colunga admits it is a miracle that the are still fighting for survival after losing several key games this season.

Valencia
m

Villarreal
Villarreal defender Angel Lopez believes a win over Real Sociedad will be a big psychological blow their rivals in their relegation battles.

Serie A

AC Milan
AC Milan veteran Massimo Ambrosini does not understand why there is so much scepticism about the Rossoneri's chances of winning the Scudetto.

AS Roma
It was reported that Roma could move for Atletico Nacional defender Oscar Murillo should they fail to land their top targets Howedes or Garay.

Atalanta
It was reported that Inter are set to move for Instito striker Paulo Dybala and send him out on loan to Atalanta or Genoa to gain experience.

Bologna
Bologna defeated Eccelenza outfit Ozzano 6-0 in a friendly match thanks to the goals scored by Belfodil, Di Vaio, Acquafresca and Diamanti.

Cagliari
There are likely to be more Juventus fans than Cagliari supporters when the two sides meet in Week 37 after Trieste was confirmed as the venue.

Catania
Catania President Antonino Pulvirenti is confident that they will be able to keep hold of boss Vincenzo Montella for at least one more season.

Cesena
Cesena's Adrian Mutu admits there is a good chance that he will return to Dinamo Bucuresti, but only if they qualify for the Champions League.

Chievo
It was reported that Lazio are considering a summer move for Genoa-owned midfielder Alessandro Sbaffo, who is currently out on loan at Ascoli.

Fiorentina
It was claimed that Riccardo Montolivo could be relegated to the stands for Fiorentina's game against Inter due to his recent drop in form.

Genoa
Genoa sports director Stefano Capozucca announced that the club have shelved all transfer talk until the Grifone are safe from relegation.

Inter Milan
Torino, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly monitoring Andrea Ranocchia's situation at Inter as he struggles for playing time.

Juventus
Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici was again at Stamford Bridge reportedly to watch Chelsea's Didier Drogba and Raul Meireles in action.

Lazio
Brescia star Omar El Kaddouri says that he feels ready to play in the Italian top flight after links with a summer move to Lazio and Juventus.

Lecce
Lecce are in 19th place in the Fair Play chart with 101 penalty points after accumulating 89 yellow cards and 6 red cards so far this season.

Napoli
It was reported Marek Hamsik has put pen to paper on a new contract at Napoli and is now tied to the Stadio San Paolo outfit until June 2016.

Novara
Novara Coach Attilio Tesser admits he will ask veteran striker Giuseppe Mascara for pointers on how to beat his former club Napoli on Saturday.

Palermo
Palermo coach Bortolo Mutti is sweating over the fitness of Federico Balzaretti after the defender pulled out of training with a muscle strain.

Parma
Parma defender Gabriel Paletta has acknowledged that his team need to put on another intelligent performance when they clash against Cagliari.

Siena
Siena coach Giuseppe Sannino seems set to use the 4-4-2 formation for their trip to Genoa, with the only change is having Brienza in attack.

Udinese
FIGC Vice-President Demetrio Albertini has backed Serie A's top scorer for the last two seasons Antonio Di Natale for Euro 2012 selection.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

EPL

Arsenal
Arsenal's Robin van Persie admits he was far from confident he could play as a main striker, but now believes he can become even more lethal.

Aston Villa
Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish is hopeful he will be able to welcome back Albrighton, Herd, Clark and Warnock from injury against Sunderland.

Blackburn
Gael Givet has denied claims that he 'refused to play' for Blackburn against Swansea City and insisted it was the coach who made the decision.

Bolton
Bolton Wanderers coach Owen Coyle still harbours hopes of Gregg Wylde featuring at some stage this season, following his arrival from Rangers.

Chelsea
Didier Drogba scored his fifth Champions League goal as Chelsea took a one-goal lead over Barcelona following the match at Stamford Bridge.

Everton
Fabian Giefer's agent claims Everton are among four clubs interested in signing the Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper in the summer transfer market.

Fulham
Fulham captain Danny Murphy is hoping the Cottagers can match their best-ever Premier League finish by securing seventh place this season.

Liverpool
Crewe Alexandra have confirmed that midfield starlet Dan Smith has signed for Liverpool in a deal reportedly worth GBP250,000 to the Alex.

Manchester City
Joleon Lescott has dismissed suggestions that Mario Balotelli is to blame for Manchester City falling behind in the Premier League title race.

Manchester United
David de Gea hopes his stunning last-gasp save at Chelsea in February will turn out to be the defining moment of Manchester United's season.

Newcastle United
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew insists he has no problem with difficult or enigmatic characters in football thanks to his humble roots as a player.

Norwich City
Andrew Surman says the painful memories of Norwich's recent 6-1 thumping by Manchester City will spur them on to a winning end of the season.

Queens Park Rangers
Shaun Derry believes Wigan's win at Arsenal on Monday is proof that QPR cannot rely on other teams to do them favours in the relegation battle.

Stoke City
Danny Higginbotham is feeling back to his best after a loan spell at Nottingham Forest but accepts his future at Stoke is out of his hands.

Sunderland
Matt Kilgallon knows he faces a battle to keep hold of his place in Sunderland's starting line-up with John O'Shea back in training again.

Swansea City
Swansea defender Alan Tate has been ruled out for two to three weeks with the calf injury he suffered before the Blackburn game on Saturday.

Tottenham
Spurs ace Rafael van der Vaart believes the Premier League is the toughest division in the world, admitting it is hard to maintain his fitness.

West Brom
West Brom boss Roy Hodgson has confirmed that he will be taking no risks over his injured players with the club safely in mid-table position.

Wigan Athletic
Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi has defended his tactics at Arsenal on Monday - and Gary Caldwell has accused the Gunners of lacking dignity.

Wolverhampton
Wolves have recalled goalkeeper Carl Ikeme from his loan spell at Doncaster Rovers with Wayne Hennessey sidelined for the rest of the season.

La Liga

Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao coach Marcelo Bielsa has admitted that Iker Muniain is still a doubt for their Europa League clash against Sporting Lisbon.

Atletico Madrid
Coach Diego Simeone said the Europa League clash between Atletico and Valencia is good for both sides as they can avoid making long trips.

Barcelona
m

Espanyol
Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino insisted he is not concerned about reports linking him to other clubs and considers it as a compliment.

Getafe
Getafe youngster Alvaro Arroyo said he appreciate his experience with the first team, but he would be happy to return to the B squad this week.

Granada
Granada trio Moises Hurtado, Jaime Romero and Alex Geijo trained away from the squad, but have not been rule out of their clash against Getafe.

Levante
Levante midfielder Juanlu Gomez is convinced his side will qualify for Europa League, but acknowledged that there very little room for error.

Malaga
Malaga striker Seba Fernandez has acknowledged that his team must play intelligently if they are to secure the vital 3 points against Sociedad.

Osasuna
Osasuna coach Jose Luis Mendilibar may have to face Malaga without Ibrahima Balde, as the striker has been called to join Senegal's U23 side.

Racing Santander
Racing head coach Alvaro Cervera announced that there is nothing wrong with his heart and intend to finish his job at the club this season.

Rayo Vallecano
Rayo winger Jose Manuel Casado believes Gijon will be nervous this weekend as they need to ensure victory to keep their survival hopes alive.

Real Betis
Jose Antonio Dorado admits it will hard for Betis to win at the Mestalla, but hopes Valencia will be tired from their European commitments.

Real Madrid
Keeper Iker Casillas has insisted that it was bad luck rather than a bad performance that Fabio Coentrao failed to stop Philipp Lahm's cross.

Real Mallorca
Real Mallorca defender Ivan Ramis believes his side must try to score a goal as soon as possible against Zaragoza if they are to win the match.

Real Sociedad
Sociedad midfielder Xabi Prieto admits he is comfortable again on the field and hopes to keep his good form for the remainder of the season.

Real Zaragoza
Midfielder Angel Lafita admitted that Zaragoza are very tired from their efforts, but they have to continue giving 200 per cent to survive.

Sevilla
Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido is convinced his team will bounce back and qualify for European competition for the ninth straight year.

Sporting Gijon
Good news for Sporting boss Javier Clemente as Gregory Arnolin has recovered from surgery sooner than expected and is already back in training.

Valencia
Valencia manager Unai Emery is missing only the suspended Antonio Barragan and injured Ever Banega for their clash against Atletico Madrid.

Villarreal
Villarreal midfielder Marcos Senna has urged his team to try and correct mistakes rather than wasting time lamenting about their situation.

Serie A

AC Milan
Milan veteran Alessandro Nesta has categorically ruled out the possibility of a summer move to rivals Juventus, despite his expiring contract.

AS Roma
Roma stopper Juan has rejected the idea of a summer move to Flamengo, as he wish to see out his contract at Olimpico which expires in 2013.

Atalanta
It was reported that Atalanta are keen to acquire the services of Lecce's youngster Filipppo Falco, who is currently out on-loan at Pavia.

Bologna
Midfielder Diego Perez believes Bologna can take on anyone, but has urged his side to maintain focus in order to get a result against AC Milan.

Cagliari
Cagliari's decision to play in Trieste did not go down well with the ticket holders, who want refunds for being unable to attend to the games.

Catania
Catania are in 8th place in the Fair Play chart with 75 penalty points after accumulating 63 red cards and 6 yellow cards so far this season.

Cesena
Cesena keeper Francesco Antonioli think his preference to play rather than sit on a bench in a big club has helped him to have a long career.

Chievo
Chievo Verona beat Oppeano 5-0 in a friendly encounter after Sammarco, Paloschi, Acerbi and Thereau all managed to find the back of the net.

Fiorentina
It was claimed that Fiorentina's Riccardo Montolivo has agreed a contract with Milan until 2016, where is will earn EUR2.5 million a season.

Genoa
Siena have underlined that the club have taken no decision over the future of in-demand striker Mattia Destro, who is co-owned with Genoa.

Inter Milan
Cristian Chivu's agent has underlined that Napoli have made no move to sign the Inter defender, whose deal expires at the end of the season.

Juventus
Milan veteran Alessandro Nesta has categorically ruled out the possibility of a summer move to rivals Juventus, despite his expiring contract.

Lazio
Italy coach Cesare Prandelli paid a visit to the Lazio training ground and was particularly pleased with the form of midfielder Stefano Mauri.

Lecce
Lecce goalkeeper Massimiliano Benassi is keen to forget about the match-fixing investigation and urges his side to focus on the Lazio clash.

Napoli
Cristian Chivu's agent has underlined that Napoli have made no move to sign the Inter defender, whose deal expires at the end of the season.

Novara
Novara are in 12th place in the Fair Play chart with 77 penalty points after accumulating 65 yellow cards and 6 red cards so far this season.

Palermo
Palermo Vice-President Guglielmo Micciche has praised Sannino and Donadoni, but insisted that no coaching decision had been made for 2012-13.

Parma
Good news for Parma coach Roberto Donadoni as defender Stefano Ferrario is back in training and should be available for clash against Cagliari.

Siena
Siena have underlined that the club have taken no decision over the future of in-demand striker Mattia Destro, who is co-owned with Genoa.

Udinese
Antonio Di Natale insists that Udinese are still fighting for a Champions League spot and denies that his team are suffering from fatigue.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

EPL

Arsenal
It was reported that Sociedad are moving quickly to secure the services of Carlos Vela and have made an offer worth EUR2 million to Arsenal.

Aston Villa
Aston Villa first-team coach Gordon Cowans has urged the squad to steer clear of the relegation zone in honour of skipper Stiliyan Petrov.

Blackburn
Coach Steve Kean is set for 'clear the air' talks with Gael Givet after Blackburn's defensive plight worsened with the loss of Grant Hanley.

Bolton
Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba could be back in action within six months following his amazing recovery, according to a leading heart expert.

Chelsea
Roberto Di Matteo has admitted Chelsea will need to produce two 'perfect' games to win their Champions League semi-final against Barcelona.

Everton
Marouane Fellaini has called on Everton's board to splash the cash this summer in order for the club to compete for honours on a regular basis.

Fulham
Queens Park Rangers, Reading and West Ham Utd are all chasing Fulham striker Andrew Johnson, whose contract expires at the end of the season.

Liverpool
Striker Dirk Kuyt is hopeful he can continue his knack of scoring in the big games when Liverpool take on Chelsea in next month's FA Cup final.

Manchester City
Striker Mario Balotelli has insisted he feels lucky to work with Roberto Mancini and has no intention of moving away from Manchester City.

Manchester United
Alan Shearer believes coach Sir Alex Ferguson is the only choice to be named best manager at the Barclays Premier League 20 Seasons Awards.

Newcastle United
Goalkeeper Tim Krul has challenged his Newcastle side to prove they are worth a return to the Champions League - by beating Stoke and Wigan.

Norwich City
Paul Lambert maintains Norwich have no intention of coasting through their final four games, despite Premier League safety all but assured.

Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers, Reading and West Ham Utd are all chasing Fulham striker Andrew Johnson, whose contract expires at the end of the season.

Stoke City
Stoke boss Tony Pulis has hinted that striker Ricardo Fuller could leave the Britannia Stadium this summer - but says he is a club legend.

Sunderland
Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill has confirmed he will have to strengthen his squad in the summer market in order to improve next season.

Swansea City
Huw Jenkins has admitted it will be difficult to keep Gylfi Sigurdsson at Swansea beyond the summer but he is hopeful a deal can be agreed.

Tottenham
Tottenham midfielder Sandro reveals that Gareth Bale is eager to move to Barcelona and admits that he also wants to try his luck at Camp Nou.

West Brom
Republic of Ireland striker Simon Cox is planning to discuss his future with West Brom after making only six Premier League starts this season.

Wigan Athletic
Wigan coach Roberto Martinez believes the club's faith in his system and style of play is the key reason behind their dramatic upturn in form.

Wolverhampton
Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey has been ruled out for the rest of the season after scans revealed he had suffered a torn cruciate ligament.