Nigerians Abroad: Odemwingie, Ogude & Will-John on target

The trio registered their names on the scorers’ sheet as other Nigerian players put up brilliant displays for their respective club sides over the weekend




ENGLAND
Peter Odemwingie scored in his successive game in the English Premier League as Stoke City mauled Aston Villa 4-1 away from home. The former Cardiff forward’s goal in the 22nd minute stirred a comeback win for Mark Hughes’ men after they had gone a goal down in the fifth minute of the five-goal thriller.


He got on the end of Peter Crouch's knock-down before muscling his way through and slotting the ball between the legs of the advancing Brad Guzan. He boasts of four goals from seven games since joining the Potters in January.

Joseph Yobo was at his best as he marshaled Norwich City’s defence in their 2-0 thumping of Sunderland on Saturday. The Super Eagles captain has made seven appearances for the Canaries since his move from Fenerbahce.

Sone Aluko came on as a 61st minute substitute for Hull City in their 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion that paraded Victor Anichebe. It was the former Rangers’ striker's 14th league appearance of the season with a goal to his name. Anichebe failed to add to his goal tally as he was replaced by Saido Berahino in his 20th league appearance of the season with three goals to his name.

Shola Ameobi was on parade for Newcastle United in their 1-0 defeat of Crystal Palace. The lanky Nigerian forward was a 14th minute substitute for the Magpies in his 20th league game of the season. Ameobi is yet to find the back of the net this season.

Mikel Obi played as a second half substitute in Chelsea’s 6-0 drubbing of Arsenal at the Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon. Obi came on as a replacement for David Luiz with 15 minutes left to the end of the cracker to mark his 20th league appearance this season in the EPL.

A brace form Brazilian Oscar plus strikes from Mohammed Salah, Eden Hazard, Andre Schurrle and Samuel Eto’o were all the Blues needed to coast to victory.




GERMANY

Chinedu Obasi was a second half replacement for Maximillian Meyer as Schalke 04 strolled past Eintracht Braunschweig 3-1 in the Bundesliga. Obasi boasts of seven league appearances with a goal for the side that saw their Champions League title winning ambition brought to an end by Real Madrid last week.




FRANCE

Vincent Enyeama was on parade for OSC Lille in their 1-1 draw at Monaco on Sunday. The Super Eagles first choice goalkeeper pulled up some brilliant saves to deny the host of a victory at the Louis Stadium. Enyeama has featured in all games for the third placed Ligue 1 team this term and has conceded 19 goals in 30 games. Elderson Echiejile made his first appearance in the French league and had his debut marked with a 16th minute caution for a rough tackle.

Sunday Mba was sent off in CA Bastia’s 1-0 defeat at Tours in the French Ligue 2. The Super Eagles midfielder was given the marching order in the 34th minute for a serious foul play. Mba has featured in 10 league games since his move from Enugu Rangers with two goals to his name.




ITALY

Ogenyi Onazi featured as a second half substitute for SS Lazio in their 1-1 home draw against Clarence Seedorf’s AC Milan. The hard tackling Super Eagles midfielder came on for Lucas Biglia in the 79th minute to feature in his 24th league game of the season for the Blue and White.

Joel Obi came on for Gianni Munari in the 70th minute as Parma were forced to a 1-1 draw at home by Genoa. The injury prone Inter Milan loanee has played six games in Seria A this season.

Obinna Nsofor was in action for 20 minutes as Chievo Verona bowed at home to the superior firepower of AS Roma in the Italian league. The Super Eagles returnee has tasted action four times since making a loan move from Locomotiv Moscow.




TURKEY

Godfrey Oboabona was on for the entire duration in Rizespor’s goalless draw at home to Eskisehirspor in the Turkish Superliga that featured Raheem Lawal for the visitors. The former Sunshine Stars’ skipper has scored just once from his defending position in 13 league appearance of the season.




SCOTLAND

Efe Ambrose for the first time this season failed to grab a starter’s shirt as Celtic spanked St. Mirren 3-0 in the Scottish Premier League over the weekend. The Hoops maintained their unassailable lead in the SPL and will grab the Scottish League title should they win against Partick Thistle at Firhill on Wednesday night.




AZERBAIJAN
John Oluremi William got his 11th goal of the season as AZAL PFC Baku bowed 1-2 at home to FC Baku in the Azerbaijan Premier League encounter over the weekend.


Jure Travner had put the visitors ahead in the 29th minute before the Nigerian-American midfielder brought the hosts back on level terms with a 39th minute strike before an own goal by Ailton Junior condemned AZAL to their 13th defeat of the season.

The 28-year old player has made 31 appearances for the Baku based outfit this season.

ors. The former Sunshine Stars’ skipper has scored just once from his defending position in 13 league appearance of the season.




RUSSIA

Fegor Ogude registered his name on the scorer’s sheet for Amkar Perm in Friday’s away game at FC Rostov. The Super Eagles player boasts of three goals from three games since his move from Valerenga this season. He was replaced in the 47th minute by Maxim Kanunninkov.




GREECE

Abduljeleel Ajagun was on parade for Panathinaikos in their 3-1 victory over Apollon Smirnis. The former Flying Eagles captain who has scored four times in 18 games for the Greek league outfit was replaced by Daniel Pranjic in the 76th minute.

Mourinho to appeal FA charge of improper conduct

The Portuguese was taken to task for encroaching onto the field of play to confront referee Chris Foy following a red card for Blues midfielder Ramires

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will appeal the Football Association's (FA) charge of improper conduct following the defeat at Aston Villa.

The Portuguese was sent to the stands last Saturday at Villa Park following an enraged response to Ramires' late red card, after which he encroached onto the field of play to confront referee Chris Foy.

Ramires' dismissal was Chelsea's second of the match after Willian was given his marching orders for two yellow cards earlier in the Premier League encounter.

Mourinho had until Monday to lodge an appeal and announced his intention to do so on Friday.

"Yes, I have decided. I don't accept the charges," the two-time Champions League winner told reporters.

"I will do it [make his defence] privately, but for obvious reasons I don't accept the charges."

Mourinho's Chelsea side host Arsenal on Saturday in what will be Arsene Wenger's 1000th game in charge of the Gunners.

Real Madrid meet Dortmund, Bayern take on Manchester United - Champions League draw in full

  The titleholders have been paired with the English champions, Real Madrid take on last year's finalists Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona will meet Atletico, while PSG take on ChelseaBayern Munich will take on Manchester United in the standout tie of the Champions League quarter-finals.

Pep Guardiola's men are keen to become the first club to successfully defend the title, but will have to deal with the champions of England first, with the first leg scheduled to take place at Old Trafford.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid will be gunning for revenge against Borussia Dortmund after last year's elimination in the semi-finals, while Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain meet the Premier League's table-toppers, Chelsea, as the French outfit aim to improve on last year's run to the last eight.

Finally, Barcelona have been paired with Atletico Madrid, which will be a particularly interesting fixture given Diego Simeone's men caused the Catalans all kinds of trouble in their domestic dust-ups in the Supercopa de Espana and La Liga earlier this season.

The first legs will take place on April 1 and 2, with the second legs scheduled for April 8 and 9.

The draw for the semi-finals will be held on April 11, while the tournament concludes at Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica on May 24.


QUARTER-FINAL DRAW


BARCELONA VS ATLETICO MADRID
REAL MADRID VS BORUSSIA DORTMUND
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN VS CHELSEA
MANCHESTER UNITED VS BAYERN MUNICH

                          

Wenger confirms intention to extend Arsenal reign

  The  Frenchman says he is "extremely motivated" to stay at the Emirates Stadium and adds that he hopes he has made the club bigger than it was when he arrived

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has confirmed he intends to extend his stay at the club saying he wants to remain with the Gunners for as long as possible.

Goal exclusively revealed on Friday that the Frenchman had turned down a £1 million-a-year pay hikebefore agreeing to extend his current deal.

Speaking ahead of his 1000th game in charge of Arsenal, against Chelsea on Saturday, Wenger admitted he has no desire to leave.

"I'm extremely motivated to stay for as long as possible but I accept that the next 1000 will be difficult," he told reporters.

"It's a privilege and an honour to manage 1000 games at this club. The club has always supported me. Time will tell if I managed to make this club bigger than it was when I arrived but I hope so.

"This club has given me a chance and I've turned many things down and shown my loyalty. Tomorrow I represent my club, I don't represent myself and I keep my personal feelings away from that.

"Today we can fight with the top clubs financially. I have to live with opinions from other people and accept them.

"The next period for us is to deliver trophies and competing with everyone at the top level. We have great players so I'm confident we can win trophies."

The Gunners travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday for a top-of-the-table clash with Chelsea and Wenger is feeling confident ahead of the game.

"It's the game of the season for us because it will be against a direct opponent," he added.

“The result will be linked with the performance on the day. We are on a good run.

"We have a doubt over Rosicky - he will have a test [on Friday] - but everyone else should be available."

Totti open to World Cup selection

The 37-year-old lifted the famous trophy with the Azzurri in 2006 and could come out of retirement to feature in Brazil

Roma veteran Francesco Totti has revealed he would be "proud" to receive the call to represent Italy at the World Cup this summer.

The 37-year-old is enjoying yet another fine campaign for the Giallorossi, who sit second in Serie A, leading to talk of a return to the international fold.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has spoken about the possibility of handing Totti a call-up for the tournament in Brazil, despite him retiring from international duty in 2007 after lifting the World Cup a year earlier.

"If Prandelli were to call me then I would be proud," Totti told Sky Sports Italia.

"I'd be happy, because the World Cup at Brazil would not come around again for me.

"But, I've always said that I will have to see how I am physically, if I would be alright or not. That's the main thing."

Totti believes that Italy can repeat their Euro 2012 efforts, where they reached the final before losing to Spain, and has backed team-mates Mattia Destro and Alessandro Florenzi for selection.

"I hope that the national team can get to the final," he added. "They have the ability to do well, then Italy have increasingly come close to the semi-finals, so we hope it bodes well.

"To the World Cup I would call Destro and Florenzi - they are two players that are good for the group, that make the difference when playing.

"So, I think that they are players that absolutely should be called up. But, it is not for me to decide."

'We're praying' - Sherwood & Tottenham seek Europa League miracle v Benfica

The Premier League side have been crippled by injuries and have a mountain to climb in Lisbon as they trail Benfica by a two-goal margin following the 3-1 first-leg loss at home

Tim Sherwood's final three words in his press conference on Wednesday evening summed up the attitude in the Tottenham camp.

"We're praying tonight," said the Spurs boss without the cheeky glint in the eye that sometimes accompanies his more flippant comments.

Tottenham take on Benfica in the second-leg of their Europa League tie on Thursday not only having to turn around a 3-1 deficit from the first game at White Hart Lane, but needing to do so without a single available central defender in the first-team squad.

Jan Vertonghen is suspended while Michael Dawson, Younes Kaboul and Vlad Chiriches are all sidelined through injury. Further up the pitch, injury has forced Emmanuel Adebayor to stay in London along with summer signings Erik Lamela and Paulinho.

It means Sherwood will have to play men out of position at the Estadio da Luz and the Londoners have travelled with an army of youth team players as young as 16 to make up the numbers.

"The kids won't play unless there's a need to," said Sherwood. "There's a time and a place to blood young talent. Unless we need to they won't be thrown into the lion's den because you could end up killing someone's career before it's even started.

"Some of these boys are apprentices. They're nowhere near ready to play in Tottenham’s first-team. We've got a crippling injury list back at home. It really is severe. It's needs must.

"We need players playing out of position. I'm going to have to try and find out who's best suited to switching into those positions and doing the job for Tottenham."

Tottenham's exit from the Europa League would virtually end their season, with Sherwood having already given up on any chance of finishing in the top four of the Premier League and clinching a place in next season's Champions League.

In this historic stadium, he will again come up against Benfica coach Jorge Jesus, with whom he clashed on the touchline last week at White Hart Lane after the Portuguese celebrated his side's third goal by holding three fingers in the air.

Sherwood insists his spat with Jesus is 'over' and the 45-year-old is now focused on preventing a fourth successive defeat for his team in all competitions.

For many, recent results have proved that Sherwood is not up to the job and should be replaced in the summer by someone like Louis Van Gaal, who this week reiterated his desire to manage in the Premier League after the World Cup.

While many Spurs fans are ready to give up on the rest of the season, Sherwood and many of the Tottenham players will be fighting for their futures over the next two months.

"The season's still alive," Sherwood insisted. "The season's never dead. We've got to win every game possible. We're Tottenham Hotspur. Everyone sets out their season to try and win something but not every team achieves that, not even Tottenham."

And his expectations of his players for Thursday?

"To do themselves justice," he added. "That's all we can do. I think the players owe it to the 3,000 fans and those at home to give their utmost.

"We're praying tonight."

Jese successfully undergoes surgery

The Spain Under-21 international went under the knife in Germany on Thursday and will return to the Spanish capital shortly

Real Madrid have announced on their official website that Jese Rodriguez has successfully undergone surgery on his cruciate ligament injury in a clinic in Augsburg, Germany.

The promising attacker, 21, sustained the injury in the opening minutes of Madrid's 3-1 Champions League win over Schalke on Tuesday and will consequently be out of action for the remainder of the 2013-14 campaign.

"Jese Rodriguez has Thursday undergone surgery at the Hessingpark-Clinic in Augsburg at the hands of doctor Ulrich Boenisch, with Real Madrid club doctors Jesus Olmo and Francisco Morate supervising the operation," a statement on the club's official website reads.

"The successful surgery consisted of repairing the anterior cruciate ligament and the lateral meniscus of the player's right knee.

"The player will return to Madrid after he is dismissed from the hospital, which is expected in the upcoming days."

Jese had been one of the revelations of the 2013-14 campaign, scoring eight goals in 31 appearances in all competitions.

Champions League: Manchester United face uphill task against Olympiakos

Manchester United must overturn a 2-0 deficit against Olympiakos if they are to reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

David Moyes was in defiant mood on the eve of the match as he insisted that nothing had changed regarding his future in the wake of a 3-0 loss at home to Liverpool on Sunday, but it has been a miserable first season in charge at Old Trafford for the manager and European elimination would only increase the pressure.

A place in the top four of the Premier League is effectively out of reach and United's last hope of achieving success is to go further in the Champions League, with Moyes adamant that they can bounce back.

While confidence will be at a low ebb following a demoralising defeat by fierce rivals Liverpool, Moyes acknowledges that United have a duty to deliver an improved performance and sees the midweek encounter as an opportunity to provide everyone at the club with a major lift.

United's display in the first leg last month was hugely disappointing as goals from Alejandro Dominguez and on-loan Arsenal forward Joel Campbell put Olympiakos in a commanding position.

Moyes can nevertheless draw some positives from history, with United having an excellent record against Greek opposition at home.

The Red Devils have also won their three previous matches at Old Trafford in Europe this season, making it safely through as group winners before Christmas.

Olympiakos, meanwhile, have lost all seven of their Champions League games in England, conceding at least two goals every time and never scoring more than one.

On this occasion, though, Olympiakos know that just one away goal will leave United needing to score four, and boss Michel has promised not to sit back on a 2-0 lead.

Olympiakos head to Old Trafford after clinching the Greek Super League title with a 2-0 win over Panathinaikos at the weekend, which left them 18 points clear at the top of the table with just five games to play.

Manu invites 19 Eaglets to Flying Eagles camp

The national U21 handler has beckoned on the services of some of his boys from the all conquering Golden Eaglets to battle for a place in the Flying Eagles

Coach Manu Garba has invited 19 members of the World Cup winning Golden Eaglets to compete for a place in the Flying Eagles squad ahead of their 2015 African Youth Championship qualifiers slated for May.

Dele Alampasu tops the list of the players expected in the U-21 training camp in Abuja. Others include Wilfred Ndidi, Abdullahi Alfa, Akinjide Idowu, Saviour Godwin, Aliyu Abubakar, Chigozie Obasi, Dennis Okon Nya and Zaraddeen Bello.

Also in the list are Abdulazeez Abubakar, Prince Izu Omego, Clement Ogbobe, Ifeanyi Matthew, Emmanuel Asadu, Prince Bonkat, Mustapha Abdullahi, Nafiu Kabuga, Ahmed Umar, Bernard Bulbwa and Chinedu Enedemu.

They are expected to team up with the other 35 players who were picked from a two-week open trial in Abuja on Wednesday.

Nigeria will face either Kenya or Tanzania in May for the 2015 African Youth Championship qualifiers

Manchester City prepared to table €35m bid for Shaw

Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham are also keen on the prodigious 18-year-old but Manuel Pellegrini's men are confident of winning a hotly contested battle
Manchester City are prepared to blow their Premier League rivals out of the water with a €35 million bid forSouthampton starlet Luke Shaw this summer, Goal understands.
City first registered their interest in January and the subject of Shaw's availability was broached again when Saints boss Mauricio Pochettino attended the Under-21 Premier League clash between the two clubs at the Etihad Stadium earlier this month, with elite development squad coach Patrick Vieira also present.

The Manchester giants were encouraged by the nature of the talks and are now increasingly confident of seeing off a host of rival suitors to secure one of the hottest properties in English football.

Manuel Pellegrini has earmarked the left-back spot as a key area of improvement for his side, with neither Gael Clichy nor Aleksandar Kolarov convincing the Chilean this season.

Shaw, 18, is regarded as the finest domestic talent of his generation and is battling Ashley Cole for a place in England's World Cup squad, having made his full Three Lions debut against Denmark earlier this month.

Chelsea are long-term admirers of Shaw - a boyhood Blues fan - and possess a geographical advantage over other interested clubs with the youngster's parents residing in Raynes Park, just a short drive from the club's Cobham training base.

However, the Blues' bid to capture the left-back is complicated by the fact that he is represented by Stellar Group, the same management firm who represent Cole, whose contract expires this summer.

City believe Cesar Azpilicueta's impressive performances since displacing Cole at left-back have made Shaw wary of summer move to Stamford Bridge.

David Moyes is also in the market for a new left-back as he continues to make plans for a summer overhaul of his Manchester United squad and has identified Shaw as a top target.

As reported by Goal, United made a €24m move for Shaw on January and the Premier League champions are expected to step up their bid to sign him in the next window.

Tottenham are also in the mix to sign Shaw and have launched a charm offensive on the player's family and representatives, who enjoy a strong relationship with chairman Daniel Levy.

Both Chelsea and United have made if clear through third parties that they are prepared to pay up to €30m to land the Southampton left-back, though City's intent takes the potential bidding to a new level.

Sources expect Shaw to join the club that Stellar advise him to, with all signs point to him leaving St Mary's Stadium this summer.

Totti wants Drogba at Roma

The Galatasaray attacker was recently linked with a move to the Serie A outfit and the iconic forward would happily see him arrive at the Stadio Olimpico

Roma skipper Francesco Totti has made it clear that he would welcome Didier Drogba with open arms if the Cote d'Ivoire international were to join the Giallorossi this summer.

The 36-year-old has an expiring contract with Galatasaray and is widely expected to say farewell to the Turkish giants come June.

A recent report suggested that Roma are keen to lure Drogba to Serie A ahead of the 2014-15 campaign and Totti feels Drogba would be a good addition.

"We need three new signings, one great player for each area of the team," Totti told Il Romanista.

"Could Drogba be one of those signings? He might come here. He is still younger than I. You win things with players like him.

"Either way, I am not in charge of our transfer policy and I have never been.

"But I do think that this team can win things with three good signings."

Drogba has netted 14 goals in 35 appearances in all competitions for Galatasaray this season.

Moyes fighting to save job, claims Bosnich

The former Australia international believes the current boss must guide his side to victories over Olympiakos and Manchester City or face the sack

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich believes the next week is crucial for manager David Moyes.

United's 3-0 defeat to rivals Liverpool on Sunday increased the pressure on Moyes, with United now 12 points adrift of the Premier League top four and 18 behind leaders Chelsea.


The reigning English champions face Olympiakos in the Champions League on Wednesday, having been beaten 2-0 in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

United then travel to West Ham on Saturday before hosting fierce rivals Manchester City on Tuesday, and Bosnich has suggested the outcome of the three games will determine Moyes' future, despite the Scot claiming on Tuesday that he has the backing of the Old Trafford board.

"David Moyes is a wonderful man but things have gone from bad to worse," he told talkSPORT. "They've got big problems. You can see it out on the pitch.

"The two games [against Olympiakos and Manchester City] are huge.

"The West Ham match will take care of itself, but the results against those two will determine whether David Moyes stays at the club.

"If we see another two abject performances, especially in the derby, I don't think the board will have any choice but to appoint someone else."

Vidal: I'd love to play with Alexis Sanchez

The winger has recently called upon his compatriot to join him in Catalonia but the midfielder insists they could team up at Juventus

Arturo Vidal says he would love to play alongside Alexis Sanchez at club level in the future but says they could play together at Juventus, instead of Barcelona.

The former Bayer Leverkusen star has been linked to a move away from Turin in recent weeks and theBlaugrana attacker recently urged the 26-year-old to leave the Serie A champions and join him in Spain.

Vidal said he and Sanchez are good friends and admitted he would love to play in the same team as his Chile team-mate but insists they could pair up in Italy instead of Catalonia.

“I have no problem with Alexis,” Vidal told Las Ultimas Noticias. “We have known each other since we were kids, we were together at Under-20 level, we played together at Colo Colo and we have a beautiful friendship.

“Of course I’d like to play with someone with whom I have shared something, but maybe he can come here [to Juventus].

“These things will be dealt with over time."

The Juve star went on to say that he isn’t paying any attention to the reports linking him to other clubs and is focused on his duties with the Bianconeri.

“I live with my feet on the ground. I try not to think too much about the rumours, otherwise I’d go mad. I think it is better to focus on training and getting ready for games at my best.

“It is nice to hear my name linked to [Real] Madrid, Barcelona or Manchester United, but I only think about training, the rest we shall see about.

“Now I want to give everything for Juventus, because when one starts to dream, they move too far away from football. I want to stay focused and wear the Juventus shirt.”

Act quickly on new Rodgers contract, Gerrard warns Liverpool owners

The Northern Irishman has transformed the Reds from Premier League also-rans to title challengers inside 12 months but will enter the final year of his current deal this summer

Steven Gerrard wants Liverpool's owners to tie down manager Brendan Rodgers to a new contract quickly to stop him being poached by one of Europe's biggest clubs.

Rodgers has transformed the Reds from the country's seventh-best team to potential champions inside 12 months and masterminded a 3-0 humiliation of bitter rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

But the Northern Irishman will enter the final year of his current contract this summer and there has already been talk that Barcelona have identified him as a potential successor to the under-pressure Gerardo Martino.

"I am absolutely delighted he is here and I just hope that there is a lot of movement in Boston [from owners Fenway Sports Group] now because they have got to get him signed up as soon as possible," Gerrard told reporters.

"When players are in this situation with a year to go and you want to keep hold of them so desperately then the club reacts really quickly and gets it sorted.

"For me, I think he deserves a very long contract here and he is perfect for this club."

Zenit confirm Villas-Boas appointment

The Portuguese has been named as Luciano Spalletti's successor at the Petrovsky Stadium, having agreed terms on a two-year contract

Zenit St Petersburg have confirmed the appointment of Andre Villas-Boas as the replacement for sacked coach Luciano Spalletti.

The Italian was sacked by the Russian outfit last week after five years of service following a disappointing campaign both domestically and in Europe, which culminated in the 4-2 home defeat to Borussia Dortmund.

And Villas-Boas, who has been out of work since being dismissed by Tottenham in December, will be his successor, having signed a two-year deal.

"Zenit have agreed terms on a contract with new head coach Andre Villas-Boas," a club statement read.

"The contract will be signed and Villas-Boas will be presented in St Petersburg as Zenit's new head coach on March 20. Villas-Boas' contract begins in March 2014 and is valid for two seasons."

The 36-year-old was long a part of Jose Mourinho's technical team before taking the Academica job in 2009, where his work saw him appointed at Porto.

He won the Portuguese league, the Europa League and the Portuguese cup during his one season at the Dragao, before less successful stints at Chelsea and Spurs.

Iniesta: Barcelona braced for Clasico 'war' with Real Madrid

The 29-year-old is confident the Blaugrana can triumph at the Bernabeu, while he thanked fans, team-mates and Blancos players for their support during a difficult week

Andres Iniesta is confident that his Barcelona side can win their "war" with Real Madrid on Sunday to narrow the gap at the top of the Primera Division.

The Blaugrana are currently four points behind the Liga-leading Blancos, but a 7-0 win over Osasuna on Sunday has breathed new life into the Catalans' bid to defend their Spanish title.

"Now comes the most difficult game of the season but also the most beautiful one,” the midfielder toldSport.

“We want to get a good feeling at the Bernabeu and we believe that we can win there.

"The Madrid-Barca game is a war of football, but what has happened in the past has stayed there.”

While they can propel themselves right back into the title race with a win in the Spanish capital, Iniesta admitted that things have not gone according to plan this term.

"It has not been a comfortable season," the World Cup winner confessed. "At all levels, there are many reviews, changes to be made - it has been difficult."

Iniesta scored in Barcelona’s 7-0 thrashing of Osasuna and celebrated the goal by sending a kiss up to the sky in memory of the child he and his wife lost last week.

"When one bad thing happens and you have a low moment, you realise the love of anonymous people and that gives you a lot of strength. My wife and my family appreciate all the love of these people," he said.

“I have received expressions of affection from the players of Real Madrid; there are more important things than a football game.”

Arsenal make Sagna improved offer as Inter step up chase

Gunners are willing to give the right-back a two-year, £75,000-a-week deal with an option for a third year in a fresh attempt to fend off the advances of Serie A side Inter

Arsenal have made Bacary Sagna an improved contract offer in a fresh attempt to keep him at the club beyond this summer.

The Gunners are now willing to give the Frenchman a two-year, £75,000-a-week (€90,000) deal that includes an option for a third year.

The deal would represent a 25 per cent upgrade on the £60,000-a-week (€72,000), straight two-year offer that had previously been on the table, although it still falls short of Sagna's £100,000-a-week (€120,000) demands.

Goal sources in Italy understand that Inter will attempt to trump Arsenal this week by offering Sagna a deal worth £2.35m-a-year (€2.8m) after taxes and deductions, which is equivalent to £90,000-a-week (€108,000) in the UK. The Inter offer would be spread over two years and also include an option of a third year.

Sagna, who turned 31 last month, can leave the Emirates Stadium on a free in the summer and is able to sign a pre-contract agreement with a new club.

In addition to Inter, the France international has offers on the table from Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco.

However, there is growing confidence at Emirates Stadium that an agreement can now be struck with Sagna even though 18 months of negotiations have so far failed to result in a breakthrough.

Sagna and his family are believed to be settled in London and their first choice would be to remain in the capital.

Arsene Wenger wants to hold on to the long-serving right-back, who has been a key figure for Arsenal this season and offers experience and versatility that would not be easy to replace.

The Gunners have looked closely at replacement right-backs in the last year, with Frankfurt's Sebastian Jung currently top of their target list should Sagna decide to leave.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is an admirer of Sagna, who can operate in central defence as well as both full-back positions, and he is highly regarded in his native France.

Inter are strongly pursuing Sagna amid doubts over first-choice right-back Jonathan, the Brazilian who is well suited to coach Walter Mazzarri's 3-5-2 formation but has struggled when integrated into a traditional four-man defence.

The Serie A club have already signed Nemanja Vidic, who will join on a free transfer from Manchester United in the summer, as they target a number of proven Premier League performers to improve their struggling team.

Nigerians Abroad: Emenike, Osaze & Mba paint Europe with goals

It was a splendid weekend for Nigerians in foreign leagues as they matched goal scoring feats with impressive displays

ENGLAND

Peter Odemwingie was on target twice for Stoke City as they spanked West Ham United 3-1 in the Premiership on Saturday afternoon. An acrobatic effort from Peter Crouch deflected off Odemwingie to put the home side level in the 32nd minute after Andy Caroll had put the visitors ahead in the fifth minute.

The Nigerian completed his brace with 11 minutes to the end of the match with a thunderous strike from the edge of Hammers’ penalty area. It was his fifth goal of the season since joining the Potters from Cardiff City.

Joseph Yobo was on for the entire duration of Norwich City’s 4-2 defeat in the hands of Southampton. It was his sixth start of the season since joining the Yellow Canaries from Fenerbahce of Turkey.

Victor Anichebe featured for 89 minutes as West Brom secured their first win of the season under new manager Pepe Mel in their 2-1 defeat of Swansea City. Going into this game, the former Everton attacker had scored 3 goals for the Baggies in his 18th appearance of the season.

Victor Moses was nowhere to be found on Liverpool’s bench as the Reds spanked host Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford in Sunday’s big game. The Chelsea loanee last featured for Brendan Rodgers’ men in their 4-3 home win against Swansea on February 23. Moses has made 15 appearances for the Red this season.

Sone Aluko made a 46th minute appearance for Hull City in their 2-0 home defeat to Manchester City on Saturday afternoon. Aluko who recently made a return from injury boasts of a goal in 13 English Premier League matches for the Tigers.

Shola Ameobi was on parade for Newcastle United in their defeat to Fulham in the English Premier League. The lanky forward was a 71st minute substitute for Pappiss Cisse in the tough encounter. Ameobi has played 19 times for the Magpies this season without a goal.

Kenneth Omeruo got his fifth start with English Championship side Middlesbrough in their 0-0 draw with AFC Bournemouth. The Super Eagles defender was so impressive that he got a pass mark from manager Aitor Karanka.

Mikel Obi was not fielded by Jose Mourinho in Chelsea’s shock defeat to Aston Villa at the Villa Park on Saturday evening. The Nigerian has got his playing chances reduced since the arrival of Nemanja Matic in January. Obi has chalked up 19 EPL appearances for the Blues this season with a goal to his name.

SPAIN
Ramon Azeez featured for Almeria in their 3-1 defeat to Rayo Vallencano in the Spanish Liga. The pint-sized player who recently made his debut for the Super Eagles has featured in 23 league matches this season.

FRANCE
Vincent Enyeama was superb in goal for OSC Lille as they played a 0-0 draw with Nantes in Ligue 1. The former Maccabi Tel Aviv goalkeeper boasts of 18 clean slates this season having conceded 18 times in 29 games for the side currently placed third in the French League.
Sunday Mba was on target for CA Bastia in Saturday’s Ligue 2 encounter against Troyes. The goal scored in the early minutes of the game was all Les Douges needed to secure maximum points despite remaining at the base of the Ligue 2 table. The former Rangers player has played nine league games for his side this season.

ITALY

Ogenyi Onazi was on parade for SS Lazio in their 2-0 spanking of Cagliari in the Italian Seria A game played at the San Elia Stadium. The Super Eagles midfielder replaced Alvaro Gonzalez in the 81st minute of the encounter to grab his 23rd Italian league appearance of the season.

Joel Obi replaced Marco Marchionni in the 72nd minutes of Parma's 4-2 victory over AC Milan at the San Siro Stadium. The injury prone former Inter Milan player has featured five times this season in the Italian topflight.

TURKEY

Emmanuel Emenike was on target for Fenerbahce in their 2-1 victory over Erciyespor on Saturday night. The Super Eagles hitman scored the winner for his side in the 64th minute to record his tenth goal of the season.
Godfrey Oboabona saw action for the entire duration in Rizespor's 2-2 draw at home versus Besiktas on Saturday. Rizespor surrendered their two-goal lead in the first half of the encounter to see the visitors come back in the second half of the game. Oboabona has featured 12 times for the Turkish based outfit this season and has a goal to his name.

SCOTLAND
Efe Ambrose was on parade for Celtic in their 3-0 victory over Kilmarnock. The Super Eagles player was in fine form as he helped his team remain at the summit of the Scottish league. Efe has featured in all Hoops' games this season with a goal to his name.

GERMANY

Chinedu Obasi was a second half substitute for Schalke 04 in the German Bundesliga as his side romped to a 2-1 win against Augsburg. The fringe Super Eagles player has played seven German league matches for Die Knappen in a season that has been plagued by injuries and fitness concerns and it would be recalled he got one of his side's goal in their home victory last week.

Seedorf: Milan will rise again under me

The former Netherlands international has acknowledged that this term is a lost cause for the Rossoneri and he is already looking toward next season

Clarence Seedorf has conceded that it's a lost season for AC Milan following their 4-2 defeat against Parma on Sunday and is committed to turning the club back into a force to be reckoned with in 2014-15.

The Dutchman has been unable to turn things around since replacing Massimiliano Allegri as head coach back in January, with Milan sitting 11th in the Serie A table after this weekend's results on the back of three consecutive league losses.

The Rossoneri faithful orchestrated a protest on Sunday to voice their dismay with the club's poor performances, but Seedorf has vowed to bring the San Siro side back to the top again.

"We will start a new project next season and our objective is to bring Milan back to the top again," Seedorf told reporters.

"We have to build a new team and make Milan competitive again. We will have to try and do just that in an intelligent way.

"It is vital that we buy the right players. We have to sign players who understand the club's philosophy and who want to be part of our project."

Milan have collected just 35 points from 28 games and are trailing leaders Juventus by 37 points.

Premier League: Manchester United striker Robin van Persie insists he is happy

Robin van Persie has insisted he is "very happy" at Manchester United and has no problems with manager David Moyes.

Dutch striker Van Persie was instrumental in United's Premier League title success last season after arriving from Arsenal in what proved to be Sir Alex Ferguson's final campaign in charge.

He has scored 14 goals in 23 appearances for United this term, but the 30-year-old's performances and attitude have come under scrutiny.

There have been suggestions that Van Persie is unhappy with Moyes' training methods and could look to leave Old Trafford at the end of the season.

However, Van Persie has moved to set the record straight regarding his future and confirmed that he would be willing to extend his contract, which still has two years to run.

"I don't mind if my performances get dissected and people criticise what I've done on the pitch," Van Persie said in the club's official matchday programme United Review.

"They can talk about my game 24/7 for all I care... and a lot of those opinions and criticisms may actually be right. So I don't mind that.

"What I need to address are the situations when people are taking it upon themselves to think for me, make assumptions, or interpret things as if they are me.

"Last time I checked, my head was still attached to my body, so I'm the only one who knows exactly what I'm feeling and that is not what I or the fans have been reading.

"The truth is I'm very happy here at this club. I signed for four years and I'd be delighted to stay even longer, beyond the next two years I have left on my contract. This is how I feel, although it's not what has been suggested in the media."

Regarding the claims that Van Persie is at odds with Moyes, the coaching staff and his team-mates, the former Feyenoord attacker dismissed the speculation.

He added: "I'm very happy with my team-mates and I'm very happy with my manager and his staff. The sessions we have on the training ground are fantastic and I'm learning a lot from them every day.

"I've been a professional footballer for 12 years now and there's no doubt I'm learning new things and progressing with David Moyes.

"Like I said, talk about my performances or talk about a tackle that was too late. I don't mind. But it goes too far when people start suggesting, amongst other things, that I have a bad understanding with the manager. That's not true at all.

"Over the last few years, I've started to look more closely at the way coaches work to learn from them - not just here at the club, but with the international team as well. I've worked with some brilliant coaches and I've taken a real interest in all the methods they use and the choices they make.

"I can tell you that Moyes' sessions and the things he says in his team meetings are spot-on. I really enjoy working under him and I'm absolutely convinced things will pick up and we'll turn it around.

Yaya Toure: Winning just one trophy would not be failure for Manchester City

Yaya Toure insists winning just one trophy this season would not be a failure for Manchester City and concedes Chelsea are favourites in the title race.

City have seen their hopes of an unprecedented quadruple ended by defeats to Wigan in the FA Cup and Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League in the last week, and they find themselves nine points behind league leaders Chelsea.

Despite lifting the Capital One Cup with victory over Sunderland, the pressure is on Manuel Pellegrini's side to salvage their season by winning the Premier League title.

However, Toure is adamant that their campaign should not be deemed a failure if they fail to catch Chelsea and win the top flight crown.

"We just need to keeping working and try to win all of the games," said Toure.

"We know it's going to be difficult. But when you lose games, you learn more about yourselves. Sometimes when you lose it's not bad.

"We have to move on and think about the Premier League. With the players we have I still think we can do it.

"A failure? Why? Why would it be a failure? We have already won a cup, so you can't say that.

"Football is a competition and only one team can win each of them. So don't say we would be failures because we have won something already, but now we want to win more.

"Teams come and they are desperate to beat us, though, so it is always tough. Teams are very motivated against us and you have to understand we are not a machine."

Toure admits Chelsea are in pole position to win the title despite City having three games in hand over Jose Mourinho's men, knowing winning all of them will move them to the summit.

"Chelsea are nine points ahead," added Toure. "Yes, we have three games in hand, but we could lose all three of them, so Chelsea, for me, is the favourite.

"But it is good that we can now focus on the Premier League and the most important thing is that we will get more rest.

"We've been involved in so many competitions and it's so hard, playing for national teams as well. It's always so difficult.

"And against Barcelona, we lost (Sergio) Aguero again who is always an important player for us, but we cannot think about this defeat because Saturday is going to be difficult. Hull is a serious team, but everything is going to be easier for us now with only the Premier League so I hope we can finish well."

Sturridge & Allardyce named Barclays Player and Manager of the Month

England international notched five goals and two assists, while the West Ham boss guided his side to four consecutive victories
Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has been named Barclays Premier League Player of the Month for February, while West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has scooped the managers' gong.

Sturridge notched five goals and two assists in February as Liverpool claimed three wins from four matches, including a 5-1 destruction of Arsenal at Anfield.

The 24-year-old scored in that match, also netting away from home against West Brom, Fulham and twice against Swansea City.

Those goals have helped Brendan Rodgers' men maintain their first Premier League title challenge for five years - they currently lie second, seven points behind leaders Chelsea with a game in hand.


allardyce has been recognised as February's best manager after guiding his side to four consecutive victories and easing their relegation fears.

West Ham defeated Swansea City, Aston Villa, Norwich City and Southampton in a month which saw them rise as high as 10th in the Premier League.

They remain in the top half with 10 matches to go in the season, a healthy six points clear of 18th-placed Cardiff City despite having played a game less.

Nigeria remain in 47th place in March Fifa ranking

The Super Eagles did not move an inch in the latest rankings released on Thursday by the world football governing body

Nigeria stayed in 47th spot in the lastest Fifa rankings released on Thursday, a result of their goalless draw with Mexico in last week's international friendly.

The Super Eagles continue to be the seventh ranked team in Africa behind Cote D'Ivoire, Algeria, Egypt, Cape Verde Islands, Ghana and Tunisia. Cameroon are the only World Cup-bound African team that is ranked below the Eagles in eighth place.

Nigeria's other World Cup Group F opponents are ranked higher, with Argentina being the third best ranked in the world while Bosnia-Herzegovina are in 21st spot and Iran are 42nd.

Spain continue to be the top ranked team in the world followed closely by Germany, while Portugal and Colombia retain the fourth and fifth spots.

World Cup hosts Brazil remain in the ninth spot.

Manchester City would have beaten Barcelona with a good referee, says Toure

The Ivorian midfielder was left infuriated at certain decisions in the tie while Samir Nasri admitted he and his team-mates received "no help" from the officials

Yaya Toure insists Manchester City would have beaten Barcelona in the Champions League round of 16 if a "good referee" had officiated both legs.

The Premier League giants were beaten 4-1 on aggregate but Toure believes the officials favoured the Spanish side over the 180 minutes.


City saw a man sent off in each leg of the tie – Martin Demichelis at the Etihad Stadium and Pablo Zabaleta at Camp Nou – and were also denied what appeared to be a clear penalty in Spain, while Lionel Messi scored from the spot in the first leg despite being fouled outside the box.

"We learned we have to get a good referee. If we had a good referee in both games I think things would have been fine," Toure told reporters after the game in Catalonia.

"But I think, to be honest, we lost the game in the first leg. We respected them a lot but, to be honest, we go out but we have something to do and for us I think it's important to focus on the Premier League now. That's all we can do."

Toure's team-mate Samir Nasri agreed with the Ivorian's assessment of the refereeing decisions and claimed his side “did not have any help from the officials”.

"We played a good game, I think we did everything we could," he said.

"We can have regrets about the first leg because it was in the first leg that we lost. I think we did everything. Once again we did not have any help from the officials so it was a little bit difficult."

Thiago Silva plotting Barcelona revenge in Champions League quarter-finals

Paris Saint-Germain were eliminated from Europe by the Blaugrana last term and the Brazilian wants retribution this time out

Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Thiago Silva is hoping for a repeat of last season's Champions League quarter-final with Barcelona.

Then under the tutelage of Carlo Ancelotti, the French champions were eliminated on away goals against the Blaugrana, with a 2-2 draw at the Parc des Princes leading to Pedro's equaliser in a 1-1 stalemate at Camp Nou which sent the Catalans through.

And the Brazilian is looking for revenge this time out after his side sealed a place in the last eight with a 6-1 aggregate win over Bayer Leverkusen.

"I would have liked to have met AC Milan, my old club, but they've been knocked out," he told reporters.

"We are stronger than last year and whoever we get can expect two very difficult matches. But we'd be more focused against a big team.

"It wouldn't be bad to draw Barcelona to get our revenge. But we'd have to make sure that the result is the other way around."

Barca defeated Manchester City 4-1 on aggregate to book their place in the last eight of the tournament, with PSG, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid the other qualifiers to date.

Bayern Munich president Hoeness sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for tax evasion

The 62-year-old had admitted to owing approximately €18.5 million in taxes through an undisclosed bank account but had hoped to avoid jail time

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for tax evasion.

The 62-year-old had admitted to owing approximately €18.5 million in taxes through an undisclosed bank account but his defence team had hoped that he would only be given a probationary sentence.

However, the prosecution team demanded that Hoeness be sentenced to five-and-a-half years for failing to properly declare an income of €33m between 2003 and 2009.

Ultimately, the judge ruled that the former West Germany international will have to serve three-and-a-half years behind bars.

Under German law, Hoeness could have escaped prosecution by successfully filing a voluntary disclosure but when he did so last year, it was rejected as the documents were incorrect or incomplete.

Dzeko told he can leave Manchester City

The Premier League club rebuffed interest in the Bosnian in January but they will be willing to sell a player with just over a year left on his contract at the end of the season

Edin Dzeko has been told he will be allowed to leave Manchester City this summer.

The Premier League dismissed all interest in the Bosnian during the January transfer window but are now willing to sell the striker at the end of the season if they receive what they deem an acceptable offer.

Dzeko will have only one year left on his contract in the summer and will be in a strong position to negotiate a cut-price move.

The 27-year-old, who joined City from Wolfsburg in January 2011, is likely to be available for around €18 million, although he will want to join a club who can at least match his €130,000-a-week wages.

Dzeko was the subject of an inquiry from Tottenham last December, while Arsenal are also long-term admirers, but the player made an agreement with City chiefs that he would not consider a move until the end of the season.

The forward is also being closely monitored by a collection of continental clubs led by Inter, Borussia Dortmund and Napoli.

Dzeko has slipped behind Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo in the forward pecking order at City but has still scored 17 goals in 36 matches in all competitions this season.

He has spoken of his frustration at not being a regular starter at Etihad Stadium and the intense competition for places within Manuel Pellegrini's squad means he is likely to move on in the summer.

Dzeko will be part of the City squad that will attempt to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit in their last-16 Champions League second-leg clash against Barcelona on Wednesday night.

Robben slams Wenger over 'dive' accusations

After the second leg at the Allianz Arena the Arsenal boss labelled the Dutchman "a great player and a very good diver" - a comment the player feels lacked class

Arjen Robben has responded to Arsene Wenger's accusations that he is a diver by suggesting that theArsenal boss is acting like a small-time manager.

The two men had a heated exchange on the touchline after Robben won the penalty which saw Wojciech Szczesny sent off in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium last month, and Wenger was further enraged when the Dutchman went down under pressure from Laurent Koscielny in the box to win a spot-kick which Thomas Muller missed at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday evening.

After the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw with Bayern triumphing 3-1 on aggregate, Wenger labelled Robben "a great player and a very good diver" - a comment the Bayern winger feels was classless.

"I always say if you're a big manager, take your loss," he told ITV. "If you win, be happy, enjoy. But if you lose, don't start complaining about silly things.

"It was two penalties but I don't want to defend myself. From a big manager you expect a little bit more if you lose."

Wenger also claimed that the decision to send off Szczesny was the difference between the two teams, but Bayern boss Pep Guardiola insisted otherwise.

"We won and we were better than Arsenal in both games, that is the reality," he concluded.

Pogba or Pjanic in, Lavezzi out – PSG’s plans for a summer revolution

The Ligue 1 champions have shortlisted a number of high-profile names - with the Juventus star at the very top - while they are also preparing to bid farewell to several players

Paris Saint-Germain have made plenty of waves in the transfer market in recent years, luring stars such as Thiago Silva, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani to Ligue 1.

And while the French giants are on course for a second successive domestic title and are cruising through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, they have no intention of cutting down on their spending.

PSG's aim is to become the best team in Europe and if they fail to conquer the Champions League this season, then their summer activity should give them an even better chance next term.

In order to reach the European summit, the Parisians are planning more major signings ahead of 2014-15. To make room for the new arrivals, they will offload a number of players from their first team squad.

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil needs scan on hamstring injury

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil is facing "at least a few weeks" out after injuring his hamstring in Tuesday'sChampions League exit at Bayern Munich.

The 25-year-old was withdrawn at half-time in Arsenal's 1-1 draw in Munich, which saw them lose 3-1 on aggregate.

Ozil, who signed for the Gunners from Real Madrid for £42.4m, will have a scan on Wednesday.

Boss Arsene Wenger said the German would definitely miss Sunday's derby at Tottenham in the Premier League.

Bayern progressed to the quarter-finals of the competition, leaving Arsenal with just two more chances to end their nine-year trophy drought this season.

The Gunners are seven points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea and will play Wigan in an FA Cup semi-final.

Arsenal will be hoping Ozil's injury is not too serious, having already lost England midfielder Jack Wilshere for at least six weeks with a foot injury.

"We have to make a scan tomorrow to see how bad it is but he is out for at least a few weeks," said Wenger.

Ozil had a penalty saved in Arsenal's Champions League last-16 first-leg2-0 defeat at Emirates Stadium last month, a match which also saw goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny sent off for fouling Arjen Robben in the penalty area.

Robben also earned a penalty in Tuesday's second leg and, despite both spot kicks being missed, Wenger repeated his criticisms of the Netherlands winger.

He said: "Robben is very good at getting the maximum of nothing. He is a great player and a very good diver.

"He is a fantastic player, I would not deny that, he's one of the best players in the world.

"But he gets in front of a player and then he slows down and goes down. He gets the free-kicks."

Robben though was adamant both penalties were the correct decisions.

"If you lose, don't start complaining about silly things," he said. "It was two penalties. I don't want to defend myself. From a big manager, you expect a little bit more if you lose."

Bayern are bidding to become the the first team to successfully defend their Champions League title, after beating Borussia Dortmund in the final last season.

"The players were very intelligent, the way we played. We wanted to control the game," said Bayern boss Pep Guardiola.

"In the first half we only had one chance but we didn't give them any chances, so we played very well in that aspect and we wanted to put a bit more pressure up front."

Samuel Eto'o hints at Chelsea stay

Samuel Eto'o has no intention of hanging up his boots just yet and has hinted he may extend his stay at Chelsea beyond this season.

The 33-year-old netted his ninth goal of the season in Chelsea's 4-0 win against Tottenham on Sunday, with the striker, whose deal with the club expires in the summer, evidently enjoying life at Stamford Bridge.


His effort on 56 minutes came after a mistake from Jan Vertonghen in the Spurs defense and was the 300th club goal of Eto'o's distinguished career.

It also made the Cameroon international the highest scoring frontman in Jose Mourinho's squad this season, and he insists his experience can be crucial in its quest for the Premier League title.

"I am happy here," he is quoted as saying in The Evening Standard. "My age is not important. I work the same as Oscar or Eden Hazard. I have more experience and this is good for the team.

"It is an amazing thing (to score 300 club goals), but I have maybe two or three years more (in my career). I think I am going to score more goals."

Eto'o signed a one-year contract at Chelsea in August having left Anzhi Makhachkala, and has been linked with a move to the United States and former club Real Mallorca if he departs England.