Manchester United chasing Igiebor?

Super Eagles and Real Betis midfielder Nosa Igiebor has reportedly emerged a surprise target for Manchester United boss David Moyes. Moyes has made strengthening his midfield options this summer a priority and Nigerian Igiebor is on his radar. English newspaper, The Daily Mail says he plays as a holding player but can also play box to box and impressed Manchester United manager Moyes in pre-season when they played a behind-closed door friendly at Carrington while on tour in England.

Igiebor was a standout performer for Betis on that tour, and capped the outings with a goal in the final game against Fulham. Moyes will step up interest in Igiebor now that he has returned after 2 months sidelined with a groin injury.

Sunshine Stars FC in ghastly accident

The Sunshine Stars ill-fated bus

Players of Sunshine Stars of Akure were involved in an auto accident on Friday. The accident happened on the Benin-Ore expressway while they were on their way to Akure from the team’s camp in Ijebu-Ode. A source, who did not want his name mentioned, said the team’s bus was plying a part of the Benin-Ore expressway due to ongoing repair when an SUV ran into their bus.

He added that five players, who were injured, have been taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. “The team has been camping in Ijebu-Ode for days now and were on their way to Akure when they were involved in an accident at the Benin-Ore expressway. The road is under repair and all vehicles were making use of one part of the road, and suddenly a jeep ran into our bus which led to the accident. Right now five players are in teh hospital undergoing treatment”, the source said.

De Gea flirting with Maradona's fiancée

Maradona's fiancée

Diego Maradona reportedly flew off the handle when he thought his fiancée had been flirting with Manchester United’s David De Gea. The Spanish goalkeeper met the legend this week when David Moyes took his beleaguered Reds on a warm-weather break to Dubai.

And Maradona is said to have ‘exploded with jealousy’ when he became suspicious that bride-to-be Rocia Oliva was getting a little too close to De Gea. Argentine television claimed Oliva tried to swap social network details with the 23 year old. Talking on a show called Intrusos, presenter Jorge Rial said: “It’s a real mess. Diego exploded with jealousy”. Maradona only proposed to Oliva, 23, last week at a ‘massive party’ in Rome.

Aguero to return to full training next week

Blues supporters are hoping Aguero comes back as soon as possible

Manchester City's Sergio Aguero has revealed he will return to full training next week, meaning he is ulikely to feature against Stoke on Saturday.

Blues supporters were hoping the Argentinian ace could make it back for the Barcelona clash, but it now seems the Capital One Cup final against Sunderland a week on Sunday is a more likely target.

He tweeted: "Feeling very good about my last week of recovery work. If I keep it up next week I'll train with the team!"

Premier League Preview: Crystal Palace vs. Manchester United

David Moyes is hoping Manchester United can start to apply pressure on the teams above them in the race for the top four when the Reds travel to Crystal Palace.

United are now outsiders for a Champions League spot, 11 points behind fourth-placed Liverpool with 12 games remaining.

The situation means United are reliant on teams above them slipping up.

Moyes said on the race for fourth: "We have to try, don’t we? We have to try to get as close as we can and see if we can put some pressure on the teams above us."

United used their week off to travel to Dubai and Moyes is hoping the trip will make a difference to their fortunes: "It was great that we had some time together with the players - the first time I've really had the chance to have a few days with the lads.

"We trained, we had some relaxation time as well, so it was good. You hope you get some benefit from it. I'm sure it will benefit the players, having the chance to relax... We'd have rather been in the FA Cup, let me tell you that more than anything, but we weren’t so the next thing  we have to do is get them ready for the 12 remaining games."

Moyes knows Crystal Palace under Tony Pulis will be a tough prospect and added: "Tony always has his sides well organised and well drilled. The players are made well aware of how he wants them to play and what’s expected from them. He's had great success throughout his career. He’s been a really successful manager in the Premier League. The start he's got off to at Palace... if he keeps Crystal Palace up there won't be anybody in this room or any other journalists who’d have asked questions who’d have thought they'd stay up. He's doing a great job with them."

The respect between the managers is mutual, with Pulis backing Moyes despite the Scot's testing start at United.

"David has had a tough start but they have some fantastic players," said Pulis.

"I've watched their last three games on tape, and they could have won them all comfortably. They just haven't had the breaks, that momentum to take them forward.

"Last year under Sir Alex they didn't play as well as the year before, but they got the breaks

"This year they've not been able to pick up any momentum. But they have wonderful players and are a wonderful football club and we will be proud to host them.

"When I was manager at Gillingham Moyesy was at Preston and we locked horns there. He'll know what we're about and he'll pick a team to win the game.

"David will turn it the way he wants it. He will be given the time to turn the club around like Sir Alex did when he first got the job. It's a proper football club.

"Irrespective of what the media say, he will be afforded time. They've been in this position before. But David is a top manager and a top bloke. If they stick with him, and I'm sure they will, he will be successful.

"I just hope their luck doesn't change on Saturday."

Jerome Thomas is Crystal Palace's only injury concern ahead of the visit of Manchester United.

The winger has suffered a back strain and his fitness will be assessed by manager Tony Pulis ahead of kick-off.

Striker Glenn Murray returned as a substitute against West Brom a fortnight ago after 10 months out with cruciate ligament damage and should be involved again.

Crystal Palace: Speroni, Hennessey, Gabbidon, Moxey, Mariappa, Delaney, Dann, McCarthy, Ward, Parr, Murray, Thomas, Jedinak, Dikgacoi, Ledley, O'Keefe, Bannan, Williams, Bolasie, Ince, Puncheon, Gayle, Jerome, Chamakh, Wilbraham.

Manchester United: De Gea, Lindegaard, Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Smalling, Evra, Buttner, Valencia, Mata, Carrick, Fletcher, Cleverley, Giggs, Young, Januzaj, Rooney, Van Persie, Hernandez, Welbeck.

Crystal Palace league form: LWWLW

United league form: LWLDD

Prediction: Crystal Palace 0-2 Manchester United

Don't agree? Leave your predictions in the comments section.

Manchester United's style of play is 'difficult' for Van Persie, claims Van Gaal

Robin van Persie is finding the style of football being played at Manchester United under David Moyes "difficult", Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal has claimed.

Van Persie has clashed with Moyes over the Scot's training practices this season, and the Dutch FA have contacted United about the striker's continued injury problems ahead of the World Cup.

Van Gaal believes the former Arsenal striker will be prepared for the World Cup because the national team's game is less simple than United's and is more suited to his abilities.

"I think he should be great in the tournament because he loves to play [for his country]," Van Gaal told reporters. "He has shown that in all the qualification matches more than ever, because he’s our top scorer, and I hope he can continue this.

"The football from Manchester United now is, for him, maybe difficult but then he wishes to show his ability. Technique [levels] in the Dutch team are higher.

"The Dutch team might benefit, you never know."

Robben denies spitting at Sagna

Bayern Munich star Arjen Robben has denied spitting at Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna during Wednesday night's Champions League round-of-16 tie at the Emirates. A video ciculated on social media of the Dutchman appeared to spit at Sagna while he was on the ground during Bayern's 2-0 triumph.

However, Robben, who led to Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny's sending-off during the game, has insisted that he did no such thing.

"I will never spit on a player in my life", Robben told Bild. "It was sweat that dripped from my head. If I would have spat I would not have come home."

Did Arjen Robben spit on Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna?

Arjen Robben may well be forced to be explain his behaviour after suggestions the Bayern Munich winger may have spat on Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna.

The former Chelsea flyer was learning over Sagna as the defender nursed an injury during Arsenal’s Champions League last 16 clash with Bayern Munich.

But just as he began to pull away, a drop of what initially appears to be spit falls from Robben and onto the back of Sagna – who has no idea of what’s going on.

The incident was captured from behind, so it’s difficult to see whether it was actually spit – or a big drop of sweat which fell on the Gunners full-back.

It’s not the first time spitting allegations have been made in matches between this two clubs, with Cesc Fabregas alleged to have spat on Michael Ballack during a clash years ago.

The evidence, just like this, appeared inconclusive, but you can make your own mind up…

Ozil apologises for poor display

"You've been a bad boy", Wenger tells Özil

Mesut Özil has issued an apology for Arsenal and his performance in the 2-0 home defeat to Bayern Munich on Wednesday night. The German playmaker missed a penalty he had won in the early stages before being used as an auxiliary defender on the left wing once Wojciech Szczesny had been red-carded. Writing on his Facebook page, Ozil said: "The next morning doesn't feel better either. Sorry guys - it wasn't planned that way. Outnumbered it was really hard to win against this team."

Arsenal began brightly at the Emirates stadium, drawing Manuel Neuer into a couple of important saves - including his parry from a tame Özil penalty. From there, Pep Guardiola's side grew into the match and dominated once they had the man advantage.

Chelsea may sell Schurrle

Schurrle may leave Chelsea in the summer

Chelsea could be ready to sell German winger Andre Schurrle after just one season with the club. The 23 year old only arrived at Stamford Bridge from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, but has not made a significant impact on the club's first team since joining. Despite being one of the Bundesliga's most dangerous attacking players last season, Schurrle has managed just three goals in all competitions for Chelsea, and has struggled to make regular appearances for the team.

With Jose Mourinho preferring the likes of Eden Hazard, Oscar and Willian, and signing Mohamed Salah from Basel in January, Schurrle's future at the club is now in some doubt. "He's struggled to make the impact we'd hoped, it's true", a club insider said. "Mourinho's not one to shy away from getting rid of players quickly, and given that he's not included him in the team that much, it wouldn't surprise me if he was sold."

Dike's Surgery Successful

Nigeria striker, Bright Dike, has expressed appreciation for the "many kind words" he has received after undergoing surgery on his injured Achilles. The 27 year-old wrote on Twitter that the "surgery went well".

Already, reports suggest that the former Portland Timbers man has been ruled out of the Major League Soccer (MLS) for the rest of the season as well as the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil billed to kick off in June. But Nigeria manager, Stephen Keshi, has refused to rule out the burly striker until he gets "the real facts of the matter".

"This is very sad. I can't believe this is happening to a player with such enthusiasm to play for Nigeria at the highest level, we will surely miss him, if it's true he would not be ready on time for the World Cup. I can't think of any replacement for now until we get to the real facts of the matter", Keshi, who is at present part of Nigeria's delegation to the FIFA seminar in Florianopolis, Brazil, said.

Last year, Dike missed the FIFA Confederations Cup following a tear in his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). He will now miss the international friendly match against Mexico on March 5.

Eden Hazard: I want to join Real Madrid

Eden Hazard has admitted he would love to play for Real Madrid

Chelsea attacker Eden Hazard has hinted that he wants to join Real Madrid in future. The 23 year old Belgian international has been one of the stars of the Premier League this season, netting 14 times in 35 games for Jose Mourinho's side.

His form has reportedly attracted interest from across Europe and the former Lille winger has now added fuel to the fire by admitting a fondness for Los Blancos. "Who wouldn't be interested in Real Madrid?" he told BeIN Sports.

10 funny and strange football stories

Players invoke card frenzy
Jose Manuel Barro Escandon went a little bit card crazy in a match involving first division teams Recreativo Linense and Saladillo de Algeciras. The match descended into a massive brawl which forced the referee to abandon the game before going into each dressing room and showing nine red cards per team.

A dose of his own medicine
During the 1930 World Cup semifinal between Argentina and the United States, the American trainer sprinted onto the pitch to argue with the referee. In the process he threw his medical bag to the ground, opened a bottle of chloroform and then collapsed to the ground as he’d knocked himself out.

Legendary United fan
Norman Windram, a lifelong Manchester United fan, claimed in 2002 to have been at every Manchester United match at Old Trafford since 1926. He said he watched his first game aged four-years-old and attended over 1,800 home matches in a row making him one of the loyalist supporters the club has ever had.

No jokes allowed
The Chile Under-20 squad were fined in 2002 for laughing. The country’s FA decided to punish the players as someone told a joke which caused the whole squad to fall about laughing. The coach complained as he struggled to regain authority and control after the joke had been told.

Chicken wings for losers
Grimsby Town manager Brian Laws is alleged to have thrown a plate of chicken wings at Ivano Bonetti in 1996 after the team had lost a match. The gaffer was apparently unhappy with Bonetti’s lack of effort throughout the game and hurled the chicken at the player through his frustration.

Blatter knows what’s up
Sepp Blatter, the head of FIFA, didn’t exactly cover himself in glory when he was answering questions about the women’s game in 2004. He suggested a way to make the women’s game more popular would be to bring in more feminine clothing such as much tighter shorts.

Fancy dressed footballer
Newcastle United midfielder Clarence Acuna was pulled over by police after attending the club’s Christmas party in 1999. However, it was a caution with a difference because the Chilean was dressed as Captain Hook as the police asked him various questions related to his driving skills.

“Honey! I’m busy!”
A trainer was sent off in 2005 when he answered his mobile phone in the middle of the pitch. Dave Nicholls was treating a player on the pitch when his phone started to ring in his pocket. Without thinking he naturally answered and an angry referee sent the trainer off which meant he was restricted from the dug out for the rest of the game.

Balotelli can be trusted with kids
Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli stormed into the office of a headmaster in 2011. A young fan asked Balotelli for an autograph at training which prompted the Italian to ask why he wasn’t at school. The fan explained he was being bullied which prompted Balotelli to go to the school with the boy and his mother and demand to see the headmaster to sort the incident out.

Mind your head
Ronnie Simpson of Celtic was hit on the head by a brick as he warmed up for a match against Racing Club of Argentina in 1967. As he went about his pre-match routine, a fan threw the brick in his direction. He was subsequently injured and couldn’t continue which meant he was replaced by reserve player John Fallon.

Emenike loses sister-in-law

SUPER Eagles striker, Emmanuel Emenike was in rude shock hours to Fenerbahce’s Super Lig home game against Kasimpasa after the news broke that his sister-in-law had died during the delivery of baby twins. We gathered from the Yellow Canaries that the Nigerian who was due to start his first game after recovering from a thigh tear, was confined to the bench after he showed depression following the sad news. The late Mary Collins, 22-years-old was wife to Emenike’s brother, Felix.

Throwback Thursday: "Austin Jay-Jay" Okocha

Augustine Azuka "Jay-Jay" Okocha, a Nigerian former midfield player, was born in Enugu on the 14th of August 1973, although his parents were from Ogwashi-Ukwu in Delta state. 

Austin Jay-Jay Okocha at 3 years old

The name "Jay-Jay" was actually passed down from his older brother James, who started playing football first. Okocha began playing football on the street just like many other football stars in Nigeria, usually with a makeshift ball. In an interview with BBC Sport he said, "as far as I can remember, we used to play with anything, with any round thing we could find, and whenever we managed to get hold of a ball, that was a bonus! I mean it was amazing!"

In 1990, he started his career with Enugu Rangers. In his time at the club he produced many spectacular displays including one where he rounded off and scored a goal, against experienced Nigerian goalkeeper William Okpara in a match against BCC Lions. Later he travelled to Germany to meet a friend, where he was asked to train with his team after impressing in training, and landed a deal with German Third Division side Borussia Neunkirchen.

In 1992, Okocha joined Eintracht Frankfurt where he linked up with many well-known players including Ghanaian international striker Tony Yeboah. He continued to shine for the German side, one particular highlight being a goal he scored against FC Karlsruhe, dribbling in the penalty box and slotting the ball past Oliver Kahn and even going past some players twice. Watch the video of the amazing goal below:

Okocha joined Turkish club Fenerbahçe following Eintracht Frankfurt's relegation to Bundesliga 2. In his two seasons with the team he score thirty goals in sixty appearances(an incredible rate for a midfield player), many of them coming from direct free kicks which had become something of a trademark for him at the club. He defeated Manchester United 1–0 at Old Trafford in the 1996–97 UEFA Champions League group stage. While at Fenerbahçe, he also became a Turkish citizen as "Muhammet Yavuz."

In 1998, French side PSG splashed around $24 million on Okocha, making him the most expensive African player at the time. During his four-year stint with PSG, he played 84 matches and scored 12 goals while playing alongside 2-time Brazilian Ballon D'or winner Ronaldinho.

Okocha while playing for PSG

Okocha joined Bolton Wanderers on a free transfer after leaving PSG in the summer of 2002 after the FIFA World Cup. His debut season, despite being hampered by injury, made him a favourite with the Bolton fans, with the team printing shirts with the inscription "Jay-Jay – so good they named him twice". He steered the team away from relegation with seven goals, including the team Goal of the Season in the vital league win against West Ham. This was voted Bolton's best Premier League goal in a fans vote in 2008. The next season saw Okocha receive more responsibility as he was given the captain's armband following Guðni Bergsson's retirement. As captain he led Bolton to their first cup final in nine years where they finished runners-up in the 2004 Football League Cup.
Following Bolton's relegation from the Premier League in 2012, however, Okocha stated that his time at the club was a waste of time, saying the club had not improved since his time there.

After just one season in Qatar, Football League Championship side Hull City signed Okocha on a free transfer in 2007, after he had been linked to Real Salt Lake and Sydney FC. It was a move he made saying that "God had told him to do so". He however was not able to contribute greatly to Hull's promotion campaign due to fitness and constant injury problems, playing only 18 games and scoring no goals. Hull still succeeded in grabbing promotion to the Premier League, for the first time in their 104-year history. At the end of the season, after changing his mind on a proposed retirement due to Hull's promotion, he was released by the club, which sent him into retirement.

Personal life

Okocha and his wife Nkechi

Okocha met his wife Nkechi in 1994 and they have two children Daniella and A-Jay. His older brother Emmanuel was also a former international for the Nigerian team. Okocha is a cousin of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's current Minister of Finance and former Foreign Affairs Minister and World Bank Managing Director. Okocha is also a member of the Anioma, a subgroup of Igboethnic group. His nephew Kamocha plays for Guna F.C. whilst another nephew Alex Iwobi is at Arsenal.

Jay Jay is arguably the best footballer ever from Nigeria and has been described as one of the most underrated players ever in the history of world football.

Okocha was a past winner of the BBC African footballer of the year but was never given the CAF African Footballer of the year award despite his popularity and contributions to the game in Africa and Europe.

Barcelona charged with tax fraud over Neymar signing

Barcelona have been charged following the signing of Neymar

Barcelona have been charged by a Spanish court with committing tax fraud in the signing of the Brazil forward Neymar last year, a court spokesman said on Thursday.

"Judge Pablo Ruz has charged FC Barcelona with an infringement against the tax authority relating to the purchase of the Brazilian player," the spokesman said. Barça denied wrongdoing after local media reported on Wednesday that Spain's public prosecutor had asked Judge Ruz to lay fraud charges against the club.

"The club's actions have, at all times, regarding that operation [to sign Neymar] and in line with the available information, been fully compliant with existing law," Barça said in a statement. The Spanish champions added they would be sending legal representatives to court "in the coming days" to defend their rights and interests. "At the same time [Barça] states its complete availability to collaborate with the justice authorities in this process, as it has been doing from the first moment, or in any other that might require its intervention."

Neymar's high-profile move from Santos in the close season is also being investigated for possible misappropriation of funds following a complaint from a Barça member.

Sandro Rosell, who was named in the lawsuit but denies wrongdoing, stepped down as president last month. He said he wanted to protect the club's image and alleged he and his family had been threatened. Rosell was replaced by his deputy Josep Bartomeu who said Neymar cost Barca €86.2m, including payments to the player and his family, and not €57.1m as they originally said.

Barça initially refused to reveal all the details of the deal, citing a confidentiality agreement with Neymar's family, but Bartomeu announced that Neymar's father had given them permission to go public.

Neymar, meanwhile, has attacked his former club over the transfer and spoken out in support of his father, insisting he had the right to make millions from his transfer. A company owned by Neymar Jr received €40m when the Brazilian moved from Santos, whose share was only €17.1m, prompting the club's fans and officials to question the deal.

Santos asked a court to let them see the Neymar family's contract with Barcelona with a view to seeking a bigger cut of the transfer fee. The club lost their case and are now threatening to ask a Spanish judge to order Neymar and Barcelona to hand over the contract.

The 22-year-old Neymar, in a short and angry attack on his official Instagram page, protested his father's innocence and hit out at Santos's current and former presidents. "I am sick and tired of this … I've had enough of all this talk," Neymar Jr wrote. "I am a fan of my dad for having put me where I am, and if he makes millions from that, what's the big deal? He worked for it, it didn't just fall in his lap."

He added: "Enough is enough. Sorry, Santos fans, but my love for the club won't change because of 'one or two people'."

Santos president Odilio Rodrigues had criticised Neymar Sr earlier this week, calling the deal he did with Barcelona "unacceptable". "There was as an ethical error," he said, in reference to Neymar Sr's companies. Neymar's father, in a statement on his son's website on Thursday, said he held no grudge against Santos – the club Neymar supported as a child – but he questioned their conduct.

"We could start deliberately blaming everyone else," he wrote. "We hear lots of things and we don't really know what's going on. It seems to me to be opportunism or maybe internal [club] politics.

Jonathan Gives Out N50m To Supporters Club

‪In a bid to ensure success for the Super Eagles at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday donated N50m to the country’s football supporters club, with a promise to be in Brazil personally to cheer the Super Eagles.‬‬

‪‪In addition, he promised to assist in mobilising the private sector to support the supporters club in order to ensure that a good numbers of Nigerians attend the world cup in Brazil.‬‬

The president who made the donation when he was decorated as the grand patron of the supporters club said the donation was from the federal government to assist the supporters club.

‪
‪‪He said, “As the grand patron of the supporters club, my administration will not relent in giving the support required to our sports men and women to excel in all international football competitions, this by extension includes the Nigerian football supporters club. ‬‬
‪‪

“This year 2014 is a very significant year for sports as we prepare for the world cup in Brazil and the Commonwealth Game immediately after, I urge the Nigerian football supporters club not to relent in it’s very important role in cheering our athletes and sports men to victory. Indeed, every Nigerian should be a member of this supporters club.‬‬
‪‪

“The federal government and indeed all Nigerians appreciate and we need to encourage you to go to Brazil. The federal Government is going to give you a token but I will personally consult with the senior boys to add something to that. The federal government is going to start it with the sum of N50 million. But I am hopeful that by the time I will talk to some of our senior boys, I think the money may even double”‬‬.
‪‪

Earlier, the President General Worldwide of the Nigerian Football Supporters Club, Dr Rafiu Oladipo said the club’s decision to honour the president was informed by “the numerous achievements of our national team would not have been possible but for Jonathan’s support.”

Oladipo said, “Your luck gave us the U-17 World Cup, first time we took part in CHANN and took the golden bronze. But for you fatherly support we would have not have qualified for the world cup. You have supported us in the past to support our teams.‬‬

‪‪”We want to go with 1,000 Nigerians to brazil, 500 from Nigeria and some 500 from other Nigerians in other parts of the world. We have offices in all the places. We will be at least the semi-final at the world cup.”

Seedorf calls for Milan belief

Seedorf looks at the scoreline and has a hard time believing it

Clarence Seedorf has called on AC Milan to believe, despite a 1-0 first-leg defeat to Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League last 16.

After a shaky start, Milan grew in confidence and began to dominate the San Siro clash, and it should have been ahead at the break after creating a number of excellent first-half chances.

However, those opportunities were wasted and after a handful more in the second half, the Italian side was punished by a late Diego Costa header that gives Atletico a slender advantage to take into the second leg.

Despite the defeat, Seedorf was happy with his side's display and felt that there were plenty of positives to take out of the game.

"I think everyone saw what the lads did on the field. I am proud of what they did," he told Sky Sport Italia.

"In the last 20 minutes we lost our intensity and Atletico started to get closer, even without creating that many chances.

"We were a little unlucky with the goal, but I saw some very good responses in the first half.

"The Vicente Calderon is a fiery atmosphere, but that stadium knows me too. I had some good times there (as a Real Madrid player)!

"I say the players and fans have every right to be optimistic and to believe."

Atletico Madrid claim narrow win over AC Milan at the San Siro

Diego Costa scores late in the game to give Atletico Madrid the advantage

An away goal from Diego Costa earned Atletico Madrid a 1-0 win over AC Milan in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 encounter.

The hosts created the better of the early chances at the San Siro, but were unable to find a way past an inspired Thibaut Courtois.

The Belgian goalkeeper, on loan at Atletico from Chelsea, produced two stunning first half stops - tipping a stinging drive from Kaka onto the crossbar before going on to push an Andrea Poli header onto the base of the post.

Kaka also grazed the top of the net after combining with Mario Balotelli, while the latter fizzed a curling effort inches past the post as Milan knocked on the door without being able to swing it open.

That remained the case in the second period, with Kaka drilling across the face of goal and Michael Essien planting a free header wide of the upright.

Milan were left to rue their inability to turn pressure into goals seven minutes from time when an Atletico corner was touched on at the near post and Costa back-pedalled to nod powerfully past Christian Abbiati.

Bayern Munich grabs control over Arsenal in Champions League matchup

Bayern Munich's Mario Götze and Arsenal's Santiago Cazorla battle for the ball

Bayern Munich took a big step forward in its Champions League defense, emerging from an eventful, pulsating night at the Emirates with a 2-0 win over an Arsenal team now on the fade in two major competitions.

A Bayern Munich team that, being so far ahead in the Bundesliga race, is destined to be judged by its ongoing Champions League defense, had to work hard to claim the margin in this Round-of-16 matchup of European heavies, one that now goes back to Bavaria for a final verdict.

Thomas Muller’s late goal on a skillful diving header doubled the lead provided by Toni Kroos earlier in the second half, as Arsenal needed just a few more minutes of defending to escape with something better (a 1-0 loss, that is) against all the offensive might of Bayern’s high-scoring side.

Two penalty kick failures (one by each team) and a red card, all before the break, went a long way to deciding this one, as Arsenal was forced to play a man down against the defending UEFA champs for more than 50 minutes.

A slightly controversial decision from the man in the middle will be the topic around North London as Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli ejected Gunners goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny after 38 minutes. Szczesny had brought down Bayern’s Arjen Robben near goal after the Bayern winger was put through on Kroos’ clever, chipped ball.

It was Kroos who finally broke through, putting the visitors in command with a sumptuous, well-placed right-footed shot in the 54th minute. The sequence started with more good work from the right side, which Bayern worded relentlessly, feeding the tireless  Robben and Philipp Lahm time against along that flank.

The game was alive from the start with both goalkeepers forced into quality saves within five minutes. The best was from Gunners ‘keeper Szczesny, whose flying, fingertip save on Kroos’ well-aimed effort from 20 yards was surely among the best stops of all the Round-of-16 matches.

The real talkers of the early minutes were still to come as Mezut Ozil went through in the 8th minute (although he was possibly offside). When Bayern center back Jerome Boateng failed to deal well enough with the German attacker’s quick cut-back inside Bayern’s 18, Rizzoli pointed to the penalty spot.

Big Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer stood his ground on Ozil’s tentative run-up and the Arsenal man saw his shot straight down the middle turned away by a fellow German international. Ozil, by the way, is the only player now to have missed two Champions League penalty kicks this year.

Rizzoli’s choice to eject Szczesny could have turned out worse yet for Arsenal but for David Alaba’s penalty shot for Bayern, which he aimed low and left, only to see it ping off the outside of Arsenal’s post.

Most of the second half was damage control for the home side; Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger set his side into a 4-4-1, with Ozil and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain wide – the hard-running “Ox” managed to be a bother here and there to Bayern’s back line, although he  didn’t dance through the German defense the way Robben did on the other side – in behind striker Yaya Sanogo.

Wenger had rattled the Champions League world with his lineup choice at striker, gambling with the French youngster Sanogo over far more experienced (and yet personally troubled, recently) Olivier Giroud.

Giroud has been Wenger’s preferred striker choice all year; Sanogo had just one previous start for the Gunners.

It was actually a double gamble, of sorts. If Wenger was unhappy with Giroud, who has been OK, although hardly overwhelming during Arsenal’s fine seasons, the manager could have opted for German international Lukas Podolski, who has over 100 caps for his country.

Champions League: Manuel Pellegrini feels officials cost Man City against Barcelona

Pellegrini slams referee

Manuel Pellegrini believes referee Jonas Eriksson 'decided the game' as Manchester City lost 2-0 to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League.

City headed into the first leg of their last-16 encounter full of optimism, but now have a mountain to climb in Catalunya if they are to prolong their European adventure.

The Premier League title hopefuls matched Barca for long periods at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, creating the better opportunities despite seeing the visitors dominate possession.

The tie was taken away from them, though, early in the second half as Lionel Messi sprung clear and was tripped by the backtracking Martin Demichelis.

Eriksson pointed to the spot and Messi duly converted, but Pellegrini believes Jesus Navas was felled in the build-up to the move which led to the awarding of a penalty and that Demichelis' challenge - which led to him being shown a straight red card - initially took place outside the box.

The City boss, who saw Dani Alves add a second for Barca in the closing stages, told Sky Sports: "Of course I have a complaint, not only for the penalty and the red card.

"I think in the whole match we didn't have a referee with impartiality to both teams.

"He decided the game. He decided the game because it was a foul by (Sergio) Busquets on Navas. The referee was three metres away and he didn't blow the whistle and after that the foul from Demichelis is outside the box, it's not a penalty.

"Important mistakes against a great team like Barcelona make it difficult to win."

Pellegrini says Eriksson should never have been handed the game by UEFA, with the Swedish official having history with Barcelona after turning a deaf ear to their penalty shouts during a last-16 encounter with AC Milan 12 months ago.

He added: "I think it is a mistake to nominate a referee that has had problems with Barcelona.

"Maybe he made mistakes in Milan. To have the same referee here, I repeat, is a mistake."

City will now have to net at least twice at the Nou Camp in three weeks' time, but Pellegrini is refusing to throw in the towel on the Blues' continental campaign.

He said: "We are going to try, of course we will try.

"We are going to play at Camp Nou and we did it against Bayern Munich also after losing at home (in the group stage).

"But of course the second goal came at a difficult moment because the match was ending, it was finished. We will see what we can do."

Chicken causes chaos at Israeli Premier League match - video

The chicken giving the security man a lesson in breakdancing

Trying to catch a lightening-fast chicken on a slippery wet surface is never going to end well – and nor did it when a lively rooster was released onto the pitch during an Israeli Premier League match this weekend.

The derby between Hapoel Tel Aviv and local rivals Bnei Yehuda was held up in the 18th minute as the uninvited intruder emerged onto the playing field.

What followed was pure comedy gold as a group of burly security men were continually out-witted by their little feathered friend.

The crowd certainly seemed to enjoy themselves as the chicken left two of his would be captors on their backsides before deciding enough was enough and clucking off into the stands.

Watch the video below.

Italian soccer rocked by new match-fixing scandal after team scores eight own goals

The Italian football federation will look into the bizarre 14-3 defeat of Bagheria by rivals Borgata Terrenove.Italian football has been hit by another match-fixing scandal after a team scored eight OWN goals in the last 10 minutes of a regional cup match.

Now the Italian football federation is probing the bizarre 14-3 defeat of the Bagheria side in the Coppa Sicilia match against rivals Borgata Terrenove.

It was the final game in a three-team competition, also including Partinicaudace, in the Prima Categoria, the eighth tier of the league.

Bagheria needed a point to qualify but were 4-3 behind with 10 minutes to play in Wednesday's game when Borgata hit two goals in quick succession.

But Borgata players watched in bewilderment as three players from their opponents scored one own goal after the other, beating themselves 14-3. The result meant Terrenove qualified on goal difference ahead of Partinicaudace.

Borgata coach Ignazio Chianetta said: "It had been a real contest up to a certain point then Bagheria staged a farce.

"Their captain told me they preferred us to qualify rather than Partinicaudace."

Partinicaudace coach Giovanni Cammarata said: "I can guarantee there was no agreement between us and Bagheria.

"I can't try to understand a motive for these eight own goals. It has nothing to do with football and I hope the FIGC investigates."

Sandro Morgana, the FIGC's regional president, said: "I will personally inform our prosecutors about this and they will look into the case and establish which sanctions should apply."

Arsenal's superheroes out to get Bayern Munich

Lukas Podolski, Mesut Ozil and Bacary Sagna are ready for Bayern

Mesut Ozil has issued a warning to Bayern Munich – Arsenal’s superheroes are coming to get you!

The German international knows the Gunners have it all to do against Europe’s finest club side in the Champions League last-16 first leg at the Emirates tomorrow night.

However, Ozil is clearly in positive mood and posted a quirky rallying call to his Gunners team-mates on his Facebook page last night.

Alongside an image of himself, Lukas Podolski and Bacary Sagna dressed up for the Arsenal Christmas party, he wrote: ‘On Wednesday evening we’re competing against the official best team in the world. The good news: Hulk, Superman and Rambo are on our side. #ucl #coyg’. We're gonna be honest and say that Podolski looks completely laughable in his impersonation of the Hulk, while Sagna just looks like a Niger-Delta militant.

Whether even that trio of superheroes have the firepower to overcome Pep Guardiola’s unstoppable Munich machine remains to be seen, although we seriously doubt it.

LeBron James: At this point, I can't imagine leaving Miami

LeBron James at the All-Star game on Sunday

LeBron James cannot currently envision a scenario where he leaves the Miami Heat this summer, though he still plans to assess his needs and his future at the end of the season.

James made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBA TV. The Heat star can choose to become a free agent after this season by exercising an option in the contract he signed when he arrived in Miami during the summer of 2010.

Asked by interviewer Steve Smith if he can picture himself being anywhere else, James did not seem to hesitate before answering.

''At this point, I can't,'' James said. ''At this point, I can't. We don't know what can happen from now to July, so what I've been able to do this whole season to this point is just worry about what's at hand and that's winning another championship. And hopefully at the end of this year I can put myself in a position where I can hold that Larry O'Brien Trophy up once again and then I will assess what I have to do with my future after that.''

James discussed several topics in the interview, including what his current sources of motivation are, ways he thinks his game can still improve, how he handles expectations, the struggles of his first season in Miami and his background growing up in Akron, Ohio.

Some of his most telling comments revolved around the fallout that came after the Heat lost to Dallas in the 2011 NBA Finals. James has often told the story about how he spent the next two weeks in near isolation, completely overcome by the disappointment of losing the title series.

In the interview, James also revealed how he started to get past that loss, saying that Heat guard Dwyane Wade - with whom he clashed at times over roles on the team in that first season - urged him to join him in the Bahamas for a getaway.

''We had some great conversations there,'' James said. ''D-Wade was like, 'Man, in order for us to be great you have to be the guy.'''

James said he was slightly taken aback by that.

''We're talking about Wade County here,'' James said, referring to what Miami-Dade County starting calling itself in Wade's honor. ''We're talking about the man who won a championship here, who's been a six-time All-Star, you want me to take the keys? And he said, 'Absolutely.'''

With that, James said he left the villain role he played with that season in the Bahamas, came home and went into the gym to get started on the next season. The Heat have won two NBA titles since.

''I don't play for what people expect for me to do anymore,'' James said. ''I want to be the greatest of all time and that's just my mindset.''

Dog defecates on the pitch during Argentine league match

On Saturday, someone threw tear gas on the pitch during the Villarreal-Celta Vigo match in Spain. On Sunday, a stink bomb was dropped during Rosario Central-River Plate match in Argentina. By a canine pitch invader.

The Argentine Primera Division match had to be stopped while the dog did his business in the penalty area. Once he was finished, a match official escorted him away so the game could continue.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw as all the players were surely too concerned with where they were stepping to focus on winning.

NBA: Lakers, Nets talk trade involving Jordan Hill

The Los Angeles Lakers have had discussions on a deal to send forward Jordan Hill to the Brooklyn Nets, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

The Nets have a $5.25 million disabled player exception that they can use in a trade or free-agent transaction until March 10, and could use a portion to absorb the remaining $3.5 million on Hill's expiring contract.

Nevertheless, the luxury tax penalty on absorbing Hill's contract would be extraordinary for Brooklyn: Nearly $17 million. Hill could give the Nets a capable power forward and center replacement for a run at the postseason, but ultimately ownership would have to be willing to sign off on expanding its record $190 million-plus combined payroll and luxury tax.

Hill, 26, has never been a favorite of Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni and struggled to find minutes in his system. It is doubtful that Hill would re-sign with the Lakers as a free-agent this summer with D'Antoni still the coach, sources told Yahoo Sports.

Hill has averaged 8.5 points and seven rebounds in 19 minutes for the Lakers.

Guarin set for new Inter deal

Looks like Guarin will be staying with Inter this summer

One-time Chelsea target Fredy Guarin could be about to sign a new deal with Inter Milan. The Colombia international was linked with interest from Chelsea in January but Inter’s £20million price tag put them off.

Guarin was then linked with interest from Juventus in a deal that would have seen striker Mirko Vucinic plus a sum of money head to Inter with Guarin heading the other way. That deal was pulled after Inter fans objected while interest from Tottenham during last summer failed to rears its head in January.

Guarin is back at Inter and the word from Italy is that he will sign a new deal with the Serie A side that will keep him at the San Siro until 2017. The deal is expected to be signed in late-February or early-March and will see Guarin pick up around 3million euro after tax – that’s the equivalent of £50,000 a week NETT or almost £100,000 a week gross. A bonus structure could add as much as 200-300,000 euro a year on top of that.

Spanish competition for Chelsea, Arsenal target Mandzukic

Chelsea and Arsenal have both been linked with Bayern Munich striker Mario Mandzukic over the past couple of days. The Croatia international is under contract to the Bundesliga champions until 2015 but is expected to quit the club when Poland international Robert Lewandowski arrives on a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund on 1 July.

However, the Premier League duo aren’t the only sides interested in the 27-year-old who has scored 36 goals in 68 games for Bayern since arriving from Wolfsburg in 2012 in a deal worth 13million euro (over £10million).

Serie A side Juventus are keen to use the 6ft 2in Mandzukic as a target man for another potential new signing, Nani from Manchester United. However, Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla warns that further competition will come from Real Madrid.

Mandzukic’s aerial abilities are attractive to Real coach Carlo Ancelotti and scouts from the La Liga giants are expected to monitor the Bayern frontman between now and the end of the season.

Manchester United target Vidal linked with Real Madrid

Vidal could be on his way out of Juve

Manchester United’s hopes of landing Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal could be scuppered by Real Madrid.

Reports from Spain this morning claim the Chilean is Carlo Ancelotti’s chief transfer target this summer. Real were keen on Vidal last summer as part of a player-exchange deal involving striker Gonzalo Higuain. Vidal himself scuppered the move saying he was happy in Italy. Now, Marca newspaper – which has close ties to the Bernabeu – says Real could be in again.

Vidal has also been linked with Manchester United although there were claims earlier this week that he was set to sign a new deal with Juventus worth £200,000 a week. That’s despite signing an £80,000-a-week contract (AFTER tax) earlier this season.

His views on Real appear to have changed. After ruling out a move last summer he told Spanish radio station Onda Cero after the two sides met in the Champions League at the Bernabeu earlier this season that he would like to play for the club in the future. “We’ll have to see what happens,” he said.

At present a move to Spain looks more likely than a move to Old Trafford.

Manchester City are the Biggest Club in Manchester, Claims Pellegrini

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini claims his side are now the biggest club in Manchester with local rivals Manchester United slipping up in the Premier League this season.

City take on Barcelona in their Champions League round of 16 clash at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night, but asked at the pre-match press conference whether a victory over Barca would see his side eclipse United he said his side has already done that.

“The biggest thing is City now,” said Pellegrini although he added that he could not ignore United’s success in recent years.

“We as a club managed to win many titles and we are fighting for three years and what is important is the club has the patience to build up a team.

“It’s a good test [the match with Barcelona]. It’s important. We can beat Barcelona and maybe in the next round you can have defeat. This club is trying to develop those areas. So far we have a good season and we must finish that way.

“One or our targets is to continue in the Champions League, knowing we play against the most important club in the world.

“When you play against Barca you always must consider important things but the most important thing is to continue being the same team you see every week in Premier League, to continue having the same style of play and the personality.”

RVP set for Arsenal move?

Reports from Italy suggest Manchester United striker Robin van Persie could be on his way out of Old Trafford this summer. However, there are differences in opinion as to where he will end up.

Sky Italia reported on Friday that the Dutchman’s agent has already had talks with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger about a return to the Emirates just two seasons after he left the North London side. United would want as much as possible of the £24million they paid Arsenal for van Persie although the Gunners would baulk at paying such a high fee for a player aged over 30.

Italian newspaper Sussidiario has a different take. It claims Milan will sell Mario Balotelli to Arsenal for 37million euro (£32million) and will buy van Persie for 30million euro (£25million). However, the paper adds that van Persie’s wages, which are estimated a at £180,000 a week are too high for any Italian club to afford.

UEFA Champions League Preview: Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich

                  Pep Guardiola has won 31 of his 35 matches as Bayern Munich manager

Arsenal got their still-promising season back on track by beating Liverpool on Sunday, but they are likely to require a performance among the best of Arsene Wenger's 17-year reign to end the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Bayern Munich still in with a strong chance of progressing.

Following a 5-1 demolition by Liverpool the previous week and a nervy performance against Manchester United, Arsenal's season appeared to be teetering on the edge of sliding to further disappointment. Had Daniel Sturridge been more ruthless in the opening five minutes at the Emirates at the weekend then they might well have tipped over, instead the Gunners settled and produced a composed performance to secure what was a much-needed, if still fortunate win.

Mathieu Flamini's return from suspension was crucial to the victory. The Frenchman's combination of tenacity and ability to inspire and organize those around him is unique in a collection of midfielders far better equipped with the ball at their feet. The onus on Flamini will be even greater on Tuesday with Mikel Arteta suspended and Arsenal facing a side who can control the ball in midfield like no other.

The options at Pep Guardiola's disposal, both tactically and in terms of personnel are the envy of almost every coach in the world. That strength is far from simply being a case of mass stockpiling of players.

Few coaches will have taken the best full-back in the world and converted him into a superb facilitator of Bayern’s passing game at the base of their midfield. In a 4-0 win over Freiburg on Saturday, Lahm was joined by perhaps the embodiment of the multi-functional modern midfielder, Toni Kroos. Javi Martinez, operated in central defense, while his partner in Bayern’s all-conquering midfield en route to the Champions League trophy last season, Bastian Schweinsteiger, continued his return from injury off the bench. Alongside him on the sidelines was the man who recently set a new Bundesliga record for the most touches in a match, Thiago Alcantara.

Arsenal will take some encouragement from the fact that Franck Ribery will be missing with an injury for the first leg at the Emirates, as will his replacement who scored twice against Freiburg, Xherdan Shaqiri. But, while Ribery was in the running for and bemused not to win the recent Ballon d’Or, Bayern, in contrast to their former tag of “FC Hollywood,” are not based on one or two stars. Rather they are a squad blessed with an extraordinary quality across the board.

Against Arsenal, Guardiola could still field an attacking midfield three of Thomas Muller, Mario Gotze and Arjen Robben. He could also go to a 4-1-4-1 system that he has deployed often this season and make the central midfield even beefier.

Despite cantering to the Bundesliga title, the fact that no player is assured of their place coupled with the tactical experimentation of Guardiola (against Freiburg Robben played the second half as a false nine, while bludgeoning veteran striker Claudio Pizarro operated in behind) surely help explains why Bayern have thus far showed few signs of taking their foot off the gas. And with the return of the glitz of the Champions League and a marquee matchup, there is every possibility that the intensity in the Bavarians’ camp will be ratcheted up further this week.

If Arsenal are to have any chance of keeping their opponents in check then they will have to match that intensity from the off. One of Arsenal’s best performances of the season came when they scored two goals in the opening 15 minutes to cap a riveting all-action start to their victory over Napoli in the Champions League group stage.

In recent weeks, that has seemed like a distant memory. Against Southampton last month they could have been far more than just the one goal behind at the break. Of course, they were incredibly 4-0 down against Liverpool inside 20 minutes at Anfield, while they could easily have found themselves in a similar hole against the same opponents this weekend. In between, only former striker Robin van Persie’s poor finish failed to punish another dozy start by the Gunners against Manchester United.

Against Bayern a similar beginning could well lead to the tie being put out of reach, as it effectively was when the two sides met at the same stage of last season’s Champions League and a dominant Bayern raced into a 2-0 lead at the Emirates.

With Flamini in the side and fresh from the assurance of Saturday’s victory, Arsenal should not prove so brittle this time around. And going forward they have the players to cause a Bayern defense that their goals-against column suggests is more commanding than the reality due to how little their opponents see the ball. If Mesut Ozil continues his encouraging performances of the past two games and Arsenal utilize the kind of thrust from midfield that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain provided on Saturday then they should get on the score-sheet.

Yet, the archaic away-goals rule means that at home, not conceding is more important than scoring. And, given Bayern’s wealth of attacking options and the large amount of possession they are likely to enjoy, it is simply hard to envisage them not exposing the vulnerabilities in Arsenal’s defense. The tie may remain alive after the first leg, but only just.

KICK-OFF: Wednesday, 19th February, 2014

PAST MEETINGS:
Arsenal 2 Bayern Munich 0, Champions League, 2013
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 3, Champions League, 2013
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 0, Champions League, 2005
Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 3, Champions League, 2005

ODDS: Arsenal have been resurgent of late with their win over Liverpool at the weekend, but Bayern Munich have been unstoppable in the Bundesliga, as they are yet to lose a single game this season. Arsenal will put up a good fight, but I'm going with Bayern for this one. Leave your predictions in the comments section below.

East defeats West in NBA All-Star Game

Sunday night's NBA All-Star Game broke numerous offensive records as the East defeated the West 163-155. The league's best players put on an outstanding offensive display in the first 3 quarters, before raising up the defense and compiling a competitive fourth quarter.

Cleveland Cavaliers' star Kyrie Irving led the East's charge, finishing with 31 points and 14 assists, helping the East All-stars overcome an 18-point deficit to claim the win. New York Knicks swingman Carmelo Anthony finished with 30 points, setting a All-Star record with eight 3-pointers made on the night, while reigning MVP LeBron James was content to take a back seat, finishing with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists.

The East started well, but the West came back and took control of the game in the second and third quarters thanks to massive scoring by Blake Griffin and an all-around MVP-worthy performance by Kevin Durant. Durant, who is being touted as the leading MVP candidate this season finished with 38 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists in a game that featured a record 30 three-pointers made, the most combined field goals (135), the most combined assists (88) and ultimately the most combined points in an All-star game (318). Blake Griffin threw down a couple of his signature dunks and finished with 38 points, setting an All-Star record with 19 field goals made. Chris Paul ran the show for the West off the bench, and finished with 13 assists.

The winning side took control of the game in the final quarter by simply committing to defense and generally showing a better mindset. James acted the part of the leader, Irving took on the role of scorer, while Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah became motivator, screaming at his teammates to cover and improve their defense. His teammates followed suit.

The result was a great all around game by every single East player, while the West team had to rely on the scoring ability of Durant and Griffin to keep up.

The game will go down in history as one of the most memorable All-Star games, if not the best, with records falling by the handful. It was a far cry from previous contests marred by lethargic play, missed alley-oops, and general unseriousness from the league's most talented players.

UEFA Champions League Preview: Bayer Leverkusen vs. Paris-Saint Germain

Bayer Leverkusen face an uphill task in tomorrow's Champions League tie against French leaders PSG at the BayArena in Germany.

The German side has lost 4 of its last 6 matches, including getting knocked out of the German Cup by second division side Kaiserslautern, losing 2-1 to Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga over the weekend, and have lost any hope of claiming the title from Bayern Munich.

PSG are doing extremely well in Ligue 1, currently topping the league with a 5-point lead over closest rivals Monaco. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been in outstanding form for the French champions, netting his 19th goal of the season in the 3-0 win over Valenciennes last weekend.

Sami Hyypia's men had to resist strong competition from Shakhtar Donetsk to qualify from Group A, and their last home game in Europe was a nightmare: a 5-0 defeat to Manchester United. PSG however, qualifed with ease, scoring 12 goals in their first 3 games and ensuring qualification with 2 games to spare.

Leverkusen will be encouraged by the fact that they have never lost a European game to a French side, and PSG are prone to arrogance and complacency, as seen in their draw with Anderlecht and loss to Benfica in their final group games.

                        Ibrahimovic has scored 8 goals so far in the Champions League

KICK-OFF: Tuesday, 18th February, 2014. 7:45pm

PAST MEETINGS: This is the first meeting between the two sides in a competition

PLAYERS: PSG will be delighted with the goal-scoring record of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has already scored 8 goals in just 6 matches in the Champions League this season. They will however feel the absence of summer signing Edinson Cavani who is ruled out with a thigh injury. Leverkusen will be without Emre Can (suspension) and Sebastian Boenisch (back injury).

ODDS: PSG will be traveling to Germany expecting to run over Leverkusen and show their dominance in Europe. All the signs point toward a PSG win with Leverkusen in terrible form lately, so yeah, I'm gonna go for PSG in this one. Don't forget to leave your own predictions in the comments section.

UEFA Champions League Preview: Manchester City vs. Barcelona

Two of Europe's most potent attacking teams face off in what promises to be a mouth-watering affair at the City of Manchester stadium tomorrow. The aim? A place in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Manuel Pellegrini has finally been able to achieve, with relative ease, what seemed impossible to previous coach Roberto Mancini. City were virtually unstoppable in the group stages, with a win over defending champions Bayern Munich at the Munich stadium proof of the quality of their team.

Barcelona, on the other hand, have enormous pedigree in the Champions League, winning three of the previous eight competitions. However, since the exit of Pep Guardiola, their grip on Europe's elite competition has loosened considerably as proven by their 7-0 humbling by Bayern Munich in last year's semi-final. A shaky group stage campaign this time around, which included a defeat to 10-man Ajax, affirms that the Spanish side no longer sits at the top of the European football landscape.

And while City will be buoyed by their 2-0 dismantling of Jose Mourinho's Chelsea in the F.A. cup over the weekend, Barcelona have much more experience at this stage of the Champions League, and also come pumped up into the game thanks to their 6-0 thrashing of Rayo Vallecano in the La Liga.

Manchester City will no longer be scared of Barcelona, but they would be making a serious mistake if they underestimate the defending La Liga champions.

KICK-OFF: Tuesday, 18th February, 2014. 7:45pm

PAST MEETINGS: Barcelona 0 Manchester City 1, August 2009 (Pre-season friendly)

PLAYERS: Manchester City will be without top scorer Sergio Aguero (hamstring) while Fernandinho (thigh) remains doubtful. Barcelona, on the other hand, will be delighted with the goalscoring return from injury of Brazilian star Neymar, while Lionel Messi continued his comeback with a brace against Vallecano.

ODDS: Home advantage will be key in the first leg, although City will terribly miss the absence of Sergio Aguero and possibly Fernandinho, who have been two important players for them this season. Even considering that, I'm gonna go for a City win, because they have much to prove about their status as one of Europe's top teams. Leave your predictions in the comments section below.