Wenger set for Champions League scrap

After watching his team ease through their Champions League play-off tie against Fenerbahce, Arsene Wenger will now be reacquainted with the edgier side of Europe's elite competition.

In order to reach the round of 16, Arsenal will have to navigate their way past three tricky opponents in Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and Marseille.

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Wenger turns to Suarez as Napoli welcome Higuain

 

Gonzalo Higuain is on the move from Real Madrid this summer - but not to his previously expected destination.

Arsenal tracked the striker this summer and were in advanced negotiations to take the Argentina international to north London.

But Napoli have used funds raised by the sale of Edinson Cavani to Paris Saint-Germain to sign the 25-year-old.

So, while Rafa Benitez welcomes Higuain to Naples, Arsene Wenger turns his attention to Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, who will cost a great deal more to prise away from Anfield.
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Blanc rides in for PSG talks

 

Hold your horses! Paris Saint Germain's search for a replacement for Carlo Ancelotti could be over.

Former France boss Laurent Blanc looks set to be the man to occupy the saddle once, as expected, Ancelotti exits the Parc des Prances club and heads for the bright lights of Madrid.

After weeks of speculation it appears the finishing post is finally in sight for those anxious PSG supporters, with Blanc himself confirming that talks would get underway with the Ligue 1 champions on Monday. 

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De Laurentiis warns Cavani over leaving Napoli 'cradle'

 

Edinson Cavani is a transfer target for some of Europe's biggest clubs this summer, but Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is not convinced the striker should leave the club.

Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City all want the Uruguay international, though none of the interested parties are yet to activate his £53.7 million release clause.

And De Laurentiis has warned the 26-year-old against leaving Napoli for a club where he may not take centre stage.

"Napoli is a true cradle for Cavani, allowing his inner child to express himself and fulfill his potential," De Laurentiis said at a press conference.

"He knows that he is the star of the show here at Napoli and you never know whether this will also be the case at Real Madrid or anywhere else.

"We have already seen how [Diego] Forlan and [Luis] Suarez have outshone him for Uruguay and how this has affected his goalscoring record.

"I have little doubt that he will take all of this into consideration before making a decision. He will make a decision on his future and we will follow his direction." 

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Tears and cheers as the curtain closes on Premier League

 

Sunday saw the final round of games as another Premier League season came to an end.

Manchester United claimed the title, inspired by Robin van Persie's goals, before Sir Alex Ferguson stunned the world by announcing his intention to retire from the game, closely followed by Paul Scholes.

Deposed champions Manchester City lost not just top spot but also their manager after firing Roberto Mancini while Rafael Benitez went from zero to hero at Chelsea.

Elsewhere Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was rarely out of the headlines and Wigan claimed a memorable FA Cup win but still slipped out of the top flight.

And of course there was still time for drama on the final day as Arsenal pipped Spurs to fourth spot, despite Gareth Bale’s heroics, as the curtain came down on yet another season. 

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Benitez bolsters CV as Chelsea celebrate Europa League glory

 

Chelsea secured their second European title in two seasons on Wednesday, seeing off Benfica in Amsterdam to win the Europa League final.

Fernando Torres opened the scoring for the Blues and although Oscar Cardozo equalised for Jorge Jesus’s men, Branislav Ivanovic’s late header won the title for Rafael Benitez’s men.

The win follows last season’s Champions League triumph and means Rafael Benitez has now become just the fourth manager to win the Europa League (or Uefa Cup in its previous incarnation) more than once.
 

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Kung-fu Fergie lining up final battle with Rooney

 

Amid all of the title celebrations on Sunday, Sir Alex Ferguson dropped one last bombshell after confirming Wayne Rooney's desire to leave Manchester United.

The 71-year-old, who has one final game left in charge of United, has put the ball firmly in Rooney's court regarding his future at Old Trafford.

"I don't think Wayne was keen to play simply because he's asked for a transfer," Sir Alex said.

"I think he wants to think things through in his mind, I think that's a good idea.

"We're not going to let him go. I think he's maybe a bit frustrated that he's been taken off once or twice in the last few weeks." 

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No place like home: Mourinho prepares for Chelsea return

 

The latest in a string of clues pointing towards Jose Mourinho's return to Chelsea came on Monday after 50-year-old was spotted in a south-west Madrid branch of Ikea.

According to reports, Mourinho wasn't there to spruce up his own Madrid home either as £168 was spent on boxes and other items that have all the hallmarks of a house move. 

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Fact! Mourinho launches into Benitez-esque rant

 

Jose Mourinho may not be at Real Madrid for much longer, but the Portuguese coach made sure reporters remember his contribution at the Bernabeu on Friday.

Goal understands the Special One will move to Chelsea in the summer after an agreement was reached in principle, paving the way for his Stamford Bridge return.

But Mourinho reminded everyone of his achievements in Madrid, in a press conference similar to that of Rafa Benitez - the man he is set to replace in London - during his time at Liverpool.

"I am always hoping there is some 'smart guy' who will ask me a question which requires a piece of paper," he said.

"The record league title is mine; I have played in three Champions League semi-finals, which doesn't personally leave me satisfied. [But] it can't be easy because 18 coaches in 21 years [have only reached] five Champions League semi-finals at Real Madrid. The bad guy is Mourinho, with three in three seasons.

"My work is never valued in absolute terms but in terms of what I have achieved and that's my fault because I have won so much that the expectations are always much higher than what I am able to achieve later on.

"You journalists will want to wipe me off the list but you won't be able to - only when there is a team which wins 101 points [in La Liga]. Twenty years without winning the Copa - and we won it. The records of (100 points, 121 goals) is mine, it can't be deleted and it doesn't feed my ego." 

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Rafa hits the jackpot as Luiz sends Chelsea into Europa League final

 

David Luiz was the toast of Stamford Bridge on Thursday night as he completed the scoring to help Chelsea beat Basel 3-1 in the Europa League semi-final second leg.

The Brazilian has developed something of a reputation for a stunning goal, and his latest - a thunderous curling strike into the top corner - was no exception.

The victory saw Chelsea secure a 5-2 aggregate victory, giving Rafa Benitez the chance to contest a Europa League final and finish his interim stay at Stamford Bridge with a piece of silverware. 

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Liverpool set for summer holidays as top four scrap continues

 

After Arsenal and Everton both recorded wins on Saturday, the race to finish in the Premier League top four has taken another twist.

Tottenham - who do not play this weekend - have dropped to fifth as the Gunners moved up the table and closed in on Chelsea, who are in FA Cup action against Manchester City on Sunday.

Liverpool, meanwhile, look set for an early summer holiday after another goalless draw, this time against Reading, thanks to some heroic goalkeeping from Alex McCarthy. 

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Benitez denies 'hand grenade' Di Canio an explosive start

 

Paolo Di Canio's "management by hand grenade" threatened to pay immediate dividends when Sunderland took the lead against Chelsea on Sunday but Rafa Benitez's team came from behind to deny the Italian a perfect start.

A Cesar Azpilicueta own goal gave the Black Cats the lead at Stamford Bridge but another own goal, this time by Matthew Kilgallon, was followed by Branislav Ivanovic's similarly fortunate winner.

The victory, coupled with Tottenham's draw at Everton, strengthened Chelsea's hopes of a top-four finish but left Di Canio looking ahead to a mouthwatering Tyne-Wear derby as Sunderland edge closer to the drop zone. 

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Rosicky orchestrates Arsenal top-four surge

 

The race for the top four intensified this weekend as ten-men Arsenal clung on to claim three huge points against West Brom, pushing them into the top four at the expense of Chelsea.

The Gunners' unsung squad players have driven the club forward in recent weeks, with Gervinho and 'Little Mozart' Tomas Rosicky combining well at the Hawthorns to narrow the gap to third-placed Tottenham to just a single point.

With Gareth Bale injured and Chelsea in the middle of a tiring and congested fixture list, Arsenal - who have picked up 22 points from a possible 27 in their last nine games - have the other Champions League contenders running scared.

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Chelsea & Benitez crack in top four hunt

 

Rafa Benitez isn't having a good time of it at the moment, and his Chelsea side suffered another setback in the race for the top four with a 2-1 defeat to Southampton on Saturday.

Benitez elected to shuffle his pack for the trip to the south coast to take on the Saints, resting Juan Mata and Eden Hazard, but the gamble backfired as a makeshift Blues side delivered a lacklustre display.

Chelsea have now won just four of their last nine matches in all competitions, and lie only two points ahead of fifth-placed Arsenal with eight matches left to play.

And so while his side may deliver some late cheer with an FA Cup qaurter-final victory over Manchester United on Monday evening, at present it's looking like an unhappy easter for Rafa and his men. 

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Football is back!

 

The international break. It was good while it lasted, but we're all jumping for joy its over. Why? Because it means the real action is back and we're now at the business end of the season.

In the Premier Leaugue, Manchester United look to continue their march to the Premier League title against Sunderland, while Chelsea take on Southampton in the first of four games in a week for Rafa Benitez's men.

Across the continent, Bayern Munich can wrap up the Bundesliga title with seven games to go should results go their way, while Tito Vilanova returns to Barcelona, Real Madrid face Zaragoza and Inter take on Juventus in stellar clash in Serie A.

Football is back alright, and with a BANG! 

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Premier League stars miss the boat as Messi, Muller et al sail on

Following the exits of Manchester United and Arsenal at the last-16 stage, the Champions League will be without an English club in the quarter-finals for the first time since 1996.

Chelsea and Manchester City both failed to navigate past the group stage, while Sir Alex Ferguson's men were dumped out of the competition in controversial circumstances by Real Madrid, and Arsenal failed to overturn their first-leg deficit against Bayern Munich in Germany on Wednesday evening.

Will the Premier League be able to bounce back next season? 

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Coaching Chelsea not so easy for Benitez

 

Struggling for consistency and on the brink of an exit from the Europa League in the last 16, things have not gone smoothly for Rafa Benitez at Chelsea so far.

The Spaniard has received little sympathy from former Blues boss Avram Grant, however, who this week stated managing at Stamford Bridge is "easy."

“I don’t think Rafa Benitez will be replaced any time soon,” Grant said. But, let me tell you something, coaching at Chelsea is very easy.

“It’s way easier than coaching West Ham, for instance, because you have a very big budget and top players to choose from. All you have to do is go after the win.”

 

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Humpty dumpty Benitez falls off the wall

 

Chelsea's 'interim' manager Rafa Benitez has finally lost his rag with the club's supporters' continual protests against his reign.

After the 2-0 FA Cup victory over Middlesbrough on Wednesday night, the Spaniard slammed fans for having an "agenda" against him while also hitting out at the board for giving him the temporary tag.

And now it seems, with the 52-year-old confirming he will leave at the end of the season, that the manager has firmly fallen from his post and the Blues' can do nothing to put him back together again... 

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Which of Europe's card sharks is holding the aces this year?

 

Stick or twist? That's the real question as Europe's top bosses limber up to do battle in the second half of the season - even if they all seem to be playing their own game.

Will Arsene Wenger Go Fish this January? Who'd win in Top Trumps if Jose and Tito laid their star cards down?

How long before Roman increases the tension on Rafa before he hears that all-too-familiar Snap and finds a new willing victim for Bridge?
Can Pep, er, pep up the Bayern players after the upcoming depature of Old Maid Jupp? And will Sir Alex Beggar My (noisy) Neighbour to reclaim the Premier League crown?

All we know is we want to be in the room if this game ever takes place...
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