Pep Guardiola to leave Barcelona

It is now official that Barcelona most successful coach Pep Guardiola will be leaving Barcelona at the end of the season according to Reuters.

The coach will not be extending his contract, he has been on a rolling contract since he took over from Frank Rijkaard. The 41 year old is expected to take a year holiday out of football.

Guardiola has won three successive La Liga titles since being handed the reins, while he lifted the Champions League trophy in 2009 and 2011, subsequently winning the FIFA Club World Cup on two occasions also. 

Guardiola fancies Chelsea defensive play

Pep Guardiola own-up they must study from their shock Champions League aggregate defeat to Chelsea. He said "It wasn’t meant to be this year. The first thing that goes through my head is immense sorrow. Forgive me if I’m not clairvoyant, but I have the perception that with time I’ll say: ‘we played an excellent tie. We have to know what we did incorrectly and correct it.” The Barça manager analyzed the moments after his team took a two-goal lead: “with the 2-0 we didn’t stop, we kept on attacking (we should have defended as well). No one can have everything. It can be a lesson that you learn with time.”

Terry apologizes

Chelsea skipper, John Terry has apologized to his team mates and club fans for letting them down after being sent off for a silly challenge on Sanchez.

Terry told sky sports after viewing the replay that "Sanchez was darting in behind me. I've seen the replay and it does look bad.I'm not that type of player to intentionally hurt anyone. I've raised my knee, which I maybe shouldn't have done in hindsight. But hopefully people who know me as a person, as a player...I'm not that type of player."

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6 Ways to beat Barcelona

According to The Sun, the 6 ways for Chelsea to beat Barcelona are;

CUT OFF THE SUPPLY

Use the tight Stamford Bridge pitch to get up close and personal to Barca’s playmakers.Make sure the likes of Xavi, Messi and Iniesta do not have enough time on the ball to pick their killer passes.

TEST THEIR DEFENCE 

Barcelona might be the best attacking force in the world right now but they are not quite so clever at the back.Chelsea must look to test their defensive vulnerability and not be too cautious.

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Ovrebo admits to Chelsea mistake

Tom Henning Ovrebo has admitted that his mistakes cost Chelsea the finals ticket of the UEFA Champions league in 2009. Ovrebo turned down 4 penalty appeals from Chelsea, and a late Iniesta strike got Barcelona to the final. Tom Henning Ovrebo told The Times "Everyone who knows the laws of the game knows I should have done things differently, but that's the life of a referee. In a strange way, I was actually satisfied with the way we all managed to keep calm in a tense situation"

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Wenger blames wigan for loss

Arsene Wenger blamed Wigan for time wasting in their game yesterday. Wigan scored in the 7th and 8th minute and kept control of the game for most of the playing time. Arsene refused to shake Martinez's hand and yet still claims that he heartily congratulates them for the success. He has complained about each game they lost this season.

Eto craves for Inter return

Anzhi star is planning to return to former club, Inter Milan which he would have done in the January transfer window on loan. Eto is frustrated in Russia due to the poor quality of their league and the racial difference in Russia. Inter president is aware and wants to bring the world record signing back to Italy.

Alves: Chelsea played with Fear and lack courage

Dani Alves claim that the premier league giants played with fear and lack courage when they played them at the same stage of the competition in 2009 in a match four penalties were turned down by the referee against the London club. Alves told press "People say Chelsea could have won but for the referee but that is not our problem. We do not control the referees. We are there to play football, to compete and to try to reach the final. What can we do about the referee"

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Wigan shocks gunners

Wigan surprised a mis-firing Arsenal yesterday to help boost their premier league survival. Franco Di Santo fired the Latics - who last week beat leaders Manchester United - ahead on the break after seven minutes, before Jordi Gomez doubled their lead inside 90 seconds.Varmaleen later scored through a powerful bullet header but couldn't help the gunners through. Arsenal will play Chelsea in their next game.

Heart Attack claims player's life

Piermario Morosini, 25 who is loan from Udinese collapsed on the pitch yesterday in a seria B match between Livorno and Pescara and died before getting to the Hospital. A similar even occurred in England some few weeks back but Fabrice survived that. Piermario Morosini death made all seria A matches to be postponed.

Manchester United defeat keeps hope alive for City

Manchester United were defeated by Wigan 1-0 on Wednesday night in the barclays premier league. Shaun Maloney put wigan in good seat in the 50th minute, the visitors then struggled to level but a cry for a penalty was over ruled by the referee. Meanwhile, City enjoyed a 4 goal thriller score margin over West Brom, Sergio Aguero scored a brace, Tevez also scored in the 61st minute before David Silva wrapped it up in the 64th minute. The game sees City reduce the gap between them and United to 6 points.

Kalou: Chelsea can still finish third

The Blues dropped to sixth after last night’s 1-1 draw with West London rivals Fulham, leaving them four points behind current third-place holders Arsenal, but the Ivorian is remaining positive about an automatic Champions League spot. 

Falcao gives Chelsea condition to move to England

It's understood that Falcao will only accept to move to the London Club if only Chelsea qualify for a Champions league spot. The Colombian international is also attracting big clubs like Arsenal and Inter Milan.

Balotelli to be sold

Roberto Mancini said yesterday that he is done with the Italian striker after he got a red card in the game between Manchester city and Arsenal, a game Arsenal won by a lone goal to condemn the Manchester club to second place 7 points behind local rival Mnchester United. Mancini was quoted saying "I am finished. We have six games and he will not play in the next six games.''

Toure was like a brother to me : RVP

Emirate stadium will welcome back three of their former players today in a game with Manchester City but Robin Van Persie is keen to welcome one person in particular; Kolo Toure.

He told the club's official website "I'll always remember what he did for me when I first arrived at Arsenal," said the Arsenal captain.

"On my first day here, he said to me 'Robin, you can see me as your older brother. If you have anything you want to ask, or if anything is wrong, come to me. I know how you feel, I was new too, so come to me.'

"It's things like that you never forget. So I rate him as a great player, but behind that there is a great person too.

Guardiola reacts to Mourinho

Mourinho wrote off Chelsea from qualifying to the finals of this year's champions league due to the fact that they will be playing one of UEFA's favorite team. A fact he claimed is obvious to everybody. But Guardiola has reacted to the speech saying“We thank Mourinho for his confidence but all four teams have a chance, and we appreciate that he thinks we can reach the final.”

Player Profile: Patrice Evra

Name:                                Patrice Latyr Evra

Date of Birth:                     15th May, 1981 (30 years Old)

Place of Birth:                    Dakar, Senegal

Height:                               5ft 8in

Position:                            Left Back

BRIEF

Patrice Evra is a son of a diplomat, Evra was born in Senegal and arrived in Europe when he was a year old. A french international footballer who plays for Manchester United. Evra was originally an attacker but now plays the left back position. Evra's father is a senegalese and his mother a Cape Verdean. He has 25 siblings with two now deceased. Patrice has won 4 premiership titles with Manchester United, 3 league Cup, 4 Community Shield, 1 UEFA Champions League and 1 FIFA club world cup.

Wilshere faces slim hope of Europe

Jack Wilshere suffered an ankle injury last summer and as not featured for the London club since then. The player seems to be recovering from surgery only to suffer a setback, but he's making steady progress in recovery. However, Wilshere may not feature for England in the up-coming European Championships if he doesn't recover before the end of season. When asked Arsene Wenger said "To go to a big competition without having played at all is impossible".

Terry &Cole Out, Lampard doubtful

John Terry suffered  cracked ribs in the first leg of their champions league game with Benfica, he was withdrawn in the second half of the return leg at the bridge and as been confirmed to be out of this weekend clash with Wigan.

Ashley Cole had a twisted ankle in the game as well and didn't pass the medical to be fit for saturday's game. Meanwhile, Lampard will be accessed before Friday night to be sure of his fitness.

Barcelona through to semis but was UEFA involved?

Barcelona are through to the semis with a 3-1 victory over AC Milan. Many are of the opinion that the referee was biased in the call for the penalty kicks he gave Barcelona which unsettled the Italian team. 

From your own view, was UEFA involved in the Barcelona's victory?

Alex: Chelsea players feel bigger than the club

The former Chelsea defender made a critical remark about his team mates at Chelsea saying that some players in the dressing room feel bigger than others and that was the major reason the club experienced a slope in this season's campaign. 

He said in the Daily Star: "I feel better at PSG than I did at Chelsea. Chelsea's squad had a lot of big names - and that entails a lot of egoism.

Barca fear Ibrahimovic's aerial threat

Barcelona is watchful of the aerial threat AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic poses for their team in the second leg of the UEFA Champions league quarter finals. 

Pep Guardiola was quoted in the dailies saying "We need a ladder to stop a player like Zlatan Ibrahimovic because he's so tall, If it's a high ball we know it's for Ibrahimovic because of his height. We will try therefore to keep him away from the box."

Barcelona keen on Nicolas Tagliafico

Barcelona are watching Banfield fullback Nicolas Tagliafico.Barca chiefs are on the hunt for a new fullback signing ahead of the summer market and Sport says 19 year-old Argentine Tagliafico is under consideration.

The Argentina U20 international is being actively watched by Barca scouts this season.

Juventus wants Di Maria

Juventus have joined interest in Real Madrid's contract rebel Angel di Maria. 

The Argentina winger has rejected new terms tabled by Real in recent days and this has alerted Chelsea and Manchester City. However, Cadena Ser says Juve are also keen, with coach Antonio Conte eager to improve the quality he has on the flanks ahead of next season's Champions League campaign.

Abramovich set to capture Hazard

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is ready to outbid all rivals for Lille star Eden Hazard.

The People says Abramovich is said to have met Lille's Belgian star Hazard and is ready to offer him a £110,000-a-week, five-year deal to capture one of Europe's hottest talents in the summer.