Brazilian legend Ronaldo could make his long awaited return to football as soon as Wednesday after he was included in Corinthians squad to face Noroeste.

The former Inter, Real Madrid and Milan ace has been out of action for a year and 11 days after suffering a horrific knee injury against Livorno for Milan on February 13, 2008.

However, after major surgery and a year of rehabilitation and hard work, 'Il Fenomeno' could be back in action tomorrow night.

La Gazzetta Dello Sport claims 'Ronnie' has been picked by Corinthians coach Mano Menezes for the next three games as he prepares for the derby against bitter rivals Palmeiras on March 8.

Ronaldo could make his debut for the Paulista side on Wednesday, before his team travels to Marilia and them Itumbiara next week for the Brazilian Cup.

Reports suggest the former PSV man will get a run out against all three teams so he will be ready for the Palmeiras clash in less than a fortnight.

Former Manchester United man David Beckham was the last Englishman to receive a harsh lesson at the hands of Inter, losing the Milan derby in the colours of the Rossoneri.

He's warned the Red Devils about the multitude of threats at Jose Mourinho's disposal ahead of the Champions League last 16 first leg clash at San Siro in midweek.

"They have good players all the way through the squad but I think the two forwards are [especially] strong," 'Golden Balls' told The Independent following Milan's win over Cagliari, obviously referring to Adriano and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

"They are quick, they can hold the ball well and they are not frightened. You have to control them."

Still, he feels that holders United remain favourites to progress. "United have also got players that can win games and their defence is exceptional at the minute," he continued.

"They are [favourites] in my eyes, but I'm biased. They are on a run where they look unbeatable, and I hope that continues.

"I'm on their side because I'm a Man Utd. fan and a Milan player. I'll speak to some of the [United] players and the manager, I'm sure."

Jean-Michel Aulas has been the driving force behind Olympique Lyonnais ambition to win the Champions League for many years now and, although such a dream is as arguably as distant as ever, the president of the Rhone Valley club is back his team to deliver a fine performance against Barcelona at the Stade Gerland this evening.

Only a matter of hours now lie until kick-off this evening and, in an interview with radio station RMC, Aulas has backed his side to really test a Barcelona team widely considered to be the best in the world.

I have confidence in [general manager] Claude Puel and his players to really deliver the fight to Barca, he declared. As we are not favourites, nobody can accuse us of anything if we dont qualify. But we will try and give Lyon and all of France something to be proud of. We will do everything possible to resist them and go to Barcelona to qualify.

The odds appear to be stacked against Lyon; however, les Gones have been peaking in Ligue 1 lately while Barcelonas form has slipped somewhat, sparking talk of a crisis in the Catalan club. Claude Puel and his men will be ignoring such claims and simply concentrating on producing a performance that lives up to their presidents high expectations.

Following criticism in the German press from Hoffenheim trainer Ralf Rangnick, Stuttgart goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has hit back by saying he was only acting out of sense of health and safety when lobbing a stray boot off the pitch at the weekend.

Photos in Sundays Bild clearly showed the moment when Lehmann lobbed the loose boot from midfielder Sejad Salihovic way over his crossbar after it had come off in a challenge during the 3-3 draw.

Hoffenheim trainer Rangnick called Lehmanns actions unsportsmanlike. However the former Germany international has hit back at the opinionated coach.

"Rangnick's comments surprise me a lot," Lehmann told the Bild newspaper.

"It is sad that he again seems not to know the rules and refers to me as unsporting.

"Normally the referee would have stopped the game and had to send the player from the pitch so he could put his boot back on.

"The boot lay there, representing an obstacle to a shot or a forward pass. If Rangnick watches everything so closely, like he always pretends, he would have known that I do this with all things which are in and around my area.

"I can only say for myself that in 20 years I have never seriously injured a player and that I again have to deal with cheap comments only because the people think they can make the headlines by using my name," Lehmann added.

Inter and Manchester United will face off on Tuesday evening at the San Siro, a match-up that will see current Ballon d'Or winne,r Cristiano Ronaldo against Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who some tip to win the award in the future.

"Ibrahimovic has nothing to prove after what he has done in recent years," said Mino Raiola, a FIFA agent and representative of the Swedish striker, to the Corriere dello Sport.

He dismissed that the match between the Italian and English champions will simply be a battle between the Manchester United winger and the Nerazzurri striker.

"In my opinion Ibra is more complete than Ronaldo. He respects him as a player and will not make this match a war with him. Zlatan is interested in helping Inter win," claimed Raiola.

"After winning five championships in a row, Ibrahimovic wants the European Cup. I am convinced he will do great things."

Raiola concluded by revealing that Ibrahimovic's former coach, Fabio Capello, instructed the former Ajax player to watch videos of Marco van Basten.

With Juventus Champions League clash against west London side Chelsea just a day away, Bianconeri striker Amauri has spoken of it as the biggest game of his life.

The forward told Il Corriere dello Sport, In the Champions League, the team that wins is the one with most determination and will to do so, and we have those things.

The Brazilian, who may soon become Italian, spoke of his emotion and joy when playing in Europes premier competition, Its like another league, he said, You can be doing really badly at home, and yet do superbly in Europe, they are two completely different and separate things.

For me, its incredible to be here, at this stage in my career. A year ago, I used to watch [Frank] Lampard and [Didier] Drogba on TV, now I will face them.

There have been comparisons between the man from the Ivory Coast and Juves forward, with some even going as far as calling Amauri, The white Drogba, but the Old Ladys striker said he was only flattered by such statements.

For me, it is a great honour to be compared with someone as impressive as Drogba, but this is certainly the biggest game I have played in since arriving at Juve, and I just want the whole team to do well.

Renowned Italian daily Corriere della Sera revealed this morning that the Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment, which is controlled by Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, had started negotiations with Milan to take over a 40 per cent stake in the Italian club.

It was reported that Sheikh Mansour was prepared to throw his financial weight around to get his hands on one of the most prestigious sides in world football and Marina Belusconi, the president of Milans parent company, Fininvest, had given the green light to the takeover.

But the Diavoli have now issued an official statement on their website to deny that there are any negotiations in place.

With regards to the reports printed in the Corriere della Sera this morning about a potential selling off of stakes in the club, Fininvest and AC Milan [wish to] communicate that there is no truth in the news, reads the statement.

Silvio Berlusconi took over Milan in February 1986 and the Rossoneri have won 7 Scudetti, a Coppa Italia, five Supercoppa Italiana, five Champions League trophies, five European Super Cups and have been crowned World Champions on three occasions during his tenure.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has identified Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the main threat posed by tonight's Champions League opponents Inter.

The Scotsman feels that the Swede has enjoyed a tremendous season with the Milan outfit, and that his burgeoning maturity has helped him glean a host of plaudits, all of which Ferguson feels he deserves.

"Their star player, without question, is Ibrahimovic," Ferguson told the Sky Sports News cameras earlier.

"I think he's had a fantastic season. I think he's getting all the praise he deserves.

"I've watched him for many years now and he has developed. He's at the age now where you expect a bit of maturity from a footballer and I think that's what we're seeing now."

Ferguson has a similarly gifted attacker in his own side, of course, in the talented shape of Cristiano Ronaldo. Whilst effusive in his praise of Ibrahimovic, the Scotsman also reserved some warm words for the Portuguese Red Devil, and, obviously, wanted to see a better performance from him than from the Swede.

"He's a fantastic player," Ferguson added of Ronaldo, before laughing, "I hope my player has a better night than Inter Milan's!"

Ahead of Arsenal's hosting of Italian club AS Roma in the first leg of the round of 16 clash in the Champions League, Arsene Wenger has announced his opposition to the current away goal ruling, claiming it is dated.

The Frenchman also added that he has already mooted an alternative option to UEFA, stating that Europe's governing body should take a leaf out of England's League Cup booklet, where away goals only taken into consideration at the end of extra time.

He told journalists prior to the Sunderland stalemate at the weekend, "The [current] rule was created in the 1950s when teams went away from home, with no television, played with ten defenders and kicked every ball into the stand.

"Now I believe that the tactical weight of the away goal has become too important. Teams get a 0-0 draw at home and theyre happy. Instead of having a positive effect it has been pushed too far tactically in the modern game. It has the opposite effect than it was supposed to have at the start; it favours defending well when you play at home."

On the various alternatives available, he said, "We proposed to Uefa at some stage that the away goal should only kick in like it does in the Carling Cup; in extra time. It would still favour the team who plays at home because they play 30 minutes more.

"At the moment when you get 0-0 at home, and then go away, the team who plays against you absolutely has to score. They have to come at you," he concluded.

Wenger also believes that teams should be rewarded for playing with an attacking style, and that points should be given to teams who win games by more than one, two and three goals.

A similar system is currently employed in Arsenal's annual pre-season tournament; the Emirates Cup. Teams are awarded three points for a win, a point for a draw, and then an extra point for every goal scored.

Boca Juniors playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme trained with complete normality on Tuesday morning, after recovering from muscular problems that kept him out of the league match with Lanus on Sunday.

Riquelme felt no pain during the training session, and will return to Boca's starting XI to face Huracan in Round 4 of the Argentine Clausura Championship.

Boca, the defending champions, will be hoping to return to winning ways after two successive league defeats. Before the loss to Lanus they fell to an unexpected 2-0 defeat to Newell's Old Boys at the b*m**onera stadium.

Meanwhile, Paraguayan teammate Claudio Morel Rodriguez will also return to the side, after suffering an ankle sprain against Deportivo Cuenca in a Copa Libertadores group match last week. Like Riquelme, Morel trained without any problems.

But one player who has returned to injury is speedy winger Rodrigo Palacio. The Barcelona target trained in solidarity after taking a knock on the weekend.

However, Palacio doesn't risk missing out on the clash with Buenos Aires rivals Huracan.

According to RomaGiallorossa.com, Roma captain Francesco Totti will shake-off his thigh problem in time to take his place in the starting XI for tonights Champions League last 16 clash with Arsenal in London.

There were fears that the 32-year-old would be forced to sit out the crucial match after he felt pain in his right leg during yesterdays training session at the Emirates Stadium.

Totti will face a late fitness test to see how his adductor muscle responds but there are high hopes he will feature from the start.

However, Juan did not train at all yesterday and is definitely out. It seems that Brazilian full-back Cicinho will also have to watch the proceedings from the stands as he is still struggling with a knee problem.

Therefore, January signing Marco Motta will be employed at right-back, with either Simone Loria or Souleymane Diamoutene partnering Philippe Mexes in central defence.

Striker Mirko Vucinic is also a major doubt. Ex-Arsenal man Julio Baptista could play alongside Totti in attack.

Arsenal gaffer Arsene Wenger is currently preparing his troops for the first leg of the Champions League tie with Serie A outfit Roma.

The wily Frenchman has revealed that midfielder Cesc Fabregas, the man he made club captain earlier in the season, has been nipping his ear, insisting that he can play.

The young Spaniard has been sidelined with a knee injury and won't be back until next month, leading Wenger to curb his enthusiasm.

The boss is quoted as saying in The Star, "Cesc says he could play tomorrow but I have to tell him it is not possible. The doctor will tell him [when he can play].

"He's itching to get back, but he is definitely not in the squad and not for the second leg either. After that, however, he wont be far off if all goes well.

"In two or three weeks he will be in normal training. He could play now, but medial ligaments take six to eight weeks to heal properly."

The last thing Wenger wants is for Fabregas to have problems for the rest of his career because of one rushed comeback. Still, both men will hope that the Gunners' season is still alive by the time the captain is ready for action.

Police have confirmed that the home of Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher - in Bowden, Greater Manchester - was broken into on Monday night. The Scot is currently in Italy ahead of tonight's Champions League clash with Inter.

A woman was reportedly threatened during the raid. The 25-year-old has a girlfriend and two sons, although it's unclear as to whether they were at the property at the time of the incident.

Scenes of crime officers have now been to the house, with inquiries ongoing.

Police were initially called at 21:00 GMT. Prior to that, a gang had entered and taken some items as they roved through the property. Police have reported no injuries, although it's unknown whether or not the gang was armed with weapons.

It's not the first time a Premier League footballer has had his home burgled. United and Liverpool stars are the worst affected, with potential thieves aware of their movements via media coverage and operations easier to manage than in busy London.

Fletcher is nevertheless expected to start against Jose Mourinho's Inter.

It's an oft repeated fact that Jose Mourinho has had the beating of Sir Alex Ferguson thus far, with the wily Scot managing just one win over the flamboyant Portuguese in 12 attempts.

'The Special One' and his Inter side host Fergie's Manchester United on Tuesday evening as Champions League action resumes, and the Red Devils' gaffer is keen to play down the statistics.

Talking to the press, Ferguson said of the record, "The stat doesn't matter tonight.

"When Jose came to England there was a great upsurge in Chelsea's position in the game. It happened suddenly.

"He came in and uttered those words - 'I am the Special One' - and that seemed to galvanise the whole club. They won two titles and caught us on the hop really because their starts to the seasons were fantastic.

"They remained undefeated at Stamford Bridge while he was there. It was a fantastic record.

"Still, I don't go around thinking about all the games I have played against other managers. I am not into that kind of thing.

"One victory in 12 is not a stat I like to think about but it depends on how you look at it. Its not 11 defeats is it? I would worry then!"

Inter Are No AC Milan

For the record, it's six wins for Jose, one for Sir Alex and five draws. Another figure to worry United fans is the fact that the Mancunians have won just three of 15 on Italian soil, losing ten.

Ferguson, though, had his own ammunition. He was keen to reiterate that both United and AC Milan have more European Cups in the bag than Inter.

He continued, "We have won the European Cup only three times and then you see how many times AC Milan have won it. Inter? Just twice.

"It is amazing for a club with that history, and it's a big challenge for them."

England and Italy have had their fair share of battles this past century, let alone throughout their history. Perhaps the most notable of all - in a footballing context - was the pre-World War II international match between the two nations in November 1934 that was dubbed, with hindsight, the Battle of Highbury, due to the violent intensity that was displayed on the field.

England emerged victorious by a 3-2 scoreline, but had to make do with less men due to a robust Ted Drake challenge that took out Italian defender Luis Monte. Throughout the fixture, feet were broken, arms were fractured, and players were relentlessly punched as a chaotic free-for-all ensued.

Seventy five years later there could again be a historic showdown between the two countries as all the Italian Champions League  representatives have been drawn against English opposition, and Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo has, ahead of their clash against Internazionale, sent out warring cries that it has to be: "kill, or be killed."

He further told the official website of UEFA: "From now on, all games are important. It's time to kill or be killed. Whoever loses will exit the competition and we don't want to lose, we don't want to get stuck along the way. It will be a difficult game, but I think that Manchester United have a better team, and we'll do our best to win it."

Ronaldo though, also spoke of the need to treat the back-to-back Scudetto winners with "respect," saying, "They're a good side and first in Serie A so we need to be very careful. They're a team with very experienced players, but we also have our aces and great players. We have a more experienced team, we're the reigning champions. It will be a good game, a well-contested game, and the better team will win."

Manchester United famously lifted the most prestigious trophy in club football in an all-English final in Moscow last year, and will use that taste of success as a source of motivation. Ronaldo scored a thumping header during open-play, but missed his penalty in the shoot-out, and revealed his relief at seeing Dutch international Edwin van der Sar beat Nicolas Anelka's effort clear of his line.

"I always had a great ambition to win the Champions League, because it isn't obtainable for every player. It was my first Champions League win, so the emotion was spectacular. I remember Edwin van der Sar saving Nicolas Anelka's penalty and for me it was like the earth stood still, it was a really brilliant sensation. Sometimes we can't control our emotions."

He continued: "The Champions League is unique. When you hear the music and you come out on to the pitch, you feel you're part of a game that is completely different to all the others. It is already the most evenly-balanced competition in football in my opinion and it is spectacular to play in.

"It's every player's ambition to be a part of the Champions League, and they would all like to win it. I've had that privilege, and I hope to repeat that very soon," he concluded.

At the time of writing, Manchester United had already embarked on their plane journey to Milan. Their clash with Inter kicks-off on Tuesday evening at 19:45 GMT.

There were various defensive worries for United, but both Jonny Evans and John O'Shea have travelled.

Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has warned Manchester United that he is out to show Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov who's boss when the two sides clash in the Champions League.

Inter and a sold-out San Siro welcome the current World and European Champions on Tuesday night in what is being billed as the game of the season so far. Ibrahimovic, who has been outstanding for the Nerazzurri, is ready to rumble with the Red Devils and he cannot wait to beat them black and blue.

"I am always ambitious and I want to show myself that I am better than Rooney and Berbatov," Ibrahimovic is quoted as saying in Tuttomercatoweb.com.

"The United strikers are exceptional, but I want to be better than them."

'Ibra' is full of confidence and he admits he will take inspiration from former Milan legend Marco Van Basten in order to motivate himself for the United clash.

"Van Basten was my favourite striker and he was my idol when I was young," added the striker.

"It's true that [Fabio] Capello used to show me videos of Van Basten and I am still learning today.

"All I want is to score against them and help my team by giving a good contribution."

-- Edited by shamar at 02:54, 2009-02-24

Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has declared that it was his success at Stamford Bridge which forced Manchester United, now the defending English and European champions, to up their game.

He said in The Sun, When I was in England, Chelsea was the best team between 2004-06. That is why we won two consecutive Premierships.

Manchester United at that time realised they needed to be better to win it and, in my third season, thats what they did. And they went on to win the Champions League.

That has given them so much confidence. They are certainly a better team now than when I was in England.

Mourinho is now the head coach of Inter, who take on the Red Devils this week in the last 16 of the Champions League.

There is much anticipation surrounding the tactical battle between the Portuguese and Sir Alex Ferguson, both on and off the pitch, as they enjoyed a healthy rivalry during the former's spell in England.

But Mourinho said, I have a great relationship with Sir Alex.

You know during the game it is going to be a real war. But afterwards there is always happiness and we share some time together. I dont want that to change, no matter who wins or loses.

I have so many good memories of facing United. I beat them while with Porto in the last 16, in a Carling Cup semi-final with Chelsea and also at Stamford Bridge to claim our second title.

As Real Madrid prepare to entertain Liverpool in the Champions League round of 16 first leg clash on Wednesday night, club supremo, Vicente Boluda has fired up his charges by predicting a comprehensive victory for the Men In White.

It will be a great game against Liverpool and I think we will beat them 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu, he boomed during an interview with Cadena COPE, before going on to add, In the second leg at Anfield, they will score against us, but we will win 2-1.

Not for the first time, the former vice-president has also trumpeted his belief that the side will go on to win the double this term.

I already said it last week and I will say it again. We are going to win La Liga and the Champions League.

But regardless of whether or not we win the double, I will not remain as the president beyond this season, he declared.

Boluda, however, was more optimistic regarding Juande Ramos future as the Blancos coach.

He is a great trainer and I support him completely and I would be thrilled if he stays on at Madrid.

And as I believe that we will win a title, I also believe that his contract will be renewed automatically, he concluded.

Boluda confirmed that the clubs presidential elections will be held after June 30, although no specific date has been set. But with Juandes current term with Madrid expiring around that same time, it will be up to the potential candidates to decide if they want to keep him at the Bernabeu.

According to The Daily Mail, Manchester City have entered the race to sign Bruno Alves from Porto.

The British tabloid claims that the Sky Blues only just failed to land the 27-year-old defender before the winter transfer window's closure, and that they will rekindle their interest as summer draws near.

But Mark Hughes & Co. are unlikely to have a free run at Alves, as Barcelona are also keeping a close eye on the Portuguese international.

Both the Citizens and the Blaugrana are eager to bolster their options in central defence, even though Josep Guardiola already seems to have more stoppers on his books than he knows what to do with.

However, neither club have yet come close to matching Porto's asking price, which is reported to be in the region of 30 million - nearly double what City offered last month, according to the Norte club.

Just days ago, Fabio Cannavaro was questioned about whether or not his failure to sign a new contract suggested that he would be parting ways with Real Madrid in the near future.

Despite his comments indicating that the time is not right to be discussing such issues as a result of the ongoing boardroom drama at the Santiago Bernabeu, the Azzurri captain was recently interviewed once again by AS about these contract dilemmas.

For now I am happy here, Cannavaro reaffirmed.

I am a part of one of the most famous clubs in the world.

Once again, Madrid are in a difficult period at present, so I dont think that this is the right time to be discussing contract renewals.

We must wait and see what happens, he suggested.

It is no secret that the former Juventus defender had hoped to end his career in Naples, the place of his birth, but he is willing to stay with Madrid if the right deal is offered.

His current contract with the Spanish giants expires on June 30 and he has admitted that he is unsure where he will be playing next season, calling the situation an extremely difficult one.

Felipe Melo joined Fiorentina from Almeria for an 8 million transfer fee at the commencement of the season, a move that has certainly been beneficial for both player and club.

The Brazilian has gone on to become a highly respected player in his first few months with the Viola outfit, and in addition, his good form has seen him rewarded with a first international cap for his country.

As is the case with many others, the 25-year-olds consistency has resulted in him being linked to a number of Europes top clubs recently, including Juventus and Arsenal, two sides who have made their interest public.

According to Tuttomercatoweb however, the latest club to express an interest in the Brazilian are Ligue 1 champions, Lyon, however as it has been mentioned by an official of the club, the French side will have to see off other competition in order to get their man.

It wont be an easy task for Les Gones as they would have to part with 20 million to buy out Melo's contract.

David Beckham has had an outstanding start to life with Milan, as he has managed two brilliant goals, and a number of impressive performances along the way.

As a result of his top form, the 33-year-old is desperate to make his loan move to the Italian peninsula a permanent one, as he looks to continue competing at the highest level.

Earlier tonight, the former England captain was present at the unveiling of the new Adidas shoes, a time where he responded to questions regarding his possible future in the fashion capital, something he did by using the motto of the famous German company.

Nothing is impossible if you truly believe in something, Beckham cleverly claimed in the interview, as reported by Tuttomercatoweb.

Most times these things can happen, so we shall see how we go, he concluded.

The Englishmans future is expected to be finalised later this week as the Rossoneri continue scrambling negotiations with LA Galaxy.

Alarm bells are ringing in the Roma camp after their final training session on Monday ahead of their Champions League match against Arsenal.

Both captain Francesco Totti and Cicinho, who left the field early as they were feeling some discomfort, according to the Corriere dello Sport.

Totti had earlier joked about that he would not play in the match to reporters at the London airport, but now it appears his presence in the match could be in serious jeopardy due to problems with his abductor and flexor.

Meanwhile, Cicinho is experiencing pain in his knee, the same one that had been operated on last year and his presence is also in doubt.

Roma have already ruled out the presence of Brazilian centre-back Juan as it seems both they and Arsenal have many injury worries before this critical encounter in their season.

Coach Luciano Spalletti will hope that both of these players can recover ahead of the match, especially 'Er Pupone' who is a fixture in the starting XI and a vital part of the Roma offense.

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is actually quite pleased, after the event, that Chelsea employed time-wasting tactics in order to ensure that they collected three points at Villa Park on Saturday lunch-time.

O'Neill, along with many Villa fans, felt that referee Mark Halsey was far too lenient with Chelsea players about their time wasting at goal-kicks and throw-ins, especially goalkeeper Petr Cech and full-back Jose Bosingwa, who was booked, somewhat belatedly, in the 85th minute by Halsey.

Although angered by it at the time, O'Neill shows that it is a sign of the progress his team have made that a side with Chelsea's recent pedigree should be forced to resort to such a seemingly cynical ploy.

"If I wanted to take a real positive out of it, then Bosingwa taking about four days to take a throw-in with half-an-hour to go in the game was it," the Irishman told The Birmingham Mail.

"I dont mind in the last two minutes, not only have I done it myself but Ive told my players to do it, but there was half-an-hour left. Finally the referee cautioned him for it after 38 times. I drew some sort of small comfort from that, but it was only small."

O'Neill went on to identify midfield as the deciding area in Saturday's defeat, with the Villa coach acknowledging that Chelsea overpowered and outnumbered his men in that area.

"Theyre different styles of play at the moment," he continued. "Chelsea have played very successfully for about three or four years with three class midfield players.

"With John Obi Mikel now changing over from Claude Makelele, Frank Lampard being a constant and with Michael Ballack theyre world-class players. In the first half they passed it better than we did.

"But weve a different style, we can be explosive and while we were out-numbered in the middle of the field we hoped to be able to create things for ourselves in other areas of the field."

In conclusion, O'Neill was also defiant about whether the defeat spelled the end, as some observers have almost gloated, of Villa's push for a Champions League spot.

"I dont see that," he stated. "I see it as a setback, as a disappointment."

 

 

Adrian Mutus last-gasp winner may have given Fiorentina three points against Chievo Verona, and helped them keep up with Genoa in the Champions League race, but the striker is not being complacent.

TuttoMercatoWeb quotes the Romanian as saying after the 2-1 home win, It was an important victory, but we cant go on like this.

We were tired after the Ajax match and there is always extra pressure because of our league position.

We know we are good enough to qualify for the Champions League; we just have to do better, because we will not always manage to get that kind of last-second goal.

The Viola were behind for most of the game until Alberto Gilardino drew them level. Mutu completed the comeback after 93 minutes.

Highly rated attacker Roy Makaay has expressed his desire to stay at Rotterdam giants Feyenoord until the end of his career. The 33-year-old joined Feyenoord from German outfit Bayern Munich in 2007.

"My current Feyenoord deal expires in 2010 and I'm not planning to leave the club after one bad season. That's not my personality. I didn't return to Holland to move abroad again after only two years," said Makaay to AD/Sportwereld.

Looking ahead to the management changes in the new season, Makaay explained that incoming coach Mario Been - who takes over in summer from caretaker Leon Vlemmings - is set to do a fine job.

"I'm very happy at Feyenoord and my family is loving life in Rotterdam. I'm really eager to train under Mario Been. I'm a Vitesse fan, but he's doing a good job at their rivals NEC," he said.

"I hear all kinds of positive things about him and it's a good thing that things will be more calm at Feyenoord again."

The experienced striker also spoke about Feyenoord's abysmal season so far, one that's seen them garner just 24 points in 23 games.

"I disliked the play-offs from the beginning, but it might turn out to be our last chance to save this season. We'll do our utmost to qualify and qualify for UEFA Cup football," he concluded.

Milan scraped past Cagliari 1-0 at the Stadio San Siro to remain 11 points behind Serie A leaders Inter, thanks to a Clarence Seedorf strike in the second half.

It was a difficult match, as we were short of options in attack, Carlo Ancelotti stated after the match. We could not have done much more, but after taking the lead, we managed to hang on until the end.

Filippo Inzaghi played from the start, as Ancelotti had to deal with a number of injuries to key men, but 'Superpippo' was jeered by the supporters upon being replaced.

If the jeers were aimed at Inzaghi, they were clearly out of place, but if they were aimed at me, they were deserved, as I had Kaka, [Alexandre] Pato, [Marco] Borriello, [Andriy] Shevchenko and Ronaldinho on the bench... joked the ex-Juventus tactician.

President Silvio Berlusconi criticised the team in midweek after they conceded a late equalizer in the UEFA Cup game with Werder Bremen.

I am disappointed when we throw away our leads, but its normal for the President to make such comments, there is nothing wrong," he asserted.

There are rumours that Carlettos reign at San Siro could come to an end next summer after seven years at the helm.

The jeers are indeed a clear indication of a lack of patience towards me, he noted. This can happen after seven years, but I am still feeling the trust of the club around me.

Blackburn Rovers manager Sam Allardyce admits that his side are perilously close to the drop zone after their 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Rovers were successful in being the first team to ripple United's net in 14 games after the Red Devils' first-choice keeper Edwin van der Sar was rested for the game.

However, Roque Santa Cruz's equaliser was cancelled out by a wonderful Cristiano Ronaldo free kick.

The defeat to the current Premier League champions was only Allardyce's second loss in eight, but despite this the former Bolton manager is still worried about the club's position.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Allardyce said, "I am anxious about where we are.

"We are in the mire and the only things that will get us out of it are victories and points on the board. Generally, performances help you get that.

"But while we have had consistent performances we have not had a consistent level of points to go with them. That is a big worry.

"The clubs above us are now pulling away. The amount of clubs involved at the bottom is reducing.

"We have to make sure we are not stuck down there.

"We have to keep the faith. We are good enough but we have to be determined and resilient enough as well."

Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has stated that he is not concentrating on achieving records for himself, but more on winning trophies for the club.

The former Ajax keeper has now gone 14 games without conceding a goal for the current Premier League leaders, which was a new British record.

The Red Devils conceded a goal to Blackburn Rovers yesterday in a nervy 2-1 win for the current Premier League holders, but the Dutch keeper was rested for this game as Tomasz Kuszczak took his place in the starting line-up.

The 38-year-old keeper admits he was aware of the record as it approached, but is adamant that he was focused only on winning trophies for the club.

Speaking to The Independent on Sunday, Van der Sar said, "I'm proud, of course, but what you start the season for is winning prizes and that's probably not going to be decided until the last two games or so.

"It's getting a lot of attention but I've never been someone who wanted to be the centre of attention.

"Sometimes you read a story or the programme notes saying it's going to be 63 minutes (for a record), then in the second half you have a quick look up (at the scoreboard) to see how many minutes are gone.

"But I don't really like it. The main thing is winning the games."

United face a stiff test in Inter Milan on Tuesday night in the first knockout round of the Champions League and the former Holland international is up for the challenge.

"I think Inter is one of the hardest teams to play against at this stage," he added.

"If we want to repeat what we did last year we have to beat strong teams. It will be interesting also with (Jose) Mourinho's history in England, he probably knows a lot of things about our team and we have to make sure we're up to the challenge.

"Hopefully Inter doesn't give us so many surprises, although you know Mourinho, he can always pull one out of the hat in the way he wants to play.

"They've got experienced players who know how the game works. It's only the last 16 and there's a long way to go but obviously we want to repeat or even better what we did last year."

Fulham welcomed bottom side West Bromwich Albion to Craven Cottage hoping to bounce back from defeat to Manchester United in midweek.

The Whites, strengthened by the return of Paul Konchesky, Andy Johnson and Dickson Etuhu, were hoping to maintain their impressive home record that has seen them lose only once this season at Craven Cottage.

Albion, meanwhile, were hoping for the three points that could see them move out of the bottom three and welcomed Gianni Zuiverloon, Felipe Texeria and Jay Simpson back into the starting lineup.

Yet it was the home side who began the game brightly, hitting the woodwork three times in the opening half an hour, as they dominated the first half.

Danny Murphy was the first to worry Scott Carson and find the frame of the goal. A free-kick left of centre, some 20 yards out, was floated perfectly over the wall but a flying Carson managed to tip it onto the post.

Clint Dempsey was the next to rattle the woodwork with a stunning strike, mid-way through the first period.

The American picked up the ball before firing a superb shot from range that flew past the despairing dive of Carson and looked destined for the top corner before rebounding back off the angle.

Minutes later and Murphy again was frustrated by the frame of the goal. Konchesky and Zamora c****ined well, allowing the striker to lay the ball back to Murphy who sidefooted it past Carson but onto the bar.

Yet in between those efforts Carson had also done well to save from Dickson Etuhu who caught a volley sweetly after the visitors failed to clear a cross and Leon Barnett had also saved Albion, denying Andy Johnson in the box with a well-timed challenge.

Still, Fulham really ought to have taken the lead and indeed it was Barnett who almost handed them the opener just before half-time.

A Murphy through-ball was headed back by Barnett towards Carson, yet it caught the West Brom stopper out, forcing him to race back and scoop the ball off the line to save his, and Barnetts, blushes.

Yet there was still time for Fulham to create another opening as minutes before the interval Zamora wasted a glorious opportunity to score.

The striker, goalless since September, picked up a Davies knock-down in the area and from only six yards, and with just Carson to beat, he conspired to blast over the bar.

The second half began in the same vein and finally on the hour mark, Fulham found the reward their greater ambition had deserved.

John Pantsil advanced down the left before cutting back onto his left foot and crossing. The ball came to Johnson who managed the faintest of flick-ons, allowing the ball to travel to the far post where Zamora was on hand to tap-in his first goal for five months.

Minutes later and Zamora ought to have had his second of the match. Another surging run down the left by Fulham saw the ball cut-back to the striker in the box but his effort this time was inches over.

Yet there was still time for Fulham to hit the post for a fourth time of the afternoon. A corner in to the near post found Brede Hangeland whose header came off the cross-bar before Carson eventually saved.

Still Fulham pressed and with 20 minutes to go the Cottagers finally doubled their lead.  A long ball up to Zamora saw the striker chest it down before unleashing a shot which Carson blocked.

However, the ball rebounded to Johnson who slotted into an empty net to all but end the game as a contest.

Of course there was still time for more misery for the visitors as deep into stoppage time Hangeland was adjudged to have brought down Bednar and the referee pointed straight to the spot.

Up stepped Bednar but Schwarzer saved well as Fulham claimed yet another home win, to leave Albion rooted to the bottom of the table.

Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Davies, Murphy (Dacourt, 85), Etuhu, Dempsey, Johnson (Kamara, 81), Zamora (Nevland, 81).

West Brom: Carson, Zuiverloon (Bednar, 81), Meite, Barnett, Robinson, Morrison (Menseguez, 78), Koren, Borja Valero, Filipe Teixeira (Brunt, 50), Fortune, Simpson.

GOALS

2-0 Fulham (Andy Johnson, 71)

1-0 Fulham (Bobby Zamora, 60)

There were few who expected Primera Division struglers Espanyol to arrive at the Camp Nou and condemn Barcelona to their first domestic defeat since the opening day of the season.

But a double from Blaugrana old boy Ivan de La Pena in the second half following a controversial red card for Seydou Keita helped their city rivals to a famous 2-1 win.

With Real Madrid convincingly seeing off Real Betis simultaneously Barcelona's lead at the top of the table has been cut to seven points, and for the first time this season questions are being asked of Pep Guardiola's side.

However stalwart Carlos Puyol has admitted that although the loss was a severe blow, he is supremely confident that the league leaders can get their season back on track by returning to winning ways as soon as possible.

Speaking to Marca, he said, "I do not want to speak of Real Madrid because I only know about Barcelona. We are confident and eager to work. We have no doubts and we know what is required of us to continue to do well."

Puyol also mentioned that he felt Espanyol's spoiling tactics contributed to his side being unable to find their rhythm in the final third of the pitch.

Mauricio Pochettino's strugglers chose to waste time and feign injury on a number of occasions in order to run down the clock, and Puyol commented, "The only team trying to play football was Barcelona. We were not trying to destroy or stop the game.

"The team that was hurt yesterday was the team that had tried to come out and play."

Barcelona must now switch their focus to Champions League duties, with Lyon awating them in the super sixteen stage in midweek, and Puyol admitted that it was "crucial to score away" and secure a positive result to take back to the Camp Nou.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has reportedly made Fiorentina's defensive midfielder Felipe Melo his main target for the summer transfer window.

The Brazil international has become a revelation in Serie A since his move from Spanish outfit Almeria last summer.

His performances have caught the eye of several big name clubs, and the Gunners are reportedly also in the hunt for the 25-year-old.

The former Flamengo player, who impressed in Brazil's friendly game against Italy at Emirates Stadium a fortnight ago, has a release clause of 20 million, and it is thought that Wenger will take Fiorentina up on that offer.

The money for this transfer will reportedly be made available by selling one or two prize assets at the club, with Emmanuel Adebayor, Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie all being linked with big money moves to Barcelona.

Van Persie has already rejected the offer of a new contract at the club, and with only one and a half years left on the contract, the Gunners may be forced to sell their Dutch superstar to the Primera Division giants.

The north London club have struggled with their central midfield positions since the departures of Mathieu Flamini and Gilberto Silva to AC Milan and Panathinaikos respectively, and the fans have been urging Wenger to restrengthen in central midfield in order to resume challenging for the Premier League title.

Manchester United defender Jonny Evans is a major doubt for the Champions League clash against Inter Milan on Wednesday.

The Northern Ireland defender limped out of the Premier League game against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday after suffering a recurrence of an ankle injury.

The injury may mean that the 21-year-old could also miss out on the League Cup final next week against Tottenham Hotspur.

The former United youth player is to face a late fitness test on Wednesday before the Inter clash at the San Siro and until then it is not known whether he will take part in the game.

Speaking to The Manchester Evening News, Evans said, "It is a recurrence of the ankle injury I had before and is a bit tender. I caught it when I kicked the ground during the game.

"At this point, I don't know whether I will be fit for the San Siro. The doctor said he will have a look at it - and we will have a better picture then."

The 21-year-old's injury adds to manager Sir Alex Ferguson's list of unavailable defenders, with Gary Neville, Wes Brown, John O'Shea and Nemanja Vidic all set to miss out.

Ferguson was obviously annoyed with his growing injury list and admits he will find it hard as he keeps having to replace his defence.

"We are having a nightmare with defenders this season," commented Ferguson. "The defenders are being changed all the time. You reach a point when you start to find it hard."

At least 13 supporters of Nigeria Premier League club, Ocean Boys, are believed to have been killed while several others were injured in a clash between rival cult factions in the country's oil-rich Bayelsa state.

Club officials refused to comment on the incident.

"The media officer of Ocean Boys could not confirm or deny the incident," disclosed an official of the Nigeria Premier League, Tunji Babalola.

However, according to local media reports Sunday, clashes between the rival cult gangs - Icelanders and Greenlanders - began on Friday, when a member of the supporters club of Ocean Boys, who belongs to one of the gangs, was shot dead in the Bayelsa State capital, Yenagoa.

Later that night, a reprisal attack at a popular night club in the city left a member of another gang dead and several cars riddled with bullets.

However, as the team and their supporters headed for a league game in Ughelli in nearby Delta State, gunmen, riding in a black sports utility vehicle, reportedly opened fire on the bus, killing seven persons instantly. Three others died later.

Survivors said the same vehicle was spotted at the scene of the reprisal attack at the night club on Friday.

On Saturday, Ocean Boys defeated league leaders Bayelsa United 1-0.

Manchester United midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo has raised yet more issues with the standard of refereeing in the Premier League by questioning Howard Webb's decision to book him for diving in yesterdays match against Blackburn Rovers but failing to book Morten Gamst Pedersen for the same offence.

The Portuguese winger was booked for a blatant dive just outside the penalty area in yesterdays Premier League fixture, but Webb did not hand out the same treatment for Pedersen when he looked to have been brought down by United full-back Rafael Da Silva.

The referee did not give a penalty, but did not book Pedersen for simulation either.

Ronaldo is quoted by football365.com as saying, "I didn't think their's was a penalty.

"The referee did not give it anyway. He didn't give the player anything either - but he gave me a yellow."

Rovers boss Sam Allardyce felt that Pedersen had not dived and that Rafael had tugged the Norwegian winger.

"It is not a blatant one, but Da Silva has had a little tug," argued Allardyce.

"You have to make the referee's mind up - Kevin Davies will tell you that.

"He gets fouled more than anyone else in the Premier League. He stays on his feet and never gets fouls. What do you do?"

Ronaldo may have been sent off earlier in the game for kicking out at Rovers midfielder David Dunn, an offence that went completely unpunished by the referee.

Sir Alex Ferguson feels the referee made the right decision not to send off Ronaldo.

"I know people will make a meal of it. But it was no more than a flick, and the referee gave him a warning. You see it time and time again," said Ferguson.

"He has to live with the examination of him. It would have been a ridiculous sending-off."

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has claimed his main priority this season is a Champions League medal.

The Reds take on Primera Division giants Real Madrid on Wednesday in the first knockout round of the competition and the former Atletico Madrid striker is hoping to get a good result against his former rivals.

The 24-year-old was part of the Spain side that lost out to Italy in World Cup 2006, and he is eager to avoid the same 'big game' upset.

Speaking to The News Of The World, Torres said, "If you ever need any incentive on the pitch to give all you have it is to remember how bad it feels to lose the big games and the feeling of emptiness in the dressing room afterwards.

"That's not something I want to be experiencing again and that is going to show on the pitch against Madrid.

"These are the games you look forward to as players. It is good to go back to Spain and, hopefully, one day I can face Atletico in the Champions League.

"Real Madrid's history in Europe is very clear but also Liverpool's history in Europe is very clear.

"The Premier League is still very important for us this season and is a competition we very much believe we are involved in but the European Cup is very important to the fans and players of this club and the manager has great success in it.

"We're not in the European Cup with a target of semis, the only reason Liverpool are in this competition is to win it."

Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck further established himself as a superstar of the future with his stunning strike against Derby County in the FA Cup last Sunday.

The 18-year-old glided into the box from the left while Ryan Giggs and Darren Fletcher toyed with the Rams' defence, before bending his first-time shot effortlessly round Stephen Bywater.

But the ensuing celebration attracted even more attention than the goal itself, as Welbeck nonchalantly strolled over the byline and stood looking at the crowd in a pose somewhat reminiscent of Eric Cantona.

And according to UK tabloid The Sun, it was that c**ky gesture which caused Sir Alex Ferguson to drop the England Under-21 star to the reserves this week.

An unnamed source said, Alex was very angry about the way Welbeck celebrated his goal at Derby. He felt there was a touch of arrogance about it.

Danny is just a kid and Alex does not like the thought of him getting too big for his boots. That is a lesson plenty of players have learned over the years at Old Trafford.

Welbeck scored twice as the United reserves mounted a remarkable comeback to beat Wigan Athletic 5-4.

Nicolas Anelka is Chelsea's most efficient attacker this season and is on his way to winning the Premier League's Golden Boot as he tops the goal-scoring charts with 14 strikes.

His recent triple over Watford in the FA Cup has only aided his cause for continued first-team football as new manager Guus Hiddink was watching on from the crowd and will no doubt have made a mental note of the Frenchman's productiveness.

Anelka believes Hiddink should stay true to the foundations laid by Luiz Felipe Scolari and is quoted by Sky Sports as having said, "Everyone is asking what attack Guus Hiddink is going to put out for his first league match in charge.

"Well it would surprise me if, with Drogba, we play two up front.

"The coach has to start from the foundations put in place by Scolari," he insisted.

Regarding the success that a temporary Hiddink tenure could bring, Anelka added, "Guus Hiddink's arrival could bring us something. He is stepping in at a vital moment.

"Already in training things have changed. We're working more on the speed of the attack with more dynamic play. We're working on managing to throw ourselves forward more quickly.

Chelsea travel to Aston Villa on Saturday.

Everybody expected UEFA to wave their magic wand and pit Manchester United against Real Madrid in the second round of the Champions League. The battle of Cristiano Ronaldo, the battle of the biggest clubs in the world, Sir Alex Ferguson against 'the Mob', and so on. It actually came as a surprise when the Spanish superpower were instead drawn against United's rivals Liverpool, leaving the reigning champions to face off against Inter in a tie with almost as many provocative permutations and potential for high drama before, during and after the tie. The football might be good, too - but I wouldn't bet on it.

Jose Mourinho, aided and abetted by Roman Abramovich, made the Premier League so fiercely competitive that almost all top-of-the-table clashes became fast-paced but slow-moving wars of attrition. Such a pragmatic approach is bound to translate well to a game like this, with his Inter side lacking in bonafide match-winners but nevertheless a colossal unit, up against a United outfit that has primed itself on constantly applying measured pressure and biding time before making that inevitable breakthrough.

While United have more flair to their front line, there is nevertheless a degree of reliance from both clubs on their star players to provide the magic that makes the difference every week. The game has already been billed not just as Sir Alex against the 'Special One', but also Cristiano Ronaldo against Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

It has the makings of a heavyweight title fight in itself. In the Blue corner, there is the tactical and indomitable Evander Holyfield of the piece up against the Red corner's relentless and destructive Mike Tyson, only perhaps slightly less insane.

The X-factor in this instance will be Jose Mourinho, doing his best Don King impersonation to try and see his special one over the line before the games even begin. It was the Portuguese coach who asserted to begin with, soon after the draw, that Ibra was superior to World Player of the Year Ronaldo, while Sir Alex has long lauded his No. 7 as the world's best player and even gone as far as to mention him in the same breath as Pele and Diego Maradona.

Jose and Sir Alex are rightly considered the two best managers in the world - certainly at club level - but it is their head-to-head record that will serve to boost Ibra's confidence. During Jose's time in charge of Chelsea, Fergie may have landed the last punch with his 2007 Premier League triumph, but there can be no doubting who won the fight on points.

However, with the teams pitted against each other, it is clear that the Red corner has more cause for confidence. Both sides top their respective leagues and are reigning champions, but United have been more convincing and prolific, not to mention their previous highs in Europe contrasted by the Nerazzuri's string of premature exits.

The delicate balance could end up being tipped one way or the other by the players themselves over the course of the two legs. Both are supposedly big-game flops, but Ronaldo's track-record inspires more confidence than Ibra's, if for no other reason than last season's Champions League final. Yes, he did miss a penalty, but so have the likes of Roberto Baggio for Italy, Steven Gerrard for England and Andriy Shevchenko for AC Milan in years gone by - what does that make them?

The two of them would struggle to differ more in style of play, but are certainly comparable in terms of their cult status, polarising of public opinion and attitude towards the game itself. Despite being three years Zlatan's junior, Cristiano has always applied himself in such a way as to consistently produce results. For all his posturing, Ronaldo has in many ways been a model professional and an advocate of the dictum that practice really can make perfect.

Ibra, meanwhile, still seems to play on his own terms. Not even Fabio Capello quite managed to wrap his head around the mercurial Swede's weird and wonderful ways - he didn't quite hit top gear. But now, he's playing for Mourinho. We saw it with Chelsea and we are now seeing it with Inter: misfits such as Adriano and Ibrahimovic high-fiving their boss after every goal, his racing down the touchline to celebrate the late winners - the Jose effect.

Nevertheless, it will be Ronaldo who saunters down to the ring next week with the Premier League and Champions League on each shoulder, wearing the Club World Cup as a crown and with the FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or round his waist. He is the man: everything he has done, he has done to better effect than Ibrahimovic - but the time is right for change.

Ronaldo's downfall has already been scripted; it is prematurely being claimed that the 24-year-old's time at the top is coming to an end, for no other reason than his 'failure' to replicate what was a freak 42-goal season. Having said that, there is a wind of change sweeping over world football and Ibra could yet rally against Ronaldo and emerge the unlikely victor, finally realising his potential and beginning a new era of his own as the King of the Continent. Unlikely, maybe - but they don't call him 'Ibracadabra' for no reason, and even neutrals out there might be hoping that for once, this magician doesn't flatter to deceive.

Manchester Citys Robinho is reportedly refusing to talk to team-mate Craig Bellamy after a row between the two players, if a report in the News of the World is to be believed.

The tabloid claims that Bellamy and Robinho engaged in an argument following last weekends defeat to Portsmouth which escalated to such an extent that the Brazilian is no longer on speaking terms with the former West Ham United man.

The News of the World quotes a club insider as saying, "Bellamy and Robinho had a slanging match. It became very heated, with Bellamy accusing Robinho of not trying. Elano joined in.

"A meeting was arranged at the training ground on Monday to clear the air but Robinho is now refusing to talk to Bellamy.

"Most of the players support Bellamy. There is a widespread feeling that Robinho is taking the mickey."

The tabloid goes on to suggest that the ill-feeling between the players and Robinho goes further than just that one incident between the pair.

It suggests that Robinho was not fined by the club for leaving a training camp to return to Brazil without permission, and also that his failure to adhere to club rules is causing unrest between his team mates.

"It is generally understood he wasnt fined for flying back to Brazil without permission," the papers source claims.

"He flouts all the rules laid down by Hughes in terms of punctuality, not wearing a club suit and tie. He turns up in jeans, club jacket and open neck shirt."

Both Bellamy and Robinho are expected to start for Manchester City this afternoon as they travel to Anfield to face Liverpool.

Real Madrid 6-1 Real Betis

A first half rout helped Real Madrid to a convincing 6-1 thrashing of Real Betis, as they closed the gap on Barcelona.

Juande Ramos decided to stick with the same side that hammered Sporting Gijon last weekend, with Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Marcelo keeping their places.

Betis, meanwhile, left Sergio Garcia on the bench, preferring instead to pack the midfield.

First Half

Real Betis had been expected to seriously challenge Real Madrid after their strong performance against Barcelona last week, but Los Merengues dominated the early exchanges, and were rewarded early when Gonzalo Higuain opened the scoring after seven minutes. Raul flicked the ball on for the Argentine, who took the ball around Ricardo and duly slotted home. It was the perfect start to the match for the home side, and it was just the beginning of the pain for Betis.

To their credit, the visitors went on the attack straight away in response, with Pepe making a brilliant sliding challenge to dispossess Damia, as he looked certain to score the equalizer. Madrid then went up the other end and scored their second, as Ricardo dropped a fairly tame cross from Marcelo straight into Huntelaar's path, and the Dutchman had no problem in smashing the ball into the net.

Klaas Jan Huntelaar's night soon got even better, when his header from a Sergio Ramos cross was tipped onto the bar by Ricardo, leaving him with a simple tap-in to score Madrid's third. There were only 23 minutes on the clock at this stage, and the scoring was far from finished.

Having been pummelled for most of the half, Betis unexpectedly pulled one back on the half-hour, when Ricardo Oliveira cut in from the left and unleashed a spectacular shot past Iker Casillas. He should have added a second five minutes later, when St. Iker blundered by passing the ball straight to the Brazilian, but he could only hit the post with just the keeper to beat.

It was a fatal mistake, as Real Madrid buried the game in the remaining minutes of the first half. First Raul unleashed an unstoppable curling shot on 36 minutes, after being set up by Marcelo, leaving Ricardo with no chance. The Real Madrid talisman was in the mood, and he scored another sublime goal five minutes later, when he chipped the ball delicately over Ricardo from a tight angle, after being played through by Fernando Gago.

Just when it looked like it could not possibly get any worse for Betis, Sergio Ramos rose at the back post to head home a Gabriel Heinze free-kick on the stroke of half-time, sending the home side into the break on a perfect note. Having smashed four past Sporting Gijon last week, this was a real statement of intent from Real Madrid, and there was still one half to go.

Second Half

Juande Ramos was clearly more than confident in his side's advantage, as he made the unprecedented step of making all three of his changes at half-time, withdrawing Fabio Cannavaro, Raul and Gonzalo Higuain for Miguel Torres, Guti and Wesley Sneijder respectively, with the Champions League fast approaching. Understandably, the intensity of the first half was significantly lacking in the second,  as both sides seemed to accept the final destination of the three points.

After the frantic goal scoring of the first half, chances were at a premium in the second, as the crowd turned their attention as much towards events at the Camp Nou as at the Bernabeu. Oliveira and Marcelo both had decent chances to score, but their finishes were poor as both sides went through the motions.

With ten minutes to go, Huntelaar nearly had a hat-trick, but he could only hit the post with Ricardo well beaten. It was the last and arguably the only genuine incident of a soporific second half that was in complete contrast to the first. No-one could blame Real Madrid though, for having an eye on the Champions League after doing all the hard work.

With Barcelona going down at home, this win puts Real Madrid right back into the title race, with the gap now reduced to seven points. There was much derision when they announced their title intentions earlier in the season, but Madrid are far from out of the equation.

Fabio Cannavaro is still enjoying his football at the Bernabeu since signing for Real Madrid in 2006 from Italian side Juventus, but the 35-year old knows that his time at the pinnacle of European football could soon be drawing to a close.

His current contract with Los Blancos expires on June 30 and has admitted he is unsure of where he will be playing next season, calling the situation 'difficult'.

Cannavaro however has stated that he will refuse any advances from other clubs until he has heard of a decision from Real Madrid as to whether he is likely to be offered a new deal to stay in Spain.

With boardroom turmoil currently ongoing following the departure of former president Ramon Calderon, Cannavaro's future remains uncertain with no-one sure who will be in control of the club at the beginning of next season.

It is no secret that the former Parma, Internazionale and Juventus defender had hoped to end his career in Naples, the place of his birth, but is willing to stay with Real Madrid if the right deal is offered.

According to Eurosport.es, he said, "The club is in a difficult position at the moment because of the situation with the president and there is not any time to discuss a renewal. It looks like I must wait."

He added that he believes that all he can do at the moment is to continue to give his all for the Spanish champions and await word from those in charge.

He concluded, "The most important thing for me right now is to continue working hard as I have always done, from day to day. I am happy in Madrid so I will have to see what happens."

 
Andrei Arshavin's debut failed to help misfiring Arsenal conjure up a goal as they played out another frustrating goalless draw against Sunderland at Emirates Stadium.

 

 Wenger - Arsenal are "nervous"

 

The Russian - signed on deadline day from Zenit St Petersburg - saw an early low shot fly just wide, before Marton Fulop beat away his angled drive.

Sunderland, though, battled well, and in the end were worth a share of the spoils as the Gunners - who hit four in the FA Cup against Cardiff here on Monday night - again could not break down a stubborn top-flight defence and missed the chance to close the gap on the top four with a third successive goalless draw in the Barclays Premier League.

Chelsea's 1-0 win at Aston Villa earlier meant the Gunners - unbeaten in 12 matches before this afternoon - had a chance to make up ground in the race for Champions League qualification.

However, despite again having plenty of possession, a Kolo Toure header cleared off the line in the first half was a close as they got.

It was, though, almost a dream start when Arshavin picked up a stray pass from Andy Reid and charged towards the penalty area, before unleashing a low drive which flew inches wide.

Arsenal were working hard when not in possession, denying Sunderland space to create forward momentum.

Robin van Persie was released into the left side of the penalty box by Denilson after 11 minutes.

The Dutchman - with 14 goals so far - took the ball around keeper Fulop, but then could only watch as his clipped effort curled just off target.

Arshavin cut inside and drilled an angled shot goalwards from the edge of the penalty area, which Fulop pushed away at full stretch.

There was a warning for the Gunners when Sunderland broke quickly and released Anton Ferdinand down the right, whose drive was beaten out by Manuel Almunia.

Reid then left fly with a 25-yard effort, which soared over before Dean Whitehead forced a decent save from Almunia as the hosts were pushed on the defensive for the first time in the match.

Arshavin was slipped in down the right. His cutback from the goalline picked out Nicklas Bendtner in the six-yard box, and Fulop had to get down quickly to turn the ball around the post.

At the end of the first half, Toure sent a far-post header goalwards following a corner from the right - only for Sunderland midfielder Reid to clear it off the line.

Following the restart, Arsenal continued to build a sustained period of pressure, if without troubling the Sunderland defence in the final third.

Arshavin floated over a ball into the penalty area from the right flank, but it was just too far ahead of Bendtner.

With 27 minutes left, the Russian was given a well-earned rest when he was replaced by Carlos Vela, who moved to the left as Nasri switched flanks.

The young Mexican almost had an instant impact when his cross flew across the six-yard box and would only have needed a touch into the net.

When George McCartney fouled Bacary Sagna in the right-hand corner, Van Persie whipped in the free-kick, which the keeper had to push behind his near post for a corner.

Vela dragged a left-foot shot across goal when the ball dropped to him in the six-yard box.

The Mexican again failed to hit the target when picked out by Van Persie following a pass alongside the edge of the penalty area.

Full-back Gael Clichy picked up an injury and was replaced by Kieran Gibbs for the final few minutes, as the Gunners again were left frustrated with William Gallas dragging a close-range effort wide in stoppage time.

 A chaotic 15 minutes saw Portsmouth snatch a 2-2 draw with Stoke in injury time at the Britannia Stadium after the hosts had scored two controversial goals.

 Hart rues penalty decision

An incredibly poor game exploded into life when Niko Kranjcar put the visitors ahead in the 75th minute.

However, James Beattie equalised from the spot moments later when Glen Johnson was wrongly ruled to have handballed before Beattie's header put his side ahead with Portsmouth howling for an offside decision.

But just when it looked like Stoke would take the points, Ryan Shawcross diverted Hermann Hreidarsson's injury-time shot into his own net.

There was absolutely no indication of the drama to come in the preceding 75 minutes.

The first half was littered with a succession of speculative long-range shots with Portsmouth trio Glen Johnson, Kranjcar and Angelos Bassinas all hopelessly off-target.

Jermaine Pennant's first testing cross from the right saw Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen and Shawcross get in each other's way but Peter Crouch's follow-up looped harmlessly into the former's arms.

Liam Lawrence's 18th-minute effort was by far the furthest and most ambitious attempted with his high 40-yard volley dropping just over David James' crossbar.

There was plenty of effort from both sides but little in the way of quality and the run by David Nugent, playing wide on the left, typified that.

The striker capitalised on Andy Wilkinson's slip near the touchline to sprint into the box but as Shawcross came across to challenge Nugent just ran the ball off the end of the pitch.

In the 32nd minute Crouch, showing a real lack of awareness and confidence, headed Pennant's hanging cross back across goal when he should have taken the opportunity to test Sorensen.

That was the closest Pompey came to goalmouth action as neither side created anything resembling a chance in the remainder of the half.

Just three minutes after the break Beattie had the best chance of the game when Sidibe threaded a ball in between centre-backs Sol Campbell and Sylvan Distin.

However, despite the former Sheffield United striker being just 12 yards out his woeful control allowed the ball roll to James.

Lawrence and Hreidarsson were both yellow-carded in the 58th minute after the Pompey defender retaliated to a late challenge by his opponent

In the 66th minute Crouch again rose highest at the far post to meet Pennant's cross but he could not keep his header down.

But, out of nowhere, the match inexplicably exploded into life with three goals scored in the space of five minutes.

Portsmouth went ahead in the 75th minute when Crouch, Kranjcar and Nugent c****ined in midfield with the latter's defence-splitting pass putting the Croatian through to slot past Simonsen.

Stoke equalised almost instantly when Johnson was ruled to have handballed in the penalty area from Campbell's unintentional flick-on, but replays showed the ball struck his shoulder.

Beattie fired home the penalty and then added an equally-controversial second straight after.

Danny Pugh's bouncing shot from Wilkinson's cross to the far post was headed in by the ex-Everton forward from close range, leaving Portsmouth players fuming as they appealed for offside.

However, justice was seen to be done in injury time when Hreidarsson fired in a shot which deflected off Shawcross and past Sorense

 Manchester United's record-breaking run of clean sheets came to an end - so Cristiano Ronaldo came up with a moment of magic at the other end to sink Blackburn 2-1 at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo produced a wondrous free-kick on the hour to send United eight points clear at the Barclays Premier League summit after Roque Santa Cruz had scored for Rovers, ending United's barren run at 1,334 minutes.

 

 Big Sam and Fergie agree to disagree

But visiting boss Sam Allardyce was left cursing referee Howard Webb for his failure to award a penalty when Rafael Da Silva appeared to foul Morten Gamst Pedersen as Rovers remained in the relegation zone.

Having gone so long without conceding, it must have been pretty galling United should lose their record in such a self-inflicted manner.

First, Nani and Paul Scholes waited for each other to collect a loose ball on halfway, allowing Andre Ooijer to step in and dart forward.

After beating Patrice Evra, Ooijer then slipped a pass to Santa Cruz. With Rio Ferdinand closing in on the South American, there was little need for Tomasz Kuszczak, standing in for the rested Edwin van der Sar, to dart out.

The situation still seemed to be under control. But both United players then committed themselves to a tackle, allowing Santa Cruz to calmly continue his run and tap into an empty net.

It was a run that had to end at some point of course. And at least Ferguson had the consolation of knowing his side had previously gone in front through Wayne Rooney.

The England striker had scored with his first touch following his return from a hamstring injury against Fulham on Wednesday.

Handed a start in order to prove his fitness ahead of the meeting with Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan, Rooney was buzzing about in his usual manner. And when Ryan Nelsen stretched to reach Nani's cross and succeeded only in prodding the ball slightly nearer his own goal, Rooney gleefully finished.

Nelsen had already saved a certain goal when he hooked the ball away from Michael Carrick's head as the England man arrived at the far post in the expectation of finishing off Ronaldo's cross.

Still, the hosts thought they had regained the initiative at the end of the opening period when Jonny Evans - selected ahead of Nemanja Vidic, like Van der Sar an ever-present during the previous 14 games but banned for the San Siro trip - rose to power home Nani's corner.

Referee Howard Webb detected a push, either from the Northern Ireland international or Ronaldo just in front as a group of players jumped. It seemed a very harsh call at the time and TV replays only backed up that opinion.

If Nelsen had seen his shot fly in instead of bouncing back off the post, Ferguson would have been complaining bitterly.

Instead, with El-Hadji Diouf firing the rebound straight at Kuszczak, United were soon celebrating.

The Red Devils have been waiting for a spectacular Ronaldo free-kick for about the same amount of time as their goal has been boarded up. Having lost out at one end, Ronaldo did the business at the other.

Paul Robinson must have been expecting a cross after Keith Andrews had sent Patrice Evra flying on the left edge of the box. Instead, the former England goalkeeper was beaten by raw pace as the ball flashed into the roof of his net.

Having lost one lead, it seemed unlikely the hosts would do it again.

Yet Rafael Da Silva was incredibly lucky to escape when he put his hands on Morten Gamst Pedersen's shoulders in an attempt to get into a tackling position as the Norwegian burst into the box.

Pedersen went down. Webb said no. On the touchline, Allardyce erupted in a rage and got involved in a heated exchange with Ferguson, with whom he had shared a convivial post-match drink at the same ground on Wednesday.

The departure of Evans straight after Ronaldo's blinding effort was a major concern, with Vidic suspended for the Inter clash.

Carlos Tevez's introduction at the same time was a reminder of the strength within Ferguson's squad, even if the Argentina forward is starting to mull over his long-term future.

Yet nowhere else, with the possible exception of Barcelona, would Tevez get to figure amongst such a dazzling array of attacking talent.
 

 Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy is being tipped to give his former club Liverpool a hard time on Sunday.

Bellamy is feeling his way at City, after arriving in the January transfer window from West Ham.

The Welshman has rarely settled at one club and he includes a brief stay at Anfield on his list.

Bellamy's team-mate Stephen Ireland believes he will be raring to go in the red corner of Merseyside.

Ireland said: ''Craig's a very fiery person and always wants to win and score. You can see why the manager signed him.

''He's going to go into this game determined to score. He's a proper winner, who plays with his heart on his sleeve. He will be a very important signing for us.

''Craig is going to want to prove a point against Liverpool and, we hope, get a goal. As soon as you get the ball you look for him, because his movement is brilliant.

''He's very quick, so you always know he can get on the end of balls - even if it's not a great pass.''

Ireland is in top form in his own right - his goal in the 2-2 draw against Copenhagen in the UEFA Cup this week was his 10th of the season.

He is only two adrift of Robinho and said: ''I'd love to keep scoring. I've set myself a few targets and I just want to keep reaching them.

''If I get in position and it happens for me, great. As long as I keep making those runs and get that service, that's the most important thing.''

Ireland believes the match against the title-chasers will be one for the purists.

He said: ''I think there will be be more space for us, and it should be a good footballing game.

''Liverpool are quite like us. They like to play football and hit on the break, so it could be an end-to-end match.

''No one expects us to get a victory, but we often win the games we're not expected to. 'The defeat at our place against them was hard to take.

''The turning point was when (Pablo) Zabaleta got sent off - although we still should have won. I think we'll have that fact on our minds at Anfield.''

Liverpool's exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Everton, no matter how painful at the time, could prove a blessing in disguise on the Premier League front.

The Anfield giants suffered no major casualties in last week's international fixtures, and they were afforded a much-needed rest while their rivals continued their cup runs at the weekend.

Rafael Benitez gave his players some time off, and he expects them to be fit and fresh when they return to action on Sunday afternoon against Manchester City.

"The rest was good for us," the Reds boss said on the club's official website. "We had been playing too many games in a row and so it was important for the players to rest and enjoy some time with their families. We need to be ready for the important weeks ahead."

"We know the City game is massive for us and that's why we have to concentrate totally on it and prepare properly.

"City are scoring goals, but also conceding some, so clearly they are a dangerous team. They have good players with the likes of Robinho and [Craig] Bellamy, so offensively we have to be aware."

Liverpool now sit five points behind the league leaders following Manchester United's 3-0 win over Fulham, but Benitez is confident of hauling back the Red Devils over the coming weeks.

"You never know what is going to happen. You can lose points one day and then a few weeks later the other teams lose points as well," he said.

"We just have to keep going, think about the next game and winning three points, and that's it."