Pique wants United to progress Barcelona's Gerard Pique hopes Manchester United will reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League at the expense of Real Madrid.
The Spain international played for United from 2004 until 2008, and he is hopeful his former team can beat Barca's arch-rivals in the round of 16, with the first leg of the tie scheduled to take place at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
"I would like Manchester United to make it to the next round," Pique told reporters.
"I would like them to progress because of my time at the club. However, Madrid have been in good form in recent weeks. It promises to be an interesting tie."
The centre-back then went on to discuss Barcelona's 6-1 Liga win over Getafe on Sunday, and
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Category: News Views: 701 Added: BetterDate: 11.02.2013 - 21:37
Paciencia leaves Deportivo Domingos Paciencia has left his post as Deportivo La Coruna coach by mutual consent after just six weeks in charge of the Galician outfit.
Deportivo sit at the bottom of La Liga, six points from safety, and Fernando Vazquez will oversee their bid to stay in the top flight after being appointed interim coach.
"Something has to change, and if that means me leaving, I will do what the club want," Paciencia told reporters after Saturday's 3-0 home loss to Granada.
"The situation is not easy, and I am worried about Depor."
Deportivo have lost their last four Liga mathces, and have won just once since the beginning of November.
Vazquez guided Deportivo's local rivals Ceta Vigo to UEFA Cup qualific
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Category: News Views: 843 Added: SkyDate: 11.02.2013 - 21:06
Ferguson: Real targetting Europe Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson believes winning the Champions League is Real Madrid's priority this season.
The two sides are set to go head-to-head at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday.
And, with Real 16 points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona in Spain, Ferguson expects Jose Mourinho's men to be fully committed to progressing in Europe.
"I think their target is the European Cup," Ferguson told the club's official website.
"They got a bad start in the league and were chasing their tail a bit because Barcelona's form has been incredible. I think Jose has set his targets firmly on the European Cup, no doubt about that.
Category: News Views: 707 Added: SkyDate: 11.02.2013 - 20:54
Klopp concedes Bundesliga title Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has given up on the Bundesliga title, turning his attention to the UEFA Champions League and DFB Pokal.
Dortmund trail Bundesliga-leaders Bayern Munich by 15 points having lost 4-1 to Hamburg on Saturday and Klopp does not believe it is possible for his team to overhaul the Bavarian club with 14 games to go in the league.
Instead, he wants to focus on trying to win the Champions League and a second consecutive German Cup title.
"It is not a problem that we are not first because we like football and we want to win the next game and the next competition, DFB Pokal, Champions League, we have so many targets," Klopp said on Monday.
"It has been a good season so far."
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Category: News Views: 706 Added: SkyDate: 11.02.2013 - 20:51
Commons mocks Juve´s training arrangements Kris Commons could not resist a jibe at Rangers' expense after learning Juventus would training at the facilities of Celtic's fierce rivals.
Rangers have invited Antonio Conte's men to train at Murray Park in the build-up their Champions League round-of-16 clash with Celtic at Parkhead on Tuesday.
"They can train in my back garden, it would make no difference. If they want to train at a Division Three training ground let them get on with it," Commons told the Scottish Express.
The Nottingham-born midfielder said Neil Lennon's men are full of confidence going into the fixture against the Serie A champions.
"Of course we fancy ourselves over the two legs. We're quietly confident," he said.
Category: News Views: 757 Added: SkyDate: 11.02.2013 - 20:49
West Ham to wait and see on Allardyce talks David Gold says West Ham United will not discuss a new contract with manager Sam Allardyce until Premier League survival is secured.
Allardyce has led West Ham to promotion from the Championship and 11th place in the top flight but his deal is set to expire at the end of the 2012/13 campaign.
Gold claims that he, co-chairman David Sullivan and Allardyce have agreed to focus on achieving their goals for the season before opening talks.
"As David Sullivan and I have always maintained, we will sit down and discuss Sam's contract situation once our Premier League status has been confirmed and not before," Gold said in a statement on the club's official website.
"This is purely because the three of us don't want anything to distra
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Category: News Views: 761 Added: SkyDate: 11.02.2013 - 20:48
Michu confident of Swansea safety Swansea striker Michu believes his side's Premier League status is virtually assured thanks to a 4-1 win over Queens Park Rangers.
The Spaniard netted twice as Swansea dispatched Harry Redknapp's men at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday to move 14 points clear of the relegation zone.
And, with a Capital One Cup final clash against Bradford approaching at the end of the month, the 26-year-old has claimed that his team-mates can be proud of their efforts.
He told reporters: "It was a wonderful win and one that means we are practically safe in the Premier League.
"We can go to Dubai and face Liverpool next week with a smile on our faces," he added, referring to a warm weather training trip ahead of their league meeting with Brenda
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Category: News Views: 668 Added: SkyDate: 11.02.2013 - 20:47
Tip - 11.02 Tip 1(-1.5)
Odd: 1.97
Category: News Views: 647 Added: BetterDate: 11.02.2013 - 11:21
Mourinho talks up Madrid-United clash Jose Mourinho believes Real Madrid's mouth-watering Champions League clash with Manchester United is 'the match the world is waiting for'.
United travel to Bernabeu for the first leg of their last-16 tie in midweek, and the Real Madrid boss was seen at Old Trafford to watch the current Premier League leaders defeat Everton 2-0 and extend the gap between themselves and Manchester City to 12 points at the top of the table.
Despite the attractions of Bayern Munich taking on Arsenal and AC Milan facing off against Barcelona in the same round of the competition, Mourinho believes the tie between his own side and United is the main lure for spectators.
"It is the match the world is waiting for," Mourinho said.
"The world is not waiting for other matches in the Champions League, so I hope we can give the world what they are waiting for
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Category: News Views: 752 Added: BetterDate: 11.02.2013 - 03:07
La Liga wrap: Barcelona hit Getafe for six, Atletico falter Barcelona moved 12 points clear on top of the La Liga table after they thumped Getafe 6-1 and Atletico Madrid lost on Sunday.
The Catalan giants made a terrific start to their fixture at the Nou Camp, taking the lead after just six minutes thanks to an assured finish from Alexis Sanchez.
The Chilean made the most of a splendid diagonal pass from Andres Iniesta, taking a smart touch before tucking the ball past Getafe goalkeeper Jordi Cordina.
Just seven minutes later the lead was doubled, with Iniesta's lob over the defence finding Thiago Alcantara, who cleverly laid the ball off for Lionel Messi.
The Argentine lost his footing as he shot but it was still good enough to sneak into the back of the net as he scor
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Category: News Views: 886 Added: BetterDate: 11.02.2013 - 03:02
Allegri satisfied with Cagliari draw AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri says he is happy to come away with a 1-1 draw from their visit to Cagliari in Serie A on Sunday.
Mario Balotelli's late penalty rescued the Rossoneri a share of the spoils after Victor Ibarbo had put the Sardinians in the lead on the stroke of half-time.
Allegri believes their inexperience cost them all three points in the end against his former club.
"Today we had four players on the pitch that were born in 1992. With a little more experience, we would have not conceded the goal," he said.
"(Stephan) El Shaarawy? He's still a boy of just 20 years and so far has pulled all the strings for us, it is normal for him to have dips (in form). I do not think that there is a compatibility issue wit
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Category: News Views: 773 Added: SkyDate: 11.02.2013 - 01:59
Ferguson changed team after City loss Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson admitted he changed his team to face Everton after City's loss to Southampton on Saturday.
The Red Devils moved 12 points clear at the top of the table with victory over the Toffees, courtesy of goals from Ryan Giggs and Robin van Persie.
Ferguson said it was a crucial win to give them even more of a buffer over their city rivals.
"I did (change my team after seeing Manchester City result). I thought that this is going to be a more important game today, because it can give us an important lead and we can make changes later," he told Sky Sports.
"We knew that if we could get a result today it puts us in a fantastic position.
"We got to win our games, it doesn't matter what happens to Manchester City, I've always said we have to concentrate on our own games and we'll be OK."
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Category: News Views: 737 Added: SkyDate: 11.02.2013 - 01:58
De Rossi slams ´embarrassing´ Delio Rossi Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi has called Delio Rossi's actions during Sampdoria's 3-1 win over Roma 'embarrassing'.
Rossi had a heated exchange with Roma defender Nicolas Burdisso, during which he allegedly stuck his middle finger up at the player.
The Sampdoria coach was given his marching orders after the incident, and De Rossi has slammed his actions.
"I must say that Rossi was a little over the top, embarrassing even. He took the populist route by raising his middle finger against a player," De Rossi said.
"If that was me, I'd ask myself a few questions."
De Rossi also spoke about the disappointment in the Roma dressing room after the defeat, and said he was looking to find his rhythm again aft
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Category: News Views: 763 Added: SkyDate: 11.02.2013 - 01:53
