Chelsea and Drogba set for talks

Chelsea have revealed they will sit down with Didier Drogba to sort out the striker’s future at the club.

Drogba, who was sent off in extra time of Wednesday’s Champions League final, has been linked with a summer move to several clubs including AC Milan.

“Didier is a superb player generally,” admitted chairman Bruce Buck.

“Now that the season is over we have to sit down with him and see what the story is and what his future is. He is a great player, I hope he stays.”

Buck added: “But that is a decision the club and Didier will have to make collectively.

“There have been some comments reported to be made by Didier over that last year that maybe he would like to leave Chelsea. On most occasions he has said that he has been misquoted.”

Drogba suffered a number of injuries last season that affected his performances, but the Ivory Coast striker was also reportedly unhappy at the departure of former manager Jose Mourinho.

Hiddink ‘would say no to Chelsea’

Russia coach Guus Hiddink will not become the next manager of Chelsea, according to his agent.

Hiddink, 61, has been installed as one of the favourites to replace Avram Grant, who was sacked on Saturday.

But Cees van Nieuwenhuizen has told BBC Sport that Hiddink is planning for the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign.

The Dutchman only has a verbal agreement to remain in charge of Russia beyond the Euro 2008 finals but van Nieuwenhuizen says he will stay on.

Hiddink has a formidable record at club and international level, having taken Holland and South Korea to the semi-finals of the World Cup.

He is known to have a strong relationship with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who is believed to have played a key role in his appointment as Russia boss in 2006, as well as helping to fund his salary.

Hiddink is yet to sign a new deal to stay on with Russia but BBC Radio 5 Live football correspondent Jonathan Legard said: “His agent says there is nothing suspicious about the unsigned contract.

“And his relationship with the Russian Football Federation is good, even if Hiddink himself expressed concern last week that the issue could become a distraction.

“By contrast, Hiddink’s fellow countryman Frank Rijkaard is readily available and may not object as much as (former boss) Jose Mourinho eventually did to Abramovich’s football involvement, which is reckoned to be as much as 30% of on-the-pitch activity by Richard Bevan of the League Managers’ Association.”

source:bbcsports

Evil Prevails!

Manchester United’s victorious players are on a flight back to England with the Champions League trophy after their thrilling win over Chelsea in Moscow.

The United squad celebrated the penalty shoot-out win well into the early hours at a party in their hotel.

BBC sports news correspondent James Pearce said the party had gone on until 1000 local time, and the team’s return has been put back by at least an hour.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have already begun their trip back to Gatwick airport.

In a dramatic final, Manchester United took the lead through Ronaldo before Frank Lampard equalised for Chelsea.

It went down to penalties, with John Terry missing the chance to win it for Chelsea before Edwin van der Sar saved Nicolas Anelka’s spot-kick to take the trophy.

The Chelsea players are expected to make a low-key exit when they land at Gatwick, after seeing their dreams of glory snatched away in the Luzhniki Stadium.

Barca’s Messi set to face Man Utd

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is set to win his fitness battle for the Champions League semi-final first leg against Manchester United on 23 April.

Argentine sensation Messi, 20, has been named in the Barca squad for Saturday’s La Liga game against Recreativo Huelva.

He tore a muscle in his left thigh in the Champions League last 16 game against Celtic on 4 March and has been recovering from injury in Argentina.

Barca are without Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho for the rest of the season.

The 28-year-old, who has struggled to hold down a regular place this season, pulled a leg muscle in training last week.

Barca forwards Thierry Henry and Bojan Krkic picked up knocks in the European game against Schalke on Wednesday, while midfielder Andres Iniesta has a knee problem.

Portuguese midfielder Deco has missed the last month with a calf injury, but he may still be fit for the first leg.

source:bbcsports

Man Utd 1-0 Roma (agg 3-0)

Carlos Tevez struck as Manchester United defeated Roma to seal a Champions League semi-final match-up with Barcelona.

Roma should have taken the lead from the penalty spot after a foul by Wes Brown but Daniele de Rossi smashed the ball high over the crossbar.

Edwin van der Sar denied Mirko Vucinic as Roma threatened but Ryan Giggs and Owen Hargreaves forced saves from Doni.

And Tevez scored with a diving header from Hargreaves’ cross to seal the tie.

The Argentine struck after 70 minutes and it was a goal that punctured any lingering hopes Roma harboured of a dramatic comeback.

The Italians had been left stunned after their 2-0 defeat in Rome but, after enduring a poor start to the second leg, they showed great spirit to rattle their opponents.

And they might have ensured an extremely nervous evening for United had De Rossi not been so wasteful with his penalty kick after 29 minutes.

Ferguson relishing Barcelona test

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is excited by the prospect of playing Barcelona after his team defeated Roma in the Champions League.

Carlos Tevez scored as United won the second-leg 1-0 to secure a 3-0 victory on aggregate over Roma - and set up a semi-final tie with the Catalan giants.

“I’m looking forward to it,” said Ferguson. “I think that we have something special in our team.

“We cannot go to Spain and be negative, we must be positive.”

United last met Barcelona in the Champions League in 1998 when their group encounter at the Nou Camp ended in a 3-3 draw.

But United won the Champions League final at the Nou Camp in 1999, with a spectacular 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich.

The first leg of this year’s tie will also take place in Spain, on 22 or 23 April, with the return leg at Old Trafford on 29 or 30 April.

Barca defender Carles Puyol will be missing from the first leg after picking up a yellow card in the 1-0 win over Schalke.

FA’s Aliadiere ruling angers Boro

Middlesbrough have accused the Football Association of double standards after losing their appeal against Jeremie Aliadiere’s red card at Liverpool. The FA deemed Boro’s appeal “frivolous” and added an extra game’s suspension to the striker’s initial three-match ban.

The verdict infuriated Boro chief Keith Lamb, who said Chelsea’s appeal against Michael Essien’s three-match ban was rejected but not thought “frivolous”.

“There is one rule for the big boys and another for the rest of us,” said Lamb.

However, FA spokesman Mark Hooper told BBC Sport: “The FA refutes any suggestion that certain clubs are treated differently to others. All cases are treated on merit.

Neville makes fresh comeback bid

Manchester United defender Gary Neville played 60 minutes for the club’s reserve team on Tuesday in his latest attempt to return from injury. The 33-year-old right-back has not played first-team football for nearly a year and has been plagued by calf and ankle problems over the past 11 months.

Neville has made a number of comebacks only to suffer further setbacks.

United’s second-string lost 2-0 to their Liverpool counterparts with goals from Xabi Alonso and Harry Kewell.

United’s reserves also included keeper Ben Foster on the bench as he continues his comeback from knee surgery in the summer.

source:bbcsports

Beckham in England fitness battle

David Beckham concedes he faces an uphill battle to win a coveted 100th England cap against France on 26 March. England boss Fabio Capello did not pick Beckham, 32, for this month’s win over Switzerland and he fears a lack of fitness could see him sidelined again.

“I’ve no match fitness,” said Beckham, who plays for LA Galaxy in Korea on Saturday. “All I’ve done is training.

“I would love to reach the 100 caps, but I have to be physically ready to be part of the team.”

The former England captain played under Capello at Real Madrid and, though the Italian says Beckham is still part of his plans, the midfielder accepts his selection policy.

“I’ve played for Capello before, and he’s a great manager,” Beckham said.

“He is a manager that will pick players that are fit enough. I understand he selected others who played more games.”

Man Utd fined for seven bookings

Manchester United have incurred an automatic £25,000 fine from the Football Association for having seven players booked against Tottenham. Edwin van der Sar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wes Brown, Nani, Nemanja Vidic, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez were all booked in Saturday’s 1-1 draw.

The fine is imposed any time a team gets six or more yellow cards.

If six or more United stars are booked again in a single game this season then the club will be fined £50,000.

However, United will not face any disciplinary action after a number of players remonstrated with the assistant referee after Tottenham’s goal.