Ba and Cisse part of Senegal plans

NEWCASTLE could be without star strikers Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse for the start of next season with the duo set to be named in Senegal's Olympic squad.

The African nation were today drawn in Great Brtain’s group for London 2012 after last night's play-off win over Oman.

And Senegal Football Association president Augustin Senghor said: “If we can strengthen our young team with famous players from great championships like the Premier League, we should.

“We need top scorers like Papiss Cisse. If you leave players like that at home, it is a big mistake.”

Neither Cisse nor Ba have been contacted yet, but Senghor added: “If we call them, they will come.

“It is a privilege to participate in the Olympic Games. There are many great players who regret not playing in the Olympics.

“They are patriotic guys. They will come if we ask.

“Also, it will be a very good thing for them to play against their colleagues in England.

“It will create a lot of focus around the game and the stadium will be full.”

 

Hot Rafa

RAFAEL NADAL crushed Novak Djokovic to win his eighth straight Monte Carlo Open.

The 6-3 6-1 win was the Spaniard’s 42nd consecutive victory in Monaco. But it was his first over the Serb in eight attempts.

Djokovic said he was “emotionally drained” after the death of his grandfather last week.

 

Rafael paying price for lax defending

RAFAEL is set to pay the price for the game which left Manchester United’s title hopes in the balance.

The Brazilian full-back, 21, had a torrid time in Sunday’s 4-4 draw with Everton and failed to track Steven Pienaar’s run for the late equaliser.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was ready to bring Chris Smalling into the line-up, yet opted to stick with Rafael.

And Old Trafford sources have revealed Fergie was furious with himself for not making the change.

The draw left rivals Manchester City within three points, and a better goal difference, ahead of Monday’s Etihad derby.

Now Smalling will kick off against City as Fergie shores up a backline that was breached SIX times by City in October.

United’s chief feels 6ft 4in Smalling’s extra height could help against City.

He also offers more defensive stability than Rafael.

Jonny Evans will carry on as Rio Ferdinand’s defensive partner while Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck are sure to remain up front.

 

Terry’s in tears

TEARFUL John Terry apologised to Chelsea fans for his stupid sending off that KO’d his Champions League final dreams.

The Blues skipper was sent off after 37 minutes for kneeing Alexis Sanchez in the leg from behind.

Terry looked close to tears as he said: “I feel as though I’ve let them down. I’ve apologised to them.

“I want to apologise to the Chelsea fans as well.

“I’m disappointed but the lads deserve to be in a Champions League final.

“I’ve raised my knee, which maybe I shouldn’t have done.

“It looks bad on the replay but people that know me know I’m not that type of player.”

Chelsea interim boss Roberto Di Matteo refused to condemn Terry. He said: “He’s a fantastic leader.

Everybody can make a mistake.”

Arsenal's Robin van Persie named FWA Footballer of the Year

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has been named the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year, the second time his achievements have been recognized in three days.

The winner is selected by FWA members, with around 400 football journalists casting their vote.

On Sunday the Gunners' captain was awarded the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year prize.

Van Persie, 28, has scored 34 goals so far this season.

The Netherlands forward is the Premier League's top scorer this season with 27 goals.

He secured a landslide margin of victory in the voting ahead of Manchester United pair Wayne Rooney, in second place, and Paul Scholes in third. Fulham's Clint Dempsey finished fourth.

Van Persie was signed by manager Arsene Wenger from Feyenoord in 2004 and was used mainly as a second striker and occasionally out wide in the early stages of his career, but he has thrived in his present centre-forward role.

"I never really thought that I would end up as a main striker," recalled the Dutchman. "I actually never played there before - I did it a couple of times at youth level, but it was nothing really special.

"The boss didn't buy someone else [when Emmanuel Adebayor left] because he was convinced I could do it. I wasn't so sure.

"Sometimes, you just question yourself, if you are good enough at it. Those answers came.

"I have been convinced for a while now that I actually can play as a main striker. I just didn't know, and now I believe."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said: "It goes beyond my level of expectation with the number of goals he has scored. He is sensational as well is as a captain. He has done extremely well on and off the field.

"Robin has a very healthy life, very focused on football - he takes care of everything. That's why he manages to do that. He is like Thierry Henry in that respect.

"You have national class, international class and world class, and Robin is world class."

PFA/FWA double winners

• 1980: Terry McDermott
• 1983: Kenny Dalglish
• 1984: Ian Rush
• 1986: Gary Lineker
• 1987: Clive Allen
• 1988: John Barnes
• 1998: Dennis Bergkamp
• 1999: David Ginola
• 2000: Roy Keane
• 2001: Teddy Sheringham
• 2003: Thierry Henry
• 2004: Thierry Henry
• 2007: Cristiano Ronaldo
• 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo
• 2010: Wayne Rooney

Right Man for the job Sheikh backs Roberto

MANCHESTER CITY owner Sheikh Mansour has given his full backing to Roberto Mancini. 

Speculation about the Italian manager's future at City grew before his side were handed a lifeline in the title race on Sunday.

Rivals United slipped up as they drew with Everton, meaning City's victory over Wolves took them within three points of top spot.

And with the Manchester duo meeting on Monday night, City could retake their place at the summit with a win.

Mansour said: “The difference is three points and we do have a chance.

"But whatever happens and even if we don’t win I am very happy and satisfied with the players, the team and the management.

"They have performed very well and have improved in their last few matches.”

Don’t cheat Drog

BARCELONA defender Gerard Pique last night challenged Didier Drogba to stay on his feet in tonight’s Nou Camp face-off. 

Drogba infuriated Barca during Chelsea’s 1-0 Champions League semi-final first-leg win last week.

The striker was widely criticised for the amount of time he spent rolling around on the pitch, with Manchester United star Wayne Rooney tweeting: “Drogba. You’re a good player but pls get up.”

And former United centre-back Pique says that for the sake of fair play, he has to believe Drogba is genuinely hurt every time he hits the deck.

Pique said: “I believe every time Drogba fell down it was because he was in pain or he felt a kick and thought it was dangerous or something. I don’t think he was trying to act or dive.

“If that was not the case, we’ll start to talk about football being all about cheats.

“We have to keep fair play and all the good things in the game — and diving and cheating are not good.”

Mikel Arteta to miss end of Arsenal season through injury

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta will miss the remainder of the season with ankle ligament damage. 

The Spaniard picked up the injury during Arsenal's shock 2-1 defeat by Wigan on Monday and left the Emirates Stadium on crutches.

While subsequent scans have revealed no break, the ligament damage is serious enough to rule the 30-year-old out of Arsenal's four remaining matches.

The Gunners still have Chelsea, Stoke, Norwich and West Brom to play.

With Jack Wilshere also out for the season, Abou Diaby struggling for match fitness and Yossi Benayoun ineligible to face Chelsea on Saturday as he is on loan from the Blues, manager Arsene Wenger has been left with a selection headache.

Aaron Ramsey is the most likely to come into the side in place of Arteta, with Tomas Rosicky, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Alex Song making up the rest of the Arsenal midfield.

Wenger has warned his players of the importance of the match against Chelsea, with Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United in position to take advantage of any Arsenal slip-up in the race to finish in the top four to gain a Champions League place.

Utd world’s richest

MANCHESTER UNITED have been named the world’s richest club again — and valued at a massive £1.39billion.

The Premier League champions topped Forbes magazine’s list for the eighth year in a row following another successful year for manager Alex Ferguson’s men.

But neighbours City have still not broken into the top 10 of the rankings, moving up just two places to 13th.

The next highest English team after United were Arsenal in fourth, followed by Chelsea in seventh, eighth-placed Liverpool and Tottenham in 11th.

Spanish giants Real Madrid are second in the table, followed by their La Liga rivals Barcelona. Germany’s Bayern Munich complete the top five.

United landed £103.5million in commercial revenue alone last season. And the Glazer family, who own the club, are thought to be considering putting some of the club on Singapore’s stock exchange which would raise even more funds.

United’s value dwarfs the estimated £276.5m of City and their Abu Dhabi owners, headed by Sheikh Mansour.

But Forbes also claim City are spending a huge £93.6m per year on wages alone.

The report said: “United’s global fan-base of some 330million also helps make it the most valuable team in any sport.”

Chelsea 1 Barcelona 0

GIVE the Drog a bone and he will chew it up.

Barca may be a bunch of chums with all the pedigree but veteran striker Didier Drogba converted Chelsea’s one chance to take a slender advantage to the Nou Camp.

They say that, at 34, the Drog is on his last legs. But, last Sunday, he scored a screamer to set up the 5-1 destruction of Spurs in the FA Cup semi-final.

And here he fired in Chelsea’s only shot on target at the end of the first half when he converted a pinpoint cross from Ramires.

Drogba wants to stay at Stamford Bridge but is demanding a two-year contract instead of the one-year deal on offer.

Owner Roman Abramovich must now be contemplating caving in to the Ivorian because he looks far from a spent force.

It was an astonishing win when you look at the stats.

Chelsea hardly saw the ball all night. Barca had 72 per cent possession, 24 attempts on goal to the Blues’ five, and six efforts on target to one.

But the most important part of the game is getting the ball in the onion bag.

Usain’t seen nothing yet! Bolt promises records

USAIN BOLT has told the Great British public: Be prepared to be amazed. 

The triple Olympic champion insists he is ready to smash his own world records in London.
Bolt says he can run 9.4SEC for 100 metres and 19SEC over 200m.

If he achieves the sensational times in Stratford’s Olympic Stadium, the Jamaican will knock almost two-tenths of a second off his world records.

With just 99 days to go before the Games, Bolt said: “People are looking forward to me running 9.4, 19 seconds, anything that’s amazing.

“They want to see my personality, me enjoying it and doing crazy stuff but they also want to see times.”

Bolt’s 100m world record of 9.58sec was set at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

The 25-year-old also broke his own 200m time at that meet, recording 19.19sec. Bolt thinks more spectacular displays such as the ones that saw him take three gold medals at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, would make him a legend.

He said: “I’m working as hard as possible, so I can go as fast as possible in London.

“If I dominate the Olympics, I’ll be a living legend. A living legend, walking around. Sounds good.”

Team GB star Paula Radcliffe will watch rival Mary Keitany run the London Marathon on Sunday. Kenyan Keitany wants to send a message by defending her title, four months before battling Radcliffe.

Keitany ran 2hr 19min 19sec in last year’s race, making her the second fastest woman of all time over the London course behind Radcliffe.

She said: “I’m in the same shape as last year, I hope to win despite the field being so competitive.

“Many have run 2:20. I don’t fear the marathon.”

Radcliffe set her world record of 2:15.25 in London in 2003.

But she struggled in her first road race of the year in Vienna on Sunday, running her slowest half marathon.

There is less than four months to the Olympic marathon on August 5 and Radcliffe will not compete over 26.2 miles before then.

Meanwhile, London 2012 ambassador David Beckham is amazed at the progress of the Olympic site. He said: “To see the transformation where I grew upis incredible.”

 

Beyonce doesn't have baby Blues

BEYONCE looked happy to be recognised by fans as she took baby daughter Blue Ivy for a walk.

The star smiled and waved at passers-by as she went for a wander around Central Park in New York on Monday.

The singer later turned up in the same outfit to watch the New Jersey Nets take on the Miami Heat basketball team with husband Jay-Z and her nephew Daniel.

With her three-month-old daughter strapped to her like that, she was lucky she didn’t need to change her dress.

Mind you, that pattern would hide any baby sick.

Goldenballs eyes golden haul

DAVID BECKHAM is still on course to lead Great Britain’s football team at London 2012.

And he could be joined by Wales’ Craig Bellamy and Gareth Bale plus ex-England team-mate Joe Cole.
GB boss Stuart Pearce has drawn up a list of 80 players from an original 191.

Becks, part of the bid team which helped bring the Olympics to London, will now be hoping to make the final squad of 18 in about six weeks’ time.

It will comprise 15 youngsters born after January 1, 1989 and three over-age picks. Becks will be 37 when the Games open.

80-MAN LIST INCLUDES — ENGLISH: David Beckham (LA Galaxy), Joe Cole (Lille, on loan from Liverpool), Jack Butland (Birmingham), Josh McEachran (Swansea, on loan from Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (C Palace). WELSH: Gareth Bale (Tottenham), Craig Bellamy (Liverpool). SCOTTISH: Steven Fletcher (Wolves). NORTHERN IRISH: Chris Brunt (WBA).

 

You Blues are just a long-ball team Fab dig at RDM’s tactics

CESC FABREGAS reckons it will be a production of Beauty and the Beast at Stamford Bridge tonight.

And he is worried the beast could be a very difficult animal to tame.

Former Arsenal skipper Fabregas claims that since the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas, Chelsea have become long-ball merchants and reverted to their old direct style.

It is a tactic he became familiar with during his time in England and one which he says makes the Blues a more dangerous proposition against the artists of Barcelona.

Fabregas, 24, had some bitter battles with Chelsea — especially during Jose Mourinho’s reign — and tasted victory just three times in 16 attempts against them.

He is not expecting it to be any easier tonight against a Chelsea side rejuvenated under Roberto Di Matteo.
Fabregas said: “What happened with Villas-Boas was they played more from the back, trying to keep possession and take the initiative in the game.

“But they’ve gone back to the type of Chelsea that was more successful a few years ago — playing on the counter, trying to hit the targetman, long balls, sitting back and using that No 9 as a reference point.

“The game will be difficult. In recent games against Chelsea when I was at Arsenal and now with Barca, even though we kept possession it’s hard to play against them.

“They counter very easily and Didier Drogba can score against you. So you have to be careful and aware of the threat they pose on the counter-attack.”

“But they also know we’re a hard team to beat and can score winning goals at any moment in a game.”
Fabregas, who joined Barca last summer in a deal that could top £40million, is getting everything he dreamed of and more from his switch to the Nou Camp.

It is possible he could do the Champions League and La Liga double in his first season back at the club he joined as a 10-year-old in 1997.

He said: “It’s much better than I expected and I have played much more than I expected.

“I came here to learn, to get better as a player and a person and also to experience weeks like this — Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Champions League, then Real Madrid in a game which, if we win, we are back in the title race, followed by Chelsea again.

“This is all new to me. My team-mates are more used to it but for me to experience this kind of situation is a dream.

“I’ve learned a lot tactically. I now know my position on the pitch. I feel more mature as a player.”

 

Bayern Munich 2 Real Madrid 1

MARIO GOMEZ grabbed a last-gasp winner to fire Bayern’s dream of a Munich final. 

The German hotshot slid home from three yards in the last minute after skipper Philipp Lahm had cut back from the right.

Bayern are desperate to reach the final at the their own Allianz Arena on May 19.

And they stunned Jose Mourinho’s men after just 17 minutes when Real failed to clear a corner and Franck Ribery fired in through a crowded goalmouth from 10 yards.

But German star Mesut Ozil grabbed a precious away goal to silence the Munich fans.

The midfielder pounced six minutes into the second half from close range after Cristiano Ronaldo had cut back a cross.

English ref Martin Atkinson — one of Howard Webb’s extra officials behind the goal — found himself in the spotlight again following on from Chelsea’s ‘phantom’ goal against Spurs at Wembley.

Atkinson turned down heated appeals for a Bayern penalty with seven minutes left after Real’s Pepe sliced a clearance against team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa’s arm.

Webb also incensed the home crowd for only booking Real’s Marcelo after he hacked down Thomas Muller late on.

A defiant Mourinho said: “We were a better team in the first half, clearly. We now have the second leg with a different atmosphere.

“Until 75 minutes I thought it would be 1-1. It was a great semi-final but I cannot say it was a spectacular match.

“The linesman made a mistake for the first goal, it’s a clear offside but that is football.

“I accept it without criticism as I don’t think he wanted to make that mistake. He did it because he makes mistakes like everyone else.

“The El Clasico at the weekend means nothing to Barcelona, for us it means a lot but I prefer that we are fighting for the title.

“We know it is an advantage for Barcelona but it’s better like this.”

 

Robben: We'll give our maximum

Arjen Robben believes Bayern Munich will have to play "the perfect game" to overcome Real Madrid in their Champions League semi-final at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday night.

Bayern are fully focused on winning a fifth European crown on home soil after losing to Bundesliga-leaders Borussia Dortmund last week and effectively writing off the German title to rest key players in the 0-0 draw with Mainz at the weekend.

Robben says Bayern are now ready to take on one of Europe's best teams and told Marca: "We will give everything. You will see a great Bayern, I'm sure. We have no doubt that to eliminate Madrid, we will have to be at 120%, at our maximum, and play the perfect game."
The Dutchman played under Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho during his time at Chelsea and despite all the stars Los Blancos can put on the pitch, Robben believes it is the man in the dugout that gives the Spanish side their swagger.

"They have incredible quality in attack," Robben said. "There are no secrets about Madrid. But the most important things is that they have the best coach, who always knows how to play these games."
Robben not only has an insight into Mourinho's approach, but also knows Real well, having played for the club for two seasons until 2009. However, the Netherlands international insists he is not thinking about his past, only the job in hand.

"I had some very good years at Madrid. It's a great club, and it's obviously special to face my old team-mates, but I have been at Bayern for a while now and I am happy here," he said. "I am thinking above all about getting to the final, whoever the opponents are."

Meanwhile, Bayern's influential midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, who is still easing himself back to full fitness after an ankle injury, believes his team's only hope is to go on the attack.

"It's all or nothing. We have to go to the limits and beyond but we can do it with our fans behind us," Schweinsteiger said. "It won't be easy and it comes down to mental strength. I hope we can show the mentality which marks Bayern out."

Rihanna’s new fella-ella at Coachella-ella Singer flirts with rapper A$AP Rocky in VIP

YOU can always rely on Rihanna to liven up a tea party.

She was one of the few who could afford to get drunk at Coachella — where a pint costs nearly as much as a ticket.

The Bajan singer must have spent a fortune on booze during her two days at the far-too-sensible California festival.

She spent the night drinking in the VIP area and flirting with rapper A$AP Rocky after watching his set on Saturday.

Her mates won’t be happy she’s sniffing around another bad-boy rapper. But the New Yorker won’t be complaining.

A source said: “Rihanna took a real shine to A$AP.


She couldn’t take her eyes off him. She hung around after his set to chat to him and seemed to be a big fan.

“They were getting stuck into champagne with mates before moving on to rum — they even asked a lackey to get ginger beer as a mixer for it.

“Rihanna asked A$AP about his gold teeth, joking that she’d love to get the same thing done.”

She didn’t go too overboard with the drink because she was saving herself for her surprise appearance alongside Calvin Harris the next night.

She joined him in the dance tent to perform their track We Found Love. During her guest spot, Rihanna jumped into the crowd with Katy Perry after her pal crowd-surfed her way to the stage to meet her.

Rihanna then spent the rest of the night on her bodyguard’s shoulders — even taking a picture of his shaved head between her legs.

Later she tweeted, “This turned out to be one of the best nights of my life” and scrawled on her stomach:

“Thug For Life”.
It beats gold teeth.

Rafael Nadal wary over knee ahead of Monte Carlo Masters

Rafael Nadal hopes a problematic knee will not jeopardise his bid for an eighth consecutive Monte Carlo Masters title this week. 

The world number two, who suffers from tendonitis, had to pull out of a semi-final clash with Andy Murray at the Miami Masters in March.

He has only just returned to training after missing two weeks.

"It needs time to see how it is when I play to the top level...when I put all my efforts on the knee," he said.

But he added: "The knee is well. I'm able to practise in the right condition and that's the most important thing. 

It seems like I'm able to practise with no impediments."

The 25-year-old Spaniard, who has not won a title since last year's French Open, has a bye in the opening round and his second-round match against Jarkko Nieminen will be played on Wednesday.

"I started practising four days ago, it's 15 days off without a chance to practise physically because I could not move my knees.

"I need to spend time on courts, I need matches."

We can master Barca Cole: Blues know how to beat ’em

ASHLEY COLE insists Chelsea have the inside track on how to beat Barcelona. 

Barca travel to Stamford Bridge tomorrow for the first leg of their blockbuster Champions League semi-final.

And Cole reckons the Blues are savvy enough to see off a side who are seen as one of the top club teams in history.

The England star said: “We know what Barcelona are about and that we have to be on our game. We’re confident and feel we’re good enough to progress.

“I do think that while they’re not worried about us, out of the teams they’ve played in the Champions League and the Premier League sides they’ve faced, we have given them the hardest run.

“We’re a tough team, we never give up. We fight for every ball, we’re strong in tackles and hopefully that will be in the back of their minds and we can take advantage of that.

“With teams like Barca, we think we know how to stop them. Is it going to happen on the day? You never know. If people like Lionel Messi don’t turn up we have a great chance.”
Chelsea were left heartbroken when Barca knocked them out of the semis three years ago.

 

We’re best in the world says Xavi

BARCELONA maestro Xavi last night warned Chelsea they have to beat the best team on the planet to get to the Champions League final.

The Blues host the reigning champs in the first leg of their semi-final tomorrow.

And Spanish World Cup winner Xavi said: “We’re enjoying the title of best team in the world, which is not a label we put on ourselves but it is a level we have reached on the pitch.”

“Every Barcelona fan knows what it took for us to get here.

“Years without titles, with great efforts but without reward.”

The Catalan giants are out to become the first team ever to retain the Champions League.
Xavi, 32, said: “We can’t stop. We don’t want to stop, neither the players nor the people that support us.

“We are enjoying a golden era with exquisite football and spectacular victories, achieving feats that had never been reached, like winning two Club World Cups.”

Writing in a special introduction to the book Barca emociones, the midfielder added: “Behind all this there is a united dressing room, made up of people who grew up in this club and feel it is their home.

“We feel the colors of this club more than anyone and we live the dream of our lives, with a group of enthusiastic coaches and we preparing us so that we always give the best of ourselves.

“There’s talent, strength, commitment, dedication, enthusiasm and pride.”

 

Fab will get time

FABRICE MUAMBA is keen to return to football at the same level he was at before his cardiac arrest.

The Bolton midfielder, 24, was discharged from the London Chest Hospital last night — 30 days after he collapsed on the pitch at White Hart Lane.

And he has been fitted with a pacemaker which will give him the best chance of resuming his career in the future.

But Wanderers boss Owen Coyle insists that Muamba must not rush his rehabilitation.
He said: “Fabrice will want to be back to the way he was prior to the incident.

“But he needs to be given time and privacy to spend with his family.”

Former England striker Trevor Francis, 57, was discharged from hospital yesterday after a suspected heart attack on Friday.