Mourinho reveals Madrid mirror queues

Jose Mourinho has revealed how some of football's top names get ready for the biggest games.

The Chelsea boss says Real Madrid players would spend the final moments before entering the tunnel making sure they look their best during his time at the Bernabeu.

"Lots of times at Real Madrid, the players would be queuing in front of the mirror before the game while the referee waited for them in the tunnel," Mourinho told Esquire.

"But that's how society is now. Young people care a lot about this: they are twentysomething and I am 51 and if I want to work with kids I have to understand their world."

Friday, 7 March 2014 11:45

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'I don't care!' Ozil ignores media criticism

"I don't care," said Mesut Ozil on Wednesday when asked about criticism from some quarters of the English media. "They wrote something different three weeks ago and they will do it again in another three weeks. That's part of the business in England."

Arsenal's record signing may not have maintained his form throughout the season but you cannot fault his confidence and the German clearly has no interest in engaging with paper talk.

He is set to return to the Gunners' squad for their FA Cup clash with Everton on Saturday after being given a brief rest by Arsene Wenger - he'll need to be quick about getting back up to speed, though, with a Champions League second leg against Bayern Munich looming.

Thursday, 6 March 2014 11:36

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Bayern to continue Dortmund raid

They signed Mario Gotze for €37 million [£30m] and have already secured the services of Robert Lewandowski for next season, but Bayern Munich are not ready to call time on the pursuit of Borussia Dortmund's top stars.

Ilkay Gundogan is the latest Dortmund player to be linked with Bayern, with the midfielder reportedly targeted as a replacement for Toni Kroos, who could leave the Champions League holders this summer.

And Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has indicated the Bundesliga giants will not stop raiding their rivals.

"We would never make a senseless decision to no longer sign players from Dortmund," he told ZDF.

"We have a good relationship with Dortmund. I met with their CEO last summer and any bad feelings were cleared up then."

Tuesday, 4 March 2014 11:00

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Ronaldo drags Real Madrid closer to La Liga title

Despite going 1-0 up via Karim Benzema's strike in a violent Madrid derby on Sunday, Real had to rally and come from behind to salvage a point against Diego Simeone's side.

Goals from Koke and Gabi gave Cristiano Ronaldo the perfect platform to salvage a point and help his side move closer to the La Liga title with his

The 2-2 draw leaves Carlo Ancelotti's side top and one point ahead of Barcelona and three ahead of their city rivals with 12 games to go.

Monday, 3 March 2014 11:05

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Hole in the wall as Puyol announces Barca exit

After almost 20 years and numerous trophies, Carles Puyol has announced his decision to leave Barcelona at the end of the season.

The defender was contracted until 2016, but reached an agreement with the club to rescind his contract after a season spent struggling with injuries.

"After the last two operations it has been difficult for me to recover the level I need to be able to continue here, more than I expected," he said. "That is why I have taken this decision.

"There are three months of the season left and I won't be giving up."

The centre-back - nicknamed 'The Wall' by Camp Nou fans - is set to leave a sizeable hole in the Barcelona defence.

Wednesday, 5 March 2014 12:00

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Chelsea & Liverpool top of the class but Pardew on the naughty step

The Premier League once again produced another action-packed Saturday as the title race took yet another turn, while Newcastle manager Alan Pardew hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

At the top of the table, Chelsea extended their lead with a comfortable 3-1 win over local rivals Fulham with Andre Schurrle the Blues' star man, hitting a second-half hat-trick to secure victory for Jose Mourinho's men.

Behind the Blues, Liverpool leapfrogged Arsenal after a 3-0 win at Southampton while the Gunners' title hopes took a knock after they slipped to a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Stoke City.

Manchester City, meanwhile, now lie fourth but with two games in hand over their rivals as they prepare for Sunday's Capital One Cup final with Sunderland.

However, perhaps the biggest news of the day was at St James' Park were Pardew was sent off after headbutting Hull City midfielder David Meyler.

Sunday, 2 March 2014 09:41

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Digging for gold: Draxler chase hots up

Arsenal missed out on closing a deal in January for Schalke wonderkid Julian Draxler and that may have cost them as Bayern Munich enter the race for the 20-year-old.

Draxler is expected to leave Schalke this summer and although the Gunners had been leading the race, it is no surprise to see his head turned by Pep Guardiola's runaway Bundesliga side.

The race is on...

Saturday, 1 March 2014 08:46

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AVB has Barca on the brain

In one of the more bizarre rumours of this season, Andre Villas-Boas was linked with the managerial job at Barcelona. Two things:

1) Villas-Boas has failed at Chelsea and Tottenham and been fired from both jobs.

2) Barcelona seem happy enough with Gerardo Martino.

Nevertheless, won't you let a man dream?

Friday, 28 February 2014 11:09

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Benzema, Bale & Cristiano turn to 'BBC' broadcast

Real Madrid obliterated Schalke on Wednesday night with two goals apiece from Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo in a 6-1 win leading to the trio being coined the 'BBC'.

Allegedly, their next trick is to turn to broadcasting with the actual BBC and deliver the news as accurately as their shooting and the weather as precise as their passing.

Thursday, 27 February 2014 10:37

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Zeusless: Hapless Manchester United stunned by Greek Gods

                                    

When did it get so bad? Just as it looked as though Manchester United had rediscovered their identity, they went and lost 2-0 at Olympiakos in a humbling Champions League last-16 first leg clash.

The Greeks were on top of their game throughout and scored once via a deflection off Alejandro Dominguez and again in the second half through Arsenal loanee Joel Campbell.

United were pega-sussed out by Michel, the Olympiakos manager, leaving Moyes wondering what's Demeter with his squad, while Robin van Persie moped about the pitch looking as if he'd Hades enough of this season already...

Wednesday, 26 February 2014 11:24

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