Champions League
+ Lionel Messi staged another masterclass to power holders Barcelona into the quarter-finals of the Champions League following their 4-0 (5-1 aggregate) victory over Stuttgart.
+ Bordeaux survived an unlikely Olympiacos fightback to book their place in the Champions League quarter-finals following a 2-1 (3-1 aggregate) victory at the Stade Chaban Delmas.
North America
+ The MLS Players Union is preparing its members for a strike on Monday if a new CBA cannot be agreed to in the current negotiations.
+ Richard Farley: MLS profits in light of ownerships’ claims.
+ Paul James: TFC continue to flounder in preseason.
+ Whitecaps fullback Takashi Hirano could miss up to six weeks with a knee injury.
+ The Crew fell 3-2 at Toluca in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals.
+ Robinho will miss Santos’ friendly against the Red Bulls in New York.
+ The San Jose City Council voted unanimously to approve a measure which would accept the final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and allow construction of a new, 18,000-seat stadium for the San Jose Earthquakes at the Airport West site.
+ The Kansas City Wizards have signed Senegalese midfielder Birahim Diop.
England
+ Chelsea have targeted Fernando Torres and Franck Ribery as they plan squad rebuild.
+Or, Roman Abramovich is not planning wholesale changes to the Chelsea squad despite their dramatic failure in the Champions League, which has put pressure on manager Carlo Ancelotti.
+ Kevin McCarra: Chelsea need to rebuild – and they could learn from Inter.
+ Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich has accepted a public apology and substantial libel damages at the High Court over false newspaper allegations that he had a serious gambling problem.
+ John Terry was involved in a car accident which resulted in one of Chelsea’s security staff suffering a badly bruised leg.
+ Chelsea security guard Steve Rowley insists he does not blame John Terry for the leg injuries he sustained in a car accident.
+ Liverpool manager Rafa Benítez is in charge of a "sinking ship" and has no dialogue with his players, according to Albert Riera.
+ Liverpool keeper Jose Reina will sign a new contract within the next month as he believes he can fulfil his dream of winning the Premier League with the Reds.
+ Landon Donovan says he might return to Everton if the Major League Soccer players go on strike next week.
+ Catania striker Jorge Martinez is in talks with Manchester City over a summer move to Eastlands.
+ Martin O’Neill is entering the battle to sign Wigan’s £15m-rated Hugo Rodallega.
+ Manchester United are giving strong consideration to increasing season-ticket prices to help with the club’s enormous interest payments, despite being acutely aware such a move would increase the sense of animosity that has led to fans protesting against the ruling Glazer family.
+ The Red Knights group are hoping the chairman of Britain’s biggest quoted hedge fund will agree to help with their bid to wrest control of Manchester United from the Glazer family.
+ The forgotten story of when Anfield was Manchester United’s home ground.
+ Aaron Lennon is to give Tottenham and England a lift by returning to light training next week. He hopes to be available for Spurs’ clash with Chelsea on April 17.
+ Birmingham City’s manager, Alex McLeish, has started negotiations with the club’s owner, Carson Yeung, over a new contract.
+ West Ham United have risked upsetting a number of their key players after taking the unprecedented step of freezing image‑rights payments.
+ Multi-millionaire rapper P Diddy is reported to be weighing up a move to take over Crystal Palace. Diddy is keen to invest some of his £360m in a club.
Italy
+ Jose Mourinho says he is free to leave Inter Milan at any point during the next three years of his contract.
+ The agent of Internazionale striker Mario Balotelli has denied reports suggesting that his client is virtually at war with coach Jose Mourinho.
+ Juventus have apparently agreed to bring Raffaele Palladino back from Genoa permanently in return for the full rights of Domenico Criscito.
+ Palermo’s hot property Simon Kjaer has told Liverpool and Manchester United to make him an offer he can’t refuse. But Juventus are ready to make their move for the defender.
Germany
+ Bayern Munich are in the hunt to sign Bari centre-back Leonardo Bonucci, according to his agent.
France
+ A Paris Saint-Germain football fan has died after spending weeks in a coma following an attack by rival PSG supporters.
+ Lyon presidential advisor Bernard Lacombe is "shocked" at Sidney Govou’s announcement that he wants to leave.
Scotland
+ Celtic have identified Portsmouth’s Nadir Belhadj as the answer to their problematic left-back position.
Nigeria
+ Glenn Hoddle’s decision to walk away from a near-£1m contract to manage Nigeria at the 2010 World Cup has sparked a corruption investigation.
Palladino/Criscito swap – Not the first time this has been rumored. Genoa come out the winners here. Criscito is a top notch defender.
Look for the new P-diddy feature “Making the Crstal Palace” ahah
Hiphop: out with the oversized NBA jerseys. In with the football kits. (No!)
Diddy’s security would trounce any firm that tried to start trouble with Palace fans. Those guys were trained to watch out for Suge Knight, a bunch of drunken Brits wouldn’t be much of a thread.
No to Diddy and football, really stay in America and acquire an American team that you could ruin.
Supposedly, there is a leaked Arsenal New Kit for the 2010 – 2011 season, what to you’ll think about the kit? Would you buy it ? I Know i would.
here is the link for the New Kit http://www.oleole.com/blogs/arseblog/posts/is-this-next-season039s-home-kit
Absolutely I’d be all over that kit, Nella! Love that vintage look. I hope it’s for real.
‘No to Diddy and football, really stay in America and acquire an American team that you could ruin.’
Um… it’s Palace. How much worse could it get?
That’s a good kit. I recognize some of the players in that pic, Ray Kennedy, Pat Rice and I think Frank Stapleton. I love the retro kits!
Not so fast Abromovich Liverpool could end up grabbing 4th. They may have an easier road to the finish.
Toughest fixtures left for each of the contenders for 4th.
Spurs 28GP 52pts – Stoke (A), Arsenal (H), Chelsea (H), ManU (A) and the make up game with City.
Liverpool 30GP 51pts – ManU (A), Birminham (A), Chelsea (H)
City 28GP 50pts – Fulham (A), Everton (H), ManU (H), Arsenal (A), Villa (H) and the make up game with Spurs.
Villa 28GP 49pts – Chelsea (A), City (A) and a make up game with Everton.
4th is still wide open.
Spurs have 29GP, sorry. The fixture between City and Spurs is at the City of Manchester Stadium.
Hopefully that new kit will be emblazoned with some fancy new signings…Simon Kjaer, perhaps. Gallas has got to go; too injury prone and old. Can’t wait for the draw tomorrow. Fingers crossed for CSKA or Bordeaux.
watch out for villa in race for fourth