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How did Mourinho get to 150? ESPNSTAR.com takes a look at Jose Mourinho's outstanding home record which recently ended with Real Madrid's 1-0 loss to Sporting Gijon on Saturday. It is official: Jose Mourinho's unbeaten home league streak has been broken. On Saturday night, Real Madrid's loss to Sporting Gijon meant that after 150 attempts, a team finally managed to beat a side managed by Jose Mourinho on their home ground. 150 attempts. A club in a 20-team league plays 19 home games a season. Doing the math, that means Mourinho has gone almost eight seasons without losing a league game on his own turf. That may seem impressive, but that is not all. Let's take a look at the bigger picture, and include home matches in ALL competitions. Since Mourinho joined Chelsea in 2004, till Saturday's loss to Sporting, he has only tasted defeat in one home game. One. A solitary loss in six and a half seasons. That was in 2006, when Chelsea lost 2-1 to Barcelona in the knockout round of the UEFA Champions League. Here's a closer look at Mourinho's home record since his time at Stamford Bridge. 2004/05 Chelsea Premier League: 14 wins, 5 draws, Champions League: 4 wins, 2 draws, FA Cup: 2 wins, League Cup: 1 win, 1 draw. 2005/06 Chelsea Premier League: 18 wins, 1 draw, Champions League: 2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss, FA Cup: 4 wins, League Cup: 1 draw. 2006/07 Chelsea Premier League: 12 wins, 7 draws, Champions League: 5 wins, 1 draw, FA Cup: 3 wins, 1 draw, League Cup: 2 wins. 2007/08 Chelsea Premier League: 2 wins, 1 draw, Champions League: 1 draw. 2008/09 Inter Milan Serie A: 14 wins, 5 draws, Champions League: 2 wins, 2 draws, Coppa Italia: 3 wins. 2009/10 Inter Milan Serie A: 15 wins, 4 draws, Champions League: 4 wins, 2 draws, Coppa Italia: 3 wins. 2010/11 Real Madrid (till Saturday's loss to Sporting Gijon) La Liga: 14 wins, Champions League: 4 wins, Copa del Rey: 4 wins. From his first game at Chelsea right up to the most recent match against Sporting Gijon, Mourinho has lost once in 168 home games. That is a record that most managers can only dream of, yet the Special One can lay claim to this feat. In this time, Mourinho has also landed two Premier League titles, two English League Cups, an FA Cup, two Serie A titles, a Coppa Italia and a Champions League trophy. If his trophy cabinet and his outstanding home streak do not earn him recognition as the best manager of his generation, then nothing will. Testament has to be paid to Sporting too, who in defeating Real at the Santiago Bernabeu, achieved a feat that the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, AC Milan and Juventus and failed to accomplish. The defeat could spell an end to Mourinho's dominance at home, which will likely inspire hope in clubs that travel to face Real in the future. Or, it could just mean that Mourinho is preparing to embark on another 150 home games undefeated. If there's one man who could do it, it's the Portuguese.

Real Madrid vs Tottenham Player Ratings Colin Chong witnessed the mighty Real Madrid thump Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 at the Bernabeu. Real Madrid Iker Casillas - 6 Barely broke a sweat as Tottenham were kept in their own half for large periods of the match. Sergio Ramos - 7 Got Crouch his first booking of the game which got him sent off later. Ramos once again showed he is more effective in the opposition half than his own and was extremely lucky not to be booked after a cynical tackle on Bale. Ricardo Carvalho - 7.5 Jose Mourinho's favorite child was ever present to clear the danger, not that there were many to begin with. Pepe - 5 Would be a spectator the second leg after picking up a booking in the 36th minute but could have been benched anyway after his "wonderful" performance in this game. Marcelo - 8 Great dive to get Crouch sent off and later monopolized Madrid's entire left wing. Looked dangerous every time he made runs forward and even had an assist to his name. Xabi Alonso - 8 Stamped his authority in midfield the entire game and did not give Tottenham any breathing space nor any opportunity to hit them on the counter. The silent performer, but his contribution was crucial. Sami Khedira (61' off) - 6 Complimented Alonso well in the middle of the park and pressed the Tottenham defenders all game long. Angel Di Maria (77' off) - 6.5 The former Benfica man scored another Champions League goal with a stunning strike from the edge of Tottenham's penalty area, but did not do much apart from that goal though. Mesut Ozil - 7 Showed great vision and passing and managed to create a goal for Adebayor. Great stuff from the German international. Cristiano Ronaldo - 6.5 Wasn't his personal best but still managed to add salt to Tottenham's wound when he scored the 4th goal of the match and his 5th in this competition. Emmanuel Adebayor (74' off) - 8.5 Back to haunt Tottenham and was on the score sheet after 4 minutes. Missed another free header after Ramos magically headed the ball back into the danger area and later got Madrid's second goal. He made Gallas look like an amateur with his aerial dominance. Substitutions Lassana Diarra (61' on) - 6 Did a decent job in his holding midfield role. Had plenty of time and space going forward as well. Gonazlo Higuain (74' on) - 5.5 Did not have enough time to have an impact on the game and at the rate Adebayor is going, he may have to warm the bench a little longer. Kaka (77' on) - 6.5 Came on and picked out Ronaldo beautifully at the far posts for Madrid's fourth goal. Tottenham Heurelho Gomes - 5 Mistake prone Gomes did not have the best of games and could have done better to prevent two of the four goals Madrid scored. Vedran Corluka (79' off) - 6.5 Did well to limit Ronaldo's movement with the ball but was helpless whenever Marcelo came forward. Taken off due to a possible injury in the 79th minute. Michael Dawson - 7.5 Had to ensure his defence remained organized and the skipper lead by example on the field, blocking everything that crossed his path. William Gallas - 4 Was tormented by his former team mate and allowed him a free header for Madrid's second goal. Shouldn't have started if he wasn't a 100%. Benoit Assou-Ekotto - 7 Was trapped in his own half for virtually the whole game and managed to kept Di Maria quiet till that one moment of magic. Sandro - 6 Always there to clear the danger and help his defenders out especially after the sending off. Luka Modric - 5.5 Was caught napping at the post and should have done better in the clearance for the first Adebayor goal. Tottenham desperately needed his man to step up when they were a man down, but he barely ventured out of his own half. Jermaine Jenas - 5 Not tight in his marking and allowed Adebayor a free header. Didn't see much of the ball in the first half Rafael van der Vaart (45' off) - 5 Not the return he had in mind as he was isolated upfront after the sending off. Gareth Bale - 6.5 Still looked a little rusty after returning from injury and almost gave the Tottenham faithful a scare in the 73rd minute when he went down in pain. Showed a few nice touches and running behind defenders but the man disadvantage proved too much this time round. Peter Crouch (15' sent off) - 2 Made two rash tackles in the space of seven minutes and got himself sent off. The outcome of the game would have been very different if he was still on the pitch. Substitutions Jermain Defoe (45' on) - 5 Barely touched the ball in the 45 minutes he was on and watched his fellow team mates get outplayed by the home team. Sebastien Bassong (79' on) N/A

Mourinho: We're not celebrating yet Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho refuses to celebrate after his side beat Tottenham 4-0 in the first-leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie. The tie appears to be done and dusted after the first-leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday evening with Peter Crouch's dismissal after just 15 minutes helping Madrid's cause. Speaking after the match, Mourinho is adamant a place in the semi-finals is far from secured. "I know English football well and I know the English mentality. It is not over. "For you, it is not over. In another country I would say yes, but with English culture it is not over. They have belief until the last minute, so it is not finished." The Portuguese coach also admitted that Spurs had it all to do after the loss of Crouch and would prefer to play against a 11-men Spurs. "I know after that, 11 against 10 at Champions League level, it is an impossible mission," said Mouirnho. "I played in Barcelona with Chelsea with 10 men, impossible. I played in Barcelona with Inter with 10 men, impossible. Arsenal played against Barcelona a few weeks ago with 10 men, it is impossible. "It just a question of the team with 11 staying concentrated, playing with a high tempo and not letting the opponent breathe. We did that in the second half, not so much in the first half. It is an impossible job. It is just a question of getting three or four. It is an impossible mission and I feel sorry for them because 11 against 11, the match would have been much better. "Tottenham had to be defensive, with two lines of four at the back, and they couldn't play their match. It was good for us because we got a good result, but it was difficult for them." Prior to the match, the former Chelsea and Inter coach said a draw will be satisfactory and now he has gotten more than what he wished for. "Obviously, it [4-0] is better than 0-0, but what I said was that a draw at home in the first leg in the Champions League is not a bad result," he added in Spanish daily AS. Madrid will face Spurs in the second leg on April 13.

Mourinho: I'll leave if Ronaldo joins Milan Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has made it clear he will leave the club should Cristiano Ronaldo be sold to AC Milan. Silvio Berlusconi, president of AC Milan, is reportedly keen in making an ambitious bid to bring the Portuguese star to the San Siro in the summer. And the 75-year-old has already given the green light to vice-president Adriano Galliani to negotiate a deal with the Spanish giants. Ater learning of the news, Mourinho has made a stance in regards to his star player, insisting he will leave the Santiago Bernabeu with Ronaldo - but not to Milan. "In football, everything is possible," the former Chelsea coach was quoted as saying to Sportal. "Should Ronaldo go, I will also go, but not to Milan. Meanwhile, Mourinho's side are on course to reach the last-four of the Champions League after thumping Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 in the first-leg of their quarter-final tie.

Mourinho unbeaten home record ended The La Liga race took a potentially decisive turn as Real Madrid lost 1-0 at home to Sporting Gijon while Barcelona won 1-0 at Villareal. Gerard Pique's neatly-taken second-half winner at El Madrigal moved Barca eight points clear of Jose Mourinho's side at the top of La Liga - and Pep Guardiola's team also boast the better head-to-head record. Sporting's victory at the Bernabeu earlier saw the end of Mourinho's nine-year, 150-match unbeaten home league run as coach of Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and now Madrid. Miguel de las Cuevas, the former Atletico Madrid player, netted the only goal of the game in the 79th minute to end not only Mourinho's remarkable personal run but also Madrid's 100% record at home this season. Even the return of Gonzalo Higuain after more than four months out through injury could not help Madrid, who badly missed key players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso. Elsewhere in the Spanish top flight on Saturday evening, Roberto Soldado scored all four goals as Valencia came from 1-0 down to claim an emphatic 4-2 victory at Getafe to boost their bid for an automatic Champions League spot. Manu gave Getafe a 13th-minute lead and there was little sign of what was to come before Soldado levelled just after half-time. It heralded a spell of four goals in 31 minutes and, although Adrian Sardinero grabbed a late consolation, it was Soldado's night.

How did Mourinho get to 150? ESPNSTAR.com takes a look at Jose Mourinho's outstanding home record which recently ended with Real Madrid's 1-0 loss to Sporting Gijon on Saturday. It is official: Jose Mourinho's unbeaten home league streak has been broken. On Saturday night, Real Madrid's loss to Sporting Gijon meant that after 150 attempts, a team finally managed to beat a side managed by Jose Mourinho on their home ground. 150 attempts. A club in a 20-team league plays 19 home games a season. Doing the math, that means Mourinho has gone almost eight seasons without losing a league game on his own turf. That may seem impressive, but that is not all. Let's take a look at the bigger picture, and include home matches in ALL competitions. Since Mourinho joined Chelsea in 2004, till Saturday's loss to Sporting, he has only tasted defeat in one home game. One. A solitary loss in six and a half seasons. That was in 2006, when Chelsea lost 2-1 to Barcelona in the knockout round of the UEFA Champions League. Here's a closer look at Mourinho's home record since his time at Stamford Bridge. 2004/05 Chelsea Premier League: 14 wins, 5 draws, Champions League: 4 wins, 2 draws, FA Cup: 2 wins, League Cup: 1 win, 1 draw. 2005/06 Chelsea Premier League: 18 wins, 1 draw, Champions League: 2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss, FA Cup: 4 wins, League Cup: 1 draw. 2006/07 Chelsea Premier League: 12 wins, 7 draws, Champions League: 5 wins, 1 draw, FA Cup: 3 wins, 1 draw, League Cup: 2 wins. 2007/08 Chelsea Premier League: 2 wins, 1 draw, Champions League: 1 draw. 2008/09 Inter Milan Serie A: 14 wins, 5 draws, Champions League: 2 wins, 2 draws, Coppa Italia: 3 wins. 2009/10 Inter Milan Serie A: 15 wins, 4 draws, Champions League: 4 wins, 2 draws, Coppa Italia: 3 wins. 2010/11 Real Madrid (till Saturday's loss to Sporting Gijon) La Liga: 14 wins, Champions League: 4 wins, Copa del Rey: 4 wins. From his first game at Chelsea right up to the most recent match against Sporting Gijon, Mourinho has lost once in 168 home games. That is a record that most managers can only dream of, yet the Special One can lay claim to this feat. In this time, Mourinho has also landed two Premier League titles, two English League Cups, an FA Cup, two Serie A titles, a Coppa Italia and a Champions League trophy. If his trophy cabinet and his outstanding home streak do not earn him recognition as the best manager of his generation, then nothing will. Testament has to be paid to Sporting too, who in defeating Real at the Santiago Bernabeu, achieved a feat that the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, AC Milan and Juventus and failed to accomplish. The defeat could spell an end to Mourinho's dominance at home, which will likely inspire hope in clubs that travel to face Real in the future. Or, it could just mean that Mourinho is preparing to embark on another 150 home games undefeated. If there's one man who could do it, it's the Portuguese.

Guardiola dismisses Rosell prediction Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has played down club president Sandro Rosell's prediction that the Catalans will beat Real Madrid 5-0. Barca beat Jose Mourinho's Madrid side 5-0 when the sides met at the Nou Camp in the Primera Division earlier this season and Rosell caused controversy by boldly predicting a repeat of that scoreline in the cup final at the Mestalla on April 20. "I bet on a 5-0 in the cup final, so as not to lose the habit," Rosell said. But Guardiola diplomatically said: "It is impossible to win the final 5-0 - impossible. "I do not know if these words will be motivational for Madrid. I know the president's intent was not to offend. "In my opinion it could have been avoided. "The president is the most responsible person of the institution. He explained yesterday the reason for this assertion. It was a charity event and the higher the bet the more was received." He joked: "I don't want to justify it but, if you asked me and it was to collect food for the needy, I would have said we will win 60-0! "If I had said 60-0 it would not have produced this debate." Sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta earlier also sought to make light of Rosell's remarks. "I would be content with a 1-0 win," he said. "What the president said is simply an anecdote - let's hope we can get back to talking about football again tomorrow." Barca visit Villarreal tomorrow night and Guardiola will make a late decision on the fitness of Lionel Messi, who missed Argentina's friendly with Costa Rica this week because of a worry over his right groin. "We'll see how he gets on today and tomorrow we will decide," said Guardiola. "We have matches every three days and we'll see how it is. "The good news is that Messi has no injury. He has many games but does not come with an injury."

"Pep Guardiola not leaving Barcelona" Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta has dismissed speculation that Pep Guardiola will soon leave the club. Speaking to Italian television station Rai, Guardiola had indicated that he would leave the La Liga giants at the end of next season, after having signed a one-year contract extension earlier this year. Zubizarreta, however, has refuted talk of the Catalan's departure, according to reports from Sport. "He has a contract and he wants to be with us, and that's it," he said. "Is he on the bench? Yes. Does he have a contract for next year? Yes. What more do we want?" Zubizaretta added: "What is certain is that he has a contract [until the end of the 2011-12 season]. Anything else does not bother me." However, given the huge trophy haul that Guardiola has brought to the Nou Camp since his arrival in the summer of 2008, Zubizaretta's comments could well come back to haunt him should the club fail to match the eight trophies won with the manager, should the Barcelona legend finally leave the club.

Guardiola: Tough games coming up Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has warned his side against complacency despite seeing them take a huge lead at the top of La Liga. After Real Madrid suffered a shock home defeat to Sporting Gijon earlier in the evening on Saturday, Barca extended their lead at the summit to eight points with only eight games remaining by beating Villarreal 1-0. Madrid coach Jose Mourinho said after his side's loss that it would be "practically impossible" for them to win the title if Barca picked up three points at El Madrigal, and the Catalan giants now look set for a third successive title. However, Guardiola said: "If with an eight-point advantage with eight games to go you see yourselves as champions, you can only lose the league. "In the end leagues are won when they are won. There are some terribly tough games to come. "We have gained the biggest advantage of the season and it's very good, but in sport anything can happen. Madrid are always going to fight until the end. Although it is better to be eight points ahead than five." Barca defender Gerard Pique, who scored the winner against Villarreal, added: "We have taken a very important step, but there are eight weeks left and that's a lot of points. This isn't decided." Guardiola was also asked about his interview with Italian television channel Rai Sport that was made public on Friday, in which he was quoted as saying: "I think my time is ending here in Barcelona." Speaking after the Villarreal match, Guardiola said: "They are statements that you already know, I've not said anything new. "I didn't say that I'm going to leave, but that I'm closer to the end. "When you've spent three or four years as coach of a team you are always more closer to the end of your career than continuing. This isn't something that I've just said in Italy, but that I've said on other occasions."

Adebayor still dreams of European glory Emmanuel Adebayor is hoping it will be third time lucky as he goes in search of Champions League glory with Real Madrid. Adebayor, who is on loan at Madrid from Manchester City until the end of the season, has twice suffered disappointment in Champions League finals and he is determined to get his hands on the trophy this time around. In 2004, the Togo international was a non-playing substitute as Monaco were defeated 3-0 by Porto - coached by his current boss at Madrid Jose Mourinho - and then in 2006 he was at Arsenal when they lost 2-1 to Barcelona in the final, although he did not feature in Paris as he was cup-tied. Speaking ahead of Tuesday's quarter-final first leg against Tottenham at the Bernabeu, Adebayor told www.bwin.com: "You can't imagine what a big dream that is for me (winning the trophy). "This year I have the chance to bounce back again and for me I have to do everything it takes to get to the final and to win it because the third one has to be the right one and I hope this year will be the right one for me. "Especially going back to Wembley, near where I lived. I will be more than happy to go out at Wembley and have the Champions League cup in my hands. I think that would be the best gift ever in my life." The first obstacle standing in Adebayor's way is on old foe in the form of Tottenham, who the 27-year-old faced with considerable personal success while at their bitter rivals Arsenal, scoring eight times in nine derbies. Adebayor is now hoping to add to that tally on Tuesday, saying: "I was able to have a good record against Tottenham when I was playing for Arsenal. "Tottenham are a fantastic club, I respect them a lot. When I was playing for Arsenal there was a big rivalry between the clubs, it's a big derby, and I always had the chance to score against them and hopefully I will have a chance to score against them again on Tuesday, but what matters for me is that Madrid go through. "I hope I can contribute to that." Adebayor is not expecting it to be easy against Harry Redknapp's men, however, and warned his team-mates they will be pushed all the way no matter how comfortable the scoreline may appear. Picking out the likes of Peter Crouch, Gareth Bale and Jermain Defoe for praise, he said: "They have a lot of good players. They are a team that play together, they attack together, they defend together. It doesn't matter if you're winning 2-0 or 3-0, they will never give up, and I think we have to know that. "They will play to the last whistle. That's not only Tottenham, that's more the mentality of English football, that you can never give up no matter what the score is, you just have to keep playing until the end of the game."

great. he's gonna stay in schalke for 3 more yrs:(

Granero: Real can still win La Liga Real Madrid midfielder Esteban Granero refuses to concede the La Liga title to Barcelona. The Los Blancos find themselves eight points off the league leaders after a shock 1-0 home defeat to Sporting Gijon on Saturday. And it appeared their title hopes have been extinguished when Pep Guardiola's side notched a 1-0 win away to Villarreal. But Granero believes otherwise. "The league isn't over until there is no mathematical chance to win," the Spaniard told Madrid's official website. "Sporting prepared well for the game and our performance was under par." Madrid next host Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Tuesday, and Granero is optimistic they can bounce back against the English side. He added: "We must now play an important game on Tuesday and we have to concentrate on it. Our goal is to win." This is the first time in seven years that Madrid have reached the last eight of Europe's premier club competition.

Mourinho: My players are 'dead' Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has declared his side 'dead' ahead of the Champions League quarter-final clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday. The Portuguese coach suffered his first home defeat in 150 matches when his side were shocked 1-0 by Sporting Gijon in the La Liga on Saturday, a defeat which effectively killed off their title hopes as they trail leaders Barcelona by eight points. However, the Los Blancos' Champions League hopes remain alive as they host Tottenham in the first-leg of their quarter-final tie on Tuesday. Looking forward to the highly ancitipated clash, Mourinho isn't in the most confident of moods and admitted he would settle for a draw at the Santiago Bernabeu. "I know our limitations, because the players are dead," the Special One was quoted as saying in the Daily Mirror. "Even if we'd drawn 0-0 it would have been a bad result in the league. Against Spurs, though, it would be a good result - or at least it would not be a drama, especially if we have injured players back for the decisive game in London." The former Chelsea boss also lamented on the absence of his creative players including Cristiano Ronaldo, who is a major doubt for Tuesday's game. He added: "We lacked all our creative players, except Mesut Ozil. "If Cristiano plays against Spurs it is because he and I are taking a risk. The doctor says he will only be for for the game Bilbao next week. "Marcelo is out for for two weeks and Karim Benzema will only come to Bilbao and London, not play the home game. "We could ignore the medical department but if it went wrong you would kill me and that would be risk. "Now we have to see if we play people to try to settle the tie in the first leg or if we are are satisfied with a draw. "But 0-0 at home is good and even 1-1 is not dramatic. It would be all open. So I'll talk to the injured players and decide whether we risk them." This is the first time in seven years that Madrid have reached the last eight of Europe's premier club competition.

his wedding pics... CREDIT TO UNAMADRIDISTA http://www.rafaelpalacio.com/blog/article/...-y-carlota-ruiz

his wedding pics... CREDIT TO UNAMADRIDISTA http://www.rafaelpalacio.com/blog/article/...-y-carlota-ruiz

Tendulkar to advise Man United Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar is set to sign up as goalkeeping advisor for Manchester United. Sensational developments in England indicate that the Indian batting maestro will lend his guidance to the Old Trafford club after the on-going ICC Cricket World Cup ends on Saturday. A United insider, Olof Ripla, revealed to ESPNSTAR.com that Sir Alex Ferguson is a huge admirer of the Indian batsman and was glued to the television screen throughout his innings against England. Tendulkar smashed a century against Andrew Strauss' men in a World Cup game in February. With incumbent Edwin van der Sar retiring at the end of the season, the Red Devils will have a new man between the posts for the next campaign and Fergie is keen for Sachin to help the newcomer with his hand-to-eye co-ordination as well as impart some endurance tips. "Sachin is a great sportsman who has been on top of his game for more than two decades," said sports physiologist Ram Vidur Kumar. "He will certainly have a positive impact on Van der Sar's successor. Goalkeepers in football often find themselves in similar situations to batsmen. A fast-paced object is hurtling towards them at a rapid pace and how well you deal with it depends on your footwork, speed and how quickly you can make out the path of the ball, " continued Kumar. Many have hailed this move as yet another masterstroke by the wily United manager. "Trust Sir Alex to come up with something this brilliant," commented one United fan outside Old Trafford. "Mark my words, other Premier League clubs will be rushing to copy this latest innovation." Ripla, the insider, also revealed that Ferguson would have loved to see Tendulkar in action against Sri Lanka in the final on Saturday. Unfortunately, United's Premier League engagements meant it was not possible. Nonetheless, this news is bound to stun the world - bringing together as it does two of the most powerful men in the sports industry. Tendulkar is expected to pen a short-term contract next week.

Sergio shared these two shots of his birthday celebration yesterday via twitter. On the left, he’s having his birthday dinner with his sister and his cousin José. I wonder if Álvaro Arbeloa has that shirt? No, it’s probably too loose for him. And on the right, Sergio shares a shot of his bedroom (!) as he found it upon return from Lithuania, the work of his siblings CREDIT TO UNAMADRIDISTA

Atletico tell United: £22m for De Gea Manchester United will have to smash the British transfer record for a goalkeeper if they want Atletico Madrid's David de Gea. The highly-rated Spanish shot stopper has been constantly linked with a move to Old Trafford and was reportedly close to completing the move in January. But a deal never quite materialized with De Gea verbally declaring his commitment to the Madrid club. However, United supremo Sir Alex Ferguson still sees the 20-year-old as his prime candidate to replace retiring 40-year-old Edwin van der Sar at the end of the season. But according to talkSPORT, Atletico have made it clear that their skipper will not leave for anything less than £22million, which happens to be the player's minimum fee release clause. That will easily break the current British record for a goalkeeper which stands at £9million - paid by Sunderland for Craig Gordon from Hearts.

Ibra: AC Milan are the best in Italy Zlatan Ibrahimovic says his AC Milan team-mates will have no one else to blame but themselves if they fail to win the Scudetto. The 29-year-old striker is suspended for Saturday's potential title deciding derby with Inter after his red card against Bari in his last match. The Rossoneri currently lead Serie A and Inter by just two points ahead of the clash which could see their city rivals edge ahead of them with a victory. However, Ibrahimovic is adamant that his side are the best in Italy and it will be up to them to prove this fact when the two teams meet this weekend. "If we don't win the Scudetto it's our fault because we are the best team in Italy," he was quoted on website Football Italia as saying. "The derby is important because it's more than a normal game. I have played in many derby matches and I know this. It would be great and important to win." A draw would be enough for the Rossoneri to stay top of Serie A with seven games remaining after the weekend's round of matches. Third placed Napoli, who are three points adrift of the summit, host Lazio on Sunday.

Ibrahimovic plays down City rumours AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has played down rumours that he could join Manchester City at the end of the season. Ibrahimovic has previously played for City boss Roberto Mancini at Inter Milan, and reports over the weekend have suggested that a reunion might be on the cards. However, the Sweden international only joined AC Milan last summer from Barcelona and at 29 years of age, Ibrahimovic feels he is approaching the end of his career. "Me at Manchester City? Well, I say nothing," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I still have three years left to play at AC Milan, then I see the end of my career. "I don't have the strength to change and move one more time. But, in football things can change quickly." Ibrahimovic has been banging in the goals for the Rossoneri this season, but will miss Saturday's potential title deciding derby with Inter because of suspension.

Silva: I joined City to help Valencia Manchester City midfielder David Silva has admitted he left Valencia in order to ease the club's financial woes. City bought the tricky playmaker for £27 million from the La Liga side - an offer Silva says Valencia could not refuse. In comments quoted in the Daily Express, Silva remarked:"Why did I leave Valencia? Because the club needed me to. I was happy there and wouldn't have left, but the situation the club was in demanded it. "It was a big injection of money and it was good for them. My life has always gone step by step. It was time to take the next one. "City showed a great interest and I wanted to settle it quickly. It was a very interesting offer, a good club , and I didn't have to think too much." Unlike teammate Carlos Tevez, Silva appears to be happy with life in Manchester. Describing his life in England he observed: "A lot of games, a lot of tranquility. "My life in Manchester is very tranquil. I live in the suburbs. The little free time I have I spend at home and walking around the town. "The worst part has been the cold but I'm happy and comfortable with everything else. "The tranquility is incredible and the passion with which the fans love football is wonderful. British people are fun." Silva was one of the two marquee names to leave Estadio Mestalla in the summer. Striker David Villa was sold to Barcelona for a fee of £35 million.

Tottenham defence in Real tatters Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is facing up to the prospect of taking on one of the most feared attacks with just two fit central defenders. Just five days ahead of the club's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid, Spurs have been plunged into an injury crisis in defence. Redknapp revealed that club captain Ledley King requires a second operation on the groin problem that has kept him out of action since October, while William Gallas suffered a knee injury that could rule him out of Tuesday's game at the Bernabeu. With Younes Kaboul out with a thigh strain and Jonathan Woodgate sidelined by a calf injury, Redknapp only has Michael Dawson and Sebastien Bassong fit to play at Wigan this weekend. With the biggest match in the club's history against a Real Madrid team consisting of the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema just around the corner, Redknapp admits his defensive troubles are a big concern to him. "We started the year with six central defenders here. Now we have two," Redknapp told Sky Sports News. "We have lost Ledley King, it looks like he will have to have an operation that will finish his season. "Jonathan Woodgate was making good progress but got a calf injury in a friendly against Barnet and Younes Kaboul is still out with a thigh strain. "William Gallas has been for a scan on his knee today. He struggled at the weekend and we are now down to having just Michael Dawson and Sebastien Bassong." Redknapp is also desperately waiting to hear whether Gareth Bale will be fit for Tuesday's match in the Spanish capital. The 21-year-old withdrew from Wales' squad to face England with a hamstring strain and is now a major doubt for the club's next two matches. The Welshman, who has played a big part in getting Tottenham to the quarter-finals, had only just recovered from a back injury before picking up his latest knock. Redknapp plans to leave a decision on whether the star winger will play until the last minute. "Gareth worked with the fitness coaches and he looked OK this morning," Redknapp added. "Whether he is OK to play two games this weekend is doubtful. "We will have a look at that tomorrow and decide which way to go with it. "We are going to leave it late. We'd love to have him fit but if he isn't fit then we can't play him." The Spurs boss is confident that his side will be able to give Real a good match in Spain even if Bale does not play next week. "We have other good players here who can play on the left," Redknapp said. "Niko Kranjcar has just gone off and had a couple of games for Croatia. Steven Pienaar is fit now too." There was better news for the club with regard to Aaron Lennon's fitness. The winger pulled out of England's game against Ghana with a hamstring injury but Tottenham are confident that he will be fit for Saturday's game at the DW Stadium. "Aaron is OK. He trained this morning. There isn't any problem with him," Redknapp said. "He met up with England and stayed with them for 10 days, felt his hamstring was tight and we didn't want to risk him going so he pulled out of the squad." Redknapp believes that the international break and the way that the fixtures have been set up for his side this weekend have left the club struggling to prepare for Tuesday's showdown with the nine-time European champions. "We only had two senior players training last week. All the others came back this morning," Redknapp added. "Five of them played 90 minutes on Tuesday night, Gallas went for a scan this morning. One or two of them have little niggles. "It's a nightmare. You can't come out here this morning and start thinking about how we are going to beat Real Madrid because we have to play Wigan on Saturday. "It's farcical. You play Saturday, you recover on Sunday. You're not going to have your XI ready on Sunday because you are going to have aches and pains and knocks. "Then you travel to Madrid early Monday morning and you are not going to want to walk on to the pitch at the Bernabeu and start working on corners and set plays and shape because everyone will be looking at you. "It's going to be very difficult to prepare for Real Madrid because Wigan are in the way."

Adebayor to lead Real title charge Real Madrid striker Emmanuel Adebayor is ready to re-ignite Real Madrid's La Liga challenge at the weekend. Real travel to Sporting Gijon on Saturday hit by news that in-form France striker Karim Benzema could be unavailable for selection because of an injury. Jose Mourinho's men are about to enter a pivotal weekend in La Liga with leaders Barcelona facing a tricky test away at Villarreal on the same day they play Gijon. Real are currently five points behind the Catalans with nine games to go and need Pep Guardiola's side to drop points if they are to wrestle the crown away from Barca. "We have nine games to go, we have to win all those games to start dreaming of the title," Adebayor told Real Madrid Television on Thursday. Benzema's strike partner Gonzalo Higuain has only just resumed training following a lengthy time on the sidelines which paves the way for Adebayor, who is on-loan from Manchester City, to stake his claim for a permanent deal next season. Mourinho will also be without Brazil full-back Marcelo who, like Benzema, returned from international duty with an injury while midfielder Xabi Alonso is suspended for the Gijon match.

Barcelona fret over Messi injury Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is doubtful for Saturday night's La Liga game at Villarreal due to an adductor injury. The 23-year-old was missing due to the problem as Costa Rica held Argentina to a draw in their goalless friendly in San Jose. Messi suffered the injury in training with his national team and coach Sergio Batista elected not to risk the FIFA Ballon d'Or winner - much to the annoyance of the supporters, who had hoped to see the superstar in action, Speaking before kick-off at the new Estadio Nacional, Argentinian Football Association president Julio Grondona said: "We just had a chat with the president of the Costa Rican Football Federation and the doctor, and Messi has a minor injury. "The doctor has reviewed it and sees that it is not as it should be. "Obviously, caution must be taken in these cases and, thinking about everything, we must be sure that the player is able to play - and he is not. "He has a muscle strain and we do not even know if he will get to play Saturday." Barcelona confirmed another forward, Bojan Krkic, is also a doubt for the trip to El Madrigal after straining his ankle while playing for Spain Under-21s on Monday.

he.s a angry young man:D