Sport
CHELSEA have learned they will meet Inter Milan in the first round of the Guinness International Champions Cup in America this summer, following yesterday’s draw.
MALAGA manager Manuel Pellegrini last night confirmed that he has a verbal agreement to take over at Manchester City next month.
GUERNSEY’S Heather Watson refused to blame a timely bathroom break by opponent Stefanie Voegle after her defeat to the Swiss player brought an end to British hopes at the French Open yesterday.
BRITISH and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland has been forced to consider life without captain Sam Warburton before a minute of the current tour has been played after the flanker was injured in training.
PLANS to modify the Olympic Stadium in preparation for West Ham’s move from Upton Park have been formally approved, with work set to begin later this year.
CONCERTS, theatre and food are among a host of activities set to take place in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in July to mark the anniversary of London 2012.
RUGBY UNION: Jimmy Gopperth inspired Newcastle Falcons as they beat Bedford Blues 31-24 to clinch promotion to the Premiership.
BOXING: Britain’s Carl Froch insists he rivals Lennox Lewis as the best fighter to come from these shores.
CRICKET: Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes England’s ban on Ashes talk until this summer’s series is pointless. “It’s inevitable it’s going to come up,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.”
HORSE RACING: Former Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni has withdrawn his appeal against an eight-year ban for doping horses at Sheikh Mohammed’s prestigious Newmarket stables. Al Zarooni, 37, was banned last month after admitting doping.
BAYERN Munich’s ascent to the status of football’s pre-eminent global superpower is underlined today when the Bavarian outfit are crowned the most valuable brand in world football.
WIGAN chairman Dave Whelan has told Everton they must stump up £2m in compensation to lure manager Roberto Martinez away from the DW Stadium.
FORMER British No1 Elena Baltacha was eliminated from the French Open in 56 minutes yesterday, after suffering a heavy first round defeat to Marian Erakovic on a rain-disrupted day at Roland Garros.
EVERTON have been forced to apologise to supporters following an angry reaction to the redesign of their club crest.
Chelsea defender to lead Three Lions in recognition of his 100-cap milestone
FOOTBALLERS will be encouraged to use a new mobile phone app to report incidents of racism and other forms of discrimination from next season.
MANCHESTER United forward Wilfried Zaha has been tipped for greatness by England boss Roy Hodgson, but newly-promoted Crystal Palace insist they are not planning a loan move for their former star.
LIVERPOOL manager Brendan Rodgers has begun strengthening his squad for next season by signing defender Kolo Toure on a free transfer.
ENGLAND captain Alastair Cook expects his team’s comprehensive series win over New Zealand to leave his players full of confidence ahead of the forthcoming Ashes series against Australia.
SIX WICKETS in New Zealand’s second innings and 10 in the match further emphasised the importance of spinner Graeme Swann to England as they wrapped up a comfortable and predictable 2-0 series win at Headingley yesterday.
SPORTSWEAR behemoth Nike is to stop producing branded products for Livestrong, the cancer foundation established by disgraced former cyclist Lance Armstrong.
LONDON Wasps-bound lock Kearnan Myall was a last-minute addition to the England squad that jetted off on tour to Uruguay and Argentina yesterday.
FOOTBALL: West Ham were last night granted planning permission to begin redevelopment work on their new home at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford.
SNOOKER: Nine-time world ladies’ champion Reanne Evans will play world No2 Neil Robertson in the last 64 of Wuxi Classic in China next month.
HORSE RACING: The half-sister of unbeaten Frankel, Joyeuse, is being lined up to run at next month’s Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, after a winning debut at Lingfield yesterday.
CRYSTAL PALACE 1 vs WATFORD 0
(Crystal Palace won after extra time)
ENGLAND batsman Jonathan Trott last night denied that his team has been too sluggish in pushing for a win in the second Test against New Zealand, insisting they can grab victory on what threatens to be a rain-soaked final day at Headingley.
BRITISH No1 Laura Robson was deeply frustrated with her own error-strewn performance after losing in straight sets in the French Open first round to No10 seed Caroline Wozniacki yesterday.
GRAND National-winning jockey Ruby Walsh ended his “magic” 11-year partnership with leading trainer Paul Nicholls, after growing tired of commuting from his native Ireland to Britain.
WHAT a star Matteo Manassero is. He certainly has the potential to be a future world No1.
BRITISH and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland has tipped hooker Rory Best to prove he should have been included in the original 37-man squad to tour Australia, after being called up to replace the disgraced Dylan Hartley.
SERIE A runners-up Napoli have appointed Rafael Benitez as manager, according to the official Twitter page of club president Aurelio de Laurentiis.
TOTTENHAM right-back Kyle Walker was forced to pull out of the England squad yesterday, after reporting to the national team’s St George’s Park training base injured.
THE QUEST to find 10 venues for the 2019 Cricket World Cup has begun after the International Cricket Council finalised the hosting agreement with the England and Wales Cricket Board.
BRITAIN’S Mark Cavendish is good enough to break the record for the highest number of Tour de France stage wins, according to British Cycling president Brian Cookson.
RUGBY UNION: Scotland have appointed Vern Cotter as their new head coach, however the 51-year-old will not assume his role until his current contract ends with Heineken Cup runners-up Clermont Auvergne on 1 June 2014.
ATHLETICS: Double Olympic champion Mo Farah won the BUPA London 10K for a fifth year in a row yesterday. The 30-year-old clocked 29 minutes 13 seconds as he stepped up preparations for August’s World Championships in Moscow.
HORSE RACING: Investec Derby favourite Dawn Approach will head a maximum field of 15 runners for Saturday’s race at Epsom.
DIVING: Two-time Olympian Tonia Couch won bronze in the final leg of the Diving World Series in Guadalajara, to become Britain’s first individual female World Series medallist.
BILL ESDAILE REPORTS FROM YESTERDAY’S ‘BREAKFAST WITH THE STARS’ AT EPSOM AND GIVES HIS BEST BETS FOR THE WEEKEND
THERE is top class racing on both sides of the Irish Sea this weekend, but tomorrow’s big betting event is Haydock’s Betfred Silver Bowl at 3.15pm.
BEN CLEMINSON PREVIEWS THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL AND WILLIAM CHRIMES LOOKs AT THE AVIVA PREMIERSHIP FINAL
THERE will be no love lost when local rivals Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints lock horns at Twickenham for an explosive east Midlands derby.
BORUSSIA Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp has vowed not to abandon his team’s style despite facing the defining moment of his career without midfield inspiration Mario Goetze.
TOMORROW’S climax to the club football season should be an entertaining spectacle, as both Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund favour attacking play and boast hugely talented individuals.
EUROPEAN football chiefs are expected to confirm today that Europa League winners will earn Champions League qualification from 2015.
CRYSTAL Palace striker Kevin Phillips is determined to end his play-off final hoodoo on Monday and become the Premier League’s oldest outfield player next term.
WORLD No2 Rory McIlory blamed the British weather for his over par first round at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
BRITAIN’S Carl Froch has apologised for threatening to kill Mikkel Kessler when he defends his IBF super-middleweight title tomorrow at the 02, but could yet face action for his comments.
