Champions League: Guardiola’s homecoming ruined by mesmeric Messi May 6, 2015 BARCELONA 3 BAYERN MUNICH 0 BARCELONA boss Luis Enrique revelled in the unique talent of Lionel Messi after the mesmeric forward’s stunning double fired his side into a commanding first-leg lead in their Champions League semi-final clash at Camp Nou last night. The hosts endured a frustrating evening against a stubborn Bayern Munich outfit until [...]
New Zealand reveal plan to target England skipper Cook May 6, 2015 NEW Zealand head coach Mike Hesson has promised that his side will target England skipper Alastair Cook in the two-Test series between the two sides, which starts on 21 May at Lord’s. Cook’s form was a major positive for England during their drawn series against the West Indies in the Caribbean, the captain amassing 268 [...]
I’m being denied top-level rugby, says Abendanon May 6, 2015 NEWLY-CROWNED European player of the year Nick Abendanon has complained that England’s policy of not selecting overseas-based players is depriving him of the chance to compete at the highest level. The 28-year-old full-back joined Toulon back-row forward Steffon Armitage in the international wilderness when he signed for Top 14 side Clermont Auvergne in February 2014, [...]
How the 2015 General Election could affect the way sport is run May 6, 2015 As the General Election campaign and football season both draw to a climax it seems pertinent to look at how the beautiful game might be affected by a change in government. Of the proposals which could directly influence football, the most significant come from the Labour Party, which has outlined two areas in its [...]
Chris Tremlett: Restructuring might spell end for under-fire Moores May 6, 2015 I wouldn't be surprised if there were to be changes within the England set-up and a change in the head coach. By all accounts the mood in the camp is good and the players are training well. That’s great, but at the end of the day it’s about results and it has been a poor [...]
Real, Barca and United lead way in club value list May 6, 2015 EUROPEAN champions Real Madrid are the world’s most valuable football club, with Manchester United the highest placed English team, according to a new ranking compiled by magazine Forbes. Real are estimated to be worth £2.13bn, marginally more than their bitter rivals Barcelona (£2.07bn) and fellow global powerhouse United (£2.03bn). All three are valued £500m higher [...]
Brentford out for Middlesbrough play-off revenge May 6, 2015 BRENTFORD manager Mark Warburton believes his team have “unfinished business” with Middlesbrough ahead of their Championship first leg play-off encounter at Griffin Park tomorrow. The west London club were thrashed 4-0 by Aitor Karanka’s side at Riverside Stadium last September in what Warburton describes as their worst performance of the campaign. That was followed by [...]
Ed Miliband to have the last laugh in race to Downing Street May 6, 2015 ANDREW PINK WITH THE BEST BETTING ANGLES ON THE CLOSEST GENERAL ELECTION IN OVER 40 YEARS AFTER what feels like a lifetime’s worth of polls, pundits and predictions, today is mercifully the big day. Some 30 million votes will be cast in the 2015 General Election and all anyone really knows for sure is that [...]
Small margins and voter turnout will decide the election May 6, 2015 MANY voters will lament today that their vote won’t change the outcome of their constituency, but the margins in many places will be unbelievably tight – and punters can profit. We’ve seen constituency level polling that indicates incredibly close races across the electoral map and Sporting Index’s size of the smallest majority market looks appealing. [...]
Cannock Chase can see off Huxley rivals May 6, 2015 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS DAY TWO OF CHESTER’S MAY MEETING SIR MICHAEL Stoute hasn’t quite scaled the heights that we have come to expect over the past few seasons, but four winners at Royal Ascot last June secured him the top trainer award at the meeting and he has a powerful squad for this campaign. He [...]