Costa set to miss City clash after violent conduct charge January 28, 2015 CHELSEA face fielding a depleted side in Saturday’s Premier League summit clash with Manchester City after striker Diego Costa was last night charged for an alleged stamp on Liverpool’s Emre Can. Costa faces a minimum three-match ban if found guilty of violent conduct, after referee Michael Oliver was yesterday given the chance to view an [...]
Former Portugal star Figo enters contest to replace Blatter at Fifa January 28, 2015 THE FIGHT to oust Sepp Blatter as president of football world governing body Fifa has taken another twist after former Portugal star Luis Figo announced his candidacy. Figo’s surprise move yesterday saw him become the second man in as many days to stand against Blatter, after Dutch chief Michael van Praag declared his interest on [...]
Brett Lee fails to nail perfect finale January 28, 2015 FORMER Australia seamer Brett Lee was denied a hat-trick and a fairytale end to his cricket career after Perth Scorchers claimed a last-ball victory against Sydney Sixers to win yesterday’s Big Bash final. Lee, 38, struck twice in successive balls with Perth needing just one run from the final three deliveries to chase down 148, [...]
Real Madrid stadium could be renamed “Abu Dhabi Bernabeu” due to UAE investment January 28, 2015 Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu may be getting a name change to coincide with its makeover. The European champions could soon be playing at the Abu Dhabi Bernabeu, according to reports in the Spanish press. Madrid-based newspaper AS is reporting that Real’s president Florentino Perez has been caught on camera admitting that the [...]
Restaurant review: M by Martin Williams on Threadneedle Walk January 27, 2015 It’s a brave man who first ate an oyster, they say, but it’s a braver man who opens a restaurant in the Square Mile. The normal laws of gastronomic physics don’t apply here. The food scene moves slowly, governed by ritual, force of habit and sheer bloody-mindedness. The trends and fads of Shoreditch and Mayfair [...]
Capital One Cup: Mourinho blasts Spain star’s critics January 27, 2015 Chelsea boss aims swipe at TV pundit after Blues’ victory CHELSEA 1 LIVERPOOL 0 (Chelsea won 2-1 on aggregate) CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho took aim at Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers and launched a diatribe against a Sky television pundit, believed to be Jamie Redknapp, after reaching the Capital One Cup final last night. Defender Branislav [...]
Pochettino wary of Cup upset as Wembley looms January 27, 2015 TOTTENHAM boss Mauricio Pochettino has cited greater intensity as the key defence against his side becoming the latest giant-killing victim of Sheffield United in tonight’s Capital One Cup semi-final second leg at Bramall Lane. Spurs head to South Yorkshire in possession of a slender one-goal lead courtesy of England winger Andros Townsend’s second-half penalty in [...]
Barcelona deny whistleblowing in Real probe January 27, 2015 TENSION among the two superpowers of Spanish football is never far from the surface but this week has seen the emergence of fresh cause for suspicion between Real Madrid and Barcelona. Concerns that Real could be banned from signing players were given credence when the European champions confirmed on Monday that they are subject to [...]
Lancaster urges Cipriani to seize his chance after Farrell ruled out January 27, 2015 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster has thrown down the gauntlet to his remaining fly-halves after Owen Farrell was last night ruled out of the entire Six Nations campaign with a knee injury. Bath No10 George Ford is expected to start against Wales in the Six Nations curtain-raiser at the Millennium Stadium a week on Friday [...]
Familiar foe threat to Murray’s Australian bid January 27, 2015 BRITAIN’S Andy Murray has played down the threat of Tomas Berdych’s insider knowledge after setting up an Australian Open semi-final against the in-form Czech. Murray made swift work of ending a 15,000 sell-out Melbourne crowd’s hopes of a famous home victory by thrashing 19-year-old rising star Nick Kyrgios in straight sets yesterday. The Scot, seeded [...]