Chelsea complete signing of De Bruyne

The promising youngster has joined the Blues' growing Belgian contingent, but Andre Villas-Boas' side have elected to loan the midfielder immediately back to Genk Chelsea complete signing of Kevin De Bruyne & loan him back to Genk until June The Blues have signed the midfielder on a five-and-a-half-year contract and have loaned him straight back to the Belgian club for the remainder of the season Belgian side Genk have confirmed that midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has joined Chelsea. The youngster has signed a long-term contract until 2017 but is to be loaned straight back to his former club until the end of the season. The 20-year-old had been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge for many months but a move failed to materialise during the summer. Now the Belgian club have announced that the move has been completed and that the midfielder will return to Genk to finish the season before going to Chelsea. The 20-year-old is believed to be seen as a long-term replacement for Florent Malouda, who has been linked with a move away from the west London club during the summer.

BREAKING NEWS:PSG confirm Thiago Motta capture

The Ligue 1 leaders secured the services of the Inter midfielder for an undisclosed fee, with the 29-year-old Italy international set to be unveiled on Wednesday at the Parc des Prince BREAKING NEWS: Paris Saint-Germain sign Thiago Motta from Inter Nerazzurri coach Claudio Ranieri claimed after Sunday's defeat at Lecce that he had been assured that the player would not be sold - but his move to France has now been confirmed Paris Saint-Germain have pulled off a major coup by completing the signing of Thiago Motta from Inter just before the close of the transfer window.

Roberto Carlos: Mourinho better than Pep

Jose Mourinho is a better coach than Pep Guardiola, claims Roberto Carlos

The Brazilian feels that La Liga contains the world's two best coaches, but Mourinho's adaptability gives him an edge over the Camp Nou boss

 Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos has voiced his belief that Jose Mourinho is a better coach than Pep Guardiola, his Barcelona counterpart.

Mourinho has emerged on the winning side just once against Barcelona since moving to the Spanish capital but the Brazilian wing-back, currently playing for Anzhi Makhachkala, believes in the Merengue trainer's strength of character and adaptability.

"Mourinho is still number one - for his character, his style of play, because every team that he has directed has won," he told Marca.

"We'll see if Guardiola can win if he goes to Chelsea or Inter, then we can say who is best."

Despite his belief of Mourinho's superiority, the 38-year-old believes that Guardiola is an excellent coach nonetheless.

"Pep is a modern coach, he's intelligent, brave, likes football and always has the players on his side. He knows a lot about football, but Mourinho's success in all countries where he has been confirms him as the best. Spain has the two best coaches in the world," he concluded.

Following Barcelona's draw with Villarreal over the weekend, Madrid hold a seven-point lead in the title race. 

Roberto Carlos to retire this year

Brazil legend Roberto Carlos to call time on playing career by the end of the year The former Real Madrid defender has still been lining out for Anzhi Makhachkala but beginning next year he will focus solely on his coaching role with the Russian club Brazil legend Roberto Carlos has announced that he will retire from the game at the end of the year. The former Real Madrid and Inter left-back has been lining out as a defensive midfielder with Anzhi Makhachkala of late but has decided that he will focus solely on his coaching role with the Russian club from 2013 on. The man responsible for one of the most extraordinary free-kicks in history against France in 1997, in an interview with Globoesporte, explained that he now feels ready to hang up his boots and insisted that he would not reverse his decision. Roberto Carlos began his illustrious playing career with Uniao Sao Joao but it was with Palmeiras that he made his name and he secured a move to Inter in 1995. The defender only spent one season at San Siro, though, before joining Real Madrid, with whom he firmly established himself as one of the most exciting full-backs the game has ever seen. He made 370 league appearances for Los Blancos, scoring 47 goals, before leaving for Fenerbahce in 2007. Roberto Carlos returned home in 2010 to link up with Corinthians before taking up the opportunity to join Anzhi last year.

Messi and Xavi slam La Liga referees

The star duo from Barcelona have hit out at the domestic match officials following their 0-0d raw with Villarreal on Saturday evening, branding them as "arrogant" among other comments    Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Xavi slam 'arrogant' La Liga referees Unhappy after two dropped points on Saturday, the Barca pair spoke out against allegedly sub-standard match officials in Spain's top league Barcelona pair Lionel Messi and Xavi have revealed their frustration at what they consider unfair officiating during the team's 2011-12 Liga campaign, with Victor Valdes also criticising the standard of refereeing in Spain. The Catalan club fell further behind rivals Real Madrid in the title race after being held to a 0-0 draw at Villarreal on Saturday, while Jose Mourinho's men downed Zaragoza 3-1 to open up a commanding seven-point lead at the top of the table. Commenting after the final whistle, Argentine maestro Messi led the chorus of Barca players less than happy with the match-day officials. "Sometimes they are arrogant, and they threaten to pull out a card at the most minor provocation," the Fifa Ballon d'Or winner told reporters after the game. And his words were echoed by Xavi, who suggested that his team had been targeted by referees. "I get the feeling that we are being punished more than other teams," was the midfielder's interpretation of events, while goalkeeper Valdes believes the Catalans should have been awarded more spot-kicks this term. "Over the course of the season, some clear penalties have not been awarded," he said. The draw at El Madrigal leaves Barca with 45 points after 20 games, and they will hope to cut the deficit at the top next weekend when they face Real Sociedad at home.

Hazard 'to play in England next season'

The young and highly sought-after Lille winger has told the press that he expects to complete a move to the Premier League, but not until the end of the 2011-12 campaign Eden Hazard reveals he will move to England next season The 21-year-old winger has been linked with nearly every top club in Europe over the past 12 months and the Belgian has now revealed that he is bound for the Premier League  Lille's Eden Hazard has revealed that he will be plying his trade in England next season. The 21-year-old winger has been linked with nearly every top club in Europe over the past 12 months and he has now announced that he is bound for the Premier League.  During a discussion about his future on Canal Plus, Hazard stated that he was going "to England" but ruled out the possibility of him leaving before the end of the season: "It's impossible for me to leave in January. As I said, I will finish the season at Lille, [as] we can still win a title." The Belgium international recently expressed his interest in joining Paris Saint-Germain but Hazard explained that he had decided instead to move away from Ligue 1. "This is an important personal choice and a football that suits me," Hazard continued. "I would rather go abroad, even if the PSG is a great club. I want to feature at a big club where I am sure to play." Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal have all reportedly been tracking Hazard, who Lille are resigned to losing in the summer. The Ligue 1 club are hoping to get a transfer fee of €40 million for the player.

Juve tighten grasp of top spot (match report)

Antonio Conte watched his side defeat third-placed Udinese 2-1 on Saturday evening to move six points clear of the Zebrette and take another meaningful step towards the Serie A crown Juventus 2-1 Udinese: Matri double clinches points for Antonio Conte's side and stretches lead at Serie A summit to four points Matri took the lead for the Serie A leaders despite substitute Floro Flores cancelling out the home side's first goal, however Juve answered in fashion and took all three points Two goals from Alessandro Matri proved the difference as Juventus beat Udinese 2-1, sending the Old Lady four points clear at the top of Serie A on Saturday night. Substitute Antonio Floro Flores cancelled out Matri’s first effort, yet the 27-year-old was at the double to ensure his side widened their gap to rivals AC Milan in a nail-biting thriller at the Juventus Stadium. Antonio Conte’s men looked to continue their season-long unbeaten run, and made four changes to the team which cruised past Roma in the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia on Tuesday. The home side opted for a rare 3-5-2 formation, with Alessandro Matri and Fabio Quagliarella taking charge of the attack. Udinese made just a single change from the side which beat Catania 2-1 last weekend, with boss Francesco Guildolin deeming Giovanni Pasquale the correct choice at left-back. Both teams kicked off with a spark, however the first chance came to Juventus after just two minutes. Arturo Vidal slotted a well-placed pass into midfielder Marclo Estigarribia’s path, forcing a good, firm save from keeper Samir Handanovic, leaving the Paraguay international with his head in his hands knowing he should have opened the scoring. However, the Bianconeri soon found their feet going forward, putting pressure on Juventus through the flanks, as Almen Abdi received the ball on the edge of the area, striking a vicious shot through the defence for Gianluigi Buffon to fingertip away for a corner. Udinese came close to taking the lead after Leonardo Bonucci headed the set-piece away from danger, only for Colombian Pablo Armero to catch on the volley and force yet another quality save from Buffon. Play rallied back and forth with both sides creating chances going forward, yet it was Conte’s side who took the lead on the stroke of half-time. Quagliarella saw his header parried by Handanovic, only for Matri to answer his critics and score his eighth goal of the season from just two yards out. Guildolin was the first of the coaches to make a change, replacing Abdi for Floro Flores. It was The Old Lady who emerged from the break the more attacking side, yet Udinese caught the hosts on the counter and super-sub Floro Flores received the ball wide in the Juve box before curling a beautiful effort far past Buffon, marking his 23rd goal in 115 appearances for the Bianconeri. Udinese’s lead was short-lived, though, as Conte’s men continued their second half attacking prowess, with substitute Claudio Marchisio providing an exquisite touch to guide Vidal’s cross into Matri, who turned his marker and produced a fine finish at the far post to defy Handanovic and put Juve back into the lead. The visitors pushed for an equaliser, yet lacked the final touch as Di Natale failed to get a shot on target late into extra time. Juventus' win sees them remain unbeaten so far this season, and edge clear of Milan, who face Cagliari on Sunday.   goal.com

Lille confirm Hazard's summer departure

The Ligue 1 champions are not hopeful that they will be able to retain the Belgian prodigy, and general director Frederic Paquet has confirmed it's almost certain the 21-year-old will leave    Lille director Frederic Paquet confirms Eden Hazard departure in June The Ligue 1 champions are not hopeful that they will be able to hold on to the Belgian hotshot after the end of the season as several European big-guns are keen on the attacker Lille general director Frederic Paquet has admitted that it is "almost a certainty" that Eden Hazard will not play for the club beyond the end of the season. The 21-year-old has persistently been linked with a new challenge after establishing himself as one of the hottest prospects in Europe. Hazard has on numerous occasions declared his wishes to further his career at a different club and Lille appear resigned to losing the Belgian star. "Eden will leave at the end of the season, that is almost a certainty," Paquet told Orange Sport. Premier League duo Chelsea and Manchester United have been credited with an interest in Hazard, while Paris Saint-Germain are also reportedly keen. Despite previously ruling out a transfer to the Parc des Princes, Hazard hinted on Friday that he would jump at the chance to play for Carlo Ancelotti's side. The Belgium international, who broke into Lille's first team in 2007, has a contract with the Ligue 1 champions until 2015.

'Ozil is regaining last season's form'

Real Madrid assistant boss Karanka is happy with the German midfielder's recent showings and insists that Sahin will have a part to play in the second half of the campaign Real Madrid's Aitor Karanka after Zaragoza victory: Mesut Ozil is regaining last season's form Jose Mourinho's assistant is happy with the German midfielder's recent showings and insists that Nuri Sahin will have a part to play in the second half of the campaign Real Madrid's Aitor Karanka after Zaragoza victory: Mesut Ozil is regaining last season's form Jose Mourinho's assistant is happy with the German midfielder's recent showings and insists that Nuri Sahin will have a part to play in the second half of the campaign  Real Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka praised Mesut Ozil's display after his side's 3-1 victory over Zaragoza on Saturday. The Germany international turned in a great display at the Santiago Bernabeu as he assisted Cristiano Ronaldo for Madrid's second goal before finding the back of the net himself. Ozil's eye-catching performance came just days after he had played a starring role in the club's 2-2 Copa del Rey draw at Barcelona in mid-week, and Karanka believes that the 23-year-old is regaining top form. "Ozil has not been at the same level as he was last season for some time, but now it seems that he is returning to that level," Karanka told reporters at a post-match news conference. The assistant, Jose Mourinho's right-hand man, was then questioned on the rise in form of Kaka, who scored Madrid's first goal, replying: "There is a very good squad and it is good that there is competition." Karanka was also asked about Nuri Sahin, who has only made five competitive appearances since joining the club in the summer and did not make the squad for Saturday's match. "This was a match for him to play in, but in the end we [chose Lassana] Diarra," he explained. "He needs to play. We have to be with him and support him. "He will give us a hand this season."

Barcelona 'never surrender', says Messi

Though Barca lag Real Madrid by seven points in La Liga after being stifled by Villarreal on Saturday night, the Argentine forward has pledged they will not give up the chase Lionel Messi insists Barcelona 'never surrender' despite losing ground with Villarreal draw The diminutive attacker has refused to throw in the towel despite the huge points gap between his side and Real Madrid after the 0-0 result, also criticising the referee Barcelona star Lionel Messi has insisted that his side will not give up on their challenge for La Liga. The Camp Nou outfit face an uphill task to defend their league crown after Saturday's goalless draw at Villarreal, which has left them seven points behind Real Madrid following the leaders' 3-1 defeat of Zaragoza.  "Barcelona never surrender," Messi told reporters after the match. "The second round of matches has just begun, there is a lot left. "There are many points to fight for, now we have to focus on the Copa del Rey match [against Valencia] and we will have to do things well to try to be in the final. "Today, we had chances to score, but we could not find the back of the net." Several Barca figures have complained about the standard of refereeing in the club's recent matches and Messi admitted that he was not impressed with the work of Teixeira Vitienes at El Madrigal. "I do not like to talk about referees, but sometimes they are arrogant and they threaten to show you a card at the slightest little thing," he added. Barca visit Valencia in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals on Wednesday, kicking off at 21.00CET.

Scholes: I missed playing for United

The midfielder has made three appearances since returning from retirement this month, and claims Sir Alex Ferguson was positive over his decision Paul Scholes has admitted he missed playing for Manchester United 'more than he thought' following his retirement U-turn earlier this month. The 37-year-old has signed a deal that runs until the end of the season and has made three  appearances for United since going back on his decision to quit football last summer. Scholes conceded his day-to-day involvement at United, which included training with the reserve side, fuelled his desire to return to playing. "I missed it more than I thought. At the end of last season, I thought it was the right time to finish," Scholes told MUTV. "Ask any player who has finished, they will all miss it for a period of time. I missed it and decided to give it another go." "After coming in to Carrington for the last three or four months and still seeing people and still doing a bit of training with the reserves, I was missing it more than I thought I would." Scholes also felt his decision to return hinged on the thoughts of manager Sir Alex Ferguson, but the midfielder was buoyed by the United boss' response when he revealed his intentions. "I went to see the manager and said that I wanted to come back playing. I didn't know what he would say. I didn't know what his reaction would be. Thankfully, it was a positive one," he said. "It's nice to be back. The first two or three days took a bit of getting used to but I'm back into it now and enjoying every day."

Leo Messi, on the cover of Time magazine

The North American magazine has picked FC Barcelona’s Leo Messi to feature on the cover of their February edition. The magazine will go on sale worldwide this Sunday, January 29 It’s the first time that a football player has graced the cover of the magazine, other athletes that have appeared on the cover are Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, and Muhammad Ali, amongst others Messi keeps on making history on and off the pitch. The Argentinian’s latest conquest is the North American magazine Time. The publication picked the Barça striker to feature on their February cover. The edition will hit the stands worldwide this Sunday, January 29, and Leo Messi’s portrait will feature on the front along with the title: King Leo. According to Time, Lionel Messi is “the greatest player in the world” and perhaps the “best of all time.” This is the first time that a solitary football player has graced the cover of the magazine. Other athletes of note that have also appeared on the cover are Tiger Woods, Muhammad Ali, Bjön Borg and Michael Jordan, amongst others. Messi, with a trophy cabinet packed to the brim, continues collecting accolades.

Paris Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti confirms arrival of Alex from Chelsea

The Brazilian defender, who had fallen out of favour with Andre Villas-Boas at Chelsea, is set to join the Ligue 1 leaders after passing a medical Paris Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that Alex will be unveiled as the club's latest signing at a press conference in the French capital on Friday afternoon. The Brazilian defender passed a medical in the morning and, according to Ancelotti, will be officially presented to the media at 16:30CET. "Alex will be at a press conference later," the Italian is quoted as saying by RTL. "He will be a PSG player." PSG will reportedly pay €6 million for the 29-year-old, who has seen little game time at Chelsea since the arrival of Andre Villas-Boas as manager last summer. "It was a good opportunity because of his price and his desire to come to PSG," Ancelotti mused. "I know him very well. He's a fantastic player and a great guy. He has extensive experience as he played in the Dutch league, English league, the Brazil national team and many Champions League matches. "He's a great professional and I think he will have a great season." Although the centre-back is fit, the former Rossoneri boss revealed that he will not be thrown straight into Ligue 1 action this weekend. "He can play and he will be here to train tomorrow," Ancelotti explained. "But he will not play in Brest [on Saturday]." Chelsea originally signed Alex from Santos but he spent three years on loan at PSV Eindhoven before finally arriving at Stamford Bridge in 2007.

Agent reveals Carlos Tevez will remain at Manchester City until the summer

Carlos Tevez is set to stay at Manchester City until at least the end of the season his agent has revealed. The 27-year-old has been out of favour at the Etihad Stadium since demanding a transfer over the summer, and has been linked with moves to Milan, Inter and Paris St Germain. Tevez’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, admitted negotiations are unlikely to be completed before the window closes at the end of January as the Blues are insistent on receiving a certain price for the Argentinian. The advisor told TalkSport: “We’ve been in negotiations with three big clubs but I don’t think they have reached the figures Manchester City want. “Carlos will remain at Man City until the summer. They [City] would like to move him on but only at a certain price.” Joorabchian was adamant that Tevez is destined to leave Roberto Mancini’s side once the 2011-12 season is over, however. He added: “This summer will open up a lot of markets. All of the big clubs are looking for players who can play in the Champions League. “Carlos Tevez is cup-tied and that creates a big obstacle. You’re spending a lot of money on the transfer and the salary and he can’t play Champions League. “You have three and half months and then you can re-structure your team, and buy Carlos, in the summer.” More to follow...

Maarten Martens

what a decking! Awesome Nuts: Maarten Martens (AZ) on Theo Janssen (Ajax)

Copa Del Rey Second Leg - Match Preview

Tonight sees the two giants of Spanish football square off in the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinal at the Camp Nou. Real Madrid CF Predicted Starting XI: Casillas, Ramos, Arbeloa, Ricardo Carvalho, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Diarra, Özil, Higuaín, Ronaldo, and Benzema. FC Barcelona Predicted Starting XI: Pinto, Alves, Piqué, Puyol, Abidal, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Cesc, Messi, and Alexis. Though FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF have played several times this season, only one match has been played at Camp Nou. After Barcelona’s thrilling win away in the Santiago Bernabéu coupled with the big 4-1 win over Málaga CF in the league, the blaugrana should easily be able to carry that momentum into the home second leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinals. Tensions will be running high and an all-out fight has been brewing between these two teams for a while now. If Barcelona is winning, especially by a large margin, expect even more maliciousness from the Castilians that the Catalans will not be able to ignore. On the football side of things however, Barcelona should not have too much trouble securing its place in the semifinals against the winner of the Valencia/Levante tie. (Third division miracle team CD Mirandés defeated RCD Espanyol with a last minute goal Tuesday, eliminating the possibility of another intense rivalry in the finals.) The match should still be tough, however, so while another manita would be glorious, a tighter score line is probably more realistic. Preview video and photos ;

'Leave Pepe alone,'

Barcelona's Pep Guardiola tells fans to leave Real Madrid's Pepe alone in Copa del Rey Clasico The 41-year-old has advised the Catalan faithful against giving the Portuguese defender a hostile reception, while stressing he is aiming for victory in Wednesday's encounter Ahead of the Copa del Rey's return-leg Clasico, the Barcelona boss asked Catalan fans to avoid jeering the Portuguese, who appeared to stamp on Lionel Messi's hand in the first encounter The Portugal international is under the spotlight following his stamp on Lionel Messi in the first leg, but Guardiola does not want the Camp Nou crowd to vocalise their unhappiness with the defender's action. "Let us leave Pepe alone," Guardiola told a news conference. "If his coach wants him to play, then let him play and I hope this will be the best possible possible for everyone. "I hope that what happened with [Luis] Figo will not be repeated because the club's fans regret what happened. "If it happens again, it means we have not learned anything and that we are not the club we have to be. It would hurt more than to be eliminated." Pepe, who did not make the squad for Sunday's 4-1 victory against Athletic Bilbao, will know whether he is to face punishment for his action after the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) convenes on Wednesday. On Monday, Barca president Sandro Rosell called on RFEF to follow the example of England's Football Association (FA) and punish Pepe after Manchester City's Mario Balotelli was charged with violent conduct following a stamp on Tottenham's Scott Parker. Questioned about Barca's approach to Wednesday's contest, Guardiola stressed he is only targeting a victory, despite his side's 2-1 advantage in the tie. "I do not want anyone to think that we have won because the match will be very close and the two teams will have a chance to go through until the last minute. "If we try to hold out for the result of the [first-leg], they will eliminate us." The second-leg of the Copa del Rey Clasico kicks off at 20.00CET. Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has told the club's fans not to give Real Madrid's Pepe a heated reception in the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarter final on Wednesday. goal.com

Ronaldo draws level in Golden Shoe race

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo moves level with Trans Narva star Aleksandrs Cekulajevs in the race for the Golden Shoe The Portuguese netted two penalties as his team swept Athletic Bilbao aside to move to the summit of the rankings, with Lionel Messi hot on his heels Two penalties in Real Madrid's 4-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao saw Cristiano Ronaldo draw level with Trans Narva star Aleksandrs Cekalujevs in the race for the Golden Shoe. The Latvian, plying his trade in the Estonian league, has scored an incredible 46 goals this season, and led the table until the Portuguese star's double. A Lionel Messi hat-trick in Barcelona's thrashing of Malaga ensured that the Argentine remained hot on the heels of his nemesis, and saw the 24-year-old pull away from Robin van Persie, who managed a solitary strike in Arsenal's 2-1 home defeat to Manchester United. CSKA Moscow's Ivorian striker Seydou Doumbia finished the Russian season with 24 goals, and currently sits in fifth place, while Trabzonspor's Burak Yilmaz scored his 22nd goal during his side's shock defeat to Karabukspor. Bundesliga duo Mario Gomez and Klaas Jan Huntelaar have taken their battle for the domestic Golden Boot to the European stage, and the Bayern Munich man sits two points ahead of his Schalke counterpart, with the Dutchman level on points with Newcastle's Demba Ba. Manchester City's big money signing Sergio Aguero is in 10th place courtesy of 14 goals to date in his debut Premier League season. History & How It Works In 1967-68, French football magazine L'Equipe opted to hand out an award to the top goalscorer in all European leagues for his good performances during the season. Between 1968 and 1991, high profile names such as Eusebio, Gerd Muller, Ian Rush and Marco van Basten won the coveted trophy. However, the gap between big and small leagues started to grow in the early 90's and L'Equipe decided to make the competition unofficial after the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) issued a protest in 1991. Darko Pancev won the award that season with 34 goals, but the CFA claimed that a player had scored 40 goals in Cyprus that term. Adidas, sponsor of the awards, still handed out the trophy until 1996 before European Sports Magazine (with L'Equipe as a member) decided to make the title official again. ESM divided all European leagues in three groups according to strength, and attached to each group a quotient by which the number of goals is multiplied to obtain the player's rating. The European Golden Shoe was thus no longer necessarily handed to the top goalscorer, but to the player with the most points. The weightings are determined by the league's ranking on the UEFA coefficients, which in turn depend on the results of each league's clubs in European competition over the previous five seasons. Goals scored in the top five leagues according to the UEFA coefficients are multiplied by a factor of two, and goals scored in the leagues ranked six to 21 are multiplied by 1.5. Goals in all other leagues are all worth one single point. This measure has prevented players from the so called weaker leagues from winning the European Golden Shoe, since a goal scored in, for example, Armenia, Estonia or Azerbaijan carries less weight than a goal scored in Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga or the Premier League. Players such as Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Forlan and Lionel Messi have won the European Golden Shoe in the past few seasons.

Wesley Sneijder's Transfer Situation

The Netherlands international has been linked with Manchester United again in recent weeks but the playmaker insists that there is no chance of him leaving San Siro. Wesley Sneijder has reiterated that he will not be leaving Inter before the close of the current transfer window. The Netherlands international was reportedly close to moving to Manchester United in the summer and that link has resurfaced in recent weeks. However, when asked after Sunday's 2-1 victory over Lazio if he could still join the Old Trafford outfit before the end of the month, Sneijder told Inter's official website: "How much is left? A week? I'm staying here." Nerazzurri president Massimo Moratti also insisted that the Dutch playmaker is staying put, claiming: "No one has ever thought otherwise." Sneijder only featured as a substitute during the win over Lazio, with coach Claudio Ranieri revealing afterwards that the player is not yet 100 per cent after only just returning from a two-month spell on the sidelines with a muscular problem.

Mourinho talked

The Real Madrid boss appeared to be the victim of fans whistling in protest at the club's recent Clasico loss to Barcelona, something the Portuguese claims he will respond to by 'doing his job' Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho brushed off the jeers targeted at him during his side's 4-1 victory against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, and claims some of the club's biggest idols have been subjected to similar treatment in the past. The Portuguese trainer received whistles from the Santiago Bernabeu crowd following the frustration of another defeat against fierce rivals Barcelona on Wednesday, and the manner of the loss to the Catalan club in the teams Copa del Rey quarter-final first-leg clash. "There is no problem," Mourinho told reporters in his post-match press conference. "It did not happen to me at Porto, Chelsea or Inter, but there is always a first time for everything. "Here, [Zinedine] Zidane was whistled, as were Ronaldo and Cristiano Ronaldo. So why would I not be whistled? "Zidane, Ronaldo and Cristiano responded with their goals. I will try to respond with my work." Mourinho then stressed that there is no reason for crisis talk at the club, despite the defeat at home to Barca on Wednesday. "This is the first time that I am five points clear at the top," he noted. "We passed the group stage in the Champions League and we still have one match to play in the Copa del Rey. "If we are beaten, it will not be by Alcorcon but by Barcelona and I do my job."

'Barca are still in the title race,' says Messi

Barcelona star Lionel Messi has insisted that his side are still in the race for the Liga title. The Argentina international inspired Barca to an emphatic 4-1 victory at Malaga on Sunday, a result which sees the Liga champions narrow the gap between themselves and leaders Real Madrid to two points. Jose Mourinho's side have the chance to restore their five point advantage at the top before the end of the day, as they host Athletic Bilbao, but Messi has stressed that the title race is not over. "There is a lot [of time] left [before the end of the league] - the second round of matches - and we will keep pushing," Messi told AS after the match. Messi then played down his team's effort to beat Malaga as they host Madrid on Wednesday in the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-finals, in which the Catalans hold a 2-1 lead. "We got tired today, but we get tired after every match because they are demanding," he added. "We are used to playing every three days. We will prepare for this match well."

Balotelli spot-kick stuns spurs (City 3-2 tottenham)

Manchester City 3-2 Tottenham: Mario Balotelli nets stoppage-time penalty to foil Spurs' comeback in sensational second half Home side gain crucial victory in the Premier League title race as five goals are scored after the break at the Etihad Stadium with the visitors missing out on a vital point

José María Callejón

José María Callejón

Pele talked about Messi

Brazil legend Pele: When Barcelona's Lionel Messi has scored 1,283 goals and won three World Cups, then we will talk The 71-year-old is an admirer of the Argentine sensation but insisted that the Barca star is still far away from equalling his achievements on the pitch Brazil legend Pele has praised Barcelona star Lionel Messi, but noted that the Argentine still has a long way to go to be as successful as he was. The Argentina international became the second player in the history of the Ballon d'Or to win the prestigious award three times in a row when he lifted the title earlier this month in Zurich. Pele acknowledged that he is a fan of Messi, but stressed that the diminutive Argentine faces a hard task to equal him. "Technically speaking, we are practically at the same level," Pele told Le Monde. "We have both received a gift from God. "Records are made to be broken, but it will be hard to break mine. When Messi has scored 1,283 goals and won three World Cups, then we will talk. "People ask me all the time when there will be a new Pele. I tell them: 'Never'. My parents shut down the factory."