Crystal Palace 3 - 1 QPR [Premier League]

A seventh win under Alan Pardew takes Palace to the safe haven of mid-table, but QPR's record of having lost all but one of its league games on the road remains after a sloppy defensive performance.  Chris Ramsey brought Shaun Wright-Phillips and Adel Taarabt in from the cold as he sought a spark to ignite QPR's flagging efforts away from Loftus Road – winger Wright-Phillips making his first league start since September 2013.  But the changes failed to have a positive impact as Wilfried Zaha bravely put the host ahead in the 21st minute with his first goal since his second Palace debut in August.  Taarabt looked QPR's best bet of finding an equaliser, but two goals in as many minutes from James McArthur and Joel Ward effectively ended the contest.  Having scored three times in the opening half of a Premier League match for the first time, Palace took its foot off the gas after the interval – with Matt Phillips netting a phenomenal 40-metre strike.  It was little more than an impressive consolation goal, though, as Palace moved 11 points above Ramsey's men, who endured a miserable opening 45 minutes in particular at Selhurst Park.  Palace took a deserved lead midway through the first half as Yannick Bolasie sped up the left flank and sent an inviting ball across the face of goal for Zaha to convert, taking a heavy blow to the hip in colliding with the post for his trouble.  Damien Delaney lashed wide and the returning Glenn Murray headed off target as QPR struggled to stem the tide of home pressure, though Taarabt lashed over on a rare foray forward.  For all the Moroccan's attempts in attack, the visiting defence had no answer for Bolasie, who again left teenage right-back Darnell Furlong standing before McArthur slid in to convert another left-wing cross.  Not to be outdone by his fellow winger, Zaha turned provider for Palace's third before the break, tormenting three QPR defenders and feeding Ward to curl home from the edge of the penalty area.  Ramsey may have taken some heart from the performance of Taarabt, who remained willing throughout and almost presented Charlie Austin with his 16th goal of the season, but QPR's top scorer could only head straight at Julian Speroni in an otherwise sleepy second half.  Speroni was powerless to stop Phillips's wonder goal in the final 10 minutes, but Palace looks safe in the top flight for another season after Pardew's impressive return to the club.
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James Milner may leave city this summer

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini said the Premier League champions have offered James Milner all they can but the Chilean boss remains hopeful a new deal can be agreed.  Milner is out of contract at the end of the 2014-15 Premier League campaign but the 29-year-old is no closer to extending his contract with City.  The England international’s reluctance to recommit to the club has alerted rivals Liverpool, Arsenal and Serie A high-flyers Roma.  However, Pellegrini is not giving up hope of retaining Milner’s services.  “I don’t have any news about James Milner,” he said.  “To decide to sign a contract you need both parties to agree it. We will see what happens from now until the end of the season.  “Maybe City have already offered all that the club can offer, maybe it’s not about more money, maybe there are different things to sign a new contract.  “You must ask James what is happening with him. I hope he will find an arrangement, and I think it’s possible.”  Milner has scored 16 goals in 186 appearances since joining City from Aston Villa in a deal worth £26 million in 2010.
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Valencia 2 - 0 Deportivo La Coruna [La Liga]

Valencia tightened their grip on fourth spot in La Liga with a 2-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruna at Mestalla on Friday.  Dani Parejo and Paco Alcacer struck for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men as they moved eight points clear of Sevilla in fifth, who host struggling Elche on Sunday.  Valencia piled pressure on in the first half, but were unable to find a way past Fabricio in Deportivo’s goal.  But their pressure paid off after the break as Pablo Piatti proved too tricky for Juanfran in the penalty area and a foul on the Argentinian allowed Parejo to break the deadlock from 12 yards.  Piatti was again involved as Alcacer made the points safe by prodding home Sofiane Feghouli’s cut-back from three yards out – the Spain striker’s first goal of 2015.  Defeat leaves Deportivo nervously looking over their shoulders, just a point clear of 18th-placed Almeria.
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Bayer Leverkusen 4 - 0 VfB Stuttgart

Bayer Leverkusen piled further misery on the Bundesliga’s bottom side Stuttgart, thrashing them 4-0 at the BayArena on Friday.  Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt was celebrating his 48th birthday on Friday and his side’s first goal came gift-wrapped as Stuttgart’s comical attempts to clear the ball only fell to Wendell, and the Brazilian left-back lashed home from 18 yards to open his Bundesliga account.  Josip Drmic’s diving header made it 2-0 four minutes later, with Karim Bellarabi getting in on the act shortly after half-time.  The winger tormented Gotoku Sakai on the right flank, twisting the Japan full-back inside and out before smashing low past Sven Ulreich.  More dismal defending allowed Drmic to stroll into the penalty area and prod home Leverkusen’s fourth just before the hour.  Victory takes Leverkusen third in the league ahead of the weekend’s action, but their significantly boosted goal difference could prove crucial as the race for UEFA Champions League qualification heats up.
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Monaco 3 - 0 Bastia [Ligue 1]

Leonardo Jardim's men will attempt to finish off the job when Arsene Wenger returns to the principality with his Arsenal side trailing 3-1 from the first leg of the round-of-16 clash and Monaco should head into that crunch clash full of confidence after a comfortable win.  Teenage striker Martial put Monaco in front 22 minutes when he was on hand to fire home at the back post and any chance of a Bastia fightback looked slim when Drissa Diakite was sent off for a professional foul on Matheus Carvalho 10 minutes later.  Layvin Kurzawa was unable to convert the resulting penalty as Alphonse Areola denied him from 12 yards, but Matheus doubled Monaco's lead two minutes before half-time with his first Ligue 1 goal after Nabil Dirar squared the ball for him.  The Brazilian then set up Martial for a third six minutes after the break and things went from bad to worse for Bastia when Giovanni Sio was also given his marching orders for a poor challenge on Kurzawa just four minutes after coming on.  Victory for Monaco ensured it is now three points behind third-placed Marseille, who hosts leader Lyon on Monday (AEDT).  Christophe Mandanne's double ensured Guingamp ended a run of three-consecutive Ligue 1 defeats as Nice's poor form continued with a 2-1 home defeat.  Guingamp had failed to find the net in its losing run, but got back on track courtesy of a goal in each half from Mandanne.  Eric Bautheac had equalised for the home side 12 minutes into the second half, but Mandanne soon put Guingamp back in front and Nice was unable to respond as it slumped to a fourth defeat in a row, leaving it  just five points better off than third-bottom Toulouse.
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Fiorentina 1 - 1 Roma [Europa League]

After falling 11 points behind leaders Juventus in Serie A and exiting the Coppa Italia to Fiorentina last month, Roma will know the Europa League provides their last realistic hope of success this term.  They appeared to be on track for another disappointing result at the Stadio Artemio Franchi as Josip Ilicic gave hosts Fiorentina a 17th-minute lead.  Adem Ljajic saw a penalty, which had been controversially awarded, saved by Neto on the hour mark as Roma sought a response.  Yet it was Keita – Roma’s scorer in a 1-1 draw with Juventus 10 days ago – who had the final say with a well-placed header to give Roma a narrow advantage ahead of the return leg in seven days’ time.  Chances were few and far between early on, but Ilicic took advantage of the first real opportunity of the match following a quick Fiorentina counter-attack.  Mohamed Salah broke clear after intercepting a poor pass from Daniele De Rossi and expertly slipped Ilicic through to lash home beyond Lukasz Skorupski at the near post.  De Rossi was substituted in favour of Miralem Pjanic because of an apparent injury five minutes later and Roma, despite enjoying plenty of possession, struggled to break down the home defence.  However, Rudi Garcia’s men should have levelled a minute before the interval when Ljajic spooned the ball over the bar from point-blank range after Alessandro Florenzi had been denied by Fiorentina goalkeeper Neto.

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Villarreal 1 - 3 Sevilla [Europa League]

Vitolo scored the fastest goal in UEFA Europa League history as holders Sevilla took a giant stride towards the quarter-finals with a 3-1 win at La Liga rivals Villarreal on Thursday.  In an enthralling opening to the first leg of this last-16 encounter, Vitolo volleyed in his fifth goal in four games after just 13 seconds.  After Luciano Vietto had hit the bar for Villarreal, a clinical Sevilla side moved further ahead through Stephane Mbia.  Vietto’s close-range finish in the 48th minute gave Villarreal hope, but that was extinguished almost instantly due to Kevin Gameiro’s emphatic effort.  A frustrated Marcelino was sent to the stands as his side slipped to only a second home defeat in 13 matches, while Sevilla made it three straight away wins in all competitions.  Marcelino was without Giovani dos Santos and made a number of changes, with Vietto among those drafted in, while Gameiro started for Sevilla as Carlos Bacca was dropped.  The visitors made a stunning start as a long ball found Gameiro and he flicked the ball into the path of Vitolo, who coolly controlled before volleying past Sergio Asenjo.  In a breathless opening, the hosts should have equalised when Ikechukwu Uche’s low cross found Vietto, but he shot against the crossbar and an off-balance Denis Cheryshev could not guide the rebound on target.  Cheryshev then combined neatly with Vietto before firing goalwards from 20 yards and forcing Sergio Rico into a low save.  The game continued at a frantic pace, with Vicente Iborra heading at Asenjo and Vietto forcing Rico to save with his feet, and the visitors moved further ahead after 26 minutes when a left-wing cross was met by a bullet header from Mbia.  Sevilla should have put the game to bed five minutes before the break, Aleix Vidal hitting the crossbar following a swift counter-attack.
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Everton 2 - 1 Dynamo Kyiv [Europa League]

Everton now have the upper hand heading into next week’s second leg, despite a wretched first 30 minutes at Goodison Park.  Oleh Husyev’s near-post flick gave Dynamo a deserved 14th-minute lead and the visitors only looked like extending their lead in the early stages.  Roberto Martinez’s side were simply not at the races, but Lukaku – dominant in the Europa League of late – sparked them to life, first hitting the crossbar with a 25-yard free-kick before he set up Steven Naismith’s 39th-minute equaliser in stunning fashion.  The Belgium international beat three players before finding Naismith, and he then put his own name on the scoresheet eight minutes from time after Danilo Silva was adjudged to have handled Leon Osman’s cross.  Lukaku’s spot-kick was far from perfect, but it snuck in as he bagged his seventh goal in his last four Europa League matches to give Everton victory.  Everton looked anxious at the back in the early stages, with a series of crosses causing panic and one of them – hacked away for a corner by James McCarthy – led to Dynamo’s opener.  Andriy Yarmolenko’s ball in from the right was superbly flicked on at the near post by Husyev, who nipped in front of McCarthy to volley home.  Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard was alert to keep out a fierce Sergiy Sydorchuk drive from 30 yards as Dynamo searched for a second, while at the other end, Oleksandr Shovkovskiy was relieved to see a Lukaku effort from distance sail over after he charged off his line and fluffed a clearance.  The restless mood at Goodison Park was summed up when a poor Antolin Alcaraz back-pass, which almost played Dieumerci Mbokani in, was met with fury from the home fans.  Everton turned the screw just before the break, though, as Lukaku’s free-kick flicked the top of the crossbar and Phil Jagielka had a header cleared off the line by Silva.
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Napoli 3 - 1 Dinamo Moscow [Europa League]

The Argentine forward proved too hot to handle for the visitors as he netted his first European treble against a Dynamo side reduced to 10 men early in the second half after Roman Zobnin’s dismissal.  Kevin Kuranyi’s fifth Europa League goal of the season had given Dynamo an ideal start two minutes in, although Higuain levelled with an expert header before the half-hour mark.  The Argentina international then put Napoli on top as he converted a 31st-minute penalty.   Zobnin saw red early in the second half to dent Dynamo’s hopes of a fightback and Higuain added a third against the Russian Premier League side five minutes short of the hour.  While Stanislav Cherchesov’s side will take comfort from their away goal, Higuain’s first-leg heroics may yet prove enough to take Napoli through going into the return encounter next week.  Napoli had built up a record five consecutive Europa League clean sheets prior to Thursday’s clash, but fell behind as Kuranyi powered Mathieu Valbuena’s corner past Mariano Andujar.  While the hosts almost levelled through Jose Callejon’s header, Napoli’s early woes continued when Kalidou Koulibaly was forced off injured.
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Club Brugge 2 - 1 Besiktas [Europa League]

Club Brugge came from behind to earn a 2-1 victory over Besiktas in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday.  Gokhan Tore had fired the Turkish side in front 26 seconds into the second half, but Tom De Sutter slid in just after the hour mark to convert his team’s first effort on target.  And a 79th-minute Lior Refaelov penalty ensured the hosts head into the second leg with a valuable advantage.  De Sutter had earlier seen a goal disallowed during a first half that offered little by way of entertainment.  Tore’s strike almost immediately after the restart sparked the game into life and Besiktas looked set to build on their victory as Demba Ba probed the home defence.  However, De Sutter restored parity in the 62nd minute before Felipe Gedoz was felled in the box to present Refaelov with the chance to snare victory.  The Israel international duly dispatched into the bottom right-hand corner to earn the home side a hard-fought win.
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Dnipro 1 - 0 Ajax [Europa League]

In a first leg full of missed opportunities at the Olympic National Sports Complex on Thursday, Zozulya made the most of his chance as Dnipro also denied Ajax a valuable away goal.  After Thulani Serero and Yevhen Seleznyov both wasted gilt-edged openings inside the first 10 minutes, Zozulya opened his Europa League account for the season, but will miss the return game after picking up a second-half yellow card.  The forward fired past Jasper Cillessen after half an hour to give Dnipro the lead, although Ajax should have been level at the break – Joel Veltman conspiring to miss in front of an open goal.  Frank de Boer was able to recall Arkadiusz Milik following a hamstring problem, but his side drew blanks going forward as Myron Markevych’s men saw out the victory with relative comfort.  Ajax started strongly in Kiev and should have led after five minutes when Thulani Serero sprung the offside trap, only to see his attempted lob thwarted by Denis Boyko.  Dnipro then wasted a golden opportunity to take the lead when Cillessen failed to control Veltman’s hefty backpass.  However, Seleznyov prodded the loose ball wide, as two of the half’s best chances were both wasted early on.  The hosts gradually got on top and broke the deadlock when Zozulya found space in the area following Yevhen Konoplyanka’s cutback and fired past Cillessen.  A divot in the pitch appeared to help the ball beyond the Ajax goalkeeper, with Cillessen then quickly called on to keep Seleznyov’s long-range effort out.comment on this post

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Zenit St. Petersburg 2 - 0 Torino

Zenit capitalised on Marco Benassi’s first-half dismissal for Torino to seal a 2-0 home victory in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League last-16 meeting.  Torino had kept their opponents comfortably at bay for the first half an hour of Thursday’s meeting at the Stadion Petrovsky, but Benassi’s sending-off for two bookable offences gave Zenit a huge boost.  Managed by Andre Villas-Boas, winner of this competition in 2011 with Porto, Zenit took full advantage of Benassi’s red card to take a significant step towards the quarter-finals.  The home side took the lead when Axel Witsel – the man fouled by Benassi for his second yellow – applied a close-range finish in the 38th minute.  Witsel was the beneficiary of a kind rebound, and it was a similar story for Domenico Criscito’s second after the interval when Hulk’s shot off the post ran perfectly into his path.  Victory continued Zenit’s fine form since they returned from their mid-season break, with Villas-Boas’ men now having recorded four consecutive wins in all competitions without conceding.  Salomon Rondon, who scored a hat-trick in Zenit’s 3-0 win over Ural at the weekend, saw a shot kept out by the legs of goalkeeper Daniele Padelli in the third minute.  Zenit had the better of the opening exchanges, with Torino content to sit back and try to frustrate their opponents.  But their job was made much more difficult when Benassi – earlier cautioned for a cynical foul on Hulk – was shown a second yellow card shortly before the half-hour for a high challenge on Witsel.


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Wolfsburg 3 - 1 Inter Milan [Europa League]

Inter goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo endured a night to forget as three errors from him proved costly in a 3-1 UEFA Europa League defeat at Wolfsburg on Thursday.  All is not lost for the Italian giants, who host the second leg of the last-16 clash at San Siro next week, but coach Roberto Mancini will surely be annoyed at the manner of their defeat, as Kevin De Bruyne struck twice for Wolfsburg.  Rodrigo Palacio gave Inter the lead in the fifth minute but they were pegged back before the break when Carrizo – one of two Inter inclusions – spilled a Naldo header.  While there were excuses for the goalkeeper on that occasion, namely a complete lack of marking, he was solely to blame for Wolfsburg’s second as De Bruyne opened his account 27 minutes from time.  Given a backpass from substitute Nemanja Vidic, Carrizo completely fluffed a clearance, only finding Vieirinha on the right flank, and he stormed into the penalty area before cutting back for De Bruyne to do the rest.  Carrizo’s night of misery continued when he was wrong-footed by De Bruyne’s 75th-minute free-kick, which, despite being an effort he really should have saved, crept into the right corner.  The visitors took the lead when their intense press reaped an early reward.  Andre Schurrle, under serious pressure from Danilo D’Ambrosio, volleyed an errant pass at Mauro Icardi and the Inter man cleverly slid in Palacio.  Having been put through on goal, the forward kept his cool to slot past Diego Benaglio and delight the travelling fans.  Wolfsburg, who left themselves open on the break, saw Schurrle waste a pair of chances before Carrizo made an excellent reaction save to keep out Daniel Caligiuri’s near-post header.

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Liverpool are working hard to secure the services of midfielder Joe Allen

The 24 year old was taken to Anfield by Brendan Rodgers in the summer of 2012, having played under the Northern Irishman for Swansea City for two years.  Since arriving on Merseyside, the Wales international has racked up eighty-seven appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals while he has been capped nineteen times for his country since making his debut in 2009.  Reds boss Rodgers must also decide on the futures of defensive duo Kolo Toure and Glen Johnson, with the latter continuously linked with a summer move overseas.  Liverpool drew 0-0 with Championship side Blackburn Rovers in the quarter finals of the FA Cup on Sunday afternoon, with the replay scheduled for April 7th.  The seven-times cup winners are now second favourites at 2/1 to lift the trophy at Wembley on May 30th.

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Bayern Munich 7 - 0 Shakhtar Donetsk [Champions League]

Bayern Munich cruised into the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League with an emphatic 7-0 win over 10-man Shakhtar Donetsk at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.  Having been held to a goalless draw in the first leg, Bayern went into the return meeting of the last-16 clash with work to do.  But they were given a significant helping hand in the third minute when Shakhtar defender Olexandr Kucher was shown a straight red card – the quickest in Champions League history – for a foul on Mario Gotze.  Thomas Muller stepped up to convert the resulting penalty and from there it was little more than a procession for the Bundesliga champions.  Jerome Boateng doubled the lead in the 34th minute with a close-range effort before Bayern found another gear in the second half.  Franck Ribery capped off a well-worked move to make it 3-0 in the 49th minute, with a second from Muller, a Holger Badstuber header, a Robert Lewandowski strike and Gotze’s effort putting the gloss on the victory on a night where injuries to Arjen Robben and Ribery were the only concern for the hosts.  Kucher’s rash challenge on Gotze and subsequent dismissal immediately gave Shakhtar a mountain to climb, with Muller making no mistake with his fourth-minute spot-kick as he stepped up and coolly slotted the ball into the bottom-left corner.  Bayern would have made it two had Robben been able to connect with Lewandowski’s pull-back with the goal at his mercy.  Sensing the prospect of being overrun by the extra man, Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu made a defensive change as Sergey Krivtsov replaced winger Taison in the ninth minute.  Robben was then brought off and replaced by Sebastian Rode because of a trapped nerve, but Bayern continued to enjoy almost complete domination and were initially denied a second by the woodwork.   Lewandowski struck the upright with a header from Rafinha’s right-wing cross, but Bayern’s constant pressure told as Boateng bundled the ball home at the far post after the Pole had been denied from point-blank range.  And any slim hope of a Shakhtar comeback was extinguished four minutes after the restart by quick goals from Ribery and Muller.

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Chelsea 2 - 2 PSG [Champions League]

 Thiago Silva scored a sensational extra-time header as 10-man Paris Saint-Germain knocked Chelsea out of the Champions League after an electrifying 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.  PSG had talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic sent off in the first half and fell behind to a Gary Cahill goal with nine minutes remaining, only for Chelsea old boy David Luiz to take the tie to extra time with an emphatic 86th-minute header.  Silva appeared to have gifted Chelsea a place in the last eight after conceding a penalty for handball that Eden Hazard converted, but the PSG captain scored with six minutes of the game remaining to send Laurent Blanc's side through on away goals after a 3-3 aggregate draw.


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Manchester United set for Lars Bender race

Premier League giants Manchester United are the latest side to have joined the chase for Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender, according to Sunday People.  The highly rated footballer is believed to be on the radar of both Barcelona and Arsenal, with the Red Devils in the mix as well.  Louis van Gaal appears to have turned his attention to Bender after his primary target Kevin Strootman suffered another serious injury, but the Dutch coach clearly faces stiff competition for the player’s signature.  His chief scout Jim Lawlor was present at Bay Arena last week as Bayer Leverkusen hosted Atletico Madrid in the Champions League clash, making a fresh check on the Germany starlet.  Having spent last six years with die Werkself, Bender may be interested in a new challenge and he will have no shortage of offers next summer.  And while Bayer Leverkusen are not too keen on seeing their star player leave, they will not be able to resist a big money offer for his services.


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Barcelona winger Cristian Tello set to complete a permanent move to Fc porto

Barcelona winger Cristian Tello will soon complete a permanent move to FC Porto, according to Catalan media outlet Sport.  The talented footballer joined the Dragons on a two-year loan deal last summer, with an €8 million buy-out clause included in the contract.  And while Barcelona have the option to cut the loan short at the end of the current season, they are unlikely to do so given that Porto officials aim to trigger the release clause in the coming weeks.  The Dragons have been impressed with the 23-year-old’s performances and they believe Tello can develop into a key member of the squad at Estadio do Dragao.  Josep Maria Orobitg and Pep Setvalls, representatives of the Spanish forward, have arrived in Portugal for a new round of talks with FC Porto chiefs, as they want to get the best possible deal for their client.  Since joining the Dragons in the summer, Tello has scored 6 goals in 22 league outings, bagging no fewer than four goals in last two matches.


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Barcelona set to sign Douglas Costa

Catalan media outlet El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona are hot on the trail of Shakhtar Donetsk attacker Douglas Costa.  The Camp Nou outfit is in the market for attacking reinforcements given that Pedro Rodriguez is currently the only serious back-up to starting trio Messi, Suarez and Neymar.  But, with the Spain international heavily linked with a summer exit, the Catalans desperately need to add another high-profile forward to their ranks.  Seeing as their primary target Marco Reus has signed a new deal with Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona have turned their attention towards Shakhtar’s Douglas Costa.  The Catalans have been keeping close tabs on the winger for over two years now and they will make another check when Bayern host Shakhtar later today.  Douglas Costa, 24, has managed 36 goals and 38 assists in 190 competitive appearances for Shakhtar Donetsk and he is expected to leave the Pitmen for a top European club at the end of the season.

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TOTTENHAM SUPERSTAR LLORIS SETS HIS SIGHTS ON SYDNEY FC

Sixth-placed Spurs travel to fourth-placed Manchester United on Monday (AEDT) seeking to draw level with the Red Devils on points to step up the pace for a top-four place with 10 Premier League games to go.  Within hours of completing its season against Everton at Goodison Park on 24 May, Mauricio Pochettino’s team will board a plane for Sydney, with tickets for its date with Sydney FC going on sale to fans across Australia and Asia at 1pm (AEDT) on Wednesday amid expectations of a gate in excess of 55,000.  Tottenham goalkeeper Lloris has been one of the cornerstones of Spurs’ staying power in the race with Liverpool, Manchester United, Southampton and Arsenal for a Champions League place with a catalogue of memorable saves further enhancing his reputation this season.  He is relishing facing the Sky Blues on 30 May at the stadium which hosted Juventus in 2014 and Manchester United the year before and was most recently a scene of celebration as Australia overcame Korea Republic 2-1 to lift the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.  “We are all looking really forward to this trip to Sydney,” Lloris said. “We know that we have incredible support on the other side of the world.  "This is a great chance for us to connect with these supporters, particularly as it is the first time in 30 years the club has visited Australia.


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Porto 4 - 0 Basel [Champions League]

Yacine Brahimi stepped up in the absence of Jackson Martinez to guide Porto into the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals courtesy of a 4-0 win over Basel.  The Portuguese side earned a 1-1 draw in the Switzerland-hosted first leg on February 18, but Julen Lopetegui’s men were in merciless form on Tuesday, with the tricky Algerian leading the way to a fine victory at Estadio do Dragao, which keeps them unbeaten in this season’s competition.  Martinez, the scorer of 25 goals across all fronts this term, missed out due to a thigh muscle tear and, although Vincent Aboubakar started and scored in the Colombian’s place, Brahimi took centre-stage in his absence, breaking the deadlock with a delightful 14th-minute free-kick.  While the hosts were somewhat wasteful in the first half, they ran riot after the interval as Hector Herrera quickly opened up a two-goal deficit – Brahimi instrumental again.  Casemiro, another to catch the eye on the day, added the third with a spectacular free-kick of his own in the 56th minute.  And Aboubakar got in on the act 14 minutes from time, once again rendering goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik helpless with another incredible effort, ensuring an unhappy homecoming for Basel’s Portuguese coach Paulo Sousa, who also saw veteran defender Walter Samuel sent off after a performance littered with rash challenges.  For all their sparkling play in attack, a fearsome Porto work-rate was also in evidence from the off as Casemiro robbed Basel of the ball and fed Cristian Tello on the edge of the area, with Samuel forced to cynically chop down the Barcelona loanee.  Brahimi stepped up to take the resulting free-kick and nonchalantly caressed his effort beyond the static Vaclik and into the net.

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Jose Mourinho has accused Paris St Germain of being the most aggressive team his Chelsea side have played all season ahead of their Champions League last 16 return leg on Wednesday.

Mourinho told a news conference that PSG repeatedly fouled his players in the 1-1 first-leg draw in France last month, with Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard their chief target.  "I was surprised because a team with fantastic players was the team that was making foul after foul, was the team that was stopping Hazard with fouls all the time, was the team attacking the man in possession of the ball with two or three players and having some very aggressive action," he said.  "Even a player like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is a very technical player, was running back to tackle Hazard from behind to stop counter attacks.
"I thought an English team would never be surprised by aggressivity because of the aggressivity we have in our country," added Mourinho.  "This season we have played teams in the cup competitions from the Championship, from League One, from League Two, but the most aggressive was Paris St Germain. With players of such quality I was expecting more football and less aggressivity."  Mourinho's outburst was perhaps a reaction to PSG coach Laurent Blanc's assertion at an earlier news conference that Chelsea striker Diego Costa was a provocative player.  The Portuguese was asked if he wanted to reply to Blanc's remarks but he put his finger to his lips and shook his head.  "I refuse to comment ... find another question," he said.  The Chelsea manager's mood lightened when he was asked about the returning Nemanja Matic.  The London club were without the suspended midfielder for their two previous games, a 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup final at Wembley and a 1-0 Premier League win away to West Ham United.  "I told him that we won two very important matches without him so maybe he's not so important," smiled Mourinho.  "You are laughing now and he was laughing too but this is the reality. But also the reality is that he is very important for us.  "Chelsea did well without him but we are happy he is back and that he is fit to play."  Mourinho's men are looking to knock PSG out of the competition for the second season in a row. Last year they ousted the French club in the quarter-finals on away goals
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Real madrid 3-4 Schalke 04:Real Madrid survived a huge scare when they lost 4-3 to Schalke 04 in the Champions League on Tuesday but squeezed into the quarter-finals 5-4 on aggregate

Real Madrid survived a huge scare when they lost 4-3 to Schalke 04 in the Champions League on Tuesday but squeezed into the quarter-finals 5-4 on aggregate thanks to record European marksman Cristiano Ronaldo.  Coming hard on the heels of a 1-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao in La Liga last weekend, the loss to a battling Schalke side did nothing to dispel the impression Real have lost their way and they were whistled off the Bernabeu pitch by their angry fans.  Two first-half goals from Ronaldo, which took his tally in European competition to a record 78 goals, and a Karim Benzema strike just after the break saw Real reach the last eight but Schalke came close to pulling off a remarkable comeback.
Striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored twice for the visitors, including a superb late winner on the night, after Christian Fuchs has put the German side in front after 20 minutes, with substitute Leroy Sane also on target for the Bundesliga side.
It was Real's first Champions League defeat at home in 22 games since Barcelona beat them 2-0 in April 2011 and was only the second time the world's richest club by income had conceded four goals in a European game at the Bernabeu.  "We didn't play well but sometimes you have to suffer," Real midfielder Luka Modric, returning to action as a second-half substitute after a long-term injury absence, said in an interview with Spanish television.


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Juventus 1 - 0 Sassuolo [Serie A]

Danny Welbeck came back to haunt 10-man Manchester United as Arsenal claimed a 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final victory at Old Trafford on Monday.  The England international marked his first return to his former club since leaving for north London during the close-season by capitalising on a weak Antonio Valencia backpass in the 61st minute and sending holders Arsenal into the last four.  Nacho Monreal had given the visitors the lead with just his second goal for the club in the 25th minute, but Wayne Rooney restored parity by heading in from a superb Angel di Maria cross soon after.  Welbeck had the final say, though, as he rounded David de Gea to roll into an empty net for Arsenal’s first win at United since 2006.  Di Maria saw red late on for a tug on referee Michael Oliver’s shirt immediately after being booked, and United’s focus now switches to chasing down a top-four finish in the Premier League.  Welbeck was chosen ahead of Olivier Giroud in the Arsenal XI, while Luke Shaw came into the home defence as Marcos Rojo shifted into the centre to cover for the absent Jonny Evans, suspended for six matches over the weekend for spitting at Newcastle United striker Papiss Cisse last week.  Alexis Sanchez probed the United back line as Arsenal started brightly, but it was United who began to look the more likely to break the deadlock  – Marouane Fellaini’s hesitance in the penalty area ending one promising situation after 14 minutes.  Arsenal withstood that pressure, though, and eventually went ahead in the 25th minute – an unmarked Monreal slotting home from close range following some neat footwork by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the edge of the box.  But that lead lasted just four minutes, as Rooney got his head to a delightful Di Maria cross from the right for his 14th career goal against Arsenal.  Welbeck had appeals for a penalty turned down when he felt he was held back by Rojo as he ran into the box, while Wojciech Szczesny had to be alert to keep out a low Di Maria strike at the other end.  Louis van Gaal saw the need to make two half-time changes, bringing Michael Carrick and Phil Jones on for Ander Herrera and Shaw, before injury forced Oxlade-Chamberlain off to be replaced by Aaron Ramsey.  The England international pulled up after challenging Rojo for the ball.  Lacking the rhythm of the opening 45 minutes, goalscoring opportunities were at a premium at the beginning of the second half, but Di Maria dragged an effort wide on the hour.  However, a Valencia slip-up at the other end cost United dear, as Welbeck pounced to punish the Ecuadorian full-back with a composed finish.  There was no time for sentiment, though, as the striker celebrated a goal against his boyhood club with passion.  Hector Bellerin could count himself lucky to stay on the pitch when he risked earning a second yellow card with a clumsy challenge on Ashley Young, and Arsene Wenger soon took evasive measures by replacing the full-back with Calum Chambers.  Chris Smalling lifted over from close range with United’s best chance to pull level and the home side’s frustrations were clear when Welbeck left the field to heckles from some sections of the ground.  De Gea got down brilliantly to keep out Santi Cazorla soon after, but United’s chances looked over when Di Maria was dismissed in bizarre circumstances.  Booked for diving, the Argentine pulled the shirt of referee Oliver to earn a second yellow and his marching orders.  Substitute Adnan Januzaj then went down in the box under the challenge of Monreal with three minutes left on the clock, but he was rightly booked for simulation as Arsenal held on for the win.
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Lazio 4 - 0 Fiorentina [Serie A]

Miroslav Klose scored twice as Lazio turned in a fine performance to rout Fiorentina 4-0 and move into the UEFA Champions League places in Serie A.  Just one place and one point separated the teams before Monday’s contest at Stadio Olimpico, but it was the hosts who made the most of Napoli throwing away a two-goal lead in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Inter.  It took just seven minutes for Lazio to make the breakthrough, Lucas Biglia opening the scoring in some style with an excellently controlled volley from the edge of the penalty area.  Lazio continued to swarm the visitors’ goal, but found Fiorentina goalkeeper Norberto Neto in fine form – the Brazilian twice making fine stops from stinging Felipe Anderson shots.  Neto was again called into action when Biglia tried to replicate his goal with a similar volley, only for the goalkeeper to tip his shot onto the post this time.  However, there was nothing Neto could to prevent Lazio’s second in the 65th minute, Nenad Tomovic’s trip on Felipe Anderson led to Antonio Candreva drilling home the resulting penalty.  Klose added the third with a diving header after Candreva’s shot was saved by Neto and the World Cup winner tapped home his second five minutes from time to complete the comfortable win.  Stefano Pioli’s men subsequently leapfrog Napoli on goal difference to go third, while Fiorentina slip four points adrift of Lazio.


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Atletico Madrid 1 - 1 Valencia [La Liga]

Shkodran Mustafi netted a late equaliser to earn Valencia a 1-1 Liga draw and prevent Atletico Madrid pulling away in the race for automatic UEFA Champions League qualification.  The sides were separated by a single point in third and fourth heading into the fixture at Vicente Calderon, where Koke’s first-half strike looked set to extend Atleti’s advantage.  But Mustafi popped up with little more than 10 minutes to play to nod home a goal of huge significance to Valencia and their continental aspirations.  The importance of the encounter was not lost on either set of players in an opening 30 minutes littered with committed challenges and lapses in discipline.  But with the game struggling to find it’s rhythm, Koke’s fizzed 33rd-minute effort promised to inject some much-needed life into proceedings.  While fiercely contested, meaningful goalscoring opportunities were at a premium, although Tiago wasted a glorious chance to double the advantage when he clattered the crossbar from inside the Valencia six-yard box.  And it was the crossbar that provided the assist for Valencia’s equaliser, with Dani Parejo’s free-kick rebounding off the woodwork and sitting up perfectly for Mustafi to finish.  The match would remain all square despite a pair of ill-advised challenges from Javi Fuego meaning Valencia finished with 10 men.  Atleti were without in-form attacker Antoine Griezmann through suspension, while defender Miranda was also banned, and Valencia immediately looked to exploit any potential weakness at the back – Alvaro Negredo trying his luck with an acrobatic effort after four minutes.  Mario Mandzukic was left on the bench for a second consecutive match amid reports of a bust-up with Atleti coach Diego Simeone, but might have found himself called upon in the 18th minute had Fernando Torres seen red for an apparent elbow on Nicolas Otamendi.  The striker got away with a booking, before Juanfran escaped without any punishment when he caught Jose Gaya on the shin with his studs as the pair challenged for a loose ball.  Ill-discipline robbed the first half-hour of any real flow or momentum, but Koke gave the match a shot in the arm with a low drive in the 33rd minute.  After Torres headed an Atleti free-kick into the danger area, Tiago laid the ball off for Koke to rifle home from the edge of the box, although there were suspicions of handball surrounding the assist.  Valencia started the second half brightly, but it was the hosts who continued to look the most likely to find the net.  Diego Alves had to be alert to keep out Raul Garcia as he looked to turn home a Torres nod-down, before Tiago hit the crossbar from close range after the ball was headed down from a corner.  Mandzukic was given his chance as a 61st-minute replacement for Torres, but unnecessarily got himself involved in a confrontation with Otamendi within minutes of coming on, earning a booking.  But worse was to come for Atleti, as Mustafi headed in after Parejo’s 78th-minute free-kick from deep rebounded kindly.  Valencia saw Fuego dismissed for a two bookings in as many minutes late on but held out to preserve the narrow margin between these sides in the Liga table.


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Tottenham Hotspur 2 - 2 West Ham [Premier League]

Danny Rose and Harry Kane were on target as Tottenham mounted a
late fightback to draw 2-2 with West Ham in the Premier League.
Harry Kane salvaged a point deep into stoppage time as Tottenham
fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with West Ham in a
dramatic London derby.
Goals from Cheikhou Kouyate and Diafra Sakho looked to have given
West Ham an away victory at the end of a week of frenzied speculation
over manager Sam Allardyce's future.
Allardyce has had to contend with yet more questions over his job
security, with his contract expiring at the end of the season, but the
vastly experienced 60-year-old insisted he is happy to wait until the
end of the campaign to hold talks.
The visitors' display appeared set to give Allardyce the perfect tonic,
only for Danny Rose to reduce the deficit nine minutes from time,
before Kane scored his 24th goal of the season when he followed up
after Adrian saved his penalty in the sixth minute of time added on.
Allardyce masterminded two victories at White Hart Lane last season,
but failed to make it three in a row as West Ham were denied a second
Premier League win in nine games .
Tottenham remain unbeaten at home in the top flight since November,
but the draw is a blow to their hopes of securing a UEFA Champions
League spot.
Mauricio Pochettino made six changes to the Tottenham side that
started Thursday's UEFA Europa League draw against Fiorentina, with
the in-form Kane among the players restored to the starting line-up and
Christian Eriksen dropping to the bench.
West Ham welcomed Winston Reid back from injury at the expense of
Kevin Nolan, who was among the substitutes along with fit-again duo
James Collins and Matt Jarvis.
Tottenham made a bright start and Adrian made an outstanding save
diving to his left to keep out Nabil Bentaleb's rasping long-
range drive five minutes in.
Kane had a great opportunity to opening the scoring when he raced
onto Rose's ball over the top and his finish trickled past Adrian, but
struck the far post.

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