I probably should have saved the Kraftwerk link for this.
The Champions League draw threw up lots of intriguing scenarios. And BTL there are all sorts of permutations being kicked about.
ZiggyHousedust writes: “This is what I think is bound to happen. 100%.
“Liverpool to go all the way, Salah taking in revenge on Ramos, bursting Tuchel’s balloon, with a goal that isn’t a goal, and beating Citeh in Instanbul with a goal that is 12mm over the line, simultaneously crushing the blue and the red of Manchester in one go.
“Meantime, they finish 5th to Everton’s 4th in the PL and as Champions take the last Champions League slot.
“Bolted on.”
Quiz time. Plenty of football in this one...
While Liverpool’s Magical Mystery Tour bus sets off for Madrid (well, Budapest), it’s a different story down at Spurs.
The Fiver welcomes you aboard Funtime Jose’s party bus
Didn’t he do well? Hmmm, not according to most. Louise Taylor asks if it’s time to stick or twist for Brucie.
Meanwhile, in related news, retro Leeds United artist #burlybanksy has come up with this.
Andy McVeigh(@pantsdanny)
I think if we all did the Brucie pose once a day the world would be a happier place. pic.twitter.com/biKigDyh1P
I’ll go Virginia Plain for 50 blanks and the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
Brian Labone Ferry
Doubtful anyone will come up with Joao Virginia. But that’s who Everton will have in goal for the FA Cup clash with Manchester City.
The 21-year-old will be making just his third appearance for the Blues with both Jordan Pickford and Robin Olsen injured.
Thanks Luke. Staying on tonight’s game... some numbers.
Eins, Zwei, Drei...
Only Sheffield United (11) have lost more Premier League home matches this season than Fulham’s nine.
Leeds have won all three of their PL matches against sides in the bottom three this season by an aggregate score of 10-3.
Illan Meslier needs one clean sheet to become the youngest goalkeeper to keep 10 in a PL season.
That’s all from me today - I will hand you back to David Tindall for the remainder of today’s blog. Have a great weekend!
A few words from the Fulham manager Scott Parker ahead of a huge game against Leeds: “The most important thing ... is three points on Friday night. The psychological element to the game is that we can come out of the bottom three, and put even more pressure on the teams above us. So of course, there is that element ... but the main thing is for the team to perform as they have performed in the last few months.”
It would be a seriously impressive feat for Fulham to stay up, and they are looking increasingly confident.
The Real Madrid coach, Zinedene Zidane, is staying focused on domestic issues after his team were drawn against Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals.
“We know Liverpool: they’ll demand a lot from us physically, but this is for us to think about after the international break,” Zidane said in his Friday press conference a bit earlier today. “This season as a whole is tough. We can’t get ahead of ourselves, we have to take things day by day and be ready for whatever happens. We know we’re alive in the title race and we want to carry on working hard for that. Every year the final stretch of the season is do or die. I’m not focusing on the schedule, rather the day-to-day. That’s what really gets us going. We’re alive, we’re working hard and that’s inspiration enough for us.”
Eden Hazard will be absent for Saturday’s trip to Celta Vigo with a muscle problem as his injury nightmare at the Bernabeu continues. “We want Eden to recover properly, completely. That’s the most important thing for us,” Zidane said. “We don’t want him to have surgery. We’ll have a distinct plan for him. We want him back and firing.” (Reuters)
There is some good news for Spurs fans today: Tottenham 3-0 Manchester United!
In the Under-23s, but still. Jamie Bowden, Marcel Lavinier and Kion Etete got the goals and both teams had a man sent off.
Marcel Lavinier of Tottenham Hotspur Under-23s celebrates scoring against Manchester United. Photograph: Alex Davidson/Getty Images
Lee Bowyer, who has taken the reins at Birmingham City following the dismissal of Aitor Karanka, has been speaking to the media and will take his team to Watford tomorrow afternoon:
“I know what the capabilities of this club are, I have been here when we have played in the Premier League and a cup final. I would love to be a part of bringing some success and moving the Club back in the right direction,” Bowyer said.
On tomorrow’s opponents, Watford: “Watford are a Premier League side, they have pace, strength and are direct. They are a good team, but they have weaknesses. All sides have weaknesses. We need to take our chances and capitalise on those and work hard for each other.”
Ben Fisher will be bringing you the live action from the WSL this evening. Arsenal, who are fourth, meet Manchester United who are third and six points ahead of the Gunners. Kick-off at Meadow Park is 6.30pm UK time and here is Suzanne Wrack’s preview:
The Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti has challenged Michael Keane to use his England snub as motivation to convince Gareth Southgate he deserves a place at Euro 2020.
“I think it is the decision of the coach of the national team and the only way to change this is to work hard and to be focused on what he is doing. This season was good, really good. He played for the national team but in this period he is not going to play for the national team but it doesn’t matter,” said Ancelotti.
“I think he has to be focused on the Euros and he has two months to convince Southgate he is ready for the national team. There are a lot of good centre-backs in England. I think Michael doesn’t have to be worried about this, it can be an opportunity to try to be better in what he is doing. He is doing really well, his season is really good, but I think he can do better, he can do more. He has to be focused there to try to improve.” (PA)
Chelsea meet Sheffield United in their FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday. The Blues must find a balance between attack and counter-pressing game, manager Thomas Tuchel said today. Chelsea have never scored more than two goals in a game since Tuchel took charge and despite their 13-game unbeaten run.
“We lack some precision in the final third and some goals, but we’ve never lacked the work-rate against the ball, touches in the box, shots,” Tuchel told reporters ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Sheffield United. Maybe we lacked composure but that’s our fault because we work so hard against the ball. It’s about balance and I believe we have that balance in how the players feel. We’ll never stop to think about how to create chances, offensive solutions, where to create spaces and to accelerate our attacks. But we also think about counter-pressing.” (PA)
La Liga fixtures for this weekend right here:
Friday
Real Betis v Levante
Saturday
Athletic Bilbao v Eibar
Celta Vigo v Real Madrid
Huesca v Osasuna
Real Valladolid v Sevilla
Sunday
Getafe v Elche
Valencia v Granada
Villarreal v Cadiz
Atlético Madrid v Alavés
Real Sociedad v Barcelona
Yet more depressing news on social media racism from the PA wire:
Sheffield United striker Rhian Brewster has revealed he has become the latest footballer to suffer racial abuse on social media. The 20-year-old former Liverpool forward has made public an abusive message he received on his Instagram account. The Blades tweeted: “As a club we applaud Rhian for bringing the disgusting message sent to him to light. We will now support him and work with him, the Premier League and all the relevant authorities to ensure the person behind this post is brought to justice.”
Sheffield United(@SheffieldUnited)
"There has got to be a hell of a lot more done. People are wanting engagement with players and wanting to understand players but with things like this it will just drive them away."
Paul Heckingbottom when asked about the abuse that Rhian Brewster received.#SUFC 🔴
What are the Bundesliga fixtures this weekend, I hear you cry? Second-placed RB Leipzig could draw to within a point of Bayern Munich, if they beat Arminia Bielefeld this evening. Bayern Munich meet ninth-placed Stuttgart tomorrow:
Friday 19 March Arminia Bielefeld v RB Leipzig
Saturday 20 March FC Köln v Borussia Dortmund
Bayern Munich v VfB Stuttgart
Eintracht Frankfurt v Union Berlin
Werder Bremen v Wolfsburg
Schalke v Borussia Mönchengladbach
Sunday 21 March Hoffenheim v Mainz
Hertha Berlin v Bayer Leverkusen
Freiburg v Augsburg
The Bournemouth manager (until the end of the season at least), Jonathan Woodgate, has a chat before the FA Cup quarter-final meeting with Southampton:
“We are definitely the underdogs because they are a Premier league team, but we will go in there thinking we can win the game, no matter what,” Woodgate said. “If it has to go to extra-time, go to penalties, we are confident we can cause an upset. It is a fantastic achievement for the football club and we are just trying to get into a semi-final, but it is going to be really difficult. They are a good team with really experienced players, everyone will be thinking Southampton are going to win. But our players will not think that. We will be right on it.”
If you can drag yourself away from football, the Gold Cup is due to start in five minutes at Cheltenham:
Yesterday’s Goal of the Day in Premier League Twitterland is a personal favourite of mine. Collymore’s inspired effort at Old Trafford in 94/95:
Foxes manager Brendan Rodgers comments on the club’s announcement of a pre-tax loss of £67m: “There’s a huge impact with Covid ... that will hit every club ... but I think it shows the confidence the club have in managing the budget, and the figures, that they continue to invest ... despite the pandemic the club are still pushing on with their long-term vision ... hopefully we get supporters back next season and that [loss] figure comes down. The club have been magnificent [in investing].
“There will be spending this summer ... but it won’t be the same as if we were pre-Covid.”
Aston Villa manager Dean Smith reacts to Ollie Watkins’ England call-up: “I’m thrilled for Ollie ... he’s one of the most hard-working individuals I’ve worked with. He’s got lots of qualities, but the biggest one for me has always been his attitude, his selfless nature to the team when he works. Last year, he was the top-scorer in the Championship, and we wanted to bring him to Aston Villa, and we believed he could make that step up ... He’s got himself into the England squad with his performances ... and everyone at the club is thrilled for him.”
Press conference quotes are coming thick and fast now.
Thomas Tuchel reacts to his Chelsea side being pitted against Porto in the Champions League quarter-final: “First of all I’m happy that we play an international game, and not an English team, because Champions League is about that, I always prefer to play against teams from other countries. Then we have second leg at home, which feels good ... maybe a slight advantage to finish at home ...
“Clearly many people will make us the favourites against Porto. That will not help us, because you can ask in Turin, what the opinion about this is, if it helps you to be favourites ... but we are self-confident, and self-confidence is strongly connected with our performances. We face a strong opponent, we face with all the respect, but now we are in the quarter-final, we think about how to win it. We see our ‘chances’.
The Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers has given a fitness update before Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final tie against Manchester United. Ricardo Pereira (hamstring) is out, but Dennis Praet will be OK to feature after recovering from a hamstring strain of his own.
“Ricardo won’t be available for the weekend, but we’re pretty confident, after the international break, he’ll be okay,” Rodgers said. “It’s just a slight strain, but thankfully nothing too serious. Dennis will be available for the weekend. On ‘Cengo’ (Cengiz Under), we’ll see how he is after the international break.”
Pep Guardiola has been speaking to media. Manchester City meet Everton in the FA Cup tomorrow evening, and were drawn against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, earlier today.
On the trip to Everton: “It is a final tomorrow, away. The quality of their players is there, no doubt about it. But it is another incredible opportunity in a competition. It is the last game before the international break. Hopefully we can finish well and when we come back the important part of the season starts.”
On Carlo Ancelotti: “I don’t know how many years he has been a manager, but it was at the best clubs in the world. In all the places he has had success. People talk about him as a manager and person and I know how he took care of me before I started [coaching]. I visited him in Milan and he allowed me to see one or two training sessions. He was so kind. I admire him a lot.”
On Dortmund: “It is a privilege to be in the last eight teams. I didn’t see much of them this season because we don’t have time, but in this international break will have time to see them. But Dortmund are always a good team.”
On Erling Haaland: “The numbers speak for themselves. He is one of the best strikers in the world right now for his age. I know the quality of this player.”
The Celtic interim boss John Kennedy has said they will not give Rangers a guard of honour, following the title win, in the Old Firm match on Sunday.
Manchester United have agreed a five-year shirt sponsorship deal with TeamViewer worth a cool £235m a year. It’s set to begin next season:
David Moyes speaks before West Ham’s meeting with Arsenal: “I think Arsenal are an improving side ... Mikel’s building a really good team there, and it’ll be a tough game. They will take confidence from winning a local derby ... we’ll do our best to nullify them, but we’ll do our best to put over what we’re good at as well. I’m really pleased for Jesse [Lingard, being called up for England], his performances have warranted it. I have to say, he’s been very good ... he’s helped us, he’s been a good acquisition to the squad in January.
“We’ve not thought about that [Lingard joining permanently].”
The Brighton v Newcastle match preview is in:
Thanks David. “Platitude Queen ... a renowned ... horse. Well known for its sense of humour - look at that wiggle, marvellous.” As Alan Partridge once said.
Alan Partidge at the races
Right, time to hand back to Luke McLaughlin. I’m off to back Zeinab Badawi’s Twenty Hotels in the next at Cheltenham.
Man Utd will be hopeful of staying on track for Europa League glory after drawing Granada in the last eight but the job in hand this weekend is a quarter-final FA Cup clash with Leicester.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær listens to a Brendan Rodgers anecdote. Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters
Here’s Ole Gunnar Solskjær ahead of Sunday’s trip to the King Power: “Of course we drew in the league against them and we know we have to defend well against them. They’ve got (Jamie) Vardy and (Kelechi) Iheanacho now with the form they’re showing, goalscoring form, and you’ve got other quality players there – the passes of (Youri) Tielemans, the runs of (Ayoze) Perez.
“We know we’ve got a game on our hands.”
After saying he wants Manchester United judged on league form rather than trophies, Ole Gunnar Solskjær is now insisting that trophies are bloody great. Hell, yeah.
The United boss said: “I spoke about it a few days ago about trophies, sometimes it can hide the fact what you’re doing in the background.
“But I feel we are improving all the time and we’re getting closer and to win a trophy could be a boost for everyone, yes.
“We’ve had this before when we won the Carling Cup in the 2006 season with Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra, their first wins and it was the first of many.
“We feel, or we hope, a trophy can be a catalyst of more to come.”
United last won one of those silver things in 2017.
Some reaction from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp to the draw against Real Madrid. He says it’s “exciting” and “cool”, not the words he used after the 2018 Champions League final when Loris Karius took ‘having a shocker’ to unprecedented levels.
The Reds boss told liverpoolfc.com: “It’s exciting, exciting. It’s obviously a tough draw but I am fine with it because if you look at all the other teams you think, ‘Oh my god’ because they are all strong and all have quality, that’s clear. I am really looking forward to the games.
Klopp dejected after the 2019 final. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
“It’s only just over two years ago that we faced them and it was a tough night for us, so to get the chance to play them again is cool.
“I know it’s a different round and whatever and we don’t know where we will play and stuff like this, but that’s all OK. If it will be Budapest, that’s fine. We are fine with that. The home game maybe hopefully at Anfield, that would be great as well.
“So, no, nothing bad to say – nothing bad to say actually, it’s just cool.”
Back to Champions League Chelsea and Sid Lowe’s piece, if you missed it, certainly hints at a big power shift between the Premier League and La Liga. Atletico are four points clear in Spain. And yet Chelsea brushed them aside easily.
Let’s get in the mood with one of the better FA Cup songs. Well, at least in the last 25 years. And other caveats.
Here’s Chelsea’s 1997 Britpop-inspired effort from Suggs & Co. Some definite Madness piano 31 seconds in.
Blue Day.
And, of course, Antonio Rudiger appears to have declared himself a Madness fan.
Shifting back to domestic issues, let’s not forget it’s FA Cup quarter-final weekend.
Will Pep be lifting this one again? Photograph: Nick Potts/PA
Saturday
12:15 Bournemouth v Southampton
17:30 Everton v Man City
Sunday
13:30 Chelsea v Sheff Utd
17:00 Leicester v Man Utd
A new twist on that philosophical classic.
VladimirUlyanov writes: “If an English club wins the Champions League on BT Sport with no spectators, it’s kind of like a tree falling in the rainforest. Does the fact that no-one sees or hear it mean it has not happened?”
Bit harsh. Daren’t look at Vladimir’s Europa League metaphor.
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