Ancelotti all out for victory against Juventus

Real Madrid will look to attack Juventus in their UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg and take a lead back to the Spanish capital, says Carlo Ancelotti.

Once again without Karim Benzema for the trip to Turin, Ancelotti is confident Real possess enough fire power to see off Massimiliano Allegri's men, having seen Javier Hernandez come up with a quarter-final winner against Atletico Madrid.

Dreams of winning back-to-back Champions League titles remain alive for the Spanish giants, but Ancelotti acknowledges they face a tough test against a Juventus side brimming with confidence after sealing a fourth successive Serie A crown last weekend.

"I think it will be a balanced tie, Juve are a different side [to Atletico], so I expect a different game," he said. "We dominated against Atletico, but Juventus like to control possession too.

"They won the league last week and are playing with confidence. They have players with a lot of experience and really good qualities.

"We've got to try and play to our full potential. We are not going to look to draw, we are going to attack and have plenty of quality to do so.

"We want to play an attacking style, maybe we'll have to defend better in this game than in recent outings."

Ancelotti added on Benzema's continued absence due to a knee injury: "I wouldn't say it's a problem with Hernandez playing so well

"He helped us brilliantly in recent games, and we're here because he played an important role, he grabbed that opportunity and I'm sure he will help the side."

Mourinho rounds on critics after clinching title

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says his side are worthy Premier League champions, despite criticism from some quarters over the course of the season.

The 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge sealed Chelsea's fourth Premier League title and Mourinho's third with the club.

Mourinho has previously spoken at length about criticism in the media of his players, most notably from Jamie Carragher and Graeme Souness, and aimed another dig following the weekend's celebrations.

Asked whether the Premier League was an easy title to win, Mourinho responded: "No, it's easier to be a pundit.

"To be a pundit you win every game, you don't lose matches as a pundit. It's a fantastic job really, maybe in 10 years' time it's my job - then I win every game.

"Now as a manager I lose sometimes and it's a much more difficult job."

Mourinho returned to Stamford Bridge from Real Madrid prior to the start of last season and has already claimed League Cup and Premier League silverware.

"We do everything that a team wants, that's why we are champions," the Portuguese added.

"We deserve so much to be champions, I think everyone knows that. Those that have a big face to say we don't deserve it are the ones that in my country we say 'the dogs bark and the caravan goes by'.

"It's not more pressure it's just the understanding that when you go back to a place you had success before, you risk a little bit of your prestige and your history, I risked it.

"But okay, we won again and I can say I won titles with Chelsea with two generations separated with two decades."

Guardiola returns to Camp Nou as Barcelona face Bayern on wednesday

Former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola makes his return to the Camp Nou on Wednesday targeting a repeat of the sides' UEFA Champions League semi-final of 2013.

Bayern cruised to a dominant 7-0 aggregate success two years ago under Guardiola's predecessor Jupp Heynckes, before going on to complete a famous treble.

For Guardiola, Bayern can only lift two titles this term and to do so they will need to arrest stuttering form against a Barca side full of confidence.

While Guardiola's men were dumped out of the DFB-Pokal semi-finals by Borussia Dortmund before losing 2-0 to Bayer Leverkusen, Barca put eight past Cordoba to keep their treble hopes on course.

Javi Martinez made his long-awaited return from a knee injury at the BayArena and is focused on helping shackle Barca's free-scoring front trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.

"The knee is good. Leverkusen was a good test for me and now I'm ready to help my team in the next game," he told reporters ahead of Wednesday's first leg.

"Whether I play or not depends on the coach. Stopping Messi, Neymar and Suarez will be very difficult.

"But we are not afraid. If we want to win, we can't allow ourselves to be afraid. We have a big heart and we have a big goal."

Robert Lewandowski is set to feature with a mask after sustaining multiple injuries against former club Dortmund although Franck Ribery (ankle) remains doubtful.

Guardiola's former Barca team-mate Luis Enrique has one worry - having seen Jordi Aba train alone on Monday - as he seeks to ensure the four-time winners reach their eighth final.

The pair both coached at Barca B after their playing careers ended with Luis Enrique making a strong start in his bid to emulate Guardiola's 14-trophy at the Camp Nou helm.

Victory on Tuesday would set Barca on course for their first Champions League final appearance since 2011 and the Liga leaders could hardly be in better form.

Winning 15 of their last 16 games in all competitions and with Messi taking his tally for the season to 40 at the weekend, Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu played down the importance Guardiola's return.

"There's no favourite. It's an open tie against a great team that has a coach who knows us very well," Bartomeu told Hat Trick Barca.

"It is necessary to honour Pep and I believe it has to be spontaneous. We won't organise anything. There'll be no video or anything.

"He comes with all the honours but also to win. After the game we can salute him.

"I believe the relationship between Guardiola and the board ended well. The doors of Barca are open when he wants to come back. I think he will one day."

Luis Enrique:i was worried during 8-0 humiliation

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique feared his side would slip up in La Liga on Saturday, during their 8-0 rout of Cordoba.

It took until the 42nd minute for the league leaders to break through, with Ivan Rakitic putting them ahead - but the former Real Madrid and Barcelona midfielder feared the goal would never come.

Little did Luis Enrique know at the time, the opener would be followed by another seven.

"It's true that we are in really good form, but with each new game you have to create the type of chances that help you get those good results," Luis Enrique said.

"Today the result was a big one thanks to the efficiency we had.

"But up to the 39th minute, we had two or three clear chances and it looked like the ball didn't want to cross the line.

"We were all worried about this being one of those uninspired matches. But it wasn't like that.

"The goals from Ivan and Luis [Suarez] helped us to a 2-0 lead at half-time and in the second half the team performed at a high level, creating chances and being very effective.

"I'm happy because we grabbed three key points."

Suarez finished with a hat-trick at the Estadio Nuevo Arcangel, while Lionel Messi bagged a brace.

The 44-year-old coach said Barca have set the bar high, heading into their UEFA Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich.

"To arrive in the semi-finals of Champions League with the season we are having reinforces our strength a lot, but we have to back this up in a really difficult knockout tie," he said.

Barcelona have won their past two matches by a combined 14-0, while they have scored 20 goals without reply in their past five in all competitions.

They carry a 16-match unbeaten streak - 15 of which were wins - into their first leg with Bayern at Camp Nou on Wednesday, and have won 45 of 53 fixtures this season.

Pellegrini lost faith in me - Negredo

Valencia loanee Alvaro Negredo said he left Manchester City because he lost the trust of manager Manuel Pellegrini.

Negredo returned to his homeland at the start of the season, joining La Liga outfit Valencia on loan with a view to a permanent move after falling down the pecking order at City.

The 29-year-old Spain international striker ended the 2013-14 campaign without a goal in 16 games as City won the Premier League and League Cup, leading to suggestions his dip in form was due to homesickness.

Negredo, however, denied those reports by claiming City boss Pellegrini lost faith in him.

"I was not homesick. I was very happy in Manchester and on a personal level. It is a different way of life but it is not an excuse," Negredo told the Daily Mail.

"I made an effort to learn English, the manager spoke English in the dressing room and I could understand most of it by the end of the season.

It is not a reason to say my family wasn't happy. There are things you miss when you leave your country but the main reason I left is because the manager lost faith in me.

"Around February, I had an injury to my shoulder. I didn't stop to rest it. I was playing in a huge amount of pain. Kun [Sergio Aguero] was injured and Stevan Jovetic had problems, so I felt I had to play.

"We had huge games against Chelsea and Barcelona. I didn't play well and the manager started to play Edin Dzeko. I don't feel I ever regained his trust."

Negredo, who has scored six goals in all competitions for Nuno Espirito Santo's Valencia this season, added: "I began to lose my confidence but I didn’t give up. I trained harder than ever and tried to show Pellegrini I deserved to play.

"In the end, though, when you do all that and you still don’t get a game, it’s difficult. I need to play for a manager who wants me.

"I came on as a sub but it was almost to waste time. On the last day with the trophy, Zaba [Pablo Zabaleta] said: 'This is yours, you have been fighting for it like anybody else, so make sure you enjoy it.’ In my head, I knew I'd played a big part but it was hard to feel part of it. I felt cold."

Steve Bruce inspired my Wenger ahead of Monday night clash

Steve Bruce knows his Hull City side's recent resurgence will be severely tested by the "remarkable" Arsene Wenger against Arsenal on Monday, Soccerway reports

Hull head into the KC Stadium clash on the back of two successive Premier League victories against Crystal Palace and Liverpool, wins that have provided a significant boost in the club's bid to avoid the drop.

But Hull's tricky run-in continues with the visit of Arsenal and Wenger, a manager who Bruce has a great deal of admiration for.

Despite such a successful and long spell at Arsenal, some fans continue to call for the Frenchman to be replaced and Bruce thinks such opinions are "astonishing".

"That's what I find that quite astonishing [that some fans want Wenger to leave]," said Bruce. 

"I think it's been a main problem for English coaches, the introduction of Arsene Wenger. Seventeen or 18 years is quite remarkable, he's had input in the stadium – what a stadium that is. 

"Top four for however long, three Premier Leagues [titles], FA Cups, the final again, but still people question him. 

"I take heart from that. If he gets stick, we can all handle it. How he can get stick is beyond me."

Hull's two triumphs had opened up a four-point gap between themselves and the bottom three in the Premier League, but wins for Sunderland and Leicester City on Saturday see Bruce's men perched just above the drop zone.

With matches against Tottenham and Manchester United still to come in their final three games after the Arsenal clash, Hull's run-in is tricky. 

At the other end of the table, Arsenal are still chasing the possibility of finishing second and head to Hull in fine form.

A 0-0 draw with Chelsea in their last outing extended Arsenal's unbeaten run to nine league matches. Wenger's team have not finished as high as second for 10 years, with the 2004-05 campaign being the last season in which they emerged as runners-up.

Arsenal will be buoyed by the fact they have few injuries to contend with, as Mathieu Debuchy (hamstring) appears to be the only player in danger of missing out, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (groin) could be named among the substitutes.

By contrast, Bruce has a few more fitness problems to take into consideration, with Mohamed Diame (knee), Andrew Robertson (ankle), Nikica Jelavic (knee) and Curtis Davies (thigh) all doubts.

Floyd Mayweather retains welterweight title after defeating Pacquiao

Boxing: Mayweather vs Pacquiao May 2, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao box during their world welterweight championship bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Floyd Mayweather defeated Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision on Saturday in their long-awaited welterweight world title showdown.

In a bout branded boxing's latest "Fight of the Century" Mayweather took his unblemished record to 48-0 adding the Filipino great's World Boxing Organization title to his World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council crowns. 

Pacquiao fell to 57-6 with two drawn, never able to mount the kind of sustained aggressive attack he needed to earn the decision.

Even so, Pacquiao said he thought he did enough to earn the victory. "I thought I won the fight," he said. "He didn't do nothing." In fact, Mayweather did what he does best, skilfully thwarting Pacquiao's offense

Although his punches didn't come in the bunches that Pacquiao's did, there were plenty of telling blows. Ringside judge Dave Moretti scored the bout 118-110 for Mayweather, while judges Glenn Feldman and Bert Clements both scored it 116-112 for the American.

Rio Ferdinand´s wife dies after cancer battle

Rio Ferdinand's wife Rebecca has died at a hospital in London after a short battle with cancer.

The QPR defender confirmed news of his wife's passing at Royal Marsden Hospital in a statement on the club's official website on Saturday.

It read: "My soul mate slipped away last night. Rebecca, my wonderful wife, passed away peacefully after a short battle with cancer at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London.

"She was a fantastic loving mother to our three beautiful children. She will be missed as a wife, sister, aunt, daughter and granddaughter. She will live on in our memory, as a guide and inspiration.

"Myself, my parents Janice and Julian, along with Rebecca's parents Lesley and Stephen, would like to thank our families, friends and my club colleagues who have rallied around in these desperate days, weeks and months.

"I would also like to express my gratitude for the dedication and expertise of the staff led by Professors Johnstone and Clarke at the Royal Marsden. Their valiant efforts to prolong Rebecca's all-too-short life will not be forgotten.

"Our grief, as a family, is total. We would appreciate being allowed to mourn privately."

QPR added: "The thoughts of everyone at Queens Park Rangers Football Club are with Rio and his family at this immensely difficult time."

Mourinho to move on quickly from title success

Jose Mourinho says he will only take five minutes to celebrate before turning his thoughts to next season if Chelsea seal the Premier League title this weekend.

Mourinho's side know victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday will be enough to secure their first league championship since 2010.

The Portuguese, who already boasts seven league titles from spells with Porto, Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid, has fond memories of previous successes, but plans to swiftly refocus once silverware is secured.

"I have replicas of every cup I won, and I don't care about the replicas. Or the medals. They're in my houses. I have some in Portugal, some here, some in my son’s room. I really don't care," said Mourinho.

"What stays forever is the feeling, the emotion, the memory of the moment. I have clear in my head every one of these moments I lived.

"What motivated me are the basic things in football, like when you are a kid, you play in the street with your neighbours, three against three, four against four, and you want to win. That's the most pure feeling in football.

"The meaning is the important thing: the feeling, the emotion … that's what stays with you forever.

"If you are in a championship, you want to win it. It doesn't depend on the level you are. To be champions in the Premier League is not a different feeling to winning the championship in League One, League Two or the Conference. The happiness, also the frustrations … in terms of human feelings, they're exactly the same.

"But the moment itself, it only lasts for a flash. For that moment a final finishes, or the game that gives you the league ends, you have like a flash of the people you love most, the people who are with you, a little bit of the most important moments that lead to that trophy.

"It's like a quick flash. And, with me, five minutes later, I move on. I have to think about next season, to prepare. We need to think about that."