Ramires ready for PSG

Chelsea midfielder Ramires is expecting a tough challenge against Paris St-Germain in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

The Premier League side have been drawn against the French giants in the last eight of Europe's elite club competition, with the first leg at the Parc des Princes on April 2 and the return at Stamford Bridge on April 8.

And Ramires knows that Laurent Blanc's French champions, who boast the mercurial talents of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in their star-studded squad, will provide a stern test.

He told Lancenet: "There are tough opponents, but fate had PSG as our opponents. I expect both games to be very difficult and exciting.

"PSG have great players and so do we. Anything can happen.

"I hope we can continue the good work we have been doing and that Chelsea advance."

PSG defender Thiago Silva, meanwhile, does not believe playing the second leg away from the Parc des Princes will put them at a disadvantage.

He told Estadao: "I am very happy to play against Chelsea because they have many Brazilians. I can't wait for the game, both are great clubs.

"I hope we can reach the semi-finals this year. The draw provided four great games in the quarter-finals and it won't be a problem to play the second leg away from home."

Skysports

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho: I am being treated unfairly

JOSE MOURINHO yesterday claimed he is being singled out for unfair treatment by the authorities – and has vowed to fight his latest FA charge.

The Chelsea manager has until Monday to respond to a charge of improper conduct after Mourinho was sent to the stands in last Saturday’s defeat at Aston Villa.

But ahead of today’s showdown with Arsenal, the Blues boss reckons he is being treated differently to other managers, including Gunners chief Arsene Wenger.

Mourinho said: “Look, you see the charges from the last match, and you see that I’m different than everyone else in the eyes of people.

“In their eyes, I’m different. That’s obvious.

“Yes, it annoys me. Of course I am (treated differently). I don’t know why.”

Mourinho has already been hit by an £8,000 fine after being sent to the stands at Cardiff earlier this season.

And he will hit in the pocket once again if he fails to convince an FA panel he should not be punished after clashing with referee Chris Foy at Villa Park last week.

Foy dismissed the Portuguese after the manager came back onto the pitch after a touchline row erupted following Ramires’ added time sending off.

Mourinho claims he has no idea why he attracts such attention, adding: “Nobody defends so much English football as I did during the five years I was working in Italy and Spain.

“That’s the only thing I can say, and that’s the only thing I can say also because you know my profile as a person; I say what I think and what I feel.

“I didn’t say that because I was expecting to come back one day and wanted nice treatment. That’s not the point.

“Even after Saturday, I keep saying English referees are very, very good and I have complete trust of them. Even after Saturday. So imagine how I feel in relation to English football.

“But it’s obvious there’s a measure for some and a measure for me. There’s a way where I can feel the differences, all the time.”

Mourinho will come face to face with Wenger for the first time today since he dubbed the Frenchman a “specialist in failure” last month.

The Chelsea boss insists he will speak to his opposite number before the clash that marks Wenger’s 1000th game in charge of Arsenal – but he made it clear their relationship remains purely professional.

Mourinho said: “I admire him and I admire Arsenal, because it’s not possible to have 1,000 matches unless the club is also a fantastic club in the way they support the manager, especially in the bad moments and especially when the bad moments were quite a lot. I admire the manager and the club.

“We are not friends. I don’t know your concept of ‘friends’.

“I don’t know if somebody you see three times in a year, and when you see for five minutes or even less.

“If I am a friend with a football manager, a ‘friend’ friend, people that have moments and share something with me, then I was their assistant or they were mine. Louis van Gaal is my friend. I worked for him for so long.

“Other managers you know them, you shake hands, two minutes. Enemy? No one. Not a single one.”

Madrid miss out as fellow leaders make hay

Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea FC and FC Bayern München all stretched their leads – but it was a different story in the Liga, where the title race tightened once again.

There was no shortage of big games this weekend as the leaders in Europe's major championships mostly enjoyed productive outings, although Real Madrid CF's Liga cushion has now been cut to a single point. In contrast, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea FC and FC Bayern München all extended their advantages, while Manchester City FC clinched silverware. UEFA.com recaps the action. 

Spain
Madrid remain on top of the Liga pile after salvaging a 2-2 draw at Club Atlético de Madrid in a thrilling capital derby. Cristiano Ronaldo hit a late equaliser for the visitors after the Colchoneros had threatened to take over at the summit on their head-to-head record. "We've drawn a game we were losing, and we can be happy with that," commented Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. "Now we are leading the table and we've got seven more home games and five away." The Merengues nonetheless stand just a point clear after FC Barcelona responded by sweeping aside UD Almería 4-1, Alexis Sánchez, Lionel Messi, Carles Puyol and Xavi Hernández getting the goals.

Italy
Juventus landed another impressive blow in the Serie A title race by securing a 2-0 success at AC Milan to climb 11 points ahead of closest pursuers AS Roma. "These are three very important points, but we've got to be very careful," said Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. "It's not over yet and Roma are a very strong side who have no other competitions to take part in." The Giallorossi also boast a game in hand, though their hopes took a dent as they could only draw 0-0 with FC Internazionale Milano. In third, SSC Napoli were held 1-1 at struggling AS Livorno Calcio, while fourth-placed ACF Fiorentina lost 1-0 at home to SS Lazio.

England
Things went Chelsea's way in the Premier League as they stretched their advantage to four points by defeating Fulham FC, while nearest challengers Arsenal FC lost at Stoke City FC. "We wanted the three points, we needed them and with the three goals for me it's the perfect day," said André Schürrle who plundered a treble in the Blues' 3-1 win. A Jon Walters penalty ensured the Gunners fell 1-0 at Stoke, meanwhile, and they have now been replaced in second by Liverpool FC on goal difference, the Reds having triumphed 3-0 at Southampton FC. On the knockout front, Manchester City lifted the English League Cup, coming from behind to defeat Sunderland AFC 3-1 in the final at Wembley.

France
It was a good weekend for Ligue 1 leaders Paris as they moved eight points out in front courtesy of a 2-0 triumph at home against arch-rivals Olympique de Marseille, Maxwell and Edinson Cavani making the difference. "I think Paris will definitely finish up as champions," noted OM coach José Anigo afterwards. "I don't see Monaco as superior to Paris." Indeed, AS Monaco FC failed to keep the pressure on due to a 2-0 reverse at AS Saint-Étienne, which moved Les Verts third for an evening before LOSC Lille came from behind to win 3-2 at AC Ajaccio, a Salomon Kalou hat-trick taking the northerners back into the top three.

Germany
Bayern took another major stride towards the Bundesliga title, stretching their advantage to 20 points with 11 games remaining by powering to a 5-1 win against fourth-placed FC Schalke 04. "It was one of the best first halves I've seen since I've been here," said hat-trick hero Arjen Robben, Bayern having surged into a four-goal lead inside 28 minutes. As for Borussia Dortmund, they moved back up to second following a 3-0 win against 1. FC Nürnberg, replacing Bayer 04 Leverkusen, who endured a third successive league defeat, 1-0 to 1. FSV Mainz 05. "If we want to keep second place, we've got to win as many as possible," said BVB's Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Elsewhere
AFC Ajax gave their Dutch title prospects a major boost with a 2-1 comeback success away against Feyenoord in De Klassieker. Joël Veltman hit the decisive goal to take the Eredivisie champions eight points clear of FC Twente, who drew 1-1 at FC Utrecht. Over the border, Club Brugge KV closed within four points of Belgian pacesetters R. Standard de Liège courtesy of a 1-0 victory against the team at the top, Jesper Jørgensen hitting the target. In Greece, finally, Olympiacos FC suffered their first league reverse of the campaign, going down 3-0 at home to Panathinaikos FC, though they still lead the way by 19 points.

Jose Mourinho uses the silent treatment as Chelsea cruise to win over Fulham

JOSE MOURINHO went into the Chelsea dressing room at half-time after a miserable first 45 minutes at Craven Cottage and told his men: “It’s your s*** – sort it out.” Then he walked out.

There was one player above all who picked up the mantle, shouldered the responsibility and got Chelsea going: Eden Hazard.

It was Andre Schurrle whose name will go down in the record books as the player who won this game for Chelsea and put them four points clear at the top of the Premier League with 10 games left. But this match was all about Chelsea’s little Belgian magician.

Perhaps exhausted after a gruelling trip to Istanbul and Galatasaray in midweek, Chelsea were dreadful in the first half of this West London derby as relegation-haunted Fulham harried them. And Mourinho told them in six, short, blunt words to “sort it out” as he stormed out into the corridor.

Germany international Schurrle recalled with a smile: “The boss said something – I don’t want to repeat it! Everybody knew we had to change.

“He was only in the dressing room for 10 or 15 seconds, and he told us.”

Although skipper John Terry had another immaculate game, it was Hazard who led the revival, taking the contest by the scruff of the neck, and winning it in 17 devastating minutes.

Mourinho said: “Eden took that responsibility as an attacking player. If the team is not producing for you, you either wait and the production never starts, or you decide to try by yourself.

“So he dropped back, started getting the ball in deep areas, starting beating people, and from that position we started having more space to play.

“Eden is not a selfish player. He wants to win, wants to do well for the team. He felt in the second half that we needed someone to create, so he did it by himself.

“And when Eden clicked into gear, then Oscar was moving, Andre was moving, Nemanja Matic was coming up to support, Ramires was going into areas where he can be dangerous. Eden clicked, and the team followed him.

“It is what I expect from them all. We have a few players that can only get better; Eden, Schurrle, Willian, Oscar, these guys. They can only get better. These are guys with big space to improve and sometimes they will show some fragility.”

Schurrle, who had been left out for a long spell and was making his first league start in 2014, celebrated his first hat-trick in English football but revealed: “I’m happier with the win. That was important for the team.

‘The boss told me I needed to change my game and my body. That’s what I’ve done over the last two months. I’ve worked very hard to be aggressive, be in a good shape. I did a lot in the gym.

“We have to believe we can win the title now. Everyone believes it.”

Except for the boss, that is.

“I prefer to have the destiny in my hands, and only Manchester City have that, with two games in hand,” said Mourinho. “If I win every game until the end of the season, all 10 – which we won’t – we could still not be champions. If they win all their 12 games, they are champions.”

The first half was notable only for Fernando Torres missing one easy chance and then being foiled by a brilliant Maarten Stekelenburg save.

But after the break Hazard’s brilliant ball put Schurrle away and the German finished coolly. The duo repeated the feat 13 minutes later as Hazard panicked Fulham with a direct run. Then it was Torres who picked up Hazard’s pass and put Shcurrle through for the third. The game was over long before John Heitinga scrambled a consolation goal from a corner.

This was Fulham’s first home game under new manager Felix Magath. In the first half his team fought hard, but as soon as the first goal went in they were beaten.

They need six wins now from their last 10 games and it looks a daunting task. Anything but victory at fellow strugglers Cardiff next Saturday is unthinkable.

Magath insisted: “We can survive. If next week we play two halves like that, we will win. Step by step it goes forward, and that is all you can ask for.”

Spurs enquire about bamford from chelsea

Tottenham line up summer transfer for Chelsea striker Patrick Bamford Jamie Sanderson

Tottenham are hopeful of pulling of a notable coup by landing highly-rated striker Patrick Bamford from Chelsea at the end of the season.

The 20-year-old, who joined the Blues from Nottingham Forest in 2012, has since enjoyed hugely successful loan spells away from Stamford Bridge.

He first scored 21 goals in 48 matches for MK Dons, before moving to Derby County in January, where he had managed five strikes in his first seven matches for the club.

And with first-team opportunities looking limited when he returns to Chelsea in the summer, Spurs are ready to step in and try and poach the forward.

Tim Sherwood has positive scouting reports on Bamford (Picture: Getty)
According to reports, Tim Sherwood has made the young forward one of his key transfer targets and he would be willing to throw Bamford into the first-team next term.

The England Under-21 striker is famed for his ability in and around the box, as well as his ability to hold the ball up, as Jose Mourinho is thought to think highly of him.

If Tottenham can push through the deal it would be seen as a notable addition, with Bamford set for big things in the next few years.

David Luiz hints that Arsenal boss Arsene wenger wants to manage chelsea

DAVID LUIZ has run the risk of upsetting Arsene Wenger - by suggesting he might even want to manage Chelsea.

Jose Mourinho described Wenger as "a specialist in failure" last week, which prompted a bitter row between the pair.

Wenger stated he was "embarrassed" for Mourinho and now Luiz has waded in to support his boss.

The Brazil star said: "We are top of the league now, we are happy with this.

"We keep working hard every day for our job. Of course, I respect everyone, other teams, but we need to do our job. That's it.

"We cannot listen to everyone, because if you listen to another coach, Chelsea don't have just one coach.

"Chelsea have 10, 20, 100 (coaches)... everyone wants to be part of our club - and that's natural."

Luiz is enjoying life under Mourinho and said: "He has a great ability to work.

"I'm a guy with an open heart. I want to learn every day.

"I'm happy with this, I'm happy when I can play for a big club and have an opportunity to work with a good coach."

Courtious and mignolet trade words over belgian NO1 position

ON-LOAN Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has continued his feud with Liverpool keeper and international colleague Simon Mignolet over a dispute of who should be number one for Belgium.

Courtois took offence earlier this month when Mignolet made it clear he was hoping to displace the Atletico Madrid stopper as first-choice for his country.

And the 21-year-old has risked escalating the affair by suggesting that Mignolet's comments were a direct attack on him.

"If someone says that he is unfairly left out of the Red Devils' goal, I see that as an attack," Courtois told Sport/Foot Magazine.

"It shows that you do not accept the coach's current choice acouttioud

nd at the same time that you show no respect for the current number one.

"But I do not want my statements to be taken wrongly, as they were last time.

If someone says that he is unfairly left out of the Red Devils' goal, I see that as an attack

"Then it sounded like I said Mignolet must show no ambition. That's not true.

"I understand that he has the ambition of becoming the number one for Belgium. I only say you should also respect those who play."

Earlier this month Courtois said: "In Spain, I hear no goalkeeper saying they're aiming for the place of Casillas," he said.

"Not De Gea, not Valdes, not Reina. It's the opposite - they back Casillas.

"Simon can say whatever he wants, but I think I've already saved enough points for Belgium and I'm playing good games for Atletico. He has to stay humble and respectful."

Courtois is currently the established first-choice for Belgium but boss Marc Wilmots hinted he was looking at his options when he gave Mignolet a rare start in a friendly against Colombia earlier this year.