Real suffer stadium revamp setback

Real Madrid's plans for a multi-million euro redevelopment of their Santiago Bernabeu Stadium have suffered a setback after an agreement with the city council was quashed by a Madrid court.

The European champions have ambitious plans for the iconic venue but Madrid's High Court has put the renovation on hold with the club under investigation over a related land deal.

"The High Court of Madrid has overturned the agreement from 15 November 2012, issued by the community of Madrid's Governing Council, which approved the specific modification of the Madrid general development plan, a decision that affects the Santiago Bernabeu," the club said in a statement.

"Following this ruling, Real Madrid C.F. will work with the city council and the community of Madrid to address those aspects that require attention in order to make the Santiago Bernabeu reform project viable."

Real Madrid announced plans just over a year ago to make the Bernabeu "the best stadium in the world" with an estimated €400 million development, which would include the construction of retail, leisure and restaurant zones, a hotel and underground parking.

However, in August last year the High Court upheld a complaint by environmental group Ecologists in Action to halt an agreement with the city council for the development while the club were under investigation by the European Commission for illegal state aid.

The Commission is investigating a land deal which saw the city council reclaim land in the Las Tablas area of the city for a value in excess of 22 million euros in 2011, 13 years after it was wrongly sold to the club for just under 500 000 euros.

To compensate the debt owed to Real Madrid the club were given land around the Bernabeu and in the Opanel and Valdebebas areas of the city, where the club's training ground now stands.

The agreement signed in 2012 would have seen the land in Opanel handed back to the council as well as a public park created on one corner of the ground in exchange for the commercial development next to the stadium.

'La Liga ready to strike over TV rights'

Spain's top-flight clubs are ready to shut down La Liga if the government does not pass a law mandating collective bargaining for TV rights soon, Espanyol president Joan Collet said on Wednesday.

"We are ready to halt La Liga if this (law) does not come out in one, two or three weeks," Collet told Spanish radio.

"I have already spoken with clubs like Valencia," he added. "We would have to hold another assembly but we are ready if the government doesn't get a move on."

La Liga, where the broadcast rights are held by Barcelona-based Mediapro, is the only top European league in which clubs negotiate their own TV contracts.

Collet's comments come the day after the English Premier League agreed a new collective TV rights deal with Sky and BT Sport for 2016-19 worth 5.2 billion pounds ($7.95 billion).

Real Madrid, the world's wealthiest club by income, and Barcelona, the fourth richest, together take about half the annual La Liga TV money of 650 million euros ($735 million), one reason they usually finish far ahead of their domestic rivals.

'DISGRACEFUL SITUATION'

According to Esteve Calzada, CEO of Barcelona-based consulting firm Prime Time Sport, the ratio in England between the team that makes the most TV money and the one that makes the least is about 1.5 to 1 while in La Liga it is 10 to 1.

The team that earns the least in the new Premier League deal will get 106 million pounds per season while in Spain they get 11 million, compared with about 110 million for Real and Barca, Calzada said on Tuesday.

Many clubs in La Liga, including the likes of Espanyol, Valencia and Sevilla, are hopeful a collective deal would enable them to demand more from broadcasters which would then be shared out more equitably to create a more level playing field.

"We are still maintaining this disgraceful situation with the two clubs (Real and Barca) earning what nobody else in Europe earns," Collet said.

"The current TV contracts are nearing their end and because the law has not been approved we cannot negotiate the new ones," he added.

Collet blamed political interference for the delay in the law and said that while Barca appeared ready to accept change Real apparently were not.

Balotelli - the anatomy of a smile

Mario Balotelli stole the headlines with his winner in Liverpool’s pulsating 3-2 win over Tottenham at Anfield but then left team-mates and fans bemused by refusing to smile or celebrate.

Balotelli walked briskly and majestically, hardly acknowledging cheers from the fans right into the tunnel way before his team-mates who were still applauding the fans, but he had his way of showing it.

Mario posted a picture on his famous Instagram account :

'Great game guys!!!', Balotelli posted on Instagram. 'This smile is ONLY for those that always believe and support me. Thank you and forza Liverpool. But now head down and keep working hard. Tonight is past.'

It was his first goal in the Premier League this season after starts and it arrived just 9 minutes after he came on as replacement for Daniel Sturridge and the chants an celebrations of that goal reverberated around the world like everyone has been waiting for it.

His team-mates swarmed all over him to congratulate him and also share his joy but you could see he wasn’t smiling and he hardly does.

In the end, it was enough to secure a crucial win that seemed unlikely after Spurs came from behind twice and this could be the start of a good spell for Mario as he underscored his predatory insticts

Chelsea cautious of Everton backlash

Nemanja Matic knows a repeat of Chelsea's rout of Everton in August is unlikely when the two sides meet at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

The Serb was among the goalscorers as the Barclays Premier League leaders beat Roberto Martinez's side 6-3 in an exhilarating encounter at Goodison Park.

Chelsea have gone from strength to strength since that victory and head into the midweek encounter with a seven-point lead at the top of the table after they won 2-1 at Aston Villa on Saturday and Manchester City drew 1-1 with Hull City.

Everton are down in 12th after a goalless Merseyside derby draw with Liverpool and head to the capital looking for a first triumph at Chelsea since 1994. Matic is not expecting Everton to be so vulnerable defensively as at Goodison.

"Now at home we have to win," Matic told chelseafc.com. "We know that it is also going to difficult but if we want to be champions we have to win. Everton is not the kind of team to concede six.

"They did against us but not again so we just want to win, it doesn't matter if it is with six goals or 1-0, we just need three points."

Jose Mourinho claimed that his team’s seven-point advantage is "nothing" and Matic echoed his manager's sentiments.

"We have many games to the end and only a seven points lead, because Manchester City are a very good team, they will fight to the end and we will see at the end,” he said. "We are in a good way at the moment and we will try to keep like this but it is a long way to go."

Diego Costa scored twice in Chelsea's win at Goodison Park, but the Spain striker will be missing, serving the last tie of a three-match ban. Midfielder Cesc Fabregas is set to return after missing the last two matches with a hamstring injury, but it remains to be seen if Filipe Luis (calf) is available to return.

Romelu Lukaku will be eager to make an impact in his first appearance at Stamford Bridge since his move to Everton from Chelsea was made permanent last July. Martinez will be hoping Leighton Baines (knee) can return after missing the derby, but Aiden McGeady will miss out with a knee problem sustained in training.

The game may also come too soon for Steven Pienaar (knee), while Leon Osman (foot) and Tim Howard (calf) are still sidelined.

Match Facts

Steven Naismith has scored in three of his last four Barclays Premier League appearances against Chelsea.

Everton ended a run of five consecutive away defeats in the league last time out with their 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace.

Chelsea have kept 15 clean sheets in their last 19 top-flight home matches, conceding just six goals in that run.

Cesc Fabregas made his BPL debut against Everton in August 2004. In his last four appearances against the Toffees he has scored three goals and assisted three more.

Chelsea (from): Blackman, Cech, Courtois, Schwarzer, Ake, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Christensen, Filipe, Ivanovic, Terry, Zouma, Cuadrado, Fabregas, Hazard, Matic, Mikel, Oscar, Ramires, Willian, Drogba, Remy.

Everton (from): Griffiths, Joel, Stanek, Alcaraz, Baines, Browning, Coleman, Distin, Garbutt, Hibbert, Jagielka, Oviedo, Stones, Barkley, Barry, Besic, Gibson, Junior, Lennon, McCarthy, McGeady, Pienaar, Kone, Long, Lukaku, Mirallas, Naismith.

Match Appointments

Referee: Jonathan Moss

Assistants: J Brooks, E Smart

Fourth Official: R East

Source: Premierleague.com

City seek redemption at Stoke

Jesus Navas believes Manchester City must rediscover their best form at Stoke City on Wednesday in order to halt their recent dismal run.

An added-time free-kick by James Milner salvaged a 1-1 draw for the defending champions against struggling Hull City on Saturday as their winless run in the Barclays Premier League extended to four matches.

Manuel Pellegrini's team now have 14 matches to overhaul leaders Chelsea, who extended their advantage to seven points by beating Aston Villa at the weekend.

Even allowing for their pedigree in coming from behind to win the title in 2012 and 2014, Spain winger Navas concedes Man City have little margin for error against a Stoke side that left the Etihad Stadium with a 1-0 win in August.

"Stoke are a team who are very well organised and very disciplined," Navas told City's official website. "If you are not focused and even momentarily lose concentration, they can hurt you, just as they did at the Etihad.

"We were disappointing that day but Stoke played very well and won a game they perhaps weren't expected to win. They are playing very well at the moment and we have to be at our best from start to finish."

If Navas and his teammates are to begin turning their fortunes around it will mean securing a first BPL win at the Britannia Stadium.

James Beattie scored the only goal as Stoke claimed a 1-0 win over opponents managed by their current boss Mark Hughes in January 2009, and the subsequent five meetings in Staffordshire have all ended in draws.

Stoke have only lost one of their last nine matches in all competitions and Hughes is relishing the meeting with Pellegrini's men.

"It won't be easy, Man City are a little bit of a wounded animal at the moment and have got a little bit of criticism for their home form," he told Stoke City Player. "We need to be ready for them, but we're playing very well at the moment so bring it on."

Manchester City have a clean bill of health ahead of the match, but Pellegrini has confirmed Yaya Toure and January signing Wilfried Bony will not be pressed straight back into action after playing in Ivory Coast's Africa Cup of Nations triumph.

"We don't want both of them to come back so quickly because it is impossible for them to play on Wednesday," the manager said. "After that we have 10 days without a game so they have time to come back."

Toure scored on his final league appearance before departing for international duty – a 3-2 win over Sunderland on New Year's Day that preceded City's current slump.

Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross (groin) remains sidelined but centre-back Philipp Wollscheid impressed in his absence at Newcastle, while Stephen Ireland will have a late fitness test on a hamstring complaint to determine whether he can face his former club

Match Facts

Sergio Aguero has scored three goals in four Barclays Premier League appearances against Stoke City.

No home team has stopped Manchester City from scoring in their last 18 away league trips.

Man City have lost just two of their last 25 BPL away matches (W16 D7 L2).

Manuel Pellegrini’s side have gone four league matches without a win for the first time since November 2009, when they drew seven successive matches under current Stoke manager Mark Hughes.

Stoke City (from): Begovic, Butland, Sorensen, Bardsley, Cameron, Muniesa, Teixeira, Wilkinson, Wilson, Wollscheid, Adam, Ireland, N'Zonzi, Palacios, Sidwell, Whelan, Crouch, Diouf, Moses, Walters.

Manchester City (from): Caballero, Hart, Wright, Boyata, Clichy, Demichelis, Kolarov, Kompany, Mangala, Sagna, Zabaleta, Fernandinho, Fernando, Lampard, Milner, Nasri, Navas, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko, Jovetic.

Match Appointments

Referee: Lee Mason

Assistants: L Betts, A Halliday

Fourth Official: M Dean

Burnely out to burn Man United

Phil Jones insists Manchester United must quickly get over their 1-1 draw at West Ham United at the weekend, starting with Wednesday's Barclays Premier League meeting with Burnley at Old Trafford.

Louis van Gaal's men trailed for much of the second half at the Boleyn Ground on Sunday before Daley Blind's stoppage-time volley rescued a point from a difficult encounter.

The result meant Man Utd remained in fourth place after Southampton had leapfrogged them with a 1-0 win at Queens Park Rangers 24 hours earlier.

"In the end, we are disappointed in the dressing room that we didn't take all three points," defender Jones told MUTV. "But West Ham pressed us well and I think a draw was a fair result. Ultimately, we are disappointed. We needed to win and it was a big game for us.

"We have not lost, which is a plus, but we could have gained some ground. It was not to be. We have got another big game on Wednesday night now and we need to win that one as well.

"The manager said in the dressing room after the game that he couldn't fault our spirit. If we had shown that more in the first half then we might have come away with a victory. But we need to address and evaluate this game. Then we will move on to the Burnley game."

Like United, Burnley were also left disappointed on Sunday as they let slip a two-goal lead against West Bromwich Albion, who fought back to earn a 2-2 draw at Turf Moor.

It was the second time in successive home league games that Burnley had squandered points after going 2-0 up; hardly ideal preparation for Sean Dyche's men with a difficult set of fixtures to come.

In their next eight matches, fourth-bottom Burnley face sides all currently in the top nine, but Dyche remains unfazed by the daunting challenge ahead.

"We know the journey we're on," he said. "We know what it takes and it's another reminder of it [against West Brom].

"Onwards and upwards for us, that's the way we look at it. That's the clarity we need for the players and that's the clarity we ensure they've got."

Stephen Ward is back in training for Burnley after an ankle injury, although Matt Taylor has suffered a setback in his rehabilitation from an Achilles problem.

Dyche has named the same starting XI for 10 league matches in a row, two short of the BPL record, but that run could end after Dean Marney suffered a knee injury on Sunday and did not re-emerge for the second half.

For United, who were held to a goalless draw at Burnley earlier in the season, Luke Shaw is suspended following his late red card at West Ham and Michael Carrick remains out with a muscle rupture.

Match Facts

Burnley have won just two of their 30 Barclays Premier League away matches (W2 D5 L23) and kept just one clean sheet in that run.

Manchester United have won nine and lost just one of their last 11 BPL matches at Old Trafford.

Danny Ings has scored in four of his last five league outings for Burnley, with each of the goals being Burnley’s second of the match.

Man Utd have started 26 different players in the BPL this season (a joint league-high), while Burnley have only started 19 (a joint league-low).

Manchester United (from): De Gea, Johnstone, Valdes, Lindegaard, Blackett, Evans, Jones, McNair, Rafael, Rojo, Smalling, Blind, Di Maria, Fellaini, Herrera, James, Januzaj, Mata, Powell, Valencia, Young, Falcao, Rooney, Van Persie, Wilson.

Burnley (from): Gilks, Heaton, Duff, Keane, Lafferty, Mee, O'Neill, Reid, Shackell, Trippier, Ward, Arfield, Boyd, Jones, Kightly, Marney, Wallace, Barnes, Ings, Jutkiewicz, Sordell, Vokes..

Match Appointments

Referee: Kevin Friend

Assistants: A Garratt, C Hatzidakis

Fourth Official: P Dowd

Source: premierleague.com

Politicians fume after EPL chief's remarks

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore was criticised on Wednesday for saying he saw no problem with clubs paying staff the minimum wage after the league sold its British TV rights for £5.1 billion.

He also said the Premier League was a "success story" and not a charity following demands from politicians calling for more money from the sale of the rights to reduce ticket prices, invest in grassroots football and pay staff a living wage.

A day after the TV deal was announced, Scudamore said: "We're not set up for charitable purposes. We are set up to be the best football competition.

"I believe the Premier League is a great UK export and it attracts a whole lot of positive feelings about the UK.

"If you go and do any international survey, things like the Premier League, the BBC, the Queen: they are things that people feel are good about the UK."

Scudamore, who earns a bonus-related salary of almost £2 million a year told the BBC he was "not uncomfortable" with clubs paying top players huge salaries, with some on reported wages of £300 000 a week while some staff at clubs earn the legal minimum wage of £6.50 an hour.

Scudamore said the "reality" was that the sport was "just like in any talent industry" where the "absolute talent gets paid a disproportionately high amount compared with other people that work in the business."

LIVING WAGE

However, the government's Business Secretary Vince Cable said Premier League clubs should pay at least the "living wage" if they could afford it, which is higher than the legal minimum wage.

He told London's Evening Standard newspaper: "There is a lot of money in the sport. You are getting extraordinarily well-paid players.

"The ordinary fans and ordinary workers around the ground should expect some of the money to come through to them. If companies can afford to pay the living wage, they should."

Tottenham's Labour MP David Lammy, who has campaigned for clubs to pay the living wage of £9.15 an hour in London and £7.85 outside, was highly critical of Scudamore's comments.

"He should not just feel uncomfortable, he should feel ashamed. This is conscious greed, plain and simple," he said.

Shadow Minister for London Sadiq Khan also said Scudamore's remarks were "disgraceful" and that clubs should pay the living wage so their lowest-paid staff get a salary "that allows them to put food on the table and pay the rent".

Sky and BT Sport's 2016-19 deal of £5.14 billion is a 70 percent jump on the current £3 billion deal.