AZPILICUETA: SPECIAL GAMES

Cesar Azpilicueta had yet to establish himself in the side when Chelsea won away at Tottenham back in mid-October.

He had started one game by that stage - in the Capital One Cup - and it wasn't until early November he began his first league game.

Man City, Wigan eye cup glory

At the end of a week dominated by Alex Ferguson's shock retirement as Manchester United manager, Manchester City will seek to drag the spotlight back to the blue half of the city by beating Wigan Athletic in Saturday's FA Cup final.

Victory over Wigan will give City a third major title in three seasons and salve some of the pain inflicted by United's uncontested romp to this season's Premier League title and their own abject group-stage exit in the UEFA Champions League.

Bale collects another accolade

Tottenham forward Gareth Bale underlined his desire to bring UEFA Champions League football back to White Hart Lane after he picked up his FWA Footballer of the Year award on Thursday.

Bale collected his Football Writers' Association (FWA) Footballer of the Year award at a star-studded ceremony in central London.

Less than two weeks ago, the Spurs star won the PFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year gongs after scoring a remarkable 30 times for club and country.

Fergie: Moyes prepare to say farewell

All eyes will be on Old Trafford and Goodison Park on Sunday as Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes say their emotional farewells at the end of one of the most dramatic weeks in the history of the Premier League.

At the start of this week it was hard to imagine that Manchester United's apparently meaningless final home game of the season against Swansea, and Everton's relatively mundane Goodison Park fixture against West Ham, would captivate millions across the globe rather than just the supporters of the respective clubs.

Barcelona hungry to wrap up title

Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara has admitted that his side are desperate to finally mathematically seal the La Liga title this weekend when they travel to face Atletico Madrid.

The Catalans have been on the brink of sealing their fourth championship in five years for a number of weeks, but will have matters in their own hands for the first time on Sunday and could even be crowned champions 24 hours earlier if Real Madrid slip-up away to Espanyol.

Villas-Boas targets Bale extension

Andre Villas-Boas has called on Gareth Bale to end speculation about his future by signing a new contract with Tottenham Hotspur.

Bale last night collected his Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award after a remarkable season which has seen him score 30 times for club and country. The award came less than two weeks after the Professional Footballers Association rewarded him for his efforts by naming him Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year.

The more accolades the Welshman receives, the more rumours persist about a potential departure to Real Madrid, who have been monitoring the forward's progress this season. Bale is contracted until 2016, but the speculation will surely continue well in to the summer unless he pens a new deal with the club.

"It would be good for him (to sign a new contract)," the Tottenham manager said. "I think he deserves it for the season he's had. Obviously we could put to bed every single speculation that's coming out. It would be excellent and I think a reward for what he has achieved this season."
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Moyes: I wasn't planning to leave

 
Outgoing Everton manager David Moyes said he was disappointed to be leaving a "great club" but admitted there was no way he could turn down the opportunity to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

In an emotional press conference, his first since confirmation yesterday that he would be leaving Goodison Park after 11 years, it was clear how much Everton means to Moyes. However the lure of Old Trafford was something he simply could not resist.

"I'm disappointed to be leaving such a great club," he said. "The club has been such a great part of my life."

Barry looking forward to another final

Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry is excited by the prospect of another FA Cup final appearance. The England international was a member of the City side which beat Stoke at Wembley in 2011 to end a 35-year wait for a trophy.

He went on to play an important role in City's Premier League title success last season and could be in the side again against Wigan at the national stadium this weekend.It is this pursuit of silverware which tempted him to leave Aston Villa for the Etihad Stadium four years ago.

 

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says it has been an honour to compete against Sir Alex Ferguson over the past three years.

Mancini's arrival at the Etihad Stadium in December 2009 has coincided with a resurgence in the rivalry between City and Ferguson's Manchester United at the top of the Premier League. City memorably beat United in the 2011 FA Cup semi-finals and then pipped them to the Premier League title in dramatic circumstances last year, a season in which they also soundly defeated their neighbours 6-1 at Old Trafford.

Lille beat Reims to move fourth

Salomon Kalou scored twice as Lille moved into a Europa League spot with an emphatic 3-0 win over Reims in Ligue 1 tonight.

Kalou struck in either half, sandwiching a strike by Dimitri Payet as the hosts moved into fourth spot ahead of Nice on goal difference, with Claude Puel's side playing Evian on Sunday. Defeat leaves Reims five points above Evian, who occupy the third relegation spot with the latter having three games remaining.

Zaragoza held by nine-man Levante

 

Levante held on to a goalless draw at home to despite being reduced to nine men in their La Liga match at Ciudad de Valencia tonight.

Midfielder Papakouli Diop was shown a straight red card in the 51st minute for a serious foul on Zaragoza striker Victor Rodriguez before Pedro Lopez was sent off for his second bookable offence in the second minute of injury time.