Torres: Gerrard is the best I've ever played with

Fernando Torres has hailed former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard as the best player he’s ever played with.

The 31-year-old spent three and a half years at Anfield, scoring 81 goals in 142 appearances, before joining Chelsea for £50 million in January 2011.

Torres, who has won the Champions League and FA Cup with Chelsea, as well as two European Championships and a World Cup with Spain, has played alongside the likes of Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Eden Hazard - but the striker insists the Liverpool captain is closest to his version of an “ideal footballer”.

"It is difficult to say as I have had the good fortune to play with so many great players," Torres told Marca Plus magazine.

”For me the best is, and has been, Gerrard. I would choose him, above all, to have him behind me in my team.

"Steven Gerrard is the best footballer I have played with over my career, so my ideal footballer would be very similar to him."

Geremi Njitap set to Champion The Match in Lagos

All is set for the Heineken ‘Champion The Match’ session in Lagos tomorrow. To lead the session at the Heineken House, Lagos will be ex-Real Madrid and Cameroonian international, Geremi Sorele Njitap better known as Geremi. Remembered for his power, agility and free kick ability, Geremi is a two-time UCL winner with Spanish giant, Real Madrid FC.

Like other football Legends who have visited different cities of the world in recent past to Champion The Match, Geremi will be in Lagos to interact with football fans and reporters during a wonderful night of football that will be laced with unique and unforgettable experiences for fans in Lagos and across the globe.

During his international career, Geremi earned 116 caps for Cameroon between 1996 and 2010, scoring 13 goals. He was a member of their squad for 7 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, winning in 2000 and 2002, as well as the World Cup in 2002 and 2010 and a gold medal at the2000 Olympics.

Born in 1978, Geremi Njitap also had a glowing professional career during his active days playing for English sides- Middlesbrough FC, Chelsea FC and Newcastle FC.

Football fans in Nigeria and across the globe have the opportunity to chat live with Geremi during the Barcelona versus PSG game tomorrow on twitter: @Heineken using the hashtag #Championthematch.

Pellegrini mum on Yaya agent row

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini refused to be drawn into a war of words with Yaya Toure's outspoken agent after a 2-0 win over West Ham kept his side on course for a Champions League place.

However, Sunday's victory at Eastlands was marred by an injury to David Silva, who was taken to hospital with a suspected fractured cheekbone and injured collar bone.

But before kick-off there was another headache for under-pressure City boss Pellegrini following incendiary comments from Dimitri Seluk.

Toure's agent branded Pellegrini a "weak manager" and accused the club's Spanish executives Ferran Sorriano and Txiki Begiristain of failing to take responsibility and blaming his client for City's problems this season.

Pellegrini, when asked to respond to Seluk's claims, would only say "no comment".

But the latest potential disagreement with Toure will only cast more uncertainty on the the Ivory Coast international's City future.

Pellegrini was more forthcoming about the injury to Silva, who was taken off on a stretcher in the 75th minute after being caught by an elbow from Cheikhou Kouyate, who was booked for the incident.

"It looks serious but we must wait," said Pellegrini. "He (Silva) is in hospital now having checks on his cheekbone to see what happened with him.

"I always think that a player doesn't want to make damage to another player and the referee was so near and decided it was unintentional. I always think these things are unintentional. I don't think a player wants to cause more damage to another player.

"I don't know if he was unconscious. At the moment, the doctor has some doubts about that. After that, he recovered well," the Chilean added.

'PRETTY INNOCUOUS' -

City officials later insisted the visit to hospital was precautionary, with Silva having injured his collar bone after falling awkwardly.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce was also at pains to clear Kouyate of any deliberate wrong-doing in the incident.

"It was accidental, pretty innocuous," Allardyce said. "In fact I didn't even think it was a free-kick. I've just had a look on video and it doesn't look deliberate at all to me.

"He (Kouyate) has no idea what happened because it happened behind him, he doesn't think he's done anything."

Victory for reigning English champions City – coupled with defeats 24 hours earlier for Southampton and Manchester United – certainly improved Pellegrini's hopes of a top four finish.

West Ham were beaten thanks to a James Collins own-goal and City forward Sergio Aguero's 20th goal of the season as Pellegrini's men bounced back from the previous weekend's 4-2 derby defeat by United.

"We're not depending on what Manchester United or anyone else did yesterday," said Pellegrini.

"It was very important for our team to win because we are coming off two defeats in a row and always when it's a derby defeat, it's worse."

Meanwhile, Allardyce was angry at the manner of the two first-half goals conceded by his defence but also infuriated by a late incident in which Eliaquim Mangala took a swipe at West Ham winger Downing, who remained on his feet but saw the ball run out of play, breaking up a late attack by the visitors.

"Everybody goes on about simulation and cheating," said Allardyce who berated the fourth official after the incident. "But Mangala tried to clean out Downing who stayed on his feet and, because of that, the ball runs out and we lose possession.

"The assistant is one yard away but didn't give it so what am I going to say to Stewart? 'Dive on the floor, get him booked and get us a free-kick'?"

Fabregas desperate to end wait for title

Chelsea star Cesc Fabregas said on Monday he wanted to win the Premier League title as "soon as possible" as he gave an indication of why he'd returned to English football with the Blues rather than Arsenal.

The 27-year-old Spanish international midfielder made more than 300 appearances for Arsenal in eight years with the club before leaving for Barcelona with just a solitary FA Cup-winners medal after a string of near-misses, including a defeat in the 2006 Champions League final.

Arsenal had the option of buying back Fabregas when he left Barcelona but chose not to take it up and he opted to join London rivals Chelsea instead.

The table-topping Blues travel to Fabregas's former club on Sunday with Chelsea currently 10 points ahead of second-placed Arsenal in the Premier League.

Victory this coming weekend would all but seal a first Chelsea title since 2010 and Fabregas told the club's website: "We just want to win it (the Premier League). The sooner, the better."

Fabregas, a World Cup and European Championship winner with Spain and is nearing a century of caps, added: "We want to give satisfaction to the supporters. It's been five years for them without winning the Premier League title; for me it's been 27 years so I'd love to win it as soon as possible."

Last Saturday's 1-0 win over Manchester United saw Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho deploy Fabregas further forward than normal in a bid to accommodate Kurt Zouma, who man-marked Belgium midfielder Marouane Fellaini.

"If I played there normally I would struggle a bit more to deal with long balls and the physical aspect of the game," Fabregas added.

"We had to put someone on Fellaini, especially for the long balls, so yes our style changed. I thought Zouma did extremely well.

"I think his future is as a centre-back but he can do the job very well in central midfield when it's needed. He's a top, top boy. He wants to learn, he wants to play.

"That's why Mourinho is who he is and has won what he has won. The plan worked very well."

Nigeria U20 official inspects New Zealand ahead of 2015 World Youth Championship

An official of the Flying Eagles has departed for the Oceania nation in order to have a good look at the venues that will host the Nigeria U20 games

Nigeria U20 team secretary, Ibrahim Aliyu Auwal, has departed for New Zealand, where he will inspect facilities at the team’s venue for next month’s Fifa  U20 World Cup.

The Flying Eagles will play Hungary, Brazil and North Korea in Group E at the Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth.

The facilities will cover such aspects as hotel boarding, stadium, training and medical.

Nigeria U20 team will play their first game on June 1 at the 46,000-capacity Yarrow Stadium, formerly known as Stadium Taranaki, in New Plymouth.

Mexes: I want new AC Milan deal

Philippe Mexes has indicated that he wants to sign a new contract at AC Milan.

The defender's current deal expires in June but he has endured a difficult campaign for the Rossoneri, who lie ninth in Serie A.

Mexes admits that he has no idea if he will be offered an extension but says he would love to remain at San Siro.

"I hope I can sign a new deal." he said at a charity event. "It's important for my family to know what is going on. That’s the only thing that irritates me slightly about the uncertainty.

“Otherwise, I’ll just give my best until the end of the season.”

Filippo Inzaghi's men drew 0-0 with Inter on Sunday and Mexes, who scored an own goal that was ultimately ruled out, has confessed that he was disappointed his side failed to claim the victory.

“The important thing is that we didn’t lose. Now we have try to get as many points as possible in the final weeks.

“There’s a bit of disappointment, we could have done better. It’s a shame - you need personality in the derby.

“It’s in the past now and we must look ahead.”

Messi Can Stay At Barcelona Until He Retires - Bartomeu

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has said he would like Lionel Messi to stay at the club until he retires.

The Argentine has been at the Blaugrana since he was 13, making his way through the youth system to win six Liga titles, three Champions Leagues and two Club World Cups with the team, plus four Ballon d'Or individually. He is also their top all-time scorer.

Messi was linked with a move away from Camp Nou earlier this season, but Bartomeu insists he will always be welcome to stay put.

"We work with a leader like Messi, who is the best in the world, but also in history." he told RMC. "He has a place here until he decides to quit football."

The club chief was asked about the likelihood of the Blaugrana making a move to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus, but he says they are not thinking about it.

"Pogba is a great player, but in this moment we are not thinking about additions. It’s true that we have a sanction that prevents us from signing players until January 2016. We are working so that some will players arrive, and others can leave.

“We are preparing for next season, but we will not provide the names here. Pogba is a good player, one who has a contract with an Italian team that I respect a lot.

“For the moment, it is not expected that we will sign anyone, but everyone wants to have the great players. Also, we have players that the others clubs would like to have."

Man City close in on United

Manchester City ended a difficult week on a high and climbed to within one point of third-placed neighbours Manchester United thanks to a comfortable 2-0 Premier League victory over West Ham United on Sunday.

After a testing week in which City's 4-2 defeat at rivals United prompted speculation about the future of manager Manuel Pellegrini and a number of leading players, victory against West Ham provided a welcome boost.

James Collins's freak own goal and Sergio Aguero's 20th league strike of the season secured a routine win and the only surprise was that City failed to add to their lead after the Argentine's 36th-minute effort.

Champions City have 64 points, one behind United who lost 1-0 at Chelsea on Saturday, and two adrift of second-placed Arsenal who have a game in hand. West Ham remain 10th having won one of their last 11 league matches.

"When we lose we have a lot of criticism and that is part of football," City midfielder Yaya Toure told Sky Sports.

"Today we showed great team spirit and it was very important to get the three points today. We will continue to fight until the end."

Newcastle United sank to a sixth straight league defeat and are not yet safe from relegation after losing 3-1 to Tottenham Hotspur at St James' Park with Harry Kane grabbing the third to reach 30 goals for the season in all competitions.

Sixth-placed Spurs are level on 57 points with fifth-placed Liverpool but have played a game more, while struggling Newcastle remain 14th with 35 points from 33 matches.

CITY BREAKTHROUGH

City's derby defeat at Old Trafford had prompted talk of the realignment of the balance of power in Manchester so the visit of a sliding West Ham side was timely.

The hosts fashioned a number of early chances with their slick passing but their breakthrough in the 18th minute came from an unlikely source.

The marauding Jesus Navas burst down the right flank and his low cross careered off defender Collins before looping over goalkeeper Adrian and deflecting in off the crossbar.

The second goal, however, was more eye-catching.

After intercepting a stray Stewart Downing pass the hosts broke with searing pace and Aguero, after exchanging passes with Navas, fired under Adrian.

City had cause for concern in the 67th minute, however, when playmaker David Silva was carried off on a stretcher after being hit in the head by Cheikhou Kouyate's elbow.

Spaniard Silva, who was treated for nearly 10 minutes on the pitch, was taken to hospital and City manager Manuel Pellegrini later said they were checking if he had broken a cheek bone.

NEWCASTLE DEMISE

There were reports of Newcastle fans boycotting the game at St James' Park because of Mike Ashley's ownership of the club and most of the 47 427 inside the stadium were unhappy to see Nacer Chadli's precise strike put Spurs ahead after 30 minutes.

Jack Colback equalised for Newcastle 18 seconds into the second half but the home side failed to stay level for long as Christian Eriksen's floated free kick into the box evaded everyone and bounced past goalkeeper Tim Krul into the net.

Harry Kane's close-range volley was then brilliantly saved by Krul but the England striker notched his 20th league goal of the season in all competitions late on when he applied a calm finish after Spurs caught Newcastle on the counter attack.

Kane, who leads the league scoring chart with Aguero, became the first Tottenham player to score 30 goals in all compeitions since ex-England striker Gary Lineker in the 1991-92 season.

Inzaghi: It wasn't a penalty

Filippo Inzaghi believes referee Luca Banti was right not to award a penalty against AC Milan Luca Antonelli in Sunday's 0-0 draw with Inter.

In a match that produced few clear-cut chances at San Siro, a pivotal moment came in the second half when Hernanes' effort struck the arm of Antonelli in the penalty area.

The decision not to award a spot-kick attracted the ire of Inter head coach Roberto Mancini, who felt Banti should have pointed to the spot.

Milan boss Inzaghi agrees that similar incidents have been punished in the past, but felt it would have been a harsh decision had the referee given the penalty.

"It was an involuntary handball," he told Sky Sport Italia.

"It's true that penalties have been given for less, but I would not give a penalty for that."

Inzaghi felt that a draw, which means Milan have now lost just one of their past nine Serie A matches, was a fair reflection of the game but was disappointed that his side did not score during a promising spell in the first half.

"I expected more from Milan in the first half when we created several important chances," he added.

"The stakes for the game were high and the boys did their best. The draw is a fair result."

Antonelli: Milan must qualify for Europe

Luca Antonelli says AC Milan can't afford to miss out on European qualification and called on the side to win their last seven games.

The Rossoneri were held to a 0-0 draw by Inter on Sunday night, a result that means they remain one place and one point above the Nerazzurri, but still sit ninth in the table, seven points behind fifth-placed Sampdoria.

Extra European spots could become available depending on results elsewhere, with third-placed Napoli bidding to qualify for the Champions League by winning this season's Europa League, and leaders Juventus playing second-placed Lazio in the Coppa Italia final.

Consequently, Antonelli believes Milan still have every chance of qualifying for continental competition next season - providing they deliver on their side of the bargain by finishing the campaign with a flourish, starting with Saturday's trip to Udinese.

"We played better in the first-half, while in the second half we risked a bit too much by dropping deeper," the full-back told reporters after the stalemate at San Siro. 

"It was a tense match, and especially for me as a Milan fan, it was doubly so. 

"We have kept Inter behind us in the league table and now let’s focus on winning away at Udinese. 

"We need to have the desire to go and qualify for Europe. We cannot fail. 

"It will be difficult versus Udinese, but we have to go there and try and win. 

"There are now seven finals to go and we will try and bring home 21 points."  

Antonelli, who came through the youth team ranks at Milan, rejoined the club from Genoa during the winter transfer window.