Striker believes European qualification is key

 

Chelsea striker Fernando Torres admits it would be a 'catastrophe' if the Blues fail to book a spot in next season's UEFA Champions League. The Blues take a 1-0 lead into Tuesday night's semi-final second leg at Barcelona, but know only winning the trophy might be enough for them to return next season. Roberto Di Matteo's men currently sit four points behind fourth-placed Newcastle in the Premier League and Torres told UEFA's official website: "It would be a catastrophe to miss out on the Champions League and we must be prepared to do anything to achieve this.


"It doesn't matter who plays, who scores, who gives the assists and who stays out. The important thing is that we are successful.

 

Scottish Premier League champions Celtic won 3-0 away to Motherwell on Sunday thanks to a trio of second half goals.

Substitute and debutant Tony Watt struck twice before Cha Du-Ri's header confirmed victory for the visitors. Celtic dominated much of the first half, although Motherwell's Chris Humphrey was twice denied by saves from Lukasz Zaluska. The Bhoys once again took control early in the second period and deservedly secured the lead soon after the hour, as Victor Wanyama crossed to the far post and Watt managed to beat Darren Randolph with a powerful volley.

Three minutes later, Watt grabbed his second, firing a finish past Randolph after being set up by Joe Ledley. Cha added Celtic's third seven minutes from time, heading in Paddy McCourt's deep cross despite the best efforts of Randolph. Stuart McCall's men remain 11 points behind Rangers in the battle for second place, with fourth-placed Dundee United now just three behind 'Well.

ITALY SERIE A: 12BET odds Cesena Vs Palermo 4/22 9PM GMT+8 

Despite not winning, Cesena is trying to get good results. This team is almost relegated mathematically, yet there are voices that are giving optimism. So, due to calcioscommesse (fixing), Novara, Lecce, Genoa, that are directly above Cesena, can be punished with points removal. That said, Cesena has proved that is able to win against Palermo. Iaquinta seems eager after all this time, to explode, despite not being at his fullest. Palermo is unstable, they can reach salvation very well with the home games.

Probable starting XIs:


Cesena: Francesco Antonioli, Gianluca Comotto, Vangelis Moras, Steve von Bergen. Maurizio Lauro
Roberto Guana, Tommaso Arrigoni, Marco Parolo, Mario Alberto Santana, Dominique Malonga, Adrian Mutu

Palermo: Emiliano Viviano, Ezequiel Muñoz, Matías Silvestre, Andrea Mantovani, Eros Pisano, Franco Vazquez, Massimo Donati, Francesco Della Rocca, Nicolas Bertolo, Abel Hernandez, Fabrizio Miccoli

JAPAN J-LEAGUE DIVISION 1: 12BET odds Jubilo Iwata Vs Yokohama Marinos 4/21 1PM GMT+8

Jubilo Iwata (P6 W3 D2 L1 GD +2) went down to neighbours Shimizu S-Pulse in a hard fought Shizuoka Derby last weekend for their first defeat of the season and will be looking to bounce back from that with a win. They must fancy themselves against a faltering Yokohama F. Marinos.

Yokohama F. Marinos (P6 W0 D4 L2 GD -2) failed to get a first win of the season last week against an equally dire Omiya Ardija and will be missing the flair of Manabu Saito but will be hoping that last week's goalscorer - last season's wunderkind discovery - Yuji Ono will keep scoring goals as they try to dig themselves out of this rut.

Molineux midfielder ready to make comeback in training

Wolves midfielder Stephen Hunt is ready to return to training after successfully recovering from an hernia operation.


The Republic of Ireland international has been out of action since suffering the injury at Fulham in early March.


However, Wanderers manager Terry Connor believes it is unlikely that the 30-year-old will return to action for the relegation-haunted club before the end of the season.


"He is looking to train later in the week," Connor told the club's official website.


"He has obviously been trying to nurse himself through for a while after the operation, so I think we will need to get heads together to make sure we get him on the right path to recovery.


"We will assess things but it is not like he has been out for a week or 10 days and can come straight back into the team, or the squad.


"We'll need to have a chat about what the best thing is for him.


"Maybe we will need to advertise for a couple of games or something just to give him a chance to get fit. It would be great to see him back on the training pitch."

ENGLISH LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP: 12BET odds Blackpool Vs Leeds United 4/18 3AM GMTP+8

Blackpool have home advantage on Tuesday and currently sit in fifth place in the table, but just two points ahead of seventh placed Middlesbrough as they go in search of a play-off spot. Blackpool have lost just once in their last 16 matches at home, but they have drawn an awful lot of games, picking up a point on six occasions.

Leeds have been a real loose cannon this season and the most unpredictable side in the Championship table really could go to Blackpool and win, or lose by a heavy score line. In their last seven matches they have won two, drawn one and lost four but on the road their recent 2-0 loss to high flying Reading was their first away defeat in four matches (two wins two draws).

A loss of discipline by skipper Andy Butler was blamed for Walsall's defeat at home to Tranmere which keeps them deep in relegation trouble.

 

Butler felt he had been caught in the face by Rovers' Andy Robinson in the 62nd minute and when referee Mark Brownignored it, the defender brought down the midfielder on the edge of the box.  It meant a second defeat in a week without scoring for Walsall who are hovering just above the relegation zone. Their manager Dean Smith said: "The lads feel aggrieved because they felt we did enough to win the game. A decision has gone against us and cost us points. "We felt we should have had a free-kick. The lad elbowed Andy in the face and the referee allowed the game to go on. But Andy should have kept his discipline. He gave away a free-kick and they scored."

 

SPAIN PRIMERA LALIGA: 12BET odds Real Zaragoza Vs Granada 4/15 6PM GMT+8 

Probable Lineup:


Real Zaragoza: Roberto Jimenez, Pablo Sebastian Alvarez, David Mateos, Maurizio Lanzaro, Javier Paredes, Tomislav Dujmovic, Ruben Micael, Luis Garcia, Angel Lafita, Abraham Minero  Carlos Reina Aranda

Granada: Jose Juan Figueras, Allan Nyom, Inigo Lopez, Borja Gomez, Guilherme Siqueira, Hurtado Perez Moisés, Mikel Rico, Ikechukwu Uche, Carlos Martins, Franco Jara, Odion Ighalo

ENGLISH LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP: 12BET odds Barnsley Vs Cardiff City 4/14 10PM GMT

Barnsley pair Rob Edwards and Scott Golbourne are hoping to prove their fitness in time for the home game with Cardiff. Centre-half Edwards sustained a dead-leg in Monday's draw at Blackpool, while full-back Golbourne was struggling with an unspecified knock that kept him out.

Conway was substituted after 38 minutes of the Bluebirds' 1-1 draw with Watford on Easter Monday following a challenge from Jonathan Hogg, amidst fears he had broken his ankle. Scans have since shown there is no break, but the 26-year-old has torn ankle ligaments, ruling him out of action for up to three months and therefore the remainder of the season.

ITALY SERIE A: 12BET odds Udinese Vs Inter Milan 4/15 2:45AM GMT+8 

Probable Lineup:


Udinese: Samir Handanovic, Andrea Coda, Larangeira Danilo, Maurizio Domizzi, Roberto Pereyra, Gelson Fernandes, Michele Pazienza, Kwadwo Asamoah, Pablo Armero, Gabriel Torje, Antonio Di Natale

Inter Milan: Julio César, Javier Zanetti, Lucio, Cristian Chivu, Yuto Nagatomo, Esteban Cambiasso, Dejan Stankovic, Joel Chukwuma Obi, Ricardo Alvarez, Diego Milito, Mauro Zárate

Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed Paul Scholes will feature for Manchester United against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday.

 

Ferguson has defended his decision to rest the veteran midfielder for Wednesday's shock defeat at Wigan, which has allowed Manchester City back into the title race. Scholes' absence was only temporary, however, and he will face Villa this weekend as the Red Devils look to consolidate their five-point advantage. "Paul has shown his influence since he came back but I did the right thing to rest him on Wednesday," Ferguson said. "He will be fresh on Sunday and he will play."

SPAIN PRIMERA LALIGA: 12BET odds Real Racing Santander Vs Real Mallorca CF 4/12 3AM GMT+8 

Mallorca appeared comfortably placed in mid-table after taking eight points from four games at the start of March, but just one point from their last three outings, combined with the improved form of several of the teams below them, means there is still work to do for the Balearic club. They head into Thursday's trip to struggling Racing Santander in 15th in the table, seven points above Real Zaragoza and the relegation zone.

Racing's bid to escape the drop has not been helped by a spate of red cards, with six coming in their last 12 league matches. Racing coach Alvaro Cervera said: "We cannot play so many games with only 10 players. It's not even that we are a man down for less than 10 minutes, it's usually been for around half the match and this is a burden that Racing cannot allow.

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: 12BET odds Queens Park Rangers Vs Swansea City 4/12 3AM GMT+8

The most recent meeting between these sides at Loftus Road was on Boxing Day last season when QPR won 4-0. Neil Warnock's side went on to cruise to the Championship title, while Swansea were grateful to gain their promotion via the play-offs. Back then, it seemed unlikely that Swansea, with a much smaller budget than QPR, would go on to enjoy a more successful campaign in the top flight.However, with six games to go it is the Welsh club who are 11 points better off, and although not yet mathematically safe from the drop, they are certainly in a much more comfortable position.Just keeping 11 men on the field would be a bonus for Queens Park Rangers.

They have received seven red cards this season, although the most recent for Shaun Derry at Old Trafford looked particularly harsh. Swansea have only beaten QPR once in the last 14 meetings between the clubs. It is perhaps no coincidence that on that day QPR finished with just nine men.Mark Hughes and Brendan Rodgers have more in common than first meets the eye: both tasked with keeping their newly-promoted clubs in the top flight; both have Chelsea connections of course; and while Rodgers gets the plaudits for his team's Barcelona-esque passing style, Mark Hughes actually played for the Catalan club.

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: 12BET odds Wolverhampton Wanderers Vs Arsenal 4/12 2:45AM GMT+8

Possible lineups: 

Wolves (from): Hennessey, De Vries, Zubar, Foley, Stearman, Johnson, Bassong, Berra, Ward, Kightly, Henry, Davis, Milijas, Edwards, Jarvis, Doyle, Ebanks-Blake, Fletcher, Jonsson, Forde.

Arsenal (from): Szczesny, Sagna, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Song, Arteta, Rosicky, Gervinho, Walcott, van Persie, Fabianski, Djourou, Santos, Jenkinson, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Benayoun, Chamakh.

Inter boss avoids commenting on Balotelli rumours

Inter Milan coach Andrea Stramaccioni has refused to discuss speculation linking Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli with a return to the Serie A giants.

Balotelli has been tipped for a summer exit from Roberto Mancini's side after he found himself at the centre of controversy once again during Sunday's 1-0 loss at Arsenal when he was sent off for two bookable offences. He could also face retrospective punishment from the Football Association after escaping censure for a shocking first-half challenge on Gunners midfielder Alex Song. Mancini said after the defeat, which all but ended City's Premier League title hopes, he does not intend to play the 21-year-old again this term, and admitted he would "probably" look to sell him at the end of the season. Sunday's incident was the latest in a string of controversies, both on and off the pitch, that Balotelli has found himself involved in since joining City from Inter almost two years ago.

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Paul Scholes' comeback this season has helped boost Manchester United's title bid.

Scholes made a surprise return earlier in the campaign when coming out of retirement and has rolled back the years for the Red Devils in midfield to help inspire them in the title run-in.

He scored United's second goal in the important 2-0 win over QPR on Sunday and afterwards Ferguson lavished praise on the 37-year-old veteran.

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: 12BET odds Newcastle United Vs Bolton Wanderers 4/9 10PM GMT+8

Possible lineup: 

Newcastle: Krul; Williamson, Perch, Simpson, Santon; Ben Arfa, Gutierrez, Cabaye, Taylor; Cisse, Ba

Bolton: Bogdan; Wheater, Ricketts, Steinsson, Ream; Petrov, Reo-Coker, Eagles, Davies, Miyaichi; Klasnic