Mirror Football

Big Match Verdict on Chelsea 0-2 Newcastle: Torres has been transformed in a week

2012-05-03T09:36:57Z

Fernando Torres has been transformed in little over a week. In fact, the Spaniard was the odd man out for long periods at Stamford Bridge last night. Torres was easily Chelsea's most dangerous player as he looked lively, went close and laid on chances for his team mates. The striker is quite simply unrecognisable from the player who came on as a second half substitute in Barcelona a week last Tuesday - the player who horribly miscontrolled a pass, wasted an opening and left most people wonder...

Over and out: Sol Campbell announces retirement from football after failing to find new club

2012-05-02T15:06:54Z

The former Arsenal and England defender has quit after failing to find a club since being released by Newcastle last year

Title fight! Handbags between Mancini and Ferguson as City take back top spot

2012-04-30T21:38:13Z

Ferguson and Mancini went toe-to-toe in the 78th minute in a furious row in the technical area

Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United: Blue Moon rises to the top of the table

2012-04-30T21:10:18Z

Vincent Kompany's header settles titanic derby to hand title advantage to Mancini's men

Blue-turn: Tevez says he's staying with City next season

2012-04-30T09:44:44Z

Rebel striker claims his family are now seetled in Manchester and that he has patched up his relationship with Roberto Mancinit

It's Roy: FA to name Hodgson as England boss in amazing snub to fans' favourite Redknapp

2012-04-30T09:17:29Z

West Brom have given permission for the the FA to speak to Roy Hodgson about the vacant manager's position

Date with destiny: Tevez will score derby winner, says Mancini

2012-04-30T09:20:31Z

City boss believes rebel Argentine striker will score the most important goal in the club's history

Tottenham 2-0 Blackburn: Spurs breeze back into the top four

2012-04-29T17:15:56Z

Goals from Van der Vaart and Walker are more than enough as Rovers become first Prem team since 2004 not to have a single effort on goal in a match

Premier League LIVE: Follow the action as it happens - and help us cover it!

2012-04-29T12:20:57Z

Get the latest on Chelsea v QPR and Tottenham v Blackburn on another crucial day at both ends of the table, and join in on our semi-legendary Twitter feed

My bad: Terry apologises to Chelsea fans for THAT red card in Barcelona

2012-04-29T11:36:50Z

Programme notes express 'how sorry I am for getting sent off and putting the players, manager and club in that situation so early in such an important game'

Liverpool 3-0 Norwich: Three is the magic number for Suarez

2012-04-28T18:38:13Z

Luis Suarez scored his first hat-trick for Liverpool against a lacklustre Norwich - including a stunning third from just inside the halfway line

Wigan 4-0 Newcastle match report: Survival-expert Latics launch fantastic first-half blitz

2012-04-28T16:14:20Z

Toon's top-four hopes are dented as two goals from Moses and one each by Maloney and Di Santo seal the points by the break

Premier League - LIVE: Wigan hammering Newcastle, goals galore at Swansea and more

2012-04-28T15:44:32Z

Moses' brace boosts Latics' survival hopes and stun the Toon, Bolton and Villa on course for a point each. Follow it all on Twitter @MirrorFootball

Chelsea confirm signing of Werder Bremen star Marin (see him in action here)

2012-04-28T14:20:59Z

Blues announce they have agreed an undisclosed fee with the Bundlesliga club and personal terms with the 23-year-old Germany midfielder

Out of the Blue: Di Matteo did not tell Euro stars about looming final bans

2012-04-28T12:06:02Z

Chelsea boss explains why he deliberately kept result of being booked against Barca in Champions League semi's decider from Ivanovic and co

Manc robber: Mancini out to nick Hazard, Cavani and Modric...and wants Rooney too

2012-04-28T08:38:16Z

Manchester City boss reveals he would love to sign United's talisman and would have Ryan Giggs too - if he were a few years younger

Get your tips out for the lads: Simon Bird's Prem previews and predictions (Week 36)

2012-04-28T11:48:59Z

Who's going to win the Manchester derby? Can Arsenal beat Stoke? Will Blackburn ever win again? All that and more revealed! Every week Simon Bird, MirrorFootball's very own Mystic Meg, predicts the weekend's Premier League fixtures. Come back on Monday to see how he got on... *** Game of the weekend: Manchester City vs Manchester United (Monday, 8pm) Magic, manic, magnificent, Monday. However the final game of a potentially gripping weekend of football is billed, and whatever the foo...

Van's the man: Wenger "confident" van Persie will sign new Arsenal deal

2012-04-27T17:06:23Z

"He has grown into a leader and he is a great captain now, on and off the pitch," says Gunners boss

Adam out for the season with knee injury

2012-04-26T10:14:33Z

"There is no operation needed but he won't play this season," said Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish

Transfer news, rumours and gossip from Thursday's papers

2012-04-26T07:54:34Z

City and United set to fight it out for £75m trio, Liverpool consider loan move for Carroll and eye replacements

What more can Roberto Di Matteo possibly do?

2012-04-25T21:20:04Z

He was the unlikely choice to hold the club together when it was falling apart. Indeed, Roberto Di Matteo feared he would be getting his marching orders when Andre Villas-Boas was sacked, not asked to fill the breach. But the Italian, who surely expected his contribution to Chelsea history was going to be those two Wembley Cup Final winners, is now just 90 minutes away from orchestrating the greatest triumph the club has ever achieved. But even landing the Champions League might not be...

The FA's bizarre handling of the England boss vacancy could end up costing Spurs a lot more than a top four spot

2012-04-25T15:23:39Z

The Harry Redknapp situation has been handled bizarrely to say the least. And, unless Spurs can somehow turn their form around in their final four games, it will cost them their place in next season's Champions League. The truth of the matter is that each of the three parties in the whole affair have been at pains to safeguard their own positions. Nobody can blame Redknapp for being coy and diplomatic on the issue. Few people in his shoes would have done anything differently being in one job...

Will Spurs be able to keep Modric if their slump continues - and would they want to?

2012-04-25T15:23:33Z

Wonder what Luka Modric thought of Tuesday night in Barcelona? Tottenham's Croatian midfielder looked to have got over his frustration in the autumn of last year after being denied his chance to join Chelsea last summer. Indeed Modric was instrumental in the north Londoners' run of just two defeats in 21 matches that took them into title contention. In the last few months, however, Modric has looked nowhere near the prize asset so furiously fought over by the Blue and the White half during la...

Why Comolli's shock departure is the start of a new Boston revolution at Anfield

2012-04-25T14:10:26Z

It was Patriots’ Day in Boston last Monday, the annual Massachusetts public holiday commemorating (or should that be celebrating?) the battles of Lexington and Concord. For those of you who don’t know (and let’s face it, we Brits are not so hot on history when we’re on the losing side) those two skirmishes were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. As you can imagine of an event that crafted and defined a nation, the residents of the Bay State where it all began ta...

Let them play! Mikel calls on UEFA to change rules so banned Chelsea quartet can make the final

2012-04-25T14:19:33Z

John Terry, Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles will all miss out after picking up bookings against Barcelona

VIDEO: When Gary Met Sally - Watch hilarious mash-up of G-Nev's orgasmic reaction to Torres goal

2012-04-25T11:52:02Z

I'll have what he's having!

Chelsea hero Torres: I didn't think I'd get a chance to score - I was playing as a left-back!

2012-04-25T09:06:40Z

"To be in the Champions League final, obviously, is a dream come true for all the Chelsea players," says striker

Transfer news, rumours and gossip from Wednesday's papers

2012-04-25T08:10:59Z

Hazard keen on United switch, Spurs eye Chelsea striker and Feyenoord want their Kuyt back

Lampard: This is as good as it gets

2012-04-25T08:06:22Z

Champions league triumph over Barcelona hailed as one of club's greatest ever nights

Why that moment of madness will haunt Terry forever

2012-04-24T22:25:57Z

As he walked towards the tunnel, his face reddening, he must have thought he had cost his team a place in the Champions League Final. In the end, John Terry only cost himself. VIDEO: Terry apologises for this daft Barca red card Why did they do it? John Terry and four more clips of when football greats attack... Barcelona 2-2 Chelsea: Daily Mirror player ratings Tweet my Goal! The best gags from Barcelona 2-2 Chelsea (2-3 agg) Barcelona 2-2 Chelsea (agg 2-3): Knees-up as Torres puts B...

Tweet my Goal! The best gags from Barcelona 2-2 Chelsea (2-3 agg)

2012-04-24T21:16:50Z

Well, that was dull, eh?

We enjoyed one of the most dramatic games ever and you can read the match report here:

Aston Villa 1-2 Bolton: Ngog drags McLeish into relegation scrap

Oh yeah, and there was this as well...

Barcelona 2-2 Chelsea (agg 2-3): Knees-up as Torres puts Blues in final

This is how it unfolded on the @MirrorFootball feed.

Barcelona 2-2 Chelsea (agg 2-3): Knees-up as Torres puts Blues in final

2012-04-24T22:22:27Z

Terry sent off and Messi misses penalty in sensational semi

Why did they do it? John Terry and four more clips of when football greats attack...

2012-04-24T22:52:44Z

Chelsea's John Terry earned himself a stunningly daft red card by kneeing Barcelona's Alexis Sanchez in the backside at the Nou Camp in Tuesday's Champions League semi. As dumb as Terry's foul was, it wasn't the first inexplicable assault by a top footballer. Was it, David? * David Beckham, 1998 While down on the ground in a World Cup last 16 clash against Argentina, Beckham flicked out his foot and felled Diego Simeone, receiving a straight red card from Kim Milton Nielsen two minutes into t...

Why I voted for Valencia, not RvP, as player of the year

2012-04-24T17:20:07Z

Antonio Valencia plays his football in the shadows. He is a rare breed these days, a self-effacing Premier League player content to let others take the headlines. But he is a player of great courage and wonderful skill who has been crucial to Manchester United's challenge for the Premier League title this season. He works incredibly hard, of course, which is a prerequisite for most of the top players these days. But he is also the joint-leader in assists this season, alongside the Manchester ...

Fans paying £1,300 a ticket to see City v United

2012-04-24T22:05:40Z

Online agencies coining it in ahead of sold-out title crunch

Barca: We are NOT going to sign Van Persie

2012-04-24T19:06:34Z

Catalan giants' spokesman snuffs out rumours linking Dutchman with Camp Nou

Why priceless RvP is the most deserving Footballer of the Year winner for years

2012-04-24T13:15:38Z

Robin van Persie is the most deserved winner of the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year for many years. That's not just because of his goals, although 38 in 50 games this season is a remarkable and prolific tally which includes spectacular and crucial goals. But the Footballer of the Year, in my view, should go to the individual who has had most influence on the season, irrespective of his team's success. I voted for Scott Parker last year and stand by that decision even thou...

Serie A blog: The disgraceful display by Genoa fans on Sunday was the inevitable result of Italian football's cosy relationship with Ultras

2012-04-24T12:03:45Z

MirrorFootball has teamed up with some of the blogosphere's best new writers to bring you even more great football reads every single day. Today it's our Serie A blogger, footballitaliano.co.uk's Mina Rzouki, with her take on the week's big issues in Italy. *** "Shame, shame, shame! What happened today in Genoa once again represents the worst side of Italian football,” said the CONI (The Italian National Olympic Committee) President Gianni Petrucci. On Sunday afternoon, a Genoa side that were...

The fact that Newcastle fans may now be disappointed to finish fifth proves just how good their season has been

2012-04-24T11:45:26Z

With every week, and every win, Newcastle's season opens up new unexpected dimensions. Six wins in a row, coupled goals in the last six games from Papiss Cisse, has thrust the club into a position that is so unlikely I wonder if anyone, until last weekend, really thought it was a prospect. Alan Pardew and MD Derek Llambias have spent a few months considering the impact that a Europa League campaign might have - concluding that a couple of extra players may have to be signed on top of the coup...

Pearce: I'm off to see Becks in LA but, er, no-one's guaranteed a place...

2012-04-24T15:43:24Z

Team GB Mens coach heading Stateside to see whether Goldenballs can still walk, kick and stand

Barca go into this game in unfamiliar territory - can Guardiola get them back on track and into another final?

2012-04-24T11:01:57Z

Chelsea take on Barcelona in the Nou Camp tonight in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final. The Blues hold a 1-0 lead from the first leg, with a place in the final the prize for whoever can come out on top this evening. We asked La Liga expert David Cartlidge of www.spanishfootball.info to assess how Barcelona will be approaching the match. *** Reports of Barcelona’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. They have not suddenly become a bad team, but they have picked up a nasty h...

Olympic draw: It's Senegal, Uruguay and the UAE for Pearce's GB Men

2012-04-24T13:50:17Z

Middling draw for Stuart Pearce's side, culminating in Uruguay showdown on August 1

Robin van Persie scoops Football Writers' Footballer of the Year award

2012-04-24T13:14:07Z

Arsenal striker picks up second award in a week

Transfer news, rumours and gossip from Tuesday's papers

2012-04-24T08:02:57Z

Liverpool eye Benfica midfielder and Inter Milan striker, plus Chelsea to fight Barca for Portuguese starlet

EXCLUSIVE: Van Persie's agent in Juve talks

2012-04-24T09:12:40Z

Italian giants join list of clubs out to buy Arsenal captain in the summer

Lawro previews Barcelona v Chelsea: Why Blues must be mythbusters and netbusters

2012-04-23T17:49:38Z

Roberto Di Matteo pulled off a tactical masterstroke to set up Chelsea's win over Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League semi - now he must hold his nerve in the Nou Camp. If it had been Jose Mourinho, in his early days at Stamford Bridge, who had masterminded last week's defeat of Barca, it would have been hailed as a stroke of genius. But as it was 'only' Di Matteo, maybe Chelsea did not get the praise they deserved for a well-drilled, disciplined and impressive victory over t...

Cech taunts Barca: Mourinho is helping us

2012-04-23T22:03:01Z

Real Madrid's ex-Blues manager "sent over a whole file" on Champions League semi foes jokes keeper

Why Chelsea are taking on Barcelona AND the whole Messi-loving world at the Nou Camp

2012-04-23T19:46:00Z

It was the Diada de Sant Jordi in Barcelona on Monday - women gave their men a book on the saint's day and men gave their women a rose, so the pavements were strewn with red petals and lined with trestle tables stacked with works of literature. As the Chelsea team coach made its way to their hotel near the Nou Camp, the players saw flower-sellers on every corner. There were no bouquets for them, of course. There rarely are. And they are more of a barbed-wire side. That is why there is a bit o...

Barca boss in four-letter blast at press call

2012-04-23T20:18:39Z

Under-fire Guardiola drops the F-bomb as he defends team before Chelsea showdown

Fergie confirms Hazard scouting mission

2012-04-23T21:07:53Z

United manager impressed after watching Lille playmaker against Lyon