Tevez punished again

Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has been sentenced to 250 hours of community service after pleading guilty to driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.



The 29-year-old, who appeared before Macclesfield Magistrates' Court on Wednesday morning and spoke through an interpreter, was also handed a fresh six-month driving ban and a £1,000 fine.

Tevez had initially been banned from the road for six months in January after admitting two counts of failing to provide information relating to incidents where his car was clocked speeding.

He was then stopped by police, following an anonymous tip-off, leaving a Cheshire golf club behind the wheel of a Porsche Cayenne on 7 March.

Passing sentence, chair of the bench Elizabeth Depares said: "Mr Tevez, you must realise you are a role model to thousands, if not millions, of fans but nobody is above the law. You should not have been driving.

"We have heard that you are sorry and it is now up to you to ensure you will not be brought back to court again."

Probation Service officer Mike Boliver told the bench Tevez had no previous convictions so rehabilitation was not appropriate and neither was a curfew order because of the travel involved with his job.

Mr Boliver said: "He was very clear when talking to me this has been a very salutary lesson. I think the seriousness and significance of this type of offence, I think the likelihood of this happening again is very, very slim.



"Mr Tevez would welcome a chance to put something back into the community. Clearly, he is fit for unpaid work."

Messi boost for Barca

Lionel Messi could be fit for Barcelona's Champions League quarter-final decider against Paris Saint-Germain after tests revealed his hamstring injury is not as bad as first feared.

Highlights: Paris SG vs. Barcelona

The four-time world player of the year limped off at half-time during Tuesday's 2-2 draw, prompting worries he had suffered a torn muscle that would end his season early.

He is certain to miss Saturday's La Liga clash with Mallorca but could yet feature in the return leg against Carlo Ancelotti's side at the Nou Camp on 10 April.

"The medical services of the club have confirmed after carrying out tests that Leo Messi has suffered a hamstring injury in his right leg," said a statement on Barcelona's official website on Wednesday.



"He is out of the league game on Saturday and his development will decide his availability for the games that follow."

QPR are Premier League's oldest

QPR are the oldest and Liverpool are the youngest team in this season's Barclays Premier League, according to Opta stats.

The table below shows these three teams are significantly younger than the rest of the league.

Team Ranking — English Barclays Premier League

Pos.	Logo &Team	P	Average Age
1	Queens Park Rangers	31	28
2	Fulham	30	27.52
3	Stoke City	31	27.19
4	Norwich City	31	26.04
5	Chelsea	30	26.03
6	Wigan Athletic	30	25.81
7	Sunderland	31	25.77
8	West Bromwich Albion	31	25.73
9	Swansea City	31	25.57
10	Everton	30	25.41
11	Manchester United	30	25.34
12	Reading	31	25.29
13	Manchester City	30	25.17
14	Tottenham Hotspur	31	25.17
15	West Ham United	30	25.12
16	Aston Villa	31	24.79
17	Newcastle United	31	24.51
18	Southampton	31	23.71
19	Arsenal	30	23.24
20	Liverpool	31	23.22

Rodgers quashes Reina talk

Brendan Rodgers has dismissed speculation linking Pepe Reina with a move away from Liverpool by insisting their relationship is strong.

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Reports have suggested that Reina could be a summer target for Barcelona, with Victor Valdes expected to leave after announcing that he does not intend to sign a new contract at Camp Nou.

However, Rodgers has stressed that Reina remains a key part of his plans for the future at Anfield, saying he has never had a problem with the 30-year-old.

"I think a lot of the stuff this year has just been based on the speculation that Valdes is going," said the Liverpool manager.

"I am counting on him for next season, yes. He's never been unsettled and our relationship is very strong.



"Pepe and I speak a lot. He's a good man and I've real respect for him."

Heynckes happy with victory

Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes said his side's preparation paid off after taking a two-goal advantage against Juventus at the Allianz Arena.

style="border-radius: 25px 25px 25px 25px; border: 5px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);" width="213" />The German side got off to the best possible start in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg when David Alaba's deflected first-minute strike found the net.

Bayern then dominated but could not add to their advantage until Thomas Muller's 63rd minute tap-in

But their first leg victory came at a price as midfielder Toni Kroos was replaced by Arjen Robben on 16 minutes with a groin injury and is expected to miss six weeks.

Heynckes said: "We studied Juventus closely, prepared well for this game and we managed to disturb their game early and take (Italy midfielder) Andrea Pirlo out of the game.

"We have to be happy with the result, it's never easy to beat an Italian side and dominate them.

"It doesn't look so good for Toni, we're waiting for more results of tests, he's an important player for us."



Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was delighted with the win as last year's runners-up attempt to reach the semi-finals of the competition next Wednesday.

"It was a great game and that is a great result to take to Turin nex

t week," he said.

Beckham hopes for progress

David Beckham remains hopeful Paris Saint-Germain can reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals after their 2-2 draw with Barcelona at the Parc des Princes.

style="border-radius: 25px 25px 25px 25px; border: 5px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);" width="208" />Blaise Matuidi, who will miss next Wednesday's return leg after being booked, left the quarter-final tie in the balance when his last-gasp shot squirmed beyond Victor Valdes.

Barca had twice led, through Lionel Messi's wonderful opener and Xavi's late penalty, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored PSG's first equaliser, although replays showed he should have been flagged offside.

Beckham said: "In the first half, especially in the first 10 minutes, we had a few very good chances and if we'd have put one of those away it might have been different.

"Then obviously they got their goal, then it was an uphill battle, but I think we deserved the draw.

"It's better than it was at 2-1. We go there, it's going to be difficult but there's no reason we can't go there and get a result."

Barca lost Messi at half-time with a right hamstring injury, with reports suggesting he could be out for three weeks, and Beckham added: "I hope he's not injured, we all hope he's fit and ready to go for any game that's coming up. We wish him better."

Beckham was happy to be a part of such a big occasion once more, three years after he last featured in the competition while on loan at AC Milan.

"I was obviously very happy (to start)," he said. "The manager (Carlo Ancelotti) has always shown a lot of confidence in me, especially in big moments, and tonight was a big moment for the club and I was happy to start.

"I feel pretty much the same (as at Milan), it was only three years ago. I'm enjoying being part of these nights again, they're very special."

There has been much speculation this week over a potential extension to Beckham's short-term deal in Paris, which runs until the end of the season.



But he said: "Let's wait and see. Let's recover from this game and enjoy the rest of the season."

Drogba: Jose for Chelsea

Didier Drogba has backed Jose Mourinho as the ideal replacement for Rafa Benitez and says it would be "special" to see him return to Chelsea this summer.



The Ivory Coast striker was one of Mourinho's first signings at Stamford Bridge and they won two Premier League titles together during the Portuguese's first spell in charge between 2004 and 2007.

Chelsea are currently 22 points behind leaders Manchester United in this season's Premier League title race and interim boss Benitez has confirmed he will not continue in the role after this season.

And Drogba says Mourinho, who is expected to leave Real Madrid this summer, would be able to revitalise Chelsea if owner Roman Abramovich was to offer him the chance to return.

He told Sky Sports: "I don't know the other options, but the only man I know is Jose and if there's a possibility for him to come back I think it would be great for the club.

"And for the fans because everybody loves him there and everybody respects him. We know he's got something special.

"He creates something that brings all the players together and a special feeling like a family. We are like a family with him.

"We can go to war - we love this expression - we can go to war with him and that's what makes his team win."

Drogba, who signed for Galatasaray in January, is preparing to face his former boss in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder trained together as they are ready to face Real Madrid tonight, a game World Football will cover you all goals on Facebook.

After ending his eight-year spell at Chelsea last summer, he says he is committed to the Turkish giants, but hinted he could be tempted to return to Stamford Bridge if he was given the chance to work with Mourinho again.

"Why not?" Drogba added. "It would be interesting."

"But for now I'm really happy here and I want to go until the end of this experience and see what I can bring to this club.

"This club has more than 25million fans all around the world, so it's a big club with big potential. They can work on this and that's why they've signed big players like Wesley Sneijder and like me.

"I think the team can create a big surprise in this Champions League because we are ambitious, we are passionate and we have a good team."