Arsenal
Thomas Vermaelen maintains there will be “no time to be intimidated” by Lionel Messi when Barcelona head to Emirates Stadium for the Champions League quarter-final first leg. The Gunners could be without influential captain Cesc Fabregas, who is struggling to overcome a leg problem. Barcelona, meanwhile, may be missing Andres Iniesta, but still have plenty of players who would leave most defenders with sleepless nights. However, Belgian international Vermaelen – who returns after missing the 1-1 Barclays Premier League draw at Birmingham – says Arsenal must not get hung up on reputations. “We are not focussed on individuals, because we have to play our own game and play as a team,” Vermaelen declared. “You are aware of the qualities of the opponents, but you also know what your own strengths are. Messi is a very good player, one of the best players in the world. Of course you enjoy watching him play, because he is a real footballer. However, there will be no time to be intimidated.”
Aston Villa
In-form striker John Carew is sweating on his chances of being fit for Aston Villa’s FA Cup semi-final showdown with Chelsea. Carew is suffering with a back injury that saw him leave Stamford Bridge in pain on Saturday following the 7-1 Barclays Premier League loss to the Blues. That was after the Norwegian had scored an equaliser, which eventually proved to be Villa’s consolation, to take his superb scoring streak to nine goals in his last eight appearances. The problem is a recurrence of an injury that forced Carew onto the sidelines last season, and could leave the 30-year-old fighting to be fit for not only Saturday’s trip to Bolton, but the Wembley date with Chelsea on 10th April. “I tried to continue, but after the break it felt like I had two knives in the side of my back,” said Carew on the injury that saw him come off after 63 minutes. ”The pains can come and go, and now they seem to be back. I will be examined and treated in Birmingham, and the next 48 hours will determine how long I will be out.”
Birmingham City
Alex McLeish has dismissed suggestions his players already have one eye on their summer holidays. The Blues have picked up two points from their last four matches since back-to-back Barclays Premier League wins over Wigan and Portsmouth that hauled them to safety. Defeats at Sunderland and Blackburn have sandwiched home draws with Everton and Arsenal, the latter with a last-gasp equaliser at the weekend. But McLeish said: “It has been difficult for us to win on the road recently, but no one finds it easy to win away, as Arsenal found. Anyone who has watched the last three performances I’m sure will agree we haven’t looked as if we’re a team winding down or putting the sun-tan lotion on early. We’ve lost two of them, okay, but that was down to lapses, a bit of bad luck.
Blackburn Rovers
Sam Allardyce has revealed he can now afford to start looking ahead to next season. Victory over east Lancashire rivals Burnley on Sunday took Rovers through the psychological 40-point barrier in the Barclays Premier League. With the team also 10th in the table, Allardyce is confident that top-flight status is assured for another season, saying: “I don’t think there’s any doubt about it now, that is us building for next season. We can enjoy the run-in now that the pressure upon us is relieved. We are already on the points total that we managed to achieve last season and there are six games to go. Let’s see how far we can finish, I’ll try a few more players along the way and let’s try to be a bit more comfortable with our Premier League experience. The last few weeks have been good particularly, so lets hope this continues until the end of the season.”
bolton wanderers
Kevin Davies hopes this weekend proves the perfect time to play Aston Villa. The Trotters are not yet clear of relegation danger after back-to-back defeats to Everton and Manchester United in the Barclays Premier League. FA Cup semi-finalists Villa will provide further tough opposition at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday but they have not won in three matches and crashed 7-1 at Chelsea last weekend. Davies said: “We have another massive game coming up against Villa and we have got to try to win. We don’t want to find ourselves getting back amongst it again. Villa seem to be slumping a little bit and they had a heavy defeat at the weekend. They may also have an eye on the cup semi-final the following week as well, so we feel it is a game we can go and win.”
burnley
Captain Steven Caldwell has declared himself fit and ready to play a role in the Clarets’ relegation fight. The defender has been sidelined for more than three months with a pelvic injury but played the full 90 minutes for Burnley’s reserves in their 4-0 defeat against Blackburn. And Caldwell is now hoping manager Brian Laws will select him for Saturday’s home match against Manchester City. He said: “I am fit for selection so it’s up to him (Laws) to decide if I should be back in the team. I am champing at the bit. There’s not enough time to muck about and I want to be in there. Obviously there are a lot of people who want to be in there. It’s a difficult situation but the sooner I get in there the better it is for me personally and hopefully for the team. I’m sure the adrenaline of the occasion on Saturday, or whenever the manager decides to put me in, will be enough to get me through it.”
Chelsea
Didier Drogba has been banned for two matches by UEFA for his red card against Inter Milan. The Chelsea striker was sent off in the 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge on 16th March for stamping on Thiago Motta. The 32-year-old already had a two-match suspended ban hanging over him for his behaviour towards referee Tom Henning Ovrebo in last season’s semi-final against Barcelona. That suspended ban is understood to relate to behaviour towards match officials, but the probationary period has now been extended from July 2011 to July 2013. UEFA said in a statement: “Chelsea FC striker Didier Drogba has been suspended by UEFA’s control and disciplinary body for two European club competition matches after being sent off in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg against FC Internazionale Milano in London on 16th March. The suspension applies to the next two UEFA club competition matches for which Drogba would be eligible.”
everton
David Moyes has hailed the part played by John Heitinga in his side’s recovery this season. Holland international Heitinga has impressed in both defence and midfield for the Toffees during the second half of the campaign. Moyes admits it took the 26-year-old time to settle after his
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