Tottenham teeter
As the curtain came down on last night’s Champions League quarter-final second leg at Old Trafford, Tottenham Hotspur fans were granted one final gift from their own European excursions this campaign – bragging rights for being London’s last team standing in continental competition.
That privilege is likely to perish tonight however, as they trail 4-0 from their first-leg encounter with Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid. You get the feeling there’s more chance of Ledley King playing two consecutive games.
Chelsea crash
Chelsea would no doubt snatch at such a long-shot scenario this morning, as they reflect on another early exit from Europe’s premier club competition.
Their Champions League ‘curse’ continued as they lost 2-1 to Manchester United thanks to goals from Javier Hernandez and Park Ji Sung. Second-half substitute Didier Drogba’s delightful leveller on the night served only to shock the hosts into a rapid-fire riposte.
A repeat of the 2009 Final seems increasingly likely at Wembley Stadium on May 28 but if London is to host an English winner, United will have to find a way of stopping Lionel Messi, who stroked home his 48th goal of the season as Barcelona beat Shahkter Donetsk last night.
That’s right. Forty-Eigth.
Lukaku linked
Blues’ fans may at least be boosted by news emerging from Spanish publication Marca, that sought-after teenage striker Romanu Lukaku looks set to sign for the Premier League champions this summer.
Lukaku’s agent, Christophe Henrotay, claims his client has many suitors and is ready to leave Belgium at the end of the current campaign, but stresses with a prize-tag of 30 million euros, Chelsea are in pole position to land the youngster dubbed ‘the new Didier Drogba’.
JET fuels Bluebirds
Arsenal youngster Jay Emmanuel-Thomas scored his second goal for loan club Cardiff City last night and immediately set his sights on automatic promotion.
Emmanuel-Thomas’ close-range header doubled Cardiff’s lead at rock-bottom Sheffield United, after former West Ham star Craig Bellamy’s opener, to leave the Gunners’ academy graduate in bullish mood.
"Being in second place, obviously we'd go straight to the Premier League without even the play-offs," the 20-year-old told the BBC.
“So hopefully if we can keep where we are now then that's where we'll be next season.”
Except, he’s likely to be back at London Colney.
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