Former Chelsea star Ray Wilkins has claimed Petr Cech will join Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season.

Jonathan Johnson of ESPN FC tweeted Wilkins’ revelation after PSG fell 3-1 to Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday night:

Wilkins is likely to have better inside knowledge than most, having worked at Chelsea as coach, assistant first-team coach and caretaker manager since the turn of the century.

Cech dropped out of the Chelsea lineup with the return of Thibaut Courtois at the start of the campaign. Jose Mourinho has constantly favoured the youngster in Premier League competition, with Cech reduced to just four starts in the domestic division, per WhoScored.com.

He has made nine appearances in cup competitions, remaining committed to the west London side’s cause whenever called upon. Although Cech hasn’t made a fuss, he recently told Idnes (h/t ESPN FC) that his presence on the bench “can work for one season only.”

Cech would become a leader at PSG, but Salvatore Sirigu remains a top-class goalkeeper when in form. Laurent Blanc’s side could use a smattering of experienced winners to help PSG fulfill their potential in Europe. Cech has been a key figure of Chelsea’s Roman Abramovich era, so he knows what it’s like to play under the pressure of significant investment.

Although Mourinho is unlikely to receive major cash for the goalkeeper, every little bit helps as the summer transfer market opens. Chelsea have been “encouraged” in their quest to land Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi, according to Telegraph Sport, but word from the Serie A club suggests they are looking to build around the Argentinian’s goalscoring form.

Piero Ausilio, Inter’s sporting director, confirms the side are hoping to renew Icardi‘s contract, as reported by Nima Tavallaey Roodsari of GianlucaDiMarzio.com: “In all renewals there are things that need to be fixed and times to follow. We want to extend and adjust Icardi‘s contract. And when there is a will, in the end, things will always work out.”

David Amoyal of the same website suggests both Inter and Icardi will make the agreement happen: “The biggest hurdle appears to be the exit clause which Inter doesn’t want to include in the contract. The parties however want to reach an agreement and will continue to work towards it.”

Amoyal also believes Inter should refrain from cashing in:

Icardi has scored 16 goals in 28 league matches this season, per WhoScored.com. He possesses a combative nature and is the type of player who can be loved by his own fans and loathed by others. B/R UK’s Matteo Bonetti recently detailed Icardi‘s personality and whether he could be a success at Stamford Bridge:

Chelsea supporters will no doubt be sad to hear Cech may leave, particularly if he’s to join a European side who could impact the Blues’ Champions League chances in the future. PSG knocked Mourinho‘s men out of Europe this season, so the inevitable showdown would only ever be one unlucky draw away.

Icardi has the promise to be a star under Mourinho, although it seems Inter will do all they can to ensure the 22-year-old remains at the San Siro.

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Fans of the UEFA Champions League were treated to plenty of goals and spectacle on Wednesday, with two of the finest quarter-final first legs you’ll ever see. Barcelona underlined their title credentials with a huge 3-1 win at Paris Saint-Germain, while Porto shocked Bayern Munich by the same score.

The Catalans were always favoured in a tie against PSG, who entered the match without a number of key players and lost captain Thiago Silva to injury in the first half. According to Goal’s Kris Voakes, it marked the end of the contest as an exciting one:

To their credit, Les Parisiens didn’t lean back and actually created a number of good chances against the in-form Blaugrana, but Edinson Cavani forgot his shooting boots on his way to the stadium.

In contrast, Barcelona’s top attacking trio once again stole the show, with Lionel Messi assisting Neymar for the opening goal and Luis Suarez twice finding the back of the net.

He also managed to nutmeg David Luiz on both occasions, leading to plenty of hilarity on social media, via Bleacher Report UK:

Gregory van der Wiel managed to pull one back for the hosts, his shot taking a wicked deflection off Jeremy Mathieu, but the lone goal likely won’t do the French champions much good.

Barcelona will return home with three away goals, meaning PSG will have to beat the Catalans at the Camp Nou by a margin of three themselves. And given the current form of both squads, that seems all but impossible. Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Johnson said what just about everyone was thinking after Suarez’s second:

He also noted PSG’s impressive unbeaten home streak in European competition had come to an end:

As shared by Barcastuff, scorer Suarez was full of praise of the effort of his side:

Barcelona’s big win at the Parc des Princes wasn’t a big surprise, but the same can’t be said for Porto’s 3-1 triumph over favourites Bayern Munich. The hosts dominated the Bavarians from start to finish and will now travel to the Allianz Arena with a real shot at qualifying.

Ricardo Quaresma opened the scoring after just three minutes, after Manuel Neuer pulled down Jackson Martinez inside the box. The decision was a controversial one—some fans couldn’t believe Neuer didn’t see the red card, while others, including Jan Aage Fjortoft, thought it wasn’t a penalty to begin with:

The Bavarian defence was caught napping for the first goal, with Xabi Alonso all but handing the ball to Martinez on a silver platter. Minutes later, Dante did the same for Quaresma, who doubled his tally and gave the hosts an unlikely 2-0 lead.

Quaresma is widely known as one of the biggest busts in recent football history, failing with Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea, and Bleacher Report’s Andy Brassell patted himself on the back for picking him to shine on Wednesday:

Thiago Alcantara pulled one back for Bayern before half-time, and with possession now firmly in the hands of the visitors, it looked as if Pep Guardiola’s men would restore order in the second half.

That never happened, however, as Porto easily held off the German attacks and found the back of the net once more, with Martinez rounding Neuer. Full-backs Danilo and Alex Sandro both picked up bookings that will force them to miss the return leg.

The loss of Danilo and Sandro could prove vital for Porto, who fully deserved the win on Wednesday but also took advantage of a bad night for Bayern. The visitors simply lacked all creativity, and it’s unlikely they’ll be equally bad at home.

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FC Porto shocked Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich on Wednesday, recording a 3-1 win at home in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash.

The Portuguese side thoroughly outplayed the Bavarians and deservedly walked away with a pivotal two-goal win, setting up an epic return match at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday.

Porto got off to a flying start and took the lead in the third minute, as Ricardo Quaresma converted from the penalty spot. ESPN FC’s Michael Cox couldn’t believe what he was seeing:

Jackson Martinez dispossessed Xabi Alonso close to the box and tried to play the ball past Manuel Neuer. The Germany international brought the Colombian down but somehow only walked away with a yellow card, to the dismay of 101 Great Goals:

Some thought Neuer got the ball rather than Martinez, however, and the replays hardly painted a clear picture of the incident.

The hosts continued their high press and easily held possession in the early stages, a complete reversal of what most fans and pundits expected. Pep Guardiola’s men were seemingly asleep, allowing Porto to simply work the ball around in midfield.

Robert Lewandowski missed a huge chance, directing his close-range header over the bar, before Quaresma doubled his tally in the 10th minute. Dante was the one to cough up the ball this time, allowing the winger to simply run at Neuer and make it 2-0.

Cue the pandemonium on social media, with Bleacher Report’s Karl Matchett in awe of what he was seeing:

Bleacher Report UK just about summed up how Bayern fans must have been feeling:

Quaresma continued his fantastic work, forcing Juan Bernat to bring him down for a booking. Portuguese football expert Tom Kundert was dying for the winger to keep up the good work:

The Bavarians slowly started to grow into the match, however, taking possession away from Porto in their usual style.

Chances were hard to come by, with the hosts doing a fantastic job of closing down passing lanes around the box. Bayern knew they would have to be clinical, given the low amount of looks they were getting on goal.

It was Thiago Alcantara who eventually pulled one back, after some excellent work out wide from Jerome Boateng. According to MisterChip (English), it was another fine example of the visitors not relying too much on the same scorers:

Alex Sandro nearly restored Porto’s two-goal cushion, as Neuer had to push his cross-turned-shot onto the bar. Sandro then proceeded to bring down Thomas Muller, earning himself a yellow card and a spot in the stands for the second leg, due to suspension.

The final chance of the first half fell to Casemiro, whose header missed the Bavarian bar by inches.

Squawka Football shared some of the half-time statistics:

Porto were content to sit back and let Bayern control the ball in the second half, and the hosts easily held off the German attack. Mario Gotze was replaced after just 56 minutes, bringing an end to his miserable night.

Porto were still dangerous on the counter-attack, however, and Hector Herrera forced Neuer into making an excellent save after some great work from Danilo.

Bayern were playing with fire at this point, and Martinez made them pay with a cool finish after a great ball in from Sandro. Squawka looked at Guardiola for some answers:

Bayern tried to answer with even more possession in the centre of the pitch, but possession only gets you so far. The creative outlets were at a loss against Porto’s defence, simply not finding any space. Bleacher Report’s Clark Whitney couldn’t understand what was wrong:

Even with all 10 outfielders inside the Porto half, nothing happened in front of goal. Danilo picked up a yellow card of his own, ruling him out of the return leg at the Allianz Arena.

Bayern got close to Fabiano’s goal on a number of set pieces inside the final 10 minutes, but they didn’t produce any real danger.

Bayern’s most realistic path to advancing is to beat Porto 2-0 at the Allianz Arena in the return leg. While Guardiola’s men are capable of blowing just about any team out of the water, beating this Porto side won’t be easy.

The Dragons know how to defend and have plenty of pace on the counter, so the Bavarians will have to be at their very best to qualify for the semi-finals.

Relevant Match Grades

Ricardo Quaresma: A

This may not be the Quaresma fans of Inter Milan remember. For all of his faults, the winger remains a highly talented player capable of huge performances when he’s feeling it. Against Bayern, he was all over the place, routinely exposing the centre-backs and their struggles under pressure.

Dante: D

Alonso’s blunder leading up to the first goal was bad, but at least the Spaniard recovered. Dante started off on the wrong foot and only regressed, once again showcasing Bayern’s need for a true world-class defender at the heart of that back line.

Yacine Brahimi: B+

Danilo and Sandro deserve praise for their fine performances out wide, but Brahimi was vital in working around Bayern’s high press. The tricky winger is known for his dribbling, and per Artur Petrosyan of Sport-Express, it was on full display Wednesday:

Post-Match Reaction

Speaking to the Champions League’s official Twitter account, Martinez explained how happy he was to make an impact despite his lack of form due to injury:

Philipp Lahm warned Porto the tie is far from over:

Matthias Sammes, Bayern’s sporting director, told the club’s official Twitter account it will be up to the squad to show they have what it takes to bounce back from adversity:

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Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero has admitted he would like to sign Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli. 

He believes the Italian could thrive away from the limelight of Europe’s elite, as reported by GazzettaTV (h/t David Amoyal, writer on behalf of Sky Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio): “I would bring in Balotelli, he would do well here since there isn’t the pressure of a big club. If a player has tranquillity he can score more easily.”

Balotelli is a player who has been given numerous chances at the world’s best clubs. Upon leaving Inter Milan in 2010, he has struggled through spells with Manchester City, AC Milan and now Liverpool. Few doubt his potential—he is capable of scoring outrageous goals—nor his physical abilities. His attitude and application, however, remain lacking.

His £16 million summer move to Liverpool was touted as a bargain by many, but it soon became clear Balotelli‘s contribution would be limited.

He struggled to find the net in an early run of games, eventually leading manager Brendan Rodgers to switch to a 3-4-2-1 formation which rendered Balotelli‘s lack of movement obsolete.

With two creative playmakers operating just behind the lone striker, Rodgers has regularly opted for the tricky pace and movement of Raheem Sterling in the central role. Balotelli has failed to score more than once in any competition this season, totalling just three strikes, per WhoScored.com. He currently has seven yellow cards to his name, hasn’t played since Mar. 22 or completed 90 minutes since Nov. 1.

B/R UK highlighted a social media gaffe from Balotelli, who tweeted during Manchester United’s 4-2 destruction of Manchester City:

BT Sport pundit Robbie Savage recently branded the player “pathetic” for missing Liverpool’s FA Cup quarter-final replay with Blackburn Rovers, as reported by Kieran Gill of the MailOnline: “Pathetic isn’t it? You’re going to miss an FA Cup quarter-final? I don’t know how unwell he is, but to miss an FA Cup quarter-final when you’re feeling a bit ill? Nonsense. I would have to be really, really ill to miss that game.”

Balotelli responded in typically cheeky fashion:

Ferrero snapped up Samuel Eto’o from Everton in January. “Everyone wanted Eto’o, but they only talked about it,” he said, per Amoyal. “I put my money where my mouth is and I got him.”

While many may be interested in having a crack at finding Balotelli‘s best form, offering to stump up significant cash for his services is a different story. Ferrero suggests he isn’t one to shy away from a challenge if the player is a good fit for head coach Sinisa Mihajlovic.

At 24 years old, Balotelli would be smart to consider Sampdoria. He needs to get back to scoring goals and working on somehow finding the potential we saw as a youngster. His career is being wasted on the bench, but he is the one to blame. 

Sampdoria are fighting for a Europa League place this season, so Balotelli would likely need to make the step away from Champions League football if he’s to move on. At this point, this is the best he can ask for.

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If Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho secures the signing of Fluminense’s Brazilian right attacking midfielder/centre-forward Kenedy, 19, surely memories of Carlos Alberto will stream into the Special One’s mind. 

Mourinho’s first big-name teenage Brazilian breakout star was Alberto, who, instead of rivalling Cristiano Ronaldo’s greatness, is now struggling to stay in the game.

Kenedy has scored two goals from 507 minutes over 20 games (two starts) in the Brasileirao this season, so it is out of left field that he “looks certain” to sign with Chelsea, per Simon Johnson at the London Evening Standard.

Kenedy’s shooting accuracy is 30.4 per cent, and when he played at the 2013 U17 World Cup, he was a role player, not a star.

The FIFA technical study group selected Auro Alvaro, Gabriel Boschilia, Gustavo Hebling and Nathan Allan as Brazil’s key players during the tournament, per FIFA.com.

Perhaps Mourinho is willing to gamble Alberto-style on Kenedy’s upside.

Rise

“Luis Goncalves from the scouting department suggested Carlos Alberto from Fluminense,” Mourinho said in 2004, per Luis Lourenco’s book Jose Mourinho: Made in Portugal (h/t Alex Dunn at Sky Sports). “It only took one game for me to make up my mind about signing [Alberto].”

That is one game more than it took then-Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to sign Bebe.

According to South American correspondent Tim Vickery at BBC Sport, Alberto was gifted but underwhelming at Fluminense, until he transferred to Porto:

[Alberto] felt the strain of his poor performances [at Fluminense] and even went through a spell of insomnia.

But Porto took a chance on him and this is another case of how a move to Europe has done nothing but good for a young Brazilian player.

At [Fluminense, Alberto] was spoiled.

He was the potential star, and as such was allowed to do as he pleased.

Porto coach Jose Mourinho quickly saw that Alberto had no idea of how to play collectively or of how to put his ability at the disposition of the team.

Mourinho worked his magic and, less than six months after making the move, the player has acknowledged the improvements.

…

It is a classic example of co-operation between Europe and South America. Carlos Alberto is a more collective player, a better player and Porto are Champions of Europe.

May 26, 2004. Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Stripping away the Porto shirt and unveiling a white singlet emblazoned with the Nike swoosh, Alberto quirkishly trudged away from Monaco’s goal in celebration.

To referee Kim Milton Nielsen, Alberto deserved a yellow card for “unsporting behaviour.”

To the rest of the footballing world, Alberto was a bona fide star.

He achieved what Ronaldo never accomplished as a 19-year-old: scoring in and winning the UEFA Champions League.

Fall

Seven months after playing a pivotal part in Porto’s UEFA Champions League triumph, Alberto was at first glance prematurely offloaded to Corinthians for €6/£4.2 million.

Porto is to football transfers what Warren Buffett is to investing—you won’t realise the rationale now, but later it all makes sense.

What Porto did was cut bait with Alberto, at the time one of the brightest prospects in world football, before their projection came to fruition: his transfer stock would drastically depreciate.

There was a forewarning, per Richard Stevens at The Guardian: “Brazilian teenager Carlos Alberto was left out as punishment for arriving late for a [Porto] training session and arguing with Mourinho.”

Alberto returning home contradicted his issues with Brazilian football when he arrived at Porto.

“The rhythm [in Portugal] is different, football is faster and more competitive [than in Brazil],” Alberto said in 2004, per Luis Coelho at UEFA.com. “Unfortunately Brazilian football is in a financial crisis.”

After Mourinho left for Chelsea, the instant Alberto signed on the dotted line to officially become a Corinthians Media Sports Investments player was when he unwittingly self-sabotaged his own career.

“[Corinthians] started out offering me the same deal I had with Porto and I wasn’t interested. They came back with another offer better than the one I had in Europe and here I am,” Alberto said in 2005, per Andrew Downie at ESPN FC. “I never thought about returning to Brazil ever.”

Alberto was MSI’s cash cow, but he was persona non grata at Corinthians due to his disruptive presence.

This created a conflict of interest.

“[MSI] is the exclusive holder of the rights to administer the club’s football department,” MSI said in 2006 through Corinthians’ official website (h/t Brian Homewood at Reuters via ESPN). “[MSI] does not agree with the unilateral decisions taken by the directors of Corinthians in relation to Carlos Alberto.”

Exiled on loan to Fluminense, Alberto was fine.

Still, MSI negotiated a €7.8/£5.3 million deal for Corinthians to sell Alberto to Werder Bremen.

He was told to smile, wave and take the line of least resistance.

“I’m here to win titles with Werder Bremen,” Alberto said in 2007, per CNN. “I like Werder Bremen and would only have wanted to come here.”

It was a pretence which folded under closer inspection.

“[MSI], my owners, want something that I don’t want,” Alberto said in 2007, per Jack Lang at In Bed With Maradona. “I’d like to stay at Fluminense.”

Costing Werder Bremen €3.9/£2.65 million-a-Bundesliga game, Alberto held out because he claimed to be suffering from insomnia, per Jefferson Chase at Deutsche Welle.

Prior to Werder Bremen parting “ways for good” with Alberto in 2010, he was banished out on loan to Sao Paulo, Botafogo and Vasco da Gama, where he was asked by Philippe Coutinho about Mourinho.

Coutinho never played under Mourinho at Inter Milan, but he was sold the sales pitch to leave Vasco da Gama for the Nerazzurri. 

A Mourinho character reference from Alberto helped sure up Coutinho’s commitment to Inter Milan.

“[Alberto] told me that Mourinho is one of the best trainers and that I will find myself in good hands,” Coutinho said in 2009, per Corriere dello Sport (h/t Football Italia). “[Alberto said] the important thing is to work hard and listen.”

Sage words, but you immediately think of: “Listen to my advice, just don’t follow my actions.”

Regret

By 2009, you assume Alberto entered into the Tony Flygare/Pete Best zone, where it is natural to dwell on the past, thinking of what could have been, instead of rectifying the present.

Here is a profound statistic: 

• Alberto scored his first and last UEFA Champions League goal on May 26, 2004 against Monaco.
• Meanwhile, Ronaldo opened his account (group stages to final) on April 10, 2007.

Author Stephen King discussed how overrated talent is, per The New York Times: “It’s the cheapest commodity on earth, with the possible exceptions of mongrel dogs and table salt.”

The expression: “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard,” partly explains why Alberto fell from grace.

Life without Mourinho was the other contributing factor in Alberto’s demise.

• Per ChelseaFC.com; December 9, 2014; “I think at almost every club I gave chances to young people [like] Carlos Alberto at Porto.”
• Per Gary Neville at The Telegraph; October 17, 2014: “One of the things that stays forever in a manager’s career is the kids that become great. And you were the guy that put him in … [an example]: Carlos Alberto scored in a UEFA Champions League final, aged 19.”
• Per Dominic Fifield at The Guardian; July 24, 2013: “In Porto, Carlos Alberto is still the youngest player to score a goal in a UEFA Champions League final.”

Alberto’s career went nowhere pre- and post-Mourinho. 

This is why Mourinho speaks of Alberto as if there is only the Porto Alberto.

+allanjiang.

When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.com. 

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Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure was on the receiving end of some scathing criticism after his poor display against Manchester United on Sunday, as reported by Michael Gadd in the Mail. 

City lost the game at Old Trafford 4-2 and afterwards Gary Neville, the former United and England right-back, laid into Toure on Sky Sports in his role as a pundit.

Neville predicted big changes in the City squad this summer after a season of regression on the pitch and singled out Toure as one of the “weeds in the garden” that needs removing. He feels the Ivorian’s attacking qualities are no longer sharper enough to justify what he sees as defensive deficiencies.

He said:

There is definitely going to be change at Manchester City, whether it’s players, the manager, people above. Certainly some players.

There are some weeds in the garden and you’ve got to get them out of the changing room pretty quick. You cannot carry passengers.

He [Toure] does that much for the team in an attacking sense you live with maybe the consequences of that defensively.

But when the balance tips to a point when going forward isn’t quite as effective as it once was, you’ve got to do something different because the defensive side is poor.

If I was a player in that dressing room looking at him in central midfield thinking you’re not chasing back, you’re not running around, you’re not sprinting for the ball. There might be a physical problem that he cannot do it, let alone if he doesn’t want to do it.

When a player like Toure, who has been at the centre of City’s modern-day success, is criticized so heavily, it sends reverberations around the football world.

For so long the midfielder has produced moments of magic that have been the difference for City in some of their biggest games, conjuring goals in the club’s most desperate moments.

Toure, though, must accept that his display in the Manchester derby was unacceptable.

Perhaps a system reshuffle is needed to accommodate Toure. If Fernando had played alongside Fernandinho on Sunday, it would have provided City with a more solid defensive base, with Toure free to go forward, unburdened of the responsibility to track back.

It surely makes sense. Toure remains a potent attacking weapon. He’s managed 10 goals in what has, by his standards, been a somewhat patchy campaign, and his meticulous passing is still key to City’s game.

Playing him higher up the pitch, closer to the opposition 18-yard box, could be the alteration that’s needed to keep the side balanced.

There are those who believe it is perhaps time to move Toure on. At 31, he’s probably not going to improve, with last season, where he scored over 20 goals in all competitions, likely to be his finest year as a professional.

Inter Milan are thought to be interested and, according to Aaron Flanagan at the Mirror, could table a bid this summer. If the offer is a sizeable one, surely City would consider it and use the money to find a younger replacement.

If they decide to keep him, which would be understandable given his ability, an alteration in his game is needed, with a freer, more attacking role in the side a necessity.

He looks tired, too. He’s played 79 games for City in the past two seasons, as well as competing at the World Cup in Brazil and the AFCON tournament in Equatorial Guinea. It’s a lot of football for a 31-year-old in such a high-energy expenditure position.

Should he remain at the Etihad, a summer of proper rest is required.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report’s lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2014-15 season. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.

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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho expects 19-goal hero Diego Costa to miss the Blues’ crucial upcoming encounters with Manchester United and Arsenal, but he will not protect Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic, who are both suspension risks for the same fixtures.

He addressed Costa’s latest injury during the press conference prior to Sunday’s match with Queens Park Rangers, as reported by Chelsea’s official Twitter feed:

This means Costa is likely to miss matches against United, Arsenal and Leicester City, but he should be available to face Crystal Palace on May 3.

Mourinho confirmed Fabregas has sufficiently recovered from his recent nose injury to start. Interestingly, the Portuguese boss isn’t willing to rest the Spaniard or Matic, despite them both being one caution away from a two-game ban:

Should Cesc or Matic pick up a yellow card against QPR, they will miss the United and Arsenal games. At a crucial time of the season, Mourinho can ill afford to lose the engine room of his team.

Chelsea face a seemingly simple task to capture the Premier League trophy from their current position. They are seven points clear of Arsenal with a game in hand, having last lost in the division on New Year’s Day.

QPR are fighting for Premier League survival and are currently two points from safety; however, 17th-placed Hull City have an extra game and could stretch the gap to five. Manager Chris Ramsey has led QPR to four valuable points in their last two matches, thrashing West Bromwich Albion 4-1 and drawing 3-3 with Aston Villa to give them hope.

Mourinho is expecting a tough game, perhaps led by the home crowd’s inspiration:

He also believes Chelsea’s temperament and resiliency throughout the season defines their success:

The Blues are likely to start with former QPR striker Loic Remy in Costa’s place, adding an intriguing subplot to a fixture which could have huge consequences at both ends of the table. Costa’s repeated absences could force Chelsea into landing further goalscoring power next season, perhaps in the form of Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi, as recently discussed by B/R UK’s Ryan Bailey and Matteo Bonetti:

QPR have netted seven in two matches, led by the clinical Charlie Austin, and he will be confident of posing a real threat to the champions elect.

Mourinho‘s men remain heavy favourites, but they will undoubtedly be on upset alert once kick-off arrives.

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Dirk Kuyt is to return to Feyenoord nine years after he left the Dutch club to join Liverpool, per the Guardian.

The versatile Dutchman turns 35 this summer, but he can still offer the Eredivisie side plenty—just as he did in over 200 games for Liverpool from 2006 to 2012.

How Liverpool could benefit from having a player like Kuyt in their squad now.

Kuyt’s departure from the club in 2012 was one in the line of many experienced players who left Anfield and arguably, three years on, are still yet to be replaced.

Arriving at the club as a £10 million centre-forward, Kuyt eventually found a place in Rafael Benitez’s side on the right of the three attackers behind the main striker, Fernando Torres.

His adaptation to the role wasn’t without frustrations, but Kuyt’s tireless play, tactical awareness and ability to arrive in the box to assist Torres proved invaluable to Liverpool.

Kuyt was the man for the big occasion and despite being much maligned among some supporters, his goalscoring record at the club was in fact admirable—only in his final season did he score less than 10 goals in a campaign. He twice hit 15. For context, Liverpool’s top goalscorers this season are Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling with 10.

When you think of the big games around 2007 to 2010, Kuyt features among them all and frequently hit winning goals, most often from the penalty spot. He had nerves of steel.

It was Kuyt’s penalty in the Champions League semi-final in 2007 that sent the Reds to Athens (he also scored the consolation against AC Milan in the final).

The next season he scored two dramatic penalties in the Merseyside derby, a season that saw him on target 11 times—seven of them in the Champions League, including against Inter Milan, Arsenal and Chelsea again.

He then hit another crucial winner in the Champions League qualifier against Standard Liege, two minutes before the end of extra-time. Two more late winners followed in the league, against Wigan Athletic and Manchester City. The next season saw a hat-trick against Manchester United.

His final and perhaps most memorable goal though was the superb equaliser against Cardiff City in his final season, in extra-time of the League Cup final. Trailing 2-1 at the time, Kuyt came off the bench to equalise and send the game to penalties. The victory was his first and only trophy at the club.

Dirk Kuyt. Back to Feyenoord. Liverpool miss his character. Never buckled. Teak tough. Great pen, this: https://t.co/TEjWa8LBpy

— Simon Hughes (@Simon_Hughes__) April 10, 2015

Ultimately, Kuyt, left the club seeking more first-team football, having been marginalised under Kenny Dalglish. The then-Liverpool boss shunned both Kuyt and another experienced and in-form winger, Maxi Rodriguez, to play new signing Jordan Henderson out of position on the right-hand side of a midfield four. Henderson struggled, while Kuyt and Maxi watched on frustrated.

Never did he complain, always instead offering 100 percent for the team whenever called upon either from the bench or up front, a position he’d now shown wasn’t his strongest in the Premier League.

Kuyt’s industry and effort made him the ideal player in Benitez’s side, allowing the attacking talents of Torres and Steven Gerrard to take the plaudits but offering crucial goals when required.

A banner at that League Cup final read “Dirk Kuyt: Working class hero”—a perfect tribute to the player.

As Aaron Cutler, writing for This Is Anfield when Kuyt departed Anfield, remarked: “That flag, in that instant, captured the fans sheer adoration for a man they nicknamed the Duracell Bunny. A cult figure, finally with a medal to show for his exemplary service.”

“What he lacked in technique he more than made up for with his incredible work-rate.”

Kuyt was a player who understood what it meant to play for Liverpool Football Club. One of a dying breed of footballer. 

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Ever the centre of controversy, Mario Balotelli has once again found himself in troubled waters.

Branded “pathetic” by BT Sport pundit Robbie Savage for missing Liverpool’s FA Cup clash vs. Blackburn Rovers, the Italian posted on his official Instagram account evidence suggesting an elevated temperature—justifying his absence from Brendan Rodgers’ 18-man squad.

There is an accepted, oft-mentioned character report which follows Balotelli: He is an arrogant, petulant, unpredictable and gifted-yet-lazy footballer whose countenance generally oozes indifference.

At every turn, the 24-year-old’s narrative has been directed down this alley (without regard for its protagonist). Confusingly enough, Balotelli has done little to dissuade the project’s verisimilitude—he may represent a willing participant more than a detractor.

Doing himself no favours in terms of widespread likability, Balotelli is no doubt making money from the likes of Puma through his “bad boy” reputation.

It is possible the Italian international has shrewdly taken on this ruffian persona for monetary gain; but the answer is likely less devious and more attributable to capitalising on public perception.

A lighting-rod, marmite footballer, Balotelli‘s name is used when days are slow and other talking points are found uninteresting. Driving his car into women’s prisons, playing with fireworks and throwing darts out of windows—the young forward’s hijinks have been chiefly juvenile, but demonising him because of his slothful playing style is hardly reason to besmirch.

Supporters, managers and those covering football love hard workers: Players like former Anfield striker Luis Suarez (who have supreme technical ability but run themselves ragged nonetheless) are what many want from their stars.

Balotelli was the worst possible “plan B” for Suarez last summer. Watching the Uruguayan run around the pitch like a starved lion for three-and-a-half seasons, then be served with a meandering Italian was never going to suffice.

Matt Lawton of the Daily Mail suggests Liverpool are not interested in keeping their misfit “No. 9” past this season. Balotelli has a contract until the 2017/18 season, so leaving this summer seems premature—but it could be a net positive.

Bought for £16 million, why Rodgers ever thought Balotelli was going to work in 2013/14’s system is beyond comprehension. Having watched the forward at Inter Milan, Manchester City and AC Milan, the Reds should have known a pressing and high-octane style was not going to suit Balotelli, but they signed him regardless.

The point here is: Knowing he was not compatible with the Reds’ playing style, why purchase the Milan man in the first place? Shirt sales and publicity are possible solutions to the mystery—as household names around the globe tend to make clubs money on their arrival—but to concede football reasons existed for the move.

Balotelli struggling to find minutes (whether by injury, illness or Rodgers’ tactical intuition) at his new employers plays into the established narrative; as the jump from being on the bench to “an obvious malcontent” is not daunting.

Possibly the most frustrating element in Balotelli‘s current trajectory is his unquestioned talent. Clubs and managers suffer the tabloids, the antics and—to certain degrees—his temperament because they hope one day everything will click into place.

His brace eliminating Germany 2-1 in the Euro 2012 semi-finals, the then-21-year-old Italian appeared all but certain to become one of Europe’s great centre-forwards—in the mould of Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Robert Lewandowski—but since that pinnacle summer, Balotelli‘s path has become unnecessarily cluttered.

Three years and three clubs later, where does the schismatic striker go now?

One can debate the modern-day stature of Liverpool, but for all intents and purposes the Anfield contingent are a massive club and Balotelli‘s chances at the “summit” are running thin.

Is he as ill-disciplined as we are lead to believe? No.

Is he as fractious as we are lead to believe? No.

But does that matter? Probably not.

What matters is perception. What matters are optics. What matters apparently is the way Balotelli celebrates, or not, after scoring.

The trivial banalities of stories make projecting Balotelli‘s future difficult. When talking heads take definitive stances on him, they know at least half the population will agree—creating situations where the striker cannot win, only vilifying him further.

In the right system, with the right manager and in the right head space, Balotelli can become a fantastic footballer—but that triumvirate coming to fruition before his celling collapses appears more unlikely by the passing day.

Balotelli once asked, via his t-shirt: “Why always me?”

Your answer, Mario: You are supremely talented, but cannot seem to get out of your own way; and in moments when you do what is required, we—the media—simply cannot restrain from whipping the whipping boy.

Follow @danieltiluk

*Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase.com where not noted.

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Manchester City are “plotting a move” for Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho, according to Adrian Kajumba of the Mirror.

The Premier League champions are currently falling well short of expectations in fourth and look set to make a major squad investment during the summer. Kajumba states that Coutinho has been “added” to the club’s list of targets and would cost in the region of £35 million. The aforementioned report suggests an increase on Coutinho’s current £70,000-per-week wages could make the move a possibility.

Liverpool fans have enjoyed watching a rapidly maturing Coutinho this season. Despite being left out of Brendan Rodgers’ starting lineup in the early stages, he has asserted himself as a match-winner.

Stunning goals against Southampton and City helped lift Liverpool to within touching distance of the Champions League places by March. He also scored the winner against City at Anfield last season, so the Sky Blues know all about his quality.

Coutinho made the difference during Wednesday night’s FA Cup quarter-final replay against Blackburn Rovers, powering home a drive inside the box to score the only goal of the game and send his team to Wembley. Although Rodgers has more explosive goalscorers at his disposal, Coutinho has a knack of popping up at the right time.

WhoScored.com summarised his terrific performance at Ewood Park:

Vice-captain Jordan Henderson commented on the goal:

City aren’t short of creative midfielders. David Silva’s form has been frustratingly inconsistent this campaign, something that seems to be catching throughout Manuel Pellegrini’s squad. John Cross and Darren Lewis of the Mirror believe City may use Samir Nasri as a makeweight in a deal to sign Juventus star Paul Pogba, and that would certainly leave room for another technical, clever attacking midfielder to join the club.

The link to Coutinho falls in place with this story in mind. He is a subtle player, someone who quietly works hard for the team and is key to spreading play in the final third. Liverpool lose their rhythm without him, while players such as Raheem Sterling have a tendency to drop out of a match if Coutinho isn’t dictating behind.

B/R UK’s Ryan Bailey and Sam Tighe previously discussed Coutinho’s importance to the team:

City’s major lure is likely to be Champions League football.

Liverpool cannot afford anymore slip-ups if they’re to finish inside the top four and quickly need to make up seven points on Pellegrini’s side. Manchester United are one point further ahead going into Sunday’s Manchester derby, so Liverpool are likely to be closer by the end of the next round of fixtures.

Coutinho has showed no public desire to leave. He doesn’t seem like he’d be the type of player who makes a fuss, but he is destined to eventually move on if Liverpool aren’t regularly featuring in the Champions League. The former Inter Milan youngster ranks among the Premier League’s more graceful stars and, intriguingly, has only just started to show what he is capable of.

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