Burnley midfielder Joey Barton has defended himself after being caught up in controversy during the 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Lincoln.
An incident just after the hour saw Barton appear to stand on the boot of Imps striker Matt Rhead while marking him, then go to ground holding his head.
Barton insisted he had not been trying to get Rhead sent off with play-acting.
Barton wrote on Twitter: “Wasn’t trying to get the Big Man sent off. It was my job to front screen and disrupt him. Was trying to get back in front of him.
“FairPlay to Lincoln. They were well organised and that’s Cup football. Good luck in next rd.”
Isco admits he could leave Real Madrid
Real Madrid midfielder Isco says he is happy at the club but has suggested he may have to leave in order to get more game time.
Isco, 24, impressed for Madrid on Saturday, setting up both goals in their 2-0 La Liga victory against Espanyol.
However, the Spain international was making only his 11th league start of the season.
“I’m calm. What worries me is to have minutes,” he said.
“A player’s career is short. I’m happy here and would stay many more years. From now until the end of the season, we will make a decision.”
Kompany sidelined by leg injury
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany missed his side’s FA Cup fifth-round clash at Huddersfield with a leg injury, manager Pep Guardiola told reporters.
The 30-year-old was not included in the squad for the goalless draw at the John Smith’s Stadium after suffering what is hoped to be a minor knock in training.
Guardiola said: “Three days ago he felt something in his leg. It is not a big, big issue but on Saturday he was not able to play.”
Injury-plagued Kompany has made just one appearance since recovering from a knee injury suffered in November, and only six all season.
Wenger prefers to stay with Arsenal
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger could continue in management for four more years and his preference is to stay at the north London club, the Frenchman was quoted as saying yesterday.
Wenger, whose side were thrashed 5-1 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday, said last week that he would make a decision in March or April on whether to extend his 20-year spell at the club.
The 67-year-old said: “My preference is always to manage Arsenal and I have shown that. But I think that I am adult enough to analyse the situation.”
The second longest-serving manager in the history of the Premier League, Wenger is out of contract at the end of the season.
Immobile says 13 goals is good tally
Ciro Immobile told reporters yesterday that his goal tally in his first season for Lazio – 13 so far – was a satisfactory target and the fruit of hard work.
Immobile, 26, was again on the mark on Saturday as Lazio beat Empoli 2-1 away to maintain their push for a place in Europe next season.
“Hard work during training pays off,” Immobile said.
“I am happy with my 13 goals. It doesn’t seem like much but they are important because they have helped the team.
“I am happy for the team, which has worked a lot and worked well.”
African summit
FIFA president Gianni Infantino will meet more than 50 presidents of African football associations in an unprecedented summit in Johannesburg this week, officials said yesterday.
Each of the continent’s 54 member countries has been invited to a day-long executive summit with Infantino, called to discuss general issues in the game and explain FIFA’s plans to expand the World Cup and changes to its development structures.
The association presidents will be divided into two groups with some 25 meeting Infantino and other FIFA officials tomorrow and the rest repeating the exercise the next day.
It is the first time such a summit has been held at which FIFA deals directly with all the leaders of African football.
Promotion is the priority for Lincoln
Nicky Cowley welcomes Lincoln City’s FA Cup success but insists it is promotion to the Football League that would be a “life changer” for the club.
Sean Raggett’s late winner secured a shock 1-0 win at top-flight Burnley on Saturday that means the Imps are the first non-league club to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals since 1914.
Tomorrow, the National League leaders resume their quest to return to League Two for the first time since 2011 when they visit North Ferriby.
“The league is a life changer for us all,” assistant boss Cowley said.
“We would like to be football league challengers. We got relegated five years ago and since then the club has drifted and lost its way. It’s almost like the club was in mourning.”