King’s Cup: The King’s Cup final betweenBarcelona and Real Madrid has been set for April 16 at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium. The match, a repeat of the 2011 final at the same venue which Real won 1-0, will take place the week before the two Euro heavyweights could feature in the first legs of the Champions League semi-finals.

Assaidi: Stoke have been dealt a blow in their fight against relegation with the news winger Oussama Assaidi will be missing for up to six weeks. The on-loan Liverpool player tore a medial knee ligament in training during Stoke’s warm weather break in Dubai.

Villarreal: Villarreal have escaped a stadium ban but have been fined €4,000 after an unidentified assailant threw a teargas canister onto the pitch that disrupted Saturday’s La Liga game against Celta Vigo. The sanction was handed down by a government commission set up to combat violence in sport.

Pellegrini: Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini could face action from UEFA over his comments following their 2-0 Champions League defeat to Barcelona. Pellegrini criticised Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson and questioned his impartiality after a match which turned on the decision to award Barca a penalty and send off City defender Martin Demichelis.

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