Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said his team would not allow Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat by bitter rivals Real Madrid to affect their confidence.
La Liga leaders Barca were the better side for most of the ‘Clasico’ but a late goal by Cristiano Ronaldo helped third-placed Real close the gap on the Catalans to seven points.
“This game doesn’t exist any more, there’s no pain,” Enrique told a news conference.
“The team were really up for the game, so were the fans, and there’s nothing else we can do but lift ourselves up. Defeats teach you things, they teach you that every trophy is difficult and the players know that.”
Pellegrini cautious over De Bruyne
Manuel Pellegrini has insisted that fit-again Kevin de Bruyne is not an automatic selection for Manchester City’s Champions League quarter-final first leg at Paris St Germain on Wednesday.
Belgium forward De Bruyne transformed City’s attacking threat in spearheading Saturday’s 4-0 thumping of Bournemouth, in his first game since late January after ligament trouble.
“We are going to see, because now we can start preparing for that game,” said Pellegrini, when asked if De Bruyne will be ready to take on PSG.
“There wouldn’t be any risk to play him again so soon, because it was not a muscle injury.
“But we’ve seen the way he played at Bournemouth and now we have to see how he recovers.”
‘Schalke not good enough for top four’
Schalke goalkeeper Ralf Fahrmann says people who think his side can qualify for the Champions League next season are “dreaming” and believes they have their work cut out qualifying for Europe at all.
A 3-0 defeat at Ingolstadt on Saturday saw the Royal Blues drop out of the top-four zone.
“I’ve been saying it for ages,” Fahrmann told Sky Sport. “We’re not good enough yet to challenge at the top, and unfortunately that has been proven again today.
“We need to focus on getting into Europe at all next season and if we keep playing the way we did today, we’re not going to make it.”
Bilic ‘fed up with appealing’ red cards
Slaven Bilic will not appeal against Cheikhou Kouyate’s controversial red card in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace.
The West Ham boss said Kouyate’s challenge on Palace substitute Dwight Gayle was not even worthy of a yellow card.
“Will we appeal? I am fed up with appealing,” said Bilic. “But make no mistake, I am very disappointed. This is the fourth time that this has happened.
“But we will go on fighting until the end of the season.”
Real can still catch Barcelona – Bale
Gareth Bale believes Real Madrid still have a chance of catching La Liga leaders Barcelona after beating Luis Enrique’s side 2-1 at the Nou Camp.
Barca’s first defeat since February 2015 meant their lead over Atletico Madrid was trimmed to six points. Real, in third spot, are seven points off the pace with seven matches to play.
“If we want to win the league this was a game we had to win,” Bale told reporters.
“Football does funny things to teams when you lose and you never know what could happen.
“All they need is a few bad results and we need a few good ones and we’re right back in.”
Hiddink to develop Chelsea youngsters
Guus Hiddink will put the development of Chelsea’s young players above his own personal record as manager during the remainder of the season.
Hiddink named an experimental side on Saturday against Aston Villa with Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who opened the scoring in the 4-0 victory, and Kenedy starting, as well as Loic Remy. American Matt Miazga also made his full debut.
“I always like to bring in the youngsters and now for the rest of the season we have the opportunity to bring in more frequently those guys,” said Hiddink.
“It is good to see guys like Loftus-Cheek and (Jake) Clarke-Salter coming in.”
Hodgson reiterates faith in Rooney
England manager Roy Hodgson admits it would take an “awful lot” for Wayne Rooney to be left out of the team.
The 30-year-old’s place is being debated like never before, thanks to the forward’s knee injury towards the end of a tough campaign in which other attackers are impressing.
“I think I’ve said now on several occasions that this is a 23-man squad: three goalkeepers and 20 outfield players,” Hodgson said.
“It would take a lot before I say to Wayne Rooney after his captaincy over two years, after 19 games and two defeats, that because I am being pushed to make a brave, bold decision and show what a fantastic, forward-thinking and adventurous coach I am, ‘I am leaving you out the team’. It would take an awful lot.”