Lisandro Lopez leaves Al-Gharafa

Central Coast Mariners captain John Hutchinson is likely to see out his career at the club after signing a two-year contract extension.

Central Coast Mariners captain John Hutchinson is likely to see out his career at the club after signing a two-year contract extension.

A member of the inaugural Mariners squad, the 33-year-old midfielder has made 193 competitive appearances for the two-time premiers.

After signing a deal which will keep him at Bluetongue Stadium until the end of the 2014/15 A-League campaign, Hutchinson said he would be happy if this was his last contract in Australia.

I don t think I will ever leave the Mariners to go to another club in the A-League, Hutchinson said.

I love the coast and I love the club, and my family is v…

Lionel Messi s omission from Barcelona s squad for their Champions League clash with Inter was influenced by a daunting set of forthcoming fixtures that includes a potentially crucial Clasico with Real Madrid.

Messi has been rested by Ernesto Valverde for Tuesday s game at San Siro, with Barca enjoying the luxury of having already qualified for the last 16 as Group F winners.

Barca visit fourth-placed Real Sociedad in their next LaLiga match on Saturday before welcoming Madrid to the Camp Nou the following Wednesday and then hosting Alaves in their final fixture before the mid-season break.

Valverde s men are level on points with Madrid at the top of the table and, in the face of repeated questioning about Messi s absence at a media conference on Monday, he poin…

Benfica midfielder Pizzi felt his side s performances in the Champions League warranted more than a third-place finish in Group G, even if it secured them a spot in the Europa League.

The Portuguese team signed off the group stage with an emphatic 3-0 win over Zenit on Tuesday.

It was a victory which ensured they will play European football next year, albeit in the second-tier competition, courtesy of their superior head-to-head record with Zenit.

However, Pizzi claimed what they showed overall across the campaign should have led to a spot in the last 16, with RB Leipzig and Lyon instead progressing to the next stage.

I think that we deserved a bit more in this competition, Pizzi told reporters after their triumph over Zenit.

It was not these l…

Not winning the Champions League this season would be a big disappointment for Atletico Madrid, according to president Enrique Cerezo.

Atletico are seeking a maiden Champions League title as they prepare to go head-to-head with city rivals Real Madrid in Saturday s final.

Diego Simeone s men have continued to defy the odds this season, seeing off defending champions Barcelona and Bayern Munich en route to the decider in Milan, but Cerezo insisted the job is not done.

We have to win on Saturday, he told Radio Marca. Not winning would be a huge disappointment.

We have to win by fair means or foul we just have to win.

Atletico, who ended the La Liga season in third position, are two-time runners-up in the European Cup-Champions League, having lost…

Rio Ferdinand has described the WAG culture that surrounded England in the days before Fabio Capello took charge, as a circus and admitted it was central to the squad s recent failures.

In a remarkably frank interview ahead of a World Cup qualifier with Belarus on Wednesday, the Manchester United defender savaged the celebrity bubble which peaked during the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.

During the tournament, the wives and girlfriends known as WAGs of the England squad generated as many headlines as the players themselves.

Underlining the fundamental changes that have been instituted by Capello, England s stand-in captain also hit out at the Italian s predecessor, Steve McClaren, and his apparent desire to be best mates with Wazza (Wayne Rooney) and Stevi…

Real Madrid may sign a new striker to fill the gap left by Ruud van Nistelrooy, who is out for the season after having knee surgery, the Spanish club s coach Bernd Schuster said Friday.

I am not saying it is necessary but of course with Ruud out, if there is any opportunity we will make the most of it, he told reporters.

Ruud s loss will make us more attentive to the market. Someone important could come who can help us, the German coach added.

Van Nistelrooy underwent an operation on his right knee in the United States this week and is expected to be sidelined for between six and nine months.

The 32-year-old former Manchester United player, the top scorer in the 2006-07 Spanish league season with 25 goals in 37 matches, picked up the injury during a …

Juventus eased four points clear at the top of Serie A with a straightforward 2-0 win over at Atalanta at Allianz Stadium on Wednesday.

Gonzalo Higuain and Blaise Matuidi netted either side of half-time as the Bianconeri took full advantage of their game in hand on title rivals Napoli.

Scoreless in his two previous league outings, Higuain made the breakthrough just prior to the half-hour mark with his eighth goal in 10 top-flight games against Atalanta.

The hosts never looked like surrendering that lead, encountering few concerns on their way to a ninth consecutive Serie A clean sheet.

Atalanta s chances of a late rally became even more remote when Gianluca Mancini was sent off for two yellow cards in as many minutes.

And Matuidi immediate…

Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann wants his future resolved before joining up with France for the World Cup in June, with Barcelona reportedly eager to make a move for him.

Griezmann had been strongly linked with a transfer to Manchester United in pre-season, before ultimately opting to remain in Madrid.

Ever since it became clear a switch to the Premier League was not going to materialise, Barca emerged as a suitor and reports have even claimed Griezmann held talks with them at the end of last year, though the Catalan club strongly denied this.

Nevertheless, speculation continues to suggest Barca will make Griezmann their primary target before next season and the striker just wants his future sorted early so he can concentrate on France s World Cup campaign…

Adam Le Fondre feels Reading have improved since Nigel Adkins was installed as manager.

The former Southampton boss was appointed after the club decided to part company with Brian McDermott.

He was ultimately unsuccessful in his bid to stave off relegation from the Premier League, but Le Fondre believes the team s style of play is generally better under Adkins.
You can see the massive progression we have made under the new manager and the contrast in styles, he told the Reading Chronicle.
No disrespect to Brian and how we played before, but it s a totally different kind of football in the Premier League than the Championship.
If you keep giving the ball away, trying to turn teams and don t have any sustained possession, teams tend to hurt you.
Premier League clubs h…

Serie A giants Lazio are pondering summer move for Genoa striker Ciro Immobile, .

It is no secret the Biancocelesti are looking to sign a long-term replacement for Miroslav Klose and they are currently looking at a number of players.

Genoa striker Ciro Immobile, who is also co-owned by Juventus, is one of their targets in the summer transfer window.

The 23-year-old came through the youth ranks at Juventus, but he was forced to prove his worth during loan spells with Siena, Grosseto and Pescara.

Immobile shone during the 2011/2012 season at Pescara, bagging 28 goals in 37 Serie B matches, which saw him make a switch to Genoa last summer.

He has since clocked up 33 league appearances for the Rossoblu, scoring 5 goals in the process. Immobile is set…