As the dust settles on Sunday's Capital One Cup final victory, the newspapers turn to other matters at hand. So, what's making the headlines this morning?
Well, Blues midfielder Fernandinho is the talk of the town at the moment, following his call-up to Luiz Felipe Scolari's Brazil side.
And according to the Manchester Evening News, 'Ferna' admits that it was his move to Manchester that rekindled his international career.
Writes Rob Dawson: "The Blues midfield star made it plain that one of the main reasons he made a £30m summer move from Shakhtar Donetsk was to showcase himself to national team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.
"He has done exactly that, with a series of influential performances, and has his reward with a place in the squad for the friendly with South Africa in Johannesburg.
"And he freely admits that his time with City has already made him a better player."
Fernandinho is quoted in the article, declaring: "I’ve changed a great deal, mainly because of the move from Ukraine to England.
"I’ve grown a lot, and I think this has played an important part in my being picked for the squad. My performances during my first seven months in England have been really good and this, together with the fact the team has been doing well, has helped to catch the coach’s eye."
And the M.u.E.N isn't the only media source to have featured the 28-year-old in their stories this morning. He also appears in the Mirror, who are reporting that the Brazilian would be happy to end his career at City.
"The Brazil midfielder admits he had to win over the doubters when he joined from Shakhtar Donetsk for £34million last summer and says he feels settled now," claims David Anderson.
Fernandinho is quoted once again, stating: "Finish my career in Manchester? Yes, anything is possible.
"I am fine here, I have a four-year contract and I have no reason to think about anything else. I believe in this project and I believe that we will win important trophies.
"I have shown that I deserve to be a regular for City. The World Cup is my big goal. I want to convince Luiz Felipe Scolari by continuing to play well here and by winning trophies with City."
We certainly hope you do, Ferna!
Moving on and Jose Mourinho is in the headlines once again. Shock horror! Although this time, it's Blues captain Vincent Kompany who's doing all the talking, apparently dismissing the suggestion that the Chelsea boss' mind games are affecting his teammates
An article on the Sky Sports website reads: "Mourinho has tried to increase the pressure on City, but Kompany believes any side in the top four can win it [the Premier League title].
"The Portuguese manager claims Manuel Pellegrini's side are favourites for the title because they have two games in hand and 'destiny in their hands'."
But according to the source, Kompany has laughed off any talk of mind games, claiming that what opposition managers have to say has little effect on him.
"Unless a manager puts on his football boots and starts playing as a striker, I'm never really worried about what they can say," he told the website.
"It's very simple in football, the winner is always right and the loser is always wrong.
"As I say, there are four teams and Liverpool is one that can win it as well. Maybe City and Chelsea have a slight edge, but then again Liverpool have just as much momentum.
"Arsenal will probably get the momentum back again when they win again, so it's a good league for the neutrals. I think it will be tight until the end."
Wise words there from the skipper. Though, would we ever expect anything less?!
And finally, Aleksandar Kolarov believes the Blues are looking to win each of their remaining games, as they bid to contend for three more pieces of silverware.
He allegedly told Luke Edwards of the Telegraph: "It will be very difficult to the very end because now we have played two games less [than Chelsea] and we need to win them.
"It’s very important we do that because we want to keep things in our own hands. We have 12 more games to play and every single one of them is going to be tough. This is the important stage of the season and we have to hold our nerve.
"It is the team that handles the pressure better that will win. It’s massive for us, we might need to beat every single team we play between now and the end of the season to win the Premier League."
Fernandinho plans long-term stay at Manchester City
MANCHESTER CITY midfielder Fernandinho admits his long-term future lies at the Etihad.
The Brazil international switched to the Premier League side from Shakhtar Donetsk last summer and has impressed for Manuel Pellegrini's side.
Fernandinho helped win the Capital One Cup on Sunday to claim his first piece of silverware at the club and plans to win more important trophies for City.
The 28-year-old also hopes to catch the eye of Brazilian national team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari ahead of this summer's World Cup.
"I settled very quickly in Manchester, but in the beginning I had to overcome many difficulties," Fernandinho said.
"People were not looking at me favourably because other Brazilians at City had not done so well. Also, Ukrainian football is not rated very highly in Europe.
Fernandinho hopes to be a part of the Brazil squad for the World Cup this summer [GETTY]
"But now I have shown that I deserve to be a regular for City. The World Cup is my big goal. I want to convince Luiz Felipe Scolari by continuing to play well here and by winning trophies with City.
"I am fine in Manchester, it is a very quiet city. City were not the only club interested in me last summer, but they were the only one who made an offer.
"Finish my career in Manchester? Yes, anything is possible. I am fine here, I have a four-year contract and I have no reason to think about anything else.
"I believe in this project and I believe that we will win important trophies."
Álvaro Negredo: “Es mejor tener a Diego Costa con nosotros”
"Cuando Del Bosque me trae no le recrimino nada y si me trae y no juego no lo voy a hacer y si me deja fuera, tampoco. El seleccionador hace lo que cree mejor en cada momento".
—¡Otra vez aquí con La Roja!
—¡Sí! Siempre es bonito venir a esta Selección.
—¿Cómo le dejó Pellegrini de suplente en la final de la Capital One? ¡Salió como un torito los minutos que le sacó!
—Sí, salí encorajinado los últimos minutos, había que acabar con el partido cuanto antes. Hizo Jesús el gol definitivo y perfecto.
—Su adaptación al City y a la Premier ha sido rapidísima.
—Me he adaptado muy bien. Estoy muy feliz. He adaptado mi juego rápido al equipo y hacer goles tan pronto es mucho mejor para adaptarte rápido a la Premier.
—¡Usted es mejor que Dzeko! ¡Y tiene mejor zurda! ¡Y más simpático!
—Es su carácter, pero es muy majo y la pega con las dos. Es un buen delantero y ahí estamos haciendo goles para el City.
—Sois ya el ‘Spanish City’ casi...
—Somos cuatro: Javi García, Navas, Silva y yo. Luego hay tres argentinos y el brasileño Fernandinho, que es de nuestro grupo. Se está haciendo un buen bloque, somos gente de muchos países, pero vamos todos a una para lograr títulos y ya hemos conseguido uno esta temporada.
—¿Se echa de menos España en Manchester?
—Es totalmente distinto. Me he adaptado muy bien porque tenía muy claro a lo que iba. Llevo una vida totalmente distinta a la que llevaba en Sevilla. En España el clima acompaña, en Inglaterra miras por la ventana a las cuatro de la tarde y te pones las zapatillas de estar por casa. Vamos a trabajar y nos tenemos que adaptar a las circunstancias.
—¿Podéis levantar la eliminatoria de Champions contra el Barça?
—Es una eliminatoria que se nos puso muy difícil, sobre todo por el gol de Alves que lo complicó todo mucho más. Sabiendo que es difícil, vamos a intentar conseguir la machada.
—¿Si es el 9 del City podía haber sido o ser el 9 del Real Madrid?
—Eso es pasado. Fui el 9 del Castilla. Hice la pretemporada con el primer equipo, justo con Pellegrini, y entonces había cinco delanteros, no es como ahora que sólo están Benzema y Morata. Era complicado y la mejor opción era salir. No me arrepiento de mi decisión, yendo poco a poco he crecido mucho más. Y para mí fue un placer que el Sevilla contase en ese momento conmigo, como anteriormente lo hizo el Almería y como ahora lo está haciendo el City.
—¡Qué mérito tiene ser delantero y venir a la Selección! ¡Cada vez vienen menos!
—(Sonríe) Ahora tiene muchísimo mérito con todos los grandes delanteros que hay y todos están haciendo goles. Es importantísimo estar en esta convocatoria. Hay que seguir trabajando duro lo que queda de temporada para poder estar en la lista definitiva para el Mundial.
—Y Diego Costa, ¿qué tal?
—Bien. No le conocía personalmente y sí de enfrentarme a él. Tenía referencias de que fuera del campo no es igual que dentro. Todo el que venga a sumar a la Selección es importante y seguramente sumará mucho.
—¿No ha discutido todavía con nadie?
—(Risas) No, de momento no. Y si discute, ¡que discuta con los rivales!
—¿Es mejor tenerle con nosotros?
—Sí, por supuesto. Cuando estaba en el Sevilla yo ya decía que lo quería para mi equipo antes que tenerlo de contrincante porque tiene una forma de jugar que saca a los defensas y a todo el equipo del partido, porque todo el mundo le busca, y él sabe jugar con eso.
—¡Estuvieron a punto de ser compañeros en el Atleti!
—Estuvimos ahí. Hubo interés, pero al final no se dio. Yo tenía otras expectativas también, quería salir de la Liga española y vino el City.
—Si Diego Cosa es titular hoy contra Italia, ¿le fastidia?
—Partiendo de la base de que todos queremos jugar siempre, estar aquí es un premio. Decide el seleccionador y hay que respetarle. Cuando me trae no le recrimino nada y si me trae y no juego no lo voy a hacer y si me deja fuera, tampoco. El seleccionador hace lo que cree mejor en cada momento.
—Faltan 100 días para que empiece el Mundial, ¿puede ser esta la lista?
—El míster ha dicho que no. Queda mucho. En 100 días pueden pasar muchísimas cosas. Ojalá nos respeten a todos las lesiones, ojalá estemos en la mejor forma posible para ponérselo difícil al seleccionador. Yo voy a trabajar duro para intentar estar aquí.
—¿Cómo ha visto a Casillas?
—Es difícil su situación, pero hay que adaptarse a todo. Él llevaba muchos años jugando todo y ahora no lo está haciendo. También hay que respetar a Diego que está haciendo un buen trabajo. Para mí, Diego también es un ejemplo de lo que ha crecido y de que está ahí por méritos propios.
—¿Cómo ve a Soldado?
—Ha tenido un bache de no hacer goles. Ha tenido una época en la que sólo jugaba Adebayor y no le daban continuidad, y ahora está volviendo a jugar.
—¿Cómo ve a Llorente?
—A Fernando le costó adaptarse a la liga italiana, que yo creo que es más difícil para adaptarse que la Premier. Es un gran delantero y ahora está teniendo mucha suerte de cara a gol, que eso es bueno para su confianza.
—¿Cómo ve a Villa?
—Está con altibajos. Sabemos de sus cualidades, es un grandísimo delantero, de los mejores que ha tenido esta Selección. Está preparado para estar aquí en cualquier momento y para cuando el Cholo decida que juegue.
—¿Y a Torres?
—Ha estado lesionado y ya ha vuelto. Marcó en Champions, el gol lo lleva en la sangre y a mí siempre me ha gustado por su gran potencia.
—¡Lo tiene muy complicado Del Bosque!
—De aquí al final intentaremos todos estar en el Mundial y ponérselo aún más difícil.
—¿Qué le parece que Puyol anuncie que deja el Barça a final de temporada?
—Es un símbolo de la Selección y del Barcelona. Es uno de los defensas más incómodos que he tenido enfrente. Puyi era un incordio constante, creías que te habías librado de él y volvía a aparecer. En los últimos años las lesiones no le han respetado. Le mando un fuerte abrazo y le deseo mucha suerte.
—Le deseamos salud y goles.
—Al final cuando no estás con confianza no te sale nada y con confianza te entra todo.
Aleksandar Kolarov: 'Every game is massive for Manchester City'
Aleksandar Kolarov has claimed that every game is "massive" for Manchester City from now until the end of the season.
After winning the Capital One Cup on Sunday, City's bid to lift the Premier League trophy is their priority and Kolarov insists that the team are ready for the run-in.
"It will be 100 per cent difficult until the last game of the season because now we have two games less, but if we win all the games, then we go into first spot," the Serbian told reporters.
"Every game now is a massive game for us and we will try to beat all the teams and win another trophy."
Kolarov and his teammates return to action on Sunday in the FA Cup quarter-final against Wigan Athletic.
Andy Cole's son Devante subjected to racist abuse in Man City Youth League match with Atletico Madrid
The son of former England star Andy Cole was allegedly racially abused by players and supporters during last week’s UEFA Youth League match between Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in Spain.
Young striker Devante Cole was part of Patrick Vieira’s Elite Development Squad (EDS) that travelled to Madrid last week and actually scored the goal that gave City a 1-0 win and booked them a place in the last eight of the new competition.
However, Sportsmail can reveal that UEFA have subsequently been investigating incidents in which Cole is alleged to have been racially abused by an opponent and by members of the crowd.
Date of birth: May 10, 1995
Birthplace: Alderley Edge
Position: Centre forward
Joined Man City: April 2003
Son of former Man City and Man United striker Andrew
An England Under-18 international
Has scored six goals in six matches in the UEFA Youth League this season
It is understood that the abuse got so bad at one point that a UEFA official made a tannoy announcement at half-time requesting that abuse be stopped.
The bad blood continued, however, and Cole was then spat at as he left the field at the end of the game.
A report of the game on City’s website last week hinted at a hostile atmosphere.
It said: 'A first half strike from Devante Cole was enough for the young blues to overcome a determined Atletico side in front of a vocal home crowd eager to play their part in intimidating Patrick Vieira’s men.'
This afternoon, UEFA released the following statement in the wake of enquiries from DSSC Online.
The governing body said: 'Disciplinary proceedings have been opened against Club Atletico de Madrid Youth for improper conduct of the team and racist behaviour of their supporters at the UEFA Youth League round of 16 match between Club Atletico de Madrid Youth and Manchester City FC Youth which was played on 26 February 2014 in Spain.
'The case will be dealt with by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body on 20 March.'
Man City and England star Toni Duggan apolgises after blacking up for fancy dress party
TONI DUGGAN, one of the England's leading female footballers, has been forced to apologise after "blacking up" for a fancy dress party.
The Manchester City forward, currently playing in an international tournament in Cyprus, attended a party dressed as Whoopi Goldberg from the film Sister Act.
Wearing a nun's outfit and with a heavily blacked-up face the 22-year-old Scouser was pictured alongside two other Manchester City players.
Duggan, a prominent anti-racism ambassador, said: "I would like to apologise wholeheartedly to England, my club and anyone else that I may have offended.
"I am proud to be a 'Next 20' ambassador for Kick It Out and take this role very seriously for an organisation that does such good work."
An England spokesperson told the Mirror: "We are aware of the images. We have asked for the photos to be removed and are dealing with the matter internally."
Fellow England and Manchester City players Steph Houghton, 25, and Jill Scott, 27, were also in the photo dressed as characters from Disney film 101 Dalmatians.
Commenting on the picture one user asked: "There aren't enough white people to dress up as?"
Speaking ahead of representing England in the Cyprus Cup, Duggan said England were looking to retain the tournament they won last year before they begin their qualification campaign for the 2015 World Cup.
The former Everton striker told Sky Sports: "I think retaining the Cup has to be our first objective.
"We play football for a reason - we play football because we want to win.
"As much as it's a friendly tournament we really want to win it as well so we're going into the tournament hoping we can bring the trophy back home.
"It's always nice to meet up with the girls and train in a sunny climate which we don't always get in Manchester.
"But it's just another step along our way. We've got World Cup qualification to try and secure this year."
[spoiler]Kacey Barnfield
[/spoiler]Ban Tom Cleverley from the World Cup squad
England boss Roy Hodgson has defended Tom Cleverley after an online petition was set up calling for the Manchester United midfielder to be banned from selection for his World Cup squad.
The petition, which accuses Cleverley of "inept" displays, has gained over 10,000 signatures since it was posted.
Hodgson, who has included the 24-year-old in Wednesday's squad to face Denmark, said: "It doesn't impress me.
"He deserves to be in this 30-man group. He's done an awful lot of good."
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/t ... -cup-squad
Striker Nicklas Bendtner, 26, claims his reputation as a "psychopath" is unfair and is damaging his chances of leaving Arsenal. Daily Mirror
Barcelona have renewed their interest in Chelsea's David Luiz, 26, with the confirmation that veteran defender Carlos Puyol will leave the Spanish club this summer. Daily Telegraph
David Moyes faces a logistical nightmare as he plans an unprecedented overhaul of Manchester United's under-achieving squad with the manager understood to want up to eight new signings. DSSC
Moyes has growing concerns about the form and attitude of Manchester United striker Robin van Persie, 30. Daily Star
Striker Luis Suarez, 27, has calmed fears he will quit Liverpool this summer if they fail to qualify for the Champions League, insisting his future "isn't dependent" on that. Daily Telegraph
Inter Milan are considering a move to sign Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski, 28, this summer. Daily Star
Jordan Rhodes, 24, is poised to sign a lucrative five-and-a-half-year deal in a huge statement of intent from Blackburn Rovers' Indian owners Venky's. Daily Telegraph
AC Milan manager Clarence Seedorf is looking at Botafago's Doria Macedo, 19, for the central left midfielder position. Martins Indi, 22, Samuel Umtiti, 20, and Martin Hinteregger, 21, are the other names on the Dutchman's list. Tuttosport
Netherlands football team manager Louis Van Gaal says French midfielder Paul Pogba, 20, is a "unique case", ahead of the friendly against France. L'Equipe
Fredy Guarin, 27, insists he is happy at Inter Milan, but the Colombian midfielder says his failed transfer move to Juventus was difficult for him and his family. Tuttosport
Bayern Munich's Thiago Alcantara, 22, says the Spanish national team is fortunate to have a player like Diego Costa, ahead of the 25 year-old striker's debut against Italy. Costa won two caps for Brazil before becoming a Spanish citizen in 2013. AS.com
Arsenal midfielder Kim Kallstrom, 31, is ready to give Arsene Wenger a huge fitness boost as he nears his comeback after a back injury and even has an outside chance of making the squad to face Everton in Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final. Daily Mirror
Liverpool are not at risk of being prevented from playing in Europe next season despite potentially falling foul of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations by posting losses totalling £90m in the past two financial years. Times
Head coach Garry Monk will earn up to £500,000 in bonuses if he keeps Swansea City in the Premier League, but has not been given any assurances about his long-term future at the club. Daily Telegraph
Wales manager Chris Coleman is to risk the wrath of Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti by playing Gareth Bale for the full 90 minutes of tonight's friendly against Iceland. Sun
Coleman has also predicted that Bale, 24, will captain his country in the future. Wales Online
Liverpool defender Daniel Agger has revealed he is relishing the prospect of playing against his free-scoring club team-mate Daniel Sturridge when Denmark play England at Wembley. Liverpool Echo
Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil, 25, has been warned by Germany coach Joachim Low that "the clock is ticking" on his World Cup hopes. Daily Mirror
Manchester City and Chelsea target Xabi Alonso, 32, says he made the right decision to leave Liverpool in 2009 to join La Liga giants Real Madrid. Daily Express
Manchester United are considering a rethink on their season ticket pricing following the results of a survey that said nearly three-quarters of fans questioned would possibly not renew if they were charged Champions League-level prices for Europa League seats next season. Independent
Luis Suarez believes he would make a better SAS soldier than fellow Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge. FourFourTwo
A former teacher of Luke Shaw has revealed that the Southampton left-back, 18, idolised Ashley Cole - the player he could replace in England's squad for the World Cup this summer. Sun
more bollox later
