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Schalke beats Gladbach to cement 4th in Bundesliga

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BERLIN (AP) Julian Draxler scored late for Schalke to win 1-0 at Borussia Moenchengladbach and consolidate fourth place in the Bundesliga on Friday.
The 19-year-old German international struck with eight minutes remaining after receiving a pass from Raffael that went through the legs of a defender to seal Schalke's first win in Moenchengladbach since 2006.
"It's simply great fun to play with him," Draxler said of the Brazilian.
Both sides wasted a host of chances to take the lead, with Moenchengladbach hitting the post through Granit Xhaka in the 55th minute and Juan Arango eight minutes later. Schalke forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar forced goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen into a good save shortly afterward.
Martin Stranzl almost equalized in injury time, only for his effort to fly narrowly over from close range.
"We couldn't really (afford to) lose today," Ter Stegen said. "Maybe Schalke had the clearer chances, but I don't think their win is completely deserved. A draw would have been a fairer result."
Having played a game more, Schalke is six points clear of Eintracht Frankfurt in the last Champions League qualification place.
"It was very important to win," Draxler said. "Last week we took a decisive step (with a 4-1 win over Hamburger SV) and now we've built on that."
Frankfurt can cut the gap with a win at home over Fortuna Duesseldorf on Saturday. Just two rounds remain after this one.

Wenger pledges future to Arsenal

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LONDON (AP) Arsene Wenger wants to stay on as Arsenal manager beyond the end of his current contract and believes the club is now in good shape to challenge for trophies.
The 63-year-old Frenchman, who joined Arsenal in 1996, has only one more season left to run on his deal and has recently been linked with a possible summer move to French side Paris Saint-Germain.
Wenger, however, pledged his loyalty to Arsenal on Friday and maintained his hunger for success is as strong as ever.
"Every football game excites me and football in general still excites me - the love for this club as well," Wenger said. "I have answered that question (about Paris Saint-Germain) already. I respect my contracts.
"I want to stay (past 2014) if I do well and if I consider or the club considers that I do well, that is all. I want this club to do well, that is my basic feeling."
Wenger has endured a turbulent relationship this season with Arsenal's fans, some of whom are frustrated at his reluctance to buy new players and demoralized by the club's lack of silverware.
Arsenal's last trophy was an FA Cup in 2005 and star striker Robin van Persie last year became the latest in a long line of stars to quit the club when he joined Manchester United.
"We have gone through a period that was very sensitive," Wenger said. "We are coming out of it now, in a much stronger position financially. I believe the club is in a very strong position for the future."
The Arsenal board is reportedly set to formalize negotiations over an extension to Wenger's contract at the end of the season. With a 60,000-seat stadium up and running and the club's financial situation secure, Wenger believes the club will be in good shape even after he has gone.
"I believe a big club should be run where everybody does his job and I try to do my job," Wenger said. "The only thing I can say is that I do it with a lot of commitment and a lot of loyalty. I try to do as well as I can for this club.
"I believe that this club is today in a very, very strong position and has gone through a very sensitive period in a very intelligent way. After that, everything is here to have a great future.
"We have a good fan base, we have a strong financial situation, we have good young players and a squad with a bright future with the quality of the young players we have.
"It just has to be managed well now."
On Saturday, Arsenal will face Queen's Park Rangers, who have already been relegated to the second tier. The Gunners need to maintain pace in the hunt for a place in the Premier League's top four.
Arsenal is currently one point behind Chelsea and two ahead of Tottenham, who face each other on Wednesday in what could prove to be a decisive match.
"The only thing we know is it can only be decisive if we win our games. That is compulsory," Wenger said. "We focus on winning our games and then look at the results of other teams.
"The most important thing is not to lift your head, just to focus on our job and continue our strong run."

No Barca salvation this time around I'm afraid

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It's a bit cheeky of me to offer advice to Lionel Messi and the rest of the Barca lads but now is not the time for false modesty.
Listen up, Leo - I know you're staring down the barrel of a 4-0 first-leg deficit against Bayern Munich and everyone's saying you've gone at the game. But I've been in worse situations than this and, believe me, it is possible to come back.
Think of those weekends when nothing goes right in your football betting. Saturday's nap is 3-0 down inside ten minutes, your first-goalscorer good thing misses a penalty at 0-0 and whatever you've done in the Liverpool game has gone wrong for the 27th straight weekend (can anybody accurately predict when the Reds are going to be good and when they're going to be rubbish? No, me neither).
Anyway, back to the matter in hand. When Sky insist on reminding you that it's a Super Sunday even though you're down to your last quid, it's time to look to the Camp Nou for inspiration. As long as Barcelona are playing on a Sunday evening, there's still a chance of salvation.
The Catalan giants are football's equivalent of the lucky last at the racecourse. Just get stuck into the correct scores and sit back and watch your fortunes turn around. Unfortunately for Barca, the correct scores that have obliged most frequently in their home league games this season are 3-1 and 5-1 - neither of which would be good enough to take them past Bayern tonight.
So much for my motivational skills - having looked at Bayern's amazing defensive record I'm backing the 1-1 draw. Stop crying, Lionel, I'm just telling it like it is.

Special: Manchester United interest in Elliot Kebbie could see CHICHARITO switch to Atletico Madrid

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English teenage defender moved to Spain two years ago, while Chicharito is tired of limited opportunities
Teenage kicks: United were interested in Kebbie be his move to Spain
Manchester United are plotting a summer move for Atletico Madrid's English prodigy Elliot Kebbie.

Kebbie, 18, came through the youth academy at Leeds before moving to the Spanish capital to join Atletico two years ago.

Sir Alex Ferguson has been keeping tabs on Kebbie, who can play right-back as well as in midfield, with a view to making a bid.

United were monitoring Kebbie two years ago, before he moved to Spain, but decided against a £1million move for the youngster.

But they have revived their interest, which could see United striker Javier Hernandez go the other way to Atletico as part of the deal.

Hernandez has made just three Premier League starts since the turn of the year and has grown tired of his limited starting opportunities.

Ferguson has publicly urged Hernandez to stay at United, but a deal could be struck whereby the Mexico international leaves for Spain.

United are also keen on Atletico's Colombi

Jose : I'll leave Real in great shape

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Mourinho's statements after Tuesday's Champions League semi-final exit to Borussia Dortmund have led many in Spain and England to assume that his time at Madrid is almost over, and that a return to former club Chelsea is all but certain.

The Portuguese coach, while again maintaining that he would only decide his future when speaking with Blancos president Florentino Perez at this season's end, told reporters on Friday morning that if he did go he would leave the Bernabeu club on good terms.

"It is not worth talking about whether I will go or not," Mourinho said. "I have always left my clubs well. Even my exit from Chelsea, which seemed controversial, was not. At all the clubs I have left there are no records of negative words or criticism. Just the opposite.

"The day I leave here, be it this season, or in one or two more years, it will not be any different. Life in football is fantastic, you must close one stage and open another. Always with the maximum respect for the clubs."

Mourinho claimed that his current situation was no different from that at most top clubs around Europe, where there is uncertainty over their coaching situation for next season.

"I think that, in football, this happens to practically everyone," he said. "Look to Paris and they say Carlo [Ancelotti] is leaving. Look to Bayern, who are a record champion and the coach is going with [Pep] Guardiola arriving. Look at [Manchester] City and Roberto [Mancini] is leaving, look at Chelsea, where [Rafael] Benitez is going.

"Many clubs are in similar situations. Some clubs are eaten up by these changes, other clubs are not. Coaches work with the maximum professionalism. Us coaches adapt. I have the pleasure and honour to work for this club. Less happily at the moment, because we lost a tie a few days ago. And in two days you do not forget something so sad."

Should Mourinho leave the Bernabeu this summer, many in Spain will point to a record of one La Liga title from three, and especially three losing Champions League semi-finals, as a failure, even if he achieves a second Copa del Rey trophy by beating Atletico Madrid in June 17's final. But the Special One said such an appraisal would be unfair.

"I have won so, so, so much that the expectations are so high," he said. "I will say it like this: 'La Liga de los records' [100 points, 121 goals in 2011-12] is mine. You will want to erase that, but you will not achieve it.

"Twenty years without winning the Copa del Rey - because it is not easy. You cannot erase that either. The Supercopa is tiny, but three Champions League semi-finals, which do not feed my ego nor leave me satisfied, cannot be easy. It cannot be easy because Madrid have had 18 coaches in 21 years and five Champions League semi-finals in 21 years."

Asked if he would change anything from his three seasons in charge to date, Mourinho suggested he would have replaced Iker Casillas as goalkeeper much earlier.

"I would be more active, more demanding and determined at the end of my first season," he said. "I would have signed Diego Lopez then. I wanted to do it, but I did not try hard enough. That is a pity."

Mourinho was speaking after Friday's training session at Valdebebas, which Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain all missed due to problems picked up during Tuesday's game against Dortmund.

With Alvaro Arbeloa and Marcelo still on the injury list, a number of youngsters and reserves including Alvaro Morata, Nacho Fernandez, Raul Albiol and Jose Callejon could all get game-time in Saturday evening's La Liga game against Real Valladolid at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.