Chelsea may have lost the title to Manchester United but they may have pipped their rivals to the signing of Portugal international Jose Bosingwa.

Celtic winger Aiden McGeady has voiced his opposition to extending the Clydesdale Bank Premier League season to help ease the burden on rivals Rangers.

FOR drama and surprise there is nothing quite like La Liga, although the Premier League shows signs of running it close this season.

SCHALKE captain Marcelo Bordon has questioned the commitment of his team-mates ahead of tonight’s Champions League last-16 clash at Porto.

ALL derbies are equal but some are more equal than others, declared the Portuguese football paper O Jogo last week, a proposition that will be sadly familiar to Tottenham fans.

HEDGE funds have invested in wine, whiskey and movies in pursuit of returns that outpace stocks and bonds.

FILM star and former soccer ace Vinnie Jones will be summoned to a hearing in Co Tipperary next month to explain why his coursing greyhound tested positive for drugs.

BOAVISTA, who walked away with this season’s Coursing Greyhound of the Year award after an unbeaten season, has tested positive for a prohibited substance following his victory in the Irish Cup, which carried a prize of €80,000, at Kilmallock, Co Limerick, three weeks ago.

FRENCH striker Djibril Cisse has dismissed as "stupid people" the CSKA Sofia fans who subjected him to a torrent of racial abuse during Liverpool's Champions League victory in Bulgaria.

Wigan have completed the signing of midfielder Damien Francis from Norwich.

Newcastle manager Graeme Souness will put a traumatic week in his club’s colourful history behind him as he attempts to take a stride towards the UEFA Cup semi-finals.

Irish U21s manager Don Givens’ young guns crashed to a third straight defeat to further dent their confidence.

HISTORY repeated itself at the opening stage of the Clonmel Festival yesterday to provide one of the three big surprises in the first round of the Boylesports Derby.

It’s Pat Curtin’s first visit to the National Coursing Meeting in Clonmel as an ‘official’ trainer. However, he boasts two live contenders in Boavista and Smoking Banner. Diarmuid O’Flynn got the lowdown.

WEST BROM’S new signings Kanu and Zoltan Gera may have to wait until next weekend for their debuts.

Manchester United will be without Cristiano Ronaldo for four Premiership games, a Champions League qualifier and their trip to the United States after he was included in Portugal’s squad for the Olympic games.

Rudi Voller believes Germany are still on course for a place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2004 after being held 0-0 by supposed tournament minnows Latvia at the Estadio do Bessa yesterday.

CELTIC manager Martin O'Neill has declared that drawing Barcelona in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup is a huge bonus for the club.

The Republic of Ireland U21 side opened their account at the Madeira Island tournament this afternoon with a 0-0 stalemate against host nation Portugal.

Charlton boss Alan Curbishley has strengthened his squad by signing former Portugal U21 goalkeeper Sergio Leite and ex-Arsenal midfielder Stephen Hughes on short term contracts.

High – Manchester United take him on as a trainee in 1991 and next year makes his debut for first team and is part of the side who win the FA Youth Cup.

Didier Agathe insisted the Celtic players and their loyal supporters do not deserve to end the season without a trophy.

ON the eve of a UEFA Cup final in which the burden of Celtic’s history could be as oppressive as the heat of the night in Seville, Martin O’Neill yesterday took steps to lighten the load on the men charged with overcoming Porto at the Olympic Stadium.

Danny McGrain believes Celtic will face another battle to keep manager Martin O’Neill if they beat Porto in the UEFA Cup final.

Superstitious goalkeeper Robert Douglas is hoping an unexpected gift will give him a hefty dose of good luck in the UEFA Cup final.

Celtic striker John Hartson flew out to Spain with his team-mates this morning despite being forced onto the sidelines for the UEFA Cup final against FC Porto on Wednesday.

MARTIN O’NEILL has described leading Celtic into a UEFA Cup final as a “wonderful moment” but confessed he would rather be pulling on the boots in Seville.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink admitted he had under-performed this season as he looked to end on a winning note despite having failed to reach 20 goals in a campaign for the first time in seven years.

Rangers 1

Rangers 1 Celtic 2

Celtic chairman Brian Quinn is backing Martin O’Neill to talk star striker Henrik Larsson out of retirement.

CELTIC manager Martin O’Neill has told his UEFA Cup heroes that nothing less than a win against Rangers will be good enough tomorrow.

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has told his UEFA Cup heroes that nothing less than a win against Rangers will be good enough on Sunday.

Celtic striker John Hartson admits he thought the Hoops were heading out of the UEFA Cup against Boavista.

Boavista 0

Henrik Larsson struck his 40th goal of the season 12 minutes from time to put Celtic into the final of the UEFA Cup with a dramatic victory over Boavista in the Bessa Stadium tonight.

Henrik Larsson squandered a glorious first-half opportunity of an away goal in the Bessa Stadium tonight as Celtic chased a place in the UEFA Cup final in Seville.

Celtic are left flying the flag for the UK in Europe after Manchester United's Champions League exit last night, but both sides started nervously with so much at stake.

Martin O’Neill’s men knew they had to produce the magic of Anfield at the Bessa Stadium tonight to make their first European final since 1970.

A UEFA Cup final place would be perfect gift for Birthday Bhoy Robert Douglas.

CELTIC manager Martin O’Neill declared last night that his stars are as buoyant as he could wish for ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Cup semi-final second leg tie in Portugal.

BOAVISTA coach Jaime Pacheco yesterday described tonight’s UEFA Cup semi-final second leg against Celtic as the biggest game in the club’s 100-year history.

Celtic legend Tommy Gemmell has urged Martin O’Neill to leave Chris Sutton on the bench – because Henrik Larsson and John Hartson can fire Celtic to the UEFA Cup final.