Latest Football news, Euro and World Soccer

Ribéry praises Bayern after European progression

• Bayern reach quarter-finals despite 3-2 defeat to Fiorentina
• ‘We showed a great team performance,’ said Ribéry

Franck Ribéry believes Bayern Munich’s dramatic progression to the Champions League quarter-finals underlines the unity in the side. Bayern lost 3-2 in their last-16 second-leg tie with Fiorentina at the Stadio Artemio Franchi last night but went through on away goals after the first leg in Germany ended 2-1 to the home side.

“It was very important for us to go through,” said Ribéry. “We knew that it was not going to be an easy game and the weather didn’t help us either, particularly in the first half when it was very tough.

“We showed a great team performance with a lot of solidarity. As a team, together we can achieve a lot.”

Matching last season’s achievement in reaching the quarter-finals was a minimum requirement for Bayern, and now the bar is set to be raised even higher with hopes running high of a favourable draw in the next round.

“We are happy to have gone through – that was the aim,” the midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger told Bayern’s website. “Now we have got to see if we get the luck of the draw. Maybe we will get another not-so-big opponent.”

Fabio Capello sets semi-final target as World Cup minimum

• Rooney is one of the three best players in the world, Italian says
• I would not swap my job with Marcello Lippi, he adds

Fabio Capello has set the bold target of steering England to the semi-finals of the World Cup at the very least, thereby emulating the national team’s best performance at the tournament since the trophy was won in 1966.

The Italian has had to contend over the past month with injuries to key personnel and serious allegations over his players’ personal lives – one of them cost John Terry the captaincy – together with confirmation that the England team hotel had been bugged before last week’s friendly against Egypt. Yet those distractions have not doused his enthusiasm for a role he accepted a little over two years ago, with his basic target now to take the team beyond the quarter-finals, where Sven-Goran Eriksson twice came unstuck, in South Africa this summer.

“My job when I was manager of Milan, Juventus, Roma or Madrid was always to try and win and, for me, it’s the same now as England manager,” said Capello. “I am focused to find the best way and we are one of the best teams in the World Cup. We hope to arrive at the semi-finals, minimum, and then, after a lot of years, win the World Cup.

“We have a good team, good players and, at this moment, we think we can beat all of the teams because we can play at the same level of the best teams in the world. It is a surprise to see the attention on things off the pitch because, usually, my job has been to decide things on the pitch, so that is new. But being England manager is always a challenge. But the challenge for me is always important because, at my age, without a challenge, I’d just stay at home. I could go on holiday. I like the challenge. This will be one of the most important of my life.

“To manage England was one of my dreams and I’m really happy to have taken on the job. I would not swap my position with [the Italy coach] Marcello Lippi. I prefer to be England manager. I hope to play against Italy in the final but my shirt at that moment will be an England shirt.”

England have reached the semi-finals only once, in 1990, in the past 44 years, and Capello’s ambition is a concession that the Football Association and the supporters will be seeking evidence of real progress under a manager who signed a four-year contract worth around £26m.

A place in the last four at the summer’s finals would satisfy that with Capello admitting that Wayne Rooney – arguably the side’s one world-class player on present form – is key to achieving that much.

“Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney are the three best players in the world at the moment,” said Capello, speaking at the Laureus Sports Awards in Abu Dhabi. “Their styles are completely different. One is fast, one has lots of imagination. Rooney is more strong. He runs a lot and helps everyone, and this year he has scored many goals. I think he is one of the best, but those three are really young and they are the best players for the future. I hope he will be in the same form during the World Cup and that he will be fit and not injured because he is one of the most important players.

“Of those who are injured at the moment, I am happy because they are injured now rather than when the World Cup starts. Wes Brown, Rio Ferdinand and Ashley Cole are out but the players who played against Egypt played very well and we have no big problem with defenders.”

Ferdinand has returned to the Manchester United line-up since the win against Egypt, and Brown is expected to be absent for up to six weeks with a metatarsal injury. Cole continues to make good progress in rehabilitation in the south of France after breaking an ankle during Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat at Everton, with the club confident he will return to action before the end of the campaign.

That will grant the first-choice left-back time to prove his fitness ahead of the naming of Capello’s 30-man provisional squad for the finals, on 16 May.

England have two fixtures, against Mexico at Wembley and Japan in Graz, Austria, later that month before flying to South Africa on 2 June.

Juve trip is stuff of dreams, says Hodgson

• European run is ‘very important step’ for club, says Hodgson
• Juventus game will be the 46th of Fulham’s season

Fulham arrived in a snow-covered Turin today for the 46th match of what feels like a never-ending season but no one connected with the west London club was complaining about the freezing conditions or fixture congestion. With Juventus standing between Fulham and a place in the Europa League quarter-finals, Roy Hodgson talked about his players taking part in a tie which was “beyond our dreams” when he took over two years ago.

An experienced Juventus team including Alessandro Del Piero, France’s David Trezeguet and Italy’s World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro await a club that was staring relegation to the Championship in the face when Hodgson supplanted Lawrie Sanchez at the end of 2007. It has been a remarkable journey ever since and Hodgson and his players are now daring to believe that Turin might not be the final destination on their European tour.

“I think given our position when I came to the club, I don’t think many people would have given any credence to the fact we could be this far forward in our development now,” said the Fulham manager. “The history we are making this year is a very important step for the club and one which I hope will provide a stronger foundation to keep our place among the elite in England.”

No other Premier League club has played more games than Fulham this season and tomorrow night’s fixture is the first of five in the space of a fortnight. That season-defining period includes the two ties against Juventus, Premier League matches against Manchester United and Manchester City and an FA Cup quarter-final replay against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Wednesday week.

Not so long ago Hodgson was adopting a laissez-faire approach to the Europa League, using the competition to blood fringe players as he focused all his attention on top-flight survival. But having defeated the Europa League holders, Shakhtar Donetsk, in the previous round, after progressing from the group stages, and climbed to a position of safety in the Premier League, Hodgson admitted that his priorities have changed.

“A good finish in the Premier League is still very important,” said Hodgson, who will be without the suspended Danny Murphy tomorrow. “But there is no way we are going to be in any way nonchalant about these two matches against Juventus or the FA Cup replay against Tottenham because if we could progress further in either of those two competitions it would be a magnificent feather in our cap.”

Hodgson’s achievements are already well respected in Italy, where he managed Internazionale on two occasions as well as Udinese, and there was a sense last night he would like to come back again one day. “Why not,” said Hodgson. “The two spells I had with Inter were very enjoyable and I think I left a good memory among the people who work there. I’m really happy doing what I’m doing and recently renewed my contract. But Italy will always have a very fond place in my memory and I would always be very happy to come back here.”

He would, however, have hoped to be greeted with better weather on his latest trip. With snow covering the pitch at the stadium, Hodgson agreed to train indoors last night. “I have to say Juventus were very good and they made it clear that if we insisted on training on it, as we have the right from Uefa to do, that they would take off the covers. But it was obvious to me that was counter-productive because both ourselves and Juventus would like to have the best pitch possible tomorrow.”

Probable teams:

Juventus: (4-3-1-2) Manninger; Zebina, Legrottaglie, Cannavaro, Grosso; Candreva, Poulsen, Sissoko; Diego; Del Piero, Trezeguet

Fulham: (4-4-2) Schwarzer; Baird, Hughes, Hangeland; Konchesky; Duff, Greening, Etuhu, Davies; Zamora, Gera

Referee: F Meyer (Germany)

Real Madrid 1-1 Lyon: Madrid dumped out
Real Madrid’s dreams of a Champions League final at their Bernabeu home were crushed by Lyon tonight as the Spanish giants were knocked out at the last-16 stage for the sixth successive season.

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Real Madrid 1-1 Lyon (agg 1-2)
Real Madrid crash out of the Champions League to Lyon 2-1 on aggregate after being held 1-1 at the Bernabeu.

Ivory Coast ask Troussier to coach national side
Philippe Troussier has been approached by the Ivory Coast to take charge of the national team at this year’s World Cup, following the dismissal of Vahid Halilhodzic last month.

Cardiff given tax bill deadline
Cardiff City are given eight more weeks by the High Court to settle an outstanding tax bill.

Ivory Coast yet to appoint Guus Hiddink
Guus Hiddink has not signed a deal to coach Ivory Coast at this summer’s World Cup, the country’s football federation has said.

Bayern coach Van Gaal admits Ribery exit fears
Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal admits his side’s progression to the Champions League quarter-finals does not guarantee that prized asset Franck Ribery is going to stay at the Allianz Arena.

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Plymouth announce Home Park plan
Plymouth Argyle Football Company plans to sell Home Park to their holding company.

FA probes England security breach
The Football Association is looking into a security breach after a recording emerged purporting to carry discussions between England coaches and players.

Steven Gerrard could face V-sign charge after Wigan dent Liverpool’s European hopes
Steven Gerrard could face an FA charge following a Liverpool defeat which left Rafa Benitez questioning his side’s character.

Manchester United v AC Milan: Wayne Rooney fit for Champions League duty
Wayne Rooney has returned to training ahead of Manchester United’s Champions League date with AC Milan.

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Wayne Rooney back in training ahead of Manchester United’s Milan tie

• Top scorer looks set to overcome knee injury
• Ryan Giggs out of contention despite run-out in training

Wayne Rooney has provided Manchester United with a timely Champions League boost by taking part in training ahead of tomorrow’s encounter with Milan.

United’s manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, said after Saturday’s victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, which the striker missed, that Rooney was “a big doubt” for tomorrow’s game after aggravating a knee injury on England duty last week.

However, Rooney’s presence at Carrington this morning suggests United’s top scorer will be involved at Old Trafford as Ferguson’s side attempt to reach the last eight of this season’s competition at the expense of David Beckham and his team-mates.

Ryan Giggs also trained this morning, after having a plate removed from the arm he broke at Aston Villa recently. But the Welshman was limited to a solo session and Ferguson has already said the winger will not come into contention.

United do have options, though, with Dimitar Berbatov impressing at Molineux on Saturday, and Paul Scholes scoring his 100th Premier League goal. Michael Carrick is, however, suspended following his late dismissal in the San Siro, so Darren Fletcher is expected to return.

It is the sight of Rooney that will cheer United fans the most as they attempt to build on their 3-2 win in Italy. Although the Red Devils have never been knocked out of a two-legged European tie after winning the away leg first, their chances of victory will be significantly enhanced if their 28-goal top scorer is around to help them.

Ellis Short’s long shadow looms but Steve Bruce remains defiant | Dominic Fifield

The Sunderland manager is not alone among the top-flight strugglers in feeling relative security

Steve Bruce might have been forgiven the haunted look of the condemned man yet, as he considered Ellis Short’s presence at the Stadium of Light this evening, all he could offer was defiance. The Dallas‑based businessman is a rare visitor to Wearside but, with his investment treading water above the relegation zone, the time has come to witness their lack of progress first-hand. “There’s no trepidation that he is coming,” offered Bruce. “I’m glad he is. When you’re struggling, you need the support of the chairman and the owner. I have got that.”

Those managers currently in the scrap for survival must hope they are blessed with similar backing. Untimely weekend defeats for West Ham United and Hull City have left both Gianfranco Zola and Phil Brown embroiled in the congestion near the foot, with grumbling discontent welling at each club and the financial implications of demotion into the Championship horribly real. Sunderland, without a league victory since last November, have seen their most promising start to a campaign in a generation unravel wretchedly. In the desperate circumstances, a visit from a largely absentee owner might have sinister implications.

Logic suggests there is little point in changing managers at this time of year. The transfer deadline has passed, denying a new man the chance to refresh his squad for the run-in. Back when the cut-off for signings came in March, this period was littered with managerial casualties. These days, with six points covering the clubs from 13th to 19th in the Premier League and with hefty pay-offs to recompense the departed, upheaval may be too much of a risk. Outside the upper echelons, Hereford sacked John Trewick yesterday though theirs is a club meandering 11 points clear of trouble and with Graham Turner, their manager of 14 years up to April, already in situ. Back in the elite, Alan Shearer’s brief and ultimately unsuccessful tenure at Newcastle United that yielded five points from eight games serves as a warning; radical change, even instigated by a homecoming hero, does not always have the desired effect.

Bizarre selection policies or tactical decisions could still prompt the axe, of course, though there is a sense that each manager is largely extracting the most he can from his respective options. West Ham’s strongest available side was deflated by Bolton Wanderers at Upton Park, where pressure on Zola will persist given that he was not the new owners’ appointment. Hull included only five of the side who had beaten Manchester City last month when wilting at Everton, but Brown could point to injuries as a contributing factor in a 5-1 drubbing. His admission that “the gameplan was left in the dressing room at half-time, for whatever reason” was more damning but the last time the Hull manager departed Merseyside he had been granted the dreaded vote of confidence by his new executive chairman. This time, with only two games against sides currently in the top eight to come, there appears little prospect of a change at the top.

For Sunderland, the reality is more troubling. Bolton arrive on Wearside tonight having leapfrogged their hosts in pursuit of mid-table and, while Wanderers are upwardly mobile, the locals are slipping steadily towards the foot. The only victory gained out of the last 16 in all competitions was against Barrow, currently 21st in the Conference. Their descent is as baffling as it is alarming. “We had our best start in 35 years, and now we haven’t won a game for three months,” said Bruce. “We are all upset at what has happened. I have never been on a run when I’ve not got a result over the winter. It is staggering. I wouldn’t have thought it possible back in the autumn after the start we’d had.

“But you look to the chairman [Niall Quinn], the influence he has had, and the owner who has been very, very supportive in a very short period of time. We are very fortunate to have him. He lets you go on as a manager and do your job. I will never be complacent. I knew it was a difficult challenge when I took it on. They finished fifth bottom twice but we will eventually get there, I’m sure of that. It will take time but, eventually, I will reward [the owner] and give him the team he wants.”

He must weather this storm before he can begin to think long-term. Short converted £48m of loans into shares recently and has provided the funds to secure the likes of Michael Turner, Lorik Cana, Lee Cattermole, Darren Bent and, during the January transfer window, Matt Kilgallon and the loanees Alan Hutton and Benjani. He would expect more for his considerable investment than prolonged toil through to May. “I do have personal contact with Ellis Short,” added Bruce. “He’s at the Bolton game and I will see him on Wednesday, whatever the result.” Bolton’s visit is the second of four consecutive home league games that could ultimately prove key. This may no longer be sacking season but, even so, the Sunderland manager will privately be praying for a performance this evening to strengthen his position.

Nicklas Bendtner not afraid as Arsenal reach for the stars | David Hytner

The Arsenal striker is self-assured and has a thick skin – which is probably just as well

Ask anyone on the inside at Arsenal to talk about Nicklas Bendtner’s best qualities and their features invariably soften. “Nick is a special guy,” said the goalkeeper Manuel Almunia, with a smile, yesterday. “You cannot fault him on confidence,” added the manager, Arsène Wenger. Bendtner has what all of the world’s leading strikers are supposed to have; that streak of arrogance. Actually, he has it by the bucket-load. In short, he is a cocky so-and-so. Yet his is a likeable brand of self-assurance.

The Dane is a popular member of the dressing room and the days when he came across as an outsider, during his well-publicised difficulties with Emmanuel Adebayor, who has since departed for Manchester City, seem distant. Bendtner is not afraid to reach for the stars and tell you how he is going to touch them, and tonight’s occasion at the Emirates Stadium – a delicately poised Champions League last-16 decider, with Porto 2-1 up from the first-leg – is the sort that he lives for. Only once have Arsenal overturned a first-leg away deficit in European competition and that was back in 1978-79.

“There is always something new in our games and we have a good opportunity to change history,” noted Wenger. Bendtner is ready. Yet he enters the tie with his starting place insecure – Wenger said he must also consider the claims of Eduardo da Silva after Bendtner’s nightmarish performance during the 3-1 victory against Burnley on Saturday, in which the Emirates crowd were pushed to the limits of their patience by his profligacy in front of goal when to score would have put the game beyond their opponents.

The 22-year-old’s team-mate Andrey Arshavin joked that he was saving up his goals for Porto and it is to be hoped that if similar chances present themselves, especially from point-blank range, Bendtner can stick them away.

It has been a frustrating season for the forward, in which he was sidelined for three months from the beginning of November following groin surgery and he has scored only five times for Arsenal in 21 appearances, 13 of them starts. His lofty pre-season targets, which were encouraged in part by Adebayor’s sale and his step up the pecking order, have had to be revised. He has also been the butt of jokes, particularly after Saturday. Does his shirt number, 52, correspond to the number of chances he needs to score?

Porto promises to represent a psychological test, as much as anything else, but Bendtner believes that he retains the support of the Arsenal crowd and that he will not shirk from demanding the ball or getting into scoring positions. In his line of work, it certainly pays to have a thick skin. “I just love to play a game like this with a lot at stake,” he said. “Then, it is the most fun. It is quite simple. We need to beat them to advance and, I believe, we will.

“I don’t feel any real criticism right now. Yes, I missed some great chances in one match but, before that, I scored in three matches in a row [including one for Denmark]. I feel that the Arsenal fans really got behind me and supported me because I gave everything I had. I was just not lucky with my finishes but, sometimes, it is like that.”

Bendtner was afforded a standing ovation when he was substituted on 74 minutes against Brian Laws’s side which, in some quarters, was interpreted as being sarcastic. It was nothing of the sort. Perhaps the crowd have searched their souls after last season’s booing of Emmanuel Eboué but, more likely, they see the positives in Bendtner and his overall game. There is a yearning for him to succeed, and that desire does not just stem from his manager.

“The crowd was at a certain point wobbling a bit on Saturday but then they turned for Bendtner and that’s good,” Wenger said. “If they turned against him, for a striker, that causes a problem. It’s true that when you are 194cm [6ft 4in] like he is, you cannot be sharp like a smaller player. But he will be a good player.

“Bendtner can take critical remarks and analyse them without being offended. People take a lot the negative side of his self-confidence but it has as well a positive side. He can face his problems, analyse them and change his behaviour. I don’t know what he said to his team-mates after Saturday but he has not fooled himself. He knows that he could have scored.”

Wenger admitted he had spoken in private with Bendtner about Saturday’s events in order to ensure that the Danish international drew strength from them. The player, though, knows of nothing that can derail him. His thoughts now are fixed purely on scoring the winning goal against Porto and becoming Arsenal’s latest cult hero.

Arsenal can beat Porto without Cesc Fábregas, insists Arsène Wenger

The Arsenal manager says his side should win tonight’s Champion’s League clash despite the absence of their captain, and backs Nicklas Bendtner to find form

Luke Harding on Litvinenko family’s failed attempt to find refuge in Italy

Luke Harding on Litvinenko family’s failed attempt to find refuge in Italy

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Jose Reyes furious after red card at Real Zaragoza
Atletico Madrid winger Jose Reyes was left seething following his dismissal during Sunday night’s 1-1 draw at Real Zaragoza, claiming he was innocent of any wrong-doing.

Redknapp: Brits are dying breed in Premier League
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp believes British owners and managers are a dying breed in the Premier League.

Pato included in Milan’s Champions League squad
AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato has been included in Leonardo’s 22-man squad for Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 return leg against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Cruyff believes Barca players have to work harder
Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff has told the team they must work harder if they are to recover their form.

Wigan v Liverpool: Rafael Benitez says side cannot afford any more slip ups this season
Liverpool manager knows there is no margin for error if side have any hope of retaining Champions League status.

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Ronaldo expects Real to progress past Lyon
Cristiano Ronaldo is confident that Real Madrid, with the help of their fans, will break with recent tradition and progress through to the Champions League quarter-finals at the expense of Lyon this week.

Xerez target miracle escape after Malaga victory
Xerez`s players were given renewed belief they can achieve a “miracle” and avoid relegation following their impressive 4-2 away victory over Malaga.

Hamstring injury forces Fabregas out of Porto tie
Cesc Fabregas has been ruled out of Arsenal’s Champions League last-16 tie against Porto on Tuesday night after failing to train due to a hamstring injury.

Chelsea pull Villa, Pompey await Londoners in draw
Holders Chelsea are set to face Aston Villa at Wembley after the draw for the semi-finals was completed after their 2-0 quarter-final defeat of Stoke City.

Cagliari coach Allegri rejects Milan and Juve talk
Cagliari boss Massimiliano Allegri insists he will respect his contract despite being linked with a move to a number of top Serie A clubs.

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Chelsea defender John Terry: my form has stood up
Chelsea captain John Terry has defended his form in the wake of the scandal which has engulfed him over the past month.

Everton 5 Hull City 1: match report
Everton thrashing leaves Hull in the relegation zone and the Merseysiders pushing for Europe..

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas: I’ve been lucky to escape serious injury
Spaniard often on end of robust challenges and believes Arsenal have to stand up to rough treatment from Premier League teams.

FA Cup draw: Aston Villa to face Chelsea
Aston Villa facing Chelsea and Portsmouth up against either Fulham or Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium.

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Falkirk 0-2 Celtic
Robbie Keane nets a double in Celtic’s win at Falkirk to narrow the gap on league leaders Rangers to 10 points.

SFA dismisses Celtic accusations
Scottish FA chief executive Gordon Smith dismisses Celtic’s claims that rejecting Scott Brown’s red card appeal may have been a political decision.

Lack of technology angers McLeish
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is frustrated with the International Football Association Board’s decision to rule out using goal-line technology.

Everton 5-1 Hull
Mikel Arteta shines with two goals as Everton destroy Hull and move up to eighth in the Premier League.

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Royals lifted by Roy of the Rovers spirit

Reading’s chairman is confident his club will be well placed to weather the game’s coming financial reckoning

By Sir John Madejski’s own admission, the last year has been tough. His various businesses have taken a battering in the recession and the football club he has owned for the past two decades has endured the sort of 12 months that would test the resolve of the most committed chairman, never mind one who has repeatedly talked about selling up and handing over the keys to “someone with enormously deep pockets”.

Yet as Reading’s chairman discussed the past, present and future in the penthouse at his Millennium hotel this week, there was not a hint of pessimism in his voice. At one point he even confessed to actually enjoying the challenge the economy is throwing at him, and when the conversation turned to tomorrow’s FA Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa, which is only the second occasion the Royals have got this far and the first time Reading have appeared in the last eight of the competition in 83 years, his face lit up.

“The FA Cup has been a great renaissance for us. I think it has helped to reignite our season,” said Madejski, who has seen Reading overcome Liverpool, Burnley and West Bromwich Albion so far. “It’s been a good distraction because it’s given confidence to the manager and the players and everyone at the club. And it’s not every day of the week that you turn over a club like Liverpool, especially away.”

It is interesting that the competition should be hailed as a welcome intrusion this year when Steve Coppell viewed it as quite the opposite during his two years in the top flight in charge of Reading as he targeted Premier League survival at all costs. Avoiding relegation still remains the primary objective for Reading this season, albeit from the Championship this time, but there is a genuine belief that the FA Cup run has lifted the mood amid what Madejski refers to as a “very lean period” for the club.

Three managers produced three home league victories between them in 2009 and although Brian McDermott has turned things around since Brendan Rodgers was sacked in December, eighth place in the Premier League, which is where the club finished three years ago, seems a millions miles away at the moment. Indeed Reading supporters could be forgiven for believing that the club’s inaugural top-flight season is as good as it will ever get for them.

Madejski, however, refuses to be defeatist about the future. “I’ve always felt that sport is all about hearts and minds. If you get a good squad and a good atmosphere… it’s amazing what humans can do with the right will and the right passion. If you get people to believe – I know I’m talking a bit Roy of the Rovers here – and you can invoke that kind of passion within players, you can move mountains.

“Listen, I’m a romantic,” continued Madejski, making his point more forcibly. “And I’m passionate about what I believe in. And we’ve done it once and we can do it again. I firmly believe that. I know with the right kind of players, the right management and the right support, it can happen. We are still fiercely ambitious as a club. And everyone involved is anxious to replicate what we did before.”

What Madejski will not accept, however, is demands for him to bankroll the revival. Some fans have criticised his lack of investment in the club over recent years but no amount of flak is going to change his mind, especially when he estimates that he has already poured about £40m in since he took over in 1990. “We’re here for the long haul,” said Madejski, who insisted he is “totally committed” to Reading. “This is not some quick fix that may or may not work. We’ve gambled quite enough [in the past], thank you very much.”

The 68-year-old admits he has a “simplistic” approach to finances and for that reason disagrees with the type of takeovers that have left Manchester United and Liverpool saddled with huge debts. “I’m not very fond of hedging and betting and gambling. I hate the idea of clubs having to buy themselves, which is what is happening to a large extent. It’s not very wholesome in my mind. I believe in two and two make four, and four and four make eight.”

His own figures, however, have not added up so well of late. Last year’s Sunday Times Rich List suggested that Madejski’s wealth had diminished by £150m in the space of 12 months because of falling asset values.

“It’s been tough and obviously things could be better,” he said. “But what the heck? In fact I’m enjoying the challenge of what it’s like. I’m not in denial, which a lot of people are. At least I face up to the reality of the situation, which, quite frankly, has affected every person in the land.”

Apart from lavishly paid footballers, some might say, which brings us on to a subject that has long frustrated Reading’s chairman. “I think football in general has always had this malaise of footballers’ wages. I have been in the game for nearly 20 years as a chairman and all I’ve seen is this inextricable rise in players’ wages, which is where it all goes wrong. I think there is a reality dawn coming and clubs have to be more circumspect about what they’re up to. You can’t get blood out of a stone. You can’t keep paying money that you can’t get.

“People have to recognise that football is a business and you have to cut the coat according to the cloth. And if the cloth isn’t there, it isn’t there,” added Madejski, who pointed out that Reading’s hospitality revenue has dropped by 60% this season. “Times are hard and we have to live within budgets. It was fascinating to observe the January transfer window, which was very quiet compared to what has happened in the past. And it will be interesting to see how the summer pans out because I think the hedonistic days of football might have passed.”

Much has certainly changed during Madejski’s tenure at Reading, which has seen the club relocate to a new stadium and also play top-flight football for the first time. In fact, just about the only thing missing on his CV until now has been a decent FA Cup run. “Not since 1927 have we found ourselves in the quarter-finals,” said Madejski.

“History is being made against Villa and it’s something people can talk about to their grandchildren in years to come. We’re going to be the underdogs of course. But everything is doable.”

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Smalling geared up for very big future

An FA Cup run with Fulham is a taste of things to come for the impressive centre-half for Manchester United

Chris Smalling grew up in a household that in footballing terms was quite a battleground. His mum, Theresa, followed Tottenham. He supported Arsenal. His father, Lloyd, and younger brother Jason plumped for Manchester United. Little did this young Gunner know that one day he would be playing at White Hart Lane, about to meet Sir Alex Ferguson, and that his world would spin upside down in the most thrilling way imaginable.

Sitting in the wintry sunshine at Fulham’s training ground, Smalling gives the impression that he is remarkably calm about the recent turn of events that led him to sign for Manchester United. He will move to Old Trafford in the summer, just two years after he left Maidstone in the Isthmian League, six tiers below the top flight. Those promising feet are grounded. There is enough apprehension mixed in with the excitement to prevent any sudden swagger. “It’s been a really crazy couple of years,” he says, bashfully.

The craziness peaked last month. His career was progressing steadily at Craven Cottage, and Smalling had been selected for his second Premier League start for an away match at Tottenham Hotspur. Nobody said a word before kick-off as Fulham’s management team wanted him to be concentrating fully, but afterwards he was pulled aside and informed that Ferguson had come to watch him and wanted to talk to him. Considering that it was the eve of the Carling Cup semi-final second leg, with United preparing to play City at Old Trafford, Smalling was bowled over to discover that the manager of the Premier League champions would make such an effort. Just for him. Up until that point he had played 239 minutes of Premier League football.

“For him to come down the day before a big game was a huge compliment,” he says. “That made it feel incredible. I went up the next day to the Manchester derby and got to meet some of the players afterwards. I went to see the training ground, did the medical, and everyone was very welcoming.”

The 20-year-old found himself chewing the fat with one of his role models, Rio Ferdinand, a fellow south London boy who told him about moving north at a young age to further his career. “He told me I would very much enjoy it up there,” adds Smalling, who returned to London enthusing about how he might pick up some tips from the main man next season and hopefully even play alongside him in the centre of defence.

That treatment worked. The player had been torn when it emerged that his boyhood club, and one much closer to home, was also in the chase. But Arsène Wenger did not put in the personal effort that Ferguson did, a reversal of what happened when Aaron Ramsey was the prize they fought over.

“When Sir Alex came and met me and I went to go up and visit, I had the gut feeling this was the place for me to continue my football education,” Smalling says. “My brother was just over the moon. Being a Man United fan he is going to want a few tickets. My mum and brother are so proud of me.”

So they should be. Few players make the leap from non-league to Champions League within a couple of years. Not so long ago Smalling was making plans for a life where the idea of football as a career was a hope rather than an expectation. He worked hard at school, and his A-level passes in economics, business studies and media secured him a university place. “I would have gone to Loughborough to study business management and was looking forward to that very much,” he says.

While studying for his exams at 17 he was also playing for Maidstone United. He trained twice a week and played matches at the weekend, experiencing a side of football he appreciates for giving him perspective. “My team-mates had different jobs,” he recalls. “A few worked in the city, some did building and carpentry, a lot of them had played in the league at a higher level but dropped down for whatever reason, whether they were coming to the end of their career or had an injury and struggled to get back,” he says. “That makes you value the opportunity you have.”

Thankfully, once he reached the first team at Maidstone he did not have to take his kit home for mum to deal with, but he still had to get himself to matches and cadged lifts from his friends. “Some games would be a bit of a nightmare if there was traffic and you’d be rushing for kick-off. Not the sort of thing you do in the Premier League.”

Naturally, as a teenager, he was targeted by the gnarled veterans of the Isthmian League. “Their game is geared to sort of roughing you up if they see they are up against someone who has played a handful of times. That gave me a grounding in the less pretty side of the game. I like to get the ball down and play, but I can always get stuck in and hold my own.”

He was picked for England schoolboys, a selection that opened the door to trials with a couple of Premier League clubs, and it was Fulham who felt right in the summer of 2008. “After playing a reserve game Roy Hodgson took me into his office and complimented me on my game. We had a general chat, he was telling me about when he played for Maidstone back in the day, so it all felt very nice to be at the club. They gave me a chance, they saw some raw ability and it has been a joy working here every day.”

Smalling is hopeful he can experience some tangible success with his team-mates before he bids them farewell. Fulham has got under his skin, and he would dearly love some cup success, with Tottenham in the FA Cup quarter-finals today and Juventus in the Europa League on the horizon. “The chance of getting to Wembley, and playing against the likes of Juventus, shows how far we have come as a group.”

In the meantime, he is juggling plates again. When not focusing on Fulham, he is planning for Old Trafford. He has already started the search for a place to live, and wants to get sorted before the summer so he is ready to hit the ground running in pre-season.

Overall, he could hardly be more sensible. Ferguson knows his £10m has been spent on a player who does not just have the talent to go far, but the work ethic and level-headedness as well. He even wants to continue his studies while he is at Manchester United. “I’d like to pick it up as there is obviously quite a bit of spare time after training, to get a few qualifications for after football.”

Smalling has another thing going for him. As he gets up from his seat when our conversation draws to a close, he seems to go on forever. Some footballers are not as big as you expect in the flesh, but Smalling towers. It is necessary to crane your neck to say goodbye and apparently all 6ft 4in of him is yet to fill out. Manchester United just might have bought themselves a very big player for the future.

Portsmouth v Birmingham - live!

Hit the auto-update thingummybob for the latest posts, view the latest scores here and email Scott.Murray@guardian.co.uk too

Scott will be here at around 12pm. In the meantime you’ll find everything you need to know about today’s game below.

Alex McLeish, the Birmingham manager, has warned his players about a backlash in this sixth-round tie at Fratton Part. “They have a siege mentality just now and it is a very dangerous game for us,” he said. Portsmouth will be without suspended Portugal defender Ricardo Rocha following his red card in the match against Burnley last week so Tal Ben Haim may replace him following groin surgery. Birmingham will make a late check on the fitness of striker James McFadden, who suffered a groin injury in the win over Wigan last week. Paul Weaver

Venue Fratton Park, Saturday 12.30pm

Tickets £25 (0844 847 1898)

Previous meetings Portsmouth wins 27 Birmingham wins 40 Draws 25

Referee S Bennett

This season’s matches 20 Y79, R3, 4.10 cards per game

Odds Portsmouth 13-8 Birmingham 9-5 Draw 12-5

Portsmouth

Subs from Ashdown, Niemi, Mullins, Utaka, Basinas, Diop, Ritchie, Hughes, Brown, Smith, Webber

Doubtful Ben Haim (groin), O’Hara (back), Smith (groin)

Injured Vanden Borre (hamstring, 13 Mar), Boateng (ankle, Apr), Mokoena (knee, Apr)

Suspended Rocha (first of two)

Form guide (all comps) WLWDLL

Disciplinary record Y62 R3

Leading scorer Piquionne 8

Birmingham

Subs from Doyle, Taylor, Murphy, Phillips, Benítez, Míchel, Queudrue, Parnaby, O’Shea, Gardner, O’Connor, Mutch

Doubtful Carr (hamstring), McFadden (groin), O’Connor (hip)

Injured Carsley (ankle, 13 Mar), Tainio (knee, 13 Mar)

Suspended None

Form guide (all comps) WLWLWD

Disciplinary record Y54 R1

Leading scorer Bowyer 6

Match pointers

• The last time that Portsmouth reached the sixth round of the FA Cup (2007-08), they went on to win the competition

• This is only the third time that Birmingham have reached the sixth round since 1976

• Only three of the 11 who started for Portsmouth in the 2008 final are still at the club

• Birmingham have conceded 10 goals in their last two sixth-round ties, including seven at home to Liverpool in 2006

• Portsmouth’s nine goals in the FA Cup have been shared among seven different players

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Arsenal confident of staying the distance

Arsène Wenger is confident the Gunners have learned from the slide that followed Eduardo’s injury

It was after last Saturday’s Premier League victory at Stoke City that Cesc Fábregas pulled his Arsenal players close and issued the call to arms that he hoped would sustain them for the rest of the season. Emotion crackled within the team huddle and, though no one has as yet gone on record with the precise detail of what was said, the gist has not been difficult to discern.

Arsenal had overcome the sickening loss of one of their own. Their title bid remained on course. The injury to Aaron Ramsey had to fortify them. Arsenal, of course, had been in a similar situation before. It was on the same weekend of the season two years previously that Eduardo da Silva suffered his horrific leg break at Birmingham City. They had travelled to St Andrew’s five points clear at the top of the table but, after a tumultuous afternoon, not only dropped points in the 2-2 draw but, psychologically, they suffered lasting damage. They would not win any of their next four league games. Their championship challenge subsided.

At St Andrew’s, following the concession of the last-minute equaliser from the penalty spot, William Gallas, then Arsenal’s captain, staged his infamous sit-down protest on the pitch. It was an expression of his frustration but also of the team’s mental fragility. The contrast to the scenes at the Britannia Stadium, when Arsenal had dug out the result thanks largely to a last-minute penalty of their own, converted by Fábregas, was stark.

“I think it was visible that there was a different response this time round, although there was horror initially,” said Martin Keown, the former Arsenal defender. “The last time with Eduardo, the same unfortunate situation cost them the league. They have learned and they remained professional this time. You could see the maturity, especially in Fábregas. I also think that Sol Campbell being on the pitch really helped them through the difficult situation.”

Arsène Wenger, the manager, was outspoken afterwards, stating it was not “coincidence” that, beginning with Abou Diaby at Sunderland, Arsenal had lost three players to compound fractures in five seasons. Wenger appeared to have told himself yesterday not to fan any fresh controversies, before today’s home game against Burnley, when he faced the media for the first time since delivering his verdict in the Potteries. Verbally attacking Ryan Shawcross, the Stoke player whose tackle did the damage to Ramsey, Wenger must have reasoned, would not help his player’s rehabilitation. And so he parroted that line. He was careful not to criticise Tony Pulis, the Stoke manager, and he just wanted “to promote the values that are important to Arsenal and to football.” He also made the point that he loved committed football as much as the next man. “Don’t worry,” he said, “the Arsenal player who jumps out of a tackle will get a bollocking from me.”

Yet the devil that sits on Wenger’s other shoulder kept on nudging him. Having declared that he “stood 100%” by what he said last Saturday, he said, with no little mischief, that he “knew exactly what would happen this whole week, that was quite easy to predict”. “If I read the newspapers this week,” he added, “then a three-game ban [for Shawcross’s red card] is too much.” It was natural for Wenger to be angry, he suggested, and, not for the first time, he muttered darkly about the thorny issue of intent, and the attendant “grey areas”. His most inflammatory remark was that the “high commitment” in the English game demanded “fair intention”.

“If you want, I will get you some newspapers the day before the game and we will read them together, then you will see,” he said, with a nod towards the regularly articulated notion that to beat Arsenal, you must first soften them up. “If somebody comes out before the game and says we have to kick them, for me, they should not play. The comments after games provoke ego injuries; the comments before provoke physical injuries.”

Wenger noted that Ramsey had become the third Arsenal player to have his season ended by a bad tackle, following Robin van Persie and Kieran Gibbs, and he expressed his fears over how Ramsey would fare when he eventually made his comeback. “You never know what the psychological impact on your future game will be and that is what you are scared of,” Wenger said. “Some players are never the same any more. They lose that freedom to go into the challenges.”

At least Wenger could take heart from the sight of Fábregas leading that team huddle. “This kind of incident can improve solidarity,” he said, “and I believe that is what it did on the day.” Arsenal have been bitten more than once and they are certainly shy of being hurt again.

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