Queen Latifah spotted strolling with her partner in NYC (photos)

Queen Latifah, 45, was arm in arm with her partner, choreographer Eboni Nichols, 36, during a Monday evening stroll in New York City. Latifah has been spotted several times before with the dancer. In August they shared a kiss on the beach in Sardinia. They have yet to publicly discuss their relationship. More photos after the cut.

David Bechkam spotted hanging out with daughter

Beckham 40 and his 3 year old daughter, Harper were paying a visit to a local café, where they predictably caught the eye of star-struck patrons while purchasing some ice-cream.

Beckham looked typically stylish in a denim shirt and beanie hat as he guided his 3-year-old towards their car during a brief outing in the north London suburb.
More photos after the cut.


Woman BRT driver

A woman seen driving BRT from Oshodi to CMS. Awesome stuff! More photos after the cut...

Human Barbie Valeria Lukyanova shows off tight abs (photos)

Ukrainian model, 29, who is also known as 'Human Barbie' Valeria Lukyanova, who was violently attacked by 2 strangers, is back in the news. She said she no longer liked her thin stature and has been hitting the gym to build muscle especially on her abs. Look at what she looks like now. More photos after the cut...

Valeria, who insists her looks are entirely natural, except for her breasts, seems to be back in good spirits following her shock ordeal last November.

According to her, she was randomly attacked by 2 male strangers close to her home in Ukraine and later hospitalised for her facial wounds.

Blac Chyna steps out in sheer panelled jumpsuit as she celebrates birthday

Blac Chyna wore this revealing ensemble to celebrate her 27th birthday in California on Monday night. The former stripper had her birthday party at the popular Ace Of Diamonds strip club in West Hollywood where she once worked. More pics after the cut...

A review On this day in 2013: Fergie farewell

Sir Alex Ferguson took charge of his last Manchester United home match as his side collected the Barclays Premier League trophy for the 13th time.

Ferguson's 723rd match at Old Trafford ended in victory against Swansea City thanks to Rio Ferdinand's first goal for five years.

After the match the 71-year-old joined his players on the pitch and addressed the crowd, saying: "I have been very fortunate. I've been able to manage some of the greatest players in the country, let alone Manchester United.

"My retirement doesn't mean the end of my life with the club. I’ll be able to now enjoy watching them rather than suffer with them."

With the title already secured and Swansea comfortably in the top half of the table, there was a carnival atmosphere at Old Trafford with Ferguson firmly in the spotlight.

Both sets of players formed a guard of honour to welcome him out of the tunnel before kick-off and the scoreboard showed the figures 26:38 to mark his years in charge and number of trophies won.

Midfielder Paul Scholes was also bidding farewell to the home crowd in his 717th appearance for the club, having announced his retirement.

Javier Hernandez put United ahead in the 39th minute when he made the most of a misplaced clearance by Ashley Williams to fire home a low shot.

Four minutes after halftime Swansea were level when Michu superbly flicked in Nathan Dyer's cross for his 18th Barclays Premier League goal of the season.

Wayne Routledge missed a great chance to put the Swans ahead and David de Gea denied Pablo Hernandez.

But the final word went to Ferdinand who arrived at the far post to power the ball into the net and give Ferguson's big day a fitting send-off.

Story By: premierleague.com

Eden Hazard was named England's Footballer of the Year on Tuesday after his consistently outstanding performances throughout the season helped Chelsea win the Premier League title.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane was second in the voting by members of the English Football Writers Association with Hazard's Chelsea club mate and captain John Terry third.

The 24-year-old Belgian international midfielder adds the award to the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) honour he collected last month and becomes the first player from his country to claim the accolade since it was launched in 1948.

Only two other Chelsea players have won England's most prestigious and soccer's oldest individual honour – Gianfranco Zola in 1997 and Frank Lampard in 2005.

Kane, who has scored 30 goals in his first full season for Spurs and was awarded his first England cap, was named the PFA's Young Player of the Year last month, while defensive rock Terry has played every minute of every Premier League game to date.

FWA chairman Andy Dunn told Reuters: "The list of truly world class players on the Football Writers' Association roll of honour is a long one and Eden Hazard is a worthy addition.

"A creator, a goalscorer and the hardest of workers, he has been a constant source of threat for the champions.

"He has started all 36 Premier League matches Chelsea have played so far and, considering the particularly close attention he receives from opponents, that is a feat in itself.

"His electrifying, attacking talent has made him the first Belgian to win the Footballer of the Year award.

"He is a brilliant successor to Luis Suarez and we just hope he stays in the Premier League for a lot longer than Luis did after collecting the trophy."

Uruguay striker Suarez, who won the award after scoring 31 goals for Liverpool last season, joined Spanish giants Barcelona before the start of this campaign.

Hazard collected 53 percent of the vote making him a comfortable winner, while he and Terry's Chelsea teammates Cesc Fabregas, Branislav Ivanovic and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois also featured in the top 10.

Four other players received votes: Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal, David De Gea of Manchester United, Sergio Aguero of Manchester City and Esteban Cambiasso of Leicester City.

Big Match Feature: Bayern v Barca

Barcelona are on the brink of their eighth European Cup final having eventually worn down Bayern Munich in the first leg of their semifinal. The match will be broadcast live and will also available via live streaming.

Bayern held out until the 77th minute at the Camp Nou, but two quick Lionel Messi goals finally broke their resistance before the Argentinian set up Neymar for an added-time third.

Barcelona are now looking for their first win in Munich, where Bayern have won all five home games en route to the semifinals.

The prize for the winners is a place in the final in the Olympiastadion, Berlin on Saturday 6 June.

Previous Meetings

Bayern overwhelmed Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of their 2012/13 semi-final encounter. Thomas Müller scored twice and Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben one apiece for Jupp Heynckes's eventual champions, who won the tie 7-0 on aggregate.

The lineups for that first leg on 23 April 2013 were:

Bayern: Neuer, Lahm, Boateng, Van Buyten, Alaba, Martínez, Schweinsteiger, Robben, Müller (Pizarro 83), Ribéry (Shaqiri 89), Gomez (Luiz Gustavo 71).

Barcelona: Valdés, Alves, Bartra, Piqué, Alba, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro (Villa 83), Messi, Sánchez.

Bayern won the clubs' only other semi-final meeting 4-3 on aggregate on their way to lifting the 1995/96 Uefa Cup. Otto Rehhagel's side drew 2-2 in Germany before prevailing 2-1 away to a Barcelona outfit that included Guardiola and goalkeeper Carles Busquets, father of Sergio.

Guardiola was coach of Barcelona when they earned their only previous two-legged victory over Bayern in the 2008/09 Champions League quarter-finals. Messi again scored twice as they won the first leg 4-0 at the Camp Nou before a 1-1 draw back in Munich where Franck Ribéry netted for Bayern.

Luis Enrique was in the Barcelona team beaten 1-0 at Bayern in the 1998/99 group stage. Bayern then came from behind to prevail 2-1 at the Camp Nou where they returned for that season's final loss to Manchester United.

Match Background

Bayern

Five-time winners Bayern are attempting to reach their 11th final.

They suffered a 5-0 aggregate defeat by Real Madrid at this stage last season but have won five of their seven European Cup semifinals against Spanish teams.

Their overall record against Spanish opponents in two-legged contests in Uefa competition isW9 L7.

Bayern have a 100 per cent record in Munich in this season's Champions League, and have scored 13 goals in their last two home games – beating Shakhtar Donetsk 7-0 in the round of 16 and FC Porto 6-1 in the quarterfinals.

Bayern's 4-0 home defeat by Madrid in last term's semi-final was only their second loss at home to Spanish opponents – the first coming against Deportivo La Coruña in 2002. Their overall home record against teams from Spain W15 D5 L2.

Bayern have recovered from an away first-leg defeat to win the tie on 10 occasions, most recently against Porto in the quarter-finals; they have suffered 11 defeats, including eight in the last 11 contests. The Porto tie was the first time they had retrieved a deficit of two goals or more in Uefa competition; they had lost the previous nine ties, although they did win five of those second legs.

Their sole 3-0 first-leg away defeat came against Valencia in the 1996/97 Uefa Cup first round; they won the second leg 1-0 but lost on aggregate.

This is Bayern's fourth semi-final in the past five campaigns. Their overall European Cup semi-final record is 10 victories and six defeats:

• 0-5 v Real Madrid, 2013/14 (0-1 a, 0-4 h)
• 7-0 v Barcelona, 2012/13 (4-0 h, 3-0 a)
• 3-3 v Real Madrid 3-3, won 3-1 on penalties, 2011/12 (2-1 h, 1-2 a)
• 4-0 v Olympique Lyonnais, 2009/10 (1-0 h, 3-0 a)
• 3-1 v Real Madrid, 2000/01 (1-0 a, 2-1 h)
• 2-3 v Real Madrid, 1999/2000 (0-2 a, 2-1 h)
• 4-3 v Dynamo Kyiv, 1998/99 (3-3 a, 1-0 h)
• 2-5 v AFC Ajax, 1994/95 (0-0 h, 2-5 a)
• 3-4 v FK Crvena zvezda, 1990/91 (1-2 h, 2-2 a)
• 2-2 v AC Milan 2-2, lost on away goals, 1989/90 (0-1 a, 2-1 h)
• 4-2 v Real Madrid, 1986/87 (4-1 h, 0-1 a)
• 7-4 v PFC CSKA Sofia, 1981/82 (3-4 a, 4-0 h)
• 1-1 v Liverpool, 1-1, lost on away goals, 1980/81 (0-0 a, 1-1 h)
• 3-1 v Real Madrid, 1975/76 (1-1 a, 2-0 h)
• 2-0 v AS Saint-Étienne, 1974/75 (0-0 a, 2-0 h)
• 4-1 v Újpest, 1973/74 (1-1 a, 3-0 h)

Bayern beat Club Atlético de Madrid in the 1973/74 European Cup final and Valencia on penalties in the 2000/01 final.

Bayern's shoot-out record in UEFA competition is W5 L1:

• 5-4 v Chelsea, 2013 Uefa Super Cup
• 3-4 v Chelsea, 2011/12 Champions League final
• 3-1 v Real Madrid, 2011/12 Champions League semifinal
• 5-4 v Valencia, 2000/01 Champions League final
• 9-8 v PAOK, 1983/84 Uefa Cup second round
• 4-3 v Åtvidabergs FF, 1973/74 European Cup first round

Barcelona

Four-time winners Barcelona are seeking their eighth final appearance.

Barcelona have won four consecutive away games since a 3-2 loss at Paris Saint-Germain in September – the most recent of these victories was a 3-1 quarter-final success on their return trip to Parc des Princes to face Paris in the quarterfinals. With victory in Munich they would become the first Barcelona side to post five straight away wins in a single European season.

The Blaugrana have an overall away record of W9 D10 L6 against Bundesliga sides. Prior to their 2013 defeat in Munich they were unbeaten in eight trips to Germany.

Messi scored when Barcelona last triumphed in Germany, 3-1 at Bayern 04 Leverkusen in the 2011/12 round of 16, and he went on to notch five more goals – a Champions League first – when they won the return leg 7-1.

Barcelona have won 37 of the 39 Uefa competition ties in which they won the first leg at home, most recently against FC Shakhtar Donetsk in the 2010/11 quarter-finals (5-1 home, 1-0 away). The biggest first-leg lead Barcelona have let slip came in the 1983/84 European Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final, when a 2-0 home defeat of Manchester United FC preceded a 3-0 away reverse.

Barcelona have won 13 of their 18 previous two-legged ties with German teams, including semi-final triumphs over Hamburger SV in the 1960/61 European Champion Clubs' Cup and 1. FC Köln in the 1968/69 European Cup Winners' Cup.

Barcelona are in their seventh Champions League semi-final in the last eight seasons.

They have won six of their previous 14 semi-finals in the European Cup:

• 0-7 v FC Bayern Munich, 2012/13 (0-4 a, 0-3 h)
• 2-3 v Chelsea, 2011/12 (0-1 a, 2-2 h)
• 3-1 v Real Madrid, 2010/11 (2-0 a, 1-1 h)
• 2-3 v FC Internazionale Milano, 2009/10 (1-3 a, 1-0 h)
• 1-1 v Chelsea, won on away goals, 2008/09 (0-0 h, 1-1 a)
• 0-1 v Manchester United, 2007/08 (0-0 h, 0-1 a)
• 1-0 v AC Milan, 2005/06 (1-0 a, 0-0 h)
• 1-3 v Real Madrid, 2001/02 (0-2 h, 1-1 a)
• 3-5 v Valencia, 1999/2000 (1-4 a, 2-1 h)
• 3-0 v FC Porto, 1993/94 (3-0 h)
• 3-3 v IFK Göteborg, won 5-4 on penalties, 1985/86 (0-3 a, 3-0 h)
• 2-3 v Leeds United, 1974/75 (1-2 a, 1-1 h)
• 1-0 v Hamburger SV, 1960/61 (1-0 h, 1-2 a, 1-0 replay)
• 2-6 v Real Madrid, 1959/60 (1-3 a, 1-3 h)

* Barcelona advanced to the 1991/92 final as group winners.

Barcelona's shoot-out record in Uefa competition is W5 L1:

• 5-4 v KKS Lech Poznan, 1988/89 European Cup Winners' Cup second round
• 0-2 v FC Steaua Bucuresti, 1985/86 European Cup final
• 5-4 v IFK Göteborg, 1985/86 European Cup semi-final
• 4-1 v RSC Anderlecht, 1978/79 European Cup Winners' Cup second round
• 3-1 v Ipswich Town, 1977/78 UEFA Cup third round
• 5-4 v AZ Alkmaar, 1977/78 UEFA Cup second round

Coach and Player links

In four golden years between 2008 and 2012, Guardiola amassed 14 trophies as Barcelona coach, including the Champions League in 2009 and 2011. He added the Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cups in those same years and on the domestic stage claimed three successive Liga titles (2009–11), two Spanish Cups (2009, 2012) and three Spanish Super Cups (2009–11).

As a Barça player, Guardiola landed six league titles and was part of the team that lifted the club's first European Cup in 1992. He made 263 appearances between 1991 and 2000, also featuring in their 1997 Uefa Cup Winners' Cup final success – alongside Luis Enrique – and the 1992 Uefa Super Cup victory.

Luis Enrique scored for Barcelona in their 2-0 home win over Borussia Dortmund en route to a 3-1 aggregate success in the 1997/98 Uefa Super Cup.

Thiago Alcántara, whose brother Rafinha plays for the Catalan side, scored seven goals in 68 Liga games for Barcelona between 2009 and 2013 having come through the club's youth ranks. Pepe Reina is another La Masia product, making 30 Liga outings before leaving Barcelona in 2002.

Robben was a Real Madrid player from 2007–09, picking up one Liga title and scoring against Barcelona in a 4-1 Liga win on 7 May 2008. He struck twice in the Netherlands' 5-1 thrashing of Spain at the 2014 Fifa World Cup. Piqué, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta and substitute Pedro Rodríguez all figured for Spain, whose goal came from Xabi Alonso.

Mario Götze got Germany's winner in the 2014 World Cup final against the Argentina of Messi and Javier Mascherano.

Marc-André ter Stegen played against Bayern seven times for former club VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach – and kept one clean sheet in three visits to face them in Munich. His record overall was W2 D1 L4 with 11 goals conceded; he kept only two clean sheets.

Ivan Rakitic played with Bayern's Manuel Neuer and Rafinha at Schalke 04 from 2007–10. He found the net in a 1-1 Bundesliga draw at Bayern in September 2007.

Alonso played 20 times against Barcelona with Real Madrid, winning five and losing nine. At Liverpool he was in the side, alongside Reina, that prevailed 2-1 at the Camp Nou in the 2006/07 Champions League round of 16.

With Athletic Club, Javi Martínez faced Barcelona 15 times but was never on the winning team, enduring Copa del Rey final defeats in 2009 and 2012.

Match Facts

Bayern

Bayern were confirmed as Bundesliga champions with four games to spare on 26 April, their third consecutive German title. However, they have not picked up a Bundesliga point since, and lost 1-0 at home against Augsburg on Saturday.

Medhi Benatia, Xabi Alonso, Rafinha and Manuel Neuer all started on the bench against Augsburg; the latter two came on as substitutes, Neuer making his 200th Bayern appearance after Pepe Reina was dismissed.

Bayern have not scored in 361 minutes in all competitions – their longest barren run in 17 years – and have not won in four competitive games.

Bayern were denied a fourth successive German Cup final appearance on 28 April, losing the semi-final 2-0 on penalties to Borussia Dortmund.

Sinan Kurt, Rico Strieder and Lukas Görtler have all made their senior debuts since Bayern clinched the league title.

Franck Ribéry (11 March, ankle), David Alaba (31 March, knee), Tom Starke (5 April, ankle) and Holger Badstuber (thigh, 21 April) are sidelined. Sebastian Rode has missed Bayern's last three games with a muscle injury.

Robben will miss the rest of the season with a torn calf suffered against Dortmund on 28 April. That had been his first game after five weeks out with an abdominal muscle problem.

Robert Lewandowski wore a mask in the first leg in Barcelona after suffering concussion and breaking his nose and jaw against Dortmund.

Barcelona

If Xavi features he will become the first player to make 150 Champions League appearances. Real Madrid CF's Iker Casillas also goes into the second legs on 149.

Messi made his 100th appearance in Uefa competition during the first leg; he has 78 goals. Barcelona have won 38 of their last 42 games in all competitions, and 17 of their past 18 following a 2-0 success against Real Sociedad de Fútbol on Saturday. They have won their last seven games without conceding, for the first time in their history.

Neymar scored the opener; he has now scored in his last six games for Barcelona. His latest goal was his 50th for the club, a total he has reached in just 88 games.

Pedro Rodríguez scored Barcelona's second late on with his effort widely reported as being Barcelona's first successful bicycle kick since Ronaldinho's strike against Villarreal CF on 25 November 2006.

Long-term absentee Thomas Vermaelen was an unused substitute against La Real. Jérémy Mathieu missed the Bayern and Real games with an Achilles injury but is now available again.

The Catalan giants have not lost by three goals since the 3-0 semi-final loss to Bayern at the Camp Nou in 2013. They have not done so away since the first leg of that tie in Munich (0-4).

The Liga leaders have scored five or more goals in 13 games this season.

Messi has scored 40 Liga goals for the third season in the past four campaigns.

Between them, Messi, Neymar and Suárez have scored a club record 112 goals this term.

Carlo tells Bale agent to hold tongue

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has hit back at Gareth Bale's agent for suggesting the Wales winger's teammates do not pass to him enough, telling Jonathan Barnett it would have been better to keep quiet.

Bale's disappointing second season in Spain hit a new low with a poor performance for the holders in last week's Champions League defeat at Juventus and he again failed to spark in Saturday's 2-2 La Liga draw at home to Valencia.

The 25-year-old has been whistled by disgruntled fans at the Bernabeu, a startling turnaround for a player who scored in the finals of the Champions League and the King's Cup last term, but has a chance to redeem himself when Real host Juve for the return leg on Wednesday.

"This is a world in which a lot of people talk and sometimes they talk too much," Ancelotti told a news conference on Tuesday.

"Bale's agent spoke who has never been to one of our training sessions, who doesn't know the atmosphere we have, who spoke from outside," added the Italian.

"Bale has never had problems with his teammates and his teammates have never had problems with Bale.

"So too many words and it would have been better to stay quiet. We are happy with Bale's season."

Ancelotti confirmed Real would have forward Karim Benzema available on Wednesday when they will seek to keep alive their hopes of a record-extending 11th European Cup crown.

Benzema has been sidelined for around a month with a knee problem and Real have lacked potency in attack without the France international.

"He has recovered well but he is a player who hasn't featured for a month," said Ancelotti.

"That's the doubt I have, whether to put him on for the start or after the game has begun, in the second half when the rhythm of the match has dropped a bit."

Ancelotti also had words of support for goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas who has been blamed by some fans for Real's recent woes.

"It's a shame, but Casillas has a lot of experience and is used to it and I don't think it will affect him but will motivate him more," he said.

"Sometimes it's understandable but other times not and I think tomorrow will be different. All the fans will understand how important this match is."

Arsenal legend Ian Wright urged England international Theo Walcott not to quit the club on Tuesday despite a "rough" patch and speculation over his future. Wright, speaking ahead of the Barclays Asia Trophy in Singapore, said Walcott, 26, needed to work hard and regain his place after a season plagued by injury. The former teenage star, whose contract expires next year, is feeling his way back to form and manager Arsene Wenger says he hopes he will blossom into a centre-forward. However, he was ineffective from the bench as Arsenal lost 1-0 to Swansea on Tuesday, a defeat which undermined their push for next year's Champions League. "As a professional he's just got to wait his time... and push himself to make sure he starts in the first team for the start of next season," Wright told reporters. "That is what you're meant to do as a professional, you're not meant to, as soon as the going gets rough, you go to the exit, and that's not what Theo wants to do," he added. Wenger has backed Walcott to make the switch from wing to striker, following in the footsteps of Arsenal's record scorer Thierry Henry. Talks for Walcott's new contract are under way at the end of a Premier League season in which he has made just three starts after returning from a serious knee injury. But Wright, who scored 185 goals for the Gunners, said: "We need people like Theo in the team, we need him in the squad, and so hopefully he'll finish the season well. "Fingers crossed we'll win the FA cup and finish as high as we can. Theo will have a great pre-season, start the season well and this will all be forgotten." Wright added that he was "tired" about the debate over Wenger's position at the club as Arsenal head for an 11th season without winning the Premier League. But he said Arsenal, who play Aston Villa in the FA Cup final on May 30, need to strengthen with a new goalkeeper and defender in the July transfer window. "He (Wenger)'s got another two to three years left (on his contract) and he is now in the position where he has got the financial clout to go into the market and buy the same players any of the top teams will try to buy," said Wright. Arsenal are one of three Premier League teams playing at the Barclays Asia Trophy in Singapore on July 15 and 18, along with Everton and Stoke City, plus a Singapore XI.

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba could start Wednesday's Champions League semifinal, second leg at Real Madrid after returning from injury at the weekend, Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri said on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old France international, who scored for the Italian champions in Saturday's Serie A 1-1 draw at home to Cagliari after almost two months out with a thigh injury, could be key to Juve's chances of exerting control in the central areas at the Bernabeu.

Juve hold a 2-1 advantage from last week's first leg in Turin but face a formidable task to hold out against a Real attack featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and possibly a fit-again Karim Benzema.

"Pogba is in good shape," Allegri, who is seeking to lead Juve to their first final in Europe's elite club competition in a decade, told a news conference.

"I think there is a strong chance he will be on the pitch from the start," added the 47-year-old, in his first season in charge at the two-time European champions.

Juve's hopes of progressing to the showpiece in Berlin on June 6, which would be their first final since 2003, could also hinge on the performance of Carlos Tevez.

The Argentina forward has netted seven Champions League goals this season, one more than his five previous campaigns combined, and converted the penalty that clinched victory in the first leg after he was upended by Dani Carvajal.

The 31-year-old has also struck 20 Serie A goals in 2014-15, three short of his career-best domestic league haul set in 2009-10 at Manchester City.

"Tevez is playing an extraordinary season," Allegri told reporters. "He has also become a decisive figure in the Champions League after quite a long barren patch."

The successful side are likely to play Barcelona in the final after the La Liga leaders thumped 2013 winners Bayern Munich 3-0 in last week's semifinal, first leg in the Catalan capital. The return is in Munich later on Tuesday.

Wright urges Walcott to stay

Arsenal legend Ian Wright urged England international Theo Walcott not to quit the club on Tuesday despite a "rough" patch and speculation over his future.

Wright, speaking ahead of the Barclays Asia Trophy in Singapore, said Walcott, 26, needed to work hard and regain his place after a season plagued by injury.

The former teenage star, whose contract expires next year, is feeling his way back to form and manager Arsene Wenger says he hopes he will blossom into a centre-forward.

However, he was ineffective from the bench as Arsenal lost 1-0 to Swansea on Tuesday, a defeat which undermined their push for next year's Champions League.

"As a professional he's just got to wait his time... and push himself to make sure he starts in the first team for the start of next season," Wright told reporters.

"That is what you're meant to do as a professional, you're not meant to, as soon as the going gets rough, you go to the exit, and that's not what Theo wants to do," he added.

Wenger has backed Walcott to make the switch from wing to striker, following in the footsteps of Arsenal's record scorer Thierry Henry.

Talks for Walcott's new contract are under way at the end of a Premier League season in which he has made just three starts after returning from a serious knee injury.

But Wright, who scored 185 goals for the Gunners, said: "We need people like Theo in the team, we need him in the squad, and so hopefully he'll finish the season well.

"Fingers crossed we'll win the FA cup and finish as high as we can. Theo will have a great pre-season, start the season well and this will all be forgotten."

Wright added that he was "tired" about the debate over Wenger's position at the club as Arsenal head for an 11th season without winning the Premier League.

But he said Arsenal, who play Aston Villa in the FA Cup final on May 30, need to strengthen with a new goalkeeper and defender in the July transfer window.

"He (Wenger)'s got another two to three years left (on his contract) and he is now in the position where he has got the financial clout to go into the market and buy the same players any of the top teams will try to buy," said Wright.

Arsenal are one of three Premier League teams playing at the Barclays Asia Trophy in Singapore on July 15 and 18, along with Everton and Stoke City, plus a Singapore XI.

Toure hails anti-racism monitoring system

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure on Tuesday welcomed the creation of a new anti-discrimination monitoring system for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers by world governing body Fifa.

Fifa will send observers trained by the European anti-discrimination organisation FARE to qualifying matches where there is felt to be a high risk of racist behaviour from fans.

The monitors will report any incidents of discrimination to Fifa, which will be able to take disciplinary action against the countries concerned.

"I'm very satisfied to see that Fifa is taking this issue very seriously and putting in place concrete measures to stop behaviour which goes against the spirit of our sport," said Toure, who was the victim of racist abuse during a Champions League match against CSKA Moscow in 2013.

The Ivory Coast international, a four-time African Footballer of the Year, added: "It's really important to know what a big problem racism is in society in general. Sometimes people don't take reports of that.

"We have to show them something has to be done and I hope it will be done. That's why we're here today, to express and speak for the people who can't speak."

Toure, who is a consultant to Fifa's anti-discrimination and racism taskforce, was speaking at the launch of the monitoring system at London's Wembley Stadium.

© AFP

Bayern, Barca opt for same again

Luis Enrique named the same Barcelona team which routed Bayern Munich 3-0 in last week's Champions League semifinal first leg for Tuesday's return as they seek to clinch their place in the final.

Barca are on the verge of reaching their eighth European Cup final and the Spaniards are looking to seal their place with a first win in Munich at the fifth attempt.

Lionel Messi runs out at the Allianz Arena looking to add to his tally of 53 goals this season. In total, Barcelona's front three of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez have scored a club record 112 goals between them this season.

Despite the fact his side are on a four-match losing streak, Bayern's worst run since 1991, home coach Pep Guardiola also stuck with the same team that was well beaten at the Camp Nou.

Striker Robert Lewandowski will play with a mask having fractured his cheekbone and nose three weeks ago, while Germany's World Cup-winner Mario Goetze is again on the bench.

Five-time winners Bayern face an uphill task in their bid to reach an 11th European Cup final as no side has ever over-turned a three-goal deficit in the semifinals.

Starting line-ups in the Champions League semifinal, second-leg match between Bayern Munich and Barcelona at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday (1845 GMT kick-off; Barcelona lead 3-0 from first leg):

Teams

Bayern Munich (4-4-1-1): Manuel Neuer; Rafinha, Jerome Boateng, Medhi Benatia, Juan Bernat; Philipp Lahm (capt), Xabi Alonso, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thiago Alcantara; Thomas Mueller; Robert Lewandowski,

Coach: Pep Guardiola (ESP)

Barcelona (4-3-3): Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Dani Alves, Javier Mascherano, Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba; Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic, Andres Iniesta (capt); Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Neymar

Coach: Luis Enrique (ESP)

Referee: Mark Clattenburg (ENG)

LIVE - Bayern Munich Faces Barcelona

Lionel Messi and Neymar © Gallo Images

LIVE - Bayern Munich v Barcelona

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Welcome to our live coverage of the Uefa Champions League match between Bayern Munich and Barcelona. Live TV action on SS3 HD as well as live streaming onsupersport.com.

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Carlo tells Bale agent to hold tongue

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has hit back at Gareth Bale's agent for suggesting the Wales winger's teammates do not pass to him enough, telling Jonathan Barnett it would have been better to keep quiet.

Bale's disappointing second season in Spain hit a new low with a poor performance for the holders in last week's Champions League defeat at Juventus and he again failed to spark in Saturday's 2-2 La Liga draw at home to Valencia.

The 25-year-old has been whistled by disgruntled fans at the Bernabeu, a startling turnaround for a player who scored in the finals of the Champions League and the King's Cup last term,

I Will Beat You - Burna Boy To Bloggers

It’s no news that Burna Boy takes to his Twitter account to vent on any issue whenever his ego has been tampered with. We wonder what happened this time around?
Expressing his anger on social media again today, the Like To Party crooner tweeted a while ago where he threatened to beat bloggers up to a pulp.
He promised to show them the stuff he’s made of peradventure they meet physically anytime soon or in time to come.


It wasn’t clear as to why the artiste tweeted such, but we can feel his indignation towards the receiving end of his tweet.
” I am not your average artiste“, he says. “I will ride you out“.
We wouldn’t be surprised if he does.
Burna Boy was one of the headliners at the #StarMusicTrek in Abakaliki this past Saturday, where he performed his hits songs to the delight of the crowd present.

I Will Expose Anyone That Will Offer Me Bribe - Ben Bruce

Senator- elect representative Bayelsa East and Chairman of Silverbird Group has promised to expose anyone that will offer him and his colleagues bribe in the Senate.

Ben Murray-Bruce

Over the past few days the senator-elect has been outspoken about the wastage of public funds by politicians in the country.
The entertainment guru took a swipe at some state governors over their failure to pay workers’ salaries, saying such governors had no right to ride in huge convoys, private jets, nor to own guest houses.
However Bruce noted that he was not going to the senate to make money but to serve God by fighting for the good of Nigerians.

Senate Presidency: Saraki Gets More Endorsement

Ex-governor of Kwara State, Bokola Saraki seems to be in good position to win in the Senate Presidency election.
This is coming as Saraki gets more endorsement.
The sources inside the All Progressives Congress (APC) has recently said that party and the president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari don’t want to get into any collision course with the senators and members of the House of Representatives, henceforth the decision to support popular candidates as the Senate President or the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Meanwhile, a group known as the Buhari Legacy Foundation, called on senators-elect to choose Bukola Saraki.
The chairmen of the APC in the North-Central region, have also backed his candidacy.
On his part, Dele Momodu, former presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party, is of the opinion that former Kwara state governor stands a better chance of becoming Nigeria’s Senate President.
The 64 ranking and newly-elected senators in support of Saraki, who is from the North-central geopolitical zone, had decided to toss their weight behind the ex Kwara governor because they want a “Senate president who is not imposed by a godfather.”
Some renowned elders in Ilorin Emirate of Kwara on May 11, Monday have expressed their support for the ambition of Saraki, who is one of a chieftain of the party.
The elders expressed sureness in the capability of ex-governor to give quality leadership in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
They thanked the National Working Committee of the party for giving the office of the Senate president to the north-central zone.
The elders said this in a comment signed by Alh. Ganiyu Lawal-Giwa, Alh. Tijjani Orisankoko, Alh. Tunde Saka and Alh.Musa Aiyelabegan.
They urged APC chieftains to take a step forward by conceding the position to Kwara in the interest of fairness.
The elders said: “Since Saraki’s foray into partisan politics, we have keenly monitored his activities and have come to the conclusion that he’s one of the best leaders that God endows Nigeria with.
“We are highly impressed about Saraki’s performance as two-term governor of Kwara, chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum and chairman of the prestigious Nigerian Governors Forum.
“It is on record that during his tenure as NGF’s chairman, the Turaki of Ilorin took the now comatose forum to an enviable pedestal.
“It is in line with the above that members of this forum are urging the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to consider Saraki for the position of the Senate president.”