Breakfast Bulletin: Manchester City, Manuel Pellegrini, Danny Welbeck, Andy Murray, Exeter Chiefs
:focal(167x134:169x132)/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2021/04/12/3041129-62378324-310-310.png)
Updated 09/05/2016 at 07:46 GMT
In Monday's news, Manchester City sweat over their Champions League hopes as Manuel Pellegrini receives an underwhelming send-off. Elsewhere, Danny Welbeck's Euro 2016 dream hangs in the balance, Andy Murray is given reason to take heart from another final defeat, and Exeter Chiefs turn on the style in their last regular season game.
Manuel Pellegrini
Image credit: Reuters
MONDAY MORNING’S BIG STORIES
1- Pellegrini says goodbye to an empty Etihad
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2016/05/08/1851188-39020991-2560-1440.jpg)
Manchester City's Chilean manager Manuel Pellegrini (L) and Manchester City's Ivorian midfielder and captain Yaya
Image credit: AFP
Manchester City's season limped closer to a demoralising conclusion with Sunday's 2-2 draw against Arsenal. The result leaves City's top four fate out of their own hands, with Manchester United just two points behind with a game in hand (against West Ham on Tuesday). Dropping points against the Gunners means that City are now facing the very real prospect of only having Europa League football for Pep Guardiola in the Spaniard's debut season in Manchester.
However, it wasn't just the result that was disappointing at the Etihad. Manager Manuel Pellegrini has won a league title and two cups during his time at the club, yet the vast majority of fans had streamed out of the exits by the time he came out on to the pitch to say goodbye on his last home appearance as City manager.
2- Welbeck could miss the Euros
Danny Welbeck faces a nervous wait to see if he will be fit enough to make Roy Hodgson's England squad for the summer's European Championships. Welbeck went down with a knee injury early in Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Manchester City on Sunday, and the injury must make him a major doubt for the summer tournament.
The good news [would be] that he will not be out of the Euros and the bad news [would be] that he will," Arsene Wenger said - as crystal clear as always. "I don’t know, but I am an optimist.
Welbeck was England's top scorer in qualifying, with six goals in five games, and was almost certain to make the cut for Hodgson's final 23-man squad.
3- Murray has positives to take from Madrid
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2016/05/08/1851162-39020471-2560-1440.jpg)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia v Andy Murray of Britain - Madrid Masters final 2016
Image credit: Reuters
Andy Murray lost his Madrid Open title at the hands of Novak Djokovic on Sunday, but the nature of Murray's progress to the final along with his impressive showing against the World No. 1 will give him hope for the remainder of the clay court season.
Djokovic won 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in the Spanish capital to make it 15 straight wins over top 10 players. Defeat sees Murray slip to third in the world.
4- Premiership season heads for the play-offs
Exeter Chiefs turned in a spectacular display of running rugby in the baking west London sunshine on Saturday, beating Harlequins 62-24 on the last weekend of the regular season in the Aviva Premiership. Exeter's thumping win secured them a home draw in the semi-finals, where they will face Wasps - who cruised past relegated London Irish 38-12 later in the weekend.
The Chiefs' running rugby has been one of the standout features of an extremely impressive season of domestic rugby in England. Three English clubs made it to the last four of the European Cup, with Saracens set to face French side Racing Metro (led by Dan Carter) in the final.
European Cup finalists Saracens finished their regular season with a convincing away win in Worcester on Saturday, but their last-four opponents Leicester suffered defeat at the Rec against Bath.
SHARING IS CARING – TODAY’S VIRAL GEMS
Marcel Kittel continued his remarkable bunch sprint dominance with his second stage win of the 2016 Giro d'Italia on Sunday.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2016/05/08/1851046-39018151-2560-1440.jpg)
Kittel sprints to victory in stage three of the Giro
Yes, there can be too much of a good thing. But no, there can't be too much of Leicester City.
COMING UP ON MONDAY
-Rome Masters
The clay court season continues in Rome. Andy Murray has avoided the three other big guns in the draw.
-Euro U17s
Eurosport will bring you video updates from football's European under-17 Championship in Azerbaijan.
-European Diving Championships
Video highlights of the European Diving Championships will be available on the Eurosport website.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2016/05/09/1851368-39024591-2560-1440.jpg)
Treble-winning Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes poses with the German soccer cup (DFB Pokal), Champions League, German soccer championship Bundesliga and the super cup trophies in Munich June 4, 2013.
Image credit: Reuters
Happy 71st birthday to Jupp Heynckes, the man who led Bayern Munich to the treble in 2013 at the end of a stellar career as both a player and manager.
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement