Cristiano Ronaldo believes Manchester United can go on to win the Quintuple. Alex Ferguson’s side added the Carling Cup to the Club World Cup. They also head the Premier League by seven points, are in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and are in pole position in the Champions League.

Ronaldo insisted: “It is quite difficult to achieve but we are going from game to game. We always have the opportunity to win everything. We’ve won this cup and now we don’t have much time to celebrate.”

Michale Ballack wants Guus Hiddink to remain Chelsea boss on a long-term basis. German midfielder Ballack believes the former PSV Eindhoven supremo could be persuaded to stay in west London if the Blues win silverware this season.

He said: “It’s always good for a team if you have consistency. At the moment, the situation is clear – the coach has a contract with Russia and everyone respects this. But in football a lot of things are possible. If we have success with him, maybe he’ll want to stay”.

“We are happy with him. We hope he can stay longer with us but it’s his decision.”

Sir Alex Ferguson insists it will take a freakish run of good luck for it to happen. But Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is prepared to put his money on Manchester United ending the season with an unprecedented haul of five major trophies.

Sunday’s penalty shoot-out win over Redknapp’s Spurs in the League Cup final means it is two down, three to go for United following their World Club Championship triumph in Japan in December.

And the next ten days will go a long way towards deciding the fate of their bid for a clean sweep of every competition they have entered this season.

Liverpool’s defeat at Middlesbrough on Saturday means Ferguson’s men, who travel to Newcastle on Wednesday, are seven points clear in the Premier League with a game in hand.

An FA Cup quarter-final tie at Fulham on Saturday could see United move to within two matches of claiming that trophy and, four days later, Inter Milan visit Old Trafford with a place in the last eight of the Champions League at stake.

By mid-March, the odds on a ‘quintuple’ could be very much shorter, but Ferguson insists he is not getting “carried away” by the prospect of an achievement that would match that of one of his heroes, Jock Stein, with Celtic in 1967.

Fergie Still Cautious as Harry Bets On United Fab Five … read more »

Scotland and Wales have abandoned a planned joint bid to host the 2016 European Championships due to the economic downturn, Welsh football chiefs said Sunday.

The Football Association of Wales said UEFA’s decision to expand the tournament to 24 teams was also a factor.

“After careful consideration, the FAW and the Scottish Football Association (SFA) have decided not to make a joint bid to host the Euro 2016 Football Championships,” the governing body said on its website.

FAW secretary general David Collins added: “The current economic downturn and the very considerable implications for infrastructure provision following UEFA’s decision to expand the European Championship finals to 24 teams are key considerations.

Scotland-Wales Euro 2016 Bid Abandoned … read more »

Sergio Aguero’s late goal helped Atletico Madrid come from behind to beat Barcelona 4-3 on Sunday and blow the Spanish title race wide open.

Barcelona, who led 2-0 and 3-2, have now failed to win in four matches and have seen their lead over Real Madrid cut from 12 points, just three weeks ago, to four.

Thierry Henry put Barcelona ahead with a fine strike from 25 yards which flew into the top corner after 18 minutes before Lionel Messi, on the half-hour mark, produced a trademark dribble before finishing in style.

Diego Forlan brought Atletico back into the match with a spectacular 30-yard drive before Aguero got the first of his brace after 56 minutes.

Barcelona, who were stunned by struggling Espanyol last weekend, re-established their lead when Eidur Gudjohnsen unselfishly played in Henry for his second from close range in the 73rd minute.

But Atletico were not finished and Forlan again scored, this time from the penalty spot in the 80th minute, before Aguero struck in the 89th minute to win the match.

Barcelona Lose Seven-goal Thriller as Title Race Blown Wide Open … read more »