Nobody can act like me I can fall to pieces and make you believe almost anything. I'm the one stepping out and breaking all the rules (all alone) I'm gonna show everybody what I can do.
The Brazil-born striker is the man the Blues want to solve
their striking woes this summer but he could yet halt Jose's route to
the final in Lisbon
Man in demand: Diego Costa celebrates another goal
The man Jose Mourinho wants to lead his Chelsea line stands between the Portuguese and his chance of making Champions League history.
Mourinho’s hope of becoming the first coach to win the trophy with three different clubs will hinge on whether his side can keep Atletico Madrid’s star striker Diego Costa quiet.
Chelsea have targeted the Brazilian-born Spain hitman
as their prime summer transfer target – and they are ready to activate
his £32million release clause at the end of the campaign.
But while the controversy over the eligibility of Thibaut Courtois – the Blues keeper on loan at Atletico – overshadowed the semi-final draw
that paired Mourinho’s men with Diego Simeone’s side, the contrast
between Costa, 25, and Chelsea’s No.9 could not be starker.
Shaun Botterill
Fallen star: Fernando Torres
The first leg in the Vicente Calderon will represent a chance
for Fernando Torres to return to his boyhood club, but the standing of the £50m forward has arguably never been lower since his move to west London in January 2011.
Dropped
for the first leg against Paris Saint-Germain, the Spaniard was sent on
after Demba Ba as Chelsea pulled off their last-gasp comeback at
Stamford Bridge to make it through to the last four.
While Costa
has bagged 33 goals so far this season, Torres’ paltry tally of nine
sums up why he is behind both Ba and Samuel Eto’o in the Blues’ pecking order.
Mourinho,
of course, suggested he has not got a “real” striker in his ranks, a
category into which Costa, all-action and the spearhead of Simeone’s
counter-attacking unit, unquestionably falls.
With their title challenge all but over after a recent poor run, the
Gunners last chance at silverware continues in today's FA Cup semi final
No talks: Martinez's agent has declared no talks have been had over his future
The pressure on Arsene Wenger will be ramped up if his Arsenal side
are unsuccessful at Wembley this evening when they meet holders Wigan
Athletic in the FA Cup.
Victory in the semi-final would keep alive supporter's hopes of bringing to an end their nine year wait for a trophy.
However, where the Premier League is concerned it's a case of what might have been for the north London club, who not so long ago looked down on their rivals.
Now they're in a battle for fourth with Everton - who have momentum firmly in their favour after last week's 3-0 victory at Goodison Park.
Here's our round-up of all the Arsenal-related news from today's papers and across the web.
Building: The England man wants an FA Cup win to build for future success
Oxlade-Chamberlain believes lifting the FA Cup will be a huge step towards helping the club begin a new era of success.
“Once
you do get that experience of winning the first one, you automatically
build confidence you can go and do it again. That experience is vital,"
said the young Gunner.
“The squad needs that 100 per cent. I always hear commentators talking about squads that have been around and won things.
“They always mention the experience of winning, knowing what it takes.
“And they’ve only got that through winning trophies."
Saturday's Arsenal stories from other newspapers and websites
The agent of Porto striker Jackson Martinez has declared that his client isn't in negotiations with anyone - but that that situation could well change next month. The Colombian international has been linked with a summer move to the Emirates Stadium, after another goal-laden season in Portugal's Primeira Liga.
However, his representative, Manuel Manso, told TMW: "At the moment there is not any kind of negotiation for Jackson Martinez.
"Until May we will not talk with any team.
"He’s focused on the end of the season with Porto – once the championship is finished we will see." Summer loving: Wenger could reportedly go for the Everton youngster
The Metro reckons that Arsene Wenger could make a surprise summer swoop for Everton's England under-21 international John Stones. The 19-year-old has been in exceptional form for Roberto Martinez's side recently, having broken into the side following an injury to Phil Jagielka.
And Stones shone in last week's 3-0 win for the Toffees at Goodison Park.
Comfortable
both in the centre of defence or at right-back, Wenger knows all about
Stones, having had him watched regularly during his time at Barnsley. Former England striker Michael Owen
has declared that Arsenal are exactly where they're meant to be at the
moment in the Premier League - but that they have a great chance at FA
Cup glory.
Speaking to Goal.com, Owen said: "I don't go along with
them not having a good mentality. I think they do and they're doing
exactly what they should be doing at the moment.
"They're about
the fourth or fifth best team in the Premier League and that's exactly
where they're going to finish up. If they get fourth and win the cup it
will be a good season for them.
"They're punching exactly their weight and they've got a great chance to win the FA Cup. They just need to seize the moment."
The Daily Star reports that Newcastle United will make a summer move for Joel Campbell, Arsenal's Costa Rican starlet, currently on-loan at Olympiacos.
Future Magpie: Newcastle are reportedly keen on Campbell
Toon boss Alan Pardew will look towards the versatile young forward, as he seeks to bolster his forward line this summer.
The
21-year-old, who will face England at this summer's World Cup, has
scored 11 goals in 31 starts for the Greek champions this term.
Young defender Julio Pleguezuelo has put pen-to-paper on his first professional contract with the club.
The
17-year-old, a Spanish youth international, has featured regularly in
the club's under-18 and under-19 teams this term, having arrived from
Barcelona last summer.
"Everyone at Arsenal would like to
congratulate Julio on his first professional contract and we look
forward to his continued progression with the club," read a statement on
the club's website.
Old Trafford officials have met with the Dutch boss, who becomes a free agent in the summer
Old Trafford-bound? Louis van Gaal has been sounded out by United chiefs
Manchester United have met with Louis van Gaal amid increasing uncertainty over David Moyes' future.
Mirror Sport understands United representatives
- believed to include one of the Glazers - met with Holland coach van
Gaal at a secret location in Europe within the last 48 hours.
Reports from Holland last night claimed the meeting between van Gaal and United had taken place, with the Dutchman sounded out about the prospect of succeeding Moyes at Old Trafford.
Moyes
is under huge pressure after a disastrous first season at United and
former Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss van Gaal is among the
leading candidates to succeed him should he be axed.
Van Gaal will
be a free agent after taking charge of Holland at this summer's World
Cup in Brazil and has already been approached by Tottenham about taking
over from current boss Tim Sherwood.
Spurs are said to be
frustrated with van Gaal's failure to agree a deal with them, but
United's interest would explain why the 62-year-old has been reluctant
to commit to the White Hart Lane job.
Van Gaal is said to be interested in the United job and keen to work at club level with Robin van Persie, with whom he enjoys an excellent relationship in the Holland set-up.
Moyes has endured a wretched first year since succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson, with United currently 17 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool and their season all but over with a month to go.
Doubts: United have struggled in their transition to life under David Moyes this season
Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final defeat to Bayern
Munich ended any chance Moyes had of winning a trophy this season,
following United's exits from the FA Cup and Capital One Cup.
Despite
publicly insisting Moyes retains their backing, it is thought United's
alarming slump this season has made many within the club question
whether the 50-year-old is the right man to lead the club long term.
United
are currently in seventh spot in the Premier League, seven points
adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal, and facing the prospect of missing out
on the Champions League for the first time in 19 years.
Against
that backdrop and with a budget of £200million set aside this summer to
make United's squad competitive again, there are doubts over whether
Moyes is the man to oversee that rebuilding job.
United last night dismissed any link with Van Gaal, and insisted no such meeting had taken place with him.
With United planning a major overhaul of the squad this summer, here's who they could be signing - and who will be leaving.
