Benitez eyes second place
Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez has set his sights on finishing above Sunday's opponents Manchester City in the Premier League.
A win for the Blues at the Etihad would take them to within a point of the current champions, who currently sit in second, and Benitez has warned City they would not be content to settle for third place. However, he has conceded the title is now Manchester United's to lose.
This is a massive game.Rafael Benitez
Chelsea are 13.00 to win 2-1 on Sunday, and are 5.00 to keep a clean sheet. Fernando Torres is 7.50 to score first.
"To finish as high as possible is a challenge," he said. "So we'll try to finish second if we can, you never know - this is a massive game, so let's see where we are at the end. Until the last week, we may be fighting each other.
"My idea is to think about this one, because it will make the difference. If you are closer to City, you have to chase the second position.
"The other one (winning the league), it depends on United. If they don't lose games and drop points it'll be difficult. We just have to concentrate on us."
Benitez is likely to field a much-changed line-up from the side that drew 1-1 against Sparta Prague on Thursday evening, with Frank Lampard, Branislav Ivanovic, Ashley Cole, David Luiz, Eden Hazard and Demba Ba all pushing for a start.
Don't forget, all Premier League matches are covered by the bet365 100% Euro Soccer Bonus, where you could earn a bonus of up to 100% on your returns on pre-match accumulator bets.
Looking for more from bet365? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or +1 us on Google+ for fun competitions, special offers & much more!
Best Free Bet Offers - Provided by engagesuperleague.co.uk
Click any of the bookmakers name to activate your free bet now.
1. Unibet (sign up offer – free £20)
Deposit £20, bet with £40. Create a Unibet account here >>.
2. Betfair (bet 10£ get 30£)
Get free 5£ no deposit required on casino. Create a Betfair account here >>.
3. Bet365 (sign up offer - £200 in free bets)
Deposit £200, bet with £400. Create a Bet365 account here >>.
4. Offsidebet (sign up offer - £25 in free bets)
Deposit £25, bet with £50. Create a new Offsidebet account here >>.
5. Sky Bet (sign up offer – no deposit free £30)
Deposit 0, bet with £30. Create a new Sky Bet account here >>.
Italy travel to Sofia on Saturday evening, taking on Bulgaria in their latest qualifying match, as the 2016 European Championships draw ever closer.On the surface, it should be a straightforward encounter for Antonio Conte’s men, with almost every statistic tilting[…]
West Ham United defender James Collins is ready for a crucial Euro 2016 qualifier for his country this weekend.Wales take on Israel in Haifa on Saturday looking for the victory that would take them top of Group B and a[…]
Andriy Yarmolenko has admitted Ukraine face a difficult challenge when they take on Spain in a Euro 2016 qualifier in Sevilla this Friday.Ukraine travel to Andalusia joint second in Group C, level on points with holders Spain and three points[…]
While Daniel Sturridge sustained a hip injury, Adam Lallana suffered a groin injury. England will take on Lithuania in Friday's Euro 2016 qualifier at Wembley and face Italy in a friendly next week.England manager Roy Hodgson suffered a double injury[…]
Striker is poised to miss Spain’s vital Euro 2016 qualifier against Ukraine but is hoping to play in Chelsea’s next Premier League game.Diego Costa is heading for more club versus country controversy between Chelsea and Spain.Striker Costa is poised to[…]
AC Milan will try to get back to winning ways when they take on Serie A strugglers Cagliari on home turf on Saturday.Filippo Inzaghi's side have not won a league game since February 22 and they were forced to relinquish[…]
Arsene Wenger has called on Arsenal to "move on" from their European exit when they travel to Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday.A 2-0 victory at Monaco on Tuesday saw Wenger's side eliminated on away goals in the[…]
Rivals Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory meet in a crucial A-League clash as the race for a top-two finish nears a thrilling conclusion.Only three points separate league leaders Wellington Phoenix and fifth-placed Adelaide.A top-two finish guarantees a home semi-final, while[…]
Roma host Fiorentina in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday, with the two sides experiencing contrasting fortunes in recent times.Rudi Garcia's Roma have been in second place in Serie A for much of the[…]
Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp says he would welcome a dramatic conclusion to his side's UEFA Champions League last-16 clash with Juventus.The Bundesliga side fell to a 2-1 defeat in Turin three weeks ago, with Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata[…]
