Chelsea interim manager Rafa Benitez has dropped a massive hint that former Blues boss Jose Mourinho is set to replace him in the summer.

The Portuguese coach stormed out of the club in typically robust style six years ago, but despite massive success at Inter Milan and a strong spell at Real Madrid, the rumours of a possible return have continued to hang over all of the West Londoners’ subsequent managers.

However, after a difficult season in Spain, it now looks almost certain that he will leave the Bernabeu in the summer, following a series of cryptic statements from both himself and the Los Blancos board.

Following his arrival in November, Benitez’s contract is due to expire at the end of the campaign and after guiding them to the Europa League final, he is certain to have a number of offers.

With Chelsea also looking set to finish in the Champions League places, you’d think that the club would be keen to keep hold of the Spaniard but the fans have never taken to him and always pined for their former manager.

Benitez knows his time is set to run out at Stamford Bridge and although nothing has been made official yet, he has dropped a massive hint that the “Special One” is about to return.

“We know next year there will be a new manager here, so it is very clear. I think everyone knows who will be here,” he said to the football betting news. “I have to concentrate on my job, it is not my concern what will happen here next year. I am doing a good job and I’m sure most of the fans appreciate that.

“What I find every day is a very good group of players, keen to learn. You could see a lot of improvement this year.”

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Jose Mourinho insists that he has not agreed to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season even though reports on the Betfair La Liga page continue to suggest that he would welcome the chance to return to the Premier League.

The former Porto, Chelsea, and Inter Milan manager has endured a stormy time in the Spanish capital since he replaced Manuel Pellegrini in the Bernabeu hot-seat in May 2010.

It is believed that he has a difficult relationship with club president, Florentino Perez, and is expected to leave Spain in the summer even if he guides Real to their first Champions League trophy since 2002.

Real have won European football’s premier competition on a record nine occasions but their last success came 11 years ago when they beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 in the final at Hampden Park.

But when quizzed about his plans for the future, Mourinho would only say: “I have no agreement with Real Madrid to go. I have signed nothing; that’s nonsense.

“The criticism? Nothing affects me; nothing bothers me. I do not go crazy nor do I get depressed. Nothing motivates me more than my own motivation. My future? I am not training outside of Spain, England, Italy, or France.”

Meanwhile, Real hope that they will be able to call on the services of first-choice goalkeeper, Iker Casillas, for next month’s Champions League quarter-final against Galatasaray after the 31-year-old returned to training.

Casillas has been out of action since breaking his left thumb during a Copa del Rey clash with Valencia in January but recent La Liga previews indicate that he has successfully come through a practice session.

Diego Lopez has deputised for Casillas, who is Spain’s most-capped player having represented his country on 143 occasions, and played a vital role in the Champions League last-16 victory over Manchester United.

Everton captain Phil Neville is expecting his side to bounce back from their shock FA Cup Quarter Final defeat to Wigan and maintain their focus on European qualification for next season.

“The Champions League place is in the distance; a European place, we would take that now,” said Neville after the Toffees’ humbling 3-0 defeat to Roberto Martinez’s Wigan side.

“It’s what we have been going for all season, making sure that next season there is European football being played at Everton. That’s our aim and that remains our aim,” he told the football betting news.

With manager, David Moyes, stalling over signing a new contract and Everton fans facing up to another trophy-less season, Neville knows that he and his teammates must act quickly to restore pride at Goodison Park.

“If we can finish in the top four then so be it, but at the moment our short-term aim is to win next Saturday against Man City, to recover and bounce back and show a reaction that we didn’t get on Saturday against Wigan and to attack the last eight or nine games of the season,” Neville said.

Traditionally, David Moyes, side have finished their league campaigns strongly, and they will need to do so again if they are to avoid another mediocre mid table finish.

In the likes of Phil Neville, Moyes has players who will battle for the cause and have known success but they will need to produce a special run of form if they are to overhaul Arsenal and climb into Europa League qualification.

Given the run of fixtures that the Blues face between now and the rest of the season, it looks like being too big a challenge for Neville and his team; fans who bet on football nevertheless have an outside chance of earning a profit from Moyes’ boys.

Former Manchester United star, Cristiano Ronaldo, was lost for words after an emotional return to Old Trafford in the Champions League with Real Madrid.

Ronaldo returned to the Premier League club for the first time since his £80million switch to Real in 2009. He played a crucial role as his current employers dumped United out of Europe.

It was not all plain sailing for Ronaldo and his teammates. They were forced to come from behind after Sergio Ramos put through his own net just after the break.

The game and the tie ultimately hinged on a controversial decision in the 56th minute. United winger, Nani, was given his marching orders for a high challenge on Alvaro Arbeloa and Real took full advantage, hitting the hosts with a quick one-two from Luka Modric and Ronaldo.

The La Liga champions moved into the last eight with a 3-2 aggregate victory, with Ronaldo proving to be the match-winner. It was a special night for the Portugal international.

“It was unbelievable; it was an emotional moment for me. I don’t have the words to explain what I feel,” he told Sky Sports.

“What the supporters do for me made me feel shy because, in my opinion, in both games I didn’t play like I play all the time, to a good level. But I helped my team by scoring one goal at home and one away.”

Tuesday’s win in Manchester capped off a fine week for Real, which included back-to-back wins over bitter rivals, Barcelona, a side who are expected to redeem themselves against Milan, this week. Ronaldo believes the Spanish giants are set up for a grandstand finish.

“We have had an unbelievable week, winning both games against Barcelona and then beating Manchester United. We are in good shape and we want to carry on like that because we want to win this competition,” he added.

Read more about the Premier and Champions leagues on the Betfair website: http://betting.betfair.com/football/.

Having negotiated the challenge of potential French champions and Europa League odds favourites, Lyon, in the last round some Tottenham fans must be cursing their luck that they have been paired with Inter Milan in the last-16 of the Europa League.

The name Internazionale will always strike a bit of fear into the hearts of opposition supporters but a look at the Italian giant’s squad and record this season should ease any worries Spurs supporters hold.

Three years ago Inter were crowned kings of Europe under Jose Mourinho with admittedly an ageing team. While the three-time European champions have retained many of the players who helped them beat Bayern Munich in the 2010 final those who are still at the San Siro have gone beyond their best.

The Nerazzurri have also had problems replacing Lucio, Wesley Sneijder and Samuel Eto’o due the ongoing financial problems many of the Italian clubs are experiencing.

As a result Inter are currently fifth in Serie A and have won one of the last five domestic matches, including getting hammered 4-1 by Fiorentina last weekend. While they were able to negotiate a way past a resolute if unspectacular Cluj side in the last-32 of the Europa League, Tottenham are a totally different animal.

The two teams are no strangers either having met in the group stages of the 2010/11 Champions League, Inter coming out on top 4-3 in Milan while Spurs were 3-1 winners at White Hart Lane. Gareth Bale’s pace and trickery was the main difference on that night, as it has been on many other occasions since.

The Welshmen is likely to be the main threat again to Inter’s hopes of European glory, although he is not the only weapon in Tottenham’s arsenal who can hurt the Italians. Lewis Holtby, Moussa Dembele and Aaron Lennon are also capable of causing Inter problems.

With Andre Villas-Boas desperate to continue his love affair with the Europa League and Inter at something of a low point in their history this last-16 clash is a golden opportunity for Spurs (and Spurs fans betting on football) to claim a famous scalp.

Manchester United fans of a certain age will remember the joy of watching a sweaty, nervous, ferretted Kevin Keegan screaming down the Sky Sports microphone that he would “love it” if his Newcastle side beat Fergie’s boys to the 1995/96 title.

The then-Magpies boss was feeling the heat after letting slip a 12-point lead over United in the league and all it needed was a few choice remarks from Ferguson to derail the Newcastle cart.

Between 16 January and the close of season, United won 13 of their 15 league matches to leapfrog Newcastle at the top. They also wrapped up the FA Cup against Liverpool.

The Magpies, in that time, lost five and drew three of their last 16 league games to surrender the title. It was a piece of footballing history never likely to be repeated, and which certainly won’t be this season as United, who are 1/33 for the title in the Premier League betting odds, stretch their gap over City to 12 points.

For City, unlike United, who were 12-points behind in January ’96, are up against possibly the best strike force Ferguson has ever possessed. Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie have contributed 29 of United’s 62 league goals this season and Ferguson is still making good use of Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez.

Their performance against Everton at the weekend was clinical, professional, and completely opposed to how Newcastle capitulated under the nervous Keegan all those years ago.

Phil Jones stifled Everton’s only outlet – Marouane Fellaini – with a dogged performance in defensive midfield while Ryan Giggs proved just as effective as he was in that ‘96 title challenge – a delightful finish to give United the lead.

Unlike ’96, these league leaders have been here before and have a boss competent enough to see out simple 2-0 victories. The title this year is all about redemption after City poached it last May and, with United having dropped just 13 points all season, few online football betting pundits believe that they will be beaten to the Premier League crown once again.

Manchester City chief scout Carlo Cancellieri says the club are considering making a January move for Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao in a bid to boost their title chances.

After bursting onto the scene by winning the Europa League with Porto in 2011, the Colombian’s reputation within the betting community has only continued to grow following his move to the Vicente Calderon at the start of last season.

His goals once again saw him win the Europa League last term, leading to rumours linking him with a number of Europe’s top sides in the summer, with it even being suggested that he could move to Los Colchoneros’ city rivals, Real Madrid.

However, he remained at the Vicente Calderon and has continued his form into the new season, netting 11 goals in seven soccer games, including a hat-trick in the Super Cup win over Chelsea.

His displays have only seen the speculation surrounding his future grow, with Manchester City supposedly the favourites to seal his signature, despite his current club insisting that he’s not for sale.

The Citizens have also been linked with another of Europe’s hot properties in Fiorentina’s Stevan Jovetic, but Cancellieri says they’re more likely to sign Falcao, as he would give them greater variation in attack.

“Jovetic is an interesting player, he has quality. But in attack City are already good, we’re happy with Tevez, Aguero and Balotelli,” he said.

“Moreover, I believe that our players are better than Jovetic. He is a very good player, but he is not one who could make a difference such as Falcao.

“I spoke about him in recent days with (Roberto) Mancini. If we were to take a player in January, we should take Falcao. He is an important player, the only one who could make us take the leap.”