The Sport Review: “Marek Hamsik concedes Napoli’s Serie A title bid is over” plus 4 more

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• Marek Hamsik concedes Napoli’s Serie A title bid is over
• PFA Player of the Year award: The best of the rest
• Gavin Henson suspended by Toulon for breach of discipline
• Newcastle Falcons punished by ERC for misconduct charge
• Gareth Bale eyes Champions League repeat with Tottenham

Marek Hamsik concedes Napoli’s Serie A title bid is over Posted: 18 Apr 2011 04:58 PM PDT Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik admits his side’s title challenge is all but over following their 2-1 home defeat by Udinese on Sunday night. Gökhan Inler and Germán Denis both struck in the second half to derail their Serie A charge, with Napoli's Giuseppe Mascara grabbing a consolation in the fourth minute of added time. Napoli now lie six points behind leaders AC Milan with five games left to play, and the Slovakia international says his side must now focus on sealing a Champions League spot for next season. “The game was balanced, but after the break we pushed and we were surprised by two counter-attacks in six minutes," he said. “We wanted three points but things did not go the right way. We created a lot of scoring chances but these things can happen. “Now the Champions League qualification is in our hands, this is our goal.” Serie A table snapshot

PFA Player of the Year award: The best of the rest Posted: 18 Apr 2011 04:22 PM PDT After Tottenham winger Gareth Bale scooped the PFA Player of the Year award on Sunday, we have a look at five Premier League stars who were unlucky to be ignored for this season’s shortlist. 1) Edwin van der Sar, Manchester United The Manchester United goalkeeper has enjoyed a consistent season as his distinguished career draws to a close. Sir Alex Ferguson has been forced to shuffle his defence on numerous occasions this term, yet Van der Sar has remained a reassuring presence throughout. The 39-year-old has kept 12 clean sheets this season, placing him amongst the very best keepers in the Premier League. 2) David Luiz, Chelsea Since signing for Chelsea from Benfica for €25m in January, Brazilian the centre-half has made an immediate impact at Stamford Bridge. Luiz, 23, has already showcased his ability to bring the ball forward from defence and he became a crowd favourite when he struck Chelsea’s winner against Manchester United in their top flight clash. He has since added another strike to his tally against Manchester City and was crowned the Barclays Premier League Player of the Month for March. 3) Raul Meireles, Liverpool Signed by former Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson from Porto for £11.5m, the Portugal midfielder had initially struggled to find his feet after arriving on Merseyside. But the appointment of Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool boss has transformed the 28-year-old into an indispensible figure at the heart of the Reds’ midfield in the absence of injured captain Steven Gerrard. Meireles has racked up a tally of five goals and five assists, with his most memorable strike a stunning long-range volley in the 3-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. 4) Nani, Manchester United The Manchester United winger has finally begun to carve his own legacy at Old Trafford with a return of nine goals and 14 assists in the league this season. The 24-year-old Portugal international has added an end product to his flamboyant style of play and his inspired form has gone at least some way to filling that void left by Cristiano Ronaldo. He was named in the PFA Premier League team of the year but was beaten to the Young Player of the Year award by Arsenal teenager Jack Wilshere. 5) Vincent Kompany, Manchester City While Manchester City have relied heavily on Carlos Tévez up front, Vincent Kompany has marshalled the back four with outstanding authority. Kompany—also adept in a midfield holding role—has excelled this season, consistently leading by example and playing a vital part in the third sturdiest defence in the league. The 25-year-old Belgium international captained City to a memorable 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final and was named in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year on Sunday.

Gavin Henson suspended by Toulon for breach of discipline Posted: 18 Apr 2011 12:05 PM PDT Gavin Henson has been suspended for a week by his club Toulon for breaking disciplinary rules. The Top 14 side have not revealed the reason for his suspension, but the 29-year-old Welshman is rumoured to have had an altercation with a team-mate on Saturday night after the victory over Toulouse. The French sports daily L’Equipe reported that Henson may have had a confrontation with one of his team-mates following his side’s 21-9 win over the league leaders. Toulon said Henson would be suspended for at least a week for an act of “non compliance with the code of conduct set by the club”. He will now miss the mid-table clash against Perpignan, who are only two points behind big-spenders Toulon. The former Ospreys star arrived at the Stade Felix Mayol in February after only four appearences for Aviva Premiership side Saracens. His career in the French league took an initial knock after a calf injury kept him on the sidelines but he was eventually able to make an impact, scoring a try on his debut against Stade Français two weeks ago. It is understood that his short-term contract with Toulon is unlikely to be extended, especially as coach Philippe Saint-Andre has voiced his concerns over losing players to the World Cup in September. Henson, who can play centre, fly-half or full-back, has made no secrets of his desire to make the Wales squad that will travel to New Zealand to play on the biggest stage of the rugby calender. Wales assistant coach Rob Howley said: ”We’re watching Gavin very closely and he’ll certainly come into the mix in our Rugby World Cup preparation.”

Newcastle Falcons punished by ERC for misconduct charge Posted: 18 Apr 2011 09:34 AM PDT Newcastle Falcons have been handed a £22,000 fine and a one-year suspended ban from all European competitions after pleading guilty to a charge of misconduct at a European Rugby Cup disciplinary hearing. The punishment relates to the Falcons’ Amlin Challenge Cup Pool Three clash against Bourgoin, which was scheduled to be held on 22 January. Despite the match being rescheduled for the following day due to an unplayable pitch at the Stade Pierre Rajon, the English side returned to the UK before the pitch inspection on 23 January. Neither side could have reached the quarter-finals in what was largely seen as a dead rubber game after Montpellier and Exeter secured the top two spots of the group. The match was eventually awarded to the French side as a 28-0 home victory giving them an added bonus point. “The outcome was very disappointing,” chairman Dave Thompson told BBC Newcastle. “However when they came to deliver the verdict, we were absolutely astounded, not so much about the 28-0 scoreline, or the expulsion from the competition, or the one-year suspension withheld, it was mainly the fine that was imposed.” Bourgoin, meanwhile, did not escape lightly as they too pleaded guilty for failing to fulfill the fixture or provide an alternative venue. The ERC issued the struggling Top 14 side with a similar one-year suspended ban and a €75,000 fine. One incensed fan wrote on a Falcons forum: “What the hell does that achieve apart from €100,000 in the coffers of the ERC and even less money in the hands of two of the least wealthy clubs eligible for the competition? “Are the ERC trying to bankrupt the clubs they are supposed to be encouraging?”

Gareth Bale eyes Champions League repeat with Tottenham Posted: 18 Apr 2011 07:10 AM PDT Tottenham Hotspur winger Gareth Bale insists Spurs are fully focused on qualifying for next season’s Champions League. Harry Redknapp’s men currently lie three points behind fourth-placed Manchester City with a game in hand and seven fixtures left to play. And Bale, who was named PFA Player of the Year on Sunday, is desperate for the north Londoners to seal another season in Europe’s premier club competition after their memorable run was ended by Real Madrid at the quarter-final stage. “I think with me playing for Wales, the Champions League is going to be the highest level I will be playing at the moment,” said the 21-year-old. “It is important for me to be playing at the highest level and playing against the best players to improve and test myself, and that is the most important thing for us this season.” The former Southampton youngster added: “The Champions League is still wide open for us and hopefully we can get it.” Bale was rewarded for his string of fine performances for Tottenham this season when he beat off competition from six other players to scoop the prestigious PFA Player of the Year award. The midfielder has scored seven Premier League goals this season and played an instrumental role in Spurs’ impressive run in Europe. “At the beginning, I wasn't really playing much but I always believed in myself that if I did get a run in the team, which I eventually did, I would be able to prove what I can do,” he said. “That did happen and I kind of never looked back from there. “Playing in a good team with good players definitely helped me a lot and all the boys have been fantastic, the manager has been fantastic giving me my chance, and it is something I want to improve on.”

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