Summary

  • Dyke to stand down as FA chairman in June

  • Eight FA Cup news conferences

  • Your favourite football computer games

  • GET INVOLVED #thebeautifulgamers

  1. football

    Barca being Barcapublished at 09:18

    Football

    AS back pageImage source, AS

    Barcelona remain on course to finish the season with five trophies after booking a Copa del Rey semi-final place with victory over Athletic Bilbao.

    Barca, top of La Liga, have won the Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup, and are still in the Champions League....

    Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid, the 2013 winners, were edged out 3-2 on aggregate by Celta Vigo - they're having a fantastic season. 

    Las Palmas play Gary Neville's Valencia and Mirandes play Sevilla in the other quarter-final second legs this evening.

    NeynarImage source, EPA
  2. tennis

    'A demolition job'published at 09:10 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016

    Tennis

    David Law
    Radio 5 live sports extra commentator

    "There is a ruthless look in the eye of Djokovic. This is a demolition job."

    Novak DjokovicImage source, Getty Images
  3. tennis

    Djokovic races to first setpublished at 09:09 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016

    Tennis

    Pat Cash
    Former Wimbledon champion on Radio 5 live sports extra

    "Twelve unforced errors from Federer is just too much against Djokovic. Djokovic has looked sharp and mighty impressive."  

  4. tennis

    Djokovic races to first setpublished at 09:08 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016

    Tennis

    My goodness, what a statement that is from Novak Djokovic. A second break of serve helps him wrap up the first set against Roger Federer 6-1 in a mere 22 minutes. The number three seed faces a huge uphill battle now.

    Can he get back into it? Find out with Ben Dirs' live text commentary here.

    Novak DjokovicImage source, Getty Images
  5. tennis

    Raonic on Warhol, Weiwei and winningpublished at 09:02

    Tennis

    Milos Raonic's InstagramImage source, mraonic
    Image caption,

    This is what Raonic posted on his Instagram page: "Not sure how I feel about this!"

    Milos Raonic's InstagramImage source, mraonic
    Image caption,

    "I think this one is dope..." Raonic said in another post. I still prefer the top one

  6. tennis

    Raonic on Warhol, Weiwei and winningpublished at 08:57

    Tennis

    Milos RaonicImage source, Getty Images

    It may or may not have escaped your attention that Andy Murray is through to the other men's semi-final at the Australian Open.

    The man he plays is 6'5" big-hitting Canadian Milos Raonic, who is apparently a bit of an art buff - more contemporary than the classics if you're asking.

    Here's a taster: "Whatever iteration you see of Andy Warhol's life has been redefined over many years due to his unfortunate passing, but Ai Weiwei's story is constantly building and you're hearing something different..."

    Head over here for more...

    Raonic in Warhol style of portraitureImage source, .
    Image caption,

    This is the picture we knocked up to complement Raonic's words - in homage to Warhol you see? There's one man who remains unsure about it though...

  7. tennis

    Early break for Djokovicpublished at 08:51

    Tennis

    We've barely got started in the tennis and already we have a break. Novak Djokovic has loosened the grip of Roger Federer in the first set and raced into a 2-0 lead. 

    Remember, Federer has never beaten his nemesis a best-of-five-set match having dropped the first set. Work to do for the Swiss maestro...

    Click over here for Ben Dirs' live text commentary.

    Novak DjokovicImage source, Getty Images
  8. The Beautiful Gamerspublished at 08:45

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    Later on Thursday, Dan Walker hosts an in-depth look at football video games with some special guests. Why do Premier League players play computer games so much? How do you become a professional football video game player? Are video games a threat to the real thing? 

    You can watch and listen to The Beautiful Gamers at 19:30 GMT on BBC Radio 5 live, the Red Button and on the BBC Sport website, and after that it will be on the iPlayer.

    Cherno Samba statsImage source, Championship Manager
    Image caption,

    Don't tell me you didn't sign Samba. Not sure who's save this screen comes from though...

  9. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 08:39

    #TheBeautifulGamers

    And we've got a brilliant topic of conversation. At least I'm hoping it will be, but I won't mind if gets one-sided and I can tell you all about how I won the Champions League 10 times in a row with Norma Tallinn... season by season.

    Ahead of a programme later on Thursday on the history of football computer gaming, we’re asking for your favourite football video games and why. 

    So whether you love your Sensible Soccer, adore Fifa or cherish Champ Man, why don't you get in touch with us via the hashtag #TheBeautifulGamers, external on Twitter, or text us on 81111 - UK mobiles only.

    Sensible SoccerImage source, Codemasters
  10. tennis

    Coming uppublished at 08:34

    Tennis

    And of course there's still much more to come from the Australian Open. We'll have plenty of reaction to Johanna Konta's semi-final defeat by Angelique Kerber, and Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are on court right now in the first men's semi-final. 

    Click over here for Ben Dirs' live text commentary.

    DjokovicImage source, EPA
    FedererImage source, Getty Images
  11. football

    Coming uppublished at 08:30

    Football

    Just to mark your card early on then, here's a taster of what we've got coming up. 

    There are a whole load of FA Cup news conferences today, starting with West Ham from about 09:30 GMT. 

    For the saxophone fans among you, we'll be hearing from that man below at about 14:00. 

    Louis van GaalImage source, Rex Features
    Image caption,

    "Hello, hello, pay attention to the manager!" Louis van Gaal, 2015.

  12. football

    'Man City can win the treble'published at 08:26

    Football

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    That's the opinion of Robbie Savage... whether they will though, is another matter. 

    Either way, if you're after more from last night's meeting at the Etihad Stadium - where better to get it than BBC Radio 5 live's football daily? Not sure if they explain all the bananas though. 

    You can catch up on the best reaction, analysis and comment here. 

    Man City fansImage source, PA
  13. football

    The crucial wordpublished at 08:20

    Football

    Kevin de Bruyne's injury might not be as bad as it first looked last night though. 

    The 24-year-old Belgium international - and £55m club record signing fell awkwardly in injury time , but Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini thinks he will play again this season.

    "I'm optimistic he won't be out for the rest of the season," Pellegrini said.

    "We'll see how important the damage is. It's not the cruciate ligament."

    The Chilean added: "The doctor thinks, but he cannot be sure, that it's a problem in his medial ligament."

    De BruyneImage source, AP
    Image caption,

    It's not the fall that hurts you... The way De Bruyne's landed looked very nasty

  14. football

    Insert Mersey/mercy pun herepublished at 08:15

    Football

    Manchester City will meet Liverpool in the League Cup final after a 3-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium gave them a 4-3 aggregate win against Everton.

    But Toffees boss Martinez was upset that the match officials failed to spot Raheem Sterling had run the ball out of play before crossing for Kevin de Bruyne to score City's second with a thrilling game poised at 1-1. 

    That scoreline would have sent Everton to Wembley to face their arch-rivals...

    Sergio AgueroImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    This bright-eyed chappy sealed the win that sent City through to the League Cup final at Wembley

    SterlingImage source, PA
    Image caption,

    But did Sterling run the ball out of play when crossing for De Bruyne to score City's second? Erm, yep. Definitely.

    De BruyneImage source, AP
    Image caption,

    And how long will this man be out for? De Bruyne suffered a nasty-looking knee injury...

  15. tennis

    Konta's incredible run finally endspublished at 08:10

    Tennis

    Johanna Konta's recent surge in form has been incredible."Phenomenal", for GB Davis Cup captain Leon Smith.

    "Jo should be so proud of herself, the way she's played and handled herself," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "Yes, she'll be disappointed today, but she probably can't wait to get going again."

    KontaImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    "I played against a better player today who earned her right to a Grand Slam final," Konta said. Talk about dignified in defeat.

    KerberImage source, AP
    Image caption,

    American Kerber, 34, goes on to face world number one Serena Williams, who took just 64 minutes to thrash Polish fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-0 6-4

    KontaImage source, Rex Features
    Image caption,

    But Konta's still all smiles - she'll collect £370,000 in prize money, while her ranking is set to jump from 47 to inside the top 30...

  16. Postpublished at 08:05

    Welcome to Sportsday. I trust the water flows freely down your mountain.

    Johanna Konta's defeat by Angelique Kerber in the Australian Open semi-finals and Everton's defeat by Manchester City in the League Cup last four are the two big stories from Wednesday night (or Thursday morning if you were there down under)...

    There's bound to be plenty more drama to come throughout the day...

  17. Back pagespublished at 07:54 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016

    Daily Mirror

    Mirror backpageImage source, Mirror
  18. Back pagespublished at 07:54 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016

    The Sun

    The Sun back pageImage source, Sun
  19. Back pagespublished at 07:41 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016

    Daily Express

    Express backpageImage source, Express
  20. Good morningpublished at 08:00

    The semi-finals. You're so close.

    British number one Johanna Konta's superb Australian Open run was brought to an end overnight -  with defeat by German seventh seed Angelique Kerber in the last four.

    Johanna KontaImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    Konta, the first British woman for 33 years to play in a Grand Slam semi-final, went down 7-5 6-2 in Melbourne

    And there was heartache for Everton in the League Cup. 

    Ross BarkleyImage source, Rex
    Image caption,

    Everton boss Roberto Martinez was left fuming at what he said was a "hurtful and unfair" defeat by Manchester City in their League Cup semi-final second leg - more on that later...