Reuters sports schedule at 1400 GMT on Wednesday:
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SOCCER
Premier League
End of an era as Man United's Ferguson decided to retire
LONDON - Alex Ferguson, Britain's longest-serving and most decorated soccer manager, will retire at the end of the season after more than 26 years and nearly 1,500 matches at the helm of Manchester United, he announced on Wednesday. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/FERGUSON (UPDATE 3, PIX), moved, 1,000 words, updates expected).
We have also moved factboxes and reaction.
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Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur (1845)
London rivals battle for Champions League spoils
LONDON - Chelsea can almost guarantee a place in the top four and Champions League qualification with a win at home to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who need a victory to boost their own European ambitions. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/ (PIX), expect by 2045 GMT/4:45PM ET, by Mike Collett, 600 words)
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Reach Champions League or Bale could go, Klinsmann warns
HUNTINGTON BEACH, California - Tottenham Hotspur have to qualify for the Champions League or risk losing England's Footballer of the Year Gareth Bale, U.S. national coach and former Spurs talisman Juergen Klinsmann said in an interview with Reuters. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/KLINSMANN-BALE, moved, by Erik Kirschbaum, 480 words)
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La Liga
Celta Vigo v Atletico Madrid (1730)
Real Madrid v Malaga (1930)
Real must beat Malaga to delay Barca title celebrations
MADRID - Leaders Barcelona will claim a fourth title in five years if second-placed Real Madrid fail to beat sixth-placed Malaga at the Bernabeu. (SOCCER-SPAIN/ (PIX), expect by 2130 GMT/5:30 PM ET, by Iain Rogers, 500 words)
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Serie A (1845 unless stated)
Bologna v Napoli
Inter Milan v Lazio
Palermo v Udinese
Sampdoria v Catania
Siena v Fiorentina
Torino v Genoa
Napoli target runners-up spot at Bologna
MILAN - Napoli can clinch runners-up spot behind Serie A champions Juventus and direct entry into the Champions League group stage with a win at Bologna while third-placed AC Milan can move closer to a playoff spot in Europe's elite competition by winning at relegated Pescara. (SOCCER-ITALY/ (PIX), expect by 2045 GMT/4:45 PM ET, by Brian Homewood, 500 words)
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French Cup semi-finals
Evian Thonon Gaillard FC v FC Lorient (1900)
Evian hoping to sparkle in French Cup semi-final
PARIS - Evian Thonon Gaillard look to reach a cup final for the first time when they take on Lorient in a French Cup semi-final with the winners facing Troyes or Girondins Bordeaux. (SOCCER-FRANCE/CUP, expect by 2100 GMT/5 PM ET, by Julien Pretot, 300 words)
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South American Libertadores Cup
Last 16, second leg
Atletico Mineiro (Brazil) v Sao Paulo (Brazil)
Fluminense (Brazil) v Emelec (Ecuador)
Atletico Mineiro battle Sao Paulo in second leg
BUENOS AIRES - Atletico Mineiro, looking to win South America's elite club competition for the first time, are favourites to reach the quarter-finals carrying a 2-1 first-leg lead over three-times winners Sao Paulo. (SOCCER-LIBERTADORES/ (PIX), expect by 0100 GMT/9 PM ET, by Rex Gowar, 400 words)
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NBA
Spurs look to make it two straight over Warriors
The San Antonio Spurs will aim for a 2-0 lead over the visiting Golden State Warriors when their best-of-seven games Western Conference semi-finals resumes (NBA-SPURS/, expect by 0430 GMT/12:30 AM ET, by SportsDirect, 600 words)
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NHL
Rangers and Capitals shape up at Madison Square Garden
NEW YORK - The New York Rangers look to square their best-of-seven first-round series with the Washington Capitals when the teams lock horns at Madison Square Garden. (NHL-RANGERS/ (PIX), expect by 0300 GMT/11 PM ET, by Julian Linden, 400 words)
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Bruins and Capitals try to push opponents to brink
The Boston Bruins try to push the Toronto Maple Leafs to the brink of playoff elimination while the Los Angeles Kings and host St. Louis Blues, and Detroit Red Wings and host Anaheim Ducks, resume their series tied at two games apiece. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0300 GMT/11 PM ET, by SportsDirect, 600 words)
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BASEBALL
Tigers look to Fister to extend division lead
The Detroit Tigers will try to pad their lead atop the American League Central division when they send Doug Fister (4-0) to the mound versus the host Washington Nationals in one of 15 games on the Major League Baseball schedule. (BASEBALL-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0300 GMT/11 PM ET, by SportsDirect, 600 words)
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TENNIS
Madrid Open
Nadal begins Madrid Open title bid against Paire
MADRID - French Open champion Rafa Nadal, seeded fifth, gets his Madrid Open campaign underway with a second-round clash against unseeded Frenchman Benoit Paire. (TENNIS-MEN/MADRID (PIX), expect by 1800 GMT/2 PM ET, by Iain Rogers, 400 words)
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Azarenka meets Makarova, Robson takes on Ivanovic
MADRID - World number three Victoria Azarenka lost her temper on the way to a surprise 1-6 6-2 6-3 defeat by unseeded Russian Ekaterina Makerova in the Madrid Open second round on Wednesday. (TENNIS-WOMEN/MADRID (PIX), moved with updates to follow, by Iain Rogers, 250 words)
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WTA Championships
Singapore unveiled as women's season-ender host
SINGAPORE - Singapore will host the annual finale of the women's tennis season from 2014 until 2018, the WTA said. (TENNIS-WOMEN/CHAMPIONS, moved, by Patrick Johnson, 500 words)
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CYCLING
Giro d'Italia (to 26)
Favourites likely to play it cool in flat Giro stage
MATERA, Italy - The Giro favourites are unlikely to take risks in the mostly flat fifth stage, which takes the peloton over 203 km from Cosenza to Matera. (CYCLING-GIRO/ (PIX), expect by 1600 GMT/12 PM ET, by Alasdair Fotheringham, 400 words)
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MOTOR RACING
Spanish Formula One Grand Prix
Alonso must make the most of home advantage in Spain
LONDON - Ferrari's Fernando Alonso has only one home grand prix this year and the Spaniard needs to make the most of it in the first race of the European season in Barcelona on Sunday.(MOTOR RACING-PRIX/PREVIEW (PIX), moving shortly, by Alan Baldwin, 500 words)
We will also move a drivers' form sheet and statistics for the race at the Circuit de Catalunya.
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CRICKET
Zimbabwe v Bangladesh, third ODI, Bulawayo
Hosts Zimbabwe look to claim one-day series
Zimbabwe host Bangladesh in the series decider after the hosts enjoyed a six-wicket victory on Sunday following the tourists' 121-run victory in the opener in Bulawayo. (CRICKET-BANGLADESH/ expect by 1800 GMT/2 PM ET, 300 words)
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BASKETBALL
Coach Messina out to avenge defeat for CSKA
BELGRADE - Back for his second spell in charge, CSKA Moscow coach Ettore Messina aims to lift the weight of last season's Euroleague defeat by Olympiakos Piraeus from his players' shoulders when the two teams meet in the 2013 Final Four in London on Friday. (BASKETBALL-EUROLEAGUE/PREVIEW, by Zoran Milosavljevic, moved, 800 words)
- - - - (London duty editor: Ken Ferris)
