Reuters Sports Schedule at 1420 GMT on Wednesday
Reuters sports schedule at 1420 GMT on Wednesday:
SOCCER
Premier League
AFC Bournemouth v Manchester United (1845)
United looking to consolidate second place on south coast
MANCHESTER, England - Manchester United travel to Bournemouth aiming for a win that would take them four points clear of Liverpool in the race for the runners-up spot behind champions Manchester City. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/ (PIX), 400 words)
We bring you all the latest team and injury news ahead of this week's fixtures. (SOCCER-ENGLAND-TEAM/ expect throughout)
La Liga (1730 unless stated)
Espanyol v Eibar
Valencia v Getafe
Real Madrid v Athletic Bilbao (1930)
Real look to close in on second spot with Athletic win
MADRID - Third-placed Real Madrid, languishing 16 points adrift of Liga champions-elect Barcelona, host Athletic Bilbao knowing a win will take them within a point of local rivals Atletico Madrid, who play on Thursday. (SOCCER-SPAIN-MAD-ATB/ (PIX), expect at 2130 GMT/5:30 PM ET, by Rik Sharma, 400 words)
Serie A (1845 unless stated)
Benevento v Atalanta (1600)
Sampdoria v Bologna
SPAL v Chievo
AS Roma v Genoa
Crotone v Juventus
Fiorentina v Lazio
Torino v AC Milan
Verona v Sassuolo
Napoli v Udinese
Juve face trick trip to Crotone, Napoli welcome Udinese
Leaders Juventus have a tricky match away to a Crotone team battling relegation, while second-placed Napoli, six points off the pace, host Udinese, who have lost their last nine league games. (SOCCER-ITALY/, expect at 2100 GMT/5 PM ET, 500 words)
French Cup semi-final
Caen v Paris St Germain (1905)
PSG take on Caen in Cup semis as they bid for treble
PARIS - Newly-crowned Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain play lowly Caen for a place against third-tier Les Herbiers in the French Cup final as they bid for a domestic treble. (SOCCER-FRANCE-CAE-PSG/ (PIX), expect by 2105 GMT/5:45 PM ET, 300 words)
German Cup semi-final
Schalke 04 v Eintracht Frankfurt (1845)
Eintracht host Schalke with Bayern waiting in the final
Eintracht Frankfurt host Schalke 04, who are second in the Bundesliga, in the German Cup semi-finals after last week's announcement that coach Niko Kovac will after the season make a controversial move to newly-crowned league champions Bayern Munich who await the winners in the final. (SOCCER-GERMANY/CUP, expect by 2045 GMT/4:45 PM ET, by Karolos Grohmann, 400 words)
World Cup
FIFA World Cup referees seminar
FIFA refereeing chiefs Pierluigi Collini and Massimo Busacca give a media briefing at the start of a seminar for referees who have been selected for the World Cup. (SOCCER-FIFA/REFEREES, expect at 1900 GMT/3 PM ET, 300 words)
Asian Champions League
HONG KONG - Jeonbuk Motors will look to seal first place in their Asian Champions League group when they take on Kitchee from Hong Kong. (SOCCER-ASIA/ expect by 1600 GMT/12 PM ET, 400 words)
TENNIS
Nadal starts Monte Carlo campaign
Top seed Rafa Nadal, chasing his 11th title in Monte Carlo, begins his campaign against Slovenia's Aljaz Bedene. (TENNIS-MONTECARLO/ (PIX, TV), 300 words)
NBA
Rockets face T-Wolves, Cavs battle Pacers
The top-seeded Houston Rockets host the Minnesota Timberwolves while LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers face the visiting Indiana Pacers in two of the three first-round playoff games on the National Basketball Association schedule. (BASKETBALL-NBA/HIGHLIGHTS, expect by 0530 GMT/1:30 AM ET, by Field Level Media, 800 words)
NHL
Ducks try to stay alive, Pens face Flyers
The Anaheim Ducks try to stave off elimination when they host visit the San Jose Sharks while Sidney Crosby and the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Philadelphia Flyers as the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup Playoffs continue. (ICEHOCKEY-NHL/HIGHLIGHTS, expect by 0530 GMT/1:30 AM ET, by Field Level Media, 800 words
BASEBALL
Central-leading Pirates face Rockies
The Pittsburgh Pirates try to pad their lead atop the National League Central when they face the Colorado Rockies while the Toronto Blue Jays battle the Kansas City Royals in two of the 14 games on the Major League Baseball schedule. (BASEBALL-MLB/HIGHLIGHTS, expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by Field Level Media, 800 words)
Disappointing display fails to dampen Ohtani enthusiasm
TOKYO - Shohei Ohtani had his least productive night on the mound since the Japanese two-way star's high-profile move to Major League Baseball, but the heavy loss his Los Angeles Angels absorbed on Tuesday is unlikely to dampen support at home or across Asia. (BASEBALL-MLB/JAPAN (TV) moved, by Jack Tarrant, 300 words)
NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS
Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (Expect by 0000 GMT/8 PM ET, by Field Level Media, 500 words) (Europe Desk Editor: Christian Radnedge)
