By Tim Stannard

1) Pep looking to burst Mourinho’s Champions League bubble

If the great footballing hive-mind was correct back in August, then Thursday’s Manchester derby would be a potential title-decider. But, as usual, everyone was wrong. Instead the two expensively-assembled teams are instead locked into a rather unseemly scrabble for a Champions League spot, along with Liverpool above and Arsenal below. Basically, it is four teams – two spots. And a lot of questions to be answered by those managers whose clubs miss out. 

Of course, this particular clash has been juiced up due to the slight back history between Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho dating back to their tumultuous Clasico days. The Spaniard holds the advantage in those affairs and does so too in the Premier League with City winning the reverse fixture in Old Trafford. Tune into the XTRA from 7PM ET / 4PM PT for the very best of the action between a ‘meh’ Manchester City and injury-battered but obstinate Manchester United. 

2) Sampaoli’s farewell present to Sevilla 

Rather than watching what will be a jab goalless draw in the rainy north-west of England with no eye-poking to be seen, the proper football fan will be tuning into beIN SPORTS CONNECT at 2:15PM ET / 11:15AM PT to see if a sizzling Sevilla can go level on points with Atletico Madrid in third, with a win over Celta Vigo and make the whole La Liga run-in a rambunctious affair. 

Indeed, a third-placed finish might well end up being a farewell present from current boss, Jorge Sampaoli, who is set to be named as Argentina’s latest final-failing manager on May 22nd. 

Tune into the XTRA from 7PM ET / 4PM PT for a full wrap-up of the day’s action in La Liga. 

3) Barcelona tittle-tattle to teacher after Malaga president meltdown

La Liga would not be La Liga if it did not talk itself into toddler-like trouble from time-to-time. Fresh from hefty drubbings of Deportivo and Osasuna by Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively on Wednesday, the two ties are bickering again all bit in a menage-a-trois with Malaga. 

To cut a very lengthy story short – Real Madrid play Malaga on the last day of the season. Malaga are managed by Michel who played 14-years for Madrid. A Twitter person suggested Michel should let Madrid win as a favor. The Malaga president, Abdullah Al Thani, poo-pooed the idea calling Barcelona “Catalan scum.” Which is isn’t very nice really. 

Barcelona are set to report the Malaga man to Spain's anti-violence commission who probably have better things to do with their time like stopping football fans from killing each other. 

4) Bouchard rejects Sharapova’s revival 

Maria Sharapova is not far from the headlines this week, one way or another. The Russian former world number one returned from a doping suspension on Wednesday and was victorious in her first game back. Sharapova is set to return to action on Thursday in a clash against compatriot, Ekaterina Makarova.

However, the Russian’s return has not been welcomed by all on the WTA tour with Genie Bouchard arguing that Sharapova should not be playing at all after failing a doping test at the 2016 Australian Open. “She's a cheater and so for me, I don't think a cheater in any sport should be allowed to play that sport again,” fumed the Canadian player. 

5) Kerber makes home debut in Stuttgart sizzler 

Sharapova is not the only big draw at the Stuttgart Open on Thursday – extensive live coverage from 6AM ET / 3AM PT every morning – as Angelique Kerber makes her debut in a tournament considered to be home soil – well, clay really. The German world number two is taking on Kristina Mladenovic. Also in action on center court, is USA tennis prodigy, Coco Vandeweghe, who faces quite the test against world number 3, Karolina Pliskova. 

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The life philosophy of Sports Burst is that if you are not upsetting someone, then you are not trying hard enough. SB is a daily trawl and troll through the morning's sports news to bring you fact-nuggets to make you both smile and swear. Hopefully at the same time.