By Tim Stannard

1) Sharapova courts controversy in tennis return 

For Maria Sharapova, Wednesday sees a return to where she feels she belongs: a tennis court 

For the tennis player’s publicity-starved sponsors, the Stuttgart comeback is a marketing dream. But to the Russian’s competitors, including her first opponent, Roberta Vinci, Sharapova is a player who has served a lengthy suspension for doping only to have been given a reward, simply for promotional purposes. “She made her mistakes for sure,” declared Vinci, “but she paid and I think she can return to play, but without any wildcards, any help.”

The return of Maria Sharapova after a 15-month ban for failing a drugs test is going to stop the sporting world. So many questions. Will she be greeted warmly by a German crowd, in the home of Angelique Kerber? Will she be booed as an interloper, being given a free wildcard pass because of what she can sell? Will the time off have recharged the tennis batteries for a late Roger Federer-style career revival? Or will Vinci make light of a player whose doping suspension only ended the night before? 

Tune into beIN SPORTS from 12:30PM ET / 9:30AM PT to find out.

2) Serena admits Snapchat disaster 

Some light has been shed on the other big tennis story these days – Serena Williams. Last week, a Snapchat photo was published by Serena herself indicating that she was 20-weeks pregnant, only to be taken down minutes later. 

It turns out that the US legend had made the mother – no pun intended – of all digital media mistakes by accidently publishing a photo that was meant for herself to track the pregnancy. 

"You know how social media is, you press the wrong button and... I'm like, that [having four missed calls] is weird. And I picked up and I was like, 'Oh no.'” Indeed. Serena also confirmed that she fully intends to return to tennis with her baby watching from the stands. 

3) Ronaldo rested as Madrid duel with Depor 

Wednesday is a big, old day for beIN SPORTS in fact, as the big beasts of Real Madrid and Barcelona are back in business. The Clasico kerfuffle is over which means that both teams need to focus on the meat and bread of la Liga. 

And they don’t come any meatier and…er…breadier…than Deportivo and Osasuna, the respective opponents of our familiar la Liga friends. Coach Zizou has opted to rotate a little with a hefty league and Champions League calendar to come. Cristiano Ronaldo and Toni Kroos have both being left out of the squad for the trip to La Coruna. Sergio Ramos is suspended, which means a probable return for Raphael Varane. 

Barcelona are at home to bottom-of-the-table Osasuna in clash that if it doesn’t end in a 6-0 drubbing then everyone at the Camp Nou should feel very ashamed of themselves indeed. Both games are back-to-back on beIN SPORTS with the action starting from Barcelona at 1:30PM ET / 10:30AM PT. 

4) Monaco take on PSG in giant cup clash

If all that wasn’t enough then there is the small matter of PSG taking on Monaco in a Coupe de France semifinal with the winners to play – and probably beat – Angers. 

The big question going into this match is how seriously Monaco will be taking the game considering the Monte Carlo club more than has its hands full with a chance to win Ligue Un, as well as a Champions League semifinal double header with Juventus. 

Monaco boss, Leonardo Jardim, has hinted at rotation but a dead-set Unai Emery is having none of it. “"For me, Jardim will line up his best players,” predicted the PSG boss. 

That clash is live on beIN SPORTS CONNECT from 2:45PM ET / 11:45AM PT or catch best of the action on the XTRA from 7PM ET / 4PM PT. 

5) Tottenham needing win to stay on Chelsea’s coattails 

Wednesday also sees a pivotal day in the Premier League with the pressure very much on Tottenham Hotspur to deliver the goods and beat the in-form Crystal Palace. Anything less could see Chelsea all but Champions after Tuesday’s win over Southampton which moved Antonio Conte’s club seven points clear at the top.

Arsenal are also badly needing a win to push the club towards another victory in the Top Four Cup, whilst Middlesbrough play Sunderland in what might be the most depressing game of the year between the Championship-bound chumps. Tune into the XTRA from 7PM ET / 4PM PT for all the best goals from around Europe including Bayern Munich taking on Borussia Dortmund.

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