Gonzalo Higuain 'as influential as Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo'

Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain is on the same level as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, according to his manager.

Higuain - who has been reportedly linked with a move to Chelsea should Antonio Conte become the club's permanent manager - has scored 26 goals in 28 games to keep Napoli in the hunt for a first Serie A title since 1990.

The 28-year-old has made headlines for his fiery temper as well as goalscoring exploits, angrily kicking a water bottle after being substituted against Fiorentina and failing to join his team-mates in applauding the fans after last weekend's win over Chievo.

But boss Maurizio Sarri says he is happy to have "angry" Higuain in his ranks if he can keep plundering goals that have lifted his side to within three points of leaders and reigning champions Juventus.

"I don't know and I'm not interested if Higuain was angry," Sarri said, when asked of the player's reaction against Chievo."I only care that he played really well.

"He's in another class and influences the team, just like Lionel Messi influences Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo influences Real Madrid.

"We're not at the same level as those teams but he is at the same level as those players."

Higuain should lead Napoli's attack when they visit Palermo on Sunday and he acknowledges the part his manager has played in his good form.

Having scored 17 then 18 goals in his first two seasons with the club, there has been a significant upturn since Sarri was appointed at the Stadio San Paolo last summer.

"Sarri has been like a father," Higuain said. "He emphasises my weak points. He immediately told me what he thought of me, both the good and the bad.

"But he has shown me all his faith. I appreciate the fact that he is an honest man who likes to see us play good football.

"I don't think I can change overnight. I have a strong character, because I always like to win. That's why I often react the way I do." 

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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Real Madrid deal reports denied

Borussia Dortmund have denied a deal is in place to sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Real Madrid and have warned English clubs off bidding for him.

German newspaper Express has claimed the 2013 Champions League finalists have agreed to transfer the Gabon striker to the Bernabeu for £69.5m (€90m) at the end of the season.

Aubameyang - who scored against Tottenham in the Europa League on Thursday - has netted 22 goals this season and is the Bundesliga's second top scorer.

He has also spoken in the past of having a desire dating back to his childhood to play for Real but his current club maintain he is going nowhere - including the Premier League.

Asked if a contract had been struck with the Spanish side, Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc said: "That's just nonsense. We neither received an offer nor an enquiry."

Aubameyang extended his deal last summer. He is contracted until 2020 and the revised terms do not include a buy-out clause.

That means Dortmund are not obliged to let last year's African Player of the Year speak to other sides if they meet a set release figure and the Germans are intent on retaining him.

Aubameyang has been linked with a £60m move to England but Hans Joachim Watzke - the chief executive at Dortmund - is adamant he is not for sale.

He said: "The position is clear. Auba plays for Borussia Dortmund and the next years he will play at Borussia Dortmund.

"It is no question. There is no get-out clause. Money is a thing that can solve all other things but it's not realistic

Clubs of the Premier League have a lot of money but so much as to get Aubameyang? It's a little bit difficult. It's not a question of money.

"We have money. We have no Sheikh, no Roman Abramovich, but we have money. We don't need money. We need success in playing football.

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Karim Benzema could play for France at Euro 2016 after legal restrictions lifted

France striker Karim Benzema is available for Euro 2016 after being cleared to contact Mathieu Valbuena by French court.

The door has been opened for the Real Madrid striker to return to the international setup, having been under investigation since November in relation to an alleged blackmail attempt against Lyon midfielder Valbuena.

As part of the conditions of Benzema being released from custody, a legal order was put in place banning Benzema from seeing or contacting Valbuena, meaning he has been unavailable for international duty since December.

A court on Friday eased the legal restriction, meaning Benzema - who denies any wrongdoing - can once again return to the international fold. The ban was initially due to stand until all court proceedings had ended.

"The appeal court of Versailles confirmed the decision of the supervising judge which allowed Karim Benzema to meet with Mathieu Valbuena," Benzema's lawyer Olivier Combe told reporters outside the hearing.

The French Football Federation acknowledged the decision in a brief statement. The FFF also succeeded in an appeal to be considered a civil part to the case, granting access to documents relating to the investigation.

"The French Football Federation takes note of the lifting of restrictions on Karim Benzema. It is a first stage," the statement posted online said.

"The FFF has also been recognised as a civil party and can therefore learn of all developments in the case as they happen."

Despite this development, Benzema remains under investigation with inquiries still ongoing.

France coach Didier Deschamps is scheduled to name a squad on Thursday of next week, ahead of friendlies against the Netherlands and Russia at the end of March.

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Arsene Wenger's warning for unhappy Arsenal supporters

Arsene Wenger has sent a message to Arsenal's unsettled supporters: "You don't know happiness until it's gone."

A run of 10 points from nine games has left Arsenal eight points behind Premier League leaders Leicester and sparked a renewal of the criticism Wenger has suffered sporadically from some fans in recent years.

A banner reading 'Arsene, thanks for the memories but it's time to say goodbye' - first unfurled at West Brom in the autumn of 2014 - made another appearance during Tuesday night's FA Cup win at Hull.

Sections of Arsenal's support have also protested against the club's ticketing policy over the past few months while a perceived reluctance to sign new players - long disputed by Wenger - is a regular source of frustration.

But Arsenal go into Sunday's quarter-final with Watford still in all three major competitions and chasing a hat-trick of FA Cup wins last achieved by Blackburn in the 19th century.

Asked whether he backed next season's cap on away-ticket prices and Arsenal's decision to further supplement the cost, Wenger said: "Yes, of course.

"Do you want some people to be unhappy? You want the whole world to be happy. There's a famous writer who said 'happiness makes noise only when it leaves you'.

"We want to keep our fans happy and be conscious that they are happy.

"We want the fans to be behind the club and the team. If you're a supporter you want the team to do well, you're disappointed when they don't do well but you still support the team."

Wenger faces a big week, with the Watford game followed by a Champions League trip to Barcelona he has already conceded is almost a lost cause.

Arsenal then go to Everton on Saturday, by which time they could be 11 points off the pace in the league.

Wenger insists Arsenal can still be champions, and he said: "We take care of the next game, that's what you want to do."

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Aston Villa v Tottenham preview: Dele Alli expected to be fit

Tottenham are confident Dele Alli will be fit to face Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday despite his ankle problem.

The young midfielder was left out of the squad for Thursday's Europa League defeat to Borussia Dortmund, but is expected to feature this weekend as Spurs look to close the gap on league leaders Leicester. 

Last Saturday's north London derby saw Maurico Pochettino's men maintain their three-point gap over local rivals Arsenal - but remain five points behind the Foxes who play second-bottom Newcastle on Monday.

Aston Villa are the only team worse off than the Magpies, and are rock-bottom of the Premier League table with 16 points.

They are nine points adrift from the safety zone and have conceded 15 goals in the last four league games - all of which have been defeats - and have scored just twice.

Alongside the return of Alli, Eric Dier is also hoping to shake off a knock in time for the game at Villa Park.

Danny Rose sat out Thursday's defeat to in Germany with a sore calf and will be assessed, but Jan Vertonghen and Clinton Njie are both out with knee injuries.

Aston Villa boss Remi Garde is expected to choose from the same squad that lost 4-0 at Manchester City last weekend.

Carlos Sanchez (hamstring), Jack Grealish and Libor Kozak (both ankle) are all still sidelined while Charles N'Zogbia remains out of Garde's plans despite being fit.

Jordan Amavi is out until next season with a serious knee injury while Adama Traore (broken foot) is closing in on a return but is not ready yet.

Spurs have lost none of their last eight trips to Villa Park in all competitions (W6 D2 L0).

There have been red cards in three of the last five Premier League meetings between these two sides at Villa Park.

Tottenham Hotspur have lost just one of their last 13 Premier League away games (W7 D5 L1), but this defeat came in their last road trip in the competition at West Ham United (0-1).

Spurs have won a league-high 18 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season.

Harry Kane has scored 16 goals in his last 20 Premier League appearances for Tottenham, two more than Aston Villa (14) have in their last 20 Premier League games.

Tottenham's next away defeat in the Premier League will be their 200th - only Newcastle United (201) have lost more on the road before this weekend.

Aston Villa's 16-point tally after 29 games this season is the third lowest at this stage of a Premier League season, but Leicester City only had three points more (19) at this stage last term and finished 14th.

This is Spurs' best points tally from their opening 29 matches of a Premier League season (55).

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Chelsea's Terry: I've Got Years Left In Me

Chelsea defender John Terry insists he can play at the top level for some time yet as his future at Stamford Bridge hangs in the balance.

Terry's current deal ends this summer and he claimed earlier this year that the club will not be offering him a new deal.

While reiterating that any extension on the deal is down to the club, Terry is adamant he can play at the top of football for another "two or three years".

He said: "I'm probably feeling in the last three or four years the best physical condition that I've ever been in.

"As a youngster you take it for granted; you eat what you want, you can train, have a rest, but when you get older you can't. You can't eat the pastas, the breads, it all goes out of the window. The sleep too.

"That aspect of it has a big impact, and I've certainly seen the impact of that.

"But listen, I've definitely got two or three years left in me, as I said before I would be gutted if it wasn't for Chelsea, and if not it will be somewhere else for sure."

Terry has already made clear that he would not make a move to another Premier League club having been at Chelsea for 21 years.

His next possible destination has been heavily debated, but Terry, when asked about his next move, insists he is keeping his options open across the globe.

"I want to play at the highest level of course. Obviously for me being Chelsea through and through, and a one-club man, I couldn't play for another Premier League club. I couldn't do that because of the Chelsea fans and what Chelsea means to me.

"We're not sure [where] yet. [Europe] is an option for sure, it's in Chelsea's hands, and as I have said I've made it clear to the club I want to stay.

"That's down to the club. What will be will be. I've had an unbelievable 21 years there. We'll see, only time will tell.

"If not, I will be playing. I don't know whether that will be Italy, MLS, China, Qatar, I really don't know at the moment."

Chelsea are unbeaten in the Premier League since Jose Mourinho was sacked in December, with interim manager Guus Hiddink steadying the ship and moving the club into the top half.

They are still in the FA Cup and Champions League, and Terry admits the form they are showing at the moment proves the players were letting Mourinho down.

"I've said it before, we feel as though we let [Mourinho] down as players, and the way we are performing at the moment, that was going to come.

"He's a great manager, a top manager, and Guus has come in and done brilliantly. To pick up from where we were, and to be undefeated in so many games in the league.

"We're in the top half of the table which is a step in the right direction for us, and we're still in the Champions League and FA Cup, so there's still an awful lot to play for."

Terry was speaking at the London Football Awards in London, raising funds for the national charity Willow. 

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