MADRID - Defending champion Real Madrid hopes to recover from a 2-0 first leg loss at Atletico Madrid and stay in contention in Spains Copa del Rey.Atletico coach Diego Simeone, renowned for his optimism, will aim to motivate his squad to succeed again after a bruising 3-1 defeat at Barcelona on Sunday.Here are some things to know about the round of 16 return-leg Copa games this week:___EL NINO IS EAGERAtletico faces a tough visit Thursday to the Santiago Bernabeu where it must contain Madrid to advance to the quarterfinals.Given the teams need to defend, Fernando Torres, back on loan with Atletico, may be left on the bench against its cross-town rival.Torres has scored twice against Madrid, once at Liverpool in the English teams 4-0 — 5-0 on aggregate — trouncing of the Spanish powerhouse in the 2009 Champions League and for Atletico in a 1-1 league draw in 2007.However, the 30-year-old striker is eager to be involved.Its a great feeling when you win against a big opponent, when you defeat the best team in the world, said Torres. Our first leg score gives us many possibilities of moving to the next stage, but were playing at the Bernabeu.You know that 90 minutes is a long time at the Bernabeu.___TEAM BUILDINGSimeone maintains the only way a smaller-budget club can beat a big-spending team is with teamwork.Since taking over from Jose Mourinho as coach at star-studded Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti has relied on the individual quality of Cristiano Ronaldo who, this season, has scored 26 goals in 20 appearances.Yet in his subtle way, Ancelotti has also made clear that the team comes first.After fans at the Bernabeu booed winger Gareth Bale for trying to score, instead of passing to the better-positioned Ronaldo, during the teams 3-0 win against Espanyol, Ancelotti laid down the law.Bale is just as fundamental for us as Cristiano, he said. If we see selfish behaviour, we will deal with it.___DAMAGE CONTROLBarcelona has moved into damage control mode after facing a wave of off-field problems.After its win against Atletico, the normally camera-shy Lionel Messi was presented to appear before the media to dispel rumours.Im grateful to be able to give my version, Messi said. Ive heard all sorts of things said.The Argentina forward said he had heard of alleged bad feeling between himself and former coach Pep Guardiola as well as former players Bojan Krkic and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.All that was lies and I want people to know it, he said. Everything that was said is false.Messi heaped praise on fellow forwards Neymar and Luis Suarez. Luis is capable of scoring lots of goals and he fights for every ball as if it were his last, he said. He gives us his all and Neymar has a lot to give, as he is proving.Barcelona travels to Elche on Thursday to defend a 5-0 first-leg lead.___ANADLUCIAN CLASHSevilla defends a 2-1 advantage when it hosts Andalucian rival Granada on Wednesday.Coach Unai Emerys Sevilla team is currently fourth in the league after beating Almeria 2-0 at the weekend. Rollie Fingers Jersey . TSNs Farhan Lalji reports the Edmonton Eskimos non-import DT has a workout scheduled with an NFL team next week and isnt expected to sign a deal with any team until then. Austin Hedges Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. https://www.cheappadresjerseys.us/573m-dave-kingman-jersey-padres.html . "Weve given ourselves now a tougher task," said Carlyle after the Friday practice, the Toronto head coach notably chipper and upbeat throughout. "But the bottom line is we just have to win our share of games [and] not worry about what anybody else is doing. Michel Baez Jersey .com) - John Wall supplied 24 points and 11 assists in leading the Washington Wizards to a 102-91 win over the New York Knicks on Christmas Day. Tony Gwynn Jersey . Neither striker Demba Ba nor Fernando Torres came close to scoring as Chelsea was left unsuccessfully appealing for penalties in this drab penultimate game of the season. "Our strikers are good strikers, no doubt about that, but players with some specific qualities," Mourinho said.CALGARY -- The Calgary Stampeders are less crowded at quarterback this season, but there is still heavy competition for the starters job. The Stampeders employed a three-man rotation in 2013 mainly because of an early-season injury to Drew Tate. Kevin Glenn started the majority of games, but Bo Levi Mitchell was a busy third-stringer. He won his three starts and came off the bench to lead Calgary to another when Glenn was also injured. Glenn was taken in the off-season expansion draft by the Ottawa Redblacks and subsequently dealt to the B.C. Lions, which leaves Tate and Mitchell vying to lead the offence of a team that posted a league-best 14-4 record last season. "It brings out the best in us and I think that being said, we could be a starting point for the team," Tate said Sunday on the first day of training camp. "If the quarterbacks are battling, everyone else is battling kind of thing." Tate, 29, was anointed Calgarys starter two years ago when Henry Burris was dealt to Hamilton. But injuries have limited the six-foot, 190-pound pivot to 153 completions over the past two seasons. A throwing arm injury on July 6 last year and a subsequent setback sidelined him until October. Training camp reps will test the durability of the arm, Tate says. "Feels good right now. Just trying to be smart with it," he said. "I feel its all moderation with the volume we have. Its a lot of volume and its really hard to mimic that in the off-season, the kind of volume we have, especially in camp. "Ever since I was three feet tall, Ive only had one speed and getting injuries, it make you have to change your approach. So far so good. Its only the a.m. of Day 1, so a lot of ball left." Mitchell, 24, completed 69 per cent of his passes for 1,156 yards and 10 touchdowns last year. Six-foot-four and 204 pounds, Mitchell says theres no jealousy between he and Tate. "Were friends through and through, no matter what," Mitchell says. "When he makes a great play, Im not looking down saying Ive got to make a better one. Im going out there, congratulating him and slapping him on the butt and saying good play. "If you look at last year, we went with three quarterbacks. I know theres not many teams in the league that are going to play one guy for 18 games every single snap, so youve got to be ready. Were going to do whatever we can to help each other prepare for the season." The two Texans both signed contract extensions in the off-season and bring different qualities to the table, says head coach and general manager John Hufnagel. "I guess the best way I could explain it is Drew is more of a jitterbug," Hufnagel explained. "Hell make plays out of nothing, just because of his mobility and elusiveness and great vision and accuracy. "Bo is a little bit of a stronger-armed guy. He has the ability to move around and make plays, but hes more of a pocket guy and throw the ball down the field." The Stampeders lost in the 2013 West Division final to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who went onto win the Grey Cup in Regina. In addition to taking Glenn in the expansion draft, the Redblacks also selected Stampeder offensive lineman JMicheal Deane and safety Eric Fraser. Ottawa also hired away defensive co-ordinator Riick Campbell to be their head coach.dddddddddddd Rich Stubler replaced Campbell after two seasons as B.C.s defensive co-ordinator. Stampeder offensive co-ordinator Dave Dickenson signed a three-year contract extension in November. Hufnagel swung a deal with Ottawa to obtain the first overall pick the Canadian college draft in May and used it to choose Laval offensive lineman Pierre Lavertu. The hope is hes a fast adapter to the CFL as centre Brett Jones was in winning the leagues rookie award last season. Among Calgarys significant contract extensions in the off-season were CFL sack leader Charleston Hughes, receivers Maurice Price, Jabari Arthur and Joe West, as well as middle linebacker Juwan Simpson and linebacker Keon Raymond. To get some experience in his backfield, Hufnagel signed halfbacks Lin-J Shell and Josh Bell, who have experience working with Stubler in Vancouver, as well as former Hamilton Tiger-Cat Dee Webb. "In the defensive backfield, it will be interesting because of the loss of players weve had in the off-season," Hufnagel said. "Theres spots to be won." Running back Jon Cornish, the CFLs leading rusher for two seasons and most outstanding player in 2013, adopted the practice of tai chi, a Chinese martial art, in the off-season. "After doing six months of it, I understand that a lot of my movement patterns were not as efficient as they could be," said Cornish. "A lot of the things I could do on the field could be optimized. Thats what Im trying to focus on this year. "Mentally I felt I could add some aspects to my game." The Stampeders also have at camp running back Martell Mallett, the CFLs rookie of the year in 2009 when he played for the Lions. Calgarys off-season was not without its drama. The team suspended defensive back Quincy Butler nine days before main camp. He was charged with two counts of assault following an incident outside a Calgary casino. Hes due to appear in court June 26. Concordia defensive tackle Quinn Smith, Calgarys seventh overall pick in the college draft, tested positive for a steroid which he says he inadvertently ingested via a supplement. The Toronto native faces a two-year ban from Canadian university football. Smith is currently at Calgarys main camp and is subject to mandatory drug testing under the CFLs drug policy. And Price chose the first day of training camp to apologize both in a press release and in a scrum with reporters for remarks he made on Twitter over a month ago that criticized gay NFL draft pick Michael Sam. The CFL fined Price for those comments. "I just wanted to come here and be face to face with the guys and not do it from a distance," Price said. "Thats why I waited until this day to just apologize. Im aware my comments were offensive and I just want to apologize to the Stamps fans, the CFL and especially Mr. Michael Sam himself." The Stampeders are training on new turf at McMahon Stadium, which makes the pounding of two-a-days feel a little less painful. "Its a lot better, 1,000 per cent better," Price said. "Thats vacation for the joints, the ankles, the knees. Im glad they got that done. That old turf was worn out and hard. When it was snowing it was icy and hard and just rough on the legs." ' ' '