Forumsfragen » at to expect Saturday night. "

MONTMELO, Spain -- Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso is telling his local fans to keep their expectations low for this Sundays Spanish Grand Prix. The two-time former Formula One champion downplayed his third-place finish three weeks ago in China and said progress is going slow for Ferrari as it tries to make up ground on Mercedes. "If I say we will fight for the podium I will probably be lying to you, and I dont want to disappoint our fans," Alonso said on Thursday, a day before practice begins at the seasons first event in Europe. Alonso sits third in the standings with 41 points after Mercedes pair Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton swept the first four races of the season. Rosberg leads the standings with 79 points with Hamilton four points behind. Ferraris last win came at Montmelo one year ago when Alonso got his second career victory on the circuit. Since then, it is on its longest streak without a victory in almost two decades after Red Bulls Sebastian Vettel dominated the end of last season before Mercedes took the lead this year. Alonso has yet to crack the top three spots in qualifying so far in 2014, while Kimi Raikkonen has fared even worse in his return to the team that he won the world title with in 2007. The Finn hasnt finished in the top six spots in any race, and has also lacked speed in qualifying. "We finished ninth and 10th in Bahrain and did podium in China because we had some things (come) together on that Sunday, but it is not that we are in a position to say we will fight for the podium here," Alonso said. "Barcelona is a good point to check how competitive we are." Alonso said Ferraris upgrade package is "nothing out of the world" and that the biggest advantage he will have is his knowledge of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with its single straightaway, which he hoped would reduce Mercedes ability to leverage its better overall speed. The race will be Ferraris second under new team principal Marco Mattiacci after he replaced Stefano Domenicali. Mattiacci, a former president of Ferrari North America but with no experience in F1, arrived to Shanghai in time to watch Alonso steer to a third-place finish. Alonso said Mattiacci was meeting with everyone on the team-- from drivers to engineers and crew members-- but needed time to learn the sport before he put his stamp on the Italian team. "At the moment everything is more or less the same," Alonso said. "Everything is calm, no big changes. In China, Marco arrived with little experience in motor racing and lots of experience on the management side, but he is listening and learning as much as he can. I dont think Marco wants to become an engineer, but he will need some time to settle down and make some decisions. "It is a good thing for Ferrari to move forward and past some historical mistakes." Puma Shoes Canada . Ibrahimovic put PSG ahead when he got in front of his marker to neatly flick in Lucass cross in the 59th minute. New signing Yohan Cabaye came on as a second-half substitute and headed Ezequiel Lavezzis cross against the post in the 87th. Moments later, Lucas set up another goal from the right when fellow countryman Alex turned in his corner with a strikers finish. Buy Puma Canada . A groundswell for raising the number of playoff qualifiers to seven in each conference figures to get plenty of support from the 32 owners. Most notably, Arizonas Bill Bidwill, who saw his Cardinals go 10-6 and not get in, while Green Bay (8-7-1) qualified by winning the NFC North. http://www.cheappumacanada.com/. The teams were scoreless for most of the first two periods before Canada scored three times in a span of less than four minutes. Sarah Potomak opened the scoring on the power play. Puma Outlet Online Canada . Ricciardos exclusion from the results tarnished what had been a day of celebration for local fans, who were jubilant that the Red Bull driver had apparently become the first Australian to finish on the podium at his home race. However just before midnight, stewards ruled that Ricciardos car had "exceeded consistently the maximum allowed fuel flow" and that the team refused an instruction from the races technical delegate Charlie Whiting to change the fuel-flow sensor before the race and a further request during the race to reduce the fuel flow. Wholesale Puma Shoes . But when it was all over they had wasted another lead, seen another pitcher flame out on the mound and lost their fourth straight at home.TORONTO -- Jerry DAmigo has watched the Toronto Maple Leafs seven-game losing streak from the nearby Marlies of the AHL. In a hockey market like this, its impossible to avoid hearing all about it. Now DAmigo will likely be thrust into the lineup against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night to try to do his part -- however small it might be -- to end the skid and save the Leafs playoff hopes. "Im not trying to solve the whole thing here," DAmigo said. "Im just going to put in my best effort and give the guys some energy here. Hopefully (raise) them up a little bit." Unless DAmigo manages to score or create a big goal, itll take much more than a fourth-line energy guy to make the Leafs rise up and find a consistent level of play that has been lacking of late, even against a banged-up opponent. If theres any time to find that extra gear, its against a Red Wings team the Leafs are tied with at 80 points. "Obviously weve been fighting it of late," winger Mason Raymond said. "But this is a team we are battling with for a playoff spot. Theyve been doing well of late so we have quite the test ahead of us." Figuring 92 points as a legitimate target to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference, a loss to the Red Wings at Air Canada Centre would just about force the Leafs to win out in their final six games. A victory and some help from the Carolina Hurricanes and Boston Bruins against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Wasshington Capitals puts Toronto right back into it.dddddddddddd Coach Randy Carlyle knows this is a difficult spot but doesnt find it difficult to remain positive when speaking with his players. "This isnt a fun place to be right now, Ill tell you that, and theres pressure being applied in different areas, but the No. 1 thing that we have to do is we have to focus on self-improvement by a certain amount, and that will help the team grow," Carlyle said. The Red Wings havent been in a tailspin like the Leafs, but theyve been in the thick of this playoff race long enough to know what to expect Saturday night. "They need a win and we need a win and thats been the case each night weve played probably for 20 games," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "So were used to the environment were in. It should be a lot of fun here tonight. They need a win and we need a win, its just that simple." NOTES -- Jonathan Bernier is expected to be in goal for the Leafs, which would mark the first time this season he starts on back-to-back days. Jimmy Howard starts for Detroit. ... Toronto is 6-9 in the second half of back-to-back games, including losses in the last two of those situations. ... Defenceman Paul Ranger (neck) is "an option" for the Leafs, according to Carlyle. If Ranger plays, it could mean going back to 11 forwards and seven defencemen, though it was not clear which forward would come out of the lineup. ' ' '