Paper Talk: Man City bullish, Christmas cheer for Hammers fans, Mario lets feet do talking Why Always Mario, Ronaldo gets a kiss and Pellegrini's City fear no one. PAPER Talk: Mario Balotelli lets his feet do the talking, West Ham spread some Christmas cheer and Man City don't fear Barca. With West Ham languishing at the wrong end of the table just a point above the relegation zone, Hammers fans aren't feeling too happy in the build up to Christmas. West Ham's Hammerettes pose for their 2014 calendar/ Source: AFP However, the official 2014 Hammerettes calendar should cheer supporters up ahead of the new year regardless of the club's results during the Christmas period. Although they are no longer seen at Upton Park on matchdays, the international dance team have launched their own calendar. If Manchester City are scared of their glamour Champions League round of 16 tie against Barcelona, they're putting on a brave face. Coach Manuel Pellegrini says they're looking forward to the challenge and are confident they can send the four-time European Cup winners packing. "They (Barcelona) will be very concerned also," the Chilean boss said. Not only because we beat Bayern Munich. They know Manchester City is a strong team and it will be difficult. Also, Barcelona is not the team it was two years ago. They changed three managers in the last three years, maybe the performance of the players is not the same, the players are older. They continue to be a very good team. But two years ago they were more unbeatable than today. Watch City players react to the news they're set to face Barca here. Liverpool's 5-0 defeat of Tottenham was the final nail in Andre Villas-Boas's coffin, and this statistic sums up the dire situation at Spurs perfectly. Liverpool's Luis Suarez v Tottenham. Controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli is never far from the headlines. Whether it's goals, his fashion sense or his crazy off-field antics, the former Manchester City man has had his fair share of coverage. Balotelli knows it as well. Starring for AC Milan in their match with Roma, he sported special custom football boots that featured some of the headlines from his whirlwind career. Mario Balotelli's boots featured headlines about the iconic striker. Unfortunately for Milan fans the striker was not able to make many headlines in the match with Roma. Balotelli's side eventually drew 2-2 with the title-challengers, but his newspaper print boots didn't bring him a goal. Representatives of Argentina's San Lorenzo first division football team are travelling to the Vatican to dedicate their national championship title to their top fan, Pope Francis. Team president Matias Lammens said after winning the Argentine title on Sunday that he would fly to Rome with coach Juan Antonio Pizzi, vice-president Marcelo Tinelli and several players. The Pope, an avid San Lorenzo fan, also turns 77 on Tuesday. Everton will be without on-loan Barcelona starlet Gerard Deulofeu until the new year due to a hamstring injury. The 19-year-old Spanish forward suffered the injury during his side's 4-1 win over Fulham on Saturday. Deulofeu has been one of Everton's most impressive performers in recent weeks, scoring in the 4-0 win over Stoke City and the 1-1 draw at Arsenal as Roberto Martinez's side climbed up to fifth. Monday's Paper Talk reported on the unveiling of Cristiano Ronaldo's museum, and the Real Madrid star's biggest fan has already paid a visit. Russian model and Ronaldo's squeeze, Irina Shayk, posted this photo with a max model of her man on Facebook. Irina Shayk pays tribute to her man. Oldham Athletic have sacked forward Cristiano Montano for gross misconduct, the English third-tier club said Monday, following his arrest in a spot-fixing investigation. The 22-year-old was one of six players arrested earlier this month by the National Crime Agency, Britain's equivalent of the FBI, following a newspaper expose. League One side Oldham suspended Montano without pay on December 8 and the Latics confirmed Monday that his contract has been terminated. A statement on Oldham's website from the club's lawyers said that following a thorough investigation by the Latics into Montano's conduct, the club's board decided to sack him immediately. There's a heap to talk about in episode 10 of the Fox Football Podcast. Regulars Adam Peacock, Simon Hill and Brenton Speed are in the studio to talk about Perth's crisis, Harry Kewell's penalty failure, the upcoming Melbourne derby and are joined on the line by Adelaide United striker Bruce Djite to discuss a turbulent week at Coopers Stadium. Daniel Garb dials in as well from London, to run the rule over Andre Villas-Boas's sacking and the UEFA Champions League draw. Download the podcast from iTunes store or for android users, on the iPP Podcast Player app. The statement said that "without prejudice to the ongoing criminal investigation," it was the club's view "that the player's conduct, in not only bringing the name of Oldham Athletic but also the football authorities into disrepute, amounts to very serious breaches of club discipline, and therefore constitutes gross misconduct." Former Chelsea star Gianfranco Zola resigned on Monday as coach of Championship club Watford. Zola decided to quit Vicarage Road in the aftermath of Saturday's dismal 1-0 home defeat against struggling Sheffield Wednesday. After losing in the Championship playoff final against Crystal Palace last season, former West Ham manager Zola had been unable to get Watford back on track this term and they are languishing in 13th place, eight points adrift of the playoff spots. Watford had gone nine league games without a win and Zola hinted after Saturday's loss that he was thinking about quitting. The 47-year-old Italian said in a statement: "This decision has not been made quickly. I mentioned after the game on Saturday that I wanted to think about things overnight and that is exactly what I have done.