Reuters sports schedule at 0001 GMT on Thursday:

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MOTOR RACING

Mercedes drivers gear up for Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix

MANAMA – Mercedes team mates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton meet the media ahead of a Bahrain Grand Prix they look likely to dominate on Sunday (MOTOR RACING-PRIX/ (PIX), expect by 1500 GMT/11 AM ET, by Alan Baldwin, 450 words)

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SOCCER

La Liga

Atletico, Real face tough tests; Barca host lowly Betis

MADRID – Leaders Atletico Madrid host seventh-placed Villarreal and Real Madrid, in third, play at sixth-placed Real Sociedad in two of their toughest remaining games, while second-placed champions Barcelona are at home to bottom side Real Betis (SOCCER-SPAIN/ (PREVIEW), expect by 1100 GMT/7 AM ET, by Iain Rogers, 500 words)

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Premier League

Old boy Carroll out to dent Liverpool title hopes

LONDON – Former Liverpool striker Andy Carroll can dent his former club’s Premier League title chances and virtually seal West Ham United’s top-flight status for next season when the teams meet at Upton Park on Sunday (SOCCER-ENGLAND/ (PREVIEW), moved, 400 words)

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EUROPA LEAGUE

Quarter-final first legs

AZ Alkmaar v Benfica (1905)

Basel v Valencia (1905)

Porto v Sevilla (1905)

Olympique Lyon v Juventus (1905)

Juventus face tough Lyon trip

LONDON – Serie A leaders Juventus face a tough first leg at French side Lyon as they bid to reach the semi-finals of Europe’s second-tier club competition (SOCCER-EUROPA/, expect by 2130 GMT/5:30 PM ET, 500 words)

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BASEBALL

Scherzer leads Tigers in clash with Royals

The Detroit Tigers will send 2013 Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer to the mound against the visiting Kansas City Royals in one of 15 games on the Major League Baseball schedule (BASEBALL-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 975 words)

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NBA

Teams chasing playoff berths as season winds down

The Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Bobcats are among the teams in action still looking to secure their ticket to the playoffs on a busy night that has 13 games on the NBA schedule (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 975 words)

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NHL

Bruins look to extend torrid pace in Detroit

The red-hot Boston Bruins, who have not lost in regulation since March 1, visit the Detroit Red Wings looking to record their 16th win in the last 17 games in one of four games on the schedule (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 475 words)

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NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS

Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues (moved, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words)

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TENNIS

WTA: Family Circle Cup (to 6)

Jankovic, Errani among those seeking third round berths

Last year’s runner-up Jelena Jankovic, American Venus Williams and third-seed Sara Errani are among those in second-round action at the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina (TENNIS-WTA/, expect by 0130 GMT/9:30 PM ET, 350 words)

– – – – (Asia duty editor: Peter Rutherford)