e standings with 41 points after Mercedes pair Nico Ro

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." Nick Foles Eagles Jersey .J. -- Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch deservedly draw the attention for what theyve done in getting the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl. Miles Sanders Jersey . But last years runner-up Jarkko Nieminen crashed out despite winning the first set against Denis Istomin. Istomin fired 10 aces and won 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2 to even his career record against Nieminen at 3-3. http://www.theeaglesfootballauthentic.com/eagles-brian-westbrook-black-jersey/ . That little deal worked out in a big way for the Mavericks. Nowitzki had 21 points Tuesday night to pass Oscar Robertson for 10th on the NBAs career scoring list, leading the Mavs to a 95-83 victory over the Utah Jazz. Clayton Thorson Eagles Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Mike Wallace Eagles Jersey . Josh Bailey had a goal and an assist as the New York Islanders earned a 2-1 win over Ottawa Wednesday, leaving the Senators five points out of a playoff spot with just five games to play and four teams ahead of them.PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was selected to the All-Star game for the second time on Wednesday.The NHL tabbed Fleury as an injury replacement after Detroits Jimmy Howard and Nashvilles Pekka Rinne were injured.The 30-year-old Fleury leads the league with six shutouts and is fourth in wins (22), sixth in goals-against average (2.16) and seventh iin save percentage (.dddddddddddd926).Fleury became the third-youngest goaltender to reach 300 victories last November and his steady play is one of the main reasons Pittsburgh trails the first-place New York Islanders by a point in the Metropolitan Division.Fleury will join teammates Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby for All-Star weekend in Columbus, Ohio, on Jan. 25. ' ' '