Real versus United the pick of Champions' draw

Updated December 21, 2012 00:12:03

Manchester United against Real Madrid and Barcelona against AC Milan were the pick of the ties in the Champions League last 16 draw on Thursday, as the knock-out phase of this year's competition took shape.

Perennial favourites Barcelona, champions in 2009 and 2011, are currently nine points clear in La Liga but received a hammer blow on Wednesday when it was revealed coach Tito Vilanova must undergo surgery after cancer returned to his salivary gland.

His assistant, Jordi Roura, has been placed in temporary charge.

Barcelona and Milan locked horns four times in last season's competition, with Barca finishing above Massimiliano Allegri's side in the group phase and then prevailing 3-1 on aggregate when they met again in the last eight.

United's tie with Madrid will see Portugal skipper Cristiano Ronaldo face his former club for the first time since leaving Old Trafford for the Spanish capital in 2009.

The sides last met in 2003, when a famous hat-trick in Manchester by Ronaldo - Cristiano Ronaldo's Brazilian predecessor and namesake - gave Madrid a 6-5 aggregate quarter-final win.

Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has only lost two of his 14 previous encounters with Alex Ferguson's side, and United club secretary John Alexander admitted the club would have preferred a more gentle draw.

"Everyone wanted to keep this for later in the competition but, out of several stand-out ties, I think this is the one," he told British television channel Sky Sports News.

"If history has anything in our favour, our one victory against Real Madrid in this competition was in the season when we won the final at Wembley (in 1968)."

Former Madrid player and club director Emilio Butragueno said: "I'm sure it's going to be a special game for Ronaldo.

"He's a great professional so I'm sure he's going to do his best to help Real Madrid qualify for the next round, but going back there will be special for him."

Arsenal were drawn against last season's beaten finalists, Bayern Munich, who have constructed a nine-point lead in the Bundesliga after a storming start to the season.

"We know Arsenal well," said Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

"That's fortunate and we can be happy about the draw. The game won't be a foregone conclusion and we should not under-estimate Arsenal."

Meanwhile, Celtic's reward for reaching the knockout phase for the first time since 2007-08 is a rendezvous with Italian champions Juventus.

"In terms of glamour, it is great," Celtic coach Neil Lennon told Sky Sports News.

"In terms of qualification it is going to be very tough. But we will take it as it comes and our supporters will be looking forward to this match."

Big-spending French club Paris Saint-Germain will take on Valencia, with German champions Borussia Dortmund slated to face their Ukrainian counterparts Shakhtar Donetsk.

In the remaining ties, competition debutants Malaga tackle Porto and Turkish outfit Galatasaray meet German side Schalke.

The first-leg matches will be played on dates between February 12-13 and February 19-20, and the return legs between March 5-6 and March 12-13.

AFP

Tags: sport, soccer, champions-league, spain, united-kingdom

First posted December 21, 2012 00:12:03

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British trio enjoy clean sweep in Champions League

Updated October 03, 2012 08:50:35

All three British clubs enjoyed what could be invaluable away wins in their second round of UEFA Champions League group matches on Wednesday morning (AEST).

Celtic led the way with a 3-2 win at Spartak Moscow, its first win in 21 away games in the Champions League and first in Europe's premier club competition since beating Shamrock Rovers in 1986 when it was the European Cup.

Titleholders Chelsea too ended a winless away streak - albeit only stretching back to October 2010 when it also beat Spartak Moscow - with a 4-0 win over Danish debutants FC Nordsjaelland although the scoreline flattered the winners.

Manchester United also claimed the three points away from home with a 2-1 victory at Cluj - both goals coming from Robin van Persie - but it was by the skin of their teeth in the heartland of Transylvania.

There were mixed fortunes for two of the teams Chelsea beat on their way to an unlikely victory in the Champions League last term.

Bayern Munich - which lost to Chelsea in the final on penalties - suffered a stunning 3-1 away defeat at BATE Borisov, the Belarus side proving to be the surprise package of this season's tournament with two wins from two to top Group F.

Barcelona, beaten in the semi-finals by Chelsea, had no such problems as Lionel Messi created both its goals, one for Alexis Sanchez and the other for Cesc Fabregas, in the 2-0 win over Benfica in Lisbon.

Victory extended the 2011 champions' winning streak in all competitions this season to eight and kept them two points clear of Celtic in the group ahead of their forthcoming double header.

The only blip on the landscape for Barca was another injury to iconic central defender Carles Puyol, who had made a remarkably quick recovery from a knee injury but dislocated an elbow shortly after coming on as a substitute.

Celtic was on its way to another away defeat - it had lost its last 11 away - until the momentum swung the Scottish side's way shortly after the hour mark when trailing 2-1 after the hosts had defender Juan Insaurralde sent off.

An own goal by Dmitri Kombarov and a last minute header from Greek international striker Giorgos Samaras sealed the points and left manager Neil Lennon a happy man.

"My players played exciting football tonight," Lennon said.

"It's fantastic that we managed to battle back and win in the second half as we were playing against very strong opponents.

"It's too early to make any conclusions as we have two matches with Barcelona ahead but we have already taken a big step forward."

Chelsea was hanging on somewhat at times during its clash in Denmark but three goals in the last 11 minutes including Juan Mata's second of the game left manager Roberto Di Matteo satisfied.

"We needed a second goal because they were resilient and thanks to a great save by Petr Cech we stayed ahead," said Di Matteo, whose team top the group.

"However, eventually we got the second and from then on we coasted but the scoreline is perhaps not reflective of the game itself."

Bayern were never in the hunt in Belarus but while the result may have surprised many it did not surprise Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes.

"I knew before the match that we were up against a very good team," Heynckes said.

"They are very well organised especially in defence which they have proved so again.

"We hit the post and the bar too, so we had some bad luck, but you have to take the lead in these games."

AFP

Tags: sport, soccer, champions-league, russian-federation

First posted October 03, 2012 08:49:23

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Matildas push Olympic champions

Updated September 17, 2012 11:10:26

A young Matildas side has suffered a narrow 2-1 loss to the Olympic gold medal winning United States women's football team in Los Angeles.

The visitors led the US 1-0 at half-time after Lisa De Vanna scored a brilliant individual goal for the Matildas in the 34th minute.

The Denmark-based 27-year-old ran half the field with the ball, bursting past Christie Rampone and beating Hope Solo with a left-foot shot to put the Australians ahead.

Ten minutes after half-time US striker Alex Morgan levelled the scores but it took a 63rd minute penalty from substitute Shannon Boxx to give the gold medallists victory.

A penalty was awarded when Morgan was clipped on the ankle in the penalty box.

The match was part of a celebratory tour by the US team which began with an 8-0 win over Costa Rica on September 1.

Australia fielded a team with five teenagers while the US played nine of its gold medal winning team.

Matildas coach Tom Sermani praised the character of his side, who did not qualify for the London Olympics, against the powerful US team.

"We had a 17-year-old goalkeeper (Brianna Davey) playing her second international and we had a significant road trip to get here against an extremely experienced and outstanding team," Sermani said.

"To come here and for the players to put on the performance that they did, doesn't just say anything about their ability, but it says a lot about their character as well."

The Matildas will play a second match against the US on Thursday in Denver (AEST).

Reuters

Tags: sport, soccer, united-states, australia

First posted September 17, 2012 11:10:26

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Drogba leads Chelsea to Champions League glory

Updated May 20, 2012 11:43:13

Didier Drogba was the hero as Chelsea shattered Bayern Munich's Champions League dream with victory in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out at the Allianz Arena in Munich.

Drogba stepped up to slot home the winning penalty for Chelsea after earlier saving his side with an equalising goal two minutes from time to cancel out what looked like a winner from Thomas Muller as the match finished at 1-1.

It was an agonising defeat for Bayern, who saw midfield maestro Bastian Schweinsteiger miss with their final kick to give Drogba the opportunity to score the penalty to clinch the shoot-out 4-3.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech also saved brilliantly from Ivica Ovic to get Chelsea back into the shoot-out after Juan Mata had missed the Premier League side's opening effort.

Cech had earlier saved a Bayern penalty from Arjen Robben in the first period of extra-time as the English side defied the odds once more.

Drogba's winning spot-kick was a fairytale ending for the 34-year-old Ivorian striker, who had been sent off in the final minutes of Chelsea's Champions League final defeat in Moscow four years ago to Manchester United on penalties.

"We have been doing this for years and years. There is a great spirit at the club, we never give up until the end," said Drogba.

"Today was just amazing. Even if they had scored their penalty in extra-time, Juan Mata said we can get another goal. We all believed."

Full-back Ashley Cole added: "We should have lost the game with the amount of chances they had."

"After we lost in Napoli (last 16 first leg), we thought if we can beat them at home then we have the luck and we can win the tournament.

"Even when Robben missed the penalty, we still thought we had time to get another goal and with Petr Cech in goal, we knew we could do it."

The win capped a rollercoaster season for Chelsea, whose campaign has been transformed since Roberto Di Matteo was appointed as interim manager in March following the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas.

Di Matteo has guided the club to a Champions League and FA Cup double in the space of a fortnight and is now favourite to land the job on a full-time basis.

"It's what we have wanted and what the owner wanted and Robbie has been superb. We have won the FA Cup and Champions League and he can't do anymore than that," said club captain John Terry, who was suspended for the final.

"It was do-or-die, win the competition or we would not have been in it next year and that was enough to motivate us."

Goal-keeper Cech added: "I think Roberto has done enough to get the job but now it's up to the board to decide."

"When we lost the penalty shoot-out against Manchester United in Moscow maybe it was not meant to be our moment. But as a player you hope you will have the same opportunity to play the final."

Skipper Frank Lampard also lauded Di Matteo who has to wait to see if he will become the permanent coach.

"He's the one we wanted, he's been brilliant. We cannot ask for anymore for what he has done," said Lampard.

"Once we got back into the game, there was a feeling that it would come for us. It wasn't beautiful and we had to dig in. We were a bit mix-and-match, but we got the result."

The loss left Bayern gutted as their dream of lifting their fifth European title before their own fans at their home ground ended in agony.

The Bavarian giants have now lost two of the last three Champions League finals following their 2-0 defeat at the hands of Jose Mourinho-coached Inter Milan in Madrid in 2010.

It was also their second final defeat in seven days after being hammered 5-2 by rivals Dortmund in the German Cup final.

"We missed too many chances," admitted Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes.

"We played well over all and had the majority of possession.

"But we didn't know how to exploit our many opportunities and you have to use them or you will be punished."

A match Bayern had dominated went to penalties after a frenetic finish to normal time, with Muller heading Bayern into the lead seven minutes from time only for Drogba to equalise for Chelsea in the 88th minute.

A dramatic start to extra-time then saw Bayern's former Chelsea winger Robben miss a penalty - saved by Cech - after Drogba had needlessly brought down Franck Ribery in the area.

For much of the match a Bayern victory had looked the likeliest outcome, with the Bundesliga giants revelling in the raucous support of their home fans but wasting a plethora of chances.

The Germans finally found the back of the net when Schweinsteiger's lovely cross from the left found Muller, whose back post header into the ground beat Cech at his near post.

But Drogba levelled the contest with a terrific near post header from Chelsea's first corner just five minutes later.

"I believe a lot in destiny. It was written a long time ago. This team is amazing and I dedicate this cup to all the managers and players we had before," Drogba said.

"(My equaliser) changed the game. Life is fantastic."

Chelsea: 1 (D Drogba 88')

Bayern Munich: 1 (T Muller 83')

Chelsea wins 4-3 on penalties

AFP/Reuters

Tags: champions-league, soccer, sport, english-premier, germany, england, united-kingdom

First posted May 20, 2012 08:04:22

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Champions City plan to splash more cash

Updated May 16, 2012 11:06:18

Roberto Mancini has vowed that newly-crowned Premier League champions Manchester City will splash out in a manner similar to Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona in their bid to win the Champions League.

"Barcelona and Real Madrid every year buy two or three players and spend a lot of money," Mancini told BBC Sport.

"I think for Manchester City it will be the same. We need to improve. We need to have the strength to play Champions League and Premier League.

"For this we need to have a good team, a strong team with a good mentality, but I'm sure we will do it."

Real Madrid and Barcelona have spent an estimated total of $170m each, over the last two seasons, to recruit players.

City now have the spending power to match the Spanish giants and, as Mancini plans his quest for European glory, he is pleased with how his side have dealt with the pressures of the Premier League this season.

He said City - top-flight champions for the first time since 1968 - were worthy winners of the title because, unlike second-placed city rivals Manchester United, they were never beaten heavily by anyone.

"We lost 1-0, 1-0, 1-0 - always games we could win," he said.

"Manchester United lost 3-0 to Newcastle and 6-1 against us, but we never had a game like this.

"We worked very hard. We deserved to win this."

Mancini, 47, added that his relationship with strikers Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli remained good.

"It's not difficult to manage Tevez," he said of the Argentinian who refused to play for City for six months after refusing to come off the bench during a Champions League game at Bayern Munich in September.

"He's a good guy. We had a good relationship always. I don't know why we had that situation in September but in the end he's a good guy and a fantastic player."

Balotelli received two red cards during the season, and Mancini had words of caution for his compatriot.

"Mario is different, he's young, but an incredible talent," Mancini said.

"He's young, and for this reason sometimes he can have bad behaviour - it's normal. But it's important for him to understand he can lose his talent.

"He can play football for another 10 or 12 years. I hope that now, after this title, he can understand that it's better that he starts to work in a good way."

AFP

Tags: english-premier, soccer, sport, champions-league, england, united-kingdom

First posted May 16, 2012 11:06:18

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Real Madrid crowned Spanish champions

Updated May 03, 2012 09:51:18

Real Madrid claimed their first Spanish title in four years, ending the reign of bitter rivals Barcelona, after beating Athletic Bilbao 3-0 for their 32nd league crown.

Gonzalo Higuain, Mesut Ozil and Cristiano Ronaldo scored the goals to give Jose Mourinho a record-breaking four titles in four different countries and the victory required with two games remaining.

Mourinho's first Spanish league title ended Barca's run of three successive league titles in his second season at the club.

Madrid needed to win after Barcelona had earlier beaten Malaga 4-1 with goals from Carles Puyol and a hat-trick from Lionel Messi that saw him break Gerd Muller's record for goals in a single European season.

Afterwards the players jubilantly celebrated on the San Mames pitch as the first visiting team to ever win a title in Athletic's stadium.

"It's been a long hard season but we've finally done it and I just hope it's the first of many with this young squad, we dedicate it to the fans," said captain Iker Casillas on the final whistle.

"We're very happy," said Sergio Ramos, who last week had experienced vastly different emotions when he missed a penalty in the Champions League semi-final shootout defeat by Bayern Munich.

"It's been a tough league and Barca were an extraordinary rival, we'll enjoy it now and celebrate it with our fans."

Mourinho again refused to face the Spanish press after the game but spoke to Real Madrid TV.

"It's been a great title for us, no-one has given us anything all season, we've fought from start to finish, the players have been fantastic and deserve it," said the 49-year-old.

"I've won titles before in Portugal, Italy and England but this has been the most difficult of all. I think even Barca, after they've won three titles in a row, know that we deserve this one," he added.

Getting the better of Barca, where he was an assistant under Bobby Robson in the late 1990s, will be a particular source of satisfaction for Mourinho, who has made a habit of needling his former employers during his two years in the Spanish capital.

He could not help taking a dig at the Catalans, suggesting one of the penalty's they had been awarded in their 4-1 home win over Malaga earlier on Wednesday was "soft".

"Barca won a lot of games and tried to push the league as far as possible," he added.

"I think that they themselves, champions and a club with a great tradition, know that we deserve this league title."

Madrid looked to have got the perfect start when it was awarded a penalty on 11 minutes for a clear handball by Javi Martinez.

However, Ronaldo shot tamely down the centre and it was easily saved by Gorka Iraizoz -- it was his second penalty miss in a week after the semi-final loss to Bayern.

The Portuguese star need not have worried, five minutes later 'los blancos' were ahead when Higuain hit an unstoppable shot from 20 yards.

The title then became a virtual certainty on 20 minutes when Ronaldo found Ozil with a sweeping cross from the right-wing for the German midfielder to double the lead.

Five minutes after the interval Ronaldo headed home a corner to add the third and his 44th league goal of the season.

AFP/Reuters

Tags: spain, soccer, sport, spain

First posted May 03, 2012 09:51:18

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Chelsea, Arsenal get tough Champions draws

Updated December 17, 2011 17:21:13

England's two surviving Champions League teams, Chelsea and Arsenal, were handed tough ties against Italian opposition in Friday's draw for the last 16, while holder Barcelona will play Germany's Bayer Leverkusen.

Chelsea will take on Napoli, while Arsenal will meet reigning Serie A champion AC Milan, with both Premier League clubs travelling to Italy first.

Chelsea has never previously faced Napoli, but it will know not to take Walter Mazzarri's side lightly after it qualified for the last 16 at the expense of Manchester City.

The 2008 beaten finalists have also only ever won once in Italy in seven attempts.

For Arsenal, meanwhile, the clash with Milan is a repeat of their meeting at the same stage in 2007-08.

On that occasion the Gunners won 2-0 on aggregate, with Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor scoring late goals in the second-leg at the San Siro after a goalless first-leg.

Nevertheless, Milan has also been eliminated by English clubs in the round of 16 in each of the last two campaigns, losing to Tottenham last season, and to Manchester United in 2010.

Barcelona will go to Germany first to face the 2002 runner-up Leverkusen, which qualified from Group E behind Chelsea.

There is history between the clubs, as Leverkusen beat Barca in the 1987-88 UEFA Cup quarter-finals, on the way to winning its only European trophy to date.

However, the Catalans will fancy their chances of gaining revenge this time as they aim to become the first club to win the Champions League in successive seasons.

"We have got Bayer Leverkusen! That's not a bad draw! I have always enjoyed playing in Germany. The atmosphere is always great there," Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said on Twitter from Japan, where Pep Guardiola's side are currently preparing for Sunday's Club World Cup final against Santos.

Real Madrid, which romped through the group stage winning all six games in Group D, will be heavy favourite to beat CSKA Moscow.

Meanwhile Bayern Munich, which is hoping to reach the final at its own Allianz Arena, will meet Manchester United's conqueror Basel.

Marseille will take on 2010 winner Inter Milan in a tie that sees Claudio Ranieri once again come up against Didier Deschamps.

Ranieri was in charge of Chelsea when it lost to Deschamps' Monaco in the semi-finals of the competition in 2004.

Benfica meet Zenit St Petersburg, while Lyon will face tournament outsider APOEL Nicosia of Cyprus.

AFP

Tags: champions-league, soccer, sport, england, united-kingdom, spain, italy, germany, cyprus

First posted December 17, 2011 10:00:16

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United, City crash out of Champions League

Updated December 08, 2011 13:35:24

English Premier League heavyweights Manchester United and Manchester City have both failed to progress from of the Champions League group stages.

Three-time European champion United missed out on the knockout phase for just the third time in 16 years after a shock 2-1 away loss to Swiss side FC Basel.

Premier League leader and big spender City will join its cross-town rival in the second-tier Europa League after its 2-0 home win over Bayern Munich was not enough for a top two finish in Group A.

Italian side Napoli defeated Spain's Villarreal 2-0 to take second spot behind Bayern, with City third a point back.

Portuguese side Benfica topped Group C with Manchester United two points away from second-placed Basel, which progressed to the next phase for just the second time.

Chelsea and Arsenal, fourth and fifth respectively in the Premier League, both progressed to the knockout phase on Wednesday.

Six years to the day since United last bid farewell at the group stage in 2005-06 following a 2-1 loss at Benfica, last year's beaten finalist was undone by goals in each half from Marco Streller and Alexander Frei.

Despite needing just a point to go through from Group C, Sir Alex Ferguson's side fell to its first away defeat in the group phase in five years, but not before Phil Jones' late goal had given it a vain glimmer of hope.

The defeat for United, who had reached three of the last four finals, comes in the same fortnight after it suffered an embarrassing exit from the League Cup courtesy of a home defeat to Crystal Palace.

"Of course we're disappointed, there's no other way you can feel," said a crestfallen Ferguson, whose side could now cross paths with City in the Europa League.

"It's part of football. You have to deal with the disappointment, and this club has used it as motivation many times.

"Our results in the last few years have been outstanding. It's a loss because it's the best tournament in the world. It's a marvellous tournament."

Basel's first goal came after only eight minutes following a clash of heads between United defenders Nemanja Vidic and Chris Smalling left the latter on the turf.

But play continued and when United goalkeeper David de Gea could only partially clear the outstanding Xherdan Shaqiri's cross, Streller pounced to half-volley home.

The Red Devils started to build up some momentum but shortly before half-time they received another setback when captain Vidic had to be stretchered off after his knee appeared to buckle in a challenge with Streller.

United looked the more likely to score first in the second half and were almost level when Marcus Steinhofer volleyed an attempted clearance against his own crossbar.

The goal would not come, however, and with six minutes remaining, Frei dived to head home a cross from the excellent Shaqiri to send St Jakob-Park into raptures.

Jones scrambled in a consolation amid the game's dying embers, but it was too late to avert one of the most painful losses of the Ferguson era.

In a double dose of Mancunian misery, City also exited the tournament despite David Silva and Yaya Toure giving it a 2-0 win over a Bayern Munich side weakened by a dose of flu which had spread through the German squad.

City went into its match knowing the only way it could progress was to beat Bayern, which had already finished top of Group A, and for Napoli to fail to beat Villarreal.

Silva opened the scoring shortly before half-time at Eastlands and Toure scored a second just after the start of the second period.

But second-half goals from Napoli's Gokhan Inler and Marek Hamsik meant Roberto Mancini's team will now have to combine its push for the Premier League title with a place in the Europa League.

Meanwhile, French side Lyon pulled off a remarkable Champions League rescue act when it defeated Dinamo Zagreb 7-1 to sneak into the last 16 at the expense of Ajax Amsterdam.

Lyon went into its final Group D game three points behind Ajax and needing to make up a goal difference of seven if it was to reach the knockout rounds.

French international striker Bafetimbi Gomis was the star of the show, scoring four goals, including the fastest ever Champions League hat-trick as Lyon took second place in the group.

Real Madrid, which had already made sure of top spot, downed Ajax 3-0 in Amsterdam to become only the fifth team in the history of the tournament to go through to the next round with a perfect record.

ABC/AFP

Tags: sport, champions-league, soccer, england, united-kingdom

First posted December 08, 2011 08:46:42

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Barcelona take Champions League title

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Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Broadcast: 29/05/2011

Reporter: Barrie Cassidy

Barcelona has confirmed themselves as potentially the team of their generation by beating Manchester United in the Champions League.

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Messi all smiles after Champions League win

Source:Laurence Griffiths, Getty ImagesPublished:Sunday, May 29, 2011 1:54 AEST

Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona celebrates with the trophy after victory during the UEFA Champions League final against Manchester United FC at Wembley Stadium on May 28, 2011 in London, England.

Tags: sport, football, champions-league, spain, united-kingdom, england

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Victory keeps Champions League hopes alive

Published:Thursday, April 21, 2011 9:51 AESTExpires:Wednesday, July 20, 2011 9:51 AEST

Melbourne Victory has beaten Group E leaders Tianjin Teda at Melbourne's Docklands Stadium.

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Sydney FC struggles in Champions League

 Published:Wednesday, April 13, 2011 11:25 AEST

Sydney FC's Bruno Cazarine shows his frustration after another missed shot at goal during their AFC Champions League match against Japan's Kashima Antlers at the Sydney Football Stadium on Wednesday, April 13, 2011.

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