UEFA Champions League 2012/2013

[Pavlyuchenko]

Barcelona rocked by Puyol injury
The Blaugrana will be without their captain for up to a month after he suffered a recurrence of a knee problem

Jallet: Paris Saint-Germain-Barcelona a 'headline match'
The right-back is excited by the prospect of facing the Liga leaders and believes it will be a good gauge of his side's strength

Joaquin: We will give 200% against Dortmund
The Spain international cannot wait to take on their next challenge in the Champions League, but admits they are expected to get beat

We won't underestimate Malaga, says Sahin
The on-loan Dortmund midfielder knows the threat the Spanish side pose from his days at Real Madrid, but admits he was more concerned about Porto progressing

Hamit fancies Galatasaray's chances against 'lucky' Real Madrid
The midfielder says his former team are fortunate to be in the next round of the Champions League and insists "it's not that bad a tie" for the Turkish champions

Kluivert: PSG will struggle at Camp Nou
The former Blaugrana striker believes having the second leg in Spain will be tough for the Ligue 1 leaders, with the size and quality of Barcelona's pitch a key factor

Zubizarreta: PSG are dangerous opponents
Barcelona's sporting director believes the French outfit will pose a serious threat, particularly as they have some former Blaugrana players in their ranks

Mourinho's friendship with Galatasaray duo will count for nothing, insists Butragueno
The Portuguese will come up against his former players Wesley Sneijder and Didier Drogba but the ex-Spain striker thinks that their relationship will be put to one side

Ancelotti: Barcelona tie will be a good test for PSG
The experienced coach is looking forward to the quarter-final tie versus the Catalan powerhouse and expects a tough test

El Shaarawy: Milan must focus on Serie A again after Barcelona loss
The Italy international has set his sights on automatic qualification for next year's Champions League and has urged his team-mates to move on from the loss versus Barca

Messi is doing the impossible, says Mascherano
The versatile defender has hailed the forward's consistency and was pleased with the Camp Nou side's display against Milan

Criticism will benefit Bayern, says Muller
The versatile attacker is hopeful that the criticism in the wake of Bayern's surprise-loss against Arsenal will spur them on again in the remainder of the season

Walcott blames first-leg mistakes for Arsenal's Champions League exit
Arsenal emerged from the Allianz Arena with their heads held high after a valiant 2-0 win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday, only to be knocked out on the away-goals rule

 

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[Pavlyuchenko]

Juventus can eliminate Bayern - Cannavaro

Mar 15, 2013 5:35:00 PM

Speaking from Cambodia, the 2006 World Cup winner thinks La Vecchia Signora can raise their game to defeat the Bavarian club, but cannot see much between the two sides

EXCLUSIVE
By Will Jones

Fabio Cannavaro has tipped his former side Juventus to eliminate Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The former Bianconeri defender believes the Serie A league leaders have what it takes to overcome the four-time European Cup winners and progress to the semi-finals.

Speaking to Goalcom in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, at the Tiger Street Tournament where players from all over the world can meet in a 5-a-side competition, he said: "Juventus can eliminate Bayern Munich.

"It won't be easy, but they can play at the Germans' level.

"All four games seem very balanced and can go either way. It is the quarter-finals, of course only very good teams can make it this far."

The Italian left the Old Lady for Real Madrid in 2006 where he won two La Liga titles, and here he went on to outline his ideal final.

He said: "It is hard to say which team is favourite to lift the trophy, but my dream would be to see a final between [my ex-teams] Juventus and Real Madrid."

The Champions League draw sees his former team face die roten in Munich on April 3 before hosting the two-time European Cup winners in northern Italy on April 10.

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Nedved: Bayern among most feared in Champions League

By Will Jones
Mar 15, 2013 2:20:00 PM

The former Juventus midfielder has warned of the threat the Bundesliga leaders pose after the two teams were drawn against each other in the Champions League last eight

Juventus director Pavel Nedved believes Bayern Munich are to be one of the "most feared" sides remaining in the Champions League this season.

The reigning Italian champions were drawn against die Roten in the quarter-finals on Friday morning after the Bianconeri comfortably overcame Celtic, while Bayern went through after putting out Arsenal on away goals.

And Nedved knows the side are going to be in for a tough match when they play Jupp Heynckes' outfit.

"The Germans are strong and skilled, but above all they’re experts in this situation and that’s their main characteristic," the 40-year old told Sky Italia.

“We’ll be up against a side who are among the most feared in the competition. Bayern are a team with experience in this competition. But we’re also aware of our strengths."

He added: “We’re very proud to be here as representatives of Italy and above all among the best eight in Europe. It’s the maximum as far as we’re concerned, after plenty of suffering.

The first leg will be played on April 2 at the Allianz Arena followed by the return leg at Juventus Stadium on April 10.

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Kroos unhappy at facing Juventus in Champions League

By Stefan Coerts
Mar 15, 2013 12:40:00 PM

The Germany international is full of respect for the Serie A champions, while Manuel Neuer is also wary of the Bianconeri but believes they can progress

Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos feels that the Bavarians were unfortunate to be paired with Juventus in Friday's draw for the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Kroos believes that only Barcelona would have been a worse outcome, and has stressed that Bayern need two great performances if they are to reach the final four.

"Juventus knocked last year's Champions League winners out of the competition at the group stage. It's the least good draw after Barcelona," Kroos told the official Bayern website.

"We'll need two top performances to go through. It would be optimal if we won the first leg while keeping a clean sheet. Arturo Vidal has emerged as a top-class player with Juventus."

Meanwhile, Manuel Neuer is full of respect for the Serie A champions as well.

"Juventus are a big name and a great team. Italian teams are always well organised, but I still think we definitely have a chance of going through.

"We're looking forward to both games and we're delighted to be starting at home."

The first leg will take place at the Allianz Arena on April 2.

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Conte: Juventus are underdogs for Bayern clash

By Henry Jackson
Mar 15, 2013 4:45:00 PM

The Bianconeri coach believes the showdown between the current league leaders in Italy and Germany will be a terrific contest and insists die Roten will have the advantage

Juventus coach Antonio Conte claims Bayern Munich have the upper hand heading into their Champions League quarter-final clash.

The four-time European Cup winners were last year's finalists but lost out to Chelsea on penalties, while this season, they have a comfortable lead at the top of the Bundesliga.

Conte believes with their experience and their ability to take their foot off the pedal domestically, Jupp Heynckes' men must be considered the favourites for this encounter.

“We were aware that the quarter-finals would present us with a challenging fixture. After Chelsea we’re now playing last year’s second finalists Bayern," the 43-year-old told the official Juventus club site.

“They’re one of the most consistent sides on a European level and will have the advantage of their great experience accumulated over the years. They’ll also be able to take their minds off the league, given their 20-point lead at the top."

Juventus haven not won the Champions League since 1996 and, while he is happy to be back in the latter stages of Europe's premier club competition, Conte says their dream of winning the tournament is a constant motivation.

He added: “The game will certainly be a stimulating affair and we’ll experience it with maximum calmness, concentration and joy.

"We’re chasing a dream and want to enjoy this experience all the way until the end. Last year we watched the Champions League on our sofas at home. This year we’re back playing a key role.”

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Leonardo: It would've been tough to get a worse draw than Barcelona

By Henry Jackson
Mar 15, 2013 5:15:00 PM

PSG director of football believes there is nobody more feared than the Blaugrana, with their pedigree in the Champions League making them an even more daunting opponent

Paris Saint-Germain director of football Leonardo believes his side have been handed the ultimate test after being paired with Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals.

PSG battled to a nervy victory over Valencia in the last 16, after an unconvincing 1-1 draw in the second leg at Parc des Princes saw them prevail 3-2 on aggregate. It is the first time they have reached the quarter-finals of Europe's most prestigious competition in 18 years.

Les Parisiens now face Barcelona in the last eight, which promises to be a much tougher test than that of Valencia and Leonardo admits his side are going to be up against it.

"It would have been tough to get a worse draw. I'm not just talking about their last performance against Milan but also what they've achieved in recent years," he told reporters.

"It won't be easy, but these two matches should bring us a lot of joy."

While the Brazilian cannot wait for the showdown between the two sides, he is fully aware the French outfit are facing one of the greatest club sides of all time.

He added: "They will be great football matches; it will be a real footballing festival for Paris. Making it to the quarters is already a very important achievement, but we'll play our hearts out to go even further.

"It's a big opportunity for us; Barcelona are the best team in the world at the moment, and one of the three best of all time.

"They have been odds-on favourites right from the beginning of the tournament. They have everything it's possible to have. We'll need to do all we can represent our club well in this competition."

The first leg will be played at Parc des Princes on April 2, with the game at Camp Nou taking place on April 10.

Barcelona are looking for their third Champions League title in five years.

 

[PetrCech]

Sneijder: Madrid return will be emotional
The Dutchman is looking forward to the upcoming matches against his former team, and hopes to cause an upset versus the Blancos

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Ferguson: English teams were not European flops

By Matt Davis
Mar 16, 2013 8:35:00 AM

The Manchester United manager does not believe that football in England is in decline, despite there being no Premier League representatives in the Champions League quarter-finals

Sir Alex Ferguson has played down fears that English football is on the decline, after no Premier League sides made it into the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 17 years.

Manchester United and Arsenal both suffered defeats in the round of 16, going out of the competition to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, respectively, after Manchester City and Chelsea both failed to make it out of their groups.

However, Sir Alex has dismissed Arsene Wenger's comments which claimed that the rest of Europe has caught up with England's footballing ability.

“You can’t put us all in the one basket,” the Manchester United manager told reporters.

“Our performance against Real Madrid was outstanding. We should have been in the last eight. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be.

“But I don’t think you can put us all in one basket in terms of deterioration. I don’t believe that at all.

“It’s also a little bit cyclical. Look at the performance level of Borussia Dortmund, and Bayern Munich have improved this year; Spain has been like that for a few years now."

Furthermore, Sir Alex believes that the past five years have shown that English teams are still up there with the best in Europe.

In the past five Champions League finals, there have been two English teams who have won the competition: Chelsea and Manchester United. Barcelona lifted the trophy twice too, with Inter also proving victorious.

When including second place too, five of the ten finalists have been English representatives, with Bayern Munich and Barcelona representing their countries twice, alongside the 2009-10 winners Inter.

Sir Alex continued: "Going back a few years, English teams were in the semi-finals and finals quite regularly.

"It’s a bit of a cycle at the moment with the German teams progressing.”

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Aysal: Galatasaray do not fear Real Madrid

By Livio Caferoglu
Mar 16, 2013 4:06:00 PM

The Cimbom supremo is wary of the reigning Liga champions, but remains confident of knocking Jose Mourinho's side out of Europe

Galatasaray president Unal Aysal has insisted that his side do not fear Real Madrid following Friday's Champions League quarter-final draw in Nyon.

The Super Lig champions have been paired with los Blancos in the last eight of Europe's elite club competition and are seen by many as underdogs ahead of the tie.

However, their president pointed towards Gala's favourable record over Jose Mourinho's side - namely the 2000 European Super Cup victory - as reasons to be optimistic about their chances.

"Real Madrid are a tough opponent, but I've said it before, there is nothing too difficult for Galatasaray," Aysal told GSTV.

"I'm happy for one thing, though, in that Turkish football fans will have the chance to spectate a Real Madrid game thanks to Galatasaray.

"We'll do our best. We've already beaten them before. It will be a good experience. There's nothing to fear.

"I trust our technical team and our players. We have to do the best we can, but I'm convinced that we will achieve great things together."

Galatasaray saw off Schalke in the last 16, while Madrid overcame Manchester United to book their place in the quarter-finals of the competition.

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Ancelotti: Barcelona are not unbeatable

By Miles Chambers
Mar 16, 2013 6:16:00 PM

The Italian is quietly confident of his side's chances of defeating the Liga leaders when they meet in Europe

Carlo Ancelotti has proclaimed Barcelona as favourites in Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League quarter-final clash, but insisted that his team do not see them as unbeatable.

Les Parisiens triumphed over two legs against Porto in the last 16, while the Blaugrana defeated AC Milan 4-0 at Camp Nou to overturn their 2-0 loss at San Siro in the first leg.

Ancelotti told reporters on Saturday: "We will have our chances. We will play against one of the best teams in the world, and it will be very exciting for us to prepare for this match.

"We will not be favourites, but I do not think an unbeatable team exists in football. We will do our chance to win."

Although that game will linger in the minds of Ancelotti's players, the former Chelsea boss insists that they must be focused on their Ligue 1 campaign, starting with Sunday's clash with Saint-Etienne.

"[Barcelona] are a great team with great individual qualities," he added. "On paper, Barcelona have more of a chance to reach the semi-finals, but anything is possible, and this is what makes the beauty of our sport.

"I trust and I know that in this tournament we can qualify. But today I told the players that the league championship is our main interest.

"We must remain focused and I expect to see significant effort against Saint-Etienne and in our home game against Montpellier. Then we can turns our heads to Barcelona."

Saint-Etienne have been impressive this season and sit fourth in the table, and Ancelotti praised them for their rise up the Ligue 1 standings.

"They work well because they have a very good coach, a very good tactician, who has established a good offensive and defensive organisation," he said. "They are a complete team, and we must be careful.
"We expect the match to be very complicated, because of Saint-Etienne's good string of results lately, and because they have not lost a single match since the beginning of 2013.

"But, perhaps now it is time for them to lose a few games! They are a really dangerous team, with a good dynamic.

"This Sunday, it will be a very important confrontation as Saint-Etienne are not far from us [nine points] and can enter the title race. With the game against Montpellier to come after, it will be simply a key match."

Ancelotti also confirmed that Lucas Moura, Marco Verratti and Jeremy Menez will not feature in the game this weekend.

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Heynckes: Juventus are extremely strong in defence

By Stefan Coerts
Mar 16, 2013 9:35:00 AM

The Bayern coach expects the Turin giants to cause his side trouble, while Matthias Sammer is full of respect for the Serie A champions, too

Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes has praised Juventus' strength in defence after the Bavarians were paired with the Italian champions in Friday's draw for the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

The 67-year-old is not just wary of the Bianconeri's quality at the back, though, and expects the quarter-final tie to be a tight affair.

"I know Juventus very well. They're the best Italian team at the moment and they have a fantastic new stadium. They're really high calibre, really tough opponents," Heynckes told the official Bayern website.

"They’re extremely strong in defence and have lots of attacking quality. We'll see great football, two fantastic knockout cup nights.

"I hope we have our noses in front at the end of the day, but it's an evenly-matched pairing."

Sporting director Matthias Sammer, meanwhile, is equally respectful for the Bianconeri and expects the tie to be well contested.

"Both teams are dominating their domestic championships. The Italian league is once again moving in the right direction, and that includes bringing on young players. They've long ago climbed out of the trough.

"Juventus are traditionally strong with good players. Form on the day in both matches will decide who goes through. Mentally and in terms of focus, a top-calibre team like Juventus is just right."

The first leg is scheduled to take place on April 2 at the Allianz Arena.

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Beckenbauer: Juventus-Bayern Munich tie on a knife edge

By Livio Caferoglu
Mar 16, 2013 2:42:00 PM

The legendary sweeper believes the two sides will be difficult to separate, despite his allegiance with the Bavarians

Franz Beckenbauer has admitted that Bayern Munich were handed a "tough draw" in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Friday after they were paired with Juventus.

The Bavarians ran out 4-1 victors in the two sides' last meeting back in 2009 - also in Europe's elite club tournament - but their former captain is under no illusions as to the difficulty of the tie that the Bundesliga leaders have been given.

"It is a tough draw. It's 50-50, although it's not such a good thing that Bayern kick the tie off at home," Beckenbauer told Sky Sport Deutschland.

"Whoever leads the Italian league with a nine-point advantage can obviously play football. Malaga or Galatasaray would have been more feasible, but a draw cannot be requested."

Former Bayern trio Stefan Effenberg, current CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and ex-midfielder Lothar Matthaus were also all wary of the Italians' threat.

"It will be an unpleasant task. Juventus can take on any opponent in the world, are incredibly strong defensively and have a superior clock-ticker in Andrea Pirlo," said 1999 Champions League runner-up Effenberg.

Meanwhile, Rummenigge noted: "This is not a dream draw. Although we won 4-1 the last time we played them, we will nonetheless need two more good days in the office to reach the semi-finals.

"I hoped that Bayern would have been paired with another opponent," concluded FCB legend Matthaus.

"They found their style this season and will have two key players available in Franck Ribery and Bastian Schweinsteiger this time around."

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Barcelona and Real Madrid red-hot Champions League favourites again after dream draw

Mar 16, 2013 9:00:00 AM

Tito Vilanova's team face Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight, while Jose Mourinho's men meet Galatasaray. Malaga, meanwhile, avoided the Spanish sides, just as they had hoped

COMMENT
By Ben Hayward | Spanish Football Writer

Everyone went home happy. Barcelona's players had hoped to avoid Juventus in Friday's Champions League draw, while Real Madrid were keen to steer clear of the two German teams and Malaga wanted to swerve the Spanish sides in the last eight. All got their wishes and with Barca and Madrid facing Paris Saint-Germain and Galatasaray, respectively, plus Bayern Munich and Juventus paired together in another of the quarter-final ties, Spain's top two teams must now be favourites to claim the title at Wembley in May.

The Nyon lights lit up favourably for Tito Vilanova's team and Jose Mourinho's men on Friday. Barca's tie with PSG will see a Camp Nou return for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, although the Sweden striker is suspended for the first leg, while Madrid's meeting with Galatasaray represents a reunion with former playmaker Wesley Sneijder. Two players with an axe to grind against their former employers, but two ties which will be expected to be comfortably negotiated by Catalans and Castilians alike in early April.

THE QUARTER-FINAL DRAW

Bayern Munich vs Juventus

Malaga vs Borussia Dortmund

Real Madrid vs Galatasaray

Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona

Both Barca and Madrid had looked likely to go out of the Champions League at times during their respective last-16 ties, with Milan and Manchester United. The Catalans lost the first leg 2-0 at San Siro before overturning the deficit on a special night at Camp Nou last Tuesday, while Madrid trailed Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford (and 2-1 on aggregate) before Nani's red card and a late comeback the week before. Having overcome those significant obstacles, the two Spanish sides have not only been handed dream draws for the last eight, but also seen two of their strongest rivals for the trophy - Bayern and Juventus - paired together in the last eight.

The other match-up sees Malaga meet Borussia Dortmund and the German side may be among the favourites as well after beating Madrid in the group stages and earning a draw at the Santiago Bernabeu. Whether they can go on and replicate those results in a semi-final scenario, however, is another matter.

Both Barca and Madrid advanced to the last four in the 2011-12 competition, before surprisingly bowing out. Pep Guardiola's side lost to Chelsea in what turned out to be his last Champions League game as coach of the Catalan club, while Madrid succumbed on penalties to Bayern after both matches finished 2-1.

Bayern had looked ominously strong in the competition up until this week, but Wednesday night's embarrassing 2-0 defeat at home to Arsenal proves they are much more vulnerable than anybody had thought. Indeed, it is impossible to imagine the Gunners getting such joy at Camp Nou or the Bernabeu, and the Munich myth has quite possibly been debunked.

Time will tell, but first the Bavarians must face a resurgent Juventus team who will look to draw strength from Italy's semi-final success against Germany at Euro 2012 and who will represent a tough opponent for any side left in this competition.

Malaga, meanwhile, have beaten Madrid in La Liga this term and also held Barca at Camp Nou in the Copa del Rey. Over two legs against their fellow Spanish sides, however, it is difficult to see the Andalusians beating their compatriots - even if they can get past a dynamic Dortmund in the quarter-finals.

So, assuming they advance, Barca and Madrid could end up meeting in the semi-finals, just as they did in 2010-11, or be kept apart in the last four, like last season. But given the nature of the competition and the fact that one of Bayern and Juventus will exit in the last eight, Spain's top two teams must now be red-hot favourites to claim the Champions League crown in May. For Real Madrid it would be La Decima, a 10th title in Europe's premier club competition; for Barca, a fifth trophy, a fourth since 2006 and a third at Wembley - almost their second home these days. One can stop the other or be halted along the way to Wembley, but it's hard to see both being beaten now on the road to European football's most prestigious prize.

 

[Weidenfeller]

Molinaro: Bayern Munich nothing special in defence
The wing-back is not impressed with the Allianz Arena side's defensive options, and has singled out Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery as their main attacking threats

Only Barcelona are better than Juventus, says Salihamidzic
The former Bianconeri and die Roten winger believes his former Italian side are the second-best team in the world, after the Bavarians drew them as their quarter-final opponents

Villa proves again that he must be Messi's first-choice partner
The Spain striker scored one and set up the other two goals for the Argentine as Barcelona beat Rayo Vallecano 3-1 on Sunday night. On this form, he still has a big roleto play

'Messi strike a moment of beauty' - Galliani
The AC Milan CEO has claimed that he has seen few goals better than the Argentine's opener against his side on Tuesday

Deco: PSG will make things difficult for Barcelona
The former Blaugrana star says the French capital side can cause the Liga leaders problems, but ultimately expects the Catalans to progress

Papin: PSG have a real chance against Barcelona
The former Olympique de Marseille striker believes that les Parisiens have an excellent opportunity to overhaul the Blaugrana and make the Champions League semi-finals

 

[Bolocks]

Paris Saint-Germain to appeal Ibrahimovic's Champions League ban

By Chris Kvesa
Mar 18, 2013 6:40:00 PM

The striker was dismissed in the first-leg of his side's last-16 clash with Valencia, but les Parisiens are determined to overturn his two-game suspension

Uefa has announced it will hear Paris Saint-Germain's appeal against Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Champions League ban on March 26.

The forward was sent off during les Parisiens' last-16 first-leg win over Valencia on February 12, with the Ligue 1 leaders running out 2-1 winners.

PSG will now attempt to have the two-match suspension reduced by Uefa's disciplinary committee, after Ibrahimovic sat out the first half of that ban in the second-leg against los Che.

Should Uefa decide to reject the appeal, then the Sweden striker will be unavailable for the quarter-final fixture against his former club Barcelona at Parc des Princes on April 2.

After the request has been examined, European football's governing body will decide to either waive the ban, uphold it, or even extend it.

 

[Gestapo]

Man Yoo lost to Los Blancos. How sad..... better luck next time....

 

[Gestapo]

Mourinho: We need to win first Galatasaray game
The Real Madrid boss is expecting a tough encounter with the Turkish champions but is determined to win the first leg

 

[MatsHummels]

Former Sports Minister cannot guarantee France '98 squad did not dope
Marie-George Buffet, who was in the position of authority between 1998 and 2002, has revealed the intense pressure from all angles for her to leave the Bleus squad alone

 

[MatsHummels]

Balotelli won’t end up like Adriano, says Prandelli
The Brazil striker’s form and work ethic plummeted through his career, but the Azzurri boss is adamant that the AC Milan forward will avoid his fate