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║ UEFA Champions League 2013/2014 ║


Kroos downplays substitution incident

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By Stefan Coerts
Apr 4, 2014 10:47:00 AM

The midfielder has laughed off suggestions that he was unhappy with the former Barcelona boss' decision to replace him

Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos has insisted that he does not have any problems with head coach Pep Guardiola after he was taken off in this week's 1-1 Champions League draw against Manchester United.

Kroos seemed frustrated after making way for Mario Gotze with 20 more minutes to go and was seen talking to Guardiola immediately after his substitution, leading to speculation that the midfielder was unhappy with his coach's decision to replace him.

Nevertheless, the Germany international has now made it clear that he did not mind his substitution as it was for tactical reasons.

"We only discussed a few tactical things. It was the coach's decision to replace me," Kroos was quoted as saying by TZ.

"I don't mind when I'm taken off after 70 minutes. The plan was to bring on Mario Gotze in order to play even more attacking for the final 20 minutes. That is not a problem for me.

"The coach told me I did well. Everything was just fine. Nobody likes to be substituted."

Kroos previously made the headlines after reacting angrily to Guardiola's decision to take him off against Stuttgart back in January.


 

United more important than Augsburg - Guardiola


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By Alex Fisher
Apr 4, 2014 5:39:00 PM

The Bayern Munich coach is looking to shuffle the pack ahead of Saturday's Bavarian derby as he feels his side should focus on the Champions League

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola has admitted that he will rest key players for Saturday's game against Augsburg with the Champions League clash with Manchester United in mind.

The Allianz Arena outfit have already wrapped up the Bundesliga title in record time, but could only get a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their tie with David Moyes' men.

Though the former Barcelona boss has vowed to go for the win against his side's Bavarian rivals, he has conceded that Wednesday's match is the priority.

"Augsburg is a very, very important game, but the match on Wednesday against Manchester is even more important," he said at a press conference on Friday.

"I'm going to rotate the team and the squad a little bit, we can try out a few things ahead of the United match.

"It has to be a fair competition and we must show respect to our opponents, so we'll try and win the game."

Bayern and Augsburg kick off at 15:30CET on Saturday at the Allianz Arena.

 

Injured Rooney could miss Bayern Munich clash

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By Sacha Pisani
Apr 5, 2014 8:29:00 AM

The England striker has sustained a toe injury and faces a race against time to get fit in time for the Champions League quarter-final second leg tie in Germany

Wayne Rooney is in a race against time to be fit for Manchester United's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Bayern Munich.

Rooney will miss United's trip to Newcastle on Saturday after manager David Moyes revealed the striker was struggling with the toe injury he sustained during last Tuesday's 1-1 draw against Bayern at Old Trafford.

The 28-year-old, who injured his ankle at the Allianz Arena in 2010, is now a doubt for the trip to Munich for the club's do-or-die clash with Bayern on Wednesday.

"Wayne's got a badly bruised toe," Moyes told MUTV. "He picked it up in the game the other night. Whether we were going to play him or rest him, it doesn't matter.

"He's got a terrible toe and not only will it be a problem for this game, it could be a problem for the Munich game as well on Wednesday.

"So we need to monitor it. We'll get him treatment all over the weekend and see if we can speed it up."

England manager Roy Hodgson will also be monitoring developments closely, as an injury to his star man would seriously hamper his preparations for the World Cup.

 

Barta: Barcelona will go 'all out' at Atletico Madrid


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By Mark Doyle
Apr 6, 2014 8:23:00 AM

The defender says he is "optimistic" that the Blaugrana will overcome the Rojiblancos, while he is encouraged by the way in which the club are coping with their injury problems

Marc Bartra has warned Atletico Madrid that Barcelona plan to go "all out" for victory in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg at the Vicente Calderon.

The Blaugrana could only manage a 1-1 draw at Camp Nou last week, with Neymar cancelling out Diego's spectacular opener.

However, even though Atletico appear to have the edge going into the return clash in the Spanish capital, Barta believes Barca have what it takes to beat Diego Simeone's side for the first time this season.

"I’m very optimistic," the defender told his club's official website.

"We’ll go all out at the Calderon with the hope of going through to the next round."

Barca will go into the game on the back of a 3-1 victory over Betis that saw them move back to within a point of Liga leaders Atletico.

Tata Martino's men failed to get the crowd going during a laboured victory but Barta was encouraged by the way in which the Catalans coped without injured duo Victor Valdes and Gerard Pique.

“We got a good result against a Betis team that was brave," the 23-year-old centre-half mused.

"We know the fans are on our side and that they want the team to perform well.

“We’ve had bad luck with injuries, but this group has shown that it can overcome delicate situations.

"Now we must overcome this one and do our best [against Atletico].”

 

Blanc: Everybody thinking about Chelsea


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By Enis Koylu
Apr 5, 2014 8:10:00 PM

The Frenchman was happy to see his side defeat Reims as they prepare to get into the right "mindset" ahead of the second-leg at Stamford Bridge

Paris Saint-Germain boss Laurent Blanc has admitted that his players are already thinking about their Champions League trip to Chelsea on Tuesday.

The French champions recorded an easy 3-0 win over Reims at the Parc des Princes thanks to a strike from Edinson Cavani and two Aissa Mandi own-goals.

They also hold a 3-1 advantage over Jose Mourinho's men in the Champions League quarter-finals and Blanc is looking forward to the return leg.

"Every game has its worth, but it was placed before a Champions League match which everyone is thinking about," he told reporters.

"It is never easy to approach these games with the right mindset. It's a very good thing to have won this match. It's worth three points and, in our position, we cannot lose points at home."

PSG's clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge kicks off at 20:45CET on Tuesday.

 

United's Young doubtful for Bayern return with hand injury

Sat Apr 5, 2014 5:58pm BST

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Manchester United's Ashley Young (L) is challenged by Aston Villa's Christian Benteke during their English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford in Manchester, northern England March 29, 2014. REUTERS/Phil Noble

(Reuters) - Manchester United's injury problems mounted on Saturday with winger Ashley Young doubtful for next week's Champions League return at Bayern Munich due to a damaged hand, the club said.

United, without striker Wayne Rooney who may also miss Wednesday's second leg at Bayern with a bruised toe, sent Young to hospital after he collided with Newcastle United's Massadio Haidara in a 4-0 Premier League win at St James' Park.

"He's torn ligaments in his hand," manager David Moyes was quoted as saying on United's Twitter feed.

England winger Young went off after 17 minutes and is "a major doubt" to face Bayern, with the score at 1-1 from the first leg, United said on their website (www.manutd.com).

(Writing by Ken Ferris; Editing by Ed Osmond)


 

Nissan to replace Ford as Champions League sponsor

By Keith Weir
LONDON Mon Apr 7, 2014 8:02am BST

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A Nissan logo is pictured during the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, California November 20, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

(Reuters) - Nissan will replace Ford as a sponsor of Champions League football from next season to support its efforts to become the leading Asian carmaker in Europe, the Japanese company said on Monday.

Nissan said the four-year agreement was its largest sponsorship deal but gave no financial details. It declined to comment on media reports that it was paying as much as $75 million per season for the rights.

U.S. automaker Ford announced last month that it was ending its long-running backing of the Champions League, the most prestigious club competition in European football. Ford has been a sponsor since the Champions League was launched in 1992-93.

Nissan said the Champions League had a cumulative TV audience of 4 billion over the course of the football season from September to May, drawing big viewing figures as far afield as Asia and South America.

The Champions League has eight main sponsors who are allowed to advertise at matches and use the competition to promote their brand on TV and online.

"The power of the Champions League is that we can reach people everywhere with it," said Roel de Vries, Nissan's global head of marketing.

"A big part of that is obviously Europe where we have ambitions to be the number one Asian brand," he added.

Japan's Toyota is the leading Asian carmaker in Europe, with a market share of more than 4 percent, while Nissan and South Korea's Hyundai vie for second spot.

Car companies have been faced with a shrinking market in Europe in recent years because of the impact of the financial crisis.

Ford, which signs off from the Champions League after this year's final in Lisbon in May, said it planned to focus more on digital communications as it launches 25 new vehicles over the next five years.

Nissan is also a sponsor of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

(Editing by Susan Fenton)

 

Ronaldo magic to send Real past Dortmund into last four

By Karolos Grohmann
BERLIN Mon Apr 7, 2014 3:12am BST

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Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo (C) runs with the ball between Borussia Dortmund's Erik Durm (L) and Mats Hummels during their Champions League quarter-final first leg match at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid April 2, 2014. REUTERS/Javier Barbancho

(Reuters) - Cristiano Ronaldo will be fit to terrorise Borussia Dortmund's defence on Tuesday despite a niggle in his knee, and build on Real Madrid's 3-0 first leg advantage to book a spot in the Champions League last four.

Real coach Carlo Ancelotti rested the Champions League top scorer for Saturday's 4-0 La Liga win at Real Sociedad that helped them keep pace with leaders Atletico Madrid and second-placed champions Barcelona.

The Portugal captain, who has a record-equalling 14 goals this season in Europe's elite club competition, has complained of discomfort in his left knee but Ancelotti said he should be available for the second leg in Germany after a few days' rest and treatment.

Ronaldo made his 100th Champions League appearance in the first leg at the Bernabeu and his goal matched Lionel Messi's single-season record set in 2011/12.

Ronaldo's overall tally in the Champions League is 64 goals, three behind Barcelona's Messi, and he has 54 in his last 44 outings for Real and Portugal, including five hat-tricks.

Real have a slight doubt over the fitness of record signing Gareth Bale after he sustained a small gash to his right knee in Saturday's win in San Sebastian.

The Wales winger, who scored with a brilliant long-range strike to make it 2-0, needed a couple of stitches in the wound, local media reported.

Ancelotti did not sound too concerned at his post-match press conference.

"This victory strengthens us and we also avoided injuries and were good physically," the Italian said. "We played very well, intelligently. We started at a very high pace and had more intensity in the second half.

"Everyone had a good game and I'm pleased because it wasn't easy. I'm very proud to manage this team. I have players who like to fight and we're going to fight until the last match."

AGGRESSIVE REAL

It is this fighting spirit this season that has turned things around between the Germans and the Spaniards after Dortmund ousted Real at the semi-final stage last season.

Dortmund, however, boosted their own confidence with a 2-1 comeback win over VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday that tightened their hold on second place in the Bunsdesliga and took pressure off the team as they chase an automatic Champions League spot for next season.

"This win was very good for us," said Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp. "Had we lost we would have had to surrender to the murderous pressure. It was important to win and go into Tuesday's game with a good feeling.

"We will not give anything away for free. We want to have two good halves on Tuesday and then we can see what comes out of it."

Klopp will have top scorer Robert Lewandowski back for the game after the Poland international sat out the first leg with a suspension.

Lewandowski was on target in the win over Wolfsburg and his fire power will be crucial on Tuesday if the Germans are to have any chance of progressing.

Dortmund came from a goal behind and scored twice in the second half to win against Wolfsburg with Marco Reus, who scored the winner, saying a performance like that against Real was what was needed.

"We are a long way from surrendering this tie," Reus said. "If we play like we did in the first half then it will be difficult," said the Germany international.

"If we play like we did in the second half then it could work. It is incredibly difficult but we will give it all we've got. In football anything can happen," Reus told reporters.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, Additional reporting by Iain Rogers in Madrid; Editing by Rex Gowar)

 

Mourinho may risk Eto’o against PSG

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By Gill Clark
Apr 7, 2014 8:25:00 AM

The Blues boss says the striker has a chance of playing against the French champions and feels his team need their goalscorers to complete a comeback

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho admits he may risk Samuel Eto’o against Paris Saint-Germain as the Blues prepare for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

The striker has not featured for Chelsea since hobbling off early on in the 6-0 win over Arsenal, but he is the Blues' joint second highest scorer this season with 11 goals.

Mourinho says he wanted the Cameroonian to feature in the win over Stoke City at Saturday, but he was not ready, but feels he could still feature against the French champions.

When asked if he could be fit, he told reporters: "Let's see, let's see.

"I wanted [Samuel] Eto'o to be on the bench on Saturday and play 15 or 20 minutes but he was not fit enough.

"He did not train with the team on Sunday, so we have to see.

"Maybe I will pick him. But to risk a player, you need to have minimum conditions to take that risk.

"If you think he's going to be out after 10 minutes of the game, you can't take that risk. If there is a minimum of conditions of risk, then yes."

Chelsea go into the game 3-1 down after an eventful first leg in the French capital and Mourinho hinted at an attacking approach for his team.

“We need to score goals. If we don't score a minimum of two goals, we are out. We know that,” he added.

"If we can have everybody available who can give us a chance to score goals, then let's do that."

 

Barcelona will be perfect at Atletico, warns Pinto

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By Peter McVitie
Apr 6, 2014 11:15:00 PM

The 38-year-old insists "little details" will decide the European clash and claims the Blaugrana are not focusing on the club's transfer ban

Barcelona goalkeeper Jose Pinto believes the side will be "perfect" in the second-leg of his side's Champions League quarter-final with Atletico Madrid.

The two teams, who are also challenging each other at the top of La Liga, meet in the Vicente Calderon to conclude the last-eight tie after last week's 1-1 draw at Camp Nou.

And Pinto doesn't think there is much between the two teams as he is anticipating another tight affair between the two Spanish giants on Wednesday.

"[The first-leg] was a really tough game, we gave our all. But in the return leg, we’ll be perfect," the 38-year-old told Barca TV.

"It will be very close, like it was here. The small details will make all the difference."

The shot-stopper was then asked about the off-field difficulties facing his team, following the transfer ban Barca were recently handed by Fifa, and he admitted that the accusations could be harming the Catalans.

"We’re trying to keep out of it all, and it’s true there is a strange atmosphere with some odd things going on, some really odd things.

"We are staying focused and trying to let these things not affect us in any way, but it hurts what’s happening to the club."

 

Reus targeting Champions League miracle


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Nicholas McGee
Apr 6, 2014 2:29:00 PM

Dortmund were beaten 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final last week - but the winger is insistent the tie is still very much alive

Marco Reus insists Borussia Dortmund have not given up hope of pulling off a Champions League miracle against Real Madrid on Tuesday.

Dortmund head into the second leg of their quarter-final with a 3-0 deficit, having been comprehensively beaten by Real at the Bernabeu.

However, BVB beat Madrid 4-1 at home 12 months ago in the first leg of a semi-final tie and gained a confidence boost with a 2-1 comeback win over Wolfsburg on Saturday.

And Reus, who scored the winning goal against Dieter Hecking's men, still harbours ambitions of reaching the last four of Europe's premier club competition.

"We have not given up," Reus told Dortmund's official website. "If we play like we did (against Wolfsburg) in the first half, then it becomes very difficult.

"If we play as well as we did in the second, it may even work out. It is damn hard, (but) we'll give everything. In football, everything is possible."

Ivica Olic gave Wolfsburg the lead at Signal Iduna Park, before Robert Lewandowski levelled for Dortmund six minutes into the second half.

Reus then capitalised on an error from Wolfsburg goalkeeper Max Grun, who fumbled a cross after clattering into defender Robin Knoche, to slot home the winner.

The former Borussia Monchengladbach man dismissed suggestions that he had intentionally handled when controlling the ball following Grun's mistake.

"How am I able to move my hand away so fast? Even if I had not affected the ball with my hand, I would probably nevertheless have scored the goal," Reus added.

"From there it - as I already said - was a perfectly good goal."

 


Even 'without strikers' Chelsea could be too strong for PSG

By Mike Collett
LONDON Mon Apr 7, 2014 3:10am BST

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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho (C) leads a training session at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris April 1, 2014. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

(Reuters) - Jose Mourinho has been claiming his side have no decent strikers but whatever he may think, Chelsea still have the firepower to beat French champions Paris St Germain and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday.

PSG, without injured spearhead Zlatan Ibrahimovic, do not actually need to score any goals at Stamford Bridge to knock Chelsea out following their 3-1 first leg win in Paris.

It probably will not be as simple as that though, as Chelsea know a 2-0 win will see them through on the away goals rule.

Even if his strikers again fail to impress Mourinho, Chelsea have an array of midfielders capable of swinging the tie in favour of the London club.

PSG do, though, start the match with a healthy advantage after Javier Pastore's goal with the last kick of the game at the Parc des Princes last week gave them a buffer.

However, Chelsea at Stamford Bridge are a different proposition to the team that have lost their last three away matches in all competitions.

On Saturday they brushed Stoke City aside 3-0 in the Premier League, with all three goals coming from midfielders: Mohamed Salah, Willian and Frank Lampard, who has now scored 250 club goals for West Ham United, Swansea City and Chelsea.

He also has another 29 for England.

Saturday's match was also their eighth successive home game with conceding a goal, and kept them two points behind Liverpool in the Premier League title race.

It was their 77th unbeaten home league match in Mourinho's two spells at the club, and they have also proved in the past in Europe, most recently against Napoli two seasons ago, that no task is to large for them to overcome at Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho was not in charge of Chelsea when they overturned a 3-1 first leg defeat by Napoli in the round of 16 in 2012, winning 4-1 at home in the return match before going on to win the trophy in Munich.

While he has never lost a quarter-final tie with Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan or Real Madrid, he has also never overturned a two-goal first leg deficit in European competition.

HAZARD BELIEF

"We know it won't be easy at home but we can turn the tie around," midfielder Eden Hazard, who scored from the penalty spot and hit the woodwork in the first leg, said.

"We have proved we can do this before, and we can do it again next week."

Winger Andre Schurrle, preferred to 50-million-pound striker Fernando Torres in Paris, agreed they were down after the defeat, but not out.

"It's the worst time of the season to get results like this (but) we are a different team at Stamford Bridge with our fans behind us. It will be difficult but it is not impossible."

There is some comfort in the absence of Ibrahimovic, who has scored 25 league goals this season in 30 appearances and played under Mourinho in Italy.

He is missing after hurting his hamstring in the first leg.

PSG, who beat Reims 3-0 on Saturday without Ibrahimovic, are 13 points clear of Monaco at the top of Ligue 1 and are confident they can overcome Chelsea without their talisman.

Ezequiel Lavezzi put on a man-of-the-match display at the Parc des Princes against Chelsea and Edinson Cavani scored the opener against Reims.

Both players were in the Napoli team that went out to Chelsea 5-4 on aggregate in 2012.

With Ibrahimovic sidelined, coach Laurent Blanc will field Cavani as number nine with Lavezzi and Lucas on the left and right flanks respectively.

Blanc insisted PSG will stay true to their style even without Ibrahimovic.

"Our philosophy and our tactics will not change," he said.

The only uncertainty is regarding who will start as right back, although Gregory van der Wiel appeared comfortable after returning from a knee injury against Reims, providing the cross for Cavani's opener.

(Additional reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Josh Reich)

 

Neuer shrugs off Augsburg defeat: Manchester United all that matters

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By Mark Doyle
Apr 6, 2014 10:48:00 AM

The goalkeeper insists that Pep Guardiola's men took their game at the SGL Arena "seriously" but concedes that avoiding injuries was of greater concern

Manuel Neuer has shrugged off Bayern Munich's shock defeat at Augsburg, claiming that Wednesday's meeting with Manchester United is all that matters to the Bavarians.

Saturday's 1-0 loss at the SGL Arena was the first suffered by Pep Guardiola's men in the Bundesliga this season and also means that the German champions have now gone three games without a win in all competitions.

However, while Neuer insisted that the alread-crowned German champions had not given the game their all, he admitted that their primary concern at the moment is Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against United.

“We took Augsburg seriously," the goalkeeper is quoted as saying by his club's official website.

"But the main thing for us was that nobody got injured. That’s the crucial point.

"It’s all about Wednesday and the match against Manchester United. Nothing else matters.”

Bayern host United at the Allianz Arena having claimed a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford last week.

 

Shaqiri out of Man United clash


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Apr 6, 2014 6:02:00 PM

The Switzerland international faces what could be a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a muscular problem

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola has been dealt another injury blow after Xherdan Shaqiri was ruled out of Wednesday's Champions League match against Manchester United.

The Switzerland international suffered a torn thigh muscle and was substituted at half-time as Bayern suffered a 1-0 defeat at Augsburg on Saturday, a result which ended a 53-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga for Pep Guardiola's men.

The Bavarian club have now confirmed that Shaqiri will be unavailable for the second leg of their quarter-final tie.

"The midfielder reported to Dr Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt’s clinic in the evening, where the FCB Chief Medical Officer diagnosed a badly torn muscle in the right thigh. Shaqiri will be sidelined until further notice," a statement on the club's official website reads.

The Switzerland international's absence further weakens Bayern ahead of the crucial clash with United as Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez are both suspended for the tie.

Additionally, Thiago Alcantara, Diego Contento, Tom Starke, Lukas Raeder and Holger Badstuber are all unavailable, too.

 

Cavani fired up to fill Ibrahimovic void

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By Jack Davies
Apr 7, 2014 10:13:00 AM

The Uruguayan admits he is relishing the chance of a more central position in the Swede's absence as they prepare to travel to face Chelsea

Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani is confident he can fill the void left by the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic against Chelsea on Tuesday.

The Swedish frontman picked up a hamstring strain in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final clash between the sides, which PSG won 3-1 at home, ruling him out of Tuesday's second leg at Stamford Bridge.

Yet Cavani, who scored against Reims at the weekend in Ibrahimovic's absence, is sure he can shine in a more central attacking role.

"I am better in the axis," the Uruguayan is quoted as saying by L'Equipe. "This is normal; this is my job. It's a great responsibility for me."

Les Parisiens won the opening encounter at Parc des Princes and Lucas Moura, who came on in place of Ibrahimovic last Wednesday, says the Ligue 1 leaders have a duty to progress.

"We have a great advantage," the Brazilian said. "We will be very focused.

"It will be hard but we can do it. We have a responsibility to finish the job."

 


Benzema eyes Champions League final clash with PSG

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By Joe Wright
Apr 7, 2014 10:38:00 AM

The Frenchman says he would relish the chance to face the Ligue 1 champions in Lisbon in May as the Blancos look to end their long wait for a 10th European crown

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema says he would love to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final this season.

Los Blancos are in pole position to reach their fourth consecutive semi-final of the competition after their resounding 3-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-final first leg last week.

PSG, meanwhile, will take a 3-1 advantage over Chelsea to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, and Benzema admits he would relish the chance to face Laurent Blanc's men in the final in Lisbon should both sides continue their impressive continental campaigns.

"Real Madrid against PSG," he told Uefa.com when asked what would be his dream final. "Why? Because Madrid are my team and Paris because they are a French team.

"We've played three consecutive semi-finals. This year we are doing well, we still have a few games to play to reach the final, but we are getting closer to it."

Madrid face Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday at 20:45 CET.

 

Monday April 7 2014

Webb to ref Atleti-Barca

By Football Espana staff

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Howard Webb has been named as the man in charge of the Champions League quarter-final second-leg between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.

Webb took the whistle for the 2010 World Cup final as Spain beat the Netherlands, sending off Dutch defender John Heitinga.

Mundo Deportivo has reported that the 44-year-old has now been given the return leg of the tie between La Liga’s top two, which takes place on Wednesday.

The game stands at 1-1 from the first-leg at Camp Nou, Diego Ribas scoring for Atleti with Neymar levelling for Barca.

Webb was also in charge of Real Madrid’s 6-1 win over Schalke in the last round of the competition, and Atletico’s 2-1 win over Porto in this year’s group stage, among other games involving a Spanish side.

 

'When things go badly, he blames the players' - Cruyff slams Mourinho attitude

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By Joe Wright
Apr 7, 2014 9:19:00 AM

The Netherlands icon claims the Chelsea boss will quickly lose the support of the dressing room as he is simply concerned with short-term results

Former Barcelona and Netherlands star Johan Cruyff has hit out at Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho for his attitude towards his own players.

The Blues boss has repeatedly stated his side cannot be considered among the Premier League title challengers this season - despite sitting second in the table - and branded his players' defending as "ridiculous" following the 3-1 Champions League quarter-final first-leg defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

Cruyff has slammed the Portuguese for his focus on short-term results at the expense of squad harmony and claims he will quickly lose the support of the dressing room at Stamford Bridge - just as he did at Real Madrid.

"PSG have a strong team with some great players. Chelsea have some great players as well, but Mourinho seems to disagree," he told De Telegraaf.

"It's always the same with him. When things are going well, it's the result of his good work, but the players are to blame when things are going badly. He already lost the dressing room at Real Madrid because of that and I can see the same happen at Chelsea.

"The problem with Mourinho is that he only cares about results. The result is more important than his players. He always thinks short-term and that's simply not my thing."

Chelsea take on PSG in the second leg of their Champions League tie at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

 
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Chelsea-Paris Saint-Germain Preview: Visitors have advantage but no Ibrahimovic for second leg

The Blues must overturn a two-goal deficit to reach the Champions League semi-finals, a feat they achieved against Napoli on their way to lifting the trophy in 2012

By Dom Farrell

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Edinson Cavani must fill the void left by talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic when Paris Saint-Germain take on Chelsea in the Champions League.

Ibrahimovic limped out of PSG's 3-1 quarter-final first-leg win over the Premier League side last week with a hamstring strain that is set to keep him on the sidelines for a significant chunk of this month.

On Saturday, Cavani reverted to a central striking role in his team-mate's absence and delivered an impressive display, opening the scoring in a 3-0 win over Reims that moved Laurent Blanc's side a step closer to retaining their Ligue 1 title.

PSG's domestic dominance allowed Blanc to cast an eye towards the meeting with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, which will see the French club aiming to book a first Champions League semi-final appearance in 19 years.

Ezequiel Lavezzi, Thiago Motta and Blaise Matuidi were all named among the substitutes against Reims and the latter two remained on the bench throughout.

PSG's other two strikes at the weekend were a pair of own goals from the unfortunate Aissa Mandi - continuing a helpful quirk after Chelsea defender David Luiz put through his own net at the Parc des Princes last Wednesday.

Luiz’s error made the score 2-1, a state of affairs Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho may have found perfectly acceptable due to Eden Hazard's valuable away goal from the penalty spot.

However, Javier Pastore's stoppage-time strike tipped the tie in the French champions' favour.

Nevertheless, Chelsea are one the few teams with previous form for overturning a two-goal deficit.

On their way to Champions League glory in 2011-12, Chelsea welcomed Napoli to Stamford Bridge on the back of a 3-1 first-leg defeat, but ultimately progressed after extra-time following a 4-1 triumph.

What is more, Napoli's team on that day contained both Cavani and Lavezzi, who will no doubt be wary of another fightback.

Additionally, the recent record of Chelsea and their manager in European competitions stands comparison with any in the game.

Having ended owner Roman Abramovich's impatient wait for the continent's premier trophy in 2012, Chelsea bounced back from group-stage demotion last season by collecting the Europa League at Benfica's expense.

Mourinho is chasing a third Champions League title, having hoisted the trophy while in charge of Porto and Inter. In eight career European quarter-final ties, the Portuguese has never been defeated.

When they last visited England for a competitive fixture in December 2008, PSG secured a 0-0 Europa League draw at Manchester City - a result that would more than suit their aims on this occasion.

But the significant firepower at Blanc's disposal, even allowing for Ibrahimovic's absence, means such a scoreline appears unlikely.

In away Champions League wins this season at Olympiakos, Anderlecht and Bayer Leverkusen, PSG have found the net 13 times.

Blanc suffered a 4-0 group-stage loss at Chelsea in 2008 during his time in charge of Bordeaux. He has good reason to be confident of personal revenge.

 
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