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UEFA Champions League 2012/2013

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Barcelona 4 AC Milan 0 (4-2 on aggregate): Magical Messi makes mockery of Italian giants and Villa seals the deal

By MARTIN SAMUEL PUBLISHED: 21:34 GMT, 12 March 2013 | UPDATED: 11:58 GMT, 13 March 2013


The word of the night was remontada. It means comeback. And this was the madre of all remontadas. If there was any doubt about the team to beat in this season’s Champions League, Barcelona reconfirmed the identity of Europe’s most potent force.Both a club and a player. We are watching a genius. You do know that, don’t you? In Lionel Messi, Barcelona have a player as great as any to have walked the earth. Up there with Pele, with Diego Maradona, with Johan Cruyff or Zinedine Zidane.It no longer matters that he has the good fortune to play in a magnificent team. What he does on nights like this transcends such petty quibbles. These were his 52nd and 53rd goals of the season. It is simply untrue to suggest that any player of talent would score them, surrounded by these exceptional team-mates.

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Magical: Lionel Messi celebrates after vanquishing Milan's first-leg advantage

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Ecstasy: Gerard Pique roars with delight after Messi's second put the teams level on aggregate


Match facts

Barcelona: Valdes, Dani Alves, Pique, Mascherano (Puyol 77), Jordi Alba, Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta, Pedro (Adriano 83), Messi, Villa (Sanchez 74).

Subs not used: Pinto, Fabregas, Song, Tello.
Goals: Messi 5, 40, Villa 55, Jordi Alba 90.

AC Milan:
Abbiati, Abate, Mexes, Zapata, Constant, Montolivo, Ambrosini (Muntari 60), Flamini (Bojan 75), Niang (Robinho 60), Boateng, El Shaarawy.

Subs not used: Amelia, De Sciglio, Nocerino, Bonera.

Att:
96,000.

Ref: Viktor Kassai (Hungary).

Messi is a phenomenon, a class apart, he defines matches like no other contemporary, not even the mighty Cristiano Ronaldo.Barcelona had to win by more than two goals to progress here and Messi had the match won within the space of 10 minutes. The start that Barca made, with his inspiration, was so startlingly good Milan never recovered. Messi had his team a goal ahead after five minutes before adding another on 40, but Barcelona’s dominance was almost total in the moments between. He shocked Milan with his brilliance, baffled them with his imagination, punished them with the precision of his finishing. It was one of the greatest performances in the history of this competition.

The game had barely taken shape when Messi stamped his mark on it. He played a 1-2 with Xavi Hernandez that somehow charted a path through the six — yes, six — Milan players who had surrounded the pair, before finishing with a left-foot shot so perfect in its placing that goalkeeper Christian Abbiati remained on his spot, flat-footed.
The second was no less clinical. Milan captain Massimo Ambrosini lost the ball to Andres Iniesta, who sent the ball through to Messi. He in turn threaded his shot through the legs of Philippe Mexes and out of Abbiati’s despairing grasp.No hand for Messi in the decisive third but make no mistake, this was his victory throughout.Milan looked so intimidated by his presence, so vulnerable to his wit that, having softened them up, Messi could afford to take a back seat just once.

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Poise: Messi bent the ball home from the edge of the box to get the scoring underway


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Great start: Before long Barcelona, thanks to Messi, had wiped out Milan's first leg advantage


Quarter finalists


Barcelona
Borussia Dortmund
Galatasaray
Juventus
Paris Saint-Germain
Real Madrid
Bayern Munich or Arsenal
Malaga or Porto


As it was, Javier Mascherano won the ball in the heart of the pitch, found Iniesta, who found Xavi and eventually David Villa — his finish as exquisitely placed as Messi’s in the first half. It doesn’t happen by accident, this stuff.

Just like the harrying and chasing that so unsettled Milan, the lightning speed with which Barcelona recovered possession, when it goes right, every painstaking minute on the training ground can be seen in Barcelona’s play. The goal that gave the scoreline air was straight from the textbook. Snuffing out a Milan threat, then breaking quickly, with purpose. No taking the ball into the corner flag to waste precious seconds here; they hit Milan where it hurts: in the net. At this point, a Milan goal would have been fatal and deafening whistles and catcalls greeted every second of possession by Massimiliano Allegri’s side. They won a free-kick some 40 yards from goal which Robinho and Sulley Muntari contrived to mess up, losing possession. Milan broke. Messi played in Alexis Sanchez whose cross found overlapping left back Jordi Alba.

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Under siege: Abbiati pummels the ball away as Barcelona turned up the pressure

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Crowd scene: Messi is surrounded by Milan players but still manages to find a way to score


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At the double: Messi's second goal squeezes past Abbiati's outstretched left arm

The remontada was complete. It had been a horrid and sobering experience for Milan, whose fans were hushed in their Nou Camp eyrie. A member of Europe’s traditional elite, they will have hated being so publicly mastered. The way Barcelona began the match was, quite literally, stunning. Neutrals who had been so impressed with Milan in the first leg were stunned. Milan were stunned. Even the home support, whipped into a frenzy of noise and excitement, seemed unusually affected by the ferocity with which their team attacked the game.

Good Italian teams are always strong defensively. Barcelona’s nil in the San Siro was as important as Milan’s two. Since the European Cup was reimagined as the Champions League, no team have qualified in the knockout stage having trailed 2-0 from the first leg; 3-1, yes, Barcelona themselves did it against Dynamo Kiev in 1994.

The absence of an away goal, though, is considered a mortal blow. Every time Milan had possession, the fear inside Nou Camp was palpable. They jeered to cover their tension until Barcelona regained possession. Mostly, they didn’t have to wait long.

As clinical as Barcelona were, snapping and fizzing passes like flippers and rebounds on a pinball machine, so Milan were loose and rattled. Their game plan to half-court press, let Barcelona have the ball deep, regroup in their own territory and thicken midfield and the central areas, was horribly exposed early on by the Catalans decision to spread play wide.

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Pulling the strings: Xavi (left) was at his influential best as Barcelona dominated possession


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Shackled... or not: Milan tried to keep Messi under wraps but failed miserably


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Easy does it: Villa steers home the third with panache

They did it as the best teams often do, go outside to work a way back in. Milan were stretched by the tactic and by Barcelona’s 3-4-3 formation. The pride they felt in limiting the best footballers in the world at the San Siro soon evaporated along with their confidence. The defence was tortured, particularly right back Ignazio Abate. He appeared fortunate not to be judged more harshly for a challenge on Pedro Rodriguez in the penalty area with the score already 1-0. Soon after, a panicked pass back to goalkeeper Abbiati almost let Villa in for Barcelona’s second.

Abbiati chased from goal and missed his kick completely, but luckily so did Villa. The ball trundled across the penalty area to safety. In Abbiati’s defence, most goalkeepers would have been a little flustered by then. He had already been forced to make an excellent save, tipping an Iniesta shot on to the bar. Another effort, low from Xavi in the 17th minute, was tipped around the far post for a corner.

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Watching on: Jordi Roura takes care of Barcelona in the absence of Tito Vilanova


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In tatters: Abbiati rages as Villa and Co celebrate their third goal of the night


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Perfect show: Villa celebrates in front of Barcelona's delighted fans after his superbly taken goal

Of course, it could have been very different for Milan had their best opportunity been converted a minute before Barcelona scored their second. The gamble of the night was to relegate Barcelona’s own captain, leader, legend Carles Puyol to the bench behind the diminutive Mascherano, whose pace was preferred against Milan’s strikers.

The flaw in this thinking was exposed on 38 minutes when Mascherano could not get the height required to clear a harmless-looking through-ball, instead glancing it on to Milan forward M’Baye Niang, who was left 40 yards from goal with only Victor Valdes in his eyeline.

The problem being that 40 yards is quite a distance over which to think about scoring the goal that could decide the tie and Niang missed the target, watching in anguish as his shot struck a post.
He held his head in his hands. When he finally lifted it again, it was only to see Barcelona score.

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Spotted: Ronnie Wood (of Rolling Stones fame) was seen in the crowd with wife Sally


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We're a team! Barcelona fans' message of unity for their players ahead of the clash

 

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UEFA Champions League preview: Malaga v Porto
12 March 2013

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Malaga will need to find their way in front of goal if they are to defeat Porto and advance to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Manuel Pellegrini's side have scored just one goal in their past four games in all competitions and have failed to win once in that period, including the first leg of their round-of-16 tie against Porto, which the Portuguese club won 1-0.

The key for Pellegrini may be to find the spark to get Spanish wingers Isco and Joaquin back in form if Malaga are to continue their impressive maiden campaign in the Champions League.

Malaga topped Group C earlier in the competition ahead of AC Milan, Zenit St Petersburg and Anderlecht, staying undefeated in six games and will move into the quarter-finals if they can overcome Porto by at least two goals on Wednesday.

Isco and Joaquin have each scored twice in the Champions League so far, accounting for over a quarter of Malaga's goals in the continental competition, but the former has not scored in five games in all competitions, while the latter's goalless streak is at eight matches.

If Pellegrini can spark his Spanish attacking duo into life they have the ability to defeat Porto on their own or set up the likes of Javier Saviola or Roque Santa Cruz to score the goals required for victory.

While Malaga have been struggling to put the ball in the back of the net, Porto have had no such problems as they have only been held scoreless once in their past 22 matches in all competitions.

Porto were held to a 0-0 draw by Sporting Lisbon on March 3, ending a run of 20 matches where they had scored.

Vitor Pereira's team bounced back over the weekend as they defeated Estoril 2-0 with Colombian striker Jackson Martinez scoring the second goal from the spot.

Martinez has been a revelation for Porto, having signed from Jaguares in Mexico before the season, scoring 27 goals in 30 matches, including three in the Champions League.

Malaga will enter the second leg on the back of a 1-1 draw away to Real Valladolid and Pellegrini will undoubtedly be happy to return to the club's home stadium.

During their winless streak, Malaga have only played at the Estadio La Rosaleda once, a 0-0 draw with Atletico Madrid.

And having lost just five of 21 games at home this season, the club from the south coast of Spain will be much more confident of overcoming Porto on their own turf.

 

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UEFA Champions League preview: Bayern Munich v Arsenal


12 March 2013

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Bayern Munich will play in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals unless Arsenal can do something no club has done in over four years.

Arsenal must score a minimum of three goals at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday and overcome Bayern by a two-goal margin to defeat the Bundesliga leaders in their two-legged round-of-16 tie.

Bayern put one foot in the next round when they embarrassed Arsenal with a 3-1 defeat in the first leg in London with Thomas Mueller scoring one goal and setting up another for the German club.

The last time a team scored three times at the Allianz Arena and knocked off Bayern by two goals was in February 2011 when Borussia Dortmund triumphed 3-1.

But even that result would only mean extra time in Munich.

Werder Bremen were the last club to defeat Bayern in Munich by a scoreline that would overturn a 3-1 deficit, winning 5-2 in September 2008.

Bayern head into their clash with Arsenal on the back of an impressive comeback, which ended in a 3-2 win over Fortuna Dusseldorf.

Trailing 2-1 with less than 20 minutes left, Jupp Heynckes' side scored twice through Franck Ribery and Jerome Boateng to snatch the three points from Fortuna.

The victory saw Bayern extend their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to 20 points after second-placed Borussia Dortmund lost 2-1 away to Schalke.

Bayern have now won five in a row in all competitions in front of their own fans, while, in comparison, Arsenal have lost three of the past four matches both home and away.

Arsenal's last game was their 2-1 defeat by Tottenham in the English Premier League on March 3 and the last time they produced a result on the road that would see them overhaul Bayern was in December when they defeated Reading 5-2 at the Madejski Stadium.

Arsene Wenger's team have been eliminated from the Champions League at the round-of-16 stage for the past two seasons and it seems likely they will experience it for the third consecutive time on Wednesday.

 

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Giroud sees early goal as key to potential Arsenal comeback
The striker expects to get chances to score thanks to Bayern Munich’s attacking play and believes netting quickly will give the Gunners their best chance of progression


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Howedes: Schalke outplayed Galatasaray twice
The defender could not contain his disappointment after the Bundesliga side's exit in the round of 16, and bemoaned his team's missed opportunities


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Vermaelen: Arsenal owe Wenger progression after continual support
The 27-year-old captain hopes to be able to see his side past Bayern Munich and into the Champions League quarter-finals to give something back to his under-fire manager


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New Wilshere setback shows Arsenal are repeating the same old mistakes
The Gunners go into their against-the-odds Champions League mission in forlorn mood as they struggle to paper over the team's ever-widening cracks


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Next year AC Milan will beat Barcelona
Rossoneri fans will be devastated after being crushed 4-0 by the Blaugrana, but this time next year they will be a lot more cheerful


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Heynckes: Wenger one of the best managers in Europe
The outgoing Bayern Munich boss thinks the Arsenal man is one of the continent’s top coaches and anticipates a tough game in Wednesday's Champions League last-16 second leg


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Barcelona were great, but AC Milan got their tactics all wrong
The Rossoneri failed to reproduce the tactical masterclass of the first leg as the Catalans marched on to the Champions League quarter-finals


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Messi: Everything came off perfectly for Barcelona
The prolific attacker was left impressed with the Liga leaders' victory and stressed that everything went exactly as Barca had planned it


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Arsenal must go for broke & risk humiliation to complete Munich miracle
The Gunners can draw on their experience against AC Milan last year, where their explosive pace and aggressive pressing overloaded the Italians and produced three quick-fire goals


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Barcelona played unbelievable football, says Flamini
The former Arsenal man had nothing but praise for Barca's performance after Tuesday evening's thrashing at Camp Nou


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Arsenal prepare for mission impossible against Bayern Munich
No team in Champions League history has overturned a two-goal first-leg home deficit, and the difficulty is heightened by Jack Wilshere and Lukas Podolski's absence through injury


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Abate: Milan missed a rare chance to knock out Barcelona
The wing-back was very disappointed with his side's Champions League exit and has admitted the team's display in midfield was not good enough


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Iniesta: Milan win was one of Barcelona's most complete displays
The Spain international was left delighted with the Blaugrana's display as they reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League


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Wenger convinced Arsenal can achieve 'big win' against Bayern
The Gunners boss has expressed his faith in his current squad of players and believes they are capable of pulling off a massive upset victory over the German giants


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Schalke were asleep in the first half, says Draxler
The 19-year-old has expressed his disappointment after S04 were knocked out of Europe in the 95th minute of their last-16 clash on Tuesday evening


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Fatih Terim hails 'important' Galatasaray win
The 59-year-old praised his players after an injury-time goal saw them record a famous away win on Tuesday night


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Allegri: AC Milan were centimetres away from qualification
The Rossoneri coach believes the outcome could have been different had luck gone his side's way during a few key moments


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Pique: We were better than AC Milan from the start
The Catalan giants fought back from a two-goal first-leg deficit at Camp Nou, silencing their critics with an imperious victory which sees them progress to the quarter-finals


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Schalke 2-3 Galatasaray (Agg 3-4): Umut seals Turkish progression to last eight
The German side mounted a brave second-half effort, but were ultimately unable to overcome the Istanbul side, who claimed a famous away win


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Barcelona 4-0 AC Milan (Agg 4-2): Messi, Villa & Alba complete great escape for Catalan giants
The Blaugrana produced a magnificent comeback at home to recover from a 2-0 first-leg deficit and book their place in the last eight of the Champions League


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Pereira: Porto will not sit back in Malaga
The boss has vowed to send his side out to play their natural attacking game and believes they will thrive in the atmosphere, while Silvestre Varela also gave his thoughts


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Arsenal tie not over yet as they will try 'everything', says Heynckes
The boss of the Bundesliga leaders says his side will have to be at the top of their game as their opponents have the ability to overturn their two-goal deficit


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Baptista: Malaga are confident of progressing
The Brazil international hopes the club's fans will enjoy the historic night at La Rosaleda as the team look to reach the Champions League last eight for the first time


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Pellegrini: We must keep a clean sheet to knock out Porto
The Malaga trainer believes a strong defence can provide his side with the best chance of reaching the last eight of the Champions League for the first time in the club's history


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Watzke: Dortmund must improve if they are to progress in the Champions League
The BVB general manager feels the first-half performance in the defeat to Schalke was unacceptable, though their win against Shakhtar Donetsk gives them something to hang on to


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Podolski out and Szczesny rested for Arsenal clash with Bayern Munich
The forward has failed to recover from an ankle injury he suffered in the club's north London derby defeat to Spurs on March 3 and will miss the return leg against his former club


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'It is not mission impossible' - Wenger still hopeful for Arsenal ahead of Bayern showdown
The Gunners must score at least three goals at the Allianz Arena against the in-form Bundesliga giants to stand any chance of progressing to the Champions League quarter-finals


 

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It's a disgrace! Fans join Lineker in condemning Wenger's decision to rest key players for crunch Munich clash

By LEE BRYAN PUBLISHED: 11:14 GMT, 13 March 2013 | UPDATED: 12:17 GMT, 13 March 2013

Gary Lineker has slammed Arsene Wenger’s decision to rest several key players for tonight’s Champions League last-16 second leg tie at Bayern Munich. With the Gunners 3-1 down after the first leg at the Emirates and needing at least three goals in the Allianz Arena to progress to the quarter-finals the Arsenal boss has left first-team regulars Santi Cazorla, Theo Walcott, Wojciech Szczesny and Per Mertesacker in England.

With Jack Wilshere, Bacary Sagna and Lukas Podolski already missing through injury Wenger has effectively thrown in the towel, despite the club being out of the FA Cup and 24 points adrift of Manchester United at the top of the Premier League.

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Under pressure: Arsene Wenger has left several players in London


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Arsene Wenger talks ahead of Champions League clash with Bayern...

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The Match of the Day presenter and former England striker tweeted: ‘They have no other cup competitions to worry about, why on earth would he feel the need to rest players?’ One argument is that Arsenal need to rest players as they push for fourth place and Champions League qualification for next season, but Lineker dismissed that. He tweeted: ‘Who he plays tonight will have no baring on where they finish in the league. Rotation is a myth.’

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Left behind: Santi Cazorla (above) and Theo Walcott are missing in Munich


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Another tweet read: ‘If they are injured, that’s a different matter. Top players rarely need a rest.’ Many Arsenal fans are furious with Wenger’s decision after they had already paid for the trip to Munich and tickets to the game. One disrgruntled Gunner, Ken Barkway, tweeted: ‘Its a disgrace really. It is the final proof that the club is little more than a cash cow. Glory clearly no place in the agenda.’


 

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New Wilshere setback shows Arsenal are repeating the same old mistakes

Mar 13, 2013 9:15:00 AM

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The Gunners go into their against-the-odds Champions League mission in forlorn mood as they struggle to paper over the team's ever-widening cracks

SPECIAL REPORT
By Wayne Veysey in Munich

The first-choice goalkeeper is “mentally” exhausted. The team’s most reliable defender of the last few seasons has been joined by their 107-times-capped German forward on the sidelines. And the captain is facing the axe if the reserve left-back feels no pain on the morning of the match following six weeks out.

Most damagingly of all, the star player is putting his injured ankle up in Dubai sweating over whether he could even play again this season.

Throw in a mission impossible to avoid Champions League elimination and a run of results that has seen the team embarrassingly dumped from the FA Cup and facing the mother of all battles to clinch a 17th consecutive top-four finish, and it is little wonder that even Arsene Wenger’s smooth talking is falling on deaf ears.

Everywhere Arsenal turn is another reminder of the team’s frailties and the counter-productive decision-making at managerial and boardroom level.

In Wenger-speak, Wojciech Szczesny, the undisputed No1 for the last two-and-a-half seasons, is ‘rested’ following a string of dicey displays. “He has been affected mentally by what has happened,” explained the manager. “This is his second season and we need to rotate the players. It's a big game and that's why we play the players who are completely fit and ready.”

In other words, the 22-year-old has been axed because he is not considered to be up for the task.

Szczesny will be replaced by Lukasz Fabianski, who might not exactly be regarded as the comfort blanket supporters are looking for against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. Szczesny’s deputy has not started a first-team match for 13 months and is set to leave Arsenal on a free in the summer when his contract expires.

Had Wenger acted upon his instincts and recruited a battle-hardened, proven goalkeeper either last summer or in January, when enquiries were made for Pepe Reina, Asmir Begovic, Hugo Lloris and Julio Cesar among others, then the defence would have far greater confidence in the man behind them against the runaway Bundesliga leaders on Wednesday night.

The defence was supposed to be different this season - better organised, more efficient and less prone to conceding from set-pieces or sucker-punch opposition attacks. Steve Bould, a fabled member of the George Graham-moulded defence who had spent a decade cutting his teeth as a youth-team coach at the club, had been promoted to succeed the retired Pat Rice as Wenger’s No2.


Testing times | Wenger is in the midst of another turmultuous period in his managerial reign at Arsenal
Following three consecutive clean sheets at the start of the season, the appointment looked a smart one. Then, the old skittishness at the back returned.

Reports soon emerged of a rift between Wenger and Bould, which the manager condemned as “lies”. Mis-information and unconvincing denials are an increasingly common theme of the Frenchman’s press conferences, but in this instance he was correct.

It is understood there has been, and is, no rift. Nevertheless, Bould is a frustrated figure because he is not being allowed to coach the defence as he would wish.

The former centre-back was given licence to implement new defensive drills in pre-season, and this work seemed to bear fruit in early season. But Wenger performed a sharp U-turn. He felt the team’s creativity and attacking play had been neutered, and decided during the September international break to rein in the defensive work.

It was a clash of philosophies rather than the personalities of the two senior members of the coaching staff. There was only going to be one winner.

Arsenal's various defensive combinations have taken the blame for not being up to the collective task. Thomas Vermaelen, for one, is a shadow of the dynamic titan of his early Arsenal years and is set for the axe against Bayern if Kieran Gibbs is declared fit on Wednesday morning.

Injuries are par for the course in top-level sport and, in that regard, Arsenal have fared far better this season than in previous years, which suggests that some of the lessons of preparation and rehabilitation have been learned.

It is unfortunate that Wenger is without Bacary Sagna and Lukas Podolski for the second leg, as both would be shoo-ins for the starting X1 if fully fit.

What is more perplexing is the case of Jack Wilshere, the golden boy for club and country.

Wilshere was sent to Dubai at the end of last week after Arsenal decided that the ankle injury he had sustained in the north London derby 10 days ago needed extended rest.

Wenger gave a somewhat confused update on Wilshere’s condition at two separate media briefings on Tuesday.

In the morning he claimed the midfielder would be out for three weeks with an inflamed left ankle, not the one that he underwent surgery on in September 2011 to cure a stress fracture that contributed to him missing 16 months of competitive football.

When he landed in Munich, Wenger said the 21-year-old would be out for four weeks and went into detail about how a scan had showed up bone bruising and inflammation on the same right ankle where he had surgery, as revealed by Goal.com on Tuesday.

Yet, according to Wenger, Wilshere has been taken out of the firing line to protect his left ankle.

Something does not quite add up. Are Arsenal simply protecting their talisman or trying to cover up their own failings?


Cause for concern | Wilshere's importance to the team has affected his return from injury
It is understood the warning signs were there long before Wilshere’s latest setback. He is said to have been suffering intermittent pain in his right ankle in recent months, including before the Tottenham match. Naturally, for such a competitive soul who had missed so much football, Wilshere was desperate to keep playing.

Yet there is evidence to suggest Wilshere has been overplayed since making his comeback against QPR on October 27. He has played 28 times for club and country, starting 18 of Arsenal’s 20 league matches. Of the two he missed, he was suspended for one. Wenger rested him from the starting X1 for two FA Cup matches but such was the team’s predicament he ended up being summoned from the bench on both occasions.

Questions should certainly be asked if, as is feared, Wilshere does not kick a ball again this season.

Mikel Arteta is another case in point. He started all of Arsenal’s Premier League and five of their six Champions League group games until suffering a calf strain in January. It was only a minor injury and he was back training again within a fortnight but the Spaniard was not reinstated to the team for another two weeks because Arsenal recognised he had been overplayed and needed a rest.

At the club’s luxury London Colney headquarters, the players are cossetted and protected from the outside world.

In public, Wenger protects his charges to the hilt, even soft-soaping it when they are dropped to soothe their mental wounds.

Yet they are nervous and anxious when paraded on the big stage. Something, it seems, is clearly not working.

Wenger spoke with more hope than expectation on Tuesday of observers seeing a “completely different animal” if the players can be triumphant in a “big game”.

The circumstances of the tie, just as they were against AC Milan 12 months ago, mean that the pressure is off for Arsenal. In a way they have nothing to lose.

Yet if they fail to produce a Munich miracle, that should not stop a thorough inquest into why the same mistakes keep being made on and off the field.

 

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UEFA Champions League: Malaga 2 Porto 0 (agg. 2-1)

14 March 2013

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Malaga reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League after a 2-0 home triumph over Porto at La Rosaleda on Wednesday.

Heading into the second leg trailing 1-0 on aggregate, Malaga levelled the last-16 tie through a sublime goal from Isco just before half-time.

The hosts dominated the second half after Porto midfielder Steven Defour was shown a red card in the 49th minute before Roque Santa Cruz secured the win with a header 13 minutes from time.

There was very little to separate the two teams at the Dragao three weeks ago and it was clear the return leg would follow suit within 10 minutes of kick off, but neither Joaquin nor Danilo managed to test the opposing goalkeeper from decent positions.

The tackles were heated and quality was in short supply but in the 36th minute Porto goalkeeper Helton, who had largely remained untested until this point, produced a great save to keep Vitorino Antunes' arrowed shot out of the top corner.

It was the start of a good spell for Malaga, and they thought they had taken the lead through Javier Saviola in the 39th minute. However, the goal was ruled out due to a collision between Julio Baptista and Helton.

But the hosts did not have to wait long for the breakthrough as Isco scored a sensational goal. The Spaniard was afforded too much space 20 yards from goal and he used it to devastating effect, curling a brilliant shot into the far corner of the goal.

Porto's hopes of progression took a severe blow early in the second half as Defour picked up his second yellow card for an ill-disciplined challenge on Joaquin.

Malaga were patient in pursuit of a second goal, and it was not until the 57th minute that they came close again. Isco's cross was sent straight to Argentine forward Saviola following a poor clearance from Nicolas Otamendi, but the defender got across to block his compatriot's effort on goal.

Four minutes later Isco came close to grabbing his second as he connected with a smart pass from Saviola, but he could not roll the ball into the net from an acute angle.

Malaga allowed the game to go stale and were almost punished as a result, Jackson Martinez coming agonisingly close to converting James Rodriguez's free kick 15 minutes from time.

The Andalusians heeded their warning and found the decisive second goal three minutes later as Santa Cruz rose highest to head in from Isco's corner.

Porto got the ball into the back of the net moments later through Maicon, but the goal was correctly ruled out for offside.

It proved to be their final chance to remain in the competition and Malaga ended a run of four games without a win to reach the quarter-finals in their maiden Champions League campaign.

 

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UEFA Champions League: Bayern Munich 0 Arsenal 2 (agg. 3-3)

14 March 2013

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Arsenal exited the Champions League at the last-16 stage for the third consecutive year despite beating Bayern Munich 2-0 in the second leg.

Olivier Giroud stunned the 68,000 sell-out Allianz Arena with a third-minute goal to give the visitors hope of pulling off a Munich miracle.

Despite Bayern dominating for most of the match, Arsenal held firm at the back and Laurent Koscielny's 84th-minute header equalled scores on aggregate.

This set up a pulsating finale but Arsenal were unable to score the goal required to overturn the 3-1 first-leg deficit and exited by account of the away goals rule.

The two-legged defeat means that Bayern become the third European powerhouse in three years to knock Arsenal out at the last-16 juncture, following Barcelona in 2011 and AC Milan in 2012.

It took just three minutes for Arsenal to give their 3,000 travelling fans hope with a brilliantly constructed opening goal.

A series of passes from Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and Tomas Rosicky, sent Theo Walcott bursting clear from the right, before the Englishman's cross-shot into the six-yard box was bundled into the net by Olivier Giroud.

Bayern gradually began to dominate possession, with Javi Martinez, Thomas Mueller and Luiz Gustavo all going close to scoring a first-half equaliser.

And Arsenal's struggles to get a foothold in the game continued after the break. Cazorla and Walcott continued to be the trump cards but some of the visitors' midfield passing was wayward and Giroud lacked the touch to hold the ball up and bring others into play.

Bayern continued to exert most of the pressure, with Arjen Robben's weaving runs from the right flank causing particular consternation in the defensive ranks.

Arsenal made a double substitution after 72 minutes, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gervinho replacing Aaron Ramsey and Walcott, and Arsene Wenger's team immediately began to commit more men forward.

Gervinho and Giroud both had half-chances but could not force Manuel Neuer into a save, while at the other end Lukasz Fabianski made a string of acrobatic saves.

Koscielny's late header from a Cazorla corner set up a thrilling finale, but Arsenal were exhausted and unable to create any late chances to score what would have been a tie-winning third.


 

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Malaga 2 Porto 0 (agg 2-1): Super sub Santa Cruz sends Spanish underdogs into last eight



PUBLISHED: 21:34 GMT, 13 March 2013 | UPDATED: 00:30 GMT, 14 March 2013


Malaga's European run continued into the quarter-finals of the Champions League after Manuel Pellegrini's men overcame a one goal first leg deficit to beat 10-man Porto at La Rosaleda. Isco's wonderful opener minutes before the break gave the home side the lead to cancel out Joao Moutinho's first leg goal before substitute Roque Santa Cruz scored just four minutes after coming on to seal a famous win. With a four-year European ban hanging over them, this year's competition is all the more important for the Spaniards, who ramped up the pressure after Steven Defour saw red four minutes into the second half.

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Magic moment: Roque Santa Cruz celebrates sending Malaga through

Match facts

Malaga: Willy, Jesus Gamez, Demichelis, Weligton, Antunes, Joaquin (Camacho 88), Toulalan, Iturra, Isco, Julio Baptista (Santa Cruz 73), Saviola (Piazon 79).
Subs Not Used: Kameni, Lugano, Fernandez, Sergio Sanchez.
Booked: Demichelis, Jesus Gamez, Toulalan.
Goals: Isco 43, Santa Cruz 77.


FC Porto:
Helton, Danilo, Otamendi, Mangala, Alex Sandro (Atsu 70), Joao Moutinho (Rodriguez 46), Fernando, Gonzalez, Varela (Maicon 58), Martinez, Defour.
Subs Not Used: Fabiano, Andre Castro, Izmailov, Liedson.

Sent Off: Defour (49).
Booked: Otamendi, Defour, Alex Sandro, Mangala.

Agg
(2-1)

Att: 35,000
Ref: Nicola Rizzoli (Italy)

After a slow start, Julio Baptista headed tamely over from an Isco free-kick in the 11th minute, as the home side made strides to make up their one-goal deficit from the first leg. The first 30 minutes were dominated by bookings with neither side holding back, putting in some strong challenges. Porto's Nicolas Otamendi was the first to see yellow after 17 minutes, before Martin Demichelis, Defour, Alex Sandro and Jesus Gamez all joined him in the book. Porto were playing their own dangerous game, holding a high line against a pacy Malaga forward line.

They were lucky the linesman raised his flag in the 27th minute against Javier Saviola after he was sent clear by Defour. Joaquin shot over just after the half hour mark before Vitorino Antunes forced a decent saveout of Porto stopper Helton, who acrobatically tipped his effort over the bar. Saviola then had a goal ruled out by referee Nicola Rizzoli after Baptista was alleged to have fouled Helton, before he spilt the ball to the striker. However replays showed that the Brazilian was pushed into the keeper by Danilo.

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Heading for victory: Santa Cruz scores the winner for Malaga with a header

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We've done it: Santa Cruz celebrates their victory at the end of the game

ROQUE SANTA CRUZ

The striker is still registered as a Manchester City player, but has not played for the club since 2010. In fact his last game in England came on a loan spell at Blackburn against West Ham on May 7, 2011. His last goal in England came over a year earlier in Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Fulham on March 21, 2010.

Malaga finally got their goal their pressure deserved three minutes before the break. And it was worth the wait. With few options and nobody closing him down Isco curled a wonderful effort over Helton and into the top corner to put his side level on aggregate. James Rodriguez replaced Joao Moutinho at the break as the visitors sought to improve their attacking options. However just four minutes into the second period they were in trouble after Defour received a second yellow for a petulant trip on Joaquin, whose skill and speed had see him glide past the Belgian.

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In with a shout: Malaga's midfielder Isco celebrates after scoring and making the tie 1-1 over all

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On cloud nine: Malaga's Isco celebrates with team-mate Joaquin Sanchez after the opening goal

Champions League quarter-finalists

Barcelona
Bayern Munich
Borussia Dortmund
Galatasaray
Juventus
Malaga
Paris Saint-Germain
Real Madrid


Vmtor Pereira reacted by bringing on Maicon for winger Silvestre Varela and switching to three centre-backs, before Jeremy Toulalan was booked for a lunge on Lucho Gonzalez. Christian Atsu came on for Sandro with 20 minutes left before Santa Cruz replaced Baptista. Jackson Martinez's flick almost swung the game the other direction, but his header drifted just wide. And just after coming on Santa Cruz put his side ahead after outjumping Otamendi from an Isco corner to plant his header past a diving Helton. Maicon thought he had put Porto back in front after heading home from a free-kick, however the goal was correctly ruled out for offside as Malaga progressed.

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The comeback is on: Martin Demichelis of Malaga CF competes for the ball with Steven Defour, before the Porto player was sent off

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Head first: Porto's Eliaquim Mangala jumps to head the ball next to Malaga's Demichelis

 

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Bayern Munich 0 Arsenal 2 (agg 3-3): Arsene's mission proves impossible as brave Gunners are sent packing despite win

By MARTIN SAMUEL PUBLISHED: 21:36 GMT, 13 March 2013 | UPDATED: 01:46 GMT, 14 March 2013


Arsenal did not make it into the quarter-finals of the Champions League. In other news, the Pope is, indeed, a Catholic and a bear disappeared into the wood and, well, you know the rest. That is far from the whole story, though. For as predictable as the outcome was, so the manner of Arsenal’s exit was valiant. A second goal, scored by Laurent Koscielny with five minutes remaining, meant a team that had been all but written off by every good judge and a fair few bad ones took Bayern Munich closer to the wire than could reasonably have been expected. The aggregate score for the tie was level. Munich progress only on the third away goal they scored at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal, for the second consecutive season, left themselves just too much to do.

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No cigar: Laurent Koscielny scored late to set up a tense finish but Arsenal could not net again


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Fracas: Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer tries to hold onto the ball to buy some time for Bayern


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Game
on: Olivier Giroud scored early in the match to put pressure on the German hosts


MATCH FACTS

Bayern Munich: Neuer, Dante, Van Buyten, Lahm, Martinez, Muller, Alaba, Luis Gustavo, Kroos (Tymoschuk 81), Mandzukic (Gomez 73), Robben
Subs not used: Tom Starke, Rafinha, Contento, Shaqiri, Pizarro

Booked: Lahm, Martinez, Gomez

Arsenal: Fabianski, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Rosicky, Arteta, Walcott (Oxlade-Chamberlain 72), Ramsey (Gervinho 72), Cazorla, Giroud
Subs not used: Mannone, Vermaelen, Diaby, Coquelin, Arshavin

Booked: Gibbs, Rosicky, Giroud, Mertesacker, Cazorla, Koscielny
Goals: Giroud 3, Koscielny 86

Referee: Pavel Kralovec
Attendance: 66,000

It was a 4-0 defeat against AC Milan that did for them a year ago, before a 3-0 home win in the return leg made for a grandstand finish, and it was the first 90 minutes that gave this encounter to Munich. The Germans deserved to reach the last eight for their 3-1 win in north London which was the truly outstanding performance of the two legs. Arsenal were resilient here, but unexceptional going forward.
What could not be expected was that Munich would be so insipid. Credit Arsenal for containing them but that still does not explain an almost total absence of ideas in front of goal, lame pot-shot following lame pot-shot, with second-string goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski rarely troubled in any real sense.

After the first game Munich were being tipped as European champions but the gulf between this performance and that of Barcelona against AC Milan the previous night was spectacular. Munich spent the last five minutes plus injury time running the ball into the corner. Barcelona did not do that, not once, faced with a game every bit as delicately and dangerously poised. Some have said Pep Guardiola is taking no chances going to a club that is walking the Bundesliga and already established among the best in Europe, but this display showed there is work to be done, and plenty of it.

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Off colour: Arjen Robben (left) cuts a frustrated figure as Thomas Muller (right) looks relieved after the whistle

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Overjoyed: Giroud (right) celebrates the dream start as Aaron Ramsey (left) carries the ball back up the pitch

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Booked: Thomas Rosicky looks dejected after a heavy tackle on Arjen Robben


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Sliding in: Javi Martinez (right) tries to nick the ball away from Mikel Arteta

This was a very creditable performance from Arsenal’s perspective and represents Bayern Munich’s first defeat at home in this competition in 15 games and almost three years. The 2012 Champions League final was, technically, a neutral venue, and a draw, being decided on penalties. But it was still not enough. Munich have never lost a home Champions League tie by the margin Arsenal needed to go through and until the late second was scored seemed entirely untroubled by losing to win.

Arsenal made the Germans look ordinary, and they made the home fans very tense by the end, but to reach the three-goal lead they required to provide English football with a presence in the last eight was simply too much. Gervinho came closest to making the difference, turning in the six-yard box with 12 minutes left as the locals gasped, but his finish trickled wide.

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Piling in: Neuer holds onto the ball to waste a little time after Koscielny netted the second


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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINALISTS


Barcelona
Bayern Munich
Borussia Dortmund
Galatasaray
Juventus
Malaga
Paris Saint-Germain
Real Madrid

The draw will take place on Friday

For all Arsenal’s claim to high ideals the second was that English staple, the well-worked dead ball. Santi Cazorla swung it in from a corner and Koscielny rose above his man to score. A melee ensued as Arsenal attempted to recycle the ball with an urgency not shared by Manuel Neuer, Munich’s goalkeeper, but they did not threaten again. So if this was the impossible dream, what Arsenal did confirm is that there is resilience in this group that may yet spring a surprise in the domestic league. Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea will not have felt entirely comfortable watching Arsenal’s resistance here.

Munich had chances, not least when Arjen Robben burst through on 62 minutes and forced a fine save from Fabianski, but nothing to justify their reputation. They were a wet lettuce leaf compared to Barcelona’s vibrancy and had obviously been told Arsenal’s goalkeeper was a weak link. Only this could explain the number of shots that were taken from range, mostly by Robben and Toni Kroos.

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Frustrated: Mario Mandzukic shows his disappointment at a refereeing decision


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Remonstrating: Arsene Wenge rages at the fourth official


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Seething: Wenger screams from the touchline after another decision

Arsenal looked untroubled for long periods as the home fans grew more frustrated. Tottenham gave Arsenal considerably more trouble than Bayern — Swansea City probably will on Saturday, too.
The big miss, naturally, was Jack Wilshere. With his wit in midfield, Arsenal might have given Bayern the shock of their lives. As it was, after an early goal, the Germans probably realised an upset was unlikely unless they took silly chances and almost settled for stumbling into the next round — until that late scare. The bottom line remains that Arsenal lost this tie at home last month. This restored credibility and pride but it would be wrong to get carried away. Munich could afford to lose this match. It may have been closer than anyone imagined but it may also have been very different with more at stake.

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Digging deep: Luis Gustavo (right) tries to dispossess Santi Cazorla in the middle of the park


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Big shout: Thomas Muller screams at the referee's assistant during the first half of the tie


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Rough and tumble: Arjen Robben is sent flying as Kieran Gibbs slides in


As it was, Munich seemed undecided on a game-plan and were a little taken aback that Arsenal were up for a game, and scored within three minutes. Olivier Giroud’s goal would not have shifted the betting market greatly, but it did wonders for Arsenal’s pride and Munich struggled from there. The much-maligned Aaron Ramsey was the architect with a long carry through the heart of midfield, before feeding Theo Walcott wide on the right. His crossing is often criticised, too, but this was a beauty, taking full advantage of a loss of footing in the Munich defence to pick out Giroud who finished into an empty net, with Neuer drawn out of position by the fall.

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Anxious? Bayern manager Jupp Heynckes (left) and suspended midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger (right)

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Face in the crowd: Former Bayern midfielder Owen Hargreaves was in the audience at the Allianz


Staying upright on the pitch at the Allianz Arena was a challenge for a fair few, whether the fault of over-watering or the earlier snow freezing in sub-zero temperatures. Carl Jenkinson, in particular, was doing a passable Bambi on ice impression before settling into a solid game. At one time he sprinted back to remove the ball from Robben with ease. Now there is an unlikely sentence for those who remember the player from three years ago. The travelling support celebrated at the end and there will be much talk of bravery and honour restored. When the euphoria subsides, however, the truth is another year without a trophy and a bitter fight to pass this way again next year. If this is a highlight, however unexpected, it is not a good season.

 

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Wake up call: Champions League flop is a lesson to English clubs, warns Wenger

By MATT BARLOW PUBLISHED: 23:27 GMT, 13 March 2013 | UPDATED: 00:06 GMT, 14 March 2013

Arsene Wenger has warned English football to learn from its demise in this year’s Champions League after Arsenal beat Bayern Munich but slumped out of Europe. The Gunners won 2-0 on the night in the Allianz Arena but were unable to overhaul the 3-1 deficit from the first leg. They went out on away goals, an agonising exit which leaves England with no representative in the last eight of the Champions League for the first time in 17 years.

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No cigar: Laurent Koscielny scored late to set up a tense finish but Arsenal could not net again


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Warning: Arsene Wenger says all of England's clubs crashing out is a massive disappointment


‘It is a massive disappointment for English football,’ said Wenger. ‘It’s a massive wake-up call for us to have Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal all out in the quarter-finals. 'The rest of European football has caught up with us and we have to take that into consideration about the way we think about the future of the Premier League.’ Arsenal were given hope of pulling off a remarkable victory when Olivier Giroud scored in the third minute and Laurent Koscielny got another four minutes from time. But Wenger confessed there were ‘many regrets’ from the defeat in London against Bayern, rated among the favourites to win the competition, and in particular the crucial third goal late on scored by Mario Mandzukic.

‘We went close and I’m very proud of the performance of the team,’ said the Frenchman. ‘But I am very disappointed for everyone who follows Arsenal that we could not get a third goal. 'There was room to score and we have many regrets from the first game. Qualifying is about 180 minutes and for the first 90 we were not at our best. ‘Still, we felt it was feasible to knock Bayern out. We had a plan and we respected it. At least we have shown we have the quality to be there. ‘You could see the weight of that third goal we gave away with three minutes to go in the first leg. That was massive.

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Gutted: Arsenal's Mikel Arteta, left, and Laurent Koscielny leave the field after their Champions League exit


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Overjoyed: Giroud (right) celebrates the dream start as Aaron Ramsey (left) carries the ball back up the pitch

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Sliding in: Javi Martinez (right) tries to nick the ball away from Mikel Arteta


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Piling in: Neuer holds onto the ball to waste a little time after Koscielny netted the second


The final eight

Barcelona
Bayern Munich
Borussia Dortmund
Galatasaray
Juventus
Malaga
Paris Saint-Germain
Real Madrid

The draw will take place on Friday

‘We were under pressure tonight because a bad performance could have been terrible for the morale of the team and our pride.‘The regret I have is that there is potential in this team and we are out of a competition.’ Wenger refused to give details on his reasons for dropping his captain Thomas Vermaelen, one of five changes from the first leg. He also left out goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and was rewarded with an excellent display from goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski and his back four.

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Frustrated: Mario Mandzukic shows his disappointment at a refereeing decision


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Remonstrating: Arsene Wenge rages at the fourth official


‘We looked always in control and solid,’ said the Arsenal boss. ‘You cannot restrict a team like Bayern Munich to no chances at all at home.’ Bayern manager Jupp Heynckes said: ‘They came here wounded from the first leg which was not good for them and really motivated them. ‘I know European football. I have nearly had 150 games in European competition and I know a team like Arsenal has quality.’

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Digging deep: Luis Gustavo (right) tries to dispossess Santi Cazorla in the middle of the park


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Rough and tumble: Arjen Robben is sent flying as Kieran Gibbs slides in

 

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Zapata: Milan must bounce back in Serie A
The Colombia defender says the Rossoneri must forget about their collapse to Barcelona and focus on securing automatic qualification for next season's Champions League


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Arsenal goalscorer Koscielny bemoans first-leg loss against Bayern Munich
Despite picking up a 2-0 win over the German outfit in the Allianz Arena on Wednesday, the Gunners were knocked out, with conceding three goals at home costing them dear


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Ref treated Porto unfairly, laments Pereira
The Dragoes coach claimed his side were undermined by refereeing and an injury after the Portuguese champions slipped out of the Champions League 2-1 on aggregate to Malaga


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Premier League's failure in Champions League 'a big wake-up call', warns Wenger
The tournament's quarter-finals contain no English teams for the first time since 1996 and the Arsenal boss is wary of the top flight's future in European football


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Toulalan: Barcelona have Messi, we have Isco
The French midfielder was full of superlatives for the 20-year-old in the aftermath of Malaga's historic progression to the quarter-finals of the Champions League


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Munich near-miracle restores Arsenal & Wenger's ruined reputation
The Gunners will now be confident of hauling back Chelsea in the race for fourth place after coming so close to reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League


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Wenger 'proud' of Arsenal despite Champions League exit
The Gunners pulled off an unlikely 2-0 win against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night, but a poor 3-1 defeat at home in the first leg has ultimately cost them


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Bayern Munich 0-2 Arsenal (Agg 3-3): Gunners restore pride despite away-goal exit
Arsene Wenger's team are eliminated from the Champions League at the last-16 stage for the third consecutive year despite a famous win at the home of last season's runners-up


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Malaga 2-0 Porto (Agg 2-1): Isco and Santa Cruz complete fabulous turnaround
Los Boquerones booked a place in the Champions League quarter-finals with a goal either side of half-time as the Dragoes relinquished their first-leg lead in Spain


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Sneijder expects 'difficult' Champions League draw
The January signing, who is a Champions League winner with Inter, is happy to have helped his new side reach the last eight, regardless of what happens later in the competition


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Sakho eyes Champions League glory with PSG
The France international defender has enjoyed les Parisiens' run to the quarter-finals of the competition and believes the French side can target winning the tournament now


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'I'm proud to be part of one of the great comebacks' - Busquets
The Barcelona midfielder says the 4-0 win over AC Milan on Tuesday was one of the greatest matches he has experienced in his career


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Drogba eyes PSG Champions League meeting
The Ivorian striker has said that he would like to be drawn against the Ligue 1 side in the quarter-finals of the competition


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Zubizarreta: Barca comeback will be remembered for years
The former goalkeeper believes the Blaugrana's historic comeback against the Serie A outfit is one that will not be forgotten quickly

 

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Galatasaray fans attempt to dig Veltins Arena tunnel


By Livio Caferoglu
Mar 13, 2013 3:20:00 PM

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A group of the Turkish supporters - desperate to see their team in action - were caught trying to burrow into the venue with their bare hands prior to kick-off in Gelsenkirchen

A section of Galatasaray fans unsuccessfully attempted to dig a tunnel into Schalke's Veltins Arena ahead of their Champions League last-16 clash on Tuesday.

Undeterred by a full house and tickets on the black market being traded at prices of up to €1,000, the group of desperate supporters tried to burrow their bare hands through frozen ground under a perimeter fence.

Horst Heldt, sporting director of the Royal Blues, confirmed the bizarre incident prior to kick-off, telling reporters: "Yes, that's right. Some supporters have tried to dig a tunnel with their bare hands."

A 1-1 draw was played out at the Turk Telecom Arena three weeks ago, but Umut Bulut's late winner handed Galatasaray a 3-2 second-leg victory and progression into the quarter-finals of Europe's elite club tournament.

No further comment has been made on the matter at this stage.

 

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Eight contenders left for the Champions League

By Barney Cullum
Mar 14, 2013 12:00:00 AM

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Wins for Bayern Munich & Malaga on Wednesday saw them join the remaining qualifiers battling for a place at Wembley in May's showpiece final

Full time at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday represented not only the extinguishing of Arsenal's spirited attempts at an unlikely comeback against Bayern Munich, it wrapped up the roll call of names who will contest the quarter-finals of this year's Champions League.

In the evening's other tie, Malaga were able to overturn a first leg loss, beating 10-man Porto 2-0 at La Rosaleda to triumph 2-1 on aggregate. The success of Manuel Pellegrini's men ensured La Liga has three representatives, with Barcelona and Real Madrid joining them in the hat.

Barca did it the hard way, becoming the first side to wipe out a 2-0 deficit incurred away from home when they won 4-0 at Camp Nou to eliminate AC Milan, while Real Madrid's success over Manchester United was completed by Cristiano Ronaldo's second-half winner.

Scottish champions Celtic were put to the sword by Juventus as they lost 5-0 on aggregate, while Paris Saint-Germain ensured a French side would appear in the latter stage by seeing off Valencia.

Galatasaray, another club boosted by some high profile recent glamour signings, won through to the last eight after seeing off a resilient effort by Schalke.

Borussia Dortmund's passage was far more comfortable however, dispatching the Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk 5-2.

Below is a run down of who will be in the draw for the last eight on Friday, March 15.

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Bayern escaped with a 'black eye', says Heynckes


By Tom Webber
Mar 13, 2013 10:30:00 PM

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The coach of the Bavarian giants confessed his team were fortunate to reach the Champions League quarter-finals and openly disapproved of their below par performance

Jupp Heynckes has criticised his Bayern Munich side after they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Champions League last 16 second leg.

Despite the loss the Bavarian giants progressed to the quarter-finals on the away goals rule and only suffered a bruised ego rather than elimination, but the coach admitted things did not go as planned.

"I think altogether we have to be critical of our performance today. At the end, we did get away with a black eye, however," Heynckes told ZDF.

"That early goal made us lose our concept and rhythm a bit. I would not say we were surprised, but we were not really up to it, especially during the first half.

"We never played as calm, as we usually do. This game should be an instructive example for us: You have never reached the next round, until the match is played.

"You could see today that the Champions League is a different story compared to the Bundesliga."

Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge declared his side were fortunate to have qualified on the back of their first-leg performance and added the absences of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Franck Ribery were certainly felt.

"It was a difficult match tonight and we lost 2-0. We are lucky we won the first leg and that makes us go through," he said.

"This might me a warning for us in the Champions League. The stakes are high and you have to be humble."

"It was definitive noticeable [that Schweinsteiger and Ribery were missing], since our game was not as well-structured as it usually is."

Arjen Robben also voiced his opinion that die Roten underperformed and echoed Rummenigge's sentiments that they must heed the warning from the defeat.

He added: "We shouldn't have allowed this to happen. Arsenal had nothing to lose. We should have put up more of a fight. Maybe this was a wake-up call for us."

 

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Mourinho: Winning Champions League will not determine my fate

By Barney Cullum
Mar 13, 2013 10:20:00 PM

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The Real Madrid coach says neither winning or losing the Champions League will have a bearing on any decision he makes regarding his future at the Liga champions

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has dismissed suggestions he hopes to win the Champions League at Wembley in May before walking off into the arms of a new club in the summer.

The Blancos' coach left Porto and Inter respectively in the wake of lifting European club football's most important prize.

However, the Portuguese has denied speculation he would be content to repeat the narrative with the Liga holders at the end of this season.

"I never base my decisions on whether I win or not," Mourinho told The Sun.

"I work at the top level every day, thinking only about the club and never worrying about myself."

The 50-year-old trainer has been linked with a move to Manchester City or a possible return to Chelsea and has never hidden his affection for the Premier League.

Madrid have put up a poor defence of their Liga title this term, with Mourinho's future also made uncertain by reported disagreements with senior players such as club captain Iker Casillas.


 

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Juventus have Conte's characteristics, says Jugovic
The 43-year-old says the Old Lady have displayed the same desire and strength as their current leader


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Van Nistelrooy: Malaga have nothing to lose
The former Netherlands international has revealed his delight at seeing his former club reach new heights in European competition


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Borussia Dortmund's goal is Wembley, says Santana
The Brazilian is looking to reach the final of European football's elite competition, with the club's hopes of retaining their Bundesliga title all but extinguished


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Joaquin hails Champions League progression as an 'important step' for Malaga
The former Valencia winger remarked on the differences of reaching the last eight with his current club than earlier in his career, but insists the side must continue to compete


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Bianchi: I was a great goalscorer, but Ibrahimovic is a phenomenon
The former Paris Saint-Germain striker believes the Swede could surpass his club record for goals scored in a season, and thinks the current side is a match for most in Europe


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Pellegrini keen to avoid Clasico giants
The Chilean boss is hoping Malaga do not get paired with either one of their two fellow Spaniards in the last eight, while he insists his side won their tie with Porto fairly


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Some of the criticisms of Arsenal were justified, admits Arteta
The Spanish midfielder praised his team-mates for a "terrific" result against Bayern Munich but admitted that they had frustrated themselves in certain games this season


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Messi was simply brilliant, says Cruyff
The legendary Dutchman was impressed with the prolific forward's performance, and has rubbished claims the Blaugrana's era could be over


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Mourinho: Ronaldo can emulate Giggs & Scholes
The flamboyant coach feels the prolific attacker could keep on playing for several more years, and says anything can happen in the Champions League


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Galatasaray's Champions League success proves I made right choice, says Sneijder
The Netherlands international is pleased with his winter move to Cimbom and is determined to become a key player at his new club


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Heynckes: Arsenal deserved their win
The 67-year-old has stated that the Gunners deservedly emerged victorious, and believes English football is not in crisis


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Arsenal will remain a major force even if they fail to make immediate return to Champions League
The Gunners have the resources to still be a powerhouse in the Premier League even without a minimum €29 million windfall for qualifying for Europe's elite competition


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Mascherano lauds 'crazy' Barcelona achievements
The Argentine has stressed that the Blaugrana's successes in recent years should not be forgotten, and has urged them to remain focused


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Robben: Arsenal loss a wake-up call for Bayern
The Dutchman has stressed that the Bundesliga leaders cannot afford to lose focus if they are to go all the way in Europe


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Arsenal need a bit more belief, says Ramsey
The Gunners were eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern Munich on Wednesday despite winning 2-0 at the Allianz Arena, a result which the Welshman thinks proves their class


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Bayern not ready for Champions League, says Wenger
The Arsenal manager feels the Bavarians have some way to go before becoming European champions ahead of the likes of Barcelona
 

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USELESS Robinho is a £32m footballer but he didn't seem bothered that AC Milan had been crushed by Barcelona... And El Shaarawy's barnet was criminal

By THE USELESS COLUMN
PUBLISHED: 12:55 GMT, 13 March 2013 | UPDATED: 13:01 GMT, 13 March 2013

Your striker fluffs a sitter, your defender shanks a clearance, your winger misses a try or your hot-tip falls at the first fence.... All together now: 'USELESS!' Our man delivers the verdict with real feeling. Today's it's Robinho's turn to be handed Sportsmail's dubious honour...

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Robinho is - or was - a £32million footballer. So what WAS he doing last night? AC Milan were 3-0 down, needing only an away goal to silence the Nou Camp when the Brazilian took charge of a precious free-kick in the dying moments inside the Barcelona half. It was a huge ask but all the big lads surged forward - Mexes and Zapata joined Boateng and Co up front. They wrestled on the edge of the area with the likes of Pique, Puyol and Busquets, waiting for the ball to be pumped long in the hope that they might just be able to rescue their Champions League dream. But Robinho, thrown on by boss Massimiliano Allegri only minutes beforehand as a substitute, inexplicably wasted their last remaining chance by passing the ball five yards to Sulley Muntari.

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Hey, give us your shirt, lads? Robinho (right) chats to Barcelona duo Leo Messi (left) and Xavi Hernandez (centre) at the Nou Camp last night

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Beaten but not empty handed: Puyol beats Robinho to the ball (left) and the Brazilian leaves the field with compatriot Dani Alves's shirt after the crushing defeat in the Champions League last 16

The former Portsmouth midfielder was deservedly robbed and lBarca swarmed down the other end and Jordi Alba wrapped things up to send the Italian giants crashing out of Europe, 4-0.
Humiliation complete. Game over. He'd been on less than half-an-hour, Robinho was USELESS.What was even more galling was that he didn't even appear to be remotely bothered about the defeat.

At the end, all he wanted to do was wait to swap shirts with somebody. Eventually, after joking around with Lionel Messi and Xavi, he ended up with a souvenir from compatriot Dani Alves (who must have felt sorry for him).Now Robinho has previous, of course. He was USELESS at Manchester City - the team that paid £32m to Real Madrid for him, don't forget.The boy from Brazil arrived in 2008 as Britain's most-expensive transfer signing with the weight of expectation that he would be the man to turn the then newly-rich City into world beaters.

Admittedly, he started brightly. But ultimately as the weather turned, with just 16 goals to his name from 53 appearances, he proved as much value as City's other big Brazilian bottler Jo and was soon sent packing to Milan (via Santos).At 29, it's fair to say Robinho hasn't delivered on the grandest stage. He should have done, he has the ability, he just doesn't seem to care...

That was useless!

PS. Stephan El Shaarawy's haircut was criminal... That alone deserves honorary inclusion into the USELESS! Column, but the Italy forward's outrageous attempt at an overhead kick in the first half was even more USELESS!

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A cut above? AC Milan's Stephan El Shaarawy's 'fashionable' barnet (left) and his hopelessly fluffed overhead free kick during the first half at the Nou Camp (right)

 

THE_CHANSTER

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Re: UEFA Champions League 2012/2013 - Quarter Final Draw

The Champions League quarter-final draw in full:

Malaga v Borussia Dortmund

Real Madrid v Galatasaray

Paris Saint Germain v Barcelona

Bayern Munich v Juventus

First legs to be played on 2 or 3 April and second legs to be played on 9 or 10 April.
 
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