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The Frenchman believes the Catalan giants are not invincible and face a tough test against the big-spending Ligue 1 leaders
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has stated that Barcelona have a "vulnerability" which can be exploited by Paris Saint-Germain when the two sides meet in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Having already lost away to Celtic and AC Milan in this season’s campaign, Wenger believes the Catalan club have lost their air of invincibility, though PSG must nevertheless find a way to stop Lionel Messi.
"Seeing as Celtic and AC Milan have managed to beat Barcelona, anything is possible for a team like Paris Saint-Germain," wrote Wenger on his Eurosport blog.
"Barcelona are not invincible. It's clear that Barca are the superior side technically, but they have lost a bit of spark recently."
Citing defensive frailties and the French club’s attacking firepower, spearheaded by Ligue 1 topscorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Premier League manager has suggested a weakness in Tito Vilanova’s side.
"They [Barcelona] are now more vulnerable at the back and I believe that PSG have enough attacking potential to exploit this vulnerability which did not exist in previous seasons," Wenger continued.
Despite backing an upset, the Gunners boss is adamant that success will be impossible for PSG if they cannot find a way to stop Messi, who has bagged an astonishing 43 La Liga goals this year.
"Another key factor in knocking Barça out will be to stop Messi in any way possible," warned the Frenchman.
"The Argentine is vital to Barça's attack and he scores between 60 and 70 per cent of their goals. But the other challenge for PSG is to make sure the other players don't compensate for Messi."
Even though PSG’s ranks are well stocked with high-profile names, such as Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva, Wenger singled out 25-year-old Blaise Matuidi as the French side’s key player against the Liga leaders.
"Matuidi will have a huge bearing on what happens in these games," added the Arsenal boss. "He could even compensate for what happened between France and Spain last week.
'Bayern are lacking in leadership' - Effenberg backs Juventus win
By Will Jones
Apr 1, 2013 2:40:00 PM
The former Roten midfielder has written off the club's chances of beating Juventus in the Champions League as they have no leader in their ranks should things go pear shaped
Former Bayern Munich captain Stefan Effenberg has tipped Juventus over his former team in the Champions League quarter-final because Jupp Heynckes' side lack a leader when things go wrong.
The ex-German international spent two spells with die Roten where he won three Bundesliga titles and one Champions League.
However, the former skipper believes an "improved" La Vecchia Signora have the edge over his former employers.
“I don’t think they [Bayern] are favourites,” the 44-year-old told Ita Sport Press.
“That is because this Juventus side is different from the one that started the competition.
“They’ve improved so much since then, especially in terms of their self-belief,” added the former Fiorentina, Borussia Monchengladbach and Wolfsburg midfielder.
The German club will be confident of their chances having thumped Hamburg 9-2 at the weekend to maintain their 20-point lead over second-placed Borussia Dortmund, but Effenberg believes this will count for nothing against the Bianconeri.
“Should Bayern have an off day there is no real leader in their side who can drag the team along," he continued.
“That is a limitation because a successful side needs to have personality and a competitive nastiness.”
The two teams meet in Munich on April 2 before the return leg in Turin on April 10.
The Germany international realises a difficult task awaits the Bundesliga leaders, but he is confident Bayern will find a way to beat the Juve back-line
Philipp Lahm believes Bayern Munich have what it takes to breakdown any defence as they prepare for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie against Juventus on Tuesday.
The Turin giants have impressed defensively this season, conceding only 19 goals in 30 Serie A appearances so far, yet Lahm has little doubt that Bayern, who put nine past Hamburg on Saturday, will find a way through against the Old Lady.
"Juventus have impressed us. They have dominated Serie A and it will not be an easy task to beat them. They're a typical Italian team, very well organised and with some incredibly talented individuals," Lahm was quoted as saying by TZ.
"But we all know what we're capable of, too. We know that we can unlock any defence. We have some great players and the win over Hamburg showed what we can do.
"Juventus are a good team and they are very strong at the back. They are not an easy team to face, but we want to beat them."
Tuesday's encounter in Munich is set to kick off at 20:45CET.
Terim is close to his players like Mourinho, says Drogba
By Chris Kvesa
Apr 1, 2013 4:15:00 PM
The ex-Chelsea star is relishing the trip to Spain where he made his Champions League debut, and says the Portuguese and Turkish boss share similar coaching methods
Galatasaray striker Didier Drogba has remarked that coach Fatih Terim takes a similar approach to Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho when it comes to motivating his players.
The Cote d'Ivoire star played under the Portuguese trainer when he was in charge of the Blues between 2004 and 2007 and he believes they are similarities between him and current boss Terim.
"I have a lot of memories of him [Mourinho]," the 35-year-old was quoted as saying by the club's official magazine.
"He's always in the spotlight and he looks out for everyone. He tries to get the best out of every individual. Fatih Terim is like Mourinho in that respect. He's close to the players."
Drogba then reflected on his Champions League debut against Madrid in 2003, where he scored a goal for his former side Olympique Marseille in their 4-2 loss at the Santiago Bernabeu.
"The Bernabeu game will be very special for me. I played my first Champions League match there against the Madrid 'galacticos'," he continued.
"I scored my first goal, even though we lost 4-2 – it was in the group stages of the 2003-2004 campaign with Marseille. I'll never forget that day. It was very important for my career."
Galatasaray are currently preparing for their trip to Madrid on April 3, kick off is at 20.45CET.
Terim: Even a six-year-old knows how Real Madrid play
By Steve Norman
Apr 2, 2013 1:50:00 PM
The Galatasaray boss believes it is pointless to analyse los Blancos' style of play, warning against the "embarrassment of riches" at Jose Mourinho's disposal
Galatasaray coach Fatih Terim has claimed "even a six-year-old" is aware of how Real Madrid play, stressing that there is little point in focusing on the Liga champions' tactics.
The Super Lig leaders face los Blancos in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday night, and although Terim admits he has studied fastidiously any recent footage of Jose Mourinho's side, he maintains everyone knows what to expect from them.
“There's not much point talking about Real Madrid. Everyone knows what they're about. Even a six-year-old knows how Real plays,” Terim told Marca.com.
“I always watch Real Madrid – it's the smartest way to keep improving as a coach. I never miss any. In the last week alone, I've watched six or seven videos.”
Terim, who also went to watch los Blancos in action against Real Mallorca, insists he intends to "play the right way" despite the formidable strength in depth of their opponents.
“I saw a team that was much better than Mallorca. A cut above. They have an embarrassment of riches at the back, in midfield and up front," he continued.
“It's going to be a lot of fun. Even if I lose, I intend to play the right way. If we give a good account of ourselves at the [Santiago] Bernabeu, I'll be proud of my players.
Terim also lamented that Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder may not be fully fit for the clash, highlighting the match-winning abilities of the former Chelsea striker.
“Drogba is a very special player, capable of proving his greatness at any moment" he added. "Granted, it's not ideal that he and Sneijder were out of action for so long. I'd love for them to be 100 per cent.”
Sahin dismisses favourites tag ahead of Malaga clash
By Steve Norman
Apr 2, 2013 3:45:00 PM
The Turkey international has warned of the qualities possessed by Manuel Pellegrini's side, having played against them during his time with Real Madrid
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Nuri Sahin has warned that the Champions League quarter-final tie against Malaga will be anything but easy.
The German champions go into the first leg on Wednesday as favourites to reach the last four, but Sahin, who played against Malaga four times during his spell with Real Madrid, insists such tags are meaningless at this stage of the tournament.
"I know Malaga from my time at Real Madrid. I've played four times again them, and they made it really difficult for us on three occasions,” Sahin told Ruhr Nachrichten.
"They don't have anything to lose. Nobody had them on the list for the quarter-finals.
"They'll be able to play their game freely, which could be a problem for us.
"We can't let them find their rhythm. This is crucial. Other than that, their football's looking pretty good. We'll have to be there from the first minute.
"In the quarter-finals, there are no favourites anymore. We might have a slight edge though as we'll play the second leg at home.”
The Chilean coach feels the Liga outfit have already surprised everybody with their success, and is keen to keep up their good form against BVB
Manuel Pellegrini has voiced his delight with Malaga's unexpectedly good performances in the Champions League so far this term, and is eagerly anticipating the quarter-final tie against Borussia Dortmund.
The Boquerones finished ahead of AC Milan, Zenit St Petersburg and Anderlecht to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition in their maiden campaign, before seeing off Porto to book their ticket for the quarter-finals.
"Nobody gave us a chance at the start and yet the players have responded so well. We eliminated Porto and that represented a huge achievement for the side. The merits this season have been won out on the pitch," Pellegrini stated at the pre-match press conference.
"I am delighted to be playing Dortmund as creative as they are. The fans will see a great game. Both teams like to have the ball and are very powerful.
"We will try to minimise their strengths while trying to play to ours. Dortmund have a great team, they have five players who start for the German national side. They have huge potential, are very creative in midfield but I think their main strength is in attack.
"You never know what the result in football will be, we can't know exactly what will happen. What I do know is that it is so important to get a good result to take into the away leg."
Wednesday's first leg in Malaga is scheduled to kick off at 20:45.
Felipe Melo: Beating Real Madrid not mission impossible The former Juventus midfielder is optimistic about his side's chances of making it to the semi-finals of European club football's elite competition
Dani Alves: Draw still a good result for Barcelona The Brazilian was positive over the outcome of Tuesday's encounter at the Parc des Princes, but has rued the loss of Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano through injury
Early goal shocked Juventus, says Neuer The Germany international has hailed his side's superb start to Tuesday's encounter, and has stressed any mistake in the Champions League can prove to be fatal
Xavi: Barcelona have adequate cover for Messi & Mascherano The midfielder has little doubt the Blaugrana will find an answer to their injury worries, and was pleased with Tuesday's draw at the Parc des Princes
Bayern Munich are not through yet, says Robben The winger has warned his team-mates not to get carried away after their convincing win on Tuesday night
Matuidi: Paris Saint-Germain can compete with the best The Frenchman was pleased with the Ligue 1 leaders' display on Tuesday and feels they gave a good account of themselves
Beckham believes PSG can progress after Barcelona draw The former LA Galaxy midfielder was pleased with his side's performance and feels the Parisians can qualify for the semi-finals despite conceding two away goals
Roura criticises 'questionable decisions' made by referee After Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored from an offside position, the Barcelona assistant coach expressed his reservations about the performance of referee Wolfgang Stark
Chiellini: Bayern's tempo was incredible The Italian defender was impressed with the workrate of the German side, claiming they were worthy winners but asserts that the tie is far from over
Bayern dominated Juventus throughout, says Heynckes The veteran coach was delighted with his 2-0 win over the Bianconeri after their preparation work paid off
Mascherano ruled out for six weeks with knee injury The Argentina international was stretchered off in the closing stages of Barcelona's 2-2 draw with Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, with the club confirming a ligament tear
Messi substituted at half-time after suffering hamstring injury The Argentine failed to re-appear in the second half of the Blaugrana's first-leg clash against PSG after giving his side the lead moments beforehand
Galatasaray will fight to beat Madrid, says Terim The boss of the Turkish league leaders thinks that, despite the club's underdog status, they have the quality to beat Los Blancos in the last eight of the Champions League
Sneijder: Mourinho is now my enemy The Netherlands star insists his side will be gunning for victory at Santiago Bernabeu in the quarter-final first leg on Wednesday
Malaga clash will be one of the best this season, says Klopp The 45-year-old has warned of the qualities posed by the Liga outfit, and highlighted the talents of Isco and Mario Gotze
Hamit dreams of breaking Bernabeu duck The Turkey international is hoping to come back and haunt his former side after an inauspicious season with the Spanish champions
Malaga clash will be one of the best this season, says Klopp
By Steve Norman
Apr 2, 2013 5:40:00 PM
The 45-year-old has warned of the qualities posed by the Liga outfit, and highlighted the talents of Isco and Mario Gotze
Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp believes the Champions League clash with Malaga could be one of the finest games in this season's competition.
The German champions face Manuel Pellegrini's side in the first leg at La Rosaleda on Wednesday, and Klopp feels the tournament debutants fully deserve their place in the last eight, insisting the tie is wide open.
"We are in the Champions League where we have played very well so far. We cannot say that we will be disappointed if Malaga beat us. The name of the team does not matter,” he told a press conference.
"We have all seen Champions League games involving Malaga. They are totally deserving of their quarter-final place.
“It is the first time we have played against Malaga. We have seen and analysed a lot of their games. They are doing very well and are an experienced team with strong defensive and offensive systems. The tie is open, it is a great opportunity and we are happy to play them.
"Many teams have been eliminated and Malaga are still in the competition. I think tomorrow we will see one of the best games of the competition. The most important game of the season is tomorrow's game. We want to reach semi-finals, let us see what will happen."
Klopp was also full of praise for opposite number Pellegrini, and paid tribute to the talents of Isco and Mario Gotze ahead of the encounter.
"Manuel Pellegrini is an excellent coach. With young players like Isco and [Mario] Gotze we do not think about how old they are. Isco is an excellent player, they are both very good," he continued.
Defender Felipe Santana also emphasized the team’s desire to beat Malaga and get into the semi-finals.
"We have an extra motivation to play the next stage. We are playing a good team and we want to beat them," the Brazilian added.
Apr 3, 2013 8:00:00 AM The 59-year-old Malaga coach, who was kicked out of Real Madrid in 2010, is now attracting interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs
COMMENT
By Rupert Fryer
Manuel Pellegrini has always held his head high. An educated, considered man, the Chilean may not hold the hearts of his players, or his nation, but he commands their respect, something he had earned in 2010 when he left the Santiago Bernabeu for the final time.
He wasn’t the first and he certainly won’t be the last. Real Madrid is an unforgiving club. Ask Jupp Heynckes, who was sacked a week after leading the club to their first Champions League title in over 30 years; or Fabio Capello, dismissed eleven days after earning los Blancos their first league title in four seasons; or Vicente del Bosque, a legendary former player and a man who had coached at every level of the club, cast aside as a dinosaur having led the team to two European crowns.
And so for Pellegrini, who received his marching orders after finishing the 2009-10 season second to Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona. His dismissal did not come as much of a shock – despite accruing the biggest points total – 96 – in Madrid's history, as he matched arguably the finest team in living memory every step of the way.
Marca’s campaign to see the back of him had gathered pace following the club’s Champions League exit to Olympique Lyonnais, rendering his summer exit inevitable. He was never likely to have trouble finding work, however. He won league titles in Argentina before leading then minnows Villarreal to the most successful period in the club’s history between 2004-2009 – finishing as La Liga runners-up in 2008 and coming within a penalty of a Champions League final – left him with enough credit in the bank to carefully consider his next role.
Despite interest from the Mexican football federation, el Ingeniero (Pellegrini is a qualified civil engineer with a degree from Chile’s Catholic University) wanted to build something.
PELLEGRINI'S COACHING CAREER
Universidad de Chile Palestino Chile Under-20 Palestino O'Higgins Universidad Catolica Palestino LDU Quito San Lorenzo River Plate Villarreal Real Madrid Malaga
The key to his move to Malaga, he told World Soccer in 2011, “was the intention that the directors had to build a great Malaga and the credibility of the way the club wanted to go about it.”
A year later or so later, after over €50 million had been spent in pursuit of greatness and Champions League qualification had been achieved, that credibility was nowhere to be found. Rumours of unpaid wages and missed – or totally ignored – payments to other clubs began circulating.
The club’s Qatari benefactors had seemingly lost interest, or money, or both. Unable to pay the exhorbitant wages to which the club had committed, a fire sale was expected. Their best player, Santi Cazorla, jumped ship for Arsenal, and star striker Salomon Rondon joined Rubin Kazan as the cost-cutting began in earnest.
The game had changed. His sugar daddy nowhere in sight, Pellegrini’s net spend dropped from the highest in Spain last season to zero this campaign. Javier Saviola and Manuel Iturra arrived on free transfers, while Roque Santa Cruz and later Diego Lugano and Vitorino Antunes joined on loan.
You see, Pellegrini is a man to be trusted with money. Cuprum, Chile’s premier retirement investment funds company, certainly think so: he's long been the face of their advertising campaign – appearances which have also appeared to further alienate him from Chile’s football family, serving to remind the working classes that while he should be respected, he’s just not one of them.
But perhaps that is where his true strength lies. Malaga have needed a calm head to steady the ship through waters so choppy the club are still unsure if they will even be allowed to compete in the Champions League should they beat Real Sociedad and Valencia into Spain’s top four.
“Malaga are the sensation of the Liga season and Pellegrini has demonstrated his natural talent for managing a dressing room,” says Goalcom Spain's Adrian Boullosa. "Pellegrini is a sergeant who does not have to shout. The players respect him and appreciate his effort."
Following all the off-the-pitch turmoil that has surrounded the club this season, that they sit fifth in La Liga with nine rounds to go and have made it to the quarter-finals of the Champions League in their debut season in the competition speaks volumes of the job the 59-year-old has done. It also tells you exactly why the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea are paying such close attention, with City in particular thinking he may be the man to take the Citizens that one step futher in Europe.
“Nobody gave us a chance at the start,” he said on Tuesday ahead of his side's clash with Borussia Dortmund. “The merits this season have been won out on the pitch.” And they’ve been orchestrated from the dugout.
'He likes to dive' - Ancelotti slams Alexis over penalty incident
By Joe Wright
Apr 2, 2013 10:11:00 PM
The Italian has accused the Chile international of deliberately conning the referee to earn the spot-kick which allowed Xavi to score a second away goal
Paris Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti has slammed Alexis Sanchez after the Barcelona attacker won a late penalty in the 2-2 draw at Parc des Princes on Tuesday.
The Chilean was brought down by Salvatore Sirigu late on with the scores level at 1-1, allowing Xavi to notch a second away goal before Blaise Matuidi's last-gasp equaliser.
Although replays showed there was contact between the players, Ancelotti insists the referee made an incorrect call, but claimed he is used to the former Udinese winger attempting to earn fouls.
"Alexis looked for the goalkeeper, it was not a penalty," he told Canal + after the match. "It was a gift from the referee.
"We have experience with Alexis, in the friendly in August he also dived. We know him. He likes to dive. It is nothing new."
The Italian went on to praise his side's resolve on the night, insisting they proved they can compete at Barcelona's level ahead of the return leg at Camp Nou.
"It was a good game. We played well in the first few minutes but it got complicated. We used a lot of energy to level the score," he continued.
"We have opportunities for the return game. It is still open, even if it will not be easy. We showed that we can compete against Barca. We will have to score twice there. We did it tonight, let's do it the same way in the second leg."
Director of football Leonardo voiced his own admiration for the team's display, and paid particular tribute to the tactics deployed by Ancelotti on the night.
"We are very, very proud. We conceded when we were at our best in the game, and to come back in the game against Barcelona is not easy.
"Carlo was amazing today. He studied Barcelona hard, and it is true that if you look at the game, we had a nearly perfect strategy. We had one goal when we were the best. But if you leave a few millimeters to [Lionel] Messi, this is what happens.
"I believe that after all we've been through in the past few months, today is truly a wonderful thing, because it is not easy to build a team. We are very proud of our game, our behaviour, our approach to the game.
"It is true that it is very difficult there [at Camp Nou]. But you never know. With this spirit, we'll try everything."
Conte: Bayern Munich were simply better than Juventus
By Stefan Coerts
Apr 3, 2013 7:35:00 AM
The Bianconeri trainer was full of respect for the Bundesliga giants following Tuesday's encounter at the Allianz Arena
Antonio Conte has admitted that Juventus were simply not good enough in the first-leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich, following a one-sided 2-0 defeat.
An early goal from David Alaba, followed by a Thomas Muller strike after the break, helped the Bavarians to a comfortable home win, and Conte realises his side now face a tough task to turn things around in the second leg.
"Bayern played a great game. We just came up against a great team tonight. I have to be honest and admit that we simply faced a better side," Conte said at a press conference.
"We knew it would be a difficult game but we also know that football is unpredictable and that we'll have to do something great against such a strong team in the return leg.
"Bayern have great quality but also a great physical condition and a great fighting spirit. They are up there with Barcelona and Madrid in terms of quality yet they are also very angry after losing last season's final at home on penalties. And they proved all their grit tonight.
"Bayern played with great tempo, they won almost every challenge and did not allow us to play our game. Our project started only 16 months ago, so this can be an important lesson, especially to understand what it takes to play at this level. We can just be proud to already be here at this stage."
Juve resume Serie A action on Saturday at home against Pescara.
Bayern Munich 2 Juventus 0: Alaba's early goal sets the tone as German giants dominate to leave Juve on the brink
PUBLISHED: 20:37 GMT, 2 April 2013 | UPDATED: 00:00 GMT, 3 April 2013
Bayern Munich's bid to reach a third Champions League final in four years remains on track after they earned a deserved victory over Juventus in the first leg of their quarter-final clash. A goal inside the first minute from David Alaba set Bayern on their way and Thomas Muller added a second just after the hour mark as the German giants built a healthy advantage to take to Italy for their return leg. However Bayern, runners-up in 2010 and again last year when they lost the final on home soil to Chelsea following a penalty shoot-out, will be wary of getting too confident.
Explosive start: David Alaba gave Bayern Munich the lead inside the opening minute
In the previous round they beat Arsenal 3-1 away from home in the first leg but were then made to sweat for a place in the last eight after losing the home leg 2-0. That was Bayern's only setback during a run of 13 wins in 14 matches coming into tonight's game though, and on Saturday they moved to within one win of claiming the Bundesliga title with a 9-2 thrashing of Hamburg. Confidence was flying and and they could hardly have had a better start against Italian title hopefuls Juve at the Allianz Arena.
There were less than 30 seconds on the clock when Alaba picked up the ball 30 yards from goal before unleashing a left-footed effort which, after clipping the end of Arturo Vidal's boot, swerved past the hopelessly wrong-footed Gianluigi Buffon and into the bottom corner. Juve might have felt a little unlucky to have conceded in that fashion but they could consider themselves fortunate not to have conceded more during a first half that Bayern largely dominated. After Juve playmaker Andrea Pirlo saw a dipping long-range free-kick land on the roof of Manuel Neuer's net, the home side started to create a number of good openings.
United: Alaba's goal is celebrated with his team-mates
Outclassed: Despite Juve's quality, Franck Ribery's Bayern were the better team
Substitute Arjen Robben, having replaced the injured Toni Kroos moments before, almost marked his introduction with a goal in the 18th minute only to be denied by a fine save from Buffon.
Franck Ribery then saw a shot deflected into the side-netting before Robben fired another great opening wide just after the half-hour.
Robben drew another save from Buffon in the 35th minute, albeit a comfortable one, before Bastian Schweinsteiger fired a half-chance over the bar.
Strong: Fabio Quagliarella holds off Bayern's Luiz Gustavo
Substitude: Wideman Arjen Robben was an early replacement for Toni Kroos
Disappointing: The classy Andrea Pirlo struggled to impose himself throughout the game
Downbeat: The excellent Gianluigi Buffon could do little to help his side avoid defeat
Tap in: Thomas Muller's goal, Bayern's second, was almost impossible to miss
Juve's best hope of success looked to be from Pirlo's set-pieces and they almost drew level from one on the stroke of half-time, Leonardo Bonucci glancing a header just over from the veteran playmaker's inswinging corner.
That effort, and the half-time interval, offered some respite to Juve but they were back on the defensive at the start of the second half, with Buffon denying Mario Mandzukic at his near post before then flying to his left to parry an Alaba free-kick.
Bayern were employing a shoot-on-sight policy and another effort from outside the box led to their second goal in the 63rd minute.
Time to celebrate: Bayern's players knew they were building a commanding lead
Agony and ecstasy: Juve are on the verge of elimination from the Champions League while Bayern have one foot in the semi-finals
Buffon kept out Luiz Gustavo's shot but the rebound was picked up by Mandzukic and he laid the ball back into the centre for Muller to tap into an empty net.
Jupp Heynckes' side sensed they could all but finish Juve off before the second leg and Buffon needed to be alert to deflect away a thunderbolt from Ribery in the 70th minute.
Buffon then produced a superb one-handed save to deny Muller in the 90th minute and, with the Germany international firing the rebound over with the goal at his mercy, that could yet prove decisive in the second leg.
PSG 2 Barcelona 2: Messi injury, controversial Ibra goal and an added-time equaliser but Becks is the talk of Paris
By IAN LADYMAN PUBLISHED: 20:43 GMT, 2 April 2013 | UPDATED: 11:19 GMT, 3 April 2013
Before he played his final game in America last November, David Beckham leaned against a wall outside the LA Galaxy dressing room and said he dreamed of playing Champions League football again. In the rarefied atmosphere of the Parc des Princes, we saw exactly why. Beckham is edging towards his 38th birthday and may not be the remarkable athlete of old, but why would he turn his back on nights like this while his legs can still carry him? Here in Paris we witnessed European football at its dramatic best as Carlo Ancelotti’s emerging PSG side twice came from behind to earn a draw to take to Barcelona’s Nou Camp later this month.
French fancy: Paris St Germain's Blaise Matuidi hit a fine qualiser with the last kick of the game
It probably won’t be enough to see them through to the last four. AC Milan lost 4-0 in Catalonia in the last round, remember.Nevertheless, Beckham will long remember this night. Those who were suggesting that the former England captain should return to the national team are getting ahead of themselves. However, he more than played his part during the 70 minutes he was on the field.‘I’m enjoying being part of these nights again,’ said Beckham.
‘They don’t get better than this. I’ve not played in the Champions League for a few years so to be back in it, to be playing against Barcelona is special.‘We’ll go to their place and it could be difficult, but there’s no reason why we can’t get a result.’With the Champions League’s English representatives already a distant memory this season, Beckham’s appearance in the starting XI last night was as welcome as it was surprising.He said: ‘I never expect to be in the line-up in any game. I just want to make an impact when I play. But to start a game like this, it shows how much confidence the manager has in me.’It was three years ago that Beckham last began a game in his favourite competition, for Milan at Manchester United and, after all that time, here we were relying on him to lift our spirits once again.
Before kick-off he suggested he could barely believe his good fortune to be playing once more at a top European club and even said he still harboured hopes of a return to the England side. During an opening half-hour that saw PSG in the ascendancy, he looked very much at home.With the extra space and time that come with his position in front of the defence, Beckham flourished during the first half. Indeed, PSG might have led had Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes not denied Javier Pastore and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and had Sergio Busquets’s early error diverted the ball into the net instead of on to a post.
Getting stuck in: Beckham started for PSG and played for 70 minutes before being replaced by Marco Verratti
Stars of the show: Messi is tracked by Beckham
Battle for the ball: Messi holds off the challenge of Beckham
Going in for the tackle: Beckham brings down Cesc Fabregas
In the book: Beckham is shown a yellow card by Referee Wolfgang Stark
BUT IT'S A 'NON' FROM L'EQUIPE
Beckham seemed to hold his own against the celebrated Barcelona midfield last night, but he failed to impress leading French sports newspaper L’Equipe.
In the player ratings he was given only 3 out of 10 – the worst of any player on the pitch. The verdict claimed: ‘He sometimes found some precision with his right foot to create an opening or two. But he didn’t make much impact, he lacked rhythm and he is was sometimes off the pace.
'He lost the ball to allow Barca to open the scoring (38th minute). He was replaced by Verratti (70th), who was more resolute.’
But Beckham played in Spain for long enough to know that teams who don’t take their chances against Barcelona usually suffer and so it was here.Happy no doubt to be still level after half an hour, Barcelona edged into the game and took the lead when Lionel Messi converted Daniel Alves’s quite stunning pass without breaking stride in the 37th minute. Messi has now scored 59 Champions League goals and they have come in 20 European cities.
It is, however, Alves’s chipped pass with the outside of his right foot — so peculiar it looked almost painful — that should be remembered this time. It will not be bettered this season. For the next half an hour, it seemed as though that might be the end of things. PSG seemed to wilt after their early forays and even though a hamstring strain kept Messi indoors for the second half his absence didn’t seem to impinge on his team’s sense of comfort. Ancelotti’s team are a gutsy bunch, though, and it only takes a moment to get the Parisians behind them. Beckham was resting his legs with the substitutes — having been booked and then taken off with 21 minutes left — when PSG struck back to spark the chain of events that brought the night to a stunning climax.
On target - again: Lionel Messi opened the scoring for Barcelona with a well-struck volley
Easy does it: Messi runs off in celebration after making it 1-0
Celebration time: Messi celebrates with Daniel Alves and Xavi Hernandez after his goal against PSG
Beckham's heat map (above) shows where he took his touches against Barcelona - and it is clear he is able to dictate play from in front of the back four. As Gary Lineker put it in his tweet during the game: 'Beckham is running the show! #quarterback'
Messi's heat map against PSG, meanwhile, shows that he drifted in between the lines of midfield and defence to pick up the ball, and spent nearly all of his time in the opposition half - no surprises there then!
Beckham has been well received here but they truly love Ibrahimovic — he is the talisman — and the noise escalated to fever pitch when the Swede capped a spell of PSG pressure by turning the ball in for an equalising goal after Thiago Silva’s header had come back from a post, although Ibrahimovic was clearly offside before his finish. Back on terms with 10 minutes left, PSG were ecstatic and red smoke filled the air at one end of the stadium. Still there were two more twists. First, home goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu dashed unwisely from his goal to bring down Alexis Sanchez with two minutes left. When Xavi slotted in the penalty, the locals started to head for home.But PSG mounted one last, frantic bid for parity and when the ball broke to midfielder Blaise Matuidi on the edge of the penalty area in added time, his shot was deflected just enough to squirm past Valdes at his near post.
Not going to plan: Zlatan Ibrahimovic and David Beckham look dejected as Barcelona celebrate
Barcelona’s players expressed their frustration over Ibrahimovic’s goal afterwards. ‘We would have taken a 2-2 before the game, but now the result leaves a bittersweet taste,’ said Xavi. Busquets added: ‘It’s impossible the referee didn’t see the offside. Ibra was one to two metres offside.’Messi is likely to miss the second leg but Beckham said: ‘I hope he’s not injured, we all hope he’s fit and ready to go for any game that’s coming up. We wish him better.’Next stop, Spain. We can expect Beckham to play some part.
Controversy: Zlatan Ibrahimovic pulled his side level with a goal that seemed to be clearly offside
Going down: Alexis Sanchez falls under the challenge of PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu
The Bayern Munich legend was stunned by the Juventus skipper's poor performance during die Roten's 2-0 win over the Bianconeri on Tuesday
Franz Beckenbauer has joked that Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon "looked like a pensioner" during Bayern Munich's 2-0 Champions League success over the Italian champions on Tuesday.
The Bianconeri skipper was at fault for both goals, failing to change direction in time to keep out a slightly deflected strike from David Alaba, before later spilling a tame Luiz Gustavo shot at the feet of Mario Mandzukic, who immediately teed Thomas Muller up for a tap-in.
Beckenbauer was particularly shocked by the way in which the 35-year-old Buffon was beaten all ends up by Bayern's opener.
"Buffon looked like a pensioner," the Bavarians' honorary president told reporters after the game, according to the Gazzetta dello Sport.
"I don't want to upset you, but he should have saved that shot. Maybe, he was not expecting Alaba to strike it from there: Alaba shot from 120 metres!"
Buffon and his colleagues will now desperately be hoping to make amends in next week's return leg in Turin.
Re: UEFA Champions League 2012/2013 - Quarter Final Draw
Mourinho puts referees under pressure, says Dani Alves The Brazilian believes his dismissal in the 2011 Clasico was down to the influence of the Portuguese, and hit out at suggestions that Barcelona players do likewise
I don't have to apologise to Vidal - Ribery The Bayern Munich attacker insists his late challenge on the Chilean midfielder was simply par for the course in a competitive fixture
Felipe Melo: Drogba will win us trophies The Galatasaray midfielder believes the signings of the Ivorian forward and Wesley Sneijder could help transform the stature of the club
Riquelme hails 'incredible' Iniesta The Boca Juniors star believes his former team-mate is peerless in his position, and also heaped praise on Lionel Messi and Eric Abidal
Robben: Kroos injury benefits me The 29-year-old is hoping to feature more prominently in the first team after the frustration of starting on the bench for his side's 2-0 win over Juventus on Tuesday
Messi doubtful for second leg against PSG Barcelona have confirmed the attacker's rate of recovery will determine whether or not he is fit for next week's clash
Ibrahimovic 'very confident' of Champions League progress The Sweden international believes the Ligue 1 leaders have a good chance of reaching the semi-finals
Real Madrid will beat Galatasaray, claims confident Essien The Ghanaian midfielder has set his sights on European glory and is eagerly anticipating what he hopes will be another special European night for los Blancos
It's dangerous to think about the semi-finals, warns Zorc
By Henry Jackson
Apr 3, 2013 3:55:00 PM
Borussia Dortmund's sporting director believes it is crucial people within the club don't carried away ahead of the their first Champions League quarter-final since 1998
Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has warned that his side face a stern test against Malaga in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The German side widely tipped to overcome Manuel Pellegrini's side and reach the last four, but Zorc insists that assuming the side will progress is a dangerous game to play.
"I do not like the fact that everybody is already talking about the semi-finals. This is the most dangerous thing we could do," the 50-year-old told Ruhr Nachrichten.
"In order to qualify, Dortmund need two very good performances. Malaga have not reached the quarter-finals by walkover."
Meanwhile, ahead of Wednesday's first leg at La Rosaleda, coach Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Marcel Schmelzer and Jacob Blaszczykowski will be available for the game.
Schmelzer will wear a facemask after breaking his nose against Stuttgart at the weekend, while 'Kuba' has been passed fit following a groin injury.
"Schmelzer will play with the mask, as playing without it would be unreasonable," Klopp explained.
"Kuba is feeling good, although he has not trained 100 per cent. He was the biggest casualty after the Stuttgart game but will be available to play."
Demichelis: Malaga can still eliminate Dortmund The experienced defender has admitted that Malaga await a difficult second leg, but is still hopeful they can make it to the next round
Sneijder: I was not good enough against Madrid The Galatasaray star was unable to make his mark against his former team as he was replaced at half-time when his side were 2-0 down
Now it's official: Wesley Sneijder's top level career is definitely over The Dutchman was hauled off after 45 minutes against Real Madrid, and it can now be safely said that the old Sneijder will never return
Klopp: Dortmund must improve finishing The BVB coach was quite disappointed with his side's lack of accuracy during the 0-0 draw with Malaga, but was satisfied with the result
Higuain: Madrid confident ahead of Galatasaray return The Argentina international is optimistic about their chances of reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League, having recorded a 3-0 first-leg win
Gotze admits frustration at missed chances The 20-year-old has spoken of his regret at squandering three gilt-edged opportunities as Borussia Dortmund drew 0-0 with Malaga in Champions League stalemate at La Rosaleda
Mourinho: We defended better than we attacked The Portuguese suggested his side took Galatasaray more seriously than the Spanish media prior to the match, and insists the foul for Sergio Ramos' booking was not intentional
Joaquin: Dortmund draw a good result The Boquerones were thankful to goalkeeper Caballero and some wayward finishing to keep a clean sheet, but for the 31-year-old Wednesday's draw was a positive outcome
Madrid strikers were desperate for goals, says Alonso The 31-year-old midfielder tipped his hat to his teammates for defeating Galatasaray 3-0 in the Champions League, and goalscorer Karim Benzema also had words of praise
Buffon hails 'magnificent' Bayern The veteran goalkeeper was full of praise for Jupp Heynckes' side following Tuesday's Champions League clash, while Leonardo Bonucci insists the tie is not over
Addo backs Dortmund for Champions League glory The former BVB midfielder insists progressing to the quarter-finals from a tough opening group proves his old side can be considered among Europe's finest
Malaga 0 Borussia Dortmund 0: Stalemate in Spain as Gotze rues missed chances PUBLISHED: 20:39 GMT, 3 April 2013 | UPDATED: 09:00 GMT, 4 April 2013
Borussia Dortmund wasted a host of chances to take a healthy advantage into the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Malaga tonight. Mario Gotze was the main culprit, spurning three golden openings, as the visitors failed to find a way past the impressive Willy Caballero at La Rosaleda.The away draw still leaves Jurgen Klopp's side in a strong position ahead of the home leg, but the boss will know the tie could have been all but wrapped up already.
Getting stuck: Felipe Santana of Dortmund challenges for the ball with Isco
Match Facts:
Malaga: Willy, Jesus Gamez, Demichelis, Weligton, Antunes, Toulalan, Iturra, Joaquin, Saviola (Francisco Portillo 67), Isco (Duda 87), Julio Baptista (Santa Cruz 76). Subs not used: Kameni, Lugano, Camacho, Sergio Sanchez. Booked: Antunes, Weligton, Iturra.
Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Subotic, Felipe Santana, Schmelzer, Gundogan, Kehl (Bender 79), Reus (Schieber 69), Gotze (Kirch 90), Grosskreutz, Lewandowski. Subs not used: Langerak, Leitner, Sahin, Bittencourt. Booked: Grosskreutz.
Attendance: 28,963 Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sigtuna)
Instead Malaga, who, for all their opponents' dominance, still caused Dortmund the odd nervy moment, will travel to the Westfalenstadion still in with a shout of the last four.Malaga had the first chance when Javier Saviola ran onto a clipped pass down the right of the area, got to the byline and cut inside, only to opt to go for the near post rather than the far and dragged his shot wide.But it did not take long for Dortmund's attacking triumvirate of Robert Lewandowski, Gotze and Marco Reus to start exerting their influence as Dortmund started to open their hosts up almost at will. Gotze ran clear on to a Lewandowski header as the Malaga backline appealed in vain for offside, but his shot lacked power and Caballero dived to make a one-handed save.The Germany international then got in one-on-one down the right of the area, but Caballero was again equal to his side-foot shot.
Battle for the ball: Marcel Schmelzer challenges for the ball with JoaquÌn of Malaga
Over he goes: Schmelzer challenges for the ball with Joaquin
Reus then brought another save out of the keeper after neat link-up play and a low shot from the edge of the area.The young trio were causing Malaga all sorts of problems, with only the killer finish lacking.The hosts showed they could still be a threat when Dortmund keeper Roman Weidenfeller had to be quick off his line to get to the ball ahead of Saviola.
Man in the mask: Schmelzer keeps his eyes the ball during the tie
Their defence, though, continued to live dangerously and Weligton was booked for pulling back Lewandowski right on the edge of the area, Reus curling the resulting free-kick wide. But Malaga ended the half in the ascendancy.Weidenfeller, under no pressure, spilled a Joaquin cross and Felipe Santana go to scramble the ball away to spare his team-mate's blushes. But the keeper redeemed himself with a fine save to keep out a Weligton header from a Joaquin corner.
Flying through the air: Dortmund's Robert Lewandowski and Malaga's Weligton vie for the ball
Off target: Mario Gotze fights for the ball among Malaga players
Lewandowski fluffed another golden Dortmund chance minutes after the break, skewing his shot horribly wide when Gotze's cut-back found him in plenty of space in front of goal.Gotze then fired wide of the far post after racing on to a measured pass down the right as another opportunity came and went for the Germans. At the other end, Isco drilled effort was parried well by Weidenfeller, but it was Dortmund who left the pitch at full-time with a feeling of what might have been.
