Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
IP addresses are NOT logged in this forum so there's no point asking. Please note that this forum is full of homophobes, racists, lunatics, schizophrenics & absolute nut jobs with a smattering of geniuses, Chinese chauvinists, Moderate Muslims and last but not least a couple of "know-it-alls" constantly sprouting their dubious wisdom. If you believe that content generated by unsavory characters might cause you offense PLEASE LEAVE NOW! Sammyboy Admin and Staff are not responsible for your hurt feelings should you choose to read any of the content here. The OTHER forum is HERE so please stop asking.
Yaya Toure: Manchester City do not need Barcelona's help to beat Real Madrid
The 29-year-old, who enjoyed a fruitful three-year spell with the Catalan club, is confident the reigning English champions can defeat Jose Mourinho's side on Tuesday
Sep 17, 2012 11:55:00 AM
By James McManus
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has insisted he does not need the advice of his former Barcelona team-mates in order to help his side beat Real Madrid in the Champions League group stages.
The champions of Spain and England meet at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday, with Jose Mourinho's side having endured a difficult start to their La Liga campaign.
Los Blancos are already eight points behind Barcelona in the race for the title but the Ivorian has maintained that he will not contact his old club to seek guidance on how to win.
"I maintain contact with some ex-companions at Barca but I do not need their advice over Real," he told reporters.
"The City staff have prepared for this match in great detail and that is enough information for us. Our last campaign was a disaster and we want to change all that.
"To win in the Bernabeu is a unique experience, enough to put you on the front pages. We shall put in our maximum to achieve that. So we shall be concentrating hard from the very first second.
"For me, the key to the result means winning the midfield battles with Xabi Alonso, Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira. This is the key for the match."
Unlike their opponents, City have begun the season in encouraging form and are yet to be beaten in the Premier League.
Vilanova: Players are not thinking of Champions League final
The Catalan's coach has insisted the team are not thinking too far ahead despite many already believing their name is on the trophy, he says they must take care of business first
Inzaghi: I'll be supporting Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League
The ex-Rossoneri forward admits he will be following Carlo Ancelotti's side this year, as well as the Serie A giants, because of the former Milan players who have moved to France
Shaqiri: Bayern Munich fans love my style of play
The young playmaker has commented on his instant rapport with die Roten's support, and also how he has coped so far at the Allianz Arena
Vucinic: Juventus do not fear Chelsea
The Montenegro international forward insists the Bianconeri will arrive in west London high on confidence and claims the Blues are weaker than they were last season
Ajax have a chance to beat Borussia Dortmund, says Van der Gun
The Utrecht attacker spent time at both clubs in the early stages of his career, and expects a difficult encounter for the Eredivisie champions at the Signal Iduna Park
Soldado 'full of confidence' ahead of Bayern clash
The striker believes that Los Che have what it takes to shock the German giants on Wednesday, as he is determined to bag all three points at the Allianz Arena
AC Milan are group favourites, declares Spalletti
The Italian coach feels that his compatriots are the team to beat in their pool, as he eagerly anticipates his side's opener against Malaga on Tuesday
The battle of the 20-year-old wonderkids as Gotze & Eriksen face off
The Germany international and his Danish counterpart are among Europe's biggest talents, and will be looking to show what they can do in the Champions League
Zabaleta: I have learned never to trust Real Madrid
The Argentine defender has stressed that the Primera Division champions are not to be underestimated ahead of Tuesday evening's Group D curtain raiser
Ancelotti: Money is not what has attracted Ibrahimovic to PSG
It was the project laid down by the Parisian side's new owners that attracted the coach and a string of high-profile players, the Italian has told Goal.com
Back where they belong: Paris Saint-Germain to reprise their George Weah-led Golden Age
Carlo Ancelotti leads the capital side into the Champions League, with the club set to surpass their glory days of the 1990s
Borussia Dortmund have learned valuable lessons from last season's Champions League debacle
The German champions kick off their Champions League campaign on Tuesday as Ajax await, and they will be determined to do better than last term
Love him or lose him: Real Madrid must keep Cristiano Ronaldo happy or say goodbye to their Decima dream
The 27-year-old recently revealed his sadness at the Santiago Bernabeu and has looked below par on the pitch of late, too. But for the good of this project, he simply has to stay
Khedira: Manchester City game the perfect opportunity for Real Madrid to get back on track
The Germany international is looking to hit top form again against the English champions, and feels Jose Mourinho has every right to criticise his team in public
Lindegaard warns against Champions League complacency
The Danish goalkeeper has warned his Manchester United teammates to avoid the carelessness that knocked them out of last year's tournament
Girard: I want Montpellier fans to give Arsenal players hell
The title-winning coach is dreaming of European glory, and has stressed that his side will have to work hard in order to get back on track after their difficult start to the season
Evani: Sacking Allegri would only deepen AC Milan's problems
The former Rossoneri star believes that the under-pressure coach can see the club through their difficulties, with tonight's visit of Anderlecht providing a welcome distraction
Emanuelson: Beat Anderlecht or all hell breaks loose
The Dutchman fears that anything but a victory for the Rossoneri on Tuesday could lead to a supporter backlash, and is therefore only interested in picking up all three points
Fearless Babel relishing Dortmund clash as Cruyff rues Ajax's Champions League demise
The forward returns to Signal Iduna Park in the hope of claiming his first win at the arena, while the legendary No.14 is less confident about his former side's chances in Group D
Sinclair attracted to Manchester City by Champions League
The former Swansea winger is unsure if he will feature in his team's clash at the Bernabeu, but admits he is just happy to be involved and competing in a "world class" side
Nuytinck: Anderlecht have enough quality to beat AC Milan
The Dutch defender, who joined the Belgian champions from NEC on transfer deadline day, does not see a reason why his new club cannot cause an upset against the Rossoneri
Giggs expects tough encounter against Galatasaray
The veteran midfielder remembers the last time the Red Devils came up against their Turkish opponents, but believes his side are strong enough to come out on top this time around
De Boer: Ajax must dare to play football against Dortmund
The former Netherlands defender insists his side have every chance of beating the German champions, but only on the proviso that they play to their strengths
Javi Martinez: Valencia will push Bayern hard
The Spain midfielder has spoken of the perils that await his side at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday, highlighting Los Che's ability to exert pressure on their opponents
Manchester United confirm fall in revenue after Champions League failure
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER PUBLISHED: 13:49 GMT, 18 September 2012 | UPDATED: 13:53 GMT, 18 September 2012
Manchester United's total income fell by 3.3 per cent to £320.3m for the year ending June 30 2012, the club's annual results have revealed.The fall in revenue had been expected after United's failure to make the knockout stages of the Champions League last season.
Downturn: Manchester United are to announce a reduction in profits on Tuesday
For the first time however, revenue from commercial income exceeded that from broadcast and matchday income.A United spokesman told the Press Association: 'The results are consistent with what we expected. We strongly believe the outstanding results in the commercial sector demonstrate the huge potential the club has, and the financial outlook is very positive."The growth in income from sponsorship and commercial deals has certainly cushioned the blow of the shortfall from the Champions League and FA Cup compared to the previous season.
Commercial revenue was up 13.7 per cent to £117.6m, while broadcast revenue was down 11.3 per cent to £104m and matchday revenue down 10.9 per cent to £98.7m.A Manchester United plc statement said: 'Broadcasting revenues for the year decreased... primarily as a result of our elimination at the group stages of the Champions League.'For the fourth quarter, revenues decreased 37.4 per cent to £27.5 million as no participation fees were earned compared to Champions League participation fees from the quarter-final, semi-final and final in the fourth quarter of the prior year.
'In addition, we earned minimal revenues from the FA Cup following our fourth round exit, compared with reaching the semi-final in the previous year.'Matchday revenues for the year decreased... as a result of having played four fewer home games compared with the prior season when we also received a share of the gate receipts from the Champions League final and FA Cup semi-final, both of which were held at Wembley Stadium.'
United were taken over by Glazer family in 2005, which was met by opposition from the fans
Despite the drop in turnover, United actually recorded a profit of £23m, although that was entirely due to a tax credit of £28m - without that credit there would have been a £5m loss.Ed Woodward, United's executive vice-chairman said in a statement: 'We are delighted to announce our first results as a NYSE [New York Stock Exchange] listed company; fiscal 2012 was the best year ever for Manchester United's commercial business.
'Our world-record shirt sponsorship deal with Chevrolet and the Premier League's new £1bn a year UK television rights deal (a 70 per cent increase) highlight the outstanding growth prospects for the future.'We also expect a substantial increase in the value of the Premier League's international television contracts scheduled to be announced later this year.'In addition, we continued to strengthen our team by signing world-class players such as Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa over the summer.'
UEFA will not monitor banned Juve coach Conte during Chelsea clash
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER PUBLISHED: 10:44 GMT, 18 September 2012 | UPDATED: 10:44 GMT, 18 September 2012
Banned: Juventus coach Antonio Conte
UEFA have admitted they will not try to stop banned Juventus coach Antonio Conte communicating with his coaching staff during Wednesday's Champions League clash with Chelsea. Conte is currently serving a 10-month dugout ban for not reporting evidence of match-fixing during his spell in charge of Siena in 2010.The ban extends to UEFA games, but officials admitted they will not be monitoring him during the game when he will be sitting in the stands.
It means he could use a mobile phone to talk to his bench and issue instructions to his players. A UEFA official told the Daily Express: 'Conte is not allowed to have any contact with the players during the game or at half-time but he can be in the stands watching.
'There will be people watching the bench to check there is no communication. They will have eye contact with the bench.'But there will not be anyone with him in the stands. He knows he is not allowed to communicate, so he will not do it.'Juve have lost only once under Conte, in the Coppa Italia final against Napoli. The Turin club are unbeaten in Serie A for 16 months.
Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho got round a similar touchline ban in 2005 in a Champions League last-16 tie against Barcelona by hiding in a skip to get into the dressing room.In the quarter-finals against Bayern Munich, when Mourinho was still banned, his assistant, Rui Faria, wore a woolly hat in the dugout which raised suspicions that he was wearing an earpiece to communicate with his boss.
Dortmund must beat Ajax or face elimination, warns Klopp
The BVB trainer believes that Tuesday's match-up with the Eredivisie giants will be crucial, and has little doubt that his team have learned from their mistakes of the past
Sep 18, 2012 12:40:00 PM
By Stefan Coerts
Jurgen Klopp has underlined the importance of Borussia Dortmund's Champions League opener at home against Ajax, stressing that the Bundesliga giants can ill-afford to drop points if they are to survive the group stage.
The BVB coach feels Tuesday's encounter will prove crucial for his side's chances to make it to the knockout stages, and is confident they have put last year's poor performance in the competition behind them.
"There is a feeling of us having to win this match against Ajax on Tuesday or we are already out again," Klopp told reporters at a press conference.
"We have defined our way of playing successful football and we will not change things too much for the Champions League.
"Our problems last season did not have much to do with our playing style but were rather a result of lacking experience. That's what we want to work on.
"We have gained a lot of international experience now and we have also learned that our football is working. But we also learned that we need to make fewer mistakes to get results.
"We made bigger mistakes in Europe last season than in the Bundesliga – and unforced ones at that."
Dortmund's clash with Ajax at Signal Iduna Park kicks off at 20:45CET.
Emery hopes Spartak can beat Barcelona 'without divine intervention'
The Spaniard acknowledges that the Moscow giants will find it tough to get a good result on Wednesday, but is nonetheless determined to find a way to outwit the Blaugrana
Sep 18, 2012 1:00:00 PM
By Stefan Coerts
Spartak Moscow coach Unai Emery insists his side do not need "divine intervention" to beat Barcelona in the Champions League.
Even though the trainer understands the difficulty of the task at hand, he believes there are ways to defeat the Catalans, and is determined to leave the Camp Nou victorious this week.
"When you take on Barcelona, you have to call on divine intervention or luck to beat them. But there are teams that have managed to defeat them," Emery told Marca.
"So there are certainly ways to win against Barca. We all try to achieve it, but only the few chosen ones indeed beat them. We are working to become one of them."
Emery then went on to praise Lionel Messi, and stressed that the Argentine always seems to be in fine form.
"Whenever Messi is on top of his game, which always appears to be the case, he makes the difference and can decide a game all by himself."
Messi has already netted 61 goals in 2012, and will be looking to add to his tally against Spartak.
Jose Mourinho's five tactical concerns ahead of Real Madrid's clash against Manchester City
The Portuguese has seen his side pick up just four points from their opening four league games and will need to make adjustments to get the best out of his struggling side
Sep 18, 2012 11:00:00 AM
ANALYSIS
By Alberto Pinero | Goal.com Spain
Their start has been nothing short of disastrous. Defeat to Sevilla at the Sanchez Pizjuan means Real Madrid have picked up just four points from as many games in La Liga. It is their poorest start for a number of years and the worst ever in the coaching career of Jose Mourinho.
The Portuguese coach has blamed Madrid's malaise on poor attitude and a lack of commitment from his players, but his side showed several tactical flaws in Seville on Saturday against an Andalusian side set up to stifle the capital club.
Food for thought for Mourinho, then, ahead of Tuesday night's Champions League group game at home to Manchester City, when the 49-year-old may make several changes. Goalcom takes a look at what will be on Mou's mind in the build-up to that clash at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Madrid struggled at set pieces last season and the problem appears to have worsened in the current campaign. Three of the four league goals conceded have come from dead-ball situations and Mourinho is at a loss to explain why his side have been so inept at defending free kicks and corners.
The Portuguese claims to have spent hours in training on dealing with such situations and has revealed that messages and diagrams hang on the dressing room wall, reminding players of their responsibilities. Nevertheless, it isn't working and a team of Madrid's calibre shouldn't be conceding goals in this manner. On Saturday, Angel Di Maria was the culprit as he failed to track Piotr Trochowski from a corner, but Sevilla could have done even more damage and Mourinho needs to go back to the drawing board to ensure such lapses are avoided in future.
[TABLE="width: 596"]
<tbody>[TR="bgcolor: purple"]
[TD="align: center"]PRESSURE ON XABI ALONSO [/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
Madrid have a problem when teams stop Xabi Alonso from playing, as Sevilla did on Saturday. Real's rivals have figured out that, if you can restrict the Basque in midfield, Mourinho's men struggle to create chances. Sami Khedira and Michael Essien are less creative, as was Lass Diarra, while Nuri Sahin has departed and Luka Modric is still settling.
Michel put Trochowski on Alonso and the German's marking nullified the threat posed by the Spain midfielder. This presents a problem to Mourinho because, to get around this issue, he will either need to start Modric alongside Alonso and lose defensive steel or change the system altogether, something he currently seems reluctant to do. Modric, in the meantime, is set to start on Tuesday.
With individual pressure placed on Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa has been allowed more space to attack down the right-hand side, but the full-back has been unable to take advantage of the extra room and was replaced by Jose Callejon against Sevilla.
Arbeloa is strong and disciplined in defence, but his attacking game is nothing spectacular and rival teams know he is likely to cause far fewer problems than Marcelo on the opposite flank. He has been left free to advance down his channel but cannot capitalise in the same way that a more technical full-back would. And as Madrid decided against signing such a player in the summer, it leaves Mourinho with another dilemma.
Real Madrid possess perhaps the world's best counter-attack and Mourinho is keen for his players to apply exhaustive pressure to win the ball back and then set off on quick breaks. Last season, it worked to perfection. The problem arises when teams defend deep and there is no space to exploit in the final third. Madrid struggle to break down such systems.
Accustomed to searching for spaces, Madrid's midfielders find life difficult against static sides, despite the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Di Maria out wide. In such situations, they require a more subtle approach, but with Mesut Ozil off form and Kaka out of the picture, there has been little or no alternative this term. Again, much may depend on the adaptation of Modric here, but even the Croat struggled as Sevilla strangled the midfield on Saturday, just as Ozil had done before him.
It seems ironic that the team that obliterated La Liga's goalscoring record last term should be struggling to hit the back of the net this time around, but that's the reality right now. This time last season, Madrid had scored double the amount of goals they have managed so far in the current campaign, even considering the disappointing displays at Levante and Racing Santander, which ended in a 1-0 defeat and a goalless draw.
Benzema is in the middle of a worrying drought which dates back to last May for club and country, while Di Maria has been disappointing despite a promising pre-season, Ronaldo is well below his best after expressing his unhappiness at the club and Gonzalo Higauin has netted five times in 2012-13 but missed far too many opportunities this term.
Inzaghi: I'll be supporting Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League
The ex-Rossoneri forward admits he will be following Carlo Ancelotti's side this year, as well as the Serie A giants, because of the former Milan players who have moved to France
Sep 18, 2012 3:01:00 PM
By Alex Mott
Former AC Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi has claimed that he will support Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League this season, as well as the Rossoneri.
The 39-year-old, who retired from professional football over the summer, has insisted that he will be a keen follower of les Parisiens this year, due to their ex-Milan connections of Carlo Ancelotti, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva.
“After Milan, PSG will be the first team I look out for,” he told Corriere dello Sport.
“There have been too many changes [at Milan]. The old guard have gone, Ibra, Thiago Silva, [Antonio] Cassano, they have all left. But we still need to give the coach [Massimilano Allegri] some time, because the staff are excellent. For me, only Juventus have more [in Italy].”
The ex-Italy international also spoke about the runners and riders in Europe's premier club competition this season, calling Galatasaray 'fearsome' and Borussia Dortmund 'a team to keep an eye on'. “Milan will qualify from Group C, along with Zenit St. Petersburg. Although Malaga should be very strong," he insisted.
“PSG will be favourites for their group, along with Bayern [Munich], Arsenal, Manchester United and, of course, Barcelona. “Group D looks like a tough one with Real [Madrid] and [Manchester] City, but I would keep an eye on Borussia Dortmund. I know the Westfalstadion, and it is a scary place to play. “Galatasaray will also be fearsome at home.”
Inzaghi's long career came to an end this year and 'Superpippo' admits that although he feels he made the right choice to retire, he still thinks about life as a footballer in the top tier of Italian football. “I miss everything. The field, the dressing room, the training. I miss San Siro. But I was lucky enough to experience good feelings as a player," he added.
"I left my career at a beautiful moment, and certainly made the right choice [to retire]. “I look back on my career with pleasure. “As a player, I started in Serie C and got to the top of Europe and the world." Inzaghi concluded by congratulating former team-mate Alessandro Del Piero on his move to Sydney FC. “I say bravo to Alex. It is a brave and intelligent move. Maybe I'll do the same one day?”
Inzaghi's old team Milan host Anderlecht in their opening Champions League game on Tuesday, kick off 20.45 CET.
Tonight was a prime example of Man City pissing away a game to Real Madrid which they should have won. This result might even lead then to not make it to the knock-out stages.
The Old Lady is back: Juventus return to the Champions League with bad memories to bury
The Bianconeri have had a rollercoaster 33 months since their last taste of the big time, and a successful European campaign would cap their rise back to the top
Buffon wants 'competitive' Juventus to prove their worth in Champions League
The veteran glovesman feels the Old Lady must now step up to the plate on the continental stage, as he looks forward to Wednesday's clash with reigning champions Chelsea
Chelsea Talisman needed: Torres must step up to the plate in Drogba's absence
The Blues have not missed the big Ivorian in the Premier League this season, but others will have to provide the phenomenally consistent impact he had in big matches
Chelsea's European honeymoon is over four months on from Munich
The Champions League holders begin the defence of their trophy at home to Juventus but much has changed at Stamford Bridge since their triumph over Bayern Munich in May
De Boer: Ajax deserved better against Dortmund
The former Barcelona defender claims his side could have easily left Signal Iduna Park with a point had they been a bit more clinical in front of goal
Di Matteo urges Chelsea not to dwell on Champions League success
The Italian claims last season's victory will live long in the memory but wants his players to focus solely on the task in hand against Juventus on Wednesday night
El Shaarawy: AC Milan are bitter & disappointed
The forward admits he has developed concerns over the San Siro side's ongoing struggles, but believes they are on the right path and will soon hit form
Thiago: Champions League the most important competition for any footballer
The young playmaker emphasised the prestige of playing in Europe's premier club competition, while insisting that he cannot be compared to any of his team-mates
Grieving Lucho dedicates Porto victory to late father
The Argentine international playmaker took to the pitch for the Dragoes just hours after learning about the sad news of his parent
Isco: It was a perfect match for Malaga and for me
The talented midfielder has expressed his delight in the aftermath of his side's 3-0 win in their Champions League group stage opener
Ronaldo: I celebrate when I have to celebrate
The superstar winger was lifted by an "important" victory over Manchester City, following his late winner in the high-profile European tie
Stevens: It was a deserved victory for Schalke over Olympiakos
The Royal Blues boss was satisfied with their European away win, after his hard-working team ground out a narrow victory
Allegri: Draw a small step forward for AC Milan
Following their Champions League stalemate on Tuesday evening, the Rossoneri boss conceded that the result was a small improvement for his side
Arsenal assistant manager Bould praises team spirit after tough win against Montpellier
The Gunners' assistant manager expressed his pleasure at the team's away victory over the Ligue 1 side and was impressed by the displays of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud
Aguero: I'd be playing for Real Madrid if they wanted me
The Manchester City striker claims that he had "no choice" but to join the Premier League outfit, in 2011 but insists that he feels "comfortable and appreciated" since the move
Arsenal are confident ahead of Manchester City clash, warns Vermaelen
Speaking after the Gunners' 2-1 victory over Montpellier in the Champions League, the captain feels his team can triumph against the champions on Sunday if they play their own game
Klopp hails Dortmund's 'intense' win over Ajax
The German coach highlighted the steady progress his champions are making as a team after their last-gasp victory over the Dutch
Ronaldo & Mourinho make peace with the Bernabeu in dramatic win worthy of true champions
The Spanish side twice came from behind to win in epic fashion thanks to Cristiano's late winner, drawing a line under recent poor performances in La Liga in front of their fans
Ibrahimovic delighted with PSG's 'wonderful' win over Dynamo Kiev
The Sweden international striker was positive about his side's performance after Les Parisiens' massive victory to open up their European campaign
Olympiakos 1-2 Schalke: Huntelaar snatches victory in Greece
The Bundesliga outfit showcased their European pedigree to upstage their opponents on the night, standing them in good stead for the rest of their group stage adventure
Real Madrid 3-2 Manchester City: Ronaldo rocking again as Mancini's men sink to Bernabeu defeat
Edin Dzeko and Aleksandar Kolarov both gave the visitors the lead before goals from Marcelo and Karim Benzema preceded the Portuguese's dramatic winner in the final minutes
AC Milan 0-0 Anderlecht: Rossoneri's worrying home form continues in San Siro stalemate
The Serie A side drew a blank in their own backyard for the third time this term, following successive league defeats to Sampdoria and Atalanta
Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Ajax: Lewandowski nets late to seal Group D victory
The Bundesliga outfit dominated proceedings in the second half after an even opening 45 minutes, and the Poland international's late strike helped them to a vital win
Dinamo Zagreb 0-2 Porto: Lucho and Defour secure crucial away win
The Argentine and Belgian midfielders both found the net as the Portuguese champions secured a relatively straightforward victory in the Croatian capital
Malaga 3-0 Zenit St Petersburg: Isco stars as Spanish side enjoy dream Champions League debut
The Spain Under-21 international netted two goals of the highest class as a disappointing Russian side were blown away in La Rosaleda, Saviola also scoring for the hosts
Montpellier 1-2 Arsenal: Podolski and Gervinho get Gunners off to flying start in France
The Premier League outfit showed resolve after going behind to Younes Belhanda's audacious eighth-minute penalty, with Olivier Giroud struggling to impress against his old side
Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 Dynamo Kiev: French giants make statement on Champions League return
Carlo Ancelotti's men had no problems in disposing of the Ukrainians, with Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, Alex and Pastore all on the scoresheet
Barcelona will find things complicated, says Jurado
The on-loan Spaniard appreciates that his team's forthcoming fixture against Barca will be difficult, and has explained how his move to Russia came about
Celtic chief executive plays down significance of €9m losses
Peter Lawwell has insisted Tuesday's figures fail to take in to account the Parkhead outfit's progression to the group stages of the Champions League and player sales
Champions League is part of AC Milan's DNA, says Bonera The experienced defender believes the Rossoneri will show their true colours again in Tuesday's curtain raiser at home against Anderlecht
Mourinho after City triumph: The DNA of my team is back
The Real Madrid coach was proud of his side's dramatic late win against the English champions in the wake of their recent poor form domestically
Sep 18, 2012 9:30:00 PM
By Simon Harrison
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has voiced his delight after his side's comeback against Premier League champions Manchester City in their Champions League clash at the Bernabeu. Los Blancos left it late, scoring twice in the last three minutes of normal time through Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, to snatch three points from the jaws of defeat in a 3-2 triumph.
"It's good because the DNA of my team is back." explained Mourinho, speaking to ITV.
"Real Madrid can lose matches, Mourinho can lose matches, my players can lose matches, and we can lose matches like tonight.
"We could lose and I would be proud, but we cannot lose matches like we did in Sevilla and Getafe and my happiness is not just about the three points, it is about the DNA of my team being back."
After speaking negatively of his team's performances in La Liga, Mourinho was glad to announce that his players had shown their worth.
"They've proved to me that if they want, they can. If they want to be top professionals and if they want to respect Real Madrid's history, every match, not just against City or against Barcelona, every single match they can do it because last season they proved it.
"If I am the coach of a small team I can lose more times but as the coach of Real Madrid I can not accept that. I'm so happy with the players' attitudes, because it's a big victory against a big team. That's football and we deserve to win. If I feel we don't, I would feel a bit more for them but we produced a better match than them.
"We tried to win from the first minute and I think we deserved it."
Hart fumes after Manchester City defeat: You can't go 2-1 up with five minutes left and lose - it's not on
The Manchester City keeper was left angry after his side conceded two late goals against Real Madrid in their opening Champions League game, succumbing to a 3-2 defeat
Sep 18, 2012 10:11:00 PM
By Tom Rhodes
Joe Hart fumed that "it's not on" for Manchester City to lose 3-2 to Real Madrid after taking the lead in their Champions League game at the Santiago Bernabeu with only five minutes of the game to go.
After failing to win in their opening two games of last season's competition before eventually being knocked out at the group stage, City were aiming to make a positive start to this season's campaign in what many have hailed as the toughest group in the competition.
Real Madrid dominated the first half with Hart making a string of impressive saves. However, the away side twice took the lead in the second period through goals from Edin Dzeko and then Alexander Kolarov just five minutes from the end. But late strikes from Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo completed a remarkable turnaround which Hart deemed unacceptable.[TABLE="width: 285"]
<tbody>[TR="bgcolor: white"]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: black"]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 80%, align: left"][/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE] He told ITV Sport: "It's not on. You can't go 2-1 up with five minutes left to go and lose the game - it's not on. Who else can we blame? We can only blame ourselves."
"They're a very good team but so are we. We can't go 2-1 up and lose. You come to the Bernabeu and it's a great stadium, amazing manager, amazing players and we dug deep, we got a lead twice and we lost it so we can only blame ourselves."
The England international, noticeably angry with the result, was also unwilling to take positives from the game in the immediate aftermath, placing an importance on the outcome of the match rather than the team's performance.
He added: "It's hard to come off the field after losing 3-2 and be positive. I'm really sorry and I know you don't want to hear that.
"I'm sure in the coming days when we reflect we can see the good things that we've done but at the end of the day we've lost the game.
"We're not a team that should come here and pat ourselves on the back for doing well, we're a team that gets results."
'I am the judge, not Joe Hart' - Mancini blasts Manchester City goalkeeper's outburst
The manager has issued a rebuke after the England international suggested the whole team were at fault rather than himself in the Citizens' 3-2 reverse at Real Madrid
Sep 19, 2012 8:30:00 AM
By Rhys Turrell
Roberto Mancini has blasted goalkeeper Joe Hart after the Manchester City goalkeeper criticised his team-mates in the aftermath of their 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid on Tuesday evening.
The City No. 1, who was visibly angered by the late defeat, claimed it was "not on" after his side’s defeat to the Spanish champions.
And despite Mancini broadly agreeing that the whole team were to blame rather than just his goalkeeper, the Italian said he was the only person who should be openly criticising his team.
"Joe Hart should stay in goal and make saves," a frustrated Mancini told reporters after the game.
"If anyone should criticise the team it should be me, not Joe Hart. I am the judge, not Joe Hart."
City looked set for a memorable win at the Santiago Bernabeu after an Aleksandar Kolarov free kick five minutes from time edged them ahead.
However strikes from Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo - which seemed to deceive Hart - meant the English side returned home pointless from their first Champions League game of the season.
Despite being downhearted after the clash, Mancini insisted that, although it was not the start his side wanted to this season’s European campaign, there was no need to get carried away.
"We should be disappointed that we have lost this point but we can improve," he said.
"Other teams will lose here. We have five games and it is important that we beat Dortmund in the next game. It will be difficult because Dortmund are a top team."
Dzeko suggests Manchester City lack experience after Real Madrid defeat
Roberto Mancini's side led the La Liga champions with five minutes to go but late goals from Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo saw the visitors denied any points
Sep 18, 2012 11:32:00 PM
By Ryan Benson
Edin Dzeko has suggested Manchester City are lacking experience after they fell to a 3-2 defeat against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu despite taking the lead with only five minutes to go.
Roberto Mancini's men took the lead in the second half as the marauding Yaya Toure fed Dzeko through on goal, with the Bosnian sliding the ball past Iker Casillas, but Marcelo soon equalised with a deflected effort.
Aleksandar Kolarov restored City's advantage in the 85th minute but two even later goals from Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo saw the hosts claim the three points, a fact that bitterly disappointed Dzeko.
The striker told Sky Sports: "We led 1-0 and then 2-1, then we gave away these two goals at the end.
"This shouldn't have happened because if you want to win big trophies you shouldn't lose this game. I hope we can get stronger because it was almost like we had not enough experience.
"We were 2-1 and in three or four minutes we gave away two goals. It was too easy. Too easy."
Mancini: Manchester City defended too deep against Real Madrid
The Italian manager believes that his side's defensive line, rather than a lack of concentration, was to blame for their defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu in addition to injuries
Sep 18, 2012 10:53:00 PM
By Tom Rhodes
Roberto Mancini believes that his Manchester City side's deep defensive line in the closing minutes against Real Madrid was to blame for their 3-2 defeat.
The hosts dominated the opening exchanges but the game remained goalless at half-time. City took the lead through Edin Dzeko after the break before Marcelo equalised for Los Blancos. Aleksandar Kolarov again gave the visitors the lead with just five minutes remaining.
However, goals from Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo completed a dramatic turnaround for Madrid and Mancini admitted his disappointment at the nature of the defeat. He also stated that the defeat was a result of his side conceding too much space to the home side, rather than a lack of application.
He told Sky Sports: "We are so disappointed because when you are winning 2-1 with five minutes to go in the Bernabeu, you think maybe that you can't lose, but this is football.
"We didn't lose concentration, we went too deep with the team and this is the only mistake.
"I think that we went too deep throughout the team and we conceded more space for them and I think that this was a mistake.
"At the moment we are disappointed but I think that everything will help us to be stronger in the future."
The 47-year-old also believed his side suffered from bad fortune during the game in the form of injuries to two of his players, which in turn affected his ability to make tactical changes.
He added: "I think that we were also unlucky because we lost two players through injury, Nasri and Maicon, and we had a problem because we wanted to change Aguero because we wanted to attack more, but instead we lost this change."
Real Madrid 3 Man City 2: A mad, sad end as Ronaldo grabs last-minute winner
By MATT LAWTON PUBLISHED: 20:35 GMT, 18 September 2012 | UPDATED: 08:21 GMT, 19 September 2012
If Cristiano Ronaldo was feeling rather sad before this astonishing Champions League encounter, he certainly managed to make a few other people miserable here at the Santiago Bernabeu. His victims, on this occasion, were Manchester City, a team who had battled to within touching distance of a precious point only to succumb to the genius of the Portuguese predator with little more than 60 seconds of this contest remaining.Jose Mourinho was so ecstatic he slid across the grass on his expensively tailored knees while Joe Hart and his colleagues sank to theirs, utterly crushed by the insane brutality of football at this level.
Hero: Ronaldo scores the winner for Real Madrid as they beat Manchester City at home
Winner: Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring for Real Madrid in the dying seconds
Ronaldo’s winning goal marked the conclusion of a mind-blowing 21 minutes that produced five goals and the full spectrum of emotions for the 90,000 spectators inside this wonderful arena.But what made it all the more painful for the English champions was the fact that those 21 minutes had suggested they were starting to get the hang of European football.For the first half they continued to look like novices. A Ferrari? Unless they have started putting their famous prancing horse on buses, Mancini would have struggled to argue that he was at the wheel of such a vehicle during a torturous first 45 minutes for his team.
Mourinho certainly would have accused them of parking something more substantial in front of Hart’s goal, and the statistics published by UEFA told their own story. Real had enjoyed 74 per cent of the ball, unleashing 16 attempts on goal with only one in reply from the visitors.That the score remained level at the interval was some achievement, but it was one that owed much to the brilliance and bravery of Joe Hart and some fine defensive football from Vincent Kompany and Matija Nastasic. In fact, until he was partly at fault for Real’s second goal, the Serb had enjoyed quite a debut for City.
Kneesy does it: Jose Mourinho celebrates Real Madrid's late winner
Stunned: Roberto Mancini watched his Manchester City side twice throw away the lead
Kompany’s night ended on a low note, too. Hart might have blamed himself for Ronaldo’s decisive goal but replays suggested City’s captain ducked out of the way of the shot. In fairness to the Belgian defender, he had spent much of the night prior to that performing two roles — that of full back as well as centre half in the absence of a certain Brazilian called Maicon. City’s new right back looked as uncomfortable against Ronaldo as he had against Gareth Bale in this competition for Inter Milan two seasons ago. Maicon did not need a bus. Someone had already called him another taxi.
Gutted: The Manchester City defence are stunned by Ronaldo's late goal
Can't believe it: Joe Hart is dejected after Manchester City conceded two late goals in Madrid
Can't believe it: Joe Hart is dejected after Manchester City conceded two late goals in Madrid
Mancini eventually hooked him for Pablo Zabaleta but by then the City manager had already made a more drastic change, sending on Aleksandar Kolarov as a replacement for the injured Samir Nasri and switching to a five-man defence after only 35 minutes. In such testing circumstances it proved an effective reshuffle. If Madrid had dominated the first half, the final statistics reflected far better on Mancini’s men by the end. Over the duration of the match they had a far more respectable 43 per cent of the ball, completing 277 passes to Madrid’s 382.
Where they struggled with Madrid’s high- intensity passing game before the break, they coped much better afterwards. Madrid remained the more threatening but with Kompany now dealing with Ronaldo the visitors were beginning to play with more composure.
Opener: Manchester City's Edin Dzeko puts his side in front against Real Madrid (above) and celebrates (below)
Their opening goal, scored after 69 minutes, was evidence of that. Yaya Toure had impressed with a couple of surging runs in the first half but when he won the ball in midfield again and spotted Edin Dzeko breaking forward down the left flank he made this one count. The pass was perfectly weighted, the finish from Dzeko just as impressive. It was an advantage that would survive just eight minutes, Madrid finally breaking down a resilient City defence with a deflected curling strike from Marcelo. Had it not been for the inadvertent intervention of Javi Garcia, Hart might well have made the save.
Beaten: Hart can't get a hand to Marcelo's equaliser for Real Madrid
Leveller: Marcelo scored Real Madrid's first equaliser after his shot was deflected in
Mourinho had sprung one or two surprises with his selection. Michael Essien ahead of Luka Modric and Mesut Ozil was one, as was the omission of Sergio Ramos, who was clearly paying for challenging his manager’s authority at the weekend. If Madrid’s ‘captains’ think they have power and influence at this football club, it seems to count for very little with Mourinho. But with the arrival of Ozil, Modric and Karim Benzema in the second half came the flair and finesse that was needed to not only avoid defeat but secure a stunning victory. Defeat seemed to be a very real possibility when City snatched the lead for a second time when a free-kick from Kolarov took enough of a deflection off the otherwise outstanding Xabi Alonso to bounce beyond the reach of a diving Iker Casillas. In the players now on the field, however, Mourinho had enough firepower to fight back.
Back in front: Aleksandar Kolarov surprised the Madrid defence with his free kick
Strike: Manchester City's Aleksander Kolarov (centre) scored a free kick to put his side back in front
It was extraordinary, even if Nastasic will be furious with himself for allowing Benzema the space to turn on Angel di Maria’s pass and guide a delightful right-foot shot past Hart. Zabaleta, too, will know he should have got closer to Ronaldo and Kompany will wince when he sees that replay of the winning goal that followed. For Mancini to blame Hart afterwards was harsh. He might have been slightly at fault but he probably expected his skipper to get in the way first. Nevertheless, the mastery of Ronaldo should also be acknowledged — by those who appreciate him, anyway.
Winning start: Real Madrid celebrate their Champions League success
Robben: Valencia are very good, but not Barcelona or Madrid
The Dutchman has warned his Bayern team-mates that a difficult match lies in store, and Holger Badstuber and Philipp Lahm can only agree
Sep 18, 2012 5:33:00 PM
By Stefan Coerts
Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben has warned that Valencia are a force to be reckoned with ahead of Wednesday's Champions League encounter, but added that they are not of the same level as Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The Dutchman ended up on the losing side three times out of five when facing Valencia during his time at Madrid, and has nothing but respect for Mauricio Pellegrini's men.
"They're a very good team, not Madrid or Barcelona, but not very far off," Robben was quoted as saying on the club's official website.
Defenders Holger Badstuber and Philipp Lahm are wary of Valencia too, as they feel los Checould cause Bayern problems if they are not at their best.
"They're dangerous. They always cause trouble for the very big clubs in Spain. We'll have to concentrate very hard," stated Badstuber.
"Wednesday will be a proper test. Valencia are a top team, they’re almost always in the Champions League, and almost always one of the best three clubs in Spain. However, we want to go through in first place," added Lahm.
The match at the Allianz Arena is scheduled to kick off at 20:45CET.
Galatasaray boss Terim: We can beat Manchester United at Old Trafford
The Turkish boss backed his players to repeat upsets of the past on Wednesday evening but warned his players of the threat posed by Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa
Sep 19, 2012 8:25:00 AM
By Oliver Platt
Fatih Terim believes Galatasaray capable of beating Manchester United at Old Trafford in theChampions League on Wednesday.
The coach took inspiration from the likes of Besiktas, who beat United on their own turf in 2009 – albeit against a youthful starting XI.
However, he does regard Sir Alex Ferguson's team as the most successful in Europe and warned his players of the threat posed by two of their attacking stars.
"Fenerbahce and Besiktas got famous victories at this ground before and we had eliminated them in 1993," Terim told reporters.
"We can repeat that success. For me, Manchester United is the most successful club in Champions League football. Last year's failure doesn't change that.
"I was there at the Camp Nou as the Galatasaray coach when they'd beaten Bayern Munich and claimed the Champions League trophy.
"They have the likes of Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa who is a very special player in my opinion. We do not consider to use a man-to-man defence against their attacking weapons."
Terim admitted that Galatasaray would need to deliver an improved performance to stand a chance of avoiding defeat at the hands of the Red Devils, despite sitting top of the Turkish Super Lig table with an unbeaten record after four matches.
The former national team boss insisted, however, that the result would not be decisive in determining the outcome of the group stage.
"This year, we're the only Turkish club at the competition and thus, there's a huge pressure on us as a team," Terim said.
"I went on to become a successful manager thanks to my players' good performances before. Our performances so far this season are not enough to clinch victory at Old Trafford. We need to build on it and improve.
"I want my players to put everything on the field and win this game. The result of this clash will not be decisive for the group. It just will mean a good start, or a bad one."
From champs to chumps - this is the worst AC Milan team of the Berlusconi era The Rossoneri got their Champions League campaign under way with a hugely disappointing performance against Anderlecht, and are now at their lowest ebb in decades
Sep 19, 2012 8:00:00 AM
COMMENT
By Kris Voakes | Italian Football Writer
Before kick-off, some of AC Milan’s great European nights in recent memory were shown on San Siro’s giant screens. There was last season’s 4-0 demolition of Arsenal and the 2003 Old Trafford coronation against Juventus among others, with the club seemingly hoping to inspire the players and fans ahead of the Champions League fare that was to follow. But the 90 minutes of football which was served up by the Italian giants on Tuesday night will certainly not make it onto any highlight reels any time soon.
The goalless draw with Anderlecht served only to deepen the Diavolo’s crisis, with the first 45 minutes in particular leaving the home faithful completely dejected. It wasn’t until the introduction of Stephan El Shaarawy on the hour mark that a Milan player made even a half-chance off the back of decent movement. While the travelling support sang several songs in multiple languages, the masses in the Curva Sud could barely bring themselves to raise their voice even once. And who could blame them?
Their heroes are not their heroes anymore. The heart has been ripped out of the club with the summer sales, but they are also the most lifeless outfit Italian football has to offer right now. Massimiliano Allegri is being exposed as a tactical pigmy, while the players that remain after the clearout are simply unable to inspire any real change to the flow whenever things are going against them on the field. They are clueless, lifeless and completely devoid of the drive needed to drag the side out of their current rut. It hasn’t ever been this bad under the current regime.
From Prince to pauper | Boateng's transformation sums up the side's woes
Sure, they have had dips in form since the arrival of Silvio Berlusconi in 1986. After Fabio Capello left for Real Madrid, they followed four titles in five seasons with an 11th-placed finish and would only come 10th when the Don returned for the next season. Then there was the spells under Alberto Zaccheroni, Fatih Terim and Carlo Ancelotti which saw the Rossonerifinish no higher than third in a four-year period, but even that culminated in a European title in 2003.
This, though, is very different. The current Milan bring back memories of the Leonardo-led team of 2009-10 which was regularly exposed for its lack of tactical discipline and technical ability on the wrong side of the ball. But at least amidst 4-0 defeats to Inter and Manchester United, and other high-scoring failures, there was a modicum of fun about the team’s style that season.The Brazilian might not have had a clue what he was doing on the bench, but he sent out Ronaldinho, Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, David Beckham and Alexandre Pato with themodus operandi of entertaining the spectators nonetheless. His ‘4-2-crazy’ ideal was unsuccessful, but it was swashbuckling all the same.
Under Allegri, there is anything but fun. They are not winning, they are not entertaining, and they are simply not any good. Kevin-Prince Boateng is now seen as the flair player in their starting XI, yet it was his power rather than his panache which made him a surprise star after arriving from Genoa in 2010, and these days he looks as short of fitness as he does of ideas. He is by no means the only one, but the difference between his demeanour and his play from last season to this is perhaps the most stark.
"Allegri said they are taking small steps in the right direction, but such claims insult supporters forced to sit through utter durge"
[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE] And the worst part is that, unlike in the late 90s or in the early 2000s, there is no apparent end to the troubles in sight. The Milan hierarchy forced out Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic because they desperately needed the cash, so it’s not as though they can simply go and splash out on a quick fix in January. They could – and arguably should – say goodbye to Allegri if things don’t improve in the coming weeks, but who can realistically make the current shower wearing red and black look like a top class outfit?One thing is for sure: the fans will not blithely sit by and just allow the club to fall into disrepair.
They are proud, even if the players are not. Allegri claimed after the draw with Anderlecht that the Rossoneri are taking small steps in the right direction, and his players echoed those sentiments, but such talk is insulting to the supporters who have been forced to sit through utter durge so far this season. They are now third favourites in their Champions League group in most neutrals’ eyes, they have just three points to show from one of the more straightforward schedules they could have been handed by the Serie A fixture computer, and the last Milan player to score at San Siro was Allievi coach Filippo Inzaghi.
The old saying that things must get worse before they get better holds a hell of a lot of weight. The only question now is, just how bad will it get before the nadir is reached and things start to look up again? They are already as bad as any team in their president’s reign, and the worst may yet be still to come.
