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Manchester City 1-1 Borussia Dortmund: Ice cool Balotelli rescues precious Champions League point for Mancini’s men
The Italian substitute and goalkeeper Joe Hart are the heroes for the English champions as they struggle to contain the outstanding Bundesliga holders
By Wayne Veysey at Etihad Stadium
For Roberto Mancini, there continues to be no sign of improvement to an increasingly desperate Champions League record.
The Italian cut a frustrated figure at Etihad Stadium as Manchester City needed an 89th-minute Mario Balotelli penalty to draw 1-1 against an excellent Borussia Dortmund side.
Substitute Balotelli, who had only been on the pitch for eight minutes, stroked home the spot-kick with ice-cool precision after Neven Subotic had been harshly penalised for hand-balling a Sergio Aguero volley.
It came after Dortmund had created a glut of excellent opportunities only to be denied by a Joe Hart masterclass in goal.
The England No.1 could not prevent Marco Reus giving the visitors the lead after 60 minutes but he was equal to everything else the Bundesliga champions threw at him, making half a dozen outstanding saves.
It kept City in the match and they were able to create enough late pressure to get their second Champions League campaign up and running and bring relief to the home supporters.
Mancini knew City could ill afford another slip-up in a daunting group which pits the champions of Spain, England, Germany and Holland against one another.
But following the opening 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid while Dortmund were beating Ajax 1-0, City have just one point from their opening two Group D fixtures.
Their supporters will need no reminding of the echoes of their debut Champions League campaign last year, when failure to win their first home game against Napoli left them with too small a margin of error thereafter.
The pressure is on Mancini, who has recorded a solitary quarter-final appearance from five previous campaigns with City, Lazio and Inter Milan, to enhance his Champions League credentials.
He will target six points from the forthcoming home-and-away assignments against group minnows Ajax to recover some lost ground.
Mancini made only two changes from the team that beat Fulham 2-1 last Saturday, with Samir Nasri and Edin Dzeko replacing Carlos Tevez and Gareth Barry, who did not even make the substitute’s bench.
Selecting three attacking midfielders to support strike pair Sergio Aguero and Dzeko was a signal of intent from the City boss against a Dortmund line-up he praised before kick-off for their willingness to attack.
One player the visitors did not face was Joleon Lescott, who might be a first-choice centre-half for England following John Terry’s international retirement, but no longer enjoys such exalted status for his club.
He was dropped in favour of Matija Nastasic for City's opening Champions League fixture, the 3-2 defeat away to Real Madrid, and the Serbian teenager held on to his place after starting ahead of Lescott at Fulham.
Although Mancini has sought to reassure Lescott, the defender will have watched Nastasic and Vincent Kompany keep Dortmund's attack at bay with a degree of concern about his own future.
Dortmund have made a stuttering start to the new Bundesliga campaign, where they trail leaders Bayern Munich by seven points even though they lie in third place.
Backed by their magnficent 4,000-strong away support, whose chants, rhythmic jumping, scarf waving and drumming provided a constant accompaniment to the match, the visitors more than played their part in a pulsating opening period.
The two teams traded opportunities as they stayed faithful to promises from their managers that they would not hold back but a masterclass of goalkeeping at both ends kept the score goal-less at the break.
Three of City’s best opportunities fell to the lively Aguero, who was denied athletically on each occasion by the excellent Roman Weidenfeller. The Dortmund keeper also kept out Samir Nasri, while David Silva sliced a volley horribly over the bar from inside the six-yard box shortly before the interval.
At the other end, Mario Gotze, the brilliant German prospect, brought the best out of Hart, who was even busier than in Madrid a fortnight ago.
The England No.1 turned an early Gotze drive on to the post and, later, clawed the winger’s half-volley on to the crossbar. Gotze was left shaking his head with disbelief when Hart then charged off his line like a demented bull to deny him from close range.
Hart added to the feeling of goalkeeping invincibility with a point-blank save from the unmarked Ilkay Gundogan seconds before the interval.
It brought to an end a riveting opening spell in which City had enjoyed 63 per cent of possession but managed less shots on target (four to five) than the impressive visitors.
The second half continued where the first finished off, with Hart denying Gotze for the fourth time in the match by flinging himself to his right to tip a rasping effort around his post for a corner.
But Hart’s one-man show of resilience was finally broken after an hour. The catalyst was a terrible mistake from Jack Rodwell, a 33rd minute replacement for the injured Javi Garcia.
Rodwell lost possession after playing a loose pass without looking and his error was pounced upon by the outstanding Marco Reus, who galloped towards goal and lifted the ball past Hart and into the bottom-left corner.
The Dortmund fans erupted in joy and, in perfect English, chided their hosts with a chant of ‘You only sing when you’re winning’.
A one-goal advantage was the very least Dortmund’s adventure deserved and they continued to create some outstanding opportunities on the counter-attack as City played a high line in search of an equaliser.
Reus and Gandogan forced more fine saves from Hart before Robert Lewandowski, who had worked the City defence so well all game, missed an excellent opportunity to double his team’s advantage after 76 minutes.
Latching on to a sumptuous Gundogan delivery from the right, the Pole had the goal at his mercy but he inexplicably sent his toe poke wide of the left upright.
Balotelli made Dortmund pay for their wastefulness. Subotic could consider himself unlucky when he was penalised in the 88th minute for handball, and doubly unlucky that the nerveless Italian was at hand to punish him.
UEFA Champions League Group A wrap: Porto edge PSG
4 October 2012
Porto have taken control of Group A in the Champions League after a 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.Vitor Pereira's side dominated at home but had to wait until seven minutes from time to secure three points thanks to a magnificent finish from James Rodriguez.
The victory helped the Liga Sagres champions move three points clear of PSG atop the group, while Dynamo Kiev are third after their win over Dinamo Zagreb.
It was an open game from the outset at the Estadio do Dragao as the home side dictated the tempo and created the majority of the chances.
As early as the fourth minute they had a glaring chance to move ahead after Marco Verratti had uncharacteristically given away possession on the edge of his area, but Joao Moutinho blazed his effort wide.
PSG had their best two opportunities of the encounter soon after as Zlatan Ibrahimovic headed wide from six yards and then flicked an effort over when played through on goal.
Despite their dominance, Porto needed until the half-hour mark to seriously test goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu as the Italian pushed away Rodriguez's low drive.
Before the break there was still time for the home team to waste perhaps their best opening of the evening as Jackson Martinez powered a header over the top from close range.
On the hour-mark, Sirigu was required to block Porto's best opening of the second half as he came off his line to deny Silvestre Varela.
Porto's chances seemed to have gone, but with seven minutes remaining Rodriguez won the match with a classy finish, sending a curling first-time effort into the far corner.
Meanwhile, Dynamo Kiev got back to winning ways in Europe after beating Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 at the Olympic Stadium.
The Ukrainians were taken apart 4-1 by Paris Saint Germain on the opening matchday, but there were no signs of such a score-line repeating itself as they dominated from start to finish.
Oleh Husyev headed the home side into a third-minute lead, before an own goal from Josip Pivaric ended the challenge of the Croatian visitors after 33 minutes.
UEFA Champions League Group B wrap: Arsenal continue perfect start
4 October 2012
Arsenal took another step towards the knockout stages of the Champions League with a stuttering 3-1 home victory over Olympiakos.
Lukas Podolski and substitute Aaron Ramsey struck in the second-half to brighten up a largely uninspiring display from Arsene Wenger's side in the Group B encounter on Wednesday.
The win leaves Arsenal with six points from their opening two outings and on course for another comfortable qualification for the second round of Europe's elite club competition.
The hosts controlled possession but lacked attacking thrust for much of the game, taking the lead against the run of play through Gervinho in the 42nd minute before Konstantinos Mitroglou deservedly levelled for Olympiakos on the stroke of half-time.
Podolski eased nerves inside Emirates Stadium after firing home in the 56th minute and Ramsey sealed the three points with a cheeky finish with the last kick of the game.
Arsenal took a lead they barely deserved three minutes before the break through Gervinho.
After excellent work from Santi Cazorla on the left, the ball broke for the Ivorian to shift into space and strike low into the corner from 20 yards for his fifth goal of the season.
The strike was met with relief but Olympiakos deservedly levelled on the stroke of half-time.
Leandro Greco whipped in a wonderful cross from the left and Mitroglou was on hand to glance a header into the far corner.
Cazorla wastefully shot wide from 12 yards after half-time before Podolski doubled Arsenal's lead in the 56th minute.
The German took advantage of uncertain defending to swivel in the box and shoot low and hard through goalkeeper Balazs Megyeri's legs.
Arsenal chased a third and found it in the dying seconds as substitute Ramsey raced onto Olivier Giroud's flick-on and scooped a delightful finish over the advancing Megyeri.
Elsewhere, Schalke were left to rue a succession of missed chances as Montpellier came from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw.
Karim Ait-Fana opened the floodgates early in the first half, before Julian Draxler restored parity and earned a penalty for the Bundesliga outfit, which Klaas-Jan Huntelaar converted.
However, Souleymane Camara finished clinically late on as the teams shared the spoils in a free-flowing contest at Veltins Arena.
UEFA Champions League Group C wrap: AC Milan overcome Zenit
4 October 2012
AC Milan edged Zenit St Petersburg 3-2 in an enthralling Champions League encounter in Russia on Wednesday.
Massimiliano Allegri's men made a great start and were up 2-0 in the space of three first-half minutes through Urby Emanuelson and Stephan El Shaarawy. However, Hulk dragged Zenit back into the game with a fine strike just before the break before then setting up Roman Shirokov for the equaliser early in the second half.
Milan were not done, though, and they snatched a precious win courtesy of an unfortunate own goal by Tomas Hubocan that condemned Zenit to a first home defeat in UEFA competition since September 2008.The visitors needed some luck to break the deadlock 13 minutes into the Group C clash, with Vyacheslav Malafeev unable to change direction quick enough to keep out an Emanuelson free-kick that had taken a wicked deflection off Shirokov.
El Shaarawy netted a brilliant goal just moments later, picking the ball up 35 yards from goal before going on a solo run.He glided past Viktor Fayzulin then flicked the ball around the outside of Nicolas Lombaerts before finishing with confidence.Hulk came into the game and twice stung the hands of Christian Abbiati with well-struck drives before he deservedly halved the deficit on the stroke of half-time with a left-footed strike.
Zenit were level early in the second half as Shirokov rose unmarked at the far post to head home Hulk's corner.AC Milan continued to press and they regained the lead when Hubocan, under pressure from Giampaolo Pazzini, made a mess of a cross from Riccardo Montolivo and diverted his effort past Malafeev.Malaga made it two wins from two in Group C of the Champions League with a scintillating 3-0 victory over an outclassed Anderlecht.
Having swept Zenit aside in their tournament opener, the La Liga side looked a cut above their hosts from start to finish.Eliseu put them ahead with a stunning volley just before the break and Joaquin doubled their advantage with a penalty.Completing a delightful brace, Eliseu struck again just after the hour-mark with a chipped finish over goalkeeper Silvio Proto.
UEFA Champions League Group D wrap: Balotelli penalty earns City a draw
4 October 2012
A late Mario Balotelli penalty helped Manchester City secure an unconvincing 1-1 draw at home to Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.
Roberto Mancini cut a frustrated figure at Etihad Stadium as City needed an 89th-minute Balotelli spot-kick to earn a point in the Champions League encounter.
Substitute Balotelli, who had only been on the pitch for eight minutes, coolly slid home a penalty after Neven Subotic had been harshly penalised for handballing a David Silva volley.
It came after Dortmund had created a glut of excellent opportunities only to be denied by a Joe Hart master-class in goal in the Group D clash.
The England number one could not prevent Marco Reus giving the visitors the lead after 60 minutes but he was equal to everything else the Bundesliga champions threw at him, with half a dozen outstanding saves.
City's best opportunities in the first half fell to the lively Sergio Aguero, who was denied athletically on each occasion by the excellent Roman Weidenfeller.
The Dortmund 'keeper also kept out Samir Nasri, while Silva sliced a volley horribly over the bar from inside the six-yard box shortly before the interval.
At the other end, Mario Goetze, the brilliant German prospect, brought the best out of Hart, who was busier than during his team's loss to Real Madrid a fortnight ago.
Hart turned an early Goetze drive on to the post and, later, clawed the winger's half-volley on to the crossbar.
Goetze was left shaking his head with disbelief when Hart then charged off his line to deny him from close range.
The second half continued where the first half finished off, with Hart denying Goetze for the fourth time in the match by flinging himself to his right to tip a rasping effort around his post for a corner.
But Hart's one-man show of resilience was finally broken after an hour.
The catalyst was a terrible mistake from Jack Rodwell, a 33rd-minute replacement for the injured Javi Garcia.
Rodwell played a loose pass without looking and his error was pounced upon by the outstanding Reus, who charged towards goal and lifted the ball past Hart and into the bottom corner.
Dortmund continued to test Hart and Robert Lewandowski missed an excellent chance with a quarter of an hour to play, poking a cross wide with the goal at his mercy.
Balotelli made City pay for their wastefulness as he netted from the penalty spot to give City their first point in the group.
Real Madrid recorded a 4-1 victory over Ajax in the other Group D encounter as Cristiano Ronaldo netted a hat-trick at Amsterdam Arena.
The visitors deservedly went 1-0 up in the 42nd minute when Ronaldo found the net from close range, before Karim Benzema made it two shortly after the break with a fantastic overhead effort.
Niklas Moisander pegged one back after a corner only minutes later, only to see Ronaldo restore Madrid's two-goal lead with a well-placed effort.
Shortly after, the Portugal star got his hat-trick with yet another fine finish as Real completed a comfortable win.
Tacchinardi: Juventus needed a 12th man against Shakhtar Donetsk
The former Bianconeri midfielder believes the Italian champions suffered from a lack of vocal backing in their 1-1 draw on Tuesday night
Weidenfeller: Dortmund don't need to fear anybody
The shot stopper was delighted with his side's performance at the Etihad, and feels the German champions can give any opponent a difficult game
Real Madrid are the best team I have ever faced, says Sana
The 23-year-old attacker had nothing but praise for the Primera Division giants, and admitted he was at fault for the opening goal at the Amsterdam ArenA
Luiz and Mata ready for free-kick battle at Chelsea
The Brazilian fired one past Norsjaelland in the Champions League after the winger's strike against Arsenal at the weekend and neither player wants to give up their set-pieces
Hummels in the dark over hip injury
The Germany international limped out of Borussia Dortmund's 1-1 Champions League draw with Manchester City and is unsure how much action he will miss
Draxler injury blow for Schalke
The promising youngster faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after fracturing his arm, while Benedikt Howedes was not amused with the fans' negative attitude against Montpellier
Abbiati: My arm still hurts from Hulk's shot
The veteran keeper spoke of his man-of-the-match performance in Wednesday night's game, and hopes that his side can embark on a good run of form
Ibrahimovic demands PSG improvement after Porto loss
The striker is disappointed and criticised his own form after James Rodriguez’s winner condemned the capital club to Champions League defeat in Portugal
Rooney lauds England team-mate Hart as the best goalkeeper in the world
The 25-year-old stopper's performance in the Champions League group game against the German champions was praised by the striker on Twitter and his Italian manager
Emanuelson: Abbiati was amazing and I can only applaud him
The Dutchman had nothing but positive words for the veteran glovesman following his impressive performance against the Russian champions
As Messi's goals dry up, Ronaldo hits a red-hot scoring streak ahead of Clasico
The Portuguese struck a hat-trick for the second game in succession as Real Madrid thrashed Ajax 4-1 in Amsterdam on Wednesday - perfect preparation for Sunday's trip to Barcelona
Bould tips Gervinho to try to match Arsenal legend Henry
The 25-year-old forward has enjoyed a good start to the new campaign and continued his rich vein of form with another goalscoring performance in the Champions League
Kaka: I'm regaining Mourinho's confidence
The former AC Milan star is pleased that the flamboyant coach is considering him for the first team once more, and is eagerly anticipating Sunday's Clasico
Zenit triumph a big boost, but AC Milan must beat Inter to turn the corner
The Rossoneri picked up a valuable win in Russia, but their unconvincing performance against a side in crisis does not suddenly mean they are back on track
Heynckes: Sammer was wrong to publicly criticise Bayern
The 67-year-old feels that the former Germany international had no right to slam the Bavarians' display at the weekend and should have dealt with the situation differently
Mancini bemoans Manchester City's lack of fight after Dortmund draw
The Italian criticised his side's lack of passion after a late Mario Balotelli penalty saved the Premier League champions from shock defeat against Borussia Dortmund
Klopp upbeat about Dortmund's Champions League chances despite last-minute equaliser
The German coach was understandably frustrated to have lost the three points so late in the game but was delighted by the maturity and tactical astuteness shown by his players
Cristiano Ronaldo: It's important to gain confidence ahead of El Clasico
The Los Blancos players are pleased to have achieved maximum points from their opening Champions League fixtures and look forward to Sunday's huge fixture
Pellegrini hails Malaga's 'complete' performance against Anderlecht
The Chilean tactician was thrilled to have left Belgium with three points and a clean sheet, but stressed that they must take each game at a time in their bid to progress
Subotic after late Manchester City draw: 'Never in my life a penalty'
The Borussia Dortmund defender was penalised for a handball in the dying seconds at the Etihad Stadium to prevent Jurgen Klopp's side from snatching a much-deserved three points
De Boer disappointed with Real Madrid Champions League defeat
The Dutch coach bemoans poor first-half performance and admits that his side did not deserve anything from the match at the Amsterdam ArenA
We had total control of the game, says Mourinho following Real Madrid's 4-1 win
The Portuguese coach was glad to secure a victory against his team's Dutch opposition tonight, and believes his side were superior to Frank De Boer's men during the game
We were by far the better side against Paris Saint-Germain, says Porto's James Rodriguez
The winger struck the game's only goal in the closing minutes, and insists his team were the dominant force against Carlo Ancelotti's expensively-assembled squad
Arsenal defender Vermaelen: First half against Olympiakos was a struggle
The Belgian centre-back admits that his team were sloppy in their passing, but praised striker Gervinho after his first-half goal set the Gunners on the way to victory
Zenit triumph a big boost, but AC Milan must beat Inter to turn the corner
The Rossoneri picked up a valuable win in Russia, but their unconvincing performance against a side in crisis does not suddenly mean they are back on track
Oct 4, 2012 7:00:00 AM
COMMENT
By Kris Voakes | Italian Football Writer
It was three points that they needed more than anything, and AC Milan got exactly that from their Champions League trip to face Zenit St Petersburg on Wednesday, but the 3-2 victory must not cloud the fact that the Rossoneri still need to make massive improvements in order to turn around their slow start to the season.
After an opening 16 minutes in which they scared the living daylights out of Luciano Spalletti’s side, Milan should have gone on to win comfortably, but instead they decided to stop doing all the things that had given them an early 2-0 lead and very nearly handed a victory on a plate to the Russian side as a result.
Urby Emanuelson’s run at the heart of the Zenit side resulted in a free-kick when Viktor Fayzulin foolishly brought him down just when he appeared to be running into a cul-de-sac. The Dutchman got up and sent a free-kick goalwards, and Roman Shirokov’s deflection sent it beyond Vyacheslav Malafeev.
Within minutes, Stephan El Shaarawy was making the most of more disorganisation in the home defence, turning three players inside out before sliding home a fantastic second goal. But that was about as good as it had threatened to get for Massimiliano Allegri’s troops.
MATCH FACTS | Zenit 2-3 Milan
ZENIT
MILAN
Shots
19
14
On Target
11
7
Possession
52%
48%
Corners
13
2
Bookings
4
3
<tbody>
</tbody>
As soon as they had scored their second, they appeared to rest on their laurels, and a Zenit side which is going through an even more uneasy spell than the Diavolo were suddenly being made to look like world-beaters.
Christian Abbiati quickly became the most vital player on the pitch as he pulled off save after save as Milan were unable to stem the flow of attacks, with Aleksandr Kerzhakov and Hulk in particular looking to cause real problems. The former Porto striker hit one effort which resulted in a stunning one-handed stop from the 35-year-old worthy of any highlights reel.
When Hulk narrowed the lead on the stroke of half-time, it came as little surprise, and Shirokov’s equaliser four minutes into the second period was the least that Zenit had deserved. When the home side continued to enjoy the greater possession and territory, it appeared that there would only be one winner.
However, the one saving grace was that this remained a poor Zenit side with an extremely soft underbelly, and with a short burst of increased ball retention, Milan did enough to claim all three points.
Some smart movement of the ball resulted in Riccardo Montolivo finding space on the right, from where he played a low cross which Giampaolo Pazzini met with a near-post touch which was eventually turned in by defender Tomas Hubocan.
Again Milan lived dangerously, with Aleksandr Anyukov forcing another spectacular save from Abbiati, but they just about held on until full-time to clinch three vital points. The result should – and will – be used to help inject some morale into the squad, but it must not be considered the turning point, since this was no better a performance than we have seen on many occasions already this term.
The defence still looked uncertain, another goal was shipped from a set piece – their sixth such concession this season – and there was still a lethargy about their midfield that has been evident from the end of August right through to today. El Shaarawy continues to be the one stunningly bright light in an otherwise unconvincing outfit, and there needs to be more variety and solidity on show on Sunday if the Rossoneri are to beat Inter.
As much as derbies are always key, this one is particularly vital to Allegri and Milan. Win it, and there will be every reason to believe in them being able to weather the storm and come out of the other side. Lose it, and there is a very real chance that those at Via Turati will see the result in Russia for what it was: a riding of fortune against a team going through a truly torrid period at the moment.
So well done Milan; a good result has been gained. But if the real target of a turning of the corner is to be achieved, then it is against their nearest and dearest that they will have make their greatest statement yet.
The Dutch manager was disappointed with the profligacy of his side but is still optimistic of progressing to the knockout stages of Europe's premier club competition
Oct 4, 2012 12:10:00 AM
By Max Bentley
Huub Stevens feels that Schalke should have secured three points in their 2-2 Champions League draw against Montpellier on Wednesday night.
The German side were leading 2-1 with only seconds to spare before Souleymane Camara snatched a late equaliser for la Paillade, who had been reduced to ten men.
There was further bad news for the Gelsenkirchen side after it was confirmed that stand-out performer Julian Draxler requires surgery for a broken arm.
The 19-year-old scored his side's first goal before being injured when winning a penalty for the second score, a move which saw Garry Bocaly receive a red card.
Speaking in his post-match conference, the 58-year-old coach said: "Yes, he [Draxler] broke his arm and he will have surgery tonight.
"Of course we are upset. They have two shots on goal and both of them go in."
"We needed to clinch this game earlier. Even against ten men we should know that at Champions League level you need to make the most of your chances."
However, despite surrendering the lead late on Stevens believes that his side are in a good position after their opening two matches.
"In the last minute we conceded from a counterattack, despite having a lot of opportunities before that. We just need to be more efficient," he explained.
"You could say that we dropped two points today, but then we also have four points under our belt already and we just need to keep going strong – it's as simple as that."
Schalke sit in second place in Group B and travel to the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, October 24 to face leaders Arsenal.
Ancelotti expresses his disappointment at Porto defeat and insists that Lavezzi's substitution was down to injury
Les Parisiens endured a tough time in Portugal on Tuesday evening, going down 1-0 to the Dragoes, but their Italian boss was adamant afterwards that it was not a disaster
Oct 3, 2012 10:30:00 PM
By Mohammed Ali
Paris Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti has sought to explain his decision to substitute Ezequiel Lavezzi just seven minutes after coming on in their Champions League Group A defeat to Porto.
The Argentine emerged from the bench in the 73rd minute to replace Jeremy Menez, and after sporadic attacking activity, departed in the 80th minute in favour of Javier Pastore.
Four minutes later, James Rodriguez put the hosts in front with a superb finish to claim victory over a distinctly average PSG side, who were outplayed by their Portuguese hosts.
Lavezzi's substitution brought about a furious reaction from the former Napoli forward, who unleashed his anger on a drinks cooler on the touch-line, spreading rumours of a rift between player and coach, but Ancelotti brushed off such suggestions.
"Lavezzi? He had some muscular discomforts. He was not able to continue, so I took him off," explained the 53-year-old to Sky Sport Italia.
"The game was complicated, but we had several opportunities, we counterattacked. It was not a bad match, but perhaps we paid them a bit too much respect. We can do better than this.
"These are new experiences for many players, so there is always the danger to have setbacks. There is still much to play for, [it is] nothing dramatic."
Captain for the evening, Mamadou Sakho insisted that the defeat was a minor setback, and that the club will recover ahead of their next game.
"We did not create many chances, and Porto played well. But we are very disappointed because we wanted to play a great game tonight," the 22-year-old told reporters after the game.
"There is no need to worry though. This is nothing dramatic, because there are a lot of games. For OM [PSG's next game], we will recover well and be mentally prepared."
Les Parisiens' next game is against fierce rivals Olympique de Marseille in the Derby de France. Kick-off at Stade Velodrome on Sunday is at 21:00CET.
The veteran keeper spoke of his man-of-the-match performance in Wednesday night's game, and hopes that his side can embark on a good run of form
Oct 4, 2012 8:33:00 AM
By Max Bentley
AC Milan's outstanding performer in their 3-2 Champions League victory over Zenit St Petersburg, Christian Abbiati, has expressed his delight at securing the three points.
The 35-year-old goalkeeper pulled off a string of wonderful saves to keep his side in the match and was glad that he could help his team to a win.
Speaking in a post-match press conference, Abbiati said: "It was important to get a result here and that’s what we did.
"My second half saves were important for how the match finished. My most difficult save was the one from Hulk's free kick. He hit the ball very hard and my arm still hurts from the shot.
"I was happy with the win and that was why I celebrated like I did. It’s tough to win away from home in the Champions League and we did it."
Having joined the Italian side in 1998, Abbiati has had his critics over the years but he revealed that he is not fazed by what others say about him.
"I don’t read the papers whether I’m playing bad or whether I’m playing well. If I’ve been with the club as long as I have there must be some reason why. It was a team win tonight."
Milan look to get their Scudetto charge back on track when they entertain fierce rivals Inter on Sunday and Abbiati is looking for a strong response from the side.
"It would have been nice to get three points against Parma and there’s bitterness about that because we played a good game and we only conceded the goal on the free kick," he said.
Stephan El Shaarawy scored the pick of the goals in the victory against Zenit and Abbiati is convinced that the 19-year-old striker has a bright future at the Giuseppe Meazza.
“We’ll be thinking of the derby from tomorrow. El Shaarawy is a great player. He’s young and has a lot to show but he’s got the quality," the shot-stopper said.
Hart heroics can't mask the flaws in Manchester City's Champions League masterplan
The England goalkeeper made a string of world-class saves to deny the Bundesliga champions but the flaws remain as Roberto Mancini's side struggle again in Europe
Oct 3, 2012 10:40:00 PM
COMMENT
By Wayne Veysey
In Joe Hart, Manchester City has an exceptional goalkeeper. And, with a display of quite breathtaking brilliance against Borussia Dortmund, he showed why many consider him the best exponent of his art in the world.
But the fact that he was put in the position where he had to make half a dozen outstanding saves tells you that something is not quite right with City.
In fact, something is drastically wrong when the club can look so vulnerable at home, even against a team bursting with the kind of adventure and menace that Dortmund possess.
Yes, the Germans were unstoppable on the counterattack and, yes, in Marco Reus, Mario Gotze and Ilkay Gundogan, they possessed the three best outfield players on the sodden Etihad Stadium turf.
Indeed, Roberto Mancini admitted afterwards his team was second best and fortunate to scrape a point from their first home match in this season’s Champions League.
“Today we deserved to have conceded three or four goals because we made lots of mistakes. This is very strange for us but I know the problem and it is very big problem,” said Mancini in a typically honest assessment of his team’s shortcomings.
The Italian also promised to “very quickly” solve his team’s problems, which he claimed was a result of attitude rather than ability.
This was not an isolated defensive disaster for City this season. In six Premier league matches, the team has conceded eight goals, topped up by a further four in the Champions League.
Had Hart not delivered outstanding home and away displays in Europe, City’s goals against column could already be in double figures.
The evidence is mounting that he is being let down by the men in front of him. The personnel has not changed too drastically from last season, when Abu Dhabi’s investment of 1 billion pounds in four years was rewarded with the Premier League trophy but the performances have.
No one has looked more vulnerable than Vincent Kompany, a colossal figure for the last two seasons and a man who is arguably the best center back in Europe.
But he has been below par in the new campaign, cutting a nervy and error-prone figure, whether alongside Joleon Lescott or new partner Matija Nastasic, who was selected ahead of the England defender for the second consecutive game.
Mancini clearly does not trust Lescott against A-list opponents, leaving him out against Liverpool, Real Madrid and now Dortmund, while Nastasic can perhaps be excused a poor display in such difficult circumstances, due to his lack of experience.
The young Serb was caught out of position on a number of occasions against Dortmund’s nimble midfield runners, even if he could be excused a sketchy display in such testing circumstances.
Of the others, Javi Garcia looked off the pace before a thigh injury ended his participation on 33 minutes, when he was replaced by fellow summer signing Jack Rodwell.
There were a few eyebrows raised when City signed the midfielder from Everton in the summer and he has done little to dispel the impression that he has much to learn to be a consistent force at the highest level.
Just as Hart’s one-man show looked like it might keep Dortmund at bay, Rodwell lost possession after playing a loose pass without looking and his error was pounced upon by the outstanding Reus.
It was symptomatic of a City performance which became more careless as the game wore on. Mancini, as is his wont, tinkered with the tactics, brought off the anonymous Samir Nasri and switched to a 3-5-2 formation but the higher line only made Dortmund more effective on the counterattack.
David Silva won the late penalty but he vanished after beginning the game brightly, while even the indomitable Yaya Toure’s standards slipped as City was out-gunned in central midfield.
In total, the visitors created an astonishing 20 attempts, 12 of which were on target, even though City dominated the possession stats – 64 percent in the first half and 61 percent in the second – in both periods.
Plan A failed and so did Plan B. Mancini must look elsewhere to improve his lacklustre team.
My dream to manage in England is over, admits Borussia Dortmund boss Klopp
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER PUBLISHED: 08:27 GMT, 4 October 2012 | UPDATED: 08:29 GMT, 4 October 2012
Jurgen Klopp insists he will never manage in England after the Borussia Dortmund boss declared that his dream is over. The 45-year-old saw his Dortmund team pegged back late on by Mario Balotelli's penalty in Wednesday's 1-1 Champions League draw with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
Staying put: Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp insists his dream to manage in England is over
After guiding the German outfit to back-to-back Bundesliga titles last season - winning the German football manager of the year award for the second consecutive year in the process - Klopp was linked with the Liverpool job before Brendan Rodgers replaced Kenny Dalglish earlier this summer. But now Klopp no longer has the desire to manage in the Barclays Premier League, revealing he is happy to stay in his native Germany. 'I think the paradise of football is actually the German Bundesliga,' told German daily Bild.
Talking a good game: Klopp has guided Dortmund to back-to-back titles in Germany
'We have the most competitive and the most attractive league in Europe. It’s the league with the tightest competition and with the best stadiums. The fans are great. 'Of course, England may be close to this. But that I am still dreaming about managing in England, this issue is over. 'That was something I was after when I started being a manager in the game.'
Last word: Mario ignores keeper's taunts to rescue City but Mancini slams lacklustre side
By IAN LADYMAN PUBLISHED: 21:44 GMT, 3 October 2012 | UPDATED: 11:06 GMT, 4 October 2012
Mario Balotelli won a war of words to hand Manchester City a Champions League lifeline with a late penalty equaliser.Borussia Dortmund keeper Roman Weidenfeller taunted Balotelli after City were awarded a 90th-minute spot-kick for handball. But the City substitute ignored the back-chat to wrong-foot Weidenfeller and make it 1-1 before exchanging more insults with the goalkeeper.City boss Roberto Mancini slammed his side’s performance as 'very poor' and admitted only Joe Hart’s heroics prevented a damaging defeat.
1: Keeper Roman Weidenfeller tries to put off Mario Balotelli
2: Balotelli sends the mouthy Dortmund keeper the wrong way
3: Balotelli lets the Dortmund keeper know the score
4: And Mario can't resist having the last word in his exchange with stopper Weidenfelller
Mancini said: ‘I know the problem and I will solve it very quickly. It’s my job to solve it. ‘If we don’t improve it could be difficult to qualify. We didn’t play well. I’m really disappointed. It was very poor. Joe Hart saved us from defeat. He did very well and saved everything.'We deserved to conceded three or four goals. We didn't play well because Borussia Dortmund played better than us.
Job well done: Joe Hart pulled off a number of crucial saves to keep City in the game
Flying save: Hart made a number of top class saves
'They probably at this moment are a better team than us. If we want to play in the Champions League we have to play better than tonight.'We have to run and fight. It's not enough to just have quality.’Hart made seven or eight top-class saves and was immediately hailed as the world’s best by England team-mate Wayne Rooney, who said on Twitter: ‘I have to say that Joe Hart has been fantastic. For me he is the best goalkeeper in the world.’
Not amused: Roberto Mancini said City were not good enough
City now look as though they will need to win home and away against Ajax in the next month to have any chance of qualifying from Group D. Group favourites Real Madrid beat Ajax 4-1 and top the group after two wins in two games. Hart, criticised by Mancini for offering his opinion after last month’s defeat at Madrid, said: ‘It could have been 10-all tonight. I thought their keeper was fantastic. But Mario was never going to miss the penalty. I don’t know if it was a penalty, but we pushed hard and wanted a point.
Trouble at home: City's players look dejected as they fall behind
‘We have come out of the game alive. Off the top of my head, I can’t ever remember making as many saves (as I did tonight). Dortmund were different class.‘I hope this result is important and that it is not a waste of effort.‘This game shows just how tough this group is.’ Mancini added: ‘We have to play better than tonight. It’s not enough to just pass. The Champions League is another situation — different from the (Premier League).’ City are yet to keep a clean sheet this season in any competition.
Bosses told by UEFA to big up Europa League in bid to move competition out of shadow of the Champions League
By NEIL MOXLEY PUBLISHED: 15:44 GMT, 4 October 2012 | UPDATED: 15:45 GMT, 4 October 2012
UEFA have instructed top bosses to talk-up the Europa League in a bid to boost the prestige of the ailing competition. A memo from football’s governing body has been issued to all managers to prevent it from being seen as a poor relation to the Champions League. Bosses have been instructed to use key phrases which are supposed to highlight the importance of participating.
We're excited: Clint Dempsey (left) and Sandro line up for Tottenham
Several English clubs have chosen to field shadow squads with domestic football taking precedence. Liverpool and Newcastle have gone down that route and the failure of those clubs to name their first-choice sides has led to the perceived notion that Europa League is being devalued. Under the heading: ‘Discover the drama,’ managers were told the following: 'At the start of press conferences, the messages below should be used by press officers and to brief coaches and players.
Speaking out: Bosses like Liverpool's Brendan Rodgers have been asked to help out
'UEFA Europa League is prestigious; it provides clubs, fans and players with the challenge of competing for an elite trophy. 'The Europa League is rich in heritage, having provided some of European football’s most memorable moments and characters in recent years. 'The most important quality that we want to communicate is that the Europa League is dramatic.' Only Spurs’ boss Andre Villas-Boas stuck rigidly to the script. However, as he won the inaugural competition with Porto, he is already a convert as to its’ value.
Demichelis: Bayern have been better than Madrid
The Argentine defender has taken the time to praise the Bavarian powerhouse following their impressive start to the Bundesliga season
Busquets handed two-match ban
The Spain international will be forced to watch the next two European games from the sidelines for the Blaugrana after he was handed a suspension
Hummels forced out of Germany squad
Die Schwarzgelben centre-back picked up a foot injury during his side's 1-1 draw with Hannover and will be unavailable for the clashes with Ireland and Sweden
BATE's Hleb: We knew we could beat Bayern
The former Barcelona player has revealed it was a great feeling to get one over the German giants and claims the Belarusians always believed they could cause an upset
Montpellier fined €17,000 for improper conduct, Girard handed one-match ban
The French champions have been punished for their fans' and trainer's behaviour in last week's European encounter in Gelsenkirchen, which ended with both teams gaining a point
Oct 10, 2012 11:40:00 AM
By Stefan Coerts
Uefa has handed Montpellier a €17,000 fine in the wake of their 2-2 Champions League draw away against Schalke last week, while head coach Rene Girard receives a one-match ban.
The Ligue 1 side's fans made a nuisance of themselves in Gelsenkirchen as they set off fireworks and threw missiles on the pitch, while five la Paillade players were booked during the game.
Girard, meanwhile, was involved in an altercation with Schalke coach Huub Stevens.
"Montpellier have been fined €17,000 for the throwing of missiles and fireworks by their fans, and for the improper conduct of the team (five cards or more)," a statement on the Uefa website reads.
"The French club's coach Rene Girard has been given a €5,000 fine for improper conduct and suspended from carrying out his function for the next two Uefa competition matches.
The ban for the second match is suspended for a probationary period of three years."
An appeal may be lodged against the decision within three days of receipt of the written grounds for the decision.
Sammer hails Heynckes as Bayern Munich catalyst The Bavarians' sporting director spoke in awe of the veteran boss, who has guided the club to a 100 per cent start in the Bundesliga
Khedira set for Real Madrid return ahead of Borussia Dortmund trip The German midfielder could feature in Los Blancos' Champions League clash on Wednesday, while Marcelo has undergone a successful operation on a broken bone in his foot
Mata expects difficult encounter against Shakhtar The Spain international believes the club have their work cut out for them versus the Ukrainian champions, but praised the influence of his manager Roberto Di Matteo for their form
Karim Benzema: I'm stronger mentally Los Blancos forward has reflected on his development as a footballer ahead of his side's Group D Champions League clash against Jurgen Klopp's men
Nordsjaelland are a good team, says Claudio Marchisio The Bianconeri midfielder has given credit to the Danish Champions League debutants ahead of their Group E clash on Tuesday evening
Tito Vilanova: Nobody does what Messi does The Blaugrana boss has once again praised the Argentine magician as his team prepare ahead of their Champions League clash against the Bhoys
Ribery relishing return to Lille for upcoming Champions League clash The France international is looking forward to facing a team he spent three years at as a youth, with the European clash taking place near to where he grew up
Celtic midfielder Wanyama: We won't sit back and admire Barcelona The Kenya international warns that his side will not be content with watching the Spanish side's slick passing game and is eyeing an opportunity to further qualification hopes
Toni Kroos: Bayern Munich will have tailwind going into Lille match After a perfect start into their Bundesliga campaign, the talented Roten playmaker is confident of a positive result for his side against Rudi Garcia's men
Cristiano Ronaldo always delivers for Real Madrid, says Subotic The towering defender has voiced his admiration for the prolific attacker, while stressing that the Spanish champions could struggle to deal with Marco Reus
Carrick wants swift Champions League progression for Manchester United The midfielder believes getting through in Europe as quickly as possible will benefit the Red Devils' push towards the top of the Premier League, but urges concentration
Buffon returns for Juventus as Lichtsteiner & Asamoah are rested The experienced shot-stopper has shaken off his thigh injury while some of his team-mates will stay behind in Turin to recover from minor fitness issues
Nene injury blow for Paris Saint-Germain The experienced attacker faces a spell on the sidelines after sustaining a fractured cheekbone, and will miss a number of important games as a result
Essien: Real Madrid travel to Borussia Dortmund to win The 29-year-old has stressed that the Blancos will not settle for a draw on Wednesday, while he's ready to play in whatever position his coach needs him
Manchester City boosted by possible return of Silva for Ajax clash The Spain international is recovering from a hamstring injury but could make his comeback sooner than expected as Roberto Mancini's team prepare for the Champions League fixture
Caceres: Juventus desperate for first Champions League win The Uruguay international is aiming for victory in Tuesday's encounter against the Danish outfit in order to keep the Bianconeri's European ambitions alive
Sir Alex Ferguson: We have a great chance of winning Champions League - if our defenders are fit The 70-year-old manager has won the famous trophy twice in his career, and insists reaching Wembley again is a great incentive
Wenger confirms Oxlade-Chamberlain will miss Schalke clash after suffering hip injury The Gunners boss confirms doubts over the youngster’s problem, picked up during his side’s defeat at Norwich, and reveals he considered introducing Jack Wilshere at Carrow Road
Real Madrid's Essien sets sights on second Champions League triumph Having helped the Blues win their maiden title in Europe's premier competition, the Ghanaian is looking to win more silverware by teaming up with old boss Jose Mourinho
Zamparini: Ancelotti does not understand football, Pastore is a phenomenon The outspoken Palermo owner has slammed the Parisiens' coach for not getting the best from the former Rosanero player, and is glad that PSG lost recently in the Champions League
Champions League Group E preview: Blues bound for Ukraine
22 October 2012
A strong record at home against English sides should give Shakhtar Donetsk confidence before their UEFA Champions League clash with Chelsea.
Shakhtar have played a quartet of English Premier League clubs since 2000 and have won three of the four home games against those sides, including a 5-1 thrashing of Arsenal in the group stages of the 2010/11 Champions League.
That was the second time Arsenal lost in Donetsk after a 3-0 defeat in 2000, while Tottenham also failed away to Shakhtar, losing 2-0 in the Europa League in 2009.
Fulham are the only Premier League club to have beaten Shakhtar at home, winning 2-1 in the Europa League in 2010.
The Ukrainian Premier League leaders knocked off Illichivets 2-1 on Saturday to extend their perfect start to the season to 12 wins, as they sit 12 points clear at the top of the table.
Tuesday's clash at Donbass Arena represents a top-of-the-group clash, with both sides on four points but the English visitors ahead on goal difference.
Chelsea are unbeaten and top of the Premier League as they head to Ukraine fresh from a 4-2 win away to rivals Tottenham on Saturday.
Juan Mata was the match-winner for Chelsea, scoring two goals in three minutes to put his side in front in the second half and Shakhtar must be wary of the Blues' attacking midfield trio, which consists of the young Spaniard, Belgium's Eden Hazard and Oscar of Brazil.
Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo will certainly instruct his defenders to focus on Armenian striker Henrikh Mkhitaryan, as the 23-year-old has scored 14 goals in 12 games for Shakhtar this season.
In the other Group E clash, Juventus could go top if they win in Denmark against Nordsjaelland, and Chelsea and Shakhtar draw.
Nordsjaelland have yet to score in their debut Champions League campaign and conceded four goals when Chelsea visited in their most recent match.
Juventus were impressive away to Chelsea on the opening matchday in a 2-2 draw but could only manage the same result at home against Shakhtar and head coach Antonio Conte will be keen to get on the winner's list against Nordsjaelland.
Champions League Group F preview: BATE host Valencia
22 October 2012
BATE Borisov will hope Valencia's poor run on the road in the UEFA Champions League continues when the two sides meet on Tuesday.
Valencia have not won away from home in five Champions League matches and head to Belarus three points behind BATE, who are the surprise packet of Group F.
BATE pulled off a 3-1 win away to Lille in their opening game of the Champions League group stage and then stunned Bayern Munich by the same scoreline when the German club visited Belarus earlier this month to go top of the group.
Having won the past six Belarusian league titles, BATE are on track for a seventh in a row, leading the competition by seven points with five rounds to play.
Valencia head coach Mauricio Pellegrino will hope his team can finally put together a decent performance away from their home stadium as they have not won a competitive fixture on the road this season.
The last time the Spanish club won away in the Champions League was in September 2010 when they thumped Turkey's Bursaspor 4-0.
Valencia sit ninth in the La Liga standings with 11 points, having defeated Athletic Bilbao 3-2 on Saturday, while BATE won 2-1 away to Slavia in their latest game.
BATE's strength has been playing on the counter-attack having conceded the majority of possession in both their group-stage matches so far, while being very clinical in front of goal.
Viktor Goncharenko's team have scored six goals from 11 shots on target in the Champions League.
Lille are set to host Bayern in the other Group F match and the French club desperately need a victory to still have a chance of qualifying for the knockout stages.
Rudi Garcia's side are point-less through two games and have a goal difference of minus five and will face a tough task against the runaway Bundesliga leaders.
After eight rounds in Germany, Bayern still have a perfect record and have scored 26 goals, while conceding only two.
Bayern crunched Fortuna Dusseldorf 5-0 on Saturday with Mario Mandzukic scoring the opener, his eighth goal of the season, while Lille drew 1-1 away to Bordeaux in Ligue 1.
Champions League Group G preview: Must win clash for Benfica, Spartak
22 October 2012
Benfica and Spartak Moscow will both be desperate for victory when they face off in Group G of the UEFA Champions League.
Both sides are winless after two group-stage games but will know they have a big chance to reel in Celtic as the Scottish Premier League champions are unlikely to have much success away to Barcelona in the other Group G match.
Benfica have one point, while Spartak have none, but a win for either team would put pressure on Celtic, who sit second on four points.
But Tuesday's match looms as an interesting tussle as Spartak, who have conceded six goals in two Champions League matches, host Benfica, who have yet to score in the European competition this season.
It has been 15 matches since Spartak last kept a clean sheet, when they defeated Dinamo Moscow 4-0 in the Russian Premier League on August 6, leaving head coach Unai Emery with some work to do.
Spartak have lost their past three games, including a 2-1 defeat away to Anzhi Makhachkala on Saturday, and will welcome an in-form Benfica team, who have won three-straight matches in Portugal.
Benfica head coach Jorge Jesus will head to Stadion Luzhniki hoping one of his strikers - Oscar Cardozo, Lima or Rodrigo - can convert their domestic goal-scoring form into goals against Spartak.
The trio have scored 11 goals between them after six rounds in Liga Sagres.
While Benfica and Spartak will hope Barcelona give Celtic a hiding at Camp Nou, the Scottish club know if they can get a point in Catalonia, it will give them plenty of momentum to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages.
Celtic thumped St Mirren 5-0 on Saturday and head to Barcelona with a win away to Spartak and a draw at home against Benfica so far in the continental club competition.
Barcelona are top of Group G with six points and will be clear favourites for the game against Celtic but Neil Lennon's side could spring an upset if they take their chances against the home side's disjointed defence.
After eight rounds in La Liga, Barcelona have conceded 11 goals and in their home group match against Spartak, Tito Vilanova's team had to come from behind to win 3-2.
In a classic example of Barcelona's defensive problems, the Catalan club overcame Deportivo La Coruna 5-4 on Saturday.
Despite Barcelona's defensive frailty, however, Celtic will most likely need to produce an unbelievable performance to take points home from Spain.
