UEFA Champions League 2012/2013

[Hoeness]

Dortmund are like Robin Hood, claims jubilant Klopp

By Livio Caferoglu
Apr 24, 2013 11:00:00 PM

The BVB boss struggled for superlatives when describing his team's performance against the Blancos - eventually settling for the folk hero who robbed the rich and gave to the poor

Jurgen Klopp has claimed Borussia Dortmund are "like Robin Hood" in the wake of the side's 4-1 Champions League semi-final victory over Real Madrid in Wednesday's first leg.

Four goals from Robert Lewandowski fired the Schwarzgelben into a commanding aggregate lead over the Spanish giants, and their coach was left enthused by his players' high-octane approach which brought him back memories of 'total football' advocated by Netherlands in the 1970s.

"[Dortmund] are like this unbelievable team, I can't explain it in English ... we are like Robin Hood," the 45-year-old told Sky Sports.

"It was brilliant, they did not stop, I brought on two defensive players and they ran into the box and that was total football. It was great to see."

Klopp then gave his analysis on the match, and while he admitted that Dortmund temporarily succumbed to Madrid's strengths after flying out of the traps, he was delighted to see his team respond to his half-time instructions.

"It was unbelievable, a great game from my team, it was so difficult to play because Madrid are so strong, so fast and so brilliant on the counter-attack," he added.

"I think the first 25 minutes were great and then we lost our game a little bit - not by much, but enough to let them come up and they equalised.

"So I told them at the break 'maybe you think the referee made a wrong decision [referring to the penalty shout], but in the last game we had a decision go against us and we were the winners'.

"This is what we wanted to do, and we went back to playing like we did during the first 25 minutes."

 

[Hoeness]

Hummels wary of second-leg Real Madrid backlash

By Stefan Coerts
Apr 25, 2013 7:54:00 AM

The Bundesliga outfit impressed with a fine performance at Signal Iduna Park, but the Germany international believes they are not in the final just yet

Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels has warned against complacency in the wake of his side's 4-1 Champions League win over Real Madrid on Wednesday evening.

The centre-back has admitted that BVB are in a good position to make it to the final after their first-leg win, but has insisted that Madrid cannot be written off just yet.

"It's a superb result, obviously, but Real Madrid are even stronger at home. They're going to come at us for 90 minutes and we're going to have to defend against that," Hummels was quoted as saying on the official Uefa website.

"It's going to be the most difficult match of our careers so far, but if we can survive that test, we can all be very proud and that is, of course, our aim.

"We're in a great position now, but to say we've got one foot in the final is way over the top. Bayern are sure to complete the job, and we hope to do the same."

The centre-back was at fault for Cristiano Ronaldo's equaliser, but he was pleased with the way BVB bounced back after the break.

"I think we can be tremendously proud of the team's performance tonight. The way we played was a measure of the players and I'm all the more delighted at how the team reacted to my mistake. The way we dealt with it and what we showed subsequently was fantastic."

The return leg takes place at the Santiago Bernabeu on April 30.

 

[Hoeness]

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Borussia Dortmund 4 : 1 Real Madrid


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[Pavlyuchenko]

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[Hoeness]

Lewandowski: I'll discuss my future at the end of the season
The Poland star insists he will not be drawn on press speculation linking him with summer moves to Bayern Munich and Manchester United

Vilanova: Who wouldn't depend on Messi?
The 44-year-old Blaugrana coach believes any side would be reliant on a player as good as the Argentine and says he does not care when his men win La Liga

Heynckes plays down Madrid rumours
The 67-year-old says he will not reveal his next move until the expiration of his contract this summer amid reports of a return to the Bernabeu

Lewandowski on par with Ronaldo and good enough for Barcelona, says Santana
The Brazilian defender has nothing but praise for the prolific striker and has urged his BVB team-mates to remain focused ahead of Tuesday's return against Real Madrid

Iniesta: Barcelona deserve more respect
The creative midfielder is hurting from what he believes is disrespect towards his side following everything they have achieved in the past few seasons

Chiellini: Bayern & Dortmund are Martians!
The Italian has been blown away by the performances of the Bundesliga giants in Europe this season and feels that we might be seeing the start of a new era of German dominance

Casillas: Madrid must be willing to die against Dortmund
The currently-benched Blancos skipper says that Tuesday's second leg is more important than this weekend's Spanish derby with city rivals Atletico Madrid

Iniesta: Bundesliga not better than La Liga
The Spain international believes it would be a mistake to read too much into the significance of the Blaugrana's beating in Bavaria and Dortmund's mauling of Madrid

Madrid couldn't handle us, says Lewandowski
The striker believes his side's attacking style of football left los Blancos stunned and says the win marks a great stride forward for the club

Real Madrid failed as a team, says Varane
The France international feels the defence was not the only culprit in los Blancos' loss, while Xabi Alonso believes they can still progress to the final

Germany humbles Spain to leave Mourinho on the brink
Borussia Dortmund matched Bayern Munich's brilliance against Barcelona with a stunning show of their own versus Real Madrid, as the Portuguese moves closer to a summer exit

 

[Hoeness]

'Malaga were wronged by Uefa'

By Enis Koylu
Apr 25, 2013 5:16:00 PM

The Qatari billionaire has called upon the RFEF to protect his side after they suffered a "moral and psychological" injustice against Borussia Dortmund

Malaga owner Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Thani says that his side have been wrongly treated by Uefa in the Champions League this season.

The Andalusians were knocked out of the competition after a late, offside strike from Borussia Dortmund's Felipe Santana, prompting the Qatari to claim that his side were the victims of institutional racism.

He later backtracked on his criticism but has now called on the Spanish football authorities to protect his side.

"Firstly I'm sorry for Spanish teams' losses in the Champions League," he wrote on his Twitter page.

"I hope to refer to my comments from the past. I mentioned that there is a catastrophe in Spanish football. My question to the Spanish Football Federation is: where is the justice and equality between club?

"We were wronged by Uefa. Where are you for this injustice against Malaga and the moral and psychological damage?"

Malaga face a hearing to determine whether they will be allowed to compete in the Champions League next season after being found to be in breach of Financial Fair Play regulations.

 

[Hoeness]

English FA fined by UEFA over fixture clashes

ReutersReuters – 1 hour 23 minutes ago

LONDON, April 26 (Reuters) - The English FA was fined by UEFA on Friday after failing to prevent top domestic matches being scheduled at the same time as European competition.

UEFA rules say Premier League, FA Cup and Capital One (League) Cup matches must not clash with games in the Champions League and Europa League but the FA fell foul of the regulation in the previous two seasons amid fixture congestion.

"Accepting a resolution of the case between the parties, the FA will pay 50,000 euros and the 10 percent of the UEFA Champions League distribution payment for 2010/11, which was withheld, will be added at the end of the current campaign to the pot for distribution to the respective clubs in the relevant remaining UEFA member associations," a UEFA statement said.

"In addition, UEFA will now establish a working group, which will involve representatives of the FA, in order to avoid calendar clashes in future."

Media reports said the Champions League payouts the FA missed out on amounted to 1.1 million pounds ($1.70 million). ($1 = 0.6455 British pounds) (Writing by Mark Meadows)

 

[Hoeness]

UEFA take more than £1MILLION quid from the English TV money pot for scheduling fixtures on Champions League nights

PUBLISHED: 16:09 GMT, 26 April 2013 | UPDATED: 16:21 GMT, 26 April 2013

UEFA have taken more than a million pounds from the English clubs' pot of Champions League television money for scheduling domestic matches against the competition. The 1.3million euro fine was imposed after UEFA's disciplinary panel found 'clashes relating to the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 seasons.' The cash, which relates to 10 per cent of payments that were due to The Football Association in 2010-2011, was previously withheld.

Fine: UEFA have fined English clubs more than a million pounds for scheduling domestic matches against the Champions League. UEFA President Michel Platini stands with the trophy

Heartbreak: The fines relate to the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 seasons. Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich in the former, and Leo Messi (centre) broke Manchester United hearts at Wembley the following year

UEFA says the money will be spread among clubs in other countries, with the majority of it to be spent on youth training.

The FA have also been fined 50,000 euros (£42,000) for their involvement. English officials are said to have been repeatedly warned about league and cup matches clashing with the Champions League. A UEFA statement said it will 'establish a working group, which will involve representatives of the FA, in order to avoid calendar clashes in future.'

Return of the Special One: Jose Mourinho (centre) returned to Stamford Bridge with Chelsea in 2010 - his Inter side went on to win the competition

One fixture that invoked UEFA's anger was Liverpool's 3-0 derby win in March 2012, the game Steven Gerrard scored a hat-trick. At the time the Premier League said that clashes are sometimes unavoidable and refused to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU).

Speaking in April 2012, Dan Johnson, the Premier League's communications director, said: 'We have refused to sign the MOU because although we would never seek to go head-to-head with European games, sometimes it's inevitable. 'We don't believe Uefa have the right to say when domestic leagues can and can't schedule their fixtures, especially when Uefa have themselves increased the number of European nights by spreading out their match days and moving the Champions League final to a Saturday.'

Fixture clash: Steven Gerrard celebrates scoring a hat-trick against Everton in March 2012, a night when Champions League matches were taking place

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[JabbatheHutt]

Di Maria: Derby win is extra motivation for Champions League
The hero of the night dedicated his goal to his newborn child and believes the result serves as a springboard to a revival against Borussia Dortmund

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

UEFA Champions League preview: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund

29 April 2013

Real Madrid winger Angel di Maria believes Saturday's triumph over Atletico can serve as a springboard in their Champions League semi-final.

Madrid were humbled 4-1 by Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their semi-final tie, with prolific marksman Robert Lewandowski scoring all four goals in a memorable performance.

Jose Mourinho's side returned to winning ways at the weekend, edging city rivals Atletico 2-1 in their battle for second position in La Liga.

And di Maria, who netted the match-winning goal, believes the derby win can be the catalyst for redemption against Dortmund at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.

"Winning this match is extra motivation and will help us to be at our best on Tuesday," the 25-year-old told reporters. "We do not take that match as lost."

The nine-time Champions League winners' home form in the competition is cause for optimism, with just two defeats from their last 19 games at the Bernabeu.

Real's home record domestically is even better, having not lost a game in 26 fixtures, a run spanning back to December 2011, when they lost to arch-rivals Barcelona.

Despite the positivity making its way out of the Madrid camp, their recent form against Dortmund is concerning.

In the pair's three meetings this season, Juergen Klopp's men have won two and drawn one.

Real were totally outplayed in all three games, including the 2-2 draw at the Bernabeu in November, with an 89th-minute goal from Mesut Oezil salvaging a point in the group-stage clash.

Meanwhile, Dortmund made 10 changes to the team that defeat Real but they still managed to beat Fortuna Duesseldorf 2-1 on Saturday.

Lewandowski, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Marco Reus were given limited minutes at the weekend, leaving the Bundesliga outfit in prime condition to book their ticket to Wembley in May.

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

UEFA Champions League preview: Barcelona v Bayern Munich

29 April 2013

Barcelona will be looking to restore their battered pride when they face a ruthless Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou on Wednesday.

Never in their golden era have the Spanish giants been so comprehensively outplayed as they were in last Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first leg.

Jupp Heynckes' side dished out the sort of lesson Barcelona have inflicted on a host of Europe's elite for the better part of five years, with Thomas Mueller scoring twice either side of Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben strikes.

A rescue job against one of, if not the most, formidable side in Europe looks out of the question but at the very least Barcelona must make amends for that defeat.

A shell-shocked Lionel Messi described it as a low point in his career and will have to be central in the second leg if Tito Vilanova's side are to turns things around.

"It was embarrassing, if I'm honest," Messi said of the first-leg defeat.

"It's a very low point in my career and not something I would like to experience again.

"We were comprehensively outplayed by Bayern Munich and ¬deserved nothing from the game."

Bayern continued their momentous season on Saturday, setting a new Bundesliga points record of 84, three more than Dortmund's record mark last season.

Heynckes made 10 changes to his side in a show of respect to Barcelona, but they still registered a 14th straight league win.

On the other side of the coin, Barcelona rested a few regulars and may give David Villa a starting role to bolster their attack.

Messi came off the bench to score in his 20th consecutive league game against Athletic Bilbao, but Barcelona were forced to wait at least another week to seal the La Liga title after a 2-2 draw.

He came on in the 59th minute to transform the game but his fitness is still a query for the Spanish giants.

Captain Carles Puyol remains sidelined, another worry for Barcelona, who were hit by an aerial bombardment from Bayern in the first leg.

Eric Abidal replaced 22-year-old central defender Marc Bartra against Bilbao and may be used in that role again on Wednesday.

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Gundogan: The Bernabeu does not frighten BVB
The Germany international does not believe that his side will be daunted by the atmosphere in the Spanish capital as they prepare to face Real Madrid

Madrid have learned their lesson, says Pepe
The Portugal international believes the Liga giants can still make it to the final as they have learned from their mistakes against Borusssia Dortmund

Watzke: Dortmund haven't made final yet
The BVB official has insisted "nothing is settled" on the eve of facing Real Madrid and believes the team deserve more credit for their heroics in the first leg

Khedira believes early goal will be 'vital'
The midfielder thinks making a positive start could be key as his side look to produce a stunning comeback on Tuesday

Real Madrid need a miracle, says Kehl
The midfielder says his side are prepared and focused for the second leg and believes los Blancos will need to produce something out of the ordinary to reach the final

Santillana urges Real Madrid to 'fight to the death'
The retired Spain star feels his ex-club still have a chance of reaching Wembley, but admits they will have to work harder than ever before to achieve that goal

Hitzfeld 'convinced' of all-German Champions League final
The Switzerland coach is certain that the Bundesliga's two leading clubs will meet at Wembley in May

People should believe in Barcelona, says Rosell
The Blaugrana president says the public should be wary of writing the club off just yet, as they bid to produce an incredible comeback and advance to the Champions League final

Ramos: Madrid must believe in comeback
The defender has urged his team-mates to go all out in their bid to pull off a remarkable turnaround in Europe on Tuesday

Mourinho: I never told Klopp I was going to Chelsea
The Portuguese coach has dismissed reports that claimed he is set to return to the Premier League giants and is focused on the match against Dortmund

Cristiano Ronaldo fit for Dortmund clash
The attacker was being plagued by muscular problems in the past few days, but has been deemed match fit again ahead of Tuesday's game with Dortmund

Madrid need Ronaldo more than ever, says Khedira
The holding midfielder has stressed that the Portugal star will be vital for his side in the second leg of the semi-final tie against Dortmund

Dante: Barcelona will be desperate for revenge
The Brazilian defender has insisted that Bayern must remain focused if they are to reach the final and added that they must stay close to Lionel Messi at all times

Khedira: Madrid hoping for a magical night
The former Stuttgart starlet believes their history in the competition stands them in good stead if they are to "achieve the impossible" and progress to the final in Wembley

Carvalho: Madrid can turn around Dortmund tie
The 34-year-old does not believe the Blancos' chances of making the final have suffered damage beyond repair and says victory over Atletico Madrid derby has sparked belief

Thiago targets Barcelona comeback against Bayern
The 22-year-old knows anything can happen in football and he is hoping for an incredible turnaround against the Bundesliga champions on Wednesday

'Bayern aren't done yet' - Ribery issues Barcelona warning
Die Roten winger promises no respite for the Catalans despite his side carrying a 4-0 lead into Wednesday's Champions League tie, demanding another top-class performance

Piszczek doubtful for Real Madrid second leg
The Poland international could miss the second leg of Borussia Dortmund's Champions League semi-final against the Liga giants due to a groin injury

Lewandowski is Europe's best striker, says Kehl
The experienced midfielder has nothing but praise for the prolific attacker and has voiced his disappointment with Mario Gotze's imminent transfer to Bayern Munich

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Howard Webb to referee Madrid-Dortmund clash

By Andrew Wychrij
Apr 28, 2013 11:22:00 AM

Uefa announces that the English official will take charge of the tie at the Santiago Bernabeu

Uefa has appointed Howard Webb as referee for Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.

The home side will need to produce a remarkable comeback to overturn a 4-1 first-leg defeat, meaning Webb could be in for a busy evening at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Englishman is highly regarded in his profession, having officiated the 2010 World Cup final between Spain and the Netherlands, as well as Inter's 2-0 Champions League triumph over Bayern Munich in the same year.

That first of those games saw Madrid players Xabi Alonso, Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos all on the winning side, with la Roja running out 1-0 winners.

Webb was criticised after the game following an incident where Alonso was infamously 'dropkicked' by Nigel de Jong, a foul that was punished with just a yellow card from the referee.

The official is also no stranger to run-ins with Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho. Webb sent off two Chelsea players in the 2007 League Cup final and infuriated the then Blues boss when Salomon Kalou's goal was ruled offside against Blackburn in September 2007.

After the incident, Mourinho demanded a phone-call apology from Webb saying:

"I told him what I had to tell and what I told him was I am waiting for his phone call tomorrow to apologise."

The game in Madrid will be will Webb's fifth European tie this season. He has shown 15 yellows and one red in the Champions League so far this campaign.

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Dortmund tie Madrid's biggest in a decade, says Butragueno

By Andrew Wychrij
Apr 28, 2013 10:06:00 AM

Los Blancos director underlines the magnitude of the clash with BVB, claiming his side can still reach the Champions League final despite a damaging 4-1 first-leg defeat

Real Madrid public relations director Emilio Butragueno believes Tuesday's meeting with Borussia Dortmund is one of the club's "biggest games in the last 10 years".

Four goals from Robert Lewandowski in last Wednesday's game in Dortmund have given los Merengues an extremely difficult task but, after seeing his team beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 on Saturday, Butragueno remains optimistic that they can overturn their 4-1 first-leg defeat.

"Tuesday's game is probably one of Madrid's biggest games in the last 10 years," the 49-year-old Spaniard told by AS.

"As the game gets closer, people's faith in a comeback will increase. Let's see how effective we are. These players can do it, for sure.

"Our fans are smart. They know when the team needs their support. They know the importance of the game, they understand the nature of the game and what we hope is that the team will deliver."

Butragueno, who won six Liga titles with los Blancos, also praised the team's Madrid derby victory, where the visitors recovered from a goal down to seal victory.

"The team has competed very well, even after conceding the first goal," the former Spain striker added.

"The defensive system has worked well and we have also taken advantage of our chances."

Real Madrid are second in La Liga with 74 points from 33 games and trail leaders Barcelona by 11 points.

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Klopp envisages 'historic' night of football

By Chris Kvesa
Apr 29, 2013 6:28:00 PM

The BVB boss believes Tuesday's game will be remembered for years to come - regardless of which team emerges victorious

Jurgen Klopp is envisaging an "historic" night of football when his Borussia Dortmund side face Real Madrid in the second-leg of their Champions League semi-final.

Die Schwarzgelben ran out 4-1 winners in the first-leg last Wednesday, making them strong favourites at the Santiago Bernabeu, and the BVB boss is expecting a special evening.

"We know what can happen in football, either way, something historic will happen," the 45-year-old told reporters at the pre-match press conference.

"If we go through, it will be historic, if Madrid turn the tie, it will be historic as well.

"My players cannot fail tomorrow, they can only give their best, there's no doubt about this. We have to show that BVB will do everything in their power to reach the final.

"We don't have the feeling of already being in the final. But we have built us a solid foundation, which we didn't expect. We're not in the final yet, but we're fighting for it."

Madrid and Dortmund kick off at 20.45CET on Tuesday, April 30 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Klopp: Balance is key for Madrid clash

By Shane Callaghan
Apr 29, 2013 9:51:00 PM

The 45-year-old coach is hoping to strike the right chord in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against Jose Mourinho's men to seal their final berth

Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp is hoping to strike the perfect balance between defence and attack against Real Madrid on Tuesday to ensure his team book their place in the Champions League final.

The Bundesliga giants face the Blancos at the Bernabeu knowing their 4-1 aggregate lead makes them overwhelming favourites to progress to the final in May.

However, with Mourinho's men having an away goal, Klopp admits the outcome could depend on how he fares tactically.

"Real Madrid believe they can turn around the tie tomorrow and they will act accordingly. Their fans weren't happy with the first leg, and the team will have to set an example from the first second," the coach told reporters.

"We know about our qualities and we gave Madrid a lot of problems in the last three games against them. It won't be a solely defence-based game tomorrow, nor will it be an offence-focused one. Balance is key."

Despite preliminary reports suggesting Lukasz Piszczek could miss Tuesday's second leg through injury, the 45-year-old revealed the defender could still recover in time to face the Liga giants.

Klopp added: "I'm not sure if Lukasz will play, yesterday he did a little bit of running, but we will see tomorrow."

Tuesday's match at the Santiago Bernabeu is scheduled to kick off at 20:45 CET.

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Mourinho: We should have fouled Lewandowski

By Chris Kvesa
Apr 29, 2013 1:50:00 PM

The Portuguese feels his side lacked the physical strength to deal with the Poland striker, while adding that Tuesday's game is the "most important match in 10 years" for the club

Jose Mourinho says he is disappointed his Real Madrid side didn't "foul" Robert Lewandowski once in the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final tie against Borussia Dortmund.

The striker scored all four of BVB's goals in a stunning 4-1 win at Signal Iduna Park last Wednesday, and looking ahead to Tuesday's second leg, the Portuguese coach admitted his players lacked a physical edge to deal with the Poland international.

"In the first leg, we didn't even foul Lewandowski once. We were way too naive and pure," the 50-year-old told a press conference on Monday.

"We have to play it minute by minute and goal by goal until the last breath of the match."

Madrid will need to produce an incredible comeback if they are to advance to the final at Wembley, but Mourinho remains confident his side have what it takes to do just that.

"It's only football and everything is possible. We have to enjoy ourselves on the pitch, although we are in a difficult situation," he added.

"I respect Real Madrid's history a lot. It is difficult to say what mathematical chance we have. I feel this is the most important match in 10 years for Real Madrid, but I also felt that in Dortmund and we played like [it was] a friendly."

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Rafael Nadal tips Madrid to serve up comeback

By Will Jones
Apr 29, 2013 5:39:00 PM

The tennis player says los Blancos will not be short of hunger at the Santiago Bernabeu in the Champions League semi-final

Rafael Nadal says there is no better place for Real Madrid to produce a stunning comeback against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday than the Santiago Bernabeu.

After a 4-1 defeat in the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final in Germany last week, los Blancos will need every ounce of energy and support to triumph in the second leg.

And fresh from winning the Barcelona Open title, the tennis player is desperate for Madrid to cap off a perfect week by booking their place in the final at Wembley.

"There is no motivation better than to play at the Bernabeu for a place in the Champions League final," the Spaniard told Marca.

"Madrid is going to make the effort. Let's hope for a good start and then I believe it can happen."

Iker Casillas has been left out of coach Jose Mourinho's plans this season but the Madrid fan refused to comment on the matter.

"I am not somebody who can comment on this topic. Everybody else can say what they like."

Rafael Nadal's father, Miguel Nadal, was a professional footballer who played for Mallorca and Barcelona. He won five Liga titles and one European Cup with the Blaugrana.

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Gundogan: Ronaldo knows what he is in for

By Stefan Coerts
Apr 29, 2013 11:03:00 AM

The Germany international feels the Madrid star has little reason to be optimistic but has stressed that BVB are not in the Champions League final yet

Ilkay Gundogan is confident that Borussia Dortmund have what it takes to keep Cristiano Ronaldo quiet in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final tie against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday.

The Portugal international netted his side's only goal in Dortmund's 4-1 win at the Signal Iduna Park and has been in superb form throughout the competition, scoring 12 times.

Nevertheless, Gundogan believes the previous three encounters between BVB and Madrid give Ronaldo little reason for optimism.

"I have no doubt about it that Ronaldo will realise that it will be very difficult against us," the Germany international was quoted as saying by Kicker.

"We are a very unpleasant opponent. He will have experienced that in the previous three encounters this season."

Despite Dortmund's 4-1 victory in the first leg, Gundogan has stressed that the tie is not over yet.

"We are in a good position after the first leg. However, Real Madrid are always capable of winning 3-0 at home."

Tuesday's encounter at the Bernabeu is scheduled to kick off at 20:45CET.

 

[Pavlyuchenko]

Klopp denies leaking Mourinho job info

By Shane Callaghan
Apr 29, 2013 12:06:00 AM

The 45-year-old trainer has refuted claims made in the German media that he suggested the Real Madrid coach is Chelsea-bound in the summer

Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp has reacted angrily to claims made by German newspaper Bild that he leaked information about Jose Mourinho returning to England next season.

According to the outlet, the 45-year-old coach revealed Mourinho would quit Real Madrid this summer in favour of former club Chelsea.

However, Klopp has rubbished the reports, insisting he is infuriated about what has been written and said that the Portuguese trainer is a friend of his whom he would not reveal such things about.

"It is an absolutely ridiculous story," he told reporters. "I never told anyone that Mourinho is going to Chelsea or another club. I'm not a person who does things like that.

"I heard this story before our game with Fortuna and I have to admit I was very sad and angry because it is completely false.

"It is a made up story. Mourinho is a colleague and a friend and I would never mess around in such a manner."

Klopp will come face-to-face with Mourinho on Tuesday as his Dortmund team travel to the Spanish capital for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.

Die Schwarzgelben hold a 4-1 lead from the first leg at Signal Iduna Park, where Robert Lewandowski scored all the hosts' goals with Cristiano Ronaldo grabbing the Blancos' away goal.