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The Argentine has refused to blame the official for the loss to the Spanish giants, insisting he and his team-mates should shoulder the blame
Juventus striker Carlos Tevez has insisted that the referee is not culpable for his team's 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo hit a first-half double either side of a Fernando Llorente strike, but the encounter was marred by the dismissal of Giorgio Chiellini for a seemingly innocuous challenge on the Portuguese just three minutes into the second half.
But the Argentine has refused to point the finger of blame at referee Manuel Grafe for the result - which consequently leaves the Bianconeri third in Group B with just two points.
He told Sky Sport Italia: "We’re upset about the result, but it was a good performance and with a man down in the second half we still caused them problems.
"We have time to recover from this situation, but we have to give our all on the field. I have no problem playing wherever the team needs me.
"We should think about ourselves and not the referee. If you make mistakes like we did, then Real Madrid do not forgive you.
"I can’t blame the referee, as we have to think about our own performance and the errors we made."
The ref who failed to send off Lewandowski at Arsenal is a millionaire (and he's been under scrutiny before...)
By JOHN DRAYTON PUBLISHED: 10:49 GMT, 23 October 2013 | UPDATED: 12:59 GMT, 23 October 2013
Jonas Eriksson is not your typical referee. The 39-year-old Swede, who failed to send off Robert Lewandowski on Tuesday evening after an elbow on Laurent Koscielny in the second half of Dortmund's 2-1 win at Arsenal, wasn't subject of the harshest of criticism from Arsene Wenger at full-time.‘It looked like Lewandowski could have been sent off,’ claimed Arsenal’s manager. ‘The referee was in a better situation.
Yellow peril: Robert Lewandowski was fortunate to stay on the pitch after he was only cautioned for an elbow
Whack: Arsene Wenger believes Lewandowski should have seen red for catching Laurent Koscielny
Lewandowski, to Arsenal's misfortune, went on to score the winner late on at the Emirates, and he was more than lucky to still be on the pitch to slide in front of the visiting German fans as they closed in on three points.But Eriksson's story involves rich fortunes and rich criticism. He is a former journalist and became a multi-millionaire after selling his 15 per cent stake in Swedish sports media rights business IEC over six years ago, thought to be around £6million. Based primarily in Stockholm, IEC in Sports is a sports media agency with offices in Europe, Middle East, Asia and Oceania, distributing television rights worldwide to TV stations and media companies. IEC’s current program list consists of 250 events with a total annual volume of more than 3,500 hours.
Leaving it late: Robert Lewandowski won the game with a volley in the final ten minutes
However, his love for refereeing has not wavered.'All the money hasn't changed anything, the best thing I do in my life is still refereeing football,' he said before refereeing in Euro 2012 in Ukraine and Poland. If Wenger had let loose on Eriksson, the UEFA official would have been immune to it.He bore the brunt of Rangers' wrath in 2009 after waving away penalty claims in a Champions League clash with Sevilla, with Gordon Strachan saying after the game that the Swede 'shouldn't get another game in the Champions League... he is not good enough.'He sparked more trouble in the 2011-12 season when he dismissed two penalty claims from Barcelona in their goalless draw with AC Milan at San Siro in the Champions League quarter-final.
Anger: Eriksson sends off Liverpool's Ryan Babel against Benfica in 2010, and then feels the wrath of Gerrard
To add, he officiated this season's Europa League final, with Chelsea losing on penalties to Bayern Munich in Prague after a 2-2 draw. And, unsurprisingly, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho accused Eriksson of killing Chelsea’s hopes of winning the UEFA Super Cup. Eriksson sent off Ramires for two bookable offences, forcing Chelsea to play the last five minutes of normal time and all of extra time with 10 men. ‘I’m disappointed because the best team lost. The team that most deserved to win, lost. But that happens in football.
Dejected: Mourinho looked down after the game, but took his anger out on the referee
Off you go: Ramires was sent off late in normal time for a second bookable offence‘ People who earn their living in football always feel there’s a very important rule: the passion for football. If you are in love with football, you don’t kill a final with a second yellow like this. ‘If you ask me in pure terms, rule by rule, yes it was a second yellow card. But you don’t do every action in that way. 'A good English referee stops the game and tells Ramires, “Look, you’ve not hurt anyone, but you mustn’t do that again”.'
CSKA deny claims of racial abuse against Manchester City
By Al Hain-Cole5
Oct 24, 2013 2:27:00 PM
The English side urged Uefa to act after Yaya Toure complained of chanting from the crowd during their Champions League clash, but the Russian club are refuting the accusations
CSKA Moscow have denied claims from Yaya Toure that Manchester City players were the subject of racist abuse from the home crowd during Wednesday’s Champions League encounter at the Arena Khimki.
The midfielder said after his side’s 2-1 win he was target of offensive chanting from sections of the Russian support, having also raised the issue with the referee during the match.
However, CSKA's deputy media manager, Michael Sanadze, denied the allegations in an interview with Sky Sports News, insisting: "There is no subject to discuss. Nothing special happened.
"There was a lot of noise in the stadium. Nobody else, other than Yaya Toure, heard anything. The only trouble that has come about was because Yaya Toure heard something."
Both Toure and manager Manuel Pellegrini have urged Uefa to take disciplinary action against the Russian club, while City officials spoke to the match delegates after the game and are preparing a written statement on the matter.
Uefa responded on Thursday morning, stating: "We are awaiting the reports from the match which should land at some point today or tomorrow.
"Once received, the contents will determine whether a disciplinary case be opened. Should this be the case, we will communicate accordingly."
Meanwhile, anti-racism campaigners Kick It Out backed Toure in their own statement: "First and foremost the support of Kick It Out is with Yaya and everyone associated with the club.
"He has been brave and proactive not only by speaking out after the game, but by reporting it to the referee too. It was the referee's role to then stop the game which would have dealt with the problem instantly. This was a key failing of last night.
"When abuse is officially logged like this, the offending club should be charged and an automatic partial stadium closure by Uefa can be explored. A second offence could mean a full stadium closure.
"Things are not perfect in this country. But this type of abuse is a depressing throwback and raises questions around the suitability of Russia as World Cup hosts."
Manchester City submit formal complaint to Uefa over racist abuse
By Al Hain-Cole
Oct 24, 2013 8:44:00 PM
Yaya Toure accused the CSKA Moscow crowd of racial abuse during their 2-1 Champions League win in Russia and the club have now issued a formal complaint to Uefa
Manchester City have submitted a formal complaint to Uefa regarding the alleged racial abuse directed at Yaya Toure during Wednesday’s Champions League tie against CSKA Moscow.
The Ivory Coast midfielder complained of offensive chanting during the 2-1 win at the Arena Khimki, while manager Manuel Pellegrini demanded action be taken against the Russian club.
Uefa have confirmed an investigation has been opened into the allegations, which have so far been denied by CSKA.
A statement on the club’s official website read: "Manchester City FC can confirm that it has today issued a written formal complaint to Uefa regarding the events of last night’s game against CSKA Moscow.
"It follows the complaint which was raised to the UEFA delegate immediately after the conclusion of the game.
"It is noted that Uefa have opened proceedings into the matter and we await the findings in due course."
'I'm not happy with Champions League money' - De Laurentiis calls for European Super League
By Myfanwy Garman67
Oct 24, 2013 8:13:00 PM
The Napoli president believes teams could earn up to five times more from the continental competition and is eager to see the best teams clash on a weekly basis
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has advocated the idea of forming a lucrative European Super League featuring the biggest teams from across the continent.
The film mogul, who has overseen the Partenopei's rise from the Italian third tier to the Champions League, believes clubs would be able to earn far more from the proposals.
“I want to reduce the league to 16 teams and to create a large European Cup that would bring together the five biggest teams from the five best European leagues," the 64-year-old told L'Equipe.
"One week would be devoted to the national championship, the other to the European championship with teams like Manchester United, Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern, AC Milan.
"It would be crazy, the end of the world! This competition could generate €5 billion – a revolution.
"Everyone seems happy to earn €40 million per season in the Champions League. I’m not. I want to earn €150m or even €200m.”
Manchester City have made a formal complaint to UEFA over alleged racist abuse suffered by Yaya Toure against CSKA Moscow.
The Ivory Coast midfielder claimed that he was the subject of abusive chanting from some sections of the crowd during the 2-1 UEFA Champions League victory at the Arena Khimki on Wednesday, telling the media after the match that he had reported the taunts to referee Ovidiu Hategan.
He also used the opportunity to call on the European governing body to take action, adding: "It's unbelievable. I think UEFA needs to do something strong."
City have now followed that with an official complaint of their own, with a club statement on Thursday adding: "Manchester City FC can confirm that it has today issued a written formal complaint to UEFA regarding the events of last night's game against CSKA Moscow.
"It follows the complaint which was raised to the UEFA delegate immediately after the conclusion of the game.
"It is noted that UEFA have opened proceedings into the matter and we await the findings in due course."
The incident has once again brought the issue of racism in European football into sharp focus, with Toure's City team-mate Vincent Kompany leading the calls for a firm stance to be taken in order to rid the game of the problem.
He tweeted: "Racist chants again in Moscow. We've all said enough. @UEFAcom, @GovernmentRF, CSKA, all eyes are on you now. #StopRacism", while Everton manager Roberto Martinez added: "It is a real shame.
"I don't think we should be talking about these issues any more. It is important that FIFA and all the football authorities can do something about it.
"They must not let it go and accept it. It must not be another moment that can just be brushed aside."
UEFA confirmed to Perform on Thursday that they will wait for the referee's report before launching an investigation, but CSKA have been quick to refute allegations of racism.
They insist that their fans did not single out Toure for abuse.
A statement on the club's official website read: "We are surprised and disappointed by statements made by Manchester City player Yaya Toure alleging racially motivated insults from fans of CSKA.
"Having carefully studied the video of the game, we found no racist insults from fans of CSKA. In many occasions, especially during attacks on our goal, fans booed and whistled to put pressure on rival players, but regardless of their race.
"In particular, this happened with Alvaro Negredo and Edin Dzeko. Why the Ivorian midfielder took it as all being directed at him is not clear.
"It is an important fact that during the entire history of European competition our club has never observed, or been punished for, acts of racism from fans.
"In any case, we deplore this incident, although we believe accusations of racism are unfounded."
Platini calls for UEFA investigation
25 October 2013
Michel Platini has requested a UEFA investigation after CSKA Moscow's game with Manchester City continued despite alleged racist chanting.
City midfielder Yaya Toure claimed he was subjected to abusive chants from sections of the crowd during Wednesday's UEFA Champions League Group D clash at the Arena Khimki.
And UEFA president Platini has now called for an internal probe from the European governing body to determine why referee Ovidiu Hategan failed to halt the match after Toure revealed that he had made the Romanian official aware of the alleged abuse.
A statement on UEFA's website confirmed: "Further to the opening of disciplinary proceedings against PFC CSKA Moskva following the alleged racist behaviour of some of their supporters at the UEFA Champions League match between CSKA and Manchester City FC on 23 October, UEFA President Michel Platini has requested that the UEFA administration immediately conduct an internal investigation to understand why the three-step protocol established to deal with incidents of a racist nature was not implemented."
The protocol was introduced in order to enable referees to first of all stop matches and request an announcement over the public address system for supporters to "immediately desist from such racist behaviour".
If the behaviour continues, the referee is expected to suspend the game for "a reasonable period of time" and ask the players to return to the dressing rooms, with another announcement then made to spectators.
Should that fail to stop the racist abuse, the referee should abandon the game as a last resort.
UEFA will reveal the outcome of the internal investigation on October 30 when their independent Control and Disciplinary Body have dealt with the disciplinary case against CSKA.
CSKA preparing defence against ´exaggerated´ Toure claims
26 October 2013
CSKA Moscow are preparing a legal defence against claims their fans racially abused Yaya Toure, according to the club's general director.
Manchester City midfielder Toure was alleged to have been targeted by sections of the CSKA support during his side's 2-1 UEFA Champions League win over the Russian outfit on Wednesday.
City have since complained to UEFA regarding the apparent taunting, although CSKA have vehemently denied that any racist abuse took place.
And general director Roman Babayev insists that the incident has been exaggerated.
"We are preparing a legal argument," Babayev is quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph.
"We're not denying the problem of racism on the whole, including at Russian stadiums, but in this case it seems that the situation is exaggerated.
"The match delegate didn’t hear any outburst of racism toward Yaya Toure and so, of course, didn't document any during the course of the match."
Babayev also criticised the British media for raising "hysteria" around the incident.
"The British do constantly try to find any reason to smear Russian football," he added.
"It is totally possible that in this case we’re running into this same intention.
"I read the main English publications and they are raising a real hysteria. They are writing that the fans wanted to almost lynch the dark-skinned players on the field. And most journalists probably didn’t even watch the match."
Manchester City's Yaya Toure celebrates after scoring during their English League Cup soccer match against Wigan Athletic at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northern England September 24, 2013. REUTERS/Phil Noble
By William Schomberg
LONDON | Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:16pm GMT
(Reuters) - Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure met a top official with soccer's governing body on Sunday to discuss allegations that he was the victim of racial abuse from fans during a match in Russia in midweek.
The Ivory Coast international held talks with FIFA vice-president Jeffrey Webb at Stamford Bridge on the day his City team were beaten 2-1 by Premier League title rivals Chelsea.
A City spokesman confirmed the meeting took place but would not comment on the discussions.
Webb is also president of CONCACAF and the head of an anti-racism task force at FIFA.
Toure said he suffered racist abuse during Wednesday's 2-1 Champions League victory at CSKA Moscow, a claim that prompted European soccer's ruling body UEFA to open disciplinary proceedings against the Russian club.
The Ivorian also said black players could boycott the 2018 World Cup in Russia if the country did not tackle racist behaviour by fans.
REVEALED: The letter handed to United fans as they entered new 'singing section' at Old Trafford
By SIMON STONE and CALLUM TENNENT PUBLISHED: 19:29 GMT, 23 October 2013 | UPDATED: 10:50 GMT, 24 October 2013
Manchester United fans sat in the dedicated singing section at Old Trafford on Wednesday night were handed a letter before the club's Champions League clash with Real Sociedad, urging supporters to 'sing loud and proud'.Fans United, a collaboration of Manchester United supporters groups and Fanzines, were keen for those sat in the new singing section to set an example to the rest of the stadium and improve the atmosphere at Old Trafford.In the letter, fans were urged to 'make it a night to remember' and told: 'You know why you're here. To make a difference, to make Old Trafford better.'
Sing loud and proud: Supporters in the new dedicated singing section at OIld Trafford were handed this letter
Blaming a lack of terracing as one reason why the atmosphere has dwindled at Old Trafford, the letter also suggested that singing fans being too spread out across the ground also had a negative effect. With fans encouraged to 'get behind the lads and punch the air with pride', the experiment of a dedicated singing section got off to a good start, especially when the team scored the fastest goal in the Champions League this season.United took the lead against Real Sociedad after only 69 seconds after a jinking run from Wayne Rooney led to an own goal by Inigo Martinez that sent the singing section wild.A long standing attempt to generate a better atmosphere for United home games means 1,500 supporters have been located in the area normally reserved for the away contingent.
In the sing of things: The singing section at Old Trafford make themselves heard
Quick off the mark: Javier Hernandez celebrates after Inigo Martinez nets in his own net
An estimated 6,000 fans applied for the Champions League encounter following an initiative being spearheaded by various fans’ groups and given official sanction by the club.That the area was heavily oversubscribed when tickets went on sale suggests there is an appetite for such a scheme, even if the desire for a permanent singing section has met with resistance. 'For the big games, the atmosphere at Old Trafford is up there with the best of them but, as with most grounds, that is not the same for the lesser matches,' said Andrew Kilduff, co-founder of Stretford End Flags, which has been responsible for the distinctive banners in the stadium.
69 seconds: United players celebrate after going ahead with the fastest Champions League goal this season
'The problem is not lack of singing but more that, because of the size of the stadium and the acoustics within it, the sound doesn’t travel. 'You can have fans in different parts of the stadium singing different songs at the same time and none of them really being heard. 'The idea is to have an area of the ground where like-minded fans can be in the same place and, generally speaking, make some noise.'
Homecoming: Alex Ferguson watches from the stands after the release of his controversial autobiography
United employed their own acoustics experts in a bid to generate more noise and studies have found the most suitable areas to be the corners of the stadium opposite the Stretford End, where the roof is lower, trapping more of the sound.
However, an initial idea to relocate away fans to the highest section of the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand was rejected by police amid safety concerns when the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Everton visit.
Without substantially increasing the space for away fans, moving them anywhere else from their present position would require major building work.
Once offered a trial at Club Atlético de Madrid, coach Nenad Bjelica told UEFA.com that returning with his FK Austria Wien side will spark fond memories of his time in Spain.
by Elvir Islamović
from Zagreb
Former midfielder Nenad Bjelica played for Albacete, Betis and Las Palmas
Overwhelmed by one of the continent's in-form teams on matchday three, FK Austria Wien return to face Diego Simeone's section leaders Club Atlético de Madrid on Wednesday week looking to avenge a 3-0 loss when the sides met in the Austrian capital.
That result left the Violets bottom of UEFA Champions League Group G, where they are still seeking their first win and a first goal in this season's tournament proper. Coach Nenad Bjelica will serve a touchline ban in Madrid but is hoping the experience he gained in Spain as a player can nevertheless aid his side's cause.
"In seven years in Spain I learned most of my footballing knowledge," the former Croatia international explained of his time at Albacete Balompié, Real Betis Balompié and UD Las Palmas. "I picked up how to play in every footballing system and formation and what it means to play as a team. I learned how to behave and how to do things like correspond with the media, everything I need today in my coaching job."
Bjelica arrived in Spain for a trial at Atlético in 1993 yet despite impressing at Los Rojiblancos, the midfielder was overlooked by the club, a decision that baffled the ex-NK Osijek star. "I was at Atlético for several weeks, played a few matches for the reserve squad and even scored three goals in one game," the 42-year-old recalled. "I still don't know why I didn't sign for them. I remember they already had three very strong foreign players in Paulo Futre, Bernd Schuster and Luis García, but I still expected to sign a contract."
Undeterred, Bjelica moved on to Albacete, though his links with the Colchoneros would resurface some years later. "I had some great experiences at Albacete after they saw one of my trial matches with Atlético," he said. "In fact, when I was leaving the club in 1996, one of my options was to move to Atlético who were interested in me that time but I received a better offer from Betis and so I ended up moving south to Seville instead."
Remembering current Atlético coach Diego Simeone – a former Liga and Copa del Rey double winning midfielder at the club – as an "aggressive" and "energetic" player during their four on-field meetings in the 1990s, Bjelica explained that the admiration he feels towards his counterpart has grown considerably over the years.
"We were both midfielders so we came into close contact on the pitch," he explained. "We never talked much but you could tell that he was a great player, just as he is a great coach today. I've already said this a few times, but I really think Simeone is the best coach in the world at the moment; he is winning trophies and knows how to prepare his team for every situation."
Looking ahead, the Austria tactician realises the extent of the task facing the Bundesliga side as they look to revive their European hopes in what will be a daunting atmosphere at the Vicente Calderón. "It won't be easy for us there as Atlético have an excellent team and a top coach," Bjelica said. "I will be glad to return to Madrid – especially as Atlético were involved in a good part of my career. As long as we have a chance, we will be hopeful we can do something good over there."
Tuesday 29 October 2013, 11.30CET
Growing pains a problem for Marseille
Olympique de Marseille, like their stadium, are a work in progress but for all of their long-term aims, Chris Burke knows they could do with some short-term gains.
Hanging high along the Avenue du Prado on the way to the Stade Vélodrome, banners fluttering in the wind serve proud reminders that Marseille is a European Capital of Culture this year. France's second city is relishing the chance to showcase its slick new architecture and strengthen ties with the rest of the continent – but is starting to get a little fed up of European visitors enjoying their stays quite so much.
Marseille has proved a bit too welcoming to visiting teams
In recent weeks, the Mediterranean metropolis has become something of a choice destination for travellers from overseas, particularly those seeking culture of the footballing kind. Olympique de Marseille always looked like they would be up against it in UEFA Champions League Group F, but last week's 2-1 home loss to SSC Napoli left Élie Baup's side with zero points, Arsenal FC having also made the most of their trip on matchday one before OM were routed 3-0 at Borussia Dortmund. With two away games to come, beginning at the Stadio San Paolo on 6 November, some of the more pessimistic journalists on the Marseille beat are wondering if they will get off the mark at all.
"It's not a terminal spiral, but it's a negative spiral," said midfielder Benoît Cheyrou after the Napoli match, one of few players willing to share his thoughts as glum face after glum face filed out of the Vélodrome. Scorer of his team's two goals in the competition this season – both late consolation efforts – André Ayew underlined the need to get back to work. "We have to stop with the blah, blah, blah," he lamented, only for Marseille to succumb 3-2 at home to Stade de Reims on Saturday, their fifth straight defeat in all competitions.
Having kicked off the campaign boasting of a coherent growth strategy modelled on Dortmund's – investment in the domestic league's brightest young talents, exploiting a large fanbase, and so on – the club Marseille most resemble at the moment are Marseille: the OM of March 2012, who slipped to seven consecutive reverses as the Didier Deschamps era creaked towards its conclusion.
Florian Thauvin - a key summer signing at Marseille
The pressure gauges are inevitably flickering once again, with both Baup and his players in the spotlight, but OM president Vincent Labrune believes his side are still moving in the right direction. "We have a lot of talent at this club and everyone will stick together to put things right," he explained on Monday, reaffirming his faith in the club's vision. "We could either have invested in players who'd proven themselves and target the short term, or in youngsters to build for the long term."
It is a point even the most exasperated fans know has merits, Marseille not being able to compete with the financial muscle of Paris Saint-Germain FC and AS Monaco FC. Meanwhile, on the pitch, midfielder Gianelli Imbula has caught the eye since joining from EA Guingamp, and fellow summer signing Florian Thauvin shows signs of finding his feet after his fine goal against Reims.
Like their stadium, Marseille are a work in progress, but the question raised by their recent run is whether they can complete the job with the tools at their disposal. While the cranes looming behind the Tribune Jean Bouin make daily progress – and the renovated Vélodrome will be another fresh architectural delight in the city – Baup and his team need to lay foundations all over again. And stop being such generous hosts.
UEFA.com looks back on matchday three, when FC Bayern München closed in on a competition record and Iñigo Martínez scored the fastest own goal, and ahead to next week.
by Frits Ahlstrom & Andrew Haslam
Bayern celebrate another goal against Plzeň
UEFA.com looks back on UEFA Champions League matchday three, which brought up several significant statistics for FC Bayern München, the competition's fastest own goal and another scoring feat for Zlatan Ibrahimović, and looks ahead to the fourth round of fixtures, when Borussia Dortmund and Olympique de Marseille will bring up centuries.
• The 5-0 defeat of FC Viktoria Plzeñ was Bayern's eighth successive UEFA Champions League victory, equalling Dortmund's run between 4 December 1996 and 1 October 1997. Another Bayern win in Plzen on matchday four would mean Bayern equal FC Barcelona's competition record of successive victories, set in 2002/03.
• Zlatan Ibrahimović became the tenth player to score four goals in a UEFA Champions League match when Paris Saint-Germain FC beat RSC Anderlecht 5-0 in Brussels – the French club's biggest away win in Europe. Only one player has scored five goals: Lionel Messi in Barça's 7-1 win at home against Bayer 04 Leverkusen on 7 March 2012.
• The own goal by Real Sociedad de Fútbol midfielder Iñigo Martínez after 69 seconds against Manchester United FC at Old Trafford was the fastest ever in the UEFA Champions League, 20 seconds faster than the one scored by FC Unirea Urzeceni's Ricardo Gomes Vilana in the club's 4-1 win against Rangers FC at Ibrox on 20 September 2009. In 2331 UEFA Champions League matches, 139 own goals have been scored.
• The red card shown to Celtic FC midfielder Nir Biton at home to AFC Ajax in the 88th minute – only 11 minutes after he had come on as a substitute – was the 400th in the UEFA Champions League. The following day Giorgio Chiellini collected No401 at Real Madrid CF, taking Juventus' overall tally to 20 – a competition record.
• Bastian Schweinsteiger's goal in Bayern's defeat of Plzeñ – the holders' fourth – was the 6,200th in the UEFA Champions League.
• Bayern's 5-0 win also equalled Plzeñ's heaviest away defeat in UEFA competition: a 6-1 reverse in the European Cup Winners' Cup first round second leg on 29 September 1971 – also at Bayern.
• Matchday three was the 250th game in UEFA competition for Galatasaray AŞ and Club Atlético de Madrid.
• Matchday four will be the 100th European Cup game for Dortmund – they have won 49 matches – and Marseille.
• Following last week's 1-1 result at AC Milan, Barcelona's next draw in UEFA competition will be their 100th. SL Benfica's next European Cup draw will be their 50th.
• Chelsea's next win in UEFA competition will be their 100th; the next draw will be their 50th. Olympiacos' next loss in UEFA competition will be their 100th.
• SL Benfica's goal on matchday three was the 200th Olympiacos FC have conceded in the European Cup.
• James Forrest scored Celtic FC's 450th goal in UEFA competition on matchday three – the Scottish champions have conceded 298.
• A number of other scoring landmarks could be reached in the near future. In the European Cup, FC Zenit (45), FK Austria Wien, PSG (95), Juventus (345), Marseille (148) are all closing in on significant figures, while Ajax have conceded 198 times in the competition.
• In UEFA competition, Milan have scored 596 goals while Benfica have conceded 399 and Manchester
Published: Wednesday 30 October 2013, 11.44CET
Anatoliy Tymoshchuk tasted UEFA Champions League glory with FC Bayern München and now back at FC Zenit, he believes the Russian side are in a position to succeed too.
by Artem Nefedyev
from St Petersburg
Tymoshchuk: Zenit improvement clear
Anatoliy Tymoshchuk celebrated UEFA Champions League success with FC Bayern München in May and he is now looking good for another competition run with FC Zenit.
The Ukraine midfielder helped Zenit to their greatest European moment, the 2008 UEFA Cup win, before moving to Bayern the following year. He is now back at Zenit, and after last week's 1-0 victory at FC Porto left them well placed to make the round of 16 for a second time, Tymoshchuk says the Russian club are in a much stronger position even than in his first spell.
"I have been away for some time in Bavaria, and I can say that the club have done a lot in order to improve the infrastructure, to try to move forward, and the quality of that is noticeable," the 34-year-old told UEFA.com. "So I am very happy that there has been progress not only in the football but in the whole of the club's infrastructure."
With three games to go, Cristiano Ronaldo needs just one more goal to equal a group stage record held jointly by Ruud van Nistelrooy, Filippo Inzaghi and Hernán Crespo.
Group stage top scorers in the UEFA Champions League era
Galatasaray's Burak Yılmaz matched Cristiano Ronaldo's haul of six goals in the group stage of 2012/13
With three matchdays to go, Cristiano Ronaldo is just one effort away from equalling the record for most goals in a single UEFA Champions League group stage.
Ronaldo has scored seven times for Real Madrid CF this campaign, helping the Merengues rack up an impressive 12 goals in three games. The Portugual forward therefore has his sights on the record held jointly by Ruud van Nistelrooy, Filippo Inzaghi and Hernán Crespo, who registered eight group stage strikes in 2004/05 (Van Nistelrooy) and 2002/03 (Crespo and Inzaghi) respectively. Indeed Ronaldo has already found the net as many times as the tournament's leading scorers did in 14 of the 21 UEFA Champions League seasons to date.
The 28-year-old is far from being out on his own, however, with Paris Saint-Germain FC's Zlatan Ibrahimović breathing down his neck with six goals, four of which came against RSC Anderlecht on matchday three. Two further back is the indefatigable Lionel Messi, top marksman in four of the past five seasons.
All is not lost for the chasing pack, though: in ten UEFA Champions League editions, the end-of-season leading scorer has not been first in the chart at the conclusion of the group stage. Ronaldo and Ibrahimović will nonetheless take some stopping if they carry on at this rate.
UEFA Champions League leading scorers after the group stage
2013/14: Ronaldo (7), Ibrahimović (6) – after matchday three
2012/13: Burak and Ronaldo (6)
2011/12: Gomez and Messi (6)
2010/11: Eto'o (7)
2009/10: Ronaldo (6)
2008/09: Benzema, Gerrard, Klose, Messi (5)
2007/08: Ibrahimović, Ronaldo (5)
2006/07: Drogba, Kaká, Morientes (5)
2005/06: Shevchenko (6)
2004/05: Van Nistelrooy (8)
2003/04: Drogba, Makaay, Pršo, Şükür (5)
2002/03: Crespo, Inzaghi (8) – first group stage only
2001/02: Elber, Trezeguet (6) – first group stage only
2000/01: Rivaldo, Simone (6) – first group stage only
1999/2000: Jardel, Rivaldo (5) – first group stage only
1998/99: Zahovič (7)
1997/98: Henry (6)
1996/97: Bokšić, Artur, Jardel, Pantić, Simeone, Simone (4)
1995/96: Litmanen (6)
1994/95: Weah (6)
1993/94: Rufer (4)
1992/93: Sauzée (5)
Juventus host Group B leaders Real Madrid CF on Tuesday, perhaps encouraged by the fact they have twice beaten the Spanish club on 5 November, as UEFA.com discovers.
Alessandro Del Piero (right) strides away from Sergio Ramos during Juve's 2-0 win in 2008
Following a 2-1 defeat at Real Madrid CF on matchday three, Juventus find themselves in third place in UEFA Champions League Group B and in need of a victory when they host the nine-time European champions on Tuesday.
A delve into the archives, however, reveals that the Serie A side have previous when it comes to playing the Whites on 5 November, having twice beaten them on that day, as UEFA.com outlines in this pick of the teams' 15 past meetings.
Madrid 0-2 Juventus, group stage, 5 November 2008
A superb goal in each half from Alessandro Del Piero earned Juventus a victory which secured their place in the first knockout round with two matches to spare. 'Pinturicchio' took advantage of hesitant defending to curl in the opener early in the first half, before he ended the home challenge with a trademark free-kick midway through the second. A late shot past the upright almost completed a hat-trick for the No10 four days before his 34th birthday.
Juventus 2-0 Madrid (agg: 2-1, aet), round of 16 second leg, 9 March 2005
Trailing to Iván Helguera's first-leg goal, the Bianconeri levelled the tie with a quarter of an hour remaining through substitute David Trezeguet, who seized on Zlatan Ibrahimović's header down from a deep Mauro Camoranesi cross. Marcelo Zalayeta's low shot four minutes from the close of extra time settled the issue, the critical blow coming soon after Ronaldo and Alessio Tacchinardi had been dismissed for an off-the-ball incident. The result meant there would be no Spanish involvement in the quarter-finals.
Juventus 3-1 Madrid (agg: 4-3), semi-final second leg, 14 May 2003
On target in a 2-1 loss to the holders eight days earlier, Trezeguet struck again 12 minutes in at the Stadio delle Alpi. Del Piero extended La Vecchia Signora's lead on the night with a right-foot effort before the halfway point of an encounter that was decided midway through the second period. Luís Figo, given the chance to tie the aggregate scores, had a penalty saved by Gianluigi Buffon – and six minutes later Pavel Nedvěd put the outcome beyond doubt. A late strike by Zinédine Zidane, back at the stadium he graced for five years, was meagre consolation for the deposed European champions. Sadly for Nedvěd, an 82nd-minute booking ruled him out of the Old Trafford final against AC Milan.
Juventus 0-1 Madrid, final, 20 May 1998
The Merengues' pursuit of a seventh European Cup, 32 years after their last, culminated in success at the Amsterdam ArenA. Predrag Mijatović's opportunist effort proved pivotal in condemning the Turin club to their second straight final defeat, Borussia Dortmund having beaten them in Munich 12 months before. The quickest to react after a Roberto Carlos drive had been blocked, the nimble Mijatović skirted around the dive of Angelo Peruzzi to squeeze a shot into the far corner from an acute angle.
Juventus 1-0 Madrid (agg: 1-1, Madrid win 3-1 on pens), second round, 5 November 1986
Juventus captain Antonio Cabrini led by example at the Stadio Comunale, cancelling out Emilio Butragueño's lone goal in the Spanish capital a fortnight earlier. That proved to be the end of the scoring, however, as spot kicks were required to determine who would advance to the quarter-finals. After both teams failed with their first attempts, Butragueño, Jorge Valdano and Juanito held their nerve to set up a date with FK Crvena zvezda.
Uefa orders partial closure of CSKA Moscow stadium after Yaya Toure abuse
Oct 30, 2013 4:07:00 PM
Sections of the Arena Khimki will be closed after the Russian side's supporters were found guilty of racist behaviour in the Champions League match against Manchester City
Uefa has ordered CSKA Moscow to close part of the Arena Khimki for the club's next Champions League fixture after Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure suffered racist abuse from the Russian side's supporters earlier in October.
The Ivorian complained to the referee, Ovidiu Hategan, about the chanting during City's 2-1 victory, but correct protocol - which dictates that the official should have stopped the game and asked for a public service announcement to be made - was not followed.
Uefa acted swiftly, though, charging CSKA with racist behaviour one day after the match, before meeting to discuss the club's sanctions, which were confirmed in a statement on Wednesday.
"The Uefa Control and Disciplinary Body has handed down sanctions to PFC CSKA Moskva following incidents during their Uefa Champions League home game against Manchester City FC on 23 October," it read.
"Partial closure of the Arena Khimki, where CSKA play their home games in Uefa competition: specifically, the Control and Disciplinary Body has decided to close sector D of the stadium during the club's next Uefa competition home match.
"The fight against racism is a high priority for Uefa. The European governing body has a zero tolerance policy towards racism and discrimination on the pitch and in the stands.
"All forms of racist behaviour are considered serious offences against the disciplinary regulations and are punished with the most severe sanctions. Following the entry into force of the new disciplinary regulations on 1 June, the fight against racist conduct has been stepped up a level – resulting in more severe sanctions to deter any such behaviour."
The sanction will be enforced for CSKA's next home fixture in the Champions League, which is against defending champions Bayern Munich on November 27.
Uefa satisfied with referee after CSKA Moscow racism row
By Peter Hanson6
Oct 31, 2013 12:02:00 AM
Though abusive chants directed at Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure earned the Russian club a partial stadium closure, the official is found to have followed protocol
Uefa has ruled that referee Ovidiu Hategan did follow protocol when dealing with Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure's racism complaint against CSKA Moscow.
The Ivorian raised the issue with the official after being subjected to taunts from home supporters during the Champions League fixture between the two sides in Russia on October 23.
European football's governing body has a three-step plan to tackle racism, with the second being that a statement should be made over a public address system once a complaint has been levied to the referee, before potentially a match being abandoned if such instances continue, but stage two was not adhered to during the game, leading to an investigation into Hategan's actions.
However, a ruling on Wednesday found that the Romanian followed guidelines and that the Uefa venue director for the match was at fault for failing to act on the advice and has subsequently been removed from his position.
CSKA were ordered by Uefa on Wednesday to close parts of the Arena Khimki for their next home Champions League fixture against Bayern Munich on November 27, as punishment for the incident.
On the Hategan situation, a statement on Uefa's official website read: "The referee immediately asked the fourth official to request an announcement to be made to the public.
"The venue director [the Uefa officer in charge of football operations], who had not heard the chanting himself, did not activate the procedure. As the chanting had ceased, the referee decided to resume the game with the free kick.
"The conclusion of the investigation is therefore that the referee had correctly triggered the first step of the procedure by requesting the stadium announcement.
"The venue director acted inappropriately, though in good faith, so causing the failure in the activation of the first step of the standard procedure, as decided by the referee. The venue director at the Arena Khimki has been relieved of his duties."
