Halftime.....Besiktas 0 ....Arsenal 0. Arsenal not playing very well especially Giroud who fluffed 2 chances.
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☆ UEFA Champions League 2014-15 ☆
- Thread starter Gundogan
- Start date
Final score 0-0 but some action despite the score so staying up to watch was worth it.
UEFA Champions League Review: Higuain rescues Napoli, Leverkusen edge thriller
19 August 2014
Gonzalo Higuain rescued Napoli to earn a 1-1 draw against Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of their Champions League play-off clash.
Athletic took the lead at Stadio San Paolo on Tuesday shortly before half-time when Iker Muniain rounded off a well-worked move by side-footing home from the edge of the penalty box.
However, Rafael Benitez's Napoli levelled in the 68th minute, Higuain making it nine goals in 11 appearances against the Spanish side when he trapped Marek Hamsik's ball on the edge of the area and drilled a low shot into the bottom left-hand corner.
Jose Callejon should have made it 2-1 shortly after, but he placed wide of the post after breaking into the area, meaning Napoli will have to score in next week's return leg at Estadio San Mames to progress.
Ten-man Arsenal came agonisingly close to snatching a late winner at Besiktas, but goalkeeper Tolga Zengin tipped Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's shot onto the post three minutes from time as the sides battled out a goalless stalemate.
Demba Ba was also denied by the woodwork, straight from the kick-off, on a night when Aaron Ramsey picked up the first red card of his Arsenal career following two bookings.
In Denmark, German side Bayer Leverkusen defeated FC Copenhagen 3-2 in an entertaining contest, with all five goals coming in the first half.
Stefan Kiessling scored five goals in Leverkusen's 6-0 beating of Alemannia Waldalgesheim in the DFB-Pokal on Friday, and he swept home the opener in the fifth minute.
However, Mathias Jorgensen and Daniel Amartey netted in the space of four first-half minutes to put the hosts ahead by the 13th minute.
Leverkusen did not panic, though, and Karim Bellarabi levelled just after the half-hour mark before Son Heung-min slid home the winner three minutes before the break.
In Tuesday's other matches, Emil Forsberg grabbed a priceless 90th-minute away goal as Malmo lost 2-1 at Salzburg, while Alexandru Chipciu's 88th-minute strike helped Steaua Bucharest beat Ludogorets 1-0.
Wenger rues ´unbelievable´ Ramsey dismissal
19 August 2014
Arsene Wenger was baffled by an "unbelievable" red card for Aaron Ramsey in Tuesday's goalless draw against Besiktas in Istanbul.
Wales midfielder Ramsey will miss the second leg of the Premier League club's UEFA Champions League play-off with the Turkish side after being shown a second yellow card for pulling Oguzhan Ozyakup's shirt 10 minutes from time.
It was the first time the midfielder had seen red in his club career and Arsenal manager Wenger felt the decision from Serbian referee Milorad Mazic was extremely harsh.
"Both yellow cards for Aaron Ramsey are unbelievable," he told ITV. "When you see the fouls they have made it's not serious. Just not serious."
Arsenal were not at their best, but almost snatched a winner when substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's late shot was tipped onto the post by Besiktas goalkeeper Tolga Zengin.
Frenchman Wenger, who also lost midfielder Mikel Arteta to injury, is optimistic that his side can progress into the group stage for a 17th consecutive season by winning the second leg at the Emirates Stadium next Wednesday.
"It was a difficult game played at a frenetic pace from the first minute to the last." he added.
"We could have won it but they had chances as well, in the first half alone. In the end we didn't lose and hopefully we will make it at home."
Wenger was also encouraged by another assured performance from recent signing Calum Chambers at the heart of his defence.
He said: "I think he was once again very good and very convincing in his performance. He coped with the pressure, won the challenges and played on a pitch that was not easy. He did very well."
Chambers was good except for one Gerard type slip but Giroud was not good at all.
Higuain: Napoli have to be in the Champions League
By James Willoughby
Aug 20, 2014 11:23:00
The striker was angered by his side's failure to beat Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday and has urged them to complete the job at the San Mames
Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain was left angry after his side's 1-1 Champions League draw with Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday.
Rafael Benitez's men fell behind following Iker Muniain's first-half goal, but Higuain's 68th-minute effort ensured honours were even heading into next week's play-off second leg in Spain.
However, the Argentina forward felt his side should have done more and was enraged at the prospect of the club missing out on the competition proper.
"The truth is I don't feel like talking right now," Higuain – who was visibly angered after the final whistle – told Sky Sport Italia.
"Napoli have to play in the Champions League.
"We'll have prepare well for the next match. We have to go there to win and Napoli have to do it.
"We have the team to achieve this."
Winning in Bilbao will be no easy task for the Naples-based Serie A club, with Athletic dropping just two La Liga matches at home last term.
Wenger lodges Uefa complaint over thrown bottle
By George Ankers
Aug 20, 2014 10:00:00
The Gunners boss says that something was hurled at him by a fan in the Ataturk Stadium at the end of his side's 0-0 Champions League draw with Besiktas on Tuesday
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has reported to Uefa an incident in which a bottle was thrown at him following his side's 0-0 draw with Besiktas.
The Gunners boss was walking off the pitch after his side, who had Aaron Ramsey sent off, failed to make the breakthrough in the first leg of their Champions League play-off.
The Frenchman says that someone in the crowd at the Ataturk Stadium attempted to strike him with a missile, with European football's governing body now in charge of investigating.
"As I left the pitch a bottle or something was thrown at me," Wenger told the media afterwards.
"I reported the incident to Uefa."
The Arsenal boss also declared after the match that his side are not close to making any further summer signings after a heavy close-season spend.
Giroud in doubt for Champions League play-off
By Stephen Darwin
Aug 24, 2014 08:23:00
The Arsenal striker limped out of the 2-2 draw with Everton after scoring the equaliser and could now miss the crucial meeting with Besiktas on Wednesday night
Arsene Wenger is worried Olivier Giroud could miss Arsenal's Champions League play-off second leg with Besiktas after picking up an ankle injury in the 2-2 draw with Everton.
The former Montpellier striker replaced Alexis Sanchez at half-time at Goodison Park and rescued a point with an equaliser one minute from time after Everton had initially raced into a two-goal lead.
But the 27-year-old limped off before the whistle blew and Wenger is now concerned that the forward could be an injury doubt for the Gunners's Champions League play-off meeting with Besiktas on Wednesday.
"It is a big game on Wednesday, we hope we can recover," he told Sky Sports. "I hope we have not lost Giroud in the final minute. It's a stretched ankle. It doesn’t look good."
On the impact the Frenchman made after replacing Alexis, Wenger added: "I thought we would dominate the game and that we needed some physical presence and I think he had a very good second half.
"It's great for our belief to know that away from home 2-0 down that with players like that we can come back.
"We always had a good mentality, the competition in England is tough for everybody and the group is still young and improving I think we are really ambitious and we showed that again."
Arsenal face the Turkish side knowing a win will be enough to take them through to the group stages of the Champions League, following a 0-0 draw in the first leg in Istanbul.
Arsenal 1-0 Besiktas (agg 1-0): Alexis sends 10-man Gunners through
Aug 27, 2014 21:38:00
The Chile international bagged his first goal for the club to send the north Londoners into the Champions League group stages at the expense of the Turkish giants
Alexis Sanchez's first goal for Arsenal gave the Gunners a 1-0 win over Besiktas on Wednesday, despite Mathieu Debuchy's late red card.
The Chilean forward, who has largely flattered to deceive since making a high-profile move from Barcelona, struck just before half-time in the second leg of Wednesday's play-off, following last week's first leg 0-0 draw.
His effort, backed up by a stellar showing from Jack Wilshere and some dogged defending following Debuchy's 76th-minute red card, was enough to see the Premier League side progress to the competition proper for the 17th successive year.
All of the pressure was on Arsene Wenger ahead of an encounter estimated to be worth upwards of £20 million for the victors.
But, despite being without Aaron Ramsey following his sending off in a goalless first leg, the Arsenal manager could breathe a sigh of relief.
Besiktas, meanwhile, will have taken great heart from another impressive showing, even if a Europa League campaign now awaits.
Clearly determined to impose themselves, Arsenal began quickly and pressed forward with regularity.
Their approach almost reaped immediate reward, but Wilshere could only drag an effort wide after bursting through from midfield.
Santi Cazorla was the next to threaten, intercepting a dreadful clearance from Tolga Zengin before sending a first-time effort wide with the goalkeeper a long way off his line.
The Premier League side continued to enjoy the lion's share of possession, although Besiktas and, in particular, Demba Ba looked threatening on the counter-attack.
As the half wore on, though, it was the visitors who began to dominate, with Ramon Motta seeing a strong penalty appeal turned down following a wild Wilshere challenge.
The home nerves were finally eased just before half-time, as Nacho Monreal's through ball went through the legs of Wilshere to leave Alexis with the simplest of finishes.
Far from thinking it was a case of 'job done', Arsenal picked up where they had left off after the interval, Cazorla flashing an effort just wide having been picked out by the impressive Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Alexis almost grabbed his second soon afterwards, his poked effort deflecting just wide following a superb Wilshere pass.
The hosts were clearly determined to avoid any late drama but they could not find a cutting edge in front of goal, as Debuchy headed Cazorla's superb set-piece into the side-netting with time running out.
And the tension was taken up another notch when Ba found space in the area and narrowly missed the target at the other end.
With 14 minutes left, Arsenal were hanging on as Cazorla and Oxlade-Chamberlain both missed glorious chances from close range before Debuchy saw red for a second yellow card.
Calum Chambers replaced Mesut Ozil as a result to shore them up at the back, but it needed a late miss from Ba, who failed to meet Gokhan Tore's cross with the goal gaping, before Arsenal could be sure of their spot in Thursday's draw.
Athletic Bilbao 3-1 Napoli (4-2 agg.): Aduriz bags two as Benitez's charges flop in Spain
By Joe Wright
Aug 27, 2014 21:35:00
Marek Hamsik snatched an lead early in the second half but the Basque side roared back to seal their place in the Champions League group stages
Athletic Bilbao took advantage of a poor Napoli performance to seal a 3-1 win (4-2 agg.) over the Serie A side and book progression to the group stages of the Champions League.
Aritz Aduriz scored twice before Ibai Gomez added a third in a blistering 15-minute spell in the second half after Marek Hamsik had put Napoli ahead.
The home side spurned a number of other opportunities to put further gloss on the scoreline but will nonetheless take their place in the group-stage draw on Thursday, while Rafa Benitez is left to ponder life in the Europa League.
In what was a relatively cagey opening, Athletic started the strongest, pressing high up the pitch and forcing Napoli to concede possession quickly.
It was Napoli with the first half-chance, however, as Jose Callejon latched on to Marek Hamsik's cut-back only to lash a half-volley over the bar from 20 yards.
Higuain was then sent through only to be denied by a close offside call, before Aritz Aduriz brought a smart stop out of Rafael - though again he was narrowly offside.
Higuain then flashed a half-volley narrowly wide of the near post before Gurpegi spurned a glorious opening, heading past the near post as he arrived unchallenged to meet Benat's corner.
Athletic continued to press, with De Marcos forcing a nervy parry from Rafael before the resulting corner found its way to Iker Muniain, who picked out Aymeric Laporte unmarked at the far post only for the youngster to fire well over the bar.
However, it was Napoli who struck first just after break. Balenziaga headed a chipped long ball straight to the feet of Hamsik, who took a touch and buried it in the bottom corner.
Callejon was then sent racing clear only for Iraizoz to hurtle off his line to deny him as the visitors began to look the more relaxed and controlled side - but their lead did not last long. On 61 minutes, Aduriz was picked out unmarked by Susaeta from a corner, and he fired low past Rafael to restore parity.
Higuain then tested Iraizoz with a run and shot, but just eight minutes later, Athletic were ahead. Rafael raced off his line to clear a long ball from Laporte and got in a mess with Raul Albiol, allowing Aduriz to stroll through and stroke the ball into the unguarded net.
Benitez threw on Duvan Zapata and Lorenzo Insigne as they pushed for an equaliser, but on 74 minutes, the home side made the game safe. Some brilliant build-up between Iker Muniain and Unai Lopez allowed the latter to chip the ball through to Aduriz, who left the ball for the onrushing Ibai to fire into the bottom corner.
Napoli pressed again but Aduriz should have made it 4-1 when he scooped Muniain's cross over the bar from point-blank range, but ultimately the Basque side saw out the final few minutes with minimal fuss to land a place in the group-stage draw on Thursday.
Champions League playoff second legs: Leverkusen thrash Copenhagen as Ludogorets make history
Aug 27, 2014 23:58:00
Defender Cosmin Moti saved two penalties in an extraordinary shootout win for the Bulgarians while Malmo overturned a deficit to Red Bull Salzburg to progress
Cosmin Moti was the unlikely hero for Ludogorets in an enthralling night of Champions League playoff action.
At the Stadion Vasil Levski, defender Moti was the name on the lips of Ludogorets supporters as they defeated Steaua Bucharest 6-5 in a penalty shootout.
The Bulgarians forced spot-kicks by winning 1-0 on the night, but were up against it when goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov was sent off in the 119th minute for a second bookable offence.
Moti took the gloves and, after scoring Ludogorets' first penalty, saved Paul Pirvulescu's effort after Wanderson had missed for the hosts.
With sudden death needed, Coti then made the crucial stop from Cornel Rapa's spot-kick and duly raced to the home supporters to partake in wild celebrations as Ludogorets reached the group stages for the first time.
Joining them in Thursday's draw are Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen, who coasted past Copenhagen 4-0 at the BayArena to secure a 7-2 aggregate victory.
Leverkusen had effectively the put the tie to bed within the opening seven minutes as first Son Heung-min applied a cool finish from close range before Hakan Calhanoglu's free kick deflected home via the arm of Danny Amankwaa.
Amankwaa's evening went from bad to worse when he conceded a penalty for a foul on Tin Jedvaj on the half-hour mark and Stefan Kiessling confidently dispatched the spot-kick. The in-form forward then scored his second of the game in the 66th minute.
Elsewhere, Malmo overturned a 2-1 deficit from the first leg by beating Red Bull Salzburg 3-0 at the Swedbank Stadion.
Local hero Markus Rosenberg put the Swedish league leaders ahead from the spot after 11 minutes before Magnus Eriksson scored arguably the goal of the evening on the continent, flashing home a 30-yard volley just eight minutes later.
Malmo withstood a barrage of pressure from the Austrian champions in the second half before Rosenberg clinched the win with a calm finish six minutes from the end.
Napoli Champions League exit another humiliation for Italian football
Aug 27, 2014 22:10:00
COMMENT: Rafael Benitez's side's elimination at the hands of Athletic Bilbao has only served to further highlight the grave state in which calcio currently finds itself
By Mark Doyle
Rafael Benitez argued before Napoli's Champions League playoff round second-leg encounter with Athletic Bilbao that "going out would not be a tragedy" for his club. Napoli's elimination, however, is a further calamity for Italian football; yet another blow for the game which has been dying a slow, painful death for the past five years.
The broader importance of the game at San Mames was underlined on the eve of the first leg at the San Paolo. As was so shamefully highlighted by numerous incidents of territorialism last season, Napoli do not get much love from the rest of Italy, so it was hugely significant that the Gazzetta dello Sport urged the country's football fans to get behind Benitez's side: "Napoli for everyone!"
As the popular daily pointed out, the Italian game was in dire need of a boost. Juventus - the very best of a very bad bunch in Serie A - were dumped out of the group stage of last season's Champions League by Galatasaray before failing to set up a 'home' Europa League final after elimination by a nine-man Benfica team in the semi-finals.
The national team failed dismally to restore any pride during this summer's World Cup in Brazil, with the Azzurri suffering a second successive first-round exit, while the subsequent election of Claudio Tavecchio as the new president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) not only added to the collective sense of embarrassment but also reinforced the opinion that calcio is not moving forwards, but backwards.
HANG YOUR HEADS | Roma and Juventus are now Italy's sole representatives in the Champions League
Add in the fact that this week Serie A waved goodbye to two of its best players in Mario Balotelli and Mehdi Benatia and you get the sense that things are dire and worsening.
That's certainly what the numbers suggest. Including this season, only one team has progressed through the Champions league qualifiers in the past five seasons - Milan in 2012-13. A look at Uefa's club rankings reveals that there is not a single Serie A side currently in the top 10. That Milan are Italy's sole representative in the top 20 is farcical, given that the Rossoneri embody everything that is wrong with the Italian game.
This is a club with a proud history but one that now has to rely on free transfers and offloading what few valuable assets it has left in order to acquire new players. Given Milan can no longer hold onto their best players, it is hardly surprising that they cannot hold onto their fan base either. According to the latest reports, the seven-time champions of Europe are set to post their worst-ever season-ticket sales figures, with just 16,000 having been sold thus far.
And this is a widespread problem. The Corriere della Sera revealed earlier this week that Serie A sides have sold 50,000 fewer season tickets than last season. It's often said that Italian grounds look half-empty. That's because they literally are, with the 2013-14 Serie A campaign recording an overall 56 per cent attendance rate. Poorly attended games between low-quality teams in crumbling stadiums - the problem is clearly a lack of investment on every level.
Yet there is an understandable reluctance to pump money into a domestic game that appears on its last legs. Hence, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis' reluctance to gamble his side's financial security on qualification for the group stage of the Champions League.
The failure to strengthen Benitez's squad undeniably contributed to Wednesday's collapse at San Mames, though. The Spaniard requested top-class reinforcements in midfield and defence. He did not get them and the consequences were there for all to see against Athletic. Once again he got a lamp because his employers could not afford a sofa.
Napoli were effectively punished for exhibiting a prudence that was crucially conspicuous by its absence during Serie A's heyday. That is no tragedy but it is sad nonetheless. This is another hammer blow for everyone involved in Italian football.
Best of both worlds or boring deja vu? Champions League draw keeps big guns safe
Aug 28, 2014 18:25:00
Very few European giants are likely to suffer shock elimination as the selection had a very familiar feel, with regular foes meeting once again in the group stage
COMMENT
By Kris Voakes | International Football Correspondent
It takes a lot for seeded teams to be significantly concerned about Champions League group stage draws these days, but Arsenal have the most reason to worry after Thursday’s ceremony pitted them against Borussia Dortmund and Galatasaray.
While they should overcome outsiders Anderlecht, the double-headers against the Turkish Super Lig runners-up and Germany’s vice-champions, against whom they were beaten at home in last season’s group stage, will leave Arsene Wenger under no illusions as to the tough task ahead.
The over familiarity involved in Champions League draws is stifling to say the least. While Arsenal meet Dortmund for the third pair of fixtures in four seasons, Chelsea and Schalke are also well acquainted already following last season’s duo of Blues victories. Bayern, Manchester City and CSKA Moscow, meanwhile, have all been pooled together for consecutive group campaigns.
At least the presence of Roma – returning to the competition for the first time since a round of 16 exit to Shakhtar Donetsk in 2010-11 – gives Group E a fresh dimension. It also means a speedy return to his old stomping ground for Mehdi Benatia after he this week completed a €30 million move from the Giallorossi to the 2013 European champions.
Rudi Garcia’s men were earmarked by many as the team to avoid in Pot 4, but they will be wary of the challenges they now face, with visits to the Bundesliga and Premier League champions plus a difficult trip to Moscow to negotiate.
Pep Guardiola’s side have many questions to answer at the moment given their initial difficulties adapting to the Catalan coach’s 3-4-3 formation and a glut of injuries to defenders, and they will have hoped for a kinder schedule than the one with which Roma and City in particular present them.
Paris Saint-Germain provide the biggest name opposition for Barcelona, with the Blaugrana having failed to beat the French champions in their quarter-final tie of 2012-13. For PSG’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, meanwhile, Group F throws up another former club, with Ajax being drawn from Pot 3.
As they begin their quest for their 11th European title, Real Madrid will be fairly happy with their lot. They will face Liverpool, arguably the toughest tie to come from Pot 3, but Basel and Bulgarian newcomers Ludogorets should not prove to be too taxing for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
Their city rivals Atletico Madrid would not have been entirely happy to have been drawn with Juventus, although Diego Simeone will rightly back his side to get positive results in both fixtures after last season’s run to the final in Lisbon. In any case, the inclusion of Olympiakos and Malmo in Group A also provides a fairly comfortable route should things become sticky against the Serie A champions.
So for many, this is a Champions League draw that gives us the best of both worlds. We’ll see Barcelona face PSG, Real Madrid versus Liverpool, Bayern against Manchester City, Arsenal taking on Dortmund and Atletico and Juventus going head-to-head. But there are very few genuine giants in serious danger of elimination on the face of it either, given Uefa’s insistence on seeding so heavily on reputation.
It may be rocky along the way, but the big guns should still be firing come knockout time.
Ronaldo named Uefa's Best Player in Europe
Aug 28, 2014 18:00:00
The Real Madrid star has been voted as the top performer in 2013-14 ahead of Bayern Munich pair and fellow nominees Manuel Neuer and Arjen Robben
Cristiano Ronaldo has been named as Uefa's Best Player in Europe for his Champions League-winning heroics with Real Madrid in 2013-14.
The Portuguese, 29, scored a remarkable 17 goals in 11 European games as Carlo Ancelotti's stormed to the Decima and struck three times en route to Copa del Rey glory as Madrid completed the cup double.
Though the Santiago Bernabeu side were less successful in La Liga, Ronaldo still averaged more than a goal a game (31 efforts in 30 matches) as they finished third behind Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.
The former Manchester United forward was voted as the best player ahead of Bayern Munich duo Manuel Neuer and Arjen Robben, who starred as Pep Guardiola's men lifted four of a possible six trophies last season.
"I'm really, really happy," Ronaldo said upon being presented the award following the draw for the 2014-15 Champions League group stage on Thursday.
"I have to say thank you to my team-mates, to my family, my friends. I don't have this trophy in my museum - I'll put it there straight away."
Ronaldo has already begun the new campaign in superb fashion, scoring three goals in four games including his double as Real Madrid defeated Sevilla to win the Uefa Super Cup earlier in August.
Ronaldo and his Real Madrid team-mates have been drawn with Liverpool, Basel and Ludogorets as they bid to become to first team in Champions League history to win back-to-back titles.
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