IP addresses are NOT logged in this forum so there's no point asking. Please note that this forum is full of homophobes, racists, lunatics, schizophrenics & absolute nut jobs with a smattering of geniuses, Chinese chauvinists, Moderate Muslims and last but not least a couple of "know-it-alls" constantly sprouting their dubious wisdom. If you believe that content generated by unsavory characters might cause you offense PLEASE LEAVE NOW! Sammyboy Admin and Staff are not responsible for your hurt feelings should you choose to read any of the content here. The OTHER forum is HERE so please stop asking.
Drogba, Messi and Ronaldo the best I've faced - Pique
By Enis Koylu
Apr 13, 2015 10:12:20
The Barcelona defender is set to make his 300th appearance for the club this week and named his three toughest opponents
Barcelona defend Gerard Pique says Didier Drogba, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the three best players he has encountered as he prepares to make his 300th appearance for the club.
The centre-back departed the Catalans as a teenager and joined Manchester United but returned to Camp Nou in 2008 and has since developed into one of the game's finest defenders.
In that time he has lifted the Champions League on two occasions and La Liga four times, while doing battle with some of the game's finest attacking players.
"I grew up at La Masia, dreaming of playing for the first team one day so you can only imagine what it means to wear this shirt 300 times," he told Mundo Deportivo.
"Many people have been fortunate to enjoy it. And all the titles we won are very special.
"Both Barca and I have had the honour of reaching the final stages of major competitions, meeting the best teams and best players.
"There have been many but I would highlight, Drogba, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi every day in training!"
The Catalans stand two points clear of Real Madrid in La Liga, face Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final and meet Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Pique understands that there is a lot of hard work ahead of him and his team-mates but believes a first piece of silverware in two years is within their grasp.
"We to be very close and very focused.
"I hope it's a historic season. PSG have one of the best defences in the world and can beat anyone."
The Bundesliga champions must cope without two of their key men for the European meeting at the Estadio do Dragao
Bayern Munich duo Bastian Schweinsteiger and Franck Ribery have been ruled out of Wednesday's Champions League clash with Porto.
With a number of first-team players already missing the trip to Portugal, including Arjen Robben, David Alaba and Javi Martinez, Bayern boss Pep Guardiola had been hoping for some good news ahead of the quarter-final first leg.
But he will have to do without midfielder Schweinsteiger and winger Ribery with the former suffering from a virus and the latter still struggling with an ankle problem.
Bayern sporting director Matthias Sammer told a press conference: "Bastian and Franck can't play, that's too bad.
"But we have complete faith in the players that we have available. Everyone knows the situation and the team have a real hunger."
Defender Jerome Boateng does return, however, and striker Claudio Pizarro will also travel later today. Xabi Alonso is available following a one-match suspension.
Bayern warmed up for their return to Champions League action with a 3-0 defeat of Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, a result which maintained their 10-point advantage over Wolfsburg at the top of the Bundesliga.
The Real Madrid coach says his Atletico counterpart has shown he is one of the world's best but admits it is difficult to face the man he has failed to beat six times this term
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti believes Diego Simeone has proved himself as one of the world's best coaches, but admits that facing the Atletico Madrid boss is "a problem".
The two sides meet for the seventh time this season on Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, with Ancelotti's team having failed to win in any of the previous six games between them.
Madrid have lost four and drawn two against Atleti this term, missing out on the Spanish Supercopa to their city rivals, suffering elimination in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey and going down twice in La Liga - the last of those a humiliating 4-0 defeat at the Vicente Calderon in February.
Ancelotti conceded that facing the Argentine coach is difficult, but claimed his side are not obsessed with Atletico but by reclaiming the Champions League for a second season in succession.
"What can I say about Simeone?," he asked at a press conference. "He is a great coach, I like him a lot. He has proved himself, he is one of the best in the world. It’s an honour to face him and also a problem.
“We don’t have an obsession with Atletico, but with reaching the final of the Champions League. Our objective is not to beat Atletico, but to dream of winning the Champions League.
“Every match presents its own problem. Every match has its idea. Every defeat was different. One was due to set pieces, one for something else, another due to a not very good attitude, like the last one. It’s difficult to say what happened. It’s not that interesting, but we have analysed it and now we have another tie.
"We haven’t done much psychological work to forget the last six derbies.”
The Italian has more confidence facing the Rojiblancos this time though, as he says his team have been practicing set-pieces to prepare them for the threat posed by their powerful opponents.
"We have worked on set pieces, but the best way to do it would be to play against your rival in training. We don’t have Mandzukic here. We also don’t have to think too much about it. Don’t forget we won the Champions League thanks to a set piece as well.”
Madrid's last victory over Atletico came in the Champions League final in May 2014, with Simeone's men leading until Sergio Ramos rose to head home a corner deep into added time to make it 1-1, with the Santiago Bernabeu outfit going on to win 4-1 in extra time.
“Ramos’ goal is an unforgettable memory because it allowed us to win such an important trophy for the club," Ancelotti said. "It is still important now. But it’s in the past – a good memory in the past. We are now focused on the present – on winning another Champions League.
“Ramos is very important for all of us. I have had the opportunity to coach great players and Ramos is one of them. He has personality and character.”
Unlike in the 4-0 defeat back in February when Ramos, Luka Modric and James Rodriguez were unavailable through injury, Ancelotti now has a fully fit squad to choose from and believes the key to beating Atleti lies in defensive unity throughout the team.
"I am lucky to have the whole squad at my disposal," he said. "The formation will be the same as always. To play well, we will have to use all our weapons: individual quality and attacking directly with pace.
“There is no problem with the system. It’s very important to play a compact game, close together, in all aspects. To have the right attitude, personality and courage for these games. All of the players have to be committed to defending. Just like in attack. When I talk about a compact team, the idea is to attack and defend with 11 players.
"It’s not a problem of numbers. If I want superiority in midfield, I can play seven midfielders. And if Simeone plays eight, I will try and play nine! But football is not only about numbers.”
Gareth Bale sat out Saturday's win over Eibar after picking up a knock in the 2-0 victory at Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday, but Ancelotti revealed the winger is at "100 per cent" for Tuesday's game.
"Bale is fine," he said. "I have the whole squad available and they are very fresh. If one doesn’t play, another will. But Bale is at 100%.”
Messi, Neymar & Suarez are the best, says Thiago Silva
By Enis Koylu
Apr 13, 2015 14:27:57
The Brazilian defender has told his side to impose their own game on Barcelona in the Champions League but is in awe of the Catalans' all-star front line
Paris Saint-Germain defender Thiago Silva believes that Barcelona possess three of the world's best players in Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Neymar.
The French champions clash with the Liga leaders in the Champions League on Wednesday as they continue their quest for glory on all four fronts this season.
The Brazil centre-back is fully aware of the threat posed by the Catalans but is keen for his team-mates to impose their own game on Luis Enrique's side.
"We know that the first leg at home will be very important," he explained.
"Although we face a great rival in Barca, we will try to play our game and keep the ball. With our individual quality we will try to suprise them.
"Barca are very effective on the counterattack and have great strikers. To me, Messi, Neymar and Suarez are among the three best players in the world.
"We have the dream of beating Barcelona and qualifying for the semi-finals. And winning the Champions League is the club's aim."
The former AC Milan man is all to aware of Neymar's ability, having played with on many occasions with Brazil over the last few years.
"He's unpredictable, we cannot know what he will do and don't know where he's going with his dribbles."
Defeats to Atletico won't affect Madrid, says Marcelo
By Ben Hayward
Apr 13, 2015 15:02:34
The Brazilian left-back says his side's four losses to Diego Simeone's men this season will have no bearing on the teams' Champions League quarter-final tie
Marcelo believes Real Madrid are in good shape ahead of their Champions League quarter-final against Atletico and says their four defeats to Diego Simeone's side this season will have no bearing on the rivals' European tie.
Madrid face Atletico at the Vicente Calderon on Tuesday after failing to win any of their previous six meetings with the Rojiblancos in 2014-15, losing four of those and drawing the other two.
Real's last win over their city rivals came in last season's Champions League final in Lisbon, when Sergio Ramos headed home a late leveller and Madrid won it 4-1 after extra-time.
“I don’t know how many times we have spoken about Ramos’ Decima goal this week,” Marcelo said in Monday's pre-match press conference.
“We have changed so much since Lisbon," he added. "We have played against Atletico a lot and something always changes. There are no favourites in a match like this. We will give everything on the pitch without thinking about previous games."
Marcelo, who scored in last season's showpiece in the Portuguese capital, says he was happy to help the side achieve their dream of a 10th European crown and now hopes Madrid can prove themselves against Atletico all over again.
"I was available for the final and I never lost faith in helping the team," he said. "That’s what happened and I was able to help the team win the Champions League. I consider myself very important in this team.
“We have to go out and give everything on the pitch this time. We will have to be very intense. We will have to fight. These derbies are very difficult.
"They are a great team. They never stop fighting and they are very intense. But we are not thinking about the last games against them. Now is completely different. We have two games to show that we can beat them.”
The Portuguese believes that the Italian champions will pose his side more of a challenge than the Gunners, whom they eliminated in the previous round
Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim believes his side will need to step up another level if they are to beat Juventus in the Champions League quarter-final.
The Ligue 1 side shocked Arsenal at the last-16 stage but the Portuguese believes the Italian champions represent even sterner opponents.
“For me, Juventus are a better side than Arsenal because they have made it to the quarter-finals,” he told the media.
“Juventus will be favourites because of their qualities and their experience. We have to respect them but at the same time play our own game with the belief that we can rise to this great challenge.
“We’re here because we deserve to be – we finished first in our group. We are collective and organised; all my players know what to do in every situation.”
With Paul Pogba out, there will be an added focus on Carlos Tevez to carry the Italian side, but Jardim believes his side cannot focus solely on the Argentine.
“Tevez is the top scorer in Serie A, but Juventus are not only Tevez,” he added.
Meanwhile, Jardim can call upon his own in-form attacker in the shape of teenager Anthony Martial.
“He’s improved a lot this season but there is still room for progress,” the ex-Braga boss said of the attacker, who has scored six times in his last six Ligue 1 outings.
Martial is still seeking his first Champions League goal and is expected to be preferred to Dimitar Berbatov in the starting XI at Juventus Stadium.
Simeone: Madrid's individual superiority means nothing
By Peter McVitie
Apr 13, 2015 17:21:50
The Argentine believes the technical brilliance of Carlo Ancelotti's side does not give them an advantage in the Champions League quarter-final between the two sides
Diego Simeone has admitted that Real Madrid have more individual brilliance in their team than Atletico, but insists his team still come together to create a strong unit.
The Rojiblancos are famous for their defensive unity and counterattacking style, while their city rivals are considered to rely more on the quality of the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema.
Heading into the Champions League quarter-final first leg between the two sides, Simeone admits that the technical superiority of Carlo Ancelotti's squad is much greater than his team, but does not believe that gives them an advantage.
"It is true that in several places in the field they have more individual talent than we have, but I think in knock-out competition, that is neutralised" he told reporters. "My players have different characteristics, different styles and each has something that makes the team better.
"Real Madrid's players are extraordinary. I have great respect for their technical quality and the ability of their football. Luka Modric's return will boost a team that already has great potential. The presence of Modric gives them new aggression and that will generate more presence in midfield. Something decisive.
"We find a great rival in a great form in the league and walking strong in the Champions League."
Atletico are unbeaten in six games against Madrid, with their previous defeat coming in the Champions League final last year, in which Los Blancos won 4-1 after extra time.
However, the Argentine, who also revealed that Mario Mandzukic and Jan Oblak are fit and will feature on Tuesday, does not believe that defeat or the meetings between the two sides this term will have any effect on the match at the Vicente Calderon.
"I'm not looking back at previous games, because I understand that it will be a new different game - it's a quarter-final, which is not the same as a Champions League final.
Ancelotti admitted that his side are doing extra work on set pieces ahead of the tie, and Simeone says he sees such situations as a great opportunity for a team to take the initiative.
"Situations that change matches appear from precise moves. Dead ball situations, an error in the defensive coordination, these are parts of the game and where anything can happen," he explained.
The Madrid boss was also full of praise for Simeone, who was quick to return the kind words.
"I have great admiration for him. He is someone who does not change his style because of defeat or victory. That puts him on a different level from other coaches. He has enormous experience, has handled all of his teams well and they all speak highly of him."
Allegri rules Pogba out of Champions League quarter-final
By Matthew Rogerson
Apr 13, 2015 19:46:00
The Bianconeri boss has challenged top scorer Carlos Tevez to continue his form - especially given the France midfielder is not ready to face Monaco
Juventus look set to be without Paul Pogba for both legs of their Champions League quarter-final against Monaco, coach Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed.
The France star was ruled out for up to seven weeks last month due to a hamstring injury, although there had been talk that he could be ready for the second leg with Monaco on April 22.
However, ahead of Tuesday's first leg in Turin, Allegri explained he was likely to have to do without Pogba for both games and has challenged Carlos Tevez to continue his fine form and inspire the team.
"It's pretty much impossible that Paul Pogba will be fit for the second leg," he said.
"[Andrea] Barzagli and [Andrea] Pirlo are in good shape, as are [Carlos] Tevez and [Gianluigi] Buffon, who are both fully recovered from their injuries.
"Tevez is having an extraordinary year. He must maintain his rich vein of form right until the last game.
"It's unlikely we'll see Pirlo and Barzagli in the same side tomorrow. It will either be one or the other."
Juve swept Borussia Dortmund aside in the last 16 and will be favourites to progress against Monaco, despite Leonardo Jardim's resolute defence.
"Without the same intensity and mentality we had in Dortmund, it will be difficult," Allegri added.
"Monaco conceded once in six group games. This doesn't come about by chance, they're organised and have a top coach. We need to be on our guard because there's little room for error with just two games. What's important is that we don't concede and pass through to the next round.
"It's a completely different prospect to last-16 tie against Dortmund. It's more complicated when you face a team who don't concede many goals. Monaco give you little room in which to work with, patience is required."
Juventus 1-0 Monaco: Vidal on the spot to hand Italian champions advantage
Apr 14, 2015 21:37:00
The Chilean's second-half penalty was all that separated the sides in Turin in the first leg of their quarter-final tie
Juventus will take a narrow advantage back to Monaco after Arturo Vidal's penalty sealed a 1-0 first-leg win in the Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday.
The Chile international clinically dispatched his seventh goal of the season in all competitions in the 57th minute, although Monaco claimed that Ricardo Carvalho's foul on Alvaro Morata had occurred outside the area.
Andrea Pirlo made his first Juve appearance since suffering a calf problem against Borussia Dortmund in the previous round back in February, and the playmaker had a hand in the winner.
It was his lofted pass from deep which Morata looked likely to latch onto until he stumbled under contact from Carvalho, with replays suggesting the initial foul had taken place outside the box.
Vidal's successful penalty was a welcome relief, after the midfielder had earlier wasted a gilt-edged chance to break the deadlock at the end of the first half.
Carlos Tevez was also guilty of profligacy prior to Vidal's winner, while Monaco - although still well in the tie - may rue Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco's inability to convert from close range in the opening stages.
As it is, Leonardo Jardim's men will go into next week's return leg at Stade Louis II needing to overturn a one-goal deficit to reach the last four of this competition for the first time since 2004, when they were runners-up.
Juve started the brighter, but survived a real scare in the 10th minute when Ferreira-Carrasco fired straight at Gianluigi Buffon from 10 yards after being picked out by Anthony Martial.
Claudio Marchisio's cross from the left picked out Tevez unmarked at the far post, but the Argentinian striker's volley six yards out was weak so Danijel Subasic was able to make a comfortable save shortly before the half-hour.
Monaco felt they should have had a penalty when Martial went down under a challenge from Giorgio Chiellini six minutes before the interval, but referee Pavel Kralovec was uninterested in their appeals.
Juve wasted another golden opportunity on the stroke of half-time, when Vidal blazed over after getting on the end of Tevez's superb ball with the outside of his right foot.
Monaco suffered a blow at the start of the second half when Nabil Dirar was forced off injured, and his replacement Bernardo Silva had an effort beaten away at his near post by Buffon.
Soon afterwards Juve took a deserved lead, Vidal sending a superb spot-kick into the top left-hand corner after Morata had been clipped by Carvalho.
Monaco responded and Buffon had to tip over Geoffrey Kondogbia's effort from range in the 63rd minute.
The remainder of the game proved largely uneventful with Juve seemingly content to protect their lead, leaving the tie firmly in the balance heading into the return leg in eight days' time.
Atletico Madrid 0-0 Real Madrid: Oblak outstanding as derby ends in stalemate
Apr 14, 2015 21:35:00
The Slovenian produced some terrific first-half saves to keep the holders at bay as another feisty Calderon clash finished goalless
Jan Oblak delivered an outstanding performance for Atletico Madrid as they held Champions League holders Real Madrid to a 0-0 quarter-final first-leg draw.
In a repeat of last season's final, Real dominated for much of Tuesday's clash at the Vicente Calderon.
But in Oblak, they ran into a keeper in inspired form, with his superb fourth-minute save to deny Gareth Bale, through on goal, setting the tone for a tense clash in the Spanish capital.
The Slovenia international was particularly impressive in the first half as Madrid spent much of the opening 45 minutes on the front foot.
Atletico came back into the contest after the break, but neither side could find the elusive breakthrough, meaning an intriguing second leg lies in wait at the Santiago Bernabeu next Wednesday.
After failing to beat Atletico in six attempts so far this season, Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa said in the build-up that his side had figured out how to beat their city rivals.
And that looked to be the case in the early stages, with Oblak denying Bale in a one-on-one situation as Real flew out of the blocks.
Diego Godin failed to deal with a long ball and it sent Bale through, but the Welshman opened his body up and showed his intentions, with Oblak keeping out his curling strike with his right arm.
Oblak reacted well to Cristiano Ronaldo's fizzing free kick in the ninth minute and, after a lull in chances, he did similar to deny Bale from distance.
The Atletico keeper then kept out two good James Rodriguez efforts before the break - the first a splendid strike from the outside of his left foot - while the hosts' only meaningful chance of the first half saw the in-form Antoine Griezmann shoot at Iker Casillas from the edge of the penalty area.
Arda Turan nodded wide once play resumed, while Sergio Ramos caught Atletico forward Mario Mandzukic - back in the side after recovering from an ankle injury - in the face with a stray elbow.
That saw the bloodied Croatia forward leave the pitch, and he was involved in another tangle with Dani Carvajal shortly after.
Toni Kroos was next to try his luck from distance in the 57th minute, but once again Oblak showed clean handling to an awkward strike that bounced just in front of him.
Mandzukic's tense second half continued when he elbowed Carvajal, perhaps in retaliation, before Atletico enjoyed their best spell in the latter stages.
Godin flicked over from close range before Atletico's Mario Suarez and Madrid's Marcelo were booked - with both cautions ruling the respective players out of the second leg.
The hosts mounted one last charge, as Turan saw his effort smothered by Casillas and Arbeloa blocked a Mandzukic strike but the two sides were forced to share the spoils - largely due to Oblak's brilliance.
It was claimed after the Madrid derby that the Real full-back had tried to sink his teeth into the Atletico attacker but the Croat has defended his opponent
Atletico Madrid forward Mario Mandzukic has dismissed reports that Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal tried to bite him during Tuesday's Champions League clash at the Vicente Calderon.
The two were shown coming together in the Blancos box during the second half of the 0-0 draw in the Spanish capital and it was subsequently suggested that Carvajal had sunk his teeth into the Croatia international.
Dani Carvajal promptly took to Twitter to protest his innocence, writing: "I saw that after the game I was accused of biting an opposition player. Let me make clear that I have not bitten anyone, nor did I attempt to do so."
That did not stop speculation of an imminent Uefa investigation into the incident but Mandzukic has now come out in the Madrid full-back's defence.
"Yesterday's match was very hard and both teams gave everything," he wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. "But, for me, there was no controversy: no bite, no nothing."
Mandzukic had also been at the centre of the game's other controversial clash, with the former Bayern Munich man having been left with blood streaming down his face after being caught by the flailing arm of Sergio Ramos as the two competed for a cross to the back post six minutes into the second half.
The Atleti attacker appeared to suggest at the time that he had been deliberately elbowed by the Spain centre-half but has now clearly drawn a line under both incidents ahead of next week's return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The midfielder wants to become only the second player to win the trophy with three different clubs
Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso has set his sights on emulating Clarence Seedorf's record of winning the Champions League with three different clubs.
The Dutchman lifted the trophy with Ajax, Real Madrid and AC Milan and is the only player to have done so in the history of the game.
However, Alonso won the Champions League at Real Madrid last season having triumphed with Liverpool in 2005 and has the record in his sights.
"There is one player who has won three Champions Leagues with three different clubs: Seedorf,” Alonso told The Daily Telegraph.
“Of course it is in my mind. The end of my career is near. I don’t have many years left but it is one of the targets.
"It is an individual target and it would be great to win the third one with a third club because the Champions League is special.
“It is not the time to look back, it is the time to look forward and be focused on the tasks and challenges that I still have in front of me.
“Once I have finished playing probably it will be time to analyse or be more proud, but at the moment, no.
“It is nice, of course, and I am happy. When I started I would never have dreamt of being a World Cup winner, of two European Championships and two Champions Leagues.
"I am really proud and happy with how things have gone and now we will see how this ends [at Bayern]. I don’t know how this will end. It has been a new experience.
"A new start, but so far so good. Now the big games are coming."
Alonso moved to Bayern last summer from Real Madrid on a two-year deal but is unsure whether he will hang up his boots at the Allianz Arena.
"I don’t know if Bayern will be my last club. In 12 months, I will have a clearer idea of what is happening because that is when my contract ends."
The left-back is intent on knocking another big name out of the Champions League when his side take on Barcelona in the last eight
Paris Saint-Germain defender Maxwell has warned Barcelona that his side are full of confidence following their Champions League last-16 win over Chelsea.
The French champions drew the first leg 1-1 at the Parc des Princes and advanced on away goals after claiming a 2-2 draw in the return game at Stamford Bridge after extra-time.
The result was all the more impressive as PSG overcame Zlatan Ibrahimovic's 31st minute red card to prevail with 10 men and Maxwell says the win provided a big boost to morale.
"That game filled us with confidence," he said at a press conference.
"It showed us that we had the character and the quality to pull together and win under difficult conditions at a difficult ground.
"Now we intend to give the club the dream of making it though to the semi-finals."
PSG faced Barca in the group stage, winning 3-2 in Paris but losing at Camp Nou and Maxwell says his team-mates have emerged stronger from those earlier tests.
"They've made us grow, as players and as a team," he added.
"This will be a different game, but we have the experience to face it and I think that it will be very even. It will be decided by the minor details.
"We need to head out on the pitch looking to enjoy it. It's not easy to play in the quarter-finals. You have to do it without any hang-ups because there's nothing to lose.
"Barca are one of the best teams in the world. We must be solid at the back."
The 33-year-old won the Champions League with Barcelona in 2011 and moved to PSG the following January.
The defender is hoping that the absence of several key players will not hinder his side against Porto
Bayern Munich defender Dante believes any team in the world would miss the star names the club will be without for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Porto.
The Bavarians go into Wednesday's game with a number of key players absent through injury, including Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Bastian Schweinsteiger, David Alaba and Mehdi Benatia.
However, Dante believes the loss of several star names will give the chance for squad players to impress.
"They’re all unbelievably important players to us but we can only try and compensate for them as a team," he told the Bundesliga's official website.
"Any side in the world would miss players of such quality. Our great strength is having a squad that has both the quality and the depth to do well even with several players sidelined."
With the Champions League final being held in Berlin a week after the DFB Pokal decider, the Brazil international is hoping to play in two showpiece events at the Olympiastadion in the space of a week.
"You don’t get to play two finals in Berlin within the space of a week very often. We’re really keen on reaching both finals, which would be fantastic.
"But we shouldn’t look to too far ahead; we should try to make the Champions League semis first."
Though Bayern are the only German side to make it to the last eight in Europe this year, Dante feels the Bundesliga is still a very strong competition.
"We’ve been doing well in the competition for years and Dortmund have also impressed many times. To me, the Bundesliga is a very strong league as it’s difficult to win it.
"Three teams might have been knocked out of the Champions League but it doesn’t take anything away from the Bundesliga.
"Some people consider the Premier League the strongest league, but then not one English side made it to the last eight. The German, English and Spanish leagues are all on par in my view."
The Germany international is yet to make his Liga debut but wants to use the Champions League to demonstrate just what he can do
Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen says his goal is to show coach Luis Enrique that he is worthy of more first-team minutes.
The Germany international signed for the Liga leaders last summer from Borussia Monchengladbach and was handed the No.1 jersey vacated by the departing Victor Valdes.
However, all of his appearances have come in the Champions League and Copa del Rey, with the 22-year-old keen to usurp Claudio Bravo as the club's first choice keeper.
"The truth is that I have full belief in myself," he said at a press conference.
"My recent games have gone well and I want to keep going as I have been. My only goal is to continue helping the team and we're still moving along, so I want to play.
"It's not easy when you're not in the rhythm, but I'm playing in the Champions League so I don't lose my rhythm. I'm happy with this situation; it's fine for me.
"I obviously intend to play at a high level to show the boss that I can play more."
The Catalans take on Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday and Ter Stegen wants his team-mates to replicate their performance against Manchester City in the last 16.
"We always want to perform at our best and I think we put in a great performance against City," he added.
"It was dangerous at times. We're focused on the game. I think that when we're focused we always have a chance of winning. We're hungry."
The Bianconeri will take a one-goal lead with them to Monte Carlo thanks to Arturo Vidal's penalty but their boss does not believe it will be enough to seal a semi-final spot
Massimiliano Allegri was satisfied with Tuesday's 1-0 Champions League win over Monaco in Turin but the Juventus coach is in no doubt that his side will have to score in next week's quarter-final second-leg clash at the Stade Louis II.
The Bianconeri were made to work hard for their victory, with the Serie A side only managing to break the deadlock from the penalty spot when Arturo Vidal hammered home from 12 yards after Ricardo Carvalho had tripped Alvaro Morata.
Allegri was happy with the final scoreline at Juventus Stadium but he does not feel the Old Lady's one-goal advantage will be sufficient to progress to the last four.
"The result is good," the Bianconeri coach told Sky Sport Italia. "Now we have a little advantage, but the return leg will not be easy.
"We know our opponent better now. They were well organised in defence and they have technical and physical attackers who are not supported a lot up front yet still create problems.
"We tried to play too quickly at times. We lacked patience. We had other chances to close out the game but we messed up the final ball too often.
"It was a good game, though, and a well deserved result. Monaco have the best defence in the Champions League and the French championship, so it is difficult to score against them.
"I'm always optimistic but we'll have to score there."
However, Allegri believes that Juve will be even better equipped to break Monaco down next week given fit-again duo Andrea Pirlo and Carlos Tevez will both have more game time under their belts.
"Andrea played 70 good minutes, considering he'd not played for 50 days," the former AC Milan boss added.
"In games like these, his set-pieces are fundamental and he can always give you a hand. We needed his quality and it was his long ball that led to the penalty.
"His condition, like that of Tevez, is not great. But next Wednesday they will both be better."
'Minor' referees shouldn't get big matches - Miranda
By Enis Koylu
Apr 15, 2015 11:41:22
The defender believes Serbian official Milorad Mazic was not qualified to take charge of Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final
Atletico Madrid defender Miranda has slammed the performance of "minor" referee Milorad Mazic in the 0-0 draw with Real Madrid on Tuesday.
The Serbian official made several controversial decisions in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final between the two Madrid clubs in another competitive meeting between the sides.
Mazic decided not to punish Blancos defender Sergio Ramos for an alleged elbow on Mario Mandzukic that left the striker with blood pouring from a cut near his eye.
Miranda believes that referees from "minor" leagues should not be allowed to officiate major Champions League ties and says the tie could go either way in the second leg.
"I won't talk about referee, but I think referees from minor leagues should not be in charge of this kind of game," he is quoted as saying by AS.
"We had chances to win but Madrid also had theirs. We had a very bad first half and we were better in the second.
"Now we have to go get the win [in the second leg]. It's a tough game and we will go for the win. We can qualify by scoring a goal."
Atletico meet Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu at 20:45CET on April 22.
Simeone lauds Mandzukic for putting up a 'nice fight' against Real Madrid
Apr 14, 2015 23:51:00
The Argentine refused to criticise the referee after watching a feisty clash with Real Madrid at the Vicente Calderon
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone hailed striker Mario Mandzukic for putting up a "nice fight" against Real Madrid as a feisty Champions League quarter-final first leg ended goalless on Tuesday.
Mandzukic was at the heart of most of the talking points after receiving an elbow from Sergio Ramos and a punch from Dani Carvajal, while also planting an elbow of his own on Madrid defender Raphael Varane.
Atletico midfielder Mario Suarez felt Croatia international Mandzukic, who received treatment for a gash near his eye, had not received the protection he deserved from Serbian referee Milorad Mazic but Simeone was in a charitable mood afterwards.
After insisting he had not seen the incident with Carvajal, he said: "Mario had a tough game and a very nice fight against Ramos and Varane. He played a great match, he fought a lot."
Simeone was particularly impressed with the way his side edged the second half after being on the back foot for much of the first.
He added: "The tie is still open. In the first half our opponent played better but [goalkeeper Jan] Oblak was great. Best of all was our reaction. After a bad first half, other teams may have given up, but not us. We changed our style and, as a result, Oblak had less to do.
"I think it will be a different match at the Bernabeu, more of a classic game all of us like to play. A match with the beautiful things in football: fear, responsibility, stress… what makes you fall in love with this sport."
I didn't deliberately elbow Mandzukic, insists Ramos
By Mark Doyle
Apr 14, 2015 23:36:00
The Atletico Madrid ace was furious after being left with blood streaming from a gash above his eye but the Real Madrid star insists that the contact was unintentional
Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has denied deliberately elbowing Atletico Madrid striker Mario Mandzukic during Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final, first-leg meeting at the Vicente Calderon.
The pair was embroiled in a running battle during a fiery derby in the Spanish capital, with their most controversial clash coming in the 51st minute when they competed for a long ball to the back post.
Sergio Ramos' arm made contact with Mandzukic's head, leaving the Croatia international with blood streaming from a large gash above his eye.
Mandzukic was enraged by the incident, clearly in no doubt that the elbow was deliberate, but the accused pleaded his innocence after the game.
"I'm not getting into evaluating any fouls," he told reporters in the mixed zone after the 0-0 draw at the Calderon. "There are referees for that.
"But I did not know if Mandzukic was near me or far away. I was not intending to hit him."
The two will collide again in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on April 22.
