UEFA Champions League 2010/11

[jw5]

His team mates were desperately looking for goals at the opposite end. Lucio could have easily shadowed Raul and force him wide.

Too bad I din bet on the game. It is always difficult to bet on a game where one team has already established an unassailable advantage.

The second goal was a beauty.

The first goal was really crazy. Lucio looked as if he was running away from Raul who was simply running through the centre.

 

[Groove Armada]

Champions League preview: Schalke v Manchester United

26 April 2011

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Schalke host Manchester United on Tuesday in the last four of the Champions League, with a place in the final at Wembley the prize on offer.

Leading the English Premier League by six points, United appear favourites to reach what would be their third final in the past four seasons.

They won their third European Cup after a penalty shootout victory over Chelsea in 2008, before losing 2-0 to Barcelona the following year.

Last season's challenge came to halt at the quarter-final stage against Bayern Munich.

And another Bundesliga outfit, Schalke, can now become the third German club to get the better of Sir Alex Ferguson's team at this stage of the Champions League.

A side captained by Eric Cantona lost to eventual winners Borussia Dortmund in 1996/97, before Bayer Leverkusen also reached a final at United's expense in 2001/02.

Ferguson's team saw off Premier League rivals Chelsea 3-1 on aggregate in the last round and the Scotsman will now be hoping to make it third time lucky against German opposition in the last four.

For their part, Schalke appeared to be anything but Champions League semi-finalists after enduring a disappointing campaign in the league.

Runners-up to Bayern last season, the team are a distant 10th in the Bundesliga table this time round.

Inconsistent form contributed to the departure of Felix Magath as coach in March, to be replaced by Ralf Rangnick.

Former Hoffenheim boss Rangnick can take the plaudits for booking the tie against United after orchestrating a remarkable 7-3 aggregate victory over defending champions Inter Milan in the last eight.

Schalke go into the first leg of the tie on the back of a 1-0 defeat at home to Kaiserslautern on Saturday, while United beat Everton at Old Trafford by the same scoreline.

After battling an injury crisis for much of the season, United finally have something approaching a clean bill of health.

Striker Dimitar Berbatov did not feature against Everton and is in doubt for the trip to the Ruhr, while midfielder Darren Fletcher is likely to miss out with a virus.

Rangnick is expected to make wholesale changes from the team that lost to Kaiserslautern.

Kyriakos Papadopoulos of Greece, Spaniard Jose Jurado and Germans Joel Matip and Alexander Baumjohann are expected to form an entirely different midfield, while Benedikt Hoewedes is likely to start in defence after missing the defeat on Saturday.

 

[jw5]

Man Utd defeated Schalke 2-0 in Germany with goals by Giggs and Rooney.
If not for the heroics of Manuel Neuer, it could have been 10-0. :o

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Man Utd defeated Schalke 2-0 in Germany with goals by Giggs and Rooney.
If not for the heroics of Manuel Neuer, it could have been 10-0. :o

Rubbish. 10-0 will never happen. 10-7 is realistic because it's the first time Schalke has gone this far in this competition. Anyway it's either Los Blancos or Catalans that will finish them off.

 

[Gallego99]

Rubbish. 10-0 will never happen. 10-7 is realistic because it's the first time Schalke has gone this far in this competition. Anyway it's either Los Blancos or Catalans that will finish them off.

Bro, u were saying Neuer is unlikely to let in 3 goals @ home?? Well he almost did.

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Bro, u were saying Neuer is unlikely to let in 3 goals @ home?? Well he almost did.

Ahem! Until i concede three goals then what you said will count. Almost only but so far no team in CL has put three past me yet.

 

[Groove Armada]

Re: Praise for hat-trick hero Benzema


Champions League: Schalke 0 Manchester United 2

27 April 2011

Manchester United moved a step closer to a Champions League final at Wembley with a convincing 2-0 semi-final first leg win over Schalke.

The English powerhouse dominated possession at Gelsenkirchen on Tuesday, and their superior skills were put on show in a fine two-minute period midway through the second half which saw Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney score in quick succession.

United will take their two-goal lead to the second leg next Wednesday at Old Trafford, where they have not lost in all competitions since April last year.

Rooney was infamously sent off at the Veltins Arena when playing for England against Portugal in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, but the 25-year-old put that horror memory to bed when he put through Giggs for the first goal, before scoring himself.

Giggs snuck in behind the Schalke defence to fire a left-foot shot under Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer in the 67th minute, and less than two minutes later, Rooney received the ball from strike partner Javier Hernandez to deliver a body blow to the Germans at Neuer's near post.

In the opening 45 minutes, Neuer was a one-man band in keeping out United's forward attempts, with each of Hernandez, Giggs, Rooney and Park Ji-Sung having chances kept out by the German shot-stopper and Schalke captain.

 

[Groove Armada]

Re: Holders Inter draw Bayern in Champions League rematch


Champions League preview: Real Madrid v Barcelona

26 April 2011

Real Madrid host Barcelona on Wednesday in their Champions League semi-final first-leg match, buoyed by improving fortunes against the Catalans.

After suffering a 5-0 thrashing at the Nou Camp in their first La Liga meeting of 2010-11 last November, Real held Pep Guardiola's side to a 1-1 draw at home on April 16 - although they needed a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo eight minutes from the end to salvage a point.

Last Wednesday, Jose Mourinho's men claimed their first Copa del Rey since 2004 when Ronaldo's extra-time winner lifted them to a 1-0 win over Barca in the season's third El Clasico encounter.

Now, with Barca easily accounting for Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk and Real eliminating Spurs in their respective Champions League quarter-finals, the two giants of Spanish football will prepare for meetings four and five in the space of the next week.

Despite a 2-0 win over La Liga relegation battlers Osasuna on Saturday, Guardiola looks like the manager with most of the problems heading into Wednesday's first leg at the Bernabeu, especially at the back.

Versatile Brazilian defender Adriano will miss out with a hamstring injury, while Eric Abidal is still recovering from surgery to remove a tumour from his liver.

In the centre of defence, Carlos Puyol and Gabriel Milito are both under fitness clouds.

Meanwhile, Mourinho's squad - who mauled third-placed Valencia 6-3 away from home on Saturday - seems to be hitting their best form at the right end of the season.

Although they will be without injured Germany midfielder Sami Khedira, Brazilian playmaker Kaka and Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain look to be back on song after missing large chunks of the season through injury.

Higuain scored a hat-trick while Kaka bagged a brace in the Valencia game to give Mourinho plenty of options in attack, with winger Angel Di Maria and striker Emmanuel Adebayor both missing the match through injury.

 

[Groove Armada]

Re: Arsenal, Spurs face tough tests


Champions League: Real Madrid 0 Barcelona 2

28 April 2011

Lionel Messi put on a masterclass as Barcelona gained a valuable 2-0 advantage over Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final.

In a spiteful encounter at the Bernabeu, Messi proved the matchwinner with a brilliant second-half double on Wednesday.

He grabbed his first in the 76th minute from close range, managing to connect onto Ibrahim Afellay's cross to down Jose Mourinho's men's spirits.

The Argentine then doubled the advantage 11 minutes later when he skipped past three defenders before he placed the ball beyond goalkeeper Iker Casillas' reach.

Messi's two goals means he has notched 52 goals in all competitions for the Catalans, eclipsing Cristiano Ronaldo's 42-goal haul for Manchester United in 2007/08.

A dull first half, in which there were few chances for either side as they looked to settle into the much-hyped affair, was then complemented by a more lively second term.

The game, however, was blighted by a half-time fracas that saw Barcelona reserve keeper Jose Manuel Pinto shown his marching orders.

Real Madrid's Pepe, who was fielded in front of the defence, also saw red - in somewhat harsh circumstances - for his lunge on Brazilian Dani Alves in the 61st minute.

A frustrated Mourinho was also brandished the red card for his persistent remonstrations with the fourth official over Pepe's sending off.

But two late goals from the World Player of the Year carved up a handy 2-0 lead for the reigning Spanish champions who look in the box seat for the Champions League final at Wembley, where they are likely to meet Manchester United, who also scored a 2-0 win in their respective semi-final first-leg tie against Germany's Schalke.

The second leg will be played at the Camp Nou next Tuesday.

 

[Groove Armada]

Re: Arsenal, Spurs face tough tests


Mourinho: ´Scandal of the Bernabeu´

28 April 2011

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho launched a remarkable outburst at the 'power' of Barcelona over referees after Wednesday's 2-0 defeat.

In the third of four El Clasicos, Barcelona took the advantage after the first leg of the Champions League semi-final tie at the Bernabeu, courtesy of a stunning Lionel Messi brace.

Messi's masterclass ensures the task of Mourinho guiding Real through the second leg at Camp Nou next Tuesday and into the final at Wembley is a tough one.

"The return game is mission impossible,'' former Chelsea and Inter Milan manager Mourinho said."Barcelona has qualified for the final."

But while he conceded the tie to Pep Guardiola's side, Mourinho launched a vicious tirade over the performance of the match officials, accusing them of handing his opponents preferential treatment.

The Portuguese suggested Pepe's sending off in the 61 minute for an untimely lunge on Dani Alves was a result of outside forces gifting the Catalans an upper hand.

"Sometimes I feel disgusted about this football world of ours. (And) yes, we have already been knocked out," said Mourinho, who himself was sent to the stands for his protests over Pepe's dismissal.

"No one has any chance against Barca. Where does all this power come from? To win like this is very nasty."

"We had the intention to keep the game at 0-0, then bring on a striker, then a third phase with a number 10 behind three forwards. But the ref didn't allow it."

The reigning Champions League winning coach also alluded to the controversial circumstances with which eventual 2008/09 champions Barca qualified for the final after knocking out Chelsea in the semi-final, likening his former side's plight to his own.

"I would be ashamed if I was Barca, how they won Champions League in 2009 - (it) was the scandal of Stamford Bridge," he said.

"(And now) this is the scandal of the Bernabeu."

"But I just do not understand why Barcelona always receives the help of the referee. All my life I will be asking myself this question, and one day I hope to receive an answer."

"I don't understand why Barcelona have this power. It happened two years ago to Chelsea (in the 2009 semi-finals), almost to my Inter last year, and also to Arsenal this year."

"Why do the opponents of Barcelona always have a man sent off? Where does this power come from? Maybe it is to give more publicity to UNICEF, maybe because of the power of (Spanish federation president Jose Angel) Villar in UEFA."

 

[Gallego99]

Re: Arsenal, Spurs face tough tests

They should just disqualify both Spanish teams and hand the trophy to United or Shalke.

 

[Groove Armada]

UEFA charges Real, Barca

29 April 2011

UEFA has opened disciplinary cases against both Real Madrid and Barcelona following Wednesday's fiery Champions League tie at the Bernabeu.

Barca triumphed 2-0 in the semi-final first leg, though a brace by Argentine superstar Lionel Messi was largely overshadowed by theatrics on and off the pitch.

Referee Wolfgang Stark had his hands full as both sides played up challenges, argued vigorously and niggled at each other through the match, culminating in a red card to Real defender Pepe for a challenge on Davi Alves.

Real boss Jose Mourinho vented his fury at the dismissal to the fourth official and was subsequently banished to the stands, and later unleashed a torrent of accusations at Barcelona, UEFA and the officials in his post-match press conference.

Unsurprisingly, Mourinho attracted the attention of UEFA, who have announced they will investigate the Portuguese manager's comments in one of five disciplinary charges levelled against Real.

The Spanish club have also be charged in relation to Pepe and Mourinho's dismissals, a pitch invasion following the final whistle and the throwing of missiles onto the pitch by Real supporters.

Barca face just one charge after substitute goalkeeper Jose Pinto was shown a red card for his part in a half-time brawl as both sides headed to the dressing rooms.

Both cases will be heard by UEFA's disciplinary board next Friday.

As well as the charges already announced, Barcelona has reported Mourinho to UEFA for further sanctions for his comments regarding a perceived bias towards the Catalan club.

"Yesterday Mr Mourinho went over all the limits. We trust in Uefa measures," said board member and club secretary Antoni Freixa Martin.

"The president decided to convene a special meeting and we will report the coach of Real Madrid to the Control and Disciplinary Committee of Uefa for his statements. They constitute a fraction of Article 5. Barcelona feels hurt.

"We cling to point B and D of the article because we feel the club's reputation has been damaged.

"We have reacted because there has been an offence against the club, players, staff and fans."

 

[jw5]

Man Utd will need to be very careful against Schalke. This team is easily capable of scoring goals away, even though their team is not a great team especially defensively.

Real Madrid will have to go for it. It could be a very high scoring game.
Or a very dull affair.

 

[Groove Armada]

Champions League preview: Barcelona v Real Madrid

2 May 2011

Barcelona are in a commanding position ahead of their Champions League semi-final second leg with Real Madrid at the Nou Camp on Tuesday.

The Catalans have a 2-0 lead after the first leg at the Bernabeu thanks to a brace from the majestic Lionel Messi, who now has 52 goals to his name for the 2010-11 season in all competitions.

In an ill-tempered affair, Madrid defender Pepe was sent off in the 61st minute, and Barcelona substitute goalkeeper Joes Pinto was also sent off after an ugly fracas at half-time.

The Pepe dismissal also resulted in Real coach Jose Mourinho being sent to the stands, and the post-match fallout was extensive - centring on Mourinho's outspoken criticism of referee Wolfgang Stark, who he accused of favouring Barcelona.

Both teams enter the clash on the back of some poor league form, with Barca suffering a 2-1 defeat at Real Sociedad on Saturday, while Mourinho's men all but handed their fierce rivals the title with their 3-2 loss at home to Real Zaragoza the same day.

Barca have an eight-point lead in the league with four games to play, meaning the Champions League is likely to be Real's last chance of securing any more silverware this season after their victory in last month's Copa Del Rey.

Tuesday's game will be the fourth El Clasico encounter in 18 days.

The two sides played out a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu in La Liga action on April 16, before Cristiano Ronaldo scored an extra-time winner to hand Real the Copa Del Rey four days later.

Both managers have selection dilemmas ahead of the match, with Pep Guardiola's Barca side particularly hard hit by injuries.

Skipper Carles Puyol is out, Andres Iniesta is in doubt, while French left-back Eric Abidal is still recovering from surgery to remove a tumour from his liver.

Defenders Maxwell and Adriano are both injured, and to further stretch Guardiola's reserves at the back, Gabriel Milito and Martin Montoya will both miss out after they were hurt in the match with Real Sociedad.

Milito suffered a calf strain while Montoya - in his full match for the club - suffered a broken collarbone.

Mourinho has defensive headaches of his own, with Sergio Ramos and Pepe both suspended, but central defender Ricardo Carvalho should be back after his one-match ban.

Midfielder Sami Khedira is out through injury, but Mourinho could inject Kaka into the fray with the need for goals paramount, after the influential Brazilian was conspicuous by his absence in the first leg.

 

[Gallego99]

Barca will win CL title easily. No more excuses from REAL as no one was sent off.

 

[Groove Armada]

double post

 

[Groove Armada]

Champions League: Barcelona 1 Real Madrid 1

4 May 2011

Barcelona booked their Champions League final place with a 3-1 aggregate semi-final victory over Real Madrid on Tuesday.

The Catalans went into the second leg at Camp Nou with a two-goal lead, and a 1-1 draw proved enough to get the job done for Pep Guardiola's men.

Pedro's second half goal looked like it had extinguished any hopes Real Madrid had, and although the visitors did manage to pull one back through Marcelo 10 minutes later, that was as close as they would come as Barca sealed a spot in the final at Wembley on May 28.

The home side had the first major chance on goal for the game, when Sergio Busquets rose highest - and unmarked - at a 21st-minute corner, but Madrid shot-stopper Iker Casillas was on hand to save.

A vintage Lionel Messi run 10 minutes later almost opened the scoring, as he cut inside Real defenders on the edge of the area, before firing a left-footed effort on target, only to be denied by a diving Casillas.

Minutes later, more Messi magic saw the 23-year-old midfielder charging at goal with team-mates either side of him and only two defenders in sight.

Messi went wide to striker David Villa, who's curling far-post attempt was again denied by a strong-handed save from Casillas.

Real thought they had brought the tie to life in the first minute of the second period when Cristiano Ronaldo put through Gonzalo Higuain, who found the back of the net, but the referee had blown his whistle for a dubious Ronaldo foul on Javier Mascherano.

Madrid's misfortune was compounded by Barca's brilliance seven minutes later to open the scoring, and all but sew up their chance to win the illustrious Champions League in London.

A superb Andres Iniesta through-ball found Pedro, who fired home at the near post to all but seal their trip to Wembley.

Jose Mourinho's side struck back via the boot of Marcelo, but it was Angel Di Maria who did the work in setting up the opportunity - firing on goal himself only to find the woodwork, but controlled the rebound to lay off to the Brazilian defender.

But Real failed to create any further chances, and could only watch as Barca celebrated a historic result.

 

[Groove Armada]

Champions League preview: Manchester United v Schalke

3 May 2011

Schalke's hopes of overturning Manchester United's 2-0 first-leg lead rest on two crucial factors when their Champions League semi final resumes on Wednesday.

Will the Red Devils be able to recover from their shock 1-0 Premier League loss to bitter rivals Arsenal on Sunday?

And can Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer produce a similar formidable performance as in the first leg when goals from Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs handed the visitors an easy victory?

The scoreline would have been much worse for the Germans without Neuer's heroics. United looked a class above their opponents at the Gelschenkirchen last week but seven days can be a long time in football.

Given the manner of their win in Germany, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side go into the second leg as solid favourites and already have one foot in the tournament final at Wembley on May 28, where they will take on either Barcelona or Real Madrid
United have progressed in all 14 UEFA competition ties where they won the first game away from home, including against Chelsea in this season's quarter-finals (1-0 away, 2-1 home).

Schalke have lost only one home first leg in UEFA competition, going down 1-0 to Barcelona in the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Schalke striker Raul remains optimistic.

"There are 90 minutes left and we're not going to just give up; we know it's very difficult but will try to at least leave a good account of ourselves." It has been a tale of two competitions for the German club this year, as they have been excellent in the Champions League but poor in the Bundesliga.

Schalke have beaten Valencia and reigning champions Inter Milan in Europe this season, but are 10th in the German league. Ralf Ragnick’s side lost 4-1 to Bayern Munich at the weekend which will not instil any further confidence in the side.

But any hopes that Manchester United can convince Schalke's Neuer to join them next season while he is at Old Trafford appear to have faded. In the first leg Neuer showed he would be a perfect replacement for Edwin van der Sar who retires at the end of the season.

His agent Thomas Kroth said Neuer has no intention of moving to England. "Manuel is not interested in joining Manchester United. He is not interesting in leaving Germany. He will stay in Germany. That is definite," Kroth said. "I don’t think anything could change his mind."

Sir Alex Ferguson said he would bring in rested players against Schalke. "I will make some changes on Wednesday without question," said Ferguson. "I will bring Paul Scholes back in, Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Owen."

"We'll need to do that but I will probably keep my experienced players at the back." "We have a big week ahead. Wednesday is a European semi-final second leg and then the game on Sunday." "Two massive games, so we will regroup and freshen it up."

 

[Groove Armada]

Champions League: Manchester United 4 Schalke 1

5 May 2011

Manchester United will face Barcelona in the Champions League final, after they crushed Schalke 4-1 at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

United led 2-0 from the semi-final first leg, so when Antonio Valencia drilled an angled shot past Manuel Neuer after 26 minutes and Darron Gibson made it 2-0 five minutes later the tie was all but over.

Schalke did reply through Jurado before half-time but United were able to see out the match and even score twice more after the break, both through midfielder Anderson, to complete a 6-1 aggregate win.

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson took a huge gamble on his side's Champions League future by resting nine of the 11 players that started their English Premier League match at Arsenal last weekend - clearly concerned about a title-deciding fixture against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Only goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar and midfielder Anderson survived the cull, with Wayne Rooney not even included on the bench.

Fortunately for Ferguson's men, their opponents showed little belief that they could rescue the tie, even against a shadow United line-up, and the home side were convincing victors.

Irishman Gibson set up the opening goal with a wonderful pass for Valencia, who fired low across Neuer for 1-0.

Gibson doubled the lead five minutes later, firing in a shot that Neuer - who had played so wonderfully in the first leg - let slip into this own net.

The Germans did briefly pose a threat, scoring through Jurado, but United were back on the attack after the break and almost scored another through an Anderson curling shot that was well saved.

The Brazilian then tapped home after 72 minutes and converted a pass from Dimitar Berbatov four minutes later to wrap up a remarkably easy victory.

The result means United will play in the Champions League final for the third time in four years.

They won the title by beating Chelsea in Moscow in 2008, but lost to Barcelona in Rome a year later. Now they must face the Catalan giants again - but this time at Wembley on May 28.

 

[Groove Armada]

Rangnick: ´We found out our level´

5 May 2011

Schalke manager Ralf Rangnick has paid tribute to Champions League semi-final conquerors Manchester United for their 6-1 aggregate win.

United ran away with the two-legged tie with a 4-1 triumph at Old Trafford on Wednesday to add to their 2-0 victory in Germany last Tuesday, and Rangnick had no complaints that his men were outplayed.

"I have to congratulate Manchester United - over the two games they were the better side," Rangnick said after Wednesday's game.

"As soon as we went behind (in the first leg) it was difficult for us."

Rangnick said United's class was evident in their depth, as Ferguson rested nine starting XI players from their English Premier League loss to Arsenal on Sunday for the Champions League affair.

"If you look at the comparison of their so-called second string, the quality of their players stands out," Rangnick said.

"(Dimitar) Berbatov, Anderson performed well - they're the sort of players that most Bundesliga teams would be happy with."

"We have to admit we could have gone out in the quarter-final against Inter - tonight we found out our level."

Schalke's attentions will turn to the Bundesliga, in which Rangnick's side are sitting in 10th spot on the table with two games remaining.

Rangnick addressed the transfer speculation surrounding goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who only added to his burgeoning reputation with a commanding performance in the first leg.

Neuer is rumoured to be headed for Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich despite interest from around Europe, with Hannover shot-stopper Ron-Robert Zieler - a former Manchester United trainee - said to be lined up as the Germany number one's replacement at Schalke.

"Regarding Neuer there is nothing new," Rangnick told SAT1.

"He has a contract and I hope that he stays. We don't think about Zieler because we have Neuer.”