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Basel pulled off a shock 1-0 home win over Bayern Munich in their Champions League round-of-16 first-leg tie at St Jakob-Park on Wednesday.Substitute Valentin Stocker scored the only goal of the game with five minutes remaining, but the real hero was Yann Sommer, whose heroics in goal halted the visitors time and time again, preserving a slender advantage for the second leg in Munich on March 13.
The game started at breakneck pace, and the visitors almost made the perfect start four minutes in. Arjen Robben's pass picked out Franck Ribery inside the area, but his effort from close range was thwarted superbly by Sommer.Ribery was at it again a few minutes later when he was played through on goal by Philipp Lahm, forcing Sommer to palm away his low effort at his near post.
The Swiss club took little time in recovering from the early pressure though, and were increasingly able to get forward and find space in and around a suspect Bayern back four.With 15 minutes gone, Manuel Neuer was called into action to block Marco Streller's flick at the near post.
The Germany number one made an even better save a minute later, showing fantastic reflexes to push Aleksandar Dragovic's point-blank header onto the post.Chances were coming thick and fast, and the home side were cursing their luck again moments later after Joo-Ho Park teed up Alexander Frei inside the area for a first-time shot that smacked off the crossbar.
The tempo of the game died down somewhat as the first half wore on, but Sommer was called into action again on the half-hour mark to get strong hands on David Alaba's effort from range. Somehow, the match entered half-time with the score still goalless.
Basel created the first opportunity after the interval with Streller easily out-jumping Lahm in the area, but his header was lacking and was saved by Neuer.In stark contrast to the opening exchanges, the second period unfolded in a relatively uneventful fashion, as both teams lacked the spark in attack that was so evident in the first half.
Lahm tried to kick things into life in the 66th minute when he let fly from 25 yards out, but Sommer got across well to tip the shot wide.The Basel 'keeper was equal to everything Bayern could throw at him, and came up with the goods again with 20 minutes remaining, rushing off his line to block from Mario Gomez.
Sommer's heroics were rewarded with five minutes remaining, as substitute Jacques Zoua strode across the edge of the Bayern box and played in Stocker, who had enough time and space to slot past Neuer and send the Swiss fans into dreamland.Bayern were unable to muster a response in the time that remained, leaving Basel with a one-goal lead to protect in the second leg at Allianz Arena in three weeks' time.
Andre Ayew's late goal saw Marseille defeat Inter Milan 1-0 in the first leg of their round-of-16 Champions League tie on Wednesday.The Ghanaian's glancing header in stoppage time was enough to give the Ligue 1 outfit the advantage heading into the second leg, which will be held in Milan on March 13.
Marseille started well and enjoyed plenty of early possession, with Benoit Cheyrou going close in the early stages.Cheyrou's strike from distance was deflected just wide while Cesar Azpilicueta fired over from long range.Inter had chances of their own with Diego Forlan and Mauro Zarate forcing smart saves from Marseille shot-stopper Steve Mandanda.
A threatening free-kick from Mathieu Valbuena could have easily been turned in, only for Brandao and Souleymane Diawara to get in each other's way, while Esteban Cambiasso – who was Inter's most threatening player – had a goal-bound strike blocked by Diawara.Inter sat back more in the second half as they tried to soak up Marseille's pressure and head back to the San Siro on level terms.
Didier Deschamps' side once again had lots of the ball but they were frustrated by their lack of cutting edge in attack.The match seemed headed for a goalless stalemate but Ayew looked threatening late on and forced a series of saves from Inter's Julio Cesar.One of those stops led to a corner from which the all-important goal was finally scored.
Valbuena's handy ball into the box was met by Ayew and he wheeled off in celebration as his header snuck past Cesar.The Stade Velodrome crowd exploded in delight with the late goal and Inter were left to regret their defensive tactics.
The defeat will put even more pressure on the club's manager, Claudio Ranieri, with the Serie A giants now winless in their last seven matches.
CSKA Moscow manager Leonid Slutsky: After Keisuke Honda came on the field we became more dangerous against Real Madrid The Japan international had been sidelined since November but made a welcome return during the last 20 minutes of the Russian's Champions League clash with Real Madrid
Zorc bites back at Bayern: Dortmund did not give up on Champions League Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recently claimed in an interview with Kicker that their Bundesliga rivals had gotten knocked out in order to focus on the Bundesliga
Napoli's Cavani: We have beaten a major world power in Chelsea
Walter Mazzarri's men have put themselves in a great position to progress to the last eight of Europe's premier club competition on the back of a thrilling win at the San Paolo
‘Difficult but not impossible’ – Chelsea boss Villas-Boas reserved after loss to Napoli
The young manager admitted his side could have been better at both ends at San Paolo but believes they will have plenty of chances to claw back the advantage at Stamford Bridge
Cech refuses to blame Villas-Boas for Chelsea defeat to Napoli
The Blues goalkeeper admitted they allowed the hosts too many chances on the counterattack, but is determined to ‘fight to the end’ to stay in the Champions League
Napoli's Mazzarri laments missed opportunity to kill off Chelsea
Christian Maggio was presented with a golden opportunity to given the Partenopei a three-goal advantage at the San Paolo but his shot was cleared off the line by Ashley Cole
Sergio Ramos: Real Madrid denied 'clear' free kick before CSKA Moscow equaliser
The Spain international felt that Cristiano Ronaldo had been fouled just moments before the Russian side levelled the game through Swedish midfielder Pontus Wernbloom
Barcelona, Real Madrid & Manchester United are the best teams in Europe at the moment, says Dani Alves
The Brazil international has labelled the trio as the top sides on the continent and also claimed that winning La Liga was more important than the Champions League
Diawara: Marseille will do everything we can to win the Champions League The Senegal international has taken great encouragement out of the Ligue 1 side's 1-0 victory over Inter on Wednesday night and now believes that anything is possible
Heynckes confirms dressing-room dispute between Thomas Muller and Badstuber following Bayern Munich loss to Basel The two stars clashed in the wake of their side's 1-0 loss to the Swiss outfit, with both parties believing the other shirked key defensive duties in the lead up to the goal
'New Tinkerman' Andre Villas-Boas must settle on a philosophy to match his Chelsea masterplan Blues boss needs to find a happy balance between his own future plans for the club and previous successes if he wants to save his skin and ensure Champions League qualification
'Wenger is not to blame for Arsenal failures' - former player David O'Leary Leading players at the north London club have let the manager down and they should be offloaded in the summer not the boss according to the club's record appearance holder
Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas confirms John Terry out for 'five or six weeks' Former England captain set for extended time on the sidelines following knee surgery, ruling him out of Stuart Pearce's squad to face Holland next week at Wembley
Gomez, Neuer and Shaqiri respond to Basel's win over Bayern Munich The Bavarian giants' star duo admitted that their side have a tough task in overcoming the first-leg defeat in the round of 16 of Europe's premier club competition
Press treatment of Wenger and AVB is shameful, Yann Sommer could become Europe's best goalkeeper & five things we learned from Champions League last 16 first legs The initial stanza has been completed as the Champions League moves towards the return legs in the knockout phase; here are the conclusions drawn from the European stage
Real Madrid boycott Canal+ after sketch show involving Casillas doped up on drugs The Spanish giants are not amused with the way the French television channel's portrayal of their World Cup-winning glovesman and captain in a sketch show
Cambiasso insists Inter gave a 'reaction' against Marseille The midfielder claims his side displayed a significant improvement against the French giants on Wednesday, and have every chance of making amends in the return leg
Real Madrid coach Mourinho accused of homophobic slur The outspoken coach has allegedly made homophobic comments towards match officials while he was inspecting the condition of the pitch before the Champions League game against CSKA
Inter sweating over Maicon knee injury - report The Brazilian full-back sustained a knee problem in Wendesday's Champions League loss, and could face a lengthy spell on the sidelines for the struggling giants
Stop the tinkering - After last-gasp defeat to Marseille, Inter's Claudio Ranieri must banish Sneijder & Zarate back to the bench The under-fire Nerazzurri boss appears to have lost the courage of his convictions if his team selection for his side's latest defeat is anything to go by
You get what you pay for - Rafinha is not good enough for Bayern Munich, and neither is Dante The right-back was exposed against Basel on Wednesday, and his alarming inadequacy should send a clear signal to Uli Hoeness that the Gladbach man is a similarly risky investment
Neuer: Bayern Munich are gutted about Basel defeat The Germany international feels that the Swiss outfit deserved their victory on Wednesday evening, and admitted that FCB are going through a difficult period of late
Inter's Julio Cesar after Olympique de Marseille loss: I have never been in such a tough situation before The Brazil international has conceded that the struggles the Nerazzurri are currently going through is a new experience for him, but urged his team-mates to salvage the season
Basel coach Heiko Vogel delighted with second-half performance against Bayern Munich The Swiss side's boss is hoping that they can replicate their winning display in Bavaria in three weeks' time and has spoken of the confidence within his side's camp
Ranieri: Defeat to Olympique de Marseille is a snapshot of Inter's situation The Italian coach stated that the Nerazzurri did not deserve to lose the match, while indicating that the result shows what has gone wrong in the team
Uli Hoeness angry after Ribery incident: 'Just stop with your f***ing handshake questions'
The German club's official lashed out with profanity when being interviewed and stated that it is normal that a player does not want to shake hands after a match like Wednesday's
Beckenbauer: Bayern Munich have problems scoring goals
The German legend admitted that the Bavarian club must work hard to progress and stated they would have conceded more goals if Neuer was not between the sticks
Olympique de Marseille's Didier Deschamps expresses delight at late Champions League victory over Inter
The 43-year-old boss got the better of opposite number Claudio Ranieri again, though stressed that the job is not yet completed after a dramatic victory over the Nerazzuri.
Real Madrid's Arbeloa shrugs off 'bitter aftertaste' of CSKA Moscow's late equaliser
The former Liverpool defender found Pontus Wernbloom's injury-time equaliser at the Luzhniki difficult to swallow as he felt that Los Blancos had controlled the game
Gary Cahill 'ridiculously disappointed' with Chelsea's defeat to Napoli
The former Bolton man was less than impressed with his Champions League debut, but says the Blues are capable of scoring twice in the return leg at Stamford Bridge
Basel's Shaqiri: Manchester United underestimated us
The Swiss side's winger has claimed that the Premier League champions did not look remotely focused in the tunnel ahead of their crunch European clash back in December
On the slide: How English football's continental crash points to a Premier League in decline
With Arsenal and Chelsea on the verge of Champions League elimination and both Manchester clubs already out, England's top-flight league is slipping behind its foreign rivals
Inter star Wesley Sneijder: I am in great form, but it is difficult to impress whilst the team is suffering
The Netherlands international has made it clear that it is hard for him to shine in a side that is under-performing, but is looking forward to playing at Euro 2012 this summer
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas hoping to have captain John Terry back in 'four weeks'
Stamford Bridge captain has missed the last five games with a knee injury and was originally expected to be out for up to two months but may return sooner than thought
Far from their best, but still far too good - Lavezzi & Napoli run Chelsea ragged to put Villas-Boas on the brink
The Azzurri have half-a-foot in the quarter-finals after claiming their latest San Paolo scalp, but the Londoners will be thanking their lucky stars the defeat wasn't heavier
Real Madrid's Pepe: We will decide CSKA Moscow tie at home
The Portuguese defender is confident Jose Mourinho's men will win at the Santiago Bernabeu, after a late goal by the hosts resulted in a 1-1 draw in the Champions League last 16
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas admits Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole questioned his Napoli team selection
The Portuguese has conceded the England internationals were disappointed at his decision to leave them out, while bemoaning his side's lack of quality in the 3-1 defeat in Naples
Russian roulette - Real Madrid should have killed off CSKA before late blow in Moscow
Jose Mourinho's men went ahead through Cristiano Ronaldo's first-half strike, but the Portuguese missed two good chances to make the game safe and his side paid the price
Napoli's Morgan De Sanctis: We should have scored a fourth goal against Chelsea
The experienced goalkeeper feels that Walter Mazzarri's men could have had a bigger advantage after the first leg, and warned that the Champions League tie is not over yet
Xabi Alonso: Real Madrid deserved a better result against CSKA Moscow
The influential midfielder has expressed his disappointment with his side's draw as he felt they deserved better, but remains confident of advancing to the quarter-finals
'New Tinkerman' Andre Villas-Boas must settle on a philosophy to match his Chelsea masterplan
Blues boss needs to find a happy balance between his own future plans for the club and previous successes if he wants to save his skin and ensure Champions League qualification
Feb 24, 2012 9:54:00 AM
By Josh Clarke
When Andre Villas-Boas first spoke of the ‘project’ awaiting him at Chelsea, it is doubtful he had the farcical juggling act of dissident players, disgruntled fans and an imperious owner in mind.
The Portuguese’s overhaul of Chelsea was always going to be a thankless task, one made nigh on impossible considering his inexperience and comparative age with his squad.
As Villas-Boas himself recently stated: “This club, from 2004, has made a dramatic change for the best in terms of their past. It is the richest part of the club’s history, full of trophies and success.
"We have to perpetuate that into the future. To do that there have to be changes and you can’t sustain the same habits you had in 2004, when an environment and team were created. This is now the project, to change and win trophies again.”
It is this change that, at the moment, is seemingly beyond Villas-Boas. The bizarre team selection against Napoli provided the latest and most fateful chapter in a season that has been plagued by inconsistency of both message and method, while also making public the full extent of discord within the club.
Experimentation with different styles, as we have also seen this season, can be all well and good but it has had the effect of diminishing Chelsea to a ghost of all-conquering 2004 side. That side was one which executed a relentless and ruthless efficiency.
Villas-Boas’ fundamental problem is that what he has at his disposal is a side too set in its ways to fully swallow the changes he is trying to implement, particularly when there seems to be no definitive direction on the table.
This has become apparent through an array of Villas-Boas indecision. The manager is unsure of who, what, when, why or how to get the most efficient working system out of Frank Lampard, Oriol Romeu, Raul Meireles, John Obi Mikel, Michael Essien and Ramires in the middle.
Indeed Romeu, who has been one of the club’s more notable performers in this campaign, has been sidelined since his perceived culpability for Manchester United’s comeback earlier in the month.
Elsewhere, still no definite choice has been made about who will spearhead the attack and Florent Malouda’s continued inclusion is bewildering. The most glaring difference between this team and the 2004 Chelsea, though, is the wanton disregard for their goals conceded column, a factor exacerbated no end by constant chopping and changing of the back four.
Whether the core of players that Villas-Boas has inherited are unwilling or unable to get behind the stalling changes the boss is trying to implement is immaterial. You would think that good old-fashioned professionalism would be enough to steady the ship but then I guess Jose Mourinho is only a text away and Roman Abramovich a nod and a whisper.
Ashley Cole’s true loyalty to the Blue cause was always going to be questionable but the likes of John Terry, Lampard and Didier Drogba should have the club ethos firmly engrained in them.
They need to do what is best for the club and if that involves playing a bit part that they disagree with, then perhaps they should accept that. The factions within the club now seem irreparable but if Villas-Boas wants to save his own skin, and Chelsea’s season, then consistency across the board is required.
The crux for the Portuguese - particularly given the fact that he has recently assumed full responsibility for the team’s performances - is to pick a system and preferred team, then stay with it wherever possible.
Perhaps he has taken on the trauma surgery of this side too quickly. No doubt change is required, but to resort to cliche, the transition requires evolution - not revolution, particularly when dealing with such a backwardly influential group of players.
Amid furious Blues fans protestations, it is easy to forget the magnitude of the rebuilding job Villas-Boas has on his hands. Aside from Sir Alex Ferguson, who has quite rightfully been awarded time to restructure team after team, it is hard to find many other Premier League managers who have successfully gutted out such a forceful team.
Arsene Wenger's current strife just down the road provides a potent counterpoint, while Liverpool have struggled to rebrand themselves for a few years now.
No matter how much the doom-mongers are calling for heads to roll, Chelsea are still in with more than a credible shot of a top-four finish. They sit level on points with Arsenal, who are in an equally despondent state. Liverpool and Newcastle are far from certainties to sustain their push into the latter stages of the season.
Whether Villas-Boas chooses to continue with his planned shakeup or bows back to a previously successful model, he needs to pick a short-term direction and stick with it. Otherwise, Abramovich’s hand will be forced and the owner will go for a managerial change as the Blues' short-term solution to this season's struggles.
Stop the tinkering - After last-gasp defeat to Marseille, Inter's Claudio Ranieri must banish Sneijder & Zarate back to the bench
The under-fire Nerazzurri boss appears to have lost the courage of his convictions if his team selection for his side's latest defeat is anything to go by
Feb 23, 2012 9:00:00 AM
By Mark Doyle
Marseille coach Didier Deschamps claimed in the build-up to his side’s Champions League last 16 tie with Inter that Wednesday night's first leg should not be billed as “Deschamps versus Ranieri”. The Frenchman was right: he did not deserve equal billing. The game was always going to be all about Nerazzurri boss Claudio Ranieri – and so it proved.
Deschamps had, of course, been alluding to the fact that he had been at the helm of the Monaco side responsible for one of the most damaging defeats of Ranieri’s coaching career.
During the tail end of the Italian's four-year reign at Chelsea, Ranieri took his Stamford Bridge outfit to the principality for the first leg of a Champions League semi-final tie that all and sundry had expected the expensively-assembled Blues to negotiate with little difficulty.
However, on that fateful night in Monte Carlo, with the two teams locked at one goal apiece, Ranieri embarked upon a series of tactical decisions which look set to define him forever. The 60-year-old Roman withdrew Jesper Gronkjaer during the interval and replaced him with Juan Sebastian Veron, who was horribly short on match fitness after only just recovering from back surgery.
Then, after Monaco had been reduced to 10 men following the dismissal of Andreas Zikos for a clash with Claude Makelele, Ranieri elected to replace full-back Mario Melchiot with Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink before throwing on defender Robert Huth in place of midfielder Scott Parker.
INTER'S WOEFUL RUN
COMPETITION
Coppa Italia
Serie A Serie A Serie A Serie A Serie A Champs League
OPPONENT
Napoli Lecce Palermo Roma Novara Bologna Marseille
RESULT 0-2 0-1 4-4 0-4 0-1 0-3 0-1
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</tbody>
The end result: a 3-1 victory for 10-man Monaco. Ranieri took the blame for the capitulation and admitted afterwards that his side had “lost the plot” in the final 15 minutes. He may as well have been talking about himself.
Ranieri’s reputation was irreparably damaged by the defeat, which the Blues failed to avenge at Stamford Bridge a fortnight later, and it came as no surprise when he was removed from his position by Chelsea’s ruthless Russian owner Roman Abramovich at the end of that season.
Strange, then, that Ranieri chose his return to the south coast of France to underline just why the ‘Tinkerman’ moniker he despises so much will never go away.
After a run of six games in all competitions without a victory, he desperately needed a positive result at the Stade Velodrome – and yet he elected to go against everything he stands for by picking players ill-suited to such a task.
The name of Mauro Zarate on the Inter team-sheet stood out like Marco Materazzi at a Zidane family union. Ranieri has made little use of the infuriatingly erratic Argentine since taking charge at San Siro in September and yet he called upon the services of the on-loan Lazio forward for one of the most important games of his short tenure. Ranieri needed honest endeavour and sensible decision-making from all of his troops and yet he put his faith in a lethargic attacking player who specialises in taking the wrong option.
The only surprise in terms of the Zarate experiment was that it was 62 minutes before it was abandoned. Indeed, it was abundantly clear after a dreadfully wasteful first-half display from the Argentine - one in which he made just one decent pass - that he should have been hauled off at the interval.
And then there’s the curious case of Wesley Sneijder. Both Marco van Basten and Sandro Mazzola lambasted the Dutch midfielder for his poor attitude of late. And it’s undeniable: Sneijder has cut a disinterested and disillusioned figure every single time he has set foot on the field this season. His obvious sense of frustration has also manifested itself in a succession of bookings for acts of petulance, as well as a truly dreadful challenge on Walter Gargano during a 2-0 Coppa Italia defeat by Napoli at the San Paolo last month which inexplicably failed to even yield a caution.
However, it has become increasingly evident that there is no room for Sneijder in Ranieri’s Inter. And Ranieri himself knows this. He has admitted as much - in public. And yet he will not drop the Netherlands international. The Nerazzurri boss has instead spent the past few weeks tinkering with his line-up, chopping and changing his personnel in midfield and in attack in a vain attempt to uncover a solution to the Sneijder problem.
No respite for Ranieri | The pressure has intensified after the defeat in France
But Ranieri knows that the former Real Madrid man simply does not fit into his system; his preferred way of playing. The results speak for themselves: Inter won seven of the eight Serie A games Sneijder missed while he was sidelined with a muscular problem for two months of the current campaign.
In addition, Sneijder featured only as a substitute for the subsequent victories over AC Milan and Lazio which extended the Nerazzurri's winning streak. His return has coincided with Inter's collapse and as fictional serial killer Dexter Morgan came to learn, there is no such thing as coincidence - only the universe trying to tell you something.
Indeed, it is now clear that the thigh injury which sidelined the Ajax youth product for just over two months was actually a blessing in disguise for Ranieri. Sneijder’s absence, coupled with Inter’s perilous position when 'Tinkerman' arrived at the club, provided the former Chelsea boss with the perfect excuse to implement the kind of clearly-defined, well-organised, well-drilled, disciplined tactical game plan he has always adhered to. With Sneijder, and to a lesser extent Forlan, back in the mix, Ranieri has gone against his better judgement and begun to tinker once more.
Kiessling: Leverkusen want to trouble Barcelona at Camp Nou Even though the Bundesliga outfit trail 3-1 from their first-leg clash with the Catalans in Germany, the forward insists that they will not lack motivation at Camp Nou
Wenger confirms Arteta is out of AC Milan clash The Arsenal manager reveals that the Spaniard is out of the crucial Champions League game after being treated for concussion following collision with Jordan Henderson on Saturday
Thiago Alcantara doubtful for Barcelona clash against Bayer Leverkusen - report The Spain international is still a doubt heading into the return clash at home in the round of 16 tie and could be the rested for the match against the German side
Wenger delighted by Arsenal turnaround after poor start to the season The Frenchman believes many players within his squad have stepped up after the sales of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas and feels his side can go into Milan game with confidence
Platini: Real Madrid - Barcelona could be a great Champions League final The Uefa president is not tipping any club to reach the decider in the competition, but admitted that a match between the two Liga giants would be very appealing
Benfica's Garay set to miss Zenit St Petersburg match with knee injury
The former Real Madrid defender is nursing a knee injury and may even spend several weeks of the sidelines before being able to return to the field of play
AC Milan duo Emanuelson and Antonini expect to be fit to face Arsenal
Both players had to be replaced during Saturday night's win over Palermo, with the Dutchman suffering an ankle injury and the defender a thigh problem, but should recover
Wenger claims Arsenal's squad has been 'decimated' after Liverpool win
The Frenchman is unsure of who he will have at his disposal on Tuesday evening as his side look to overturn a 4-0 deficit against AC Milan in the Champions League
Allegri: Arsenal will not win trophies again until they sign big players
The AC Milan boss has suggested that the Gunners' trophy drought is due to the lack of star players and insists they must spend big in order to rectify it
Mar 5, 2012 12:00:00 PM
By Aaron McLoughlin
AC Milan boss Massimilano Allegri believesthat Arsenal's six-year trophy drought is due to a lack of big name players and insists they must "buy big" to start winning again.
Allegri, whose side hold a 4-0 first-leg lead over the Gunners ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash at the Emirates, criticised Arsenal's policy of cashing in on big name players.
The Italian believes the sales of the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri have shown fans that the club lack ambition, something which he insisted is not manager Arsene Wenger's fault.
Speaking to The Sun, he said: "For me it's impossible to win the title or Champions League without signing big players."You will never do it without big players. That goes for Arsenal, Milan or any big club. You must buy big.
"I have a strong team but in that I have three big players, bringing experience, character, technical ability and leadership. You need leaders.
"It's not fair to criticise Wenger so much and it is not right, because every year Arsenal sell one big player or two big players and the team still manage to play well and finish in the top four.
"But it's also true that if they want to win trophies they have to keep their best players. And make two or three big signings.
"If somebody told me this summer we have to sell Zlatan [Ibrahimovic] and [Kevin] Prince [Boateng] I would say no. No. No."
Jesus confident Benfica can beat Zenit St Petersburg to reach Champions League quarter-finals
The Lisbon side's head coach feels they have what it takes to overturn their defeat from the away match against the Russians when the two teams meet on Tuesday
Champions League exit will not be financial disaster - but Arsenal must finish in top four to avoid one
With the Gunners standing on the brink of an exit from the Champions League, next Monday's match with Newcastle is already assuming more importance than AC Milan game
Is the Champions League now so successful that Europe no longer needs Fifa?
As the European Club Association and world football's governing body continue to clash, the question arises as to whether the former really needs the latter anymore
Abbiati: Milan have to be careful against Arsenal and Van Persie
The experienced goalkeeper has called on his team to remain alert at the Emirates against the Londoners and he is relishing the prospect of facing the Gunners' Dutch striker
Wenger demands 'belief' from his players ahead of AC Milan showdown
The Gunners face the Italian outfit at the Emirates with the Italian side four goals to the good from the first-leg, but the Frenchman insists nothing is impossible
Even AC Milan can't mess this up now - History of blowing Champions League leads should be laid to rest against Arsenal
The Rossoneri have squandered some significant advantages in two-legged European ties over the years, but there are plenty of reasons to believe this time will be different
Arsenal's Gibbs: We have to believe we can beat AC Milan otherwise there's no point in being here
The defender is confident that the Gunners' 5-2 comeback over Tottenham can give them the belief required to turn around the 4-0 deficit agianst the Italian side
Wenger may change Arsenal formation for AC Milan clash
Gunners boss states that he only has two midfielders so could be forced into alterations, and is tempted to start Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain but is unsure if Tomas Rosicky will play
Galliani: Signing Van Persie a dream that may never come true
The Rossoneri official has already publicly said he is a huge admirer of the Dutch forward but he remains pessimistic about actually managing to prise him away from the Gunners
Sagna: Arsenal recovery down to trust
Following the Gunners' win against Liverpool on Saturday, the defender insists that the recent turnaround has come from a strong mentality and belief within the squad
Champions League preview: Barcelona v Bayer Leverkusen
6 March 2012
Barcelona are primed to book a Champions League quarter-finals place as they take a 3-1 lead into the second leg against Bayer Leverkusen.La Liga giants Barca, the reigning European champions, are aiming to reach the last eight of the competition for the fifth consecutive season, and have the luxury of taking a two-goal advantage into the return leg of their round-of-16 clash at Camp Nou on Wednesday.Pep Guardiola's men have been inconsistent in the league this campaign, falling 10 points adrift of rivals Real Madrid.
Their 3-1 win over Sporting Gijon on Saturday came without Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, who missed the match through suspension.Barca have an imposing record in European home matches, unbeaten in their last 13 - including 11 wins - dating back to October 2009.Messi will return for the second leg having terrorised the Leverkusen defence in the previous meeting on February 14, while Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez netted a brace in that win.
But Barca will be without Sanchez for the second leg after he limped off with a torn thigh muscle in the victory over Sporting Gijon.Guardiola's star-studded midfield are again likely to dominate possession, although for a brief spell after half-time in the first leg Robin Dutt's side showed they were capable of matching it with the European champions.The huge task facing Dutt's Bundesliga outfit is underlined by their miserable Champions League away record.
Leverkusen have failed to win in their last 12 Champions League away matches, drawing three and losing nine.Stefan Kiessling was on the scoresheet in Leverkusen's 2-0 league win over Bayern Munich on Saturday, and with his side needing goals in Spain, must play a big part if they are to progress.
Switzerland attacker Eren Derdiyok is still searching for his first goal of the year and could be given a start as Leverkusen look to erase the deficit against Barcelona.But Barca's stellar home record and form means this shapes as an almost an impossible task for Leverkusen at Camp Nou.
APOEL will be looking to overturn a one-goal deficit and continue their unprecedented Champions League run against Lyon on Wednesday.The French side head to the Neo GSP Stadium in Cyprus with the goal advantage after their home win in the first leg but their league form has been far from impressive in recent weeks.Remi Garde's men have not won in their past four Ligue 1 matches and slumped to an embarrassing 2-0 defeat by lowly Nancy on Saturday.
"We lacked a bit of strength, speed and enthusiasm (against Nancy). When we don't create enough scoring opportunities and make mistakes at the other end, then we lose matches we should be winning," Lyon chairman Jean-Michel Aulas said."It's hugely disappointing, but we have to stand right behind the team ... we need to bounce back mentally," he said.The draw though, did fall kindly for them with APOEL, relative minnows at Champions League level, arguably the weakest side in the last 16.
To advance, APOEL must score twice if they are to become the first Cypriot side to reach the last eight of any European competition.APOEL stormed to a 4-1 league win over Ermis Aradippou at the weekend and will take great confidence into the Lyon clash knowing they have already defeated Zenit St Petersburg and Porto at home in the Champions League this season.
With by far the smallest budget of the remaining Champions League sides, the importance of the match for APOEL was not lost on striker Esteban Solari, who scored a double against Ermis."We are fully focused on the game with Lyon that certainly will be one of the most important games in the history of APOEL," Solari said.
"We know that if we stick together, this might be a dream that can come true."Lyon have been knocked out at the round-of-16 stage in four of the last five campaigns.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger may have to alter his formation for the visit of AC Milan in the Champions League.The Gunners will need at least four goals to beat the Italian club - either by taking the game to extra time or beating them outright by five goals.
And Wenger has stated that he may have to go for broke on the night with injuries to several midfielders, adding that he is thinking about playing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in a central role."I am tempted," Wenger told the club's official website.
"At the moment, basically I have only two midfielders, (Alex) Song and (Tomas) Rosicky.""That means we have to play with four strikers. We can play any system you can imagine until (Tuesday) night. But I will not tell you that now.""I am tempted (to play Oxlade-Chamberlain centrally), we will see. I have (around) 24 hours and I have to see if Rosicky is available or not."
"If he is not available then I will be in a very difficult situation, because I don't know what I can do then.""I hope he will make it. He told me (on Sunday) that he will. But the medical staff are not sure.""I can play six strikers if I want, I have enough."
"I have (Marouane) Chamakh, (Chu-Young) Park, (Robin) Van Persie, Gervinho, (Theo) Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain. I can take a risk, because I have no choice, basically."
Benfica coach Jorge Jesus is brimming with confidence ahead of his side's Champions League round of 16 second leg against Zenit St Petersburg.The Portuguese giants were beaten 3-2 in the first leg in Russia, but Jesus believes Benfica have what it takes to secure qualification for the quarter-finals at home.
"In our stadium with a good pitch and normal weather, we can qualify," he said."We know that we're playing a good side, a strong one, with five players in the Russia team that beat Denmark last week.""Apart from their individuals they are tactically very strong too but in our stadium, with our fans behind us, I think we can win."
"We want to reach the quarter-finals and after the result in the away leg, with our fans and our quality I think we'll do it.""This tie was 50-50 after the draw was made but our two away goals give us some confidence and we feel that we can qualify though, as I say again, Zenit are a very strong side."
Roberto Di Matteo said that Chelsea can still have a successful season despite the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas.The Italian has taken over the managerial reins for the rest of the season, with his first assignment on Tuesday a trip to Birmingham City for their FA Cup fifth-round replay.Chelsea face an uphill battle to qualify for next season's Champions League, while also needing to overturn a 3-1 reverse in the second leg of their last-16 tie against Napoli to reach the quarter-finals this term.
"Our duty now is to look forward and to try to get the results that we need in the league, the Champions League and in the FA Cup to have a good season," Di Matteo told Chelsea's official website."It has been a very difficult 24 hours for a lot of people at the football club.""Andre has brought some very good, positive ideas and changes to this football club and we will benefit from his changes.""I enjoyed very much working with him and we will remain friends for the rest of our lives, but I will have to move on for this club and try my best with the players we have here."
The Italian took charge of his first training session on Monday, assisted by another former Blues man Eddie Newton, who has come in to support the coaching staff."Today I have mostly spoken to the players individually to try to get them in the right frame of mind for the task ahead and that is our job now," he added."Eddie knows the club and many of the players. I have worked with him for many years and it was easy for him to slot in for us and give us a hand until the end of the season."
"He is a Chelsea man and I want some passion from people who care about this club, and this is one of our jobs as well, to transmit that to the team.""Eddie worked with me for three years and we will exchange opinion and discuss and we have a very similar view of how we think the team should play.""It is good to have the people that have the knowledge and the experience, that have played in the Premier League, and Eddie was with me working in the Premier League last season."
Champions League: Benfica 2 Zenit St Petersburg 0 (agg 4-3)
7 March 2012
Benfica progressed to the last eight of the Champions League 4-3 on aggregate, thanks to a 2-0 win over Zenit St Petersburg on Tuesday.After losing the first leg 3-2 in St Petersburg on February 15, a goal from Maxi Pereira moments before half-time and another from Nelson Oliveira in second-half injury time saw Jorge Jesus' men run out comfortable winners in the round-of-16 second leg at Estadio da Luz.
The mach started out at a high tempo, with hosts Benfica enjoying the majority of possession during the early exchanges.Axel Witsel created the first opportunity of note for the Liga Sagres team.His pass picked out Bruno Cesar, who tried his luck from the edge of the box, but Zenit goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev successfully blocked the shot.
Benfica remained in control and they came close to scoring again five minutes later, when Pereira played a one-two with Nicolas Gaitan.Regaining possession, Pereira shot across goal from a tight angle, with no team-mate on hand to tap the ball home.Against the run of play, the visitors almost broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute, when a loose ball fell in the path of Roman Shirokov.
The Russian midfielder aimed his shot at the bottom right corner of the goal, but Benfica goalkeeper Artur was able to save it on the second attempt.The home side recovered from the scare to take the lead shortly before the half-time whistle.Witsel had a shot from inside the box parried away by Malafeev, but from the rebound the Belgium international played a marvellous back-heeled pass to Pereira, who slotted home from close range.
In the 67th minute, Oscar Cardozo had a chance to put the outcome beyond doubt when he gathered a loose ball in a threatening possession, only to shoot wide of goal with just Malafeev to beat.As the game wore on, Zenit struggled to produce any kind of threat, allowing Benfica to double their lead in injury time.
Cesar sent through Oliveira, and the substitute calmly beat Malafeev to seal a 2-0 win on the night, sending his team through 4-3 on aggregate.It was a deserved victory for Benfica, who will learn their next opponents when the draw for the quarter-finals takes place on March 16.
Arsenal came within a goal of producing an incredible Champions League comeback on Tuesday but fell just short by beating AC Milan 3-0. After losing the first leg of their round-of-16 clash 4-0 at San Siro on February 15, Arsenal needed a miracle at the Emirates Stadium, but first half goals from Laurent Koscielny, Tomas Rosicky and Robin van Persie had them within sight of a stunning upset.
Milan regrouped at the interval, however, and managed to hold out to secure a 4-3 aggregate victory and book their place in the last eight.There are few more adept midfield anchormen in European football than Mark van Bommel, but the Dutchman's poor start to this game handed the Gunners hope.
After receiving an early booking for a foul on Rosicky, he failed to pick up Koscielny as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain whipped in a corner from the left, allowing the Frenchman to head home at the near post after seven minutes. If Arsenal were pleased to see van Bommel carded early on, the decisions of the somewhat over-zealous referee soon became an annoyance.
Bacary Sagna and Kieran Gibbs saw yellow as Arsene Wenger's team continued to press, with van Persie forcing Christian Abbiati into two good saves inside the opening 20 minutes. Milan seemed to be slowing the tempo of the game down but Arsenal continued to expose the Serie A side's defence and revived the tie with a further two goals before half-time.
First, Walcott raced down the right wing and fired a low pass across goal that was poorly cleared by an off-balance Thiago Silva straight to the feet of Rosicky, who calmly guided the ball beyond Abbiati on 26 minutes.Djamel Mesbah, in the absence of Luca Antonini, was enduring a torrid time at left-back and Arsenal were to take advantage of the Algerian in the build-up to their third goal.
Oxlade-Chamberlain broke into the box past Antonio Nocerino only to find his path blocked by Mesbah, resulting in a penalty kick dispatched with aplomb by van Persie just before half-time.All the focus was on Arsenal's search for a fourth goal in the second half, but they might have had their hopes of progression put to bed if not for goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
First, the Poland international raced off his line to sufficiently narrow the angle and force Stephan El Shaarawy to shoot wide and he was alert enough to repeat the trick on Zlatan Ibrahimovic, this time saving at the feet of the Swede. Szczesny's efforts were topped by Abbiati as the game approached the hour mark. Rosicky led a break into the Milan half and picked out Gervinho to his left.
Abbiati did very well to stop the Ivorian's shot after it had taken a deflection and then proceeded to deny van Persie, who had pounced on the rebound, from point blank range. Szczesny was to make an equally important save 15 minutes later, but knew less about it. Substitute Alberto Aquilani slid a pass across the Arsenal box towards the back post and with half the goal to aim at, Nocerino poked his effort tamely back into the legs of the 21-year-old goalkeeper.
Arsenal's second-half display was less dynamic than their first. Rosicky used the ball well but struggled to exert a consistent influence over the game, as did Gervinho, while Walcott displayed his more frustrating side after a positive first 45 minutes. Marouane Chamakh joined van Persie in attack but it was a creator, not a goalscorer, that the Gunners needed.
A dreadful Alex Song pass as Arsenal attacked for the final time summed up a disappointing second half that left Wenger's players dejected at the final whistle despite such a strong performance and victory.
AC Milan's Ibrahimovic: I felt out of position against Arsenal
The Sweden international has intimated that Rossoneri got their tactics badly wrong against the Gunners, while conceding that the players had been guilty of complacency
Mar 7, 2012 3:30:00 PM
By Mark Doyle
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has admitted that he never felt comfortable in the 4-3-3 formation AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri selected for the second leg of their Champions League clash with Arsenal on Tuesday night.
The Rossoneri took a four-goal advantage with them to north London but ultimately only scraped into the quarter-finals by the narrowest of margins after losing 3-0 on the night at the Emirates.
Allegri has copped a lot of flak for his tactics against the Gunners and Ibrahimovic has confessed that the chosen formation had been a major issue for him.
"I felt out of position for the entire time that we played with three strikers," the Sweden international is quoted as saying by Aftonbladet after the game.
"If you play for a great club like Milan, this [disorganisation] cannot happen. You can lose in many ways but how we lost this time is not acceptable.
"We're Milan and we must be stronger and more solid."
Ibrahimovic admitted, though, that the players had to take some responsibility for a dismal first-half showing in which they shipped three goals, admitting that they had lost their composure and been guilty of complacency.
“We tried to calm each other down at half-time but it was not an easy situation," the forward confessed.
"We had made trivial mistakes. I think that in our heads we had too big of an advantage from the first leg and we were too cautious and did not play our usual game.
"Arsenal had gone into an early lead, doubled it and then found the third goal - all in the first half.
"In the second half then had several chances to score the fourth and fifth goals, but fortunately they failed [to do so].
"It's a relief that we're through to the next round. Every time they attacked you started thinking: 'what if they score a fourth goal?'.
"We won't take anything with us from this game. We just have to learn from our mistakes."
Milan will return to Serie A action on Sunday when they lock horns with Lecce at San Siro.
Bayer Leverkusen coach Robin Dutt knows the odds are stacked against his team as they prepare to face Barcelona in the Champions League. Bundesliga club Leverkusen were beaten 3-1 at home on February 14 in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie with holders Barca.
They travel to Camp Nou for the return fixture on Wednesday, and Dutt does not anticipate anything less than another stern examination from the La Liga champions."There are lots of things that worry me about facing Barcelona," Dutt said."I have watched hundreds of Barcelona games and they always have very high ball possession.""What can we do with the little time they let us have the ball? That's the question."
"On paper the situation looks favourable for Barcelona because we should have been more offensive in the first leg. The important thing is to play a good match for the 4000 Bayer fans travelling here." Leverkusen were thoroughly outclassed during the opening 45 minutes of the first leg at the BayArena.
They fought back to equalise during a strong start to the second half, and Dutt needs his team to reach a similar level if they are to have any chance of reaching the quarter-finals. "If we play like we did in the first half of the first leg we won't be happy but if we play as we did in the second half, in which we pressured a lot more, Barca will be stretched," he said.
"We have to defend well, fight, look to score and take advantage of our opportunities."
