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Real Madrid have progressed to the last eight of the Champions League after easing past CSKA Moscow 4-1 at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.With the tie still on a knife edge after a 1-1 draw from the first encounter in Moscow, a Cristiano Ronaldo brace alongside goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema proved enough for Jose Mourinho's men to comfortably see off the threat of the visitors on their way into the quarter-finals.
Zoran Tosic's brilliant effort with 13 minutes remaining was nothing but bitter consolation, as the Russian outfit crashed out of the competition by a 5-2 aggregate scoreline.CSKA began with promise, and fired an early warning shot Madrid's way after seven minutes, with Seydou Doumbia striking just over when he really should have buried an incisive through ball by Alan Dzagoev.
Mourinho's men immediately stormed down the pitch in response, Ronaldo cutting in from the left to force Sergey Chepchugov into a smart stop at his near post.Madrid would not be second best for long, however, and slowly began to exert their influence over proceedings with sustained pressure in the CSKA half.
The opener duly arrived in the 26th minute - Sami Khedira picked out Kaka, who hooked the ball back into the six-yard area for Higuain to poke home.Madrid came storming out after the interval, Kaka sending a 20-yard effort inches wide before Ronaldo was put though on goal, only for Chepchugov to again thwart him with a strong block at the near post.
Ronaldo was not to be denied though, and scored the home side's second in the 55th minute after a costly gaffe by Chepchugov.The CSKA keeper appeared to have the Portuguese's strike from 30 yards out covered, but fumbled at the last second as the ball slipped in under his arm and into the goal..
The visitors lost all impetus after the second, and found themselves further behind in the 70th minute when substitute Benzema poked home after his initial effort was saved.The tie seemed done and dusted, but CSKA managed to pull a goal back out of nothing with 13 minutes remaining. Tosic strode forward on the break, cut in from the left and blasted in an unstoppable shot off the crossbar from 20 yards out.
Ronaldo then added the icing on the cake at the death, stroking home Benzema's pass on the break from a few yards out as Madrid ran out comfortable winners.Madrid now take their place in the last eight and await their next challenge, with the draw for the quarter-final set to take place on March 16....
Mazzarri: Napoli lacked the experience to control Chelsea match but we must be proud
The Italian coach admitted that his side did not have the necessary experience to see out the game at 2-1 but stressed that the club must have pride in their accomplishments
Real Madrid's Marcelo unworried about prospect of meeting Barcelona in Champions League
The Brazilian full-back declared that Madrid must beat any team that they are drawn against and insisted that the result was the most important thing in the match against CSKA
Didier Drogba confirms his desire to stay at Chelsea after helping defeat Napoli
The Ivorian international scored the opening goal and assisted the winner, playing 120 minutes of a frantic second leg as the Blues advanced to the Champions League quarter-finals
'Chelsea made history tonight' - Di Matteo on win over Napoli
The Italian insisted that the experience of his senior players helped the Blues progress as they edged their opponents out of the Champions League with a 5-4 aggregate win
Lampard unfazed by prospect of facing Real Madrid or Barcelona
Blues captain John Terry also said his piece, insisting the team's ability to come from behind in the tie exemplifies their desire, spirit and togetherness as a team
Napoli's Cannavaro after Chelsea defeat: It hurts to lose like this
The Italian defender is proud of what his club did in the competition and insists that the defeat will only motivate the team to perform well in Serie A
Real Madrid coach Mourinho after win over CSKA Moscow: Kaka played his best games at AC Milan, but he has never worked harder
The Portuguese coach believes that the 29-year-old's display rewards him for his commitment, stressing that the midfielder is putting in more effort than ever before in his career
Mazzarri: Napoli lacked the experience to control Chelsea match but we must be proud
The Italian coach admitted that his side did not have the necessary experience to see out the game at 2-1 but stressed that the club must have pride in their accomplishments
Mar 15, 2012 12:58:00 AM
By Luis Mira
Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri believes that his side's lack of experience played a role in Wednesday's 4-1 Champions League defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The Serie A side appeared to be close to securing progression when Gokhan Inler scored 10 minutes into the second half, but Frank Lampard's penalty took the game to extra-time before Branislav Ivanovic's shot sent the Blues through.
"We made some mistakes on set pieces, which compromised our qualification," Mazzarri toldSky Sport Italia after the game.
"We lacked the experience to control a game like this and put it to bed. Our players are very young and have never played at this level before.
"We must grow from this experience."
Despite Napoli's elimination from the Champions League, the 50-year-old coach admitted that he was satisfied with the team's campaign in the competition.
"From the first whistle it was seen that it was a difficult match," Mazzarri added.
"We were naive on set-piece situations. We were also very unlucky because we could have scored some more goals.
"Unfortunately, this is what happened. We regret not going through, but we are satisfied with that we did.
'Chelsea made history tonight' - Di Matteo on win over Napoli
The Italian insisted that the experience of his senior players helped the Blues progress as they edged their opponents out of the Champions League with a 5-4 aggregate win
Mar 14, 2012 11:49:00 PM
By David Lynch
Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo has claimed his side "made history" in progressing to theChampions League quarter-finals with victory over Napoli.
The Blues went into Wednesday night's last-16 tie 3-1 down on aggregate after defeat in Naples but triumphed 4-1 at Stamford Bridge to secure passage to the next round.
The interim boss was understandably delighted with his squad following the win, telling ITV: “It was a fantastic effort and a fantastic game as well, to watch 2 great teams on the pitch.
“I think we made history tonight because we were in such a difficult position before the game.
"We knew it would take a lot to go through and the performance of the whole team was outstanding.”
Whilst the 41-year-old initially refused to single out his senior players, he conceded that their experience of important matches had helped Chelsea to progress.
“It was not just the senior players it was the collective performance of the team," he added.
"But the senior players put experience on pitch because they are used to playing this type of game.
“David Luiz couldn’t walk anymore at the end and John Terry went on [playing] with cramp.
“Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres, Petr Cech who made some great saves, and everyone playing were incredible tonight.”
Real Madrid coach Mourinho: Bayern are 'serious contenders' in Champions League
The Portuguese is extremely wary of the threat posed by a side who swept into the last eight with a record-breaking 7-0 rout of Basel at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday night
Galliani: AC Milan are a difficult opponent for Barcelona in 'feast of football'
The pair already met in the group stages of this season's competitionn, with the Italian champions snatching a draw at Camp Nou but then losing 3-2 at home
Di Matteo believes Benfica tough draw for Chelsea in Champions League
The Chelsea manager has stated that a first leg away tie is good for the Stamford Bridge side and that he will put out the strongest team available for their FA Cup game on Sunday
Ribery warns: 60,000 spectators will be against Bayern in Marseille
Anticipating a hostile crowd when they visit his former club in Europe's premier competition, the 28-year-old has issued a word of caution to his team-mates
Guardiola focused on AC Milan amidst talk of Champions League final against Real Madrid
After Friday's draw in Nyon, there is now the possibility that the Catalans could meet Los Blancos in Munich - but the Blaugrana boss is refusing to look past the Rossoneri
Bayern's Schweinsteiger: We face a difficult task against Marseille in Champions League
The 27-year-old midfielder is happy that his side will play the first match away from home, while team-mate Badstuber alerted that the French side were able to defeat Inter
Butragueno: Mourinho will honour Real Madrid contract
It was reported in January that the coach has decided to quit Los Blancos at the end of the season - but the former Spain forward is confident the former Inter boss will stay
We have nothing to lose against Real Madrid, insists APOEL general manager
Club official Marios Georgiou admits he cannot fathom his luck at seeing his unfancied side drawn against the Liga giants, and hopes his players continue to enjoy their "fairytale"
Rafa Benitez believes experience key for Chelsea against Benfica
The former Liverpool boss travelled to Estadio da Luz with Liverpool in 2010, and thinks Chelsea will be happy with their draw but that they must be wary of Benfica's stars
Ray Wilkins: Chelsea will be delighted with Benfica draw
The 55-year-old feels the west London side should be happy with how the draw turned out, and insists the club can "do themselves proud" in any possible semi-final
Bayern Munich CEO Rummenigge eyeing first-leg victory in Champions League quarter-final clash against Marseille
The Bavarians giants' supremo says his team will do their utmost to gain the upper hand at the Stade Velodrome, while Philipp Lahm reckons the Spanish sides are still favourites
Allegri: AC Milan have a great chance to reach Champions League final if we beat Barcelona
The Rossoneri coach saw plenty of positives after being paired with the holders, and feels they could go all the way if they eliminate the Catalans
Marseille coach Deschamps: Bayern Munich 'just behind' Barcelona & Real Madrid
The boss of the French club is extremely wary at having to face such a powerful outfit, and he believes the way the fixtures fall does not favour his men
AC Milan director Umberto Gandini: We can beat Barcelona
The Rossoneri have faced the Catalans twice this season, managing a draw at the Camp Nou before losing narrowly to Pep Guardiola's men at San Siro
Mandanda: Bayern Munich are 'obvious' favourites for Marseille Champions League tie
The keeper believes that the Bundesliga outfit should be expected to progress to the semi-finals, but he's promised that the French club will give everything to cause an upset
Benfica director Rui Costa: We fear no one, we have a chance of beating Chelsea
The 39-year-old says that his side can defeat the Blues in the two-legged tie and insisted he is not thinking about potential match-ups in the semi-finals just yet
Chelsea must take care of business against Benfica first, but their eyes will be on Barca
With the Blues set to face the Portuguese side in the quarter-finals, they will do well to not let their mind wander to thoughts of a potential clash against the holders
Real Madrid's Emilio Butragueno glad to avoid big guns after APOEL Champions League draw
The Cypriots have taken Europe's premier club competition by storm this season and the former Spain international believes Ivan Jovanovic's men cannot be treated lightly
Marseille president admits he wanted to avoid Bayern Munich Champions League draw
Although two fixtures against the Germans was not necessarily what the supremo wanted, he's delighted to have avoided being paired against last season's winners
Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay happy with Champions League draw against Benfica
The Blues travel to Portugal in the first leg of their quarter-final, and the board members believes it is vital to build a strong foundation before returning to London
Lionel Messi and Mario Gomez lead race to claim Champions League top goalscorer prize
The Argentine striker has been in sparkling form for Barcelona in this year's competition and the race to finish top of the scoring charts looks to be a two-horse race
De Laurentiis ready to learn from Chelsea defeat and lead Napoli on to the next step, with or without Lavezzi
The movie producer is looking to continue forward with his plan to make the Azzurri one of European football's great forces, and will use the lessons of Stamford Bridge to move on
Van Gaal: Mourinho must come up with something special to beat Barcelona
The Portuguese has managed to win just one Clasico since arriving in the Spanish capital but that seems unlikely to prevent him from getting his hands on the La Liga title
Mourinho aiming for success in the Champions League with Real Madrid
The Portuguese has voiced his desire to progress in Europe's elite club competition, and intends to relive the Blancos' former glories after years of failure on the continent
Deschamps predicts difficult return to Marseille for Ribery
The Ligue 1 side welcome Jupp Heynckes' men to France in the Champions League quarter-finals later this month, and feels the attacker may find coming back tricky
Francesco Coco: Barcelona are the strongest team in the world
The retired defender thinks that the Blaugrana are more likely to progress, but warned the Blaugrana against the threat posed by the Rossoneri and star player Ibrahimovic
Galli: AC Milan have nothing to lose against Barcelona
The former Rossoneri goalkeeper freely acknowledges the brilliance of the Blaugrana but argues that his old side have an obvious 'psychological advantage' over the Catalans
Real Madrid legend Amancio: Barcelona got an easier draw by avoiding Bayern Munich
Los Blancos were paired with Cypriot minnows APOEL in the last eight, but the former Santiago Bernabeu favourite is worried about a potential semi-final clash with the Germans
Ribery: We are Bayern Munich and we fear no side
The France international has been buoyed by the Bundesliga outfit's stunning return to form, which has seen them rack up 14 goals in their last two outings in all competitions
Bayern Munich's Petersen: Champions League opponents Marseille deserve respect
The Bavarians managed to avoid drawing either Barcelona or Real Madrid but the striker does not believe that being paired with Didier Deschamps' men is a cause for celebration
Barcelona was the hardest possible draw for AC Milan, says Stefano Nava
The 43-year-old believes that Pep Guardiola's side are a tough task for the Italian champions, but feels that his former club are capable of pulling off a shock
Real Madrid legend Amancio: Barcelona got an easier draw by avoiding Bayern Munich
Los Blancos were paired with Cypriot minnows APOEL in the last eight, but the former Santiago Bernabeu favourite is worried about a potential semi-final clash with the Germans
Mar 16, 2012 6:30:00 PM
By Alberto Pinero
Real Madrid legend Amancio Amaro believes that Barcelona received a kind draw for the remaining rounds of the Champions League by avoiding a potential two-legged tie with Bayern Munich.
The former Spain international's old club have been paired with Cypriot minnows APOEL in the quarter-finals but will have to face the winners of Bayern's clash with Marseille.
So, while Barcelona must take on seven-time champions AC Milan in the last eight, Amancio actually believes that fortune smiled on the Catalans by ensuring that they cannot face the Bundesliga outfit until the final.
"Real Madrid has not done badly at all,""They have, with all due respect to APOEL, drawn a beatable rival.
"If you have reached this stage of the competition, you must be respected. But I think that Real Madrid are superior.
"However, in terms of the best pairings, it is not so clear that Madrid have done so well.
"Bayern are a great team and I think Barcelona has had more luck than Real Madrid in the draw by avoiding them.
"I would have preferred for a Barcelona-Bayern semi-final. Both are difficult opponents, but I think that Bayern will be harder to beat than Barcelona."
However, Amancio is in no doubt that Madrid have it in them to win this year's competition.
"Real Madrid always has a chance of winning the European Cup," he argued. "As long as Madrid are participating, they can always win the Champions League.
"It must be their goal whenever they are involved, as it will be again this year."
Madrid will travel to Nicosia for their first-leg clash with APOEL on March 27 before hosting the Cypriots at the Santiago Bernabeu on April 4.
People do not want Udinese in the Champions League, says sporting director Larini
The 58-year-old believes his side are seen as an inconvenience to the bigger teams as they continue to compete for a place in Europe's premier club competition
Wenger: 'Barcelona are the big favourites to win Champions League'
The Arsenal manager feels that the Catalans possess several advantages over their European rivals and singled out Lionel Messi as the player who can make the difference
Drogba's agent plays down controversial video: He has a lot of respect for Benfica
The Ivorian's representative insisted that the striker did not want to provoke the Eagles' fans and that he has 'much respect' for the Portuguese club
Van Gaal: Benfica have a good chance of beating Chelsea
The 60-year-old coach says that the Aguias can go through in the competition, while stating that Portugal can survive their 'Group of Death' at Euro 2012
Germany legend Gunter Netzer: Champions League draw could have been much worse for Bayern Munich
The former West Germany international believes that Bayern must continue their impressive run of form, while not overlooking any competition they are involved in
Van Gaal: Benfica have a good chance of beating Chelsea
The 60-year-old coach says that the Aguias can go through in the competition, while stating that Portugal can survive their 'Group of Death' at Euro 2012
Mar 18, 2012 7:25:00 PM
By Luis Mira
Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal believes that Benfica's chances in their Champions League tie against Chelsea cannot be written off.
The Portuguese outfit have reached the quarter-finals of the competition for only the second time in 20 years, and while the Blues are strongly favoured to go through, Van Gaal has warned them against underestimating their opponents.
"Benfica have a solid squad and they play with a lot of intensity and inspiration," he toldRecord.
"Even without any star players, I think that Benfica have a good chance of seeing off Chelsea, although it will be very hard.
"Sometimes, it is better to have a strong group of players than to have only great individual players."
The Dutch coach, who has been out of work since being sacked by Bayern Munich in April, also took the time to comment on Portugal's chances at the forthcoming European Championship.
The Seleccao have been paired with Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands in the 'Group of Death', but Van Gaal thinks that they can finish in the top two.
"Germany and the Netherlands have an advantage," the 60-year-old noted. "They are the favourites to go through, but Portugal can be the surprise element.
"Portugal have several talented players but in the last few years, these players have not formed a good team.
"Perhaps [coach] Paulo Bento will change it in the future."
Drogba's agent plays down controversial video: He has a lot of respect for Benfica
The Ivorian's representative insisted that the striker did not want to provoke the Eagles' fans and that he has 'much respect' for the Portuguese club
Mar 19, 2012 6:51:00 PM
By Luis Mira
Didier Drogba's agent has tried to ease tension between Benfica's fans and the Chelseastriker, insisting that his client has a lot of respect for coach Jorge Jesus' team.
Chelsea TV caught the Ivorian seemingly mocking Benfica as he pretended to be in shock after learning that his side would tackle them in the Champions League quarter-finals.
"Drogba and I did not even know that this video had been released in Portugal," Thierno Seydi told Record.
"I have already talked to him about this and I can guarantee that Drogba has a lot of respect for Benfica.
"It is normal that he danced, because Chelsea had just defeated Napoli and everyone in the squad believes they can win the Champions League.
"If Chelsea had been drawn with any other team I am sure he would have reacted the same way.
"People must not confuse joy with lack of respect."
Chelsea visit Benfica on March 27, with the return leg at Stamford Bridge taking place on April 4.
Van Buyten: Bayern's quality can shine through in Marseille
The towering defender feels that FCB have what it takes to record a good result in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie
Di Maria and Diarra left out of Madrid's squad for APOEL trip as Ozil and Pepe return
The Argentine winger has not yet fully recovered from a persistent thigh problem and will not take part in the first leg of the quarter-final tie in Cyprus
Callejon in doubt for Madrid's trip to APOEL - report
The Spanish forward is still nursing an ankle injury and it is believed that he will not make the squad for the continental match in Cyprus
Marseille defender Diawara suffers cruciate ligament tear
The former Bordeaux defender appears set for a lengthy lay-off after sustaining a serious knee injury in the weekend's Ligue 1 match
Ambrosini: Barcelona are the strongest side in the world
The 34-year-old midfielder admitted that the Blaugrana will pose his side a great threat and called on the team to put in a strong display on Wednesday
AC Milan confirm Thiago Silva will miss Barcelona matches in Champions League
The Rossoneri have revealed the Brazilian defender will not be available for the crucial European clashes after limping out of the win over Roma on Saturday evening
AC Milan's El Shaarawy: We expect to get past Barcelona
The Blaugrana are widely regarded as the strongest side in the world at the moment but Pep Guardiola's men hold no fear for the Rossoneri, according to the teenage striker
Ribery: Marseille will be tough opponents for Bayern
The winger, who has been capped 57 times by France, enjoyed two seasons at the Stade Velodrome and believes his former side will be difficult to beat later this week
Mesbah: We are AC Milan so we need not fear Barcelona
The seven-time European Cup winners are considered massive underdogs ahead of their clash with the Blaugrana, but the Rossoneri left-back is not afraid of Pep Guardiola's side
St Etienne midfielder Batlles backs former club Olympique de Marseille to excel in Champions League
The veteran played at the Stade Velodrome between 2004 and 2006, and feels the athletic ability of Didier Deschamps' side could be important in their tie with Bayern Munich
Marseille cleared to postpone Ligue 1 fixture to focus on Bayern Munich Didier Deschamps' side welcome the Bavarians to the Stade Velodrome on March 28 before then travelling to the Allianz Arena for the return fixture six days later
APOEL's Pardo voices disapproval of Mourinho's 'violent attitude'
The Portuguese was involved in an incident at the start of the Spanish season when he appeared to deliberately poke the Blaugrana assistant in the eye
Benfica's Estadio da Luz to host 2014 Champions League final
The governing body for European football has chosen the stadium in Lisbon to stage the decider of the prestigious tournament in 2014
Van Basten: Ibrahimovic can make the difference against Barcelona
The Dutch legend feels that the Rossoneri will have to work hard to progress in the competition and thinks that the Swedish striker will be a worry for the Blaugrana
Khedira: Xabi Alonso's absence against APOEL is not a problem
The Germany international is of the opinion that Los Blancos have quality alternatives to the former Liverpool man, and stated that the Cypriot side are not to be underestimated
Gaitan: Manchester United are a great club but speculation will not affect my Benfica performances
The Argentine is also confident that the Portuguese club are a threat in Europe and can eliminate Chelsea from the Champions League
Afellay included in Barcelona's squad for AC Milan trip
The Dutch winger will fly with the rest of the team to the Italian city but will not take part in the fixture as he has not yet been deemed match fit
Di Matteo defends Chelsea squad in wake of Lampard criticism
The Italian believes there is a lot of quality in his side and is confident ahead of the club's Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie against Benfica
Jorge Jesus warns Chelsea over underestimating Benfica after alleged Drogba insult
The Portuguese boss believes his side are more than capable of beating Roberto Di Matteo's men, having already knocked out Manchester United in the group stage
Santillana: A club like Real Madrid should not complain about refereeing decisions
The 59-year-old has called on the club to focus on on-the-field matters, while saying that Los Blancos are heavily favoured for the upcoming Champions League tie
Valdes: AC Milan are a very dangerous team
The Blaugrana have won their last nine games in all competitions but the keeper is taking nothing for granted against a side who caused the Catalans problems in the group stage
Ivanovic travels with Chelsea squad ahead of Champions League tie with Benfica
The Serbia international, scorer of the crucial extra-time winner against Napoli in the first knockout round, could feature for the Blues in their Portuguese encounter
Mourinho reverts back to his old ways as Khedira's comments are lost in translation
The Portuguese served as Bobby Robson's interpreter during the Englishman's time in charge of Sporting Lisbon and Barcelona, before really establishing himself as a coach
Beckenbauer: Bayern will be favourites if they reach the Champions League final - even against Barcelona
Ahead of a potential showdown on May 19, the former Germany international is bullish, claiming his former club have what it takes to dethrone the Catalans
Mourinho denies responsibility for media blackout
Los Blancos have become increasingly irritated by their perceived unfair treatment at the hands of referees of late and refused to speak to the press for all of last week
Mourinho is a great leader, says Butragueno
The former Spain international has voiced his admiration for the Portuguese coach, and has praised the development of players such as Ronaldo, Benzema, Di Maria and Higuain
'Chelsea can overturn any deficit' - Drogba
The Blues striker insists his side have recovered their confidence ahead of their Champions League quarter-final with Benfica and will fight 'until the last minute' this season
APOEL's Ailton positive ahead of Real Madrid clash
The Brazilian attacker is eagerly anticipating Tuesday's Champions League encounter, and has stressed that the Cypriots have a chance to create an upset versus Los Blancos
Ibrahimovic: There's more to Barcelona than just Messi
The Sweden international is eagerly anticipating Wednesday's Champions League encounter versus the Catalans, and has warned that they have plenty of quality
Benfica can claim another English scalp in the Champions League against Chelsea, says Javi Garcia
The midfielder believes his side have a good chance of progressing past the Blues to the semi-finals of the competition, despite facing a challenging trip to London in second leg
Edgar Davids: Barcelona are a team full of 'mythological gods'
The former Barca hardman hailed the Catalan giants and has no doubts they will one again become European champions, while also asserting that they are still in the Liga title race
Real Madrid have a huge chance to qualify for the UEFA Champions League semi-finals when they travel to Cyprus to play APOEL on Tuesday. Madrid have seemingly drawn the easiest quarter-final opponent in the Champions League and are considered huge favourites ahead of Tuesday's first leg in Nicosia.
The La Liga leaders are the most successful club in the history of the Champions League and, the competition's predecessor, the European Cup, having been crowned champions nine times.Madrid's manager Jose Mourinho will be wary, however, of complacency, which has seemingly been an issue for his star-studded squad over the past couple of weeks.
Since the club from Spain's capital beat CSKA Moscow to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Champions League, they have been held to surprising draws in two of their three subsequent matches.Madrid conceded late goals against Malaga and Villarreal in 1-1 draws last week before getting back on track with a 5-1 thumping of Real Sociadad on Saturday.
But if Mourinho's side slackens off on Tuesday they could be in for a rude shock. APOEL are the first Cypriot club to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League.Their success in this season's Champions League has been built on tight defence and good home form, with five wins from seven games in their own stadium.
In their round of 16 match-up, APOEL managed only one shot on goal in their 1-0 away leg defeat against Olympic Lyon as they focused on restricting the French side.The Cypriots increased that statistic to three in the home leg as they beat Lyon 1-0 on the night and then 4-3 on penalties to reach the quarter-final stage.
While Madrid have won seven of their eight Champions League games this season, APOEL have shown they can compete against Europe's big clubs having beaten Lyon, FC Porto and Zenit St Petersburg in their run to the quarter-finals. APOEL head into Tuesday's game in third position in their local competition. They drew 0-0 with local rivals Omonia Nicosia on Saturday.
Benfica will hope to extend their unbeaten home streak when they face Chelsea in Tuesday's UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg.The Lisbon-based team have not lost at home for 10 matches in European competitions and Benfica's coach Jorge Jesus will hope that form can help his side through to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 1990.
Chelsea have not won away from home in this season's Champions League.Jesus will expect a lot of striker Oscar Cardozo, who is the only Benfica player to have reached double figures in goals so far this season.Cardozo has scored four times in seven Champions League matches this season, including one in Benfica's 4-3 aggregate quarter-final win over Zenit St Petersburg.
Chelsea reached the quarter-finals stage with a 5-4 aggregate victory against Napoli.Benfica goes into the game second in Portugal's Liga Sagres, one point behind FC Porto.Jesus' team drew 0-0 with seventh-placed Olhanense on Friday.The Benfica manager started 32-year-old midfielder Pablo Aimar on the bench against Olhanense and the Argentine should be well-rested for Tuesday's game.
Chelsea also drew 0-0 over the weekend, having been held at home by Tottenham on Saturday.That result leaves Chelsea five points behind Spurs on the English Premier League table, in serious danger of missing out on qualifying for the Champions League again next season.
The two clubs have never played each other in a competitive match, but Chelsea will go into the game with plenty of knowledge of Benfica, thanks to Ramires and David Luiz's recent stints at the Portuguese club.Roberto Di Matteo's men are the only English side remaining in the competition and go into Tuesday's game with all players available.
Defender Branislav Ivanovic suffered a thigh injury in Chelsea's 2-1 loss to Manchester City on Wednesday and did not play against Tottenham, but is expected to be fit against Benfica.
APOEL's Ailton positive ahead of Real Madrid clash
The Brazilian attacker is eagerly anticipating Tuesday's Champions League encounter, and has stressed that the Cypriots have a chance to create an upset versus Los Blancos
Mar 26, 2012 11:55:00 AM
By Stefan Coerts
APOEL Nicosia attacker Ailton is looking forward to the upcoming first leg of his club's Champions League quarter-final tie against Real Madrid and is hopeful of getting a good result.
The Brazilian forward has admitted that the Cypriots face a tough task to qualify for the next round, but is nonetheless positive ahead of Tuesday's encounter in Nicosia.
"We do not really know what to expect, but I'm quite optimistic. Let's just see what happens on the pitch. It's 11 versus 11 once the referee blows his whistle for the first time," Ailton was quoted as saying by AS.
"This is a historic match for APOEL. Not just because we're playing against an illustrious team like Madrid, but also because we're in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
"Obviously, there's a big difference between actually qualifying for the next round and what's considered to be a good result for us. If you go out against a team like Madrid, you can leave with your head held high."
Di Matteo defends Chelsea squad in wake of Lampard criticism
The Italian believes there is a lot of quality in his side and is confident ahead of the club's Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie against Benfica
Mar 26, 2012 10:48:00 PM
By James Burford
Chelsea interim boss Roberto Di Matteo has jumped to the defence of his players after Frank Lampard claimed he and his team-mates 'are not as good as we used to be'.
The midfielder's assessment comes as Chelsea remain five points behind Tottenham in fourth place and are in danger of failing to secure a spot in the Champions League next season.
"The numbers say that, so there is no point in denying it's been a difficult season," said Di Matteo.
"But we have quality in this team and many good players. I still think this Chelsea team is a very good team."
Chelsea face Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Tuesday evening and Di Matteo insists his side can secure an advantage to take back to Stamford Bridge next month.
"It's a very fine line between success and failure, this team has the ability to play a good game tomorrow night," he said.
"Benfica play with great intensity and good pressure, have some excellent players, wouldn't be in the quarter-finals if not."
Despite Lampard's criticism, Di Matteo insists his side are buoyant ahead of the season run-in.
"I am positive about the team, but my players are positive too," he said.
"We have great belief in our abilities. That's what we're going to try and express tomorrow."
Jorge Jesus warns Chelsea over underestimating Benfica after alleged Drogba insult
The Portuguese boss believes his side are more than capable of beating Roberto Di Matteo's men, having already knocked out Manchester United in the group stage
Mar 26, 2012 10:16:00 PM
By John Christodoulou
Benfica manager Jorge Jesus warns Chelsea not to underestimate his side ahead of theirChampions League quarter-final clash following a perceived Didier Drogba insult.
A video on Chelsea's television channel showed Drogba feigning fear after being told the club had drawn the Portuguese side in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Jesus acknowledged that the forward was "probably just joking", but added:"Drogba only knows what he's thinking.
"Any responses we'll be giving to Drogba will be on the field and proving we are better than him."
"You have to remember that Benfica and Sporting Lisbon eliminated Manchester United and Manchester City, the two top teams in England, from Europe."
Benfica are unbeaten at the Estadio da Luz in the Champions League this season and host Chelsea on Tuesday evening in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.
Beckenbauer: Bayern will be favourites if they reach the Champions League final - even against Barcelona
Ahead of a potential showdown on May 19, the former Germany international is bullish, claiming his former club have what it takes to dethrone the Catalans
Mar 26, 2012 5:15:00 PM
By Clark Whitney
Bayern Munich legend Franz Beckenbauer feels his former club have what it takes to win the Champions League.
As the Bavarian giants prepare for Wednesday's quarter-final clash with Marseille, the Kaiser feels that if they can advance past the French side and the winner of APOEL and Real Madrid, they will be favourites in the final, regardless of the opposition.
When asked by Sky at a PR event about Bayern's prospects for silverware this season, Beckenbauer said his former club could win two trophies.
"The DFB-Pokal I can imagine, maybe even the Champions League is feasible," he said.
When asked whether Bayern could overcome Barcelona should both sides reach the final, the former Germany international highlighted a key advantage in the fact that the match will be played at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
"If you play at home in the Champions League final, you are favourites - even against Barcelona," he explained.
Before the final, Bayern face a potential clash with Spanish giants Real Madrid.
"I think it will happen," Beckenbauer said of the tie. "It is a manageable task as Madrid play football like everyone else."
Before they can consider the final or even the semi-final, however, Bayern must negotiate their tie with Marseille. The first-leg clash is scheduled for Wednesday at the Stade Velodrome.
