aPIK

Demel sidelined again by troublesome thigh

Guy Demel has been ruled out of Hamburger SV's UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg against Manchester City FC on Thursday because of a thigh strain.

Second setback
Coach Martin Jol announced the news on Friday, a little more than a month after the 27-year-old suffered a similar injury which sidelined him for three weeks. The Ivory Coast defender tore fibres in his left thigh during a Bundesliga match against VfL Wolfsburg on 1 March but returned 21 days later for the 2-1 win at FC Schalke 04. Demel, who has been capped 15 times by the Ivory Coast, has made six appearances in the UEFA Cup this term.

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Experts unite to tip Elfsborg in Sweden

If the Allsvenskan coaches are right, IF Elfsborg can already start making room for the Lennart Johansson Trophy, the prize for the league champions. Twelve of the 16 top-flight managers picked Elfsborg as their favourites for the 2009 season, which begins this weekend.

Great expectations
The team from Boras in western Sweden last won the title in 2006, but finished only one point behind champions Kalmar FF in 2008 despite doing without influential midfielders Anders Svensson and Stefan Ishizaki for much of the season due to injury. Both are now fully fit and they join the likes of Emir Bajrami and newcomer Martin Ericsson in what is possibly the best midfield in Swedish club football. Add to that a defence marshalled by veteran Teddy Lucic and a forward line led by Sweden Under-21 international Denni Avdic, and it is understandable why expectations are high at Elfsborg.

One-title wonders?
Oddly enough, at the launch of the new league season in a Stockholm theatre on Tuesday, not one of the coaches thought that Kalmar would be able to hold onto their title. Indeed, Kalmar are not exactly the same team that won the league. Brazilian playmaker César Santin is now at FC København, while 2008 league top scorer Patrik Ingelsten and Swedish international Viktor Elm have joined SC Heerenveen. Also, few in Sweden expect Viktor's brother Rasmus Elm to remain in Swedish domestic football beyond the summer's transfer window. Rasmus is a full Swedish international, like Viktor, and should be a cornerstone in the host squad at June's UEFA European Under-21 Championship. That said, Kalmar coach Nanne Bergstrand has seen experts and media dismiss his team in the past and will not mind being underestimated again.

Contenders
IFK Göteborg have the league's most efficient shot-stopper in Danish goalkeeper Kim Christensen and a defensive line that many ranked as the best in the country, even before the arrival of Karl Svensson, back at the club after spells at Rangers FC and SM Caen. Most of the players also know what it takes to be champions, having won the title in 2007.
Helsingborgs IF have been boosted in terms of confidence, morale and quality by Henrik Larsson's decision to sign for one more year. Larsson, 37, remains a prolific scorer, and he has the ability to raise his team-mates' game. Veteran goalkeeper Daniel Andersson will receive healthy competition from promising 22-year-old Pär Hansson.
Malmö FF lost their top scorer Ola Toivonen to PSV Eindhoven, but have brought in Brazilian Wilton Figueiredo, a striker with a proven track record in the Allsvenskan after his time with GAIS Göteborg and AIK Solna. Figueiredo returns to Sweden from Qatar, while Malmö also have another important addition: their new 21,000-capacity stadium.

One to watch: Rasmus Elm
One of three Elm brothers who helped Kalmar to their maiden title in 2008, Rasmus has established himself in Lars Lagerbäck's Sweden set-up over the winter. The young midfielder scored a stunning half-volley against Austria in a February friendly and played the full 90 minutes of Sweden's 0-0 FIFA World Cup qualifying draw in Portugal last Saturday.

Stockholm syndrome
Three of the biggest clubs in the country are the Stockholm trio of AIK Solna, Djurgårdens IF FF and Hammarby IF, but not much is expected of any of them this year. Djurgården, champions three times in the 2000s, have created a bigger buzz through new coaching duo of Zoran Lukić and Andrée Jeglertz – the latter having made his name with regular UEFA Women's Cup finalists Umeå IK - than any new player brought in. AIK also have a new coach in Mikael Stahre but will be without first-choice keeper Tomi Maanoja for at least six months after a pre-season broken leg. Up front, Argentinian forward Iván Óbolo was much too isolated last year, but no big name has been recruited to help him out. Much of the goalscoring burden at Hammarby will lie with Charlie Davies. The United States international started fulfilling his potential last year when he scored 14 league goals but also wants for support up front.

Small town dominance
Stockholm has four Allsvenskan teams – IF Brommapojkarna joining the big three for their second ever season in the top flight – and so does Gothenburg, but the title favourites in 2009 are from smaller provincial towns. Can the country's two biggest cities show doubters that they have quality as well as quantity? Will Kalmar be able to keep their focus on the Allsvenskan as they enter the qualifiers for the UEFA Champions League? And can Elfsborg keep complacency at bay, with so many experts already placing the league title in the Borås Arena trophy room?

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Villarreal rocked by Cazorla injury

Villarreal CF's preparations for Tuesday's UEFA Champions League quarter-final with Arsenal FC have suffered a blow with the news that Santi Cazorla will miss the remainder of the season after fracturing the fibula in his right leg during the 3-0 loss to UD Almería on Saturday.

Further tests
The Spanish international was carried off on a stretcher after 65 minutes with the Yellow Submarine three goals down and a man light following the dismissal of Robert Pirès. Initial medical examinations at a local hospital revealed the extent of the injury, which the 24-year-old suffered in a challenge with two Almería players. Further tests will be conducted on Monday morning to ascertain whether the player requires surgery and how long he will be sidelined for.

'Very sad'
"I am very sad because a beautiful part of the season is approaching and I'll miss it," said Cazorla, who was ever-present in the Liga this term. "It's a big disappointment for me. I understand the severity of the injury and I will continue to support my team-mates. I fell badly and as soon as I heard a crack I knew that something was wrong."

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Rampant Wolfsburg leave Bayern reeling

VfL Wolfsburg registered their eighth consecutive Bundesliga win with an emphatic 5-1 triumph against FC Bayern München to move top of the table above the champions and Hertha BSC Berlin, losers against BV Borussia Dortmund.

Grafite goals
Third at the start of play and without a league title to their name, the Lower Saxony outfit broke the deadlock a minute before the interval when Christian Gentner headed past Michael Rensing. The lead was fleeting, however, as Luca Toni – making his first appearance since 25 February because of injury – restored parity for the visitors seconds later only for Felix Magath's team to secure the points with a blistering 14-minute spell. Edin Džeko struck twice in three minutes after the hour and, to cap an excellent day for the hosts, Grafite (74, 77) added his 19th and 20th goals of prolific season.

Hamburg second
That took Wolfsburg above Bayern and Hertha, who slip to third after a 3-1 home defeat by Dortmund. Rafael cancelled out Alexander Frei's 25th-minute opener for the visitors but efforts from Sebastian Kehl (63) and Nelson Valdez (82) wrapped up victory for the Ruhr Valley club, now eighth. UEFA Cup contenders Hamburger SV are now Wolfsburg's nearest challengers with Martin Jol's team second by virtue of goal difference after beating TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 1-0 at home thanks to Jonathan Pitroipa's 28th-minute winner.

Stuttgart climb
Meanwhile, Serdar Tasci's first league goal of the season a minute from time earned VfB Stuttgart a 2-1 win at VfL Bochum 1848, a victory which lifts Markus Babbel's side into fifth, three points shy of fourth-placed Bayern and six from the summit. Elsewhere, Eintracht Frankfurt moved seven points clear of the relegation zone by beating second-bottom FC Energie Cottbus 2-1 at home. On Friday, Jefferson Farfán and Kevin Kuranyi scored as FC Schalke 04 won 2-0 at strugglers DSC Arminia Bielefeld.

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Lyon cruise on but Bordeaux keep pace

Jean-Alain Boumsong's first league goal in almost two years set Olympique Lyonnais on their way to a 3-0 win at Le Mans UC 72 and a three-point lead over FC Girondins de Bordeaux at the Ligue 1 summit.

Benzema double
The centre-back had not scored since 27 April 2007 while playing for Juventus in Serie B but took just 18 minutes to correct that statistic at Stade Léon-Bollée. Karim Benzema then struck twice in 13 minutes either side of half-time for his 13th and 14th league goals of the season to leave Olympique de Marseille needing a win at strugglers AS Saint-Etienne on Sunday in order to reduce the lead back to one point.

Late winner
Third at kick-off, FC Girondins de Bordeaux moved above Marseille into second but needed a 90th-minute goal from Marouane Chamakh to defeat ten-man AS Nancy-Lorraine 1-0 at home. Fellow challengers Toulouse FC lost ground on Lyon, though, with a goalless draw at second-bottom SM Caen in the late game and sit two points adrift of LOSC Lille Métropole, who moved above the southern side into fourth following a 2-0 success at FC Nantes. Michel Bastos's 45th-minute penalty set them on their way before Róbert Vittek (57) secured a fourth successive league victory. UEFA Cup contenders Paris Saint-Germain FC will go level on points with Lille, and within four of Lyon, if they beat OGC Nice on Sunday.

Sambou strike
At the bottom, Massamba Lô Sambou (75), on loan from AS Monaco FC, scored the winner against his parent club as Le Havre AC won 1-0 at Stade Louis II but they remain eight points adrift of safety. Elsewhere, Jean-Claude Darcheville scored both goals for Valenciennes FC in a 2-0 home triumph against AJ Auxerre, while FC Lorient won 3-1 at Grenoble Foot 38.

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Benayoun boosts Liverpool's title ambitions

Yossi Benayoun's late winner enabled Liverpool FC to win 1-0 at Fulham FC and leap to the Premier League summit, although Chelsea FC are three points adrift in third after a 2-0 success at Newcastle United FC.

First-half dominance
Liverpool laid siege to the Fulham penalty area in the opening 45 minutes but were denied by the frame of the goal on no less than four occasions with Andrea Dossena (twice), Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres all frustrated. The home side appeared to have ridden their luck until second-half stoppage time when substitute Benayoun drilled in a dramatic winner. Rafael Benítez's side are two points clear of Manchester United FC, who host Aston Villa FC on Sunday, but have played two games more.

Lampard influence
Chelsea kept pace at the top with a confident display at St James' Park. Alan Shearer was appointed manager by Newcastle until the end of the season on Wednesday with the club rooted in the bottom three but any hopes of an immediate impact were dashed during the second half. Frank Lampard opened the scoring with a close-range header on 56 minutes after Nicolas Anelka's deflected shot had struck the crossbar and the points were secured nine minutes later when Florent Malouda fired in Lampard's pass.

Relegation issues
Fourth-placed Arsenal FC have a six-point buffer on Aston Villa after Emmanuel Adebayor scored early in either half to seal a 2-0 win against Manchester City FC while West Ham United FC boosted their hopes of UEFA Europa League qualification thanks to a 2-0 success at home to Sunderland AFC, the visitors now three points above the bottom three in 17th. Elsewhere, it was a good day for the other sides hoping to pull away from the relegation zone. Stoke City FC won 2-0 at bottom side West Bromwich Albion FC, Blackburn Rovers FC beat ten-man Tottenham Hotspur FC 2-1 and Bolton Wanderers FC convincingly dispatched second-bottom Middlesbrough FC 4-1. Finally, Hull City AFC and Portsmouth FC edged a point nearer survival after a goalless draw at the KC Stadium.

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Status quo maintained by Liga heavyweights

Samuel Eto'o struck the only goal of the game as FC Barcelona triumphed at Real Valladolid CF but they were unable to extend their six-point advantage over rivals Real Madrid CF as the capital club won 1-0 away to Málaga CF.

Four-goal feat
Eto'o scored four times in the first half against Valladolid in November's 6-0 rout at Camp Nou and the striker proved the thorn in their side again when he opened the scoring on 40 minutes, lobbing Sergio Asenjo for his 26th league goal of the season after swapping passes with Xavi Hernández. Eto'o spurned the best of further chances but the UEFA Champions League contenders, who started with Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry on the bench, had done enough ahead of the visit of FC Bayern München on Wednesday.

Higuaín winner
Gonzalo Higuaín struck four times against Málaga earlier in the season and, in a quirk of fate, he matched the achievement of Eto'o by scoring the only goal against the same opposition in the return fixture. Iker Casillas had been the busier of the two goalkeepers in the first half as Juande Ramos's men laboured at La Rosaleda but Higuaín's powerful solo run and cool finish in the 49th minute separated the sides.

In-form Sevilla
Third-placed Sevilla FC stretched their lead over Villarreal CF in fourth to nine points after contrasting results away from home. Frédéric Kanouté's first-half penalty, his eleventh goal in the last eight league games and 16th of the season, claimed victory at RC Recreativo de Huelva and made it 19 points from the last 21 available for Manuel Jiménez's charges while goals in the first 35 minutes from Álvaro Negredo, Pablo Piatti and Mané earned UD Almería a comfortable success against the Yellow Submarine. Elsewhere, Athletic Club Bilbao overcame RCD Mallorca 2-1 while Real Betis Balompié ended with nine men in their 3-3 draw at home with CD Numancia.

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

"Aq kan menyesali cmua yg tlh tjadi, habis cnta di hti lbh ku sndri, qmu tkan mgrti smua yg kualami pedih perihna hati lebih baex ku cendiri Kau tx pnah pny hati ckup cdh cmua hntkn sja cmua lelah hti menanti yg trus kau skiti DUSTA di atas Cinta"
aND nOW Give up 4ever TO tOUCH U ,But i know u still so numb and there is something happen

Hertha feel the heat from Bayern and Wolfsburg

Hertha BSC Berlin's leadership of the Bundesliga is down to a solitary point after the capital club lost 2-0 at VfB Stuttgart and nearest challengers FC Bayern München and VfL Wolfsburg both won.

Stuttgart respond
Lucien Favre's Hertha had won three successive league games prior to visiting a Stuttgart team reeling from a 4-0 loss to Werder Bremen last Sunday but had their run brought to an abrupt halt by Cacau (47) and Sami Khedira (51). Champions Bayern kept up their pursuit with a 1-0 home defeat of bottom side Karlsruher SC, José Ernesto Sosa scoring the only goal eleven minutes before the break.

Hoffenheim run
Bayern are level on points with Wolfsburg, who won 3-0 at fourth-bottom DSC Arminia Bielefeld. Christian Gentner (19) set Felix Magath's team on their way before Grafite's 18th league goal of the season and Ashkan Dejagah (87) secured all three points and a seventh consecutive league success. Hamburger SV will join Bayern and Wolfsburg on 48 points should they win at FC Schalke 04 on Sunday. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim extended their winless run to seven matches with a 2-2 home draw against Hannover 96 and remain fifth, two points ahead of Stuttgart.

Bremen beaten
Meanwhile, Bayer 04 Leverkusen drew 1-1 at home with Eintracht Frankfurt, missing the chance to close the gap on the European places, while Alexander Frei's 64th-minute goal earned BV Borussia Dortmund a 1-0 victory against UEFA Cup quarter-finalists Bremen, who are marooned in mid table. Elsewhere, 1. FC Köln increased FC Energie Cottbus's relegation worries by inflicting a 2-0 home defeat on the second-bottom club and VfL Bochum are three points clear of the bottom three after a 1-0 win at relegation rivals VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach on Friday.

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

United defeat opens the door for Liverpool

Fulham FC blew the Premier League title race wide open by inflicting Manchester United FC's second successive defeat on a day when second-placed Chelsea FC also lost, 1-0 at London rivals Tottenham Hotspur FC.

Two dismissed
If United's defeat by Liverpool FC last week reignited hopes on Merseyside of a first championship in 19 years, then such optimism will have been heightened by events in west London where the Red Devils lost consecutive league games for the first time since April 2005. United's afternoon started and ended badly with Paul Scholes being dismissed for handling a goal-bound header after 17 minutes, allowing Danny Murphy to convert from the penalty spot. Zoltán Gera (87) added a second and, a minute from time, a frustrating day for the champions was compounded by the dismissal of substitute Wayne Rooney for his second booking.

Hiddink defeated
Chelsea could have closed to within a point of United but Guus Hiddink lost his first game as Blues manager, Luka Modrić (50) scoring the only goal at White Hart Lane to edge Tottenham up to ninth. Liverpool will do what Chelsea failed to if they overcome Aston Villa FC on Sunday. In the late game, Arsenal FC consolidated fourth place with a 3-1 win at third-bottom Newcastle United FC. Obafemi Martins (58) − who had a first-half penalty saved − cancelled out Nicklas Bendtner's opener for Arsenal less than a minute earlier only for the Gunners to hit back shortly after through Abou Diaby and Samir Nasri.

Stoke soaring
Meanwhile, relegation-threatened Portsmouth FC came from behind to beat visitors Everton FC 2-1, while Ryan Shawcross scored six minutes from time to earn Stoke City FC a 1-0 victory against a Middlesbrough FC team now four points from safety. Elsewhere at the bottom, West Bromwich Albion FC drew 1-1 at home with Bolton Wanderers FC, while another struggler, Blackburn Rovers FC, played out the same result with West Ham United FC.

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Quim the hero of Benfica triumph

SL Benfica goalkeeper Quim saved three spot-kicks as the Eagles defeated their city rivals Sporting Clube de Portugal 3-2 on penalties to win the Portuguese League Cup at the Algarve Stadium following a 1-1 draw.

Red card
Bruno Pereirinha edged Sporting in front three minutes after the restart, a lead which they held until the 75th minute when Reyes converted a penalty after Pedro Silva was penalised for handball. That earned the latter his second booking but, despite the numerical advantage, Benfica were unable to strike again and so the contest went straight to a shoot-out where, after Quim's third stop, Carlos Martins struck the winning kick.

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Juventus sink Roma to put pressure on Inter

A blistering second-half display from Juventus proved too much for a depleted AS Roma to contend with at the Stadio Olimpico, the Bianconeri winning 4-1 to cut FC Internazionale Milano's Serie A lead to four points.

Missing players
Shorn of the injured Francesco Totti, Simone Perrotta, Juan and Rodrigo Taddei as well as the suspended Daniele De Rossi, Roma fell behind eleven minutes before half-time when Vincenzo Iaquinta ran on to Sebastian Giovinco's pass and beat Doni. Centre-back Simone Loria levelled for the Giallorossi three minutes after the break but Juventus were soon back in front through Iaquinta's 55th-minute header. Olof Mellberg headed in Alessandro Del Piero's corner after 68 minutes and substitute Pavel Nedvěd (74) − on the field for just four minutes − confirmed Roma's second home loss of the season with a shot from the edge of the penalty area. Inter host bottom side Reggina Calcio on Sunday.

Paolucci on target
Earlier in the day, Calcio Catania condemned S.S. Lazio to a second consecutive defeat with a 1-0 victory at the Stadio Angelo Massimino. The Etnei's on-loan Juventus striker Michele Paolucci scored the winner midway through the first half, tapping Pablo Ledesma's cross-shot into an empty net for his eighth league goal of the season.

Villarreal and Sevilla strengthen their hands

Second-half goals from Santi Cazorla and Mati Fernández earned UEFA Champions League quarter-finalists Villarreal CF a 2-0 victory against Athletic Club Bilbao at El Madrigal before Frédéric Kanouté scored a hat-trick to inspire Sevilla FC to a 4-1 defeat of Real Valladolid CF.

Super sub
Cazorla (68) fired across Athletic goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz after Giuseppe Rossi's meandering run across the edge of the penalty area drew several Athletic defenders out of position. The visitors were then reduced to ten men when Markel Susaeta was dismissed eleven minutes from time and after the hosts had squandered chances to make the points safe, substitute Mati Fernández secured victory in added time with low shot after a weaving run inside the area.

Kanouté treble
The three points strengthen the Yellow Submarine's position in fourth, five points ahead of fifth-placed Club Atlético de Madrid, although they trail Sevilla in third by six thanks, in part, to Kanouté. Although the Mali striker's eighth-minute opener was cancelled out by Henok Goitom's header, Kanouté restored the Andalusian club's lead two minutes before the break. Luis Fabiano (57) then rounded goalkeeper Justo Villar and 19 minutes from time Kanouté completed his hat-trick by heading in Fernando Navarro's cross for his tenth goal in seven league matches.

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Buoyant Marseille lead the way

Olympique de Marseille are top of Ligue 1 for the first time since September following a 2-0 defeat of FC Nantes while FC Girondins de Bordeaux leapfrogged Olympique Lyonnais into second with a 3-0 win at Le Havre AC.

Brandão goal
Two goals in four second-half minutes from Renato Civelli and Brandão secured the points for UEFA Cup quarter-finalists Marseille at Stade Vélodrome, ensuring Lyon must beat FC Sochaux-Montbéliard at home on Sunday to regain top spot. They find themselves behind Bordeaux for the time being, though, after Yoann Gourcuff (12), Souleymane Diawara (58) and Wendel (88) struck for Les Marine et Blanc at struggling Le Havre.

Lille win
LOSC Lille Métropole are just a point shy of Lyon following their third successive league win, 2-1 at home to Grenoble Foot 38, leaving France's other UEFA Cup contender, Paris Saint-Germain FC, in fifth ahead of the capital club's fixture at sixth-placed Toulouse FC on Sunday. Elsewhere, Stade Rennais FC's push for a place in Europe next term suffered a setback with a goalless draw against Valenciennes FC.

Late equaliser
Meanwhile, AJ Auxerre climbed into the top half by beating Le Mans UC 72 2-0 at Stade Abbé-Deschamps and sit a point ahead of an AS Monaco FC team who won 1-0 at AS Nancy-Lorraine thanks to Chu-Young Park's 70th-minute goal. In the day's other fixture, Olivier Echouafni struck an 88th-minute equaliser to earn OGC Nice a 2-2 draw with second-bottom SM Caen.

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

MOOD

DIMAS IS HAOPY

Today

is my regain spirit
n now must start to study
learn and many more
coz i'm health now

TODAY

The day is really so cold


coz make sick with flu n cough

but this day 1st ever i never angry again like the ago

TODAY

The day is really so cold


coz make sick with flu n cough

but this day 1st ever i never angry again like the ago

my Spirit

Today


is my regain spirit
n now must start to study
learn and many more
coz i'm health now

Resurgent Liverpool face moment of truth

Liverpool FC may have stormed back into form on the European stage in midweek, but visit Manchester United FC on Saturday knowing anything less than a win will sound the death knell to hopes of hauling in the Premier League pacesetters and raise the prospect of a first English title in nearly 20 years.

Dramatic swing
Liverpool sat atop the standings at the start of 2009, seven points clear of their north-west rivals thanks in part to a 2-1 victory against them in September. The tables have completely turned in the Reds' eight games since, and now they find themselves trailing United by the same margin. While Liverpool have drawn four of those matches and lost one, Sir Alex Ferguson's side have won their last eleven top-flight fixtures and still have a game in hand.

'We can win'
However, Tuesday's 4-0 triumph against Real Madrid CF has reignited belief in Merseyside that Liverpool still might claim a first championship since 1990, denying United from joining them on a record of 18 English titles in the process. "We can have confidence about the game with United," Fernando Torres said. "We know it's very important to win there because, if not, they will be ten points ahead of us. We will see what happens, but we can win."

Springboard
That belief is coursing through the Anfield club, and Dirk Kuyt thinks the comprehensive triumph over Madrid can act as a springboard for his side. "We are already looking forward to Saturday," the Dutch striker said after Liverpool booked their UEFA Champions League quarter-final berth. "Obviously, United have had great results in their last few games and we will see what we can do. It would be great if we could beat them at Old Trafford and go from there."

Rooney anticipation
Beating United at home is no easy objective. Sir Alex's charges are unbeaten at Old Trafford this season, seeing off FC Internazionale Milano there 2-0 on Wednesday, and know that beating Liverpool will effectively end any hopes Rafael Benítez's side are harbouring of title glory come May. "They need to get the three points and they will be up for it but we certainly will be too," said Wayne Rooney. "If we beat them it will probably end their chances of winning the league. It's not a title decider, we are in pole position, but we know if we can deliver that will more or less end Liverpool's hopes of winning the league – I am very excited."

Ferdinand caution
If Rooney, a Liverpudlian who grew up supporting Everton FC, is confident, then Rio Ferdinand is slightly more wary. "They did very well against Real Madrid and got a great result; it is going to be a tough game," the 30-year-old centre-back said. "We still have games after that to win. If we beat Liverpool they are out of the running. Fingers crossed we can go out there and do a good job."

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Pick of the week

Slingshots were nowhere to be seen in the UEFA Champions League as the four Premier League challengers continued the recent trend of English supremacy. Yet a David did emerge in the small Scottish footballing outpost of Paisley to knock out a Goliath in Celtic FC and show just how long a week can be in football. uefa.com brings you the standout stories of the last seven days.

Team: Manchester United FC
Liverpool FC may have grabbed headlines and attention by thrashing Real Madrid CF in midweek, but it is their misfortune that the no-frills victory of arch-rivals Manchester United over FC Internazionale Milano could yet live longer in the memory. By edging out Inter with a goal in each half, Sir Alex Ferguson's quintuple-chasing team set a record of 21 matches unbeaten in UEFA club competition. The English, European and world champions' last defeat in continental competition came away to AC Milan on 2 May 2007, when they lost 3-0 in a UEFA Champions League semi-final second-leg tie. The statistic ignores United's 2-1 reverse at the hands of FC Zenit St. Petersburg in the UEFA Super Cup last August. Juventus had established the record of 20 games unbeaten in the early 1970s.

Player: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Liverpool's talismanic captain appeared to have run out of gas – and heroic rescue acts – when he limped out of the Reds' recent defeats by Everton FC, in the FA Cup, and by Middlesbrough FC in the Premier League. But he was back to superhuman strength in Tuesday's 4-0 dismantling of nine-time European champions Real Madrid at Anfield. Gerrard marked his 100th appearance in European club competition by scoring his team's second and third goals as they wrapped up a 5-0 aggregate win, his typically emphatic penalty being followed by a side-footed half-volley past Iker Casillas.

Goal(s): Lukas Podolski (2), Anderson Polga og, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mark van Bommel, Miroslav Klose, Thomas Müller (FC Bayern München)
Collective praise this time for the Bayern side who, in rattling seven second-leg goals past Sporting Clube de Portugal in their first knockout round second leg in Germany, registered the biggest margin of victory in a UEFA Champions League knockout tie. Throw in the five unanswered goals in Lisbon which preceded this 7-1 mauling, and you also have the largest aggregate win in the competition's modern-era history.

Injury: Ramón (PFC CSKA Moskva)
If CSKA Moskva end up winning the UEFA Cup this season, they should keep the coveted silverware out of reach of midfielder Ramón. The 20-year-old Brazilian is clearly no respecter of metals precious or otherwise after injuring himself trying to kick a lump out of a glass – which, no less sensibly, he had mistaken to be a piece of aluminium. CSKA coach Zico explained that "Ramón saw something on the floor in his flat and decided to kick it." The resulting injury kept the youngster out of CSKA's first-leg meeting with FC Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Cup Round of 16.

Number: Four
Four, as in 'Big Four'. The label given to the group of four clubs who seem each year to represent England in the UEFA Champions League now carries increasing weight in the competition itself. As happened last season, so Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC are again through to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Where will it end? Well, last year with two English finalists after three of the cartel had contested the semis. Indeed, five of the last eight UEFA Champions League finalists have been English, with Liverpool featuring twice and the other three clubs once apiece.

Returning hero: Joey Didulica (AZ Alkmaar)
Injuries may be part and parcel of football but Dutch championship pretenders AZ Alkmaar could have done without the self-inflicted broken hand suffered by goalkeeper Sergio Romero last week. The No1 damaged himself punching a dressing-room door after his mistake had led to the winning goal in AZ's Dutch Cup defeat by NAC Breda. Romero's act of madness, however, resulted in a long-awaited opportunity for former Australia goalkeeper Didulica, which he seized by keeping a clean sheet in the Eredivisie leaders' 1-0 victory at NEC Nijmegen last Sunday. It was certainly a happy return for the 31-year-old Didulica: not only was it his first top-flight appearance since October 2006, but his shutout also extended AZ's unbeaten run in the league to a record 24 games – equalling the sequence set in their title-winning campaign of 1980/81.

Excuse: John Heitinga (Club Atlético de Madrid)
If with fatherhood comes responsibility, then nobody has bothered to tell new dad John Heitinga. Atlético's Dutch international defender was quick to pass on the blame for his tired legs in the second half of last week's derby draw at Real Madrid to three-day-old daughter Jezebel. "Since she was born I haven't been able to sleep, and being kept awake these last three nights was the reason I had nothing left in my muscles." Daddy, for his troubles, was hauled off with ten minutes to go at the Santiago Bernabéu. His fatigue, a temporary affliction; the name Jezebel will last a lifetime.

Quote: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
Wayne Rooney's relationship with his first and boyhood club Everton may never be the same again following his eight-digit transfer to Old Trafford. But his upbringing on the blue half of Merseyside will guarantee the usual 200 per cent effort whenever Liverpool are in opposition. With Liverpool's visit to United looming on Saturday, the striker told reporters after the Inter game on Wednesday: "I am very excited. I grew up an Everton fan, my whole family are Everton fans and I grew up hating Liverpool."

Underdogs bite back: Saint Mirren FC
Seven days earlier they had been on the receiving end of a 7-0 thrashing by Celtic FC in Glasgow. However, as if to prove exactly how long a time a week in football can be, it was Saint Mirren who were dishing out the humble pie in Paisley on 7 March. Billy Mehmet's 55th-minute penalty secured a remarkable rebound victory for manager Gus MacPherson's underdogs while knocking league leaders Celtic out of the Scottish Cup at the quarter-final stage.

Lament: Gazzetta dello Sport (Italy)
Things have come to a pretty sorry pass when you have to resort to pantomime language to get your message across, but that was the predicament facing Italy's famed football pink, the Gazzetta dello Sport, on Thursday morning. So it was that the front-page headline 'Maledizione' screamed at readers after the country's remaining three UEFA Champions League representatives exited the competition in midweek. This particular 'malediction' was experienced by hundreds of thousands of supporters as Inter, Juventus and AS Roma all succumbed to English rivals. It will take more than a genie in a bottle to get them back in contention for Europe's élite club prize.

Mind as Machine a History of Cognitive Science Vol I and II

Mind as Machine a History of Cognitive Science Vol I and II

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Science & Engineerin eBooks Science-Interdiscipl Cognitive Science

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TOday

The day is really so cold


coz make sick with flu n cough

but this day 1st ever i never angry again like the ago

Uefa News

Berita Coy

Magic Madrid achieve ten straight wins

Guti and Raúl González scored midway through the second half to earn Real Madrid CF a 2-0 win at second-bottom RCD Espanyol and a tenth successive Liga victory.

Quick-fire strikes
In a game of few chances, Guti broke the deadlock when his free-kick was tipped on to the post and in by Espanyol goalkeeper Carlos Kameni after 67 minutes, just minutes after being sent on by coach Juande Ramos. With the hosts despondent, Madrid doubled their lead when Raúl placed a shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area. Los Merengues now trail leaders FC Barcelona – who lost to Espanyol last week – by four points ahead of the Catalan outfit's match at Club Atlético de Madrid on Sunday, while Espanyol lie three points from safety.

Kanouté double
Elsewhere, Sevilla FC tightened their grip on third place by coming from a goal down to win 2-1 at Athletic Club Bilbao. Igor Gabilondo gave the hosts a 27th-minute lead at the San Mamés when he fired in after the visitors failed to clear a corner although Sevilla were soon level. Six minutes before half-time, Frédéric Kanouté brought down a cross from Aquivaldo Mosquera and shot past Armando while the Mali forward struck what proved to be the winner just before the hour when he held off the attention of two Athletic defenders and placed the ball into the bottom corner.

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Liverpool laid low by Middlesbrough setback

There were mixed results for three of England's UEFA Champions League representatives on their return to Premier League action as Liverpool FC lost 2-0 at relegation-threatened Middlesbrough FC while Frank Lampard scored a last-minute winner for Chelsea FC.

Liverpool lose
Rafael Benítez's Liverpool may have won at Real Madrid CF on Wednesday but, without the injured Fernando Torres, were unable to find a way through a Middlesbrough team without a win in their previous 14 league matches. The north-east club have found goals hard to muster this term and it was Liverpool's Xabi Alonso, deflecting a corner from Stewart Downing into his own net, who set the hosts on their way just past the half-hour mark. Tuncay Şanlı added a second after 63 minutes to secure a victory which moves Middlesbrough two places up to 17th, one point above Stoke City FC, who occupy the final relegation place.

Lampard winner
Chelsea replaced Liverpool in second place thanks to a 2-1 defeat of Wigan Athletic FC at Stamford Bridge. The hosts looked to be heading for a point when Olivier Kapo (82) cancelled out John Terry's 25th-minute opener only for Lampard to strike in added time. Meanwhile, Arsenal FC were held to a 0-0 draw by Fulham FC − their fourth goalless draw in as many league games − and now trail fourth-placed Aston Villa FC, who host Stoke on Sunday, by five points. In the day's early kick-off, Everton FC continued their push for a place in the top five by beating strugglers West Bromwich Albion FC 2-0 at home thanks to goals in each half from Tim Cahill (36) and Louis Saha (70).

Cup final
Leaders Manchester United FC play Tottenham Hotspur FC in the League Cup final on Sunday, while West Ham United FC host Manchester City FC, Blackburn Rovers FC travel to Hull City AFC and Bolton Wanderers FC welcome Newcastle United FC.

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Marchisio the difference as Juventus down Napoli

Juventus cut FC Internazionale Milano's leadership of Serie A to six points with a 1-0 defeat of SSC Napoli ahead of the Nerazzurri's meeting with AS Roma on Sunday night.

Marvelous Marchisio
Napoli arrived in Turin with just one win in all competitions this year although they had drawn 0-0 with the Bianconeri in a Coppa Italia tie in early February before losing on penalties. The fixture at the Stadio Olimpico proved equally tight with Claudio Marchisio's 44th-minute effort, which deflected in off former Juventus midfielder Manuele Blasi, all that separated the sides.

Zárate double
In the day's early game, S.S. Lazio heightened Bologna FC's relegation worries with a 2-0 home win. Argentinian striker Mauro Zárate struck on 35 and 81 minutes to take his league tally to ten for the season – his first a sumptuous curling free-kick from the edge of the penalty area – to propel the Biancocelesti up four places into seventh. Bologna, meanwhile, are without a league win in five and sit just one point above third-bottom US Lecce.

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Hertha keep up title pressure

First-half goals from Andriy Voronin and Pál Dárdai helped Hertha BSC Berlin to a 2-1 home win over strugglers VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday, the three points taking Lucien Favre's team back to the Bundesliga summit after fellow challengers TSG 1899 Hoffenheim were held 0-0 at BV Borussia Dortmund.

Relegation fears
Top at the start of play, Hamburger SV can reclaim the lead by beating VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday, while FC Bayern München could go level on points with Hoffenheim in third with victory at Werder Bremen. On Friday, 1. FC Köln consolidated their mid-table position with a 1-1 home draw against DSC Arminia Bielefeld, who themselves are now only clear of the drop zone on goal difference after VfL Bochum 1848's dramatic 3-2 home win over FC Energie Cottbus. Having gone behind twice to fellow strugglers Energie, Bochum secured victory with a 79th-minute penalty from Marc Pfertzel.

Bruggink winner
FC Schalke 04, meanwhile, boosted their chances of playing European football next season with a 2-1 success at Eintracht Frankfurt, Heiko Westermann's 83rd-minute strike proving the winner and keeping Eintracht looking nervously over their shoulders. Elsewhere, Hannover 96 dented Bayer 04 Leverkusen's title hopes with a 1-0 win courtesy of a first-half effort from Dutch striker Arnold Bruggink. Second-bottom Karlsruher SC host VfB Stuttgart in Sunday's other fixture.



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Russian rivals matched in futsal finals draw

Russian rivals MFK Viz-Sinara Ekaterinburg and MFK Dinamo Moskva, respectively the winners of the last two UEFA Futsal Cups, have been drawn together in the semi-finals on 24 April while two-time champions Interviú Madrid play Kairat Almaty.

Rivals meet
Holders Ekaterinburg took the European title in Moscow at their first attempt last year and, just as Dinamo did 12 months ago, will defend the trophy as final four hosts. Viz hold the upper hand over their rivals this season having won three and drawn one of their four league meetings including both home fixtures in September, and the teams also play in the Russian Cup final on 1 and 5 April. Dinamo have reached the UEFA Futsal Cup semi-finals five years running and lost at this stage for the first time last season on penalties to ElPozo Murcia FS.

Interviú aim
Interviú, aiming to become the first three-time winners, are rematched with a Kairat team they defeated 5-2 in the second qualifying round on their way to the most recent of their titles in 2005/06. Kairat also went on to the semi-finals that season but were beaten by Dinamo, as they were by Ekaterinburg at this stage last year.

Russian race
The draw was held at the venue for the finals, the Ekaterinburg Palace of Sport, minutes after Viz's 3-1 Russian Super League defeat of TTG-Ugra Yugorsk, which took them ten points clear of MFK Tyumen. That side lost 9-4 at home to reigning champions Dinamo, three points further back with two games in hand. Both Interviú and Kairat lead their domestic leagues and are hoping to secure cup successes this weekend.

Schedule
The UEFA Futsal Cup semi-finals will be played on 24 April, with the final and third-place match two days later. All games are live on Eurosport or Eurosport 2.

UEFA Futsal Cup final four schedule
Date Stage Match KO
Fri 24 Apr Semi-final 1
Kairat Almaty (KAZ) v
Interviú Madrid (ESP)
17.00
Fri 24 Apr Semi-final 2
MFK Viz-Sinara Ekaterinburg (RUS, hosts) v
MFK Dinamo Moskva (RUS)
19.00
Sun 26 Apr Third-place match
Losers SF1 v SF2
18.30
Sun 26 Apr Final Winners SF1 v SF2 21.00

All kick-off times local, CET +4 hours

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Bergougnoux fires Toulouse up to second

Substitute Bryan Bergougnoux struck an 81st-minute equaliser to earn Toulouse FC a 1-1 draw at AJ Auxerre and move the southern outfit into second place in Ligue 1.

Le Mans victory
Trailing since the 25th minute to an Ireneusz Jeleń goal, Bergougnoux's equaliser moves Toulouse to within six points of leaders Olympique Lyonnais and ahead of third-placed Paris Saint-Germain FC on goal difference. Further down the table, Le Mans UC 72 moved into the relative security of mid-table with a 2-0 win over bottom side Le Havre AC, courtesy of second-half goals from Modibo Maiga and Gervinho. Le Mans now lie eleventh, four points clear of the final relegation berth currently occupied by FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, 1-0 winners at home to OGC Nice.

Late leveller
Another team to boost their survival hopes were Valenciennes FC, goals in the space of five first-half minutes from Gaël Danic and Jean-Claude Darcheville securing a 2-0 success against LOSC Lille Métropole. FC Nantes, meanwhile, drew 1-1 with Grenoble Foot 38, for whom Sandy Paillot struck in added time to cancel out Ivan Klasnić's 38th-minute opener.

Sunday's games
Lyon host Stade Rennais FC on Sunday looking to extend their advantage, while third-placed PSG take on AS Nancy-Lorraine in the capital. Elsewhere, FC Girondins de Bordeaux welcome FC Lorient, AS Monaco FC host UEFA Cup contenders AS Saint-Etienne and Olympique de Marseille travel to SM Caen.

Hiddink can help Chelsea conquer, says Lampard

Wednesday 25 February 2009

Chelsea midfielder Frank LampardChelsea midfielder Frank Lampard (©Getty Images)

Frank Lampard says Guus Hiddink has brought a winning mentality to Chelsea FC which he believes will be vital in restoring the club's fortunes and propelling them towards the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League.

European glory
The Russia coach has assumed the reins at Stamford Bridge on a temporary basis until the end of the season following the departure of Luiz Felipe Scolari and has already experienced the thrill of lifting Europe's most prestigious trophy, which could make all the difference according to the England midfielder. "Every coach has slightly different ideas but the main idea is that we want to win and that's what he has brought with him," said Lampard of the Dutchman who won the European Champion Clubs' Cup in 1988 with PSV Eindhoven. "It's what the players want as well. We have not performed as well as we should have done in the last two or three months considering the quality in the squad, but we still have a chance in all the competitions we are in and that makes the Juventus game a massive one."

Ranieri return
The first knockout round tie brings the Chelsea players up against former manager Claudio Ranieri and Lampard is looking forward to renewing acquaintances with the Italian. "Without Claudio I probably wouldn't be at Chelsea," he added. "He signed me at a time when £11m was seen as a lot of money and I have the utmost respect for him. He's a great man as well as a great manager and he helped me develop after leaving West Ham [United FC]. I had not seen the real world in football terms and he opened my eyes to a lot of things. He deserves credit for the success this club has had since he left because he signed a lot of good players and elevated John Terry to captain. He's now grown into one of the best captains in the world."

'Great determination'
Chelsea have reached the semi-finals of this competition in four of the last five years and Lampard stressed again the hunger that drives the London team on in this competition – the desire to make amends for last term's disappointment when they lost in a penalty shoot-out to Manchester United FC in the Moscow final. "You can't help but have that in the back of your mind – the manner in which we came so close gives us great determination to go back and win it one day."

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Porto pair not quite enough for Lisandro

Wednesday 25 February 2009


Lisandro felt he might have had more to celebrate than his two goalsLisandro felt he might have had more to celebrate than his two goals (©Getty Images)

FC Porto forward Lisandro scored twice as his team earned a 2-2 draw away to Club Atlético de Madrid, but the Argentinian later acknowledged his side should have had more.

Missed chances
The Portuguese champions came from behind on two occasions in their first knockout round opener at the Vicente Calderón Stadium and had Lisandro to thank for responding to first-half strikes from Maxi Rodríguez and Diego Forlán. However, with the visiting team spurning five further presentable chances during an entertaining game, the night lost some of its lustre for the 25-year-old striker. "I'm happy, really happy but maybe we could have scored another goal," said Lisandro, who was voted Man of the Match by uefa.com users. "We needed to be more intelligent and convert the chances we created. Had we been a little calmer we could have managed another without a doubt. If that had been the case the result would have been very different."

Decent outcome
Following his double strike, the Argentinian international – in his fourth season at Porto – moved to the top of the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League scoring charts. Having previously registered three goals in total against Fenerbahçe SK home and away and another in the 2-0 win over Arsenal FC at the Estádio do Dragão, Lisandro now has six goals from seven appearances in this year's tournament. After his heroics in the Spanish capital, the former Racing Club player preferred to heap the praise on to his team-mates. "We have a strong team with good players and a good squad and we came here looking to win but the outcome tonight wasn't a bad one for us," he said.

Not over yet
There was little doubt that the 2-2 draw left the visiting set of supporters in celebratory mood prior to their trip back to Portugal but they were advised to remain cautious ahead of the second leg on 11 March. "Let's not get carried away, this tie is still very much open," Lisandro warned. "They are a very good team and you can bet that they'll be coming to Porto to win because they have to. We'll be doing everything we can in order to progress but we know that there are 90 very difficult minutes ahead."

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

García keeps faith in Atlético

Wednesday 25 February 2009

Raúl García wins a header in the first leg against PortoRaúl García wins a header in the first leg against Porto (©Getty Images)

Midfielder Raúl García remained defiant that Club Atlético de Madrid could still advance after a 2-2 draw with FC Porto left Jesualdo Ferreira's team as slight favourites to reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

Second chance
Atlético twice led the first knockout round first-leg encounter thanks to an early strike from Maxi Rodríguez and a fortunate goal from Diego Forlán before the break. On two occasions, however, Lisandro responded for the visitors who had Atlético on the back foot for large parts of the game. The quality of the opposition came as little surprise to Raúl García, who said: "Everyone knew Porto were a good team and they showed that tonight. We know we have another game ahead of us and another 90 minutes to put things right."

No fear
The 22-year-old was chosen ahead of ex-Porto favourite Maniche in the centre of midfield and put in a battling performance against quality opponents. "They're a really tough team but having said that we're not afraid of anyone," added Raúl García, before turning his attention to the return in northern Portugal in two weeks' time. "We have to go there to win and we don't see that as being something which is impossible. In fact, we've got as good a chance as they do. We're still confident we can advance to the next round."

Evenly poised
Antonio López agreed that a place in the last eight was still very much within the Spanish side's grasp ahead of their trip to the Estádio do Dragão on 11 March. "We knew that before we took to the field tonight it was the first of two games against this team," said the full-back. "The guys are fine, and know that the tie is still balanced. There's no point going over there, playing well and then getting knocked out – we need to go and beat them."

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Barça glad to escape Lyon's den unscathed

Wednesday 25 February 2009

Thierry Henry jumps for joy as he celebrates his side's equaliserThierry Henry jumps for joy as he celebrates his side's equaliser (©Getty Images)

FC Barcelona midfielder Yaya Touré said he was "extremely relieved" to have avoided defeat away to an impressive Olympique Lyonnais side in the UEFA Champions League first knockout round on Tuesday.

Intense pressure
The most difficult period so far in Barça's season looked like it might get worse when Juninho Pernambucano broke the deadlock with a sublime free-kick after just seven minutes, prompting an intense spell of Lyon pressure. Yet the visitors, who had been beaten by city rivals RCD Espanyol three days earlier, fought back and secured a 1-1 draw through Thierry Henry's 67th-minute header, leaving them in a strong position ahead of the second leg.

'Excellent team'
Although the scoreline extended the Spanish club's winless run to three matches, Touré was pleased. "This is a very good result for us because we know how hard it is to play away to Lyon," the Ivory Coast international told uefa.com. "Real Madrid have had two bad defeats here in recent years and Lyon showed again that they're an excellent side by posing us a lot of problems for 70 minutes. We're extremely relieved because the Espanyol game took a lot out of us and we're struggling a bit physically at the moment. Tonight we were up against another team that really unsettled us but we produced the necessary performance."

Eto'o concern
Only disappointing finishing from the hosts kept Josep Guardiola's charges within touching distance at half-time, yet the Liga leaders slowly improved and looked the better side in the second period. Striker Samuel Eto'o blamed the poor opening on a lack of aggression, saying: "We allowed Lyon to play in the first half. As soon as we lost possession they were very quick to counterattack and created several dangerous openings. We tightened up in the second half, kept the ball better and managed to put Lyon under pressure."

Touré warning
The result means the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League winners will be favourites to progress to the quarter-finals at Camp Nou on 11 March, although Touré is bracing himself for another severe test. "The tie is still very open," the former AS Monaco FC player said. "I'm sure the second leg is also going to be very difficult. People will be saying we're favourites but we need to be wary of Lyon. We saw tonight how dangerous Juninho and the rest of the Lyon team can be."

Free-kick threat
Henry echoed Touré's thoughts, singling out Lyon's set-piece wizard as the principal threat to Barcelona's chances. "I know this Lyon team well and I knew we needed to avoid conceding free-kicks around the box," the France striker told uefa.com. "We conceded one a long way from the penalty area and Juninho still found a way of scoring. Only he knows how he does it. When you have a player like Juninho who can make a breakthrough at any moment you can always win a game. We will have to be very careful."

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Ibrahimović fired up for a free-flowing finale

Wednesday 25 February 2009

Zlatan Ibrahimović is expecting a full-blooded encounter at Old TraffordZlatan Ibrahimović is expecting a full-blooded encounter at Old Trafford (©Getty Images)

Zlatan Ibrahimović is looking forward to "an open game" at Old Trafford in a fortnight's time, as FC Internazionale Milano attempt to overcome Manchester United FC following a 0-0 home draw in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League first knockout round tie.

'Open game'
Inter were outplayed for large periods of the match at San Siro, only really flickering to life at the start and end of the second half, but the Nerazzurri managed to avoid conceding the away goal that would have tipped the balance in favour of the Premier League club and the Swedish international was positive about his side's prospects in the return leg. "We are very confident," he said. "We want to win every game and we are going to Manchester to try to win. United are a good team so it will be very difficult because we know that they want to win too. I think it'll be an open game over there like it was tonight."

Vidić praise
United could prove an even tougher side to break down on home soil as Nemanja Vidić, one of their star performers this season, will return from suspension to partner Rio Ferdinand in the centre of defence. However striker Ibrahimović, who has failed to score a post-Christmas goal in 19 European matches, was unfazed by the prospect of facing the Serbian international. "I'm looking forward to taking on Vidić," he said. "He's a great player, who has done very well so far this year but it's no problem for me to play against the best because that's part of the challenge. I'm looking forward to playing against him. Players look forward to these big occasions and you just have to enjoy them."

Cup-tie atmosphere
Ibrahimović added that the do-or-die cup-tie atmosphere in England would also be something to savour as both sides slug it out to see who goes through. "It'll be like a cup tie at Old Trafford," said the 27-year-old. "It'll be win or lose. We have to win to go through or we could even get a draw and go through but I don't think that any teams really play for a draw. We'll be going there to win and then we'll just have to see how it turns out. Beating the European champions would certainly be a confidence boost for us but it's no guarantee that we'll win the Champions League."

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Robust rearguard the key for Touré

Wednesday 25 February 2009
by Simon Hart from London
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Kolo Touré was pleased with his side's defensive displayKolo Touré was pleased with his side's defensive display (©Getty Images)Photos/WallpapersPhotos/Wallpapers »

Kolo Touré said the clean sheet that Arsenal FC gained in Tuesday night's 1-0 win over AS Roma could prove pivotal in their fight for a UEFA Champions League quarter-final place.

Defensive strength
Although the Ivorian centre-back acknowledged Arsenal created enough chances to have won by more than Robin van Persie's first-half penalty, he believes the Gunners' defensive strength – this was a fifth successive shut-out – gives them real hope of completing the job in the return leg of their last-16 tie in the Italian capital. "We could have done better and scored some more goals but the good thing is we had a clean sheet which is really important," said Touré.

Nasri encouraged
"Now we will try to go there and impose our game and play like we did tonight," he continued. "We know we defend really well as a team and we also created a lot of chances which is important." Midfielder Samir Nasri echoed Touré's words, saying: "I think this result is not too bad, even though we could have won by more. Fortunately we managed not to concede any goals. Tonight we've seen a winning Arsenal side, with a good defensive display which is very encouraging for the challenges to come. Unlike in the Premier League, tonight we had more space to move. We managed to create the gaps we needed and had a lot of movement. Now we have to try to repeat this performance."

Praise for Diaby
Twelve months ago Arsenal won at AC Milan following a goalless first-leg draw at home and, according to Touré, their confidence about a repeat performance is boosted by the likelihood of injured players being back in time for the deciding leg on 11 March. "We have some players to come back like Eduardo da Silva, which is going to help us a lot. We have a lot of injuries at the moment but the team tonight were outstanding. [Midfielder] Abou Diaby came back from two weeks out and did a really good job."

'Learned a new rule'
Touré was even able to look on the bright side of the booking he collected for taking the field without the referee's permission when he arrived late for the second half along with William Gallas who had received treatment for an injury. "I was waiting for William to come because I am always the last on to the pitch, which is a superstition of mine. We didn't lose a goal so we were happy about that. It was embarrassing but the good thing is I have learned a new rule tonight," he smiled.

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Pick of the night

24 February 2009, 23:58

From another superb Juninho Pernambucano free-kick to a memorable double from FC Porto's Lisandro, uefa.com takes its pick of the action on a record-breaking night for Javier Zanetti and Manchester United FC.

Goal: Juninho Pernambucano (Olympique Lyonnais)
Claude Puel had called on his side to focus on their own strengths rather than worry about FC Barcelona's prior to kick-off and the Brazilian playmaker did just that, curling a trademark free-kick – his 43rd such goal for the club – up and over Víctor Valdés from near the left flank to spark a spirited performance.

Save: Júlio César (FC Internazionale Milano)
It took Manchester United just five minutes to find their range at San Siro but César was equal to the task, tipping Cristiano Ronaldo's point-blank header away on his line. It was the first in a series of stunning saves from the Brazilian goalkeeper, whose duel with the Portuguese was the highlight of the evening and kept Inter on level terms.

Player: Lisandro (FC Porto)
Lisandro struck twice and had one disallowed as Porto took control at the Vicente Calderón. They were the 25-year-old Argentinian international's fifth and sixth goals of the competition, moving him above Lionel Messi, Steven Gerrard, Miroslav Klose and Karim Benzema to the top of the scoring chart.

Debut: Davide Santon (FC Internazionale Milano)
Making your UEFA Champions League debut is daunting at the best of times, but to do so against the holders in the knockout rounds and being asked to mark Ronaldo is something else again. Step forward 18-year-old Santon who emerged with credit and praise from both managers ringing in his ears. "Santon is not a promising player, he is already a great player," José Mouninho, never one for understatement, said. "He proved it by playing a great match against Ronaldo. He was absolutely fantastic."

Team: Olympique Lyonnais
Lyon were written off by many before the first whistle had blown against Barcelona but the French champions rose to the occasion brilliantly and, despite riding their luck at times, deserved more than the 1-1 draw they ultimately settled for.

Travel sickness: AS Roma
Roma will be hoping to avoid Premier League opposition in the future after once again losing on their travels to an English club. Their 1-0 defeat by Arsenal FC was their sixth in succession in the country. It was also the only loss suffered by an away side on Tuesday.

Record breaker: Javier Zanetti (FC Internazionale Milano)
The 35-year-old set a club record with his 118th European appearance for Inter in their goalless draw against the holders. Zanetti marked the occasion in his own inimitable style with a great early tackle on Ronaldo as he passed Giuseppe Bergomi's previous high.

Quote: Helton (FC Porto)
"It is at moments like this that you see just how strong and united this team is. My team-mates told me I had helped them several times in the past and that this time it was their turn to help me."
The Porto goalkeeper thanks his colleagues for their support after gifting Forlán a goal moments before half-time.

Number: 20
United established a UEFA Champions League record with their 20th successive unbeaten game in the competition following the goalless draw with Inter. Their last defeat came in the semi-finals on their last visit to San Siro in April 2007, a 3-0 loss to AC Milan.

And finally ...
Then there were nine. You may have heard of managers losing the dressing room but players losing the pitch? Arsenal were forced to begin the second half with nine men after Kolo Touré and William Gallas failed to reappear for the restart against Roma. Arsène Wenger may be a master tactician but this must have left even his own players scratching their heads.

Relieved Mexès insists '1-0 away is nothing'

AS Roma defender Philippe Mexès admitted the Italian side were relieved to have escaped with just a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal FC on Tuesday, but warned the Gunners to expect a different test altogether in Italy in a fortnight's time.

Positive thinking
Luciano Spalletti's visitors lost the first leg of this UEFA Champions League first knockout round contest to a Robin van Persie penalty – awarded for a Mexès foul on the Dutchman – but it could have been worse for Roma, who saw Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Eboué miss clear opportunities to inflict greater damage. Mèxes said: "Obviously we are very disappointed with this defeat, but at the same time we are very positive we can turn it around because 1-0 away is nothing."

'No fear'
The French international, who had "no complaints" about the penalty award, added: "Arsenal play good football but they are not unbeatable. In Rome it will be a completely different match in which we will have to push forward and play without fear, which we did not do in the first part of the match tonight. In the end a penalty decided the outcome but the score is still positive considering all the other chances they had to add to their lead. The first leg is over now and we have to start in a different way in two weeks' time, playing at home with our fans behind us. At our ground we will give everything to reach the next round."

Riise relief
The feeling in the Roma camp afterwards was that their performance improved as the game went on. "We showed at the end of the second half that we could have got more out of the game," said Mexès. Yet while John Arne Riise drew a save out of Manuel Almunia in the closing stages, it was no more than Marco Motta had done in the first period. Riise himself acknowledged the Serie A outfit were lucky to have survived several scares in their own penalty box, notably when an unmarked Bendtner failed to profit from scoring chances in each half. "We didn't play at all well tonight and I can't believe Bendtner missed those goals because normally he'd have scored," said Riise.

'Lucky'
In the group stage Roma avenged a 1-0 loss to Chelsea FC in London with a 3-1 home success, and the Norway defender added: "The tie is still wide open because we're just 1-0 down and that's very different from being 2-0 down. If you look at the chances we created and the chances they created in the end we were probably lucky to have come away with just a one-goal deficit. "



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Grosso not discouraged after Lyon draw

Despite being pegged back by Thierry Henry's second-half equaliser, defender Fabio Grosso is convinced Olympique Lyonnais can progress to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals by upsetting FC Barcelona at Camp Nou.

Tremendous goal
The French titleholders proved more than a match for their illustrious opponents in a pulsating first half at Stade de Gerland, scoring a tremendous opening goal courtesy of Juninho Pernambucano's seventh-minute free-kick and going on to create a host of further chances. They were ultimately made to pay for some wayward finishing by a determined Barça side, although Grosso was certainly not left feeling downhearted. "It was a terrific match and we played extremely well in the first half," the Italian international told uefa.com.

'Always confident'
"We could have scored a second and killed the game when we were on top but we didn't and Barcelona came back strongly and deserved to equalise," the 31-year-old added. "We knew we'd be under more pressure in the second half because we were up against probably the best team in Europe. Unfortunately we conceded from a set piece but there's still another game to play and another difficult 90 minutes ahead of us. We're always confident, though, and we're determined to do something special."

Messi tamed
If the two-time European champions were not at their sparkling best, Lyon never really allowed them the opportunity to play. Lionel Messi in particular was subdued as Grosso and Ederson worked feverishly on the left to deny the Argentinian space, as well as raiding forward whenever possible. The former FC Internazionale Milano full-back was nevertheless reluctant to take credit for Messi's quiet performance, saying: "We've said all along the only way to stop them is to play together as a team. We did that really well in the first half, and even in the second."

Keita belief
Lyon coach Claude Puel will also feel his bold team selection was vindicated after Kader Keita – preferred to the slightly more defensive Kim Källström – posed countless problems in the opening period. Like Grosso, the Ivorian took encouragement from the performance and is urging the Ligue 1 leaders to stay positive in Catalonia. "When we played our usual attacking game we created many chances," Keita told uefa.com. "We had so much space in the first half, but in the second half we were only defending. When we go to Barcelona we have to play our game. We will go there to win and if we play well I think things will go better for us."

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Everything but the goal for Carrick's United

Midfielder Michael Carrick was pleased with Manchester United FC's performance as they drew 0-0 with FC Internazionale Milano but noted that missed chances at San Siro had left the tie "hanging in the balance".

First-half dominance
Playing his 27th game in Europe's premier club competition, Carrick was particularly impressed by his side's first-half showing, during which Cristiano Ronaldo was a constant thorn in Inter's side, testing the home team's resolute goalkeeper Júlio César with a series of free-kicks and headers. "We played well tonight, particularly in the first half, and we're satisfied," said Carrick, "but we're a bit disappointed because we haven't taken all our chances.

'In control'
"We played well, took the game to them and created a lot of opportunities that on another day we would have scored but it wasn't to be and it's not a bad position to be in going into the second leg," he added. "We knew what to expect from Inter. They're a good side but we looked to play to our strengths and we cancelled them out. We were pretty much in control of the game. I felt that they had a spell just after half-time where they came back at us a little bit but apart from that we were in control."

Away goal threat
For all of United's dominance they could not convert the chances that came their way, with Ryan Giggs, on 29 minutes, also finding César too sharp for him when he bore down on goal. Thus, United must host the Italian champions knowing that an away goal could be their undoing at Old Trafford. "The next game will be tough with two good teams going at it again," Carrick conceded. "Games like this can turn quite quickly so we'll be aware of their strengths but we'll try and win. The tie is still hanging in the balance, they've got players who can change the game quite quickly, but we're good at home, we've got players that are good enough and I'm confident that we can go through."

Evans praise
Carrick was quick to pay tribute to his side's makeshift defence, which incorporated John O'Shea and Jonny Evans due to the absence of key players, but which managed to stretch the club's unbeaten run to a record 20 matches in the UEFA Champions League. "I think it shows the strength in depth in our squad that Nemanja Vidić wasn't playing tonight and Wes Brown, Gary Neville and Rafael were out injured," he said. "I don't know how you can pick a best back four anymore because whenever any players have come in they've done tremendously well. Jonny Evans had a great game tonight and he was carrying a knock. It was brilliant to keep another clean sheet – it's given us a lot of confidence."

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