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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

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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."

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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."

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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."

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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."

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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."

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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.

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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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Sporting stage fright no bother for Bento

Paulo Bento is confident his Sporting Clube de Portugal side will not let nerves get the better of them when they take a step into the unknown in their UEFA Champions League first knockout round tie against FC Bayern München.

Confidence high
Sporting have progressed beyond the group stage for the first time this season, while four-time European champions Bayern have returned to the top table with some aplomb after missing out last year. Even so, Bento's men are full of belief after Saturday's thrilling 3-2 win against SL Benfica brought them back into the race for the Portuguese title. As well as giving his charges "real hope", Bento said that the weekend result also underlined how far Sporting have come since his arrival in October 2005.

Growing maturity
"The squad is mature now," he stressed. "We have to show that we've evolved, and getting to the quarter-finals would do that. We have two objectives – to get to first place in the Liga and to go as far as possible in the Champions League. We know that it will be difficult, so we have to take it step by step. The first step is this tie."

Unwanted record
With Sporting having failed to beat a German team in 14 attempts in UEFA competition, Bento is realistic about the task at hand, explaining: "For a number of reasons, Bayern are clear favourites. They are a very well-organised team and well-balanced, so we have to be organised and, above all, enjoy the game." The 39-year-old, who should replace the injured Hélder Postiga (knee) with Derlei up front while the experienced Abel may be preferred to Pedro Silva at right-back, said a first victory over Bundesliga opposition is not his primary concern: "The main objective is to go through. If we can do that without winning either game outright, then fine."

Bayern redemption
Jürgen Klinsmann is not reading too much into the past either. The Bayern boss recognises Sporting's qualities – "we have a lot of respect for them, they are very good at bringing young players through" – while keeping faith in his side's capacity to reach the quarter-finals despite their poor domestic form. Bayern have lost three out of four Bundesliga matches since the resumption from the winter break, including Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by 1. FC Köln. Nevertheless, Klinsmann thinks his players can put things right at the Estádio José Alvalade.

Striking a balance
"It's always important to find the right balance between defence and attack. We haven't managed that yet in the Bundesliga, but we have done it quite well in the Champions League," he said. "We're excited about this game, about restarting our campaign after a long break." Indeed, the former Germany coach, who hopes Luca Toni will be fit to start after an achilles problem, reckons this game is just the sort of occasion to bring the best out of Bayern, saying: "It's difficult for the players to be 100 per cent every time, but I'm confident we will be at our best here. We know how to make the most of these kind of opportunities."

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Devil is in detail for Pellegrini

They hardly featured among the tournament favourites when the UEFA Champions League got under way and, having reached the first knockout round, Villarreal CF and Panathinaikos FC are keen to maintain their status as underdogs.

'We're not favourites'
Given that these sides will play off for a quarter-final place over the next fortnight it was curious that the opening salvos from both coaches, so often about mind games, should boil down to which team would be saddled with the favourites' tag. Manuel Pellegrini, who guided the Yellow Submarine to the semi-finals in 2005/06, was unequivocal. "I don't think we are favourites for this tie and I just don't see how anyone can think we are," argued the man known as 'The Engineer'. "Panathinaikos are one of Greece's top sides, something of a European legend. It's a tough task for us and every last second of the 180 minutes will be vital in terms of form, fitness and concentration."

Important absences
Villarreal have home advantage in Wednesday's first leg, but will be without two valuable stalwarts, Joan Capdevila and Guille Franco, through suspension, while dependable centre-back Gonzalo Rodríguez is sidelined with a torn thigh muscle. "It's up to us to cope with that and show that we've started to hit good form recently," insisted Pellegrini, whose team recovered from conceding a first-minute goal to beat Real Sporting de Gijón on Saturday. "From what I've learned about Henk ten Cate's team, they are powerful, quick on the counterattack and their results in the group stage speak for themselves. But I'll ask my side to play with intensity from the off. I don't expect us to be able to establish a big lead but I do demand a home win."

Good memories
History suggests Pellegrini has cause for hope, as Panathinaikos have lost nine UEFA competition matches in Spain over the last decade. "Thanks for reminding me and my team about that, but records are there to be broken," said visiting coach Ten Cate, who has fond memories of El Madrigal himself. Having endured two defeats in Villarreal in his first two seasons as assistant to Frank Rijkaard at FC Barcelona between 2003 and 2006, it proved a case of third time lucky for the Dutchman. "I've got a very, very good memory of my last match here. Frank had flu so I took charge and we won 2-0," he said. "This is a totally different experience, though. Villarreal are the bigger club this time – they are the favourites and we the underdogs. They have more quality than us, but we'll see. Perhaps there's another surprise in store."

Rise and decline
Panathinaikos travel on the back of a morale-boosting 2-1 weekend home victory over Panionios GSS, a seventh win in ten league outings since Matchday 6 which came despite injuries to Loukas Vintra and Marcelo Mattos – who are still out. Villarreal have fared less well over the last two months, slipping from second in the Spanish Liga to a distant fourth. "I don't think my players have been saving themselves for this competition," said Pellegrini. "But the motivation when the Champions League comes back into focus is immense."

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Chelsea challenge excites Hiddink

For the second successive year Chelsea FC have changed manager during a UEFA Champions League campaign and Guus Hiddink, who has replaced Luiz Felipe Scolari until the end of term, admits he has had precious little opportunity to work with a team who will try to reach a fifth quarter-final in six seasons by overcoming Juventus.

Great start
First impressions for the new man have been entirely favourable, with Hiddink guiding Chelsea to a vital Premier League victory at Aston Villa FC last weekend in his first game in charge. Next up is the challenge of the Italian giants with former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri in the opposing dugout. "It's a challenge because when you are into spring and in the Champions League you are among the élite clubs of Europe," said Hiddink. "It's very exciting for all of us. It's special because it's my first home game and we had a good first match. Being at home everyone can expect a lot from this team by way of energy and passion."

No excuses
Appointed only two weeks ago, the Dutchman said it would be easy to offer excuses because of the limited time he has had with the players, but insists that everyone concerned must fight the temptation. "Every manager wants to have four, five, six weeks to implement things with the team but I have to do it in reduced time," Hiddink explained. "We just have to get on with it. We must not give ourselves an excuse because then there might be a tendency to believe we can do a little less. You need to give 100 per cent in the Premier League and the Champions League, and it is not in my mind or in the players' minds to give any less."

Cole in and out
Hiddink described Ranieri as a "gentleman coach" and praised the Italian's organisational skills, adding: "A team of stars can expose themselves but he can organise his team in a very disciplined way. That makes his teams difficult to play against." The game will probably come too early for Ricardo Carvalho, who has a hamstring injury, while Joe Cole is a long-term absentee due to a knee problem although Ashley Cole should return at left-back after a domestic suspension.

Positive response
Ranieri, back at Stamford Bridge where he spent four years at the helm from 2000 to 2004, believes his former employers will respond positively to Hiddink's arrival. "They will be determined to carry out his wishes," he said. "When I saw them against Aston Villa they played in a more direct style but we are prepared for this. Chelsea are a strong team and we respect them but we will have a say in the game as well."

Welcome returns
Alessandro Del Piero and Amauri look likely to fill the striking places for Juventus after they were named on the substitutes' bench for the 2-0 victory at US Città di Palermo on Saturday. Olof Mellberg also seems certain to return at right-back as Ranieri, whose side have lost their last six away matches in the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds, seeks to add solidity to his defence.

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European break the tonic for Van Bommel

Mark van Bommel is hoping a break from FC Bayern München's domestic troubles – not to mention the Bavarian weather – can be the tonic that revitalises their faltering season.

Sunnier climes
The German champions arrived in Lisbon for their UEFA Champions League first knockout round tie with Sporting Clube de Portugal a few hours behind schedule after being snowed in at Munich airport – and Van Bommel was clearly delighted to finally be preparing for the match in more favourable temperatures. "It's always nicer to play in this kind of weather," said the Netherlands midfielder, before turning to business. "We've lost three of our last four [Bundesliga] games and we hope to do much better from now on."

Reaction required
Saturday's 2-1 home loss to 1. FC Köln, which brought a run of seven successive wins in all competitions at the Fußball Arena München to a juddering halt, continued Bayern's poor form in 2009, leaving them four points behind league leaders Hamburger SV. Van Bommel envisages Jürgen Klinsmann's men using the UEFA Champions League as a springboard to turn their fortunes around. "We have to react," he said. "But these games in the Champions League give us the chance to do just that." Bayern, he went on, should not be taken lightly even in their current state: "Bundesliga games are very different to European games."

Spirits high
Indeed, according to the 31-year-old, morale remains high in the camp. "The spirit in the dressing room is good," he said. "The only thing we're thinking about on the pitch is how to win the game, not our previous results." Not that Bayern's optimism means they are expecting an easy ride in the Portuguese capital. "We're not arrogant, but we are certainly feeling positive," he said.

'Past is past'
Defender Lucio echoed his captain's remarks, acknowledging that while Bayern's record against Portuguese sides is excellent – having lost once in 20 meetings and never on Portuguese soil – it will count for little come kick-off at the Estádio José Alvalade. "Without doubt, history favours us," the 30-year-old said, "but this is another game, another story. We're coming into the game with a positive attitude, but the past is the past."

Boys from Brazil
The Brazilian international also recognises the quality in the ranks at Sporting, especially among his compatriots. "Liedson is important for them," he said, "everyone knows how important he is. But it's not just Liedson. In Brazil we know all about [Fábio] Rochemback and we all saw [Anderson] Polga was a good player when he played for the national team."

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Hunger drives on determined Del Piero

At 34, Alessandro Del Piero is just as desperate for UEFA Champions League glory as he was as a young player and he insists the desire to lift the trophy is the same regardless of his team's fortunes in Serie A.

New ground
The first knockout round tie at Stamford Bridge finds the Juventus captain breaking new ground because the Bianconeri have never before met Chelsea FC in UEFA competition. "I'm very happy to be playing at a stadium where I have never played before, it gives me lots of incentive," Del Piero said. "It is such a massive competition that everyone wants to win. Obviously the fact we are not at the top of our league should give us incentive to improve, but the truth is we want to win it no matter what position [in the league] we are in."

Invaluable experience
The Italian international helps lend great experience to Claudio Ranieri's side along with midfielder Pavel Nedvěd and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, and agrees that this could be an important factor at this stage of the competition when there is precious little to separate opponents. At the same time, though, he stresses the part the younger members of the Juve squad can play. "We are very united in our intentions and what we want to do," Del Piero added. "Yes, perhaps people look to [the experienced players] a little bit more but we have a very good set of players who know their strengths and have intelligence. So we should not dwell too much on the question of who has more influence on the team."

English domination
The tie is one of three that bring together rivals from Serie A and the Premier League. Last season England produced both UEFA Champions League finalists in Chelsea and Manchester United FC, and Del Piero sees no reason why the English clubs should not continue to dominate, saying: "Speaking selfishly, I would not mind if there was an English team in the final every year as long as they didn't win it. All the teams at this stage of the competition are very strong and the English sides are particularly well-equipped to reach the latter stages. I imagine that also goes for the next few years."

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Abel willing and ready to make history

Having reached the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds for the first time, defender Abel says the opportunity to "continue making history" is high among the motivating factors for a Sporting Clube de Portugal side taking on FC Bayern München at the Estádio José Alvalade.

Great performance
After four failed attempts to negotiate the group stage, Sporting finally qualified for the last 16 with two games to spare in November. They then warmed up for their first knockout round debut by producing arguably their best performance of the season on Saturday, defeating Lisbon rivals SL Benfica to boost their Liga title challenge.

'Confident'
"Without doubt, we're well-prepared for this one," said Abel, who is tipped to replace Pedro Silva at right-back after being overlooked for the 3-2 derby triumph. "We feel very good at the moment, we are confident of getting through to the next round. We have a lot of different factors to motivate us, and to continue making history is one of them."

Bayern strength
Despite the German champions slipping to fourth spot in the Bundesliga after suffering their first home reverse since September – at the hands of 1. FC Köln at the weekend – Abel dismissed talk of Sporting wearing the favourites' tag. "This is our debut at this level and against a team like Bayern we're not favourites," he said. "The league and the Champions League are totally different in every way. They're one of the best-known and strongest teams left in the competition."

Ribéry threat
Should Abel earn a place in Paulo Bento's starting XI, the 30-year-old is likely to come face to face with Franck Ribéry. Abel is an admirer of Bayern's talismanic Frenchman, yet knows the Lions cannot afford to concentrate solely on the midfielder: "He's a player we know very well, as he is world-famous now. He has a lot of respect throughout the football world, but they have quality throughout their team."

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Ramos reins in Madrid expectation

Optimism, not euphoria – that is the prevailing mood at Real Madrid CF ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Champions League first knockout round first leg with Liverpool FC, according to the home team's coach Juande Ramos.

'Perfect attitude'
The clubs share 14 European Champion Clubs' Cups between them as well as 49 domestic titles, all of which will add to the sense of occasion at the Santiago Bernabéu. Talk of mutual respect has been staple fare, but Madrid look to have momentum on their side thanks to a run of nine consecutive league victories, culminating in Saturday's 6-1 demolition of visitors Real Betis Balompié. "I wouldn't say we're euphoric but we're optimistic because things have been going well," said Ramos. "Maybe some fans are euphoric but the attitude of the players is perfect."

Small details
In turmoil when the draw was made on 19 December, Madrid now believe they can rein in Liga leaders FC Barcelona having already reduced the gap from 12 points to seven. Likewise, continental hopes have been rekindled and the Spanish titleholders are desperate for their first UEFA Champions League quarter-final appearance since 2004. "That's important for the club," explained Ramos. "It's going to be very close, between two sides at a similar level. It will be decided by the small details and it's not going to be easy given we face a historic team like Liverpool."

Robben return
Sacked by Tottenham Hotspur FC in October, Ramos insists he "has nothing to prove" as he renews acquaintances with English opposition and warned Liverpool they can expect a warm reception: "The Bernabéu has no reason to envy Anfield for atmosphere. We need the fans to help us get going and we know they'll be there." Influential winger Arjen Robben should also be present after recovering from a hip injury and Ramos can similarly call upon fit-again midfielders Guti and Wesley Sneijder, with the latter competing with Marcelo for a berth on the left.

Gerrard doubt
For Liverpool, Steven Gerrard's hamstring injury continues to provide the major selection intrigue. "We'll decide after training, but the important thing is whether he can give us anything on the pitch," said manager Rafael Benítez. Should Gerrard feature, it would prove a huge boost to a team struggling for inspiration. Sunday's 1-1 home draw with Manchester City FC was the Merseyside club's eighth stalemate in 13 Premier League outings and left them seven points behind Manchester United FC – the same deficit facing Madrid but more indicative of decline than resurgence.

Kennedy goal
Despite that form, Liverpool will seek to match the outcome of their only other competitive encounter with Madrid – the 1981 European Cup final in Paris, settled by an Alan Kennedy strike. "You're talking about two of the biggest sides in Europe with lots of Champions Leagues between them," explained Benítez. "Big teams with big players." Having spent a large chunk of his career as a player and coach in Madrid's youth and reserve set-up, the 48-year-old is uniquely placed to make that judgement. "I have good memories here," he added, no doubt hoping Wednesday yields many more.

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Fearless Sarriegi relishes Villarreal test

It has been an interesting UEFA Champions League season for Spanish defender José Sarriegi given that his goals have brought both heartache and joy to Panathinaikos FC.

Famous win
An unused substitute in Panathinaikos's opening Group B defeat by FC Internazionale Milano, the 30-year-old then had the misfortune to score an early own goal away to Anorthosis Famagusta FC on Matchday 2 which heralded a second successive loss for the Greens. But football can be kind as well as cruel, and it was Sarriegi who got the historic winner when Henk ten Cate's side subsequently defeated Inter at San Siro en route to topping the section ahead of the Nerazzurri.

Coach intervenes
Asked whether he had another goal in his boots at El Madrigal, where Panathinaikos face Villarreal CF in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday, the centre-back could not even form a response, never mind give it, before coach Ten Cate leant over and said: "He's got two saved up this time!"

'No fear'
Panathinaikos's success in Milan came either side of victories against Werder Bremen and Anorthosis, a sequence which has fuelled belief as they look to reach the last eight for the first time since 2001/02. Sarriegi said: "What we've discovered this season is that we can beat anyone anywhere, not just in our own stadium. Obviously it's a difficult tie against Villarreal but we are so full of confidence and motivation that it holds no fear for us. It's kind of the coach to predict that I've got more goals up my sleeve but as long as we come away having scored and given a proper account of ourselves, I don't care whether I get near the opposition goal or not."

Llorente threat
He does, however, find it easy to identify a goal threat at the other end of the pitch where Joseba Llorente will seek to add to his three group-stage strikes for Villarreal. Sarriegi, a former Athletic Club Bilbao and Deportivo Alavés player, said: "I know and like Llorente, he's a friend. He has the striker's knack of knowing exactly where to be and when. We will all have to watch him because one slip will be all he needs."

Victory a must
Villarreal midfielder Marcos Senna is also relishing renewing ties with an opponent, Panathinaikos midfielder Gilberto. "It will be the first time I've faced him since we lost to Arsenal in the 2006 semi-finals – it will be interesting," said the Spanish international. "I think it's fair to say that Panathinaikos are favourites because they won a difficult group in style while we were runners-up in ours. But we're at home, in front of our own fans, and the minimum requirement is to win this match with a difficult game to come in Greece in two weeks' time."

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Robben not out for Liverpool revenge

Arjen Robben insists thoughts of revenge will be far from his mind at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday when he and his Real Madrid CF colleagues attempt to build a healthy advantage in their UEFA Champions League first knockout round tie with Liverpool FC.

'That's football'
The Dutch international winger knows all about Liverpool from his three-season stint with Chelsea FC. Twice Robben faced the Reds in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals and twice he tasted defeat, having his penalty saved by Pepe Reina during the shoot-out in 2006/07, two years after the initial loss. "As a football player, if you're that close to a Champions League final, it's very hard to accept," he said. "But that's life, that's football. You have to try to learn from it and win the competition next time around. I've also won things in my career; you always have happy and sad moments. I'm just looking forward to the game."

No saviour
Having recovered from a hip strain, Robben should return to his now usual role on the right flank, but despite being touted by many as Madrid's most dangerous player, he will find a team that has thrived in his absence. Last week's 4-0 win at Real Sporting de Gijón was followed by Saturday's explosive 6-1 victory against Real Betis Balompié, with all six goals coming before Robben made his comeback at the start of the second half. "I don't see myself as the saviour of this team," explained the 25-year-old. "They scored ten goals in the last two games without me and there's a lot of quality and confidence. For me, it was just good to get back to playing again and now I'm ready."

Ramos impact
The Betis result made it nine wins in succession for Juande Ramos and his charges – the club's best run since 1985/86 – and Robben credits the former Tottenham Hotspur FC manager with turning Madrid into a force to be feared again. "We've changed how we play a little," he said. "We now play with two wingers, whereas we only used to use one. Defensively, we're more organised as well." In personal terms, Robben also feels Ramos has made a positive impact since taking the reins in December: "The coach gives me a lot of freedom. He just wants me to play my game and I switch a lot with the players up front. He's given me confidence."

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Ranieri unfazed by Chelsea return

Revisiting the club where he spent four memorable years, Claudio Ranieri is proud of his achievements at Chelsea FC but that will not sway him from his intention of taking Juventus past his old side and into the quarter-finals of Europe's élite club competition.

Happy return
Ranieri was manager at Chelsea from 2000 to 2004, leading the team to a UEFA Champions League semi-final in his last season in London, and although he betrayed a trace of nostalgia in discussing his return to Stamford Bridge, he has not let the primary goal slip from his focus. "It feels good to be back," he said. "Even when the draw was made, it was a good feeling – one does not forget four years. But we have to concentrate on the game."

Lasting legacy
The Italian coach was succeeded at Chelsea by José Mourinho, who went on to claim back-to-back English titles, but the nucleus of that championship-winning squad was brought in or nurtured by Ranieri. Frank Lampard, Claude Makelele, Petr Čech and Joe Cole were all signed by the 57-year-old, while John Terry became a regular and then captain under his stewardship. However, Ranieri is typically modest about his tenure. "I don't think I wrote much in the pages of history here, but the time I spent here was wonderful, the third year in particular when we qualified for the Champions League," he said. "I think I have been given credit by the fans – they always give me a good welcome when I come back and say 'thanks Claudio, you did well here'."

Rotation reputation
Dubbed the 'Tinkerman' by the British press because of his squad rotation policy, Ranieri steered Chelsea to the runners-up spot in England in 2003/04. However, his tactical decisions backfired in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg at AS Monaco FC that season, when, with the hosts down to ten men and the game delicately poised at 1-1, his substitutions did not have the desired effect and Monaco ran out 3-1 winners. "I think that's history and we're here to write a new page," he said. "The main thing I remember is the return leg, where we conceded just before half-time. We might have gone on to the final if that hadn't happened, but that's history and we cannot change it."

New approach
With Guus Hiddink installed as Chelsea's latest manager – their third in 18 months – in place of Luiz Felipe Scolari, Ranieri believes the approach to success has changed in the years since he left England. "I agree with Sir Alex Ferguson: football's changing. Here in England you did have the time to bring in young players. Now everyone wants to come top but there can only be one winner. People want instant success but football isn't like that. You need time to build a team and, yes, money is important to do that, but not the most important thing, which isn't necessarily a bad thing."

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Ranieri unfazed by Chelsea return

Revisiting the club where he spent four memorable years, Claudio Ranieri is proud of his achievements at Chelsea FC but that will not sway him from his intention of taking Juventus past his old side and into the quarter-finals of Europe's élite club competition.

Happy return
Ranieri was manager at Chelsea from 2000 to 2004, leading the team to a UEFA Champions League semi-final in his last season in London, and although he betrayed a trace of nostalgia in discussing his return to Stamford Bridge, he has not let the primary goal slip from his focus. "It feels good to be back," he said. "Even when the draw was made, it was a good feeling – one does not forget four years. But we have to concentrate on the game."

Lasting legacy
The Italian coach was succeeded at Chelsea by José Mourinho, who went on to claim back-to-back English titles, but the nucleus of that championship-winning squad was brought in or nurtured by Ranieri. Frank Lampard, Claude Makelele, Petr Čech and Joe Cole were all signed by the 57-year-old, while John Terry became a regular and then captain under his stewardship. However, Ranieri is typically modest about his tenure. "I don't think I wrote much in the pages of history here, but the time I spent here was wonderful, the third year in particular when we qualified for the Champions League," he said. "I think I have been given credit by the fans – they always give me a good welcome when I come back and say 'thanks Claudio, you did well here'."

Rotation reputation
Dubbed the 'Tinkerman' by the British press because of his squad rotation policy, Ranieri steered Chelsea to the runners-up spot in England in 2003/04. However, his tactical decisions backfired in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg at AS Monaco FC that season, when, with the hosts down to ten men and the game delicately poised at 1-1, his substitutions did not have the desired effect and Monaco ran out 3-1 winners. "I think that's history and we're here to write a new page," he said. "The main thing I remember is the return leg, where we conceded just before half-time. We might have gone on to the final if that hadn't happened, but that's history and we cannot change it."

New approach
With Guus Hiddink installed as Chelsea's latest manager – their third in 18 months – in place of Luiz Felipe Scolari, Ranieri believes the approach to success has changed in the years since he left England. "I agree with Sir Alex Ferguson: football's changing. Here in England you did have the time to bring in young players. Now everyone wants to come top but there can only be one winner. People want instant success but football isn't like that. You need time to build a team and, yes, money is important to do that, but not the most important thing, which isn't necessarily a bad thing."

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COMMUNICATION AND ARGUMENT IN THE QUR'AN

[COMMUNICATION AND ARGUMENT IN THE QUR'AN] In the Qur’an, Allah tells us that talking with others about religion is one of the most important acts of worship that believers can perform. This worship encompasses ever aspect of life. In their words, demeanor, and attitudes, believers are responsible every moment for telling others about the good moral life and for representing of Islam.

Their conversations among themselves are actually mutual communications of religion. They call upon each other to follow the Qur’an’s commands and to show its morality in their lives. In short, communicating religion is part of each believer’s identity. On the other hand, as the Qur’an tells us, arguing belongs to the unbelievers’ general make-up. Therefore, believers must always be careful of how they spread religion so that such efforts do not tend toward argument. Arguing has no place in the Qur’anic morality.

In this book, we will examine with detailed reference to the Qur’an the methods and rationale that believers should use when communicating religion to others and see the satanic nature of arguing.

Oct 09, 2008

Today

senang rasana akhrna clece jg 3outna tp mci ragu2 nieh dng nilaina coz td negrjain mpe muka merah puyeng.... [puyeng2


gt.,


hikz..hik.z..z.z.z.z.z..z

We will not go down

My Luply XIIPA3

Boka faces Stuttgart absence

VfB Stuttgart will be without left-back Arthur Boka as they attempt to overturn a 2-1 UEFA Cup Round of 32 deficit at home to holders FC Zenit St. Petersburg on Thursday after he tore ligaments in his right knee.

Six-week absence
The 25-year-old was replaced 30 minutes into Saturday's 3-3 Bundesliga draw with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and is set to be sidelined for six weeks. Boka has played 16 matches this season in the Bundesliga and was a 72nd-minute substitute when Stuttgart lost at Zenit last week.



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Mattos misses Villarreal trip Saturday 21 February 2009

Panathinaikos FC will be without Marcelo Mattos for Wednesday's UEFA Champions League first knockout round visit to Villarreal CF due to a thigh strain.

Vintra doubt
The Brazilian midfielder was injured during a 2-2 friendly draw against second division Ilysiakos FC last week and will not return until early March. Full-back Loukas Vintra is also a doubt for Wednesday after hurting his calf in training on Friday and he sat out Saturday's 2-1 Greek Super League defeat of Panionios GSS. Defenders Giannis Goumas and Gabriel both returned from injuries for that game, while Christos Melissis was on the bench after recovering from a thigh problem.



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Liedson scores twice in Sporting derby win

Sporting Clube de Portugal defeated SL Benfica 3-2 with two goals from Liedson in a thrilling Lisbon derby on Saturday night to join their neighbours within four points of FC Porto.

Early strike
Porto's 2-0 win at FC Paços de Ferreira on Friday had increased the stakes for the Estádio José Alvalade encounter, and Sporting got off to the perfect start with Liedson's eleventh-minute strike but José Antonio Reyes converted a penalty late in the first half to equalise. Derlei, a 27th-minute substitute after Hélder Postiga picked up a knock, restored the Sporting lead not long after the break.

Clincher
Bruno Pereirinha hit the crossbar for the home side before crossing for Liedson to put the game beyond Benfica with an 83rd-minute header, his tenth in 12 games against Sporting's neighbours. Despite substitute Óscar Cardozo's last-gasp goal for the visitors, Sporting held on for a morale-boosting win ahead of the UEFA Champions League visit of FC Bayern München on Wednesday. In the other Saturday game Rio Ave FC moved off the bottom as they beat Vitória FC 1-0 to leapfrog their opponents and three other teams into 12th.



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Abidal adds to Barça concerns

FC Barcelona could be without left-back Eric Abidal for up to eight weeks after the defender suffered a tear in his right thigh during the Liga leaders' 2-1 derby loss at home to RCD Espanyol.

Defensive loss
The French international collided with opposition defender Sergio Sánchez in the 24th minute of the Camp Nou encounter on Saturday night and was immediately replaced by Carles Puyol, who was making his return from a thigh problem. Abidal – who has made 19 league starts this season – will undergo further tests in the next few days. The news will come as a further blow to Barcelona, who suffered their first league defeat since 31 August against Espanyol and have already lost Andrés Iniesta to a thigh strain ahead of Tuesday's UEFA Champions League first knockout round first leg trip to Olympique Lyonnais.

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