Bolivar, Quito ensure Libertadores progression

Bolivar, Quito ensure Libertadores progression
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Bolivar saw-off Chile's Universidad Catolica 3-0 to reach the Copa Libertadores Round of 16 on Tuesday.

Pablo Frontini's second-minute goal immediately settled the nerves of the Bolivian side in a must-win game.

Walter Flores long-range strike doubled the lead in the 27th minute before Damian Lizio consolidated the win four minutes after half-time.

"We knew it was a must-win game for us. Failure was impossible," Lizio told Fox Sports. "We managed the game well after the goals. We could have scored even one more goal."

The other Chilean team in the group, Union Espanola, ended on top even though they lost 2-1 at Junior in Colombia.

Union Espanola scored the first goal of the game, as Emiliano Vecchio netted a tremendous free-kick in the 12th minute.

However, first-half penalties from Sherman Cardenas and Luis Paez gave Junior the win despite the 29th-minute dismissal of keeper Carlos Rodriguez. Union Espanola failed to equalise despite their man advantage after the break.

Argentinian side Velez Sarsfield and Deportivo Quito of Ecuador made it into the knockout stage from Group Seven.

The Argentinian team ended on top of the group despite a 3-1 home defeat to Uruguay's Defensor Sporting.

Nicolas Olivera put Defensor ahead early in the seventh minute, while Diego Rodriguez widened the gap 30 minutes later and Matias Britos made it 3-0 two minutes after the half-time.

Federico Insua reduced the deficit with a 63rd-minute penalty but Velez failed to maintain the best record in the group stage - which would have allowed them the advantage of playing the second leg of all the remaining games at home.

Velez boss Ricardo Gareca was angry with his side's result in Buenos Aires, telling reporters: "If you play this way, you become eliminated. We must fix some aspects in the next stage. All defeats are useful to make decisions. It can not happen again."

Defensor Sporting crashed out though as Deportivo Quito hammered Mexican giants Guadalajara 5-0 with Matias Alustiza netting four goals.

The Argentinian forward netted at the 17th, 27th, 70th and 84th, while Fidel Martinez added the other 20 minutes after the break. Guadalajara defender Jorge Enriquez was sent-off at the 57th minute.

Guardiola excited by Chelsea challenge

Guardiola excited by Chelsea challenge


Pep Guardiola has lavished praise on Chelsea's ageing stars and claimed he is struggling to formulate a plan to see off the Blues and earn his Barcelona team a place in their eighth European Cup final.

Chelsea face their biggest task of the season tonight when they host Guardiola's all-conquering side in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final.

Upon taking charge at Stamford Bridge last summer, Andre Villas-Boas embarked on a new project which centred on phasing out Chelsea's veterans such as Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba and introduce a new crop of hungry young stars in their place.

Unfortunately for the Portuguese, the move backfired, with Villas-Boas leaving the club last month after a dreadful run of form and reports of disharmony within the Stamford Bridge dressing room.

His successor Roberto Di Matteo has turned to Chelsea's trusted lieutenants since the 34-year-old's departure and the move has worked, with Chelsea winning nine of the Italian's 12 games in charge.
I do admire what they have achieved. It will be exciting to play them.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola

Many claim the likes of Lampard (33), Drogba (34) and even John Terry (31) are on the wane, but Guardiola disagrees. "I do admire that generation of players," Guardiola said.

"They have done so well over the last seven years and have got into so many semi-finals and finals, and competed in the Premier League so well. That's not easy, so I do admire what they have achieved. It will be exciting to play them."

Despite being four points behind leaders Real Madrid, Barcelona have played some of the best football the world has ever seen this year and with the likes of Andres Iniesta, Xavi and, of course, Lionel Messi, it is easy to see why they are overwhelming favourites to progress.

But Chelsea's recent resurgence under Di Matteo has left Guardiola with much to worry about, it seems.

Guardiola added: "They have John Terry, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Didier Drogba ... They are players who have had thousands and thousands of adventures.

"Maybe they do not have the consistency in the league but in competitions like this they are one of the best teams in the world. I saw what they did against Tottenham," Guardiola added, referring to Chelsea's 5-1 win over their rivals at Wembley on Sunday.
Everyone wants to beat Barcelona and play well against us, because we are the current holders.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola

"Everyone wants to beat Barcelona and play well against us, because we are the current holders but I am struggling to see how we are going to hurt them and how we are going to create chances to score goals."

Guardiola's last visit to Stamford Bridge ended in success after Andres Iniesta fired home a 93rd minute away goal to take his team through to the Champions League final for the first time in his reign.

Barcelona went on to win the competition, and a remarkable 12 more pieces of silverware have followed under the stewardship of their former midfield maestro.

Such an accomplishment has naturally led to huge acclaim for Guardiola, with Chelsea reported to be among his interested suitors.

But the Barcelona boss, whose contract expires this summer, last night dismissed the idea he could swap the Nou Camp for Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, however.

He said: "It's fantasy. Hypothetical. I'm coach of Barcelona. Chelsea have a very good manager because, in the last 10 games, they've made unbelievable results. It's not the time to be talking about that. I'm here as Barcelona manager. Chelsea have a manager."
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Mourinho still optimistic of reaching final

Mourinho still optimistic of reaching final


Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has insisted the Spanish giants can turn things around in the return leg despite losing 2-1 at Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League semi-final.

Germany striker Mario Gomez hit an 88th-minute winner in Tuesday night's first leg to put Bayern in pole position to reach the 19 May final at their own Allianz Arena stadium against either holders Barcelona or Chelsea.

After France winger Franck Ribery gave Bayern an early lead, Real's Mesut Ozil equalised before Gomez's winning strike, but Mourinho says his team can hit back at their Bernabeu stadium in next Wednesday's return leg.
If we win at home, we are there. I am optimistic we can return here to play in the final.
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho

"We have the second leg to come and it's not like we have to make a historical comeback, what we have to do is very achievable," said Mourinho, whose team are away to Barcelona in El Clasico on Saturday in the Spanish league.

"If we win at home, we are there. I am optimistic we can return here to play in the final.

"I think a more justified result would have been a draw, but that's football. Whoever scores goals wins games, simple as that. It's not a bad result, it just means we have to win at home and turn it around.

"It wouldn't be the biggest turn around in history, I still think the team can do it, the fans will be behind us, just like the fans helped Bayern. We will prepare after Saturday's game and the team will be ready. Real always plays to win and I would have liked to have won today."

Mourinho said the referee had made a mistake in awarding Bayern's opening goal as replays showed Ribery fired home with a Bayern player offside, but he refused to criticise the official.

"We had the feeling that one team could get through with a lucky punch and they made it," said Mourinho. "Their first goal was offside, that is clear. I accept the referee's decision, but he shouldn't have given the goal."

Happy Heynckes
Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes was delighted with his team's performance as they preserved their remarkable record of having never lost at home to Madrid, with nine wins and a draw in their 10 meetings in Munich since 1976.

"We deserved to win, it was a hard bit of work," said the 66-year-old. "I had said we would play with passion for 90 minutes and the players did just that, they gave their all. I must pay a great compliment to my team, they ran very hard and played a great game."

Heynckes also singled out match-winner Gomez for his tireless display. "He worked hard for the 90 minutes and won back several balls we had lost and he deserved to get the winner," said Heynckes.

With all still to play for in Madrid, Heynckes said his team will not play for the draw. "No, we don't have to produce a defensive display," he said. "I don't know my tactics yet, but Bayern Munich will play to their style.

"We will play to make chances and we are capable of creating a few goals, I won't be thinking defensively, you have to balance well in defence and attack. The defence wasn't that organised for their goal, but we will play for a win in Madrid and we will not play for the draw."

Di Matteo leading Chelsea revival

Di Matteo leading Chelsea revival


Former Chelsea star Roberto Di Matteo has worked wonders in the caretaker role he assumed when replacing Andre Villas-Boas in the Blues hotseat at the start of last month.

An assistant coach to the Portuguese, Di Matteo engineered an instant revival in the team’s fortunes. After coming back from a 3-1 first-leg deficit to beat Napoli in the UEFA Champions League, the Londoners then ousted Benfica to reach the semi-finals of the competition, where they are about to face Barcelona.

Just for good measure they brushed aside Tottenham last weekend to tee up an FA Cup final with Liverpool, and have closed the gap on fourth-placed Spurs in the league to a mere two points. Presided over by a relative novice in the trade, who is still better known for his achievements as a player than his successes in the dugout, it has been quite a turnaround, one that could yet lead to him being given the job on a permanent basis.

Born in the Swiss town of Schaffhausen to Italian parents, Di Matteo is no stranger to adversity, as he explained: “When I was a child they used to call me ‘the immigrant’ and I suffered because of that. The situation has changed a lot now, though, and Italian people are well integrated in Switzerland.”

It was there in the country of his birth that the ex-Italy international began his career, winning the Swiss title with Aarau in 1993. “I started out in the second division and took up one of the places allocated to foreign players,” he said, recalling his early days in the country of his birth, a place with which he has always felt strong ties.

“People often said to me, ‘You’ll have a bigger career if you become Swiss’. But when I was 17 I turned down an invitation to play for Switzerland at that age level. I’d already made my mind up, and if I’d had to, I would have gone to Italy to retain my Italian nationality, even if it had meant working in a factory.”

Di Matteo did eventually make that journey, arriving at Lazio and catching the eye as an industrious midfielder. Doing enough to impress national team boss Arrigo Sacchi, he made his debut with La Nazionale on 16 November 1994 against Croatia, going on to win 34 caps in all, appearing at UEFA EURO 1996 in England and the 1998 FIFA World Cup France™.

By that time Di Matteo had already made the switch to Chelsea, for whom he played 119 times and won a number of trophies. After sustaining a triple leg fracture, he retired at the age of 31 in 2002.

A new direction
Following a long convalescence in which he underwent numerous operations, Di Matteo returned to the game in 2008, taking over as coach with English third-tier team Milton Keynes Dons. A spell in charge of West Bromwich Albion, whom he led to promotion, followed prior to his appointment in June last year as assistant to Villas-Boas. A little over eight months later, he was the boss at the Bridge, albeit on an interim basis.

Choosing to alter tactics rather than personnel, Di Matteo switched from his predecessor’s 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 formation, one he felt suited his players better and provided the team with more solidity. The change worked immediately, with the Blues regaining the defensive attributes that have made them such a ruthlessly effective outfit.
They don't like to play against us. The results in the past have shown that because of the way we play it's a little bit more difficult for them to play against.
Roberto Di Matteo on Barcelona

With Chelsea fighting on a number of fronts, the Italian has not been afraid to rotate his star players, daring to leave the likes of Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard on the bench for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie against Benfica.

“I just want to make sure the team has as much energy as possible, that it’s always physically fresh,” he explained, delighted to have earned the confidence of key players, who made no secret of the problems they had with his predecessor. “Every player in the team has to be involved. Even the ones who’ve played less for me will get their chance.”

The right credentials
The caretaker has also deployed Fernando Torres in a wider role to prevent him “treading on Didier Drogba’s toes in the centre”, as he put it. As a result, El Niño has rediscovered his long-lost scoring touch and contributed a number of assists in Chelsea’s fine recent run.

“I’m happy with Fernando’s performances of late,” said Di Matteo. “He’s doing a lot of good work for us and there’s no question he’s a great player and a fantastic team-mate. He’s doing much better and he’s happy now, although I need to give all the players in the team the same attention.”

“What’s happening on the pitch has shown that he’s breathed new life into the team and that something special has happened,” commented the Italian’s former Blues team-mate Marcel Desailly, venturing an opinion on Di Matteo's chances of making the job a permanent one. “I think he deserves to be given an opportunity and that [Chelsea owner] Roman Abramovich should keep him on as manager.”

The calls for that to happen will become a clamour if Chelsea see off the Champions League holders in their semi-final meeting.

“Barcelona are the strongest team in the world, but we can do it. I think it's fair to say we need two perfect games from our point of view against this team. I think also the fact that the last six weeks we've been performing very well that gives us the belief that we can produce two perfect games against this team. They don't like to play against us. The results in the past have shown that because of the way we play it's a little bit more difficult for them to play against."

If Chelsea can indeed make life awkward for the European champions once again, Di Matteo might just find that it is sufficient to convince Abramovich that he is worthy of a longer-term stay.

Streaks, strikes and a new sensation

Streaks, strikes and a new sensation
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Sequences and scoring feats dominate FIFA.com’s latest stats review, with Eden Hazard, Mario Gomez and Joel Pohjanpalo featuring alongside Fluminense and Manchester United.
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consecutive Ligue 1 appearances, the longest current run in the French top flight, was the milestone reached by Eden Hazard on Sunday. The Belgian, who has not missed a league match since October 2009, marked the occasion by scoring one and laying on another as Lille beat Ajaccio 4-1. Hazard currently leads the Ligue 1 assist table with 12, and lies second on the scoring chart on 15. The weekend past was also a productive one for Marseille, who ended their 11-match winless run by beating Lyon 1-0 in the Coupe de la Ligue final. The south-coast giants duly became the first team to win this trophy in three successive seasons, with coach Didier Deschamps having won all 12 matches he has overseen in the competition since taking charge.
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matches have now passed since Manchester United failed to score at home in the Premier League, enabling the Red Devils to set a new record. Not since Aston Villa won 1-0 at Old Trafford in December 2009 has any visiting team emerged from the Theatre of Dreams with a shutout, and Villa never looked like repeating that feat on Sunday. Wayne Rooney was the architect of United’s 4-0 win with a brace that leaves him on 24 Premier League goals for the season, just two short of his best-ever season in 2009/10. It was also the 28th time that Rooney has scored more than once in a top-flight match; in the Premier League’s history, only Alan Shearer – the record-holder with 57 – Thierry Henry, Robbie Fowler and Andy Cole have done so more often. Yet, vital as Rooney always is, it is Paul Scholes who has emerged as United’s lucky charm, having remained unbeaten in all 12 league matches he has played since coming out of retirement. Sunday’s victory also maintained Scholes’ amazing record against Villa, against whom he has not tasted defeat since a famous opening-day loss in 1995.
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years after their last home defeat in international competition, Fluminense finally succumbed in their Rio backyard last Wednesday. Boca Juniors were the team to end this 32-match run, clinching a 2-0 win - the first by a foreign team at Flu since Argentinos Juniors emerged triumphant in 1985. The victory also provided sweet revenge for the visiting Argentinians, who had seen their own 36-match unbeaten home streak ended by Fluminense just a few weeks earlier. The group stage of the Copa Libertadores concludes tomorrow and, with Santos and Internacional well placed to join Flu, Corinthians and Vasco da Gama in qualifying, Brazil could have five teams in the knockout phase for the fifth year in succession. One Brazilian team who won't be flying the flag in the next stage, however, is Flamengo, who exited in dramatic fashion, failing to survive the group phase for the first time in a decade.
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goals in a single UEFA Champions League campaign is a feat that, before last night, only two players had achieved. In firing the winner against Real Madrid, Mario Gomez became the third, joining Ruud van Nistelrooy (2002/03) and Lionel Messi, who has managed the accomplishment both this season and last. Gomez’s goal was Bayern’s 22nd against Real in the Champions League, breaking the record by one team against another in Europe’s premier competition – a record previously set by the Bavarians’ 21-goal haul against Spartak Moscow. Jupp Heynckes also maintained his 100 per cent home record in 11 Champions League matches with both Bayern and Real, and did so at the expense of his former club’s long unbeaten away run. This, after all, was Jose Mourinho’s side’s first defeat on the road in 22 matches, while they also conceded a first-half goal in European competition for the first time since December 2009.
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minutes and 42 seconds was the time it took 17-year-old Joel Pohjanpalo to score the quickest hat-trick in the history of Finland’s Veikkausliiga on Sunday. HJK were 1-0 down at home to Mariehamn with 71 minutes played when the youngster grabbed the first of a treble that he completed before the 74-minute mark had been reached. And as if that feat wasn’t impressive enough, Pohjanpalo managed to chalk up a ‘perfect' hat-trick, scoring the first with his head, the second with his left foot and the third with his right. The youngster spent a week on trial with Liverpool last month after scoring 33 times in Finland’s third tier for HJK’s reserve side, but Sunday’s match was just his second-ever appearance – and first-ever start – at senior level.
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Buffon: Juve’s success is down to Conte

Buffon: Juve’s success is down to Conte


Gianluigi Buffon has credited Antonio Conte with reviving Juventus's fortunes this season. The Turin giants ended the previous two campaigns in seventh place and out of European football contention.

However, I Bianconeri have improved drastically since Conte took over the reins last summer. Juventus are through to the Coppa Italia final on 20 May, and remain in the Scudetto race with nine rounds remaining in Serie A.

"The secret of our success is the ambition our coach has," Buffon told Corriere dello Sport. "He has shown that ambition since day one and has combined that with hard work."
Conte has brought a new mentality to the club. He has pushed us to sweat, to find strength and to undergo hard work in order to cancel out the last two disappointing campaigns.
Gianluigi Buffon

Buffon believes Conte is responsible for the club's improvement, hailing the former Juventus player's philosophy and mentality. "Conte has brought a new mentality to the club," said the experienced goalkeeper.

"He has pushed us to sweat, to find strength and to undergo hard work in order to cancel out the last two disappointing campaigns. He brings that winning mindset to the club every day based on his own hard-working, committed character."

The Italy international is nevertheless surprised by his side's unbeaten run this season.

"I certainly didn't expect us to have the campaign we have had so far, although I did hope we could do well," Buffon said. "Now we have a Coppa Italia final to look forward to and we will not give up in the Scudetto race."

Juventus are second in the standings, four points behind leaders AC Milan, and host Napoli on Sunday night.

Heynckes dampens semi-final talk despite win

Heynckes dampens semi-final talk despite win


Bayern Munich's fans may have greeted their UEFA Champions League victory at Marseille by goading holders Barcelona, but coach Jupp Heynckes refused to look beyond next week's quarter-final second leg.

Bayern's 2-0 win in the first leg puts them in firm control of the tie and raises the prospect of a semi-final showdown with Real Madrid, who crushed Cypriot side APOEL 3-0 in the first leg of their last-eight tie on Tuesday.

Barcelona could then await the victors in the 19 May final at Bayern's Allianz Arena home, and it was to Pep Guardiola's side that the away fans' thoughts turned as the minutes ticked down at Stade Velodrome on Wednesday.

Heynckes, though, says his team cannot afford to think about anything beyond finishing the job against Marseille in Munich next Tuesday.

"There is a return leg to come first," he said. "There are 90 more minutes against Marseille first, so we can't talk about the semi-finals yet, let alone potential opponents.

"It's not that I have doubts - I just respect our opponents. I have a lot of experience in football and I know that these matches are decided over both legs."
It's not that I have doubts - I just respect our opponents. I have a lot of experience in football and I know that these matches are decided over both legs.
Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes

Goals in each half from Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben put Bayern in the driving seat, but Heynckes did express irritation at a late yellow card for substitute Bastian Schweinsteiger that rules him out of the return leg.

"I'm happy with this match, as we're playing matches every two or three days at the moment," he said. "But I wasn't happy with the five yellow cards, particularly the one that Schweinsteiger got. He needs to build up his fitness and he could have played in the second leg."

Bayern enjoyed the lion's share of possession in the first half but Marseille threatened their goal at several set-pieces and looked set to hold out until half-time until Gomez struck in the 44th minute.

As Marseille appealed for a handball against Philipp Lahm, a quick break by the visitors set up Gomez 20 yards from goal and he beat Elinton Andrade with a low strike that squirmed beneath the goalkeeper's grasp.

Andrade, Marseille's third-choice goalkeeper, was chosen to deputise for the suspended Steve Mandanda after Gennaro Bracigliano performed badly in a shock French Cup loss to third-tier Quevilly last week but Didier Deschamps refused to blame the Brazilian.

"You (the media) can make your own analysis," said the Marseille coach. "Steve is Steve, Andrade is Andrade. I have nothing to blame him for."

Bayern have been in rampant form in recent weeks, having scored 22 goals in their previous five games, and they put clear daylight between themselves and their hosts when Robben added a second goal in the 69th minute.

Out-of-form Marseille
While OM's hopes of reaching the last four have receded sharply, the 2010 French champions also find themselves 13 points outside the Champions League places in Ligue 1.

Deschamps said there was no time for self-pity though, particularly with the second leg coming up so quickly and a French League Cup final against Lyon awaiting on 14 April.

"We have matches to play and we haven't lost them yet," he said. "We won't be fighting for the top three, that's obvious. But there's no need to get excessively fatalistic. We still have things to play for and matches to win. It could also be better, but there are teams worse off than us."

Mandanda will return from suspension for the second leg, but Marseille will be without injured centre-back Souleymane Diawara and Alou Diarra, who picked up a yellow card that means he cannot make the trip to Germany.