Monthly Archives: March 2015

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have now both scored 75 times in the UEFA Champions League proper. UEFA.com lists every one, charting their record-breaking feats.

A riveting subplot has developed in this season’s UEFA Champions League. The two greatest forwards of the age have both surpassed Raúl González’s total for goals in the competition and are now level on 75 each.

UEFA.com has listed all Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s strikes since they first found the net at this level and picked out some noteworthy stats from all the numbers.

• Messi has only been on the losing side twice when he has scored
• Ronaldo has netted twice or more on 20 different occasions
• Messi has registered five hat-tricks
• Ronaldo did not score until his 30th game in the competition; he has since hit 73 goals in 88 appearances
• Both players have scored two goals across two finals

All stats are group stage to final only; Ronaldo also scored once in qualifying, v Debreceni VSC 3-0 (h) 09/08/05.

Please note that the player’s club is always mentioned first in the scorelines, even if they are away from home.

source:uefa.com

ESPN FC’s Alejandro Moreno believes Barcelona have a real chance to win the treble this season with the trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez leading the charge.

Barcelona have two season-defining matches in the space of four days that will go a long way in deciding how many trophies they end up with this campaign. And with 16 wins from 18 matches so far this year, the signs are promising.

However, while all the talk is of the Clasico at the top of La Liga on Sunday night, Barcelona can’t afford anything other than 100 percent professionalism against Manchester City on Wednesday.

The players appear to have taken that on board with Gerard Pique, Javier Mascherano, Jordi Alba and Lionel Messi all in for extra training Monday on their day off, but you would expect nothing less ahead of two huge games from players who have won so much.

The warning signs are there. Mid-table teams such as Real Sociedad and Malaga have recently shown this Barca side can be shut out while enjoying success at the other end of the pitch and opponents such as City and Real Madrid are capable of turning over any side on their day.

To reach the Champions League quarterfinal for an eighth consecutive year, Barca must not get involved in a high-scoring game with the Premier League champions, but this side does not have the game for shutting up shop and will undoubtedly go out to improve on the 2-1 lead with which they left northern England last month.

Luis Suarez, who got both that night, and the omnipotent Messi (who hit a double on Saturday in Eibar) are always in the mood for goals but it is at the back where mistakes must be kept to a minimum. The big decision for Luis Enrique is whom to choose as a partner for Pique in the centre of that defence.

That comes down to a straight choice between Marc Bartra and Jeremy Mathieu with Mascherano destined to deputise in midfield for the injured Sergio Busquets. The performance on Saturday from the young Bartra may get him the nod ahead of the experience of the Frenchman.

Bartra already has played five games in the group stages of this competition and should be the better option to deal with Sergio Aguero. With Dani Alves and Alba returning to the full back positions, the flanks will be well marshalled and Marc-Andre ter Stegen will again take over from Claudio Bravo in goal to continue his steady progress in the cup competitions.

While all the plaudits have recently gone to the attacking trident of Messi, Suarez and Neymar, only three opposition sides have managed to score more than once in those 18 games since the turn of the year and Barcelona won all those games.

City are in shaky form coming into the tie but when the referee’s whistle is blown for kickoff that will be quickly forgotten, and last week’s Champions League ties proved anything can happen.

A crazy end to end match like the 4-3 win Schalke took from Real Madrid is not in Barca’s interests, but there is no team in the world better at controlling the pace and rhythm of a game from the start so expect a repeat of the first half in Manchester with the home side dominating possession.

A midfield made up by Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic alongside Mascherano will provide that control, meaning the only change from the side that won the first leg would be Mathieu or Bartra in for Busquets.

This is all guess work, of course, and Enrique may spring a surprise with Real Madrid’s Sunday visit in mind.

Enrique’s strategy all season to rotate his squad and rest players at specific intervals should find his men at peak fitness to face two big games in four days. Only Messi could complain about playing too much but he would not have it any other way.

source:espnfc.com

Κοντά σε μία ιστορική ανατροπή έφτασε η Άρσεναλ στο «Λουί Ντε» του Μονακό, αλλά το 3-1 υπέρ των Γάλλων στο «Εμιρέιτς» αποδείχθηκε αξεπέραστο εμπόδιο για τους Λονδρέζους που έμειναν με τη νίκη με 2-0 στο Πριγκιπάτο.

Η Ατλέτικο Μαδρίτης προκρίθηκε καθώς επικράτησε 3-2 στα πέναλτι της Λεβερκούζεν. Η κανονική διάρκεια και η παράταση στην ισπανική πρωτεύουσα, βρήκε τους γηπεδούχους να προηγούνται 1-0 (Σουάρες 27΄), το σκορ δηλαδή με το οποίο είχαν ηττηθεί στον πρώτο αγώνα.

Tην Τετάρτη  η Γιουβέντους ταξιδεύει στο Ντόρτμουντ για να υπερασπισθεί το 2-1 με το οποίο επικράτησε στο Τορίνο, ενώ η Μπαρτσελόνα που θα υποδεχθεί την Μάντσεστερ Σίτι μετά την νίκη της με 2-1 επί αγγλικού εδάφους.

Μονακό – Άρσεναλ 0-2 (3-3)
Κοντά σε μία ιστορική ανατροπή στο Τσάμπιονς Λιγκ έφτασε η Άρσεναλ στο «Λουί Ντε» του Μονακό, αλλά το 3-1 υπέρ των Γάλλων στο «Εμιρέιτς» αποδείχθηκε αξεπέραστο εμπόδιο για τους Λονδρέζους. Η ομάδα του Αρσέν Βενγκέρ νίκησε 2-0, αλλά στην κλήρωση των προημιτελικών της διοργάνωσης θα βρεθεί το συγκρότημα του Λεονάρντο Ζαρντίμ, παρότι δέχτηκε αφόρητη πίεση ιδιαίτερα σττο τελευταίο 20λεπτο.

Το ματς ήταν μοιρασμένο στο πρώτο 20λεπτο, αλλά στη συνέχεια η Άρσεναλ ανέβασε… στροφές και κυριάρχησε στον αγωνιστικό χώρο. Η ομάδα του Αρσέν Βενγκέρ κατάφερε να προηγηθεί στο 36΄ με τη διπλή προσπάθεια του Ζιρού, ενώ στο 38΄ μετά το βολέ του Γουέλμπεκ η μπάλα είχε πορεία προς το κέντρο της εστίας του Σούμπασιτς αλλά βρήκε στον πεσμένο Αμπντενούρ κι έφυγε κόρνερ. Ακριβώς στην εκπνοή του πρώτου μέρους ο Ζιρού έχασε τεράστια ευκαιρία για το 0-2.

Με υπομονή και πειθαρχία στο παιχνίδι της η Άρσεναλ έφτασε στο δεύτερο γκολ, στο 79ο λεπτό με το σουτ του Ράμσεϊ μέσα από την περιοχή και το παιχνίδι πήρε… φωτιά. Στο 83΄ ο Σούμπασιτς έκανε την απόκρουση του αγώνα σε προσπάθεια του Σάντσες από πολύ κοντά, κρατώντας «όρθια» τη Μονακό.

Διαιτητής: Μόεν (Νορβηγία)

Κίτρινες: Κοντογκμπιά – Σάντσες

ΜΟΝΑΚΟ (Λ.Ζαρντίμ): Σούμπασιτς, Φαμπίνιο, Κουρζάβα, Αμπντενούρ, Γουάλας, Ντιράρ (86΄ Έλντερσον), Ζοάο Μουτίνιο, Κοντογκμπιά, Τουλαλάν, Μπερμπάτοφ (70΄ Μπερνάρντο Σίλβα), Μαρσιάλ (59΄ Καράσκο)

ΑΡΣΕΝΑΛ (Α.Βενγκέρ): Οσπίνα, Μερτεζάκερ, Κονσιελνί, Μονρεάλ (83΄ Γκιμπς), Μπεγιερίν, Οζίλ, Καθόρλα, Κοκλέν (63΄ Ράμσεϊ), Ζιρού, Σάντσες, Γουέλμπεκ (72΄ Γουόλκοτ)

Ατλέτικο Μαδρίτης-Λεβερκούζεν 1-0 (3-2 στα πέναλτι)

Στο 27΄ ο Μάριο Σουάρες με ένα τυχερό γκολ, έδωσε το προβάδισμα στους “ροχιμπλάνκος” ισοφαρίζοντας τοο σκορ του πρώτου αγώνες. Οι γηπεδούχοι έδιωξαν το άγχος αρκετά νωρίς κι αυτό είχε ως αποτέλεσμα να κυριαρχήσει η σκοπιμότητα, καθώς καμία από τις δύο αντιπάλους δεν ήταν διατεθειμένη να ρισκάρει. Ετσι, μόλις μία μεγάλη χαμένη ευκαιρία (Αρντά Τουράν στο 80′ – απέκρουσε ο Λένο) το ματς οδηγήθηκε στην παράταση. Ιδια “γεύση” και εκεί…

Η πρόκριση θα κρινόταν στα πέναλτι και στη διαδικασία αυτή πιο ψύχραιμοι αποδείχθηκαν οι “ροχιμπλάνκος” και πήραν την πρόκριση με 3-2, με τον Κίσλινγκ να αστοχεί στο τελευταίο από τα δέκα πέναλτι και να τερματίζει άδοξα την ευρωπαϊκή πορεία της ομάδας του.

ΔΙΑΙΤΗΤΗΣ: Νικόλα Ριτσόλι (Ιταλία)

ΚΙΤΡΙΝΕΣ: Χιμένες, Γκάμεθ, Σουάρεθ. Τόρες – Σπάχιτς, Τοπράκ, Τσαλχάνογλου, Γουέντελ, Κίσλινγκ, Παπαδόπουλος

ΑΤΛΕΤΙΚΟ ΜΑΔΡΙΤΗΣ (Ντιέγκο Σιμεόνε): Μόγια (23΄λ.τρ. Ομπλακ), Γκάμεθ, Χουανφράν, Μιράντα, Χιμένες, Σουάρεθ, Κόκε, Γκριζμάν, Τουράν, Κάνι (46΄ Ραούλ Γκαρθία), Μάντζουκιτς (83΄ Τόρες)

ΜΠΑΓΕΡ ΛΕΒΕΡΚΟΥΖΕΝ (Ρότζερ Σμιντ): Λένο, Σπάχιτς, Χίλμπερτ, Γουέντελ, Τοπράκ, Μπέντερ (104΄ Κυρ. Παπαδόπουλος), Τσαλχάνογλου, Κάστρο, Μπεραλαμπί, Σον Μιν (77΄ Ρόλφες), Ντρμιτς (69΄ Κίσλινγκ)

Το πρόγραμμα (σ.σ. σε παρένθεση το σκορ του πρώτου αγώνα), έχει ως εξής:
Ατλέτικο Μαδρίτης (Ισπανία)-Λεβερκούζεν (Γερμανία) 1-0 (0-1)
* Προκρίθηκε η Ατλέτικο με 3-2 στα πέναλτι
Μονακό (Γαλλία)-Άρσεναλ (Αγγλία) 0-2 (3-1)
Μπαρτσελόνα (Ισπανία)-Μάντσεστερ Σίτι 18/3 (2-1)
Ντόρτμουντ (Γερμανία)-Γιουβέντους (Ιταλία) 18/3 (1-2)

Εχουν γίνει οι αγώνες:
Ρεάλ Μαδρίτης (Ισπανία)-Σάλκε (Γερμανία) 3-4 (2-0)
Πόρτο (Πορτογαλία)-Βασιλεία (Ελβετία) 4-0 (1-1)
Τσέλσι (Αγγλία)-Παρί Σεν Ζερμέν (Γαλλία) 2-2 (παρ.) (1-1)
Μπάγερν Μονάχου (Γερμανία)-Σαχτάρ Ντόνετσκ (Ουκρανία) 7-0 (0-0)

The Clásico is coming up for FC Barcelona but Luis Enrique is looking no further than the second leg against a Manchester City FC side confident they can compete with 11 men.

Possible lineups
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Alba; Xavi, Rakitić, Iniesta; Suárez, Messi, Neymar.
• Out: Vermaelen (hamstring), Busquets (ankle)

Manchester City: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Kolarov; Fernando, Fernandinho; Milner, Touré, Silva; Agüero.
• Out: Clichy (suspended)

Luis Enrique, Barcelona coach
There’s only one match on our minds and that’s the one against City. Not the Clásico. It would be dangerous to play a cagey match. Our objective is to win and play better than our opponents. A place in the next round is at stake. You play the whole season for these games and that’s why the press room is full today.

I don’t think last season’s game is anything to go by because both sides have changed players. You can’t qualify just by playing one of the two games very well. We need to play well [in the second leg] too and see if we can beat City again.

I don’t think City look physically tired at all. I am sure they will fight to qualify for the next round – I’m positive of that. We don’t take anything for granted and this match is very important.

Manuel Pellegrini, Manchester City manager
We need to play like we did in the second half of the first leg. For part of the first half Barça controlled the game but in the second half we had chances. We need to play 11 v 11 and then we have a team that can play like we did in the second half.

It’s important to fight Barcelona for the ball but they dominate possession against all opponents. We have to keep the ball once we gain control of it. We want to give Barcelona problems regaining the ball once we have it.

It is important for us to prove that we are one of the best teams in Europe by beating Barcelona and that must be our test. We must strive to win.

We are not facing an easy team but if it’s 11 v 11 the game could be different [to the first leg]. When you against Barcelona it’s almost impossible to do well when it’s 11 v 10 [as it has been for the teams’ last three meetings] – I am not pointing at the referee because it was a fair decision.

Weekend results
SD Eibar 0-2 Barcelona (Messi 31pen 55)
Burnley FC 1-0 Manchester City (Boyd 61)

source:uefa.com

Club Atlético de Madrid reached the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals by eventually seeing off the challenge of Bayer 04 Leverkusen on penalties in an engrossing tie in Spain.

Atlético drew level on aggregate midway through the first period thanks to Mario Suárez’s deflected effort, yet despite controlling the majority of the remainder of the game last season’s runners-up were unable to force a second goal. Extra time could not separate the sides either, and in the shoot-out Raúl García blazed Atlético’s first kick over the bar.

Hakan Çalhanoğlu was promptly denied by Atlético’s substitute goalkeeper Jan Oblak, however, and when Ömer Toprak fired over, it was advantage Atlético. Bernd Leno saved the next kick from Koke, but Fernando Torres converted the home side’s fifth kick and Stefan Kiessling missed the target with Leverkusen’s final penalty.

Defending a 1-0 lead from the first leg, Leverkusen had cause for optimism having won their previous five matches without conceding a goal. Indeed there was disruption in the Atlético rearguard before a quarter of the match had elapsed as goalkeeper Miguel Ángel Moyà limped off to be replaced by Oblak.

Leverkusen had had the best chance up to that point, Karim Bellarabi’s shot deflected wide, but Atlético gradually upped the pressure on the visiting defence and 27 minutes in they were rewarded. The visitors seemed to have dealt with Koke’s free-kick but cleared only as far as Cani; he headed square for Suárez and, though Leno looked to have had the shot covered, a deflection off Ömer Toprak took it beyond him.

From the same source, Atlético came close to an aggregate advantage from a similar route; this time Suárez’s deflected effort looped a metre wide. It took a timely tackle from Miranda to cut out Wendell’s dangerous low pass at the other end, a reminder of Leverkusen’s threat.

Atlético continued to look the more likely to claim a second goal as they pressed Leverkusen back from the early stages of the second period, but without carving out clear chances. The home side forced a steady stream of corners without reward and Antoine Griezmann’s fine low cross gave Arda Turan a sight of goal; the first-time shot flew wide.

Koke then curled a free-kick centimetres past Leno’s left-hand post, while Arda Turan tried to flick in Griezmann’s cross only to be foiled. Arda Turan was then denied by the goalkeeper, who dived to his left to push away the low effort.

Chances proved equally rare in the additional 30 minutes, although Simon Rolfes’ long-range shot had Oblak scrambling while Leno kept out Raúl Garcíá’s attempt. Torres’ diving header was straight at Leno with five minutes remaining, setting the stage for the penalty drama that followed.

source:ueafa.com

AS Monaco FC are through to the quarter-finals for the first time since 2003/04 – but they were pushed all the way by an Arsenal FC side who came close to making history.

No team had ever recovered a 3-1 first-leg defeat at home in the UEFA Champions League but perhaps none have come closer than the Gunners. They took the game to their opponents’ feted back line throughout. Olivier Giroud pulled one back before the interval and Aaron Ramsey struck 11 minutes from time to leave them on the brink. They so nearly got over the line, a combination of Alexis Sánchez and Giroud meeting a cross at the far post that Danijel Subašić clawed wide.

The first shot in anger actually came from Monaco and João Moutinho amid an enterprising start but once Giroud had sent a shot across the bows, heading just wide on 14 minutes, the hosts battened down the hatches. Arsenal began testing for weaknesses: sending in high balls, through balls, balls down the channels. They were all treated the same: smeared back into their own half by a Monaco defender. Try again.

It was a dangerous game, and even if the flag was up for offside when Laurent Koscielny hooked against the crossbar, a warning was served. It was not heeded. Soon after, the lively Danny Welbeck slipped Giroud through and while Subašić blocked his initial effort, there was nothing the keeper could do as the Arsenal forward speared the ball in with his weaker right foot.

There was not a flicker of a smile, only muted celebrations – there was still plenty to do. Monaco were rocking, grateful for a fortuitous block from Aymen Abdennour, lying prone near his goal line, when Welbeck connected with a fizzing shot. The suffocating pressure continued after half-time but gradually Monaco eased off the tourniquet, committing more men forward and forcing the Gunners onto the back foot.

Arsène Wenger, in familiar surrounds at the Stade Louis II, sought to drive them back, introducing Ramsey for the more defensive Francis Coquelin. It was all or nothing now. Mesut Özil sent a half-volley just wide, then with 11 minutes to go Theo Walcott hit the post and Layvin Kurzawa contrived to clear straight to Ramsey: the substitute did the rest to set up a grandstand finale. Monaco somehow held on to advance on away goals.

source:ueafa.com