Category Archives: SPORTS

Greek-born and Melbourne-bred Apostolos Giannou is set to switch allegiances.

Greek-born but Melbourne-bred Apostolos Giannou, who is the second top scorer in Greek’s Super League with 13 goals this term for Asteras, is set to switch allegiances to the Socceroos, despite debuting internationally with Greece, according to Fox Sports.

Giannou has also become the latest Australian to join China’s revolution, signing overnight with Guangzhou R&F, and reports from Fox Sports News 500 suggest he’ll be included in the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers squad to face Tajikistan and Jordan.

The 26-year-old has played for Greece’s under-21s and under-19s and even appeared as a substitute in an international friendly in November 2015, a nil-all draw against Turkey.

But that appearance didn’t tie the striker to the Greek national side. He was named on the bench for a Euro 2016 qualifier against Hungary, and thankfully for Australia, he didn’t get on the pitch.

Greece may be left to rue that decision, because sensationally, Postecoglou, who coached him in the Australian under-17s, has convinced the striker to pledge his allegiance to the Socceroos.

Not only is he set to be named in the squad for the March World Cup qualifiers, but Giannou, who credited Postecoglou’s efforts in making his decision, could face the nation that blooded him internationally when Greece travels to Australia in June this year.

“The effort of coming here to see me tells it all,” Giannou told Fox Sports News’ Daniel Garb in Athens.

He played at the Victorian Institute of Sport, Oakleigh Cannons and South Melbourne before moving abroad eight years ago. It’s been a breakthrough season for him, having travelled from Apollon, Kavala, PAOK, Platanias on loan and Panionios before his current club.

source:neos kosmos

FC Barcelona recovered from a slow start thanks to Lionel Messi’s brilliant free-kick and Gerard Pique’s winner early in the second-half.

FC Barcelona matched Real Madrid’s record run from the 1988-89 season and in doing so moved 12 points clear of third-placed Madrid.

FC Barcelona came from behind to equal a Spanish record of 34 games unbeaten in all competitions by moving eight points clear at the top of La Liga with a 2-1 win over Sevilla.

Sevilla were the last side to beat Barca back in October and deservedly struck first through Vitolo. (Asset Freeze Extended to Neymar’s Helicopter)

However, as so often of late, Barca recovered from a slow start thanks to Lionel Messi’s brilliant free-kick and Gerard Pique’s winner early in the second-half.

Luis Enrique’s men have now matched Real Madrid’s record run from the 1988-89 season and in doing so moved 12 points clear of third-placed Madrid.

Atletico Madrid remain Barca’s closest challengers after beating Madrid 1-0 on Saturday.

“We are in great form, but records don’t mean anything. At the end of the day everything is judged by titles,” Pique told Movistar+.

“Our season is well on track, but we need to finish it off.”

Sevilla were a constant threat on the counter-attack, but should have taken the lead from a set-piece when Timothee Kolodziejczak somehow blazed over from point-blank range.

Barca nearly went in front in spectacular fashion as Messi’s audacious attempt from a corner hit the post and Luis Suarez then blasted the rebound off the crossbar.

Sevilla did eventually make the breakthrough 20 minutes in, thanks to a fine breakaway as Benoit Tremoulinas’s cross from the left was slotted home at the back post by Vitolo.

However, as ever Messi came to the fore when Barca needed him most and the five-time World Player of the Year levelled with a stunning free-kick high into the far corner 11 minutes later.

Sergio Rico prevented Messi turning the game around single-handedly before the break with a great save low to his left.

Barca upped the pace after the break and were rewarded when brilliant link-up play between Messi and Suarez teed up Pique to tap home from close range.

source:sports.ndtv.com

Ο Μέσι σκόραρε για πρώτη φορά στην καριέρα του εναντίον του Τσεχ, η Μπαρτσελόνα νίκησε 2-0 την Αρσεναλ στο Λονδίνο και ουσιαστικά εξασφάλισε από την Τρίτη την πρόκριση στους «8» του Champions League.

Στο άλλο ντέρμπι της ημέρας, η Μπάγερν είχε την ευκαιρία να «τελειώσει» την πρόκριση αφού προηγήθηκε 2-0 στο Τορίνο, αλλά η Γιουβέντους βρήκε τη δύναμη και επέστρεψε φτάνοντας στο τελικό 2-2. Πάντως, ακόμα και έτσι οι Γερμανοί έχουν το προβάδισμα εν όψει της ρεβάνς στην «Αλιάντς Αρένα», στις 16 Μαρτίου.

Τα υπόλοιπα δύο ματς θα γίνουν την Τετάρτη . Χωρίς ασφαλή προγνωστικά είναι και τα παιχνίδια της Αϊντχόφεν με την Ατλέτικο Μαδρίτης και της Ντιναμό Κιέβου με τη Μάντσεστερ Σίτι.

Ασταμάτητη η Μπαρτσελόνα, 0-2 στο «Εμιρεϊτς» και πρόκριση από σήμερα

Ο Μέσι σκόραρε για πρώτη φορά στην καριέρα του εναντίον του Τσεχ, η Μπαρτσελόνα νίκησε 2-0 την Αρσεναλ στο Λονδίνο και ουσιαστικά εξασφάλισε από σήμερα την πρόκριση στους «8» του Champions League. Ο Αργεντινός πέτυχε και τα δυο γκολ, στο 71΄ και το 83΄ (πέναλτι), φτάνοντας τα 82 στη διοργάνωση. Η ρεβάνς θα γίνει στις 16 Μαρτίου στο «Καμπ Νου».

Ηταν ένα ματς ανοιχτό με γρήγορο ρυθμό και αρκετές φάσεις. Οι «κανονιέρηδες» προσπάθησαν να χτυπήσουν τους αντιπάλους τους με το δικό τους μεγάλο όπλο, το passing game και ως ένα βαθμό τα κατάφεραν, αν αναλογιστεί κανείς τις ευκαιρίες των Οξλέιντ-Τσάμπερλεϊν (22΄) και Ζιρού (60΄) που σταμάτησαν στον Τερ Στέγκεν. Φυσικά κι η «Μπάρτσα» είχε τις δικες της καλές στιγμές, με τον Τσεχ να σώζει κλασικό τετ-α-τετ με τον Νεϊμάρ στο 49΄.

Στο 71΄ η κορυφαία τριπλέτα του παγκόσμιου ποδοσφαίρου συνδυάστηκε και το αποτέλεσμα ήταν να… εξαφανιστεί η μπάλα. Ολα ξεκίνησαν από επίθεση της Αρσεναλ και κεφαλιά-απομάκρυνση των αμυντικών. Σουάρες και Νεϊμάρ συνδυάστηκαν και ο τελευταίος «έκοψε»ν στην ιδανική στιγμή για τον Μέσι, ο οποίος έστειλε τη μπάλα στα δίχτυα. Παρόμοιος συνδυασμός και στο 78΄ με τελικό παραλήπτη τον Σουάρες, όμως το δοκάρι έσωσε τον Τσεχ.

Ο Ματιέ Φλαμινί δεν πρόλαβε να έρθει σε επαφή με τη μπάλα πριν υποπέσει σε πέναλτι στον Μέσι στο 83΄, καθώς είχε περάσει ως αλλαγή στο ματς δευτερόλεπτα νωρίτερα. Ο Αργεντινός ανέλαβε την εκτέλεση και διαμόρφωσε το τελικό 2-0 που στέλνει από απόψε τους Καταλανούς στους προημιτελικούς της διοργάνωσης.

Στα αξιοσημείωτα της βραδιάς, το γεγονός ότι ο Λουίς Ενρίκε δεν πραγματοποίησε ούτε μία αλλαγή παρότι στο πρόγραμμα υπάρχουν έξι επίσημοι αγώνες τις προσεχείς 26 ημέρες.

Διαιτητής: Τσουνεϊτ Τσακίρ (Τουρκία)

Κίτρινες: Μονρεάλ – Πικέ (χάνει τη ρεβάνς)

ΑΡΣΕΝΑΛ (Αρσέν Βενγκέρ): Τσεχ, Μερτεζάκερ, Κοσιελνί, Μονρεάλ, Μπεγερίν, Οζίλ, Ράμσεϊ, Κοκλέν (82΄ Φλαμινί), Ζιρού (72΄ Γουέλμπεκ), Οξλέιντ-Τσάμπερλεϊν (50΄ Γουόλκοτ), Σάντσες

ΜΠΑΡΤΣΕΛΟΝΑ (Λουϊς Ενρίκε): Τερ Στέγκεν, Πικέ, Ντάνι Αλβες, Μασεράνο, Ζόρντι Αλμπα, Ράκιτιτς, Μπουσκέτς, Ινιέστα, Σουάρες, Μέσι, Νεϊμάρ.

Στο Μόναχο θα κριθεί η πρόκριση, 2-2 η Γιουβέντους με την Μπάγερν

Η Μπάγερν είχε την ευκαιρία να τελειώσει από σήμερα την πρόκριση στα προημιτελικά του Τσάμπιονς Λιγκ, όμως αν και προηγήθηκε 2-0 στο Τορίνο αναδείχθηκε ισόπαλη 2-2 απέναντι στη Γιουβέντους στο Τορίνο, αλλά ακόμη κι έτσι έχει το προβάδισμα ενόψει της ρεβάνς στην «Αλιάντς Αρένα», στις 16 Μαρτίου.

Η ομάδα του Πεπ Γκουαρντιόλα ανέλαβε τον έλεγχο του αγώνα από τα πρώτα λεπτά της αναμέτρησης, είχε ένα σουτ του Βιδάλ στο 4ο λεπτό που απέκρουσε δύσκολα ο Μπουφόν και έχασε μια απίστευτη ευκαιρία στο 13΄: ο Λεβαντόφσκι μπήκε στην περιοχή με έξοχη ενέργεια και γύρισε από δεξιά στον Μίλερ, λίγο πιο πίσω από όσο χρειαζόταν, με αποτέλεσμα ο Γερμανός διεθνής να παραπατήσει και να χάσει ένα σίγουρο γκολ, σε σχεδόν άδεια εστία.

Στο 43΄ όμως ο Μίλερ δεν λάθεψε, καθώς στο γύρισμα του Κόστα η απόκρουση του Μπαρτζάλι θύμισε ερασιτέχνη ποδοσφαιριστή και όχι τον στόπερ της Εθνικής Ιταλίας, η μπάλα στρώθηκε στον άσος της Μπάγερν κι εκείνος με σίγουρο σουτ νίκησε τον Μπουφόν για το 0-1. Στο 55΄ οι φιλοξενούμενοι διπλασίασαν με τον Ρόμπεν να σκοράρει με υπέροχο σουτ το δεύτερο φετινό γκολ του στο Τσάμπιονς Λιγκ, βρίσκοντας δίχτυα για πρώτη φορά μετά τις 7 Νοεμβρίου.

Η Γιουβέντους δεν είχε πάντως διάθεση να καταθέσει τα όπλα, με τον Ντιμπάλα να ξαναβάζει στο παιχνίδι την ομάδα του μειώνοντας σε 1-2 στο 63ο λεπτό, από έξοχη πάσα του Μάντζουκιτς που τον έβγαλε απέναντι στον Νόιερ, για να ισοφαρίσει τελικά ο Στουράρο στο 76ο λεπτό και να ξαναδώσει νόημα σε αυτή τη σειρά.

Διαιτητής: Μάρτιν Άτκινσον (Αγγλία)

Κίτρινες: Μοράτα – Ντόουγκλας Κόστα, Λεβαντόφσκι, Βιδάλ

ΓΙΟΥΒΕΝΤΟΥΣ (Μασιμιλιάνο Αλέγκρι): Μπουφόν, Μπαρτζάλι, Μπονούτσι, Λιχτστσάινερ, Εβρά, Κεντίρα (69΄ Στουράρο), Μαρκίζιο (46΄ Ερνάνες), Πογκμπά, Κουαδράδο, Μάντζουκιτς, Ντιμπάλα (75΄ Μοράτα).

ΜΠΑΓΕΡΝ ΜΟΝΑΧΟΥ (Πεπ Γκουαρντιόλα): Νόιερ, Μπερνάτ (74΄ Μπενάτια), Αλάμπα, Κίμιχ, Τιάγκο Αλκάνταρα, Ρόμπεν, Ντόουγκλας Κόστα (84΄ Ριμπερί), Λαμ, Βιδάλ, Μίλερ, Λεβαντόφσκι.

Αναλυτικά το πρόγραμμα των πρώτων αγώνων της φάσης των «16» έχει ως εξής, με ώρα έναρξης στις 21:45:

ΤΡΙΤΗ
Αρσεναλ (Αγγλία)-Μπαρτσελόνα (Ισπανία) 0-2
Γιουβέντους (Ιταλία)-Μπάγερν Μονάχου (Γερμανία) 2-2

ΤΕΤΑΡΤΗ
Αϊντχόφεν (Ολλανδία)-Ατλέτικο Μαδρίτης (Ισπανία)
Ντιναμό Κιέβου (Ουκρανία)-Μάντσεστερ Σίτι (Αγγλία)

Οι επαναληπτικοί θα διεξαχθούν στις 8, 9, 15 και 16 Μαρτίου.

Πηγή: in.gr

Lionel Messi ended the Gunners’ rearguard action with 19 minutes remaining before adding a spot kick to leave Barça firmly in the box seat.

Lionel Messi finally broke his Petr Čech hex as Arsenal’s impressive rearguard action ultimately came to naught against Barcelona in this round of 16 first leg.

Messi had not scored in six previous encounters with Čech but as the Gunners’ defensive steel began to creak he took his chance with 19 minutes left, completing a sweeping move. Another Messi goal from the penalty spot after he had been brought down leaves Arsenal staring at yet another UEFA Champions League exit in the last 16.

The first 45 minutes were a lesson in defensive discipline, with the compact hosts steadfastly refusing to be dragged out of shape by Barcelona’s fluid attacking. A rhythm soon established, with Messi, Andrés Iniesta and Ivan Rakitić patiently taking turns to test Arsenal’s resolve before the occasional burst of a home counter.

In fact, on the break, it was Arsène Wenger’s team who carried the greater threat. Had Mesut Özil’s cross been better, Aaron Ramsey could easily have made it 1-0. Then the unbalanced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain squandered the best opportunity of all, scuffing tamely at Marc-André ter Stegen with the goal at his mercy. Regrets, they had a few.

Arsenal looked set to pay when they were run ragged either side of the interval, Luis Suárez twice going close and Čech denying Neymar. They regained their composure, but from then on the match was stretched, with space opening up at both ends. Messi capitalised, rounding off a move that had begun in his own area before driving in from the spot.

Key player: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Much has rightly been made of Barcelona’s gilt-edged front three, yet this was a triumph of the original among them. Arsenal must be sick of the sight of him. With the game opening up the Argentinian took it by the scruff of the neck, showing his trademark cool when it came to the crunch. Perhaps Messi’s greatest feat is that he always appears to have so much more time than mere mortals.

Arsenal fail to take their chance
If Luis Enrique was shouting ‘abracadabra’ to his magical front three in the first half, the noise of the crowd was drowning him out. They had plenty to shout about, too, with their players seemingly equal to the challenge of facing Messi, Suárez and Neymar. How different might things have been had Oxlade-Chamberlain taken that first-half chance?

Barcelona show no signs of slowing
Sections of the Spanish media have questioned Luis Enrique’s reluctance to rotate his squad in recent weeks, and some suspect the full-blooded pursuit of the ‘sextet’ (UEFA Champions League, Liga, Copa del Rey, Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup) may yet take its toll. There is nothing like having 65% possession to help preserve energy levels, though, and Barcelona grew in strength towards the end.

source:uefa.com

Pep Guardiola said he did not “give a f–k” about the fitness of his players but questioned the mental preparedness of his Bayern Munich squad after they let a two-goal lead slip against Juventus on Tuesday.

The German giants were impressive for an hour in their Champions League last-16 first leg and went 2-0 up in Turin through Thomas Muller and Arjen Robeen, only for Paulo Dybala and Stefano Sturaro to net for the hosts.

The match finished 2-2, and although Bayern are still favourites to advance after the second leg at the Allianz Arena, Guardiola was clearly frustrated following the match, per the Daily Mail’s Matt Barlow:

The result is what it is. I know that in Italy you are about physical condition. I don’t give a f–k for the physical condition. It’s the mental question that I care about.

I didn’t expect to come here and expect Juve not to shoot on target, or that we would play 90 fantastic minutes. They have players like (Mario) Mandzukic, (Paul) Pogba and (Leonardo) Bonucci, one of my all-time favourite players. And we showed character.

The Spaniard hailed Juve as a “great team” and said that, while it was a blow not to have hung on for the win, he was pleased with his team’s work.

Indeed, he even hailed it as one of his better nights in management and hinted that he could coach in Italy one day, per Barlow: “I am very happy with how I did. It is probably the evening that I am the most pleased as coach in my career. Maybe one day I will work in Italy. If they want me.”

On the contrary, Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe was critical of Guardiola after the clash, suggesting that his change in formation allowed Juve the space they needed to get back in the game:

However, the Bundesliga giants have their two away goals and most certainly look the more likely to reach the last eight when the sides meet again for the second leg on March 16.

Guardiola already has three European Cup wins to his name—two as a manager, one as a player—all of them coming at Barcelona.

He departs Bayern to take over at Manchester City in the summer and will be desperate to win the Champions League this season in order to secure his legacy, which is not yet guaranteed, per MailOnline’s Kit Holden.

A 2-0 or 2-1 victory at the Juventus Stadium would have taken a huge amount of pressure off Bayern going into the second leg, but they have more than enough quality to complete the job either way.

Juve’s Paul Pogba said after the match that his side now know how to cause Bayern problems, per BT Sport Football.

And Bayern’s defence will have to be tight in the home leg to avoid a nervy occasion—scoring the first goal will be key for the hosts in the second leg.

While Tuesday’s result was clearly frustrating, Bayern are still in the driving seat to reach the quarter-finals.

source:bleacherreport.com

THE Socceroos will host a double header against Greece, with a match in Sydney confirmed for 4 June, with the other venue to be announced shortly.

It will be the first time in 10 years Greece has visited its huge fan base in Australia, and they are the first European outfit to travel to our shores in five years.

A Josip Skoko goal was the winner the last time the two teams clashed, in front of 95,000 fans at the MCG before the team left for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

It will be the first time the Socceroos return to ANZ Stadium since hoisting the Asian Cup last year, with Melbourne believed to be the likely venue for the second game in the double header on 7 June. The matches will come off the back of the glamour clash with England in the north of England.

The 2004 European champions, ranked 39th in the world, missed out on Euro 2016 but still boast a line-up with formidable quality, including the likes of defensive rocks from Roma, Kostas Manolas and Vasilis Torosidis, plus Benfica striker Konstantinos Mitroglou and Fiorentina winger Panagiotis Kone.

Should Ange Postecoglou’s side negotiate the final two first round World Cup qualifiers in March, these friendlies, against the country of Postecoglou’s birth, will serve as vital preparation before the second group phase begins.

“We’re excited to lock in the match against Greece on home soil,” said Postecoglou.

“There’s no doubt the Greek match will be a hit with the Socceroos and Greek fans and we can look forward to a special atmosphere at ANZ Stadium.

“Playing Greece will be a good match up for us as we look to play as many teams as possible from outside our region when we have breaks from our World Cup Qualifiers against Asian opposition.

“We have two very important World Cup Qualifiers coming up in Adelaide and Sydney in March, which are our first focus but it is good to have this match locked in as we continue to build throughout the current World Cup cycle.”

FFA chief executive David Gallop added: “This is a premium event that will excite Socceroos fans.

“Greece has a proud football history and with so many Australians having a Greek heritage this is going to be a special match. We look forward to seeing a sea of green and gold Socceroos supporters and the passionate Greek football fans create a tremendous atmosphere as we return to ANZ Stadium.”

Socceroos v Greece, ANZ Stadium, Saturday 4 June, 8pm EDT kick-off.

source:Fox sports

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar have scored a combined 91 goals this season for FC Barcelona and they will be favorites heading into the clash against Arsenal.

FC Barcelona, who have not tasted defeat in 32 matches, will be aiming to extend their dominance in their Champions League clash against Arsenal.

Arsenal and Barcelona resume their decade-long rivalry in the Champions League this week. (Five-Star Chelsea Punish Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur Knocked Out)

It’s been a one-sided tale. (Latest Football News)

It started in 2006 when Barcelona came from behind against 10 men to score two late goals and win 2-1 in the final in Paris. Arsenal hasn’t reached the title match since.

Barcelona won 6-3 over two legs in the 2010 quarterfinals, and 4-3 on aggregate in the last 16 in 2011.

There’s rarely a dull moment when these two entertaining and attack-minded teams meet, with those five matchups averaging almost four goals a game. And this year could be no different considering the scintillating way Barca is playing.

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar have scored a combined 91 goals this season, helping the Catalan team establish a club-record 32 matches without a loss heading to London.

No team has successfully defended the Champions League trophy but Barca is in prime shape to do so, even though coach Luis Enrique knows the potential of Arsenal heading into the first leg at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

“We are talking about a game that lasts 180 minutes,” Enrique said. “It will be complicated, because it’s a rival that can cause us problems.”

Arsenal has exited at the last-16 stage for the past five years and has never won the tournament.

Here’s a look at the other three matches this week:

Juventus vs Bayern Munich

There will be some familiar faces for Juventus and Bayern Munich when two giants of European football meet on Tuesday.

Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic scored 39 goals in 74 appearances for Bayern from 2012-2014, winning two Bundesliga titles and scoring in the Champions League final win against Borussia Dortmund in 2013. He resumed training Saturday following a month out injured.

It will be a return to Turin for Arturo Vidal and Kingsley Coman, who joined Bayern from Juventus last summer.

Bayern has won the team’s last three meetings but is without defenders Holger Badstuber, Jerome Boateng and Javi Martinez.

PSV Eindhoven vs Atletico Madrid

PSV, the 1988 European champion, is in the Champions League knockout stage for the first time since 2007 and faces 2014 runner-up Atletico Madrid. PSV tops the Dutch league, while Atletico is second in La Liga.

PSV is doing everything it can to ensure veteran midfielder Andres Guardado is fit for Wednesday’s clash with Atletico Madrid. The Mexico star, one of PSV’s best players this season, has been sidelined since late January with a hamstring injury.

“I’m assuming he will be playing,” said coach Phillip Cocu, who is without suspended captain Luuk de Jong.

Fernando Torres has broken out of another long scoring slump— this one lasted four months— with goals in Atletico Madrid’s back-to-back wins in the Spanish league.

Dynamo Kiev vs Manchester City

This is Man City’s third appearance in the knockout stage, and easily its best chance of reaching the quarterfinals. In the last two years, City has faced Barcelona and was convincingly beaten both times.

City manager Manuel Pellegrini is frustrated by having to face Chelsea in the FA Cup three days before playing Kiev in Ukraine, and rested key players to focus on the Champions League. In a congested fixture schedule, City may have one eye on a League Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

Dynamo’s appearance at this stage marks the first time the Ukrainian club has made it past the group stage for 16 years. Creative spark Andriy Yarmolenko is still recovering fitness after two months out with the leg injury he suffered against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the last match of the group stage.

Sanctions forcing the game to be played behind closed doors were lifted, following an appeal by Dynamo.

source:sports.ndtv.com

Real Madrid beat Roma 2-0 in their Champions League last-16 first leg at the Stadio Olimpico, with away goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Jese giving them the upper hand.

Ronaldo, who hadn’t scored an away goal in any competition since Nov. 29, put Real Madrid up 1-0 in the 57th minute with a curled effort that deflected past Roma goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

Real dominated possession in the first half, pinning Roma back in their defensive third for large chunks of the game, but couldn’t find a way through.

Roma did look dangerous on the counter-attack on several occasions, with Mohamed Salah and Stephan El Shaarawy forcing the action when the Italian side broke free of their own half.

Real’s best chance of the first half came when Ronaldo flipped the ball to Marcelo in the Roma penalty area, but the Brazilian’s curling first-time strike went just wide of the far post.

El Shaarawy nearly put Roma ahead before half-time when he collected a long pass just past midfield and ran at Keylor Navas’ goal only to be denied at the last second by a retreating Dani Carvajal.

Roma came out the stronger of the two teams after the break, once again finding plenty of space on the counter. Radja Nainggolan’s effort from 18 yards was deflected away and El Shaarawy almost got to the ball as Navas came off his line to sweep away.

However, Real Madrid soon got the upper hand as Ronaldo chased down a through ball from Marcelo, cut back and hit a curling effort that beat Wojciech Szczesny after deflecting off Alessandro Florenzi.

The goal was Ronaldo’s 33rd in the Champions League on the road over the last six seasons.

A desperate Roma weren’t done, though, with Salah’s pace continuing to open up opportunities to run at Real Madrid’s goal. The Egyptian nearly played substitute Edin Dzeko in with a curling cross after a run down the right flank.

Minutes later, Dzeko laid the ball off to William Vainqueur following a goalmouth scramble, but the midfielder’s well-struck volley blazed wide.

Dzeko again got in on goal in the 80th minute, but his quick turn and shot hit the side netting.

Roma players felt hard done when the referee did not point to the spot following a late Carvajal tackle on Florenzi in the Madrid penalty area.

Substitute Jese scored the clinching goal when played through in the 86th minute, firing beyond Szczesny into the bottom corner, and Zinedine Zidane’s team were able to kill off the remainder of the match.

The win marked Real’s first away win in their last nine attempts against Italian sides, with their last win on Italian soil a 3-0 victory against Roma in 2004.

The two teams meet again at the Santiago Bernabeu on March 8 to determine who will advance to the quarterfinals.

source:.espnfc.com.au

So it was hard to argue with Guus Hiddink’s take that his Chelsea team’s chances are “50-50”. Nevertheless, both those recent ties were settled on away goals and Jon Obi Mikel’s first-half leveller could yet prove crucial, particularly as the team that scored second progressed in 2014 and 2015.

Goalkeepers catch the eye
It has become a cliche in the French capital to say that Paris finished runners-up in Group A because of Kevin Trapp, the goalkeeper’s mistake at Real Madrid sealing a 1-0 loss. Given that it was the only goal he conceded during the entire group stage, that is a slightly harsh assessment, but the summer signing from Eintracht Frankfurt has also made a handful of errors on the domestic scene and remains something of an enigma.
Highlights: Paris 2-1 Chelsea

As an unknown quantity brought in to supplant the popular Salvatore Sirigu, the 25-year-old German was always going to have to work hard to win over supporters, but he turned in a faultless display and his instinctive save onto the crossbar from Diego Costa’s header will endure in the memory. “I’m convinced he’ll play a lot more games of this calibre,” commented Blanc. Trapp’s opposite number Thibaut Courtois was similarly impressive, meanwhile, keeping Chelsea in the tie with fine stops from the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimović and Ángel Di María.

Paris forwards prove points
Trapp was not the only player in the Paris ranks under the microscope. Ibrahimović went into this game saddled with a reputation for fading from view when the stakes are high, having managed just seven goals in 36 UEFA Champions League knockout games and three in 18 fixtures against English clubs at this level.

Here, though, he opened the scoring – albeit via a deflection – and played a part in Edinson Cavani’s winner, as the substitute showed what he too can do. Again left out of the starting lineup in favour of the lively Lucas, the Uruguay striker needed just four minutes to coolly slot in the winner after coming off the bench. “I hope this goal will give him confidence,” said Blanc.

Mikel: Chelsea still in it

Injury-hit Chelsea show grit
Chelsea supporters feared the worst when John Terry was ruled out of this match with a muscle injury shortly after fellow centre-back Kurt Zouma was sidelined for the season. They need not have fretted.

True, the visitors lost for the first time in the 13 matches since José Mourinho was dismissed, but Branislav Ivanović and Gary Cahill were formidable in the heart of defence – at one point throwing themselves in the way of a Blaise Matuidi shot – while young left-back Abdul Baba Rahman would have had an assist were it not for Trapp’s thrilling save from Costa. “We’re very disappointed to have lost the game,” said Mikel afterwards. “I think we deserved more.”

Hazard fluffs his lines
Long courted by Paris, Eden Hazard made waves before the game by suggesting it would be “hard to say no to PSG”. Here, then, was his chance to impress the hosts, who are still hunting a superstar solution on the left side of their attack.

Instead, while Willian and Pedro Rodríguez were the brightest sparks for Chelsea, the Belgian international had a low-key performance in keeping with his low-key season and he was promptly hauled off on 71 minutes. So majestic last term, Hazard has just one goal in all competitions in 2015/16 and will need to turn things around in the second leg – for Chelsea’s sake above all.

source:uefa.com

Η αποστολή του Ολυμπιακού αναχώρησε το πρωί της Τετάρτης για τις Βρυξέλλες, όπου την Πέμπτη θα παίξει με την Αντερλεχτ στον πρώτο μεταξύ των δύο ομάδων αγώνα για τη φάση των «32» του Europa League.

Ο Σεμπά, ο οποίος αναμένεται να συμπεριληφθεί στην αρχική ενδεκάδα προκειμένου να καλύψει το κενό του τραυματία Πάρντο, μίλησε πριν την αναχώρηση και τόνισε την αισιοδοξία του για το θετικό αποτέλεσμα:

«Δεν θα είναι εύκολο το παιχνίδι. Εμείς, όμως, πάμε εκεί να κερδίσουμε, θα τα δώσουμε όλα. Γνωρίζουμε τις δυσκολίες που θα μας βάλει ο αντίπαλος στον αγώνα, αλλά εμείς πάμε για τους τρεις βαθμούς», δήλωσε αρχικά ο Σεμπά και συμπλήρωσε:

«Οπωσδήποτε. Είμαστε προετοιμασμένοι για να κάνουμε ένα πολύ καλό παιχνίδι. Είμαστε πολύ συγκεντρωμένοι στη δουλειά που πρέπει να κάνουμε. Ελπίζουμε να πάμε να πάρουμε τους τρεις βαθμούς της νίκης, να πάρουμε ένα πολύ καλό αποτέλεσμα. Είμαι απόλυτα έτοιμος. Έχω δουλέψει πάρα πολύ. Ελπίζω να κάνω ένα καλό παιχνίδι, να βοηθήσω την ομάδα μου και να δώσω χαρά στους φιλάθλους».

Η αποστολή για το ματς με την Άντερλεχτ αποτελείται από τους: Μποτία, Μπουχαλάκη, Καμπιάσο, Ντα Κόστα, Ντομίνγκεζ, Ντουρμάζ, Φορτούνη, Χουτεσιώτη, Ιντέγε, Καπίνο, Κασάμι, Μαζουακού, Μιλιβόγεβιτς, Πουλίδο, Ρομπέρτο, Σαλίνο, Σεμπά, Σιόβα, Βούρο, Ζντιέλαρ.

Πηγή:in.gr