[Champions League] AC MILAN THE CHAMPION OF 2007 - Page 3

**yasserbahale** · 05-03-07, 15:35

damet garm agha
khaste nabashi

== KK == · 05-03-07, 15:37

Quote:

Originally posted by yasserbahale
damet garm agha
khaste nabashi

SalaMat Bashi.

== KK == · 06-03-07, 04:46

Liverpool may be 2-1 ahead against Barcelona from the first leg, but captain Steven Gerrard is aware that Ronaldinho and company will be determined to avenge that Camp Nou defeat two weeks ago, and said: "We have got to be very careful, and show Barcelona every respect.

"They are a fantastic team and they are capable of going anywhere in Europe and playing people off the park.

"We must make sure we match, if not better, our first-leg performance. They are maybe more dangerous now because they are behind.

"But Barcelona over the last couple of seasons have proved they are the best side in Europe, that's how difficult it is going to be for us."

Gerrard continued: "We have a slight advantage, but only slight. We have to get the job done and we are confident we can do that.

"We know we have to keep people like Ronaldinho, Deco and (Lionel) Messi quiet. They are their best players and we must stop them imposing themselves on the game.

"But they have fine players everywhere, so it is all about our team doing their very best.

"We have the experience of the very big games, we have been to finals and done it before. But part of being a footballer is that history counts for nothing, you have to keep going out onto the pitch to do it again and again.

"We must not get carried away by the first-leg result, we must not be over-confident and think the job is done.

"The past counts for nothing. We have to have a fresh game plan and a fresh performance."

Manager Rafael Benitez is looking for his side to bounce back from their unlucky weekend defeat by Manchester United.

He said: "Our game plan at Anfield will be different to the one we used in Barcelona.

"We will be hoping for the special support of our fans to make this a very different game.

"The positive thing from the Manchester United defeat was that we played well and deserved to win. That we didn't was very disappointing, but we have gained confidence from that performance to go into the game with Barcelona."

Meanwhile, Liverpool's legendaery goalscorer Ian Rush warned: "Ronaldinho scored at the weekend, he's the real danger. And they have Eto'o as well. Top class both.

"If they are on form and you let them play, they can score three or four against any team in the world.

"You have got to stop Ronaldinho from playing. You do that by working harder than him.

"I do not think people realise how hard Liverpool worked in Barcelona to get the result they did. They have to do exactly the same at Anfield.

"They must give 110 per cent, everyone, and just hope that Ronaldinho does not have a special night."

== KK == · 06-03-07, 04:55

Real Madrid have confirmed that both Jose Antonio Reyes and David Beckham will be on the sidelines for around a month with respective knee injuries.

Both the players have damaged the internal lateral ligament of the knee, with Beckham's slightly more serious that Reyes'.

"The injuries to Jose Antonio Reyes and David Beckham have been confirmed," read a statement on the club's official website.
"The Sevillian [Reyes] has suffered a grade I-II sprain to the internal lateral ligament of the left knee. The estimated time that he will be out is between three and four weeks.

"The case of David Beckham is slightly more serious. The Englishman has suffered a grade II sprain to the internal lateral ligament of the right knee.

"The estimated time he will be out is around four weeks. Both will therefore miss Real Madrid's upcoming games."

Both the players will thus miss the Bayern Munich clash and the 'El Clasico', as well as two more league games, and England and Spain's Euro 2008 qualifiers - Beckham looked set for an international recall too.

The silver lining, of course, is that neither of the two have actually broken a ligament, which would have required an operation, and a 6-8 week rehabilitation period.

amirmn7 · 06-03-07, 05:27

BARCA BARCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA DOWN WITH LIVERPOOL

== KK == · 07-03-07, 08:44

Bayern Munich (2) vs. Real Madrid (3)
When: 2045 CET, Wednesday, 08 Mar 2007
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich

Make or break is truly what is on the line for both clubs in the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night as the Champions League remains both Bayern's and Madrid's only realistic source of silverware this term.

A gripping first leg ended with just one goal separating these two European heavyweights and set up what promises to be a thrilling encounter in Germany.
Madrid may have lifted their morale with a confident display against Getafe, but their failure to secure all three points in the league encounter at the weekend proved that they are still someway short of their best.
Fabio Capello has been searching all season for a formation and a line-up that will finally restore confidence and see the Spanish giants pick up a run of victories.
The opening half against Bayern two weeks ago in El Bernabéu looked be enough to give Madrid enough of a cushion to head into the forthcoming encounter without having to worry.
Instead, Mark Van Bommel's late strike has ensured that nerves could well be frayed as Ottmar Hitzfeld's side have two away goals and would be buoyed if they can score an early goal.
One encouraging feature of the opening match of the tie for Madrid was the fact that the occasion itself appeared to lift the team and that could well be the case in this game.
Consistency will be needed and with Capello at the helm it will be a given that the defence will be well-organised as keeping a clean sheet would see the visitors through to the last eight of the competition.
Bayern are beginning to rediscover their form under Hitzfeld, who returned to the club as coach after Felix Magath was axed when it became clear that the title was out of reach.
There are still concerns at both clubs that they could slip out of the Champions League positions, but the Germans' performance at Hertha BSC at the weekend proved that they have no intention of playing in the UEFA Cup.

Both Lukas Podolski and Roy Makaay scored and they could be the key players in this European clash as it boils down to whether Bayern can score.

The two sides have been creating enough soundbites to fill several newspapers many times over and, given their recent form, the majority are attempts to boost the morale of the two sets of players.

In seasons past, games between Bayern and Madrid have been like chess games as two sides on top of their game have search and probed for weaknesses in each other.

This time, as the first leg showed, they appeared to be more concerned about weaknesses in their own teams and spent much of the game ensuring that the opposition did not expose them to clearly.

Team News

Bayern Munich

Hitzfeld is waiting for late fitness tests on Lucio and Hasan Salihamidzic after the duo withdrew from training on Monday. While the Brazilian defender is expected to be back in time, the Bosnian midfielder could well start on the bench, with Bastian Schweinsteiger stepping in to add more weight to the central area fo Bayern. Makaay and Podolski are almost certain to start up front as both are in confident mood.
Probable Starting XI: Kahn; Sagnol, Lucio, Van Buyten, Lahm; Demechelis, Hargreaves, Van Bommel, Schweinsteiger, Makaay, Podolski

Real Madrid

David Beckham and José Antonio Reyes are both definitely out after picking up knee injuries during the draw with Getafe on Saturday. The dup are expected to be out for at least a month each. Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Gonzalo Higuaín both ended the same match with bruised thigh muscles, but should be given the green light to play in Germany. Raúl missed the weekend fixture as he continued his recovery from a groin strain, but he should be fit in time to face Bayern.
Probable Starting XI: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Helguera, Roberto Carlos, Diarra, Gago, Guti, Robinho, Raúl Van Nistelrooy

Players To Watch

Bayern Munich: Van Bommel, Makaay, Podolski

With the hosts unable to sit back, their attacking midfielders and forwards will have all the pressure placed on them to produce the chances and goals that will be needed to see them through to the next round. While Van Bommel's shooting from distance could cause problems, it will be speed and guile of Makaay and Podolski that will be the key to opening up Madrid's defence.

Real Madrid: Casillas, Cannavaro, Diarra

If Bayern are setting their stall out to attack, then a lot will depend on how the visitors soak up that pressure. Casillas' ability is undoubted and he will have to be at his best. In front of him, Cannavaro has had a hit and miss season since moving to Spain and it will be interesting to see how he copes with the Bayern strike duo. Diarra will be essential to break up the Germans' creativity in midfield.

== KK == · 07-03-07, 08:53

Arsenal (Prem, 4th, 52 pts.) v PSV Eindhoven (Eridivisie, 1st, 66 pts.)
When: 20:45 CET - Wednesday, March 7th, 2006
Where: Emirates Stadium - London

Tight first-leg

The Gunners trail 1-0 from the first-leg in Holland after Edison Mendez’s superb long-range strike. The Gunners defence and midfield were presumably briefed on the danger that the Ecuadorian posed from long distance but they were slow to close down and paid the ultimate penalty.

With the exception of a fluffed effort by the lively Arouna Kone, that was one of the few occasions when the Dutch genuinely troubled Jens Lehmann in the Arsenal goal. It was once again a case of Arsene Wenger’s side not taking their chances, although the longer the game went on, the less they looked like scoring against a PSV defence for who Manuel Da Costa and Alex excelled in defence.

TEAM NEWS

Arsenal

Captain Thierry Henry is fit to start against PSV after recovering from back and foot injuries. Wenger has declared there is no risk to his health if he plays from the beginning. Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor are back in the squad as their domestic bans do not apply to Europe. However, Philippe Senderos (hamstring) joins a lengthy injury list that consists of Justin Hoyte (hamstring), Mathieu Flamini (foot), Emmanuel Eboue (ankle), Tomas Rosicky (groin) and Robin van Persie (foot).

Probable line-up: Lehmann, Djourou, Gallas, Toure, Clichy, Hleb, Fabregas, Gilberto, Ljungberg, Adebayor, Henry

PSV Eindhoven

Defenders Manuel Da Costa (laryngitis) and Jan Kromkamp (hamstring) are both out, with Eric Addo and Sun Xiang set to replace them. Midfielder Ibrahim Afellay (hamstring) is doubtful. The youngster missed the first-leg, as did Farfan, but the Peruvian forward is back in the squad for the trip to London.

Probable line-up: Gomes, Sun Xiang, Alex, Addo, Salcido, Méndez, Simons, Cocu, Culina, Farfan, Koné.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Arsenal - Emmanuel Adebayor

The Togo star will be raring to go after what he considered an unfair domestic ban for his part in the Carling Cup final brawl. He will be fresh after a week-and-a-half of rest and will look to dominate the PSV defence in the air. He is also more than useful on the ground and enjoys a strong partnership and friendship with Henry.

PSV Eindhoven - Heurelho Gomes

The Brazilian had an excellent game in the first-leg, making fine saves from both Tomas Rosicky and Cesc Fabregas. Recent reports claim that Milan may be interested in bringing him to the San Siro but he will need to remain focussed as another busy night lies in store.

== KK == · 07-03-07, 09:13

Who: Milan (6th Serie A, 40 points) vs Celtic (1st SPL, 74 points)
When: Wednesday 6 March 2007, 20:45 local
Where: San Siro, Milano

Last Objective

For Milan, the Champions League represents the only opportunity this season to win any silverware. The Rossoneri have always done well in European competitions and will want to continue this trend as they host the Scottish champions at San Siro on Wednesday night.

The season has been full of ups and downs for the ‘Diavoli’, and in the space of 4 days their year could turn in their favour or go completely wrong. In fact, after this match and eventual qualification, Milan will be facing Inter on Sunday afternoon in the local derby, in one of the most important matches in the Serie A calendar. With Inter dominating the standings, it’s the Rossoneri’s only chance of getting some satisfaction from the domestic league.

Nothing To Lose

Celtic are in a different situation, as they have virtually already won their domestic league thanks to their 19 point lead over second-placed Rangers in the standings and therefore had two entire weeks to prepare this encounter. Milan are still in the race for the fourth place in the Serie A standings, so they could not risk resting too many first team regulars or think too much about this game before last Sunday.

Unlike Milan, for Celtic being eliminated at this point would definitely not constitute a tragedy, on the contrary, it’s already a huge achievement to have survived a group which comprised Manchester United and Benfica.

TEAM NEWS

Milan
Problems in defence for the Rossoneri who will be without the injured Costacurta, Cafu, Kaladze, Nesta and Serginho, apart from the suspended Boriello. On the other hand, Dida and Seedorf will be back after missing the first leg due to injuries, but Ronaldo is cup-tied.

Celtic
McManus will not be available due to a groin injury picked up during the match against Dunfermline which Celtic won 2-1. Vennegoor of Hesselink was in doubt due to an injury, but managed to come in as a substitute and even score a goal. Steven Pressley and Paul Hartley are cup-tied.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Kaka (Milan)
Has not yet stepped up his game since the start of 2007 and the Milan fans are looking forward to see him score his first goal this year. This might be the game in which he succeeds, given all the space that the Celtic defence might give him.

Miller (Celtic)
Deadly striker who can cause trouble to the Rossoneri's defence if not marked properly. The Scottish side will be hoping he can award them with a historic qualification to the quarter finals.

== KK == · 07-03-07, 09:25

Manchester United take a slender 1-0 lead into their second leg of the Champions League clash with Lille.

The controversy coming out of the clash in Lens has still not died down with Lille considering taking the matter of Ryan Giggs's free kick winner to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Patrice Evra sat out training on Tuesday and looks unlikely to feature after being substituted in the 1-0 win at Liverpool. Mikael Silvestre, his replacement at Anfield, and Gabriel Heinze are the possible replacements.

Wayne Rooney's knee injury on Merseyside required stitches but the England striker was hurtling around in training this week and will start, still seeking his first goal in the competition proper since his debut hat-trick against Fenerbahce.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Darren Fletcher are ruled out with knee injuries while Louis Saha is also out, leaving Henrik Larsson to continue in attack before his loan expires at the weekend.

Paul Scholes, who became the first United player sent off this season last weekend, is also a doubt for the Red Devils.

Lille will be without midfielders Mathieu Bodmer (ankle) and Yohan Cabaye (stomach) for the trip to Old Trafford.

After a morale-boosting 4-0 win against Troyes at the weekend, the third-placed Ligue 1 side welcome Kader Keita back from suspension.

== KK == · 07-03-07, 10:08

Real Madrid defender Fabio Cannavaro is doubtful for today's Champions League clash against Bayern Munich due to a groin problem.

The Azzurri skipper has been suffering from a groin problem off and on, and seems to have aggravated it during training at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday evening.

It happened during a stretching exercise, when there was a relapse, forcing him to retire from training.

He will now be subject to a double session of physiotherapy on Wednesday, and then undergo a final fitness test in the afternoon.

If he fails to make it, Capello will stick to the defensive line-up he used against Getafe on Sunday - when Cannavaro was suspended - with Sergio Ramos partnering Helguera in the centre, and Miguel Torres starting on the right.

The experienced Roberto Carlos - who has always done well against Bayern Munich, and has a knack of scoring crucial goals against them - is certain to start on the left.

Meanwhile, Raul has shaken off the injury concerns that saw him rested at the weekend, and Gonzalo Higuain has also recovered completely from a thigh injury suffered against Getafe.

Diarra, Gago and Guti could all start in midfield, with Champions League veterans Raul and Van Nistelrooy almost certain starters up front. Higuain and Robinho are expected to compete for the final starting spot, though Capello could strengthen his defence with Emerson.