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UEFA Champions Leagaue
Barcelona,Bayern,Real Madrid & Dortmund Qualified to the Semis
Congratzzzzzzz & Good Luck For All
Congratzzzzzzz & Good Luck For All
Full Time
Barcelona 1 Vs 1 PSG
Hoda gemak giya
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Juventus 0 Vs 2 Bayern
supirima team 4k qualify wuneBarcelona,Bayern,Real Madrid & Dortmund Qualified to the Semis
Congratzzzzzzz & Good Luck For All
.english team ekak nathi eka thma adupaduwa
supirima team 4k qualify wune
1kanam attha bro
Barcelona 1-1 Paris Saint-Germain (Agg 3-3): Barca advances to semifinals on away goals
Barcelona was forced to dig deep to book its place in the Champions League semifinals on away goals with a narrow 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain in their quarterfinal second-leg at Camp Nou on Wednesday.
With Lionel Messi at less than full fitness and consigned to the bench for over an hour, the Catalans appeared blunted up front, and were run ragged at the back by the ferocity of PSG's counterattacking approach.
And it was one such sequence that saw the Ligue 1 side break the deadlock minutes into the second-half, as Javier Pastore cleverly finished from Zlatan Ibrahimovic's through pass to round off a magnificent break.
But Messi's arrival in the latter stages of the second half swung the tie on its head, and with 71 minutes on the clock, a driving run from the Argentine was critical in setting up Pedro for a superbly taken equalizer.
The Blaugrana would hold on in the remaining minutes to ensure their progression, joining Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and eternal rival Real Madrid in the hat for the last-four draw.
Cesc Fabregas was the man chosen to replace Messi in the home side’s front three, while for the visitors Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Motta and Maxwell all started against their former club, with David Beckham benched.Xavi could have gotten the ball rolling as early as the third minute when his 20-yard free kick was curled agonizingly wide of the top corner, with Salvatore Sirigu beaten.
The pace of the match seemed to be picking up where the first leg’s emphatic finish left off, and Gerard Pique had to be alert to harry Exequiel Lavezzi off the ball from a dangerous run through on goal.
Lavezzi was proving himself to be a menace on the break, but his finishing let him down more than once. The Argentine drilled over the bar after wriggling free at the top of the box, before firing straight at Victor Valdes with the goal at his mercy.
Pedro forced Sirigu into a safety-first parry at the near post, missing the rebound to boot, but by far the better chances belonged to PSG, which, at times, had Barca on the ropes.
With half an hour gone, Ibrahimovic did excellently to stand a cross up at the far post, where Lucas connected with a header, but Valdes was there to tip over, and the keeper also stood tall to thwart Alex from the resulting corner.But the tempo of the game would settle as halftime approached, as Barca began to regain some semblance of solidarity at the back, though its efforts in the final third remained nullified.
However, with one scintillating counter attack five minutes into the second half, PSG carved the Catalans completely apart. Lucas and Ibrahimovic were both involved, with the latter slipping in Pastore for a delicate finish.
Pastore could have had another just before the hour mark when he strode into the area to meet Ibrahimovic’s low cross, but this time he scuffed his shot.
Messi had already been put through his paces since the opening goal, and with 28 minutes remaining, he made his appearance off the bench, replacing the disappointing Fabregas.And the Argentine was barely on the pitch for 10 minutes before making his presence felt, accelerating straight through the midfield and finding David Villa, who teed up Pedro to rifle home an exquisite equalizer from 18 yards.
Iniesta came close to putting the finishing touches on the tie with a mazy run through the defense with minutes remaining, but he could not place his angled finish anywhere but the side netting.
But despite a few nervy moments for Barca in the closing stages from set-pieces, time was simply not on PSG's side, and the Catalans held on to triumph.
Barcelona was forced to dig deep to book its place in the Champions League semifinals on away goals with a narrow 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain in their quarterfinal second-leg at Camp Nou on Wednesday.
With Lionel Messi at less than full fitness and consigned to the bench for over an hour, the Catalans appeared blunted up front, and were run ragged at the back by the ferocity of PSG's counterattacking approach.
And it was one such sequence that saw the Ligue 1 side break the deadlock minutes into the second-half, as Javier Pastore cleverly finished from Zlatan Ibrahimovic's through pass to round off a magnificent break.
But Messi's arrival in the latter stages of the second half swung the tie on its head, and with 71 minutes on the clock, a driving run from the Argentine was critical in setting up Pedro for a superbly taken equalizer.
The Blaugrana would hold on in the remaining minutes to ensure their progression, joining Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and eternal rival Real Madrid in the hat for the last-four draw.
Cesc Fabregas was the man chosen to replace Messi in the home side’s front three, while for the visitors Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Motta and Maxwell all started against their former club, with David Beckham benched.Xavi could have gotten the ball rolling as early as the third minute when his 20-yard free kick was curled agonizingly wide of the top corner, with Salvatore Sirigu beaten.
The pace of the match seemed to be picking up where the first leg’s emphatic finish left off, and Gerard Pique had to be alert to harry Exequiel Lavezzi off the ball from a dangerous run through on goal.
Lavezzi was proving himself to be a menace on the break, but his finishing let him down more than once. The Argentine drilled over the bar after wriggling free at the top of the box, before firing straight at Victor Valdes with the goal at his mercy.
Pedro forced Sirigu into a safety-first parry at the near post, missing the rebound to boot, but by far the better chances belonged to PSG, which, at times, had Barca on the ropes.
With half an hour gone, Ibrahimovic did excellently to stand a cross up at the far post, where Lucas connected with a header, but Valdes was there to tip over, and the keeper also stood tall to thwart Alex from the resulting corner.But the tempo of the game would settle as halftime approached, as Barca began to regain some semblance of solidarity at the back, though its efforts in the final third remained nullified.
However, with one scintillating counter attack five minutes into the second half, PSG carved the Catalans completely apart. Lucas and Ibrahimovic were both involved, with the latter slipping in Pastore for a delicate finish.
Pastore could have had another just before the hour mark when he strode into the area to meet Ibrahimovic’s low cross, but this time he scuffed his shot.
Messi had already been put through his paces since the opening goal, and with 28 minutes remaining, he made his appearance off the bench, replacing the disappointing Fabregas.And the Argentine was barely on the pitch for 10 minutes before making his presence felt, accelerating straight through the midfield and finding David Villa, who teed up Pedro to rifle home an exquisite equalizer from 18 yards.
Iniesta came close to putting the finishing touches on the tie with a mazy run through the defense with minutes remaining, but he could not place his angled finish anywhere but the side netting.
But despite a few nervy moments for Barca in the closing stages from set-pieces, time was simply not on PSG's side, and the Catalans held on to triumph.
Juventus 0-2 Bayern Munich (Agg 0-4): Impressive march to semis for Germans
Bayern Munich booked its place in the semifinals of the Champions League with another commanding defeat of Juventus, the newly-crowned German champion triumphing 2-0 in Turin on Wednesday night to seal a 4-0 aggregate win over its Italian counterpart.
The Bavarians soaked up what little the Bianconeri could throw at them during the early exchanges of both halves before eventually putting the outcome of the tie beyond all doubt when Mario Mandzukic converted from close range just after the hour mark.
Juventus tried to rally but there was to be no way back for Antonio Conte's game but limited side, which was opened up again in the dying seconds when substitute Claudio Pizarro fired home.
While the Bianconeri had to make do without suspended duo Arturo Vidal and Stephan Lichtsteiner, they were at least buoyed by Mirko Vucinic’s return to full fitness, with the Montenegrin having been restricted to the role of substitute in Munich.
Unsurprisingly, a fired-up Vucinic was particularly prominent early on, curling a tame strike into the arms of Manuel Neuer before then lofting the ball into the path of Claudio Marchisio, who drove forward with will menace only to then blaze high and wide as the Bayern goal came into range.
Bayern, though, weathered what was a very early and a very brief storm, and it took an expertly executed sliding challenge from Simone Padoin to prevent Mandzukic from finishing off a terrific move down the right side involving Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery.
Andrea Pirlo lifted the home fans with a stinging free kick from the edge of the area that Neuer did well to fist over the bar, while Paul Pogba flashed a ball across the face of the six-yard box that criminally went unconverted.
However, for all the Bianconeri’s bluster, and the loss of Daniel van Buyten to injury 35 minutes in, Bayern looked reasonably comfortable and arguably finished the half the stronger of the two sides, with Gianluigi Buffon having to produce a flying save to keep out a well-struck drive from David Alaba.
Vucinic, though, put Juve back on the front foot with a barnstorming run right at the heart of the Bayern back line immediately after the interval and, just moments later, strike partner Fabio Quagliarella flashed a shot just wide of Neuer’s right post.
However, the increasingly desperate home side unsurprisingly began to leave holes at the back and one brilliant Bayern breakaway on 57 minutes really should have resulted in the opening goal. Mandzukic deftly played the ball off into the path of Robben, who took a touch before striking the post with a sublime curling effort from 20 yards out.
The Bavarians’ disappointment did not last long, though, with Mandzukic on hand to convert the rebound after Buffon had done brilliantly to keep out Javi Martinez’s point-blank range volley from a Bastian Schweinsteiger free kick.
The visiting side should have doubled the advantage moments later but Thomas Muller blazed over after being put through by Robben. However, Bayern would get the second goal the team's dominance deserved when Pizarro slotted home after slipped in by Schweinsteiger to put the seal on another statement of intent from a side clearly driven by its desire to atone for last season's defeat by Chelsea.
Bayern Munich booked its place in the semifinals of the Champions League with another commanding defeat of Juventus, the newly-crowned German champion triumphing 2-0 in Turin on Wednesday night to seal a 4-0 aggregate win over its Italian counterpart.
The Bavarians soaked up what little the Bianconeri could throw at them during the early exchanges of both halves before eventually putting the outcome of the tie beyond all doubt when Mario Mandzukic converted from close range just after the hour mark.
Juventus tried to rally but there was to be no way back for Antonio Conte's game but limited side, which was opened up again in the dying seconds when substitute Claudio Pizarro fired home.
While the Bianconeri had to make do without suspended duo Arturo Vidal and Stephan Lichtsteiner, they were at least buoyed by Mirko Vucinic’s return to full fitness, with the Montenegrin having been restricted to the role of substitute in Munich.
Unsurprisingly, a fired-up Vucinic was particularly prominent early on, curling a tame strike into the arms of Manuel Neuer before then lofting the ball into the path of Claudio Marchisio, who drove forward with will menace only to then blaze high and wide as the Bayern goal came into range.
Bayern, though, weathered what was a very early and a very brief storm, and it took an expertly executed sliding challenge from Simone Padoin to prevent Mandzukic from finishing off a terrific move down the right side involving Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery.
Andrea Pirlo lifted the home fans with a stinging free kick from the edge of the area that Neuer did well to fist over the bar, while Paul Pogba flashed a ball across the face of the six-yard box that criminally went unconverted.
However, for all the Bianconeri’s bluster, and the loss of Daniel van Buyten to injury 35 minutes in, Bayern looked reasonably comfortable and arguably finished the half the stronger of the two sides, with Gianluigi Buffon having to produce a flying save to keep out a well-struck drive from David Alaba.
Vucinic, though, put Juve back on the front foot with a barnstorming run right at the heart of the Bayern back line immediately after the interval and, just moments later, strike partner Fabio Quagliarella flashed a shot just wide of Neuer’s right post.
However, the increasingly desperate home side unsurprisingly began to leave holes at the back and one brilliant Bayern breakaway on 57 minutes really should have resulted in the opening goal. Mandzukic deftly played the ball off into the path of Robben, who took a touch before striking the post with a sublime curling effort from 20 yards out.
The Bavarians’ disappointment did not last long, though, with Mandzukic on hand to convert the rebound after Buffon had done brilliantly to keep out Javi Martinez’s point-blank range volley from a Bastian Schweinsteiger free kick.
The visiting side should have doubled the advantage moments later but Thomas Muller blazed over after being put through by Robben. However, Bayern would get the second goal the team's dominance deserved when Pizarro slotted home after slipped in by Schweinsteiger to put the seal on another statement of intent from a side clearly driven by its desire to atone for last season's defeat by Chelsea.
Roura full of praise for 'important' Messi
The Barcelona assistant coach heralded his star man as he came off the bench to alter the Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Paris Saint-Germain
Barcelona assistant coach Jordi Roura lauded Lionel Messi after he came on to help the side through to the Champions League semifinal.
Messi was involved in the buildup play to Pedro's equalizer as he darted in behind the PSG midfield before finding David Villa, who laid the ball off to Pedro to fire home.
Roura stated it was always planned for the Argentina international to make an appearance if things were not working out and that his introduction changed the game.
"We agreed with him before the match that he would come on if things weren't going well. And that's what we did,” Roura told AS. "He's such an important player that his presence affected the game. His introduction influenced our opponent. He showed his capacity to compete."
Roura, who was in temporary charge while Tito Villanova received treatment for cancer, was quick to praise the club for its consistency over recent seasons after it advanced on away goals, 3-3 on aggregate - creating a new record in the process.
"The team showed what they're made of. Reaching [a record] six consecutive Champions League semifinals is a real achievement.”
Barcelona will face either arch rival Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund in the last four of the competition.
The draw will be made on Friday.
The Barcelona assistant coach heralded his star man as he came off the bench to alter the Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Paris Saint-Germain
Barcelona assistant coach Jordi Roura lauded Lionel Messi after he came on to help the side through to the Champions League semifinal.
Messi was involved in the buildup play to Pedro's equalizer as he darted in behind the PSG midfield before finding David Villa, who laid the ball off to Pedro to fire home.
Roura stated it was always planned for the Argentina international to make an appearance if things were not working out and that his introduction changed the game.
"We agreed with him before the match that he would come on if things weren't going well. And that's what we did,” Roura told AS. "He's such an important player that his presence affected the game. His introduction influenced our opponent. He showed his capacity to compete."
Roura, who was in temporary charge while Tito Villanova received treatment for cancer, was quick to praise the club for its consistency over recent seasons after it advanced on away goals, 3-3 on aggregate - creating a new record in the process.
"The team showed what they're made of. Reaching [a record] six consecutive Champions League semifinals is a real achievement.”
Barcelona will face either arch rival Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund in the last four of the competition.
The draw will be made on Friday.
Ferdinand: Manchester United doesn't get enough credit
The center back has claimed that Sir Alex Ferguson's side should be the favorite for Premier League success every year thanks to its recent dominance of English football Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has claimed his side are not given enough credit despite their recent domination of the English game.
The Red Devils require just 10 points from their final seven league games to secure a 20th league success having led from the front for much of the campaign.
However, the Englishman says that the tendency for bookmakers to overlook his side as the favorite for the trophy each year has repeatedly "riled" him.
"Every year that we've won the league, the following season we've never been favorites to win the league," he told Red Wednesday. "That's in most people's books or in the bookies' books, and that's always riled me.
"If you win the league, you should be the favorites next year because you've been the best team in the league - it's simple."
United has racked up 77 points so far this season and could surpass the 95-point record set by Chelsea under Jose Mourinho during the 2004-2005 campaign
And Ferdinand believes that those who doubted Sir Alex Ferguson's team following last season's surrender of the title to Manchester City have only spurred his teammates on.
He told BBC Radio Manchester: "People don't want to see us win the league and we thrive off that. We love it."
The center back has claimed that Sir Alex Ferguson's side should be the favorite for Premier League success every year thanks to its recent dominance of English football Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has claimed his side are not given enough credit despite their recent domination of the English game.
The Red Devils require just 10 points from their final seven league games to secure a 20th league success having led from the front for much of the campaign.
However, the Englishman says that the tendency for bookmakers to overlook his side as the favorite for the trophy each year has repeatedly "riled" him.
"Every year that we've won the league, the following season we've never been favorites to win the league," he told Red Wednesday. "That's in most people's books or in the bookies' books, and that's always riled me.
"If you win the league, you should be the favorites next year because you've been the best team in the league - it's simple."
United has racked up 77 points so far this season and could surpass the 95-point record set by Chelsea under Jose Mourinho during the 2004-2005 campaign
And Ferdinand believes that those who doubted Sir Alex Ferguson's team following last season's surrender of the title to Manchester City have only spurred his teammates on.
He told BBC Radio Manchester: "People don't want to see us win the league and we thrive off that. We love it."
Moses: Chelsea needs a fast start against Rubin Kazan
The Nigeria international believes Rafael Benitez's men can make things easier for themselves by netting early on in their Europa League meeting with the Romanian side Chelsea attacker Victor Moses has underlined the importance of his side making a good start in its Europa League clash with Rubin Kazan.
The Blues hold a 3-1 aggregate lead ahead of Thursday evening's quarterfinal second leg meeting with the Romanians at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia.
And Moses, who scored Chelsea's second in the first leg, believes an early goal could kill the tie and ensure the west London club progress.
"We're here to try to win the game. They have good strikers and they will be in our faces from the start," the 22 year-old told reporters.
"We just need to get our noses in front and try to win the game. It won't be an easy task but we're looking forward to it. If we can score an early goal that will be great for us."
The Nigeria international believes Rafael Benitez's men can make things easier for themselves by netting early on in their Europa League meeting with the Romanian side Chelsea attacker Victor Moses has underlined the importance of his side making a good start in its Europa League clash with Rubin Kazan.
The Blues hold a 3-1 aggregate lead ahead of Thursday evening's quarterfinal second leg meeting with the Romanians at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia.
And Moses, who scored Chelsea's second in the first leg, believes an early goal could kill the tie and ensure the west London club progress.
"We're here to try to win the game. They have good strikers and they will be in our faces from the start," the 22 year-old told reporters.
"We just need to get our noses in front and try to win the game. It won't be an easy task but we're looking forward to it. If we can score an early goal that will be great for us."
Ancelotti finds Paris Saint-Germain elimination tough to take
The French side was on the verge of pulling off a stunning upset at Camp Nou, but Pedro's equalizer saw it exit on the away goals rule Paris Saint-Germain boss Carlo Ancelotti has admitted it will take some time for him to come to terms with his side's Champions League heartbreak against Barcelona.
The Ligue 1 leader looked set to record a sensational upset when Javier Pastore put it up 1-0 on the night, and 3-2 ahead on aggregate, just five minutes into the second half of the second leg at Camp Nou.
However, Pedro equalized soon after for the hosts, who ultimately held on to progress to the final four on the away goals rule.
"Its hard to be eliminated after what we did tonight," Ancelotti told Canal+. "We were a little timid in the first leg and the result [2-2] was not good.
"But after tonight's game, while we feel regret, we also feel pride. We are proud because we did everything possible to win.
"We played well - didn't just defend - and that is why I want to thank all the players. We were so close to winning this game. This could have been a fantastic night for us."
PSG will now have to pick itself back up in time for this weekend's Ligue 1 meeting with Troyes, with les Parisiens looking to extend the seven-point lead they currently hold over second-placed Marseille.
The French side was on the verge of pulling off a stunning upset at Camp Nou, but Pedro's equalizer saw it exit on the away goals rule Paris Saint-Germain boss Carlo Ancelotti has admitted it will take some time for him to come to terms with his side's Champions League heartbreak against Barcelona.
The Ligue 1 leader looked set to record a sensational upset when Javier Pastore put it up 1-0 on the night, and 3-2 ahead on aggregate, just five minutes into the second half of the second leg at Camp Nou.
However, Pedro equalized soon after for the hosts, who ultimately held on to progress to the final four on the away goals rule.
"Its hard to be eliminated after what we did tonight," Ancelotti told Canal+. "We were a little timid in the first leg and the result [2-2] was not good.
"But after tonight's game, while we feel regret, we also feel pride. We are proud because we did everything possible to win.
"We played well - didn't just defend - and that is why I want to thank all the players. We were so close to winning this game. This could have been a fantastic night for us."
PSG will now have to pick itself back up in time for this weekend's Ligue 1 meeting with Troyes, with les Parisiens looking to extend the seven-point lead they currently hold over second-placed Marseille.
Pedro: Messi was the catalyst to victory
The Argentine talisman changed the course of the tie after coming off the bench in the second half, and his influence was celebrated by teammates Pedro and David Villa Barcelona forward Pedro has pointed to Lionel Messi as the reason for the Catalan side’s 1-1 Champions League draw against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, which sends it through to the semifinals on away goals.
Messi was restricted to the bench for over an hour after concerns over his fitness, and in his absence Barca struggled, falling behind to a Javier Pastore strike five minutes into the second half.
But the Argentine left his fingerprints all over the game shortly after his 62nd-minute arrival, as his driving run opened up the defense, eventually allowing Pedro to rifle home the equalizer.And despite scoring the all-important goal, Pedro was quick to lead the acclaim for Messi, telling reporters: “Messi is a very important player and he put in a great effort [after coming on]. He was the catalyst; we changed after he came on and we have to thank him for that.
“PSG are great rivals and perhaps it took us a while to get into our rhythm at the start. We're very happy. I think having managed to get the equalizer in the end we deserved to go through.”
Fellow forward David Villa also heaped praise on Messi’s game-changing display, saying: “Leo [Messi] is the best player in the world, his sole presence changes a game. I congratulate him for the commitment he showed with the club and with us.
The 31-year-old, who supplied the assist for Pedro’s goal, went on to share his thoughts on his team’s experience in the game.
“We struggled a lot, PSG's counterattacks were dangerous and lethal, they were in our side of the field a lot but despite that, I think we did well," Villa continued.
“We knew about their weapons, with a lot of good counterattacking players, but we still conceded many balls and crosses, which doesn't happen to us often on other days.
“I'm very happy after suffering a lot, it's a good way to win. We're very happy to be in the semifinals and now we will wait for the draw. The semifinals will be complicated no matter the opponent.”
There exists the possibility that Barca will face Real Madrid in a repeat of the 2010-11 semis, with Jose Mourinho’s men also in Friday’s draw after dispatching Galatasaray in the previous round.
The Argentine talisman changed the course of the tie after coming off the bench in the second half, and his influence was celebrated by teammates Pedro and David Villa Barcelona forward Pedro has pointed to Lionel Messi as the reason for the Catalan side’s 1-1 Champions League draw against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, which sends it through to the semifinals on away goals.
Messi was restricted to the bench for over an hour after concerns over his fitness, and in his absence Barca struggled, falling behind to a Javier Pastore strike five minutes into the second half.
But the Argentine left his fingerprints all over the game shortly after his 62nd-minute arrival, as his driving run opened up the defense, eventually allowing Pedro to rifle home the equalizer.And despite scoring the all-important goal, Pedro was quick to lead the acclaim for Messi, telling reporters: “Messi is a very important player and he put in a great effort [after coming on]. He was the catalyst; we changed after he came on and we have to thank him for that.
“PSG are great rivals and perhaps it took us a while to get into our rhythm at the start. We're very happy. I think having managed to get the equalizer in the end we deserved to go through.”
Fellow forward David Villa also heaped praise on Messi’s game-changing display, saying: “Leo [Messi] is the best player in the world, his sole presence changes a game. I congratulate him for the commitment he showed with the club and with us.
The 31-year-old, who supplied the assist for Pedro’s goal, went on to share his thoughts on his team’s experience in the game.
“We struggled a lot, PSG's counterattacks were dangerous and lethal, they were in our side of the field a lot but despite that, I think we did well," Villa continued.
“We knew about their weapons, with a lot of good counterattacking players, but we still conceded many balls and crosses, which doesn't happen to us often on other days.
“I'm very happy after suffering a lot, it's a good way to win. We're very happy to be in the semifinals and now we will wait for the draw. The semifinals will be complicated no matter the opponent.”
There exists the possibility that Barca will face Real Madrid in a repeat of the 2010-11 semis, with Jose Mourinho’s men also in Friday’s draw after dispatching Galatasaray in the previous round.
Barzagli: Bayern proved it is stronger than Juventus
The Bianconeri defender admits that the Bundesliga champions were worthy winners over the two legs and hopes his side can become more of a force in Europe next season Andrea Barzagli admits that Juventus was second-best after the Italian side was defeated 2-0 at home by Bayern in the Champions League quarterfinal second leg, ultimately ensuring its elimination with a 4-0 decision on aggregate.
Goals from Mario Mandzukic and Claudio Pizarro ensured it is now 10 years since the Bianconeri have reached the semifinals, and on that occasion they were eventually defeated by Milan in the final.
Speaking to Mediaset, the 31-year-old defender said: “We certainly played better than the first leg, but Bayern proved they are a very strong side and one stronger than us.
“We need to improve in order to reach their level and maybe by working hard we can get there. “This was our first Champions League in many years, for some of us the first full stop. Bayern have been at this level for five or six years, but we are just dipping our toes in."
Barzagli praised the support of the home fans and hopes that the team can achieve success by regaining the Serie A title.“We played with great fans and we thank them for supporting us. Now we have to end the season well," he added.
“It’s a shame we were unable to give them something to celebrate, but it was wonderful to receive applause even after the defeat.”Paul Pogba has impressed in his debut Champions League campaign, but the Frenchman agreed Bayern was the worthy winner over the two legs.
Speaking to reporters after the game, he said: "I'm happy with the effort we put in, but we played against a better team with more experience. "We would have liked to score early but they didn't give us the chance. They played very well and the first goal made it too much for us in the end."Gianluigi Buffon had not conceded for 490 minutes in the Champions League before the Bayern tie and the Italian goalkeeper is convinced that the experienced die Roten side can go all the way in this season's competition.
"The big difference between them and us is experience. I was even more impressed tonight than in Munich," Buffon said. "In the first leg we did not give our all, but tonight we did and still there was nothing we could do. I think Bayern can win the Champions League."
Bayern joins Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and Barcelona in the semifinals, with the draw being made on Friday.
The Bianconeri defender admits that the Bundesliga champions were worthy winners over the two legs and hopes his side can become more of a force in Europe next season Andrea Barzagli admits that Juventus was second-best after the Italian side was defeated 2-0 at home by Bayern in the Champions League quarterfinal second leg, ultimately ensuring its elimination with a 4-0 decision on aggregate.
Goals from Mario Mandzukic and Claudio Pizarro ensured it is now 10 years since the Bianconeri have reached the semifinals, and on that occasion they were eventually defeated by Milan in the final.
Speaking to Mediaset, the 31-year-old defender said: “We certainly played better than the first leg, but Bayern proved they are a very strong side and one stronger than us.
“We need to improve in order to reach their level and maybe by working hard we can get there. “This was our first Champions League in many years, for some of us the first full stop. Bayern have been at this level for five or six years, but we are just dipping our toes in."
Barzagli praised the support of the home fans and hopes that the team can achieve success by regaining the Serie A title.“We played with great fans and we thank them for supporting us. Now we have to end the season well," he added.
“It’s a shame we were unable to give them something to celebrate, but it was wonderful to receive applause even after the defeat.”Paul Pogba has impressed in his debut Champions League campaign, but the Frenchman agreed Bayern was the worthy winner over the two legs.
Speaking to reporters after the game, he said: "I'm happy with the effort we put in, but we played against a better team with more experience. "We would have liked to score early but they didn't give us the chance. They played very well and the first goal made it too much for us in the end."Gianluigi Buffon had not conceded for 490 minutes in the Champions League before the Bayern tie and the Italian goalkeeper is convinced that the experienced die Roten side can go all the way in this season's competition.
"The big difference between them and us is experience. I was even more impressed tonight than in Munich," Buffon said. "In the first leg we did not give our all, but tonight we did and still there was nothing we could do. I think Bayern can win the Champions League."
Bayern joins Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and Barcelona in the semifinals, with the draw being made on Friday.
Even when he's injured, Messi is still Barcelona's saviorThe Argentine attacker is clearly some way short of his optimum condition, yet his mere presence gave the Catalan club a huge lift and inspired it to victory over PSG
BARCELONA -- The Camp Nou crowd was fearing the worst. Barcelona looked lost for much of the first half without Lionel Messi and the Catalans conceded early in the second as Javier Pastore fired Paris Saint-Germain ahead on a quick break. Eerie silence ensued and Barca was staring at a last-eight exit. It was time for Lionel Messi.
The Argentine is rarely on the bench these days, so his failure to start this match could mean only one thing: He was far from fully fit after injuring his hamstring in the first leg in Paris last week. But even his warming up on the touchline gave this ground a lift. And when he finally did come on, after 62 minutes, his mere presence changed the pessimistic panorama to an optimistic outlook. Hope had returned.
At first it seemed his influence would be merely psychological as he took time to adjust to the pace of the game, but one wonderful run was enough to change the course of this tie: Messi advanced from deep, found David Villa and the striker's lay-off was met by Pedro, whose low drive into the bottom corner put Barca back in control. Messi made it with his one important intervention; half-fit, he had still been his side's savior.
Before he had come on, Barca had not even managed a shot on target. Xavi, who ended the night with a 100 percent pass completion rate after making all of his 96 deliveries, and Andres Iniesta, who had tried to inspire the Catalans in Messi's absence, were hardly helped by a front three who looked as if they would not have scored in hours.
And so it was left to Messi, as so often before, to take the game by the scruff of its neck. It was far from his most memorable performance, but his entrance alone altered the pattern of the match. Barca was unrecognizable without him, a far cry from the team which had mauled Mallorca on Saturday. And that was understandable: PSG is in a different class to most sides in La Liga and, tactically, Carlo Ancelotti's side set up perfectly on Wednesday.
But with Messi, a half-fit Messi even, Barca looked and felt much more like itself. The Catalans march on and with La Liga already all but won, they can now rest their star man for as long as he needs until he is ready to meet either Madrid, Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund in the semifinals. The gamble paid off.
Robben hails 'perfect away performance
The Dutchman feels Bayern Munich did everything right during its victory over Juventus, which came courtesy of goals from Mario Mandzukic and Claudio Pizarro Arjen Robben paid tribute to "a perfect away performance" after Bayern Munich beat Juventus 2-0 in Turin on Wednesday night to sail into the semifinals of the Champions League.
Having triumphed by the same scoreline in the first leg at the Allianz Arena, there was little onus on the Bavarians to take the game to the Bianconeri but, after a cagey opening quarter, that is exactly what they did, and second-half strikes from Mario Mandzukic and Claudio Pizarro were just rewards for a dominant display.
"Yeah, I think it was the perfect away performance," Robben told Germany's Sky Sport.
"If you win 2-0 away in Turin, that's an amazing result because they're unbeaten in so many games in Italy and they're such a perfect team; so strong at the back.
"So, if you dominate the game, too, then I think it's a great performance."
Bayern is joined in the last four by Barcelona, Real Madrid and compatriot Borussia Dortmund. A semifinal showdown with Jurgen Klopp's men would guarantee a German representative in the final, but Robben would rather die Roten face their Bundesliga rival in the final.
"I think [Germans] will want us kept apart," the winger mused. "I think that's what we're hoping for. I think it'd be nice if we're mixed up, but we don't have a choice.
"It's going to be a big one, the semifinal, as we're maybe the four best teams in the world at the moment, so it's going to be very nice."
Robben is just happy that Bayern ais once again in a position to record a treble, having wrapped up the league at the weekend.
"We knew that was going to happen," the Netherlands international explained. "We had such a big gap with the second place, but I think it's good that it's done and dusted, and that we can focus on the Champions League now.
"Next week we also play in the semifinal in the German Cup, so we have some pretty big games coming up."
The Bavarians tackle Nurnberg in the Bundesliga on Saturday before taking on Wolfsburg in the DFB Pokal on Tuesday evening.
The Dutchman feels Bayern Munich did everything right during its victory over Juventus, which came courtesy of goals from Mario Mandzukic and Claudio Pizarro Arjen Robben paid tribute to "a perfect away performance" after Bayern Munich beat Juventus 2-0 in Turin on Wednesday night to sail into the semifinals of the Champions League.
Having triumphed by the same scoreline in the first leg at the Allianz Arena, there was little onus on the Bavarians to take the game to the Bianconeri but, after a cagey opening quarter, that is exactly what they did, and second-half strikes from Mario Mandzukic and Claudio Pizarro were just rewards for a dominant display.
"Yeah, I think it was the perfect away performance," Robben told Germany's Sky Sport.
"If you win 2-0 away in Turin, that's an amazing result because they're unbeaten in so many games in Italy and they're such a perfect team; so strong at the back.
"So, if you dominate the game, too, then I think it's a great performance."
Bayern is joined in the last four by Barcelona, Real Madrid and compatriot Borussia Dortmund. A semifinal showdown with Jurgen Klopp's men would guarantee a German representative in the final, but Robben would rather die Roten face their Bundesliga rival in the final.
"I think [Germans] will want us kept apart," the winger mused. "I think that's what we're hoping for. I think it'd be nice if we're mixed up, but we don't have a choice.
"It's going to be a big one, the semifinal, as we're maybe the four best teams in the world at the moment, so it's going to be very nice."
Robben is just happy that Bayern ais once again in a position to record a treble, having wrapped up the league at the weekend.
"We knew that was going to happen," the Netherlands international explained. "We had such a big gap with the second place, but I think it's good that it's done and dusted, and that we can focus on the Champions League now.
"Next week we also play in the semifinal in the German Cup, so we have some pretty big games coming up."
The Bavarians tackle Nurnberg in the Bundesliga on Saturday before taking on Wolfsburg in the DFB Pokal on Tuesday evening.
England squad 'desperate' to reach World Cup, says Gerrard
The Three Lions currently trail Montenegro in qualifying group H with just four matches remaining and the Liverpool captain admits he is worried about the possibility of failure England captain Steven Gerrard has insisted that every player is "desperate" to reach the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Roy Hodgson's side sits two points behind Montenegro in qualifying group H and has just four games left to overturn that deficit and ensure their place in the competition.
And the Liverpool midfielder has admitted that the idea of missing out on what could be his last World Cup is "daunting"."It's daunting if you fear the challenge and start worrying and concern yourself with not qualifying; it is daunting, there's no getting away from it," he told reporters at the Soccerex Forum. "It is a huge year for the FA, the 150-year anniversary and what they're doing for the game and putting back in.
"But in amongst that we've got a really big challenge ahead of us, and that's to qualify for probably the biggest World Cup that there's going to be. There's no bigger place than Brazil to have a World Cup except England for us players, so we want to be there and we're desperate to be there and we'll keep fighting all the way to the end."
The 32-year-old went on to reveal his disappointment at the media backlash which followed the 1-1 draw with Montenegro back in March."When we look back on the campaign," he said. "Hopefully when we become group winners, we can look back and say this was a very good point.
"I was a bit surprised by the reaction to that game because it was built up as a very tough away game. The bit of stick we've had since that result surprised me a bit.
"It was slightly harsh because of the buildup, all the questions I answered were 'this team's tough, they've got world class players, the atmosphere is going to be intimidating... do you realize how tough this game is going to be?'"
The Three Lions currently trail Montenegro in qualifying group H with just four matches remaining and the Liverpool captain admits he is worried about the possibility of failure England captain Steven Gerrard has insisted that every player is "desperate" to reach the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Roy Hodgson's side sits two points behind Montenegro in qualifying group H and has just four games left to overturn that deficit and ensure their place in the competition.
And the Liverpool midfielder has admitted that the idea of missing out on what could be his last World Cup is "daunting"."It's daunting if you fear the challenge and start worrying and concern yourself with not qualifying; it is daunting, there's no getting away from it," he told reporters at the Soccerex Forum. "It is a huge year for the FA, the 150-year anniversary and what they're doing for the game and putting back in.
"But in amongst that we've got a really big challenge ahead of us, and that's to qualify for probably the biggest World Cup that there's going to be. There's no bigger place than Brazil to have a World Cup except England for us players, so we want to be there and we're desperate to be there and we'll keep fighting all the way to the end."
The 32-year-old went on to reveal his disappointment at the media backlash which followed the 1-1 draw with Montenegro back in March."When we look back on the campaign," he said. "Hopefully when we become group winners, we can look back and say this was a very good point.
"I was a bit surprised by the reaction to that game because it was built up as a very tough away game. The bit of stick we've had since that result surprised me a bit.
"It was slightly harsh because of the buildup, all the questions I answered were 'this team's tough, they've got world class players, the atmosphere is going to be intimidating... do you realize how tough this game is going to be?'"
Lucas Leiva signs new long-term Liverpool contract
The Brazilian's previous deal was due to expire in 2015, and he says it was an "easy decision" to extend his stay at Anfield, for whom he has already made over 200 appearances Liverpool has announced that Brazilian defensive midfielder Lucas Leiva has agreed a new long-term contract at the club.
The 26-year-old joined the Reds from Gremio in 2007 and, after a tumultuous start to life in England, has since become a fan-favorite at Anfield.
His previous deal was due to expire in 2015, but the new contract will extend his stay on Merseyside and Lucas is delighted to have put pen to paper."It's another long-term contract that I have signed - but it was the same feeling as when I first came here," he told the club’s official website.
"I am really delighted to have the opportunity to play for this club. It's where I think I belong and where I wanted to stay, so I am very happy and looking forward to a few more years here."It was an easy decision because after the long period of my career I have had here, I would like to give the best of my time to this club."
Lucas tore his ACL in December 2011, but has since returned to become a vital part of the Liverpool side. He has made 20 league appearances in 2012-13.
The Brazilian's previous deal was due to expire in 2015, and he says it was an "easy decision" to extend his stay at Anfield, for whom he has already made over 200 appearances Liverpool has announced that Brazilian defensive midfielder Lucas Leiva has agreed a new long-term contract at the club.
The 26-year-old joined the Reds from Gremio in 2007 and, after a tumultuous start to life in England, has since become a fan-favorite at Anfield.
His previous deal was due to expire in 2015, but the new contract will extend his stay on Merseyside and Lucas is delighted to have put pen to paper."It's another long-term contract that I have signed - but it was the same feeling as when I first came here," he told the club’s official website.
"I am really delighted to have the opportunity to play for this club. It's where I think I belong and where I wanted to stay, so I am very happy and looking forward to a few more years here."It was an easy decision because after the long period of my career I have had here, I would like to give the best of my time to this club."
Lucas tore his ACL in December 2011, but has since returned to become a vital part of the Liverpool side. He has made 20 league appearances in 2012-13.
UEFA Europa League 2013.04.11 Quarter-Finals 2nd Leg Fixtures
UEFA Europa League 2013.04.11 Quarter-Finals 2nd Leg Fixtures
Rubin Vs Chelsea
Basel Vs Tottanham
Lazio Vs Fenerbahce
Newcastle Vs Benfica
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