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..::Football II::..
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Montolivo praises 'massive' Pazzini performance
The AC Milan midfielder was thrilled at the performance of his compatriot after he struck two goals in three minutes as a second half substitute to seal victory over Catania AC Milan midfielder Riccardo Montolivo has praised the "massive" Giampaolo Pazzini performance in the 4-2 Serie A win over Catania on Sunday.
Pazzini came off the bench in the second half to score two goals in three minutes before Mario Balotelli sealed the points with a late penalty and Montolivo was thrilled to see his compatriot perform so well when it mattered most to the side.
"This was a big result for us and we always believed we could do it," the 28-year-old told Milan Channel. "Pazzini coming on certainly helped to change things for us. When he came on, it gave us a massive lift. You have to say that he was really decisive. I'm really pleased for him."
The win propelled Milan back into third place above Fiorentina, which is running the Rossoneri close for the final Champions League qualification spot.
"We did everything we could to win. We showed heart, and everyone gave their all from the first minute. We put our foot on the gas from the start," Montolivo stated. "It wasn't easy in terms of how we had to approach the game after that, but we did well and we kept calm, and it went our way in the end."
The AC Milan midfielder was thrilled at the performance of his compatriot after he struck two goals in three minutes as a second half substitute to seal victory over Catania AC Milan midfielder Riccardo Montolivo has praised the "massive" Giampaolo Pazzini performance in the 4-2 Serie A win over Catania on Sunday.
Pazzini came off the bench in the second half to score two goals in three minutes before Mario Balotelli sealed the points with a late penalty and Montolivo was thrilled to see his compatriot perform so well when it mattered most to the side.
"This was a big result for us and we always believed we could do it," the 28-year-old told Milan Channel. "Pazzini coming on certainly helped to change things for us. When he came on, it gave us a massive lift. You have to say that he was really decisive. I'm really pleased for him."
The win propelled Milan back into third place above Fiorentina, which is running the Rossoneri close for the final Champions League qualification spot.
"We did everything we could to win. We showed heart, and everyone gave their all from the first minute. We put our foot on the gas from the start," Montolivo stated. "It wasn't easy in terms of how we had to approach the game after that, but we did well and we kept calm, and it went our way in the end."
Real Madrid 2-0 Borussia Dortmund (Agg 3-4): Germans survive late bombardment to reach Wembley final
Borussia Dortmund will contest the 2012-13 Champions League final after edging past Real Madrid despite a 2-0 defeat in their semifinal second leg at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.
The Bundesliga side survived an early onslaught by Jose Mourinho's men to hold onto its 4-1 first-leg advantage for most of the game – and had several chances to make the aggregate score even more humiliating for the wasteful Spanish team.However, goals from Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos in the last 10 minutes suddenly set up the most frantic of finishes, but Dortmund hung on to clinch its first final berth since 1997, when the club defeated Juventus 3-1 to win the trophy.
Angel Di Maria, benched for the first leg, started for Madrid, while Cristiano Ronaldo also returned after he was rested with a thigh complaint for the Madrid derby victory over the weekend.Dortmund’s lineup picked itself, with Jurgen Klopp restoring the likes of Marco Reus and Ilkay Gundogan after resting his regulars during Saturday’s Bundesliga win over Fortuna Dusseldorf.
Mourinho’s men knew the magnitude of the task at hand, and their start to the match was suitably relentless. Gonzalo Higuain could have opened the scoring four minutes in, but his shot from Mesut Ozil’s pass was right at Roman Weidenfeller.
Madrid sent a series of warnings Dortmund’s way, but the Germans showed a glimpse of what they were capable of when Gundogan’s clip found Robert Lewandowski completely unmarked for a half-volley right at Diego Lopez.However, Ronaldo immediately mirrored the chance at the other end, forcing Weidenfeller into a close range block, before Ozil somehow dragged wide when put clean through.
Dortmund was then handed a huge blow just before the quarter hour mark, when Mario Gotze limped off clutching his hamstring, and was replaced by Kevin Grosskreutz.
There was enough action in the first 15 minutes to fill an entire half of football, but after weathering the initial storm, Dortmund regained composure and slowed things down – exactly what Madrid did not want.
In fact, the remainder of the half was rather monotonous by comparison, leaving Mourinho with plenty to ponder over the break.But Madrid’s halftime plans were almost wrecked minutes after the restart, had Lewandowski kept his cool when Grosskreutz cleverly found him unmarked inside the box instead of blasting the ball into orbit.
The Pole nearly made instant amends when latching onto Reus’ slipped pass, sprinting in behind and lashing at goal, but the ball cannoned off the underside of the bar.
There was only one side that looked like scoring, and it was not the team that needed three goals to progress. The quietly impressive Reus teed up Gundogan with a virtually open goal. Somehow, Lopez recovered to make an unbelievable save.
Lewandowski missed from eight yards, before Madrid finally showed signs of life in the second half. True to form, Di Maria stroked wide of the far post from just inside the box before Ronaldo poked over from a similarly promising position.Benzema would give the home side a glimmer of hope with seven minutes remaining, side-footing in from close range after Kaka teed up Ozil for the cross from the right.
And it got even better for the Spanish side when Ramos smashed the ball home from Benzema's layoff - with two minutes plus stoppage time left in the game.With the home fans roaring the team on, Madrid just could not go that last step. Dortmund survived a few late scares to edge over the finish line.
Now the only question that remains is whether Wembley will be an all-German affair, with Bayern Munich well on its way to taking the Bundesliga’s most high-profile rivalry onto the biggest stage of them all.
Borussia Dortmund will contest the 2012-13 Champions League final after edging past Real Madrid despite a 2-0 defeat in their semifinal second leg at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.
The Bundesliga side survived an early onslaught by Jose Mourinho's men to hold onto its 4-1 first-leg advantage for most of the game – and had several chances to make the aggregate score even more humiliating for the wasteful Spanish team.However, goals from Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos in the last 10 minutes suddenly set up the most frantic of finishes, but Dortmund hung on to clinch its first final berth since 1997, when the club defeated Juventus 3-1 to win the trophy.
Angel Di Maria, benched for the first leg, started for Madrid, while Cristiano Ronaldo also returned after he was rested with a thigh complaint for the Madrid derby victory over the weekend.Dortmund’s lineup picked itself, with Jurgen Klopp restoring the likes of Marco Reus and Ilkay Gundogan after resting his regulars during Saturday’s Bundesliga win over Fortuna Dusseldorf.
Mourinho’s men knew the magnitude of the task at hand, and their start to the match was suitably relentless. Gonzalo Higuain could have opened the scoring four minutes in, but his shot from Mesut Ozil’s pass was right at Roman Weidenfeller.
Madrid sent a series of warnings Dortmund’s way, but the Germans showed a glimpse of what they were capable of when Gundogan’s clip found Robert Lewandowski completely unmarked for a half-volley right at Diego Lopez.However, Ronaldo immediately mirrored the chance at the other end, forcing Weidenfeller into a close range block, before Ozil somehow dragged wide when put clean through.
Dortmund was then handed a huge blow just before the quarter hour mark, when Mario Gotze limped off clutching his hamstring, and was replaced by Kevin Grosskreutz.
There was enough action in the first 15 minutes to fill an entire half of football, but after weathering the initial storm, Dortmund regained composure and slowed things down – exactly what Madrid did not want.
In fact, the remainder of the half was rather monotonous by comparison, leaving Mourinho with plenty to ponder over the break.But Madrid’s halftime plans were almost wrecked minutes after the restart, had Lewandowski kept his cool when Grosskreutz cleverly found him unmarked inside the box instead of blasting the ball into orbit.
The Pole nearly made instant amends when latching onto Reus’ slipped pass, sprinting in behind and lashing at goal, but the ball cannoned off the underside of the bar.
There was only one side that looked like scoring, and it was not the team that needed three goals to progress. The quietly impressive Reus teed up Gundogan with a virtually open goal. Somehow, Lopez recovered to make an unbelievable save.
Lewandowski missed from eight yards, before Madrid finally showed signs of life in the second half. True to form, Di Maria stroked wide of the far post from just inside the box before Ronaldo poked over from a similarly promising position.Benzema would give the home side a glimmer of hope with seven minutes remaining, side-footing in from close range after Kaka teed up Ozil for the cross from the right.
And it got even better for the Spanish side when Ramos smashed the ball home from Benzema's layoff - with two minutes plus stoppage time left in the game.With the home fans roaring the team on, Madrid just could not go that last step. Dortmund survived a few late scares to edge over the finish line.
Now the only question that remains is whether Wembley will be an all-German affair, with Bayern Munich well on its way to taking the Bundesliga’s most high-profile rivalry onto the biggest stage of them all.
Pique: Barcelona can turn the tie around
The defender insists his side believes "100 percent" it can recover from a 4-0 first-leg deficit to the Bavarians and has urged the club to give Camp Nou something to cheer.Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has revealed his teammates remain confident they can pull off a miraculous comeback against Bayern Munich, insisting they represent a club that never gives up.
A 4-0 thrashing at the Allianz Arena last week leaves the Blaugrana with a mountain to climb if they are to reach the Champions League final this season, but Pique - who played in the side which beat the Bavarians 4-0 at Camp Nou in 2009 - says his teammates are fully confident in their chances.
"The team is fine, and very confident that we will do all we can to stay alive for the whole match," he told a press conference on Tuesday. "We need to not concede goals, score at least one early on and fight until the end. We represent a club that does not consider giving up, a club that has won a lot and has a long history. We represent Barcelona and we will want to give a good image.
"I remember when I was seven and we lost 4-0 against AC Milan [in the final] and I remember how my father was when we lost. Tomorrow we can be childlike in the sense that we can believe and we can dream, but it is going to be very hard."
The defender went on to point out that his club had tasted a big victory over Bayern before, but knows that the job this time around will be much more difficult.
"We won 4-0 in 2009 but they are a different team, a lot better team, with a different coach and different players," he said. "It is very different. They are much better than that team.
"We have to open up the pitch, have the ball and play fast football. In recent years we have proved we can beat anyone in any situation. We need the fans to back us and try to feel we are not knocked out of the Champions League yet. We have to try to find all the right circumstances to win the match. If everything goes in our favor, we can do it."
Still, knowing how difficult the tasks is, Pique says he doesn't doubt that his team is ready to take it on.
"We believe we will turn this around 100 percent," he claimed. "We need to score a goal as soon as possible to get more and more confident. After a 4-0 result you do doubt yourself, but as days go on, you suddenly believe you can do this. Football is very psychological.
"Tomorrow we have 90 minutes to hit Bayern psychologically with the help of the fans. They could also score a goal and then to score six goals is a lot tougher. But we believe."
The defender insists his side believes "100 percent" it can recover from a 4-0 first-leg deficit to the Bavarians and has urged the club to give Camp Nou something to cheer.Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has revealed his teammates remain confident they can pull off a miraculous comeback against Bayern Munich, insisting they represent a club that never gives up.
A 4-0 thrashing at the Allianz Arena last week leaves the Blaugrana with a mountain to climb if they are to reach the Champions League final this season, but Pique - who played in the side which beat the Bavarians 4-0 at Camp Nou in 2009 - says his teammates are fully confident in their chances.
"The team is fine, and very confident that we will do all we can to stay alive for the whole match," he told a press conference on Tuesday. "We need to not concede goals, score at least one early on and fight until the end. We represent a club that does not consider giving up, a club that has won a lot and has a long history. We represent Barcelona and we will want to give a good image.
"I remember when I was seven and we lost 4-0 against AC Milan [in the final] and I remember how my father was when we lost. Tomorrow we can be childlike in the sense that we can believe and we can dream, but it is going to be very hard."
The defender went on to point out that his club had tasted a big victory over Bayern before, but knows that the job this time around will be much more difficult.
"We won 4-0 in 2009 but they are a different team, a lot better team, with a different coach and different players," he said. "It is very different. They are much better than that team.
"We have to open up the pitch, have the ball and play fast football. In recent years we have proved we can beat anyone in any situation. We need the fans to back us and try to feel we are not knocked out of the Champions League yet. We have to try to find all the right circumstances to win the match. If everything goes in our favor, we can do it."
Still, knowing how difficult the tasks is, Pique says he doesn't doubt that his team is ready to take it on.
"We believe we will turn this around 100 percent," he claimed. "We need to score a goal as soon as possible to get more and more confident. After a 4-0 result you do doubt yourself, but as days go on, you suddenly believe you can do this. Football is very psychological.
"Tomorrow we have 90 minutes to hit Bayern psychologically with the help of the fans. They could also score a goal and then to score six goals is a lot tougher. But we believe."
Moratti: I have no doubt that Zanetti will return
The Nerazzurri president is convinced that the veteran Argentine will not be forced to retire by an Achilles and will soon be back to his usual best.
Inter president Massimo Moratti has lamented Javier Zanetti's injury, but is confident that the Argentine will overcome his physical problems and return to the highest level.
The Nerazzurri skipper ruptured his left Achilles tendon during his side's 1-0 loss against Palermo at the weekend and faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines as a result.
Nevertheless, Moratti does not think that his injury problems will force the 39-year-old to end his playing career.
"It's very sad, I feel really bad for him and he knows that. I spoke to him straight after it happened. But with his character he'll be back, no doubt about it," he was quoted as saying on the official Inter website.
"The fans cannot think they will not see him back playing at his usual his best. I have no doubts that he will be back playing at his usual high level."
Zanetti has made 48 appearances in all competitions for Inter this term.
The Nerazzurri president is convinced that the veteran Argentine will not be forced to retire by an Achilles and will soon be back to his usual best.
Inter president Massimo Moratti has lamented Javier Zanetti's injury, but is confident that the Argentine will overcome his physical problems and return to the highest level.
The Nerazzurri skipper ruptured his left Achilles tendon during his side's 1-0 loss against Palermo at the weekend and faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines as a result.
Nevertheless, Moratti does not think that his injury problems will force the 39-year-old to end his playing career.
"It's very sad, I feel really bad for him and he knows that. I spoke to him straight after it happened. But with his character he'll be back, no doubt about it," he was quoted as saying on the official Inter website.
"The fans cannot think they will not see him back playing at his usual his best. I have no doubts that he will be back playing at his usual high level."
Zanetti has made 48 appearances in all competitions for Inter this term.
Muller warns against Messi backlash
The Germany star feels the Barcelona ace will be a far more dangerous opponent on Wednesday after his lackluster performance at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller has warned his teammates to expect to face a very different Lionel Messi to the one who flopped in Germany in last week's Champions League semifinal first leg.
Messi was one of a number of Barcelona stars who were far from their best as Bayern ran out a 4-0 winner at the Allianz Arena but Muller believes the Argentina ace will provide a far sterner test in the second-leg clash on Wednesday.
"Barca away at Camp Nou - that's a completely different proposition altogether," Muller told a press conference on Tuesday. "They will come forward at us a lot more than in the first leg, they’ll have more shots on our goal and more possession, which is their strength. I think we’ll see a different Messi in this game."
He added, "Everyone knows that he is the core of their team. If you score 50 goals every season, then it’s clear that the team will depend on you. I don’t really know what his situation was in the first game in terms of fitness, but he came off the bench at the weekend and scored a great goal.
"I think we’ll be much busier with him in this game."
Teammate Bastian Schweinsteiger added that the Bavarians must be careful not to rest on their laurels following their first leg triumph and insists they will attempt to score a crucial away goal at Camp Nou.
"We opened the door to the final with the first leg result," Schweinsteiger said, "but we haven’t got the job done yet. We still need to show a lot of passion to make sure we can go through, especially against a team like Barca.
"I think we have a great team compared to last season and all the players are fit for the match. That explains why we are where we are. It'll be tough because Barcelona are capable of doing great things, we know that. We have played very well in this season's Champions League. If we score one or two goals we know it'll be even tougher for Barcelona. If we have the chance to attack, we will."
Schweinsteiger is one of a number of Bayern stars who face being suspended from the final should they pick up a yellow card on Wednesday, but the Germany midfielder has stressed the team's sole focus is on doing what they must to reach the final at Wembley.
"We are all dreaming of getting to the final. There may be difficult moments in the game and we know the risks. If someone gets another yellow card, then that’s unfortunate. But our focus is doing what we can to make sure we get to London."
The Germany star feels the Barcelona ace will be a far more dangerous opponent on Wednesday after his lackluster performance at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller has warned his teammates to expect to face a very different Lionel Messi to the one who flopped in Germany in last week's Champions League semifinal first leg.
Messi was one of a number of Barcelona stars who were far from their best as Bayern ran out a 4-0 winner at the Allianz Arena but Muller believes the Argentina ace will provide a far sterner test in the second-leg clash on Wednesday.
"Barca away at Camp Nou - that's a completely different proposition altogether," Muller told a press conference on Tuesday. "They will come forward at us a lot more than in the first leg, they’ll have more shots on our goal and more possession, which is their strength. I think we’ll see a different Messi in this game."
He added, "Everyone knows that he is the core of their team. If you score 50 goals every season, then it’s clear that the team will depend on you. I don’t really know what his situation was in the first game in terms of fitness, but he came off the bench at the weekend and scored a great goal.
"I think we’ll be much busier with him in this game."
Teammate Bastian Schweinsteiger added that the Bavarians must be careful not to rest on their laurels following their first leg triumph and insists they will attempt to score a crucial away goal at Camp Nou.
"We opened the door to the final with the first leg result," Schweinsteiger said, "but we haven’t got the job done yet. We still need to show a lot of passion to make sure we can go through, especially against a team like Barca.
"I think we have a great team compared to last season and all the players are fit for the match. That explains why we are where we are. It'll be tough because Barcelona are capable of doing great things, we know that. We have played very well in this season's Champions League. If we score one or two goals we know it'll be even tougher for Barcelona. If we have the chance to attack, we will."
Schweinsteiger is one of a number of Bayern stars who face being suspended from the final should they pick up a yellow card on Wednesday, but the Germany midfielder has stressed the team's sole focus is on doing what they must to reach the final at Wembley.
"We are all dreaming of getting to the final. There may be difficult moments in the game and we know the risks. If someone gets another yellow card, then that’s unfortunate. But our focus is doing what we can to make sure we get to London."
Bale: No clue how I score free kicks!
The Spurs forward says that, while he spends hours on the training pitch practicing his set pieces, he is never sure where the ball will end up after he has struck it.
Tottenham attacker Gareth Bale admits that even he does not know exactly how his free kicks fly into the back of the net on a regular basis.
The Welshman won the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year awards on Sunday, becoming the first player to pick up both accolades in the same season since Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2007.
His set piece technique is often compared to the Real Madrid star but the 23-year-old was at a loss when asked to explain what he does to manipulate the ball in such a way.
"It's hard to explain what I do. You use everything - the valve on the ball, pressing it down into the floor, everything. Then you just keep practicing the technique and I've been practicing it for a while now," he told reporters. "I think the first one to do it was Juninho at Lyon. Obviously Ronaldo then took it to the next level. It's something that works but do I know what the ball is going to do? No - I haven't a clue!
"You can hit it right and then it goes left. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it looks stupid, but it's obviously a great weapon to have. It's one of those things that can be the best thing in the world or the worst. Hopefully I can score a few more goals from it."
Part of the trick during Bale's free kicks is to intimidate the opposing goalkeeper but the former Southampton man says this is something that happens unintentionally.
"I'm not too sure if I scare or intimidate teams," he mused. "I know if I strike it well, it's got a good chance of troubling the goalkeeper and going in, so it's a good weapon to have.
"For me it's been a case of constant hard work. It's not just the last couple of years. It's also from the years before. I feel I've grown up as a person, as a player. It's just about your motivation in the game. Thankfully I've got that and hopefully there is more to come."
The Spurs forward says that, while he spends hours on the training pitch practicing his set pieces, he is never sure where the ball will end up after he has struck it.
Tottenham attacker Gareth Bale admits that even he does not know exactly how his free kicks fly into the back of the net on a regular basis.
The Welshman won the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year awards on Sunday, becoming the first player to pick up both accolades in the same season since Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2007.
His set piece technique is often compared to the Real Madrid star but the 23-year-old was at a loss when asked to explain what he does to manipulate the ball in such a way.
"It's hard to explain what I do. You use everything - the valve on the ball, pressing it down into the floor, everything. Then you just keep practicing the technique and I've been practicing it for a while now," he told reporters. "I think the first one to do it was Juninho at Lyon. Obviously Ronaldo then took it to the next level. It's something that works but do I know what the ball is going to do? No - I haven't a clue!
"You can hit it right and then it goes left. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it looks stupid, but it's obviously a great weapon to have. It's one of those things that can be the best thing in the world or the worst. Hopefully I can score a few more goals from it."
Part of the trick during Bale's free kicks is to intimidate the opposing goalkeeper but the former Southampton man says this is something that happens unintentionally.
"I'm not too sure if I scare or intimidate teams," he mused. "I know if I strike it well, it's got a good chance of troubling the goalkeeper and going in, so it's a good weapon to have.
"For me it's been a case of constant hard work. It's not just the last couple of years. It's also from the years before. I feel I've grown up as a person, as a player. It's just about your motivation in the game. Thankfully I've got that and hopefully there is more to come."
AC Milan fined over Zanetti chants
The San Siro side has been punished for their supporters' chants aimed at the injured Inter captain during Sunday's game against Catania AC Milan has been handed an 8,000 euro fine for its fans' behavior in the 4-2 win over Catania at the weekend as the Rossoneri faithful launched chants mocking Inter skipper Javier Zanetti and insulted police forces.
The Argentine defender sustained a serious Achilles tendon injury in the Nerazzurri's loss against Palermo on Sunday and faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Milan supporters showed little sympathy for the Inter icon, though, chanting 'Javier Zanetti jump with us' during the club's match against Catania later that day, resulting in a fine from the league's governing body, Lega Serie A.
"Milan are fined 8,000 euros as their supporters launched abusive chants directed at a player of another club and insulted police forces during the match," an official statement reads.
Inter initially feared that Zanetti could be forced to retire due to the injury, but the 39-year-old has insisted that he would not hang up his boots.
The San Siro side has been punished for their supporters' chants aimed at the injured Inter captain during Sunday's game against Catania AC Milan has been handed an 8,000 euro fine for its fans' behavior in the 4-2 win over Catania at the weekend as the Rossoneri faithful launched chants mocking Inter skipper Javier Zanetti and insulted police forces.
The Argentine defender sustained a serious Achilles tendon injury in the Nerazzurri's loss against Palermo on Sunday and faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Milan supporters showed little sympathy for the Inter icon, though, chanting 'Javier Zanetti jump with us' during the club's match against Catania later that day, resulting in a fine from the league's governing body, Lega Serie A.
"Milan are fined 8,000 euros as their supporters launched abusive chants directed at a player of another club and insulted police forces during the match," an official statement reads.
Inter initially feared that Zanetti could be forced to retire due to the injury, but the 39-year-old has insisted that he would not hang up his boots.
Zabaleta: Manchester City must win the FA Cup
The Argentina international right back says that Roberto Mancini's men have to overcome Wigan at Wembley to salvage a disappointing season Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta believes that victory in the FA Cup final over Wigan can rescue his side's season.
Roberto Mancini's side has surrendered its Premier League crown to Manchester United and failed to make it out of the group stages of the Champions League but the right back, voted into the PFA Team of the Year, reckons that a win against Roberto Martinez's Latics can help to make up for it.
"Now the title has gone, we have an important game at Wembley," he told reporters. "We know how important it is for the club to win the FA Cup and for the fans. That competition is massive in England.It's important to keep winning trophies. It's important to keep going, try to do that and win the last four games in the Premier League.
"We still have a lot of things to play for. We have the FA Cup final and we can't relax now for the Premier League either. We need to try and finish second and be assured for the Champions League next year, also because we need to keep the momentum, keep focused and concentrate on the FA Cup final."
The 28-year-old is aware that players will inevitably come and go in the summer but is sure that his future lies at the Etihad Stadium.
"It's normal when you are at a top team and a club that is looking to sign world-class players, you have to work more to keep your place in the team," he continued. "I'm working for this. I'm very happy with my job this season and I'm very positive to stay here."
The Argentina international right back says that Roberto Mancini's men have to overcome Wigan at Wembley to salvage a disappointing season Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta believes that victory in the FA Cup final over Wigan can rescue his side's season.
Roberto Mancini's side has surrendered its Premier League crown to Manchester United and failed to make it out of the group stages of the Champions League but the right back, voted into the PFA Team of the Year, reckons that a win against Roberto Martinez's Latics can help to make up for it.
"Now the title has gone, we have an important game at Wembley," he told reporters. "We know how important it is for the club to win the FA Cup and for the fans. That competition is massive in England.It's important to keep winning trophies. It's important to keep going, try to do that and win the last four games in the Premier League.
"We still have a lot of things to play for. We have the FA Cup final and we can't relax now for the Premier League either. We need to try and finish second and be assured for the Champions League next year, also because we need to keep the momentum, keep focused and concentrate on the FA Cup final."
The 28-year-old is aware that players will inevitably come and go in the summer but is sure that his future lies at the Etihad Stadium.
"It's normal when you are at a top team and a club that is looking to sign world-class players, you have to work more to keep your place in the team," he continued. "I'm working for this. I'm very happy with my job this season and I'm very positive to stay here."
Jordi Alba: I must control my temper
The former Valencia star was booked against Bayern after an act of frustration and will consequently miss Wednesday's return fixture.
Barcelona defender Jordi Alba has admitted that he will have to improve his behavior on the pitch after throwing the ball in Arjen Robben's face in his side's 4-0 Champions League loss against Bayern Munich last week.
The Spain international threw the ball at the Dutch attacker in frustration as his side lost by four goals at the Allianz Arena in the first leg of their semifinal tie and was consequently handed a yellow card for his action, which means he misses the return game.
"I know that I have to improve in certain areas," the wing-back was quoted as saying by Marca when questioned about the incident with Robben. "Unfortunately, I will not be able to play in Wednesday's match against Bayern.
"However, I trust my team-mates to stage a comeback at Camp Nou."
The former Valencia star was booked against Bayern after an act of frustration and will consequently miss Wednesday's return fixture.
Barcelona defender Jordi Alba has admitted that he will have to improve his behavior on the pitch after throwing the ball in Arjen Robben's face in his side's 4-0 Champions League loss against Bayern Munich last week.
The Spain international threw the ball at the Dutch attacker in frustration as his side lost by four goals at the Allianz Arena in the first leg of their semifinal tie and was consequently handed a yellow card for his action, which means he misses the return game.
"I know that I have to improve in certain areas," the wing-back was quoted as saying by Marca when questioned about the incident with Robben. "Unfortunately, I will not be able to play in Wednesday's match against Bayern.
"However, I trust my team-mates to stage a comeback at Camp Nou."
Abramovich bought Chelsea in 10 minutes, says ex-CEO Trevor Birch
The Blues' former chief executive believes the Russian billionaire's purchase of the the west London club represents one of "the biggest changes" in English football
Chelsea’s former chief executive Trevor Birch has revealed that the deal for Roman Abramovich to buy the club back in 2003 only took 10 minutes.
As well as detailing the super quick time it took for the Russian to take over, Birch also spoke of how the Blues spent over 160 million euros on new players in the first six weeks after Abramovich’s arrival.
He told the London Evening Standard: "Abramovich didn’t speak English [when the pair first met]. There was an interpreter. I wasn’t totally convinced he was the real thing. I had Googled him but he just didn’t appear anywhere."
At first, Birch believed that he was being led on for a joke until he realized Abramovich was being serious.
"Nobody knew anything about him. So I wasn’t sure whether it was a scene from Candid Camera and that suddenly Jeremy Beadle was going to jump out at me," Birch stated.
He added, "But we did the deal in 10 minutes, nothing like that had ever happened. I don’t think people appreciated what a game changer it was. I suggested he spent 20m pounds on players. He spent 140m pounds in six weeks, the biggest change I’ve seen in English football."
Birch had hoped to advice Abramovich on the right approach to take, and advocated steady investment and lower ticket prices, but his ideas were ignored and he soon departed the club.
"I said to [Abramovich]: 'Look, you're living every supporter's dream. Why not allow them to share in that dream and therefore, at one fell swoop, just reduce the season-ticket prices? So it announces your arrival with a bang and supporters from every other club would wish they had an owner like you,’" Birch recalled.
"What I thought Chelsea should try was to become everybody’s favorite second team. There are certain ways that you need to act to gain that kind of affection from people. I was voted down. They said, 'We're going to run it as a business, break even and be the biggest club.'
"How ironic given the hundreds of millions in losses. The stance he took rubbed the neutrals up the wrong way."
The Blues' former chief executive believes the Russian billionaire's purchase of the the west London club represents one of "the biggest changes" in English football
Chelsea’s former chief executive Trevor Birch has revealed that the deal for Roman Abramovich to buy the club back in 2003 only took 10 minutes.
As well as detailing the super quick time it took for the Russian to take over, Birch also spoke of how the Blues spent over 160 million euros on new players in the first six weeks after Abramovich’s arrival.
He told the London Evening Standard: "Abramovich didn’t speak English [when the pair first met]. There was an interpreter. I wasn’t totally convinced he was the real thing. I had Googled him but he just didn’t appear anywhere."
At first, Birch believed that he was being led on for a joke until he realized Abramovich was being serious.
"Nobody knew anything about him. So I wasn’t sure whether it was a scene from Candid Camera and that suddenly Jeremy Beadle was going to jump out at me," Birch stated.
He added, "But we did the deal in 10 minutes, nothing like that had ever happened. I don’t think people appreciated what a game changer it was. I suggested he spent 20m pounds on players. He spent 140m pounds in six weeks, the biggest change I’ve seen in English football."
Birch had hoped to advice Abramovich on the right approach to take, and advocated steady investment and lower ticket prices, but his ideas were ignored and he soon departed the club.
"I said to [Abramovich]: 'Look, you're living every supporter's dream. Why not allow them to share in that dream and therefore, at one fell swoop, just reduce the season-ticket prices? So it announces your arrival with a bang and supporters from every other club would wish they had an owner like you,’" Birch recalled.
"What I thought Chelsea should try was to become everybody’s favorite second team. There are certain ways that you need to act to gain that kind of affection from people. I was voted down. They said, 'We're going to run it as a business, break even and be the biggest club.'
"How ironic given the hundreds of millions in losses. The stance he took rubbed the neutrals up the wrong way."
Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester United will be competitive in transfer window
Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed he has plans in place to improve his Manchester United squad in the summer.
The Scot claimed his 13th league title with United this season but has already started his preparations to defend that crown next term.He is convinced he has the players at the club to provide a solid foundation for the next five years but is still keen to add quality where possible.
And despite not having the spending power enjoyed by the likes of Manchester City or Chelsea, Ferguson is confident that United can be competitive in the summer transfer window.
"You have to look at the structure of the club at present, in terms of the number of first-team players we have at 23 or under," Ferguson said in his column for Inside United.
"David De Gea, Rafael, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Alex Buttner, Nick Powell, Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck, Shinji Kagawa and Chicharito are 24. Jonny Evans is 25 and Wayne Rooney is hitting his peak at 27.
"Older players like Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand may be coming towards the end of their careers, but these younger players are the foundation for the next five or six years, irrespective of the players breaking through, like Adnan Januzaj, the Belgian boy, who's really looking very good."Hopefully the players we bring into the club in the next year or so will be of the quality we need. We're competitive in the market - we're not Chelsea or Manchester City in terms of money but we're competitive.
"We've been doing a bit of work on that over the last three or four months, targeting who the players are that we feel could enhance us, make us better or help us maintain the level we're at."
Morgan Schneiderlin targetted by Arsenal summer deal
ARSENAL want Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin to replace the injury-prone Abou Diaby.
The Gunners are preparing a £10million bid for the Frenchman who signed a new Saints contract in February. Manager Arsene Wenger has been monitoring Schneiderlin, 23, since the player moved to England for £1.2million from Strasbourg five years ago.
Wenger has already lured Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from St Mary’s in recent years.
And the Emirates boss has vowed to launch the biggest spending spree of his reign this summer after another season without silverware.
ARSENAL want Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin to replace the injury-prone Abou Diaby.
The Gunners are preparing a £10million bid for the Frenchman who signed a new Saints contract in February. Manager Arsene Wenger has been monitoring Schneiderlin, 23, since the player moved to England for £1.2million from Strasbourg five years ago.
Wenger has already lured Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from St Mary’s in recent years.
And the Emirates boss has vowed to launch the biggest spending spree of his reign this summer after another season without silverware.
Full Time
AGG
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Real Madrid 2 Vs 0 Dortmund
Real Madrid Goal(s)
Benzema 83'
Ramos 88'
Real Madrid 2-0 Borussia Dortmund (Agg 3-4): Germans survive late bombardment to reach Wembley final
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