..::Football II::..

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Santos: Neymar only wants Barca

The Brazilian club's vice president has confirmed the youngster's interest in a move to Camp Nou but is expecting a massive counter-offer from Real Madrid
Santos vice president Odilio Rodrigues has confirmed that Neymar has told the club he wants to join Barcelona.

The Brazil international has long been linked with a move to Camp Nou and is set to fly to Spain for talks with the club in July after the Confederations Cup.

Other clubs, including the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are said to be monitoring the 21-year-old's situation at the Sao Paulo outfit but Rodrigues says the player is intent on a move to Catalunya.

"Neymar told us that he just wants to sign for Barca," he told SER Esports. "There are other proposals but he has a preference for Barca. There is no official Madrid proposal for Neymar, but we know that this offer will come."

Neymar's contract with the Peixe expires in 2014 and while he has been adamant that he will not leave before then, recent speculation has suggested that he would be open to a summer exit.

Neymar has made over 100 league appearances for the club, scoring more than 50 goals in the process.

 

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Del Bosque: Casillas has my full support

The Spain boss says he is "obliged" to back the Real Madrid goalkeeper, who has found himself rooted to the bench in recent months.Spain coach Vicente del Bosque says that Iker Casillas has his full support, despite being benched at Real Madrid.

The 31-year-old goalkeeper suffered a hand injury in January, forcing the signing of Diego Lopez, who has since sealed his place the Blancos first team. The former Bernabeu boss believes Casillas is a special case but says he will not be tempted to field another goalkeeper in the upcoming Confederations Cup.

"It is a special case, it is a difficult situation for him,” Del Bosque told Spanish television show El Hormiguero. “It’s an awkward situation for him, but we are obliged to support him at all times. And he will have this support, he will be with us whether he’s on the bench or on the pitch, the most important thing is that he is with the Spanish national team,"

Del Bosque went on to say that he does not feel he has the right to comment on Jose Mourinho's situation at the club.

"I will not trivialize an issue that is not for me to discuss. We must be respectful of our colleagues and the clubs to which they belong," Del Bosque said.

Finally, the 62-year-old said he was eagerly anticipating Friday's Copa del Rey final between Madrid and Atletico at the Bernabeu.

"It's a final and party for all of Spanish football. It's almost the last game of the season and there's a desire to enjoy the game and present a good image of our football," Del Bosque said.

 

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Julio Cesar coy on future move as QPR exit is confirmed


The goalkeeper has been told by Harry Redknapp that he will be sold during the summer following the club's relegation to the Championship, but he will feature against Liverpool.QPR goalkeeper Julio Cesar has confirmed he is to leave the relegated club in the summer, but was coy on a future destination.

A string of clubs are reportedly interested in the Brazil international, with AC Milan hoping to lure the former Inter man. Cesar has recently won his place back in Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Brazil side and is reportedly keen to avoid playing in the Championship with the Rs and risk his spot at the World Cup on home soil, but he refused to comment on details of a summer switch.

"It is confidential," Cesar told Sportv. "My future today is a question mark. I have three more years on my contract, but the manager has already made it clear that it will be hard for me to stay at the club. I am happy he thinks that way, it is a sign that my work is being recognized. I dedicated as much as I could to QPR."

With QPR set to play its final Premier League game before demotion, Cesar has revealed that manager Harry Redknapp will afford him a start as the club looks to avoid last place.

"[Redknapp] had told me that I wouldn't start any more games as I won't be staying at the club," Cesar said. "Now he has asked me to play the last game, and that makes me happy. I will try to play well and do my best."

 

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Ferdinand: Moyes walking into healthy situation at Manchester United


The defender says all players will have to prove themselves to the new manager, and believes that Sir Alex Ferguson's work ethic will be vital for the club's future
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand says David Moyes "couldn't be walking into a healthier position" at the club, and feels all players will have to prove themselves to the new manager.

Moyes will take over from Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford in July following the 71-year-old's retirement.

And while Ferdinand admits it will be a daunting task for Moyes, he says the players will be aiming to prove themselves to the new manager.

"You've got to prove yourself under the new manager," Ferdinand told The Guardian. "He's going to come in with new ideas, new rules and a new regime. No matter how long we've been here, the likes of Ryan Giggs and myself have been here for many years, we'll be in the same boat instead as people like Danny Welbeck, Phil Jones and Tom Cleverley.

"So we've all got to be wanting to prove ourselves to make sure he thinks we're the right people to start each game. They are massive shoes to fill but he couldn't be walking into a healthier situation. The young players here are hungry and want to win stuff.

"The senior players have won a lot of things but have still got the desire and the work ethic that the manager has instilled into us. I think that's vital for the future of the club."

 

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Simeone: We no longer fear Real Madrid


The Argentine boss acknowledged the contributions of every one of his players as the Rojiblancos exorcised their derby demons to lift the Copa del Rey.Diego Simeone has applauded his Atletico Madrid players for banishing their fear of arch-rival Real Madrid in their 2-1 Copa del Rey final victory at the Santiago Bernabeu on Friday.

The Rojiblancos needed an extra-time goal from defender Miranda to end their 25-match winless run against their city neighbor and triumph in the domestic cup competition for the first time in almost two decades.

And their coach was delighted with the commitment made by each and every one of his players on the night and in the wider context of their "incredible" progress since his appointment in December 2011."It was an incredible game. We had the luck needed to win the trophy. What these players have been doing for the past year-and-a-half is incredible," Simeone told reporters.

"They finally lost their fear and the hearts of each player combined to win the match, and it was amazing. We were fortunate because in soccer, teams that win have a slice of luck. We believed that we'd win the game."What brought us these achievements has been this - you see Diego Costa running 50 meters back, see Koke, [Radamel] Falcao and Gabi all sacrificing themselves for the team.

"I'm speechless. Now we have to think about the next game if we want to keep on developing. That's the only way we know."

 

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Stoke to investigate pig's head in players' dressing room

The item was discovered in Kenwyne Jones' locker at the club's training ground, although manager Tony Pulis admits he was unaware of the incident Stoke City will launch an internal investigation after it was reported Friday that a pig's head was found in Kenwyne Jones' locker.

Stoke midfielder Brek Shea posted an image of the pig's head on Twitter with the caption: "Locker room banter gone wild!!!".

"The club takes seriously reports of an incident at our training ground this afternoon," read a statement on the club's official website.

"A full internal investigation will be carried out and those responsible for any unacceptable behaviour will be dealt with in accordance with the club’s disciplinary procedures."

Stoke manager Tony Pulis admits he was unaware of the incident but claims he will speak to his squad regarding the incident prior to the club's final game of the season against Southampton on Sunday.

"We have a smashing dressing room, and there are four or five lads who are always up to something. There is always banter going on," Pulis told BBC Radio Five Live.

"I honestly don't know what's gone on this morning, I've missed all of what's happened. I try to stay away from the home dressing room as much as I possibly can, I let the lads get on with it."

 

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Sir Alex Ferguson and Gareth Bale claim Barclays end-of-season awards

The Manchester United boss and Tottenham midfielder have been rewarded for record-breaking campaigns with the Manager of the Year and Player of the Year accolades.Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and Tottenham midfielder Gareth Bale have been named Barclays Manager and Player of the Year, respectively.

Ferguson claimed the award after leading Manchester United to its record 20th league title, the 13th time he has personally won the Premier League. The Manchester United boss has been named Manager of the Season a record 11 times, first taking the honor in 1993 and winning it for the last time as he moves on to retirement.

Meanwhile, for Bale, the award is the Welsh midfielder’s fourth individual accolade of the season.

The Tottenham star won both the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year awards this term before also landing the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year gong.

The 23-year-old has scored 20 goals in 33 Premier League appearances this season, becoming the first Tottenham player in history to claim the Player of the Year award.

 

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Congratulations For Sir Alex Ferguson & Bale!

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West Brom confirms it will give Manchester United a guard of honor


Baggies boss Steve Clarke has revealed that the Hawthorns outfit will pay tribute to the Premier League champion in what will be Sir Alex Ferguson's 1,500th game in charge.West Brom boss Steve Clarke has confirmed that his side will join Arsenal and Swansea in giving Manchester United a guard of honor this Sunday.

The Baggies host the Premier League champion this weekend, with Clarke’s side already being forced to block ticket sales on exchange website Viagogo as many home supporters’ seats are being bought by United fans for the final game of Sir Alex Ferguson's managerial career. Clarke has confirmed that West Brom will pay tribute to the Red Devils and Ferguson in what will be his 1,500th game in charge.

"It's going to be a historic afternoon and I've been involved with so many clubs over the years that have played against Sir Alex," Clarke told reporters. "Everybody has paid tribute to him and he's decided to get out of the game at the right time. The pleasing thing for me is that he goes out at the top, with his team having finished the season as champions.

"But we're not there for a party. We're there for our supporters and we will do our utmost to finish the season on a high."

West Brom currently sits eighth in the Premier League table after gathering its highest-ever tally of 48 points, but the Baggies could drop a place in the league table if they lose to United and Swansea beats Fulham.

 

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La Liga 2013.05.18 Fixtures

La Liga 2013.05.18 Fixtures


Getafe Vs Valencia

Granada Vs Osasuna

Sevilla Vs Real Sociedad​

 

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Serie A 2013.05.18 Fixture

Serie A 2013.05.18 Fixture


Sampdoria Vs Juventus​

 

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Real Madrid 1-2 Atletico Madrid (AET): Rojiblancos ride luck to end derby drought in Copa cracker

 

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Beckham not a 'great,' says former England winger Waddle


The 52-year-old believes the ex-Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan midfielder would not even make it into a list of the top 1,000 players from the Premier League era Former England winger Chris Waddle believes Paris Saint-Germain midfielder David Beckham is not good enough to be considered in the top 1,000 players of the Premier League era.

Beckham announced on Thursday that he will retire from football at the end of the season and has been universally lauded for an illustrious playing career. Yet Waddle has dismissed talk of the 38-year-old being a "great" and believes the game has seen a lot of more talented players than Beckham.

"I would say he has been a good player, I wouldn't put him down as a great," Waddle told BBC Radio 5 Live. "You can go down a list of footballers since the Premier League, and I don't think David Beckham would probably be in the first 1,000.

"I think there has been a lot more talented players in the world. But he made the most of what he has got."

 

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Neymar plans to stay at Santos until 2014, says father

The Brazil starlet has long been linked with a move to Barcelona but his dad insists he has yet to be informed by the Brasileiro side if it intends to sell this summer.The father of Santos starlet Neymar has once more insisted his son plans to remain in Brazil until the summer of 2014.

Rumors linking the 21-year-old with a move to Barcelona in the coming months have gathered pace of late, with Tito Vilanova confirming discussions have taken place between representatives of the two clubs.

However, the player's father has stressed that his son intends to see out his contract with the Brasileiro outfit, claiming that both Barca and Real Madrid have plans in place to make a move for the youngster's signature next year.

"Our position is to stay until the end of contract," he told Radio Bandeirantes. "And we have not heard that Santos are in negotiations to sell Neymar.

“If Santos want then I will talk with my son to see if he really wants to go. We made some plans for Neymar to stay here until 2014. If these change we must be told beforehand.

"Barcelona is waiting for Neymar but for 2014. A project is in place to see how he will fit there. They put people next to Neymar to see how he would work. And Real Madrid does the same thing in the same way."

 

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Conte: Tevez talk is disrespectful

The Juventus coach insists it would be unfair on his current players to discuss transfer speculation so soon after they clinched the Serie A title.Juventus boss Antonio Conte claims it would be unfair on his current playing squad to discuss rumors linking Carlos Tevez with a move to Turin.

Club director Guiseppe Marotta hinted on Saturday that the Serie A champion would be interested in making a bid for the Manchester City striker as it looks to bolster its attacking options ahead of the new campaign.

However, speaking after his side's 3-2 defeat to Sampdoria on Saturday evening, Conte claimed it would be unfair on his current players to talk about transfer speculation immediately after the successful title defense.

"I think you should be giving credit to my guys for what they did on the pitch this year. Talking about the market right now does not seem respectful to them," he told reporters.

Conte's charges were beaten for the second time this season by a spirited Sampdoria side, despite controlling the majority of the match, and the former midfielder admits he has been left irked by both defeats.

"Sampdoria has taken six points from us this year but both matches have left a bitter taste in the mouth," he continued. "My boys played well. They created much, but we were unlucky. If we had been more careful in the final phase we could have brought home a different result. Luckily, it is a painless defeat."

Conte recently affirmed his commitment to the club after a meeting with president Andrea Agnelli but he maintains his future was never really in question.

"With Agnelli there was nothing to convince me [to stay]. It was just to sit at a table and exchange a couple of things," he explained. "The squad agrees with my assessments - there is no problem. [Nicklas] Bendtner was unfortunate [with injury]. I wish him the best of luck because we're talking about a great guy."

Finally, Conte paid tribute to his side's mental toughness after a grueling campaign saw it clinch its second successive Scudetto, and pointed to Inter's recent demise following its treble in 2010 as proof that it must not rest on its laurels.

"I believe Juventus is mentally strong. Last year we started with the aim of third place and instead we won," he added. "This year we were very good at holding out concentration and handling the pressure, since we started the season as favorites.

"We no longer think of Inter's treble. Yes, it is a team that won everything. But the cycle will not stop there. Winning is not a means to building strength."

 

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Borussia Dortmund 1-2 Hoffenheim: Two Salihovic penalties offer visitors chance of salvation in playoffs

Borussia Dortmund ended the Bundesliga season with Kevin Grosskreutz playing goalkeeper after Hoffenheim netted two late penalties to salvage a 2-1 victory at Signal Iduna Park on Saturday.

Robert Lewandowski gave BVB the lead inside six minutes, and the signs pointed to a comprehensive home success, but Roman Weidenfeller's red card and two spot-kicks from Sejad Salihovic deep in proceedings handed the visitors a reprieve as they avoided automatic relegation and advanced to a relegation playoff with Kaiserslautern.

And as if that was not a bitter enough pill for the hosts to swallow, they were forced to endure the heartache of a disallowed goal in the third minute of stoppage time.

Nonetheless, Dortmund made a bright start to the match as Jakub Blaszczykowski fired an early warning shot, and it was swiftly followed up when Lewandowski struck the ball past Koen Casteels from close range.

They continued to probe, with Kuba a constant thorn down the right flank as he looked to infiltrate the leaky Hoffe backline, and he almost came up trumps again were it not for the goalkeeper's quick charge.

More chances ensued, but neither of the Polish pair could find a way past Casteels, and it increasingly looked as if the strugglers - in need of all three points - would hold out for a late smash-and-grab.

The second half produced more of the same, although Hoffenheim began to find some solace through the darting runs of full back Fabian Johnson and the aerial prowess of substitute Sven Schipplock.

But Dortmund was to be punished as Mats Hummels' foul in the box on 76 minutes allowed Salihovic to step up and blast the penalty into the top right corner.

Quite incredibly - six minutes later - Dortmund was forced to rue its profligacy when Roman Weidenfeller was given his marching orders for a professional foul, and Salihovic was at it again from 12 yards out.

With all three BVB substitutes used, Kevin Grosskreutz assumed goalkeeping duties for the last 10 minutes, but it was Dortmund which found the net in injury time - although Lewandowski's effort was ruled offside.

Dortmund must now regroup ahead of the Champions League final on May 25 - and even more so following Bayern Munich's impressive turnaround against Monchengladbach.

 

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Freiburg 1-2 Schalke: Draxler on target as Keller's men clinch Champions League qualification

Schalke concluded its season by qualifying for the Champions League after beating Freiburg 2-1 at the Mage Solar Stadion on Saturday.

Julian Draxler opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a fine shot from 15 yards out to put his team in the lead.

Jan Rosenthal then made the best out of a Timo Hildebrand rebound in the 54th minute to equal the scoring, only to get cancelled out by a Julian Schuster own goal shortly afterwards.

Fourth-placed Schalke went into the match with a one-point advantage over the home team, as both sides were looking to secure the final Champions League qualification spot.

The fired-up atmosphere in Freiburg was certainly suitable for the last matchday with so much being at stake and it reflected with the players on the pitch.

Both sides looked lively from the beginning and were equally hungry to win the game. Early into the match, Immanuel Hohn lurked near the far post and caused an early, major scare for the visiting side, as he wasted a huge opportunity to get ahead in the sixth minute after a fine cross by Jan Rosenthal.

However, despite an ambitious showing by the Breisgau outfit, the guests broke the deadlock in the 20th minute, when Germany international Draxler accurately placed the ball in the right-hand corner of the box from outside the area, leaving Oliver Baumann no chance to save.

As the match was nearing the break, Christian Streich's side dominated possession, trying to seize opportunities up front as S04 focused their game on counterattacks, but a solid defensive display by the hosts prevented them from carving out any big chances.

Raffael sparked up the good opportunity before heading into the locker room, when he worked his way towards the target before unleashing a powerful strike, which went over the bar.

Then, after a corner for the guests early in the second half, Jonathan Schmid intercepted the ball, sprinted towards the Knappen goal and found Max Kruse on the left side. Timo Hildebrand deflected his effort directly on to Rosenthal's feet and the midfielder did not hesitate when he blasted the rebound into the net.

But, not five minutes later, Schalke restored the lead with help from Julian Schuster. Jermaine Jones ran down the right flank and crossed into the midfielder's path, who then recorded his first-ever Bundesliga own goal after trying to clear the ball.

Shortly after, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had the chance to extend the advantage after Draxler provided him with a fine pass, but the Oranje star missed the target by an eyelash with his curl towards the right corner of the net.

Freiburg created some good chances in the dying minutes as well but ultimately could not change the result in its favor.

Die Knappen remain fourth and seize the opportunity to qualify for the playoff round before the group stages of the Champions League next term, while Freiburg looks forward to its third-ever appearance in the Europa League.

 

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Sampdoria 3-2 Juventus: Blucerchiati complete league double over champions

Sampdoria completed a league double over Juventus by coming from a goal down to defeat the champion 3-2 at the Luigi Ferraris on Saturday night.

Fabio Quagliarella deservedly opened the scoring for the Bianconeri midway through the first half but the hosts levelled courtesy of a penalty from Eder before sensationally taking the lead through Lorenzo De Silvestri just before the hour mark.

Mauco Icardi then added a third for the Blucerchiati and that goal ultimately proved decisive. Emanuele Giaccherini struck in injury time to set up a tense finale, but Samp held on to claim its first win since March - but its second over Juventus in the space of five months.

Antonio Conte made several changes in personnel for what was a meaningless contest for both sides, but the Bianconeri began brightly, with Sebastian Giovinco, Quagliarella and Giorgio Chiellini all testing Junio da Costa with decent strikes from distance inside the opening quarter.

Juve's relentless pressure finally told 25 minutes in when Quagliarella sprung the Blucerchiati offside trap to latch onto a terrific ball over the top from Andrea Pirlo before calmly slotting home.

A rout looked a distinct possibility at that stage but the concession of a goal actually brought the best out of the hosts, who levelled matters from the penalty spot through Eder, after Chiellini had been harshly penalized for a push on Mauro Icardi in the area.

Remarkably, Sampdoria almost went in front just 60 seconds later, but Chiellini made amends for his earlier indiscretion to block a low strike from Eder that had been destined for the bottom left corner.

The second half began in a very similar manner to the first, with the Bianconeri launching wave after wave of attacks on the Sampdoria goal.

Indeed, Quagliarella and Giaccherini had both been guilty of poor finishes before Giovinco put Simone Padoin straight through on goal with the most sublime lay-off only to see his teammate's effort brilliantly saved by da Costa.

Again, the goal was coming, only this time it came at the other end, with De Silvestri beating Storari with a near-post header from a corner.

Juventus dominated the final half-hour and Quagliarella really should have restored parity on 70 minutes but he volleyed tamely at da Costa after being picked out unmarked eight yards out by a measured chip from Giovinco.

However, it was then hit with a classic sucker-punch just moments later, with former Bianconero Marcelo Estigarribia racing clear down the right flank before rolling the ball across the box for a grateful Icardi to tap in.

Juventus kept fighting, and Giaccherini smashed in a late goal for the visitor, but Juve had left it too late to salvage something from its final game of an otherwise triumphant season.

 

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Bale will attract better players to Tottenham, insists Villas-Boas

The 35-year-old boss reveals he hopes to use the recently-crowned Barclays Player of the Season to lure big names to White Hart Lane during the summer
Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas believes the prospect of playing alongside Gareth Bale will attract more top players to the club in the summer.

With Spurs' Champions League qualification out of their own hands heading into Sunday's final match against Sunderland, there have been concerns that the Welsh forward may leave the club.

But Villas-Boas remains confident the 23-year-old will sign a new contract and become the symbol of a bigger future for the club, though he admits the very top players available may be out of reach.

"I think the more strong your squad is, the better, and the fact that we have Gareth achieving those individual awards this season is obviously something that other players will recognize as important moving forward," he told reporters.

"This summer, we will be adding quality players, I think. We can't compete at the level that others go for in terms of the big names that are around and the players that you expect to be moved for having done well during the season.

"We are in a different type of market and we have to scout properly to get good names from around the world and the Premier League."

The 35-year-old also added that he would prefer to secure his summer signings before the season starts.

Last year, Clint Dempsey and Mousa Dembele both joined on Aug. 31, a matter of hours before the transfer window slammed shut.

"I think as you will agree we have done things like that in the past and you will also agree that this club has managed to get some great coups at the end of the transfer market," he added.

"But ideally, when you set up for the first game of the season, to have put the team to bed would be the ideal situation."

 

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Felipe Santana set to seal Schalke move

The Brazilian has sealed a three-year contract at the Veltins Arena, with Jens Keller's side set to pay just one million euros for his services Borussia Dortmund defender Felipe Santana has agreed a three-year deal ahead of a controversial move to Ruhr rivalSchalke, Goal has learned.

The Brazilian defender has found it hard to break into the BVB first team during his five years at Signal Iduna Park, having found himself firmly behind Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic in the pecking order.

With Christoph Metzelder - another former Dortmund defender - having announced his retirement earlier this week, Jens Keller's side has been in the market for a new center back.

Meanwhile, another Schalke defender, Kyriakos Papadopoulos has also been heavily linked with a move away from the club, leaving Jens Keller's side short of options at the back.

Santana has long been linked with a move to the Veltins Arena and has now sealed a contract until 2016 worth around three million euros per season for a fee of one million euros, which is his release clause.

With Hummels having sustained an ankle injury during the 2-1 loss to Hoffenheim on Saturday, Santana has a chance of representing Dortmund in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich on May 25.

His stoppage-time goal against Malaga in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal this season dramatically ensured Dortmund secured a spot in the last four of the competition.