..::Football III::..

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Sturridge: Hip injury surgery a success

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has revealed that he has undergone successful surgery on his hip.

The England international has consulted with specialists in America following a spate of injuries this season that have seen him miss the majority of the Reds' fixtures this term.

But the former Chelsea forward posted a hopeful message that he will be fit to return following his operation.

"Just want to let the world know I've had a successful operation on my hip today and I want to thank God for allowing that to be possible," he wrote on his Intagram page.

"Onwards and upwards from here. Thanks for the support."

 

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Jones: I'm ready for Manchester United return

Phil Jones is hopeful of featuring in Manchester United's final three Premier League matches after playing over an hour in an Under-21s fixture on Monday.

The defender has not made a first-team appearance since the 4-2 derby victory over Manchester City last month due to an ankle injury and was an unused substitute in Saturday's 1-0 defeat against West Brom at Old Trafford.

The England international subsequently played 62 minutes as United's Under-21s beat Southampton 1-0 and is hoping to be involved with the first team at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

"I'm happy to play in the Under-21s and get some fitness," Jones told United's official website.

"The lads did well. I feel I'm ready to go again and hopefully I can make the squad on Saturday. Hopefully, I'll recover on Tuesday, then train on Wednesday and Thursday, and see how it goes. I'll take it from there.

"We have got a long way to go as there are still three games coming up, three massive games, and we have got to approach it in the right way. I'm sure we can do that and cement that top-four finish."

United have lost three straight Premier League matches, but are still four points clear of fifth-placed Liverpool with three games to go.

 

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Ronaldo was better than Messi when I was in Spain - Alonso

Bayern Munich star Xabi Alonso says Cristiano Ronaldo was a better player than Lionel Messi during his time in Spain.

The midfielder played alongside Ronaldo at Real Madrid but also did battle with Messi on numerous occasions during his five years at the Santiago Bernabeu between 2009 and 2014.

However, despite praising the Argentina star, Alonso unsurprisingly offered his backing to his ex-team-mate when asked about who is the better of the two global superstars.The playmaker said: "Both of them are amazing players. You only need to look at the goals they score. While I was at Madrid, for me, Cristiano was the best."

The Spaniard will come up against Messi again on Wednesday night when Bayern face Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

Bavarians boss Pep Guardiola says he has no special plans to stop the four-time Ballon d'Or winner and Alonso admits that the diminutive No.10 is difficult to nullify when on top form."He's a great player and it's not easy to stop him, but we will try," added the former Liverpool man.

"I've played a lot of times against Barca over the years but this time is going to be very different. We're all looking forward to it and hoping to put in a good game."

 

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Dunga: I want Neymar and Marcelo in Champions League final

Brazil coach Dunga wants Neymar and Marcelo to reach this year’s Champions League final - despite the prospect of the pair missing their country’s Copa America warm-up clash with Mexico.

Barcelona meet Bayern Munich in their semi-final, while Madrid have been paired with Juventus, as the four clubs battle for a place in the final in Berlin on June 6.

Dunga’s squad are scheduled to meet at the Selecao’s Granja Comary training complex in Teresopolis on June 1, ahead of the Chevrolet Brasil Global Tour friendlies against Mexico on June 7 and Honduras on June 10."I hope that both are in the final. It's good to reach the squad motivated. It's good for Brazilian football,” Dunga said.

Technical co-ordinator Gilmar Rinaldi said the coaching staff will talk to the pair's respective clubs ahead of their arrival in order to assess their physical state."We hope that Neymar plays in both friendlies,” Dunga added.

“When we chose him to be captain we all had had an expectation of how he would behave. But since he was given the captain's armband [in August 2014], his own performances have matured at Barcelona and he is scoring even more goals.”
Neymar has hit eight goals in eight internationals since Dunga’s appointment following last year’s World Cup.

 

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Neuer: Bayern won't park the bus against Barcelona

Manuel Neuer says injury-ravaged Bayern Munich have no intention of 'parking the bus' in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final showdown with Barcelona.

The Bavarians have arrived in Catalunya without a host of first-team players, including star winger Arjen Robben, and on a low after seeing their treble dream ended by Borussia Dortmund last week before suffering a shocking Bundesliga loss at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.

Barca, by contrast, are not only in rude health but also sensational form, having won their last six games in all competitions, racking up 14 goals in their last two Liga outings alone.However, Neuer insist that Bayern have no intention of turning up at Camp Nou and trying to shut up shop.

"We're not going to park the bus," the goalkeeper told reporters on the eve of the first-leg clash. "The system at the back isn't important."We're approaching the match tomorrow with confidence."

Neuer also insisted that he won't be doing anything different either, even though he faces the daunting task of trying to keep out Barcelona's much-vaunted attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, who have netted 108 goals in all competitions between them this season.

"Before important games I don't change my preparation," the Germany international stated. "But I of course know Messi, Suarez and Neymar very well and I also know that they can turn any game."

Neuer also expressed his admiration for Barcelona counterpart Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who will once again take over in goal from Luis Enrique's first-choice goalkeeper for La Liga games, Claudio Bravo."He's a good keeper," the World Cup winner added. "He's very good with both feet. He'll be back in our national team very soon."

 

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I'm not here for a tribute - Guardiola

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola says he isn't returning to Barcelona on Wednesday for a tribute and is fully focused on knocking his former club out of Europe.

The former Blaugrana coach faces his old side for the first time since leaving in 2012, as the two teams meet at Camp Nou in the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final.

The pre-match build-up has been dominated by Guardiola's return to Catalunya - where he enjoyed success as both a player and coach - but though he admits it will be an emotional night, he is refusing to allow sentiment to get in the way of his ultimate goal."It's wonderful to be back," he said on Tuesday.

"Obviously it’s very special for me because I have been at this club for many years. Now I am with Bayern and I am here for the match tomorrow - that’s my job and I have to do my best.

"I knew that if I coached great clubs that there would be a possibility to return here. This is the first time of course. I am not here for a tribute. I am here to do my job. "We have to score, it will be difficult to play well in Munich if we don’t score here. We need at least one goal. It's virtually impossible to just defend here.

"Barcelona are an important part of my life but I am here to win. We have prepared to give our best and I will be very happy if we score a goal, but I don’t know what my reaction will be."

The current Barcelona side still contains many of the names who worked under Guardiola between 2008 and 2012, and the 44-year-old admitted his inside knowledge may well be an advantage.

He continued: "It's hard to find weak points with so much talent. Barca always want to have the ball. We'll see who comes out on top there and reaches the final.
"They have enormously talented players, they are the ones taking decisions on the pitch. Their players know me. But they don't know my players. Maybe we can surprise them."

Bayern head into the game with a host of first team players missing through injury, including forward pair Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, as well as defender David Alaba.Striker Robert Lewandowski is also a doubt, but Guardiola refused to use their respective absences as an excuse for a potentially below-par display.

"If we had complained about injuries, we wouldn’t have won the Bundesliga already, we wouldn’t have reached the semi-finals of the German Cup or these semi-finals. I have never complained about bad luck with injuries and I won’t do it now.

"I'm going to talk today about who's playing tomorrow and who isn't. [Robert] Lewandowski has trained and I will speak to him [before deciding if he will feature]. I need all my players to be 100 per cent fit."

 

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Stopping Messi is impossible - Guardiola

Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola has warned his players that they have no chance of stoppiong Lionel Messi if the Barcelona star is in the mood.

The 44-year-old coached the Argentine at Camp Nou for four years and enjoyed great success by moving him from the flank to a central attacking role.

The former Spain international will return to the club he represented as player and coach in the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday and is worried about the impact his old charge could have.

"If Messi is in top form, no defence can stop him," Guardiola said at a press conference."There is no system to stop Messi. He's too good. You just have to try to limit him in another way - stop the ball reaching him, but even then, you can't stop him."

However, Guardiola was also keen to stress that focusing on only Messi could prove to be the undoing of his troops."It's very difficult to find any weaknesses with talent like this," he added.

"We're going to try to perform as well as we can. We're going to try to better than we usually are. You know the level of respect I have for these players and for Barcelona.

"I think that they have the advantage because I know them but when you think you might know what these players are going to do they do something different."I know that from a defensive standpoint it's really impossible to stop them. We can't stop them."

 

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Guardiola will be emotional - Low

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola will be emotional when he faces former club Barcelona on Wednesday, according to Germany boss Joachim Low.

The 44-year-old departed Camp Nou after four silverware-laden years in charge in 2012 and faces the Catalans for the first time since leaving in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

"It is a very emotional game for him," said Low. "He has played for Barcelona and of course been their coach and had great success.

"Whether he will benefit from knowing Barcelona inside out on Wednesday, I don't know. At the top level you know most things about the best clubs, there aren't too many surprises."

Guardiola has had to contend with a lengthy injury list which sees Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery both absent through injury, as well as David Alaba, Holger Badstuber and Sebastian Rode.That said, Low still believes Bayern have enough quality to trouble Barca and is anticipating a tight affair over two legs.

"Of course Bayern have a chance against Barcelona. Barcelona are probably in the best form at the moment but Bayern, despite their injuries, still have a lot of quality.
"For me it is a duel at eye level and I look forward to seeing two fantastic teams in action."

 

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Luis Enrique: Guardiola has changed Bayern's style

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has praised the way Pep Guardiola has changed Bayern Munich's playing style but doesn't think his time in charge at Camp Nou will have any impact on Wednesday's meeting between the sides.

The two teams face one another in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, as Guardiola faces his old club for the first time since his departure in the summer of 2012.

The 44-year-old took charge of the Bavarians in the summer of 2012-13 after Jupp Heynckes had guided them to a historic treble and has since led Bayern to two Bundesliga titles and one DFB Pokal.

The Allianz Arena side missed out on Champions League glory last term after being thrashed 7-0 over two legs by eventual winners Real Madrid, but Luis Enrique feels Guardiola has done a fine job at the German giants."I believe that Bayern, since Guardiola became the coach, have a slightly different playing style," he said at a press conference.

"He has maintained the positive aspects and added his own touch. They are one of the best teams in Europe without a doubt. We don’t think about beating Pep, we want to beat Bayern - a historic club in Europe. Unfortunately only one of us will reach the final.

"I don't think Pep has any doubts about what we are going to do tomorrow. We both want possession and we shall see who is in better condition tomorrow. I respect them of course, but other than that, we are motivated and feel we can win tomorrow. He knows every one of my players very well, but I don't think it’s a determining factor for the match. This type of game is resolved by minor details.

"It will be nice for the players to see Pep again. But they feel the match is more important than to see their former coach. There’s always time at the end of the game to say hello."

Luis Enrique then gave his thoughts on the injury crisis facing Bayern ahead of the game, which sees them without David Alaba, Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben amongst a host of absentees.He added: "Bayern are good enough to overcome their injuries. We have prepared for this match in the usual way, despite the men they will be missing.

"We will try to do the same as we have done all season. We have to score goals and not concede any, which means we have to be a complete team. It’s not just about attacking and defending, we have to do both jobs."

Barcelona remain in the hunt for the treble having already secured their place in the final of the Copa del Rey, as well as sitting top of La Liga ahead of their last four European tie and Luis Enrique admitted he is excited by the prospect of winning three trophies.

"I like the word treble, I love it. But, we know it can go from three [potential trophies] to zero. We know we are in the position to win all three but we haven’t finished the season yet. There are four teams that want to win the Champions League.

"There are no favourites for this match, It's a semi-final. We are playing at home with our crowd - that makes us stronger. The crowd has to be great, supporting the team especially when the opponent is hurting us, I want them to be even more enthusiastic tomorrow."

 

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Messi: I don't have any relationship with Guardiola

Cesar Azpilicueta has praised Jose Mourinho and committed his future to the club after Chelsea became Premier League champions on Sunday.

The Blues' 1-0 defeat of Crystal Palace wrapped up their first title in five seasons, with Azpilicueta a key part of the team's success, and the Spanish full-back is delighted.

"This is so great," Azpilicueta told RMC, "but it was so long that it was very difficult to win the championship. But we have worked hard to be crowned.

"I am happy because, when I came here three years ago, I did not play a lot, there was a lot of competition, but I worked hard and won the title, that was my goal.

"Mourinho asks a lot of the players. It's a new challenge every day, you have to be ready to fight, but Mourinho made me grow. I have made a lot of progress with him. It's the most important thing to learn with a man like him."

Azpilicueta has made 136 appeareances for Chelsea since joining from Marseille in 2012. The 25-year-old's contract in west London runs until 2019 and he has no intention of playing anywhere else.

"I do not think about anything other than staying at Chelsea," he declared. "I do not think about Spain. I'm in the best team in England.

"At Chelsea, we have perhaps one of the future top players of the world in Eden Hazard. This year he had a great season; he deserved to be the best player in the Premier League.

"There has been much criticism but we scored a lot of goals, we are the [second-best] attack of the championship. That means we have an offensive game but sometimes you have to know when to defend."

 

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Terry: Chelsea should give Drogba a new contract

Chelsea captain John Terry has urged the club's board to hand striker Didier Drogba fresh terms following their Premier League triumph.

The Ivorian has had to be content with a bit-part role since his return to Stamford Bridge in the last year, having started only seven of the 27 Premier League games he featured in, thanks largely to the form of Diego Costa during his first campaign in England.

However, long-serving skipper Terry - who himself signed a new deal in March - is hopeful that Chelsea can keep hold of Drogba, with the 37-year-old's current contract set to expire at the end of the season.

"He's been great because he's had to be patient," the defender told reporters.

"Ideally he would have liked a bit more game time but Diego Costa hit the ground running, scoring a lot of goals.

"Didier's experience is beneficial and the way he speaks before the games and after defeats when you're down and you need an old head to help.

"At times we've been worried after defeats and he's said that it happens and we'll bounce back and be alright. When you hear that from someone like him, everyone takes it on board.

"Let's hope he's in the camp next season. He's got a massive part to play on and off the field. He's shown that on the field but off the field he really has got a massive part to play."

 

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Wenger: Arsenal will only buy world-class stars

Arsene Wenger says Arsenal will only look to sign world-class talent in this summer's transfer window.

The Gunners defeated Hull City 3-1 at the KC Stadium on Monday night, hauling them back level on points with second-place Manchester City, over whom they have a game in hand.

The club's marquee summer signing, Alexis Sanchez, scored twice against the Tigers and Wenger says the north Londoners will look to acquire a similar calibre of player this summer.

"We have a big squad and we have to see now how we finish. We want to focus now on finishing the season well and then we will see what we can do, but the basis is there to build on," he told reporters.

"We do not need to buy a number of players. If we find top, world-class players we look at it but we have a very strong squad already in numbers, and the basis is to get together, stay together, and start well next season."

Chelsea secured the Premier League title on Sunday with a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace but Wenger believes Arsenal will be in contention next year.

He added: "Give me a little breather until August.

"What is at stake now is to finish the season well. If we maintain our run then we will finish second and we still have the FA Cup final - we will see where we are after that.

"I am always optimistic, because in this job if you are pessimistic, you don’t go far.

"I feel like we have made progress and Chelsea was the winner this year because they’ve been the most consistent team of all.

"Let’s finish well, prepare well for next season and give them a good fight."

 

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Juventus 2-1 Real Madrid: Tevez penalty gives Bianconeri first-leg advantage

Carlos Tevez's penalty handed Juventus a crucial lead as they beat Real Madrid 2-1 in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first leg.

Juve, crowned Serie A champions for a fourth year in a row on Saturday, were rewarded for a bright start when former Real striker Alvaro Morata opened the scoring from close range in Turin.

Massimiliano Allegri's side were soon pegged back, though, as Cristiano Ronaldo - who scored three times against Juve in last season's group stages - headed home a close-range equaliser from James Rodriguez's sublime cross.

Holders Real wasted a great chance shortly before the break when Rodriguez somehow headed against the crossbar from three yards with the goal unguarded.
That miss ultimately proved costly as Juve were awarded a penalty just before the hour when Dani Carvajal felled Tevez, and the Argentina forward emphatically dispatched his spot-kick.

Juve therefore hold a narrow advantage ahead of next week's return leg in Madrid, although Ronaldo's away goal - his 76th in the Champions League, one more than his great rival Lionel Messi - could prove crucial.

The hosts took the game to Real from the off, and a poor clearance from Iker Casillas almost led to a chance for Arturo Vidal.Casillas was then equal to Morata's audacious lob, but the ex-Real man did get on the scoresheet in the eighth minute.

Tevez's low shot across the face of goal was only parried by Casillas and Morata tapped in the rebound, the striker recognising the goal against his former club with muted celebrations.

Real gained a foothold in the game after the opener, as Toni Kroos' low 25-yard drive drew a fine stop from Gianluigi Buffon before Ronaldo raced clear and dragged a left-foot shot wide.

And the holders' pressure told in the 27th minute. An extended period of possession led to Rodriguez looping an exquisite half-volleyed cross from the right of the penalty area that Ronaldo nodded home from a yard out.

The visitors should have had the lead heading into the break as another flowing attack ended with Rodriguez heading Isco's delivery against the crossbar when it appeared easier to score.After a cautious opening to the second half, the tie took a twist in the 57th minute.

Tevez led a lightning Juve counter-attack from his own half and Carjaval sent the former Manchester City man tumbling when he tried to nick the ball, leaving referee Martin Atkinson with no choice but to award a penalty.

And there was no mistake from Tevez, who drilled his shot straight down the middle to register his 29th goal of another prolific season.Real threw numbers forward in an attempt to find the leveller, and Ronaldo let Juve off the hook when he failed to guide Rodriguez's left-wing cross on target.

Juve could have had a third in injury time when substitute Fernando Llorente headed Andrea Pirlo's teasing free-kick straight at Casillas, but Allegri is sure to be satisfied with a one-goal lead.

 

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Keane slates Bale: Madrid had 10 men against Juventus

Roy Keane lashed out at Gareth Bale following his ineffective performance against Juventus, claiming Real Madrid were effectively playing with "10 men" in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

The winger was restored to the starting line-up after three weeks out with a calf injury, and just half an hour of game time in Saturday's Liga win at Sevilla, but made little impact as Los Blancos suffered a 2-1 loss in Turin, with Alvaro Morata and Carlos Tevez netting either side of Cristiano Ronaldo's equaliser.

Bale was eventually replaced by Jese Rodriguez with four minutes to go but former Manchester United captain Keane was surprised that the Wales international had lasted that long.

The Irishman told ITV: "It was difficult for Madrid to play with 10 men. Gareth Bale gave them nothing. There was a lack of confidence, he kept making the easy decision.

"His team-mates can't be happy with him. He took the easy option every time."

Keane's fellow pundit, and another former United man, Paul Scholes, was equally unimpressed. He said: "He [Bale] wasn't great. He needs to be better, as he wasn't good enough."

It wasn't just Bale who earned the wrath of Keane, with Dani Carvajal also criticised for the needless challenge on Tevez which handed the Argentine the chance to grab the winner from the spot.

Keane added: "I'm angry with him and I'm not even involved. It was schoolboy stuff; they should lynch him."

Madrid were sloppy all night with Scholes singling out Sergio Ramos, again playing in an unfamiliar midfield role, as another weak link.

The former England international said: "I'd probably say [Madrid had] nine men with Ramos as well. It was a real lack of quality in there from him.

"Every time he got the ball he gave it away. He was hitting the ball out of play. [Luka] Modric was a big miss for them."

 

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Hernandez: A benched player is an unhappy player

Javier Hernandez has expressed his frustration at being returned to the bench for Real Madrid's 2-1 defeat to Juventus on Tuesday.

The Mexico international had scored four goals in his last six games for the reigning European champions but was benched in Turin's semi-final first leg, with head coach Carlo Ancelotti favoruing the fit-again Gareth Bale up front alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

The decision backfired on the Italian, with Bale putting in a panned performance, and Hernandez was unable to make a goalscoring impact when he was brought on in the 63rd minute.

"You have to respect all decisions, even being benched," the striker, on loan from Manchester United for the season, told TVE. "I must stay professional. I'll always be... Look, a benched player is not a happy player.

Real Madrid were 2-1 down by the time Hernandez entered the fray, with Alvaro Morata and Carlos Tevez scoring either side of a Cristiano Ronaldo header, but the 26-year-old is convinced the Blancos can triumph in the second leg and reach the final in Berlin next month.

"The mood is negative as we lost, but we fought until the end," he added. "We just have to win 1-0 and we'd be through to the final. We have to take it on the chin and learn from this for the second leg.

"The coach asked us to play with the same attitude we're showing in La Liga. But it's a game of two teams, and they had the home advantage and plenty of additional motivation to win.

"Tomorrow we'll have to digest this defeat and think about the next Liga game against Valencia."

Real Madrid remain two points behind Barcelona ahead of Saturday's testing home tie against Valencia, who are fourth in the Primera Division with three games to go and desperately fighting for a Champions League place.

 

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Tevez has Manchester United blood - Evra

Juventus defender Patrice Evra believes Carlos Tevez's time at Manchester United has made him a champion capable of match-winning contributions.

Tevez won and scored the second-half penalty that sealed a 2-1 victory for the Serie A outfit in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.

And Evra, who played alongside the Argentine striker at Old Trafford, feels the winning attitude instilled in him with the Red Devils has proved to be hugely important in his growth as a player.

"Carlos Tevez is like myself: United blood," he told ITV Sport. "He's a champion and he's working hard, he's a very good professional.

"I was very pleased to see him again and of course he's had a fantastic year, but like you say we want to win this Champions League.

"We have done good stuff, in the first leg of the semi-final, and we need to make sure we get ready for the second leg.

"It's going to be difficult but of course I'm really pleased for Carlito because he's a massive professional."

Evra and Tevez were both part of the United side that won the Champions League in 2008, but the France full-back feels there are differences between that team and the squad Massimiliano Allegri has put together in Turin.

"United will remain United, Juventus is Juventus. Different team but they have a massive story as well and that's why we have to respect."

 

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Ancelotti: Madrid paid price for lack of patience against Juventus

Carlo Ancelotti blamed a lack of patience and quality for Real Madrid's Champions League semi-final defeat at Juventus on Tuesday.

The visitors were sloppy throughout and eventually succumbed to a 2-1 first-leg loss thanks to an Alvaro Morata tap-in and a Carlos Tevez penalty either side of a Cristiano Ronaldo header.

Ancelotti, going up against his former club, was disappointed with the outcome but remains confident his side will progress to next month's final in Berlin by winning next week's second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Madrid coach told TVE: "The game could have gone better for us. We tried but not always with the right quality or efficiency.

"We tried to have control of the game. We had bad luck as well because we could have scored to make it 2-1 but instead we conceded. It does not leave us happy but we still have the confidence that we can come back.

"We lost patience. The game did not start well, we left space between the lines which cost us a goal. Then we played well. We tried to continue [in that vein] but we could not."

Ancelotti again played central defender Sergio Ramos in midfield - a tactic that worked so well in the second leg of the quarter-final against Atletico Madrid - but the Spain international struggled to make any kind of positive impact.

"It was not just a bad game for Ramos," the Italian trainer said. "We lost precision passing out of defence too. The match seemed straightforward when we were playing well. But Juve are dangerous on the counterattack."

 

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Sergio Ramos admits: I played poorly against Juventus

Sergio Ramos has accepted that he played poorly as Real Madrid were defeated 2-1 by Juventus in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first leg.

The Spaniard, a defender by trade, continued his recent redeployment in central midfield as a result of the injury-induced absence of Luka Modric.

Ramos was slammed for constantly giving away possession in a "dreadful display" as goals from Alvaro Morata and Carlos Tevez either side of a Cristiano Ronaldo header gave the hosts the win they craved.

The makeshift midfielder admitted it was not a game he or the rest of his Madrid team-mates would look back upon fondly, but stressed the semi-final remains very much winnable for the reigning European champions.

"It was a bad game in general. I played poorly, but this does not worry me," Ramos told reporters after the game. "I trust coach Carlo Ancelotti and he trusts me.

"There is still a second leg to go and we can turn the tie in our favour. In this position - midfield - we run more, but I will not highlight any individual error of anyone.

"It won't be hard at all to play better at the Santiago Bernabeu next Wednesday than we did today. I'm sure everything will change. Giving up is not my nature, it's not philosophy and it's not in DNA."

Before clashing with Massimiliano Allegri's side in next Wednesday's decider in Madrid, Ancelotti's men will host Valencia in a difficult Liga clash as they look to keep pace or close the gap on leaders Barcelona with three games to go.

 

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Morata: Home win means nothing against Real Madrid

Alvaro Morata has pleaded with his Juventus team-mates not to get carried away by their 2-1 victory over Real Madrid in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first leg.

The 22-year-old forward tapped in the opener for Massimiliano Allegri's men in Turin against the club with whom he became a European champion last season before being sold to the Bianconeri for €20 million.

Cristiano Ronaldo equalised for Carlo Ancelotti's side before Carlos Tevez secured the win for Juventus but Morata thinks it would be foolish to think they are any nearer to next month's Champions League final in Berlin.

"I'm happy, we've won, which is always very difficult against Real Madrid," the Spain international told TVE.

"It was a good result, but we have to work because Madrid are the best in the world in my opinion and it will be difficult to eliminate them.

"When you win it is always good. Yes, it's good result. But at the Santiago Bernabeu it will be much more dangerous and we have to work hard this week to have a chance.

"Against Madrid you have no advantage. We know their players and the second leg awaits us."

Morata also discussed his decision not to celebrate his strike, which he says was out of respect to the club who fashioned him into a professional footballer, but stressed that his loyalties now lie with the Italian champions.

"I'll never said a bad word about Real Madrid, I'm very fond of the club who raised me," he added. "Some people are looking for things that are not there.

"I always said I would not celebrate if scored against them because I want Madrid to always win - except for when they're facing me. I am grateful to the coach and the club but now I am with Juventus; they are my club now."