..::Football III::..

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My knee hurts a lot, reveals Vidal

Juventus enforcer Arturo Vidal has revealed he is struggling with a knee injury which is stopping him from playing to the best of his ability.

The Chile international was substituted in the second half of Thursday's 2-1 Europa League win over Lyon, with initial reports suggesting it was simply to rest the 26-year-old ahead of Monday's Serie A clash with Udinese.

However, Vidal has now explained he is being affected by persistent pain in his knee, after he took a knock in the recent meeting with Fiorentina.

"My knee hurts a lot, it makes it tough to kick the ball. I didn't go off because of fatigue," he told Radio Cooperativa.

"In the game with Fiorentina I turned my knee. It hurts a lot and it's stopping me from playing well."

Juventus beat Lyon 3-1 on aggregate to move into Friday's draw for the Europa League semi-finals along with Valencia, Sevilla and Benfica.

 

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Atletico are dreaming of the Champions League final - Villa

Atletico Madrid striker David Villa says his side are already dreaming of the Champions League final as they await their fate in the draw for the last four.

The Rojiblancos edged out Barcelona in the quarter-finals this week with a 1-0 second-leg win to take their place in the hat for the semi-finals along with Bayern Munich, Chelsea and city rivals Real Madrid.

Villa admits it is special for the Spanish capital to have two sides at this stage of the competition but insists the draw in Nyon on Friday will not change the way they approach the upcoming tie.

"The dream is to be in the final, we'll get whoever we get in the semi-finals. This team will keep going with passion, humility, sacrifice and hard work," he told AS.

"Atletico fans are very happy to have reached the last four, as are Madrid fans. For a city to have two teams in the semi-finals is something very beautiful."

Wednesday's 1-0 win over Barca was Atletico's fifth game without defeat against Gerardo Martino's side this season, and Villa believes it was the best performance from the Liga leaders to date in the campaign.

"Possibly, yes," he said when asked if Atleti had played their best game. "We went out very hard [at the beginning] because it's tough to sustain it over 90 minutes. The team was perfect."

 

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Start Believing: Giroud's guardian angel

For much of the 2013-2014 season, Arsenal fans have whispered a silent prayer when striker Olivier Giroud, often ploughing the loneliest of furrows up front for the Gunners, has collapsed in a heap on the ground. With precious little back up, supporters know that a serious injury to the Frenchman could spell disaster.

Yet followers of the north London club should, according to Giroud himself, rest easy. In interviews, the 27-year-old claims the birth of his daughter Jade means that he now has a guardian angel looking over him.

“Her presence on this earth gives me strength and confidence as I go onto the pitch,” he explained.

When asked if he can continue to knock in the goals for Wenger’s side, Giroud also insists on touching wood when he talks about his striking exploits.

“I find that a simple act such as that also helps me,” he added.

Failing all that, Giroud also draws on the research he’s conducted into the “second season phenomenon”.

The former Montpellier star made a slow start to his Gunners career in 2012-2013, but he can draw strength from the experiences of those before him.

“There are dozens of strikers who have come good after taking time to settle in their first season at their new clubs. Now, when I hear Arsenal supporters sing my name to the tune ‘Hey Jude,’ I know that they have come to accept me more now. I have faith and so do they.”

 

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Pele: I'd love to play for Barcelona

Legendary Brazil forward Pele says he would choose to play for Barcelona ahead of any other side in modern-day football.

Pele spent the majority of his career with Santos before moving to New York Cosmos for the final few years of his playing days, having opted not to play club football in Europe.

However, the 73-year-old says he would play for Gerardo Martino's side above all others at the top of the modern game, as they possess a style similar to that of his Santos outfit in the 1960s.

"If I had to play in modern football, I would choose Barcelona," he told Time magazine.

"I could play for two or three teams, but right now, I would say I'd choose Barcelona. Their style is most similar to that of Santos in my day."

Pele, who won three World Cups with Brazil during a remarkable career, retired from football in 1977.

 

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Chelsea wal ballo Courtois ge agreement eka nisa Courtois may not play. Poor madrid can't afford 8Mil

Bro UEFA 1ken chance 1ka deela Courtois ta Chalsea match 1kata face karanna Atletico la eyawa select karanawanam:yes

Uefa allows Courtois to face Chelsea

Uefa has ruled that Thibaut Courtois will be allowed to play for Atletico Madrid against Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Atletico’s president Enrique Cerezo had claimed that the club could not afford the fee, believed to be above €10 million, required in order for the on-loan goalkeeper to feature against his parent side.

But after the two sides were paired together in Friday's draw, Uefa stated any clause in the 21-year-old's contract with Chelsea is “null, void and unenforceable” during a Champions League fixtue.

A statement from Uefa read: “The integrity of sporting competition is a fundamental principle for UEFA.

“Both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations contain clear provisions which strictly forbid any club to exert, or attempt to exert, any influence whatsoever over the players that another club may (or may not) field in a match.

“It follows that any provision in a private contract between clubs which might function in such a way as to influence who a club fields in a match is null, void and unenforceable so far as UEFA is concerned.

“Furthermore, any attempt to enforce such a provision would be a clear violation of both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations and would therefore be sanctioned accordingly.”

Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay was quizzed over the news after Friday's semi-final draw and said the Blues had no issue with Uefa's ruling.

He said: "The loan was arranged at start of the season, it's simple, Thibaut can play against Chelsea, that was never in doubt.
"We'll evaluate the Uefa statement over the next 24 hours, we've complied with the loan rules. Thibaut can play against Chelsea in both ties if selected by Atletico."

 

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Barclays Premier League 2014.04.12 Fixtures

Crystal Palace Vs Aston Villa

Fulham Vs Norwich City

Southampton Vs Cardiff

Stoke City Vs Newcastle

Sunderland Vs Everton

WBA Vs Tottenham

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FA Cup Semi-Final 2014.04.12

FA Cup Semi-Final 2014.04.12

Wigan Vs Arsenal

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La Liga 2014.04.12 Fixtures

La Liga 2014.04.12 Fixtures

Celta vigo Vs Real Sociedad

Villareal Vs Levante

Granada Vs Barcelona

Real Madrid Vs Almeria
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Serie A 2014.04.12 Fixtures

Serie A 2014.04.12 Fixtures

Sassuolo Vs Cagliari

Roma Vs Atalanta
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FA Cup Semi-Final 2014.04.12

Wigan Vs Arsenal

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Wigan Athletic 1-1 Arsenal (pens 2-4): Cazorla sends Gunners through to final

Per Mertesacker went from zero to hero before Arsenal overcame FA Cup holders Wigan 4-2 in a dramatic semi-final penalty shootout.

A 63rd-minute spot-kick from Jordi Gomez put the Championship side ahead after Mertesacker fouled Callum McManaman but the Germany international pulled his team level with eight minutes of normal time remaining.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – Arsenal's major attacking threat throughout – rattled the crossbar during extra time but Arsene Wenger's men would ultimately hold their nerve to keep hopes of a first major trophy in nine seasons alive.

Patrick Vieira famously sealed victory over Manchester United on penalties in the 2005 FA Cup final and on this occasion the decisive contribution came from Lukasz Fabianski.

Arsenal's back-up goalkeeper saved the first two Wigan penalties from Gary Caldwell and Jack Collison, while his team-mates Mikel Arteta, Kim Kallstrom and Olivier Giroud were all on target.

It was left to Santi Cazorla to hit the winning penalty, as Arsenal sealed their spot in the May 17 showpiece against either Hull City or Sheffield United, who contest the second semi-final on Sunday.

Influential Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey made his first start since suffering a thigh injury in December, while Wigan made seven changes.

McManaman – man-of-the-match in last season's final – was one of Wigan's inclusions, with manager Uwe Rosler having overseen a 1-0 loss at Millwall on Tuesday with one eye on this showpiece occasion.

Oxlade-Chamberlain was Arsenal's leading light during the opening exchanges and it required a fine save from Wigan goalkeeper Scott Carson to deny Yaya Sanogo – preferred up front to Giroud - from the England man's sixth-minute cross.

Arsenal struggled for rhythm and McManaman was again impressing at Wembley, shooting over from an acute angle after a driving run.

Lukas Podolski curled a free-kick wide and Carson was quickly off his line to thwart Sanogo as Arsenal belatedly lifted a listless display.

Wigan were on their way to another incredible FA Cup win when Mertesacker brought down McManaman inside the penalty area before the hour-mark.

An injury sustained by Arsenal full-back Nacho Monreal as the winger bustled his way towards goal resulted in a four-minute delay, but Gomez kept his cool to dispatch the spot-kick impeccably.

Sanogo then prodded over from a Ramsey cross as Wenger's men sought a response, and the French forward was on the receiving end of a superb last-ditch tackle from Stephen Crainey shortly after.

Arsenal ramped up the pressure as Sagna headed against the post from Oxlade-Chamberlain's centre, while Crainey desperately cleared when a header from Kieran Gibbs - on for Monreal - threatened to squirm beyond Carson.

And they finally levelled proceedings in the 83rd minute when Mertesacker turned the ball home following a bout of set-piece pressure.

Wigan substitute Nick Powell drilled a speculative effort off target as extra time began but Arsenal remained on the front foot.

Sanogo displayed fine technique to collect Oxlade-Chamberlain's 97th-minute pass and get a shot away but Carson was equal to the task.

Oxlade-Chamberlain was rarely far away from Arsenal's best moments and thudded a drive against the angle of post and bar with nine minutes of extra time remaining, while Collison wasted a header at the other end.

Unfortunately for West Ham loanee Collison, he would soon suffer greater disappointment in the shootout as he, along with Gary Caldwell, missed from the spot to allow Cazorla to tuck home the winner.

 

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Congratzzzzzzzz Arsenal!

 

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Bayern Munich 0-3 Borussia Dortmund: BVB stun Bayern to salvage Bundesliga pride

Borussia Dortmund salvaged some Bundesliga pride after their 3-0 win at the Allianz Arena condemned champions Bayern Munich to a second successive league defeat.Jurgen Klopp opted to leave Bayern-bound Robert Lewandowski on the bench and that proved an inspired decision, as his front four ran Pep Guardiola's team ragged.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan opened the scoring 20 minutes in, with Marco Reus and Jonas Hofmann getting in on the act after the interval, before Rafinha was sent off for the hosts in injury-time.

Bayern's dominated the ball early on, but the searing pace of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Reus caused the hosts' high defensive line problems on the break.And the pair combined with Mkhitaryan and Hofmann, the other members of Dortmund's rampant frontline, to put the visitors ahead.Hofmann's throw-in was flicked to Reus by Aubameyang, and he picked out an unmarked Mkhitaryan in the area, who coolly finished left-footed past Manuel Neuer.

Neuer was taken off at half-time with a suspected calf injury, and his debutant replacement Lukas Raeder's first task was to pick the ball out of the net.Dortmund's forward line again wreaked havoc, with Reus applying the finishing touch on 49 minutes with his seventh goal in his last five matches.

Hofmann then added a third - before making way for Lewandowski - to affirm Klopp's tactical superiority over Guardiola on the day of his 200th Bundesliga match in charge of Dortmund.A late rally from the hosts saw Mandzukic have a header ruled out for offside but Rafinha was sent off in injury time for a moment of madness when he struck Mkhitaryan in the face.

And Dortmund comfortably held on to give Bayern a taste of their own medicine after the Bavarians won 3-0 at Signal Iduna Park back in November.

 

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Sunderland 0-1 Everton: Toffees climb above Arsenal into fourth

Wes Brown's own goal dealt Sunderland's survival hopes a huge blow on Saturday as they fell to a home defeat against Everton.On a day when relegation rivals Cardiff City and Fulham both picked up victories, Brown was the unfortunate party in a largely stoic Sunderland defence at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland looked set to keep out an Everton side who scored three against Arsenal on Sunday but the former Manchester United defender unwittingly turned home Gerard Deulofeu's cross 15 minutes from time to leave the Wearside club four points adrift at the bottom.

Roberto Martinez's charges were far from their fluent best, but got the crucial stroke of luck they needed to earn a seventh straight league win and assume pole position in the race for the fourth and final Champions League spot.Everton now sit two points clear of the fifth-placed Arsenal, while Sunderland are deep in relegation trouble despite having two games in hand.

Sunderland had the best opportunity of the first half as Fabio Borini was denied an opener thanks to John Stones' sliding goalline clearance.Despite Everton producing better chances in the second half, with Steven Naismith and Ross Barkley both going close, it took a Sunderland man to give them the break they needed on what was another bad day at the office for Gus Poyet's side.

A confident Everton made the early running as they dominated possession, with Deulofeu having the game's first effort on target in the ninth minute before Romelu Lukaku also stung the palms of Sunderland goalkeeper Vito Mannone.

Naismith then shot over after an excellent turn past Brown as Martinez's men began to find their feet.However, Sunderland went closest to opening the scoring when Borini's effort was cleared off the line thanks to a sliding Stones clearance.

Borini pounced on a Leighton Baines error and rounded Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard, only for Stones to desperately keep his shot out.The chance sparked a late spell of first-half pressure for the hosts, culminating in Adam Johnson's shot being deflected wide, and Phil Bardsley's blocked header led to a goalmouth scramble after the break.

Deulofeu's tantalising cross went unfinished at the other end before Naismith failed to shoot into an empty net after Mannone had inexplicably rushed out of his goal, only to head it into the path of the Scot.Naismith lacked the composure to take the chance, turning over, before Barkley's shot struck the outside of the post just after the hour-mark.

Everton did get their winner though, as Deulofeu produced another of his trademark bursts into the penalty area before his cut-back struck Brown and rolled past the helpless Mannone.

 

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Everton dan 4th place

 

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West Brom 3-3 Tottenham: Spurs mount remarkable comeback

Tottenham pulled off a remarkable comeback to draw 3-3 with West Brom in a remarkable Premier League encounter at the Hawthorns.

In an electrifying start, Matej Vydra opened the scoring within the first minute before Chris Brunt added a second just three minutes later to leave Tim Sherwood's side shellshocked.

The visitors had a chance to get back into it just after the quarter-hour when Danny Rose dubiously won a penalty but a dreadful effort by Emmanuel Adebayor was easily saved by Ben Foster.

Stephane Sessegnon made it three after roasting Vlad Chiriches but there was at hope for Spurs when Jonas Olsson put the ball into his own net shortly afterwards.

Harry Kane, making a rare start, got Tottenham back into it with a 70th-minute finish to Aaron Lennon's cross and then, right at the death, Christian Eriksen's shot was let go by a bunch of Baggies shirts to seal an unexpected point.

Tottenham had conceded after only two minutes in their last away game, at Liverpool, and they made another slow start as the home side took the lead just 30 seconds in.

Morgan Amalfitano tormented Rose down the right and whipped in a cross that Hugo Lloris could only palm into the path of Vydra, who fired home with his right foot.

Sherwood would have been hoping that setback would serve as a wake-up call to his side but things went from bad to worse when the visitors fell two behind with just four minutes on the clock. This time it was an unmarked Brunt who capitalised on some hesitant defending to volley home with his left foot at the back post after Sessegnon had headed a Steven Reid cross up in the air.

Tottenham were in disarray at the back but Adebayor spurned a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit when his tame penalty was saved by Foster, diving to his left, after Amalfitano was adjudged to have fouled Rose 14 minutes in.

Lloris had to be alert to deny Amalfitano a third goal but he was beaten again on the half-hour mark when Sessegnon outpaced Chiriches and kept his cool to slide the ball under the France goalkeeper.

Tottenham were then given a lifeline three minutes later, with Kyle Naughton's cross hitting the unfortunate Olsson and looping over Foster and into the far corner.

Foster produced a fine double save to deny Kane and Rose as the visitors looked increasingly dangerous going forward.

Tottenham went straight onto the front foot at the start of the second half and Foster produced a fine save to keep out Aaron Lennon's left-footed strike, then Rose felt that Reid had upended him in the area but the left-back was booked for diving.

Kane raised hopes of a comeback when he headed home Lennon's cross after 69 minutes to take his tally to two goals in as many Premier League starts for the club.

Sherwood cut a frustrated figure on the touchline as Spurs threw everything at West Brom in the closing stages and the visitors were rewarded when the ball fell to Eriksen in the penalty area and the playmaker kept his composure to fire a right-foot strike beyond Foster.

With Fulham having beaten Norwich City, West Brom face a battle for survival in the closing five games.

 

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Eriksen nam niyamaiGodak durata Spurs player of the season wei​

 

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Fulham 1-0 Norwich City: Cottagers' revival continues

Fulham continued their bid for a great escape with a slightly fortuitous win over fellow Premier League strugglers Norwich City.

Hugo Rodallega, who famously netted at Stoke City to preserve Wigan Athletic's top-flight status in 2011, was rewarded with a start by Fulham boss Felix Magath after sealing last weekend's 2-1 win at Aston Villa.The Colombian striker once again proved himself adept amid a scrap for survival as he stole in to score the only goal five minutes before half-time.

Fulham were indebted to goalkeeper David Stockdale for a pair of magnificent saves, while Norwich - playing for the first time under club stalwart Neil Adams after Chris Hughton's sacking last Sunday - also struck the crossbar through Robert Snodgrass.

But Magath's men played with greater assurance after taking the lead and are now just two points behind fourth-bottom Norwich, who face a daunting final four games against Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Stockdale endured a nervy moment in the sixth minute, pushing behind as Nathan Redmond – one of six new faces in the starting XI selected by Adams – launched a right-wing cross that threatened to sneak in at the near post.Rodallega carried the major attacking threat for the hosts during a disjointed opening.

He pulled a shot across the outstretched John Ruddy and past the far post after Pajtim Kasami's flick on, before nodding tamely at Norwich's goalkeeper when Steve Sidwell diverted a 19th-minute punt into his path.Stockdale was soon handed some considerably more taxing work and responded with a pair of outstanding stops.

Ricky van Wolfswinkel was ready to celebrate the end of a 23-game goal drought when he volleyed goalwards from Jonathan Howson's cross, but Stockdale produced a stunning reaction save.From the resulting 29th-minute corner he kept out Leroy Fer's powerful header before Bradley Johnson lashed the rebound wastefully wide.Stockdale could do nothing as a Snodgrass free-kick cannoned back off the bar and, buoyed by those reprieves, Fulham took a 40th-minute lead.

Norwich full-back Steven Whittaker rashly brought down Kieran Richardson and some horrible marking allowed Sidwell to glance on Lewis Holtby's left-wing delivery for Rodallega to sweep home on the half-volley.

Van Wolfswinkel's plummeting confidence levels were underlined when he inexplicably gave away possession when well placed inside the Fulham area as Norwich sought a second-half response.But the visitors' set-piece frailties almost undermined them again as Rodallega met a 55th-minute corner to be denied by Martin Olsson on the line.

Meanwhile, Fulham's defence were covering themselves in glory - centre-back Fernando Amorebieta launching a brave last-ditch challenge to deny Snodgrass after the lively Redmond touched the ball beyond the previously impenetrable Stockdale.Even Rodallega was influential in his own area, heading Michael Turner's goal-bound effort to safety, while substitute Scott Parker and fellow midfielder Sidwell came close to giving Fulham breathing space within the last 20 minutes.

Norwich were relegated following a 6-0 drubbing at Craven Cottage nine years ago. Despite substitute Ashkan Dejagah spurning a glorious chance to rub salt into City's wounds, this result could prove just as decisive in the final reckoning.

 

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Guardiola philosophical after Bayern defeat

Pep Guardiola was philosophical after watching his Bayern Munich slip to a 3-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund, insisting their slump in form was "expected".

The champions have now taken just one point from three top-flight matches since retaining their crown at Hertha Berlin last month.

Guardiola's side had dropped just four points all season prior to their coronation in the capital, but drew 3-3 with Hoffenheim and lost 1-0 at Augsburg before this weekend's humbling at the hands of second-placed Dortmund."When you win the title, you suffer a dip," said the Spaniard."It was the same for me at Barcelona. Now we have to get back (to our previous form)."

Bayern were lacklustre throughout Saturday's contest, as Dortmund's front four of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Marco Reus and Jonas Hofmann - Robert Lewandowski started on the bench - caused the back four all sorts of problems."Congratulations to Dortmund," Guardiola added.

"We didn't get into our rhythm today and we were unable to score."Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was withdrawn at the break after complaining of discomfort in his calf, but the Germany number one was quick to insist he will be fit for Wednesday's DFB-Pokal semi-final against Kaiserslautern.

"I went off as a precaution but I can play in the cup in during the week," he said.

 

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Klopp shows Ancelotti Bayern blueprint

Bayern Munich's league form has dipped considerably since winning the Bundesliga on March 25 against Hertha Berlin, with Saturday's 3-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund extending their title hangover to two defeats and a draw.

The last time they were beaten by a three-goal margin was at the end of the 2011-12 season when Dortmund embarrassed them in the DFB Pokal final. They have now fallen 1-0 behind in their last five games, having previously not been on a run of conceding goals like this since 2001.

There is only so much allowance that can be made for Bayern's poor performances in light of winning the Bundesliga. They are suffering an alarming pattern of negative results and it is not easy to simply switch on the habit of winning as they will need to do in the Champions League.

There was much more to this BVB win than Bayern simply not being bothered. Jurgen Klopp prepared his side better than any of Bayern's opponents this season for a one-off game. His game plan was then executed perfectly. Of course we will never know whether or not Dortmund would have won this game with anything riding on it, but on this evidence Klopp might just have Pep Guardiola's number.

If Carlo Ancelotti happened to be paying attention, he will have discovered a formula for beating Bayern ahead of the Champions League semi-finals. It was built on a bedrock of stout defending, firm concentration and valour when chances to attack presented themselves.

Dortmund scarcely placed a player in the centre-forward position once all evening. There were barely any crosses to speak of because Dortmund never sought to put pressure on Bayern in that area.

Instead, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Marco Reus played mostly in the middle third. Aubameyang stretched the Bayern backline, popping up on both flanks, and his searing pace out wide was the focal point of Dortmund's rampaging counter-attacks. Real have similar weapons.

Reus, instead, operated as an extra midfielder. He ensured that Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger struggled to construct purposeful possession. Admittedly, Reus is a player whose attributes or form cannot be imitated easily. But in Isco, Madrid do possess an attacking midfielder with imagination, dribbling skills and finishing ability.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan played in the centre when Dortmund did not have the ball and looked to release his forwards with his clever passes. He was rewarded for a diligent display with a goal.

There was unquestionable bravery in Dortmund's attacking play despite their scant possession of the ball. That is something Manchester United did not do over two legs in the quarter-finals, but will have emboldened Real, whose defence cannot be relied upon for a clean sheet.

Dortmund preyed on Bayern's inattentiveness with quick throw-ins and free-kicks - one of which yielded the opener. When they attacked they did so in big numbers and that is something that will be second nature to Real Madrid.

Jonas Hofmann's goal resulted from a long ball which missed out Bayern's midfield area altogether. It punished the champions' ultra-high defensive line. With capable long passers like Xabi Alonso and willing runners from deep like Angel Di Maria, Madrid can unsettle Bayern's ponderous defenders like Dortmund did on Saturday.

This match also proved that BVB can cope with life after Robert Lewandowski. A central striker like the Poland international would have impeded this type of strategy from the outset - which was winning football against the best team in Europe.

Ancelotti, take note.