..::Football III::..

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Man City must tell Yaya Toure they want him to stay - agent

Manchester City need to show that they care about Yaya Toure if they want him to stay at the club this summer, the midfielder's agent says.

Inter coach Roberto Mancini has admitted he would like to reunite with the Ivorian at San Siro at the end of the season, while his representative, Dimitri Seluk, claims that other teams have also made offers to his client.

Seluk argues that City have not demonstrated enough gratitude to the Africa Cup of Nations winner, who also came close to leaving last year, with feeling valued much more important to his future than money.

"We have had different offers for Yaya but we must speak to Manchester City," the agent told Sky Sports News.

"People think he will stay because of money but we don't care about money. If Man City don't want him, no problem.

"I want someone to say that they want Yaya to stay at Manchester City. Yaya is a legend at the club. All the supporters like him, he's helped them make history."

Toure himself suggested on Monday that he might be ready to move on, while Seluk has previously claimed that City are using his client as a scapegoat for their poor Premier League title defence.

 

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Skrtel: I'm staying at Liverpool

Martin Skrtel has denied reports that he is set to leave Liverpool and is set to sign a new contract at Anfield.

The centre-back, whose current deal is set to expire in June 2016, has been linked with possible moves to Wolfsburg or a reunion with Rafael Benitez at Napoli.

Skrtel has previously revealed that he was close to leaving Liverpool last season after falling down the pecking order under Brendan Rodgers but now looks set to extend his stay with the Reds.

"I am not leaving anywhere. Not to Wolfsburg nor to Naples," the defender told the Liverpool Echo.

Skrtel's agent, Karol Csonto, added: "The only offer on Martin Skrtel's table right now is the extension of his contract from Liverpool. We have been working on the details and we will be finalising it soon.

"It is not true that he has some offer from the German club. I don't know anything about their interest."

 

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Zidane: Real Madrid are keeping an eye on Hazard

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane is impressed by Eden Hazard's development at Chelsea and revealed he is "keeping an eye on" the Belgian.

The 24-year-old has been the standout player at Stamford Bridge this season, notching 18 goals and 10 assists, and was recently nominated for both the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year awards.

Hazard penned a new five-and-a-half-year contract at Chelsea in February as Jose Mourinho looked to secure the future of his prized assest, but Madrid are reported to be long-term admirers.

"There are players I keep an eye on and who I like a lot, like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, of course. They're fantastic players, but I like Eden Hazard a lot too," Zidane told Fifa.com.

"I enjoy everything he does on the pitch. I like the way he carries himself, that decisive streak in him and the fact that he's improving every year. He can still get better too.

"I think he's a big reason why Chelsea are on top of the table."

Hazard has previously spoken of his own admiration for Zidane, taking the No.10 shirt at Chelsea to emulate his "idol" once Juan Mata left Stamford Bridge.

 

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Hecking: De Bruyne will not leave Wolfsburg for Bayern

Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking does not fear losing star player Kevin De Bruyne to Bayern Munich at the end of the season.

The Belgium international has been in sublime form in 2014-15, scoring 10 goals in 29 Bundesliga appearances, while creating 17 more.

De Bruyne's fine performances have reportedly attracted the interest of Bayern Munich, while Manchester City are also keeping a close eye on the 23-year-old's development.

Nevertheless, Hecking is confident De Bruyne will realise Wolfsburg are the right club for him at this stage of his career and expects the former Chelsea man to turn down Bayern if the reigning German champions come knocking.

"Bayern can make an approach for De Bruyne if they want," Hecking told Bild.
"But Kevin has the peace he needs to mature and continue his development here at Wolfsburg.

"I think that he realises it will be good for him to play Champions League football with Wolfsburg and to show that he can also deliver the goods at this level."
De Bruyne has a contract with Wolfsburg, who currently sit second in the Bundesliga, until June 2019.

 

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Ibrahimovic: Barcelona will win Champions League

Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic expects Barcelona to win the Champions League after the Catalans swept his team aside in the quarter-finals.

Two goals from Neymar either side of half-time helped Barcelona to a 2-0 win at Camp Nou on Tuesday, just six days after the Catalans had recorded a 3-1 victory in their first-leg encounter with the Ligue 1 titleholders at the Parc des Princes.

Ibrahimovic had no complaints about the result, conceding that Luis Enrique's men were a class above PSG.

"We have to be realistic, Barcelona were simply better than us," the former Blaugrana attacker told reporters in Catalunya. "They were the better team and deserved their win.

"They will probably go on to win the Champions League now."PSG's quarter-final exit means they will have to wait at least another season for European glory, but Ibrahimovic thinks it could very well take them even longer to conquer the continent.

"As for PSG, it is not possible to win the Champions League on the short term," the Sweden international added. "We have taken several big steps forward in recent years and were eliminated by a superb team.

"But it is not worth lying about it or hiding behind excuses. Reality is that PSG are not at the level to win the Champions League yet."

 

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Thiago: Injuries have made me stronger

Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara believes his injury problems in recent years have proven a blessing in disguise, as he is now hungrier than ever before.
The Spain international missed a large part of the 2013-14 season and the first half of the current campaign with two separate knee problems.

The 24-year-old recently made his comeback, though, and played a key role in his side's progression to the Champions League semi-finals at the expense of Porto, netting Bayern's only goal in their 3-1 defeat at the Dragao last week and then he opener in Tuesday's 6-1 triumph in Bavaria .

Thiago is delighted to be back to his best and feels his prolonged absence has only increased his desire to prove his worth and show what he can do.""The good thing about my injury was that I am very hungry to play now, to score goals and to be important," the midfielder told the official Uefa website.

"Every player who comes back from injury is very motivated to play his part for the team."

Thiago then went on to admit that he did not expect Bayern's first-half blitz in their demolition of Porto, with the Bundesliga champions scoring five goals in the opening 45 minutes."We didn't think we could stun Porto like that. We thought about playing the ball fast, about scoring goals, but not about scoring as many as we did."

Bayern could potentially meet Thiago's former club Barcelona in the semi-finals of the Champions League, but the Spain international does not fear the Catalans.

"We don't care about the next opponent. We are in the semi-finals of the Champions League and are among the four best teams in Europe. Every match will be difficult."

 

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Alcantara elatama play karanawa injury 1ken passe​

 

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Seedorf: Atletico favourites to eliminate Real Madrid

Clarence Seedorf says that Real Madrid only have a 45 per cent chance of progressing when they face Atletico Madrid in their Champions League quarter final second leg.

The two sides drew 0-0 in the first leg last week at the Vicente Calderon and will renew hostilities this
Wednesday at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Despite enjoying home advantage, Seedorf believes that Atletico have the advantage.

“The 0-0 scoreline was a better result for Atletico,” Seedorf told Goal at Heineken’s #ChampionTheMatch event in Rio de Janeiro. “It's 55-45 now (in Atletico's favour).”

During his glittering career, Seedorf spent four years at Real – and he is perhaps most famous for an incredible derby goal against Atletico in 1997. The Dutchman scored with a missile from 50 yards in a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu.

“I'll remember that goal forever,” Seedorf said.

“The story behind it not many people know: the day before my daughter was born and I had gone to Holland without saying anything to anyone. I returned on the day of the match, played the game and scored the goal.

“It was the first game of the season in La Liga. There was a wine company who gave me 250 bottles of red wine for scoring the first goal of the season from outside of the box. I don't drink, but I made a lot of people happy with all that wine!”

Seedorf won the Champions League with Madrid at the end of that season and ended his career with four winners’ medals – two with Milan and one each with Real and Ajax.

Asked what his favourite Champions League moment was, the ex-AC Milan coach replied: "I can't pick just one. I played hundreds of matches and five finals. There were so many great moments and every year had its own story.

“But if I had to pick one, I would go back to my first Champions League appearance with Ajax [against Milan, who they later beat in the final]. I don't even remember what the first game was but it was in 1994.”

Ajax went on to win the title with a wonderful, young side coached by Louis van Gaal which also starred Edgar Davids, Patrick Kluivert, the De Boer brothers and Jari Litmanen.

“Every time you win a cup it's special. It was a dream come true, achieved with a club where I began in the youth team and worked my way up to the first team,” he recalled.

“I had many friends on the team – it was an incredible generation. Winning that Champions League wasn’t normal back then for me and the party was incredible.

“Afterwards, we had more than a million people waiting for us at the Museumplein in Amsterdam. Every day was a party. It had been almost 25 years since Ajax had won the Champions League – it was great to see the happiness of the people.”

 

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'Ancelotti should stay but Madrid supporters don't have a memory'

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti was riding high at the end of last year, having followed the Champions League title with the Uefa Super Cup, the Club World Cup and a 22-match winning streak which put los Blancos top of La Liga.

Having won the 2014 Copa del Rey, the Italian had claimed four trophies in his first season-and-a-half with a team boasting the world’s best player.

But after the winter break form dipped dramatically, both for Cristiano Ronaldo and the team. March saw Madrid lose to Schalke, Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona and while they remain in the hunt for the Champions League and La Liga titles, they are no longer favourites for either.

Goal understands that Ancelotti has been told to win one of the two trophies or he will lose his job.

Former Real striker Fernando Morientes, who won the Champions League three times with the club, believes Ancelotti should stay regardless of how the season ends.

“Yes, at this moment he is the right man for Real Madrid, he has shown that,” the ex-Spain striker told Goal at a Heineken #ChampionTheMatch event in Rio de Janeiro. “He has won titles in Italy, France, England and Spain.

“He is a special coach, at the highest level. Working with regular players is very different to coaching elite ones, like the players you find at Real Madrid. I think he knows how to balance that very well.”

While backing the former Chelsea and AC Milan boss to stay at the Bernabeu, the 39-year-old acknowledges that past glories only hold weight at Real Madrid for so long.

Morientes pointed to the example of Iker Casillas, the youth-team product who became Madrid and Spain’s most celebrated goalkeeper before a recent slump in his performances saw supporters take to jeering their former hero.“Bearing in mind the history of Real Madrid, the supporters don’t have a memory,” he added. “That’s why Real Madrid always want to win titles every year.

“It’s very similar to Iker. He came out of the youth team and it’s unfair the way that some of the supporters are treating him. But as a professional you know this can happen when you’re a Real Madrid player.”

Two of Morientes' winning Champions League campaigns came with Casillas alongside him in 2000 and 2002 and remain the years he looks back on most fondly, with one moment in particular standing out.

“The best memories are the three Champions Leagues conquered with Real Madrid,” he enthused. “The most special moment was the final in Amsterdam in 1998 (when they beat Juventus). “Real Madrid had gone 32 years without winning it, and it was my first season at Real Madrid.”

Morientes was also present when another of his teams won the Champions League, but he was denied a fourth winner's medal due to being cup-tied for Liverpool’s incredible comeback against AC Milan in 2005.

“When I signed for Liverpool I already knew I couldn’t play in that Champions League,” he admitted. “But it was a very special day, because I experienced it from within.”

 

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Robben: I will be ready for Champions League semi-finals

Bayern Munich attacker Arjen Robben is optimistic about his recovery and is confident he will be match fit in time for the Champions League semi-finals.

The Netherlands international picked up an abdominal problem in his side's defeat at the hands of Borussia Monchengladbach back in April and has since been out of action.Robben consequently missed a number of big games, including the Champions League quarter-final tie against Porto.

The winger is edging closer to his comeback, though, and expects to be back in action within two weeks' time."I returned to the training pitch on Monday and did some running exercises," Robben told NOS.

"I read somewhere that I was already sprinting again, but they must have been blinded by the sun or something when they were watching me.

"My recovery is going according to schedule. The doctor told me I would be sidelined for six weeks. It's been four weeks now, so two to go... I can only say that things are going very well.

"I was already hoping Bayern would turn things around versus Porto. This gives me a chance to return for the semi-finals."Robben then went on to voice his disappointment with the departure of club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt, who resigned last week.

"His departure is a sad thing and comes at a bad moment for us. But these kinds of things happen. I just want to be fully recovered when I return. I don't want to endure any setbacks."

 

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Torres: Gerrard is the best I've ever played with

Fernando Torres has hailed former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard as the best player he’s ever played with.

The 31-year-old spent three and a half years at Anfield, scoring 81 goals in 142 appearances, before joining Chelsea for £50 million in January 2011.

Torres, who has won the Champions League and FA Cup with Chelsea, as well as two European Championships and a World Cup with Spain, has played alongside the likes of Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Eden Hazard - but the striker insists the Liverpool captain is closest to his version of an “ideal footballer”.

"It is difficult to say as I have had the good fortune to play with so many great players," Torres told Marca Plus magazine.

”For me the best is, and has been, Gerrard. I would choose him, above all, to have him behind me in my team.

"Steven Gerrard is the best footballer I have played with over my career, so my ideal footballer would be very similar to him."

 

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De Gea would be Manchester United's best summer signing - Phil Neville

Committing David De Gea to a new long-term contract is the best bit of business Manchester United could seal this summer, according to Phil Neville.

The Spaniard has improved significantly in every season since arriving at Old Trafford in a £17.8 million (€24.7m) deal from Atletico Madrid in 2011 and a series of outstanding individual displays earned him a place on the PFA's six-man Player of the Year shortlist.

Real Madrid are avowed admirers of De Gea, who will enter the final year of his United contract this summer, and Neville believes keeping the 24-year-old is crucial to the club's hopes of challenging for the Premier League title next season.

"The biggest thing is David De Gea, and keeping him at the football club," the former Red Devils defender replied when asked about United's potential transfer business.

"From when he first came, to how he is now, I don’t think I’ve seen a player develop and improve as quickly as him.

"He's now at the stage where you’d say he’s world-class. He’s winning football games on his own. It’s a flippant thing to say but he really is.

"Last minutes saves against Everton, Hull, Arsenal away - there’s seven or eight occasions where he has won United games which just shows you that he is world-class."

 

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'Hummels, Clyne, Pogba' - Van Gaal reacts to a Man Utd fan's transfer requests

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal can have no excuse for not having a productive close-season this summer after he was handed a list of transfer targets by a fan.

The Dutchmanattended the Manchester United Foundation Dream Day, which brings supporters with life-limiting illnesses to meet the manager and players at their training ground.

One such fan handed a list of high-quality players to improve the team with a view to reclaiming the Premier League title next season to Van Gaal and told him "I did some homework for you".

The United boss read out the names - including the likes of Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale, Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba and PSV's Memphis Depay - before telling the fan: "I take it in mind. You are smart and a very cheap manager."

The list included prices to prise away the targets from their current clubs. "[Mats] Hummels, £36 million," Van Gaal noted, "[Nathaniel] Clyne of Southampton, £15m ... Pogba, £75m ... Bale, £12m ... and Jackson Martinez of Porto, £25m. He didn't tell me who I have to sell but, after a little bit of pushing, I know so it's easy for me. Next year, we are champions!"

The fan who produced the list was delighted to hear Van Gaal read his list, saying: "It was really nice of him to do that. It was like a dream come true."

 

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Pique: Barcelona aren't scared of Bayern

Gerard Pique has warned Bayern Munich that Barcelona are not afraid to be drawn against them in the Champions League semi-finals.

The Catalans reached the last four on Tuesday by wrapping up a 5-1 aggregate victory over Paris Saint-Germain, while Bayern came back from a 3-1 deficit to smash Porto 7-4 over two legs.

The last time Barca faced Bayern was in 2012-13 when they were humiliated at the semi-final stage of the competition as Jupp Heynckes' team romped to a 7-0 aggregate triumph.

With former Camp Nou coach Pep Guardiola now at the helm in Munich, a reunion in the last four would pit two of the clear pre-tournament favourites together, but Pique says any opponent from here on in represent a challenge.

"I don't think that we need to avoid Bayern in the Champions League semi-finals," the centre-back told ITV Sport. "We are playing in the Champions League semi-finals and everything will be difficult.

"When you're in the semi-finals of the Champions League you need to be really good and need a little bit of luck. Congratulations to Pep, though, Bayern must have played a good game. It is definitely a good score to win 6-1."

Pique lauded the attacking trident of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez but insists that Barca's excellent form should not allow them to ease off - especially as Real Madrid are just two points behind in La Liga.

"I think we are getting better and better," the former Manchester United man added. "We are playing good football. Up front we have three players who are really, really good.

"When one of them doesn't score, one of the other two does. We know that if we defend well then we will score goals. We are playing at a good level and we have to keep playing like this.

"We will see what we can achieve this season, we will have to focus and concentrate. Espanyol will be really difficult as it's the Catalunya derby game.

"We know that, if we don't win, Madrid can go ahead of us in La Liga, and we have to try to avoid that."

 

[Alucard_SxE]

Bayern Munich is the best there is right now. Barca, Real Madrid, Chelsea falls behind.

 

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Monaco 0-0 Juventus (agg 0-1): Allegri's men scrape through to semi-finals

Juventus are through to the Champions League semi-finals after their 0-0 draw with Monaco on Wednesday secured a 1-0 aggregate win.

Arturo Vidal's first-leg penalty proved crucial in the tie as Massimiliano Allegri's men booked an elusive semi-final berth, having fallen short at the quarters three times since their run to the final 12 years ago.

Allegri's men were made to work hard for their progression by a Monaco side that had shocked Arsenal in the previous round and conceded just twice at home in this season's competition.

Geoffrey Kondogbia went close twice before the break while Leonardo Jardim's side saw penalty appeals turned down when the midfielder went down in the box.

That pressure continued after the break with Juve surprisingly sluggish on the counterattack in their bid to kill off the tie.

Monaco ultimately ran out of steam towards the end of a low-key second leg as Juve displayed typical defensive strength to stay on course for a domestic and continental treble.

The hosts were perhaps made to pay for a first half that saw them make most of the running. Kondogbia flashed a fierce drive wide in a purposeful start before testing Gianluigi Buffon again from range 19 minutes in.

A series of fouls from both sides also punctuated play although Jardim's men should perhaps have had a penalty when Kondogbia appeared to be bundled over inside the area.

Vidal and Giorgio Chiellini clumsily sandwiched the Frenchman but Scottish referee William Collum waved away protests.

Carlos Tevez offered a reminder of Juve's threat with a shot narrowly wide from distance prior to the interval.

Throwing caution to the wind, Jardim introduced Dimitar Berbatov for Jeremy Toulalan at the interval and Monaco almost took the lead when Buffon flapped at a Joao Moutinho cross – though Patrice Evra was on hand to clear the loose ball.

Buffon redeemed himself to come out and save from Berbatov after Juve lost possession in overplaying at the back.

Juve gradually began to bring more composure to their game and kept hold of the ball well after the hour as they sought to see out the result and frustrate their hosts.

Allegri's men could have wrapped up the tie in the dying embers when Andrea Pirlo's free-kick grazed the crossbar a minute from time.

But any late Monaco surge failed to materialise, keeping Juve on course to add European silverware to their domestic dominance.

 

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Real Madrid 1-0 Atletico Madrid (agg 1-0): Chicharito the hero as holders march on

Real Madrid kept their Champions League defence alive as Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez scored in the closing minutes to seal a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

Chicharito was only playing due to the injury crisis at Madrid but, after missing several chances, the striker proved to be the European champions' match-winner as he settled a feisty encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Mexico international was on hand to apply a simple finish after being set up by Cristiano Ronaldo to ensure Real beat Diego Simeone's side for the first time since winning the Champions League final in Lisbon last May.

Spanish champions Atleti had not lost to their neighbours in seven matches this season, but were made to pay for showing a lack of ambition over two legs and their task was not helped when Arda Turan was shown a second yellow card 14 minutes from time.

The tie looked destined for extra-time until Chicharito took centre stage, finally popping up with the solitary goal over two legs as Real stayed in the hunt for a Champions League and Liga double.

Chicharito made only his seventh start for Madrid, while Dani Carvajal, Fabio Coentrao and Raphael Varane also came in with Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric injured and Marcelo suspended. Sergio Ramos was moved into midfield.

Atleti striker Mario Mandzukic was passed fit to lead the line, while Saul was preferred to captain Gabi in midfield and Miranda returned to the starting line-up.

Chicharito was presented with an early opportunity to mark his rare start with a goal, but fired a poor finish wide of the near post from a tight angle.

Ronaldo then dragged a left-footed strike off target as Real enjoyed plenty of possession, but Atleti were typically well organised and hard to break down.

Jan Oblak made a string of saves to frustrate Real in the first leg and the Slovenia goalkeeper made another fine stop to thwart Ronaldo a minute before half-time when the Portugal forward was sent clear after Mandzukic had been dispossessed.

Real had been lacking the sort of incisive passes that Modric usually provides, but Chicharito could have no complaints with the service when Isco picked him out with a sublime pass and he blazed a shot wide of the far post three minutes after the break.

There was a nervous moment for the home side when Turan went down under pressure from Sergio Ramos, playing in midfield, but there did not appear to be any contact and referee Felix Brych waved play on.

Ramos then made his presence felt at the other end when he rose well to meet Ronaldo's cross, but planted a powerful header straight at Oblak.

Raul Garcia replaced the in-form Antoine Griezmann and the substitute was left holding his head when he was shown a yellow card that ensures he will miss Atleti's next European match.

And referee Brych brandished another significant yellow card 14 minutes from time in the direction of Turan, who caught Ramos late and was given his marching orders having already been booked.

Oblak came to Atletico's rescue yet again when he came out to narrow the angle and make a fine save to deny Chicharito after the striker had turned Diego Godin sharply.

The Manchester United loanee was not to be denied, though, finally scoring the only goal over the two legs by sweeping home with his right foot from inside the area after Ronaldo had teed him up.

 

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Buffon warns Juventus: We haven't won anything yet

Gianluigi Buffon has warned his Juventus team-mates that they have "not won anything yet" after reaching the Champions League semi-finals.

The Serie A champions held a slender 1-0 lead over Monaco heading into Wednesday's last-eight second leg at the Stade Louis II and were able to hold Leonardo Jardim's men to a goalless stalemate to secure a spot in the next phase.

Buffon, who has reached his first Champions League semi-final since Juve were runners-up in 2002-03, says the Ligue 1 side posed a sterner test than Borussia Dortmund in the last round but is thrilled to be among the best four in Europe once again.

"I've had to wait a while to return to this stage of Europe!" the Italian goalkeeper told Mediaset Premium. "But, given how difficult our path here has been, it's even more enjoyable.

"However, we have not won or achieved anything yet, we just wanted to get to the semi-finals at all costs. The opportunity was waiting for us, though tonight there was a lot more tension than in the second leg against Borussia Dortmund in the last round [which Juve won 3-0 at Signal Iduna Park].

"Monaco were trickier and we only had a small advantage. Every little mistake that we made could have cost us dearly, but we're through."

Juventus join Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona in the final four of the Champions League, with the draw to take place on Friday at 12:00CET.

 

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Allegri: Juventus had to be ugly to get to the semi finals

Massimiliano Allegri has defended Juventus' unattractive style in Wednesday's Champions League clash with Monaco, stating they were willing to do anything to get into the Champions League semi-finals.

The Bianconeri had not reached the last four of the European competition in 12 years and took no risks in Wednesday's quarter-final second leg by shoring up their defence as they held Monaco to a stalemate at the Stade Louis II, winning 1-0 on aggregate.

The result puts them in the last four where they will meet one of Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid, and Allegri made no apologies for the way his team played to get there.

"The objective was simply to reach the semi-finals," he told Mediaset Premium. "We might not have played very attractive football, but it’s difficult to take on Monaco and we made many technical mistakes.

"I think it was a good performance defensively, as we allowed almost nothing to Monaco. At the end of the day, the result counts for more than the performance.

"We knew that we had to score to be sure and had two chances before the break where we could’ve done better. We didn’t make the most of other opportunities, but we also ran very few risks in defence."

Juve now await Friday's semi-final draw and Allegri does not expect to be using anything like the same tactics he deployed to see off les Rouges et Blancs.

"These are the three biggest teams in Europe," the former AC Milan boss added. "I can definitely guarantee it will be a completely different game against any of these sides than with Monaco."

 

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Ancelotti hails Chicharito after late show puts Madrid through

Carlo Ancelotti described Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez as a "fantastic solution" after the Mexican grabbed a late winner to edge Real Madrid into the Champions League semi-finals at the expense of Atletico.

After more than 178 minutes of goalless, attritional football across the two legs, Chicharito got on the end of a Cristiano Ronaldo pass to slide the ball home and end 10-man Atleti's resistance in the dying minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The goal left the visitors, for whom Arda Turan was sent off 12 minutes earlier, with little time to muster a response.

Ancelotti had spoken beforehand of having solutions within his squad to the problems posed by the absences of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Luka Modric.

And in on-loan Manchester United man Chicharito, he struck gold.

"He was a fantastic solution," the Italian said with a smile. "He played really well and with great intensity. He deserved it as he has hasn't played a lot this season. When I told him he was playing he was ready. He was really professional, I am happy for him."

Chicharito limped off shortly after his goal but Ancelotti played down any serious injury concerns.

"It is nothing special," he added. "He was tired. He is not used to playing 90 minutes."

Defending champions Madrid arguably merited their place in the last four after being the more proactive side in the return having dominated the first leg for long spells at the Vicente Calderon.

"We played a very good game," Ancelotti told Sky Sports. "We had good control of the game from the beginning, good possession. We didn't give them the chance to counterattack. We were strong from set-pieces and we found a solution."

Turan's red card, which came about after he picked up a second yellow for a high foot on Sergio Ramos, was an obvious turning point in a fractious affair but Ancelotti insisted there was a lot to admire about the players' conduct.

"Of course, to play with 10 men is more difficult. I don't know if it's right or not, it was the ref's decision. It was a game with intensity but the players showed good fair play."

Madrid will go into Friday's draw as third favourites behind Barcelona and Bayern Munich and Ancelotti was not willing to make any bold claims about his side's chances.

"We will try, it won't be easy, same as last year. When you're in the semis anything can happen, we are competitive of course, we try to do our best."