Saturday 18 May 2013
As the last English team left standing in European football, suddenly the Europa League, often an afterthought of a competition, has become serious for the club that was holding aloft the European Cup less than 12 months ago. Chelsea are three games away from a second consecutive European trophy, and that is the kind of legacy that would suit Rafa Benitez.
Jose Mourinho, the Real Madrid coach, said it was “very disappointing” to lose 4-1 to Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, and admitted it will be “very difficult” for his side to reach the final.
Chelsea's £50m striker Fernando Torres has said that he would stay to fight for his place in the team even if the much sought-after Radamel Falcao was to arrive from Atletico Madrid this summer, increasing the pressure on the Spanish striker.
Long before the second semi-final kicked off, Europe was still reeling from the events at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday.
Robert Lewandowski fired four goals as Borussia Dortmund emulated fellow Germans Bayern Munich's Champions League semi-final domination of Spanish opposition.
The future of Bayern Munich was brightened long before kick-off. It seems absurd that in this week of all weeks, German football should be dominated by an off-the-pitch story, but so it is, with the news that Mario Götze is leaving Borussia Dortmund for Bayern this summer.
Bayern Munich are on course for their third Champions League final in four years after a comprehensive and convincing 4-0 win over Barcelona in the first leg of the semi-final at the Allianz Arena.
Tonight at the Allianz Arena will be different and unfamiliar for Barcelona, even though it is their sixth consecutive Champions League semi-final.
It is true then. Even half fit, Lionel Messi is still the best player on the planet. What a footballer. What a man.
Real Madrid and Barcelona have been kept apart in the draw for the Champions League semi-final - keeping open the possibility of a 'dream' El Clasico final at Wembley.
Rafael Benitez has told his Chelsea players he wants them to carry on showing the passion which allowed them to scrape into the semi-finals of Europe’s secondary club competition.
The line-up for the semi-finals draw is so strong the Catalans may be the team the others want to meet.
Basel 2 Tottenham Hotspur 2 (Aggregate 4-4 (aet); Basel win 4-1 on penalties): Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas hailed his side’s battling spirit despite their elimination from the Europa League on penalties.
Rubin Kazan 3 Chelsea 2 (Chelsea win 5-4 on aggregate): It is no secret that Chelsea’s interim manager Rafael Benitez loves to rotate his players, but it almost came back to haunt him as his side scraped through to the Europa League semi-finals.
Newcastle United 1 Benfica 1 (Benfica win 4-2 on aggregate): The final, fatal blow in European competition came late, in a part of the game that has in recent weeks signalled only glory for Newcastle United and their supporters.
Atthe end of January, David Beckham and his new club, Paris Saint-German (PSG), promised that all his wages -- rumoured to be around €200,000 a week -- would go to a children's charity in Paris.
Barcelona 1 Paris Saint-Germain 1 (Aggregate 3-3; Barcelona win on away goals): It was a tale of two benches in Barcelona as David Beckham's dream of reaching the Champions League final at Wembley next month came to an end.
Juventus 0 Bayern Munich 2 (Bayern Munich win 4-0 on aggregate): Bayern Munich eased through to the last four of the Champions League by winning in Turin to complete a convincing aggregate victory over Juventus.
Galatasaray 3 Real Madrid 2 (Real Madrid win 5-3 on aggregate): Real Madrid progressed to the last four despite a 3-2 defeat on the night to a Galatasaray whose second-half comeback had Jose Mourinho's side in a panic.
Borussia Dortmund 3 Malaga 2 (agg 3-2): Borussia Dortmund came back from the dead to book their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League with a quite unbelievable victory over Malaga at Westfalenstadion.
It hasn't always been a bed of roses
Jonny Wilkinson lifted the Heineken Cup after inspiring Toulon to a 16-15 victory over Clermont Auvergne at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Jonathan Sexton has been taken by surprise to hear that long-time rival Ronan O'Gara will be his coach at Racing Metro.
Graeme McDowell finally got the better of Nicolas Colsaerts in the Volvo World Match Play Championship, despite a remarkable escape from an unsavoury hazard by the defending champion.
Six Australia hopefuls including veteran flanker George Smith and hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau suffered injuries as the Waratahs came from behind to post a thrilling 28-22 victory over the Brumbies in a brutal Super 15 local derby at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.
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