GLORY GLORY GLORY MAN UTD

MANCHESTER UNITED 1 0 BARCELONA


"Paul Scholes's stunning first-half strike earned Manchester United a nervy 1-0 win over Barcelona at Old Trafford that sent them through to the Champions League final.
Scholes put United ahead with a superb long-range effort after a quarter of an hour before Ji-sung Park, Nani and Carlos Tevez all went close.

Lionel Messi proved a constant threat with his daring running from deep, but as in the goalless first leg he was unable to provide the spark Barcelona needed. Instead United held firm in a frantic last 10 minutes of constant Barcelona attacks to secure a place in the final in Moscow on May 21 and ensure that the winner of the 2007-2008 Champions League will definitely be an English side. "


all news n foto are from eurosport.com

Breaking News

1. Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic are both major doubts for Manchester United's Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona after missing training on Monday. The pair both suffered injuries during Saturday's 2-1 Premier League defeat at Chelsea and have less than 36 to recover in time for Tuesday's game at Old Trafford. Vidic was left groggy and bloodied with a split lip after an accidental collision with Didier Drogba in the first half, while Rooney appeared to injure his hip in the act of scoring United's equaliser.


2. Frank Lampard returned to training with Chelsea on Sunday to lift his hopes of playing against Liverpool in the second leg of their Champions League clash at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night. Lampard missed Chelsea's 2-1 Barclays Premier League win over Manchester United on Saturday following the death of his mother Pat from pneumonia last Thursday. But the England midfielder is understood to have trained and is expected to be back with the rest of the squad on Monday.


3. Frank Rijkaard has admitted he believes Ronaldinho has played his last game for Barcelona and refused to commit his own future to the club. The Dutch coach was talking on Catalan television when he opened up about what lies ahead for the Brazilian superstar and for himself and he reverted away from his usual conservative style. When asked whether Ronaldinho would leave in the summer, he replied: "You would have to think so."


4. Brazilian star Kaka would relish the prospect of playing alongside international team-mate Ronaldinho at AC Milan next season. The Rossoneri appear to be in pole position to acquire the playmaker, who is widely thought to be on the move after just 13 appearances for Barcelona this term. He would add to a growing list of Brazilians already with the Serie A giants. And Kaka believes the influence of compatriots Dida, Cafu, Serginho, Digao, Alexandre Pato and Ronaldo would help Ronaldinho settle in no time at all.


5. McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen could return to action in time for the Turkish Grand Prix next weekend despite a horrifying crash in Barcelona that saw him airlifted to hospital. The Finn, who was leading the race after both Ferraris and team mate Lewis Hamilton had pitted, speared straight into the tyre wall at speed on the 22nd of 66 laps with the car penetrating the barrier. Circuit doctors attended to Kovalainen, who was extracted from the car before being taken away on a stretcher in a neck brace, while the safety car was deployed for the second time in the race.

All news from eurosport.com

F1 - Spanish GP

"Lewis Hamilton battled to a podium finish at the Spanish Grand Prix as Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa secured a Ferrari one-two. Raikkonen's 17th grand prix win - from pole position - left the Finn with 29 points, nine clear of closest rival Hamilton, and catapulted Ferrari back in front of BMW Sauber in the constructors' standings.

"If we wanted, we could have gone a bit faster but there was no point in pushing more than we need to," said Raikkonen, who still set the fastest lap. Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who started on the front row for Renault, retired on lap 35 with a blown engine but he had already fallen down the field after being the first driver to refuel.

Massa, winner in Bahrain, had got past double world champion Alonso at the start while Hamilton slotted into fourth place after muscling past BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica from fifth. "When we qualified fifth we knew it would be very difficult to beat the Ferraris," said Hamilton. "The key was to get a good start and make up as many places as possible.

"We had two bad races and to come back on the podium is fantastic." While Raikkonen had an uneventful afternoon in the sunshine, his compatriot Heikki Kovalainen was flown to hospital with concussion after his McLaren plunged across the gravel and into a tyre wall.

Kovalainen had been leading at the time after both Ferraris and Hamilton had made their first pitstops. "He banged his head in the accident and has concussion. As a precaution he is going to hospital to have more checks," McLaren chief executive Martin Whitmarsh said.

Briton Hamilton, who suffered a similar accident at the Nuerburgring last year, said he had been concerned until team boss Ron Dennis had assured him on the radio that Kovalainen was conscious and stable. The safety car was deployed following Kovalainen's crash, having already been brought out after Sebastian Vettel's Toro Rosso and Force India's Adrian Sutil collided on the first lap.

Poland's Kubica finished fourth, moving him up to third in the championship with 19 points, ahead of Massa on 18, with Australian Mark Webber fifth in a Red Bull. Britain's Jenson Button finished sixth for Honda's first points of the year while Japan's Kazuki Nakajima was seventh for Williams and Italian Jarno Trulli eighth for Toyota.

Ferrari lead the constructors' standings with 47 points to BMW Sauber's 35. McLaren have 34. The first European race of the season ended with an entirely predictable result, with the Circuit de Catalunya setting a record as the track with the longest run of successive winners from pole position. Raikkonen, the only driver to have won twice so far this season, was the eighth in a row to have triumphed in Barcelona from pole."

Reuters

F1 - Spanish GP - Qualifying

Ferrari's world champion Kimi Raikkonen denied home hero Fernando Alonso a stunning Spanish Grand Prix pole position. The 115,000-strong crowd gave Alonso a standing ovation after Renault's double world champion pulled out all the stops at the Circuit de Catalunya only to be pipped by the Finn in the dying seconds by 0.091. The pole was championship leader Raikkonen's first of the season and the 15th of his Formula One career.

Result EPL

Saturday, 26 April 2008


Chelsea 2 1 Man Utd

Birmingham 2 2 Liverpool

Manchester City 2 3 Fulham

Sunderland 3 2 Middlesbrough

Tottenham 1 1 Bolton

West Ham 2 2 Newscastle

Wigan 0 0 Reading

News Updated

1. Tottenham have won the race to sign highly-rated Croatia midfielder Luka Modric for a fee believed to be £15.8million. The Barclays Premier League club have agreed personal terms with the 22-year-old, who was reportedly courted by many of Europe's top sides, and he will leave Dinamo Zagreb for White Hart Lane this summer subject to his passing a medical. Modric must also obtain a work permit but that will be a formality given his status as one of the continent's most coveted talents.


2. Ferrari's world champion Kimi Raikkonen made a strong start to Formula One's European season by dominating Spanish Grand Prix free practice. The Finn, championship leader after the opening three long-haul races, set a best time of one minute 20.649 seconds in the morning and then topped the afternoon timesheets in 1:21.935. His Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa, who scored his first points of the season when he won the previous race in Bahrain, was second fastest on a sunny morning but only fifth in the later session.


3. Nemanja Vidic looks set to play in United's lunchtime trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday after recovering from a stomach virus. The Serbian defender missed the Reds' Champions League clash in Barcelona on Wednesday, but was able to train on Friday morning and is all but certain to start against Chelsea.


4. Sir Alex Ferguson says his players are fully prepared for what could be a monumental four days in the club's history. United have the chance to all but seal a tenth Premier League title with victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
And the Reds can book their place in next month's Champions League final in Moscow with victory over Barcelona on Tuesday at Old Trafford. Sir Alex is relishing the tasks ahead and has the uppermost confidence in his team to rise to the occasion.



All news from eurosport and manutd.com

Team News - EPL

Saturday

Chelsea v Manchester United (12:45)

Frank Lampard misses out following the death of his mother with Michael Essien, who was suspended for the Blues' European clash with Liverpool on Tuesday, set to return in place of the England midfielder. Chelsea boss Avram Grant has no further selection worries.

United defender Nemanja Vidic looks set to return to the side after a stomach bug ruled the Serb stopper out of the midweek game against Barcelona. Other than long-term casualty Louis Saha, Alex Ferguson has a full squad to choose from. Anderson is expected to start in midfield having not featured at the Camp Nou while Darren Fletcher could return to the squad from a long-term knee injury.


Birmingham v Liverpool

Midfielder Sebastian Larsson is set to make a comeback after a knee problem but Damien Johnson serves the final game of his three-match suspension. Olivier Kapo is pushing for a place in the starting XI.

Rafa Benitez is set to ring the changes once again and is likely to field a reserve side with one eye on next week's Champions League semi-final second leg with Chelsea. That could mean a call-up for youngster Damien Plessis. Fabio Aurelio is out for the rest of the season with a groin injury.


Man City v Fulham

Defenders Micah Richards and Nedum Onuoha are both out for the season and skipper Richard Dunne is doubtful after limping off during last week's win over Portsmouth. But Sven-Goran Eriksson could be boosted by the return of Sun Jihai after an illness.

Jari Litmanen will miss out again after sustaining an ear injury during a freak training ground incident so David Healy and Brian McBride will continue up front together. Kasey Keller continues to deputise for Antti Niemi (shoulder) despite the Finn having trained this week.


Sunderland v Middlesbrough

Jonny Evans is doubtful for the Black Cats after sitting out last week's derby with Newcastle and Phil Bardsley is out for the rest of the season as he prepares to undergo knee surgery. Dwight Yorke (knee) is also a doubt and Dickson Etuhu remains sidelined after a knee operation.

Boro keeper Mark Schwarzer could return from a back problem but there are fresh concerns for his deputy Ross Turnbull. Robert Huth is doubtful with a foot problem while Gary O'Neil remains sidelined with a long-term injury.


Tottenham v Bolton

Paul Robinson could return from an ankle injury for Spurs and Pascal Chimbonda (calf) and Jonathan Woodgate (ankle) are also in line to feature. But Gareth Bale (foot) and Ledley King (ankle) are out for the season. Tom Huddlestone could replace Didier Zokora in the centre of midfield.

Bolton striker Kevin Davies completes a two-match ban but Joey O'Brien returns to the squad from a hamstring injury. Grzegorz Rasiak is set to replace Davies up front, despite receiving a cut eye in last weekend's clash with Middlesbrough.


West Ham v Newcastle

Dean Ashton could return for West Ham after having missed last weekend's outing against Derby. Otherwise, Hammers boss Alan Curbishley has a similar squad to choose from. James Tomkins could again stand in for Anton Ferdinand (hamstring).

Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan has no new injury concerns. Emre (calf), Stephen Carr (hamstring), Claudio Cacapa (groin), Peter Ramage (knee) and James Milner (foot) are all nearing returns.


Wigan Athletic v Reading

Emile Heskey (hamstring) and Marcus Bent (cut leg) have been passed fit and are in contention while Erik Hagen is available after illness. Erik Edman remains sidelined with a knee problem.

Reading midfielder Brynjar Gunnarsson has suffered a setback following a groin operation and Jimmy Kebe is doubtful after having made his debut last weekend. Leroy Lita has returned from his loan spell with Charlton and is available for selection.



Sunday

Portsmouth v Blackburn (13:30)

Portsmouth striker Kanu could win a recall to the side to partner Jermain Defoe up front. David Nugent and Pedro Mendes are doubtful with slight knocks while Hermann Hreidarsson is suspended. Lauren is expected to switch to left-back to fill in for the Icelandic defender with Glen Johnson poised to return from illness.

Blackburn are likely to name an unchanged side after having taken a point off Manchester United last weekend as boss Mark Hughes has no new injury concerns.



Everton v Aston Villa (16:00)

Everton will have Leon Osman back after a hip injury, but there are still doubts over Mikel Arteta's fitness. The Spaniard, who has been suffering from stomach and groin problems, faces a late fitness test.

Villa have no new injury concerns ahead of the trip to Goodison Park. Gabriel Agbonlahor has a slight cold, but is expected to play. Craig Gardner is still sidelined with a thigh problem and Curtis Davis (Achilles) is out for the rest of the season.



Monday

Derby v Arsenal (20:00)

Midfielder David Jones (calf) is a doubt for Rams boss Paul Jewell and faces a late fitness test while Marc Edworthy is struggling with a cracked rib. He joins Claude Davis and Giles Barnes on the sidelines.

Manuel Almunia returns for Arsenal after a wrist injury, but Alexander Hleb starts his three-match ban and misses out on the trip to Pride Park. Denilson is in line for a rare start as injuries to Mathieu Flamini and Tomas Rosicky have ruled them out.

Eurosport

Result - Champions League Semi Final

23 April 2008


Barcelona 0 0 Man Utd

Result - champions league semi final

Tuesday, 22 April 2008

Liverpool 1 1 Chelsea


John Arne Riise's dramatic injury-time own goal secured Chelsea a 1-1 draw against Liverpool in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at Anfield. Liverpool had been on course for a well-earned victory after Dirk Kuyt's first-half opener, but Riise's inadvertent last-gasp intervention now tips the tie firmly in Chelsea's favour.


news and foto from eurosport

TOP 5 NEWS

1. Fernando Torres has warned fans Liverpool's Champions League semi-final against Chelsea may not be easy on the eye. The striker told Eurosport that a cagey, tactical game could be in store when the Blues visit Anfield. "I think these are two very similar teams. Two teams very well organised tactically, who don't concede many goals," he said. "That is what has happened in previous years. One went to penalties and the other had only one goal. These are matches with few goals, tactically very tight and which will be decided by a detail."


2. Aston Villa striker John Carew has said he would be happy to end his career at Villa Park. The big Norwegian has been seen as something of a journeyman after having spells at six clubs before making the move to Villa in 2007. Carew has impressed for Villa this season and the 28-year-old believes the future looks bright for Martin O'Neill's exciting young side. The former Lyon and Valencia hit-man says he is enjoying life at Villa and would consider staying at the club for the rest of his career.


3. Borussia Dortmund winger Jakub Blaszczykowski felt that he was undeservedly sent off in the 2-1 German Cup final defeat to giants Bayern Munich. The Poland international was shown a second yellow card in the second period of extra-time after a challenge on Christian Lell. Five minutes earlier, Dortmund had conceded what proved to be the winner and Luca Toni's second goal of the night. "I felt very bad when I was leaving the pitch," Blaszczykowski told Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza. "I got the first red card in my career and it was undeserved.


4. Internazionale striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has hinted that he may seek a move away from Serie A in the future. "They have better technique and more finesse both in Spain and in England and you never know what will happen in the future", he told Swedish television station SVT. Ibrahimovic is currently sidelined with a knee problem, and is a doubt for the home game with Cagliari on Sunday.


5. Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has said he does not want to sign double world champion Fernando Alonso to the Formula One team, believing such a move would be "damaging". Alonso has denied that he has an escape clause in his contract with struggling Renault that would allow him to leave at the end of the season, although he also voiced his admiration for the Scuderia. However Di Montezemolo does not want to partner him with current world champion Kimi Raikkonen in a 'dream team' line-up.
"To line up a Raikkonen-Alonso double act would mean wanting to damage yourself," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I want two equal drivers that work together."



news from eurosport

Champion League - Semi Final

Tuesday, 22 April 2008


Liverpool vs Chelsea
(Anfield Stadium)


Wednesday, 23 April 2008


Barcelona vs Man Utd
(Nou Camp Stadium)

Result EPL

Sunday, 20 April 2008


Newcastle 2 0 Sunderland

Aston Villa 5 1 Birmingham

Manchester City 3 1 Portsmouth

News

1. A late Carlos Tevez header salvaged a 1-1 draw for Manchester United away to Blackburn Rovers, despite a majestic performance by Brad Friedel. Tevez glanced the ball home to equalise Roque Santa Cruz's opener three minutes from time just as it looked like they would be denied.


2. Goals in each half from Robert Koren and Zoltan Gera saw West Brom stretch their lead at the top of Championship with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Norwich. Koren opened the scoring in the second minute when he beat David Marshall to the rebound after the Canaries goalkeeper had parried Kevin Phillips' low shot from the edge of the area.


3. Luca Toni struck twice to earn Bayern Munich a 2-1 extra-time win over Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup final. The victory gave the Bavarians a record 14th win in the competition and set up a likely domestic double. Toni had scored his first in the 11th minute and Bayern were heading for a victory before Mladen Petric struck in the second minute of added time to level the scores and bring heroic Dortmund back from the brink at the Olympiastadion.


4. Barcelona's faltering title bid took another blow as they were held to a 0-0 draw at the Camp Nou by city rivals Espanyol while Atletico were beaten at home by Real Betis and Sevilla were also taken apart on their own patch 4-1 by Almeria. Barca dominated possession in the first period but could not find a breakthrough, with Eidur Gudjohnsen, Gianluca Zambrotta and Xavi all going close. The story was much the same in the second half despite the best efforts of substitute Lionel Messi, meaning Barcelona could fall 11 points behind league leaders Real Madrid if they win at Racing Santander on Sunday.


5. Roma's title hopes were dealt a serious blow after they could only draw 1-1 with relegation-threatened Livorno at the Stadio Olimpico. Mirko Vucinic broke the deadlock to put the Romans ahead as they coasted through the match, only for substitute Alessandro Diamanti to punish them for their complacency with a stunning free kick seven minutes from time that keeps Roma three points behind league leaders Internazionale, having played a game more.


All news from eurosport and reuters

Result - EPL

SATURDAY - 19 APRIL 2008


Arsenal 2 0 Reading

Fulham 0 2 Liverpool

Middlesbrough 0 1 Bolton

West Ham 2 1 Derby County

Wigan 1 1 Tottenham

Blackburn 1 Man Utd

WEEKEND NEWS

1. Owen Hargreaves appears set to miss Manchester United's trip to Blackburn with a hamstring strain. The England midfielder felt the injury in the aftermath of Sunday"s 2-1 defeat of Arsenal at Old Trafford, and could also be ruled out of United"s Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona on Wednesday. With his side just two points clear of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League, Sir Alex Ferguson is unlikely to risk fielding a weakened side at Ewood Park.


2. Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry will seek assurances from manager Martin O'Neill regarding his summer transfer plans before deciding on his future. Barry is desperate to win trophies after a decade at Villa and believes the current squad needs considerably strengthening if he is to have a realistic chance of achieving that goal. The England midfielder is being linked with a move to Liverpool and knows he is approaching the peak of his career.


3. Fernando Torres has rubbished rumours that Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez could be sacked. Torres said he could not imagine Anfield without his compatriot, and credited Benitez for his fast start in English football. "I have learned a lot with him, he is someone with whom you can learn a great deal," he told Eurosport.


4. Jose Mourinho has confirmed that he is ready to return to management this summer although he has insisted that he is not currently in discussions with anybody. "I will be somewhere next season," he told the Times. "I've not agreed anything but it's a good time for me for many reasons. "I have no contact with clubs. They know where I am. They know the kind of clubs I want, the level of challenge I want. When the leagues finish that's when they make decisions. "I had some good options this month. Some good clubs and some good countries"

THIS WEEKEND FIXTURES

NEWS TODAY

1. Chelsea kept alive their Premier League title ambitions with a tense 1-0 defeat of Everton at Goodison Park. Michael Essien's first-half strike ensured Avram's Grant side climbed within two points of league leaders Manchester United, and went some way to banishing thoughts of Monday's lacklustre draw with Wigan. Once again Chelsea were far from convincing. Despite dominating possession they struggled to create clear-cut openings and were ultimately forced to cling on as Everton searched in vain for an equaliser.


2. Tottenham Hotspur striker Dimitar Berbatov's agent has claimed that he and his client have "given up" on negotiations over a new contract. Emil Dantchev believes that talks have broken down because Tottenham cannot set an asking price for the Bulgarian striker that would form part of the new agreement. Dantchev said that the 27-year-old's future would be sorted out in the summer, revealing that there are several clubs interested in Berbatov who could offer him Champions League football.


3. Nuremberg coach Thomas von Heesen has urged his side to stand up and be counted as their bid to avoid relegation reaches a critical stage. The 3-0 mid-week defeat at Stuttgart left the club five points from safety at the foot of the table. Their fortunes this season form a stark contrast to the achievements of the last campaign, when they won the DFB Pokal and finished sixth in the Bundesliga. After a poor start to the season, Von Heesen arrived in February as a replacement for sacked predecessor Hans Meyer, but the club are in a worse position now than we he took over.


4. Heavy rain spoilt the fourth and final day of Formula One testing at the Montmelo circuit, which will host the fourth grand prix of the season on April 27. Times recorded by the Ferrari of reigning world champion Kimi Raikkonen, Heikki Kovalainen in a McLaren, Robert Kubica of BMW Sauber and Nelson Piquet Jr in a Renault were at least three seconds slower than those of the first three days.

News Today

1. Highly-rated Valencia striker David Villa has revealed that, should he move to England, Arsenal would be his preferred destination. Chelsea are known to be one his many admirers, with Avram Grant believed to have already enquired as to the Spanish hitman's availability. However, Villa appears to have dashed the Blues' hopes of taking him to Stamford Bridge by revealing that he would rather be a Gunner.


2. Leeds United will begin attempts to overturn their 15-point penalty when an independent tribunal adjourns in London on Wednesday. A three-man arbitration panel will consider the validity of the sanction imposed on the club by the Football League at the start of the season, with sports law specialist Richard Cramer claiming Leeds have no more than a 30% chance of overturning the ruling. United's lawyers will attempt to convince the panel the League acted outside their jurisdiction when docking the points as punishment for allegedly breaking competition rules on insolvency.


3. Torino have sacked coach Walter Novellino and brought back former boss Gianni De Biasi, according to reports in Italy. A Torino spokesman said nothing was official and that club president Urbano Cairo would hold a news conference later. De Biasi is coach of the Spanish Liga's bottom club Levante.


4. Bayern Munich are set to welcome back Franck Ribery for Wednesday's clash with Eintracht Frankfurt. The French international has recovered from a foot injury which meant he missed the weekend's 5-0 stroll over Dortmund. Ribery suffered the injury in last week's UEFA Cup quarter-final triumph over Spanish outfit Getafe.


5. German Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel is likely to switch to Red Bull Racing from smaller sister team Toro Rosso next year, according to Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko. Vettel last year became the youngest driver to score a point in a Formula One race when he finished eighth for BMW Sauber at the U.S. Grand Prix while still only 19. The German has failed to score a point in this season's opening three races but has still impressed in the Ferrari-powered Toro Rosso.

News

1. As a chorus of discord swept the blue quarter of London, sharply focused by Emile Heskey's late equaliser for Wigan which effectively hamstrung Chelsea's title ambitions, Avram Grant's rule under the Roman Empire appeared headed for ruin.
Despite promising a more expansive tactical approach, the embattled Chelsea manager has failed to gain currency where his mercurial predecessor, Jose Mourinho, enjoyed extravagant wealth - amongst the club's outspoken following. As he trudged forlorn from the field last night, boos rung out around Stamford Bridge. Favour for the Chelsea manager was in short supply


2. Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has agreed a new five-year contract worth a reported £130,000-a-week. The announcement from his agent Pini Zahavi scotches talk that the 29-year-old was considering quitting Old Trafford for Barcelona.


3. Felipe Massa set the pace on the opening day of testing at Circuit de Catalunya.
After three fly-away Grand Prix, the three week gap between the Bahrain and Spanish Grand Prix enables testing to resume in Barcelona this week and the Ferrari man was quickest with a best lap of 1:18.339 seconds, a cool 2.7 seconds clear of his nearest rival.


4. Internazionale striker Adriano is in line for a Brazil recall after impressing for his loan club Sao Paolo since the turn of the year. Adriano, beset by physical and reported alcohol problems in the past 18 months, has only played once for Brazil under coach Dunga, in last year's 2-0 friendly defeat by Portugal.


5. Jon Dahl Tomasson's season appears to be over as the Villarreal striker continues to struggle with a stomach injury. The 31-year-old sustained the injury two weeks ago and in his absence Villarreal have fallen to consecutive defeats against Sevilla and Almeria and slipped to third place in La Liga. And it now looks unlikely the Denmark international will play again this season as the injury he sustained has proved to be worse than first thought.


All source from eurosport/reuters

News

1. After a difficult start to his Formula One career, Nelson Piquet has vowed to emulate Heikki Kovalainen and begin to rise up the grid. Kovalainen, the Finnish rookie who switched to McLaren for 2008, was slammed by Renault boss Flavio Briatore following a dire debut in Australia last year. Piquet had a similarly grim Melbourne opener for the team, and has been consistently out-qualified by team-mate Fernando Alonso.


2. Real Madrid opened up the gap between them and Barcelona to nine points after they beat Real Murcia despite being down to 10 men for much of the match. The league title is now firmly in their hands after Wesley Sneijder's 58th-minute goal proved the difference between the defending champions and the struggling Andalucian side, who are now eight points clear of safety in 19th place.


3. Hamburg have given defender Vincent Kompany time off because of a drop in form following the death of his mother in November. The former Anderlecht ace signed for the Bundesliga club in the summer of 2006 for a fee of 8 million euros but failed to make an impression at the Nordbank Arena during his first season after sustaining an Achilles injury.


4. Paul Hartley insists Celtic are ready to pile the pressure on Rangers by cutting their lead at the top of the SPL to one point on Wednesday. The champions trounced Motherwell 4-1 at Fir Park on Sunday to get their title aspirations back on track, eight days after the Steelmen seemed to have derailed them with a shock 1-0 win at Celtic Park. Much-criticised striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink grabbed a double as the Hoops reduced the deficit between them and SPL leaders Rangers to four points, although the Ibrox side have two games in hand.


5. Milan striker Ronaldo has admitted it would be "difficult" to play for Flamengo as part of his recovery from knee surgery. Ronaldo was at the Maracana on Sunday to watch a Rio de Janeiro state championship match between Flamengo and Botafogo, wearing a white T-shirt with an "I Love Flamengo" slogan. The 31-year-old has stated he would like to play for a couple of months at Flamengo before making his comeback with Milan, while Flamengo president Marcio Braga claimed negotiations will start this week.



all source foto and news from reuters/eurosport

Results - EPL

13 April 2008


Liverpool 3 1 Blackburn Rovers


Man Utd 2 1 Arsenal



"Manchester United came from behind to earn a 2-1 Premier League win over Arsenal at Old Trafford. Emmanuel Adebayor put the Gunners ahead early in the second half but a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty and Owen Hargreaves free-kick secured a vital win for United, who established a six-point lead over Chelsea at the top of the table. The defeat effectively ruled Arsene Wenger's side out of the title race, nine points off the lead with four games remaining.


Before that, Liverpool eased to a 3-1 win over Blackburn in the Premier League at Anfield thanks to goals by Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Andriy Voronin. All three strikes came in the second half and Torres's goal was his 30th in his debut season in England. Roque Santa Cruz scored late on for Rovers, who stay ninth after the defeat."


Source from eurosport

Breaking News

1. Birmingham City slipped to within two points of the relegation zone as they drew 1-1 at home to Everton while Bolton and Fulham both won. A close-range header from Joleon Lescott looked like it would give Everton a win they hardly deserved, but Mauro Zarate levelled with a stunning free-kick on 83 minutes. Despite a good performance and an acceptable result, Birmingham were dragged back into a dogfight by results elsewhere and have four games to save their top-flight status, including a derby against Aston Villa and a 'six-pointer' against Fulham.


2. A goal by striker John Stewart gave Queen of the South a thrilling 4-3 win over Aberdeen and their first appearance in the Scottish Cup final. The Doonhamers, from the second tier of Scottish football and founded in 1919, had gone into the semi-final as underdogs against their Premier League opponents. But they took the lead three times, each equalised by Aberdeen, before Stewart grabbed the winner against his old club on the hour mark.


3. Werder Bremen swept to a 5-1 home victory over Schalke 04 to move up to second place behind Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. The goals came from Frank Baumann, Boubacar Sanogo, Markus Rosenberg and Ivan Klasnic, who scored twice, as Schalke once again paid the price for failing to take their chances. Eliminated by Barcelona in the Champions League last eight on Wednesday due largely to their poor finishing, Schalke were no better as they dominated Werder in the first half hour.


4. Ronaldinho has agreed initial terms with Milan, who will now speak to Barcelona about a deal according to the Serie A club and the player's agent. The 28-year-old Brazilian has had a difficult few months at the Camp Nou because of injury and loss of form and a move has long been mooted. The forward is out for the rest of the campaign with a leg injury, although it has been suggested by a club director that he has been sidelined as punishment for an unprofessional attitude.


5. Kedah became Super League champions two years in row when they defeated Terengganu 2-1 Saturday night. Before tonight the Canaries had accumulated 50 points after 20 matches and only needed one more point going into the match to take the crown. Their nearest rival Selangor had the misfortune of having three points docked from the 42 points they had by the FA of Malaysia on Thursday for a disciplinary offence.



Source from reuters/eurosport/bernama

Results

Saturday, 12 April 2008


Birmingham 1 1 Everton

Bolton 1 0 West Ham

Derby County 0 6 Aston Villa

Reading 0 2 Fulham

Sunderland 1 2 Manchester City

Tottenham 1 1 Middlesbrough

News today

1. Juventus's Czech winger Pavel Nedved has been ruled out of the big game with Milan on Saturday with a head injury. Nedved suffered a clash of heads in last weekend's 3-2 defeat at Palermo and despite returning to full training he will not be risked because he is not yet heading the ball.


2. Pillipp Lahm will stay with Bayern Munich until at least 2009 according to the Bundesliga giants' chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. The Germany international is currently negotiating a new deal with Bayern but should talks break down, Rummenigge has already ruled out the possibility of the full-back leaving the Allianz Arena before his contract expires at the end of next season.


3. Argentine forward Lionel Messi has returned to the Barcelona squad ahead of their trip south to face struggling Recreativo Huelva on Saturday. The 20-year-old tore a muscle in his left thigh at the beginning of March during the 1-0 Champions League win over Celtic at the Nou Camp. His return will be a boost to Frank Rijkaard's side, who are third in the standings, as they seek to close the seven-point gap on leaders Real Madrid, with seven games left. Barca have only won once in their last six outings.

All source from eurosport

Ronaldo heads PFA award list

"Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo heads a six-man shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year award. The Portuguese international is expected to be a near-unanimous choice for the award but could face competition from Liverpool striker Fernando Torres, who has struck 29 goals in his debut season.

Torres is joined by his club captain Steven Gerrard, while Arsenal boast two nominees in Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor. Title-chasing Chelsea have no contenders, while the surprise package of the list is Portsmouth goalkeeper David James, currently enjoying the best form of his life aged 37.

Ronaldo, Torres and Fabregas are also among the nominees for the Young Player of the Year award, and are joined on the shortlist by Aston Villa pair Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor, along with Manchester City defender Micah Richards."

Eurosport

EPL THIS WEEKEND

Results

Champions League - 9 April 2008


Man Utd 1 0 AS Roma (Man Utd Win, Agg 3 - 0)


Barcelona 1 0 Schalke (Barcelona win, Agg 2 - 0)

RESULT

Champions league - 8 April 2008


liverpool 4 2 arsenal (Liverpool win, agg 5 - 3)

Chelsea 2 0 Fernerbahce (Chelsea win, agg 3 - 2)


English Premier League


West Ham 0 1 Portsmouth

News Today

1. Niki Lauda has sharply criticised Lewis Hamilton's form in the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship so far - especially his calamitous performance in Bahrain - and insisted the young Briton is putting too much pressure on himself in his bid to claim the crown. The McLaren-Mercedes star - who finished second in the drivers' world championship at his maiden attempt last year - triumphed in the 2008 curtain-raiser in Melbourne, but since then a litany of errors have conspired to see him surrender his advantage in the title chase.


2. Thierry Henry is reportedly heading for the exit door at Barcelona after fans turned on him during the disappointing goalless draw with Getafe at the weekend - but strike partner Ronaldinho is going nowhere. With a host of top English sides sure to be interested in Henry's services, a return to the Premier League has become a distinct possibility. Henry has struggled to settle at the Nou Camp since his £16.1 million move from Arsenal last summer and with Barca falling behind in the chase for the Spanish title, supporters are beginning to turn their frustrations on him


3. Arsene Wenger is confident his young Gunners can win "everywhere in the world" but maintains his side will be all the better for their experiences this season even if they lose at Liverpool tonight. Only one win in seven has seen Arsenal's lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League vanish and they are now playing catch-up on both Chelsea and Manchester United, whom they face at Old Trafford this weekend.


4. Rafael Benitez has revealed Liverpool have been concentrating on countering Arsenal's set-piece menace ahead of tonight's Champions League showdown at Anfield.
Benitez's troops have succeeded in frustrating the Gunners in two impressive 1-1 draws in Europe and the Barclays Premier League at the Emirates Stadium over the past week. But Benitez is acutely aware both Arsenal's goals in those games have come from dead balls and is determined to counter that threat in the quarter-final second leg.

4. Chelsea left Istanbul wondering how they had managed to lose their Champions League quarter-final first leg to Fenerbahce but they should recover from the setback in Tuesday's home return. For all the celebrations of the Turkish side's upset 2-1 victory, the odds remain heavily in favour of the London side, who need only a 1-0 success to advance to a semi-final meeting with either Arsenal or Liverpool.


5. Czech striker Jan Koller will retire from the national team after this year's Euro 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland. The 35-year-old Nuremberg frontman is the Czech Republic's all-time leading scorer with 52 goals in 85 matches but he will not be adding to that tally after the conclusion of the 16-team tournament running from June 7th-29th.


6. Celtic will host Old Firm rivals Rangers twice inside 11 days in the SPL run-in.
The announcement of the post-split fixtures threw up a double-header that could ultimately decide the destiny of the SPL title. The Old Firm rivals meet a week on Wednesday - April 16 - in the final fixture before the split, a match that has twice been rearranged after the original January 2 meeting was postponed.

Breaking News

1. Fernando Alonso did not 'brake-test' bitter rival Lewis Hamilton to cause an accident during Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix. Both Renault, and double world champion driver Spaniard Alonso, made clear there was no deliberate 'slowing' or braking to make Hamilton drive into the Renault car on lap two of the race.


2. Rio Ferdinand has given Sir Alex Ferguson another defensive headache after leaving the Riverside with his foot in a protective case following Manchester United's 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough. United can ill afford to lose Ferdinand for long with fellow centre-back Nemanja Vidic out for three weeks and some crucial matches coming up in the Premier League and Champions League. Ferdinand limped off during the match and left the stadium with his foot in a plastic case, as a precaution.


3. Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is a major doubt for the Champions League quarter-final second leg with Fenerbahce after undergoing surgery on a facial injury. The 25-year-old - who only recently returned to training following a period out with ankle ligament damage - sustained the injury after colliding with a team-mate in training on Sunday. A statement on the club's official website read: "Petr Cech underwent surgery yesterday following a training ground accident which left him with lacerations to his lip and chin.


4. Sevilla are set to be without versatile wide player Adriano for up to a month because of injury. The Brazil international left back and midfielder played for all of Sunday's 2-0 home victory over Villarreal but he has since been diagnosed with a calf problem which Sevilla believe will keep him sidelined for between "three to four weeks".


5. Bayern Munich moved nine points clear in the Bundesliga with seven games to play after showing character to match their quality in a 3-1 win at home to VfL Bochum.



Source from Eurosport/reuters

EPL - Results

Sunday 6 April 2008


Middlesbrough 2 2 Manchester United

Everton 1 0 Derby

FA Cup Semifinal 2008

Sunday 6 April 2008


Barnsley 0 1 Cardiff

Hamilton disaster as Massa wins

“Lewis Hamilton lost his lead in the Formula One drivers' championship after finishing outside the points in Bahrain. Felipe Massa scored his first points of 2008 with a dominant victory ahead of Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, with BMW's Robert Kubica third.

British star Hamilton damaged his McLaren after running into the back of his old sparring partner Fernando Alonso, having lost seven places at the start. He eventually trundled home in 13th. Massa's sixth career win came at the same Sakhir desert circuit where he fired up his title challenge last year with a start-to-finish victory.

World champion Raikkonen collected the 50th podium finish of his grand prix career and the Finnish 'Iceman' took over at the top with 19 points, three clear of BMW Sauber's German Nick Heidfeld, after three races. Hamilton, McLaren team mate Heikki Kovalainen and Kubica are all level on 14. McLaren were also leapfrogged at the top of the constructors' standings by BMW Sauber.

Kubica finished third, after becoming the first BMW Sauber driver to start a grand prix from pole position, with Heidfeld a close fourth. BMW Sauber have now finished on the podium in all of the first three races of the season, a feat unmatched by Ferrari or McLaren. They have 30 points to Ferrari's 29 and McLaren's 28. Kovalainen was fifth, ahead of Toyota's Italian Jarno Trulli and Australian Mark Webber in a Red Bull. Germany's Nico Rosberg took the final point for Williams.
Massa led from the lights, making a faster getaway than Kubica, and took the chequered flag 3.3 seconds ahead of Raikkonen.”


Source from Reuters/eurosport

EPL Result

Saturday 5 April 2008


Arsenal 1 1 Liverpool

Aston Villa 4 0 Bolton

Blackburn 1 1 Tottenham

Fulham 1 3 Sunderland

Manchester City 0 2 Chelsea

Newcastle 3 0 Reading

Wigan 2 0 Birmingham

FA Cup Semi Final

Saturday, 5 April 2008


West Bromwich 0 1 Portsmouth

News Update

1. A second-half Kanu goal meant Portsmouth qualified for their first post-war FA Cup final with a 1-0 win over Championship side West Brom at Wembley. It will be Pompey's fourth ever FA Cup final showing, having won the competition in 1939 and finished beaten finalists in 1929 and '34, although there will be a sour taste in the mouths of West Brom fans as Milan Baros handled in the box in the build-up to Kanu's winner.


2. Just three days after their European tie ended all square, both teams were back at the Emirates Stadium to do battle for league points. Arsenal were once again left frustrated by Liverpool as Saturday's 1-1 draw dealt a near fatal blow to their fading Premier League title hopes.


3. Barcelona's Brazilian forward Ronaldinho will be sidelined for about six weeks after he pulled a muscle in his right leg during a training session. The injury means the 28-year-old player, who has has been linked to a move away from the Catalan giants, will miss most of the remaining season.


4. Chelsea kept the pressure on leaders Manchester United at the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Manchester City at Eastlands. Richard Dunne's sixth-minute own-goal gave Chelsea the lead, with Salomon Kalou's well-crafted strike just after the break ensuring there would be no repeat of the Champions League implosion against Fenerbahce a few days earlier.


Source from eurosport

Bahrin GP - Kubica in pole

"BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica took the first pole position of his Formula One career in Bahrain on Saturday.The Polish driver pipped Ferrari's Brazilian Felipe Massa for the top spot at Sakhir with a final flying lap of one minute 33.096 seconds.

Brazilian Massa won from pole position in Bahrain last year but is still without a point after two races. Australian Mark Webber was third quickest for Renault-powered Red Bull, ahead of Toyota's Italian Jarno Trulli.

McLaren's 23-year-old championship leader Lewis Hamilton - who was forced to use a spare chassis after a heavy crash on Friday - was third fastest. Hamilton will share the second row in Sunday's race with Ferrari's world champion Kimi Raikkonen. Briton Hamilton leads Raikkonen by three points in the championship. "

from Reuters

Breaking News

1. Brazilian Felipe Massa set the pace for Formula One champions Ferrari, who dominated the first and second free practice at the Bahrain Grand Prix.. Second is his teammates, the World Champions, Kimi Raikkonen. The Ferrari rivals McLaren was take 3rd n 4th fastest.


2. McLaren's Formula One leader Lewis Hamilton crashed out of Bahrain Grand Prix free practice while Ferrari's Felipe Massa set the pace. Hamilton lost control of the car on the exit to turn seven in the middle sector of the slippery desert circuit and, with no grip, careered broadside into the tyre barriers with nine minutes of the second session remaining.


3. Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that Rio Ferdinand is close to agreeing a new contract at Manchester United.England defender Ferdinand, who captained his country in the friendly against France in Paris last month, is currently one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League after thrashing out a £100,000-a-week deal in 2005.

4. A round-up of who will be featuring in La Liga this weekend, with Getafe having to do without Cosmin Contra for their trip to the Nou Camp. Getafe defender Cosmin Contra, who scored a 90th minute equaliser to draw 1-1 away to Bayern Munich in their UEFA Cup quarter-final, first leg, is suspended for their trip to third-placed Barcelona on Sunday.

5. A run-down of the weekend's events in the Bundesliga, as champions elect Bayern Munich aim to bounce back from their European disappointment and continue their march towards the title. Bayern Munich remain optimistic about their UEFA Cup chances despite letting Getafe get away with a 1-1 draw from their quarter-final first leg at the Allianz Arena.


Source from Eurosport

EPL Fixtures this Weekend

Saturday 5 April 2008


Arsenal vs Liverpool

Aston Villa vs Bolton

Blackburn vs Tottenham

Fulham vs Sunderland

Manchester City vs Chelsea

Newcastle vs Reading

Wigan vs Birmingham



Sunday 6 April 2008


Middlesbrough vs Manchester United

Everton vs Derby



Tuesday 8 April 2008


West Ham vs Portsmouth

Alonso again hints at Renault exit

"Fernando Alonso has again indicated he might switch teams again at the end of this season. The Spaniard escaped from a three-year McLaren contract after just one unhappy season last year, returning this season to the scene of his two world titles.

But his two-year Renault contract includes a clause that will allow him to change again at the end of this season, and rumours are gaining pace that Alonso's next destination could be Ferrari. Ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend he said he would not commit to staying at Renault for 2009.

"I have signed a two-year contract with Renault, but in Formula One we know that contracts are flexible," he said. It is understood that Alonso's 2009 exit clause is linked with Renault's on-track performance, and the French squad has already admitted that it has failed so far to provide Alonso with a winning car. "I knew that it would be a difficult year for Renault," he said. "However, I had hoped that we might be looking to get on the podium once or twice."

In Australia and Malaysia Alonso finished fourth and eighth respectively. He believes that the sweeping 2009 rule changes, however, could provide Renault a faster track back to the front of the grid."


Source from F1 Live / Eurosport

FA Cup 2007/2008 Semi Final

Saturday, 5 April 2008


West Bromwich vs Portsmouth



Sunday 6 April 2008


Barnsley vs Cardiff


* All game play at Wembley Stadium, London

Foster out of Barnsley semi-final

"Barnsley defender Stephen Foster has been ruled out of Sunday's FA Cup semi-final clash with Championship rivals Cardiff. The defender has been fundamental in the Tykes road to Wembley scoring the equaliser in the fifth round 2-1 victory at Liverpool, but has suffered a foot injury ahead of the game. Boss Simon Davey told the club's official website: "Stephen has a badly bruised foot. It it very unfortunate for him but he will not be fit in time for Sunday."

Foster only joined the Tykes on a free transfer from Burnley but has been virtually ever-present this season. As well as the goal against Liverpool, he also netted the equaliser in the 2-1 win over Blackpool in the third round."

Source from Teamtalk / Eurosport

Schumacher says BMW success will not last

“Seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher doesn't think BMW Sauber can sustain their successful start to the Formula One season and challenge Ferrari or McLaren for the constructors' championship. The German team - with two second places in succession - surprisingly find themselves second in the race for the constructors' crown after the opening two Grands Prix, splitting leaders McLaren and third-placed Ferrari.

"BMW here and there will have a few highlights, maybe more than we think. But calculating all things, I believe, no, they cannot sustain it over the season," Schumacher said. The 39-year-old added that he did not see any other team competing with last season's top teams. "I believe it is a straight fight between Ferrari and McLaren," he said "There will be no other team fighting realistically towards the end of the championship."

Ferrari won the constructors' championship last year after McLaren were stripped of all their points for a spying scandal. Schumacher said he did not see BMW drivers Nick Heidfeld or Robert Kubica challenging for the drivers' title but he had some words of encouragement for fellow German Sebastian Vettel, despite two retirements so far for the Toro Rosso team. "I think my German team mate Sebastian Vettel particularly will be a lot of a surprise this season," Schumacher said. "He is going very well despite the results. He went very well in Australia and Malaysia until retirement. In this respect I think he will be the surprise of the season."“

Reuters

Champions League Result

Wednesday, 2 April 2008


Arsenal 1 1 Liverpool

Fenerbahce 2 1 Chelsea

Champions League Result

Tuesday, 1 April 2008


Roma 0 2 Manchester United

Schalke 0 1 Barcelona

Ronaldo and Rooney conquer Rome

Foto from Eurospot

Manchester United have one foot in the semi-finals of the Champions League after beating Roma 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico. Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 36th goal of the season - and his seventh in Europe - before Wayne Rooney scored a second to give the Premier League side an advantage of two away goals to take into the second leg at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo timed his run well to burst forward with power to meet Paul Scholes's chipped cross and nod a solid header past goalkeeper Alexandre Doni as half-time was looming. Rooney scored against Roma in the 1-0 win at Old Trafford during the group stage, and reacted quickly to repeat that feat when Park Ji-Sung headed Wes Brown's diagonal ball back across goal on 66 minutes. The ball broke free after confusion between Doni and Cristian Panucci, and Rooney pounced to bundle it over the line from close range.

Portugal international Ronaldo, who in the past has been accused of not producing his best in key European matches, had a rather inauspicious start to this match, and was covered by two Roma players whenever he had the ball at his feet. United were the side that had most of the early possession, forcing Roma to chase the ball, but it was the home side who created the first real chance after a quarter of an hour when Cristian Panucci, captain for the evening due to the absence of Francesco Totti, headed over from a corner.

Roma were missing their talismanic forward and it showed, as Rio Ferdinand did an excellent job of marshalling Mirko Vucinic whenever the Montenegrin was on the attack, though he managed to turn the current England captain on one occasion and send a decent curling shot just over the bar. United's solid defence suffered a blow when Nemanja Vidic landed awkwardly after jumping for a header against Vucinic on the half hour, but substitute John O'Shea provided adequate cover.

After Vucinic went close again with an effort that went across the face of goal, Roma came out in the second half with renewed vigour. United manager Alex Ferguson responded by replacing the booked Anderson with Owen Hargreaves and moving Scholes further upfield to support Rooney. Roma responded by bringing on Ludovic Guily, and continued to apply the pressure, but United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar made a vital reaction save after Vucinic met a corner at the near post.

Soon after United doubled their lead, and Rooney's goal was quickly followed by Doni tipping a Ronaldo effort onto the post and Michael Carrick going close with a shot from outside the box. The tie was almost put beyond doubt when late substitute Carlos Tevez crossed for Ronaldo to volley, but the well-struck effort was sent over the bar, meaning that Roma have an intimidating but not impossible deficit to overturn next week at Old Trafford.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport

Ferguson upbeat over duo

foto source from reuters


Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is optimistic that goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar and defender Patrice Evra will be fit to face AS Roma in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Stadio Olimpico. Dutch goalkeeper van der Sar was on the flight to Italy on Monday morning after missing Saturday evening's 4-0 Premier League victory against Aston Villa at Old Trafford with a groin injury.

Evra, Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick also travelled after coming off with knocks at the weekend but the latter remains doubtful. Mikael Silvestre was a surprise addition to the party after recovering from a knee ligament injury, sustained in September. However Nani was again missing and ruled out of the Stadio Olimpico clash because of a thigh strain.

United knocked Roma out at this stage of the competition last year with a 7-1 drubbing at Old Trafford after losing the first leg 2-1. The Premier League leaders also had the better of the group-stage encounters between the sides, winning 1-0 at home and drawing 1-1 in the Italian capital. And Ferguson said he was confident Manchester United had Roma sized up. "I think, because of playing them so many times, we are aware of exactly what Roma is about," he said.

"The first time we came here we found the first 20 minutes very difficult, the way they pressed the game, and it took us a long time to adjust. Now we are playing them for the sixth time and hopefully we have overcome those difficulties." He added that Cristiano Ronaldo's remarkable form would be an extra weapon against a Roma side without injured top-scorer and captain Francesco Totti.

"We are absolutely delighted we are bringing a player a year later to Rome with an incredible improvement and goal-scoring performances. That's a big advantage to us," he said. He added that the Portugal international would soon answer those who question his ability to repeat his domestic form in European competition. "He's only just turned 23. With two or three years of maturity, that is a question that will not be asked," he said.

"We are seeing development in every department of his game in domestic football. The more he plays in Europe, the more he'll get used to it and the more we'll see his qualities." Midfielder Paul Scholes also paid tribute to Ronaldo: "I've been lucky to have played with a lot of top, top players and I think Cristiano has to be the top now, for what he's done this season," he said. Scholes said he was not expecting a repeat of the 7-1 romp.

"I think that's forgotten," he said. "That was a special night. We know that's not going to happen very often." Ferguson agreed that Roma were now a much tougher prospect, even without Totti. "They are second in the (Italian) league and they have a fantastic chance of winning the title," he said. "That's a measure of their improvement. "Obviously, Totti is a very influential figure in the Roma team. I'm sure (coach Luciano) Spalletti and the rest of the players will overcome his absence. They have to."

TeamTalk / Reuters

Force India eye Bahrain improvement

“Force India hope to take another step forward in Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix and move away from Formula One's back-markers. "We will have several new aerodynamic parts on the front wing and new brake ducts in Bahrain, which should bring a further performance increase," the team's technical head Mike Gascoyne said in a team preview of the third race of the season.

"As we showed in the race in Malaysia, we now have a car that can race competitively and looking at the data from the first two races, it is clear that we have made a big step forward from last season's performance." Gascoyne said the target for Bahrain was to make it into the second phase of qualifying after the slowest six cars were eliminated. Italian Giancarlo Fisichella finished 12th in Malaysia and the team's billionaire co-owner Vijay Mallya said Ferrari-powered Force India were now genuinely competitive.

Predecessors Spyker, the team Mallya bought and renamed, scored just one point last season. "When Force India came into the sport just a few months ago, some observers expected us to stay in the same position and just be happy to be on the grid," he said. "These last two races have resolutely shown that we are not just in it for the taking part...we have done the maths, we have looked at the statistics and have improved by over two seconds from this time last year."”

Reuters