Ancelotti focused on Wembley, not revenge

Carlo Ancelotti admits his side have not been as consistent as Manchester United this season

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti yesterday claimed beating Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-final would not constitute revenge for the club following their defeat on penalties in the all-English final of 2008.

United claimed the spoils three years ago, winning on penalties following a 1-1 draw. That rain-soaked night in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow has haunted Chelsea since, and according to Ancelotti, only going to the final and winning the trophy will be enough to exorcise those demons. Avram Grant was Chelsea manager when Sir Alex Ferguson claimed his second Champions League crown but Ancelotti knows what it means to lose a final, having been at the helm for Milan's defeat to Liverpool in 2005.

The Italian, who also won the trophy twice as manager of Milan, said: "In my opinion, I don't have to have revenge for United. I was not there. For my players, I don't think it's a good motivation for revenge. It should be fantastic motivation to look forward in the future. We have four games to reach the final in London. If Chelsea reached the final there, we'd have a good revenge for 2008 – not against United."

Chelsea have won their last three Premier League encounters with Manchester United, including a 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge earlier this month, but Ancelotti does not believe that will give his side any real advantage. "I think we have to consider the past. Obviously the players can remember they lost against United, but we can remind ourselves that we won last year and this season against them. These will be different games," he said.

Ancelotti conceded that United have been more consistent than Chelsea this season. "United have showed fantastic consistency this season, better than us. But over 180 minutes who plays better will win," he said.

The Champions League is the one trophy that has eluded Chelsea and their owner Roman Abramovich in recent years, but Ancelotti denied suggestions that the desire to win it has reached obsessive levels. It is estimated that victory at Wembley in May would be worth up to £100m to the winner, but it might be even greater for Chelsea who would use their first European Cup to increase their global fan base. Ancelotti said: "We have to play a quarter-final and then we'll see if we deserve to be in the semi-final. Last year it was a really bad moment, losing to Inter. Now it's not an obsession to win it, it's a dream."

Ancelotti is to recall £50m striker Fernando Torres for tomorrow's game with Manchester City, along with Michael Essien and Florent Malouda, which sees the Italian in opposition to his old friend Roberto Mancini.

Source : The Independent 19 March 2011

Redknapp hails 'fantastic' task of conquering Spanish giants

Mourinho's Real Madrid and potentially Barcelona block route to the final for debutants Tottenham



'It will be good to see Jose. He was a fantastic coach, a great manager, a real personality,' Harry Redknapp on Real Madrid's coach

When Aston Villa won the European Cup in 1982 the teams they beat to reach the final were Valur, Dynamo Berlin, Dynamo Kiev and Anderlecht. Tottenham may have started this season's campaign against Young Boys Berne but if they reach the final they will have subsequently had to beat Internazionale, Milan, Real Madrid and (probably) Barcelona, a quartet who between them have won the Continent's premier competition 22 times.

After a half-century's absence from the elite Spurs seem to be on a "legends" tour so it should have been no surprise when they were yesterday paired with the grandest name of all in the quarter-finals – with the prospect of playing the best contemporary team in the semi-finals. That pre-supposes Barcelona dispense with Shakhtar Donetsk in the last eight, which is no more of a foregone conclusion than the expectation that Real will dismiss Spurs despite the excitement in Spain at the prospect of a European Clasico in the semi-finals.

Jose Mourinho, as ever, had it right when he said: "It's not worth talking about Barça v Real Madrid in the semis. There's as much chance of a Shakhtar v Tottenham semi." Shrewd words, though undermined by the enthusiasm with which his sporting director, Miguel Pardeza, ignored his advice talking, among other things, of how Real's big squad could make the difference against the Catalans.

It is not as big as it was before Rafael van der Vaart was shipped out of Madrid for a cut-price £8m to Spurs in August. The Dutchman has been a revelation at White Hart Lane and is one reason Harry Redknapp can view the tie with confidence. Van der Vaart drew on his experience in Madrid to make a pertinent observation. Barcelona play their second leg first and Real will be carrying a considerable weight of expectation should they come to White Hart Lane next month needing a result to set up a Clasico. Van der Vaart noted: "We don't have pressure, we can play our game. We have a chance I'm sure,"

Having beaten both Milan clubs Redknapp feels the same and he relished the draw. "It's fantastic. What a game to look forward to," he said. "Real Madrid have great players and one of the all-time great managers, so it will be difficult, but we'll go there and give it a real go. Hopefully we can do what we did in Milan. A real pressure night at Tottenham gives you a chance as long as you are in the game. It will be good to see Jose. He was amazing for English football. He was a fantastic coach and a great manager. He lit the Premier League up."

Redknapp faced Mourinho five times in the English game, once as manager of Southampton, four times with Portsmouth. He lost all five which might explain the contrasting descriptions of their relationship. Redknapp said of Mourinho: "I was not close to him, but I respected him." The Portuguese said: "Harry is a friend, one of the few really good friends I made in England."

Mourinho added: "I know how English football is – full of passion and players who give everything. We are playing a team that beat Inter and knocked out Milan and who are going very well and have a great manager. I am happy to go back to London and congratulate Harry on his brilliant work."

Mourinho will hope that work does not extend to victory over Real but he will be aware that Tottenham do have players that can hurt a defence that is less stellar than its attack. The same, though, can be said of Spurs.

Redknapp plans to fly to Madrid after today's early match with West Ham to watch Real's derby at Atletico tonight. He will hope to avoid a repeat of the mugging he suffered in the Spanish capital in January. That may be why he has asked Joe Jordan to accompany him. Jordan, Redknapp says, hopes to appeal against the one-match stadium ban imposed by Uefa following his touchline row with Milan's Gennaro Gattuso last month. It will keep him away from the first leg if upheld.

Source : The Independent 19 March 2011

TOUCHLINES

ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger will reportedly look to land Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema this summer as he looks to improve the club’s attacking options.

TOTTENHAM are set to renew their interest in Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam after conceding Niko Kranjcar is likely to leave White Hart Lane in the summer.

LIVERPOOL boss Kenny Dalglish is lining up a double raid on Crystal Palace, with bids for highly rated teenage striker Wilfried Zaha and midfielder Jon Williams.

ALBERTO AQUILANI looks set for a Liverpool return at the end of the season as Juventus appear reluctant to pay the €15m (RM75m) required to keep him permanently. The 26-year-old Italian midfielder has been on loan at Juve since this summer.

BARCELONA are planning on hijacking Inter Milan’s attempts to sign Tottenham’s Gareth Bale in the summer by offering £40m (RM200m) for the flying winger.

 Celtic boss Neil Lennon is ready to sign Coventry’s Republic of Ireland keeper Keiran Westwood in a bargain free transfer swoop. Westwood is out of contract in the summer and refuse to sign a new deal at Coventry.

WAYNE ROONEY has pledged his best years to Manchester United, and told their fans: “I’ll be here until my 30s.” The 25-year-old striker is incensed by talk that he could quit Old Trafford this summer despite signing his blockbusting five-year £250,000 (RM1.25m)-a-week contract just four months ago.

TOTTENHAM defender Michael Dawson has warned his England teammates that Spurs and Wales winger Gareth Bale is back to his “unstoppable” best ahead of next week’s Euro 2012 qualifier in Cardiff.

MANCHESTER CITY boss Roberto Mancini has defended his decision to allow defender Wayne Bridge and strikers Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz to leave on loan in January when he has ended up so short of players. Macini has bemoaned a lack of bodies as a reason for some of his side’s more stuttering performances in recent times.

DEFENDER Thomas Vermaelen has admitted he does not know when he’ll be fit to play for Arsenal again after revealing he has suffered six relapses with his Achilles injury. Vermaelen has not played since picking up the injury last September.

SUNDERLAND boss Steve Bruce has claimed he almost signed Andy Carroll from Newcastle two seasons ago, when he was still in charge of Wigan. However , the Latics could not afford the £4.5m (RM22.5m) asking price.

Source : THE SUN 18 MARCH 2011

Reaction to Champions League draw

The draw for the quarter-final stage of the Champions League draw has been made. We round up the reaction...

CHELSEA v MANCHESTER UNITED

Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay

"The draw has thrown up an exciting fixture against Manchester United - a team we know well and that we have a good recent record against. We will approach this game the same as we will the meeting we have left against them in the Premier League.

"Playing anyone at this point in the world's top club competition is always a challenge - if we want to succeed in getting to the final at Wembley and winning this trophy then we have to beat the best Europe has to offer."

Chelsea secretary David Barnard

"We've got a great rivalry domestically but the Champions League is something different. It's not about revenge (for losing the 2008 final to United in a penalty shootout) but we know each other well enough. Whether the players want to put a wrong right is a bit of a cliche but it's a great motivation."

Manchester United secretary John Alexander

"It's a very exciting prospect with both teams still in with a chance of winning the Premier League and the Champions League. The second leg at home is an advantage but European football is sometimes different in how it's played to domestic competitions."

BARCELONA v SHAKHTAR DONETSK

Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola

"We know them and they know us. We have had very tight games with them. They are physically very strong, with experienced players. We found it very hard to beat them in the Super Cup (in 2009 when Barca won 1-0 in extra time).

"Playing the return leg away is a handicap."

Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta

"Shakhtar are a good, emerging team. They are a very fast side and they are in the quarter-finals on merit.

"This is what the draw has given us so we will have to take advantage of the first 90 minutes at home in front of our fans and try to take a positive result while all the time being aware that there will be a tricky game waiting for us in Donetsk.

"We are only going to think about Shakhtar and not (a possible semi-final against) Real Madrid. We certainly don't want to get ahead of ourselves."

Sergei Palkin, general director of Shakhtar Donetsk

"I think that none of the clubs taking part in the draw wanted Barcelona as their opponent. Everybody understands well that today Barcelona has more chances of winning the Champions League than any other team.

"In football anything can happen. I think this (Barcelona team) is a very strong competitor, the No. 1 opponent. It will give us more concentration, more strength. I think we must show that our football is of the right level, which we will always demonstrate.

Shakhtar Donetsk's former Barca defender Dmytro Chygrynsky

"The games against Barcelona will be thrilling. Our opponents need no introduction. They have got weaknesses but it's not that easy to expose them. Today I will probably call Maxwell, my former Barca team mate, and advise him to be very well prepared for our visit."

INTER MILAN v SCHALKE 04

Former Inter forward and club ambassador Luis Figo.

"I think that all the so-called big teams would have liked to play Schalke. I'm certainly happy with the draw but at this level in football you can't really prefer one opponent over another because each game has to be won on the pitch.

"Schalke are a quality side, they have a very good group of players and they knocked out Valencia (in the last 16), who are an excellent team. But as I said, considering all the teams we could have been drawn against, we were lucky."

Inter captain Javier Zanetti

"We have to show respect to Schalke because it will be a tough game like all the others. We must be careful because nobody reaches the quarter-finals through luck."

Schalke goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer

"We got a really tough draw playing against the holders. But maybe it's a good omen that Schalke in 1997 were successful in the San Siro (beating Inter on penalties in the second leg of the UEFA Cup final). It may also be an advantage that we are playing away the first leg. Everything else points to a hugely difficult tie for us."

Schalke defender Christoph Metzelder

"This will be a real challenge but also a very attractive opponent. Strangely enough when Schalke won the UEFA Cup in '97 there was both Valencia (who they beat in the last Champions League 16 this month) and Inter on the way to the title. I am also looking forward to facing Wesley Sneijder whom I know from my days at Real Madrid."

REAL MADRID v TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Real Madrid sporting director Miguel Pardeza

"Should ourselves and Barcelona reach the semis it would mean many encounters between us in such a short space of time.

"We will have to make sure we are in top form should that be the case. It's an exceptional situation. I certainly don't have any experience of it in my time here. We must take advantage of our strengths; we've got a very big squad."

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp

"It's a fantastic draw. What a game to look forward to against one of the greatest clubs in world football. To play Real Madrid at this stage of the Champions League is fantastic for us and we're all looking forward to it.

"(Real) are pushing Barcelona all the way for the (Spanish) championship with big players and a fantastic manager (in Jose Mourinho)... one of the all-time greats.

"We'll go there and give it a real go. You couldn't have a more exciting or tougher game. But... we feel we can play against anyone and give them a game."

Rafael van der Vaart, Tottenham Hotspur forward

"It's a big game, first leg away which is good for us, so I'm happy. We don't have pressure, we can play our game and we have a chance I'm sure.

"The Bernabeu is fantastic. It's a great pitch, the stadium holds 90,000 and it's a fantastic feeling to play there. I played there for two years and had a great time there, so it's a dream to be going back."

Source : The Independent 18 March 2011

United do it the hard way after Hernandez gives them fine start

Manchester United 2 Marseilles 1 (Man Utd win 2-1 on aggregate)

It is another season of living dangerously at Manchester United, yet for a team who again insisted upon tiptoeing along the brink of calamity last night they find themselves in the Champions League quarter-finals draw on Friday with the possibility of a second historic treble still on the cards.

Beset with injuries, especially to a defence that wobbled alarmingly at times, United won this game because they had its shrewdest penalty-area assassin in Javier Hernandez. The divine being to whom the Mexican appeals on his knees before kick-off was not just smiling on his young devotee last night, he appeared also to be wearing a red and white scarf.

United needed their good fortune at times. They lost two right-backs to injury – John O'Shea and then Rafael da Silva, who had been sent on to replace him – and having rode their luck, they conceded an own goal through Wes Brown with eight minutes left. Had Marseilles possessed a striker with just half Hernandez's composure, then Sir Alex Ferguson might have been left to concentrate on the Premier League and the FA Cup.

Manchester United's two goal hero Javier Hernandez battles for the ball with Marseilles' Souleymane Diawara at Old Trafford

His team were without Nemanja Vidic again who was ruled out with a calf injury and with Rio Ferdinand already missing, the responsibility was on Brown and Chris Smalling once again. They muddled through in the end but there were a few anxious moments.

On the encouraging side, there was a performance from Wayne Rooney, particularly in the first half, that was reminiscent of his long-lost form from before last March. Playing just behind Hernandez, it was his passing that made United's first goal. That United are in the last eight, along with Tottenham Hotspur, is enough for now but how they approach Saturday's game at home to Bolton is quite another matter.

With no prospect of Ferdinand returning yet and Vidic, Rafael and O'Shea all doubtful, this is a United side that again requires patching up. Their options in attack and midfield are greater and should become even more plentiful with the imminent return of Park Ji-sung and Luis Anderson. Jonny Evans is back in training but the visit of seventh-placed Bolton is a test.

While United's back door swung open on its hinges at times last night they compensated with one of the best moves of the season for Hernandez's first goal within six minutes – thanks to the hard work and ingenuity of Rooney.

He started the move with a brilliant half-volleyed pass with the outside of his right foot to Ryan Giggs out on the left. Then Rooney put his head down and sprinted into the box to get it back. Collecting the return in the area, he beat everyone with his pass, including the Marseilles goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, so that Hernandez could sidefoot the ball in from less than a yard.

United's start suggested they were ready to tear Marseilles apart but it faded fast. As Ferguson had noted beforehand, this Marseilles team are blessed with an athletic, strong defence which relies heavily on the strength of left-back Taye Taiwo and the centre-half Souleymane Diawara, both of whom were impressive.

Taiwo was strong enough and fast enough to make Nani think twice about pushing the ball past him and chasing it down the right wing. Diawara, eventually caught out by Hernandez for his second goal, had the second of Marseilles' three good first-half chances. From Taiwo's cross on 36 minutes, he had a free header in the United area which he put wide.

But the best chance for the French side came just four minutes after Hernandez's opener. A well-judged flick from the winger André Ayew gave André-Pierre Gignac, the France international, a free run at goal. A £15m signing last summer, Gignac has struggled at Marseilles this season and it was not hard to see why in this instance. He snatched at his chance and put the ball well over.

Ten minutes before half-time, United lost O'Shea to a hamstring injury after he made a good run down the right. On came the volatile Rafael da Silva, who flew into an unwinnable challenge on Ayew shortly afterwards. Rafael was fortunate the Marseilles man chose to leap over him because it spared him a booking at a time in his career when he is picking up too many of them.

United had a shout for a penalty when Hernandez tumbled over Diawara in the 41st minute after Giggs cut the ball back to him but it looked like a collision engineered by the forward. A minute later and Marseilles had their third chance of the half when Loïc Rémy volleyed over when Smalling could not get enough distance on his clearance.

By the end of the first half, United had lost all the momentum created by that early goal. Rooney's best moment of the second half came at the start but he could not make that crucial second goal and gradually Marseilles came back into it. Only when the second of the Da Silva brothers came on – this time it was Fabio for his injured brother – did Ferguson use the break in play to change his team's system.

Ferguson brought Rooney out to the left of a three-man line behind Hernandez. Giggs was moved into the centre and Antonio Valencia, who had come on for Nani, played on the right. To give Ferguson his due, his tactical changes worked immediately.

On 75 minutes, Valencia turned on the ball down the right and returned the ball to Giggs with a sweetly timed pass inside the Marseilles left-back. Coming in from that wing he crossed the ball low for Hernandez who turned away from Diawara before the defender could react and tucked in his 16th goal of the season.

Before then, the game had started to look a little anxious for United. Rémy's ball across goal had been struck first time by Benoît Cheyrou into the arms of Edwin van der Sar. Earlier, Gabriel Heinze had misjudged a header from a corner.

Under pressure at another corner, Brown deflected the ball past Van der Sar to set up an anxious finish. Marseilles did not quite have the courage to finish United off, although they were given more than one invitation to do so.

Man of the match: Rooney.

Match rating: 6/10.

Referee: C Carballo (Spain).

Attendance: 73,996.

Source : The Independent 16 March 2011

Ferguson hails 'fantastic' Van der Sar as Arsenal are denied once more

Manchester United 2 Arsenal 0: After seeing his team humbled in three competitions, Wenger ponders whether they have mental strength for title challenge

Let the first and last word on the difference between Manchester United and Arsenal rest with Patrick Vieira, a totem of the days when Arsène Wenger lifted silverware. Asked, in the course of one of the weekend's most revealing interviews, to name a fantasy XI from his time in England, Vieira reeled off no fewer than five United players. Though that might be a source of some embarrassment to his current employers at Manchester City, it is a reflection of the fact that while Wenger produces some of the best talent – no outfield player ratings could touch Jack Wilshere here on Saturday – Sir Alex Ferguson simply produces the most winners.

Vieira's goalkeeping choice was David Seaman, another sure winner and one whom Wenger knows he has never adequately replaced. If the Arsenal manager had needed any evidence that Ferguson's investment in Edwin van der Sar is a significant reason why United and Arsenal – knocked out of three competitions in the space of 13 days – have been on diverging paths since 2005, it was there before his eyes on Saturday evening.

"I do not want to go into that judgement," Wenger said, but the only solace he could find was in the fact that United will be poorer without Van der Sar around next season. "He's one of the best goalkeepers in the world. If Man United have him in goal at 40 years of age, no matter who they buy next season – [even] if he's tops – they will feel the difference, because not only does [Van der Sar] have exceptional experience, he has exceptional talent."

Wenger walked away before any more "what ifs" could be put, though his introspection revealed a manager – and a club – in an understandable state of torture and self-doubt. "I question myself always, don't worry about that, if that is your worry," Wenger said, and he by no means exuded certainty that his side have the requisite steel to prevent a repeat of 1999, when the FA Cup semi-final defeat to United presaged the loss also of a battle for the title.

"We will find out if we have the mental strength," Wenger said. "We will have this kind of question in the next two or three weeks and we need to show we have an answer to it. We are used to being questioned by our environment and we have to show we are strong enough to deal with that."

This was a more desperately sobering experience than the Nou Camp; one in which Arsenal were confronted with a makeshift line-up totalling seven defenders and still could not beat them. It was an especially desperate occasion for Denilson, Abou Diaby and Robin van Persie, and though Wilshere kept climbing, however steep Arsenal's path became, there was a symbolism in Rafael and Fabio da Silva – twins whom Ferguson could have no more expected results from than tell apart – profiting from a spirit which soared way beyond their skill level.

Lee Dixon, another Arsenal winner, reflected in these pages two weeks ago on his frustration that this Arsenal, for all its lack of trophies is technically far superior to those of his day, but perhaps Vieira's observation yesterday that "there are fewer good players and more athletes" today is the most significant. United are the side in possession.

Ferguson, who might have Jonny Evans and Anderson fit to face Marseilles tomorrow, never says never where the prospect of Van der Sar reconsidering retirement in June is concerned. "He's a fantastic goalkeeper. We just wish he was 21 and not 41 but nature catches you eventually in life," Ferguson said on Saturday, neatly evading the question.

But Van der Sar, whose extraordinary display at Wigan revealed a sportsman still at his peak, will go. There is a sense at Old Trafford that it is best he quits while ahead. "I will miss football and the buzz. It has been 20 years. I have some nice things, a lovely wife and great kids," said the Dutchman, for whom the stroke suffered by his wife Annemarie has been a decisive factor. "[The decision] is a weight off my shoulders maybe, and I don't hate retirement. I am looking forward to it. I think it will be nice to finish it at my peak."

Van der Sar also reflected on the angst that comes with his profession. "Everybody doubts themselves. Every writer doubts themselves, every artist doubts himself and every football player does. That is what certain players thrive on."

Wenger insisted he can do that – shutting out the pessimism he is hearing to keep the prospect of the title alive by the time United visit the Emirates on 1 May. "If I listened to everybody then it is a miracle that we are playing for the title with 10 games to go," he said. "So we will not want to answer this question because nobody in England believed we could even fight for the top four. The fact we are in the position we are in, I think, deserves a lot of credit.

"The Man United game [in May] is only important if we win our games before that. I am convinced if that game is decisive we will have a good chance to do it at home." It seems like a fading hope.

Source : The Independent 14 March 2011