Kids merit cup final chance

Sir Alex Ferguson is committed to fielding some of his younger players in Sunday's Carling Cup final, partly to protect United's priorities but also as a reward for his latest fledglings.

Darron Gibson and Danny Welbeck are both primed to start, Ben Foster is in contention to play in goal and Jonny Evans could be at the heart of defence if he's passed fit after feeling his ankle problem against Inter. There could also be places in the eighteen for the likes of Rodrigo Possebon and Fabio, whose brother Rafael only misses out due to injury.

"We know what our priorities are and they'll be reflected in my final team because we’ve got a game against Newcastle on Wednesday," said Sir Alex at his press conference.

"The priorities will always be the Premier League and the Champions League. Similarly for Harry Redknapp, the clear priority in his mind is survival in the Premier League. That was reflected in his team last night (when Spurs lost in the UEFA Cup to Shakhtar Donetsk).

"The Tottenham goalkeeper (Gomes) from last night will play again on Sunday but none of the ten outfield players will play. It's all to do with how Harry manages the next six or seven days - he’s got Middlesbrough on Wednesday after our game on Sunday.

"(That said) our younger players deserve to be there for their contributions this season. It’s a terrific moment for any young player to play at Wembley. Some players can go through a lifetime and not play there. But some of our players will get that opportunity at a young age on Sunday and they’ll enjoy it."
Sir Alex is starting to enjoy the 'new' Wembley himself, following three visits for the 2007 FA Cup final and the Community Shields of that year and 2008.

"I was disappointed in the atmosphere when we first went there," he admitted on Friday.

"But after going back there two or three times, I’ve become more used to it. I think it was a matter of familiarising myself with the new Wembley, like the different dressing rooms and the fact the Twin Towers and the long walk out from behind the goal are no longer there.

"I still think it’s a terrific stadium, no question. It’s not the same as the original Wembley but time moves on. They had to rebuild it, it cost an awful lot of money and they needed a good end-product. I think they’ve got that."

Blues go second

Chelsea look likely to be the main contenders for United's Premier League crown, having overtaken Liverpool on a dramatic Saturday afternoon.

Guus Hiddink's side looked set to drop two crucial points against Wigan Athletic after Olivier Kapo had cancelled out John Terry's opener, only for Frank Lampard to convert an injury-time winner at Stamford Bridge.

That result took the Blues ahead of Rafael Benitez's Merseysiders, who slipped to defeat at Middlesbrough. Boro hadn't won for 14 league games, but took the lead when Xabi Alonso scored an own-goal, and Tuncay made sure of the points with a second half strike.

Meanwhile, Arsenal posted a fourth successive goalless draw, this time against Fulham at the Emirates Stadium, allowing Everton to move within two points of them after a 2-0 win over West Brom.

Premier League Fixtures 1st March 2009

Hull City -- Blackburn Rovers -|- Kingston Comms Stadium
West Ham United -- Manchester City -|- Boleyn Ground
Bolton Wanderers -- Newcastle United -|- Reebok Stadium
Aston Villa -- Stoke City -|- Villa Park

Premier League Result

February 28
-------------
Everton | 2 - 0 | West Bromwich A.
Arsenal | 0 - 0 | Fulham
Chelsea | 2 - 1 | Wigan Athletic
Middlesbrough | 2 - 0 | Liverpool

Everton 2-0 West Bromwich Albion

Goals from Tim Cahill and Louis Saha left West Bromwich Albion rooted to the foot of the Barclays Premier League.

Cahill rose unchallenged after 36 minutes to head the Toffees in front with his eighth goal of the season.

Saha wrapped up the points at Goodsion Park 20 minutes from time whith a sharp spin and crisp low 22-yard drive. Substitute Luke Moore rattled the Everton bar from 25 yards late on.

Arsenal 0-0 Fulham

Arsenal were held to a fourth successive goalless draw by a battling Fulham side at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsene Wenger's side struggled to break down the visitors who were far from negative and had chances of their own to snatch victory.

Leading scorer Robin van Persie was twice denied by Mark Schwarzer from close range after he was set up by the impressive Andrey Arshavin.

But he could not prevent the Gunners registering a fourth successive 0-0 draw in the league for the first time in 15 years.

UEFA Cup Round of 16

2008/09 UEFA Cup Round of 16 First leg: 12 March Second leg: 18/19 March

Werder Bremen (GER) v AS Saint-Etienne (FRA)

PFC CSKA Moskva (RUS) v FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)

Udinese Calcio (ITA) v FC Zenit St. Petersburg (RUS)

Paris Saint-Germain FC (FRA) v SC Braga (POR)

FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) v FC Metalist Kharkiv (UKR)

Manchester City FC (ENG) v Aalborg BK (DEN)

Olympique de Marseille (FRA) v AFC Ajax (NED)

Hamburger SV (GER) v Galatasaray AŞ (TUR)

Bremen belief soaring after Milan upset

Aside from being a dangerous goalscorer, Claudio Pizarro is clearly a man of his word. Suspended by Werder Bremen last weekend for being late to training, the Peruvian striker promised "to correct my mistakes in the Milan match" and promptly conjured up the two goals that eliminated AC Milan from the UEFA Cup Round of 32 on Thursday.

The two sides had drawn 1-1 in Germany, but the tie was veering heavily in favour of the Serie A giants after an Andrea Pirlo penalty and a Pato strike had given them a 2-0 second-leg advantage at San Siro. Then Pizarro intervened, heading in with style on 68 and 78 minutes to send his team through at the competition favourites' expense. "At last the team showed that what we've been saying about their potential is not simply fantasy," commented Bremen's general manager Klaus Allofs, keenly aware that the club lie eleventh in the Bundesliga. "Today our judgement was confirmed. We've been complaining about missing the feeling of success and now it's there. We have to get stronger through this."

Those sentiments were echoed by Pizarro. "Of course I'm really happy about the score and my two goals; it's a great feeling," he said. "But now we have to go on and play exactly the way we did today in the second half. We have to be convinced of our own strength and continue in the same way. This match against AC Milan was a great performance and one of the best matches since my return to Werder." The matchwinner denied his team could now think of themselves as the new tournament favourites, however: "We know how we can play on a good evening, above all after today, but there are too many other top teams still in the competition. What I can promise is that we'll try everything to win."

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti would probably not be surprised if they do go all the way after praising the German outfit for their performance. "Werder Bremen dominated the game from the first to the last minute, and that hurts more than the result or the elimination," he said. "We had the same problems both in the first and second half; it was too easy for them to take shots on our goal. They played with a higher tempo. Now we must try to play better and bring this difficult phase to a close. Our season is not over yet, though of course we won't play in Europe again. We've failed one of our objectives and that's disappointing, but it's too soon to say that our whole season is a failure."

Pizarro puts paid to Milan's big plans

Claudio Pizarro masterminded a dramatic Werder Bremen turnaround at San Siro, beating Dida with two second-half headers to send favourites AC Milan crashing out of the UEFA Cup on the away-goals rule.

Having drawn 1-1 in the first leg in Germany, first-half goals from Andrea Pirlo and Pato looked to have smoothed Milan's path to the Round of 16, but it will be Thomas Schaaf's side who play AS Saint-Etienne in the next round after Pizarro atoned for an early miss with two goals in the second half to dump Carlo Ancelotti's side out of the competition.

Having scored for Bremen against FC Internazionale Milano at San Siro in the UEFA Champions League group stage earlier this season, Peruvian Pizarro fired wide from close range in the first two minutes. Team-mates Diego and Torsten Frings went on to test Dida early on before the former handled David Beckham's free-kick in the box to gift Milan a penalty.

Pirlo duly converted in the 27th minute, and Bremen's luck looked to be out when six minutes later Brazilian prodigy Pato blasted home a second from 15 metres. Dida then kept Bremen at bay by saving from Hugo Almeida and Pizarro again as half-time approached but the eleventh-placed side in the Bundesliga were not disheartened and Diego, Pizarro and substitute Markus Rosenberg all went close before Bremen finally hit back.

Diego's excellent free-kick allowed the 30-year-old Pizarro to nod his side back into contention in the 68th minute, prompting Bremen to pile forward in search of the decisive equaliser. Pizarro got it with 12 minutes remaining as he headed past Dida from substitute Sebastian Boenisch's cross, and though both sides had chances to put the result beyond question late on, Bremen held on to secure one of the most celebrated draws in recent UEFA Cup history.

Sabri provides the sting in Galatasaray's tail

Sabri Sarıoğlu slammed home a last-minute winner as Galatasaray AŞ earned a place in the UEFA Cup Round of 16 at the expense of FC Girondins de Bordeaux.

The Istanbul team looked set to go out on away goals after Bordeaux scored twice in the space of 60 seconds, through Marouane Chamakh and Fernando Cavenaghi, to draw level at 3-3 with 15 minutes remaining. However, Turkey full-back Sabri smashed a low 15-metre shot into the corner with moments left to settle an amazing end-to-end tie.

The game had started at breakneck speed, with David Bellion opening the scoring 12 seconds into Bülent Korkmaz's debut as Galatasaray coach – the Bordeaux forward finishing coolly past the advancing Morgan De Sanctis after a long ball from Diego Placente caught the hosts napping.

Bordeaux centre-back Souleymane Diawara hooked a cross from Arda Turan on to his own crossbar and the tide began turning Galatasaray's way in the space of three minutes at the end of the half. Arda equalised in the 43rd minute when he ran on to Milan Baroš's lay-off and lashed home a shot from 12 metres. The home crowd were still celebrating when Harry Kewell, who had come on as a substitute for the injured Mehmet Topal, collected a ball 20 metres out and smashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

Lincoln missed a great chance from close range but when he crossed for Arda to tap in after 65 minutes, the match looked over at 3-1. However, Chamakh reduced the deficit by racing on to Cavenaghi's cute through ball and side-footing home and, barely a minute later, De Sanctis dropped a cross to hand Cavenaghi an equaliser. But Sabri had the final say after Bordeaux failed to clear a corner and Galatasaray can look forward to facing Hamburger SV in the Round of 16 next month.

Kravets comes good for dogged Dynamo

FC Dynamo Kyiv ended Spain's interest in the UEFA Cup with Artem Kravets striking twice against Valencia CF to set up an all-Ukrainian Round of 16 tie against FC Metalist Kharkiv, with Yuri Semin's side hosting the first leg.

After the teams drew 1-1 in snowy Kiev in the first game, Kravets put the visitors into a 34th-minute lead, and while goals from Carlos Marchena and Asier Del Horno swung the match back in the Spanish club's favour, Kravets had the final say with his second strike settling matters.

David Villa's shot from just inside the area called Stanislav Bogush into action after two minutes, while Roman Eremenko had Dynamo's only chance of a disappointing opening spell from the away side, drilling a right-footed effort wide from 20 metres after eleven minutes.

Villa and Alexis tested Bogush further, but it was Dynamo who took the lead against the run of play with Kravets crashing a low strike into the bottom left corner of César's net. Kravets sent another shot narrowly wide minutes later, and within seconds the Valencia keeper also had to save well from Carlos Corrêa. Then, with Dynamo seemingly on top, Marchena rose highest to head Manuel Fernandes's free-kick past Bogush moments before half-time and draw the hosts level.

Kravets forced another stop from César after the restart, yet Valencia scored again on 54 minutes as Del Horno pounced after Dynamo had failed to deal with another Fernandes free-kick. Kravets, though, was not to be denied, and he threw a spanner into the works with 17 minutes to go, crashing a shot high into the net from the right after being fed by Corrêa. Unai Emery's men had time to find a winner, but thanks to some resilient Dynamo defending, they were given no space to conjure one.

Leonardo invents winner for Ajax

AFC Ajax substitute Leonardo came on to conjure an 88th-minute equaliser against ACF Fiorentina which sent the Dutch side through to a UEFA Cup Round of 16 meeting with Olympique de Marseille. Having taken a slender 1-0 lead into the game, Ajax trailed to Alberto Gilardino's second-half strike and were facing extra time and penalties before Leonardo rifled home the decisive goal.

Needing to score to level the tie, Fiorentina were first to threaten when Gilardino forced an early save from Kenneth Vermeer with a shot from the middle of the box. Ajax responded with Luis Suárez's strike from the right which Fiorentina keeper Sébastien Frey did well to parry. Frey was busy again when he kept out Jan Vertonghen's effort following a free-kick from Urby Emanuelson, who then fired wide from the rebound. It remained evenly-matched after the break and Fiorentina had the best chance of the game to that point when Alessandro Gamberini headed on to a post from Franco Semioli's corner in the 47th minute.

Frey then made another good stop from Suárez's long-range free-kick, before Fiorentina, running out of time, began raining shots on the Ajax goal. Mutu blazed over from inside the area and Vermeer saved well first from Marco Donadel's 20-metre attempt, then from Gilardino's header. The pressure finally paid off when Gilardino, a threat all night, collected Mutu's pass from the right and smashed home a shot from inside the box. He could have doubled his tally minutes later but nodded over the bar, shortly after Vertonghen had curled an Ajax free-kick wide. Both sides were desperate to find a winner in the closing stages and it was Ajax's evening as Leonardo unleashed his shot into the bottom-right corner two minutes from time.

Draw enough for Shakhtar at Spurs

A late strike by Fernandinho earned FC Shakhtar Donetsk a draw on the night at Tottenham Hotspur FC, cancelling out Giovani Dos Santos's opener and lining up a last-16 meeting with PFC CSKA Moskva.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp rested several first-team players ahead of their League Cup final against Manchester United FC on Sunday, with only Wilson Palacios remaining from the side that defeated Hull City AFC on Monday. Teenage striker Jonathan Obika was given his first senior start and the 18-year-old enjoyed a promising full debut, shaving the post on the half-hour mark and then stabbing narrowly wide just before the break as Spurs chased the tie. Initially it looked like Shakhtar were going to dominate as they did in the first leg. Jadson, helped by a fortunate ricochet off the referee, flashed a drive wide before crossing for fellow Brazilian Willian, who had a shot blocked as Spurs scrambled clear.

The visitors looked dangerous when they broke forward and Fernandinho's shot in the 20th minute forced Heurelho Gomes into a low diving save. Gareth Bale was under pressure and his header needed to be cleared off the line by Gilberto, before Fernandinho was given space but nodded wide. Obika almost got on the end of Chris Gunter's cross after the restart but Giovani made no mistake in the 55th minute, surging into the penalty and unleashing a vicious drive into the top corner. He could have levelled the tie moments later but was just short of meeting Gilberto's cross. Just as Spurs pushed for a second goal, Fernandinho put the tie beyond doubt, finishing crisply with four minutes left.

European Cups - UEFA Cup - Result

CSKA Moscow | 2 - 0 | Aston Villa
Metalist Kharkiv | 2 - 0 | Sampdoria
Hamburger SV | 1 - 0 | NEC Nijmegen
FC Twente Enschede | 0 - 1 | Marseille
Wolfsburg | 1 - 3 | Paris S.G.
Galatasaray | 4 - 3 | Bordeaux
AC Milan | 2 - 2 | Werder Bremen
Ajax Amsterdam | 1 - 1 | Fiorentina
Manchester C. | 2 - 1 | FC Copenhagen
Standard Liege | 1 - 1 | Braga
Stuttgart | 1 - 2 | Zenit St. Petersburg
Udinese | 2 - 1 | Lech Poznan
Saint-Etienne | 2 - 1 Olympiakos Piraeus
Deportivo La Coruna | 1 - 3 Aalborg BK
Tottenham H. | 1 - 1 | Shakhtar Donetsk
Valencia | 2 - 2 | Dynamo Kyiv

We made an impressive performance, says Klinsmann

Bayern Munich trainer Juergen Klinsmann was delighted as his side notched up their biggest Champions League win of all-time with a 5-0 annihilation of Sporting Lisboa.

"They began very well, were industrious, and in the first 20 minutes had one or two chances. But when we went 2-0 up we took their euphoria away from them" Klinsmann said after the match. "We have at least one and a half feet in the quarter-finals. We simply cannot allow anything to go wrong now, and we still have to take the second leg seriously".

"That was an impressive performance and nice to watch, but I am sure we will keep our feet on the ground and not over-estimate this result", the Bayern trainer concluded.

Del Piero: Juventus deserved at least a draw

Despite the 1-0 defeat by Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League, Juventus skipper Alessandro Del Piero believes that his side are still well placed to progress.

“We are not satisfied with our performance tonight, and certainly not with the final result,” Del Piero affirmed in an interview with Sky after the game. “We deserved at least a draw from this match".

“However, we will work on the defeat, and ensure we are better prepared for the return leg in Turin, where we will simply have to do more,” he added.

Bayern's Van Buyten furious with Klinsmann

Bayern Munich defender Daniel van Buyten is furious with manager Jürgen Klinsmann, after having been left on the bench for the Champions League game with Sporting Lisbon.

In an interview with newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, the Belgian claims that he had been promised a spot in the team's starting line-up for this game, only to be directed to the bench at the last moment.

"First he tries to make friends by promising me that I will definitely start, but on the day of the match he simply told me that I'd be on the bench. I asked for an explanation, but never got one. I get the feeling that things are over for me here. I try so hard and I still bang against the wall every time," he said.

Van Buyten added that he has the support of influential teammate Franck Ribery, who immediately ran to the Belgian after scoring his first goal against Sporting.

"Franck is just as furious as I am. He really had to calm me down. He doesn't understand why I wasn't allowed to start."

Van Buyten did eventually make an appearance, replacing Lucio at 12 minutes from the end.

Bayern defender doubtful

FC Bayern are sweating over the fitness of Massimo Oddo ahead of Sunday's Bundesliga game at Werder Bremen.

The Italian suffered a bruised ankle in yesterday's 5-0 win at Sporting Lisbon and had to be substituted after 67 minutes.

Lucio able to play

More examinations will follow today when Bayern have returned to Munich.

There were good news regarding Lucio, however: the Brazilian suffered a black eye when he collided with a Sporting player, but he will be available for Sunday's game.

PSV Eindhoven want Fred Rutten

Defending Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven are still looking for a new coach after the departure of Huub Stevens. The club reportedly set their sights on Schalke 04 boss Fred Rutten.

A regional newspaper reports that Rutten is "an important candidate" to take over from caretaker manager Dwight Lodeweges.

Rutten spent his entire playing career at FC Twente, where he also had two stints as manager. However, from 2001 to 2006 he worked at PSV.

After another, successful spell at Twente, the coach left the Netherlands to join Schalke 04 in Germany.

Benitez optimistic over contract

Rafael Benitez is confident of making progress in discussions over his Liverpool contract.

The Spaniard claimed that any obstacles in the talks could be overcome after Wednesday night's 1-0 Champions League last-16 first-leg victory over Real Madrid.

Yossi Benayoun's late header at the Bernabeu put the Reds in pole position to progress to the last eight and Benitez was swift to dismiss speculation he had been ready to quit Anfield.

He said: "My lawyers and advisors have been talking to the club's owners over the past few days about the contract and I believe that problems we have can be overcome.

"I was very surprised to hear rumours that I was going to resign.

"I can assure you that I have not been considering such a move, and it was a shock to hear such suggestions.

"It needs to be clear that I was not thinking of resigning. My aim is to keep working and winning and to tell the owners that on the pitch."

Benitez has been locked in talks with owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks over a new four-year deal for several weeks.

And he strenuously refuted claims he was considering his position, reiterating he is happy at the club.

"I expect talks to continue between my lawyers, my advisors, myself and the owners," added Benitez.

"I am really pleased with my position at the club, I have not been thinking about resigning.

"My aim is to win every game that is possible for this club, and my advisors will continue to talk. We will see what happens then.

"We are still talking, so we will see what happens in the future.

"I was not thinking about resigning, obviously I cannot control other things that I could be fired, but I was just concentrating on the game.

"The club has made it clear this rumour was not true. That is important for everyone. Stability is the key if you want to be successful.

"And the players were able to do their talking on the pitch, not beforehand."

Benitez was thrilled with the victory which gives him the opportunity to lead Liverpool to the Champions League quarter-finals for the fourth time in five seasons.

"This was a very important victory," he said. "Particularly as we did not have Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres was troubled by an ankle injury from the first minute.

"But we were able to play them on the counter-attack. We knew how Real play and we were able to organise our tactics accordingly."

Benitez expects Torres to miss Saturday's trip to Middlesbrough with his ankle injury, but believes Gerrard could start the match following the hamstring injury that restricted his involvement against Real to the last few minutes.

City manager not worried by raised voices

And the air was certainly blue after the way Manchester City crumbled at Portsmouth two weeks ago in the Barclays Premier League, going down 2-0 at Fratton Park.

But the players responded by drawing with Copenhagen in the UEFA Cup - after being on the verge of victory - at the Parken Stadium and then went on to hold Liverpool at Anfield.
Hughes believes those battling displays had much to do with the heated post-match inquest at Fratton Park.

Hughes said: "Players raising their voices in the dressing room has happened for years and years.

"It certainly happened in my day, so there is no change in that respect. I think it is healthy.

"It is important players can voice an opinion in the dressing room. I have always encouraged that.

"I believe in self-regulation. It cannot always come from managers and coaches, it has to come from within as well.

"Our mentality in away games possibly had to change and the last two displays on the road have been excellent. We want to sustain that level of performance."

Hughes feels the arrival of striker Craig Bellamy from West Ham United is keeping everyone on their toes.

Bellamy, who worked alongside Hughes when he was Wales manager, has settled in quickly after arriving in the January transfer window and found the target against Liverpool.

"It is important to have players with his mentality as it is good for the dressing room," added Hughes.

"I needed to bring in a guy that had drive, personality and outstanding pace. With Craig's qualities and his desire to succeed, then it was a very simple equation for me.

"The fact that he can stretch teams can help other players and our team in general."

Drogba an admirer of Hiddink

Didier Drogba believes he is getting back to his best form thanks to the faith shown in him by Guus Hiddink.


Drogba gave Chelsea a slender one-goal lead over Serie A giants Juventus when he pounced to convert a pass from Salomon Kalou in the 12th minute.

The Ivorian was dropped by sacked manager Luiz Felipe Scolari following Chelsea's 3-0 defeat by Manchester United in the Barclays Premier League in January.


But since Dutchman Hiddink agreed to take charge of the club on a temporary basis until the summer, Drogba has started the last two matches in his preferred central striking role.

Now Drogba has reassured Chelsea fans that he is aiming to hit the kind of form that once made him a feared European striker and paid tribute to Hiddink's confidence in him.

"You haven't lost your Drogba, he was just not playing," said Drogba.

"Being judged when you are playing is much easier (to take). (But) when you are not playing you can be criticised.

"At the moment I feel good when I'm on the pitch and I make the most of those priceless moments. I'm not at my best because I think I need more games but I'm giving what I can at the moment.

"The truth is that the coach relies on me, which is a massive psychological boost for a striker.

"Physically, I'm not ready yet, but I need to play to get back in good form. There's no sense of revenge at all, that's my game and that's it.

"I've always been like that, I try to give my maximum and sometimes it's with success. You can see from the last two games that Hiddink is working a lot on the shape of the team, the organisation, you have to respect that because we know we will have chances to score goals."

Almunia - We need to find the perfect balance

Manuel Almunia has been as frustrated as anyone by Arsenal's failure to find the net in their recent Premier League games - but he is happy with how things are going at the other end of the pitch.

The Spanish goalkeeper has contributed to a run of five consecutive shut-outs, a far cry from the opening months of the season when Arsenal were shipping goals on a more regular basis.

Now Almunia hopes Arsenal can find the perfect balance of goals and clean sheets as the Premier League campaign reaches a vital stage.

"It’s the only good thing that we can see from these kind of games [Sunderland] when we are dropping points, we are still getting clean sheets," he told the Official Arsenal Programme. "I think the team in general defensively are doing very well.

"We now need to find that nice balance where we are tight at the back but get the goals. It’s what a team like Manchester United has been so successful with this season, they have always been getting the clean sheet and then just managing to get the goal. They have the confidence to get that minimum one goal. We have to get that confidence back.

"Before we probably used to create a few more chances and also we would finish those chances quicker. Now we are spending a bit more time to get a final shot. The players realise that the fans deserve more from us and maybe some of the players are feeling more pressure at the moment at home because we are not winning games.

"I know the fans deserve more from the team than 0-0 scores."

Denilson and Song are doing well

Cesc Fabregas has praised the contributions of Denilson and Alex Song this season.

The Brazilian and his Cameroonian colleague have struck up a partnership in the centre of midfield since Fabregas suffered medial knee ligament damage during the game against Liverpool on December 21.

With Abou Diaby hampered by injuries, Denilson and Song, both 21, have shouldered a huge burden in the engine. At times they have come in for criticism but Fabregas believes they both are talented and committed players.

"I’ve played with both of them, of course, and I can say they work really hard, they always give their best and are very honest players," he told the Official Arsenal Programme.

"At Arsenal there's a lot of pressure because we are a big club but from my perspective, and from outside, I think they are doing well.

"If we had scored one of our early chances [against Sunderland last] Saturday we could have gone on to win by four.

"We have to remember that this game depends on the entire team, and squad, and also to be mindful that Arsenal has lost games involving myself, Patrick Vieira, Edu, Gilberto and many other midfielders in the past!"

European Cups - Champions League - Result

February 24
Arsenal | 1 - 0 | AS Roma
Atletico Madrid | 2 - 2 | FC Porto
Inter Milan | 0 - 0 | Manchester U.
Lyon | 1 - 1 | Barcelona
February 25
Chelsea | 1 - 0 | Juventus
Real Madrid | 0 - 1 | Liverpool
Sporting Lisbon | 0 - 5 | Bayern Munich
Villarreal | 1 - 1 | Panathinaikos

Belief key to banishing Barça fear factor

Olympique Lyonnais coach Claude Puel is urging his players to focus on their own strengths rather than worry about those of FC Barcelona as the two most prolific teams from the UEFA Champions League group stage vie for a quarter-final berth.

The French titleholders could be forgiven for adopting a degree of caution in Tuesday's home first leg. Their opponents are the competition's top scorers with 18 goals – four more than Lyon – and in Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry possess one of the most feared attacks in the game. Yet Puel insists OL would be making a grave mistake if they played merely to contain. "Barcelona have so many talented players, if we try to man-mark them all we'll be in trouble," he said. "We never focus our attention on an opposition player, no matter how good he is. We need to concentrate on our own game."

Les Gones are competing in the knockout stage for the sixth year running and though they have not beaten the Azulgrana in four attempts, Puel will draw encouragement from his side's excellent form – they have established a six-point lead at the top of Ligue 1. "Barcelona may have more individual quality than us but in Juninho [Pernambucano] and [Karim] Benzema we also have match-winners," explained Puel, who restricted his star duo to second-half cameos in Saturday's 2-0 win at AS Nancy-Lorraine. "It's possible for us to win if we remain collectively strong," added the 47-year-old, who will employ John Mensah at right-back in the continued absence of François Clerc and Anthony Réveillère, while Mathieu Bodmer, Sidney Govou and Fábio Santos are also injured.

If Lyon are pulling away in France, the Catalan outfit have seen their advantage in the Spanish Liga cut to seven points after first drawing with Real Betis Balompié and then losing 2-1 to neighbours RCD Espanyol. This blip has taken many by surprise and sparked talk of a deeper malaise, although coach Josep Guardiola is keen to keep things in perspective. "We've lost one game," the 38-year-old said. "In sport, this can happen. When we were winning I said we have to keep working and trying to improve. Now we've lost I'm saying the same thing. We could analyse the Espanyol defeat all we like but we don't have time. The Lyon game is extremely important and we'll need to give it our full attention."

Barça defeated Lyon 3-0 at the Camp Nou in last season's group stage before drawing 2-2 away, yet Guardiola remains wary of the French double winners. "They're an excellent side," the former Spain midfielder said. "They often change coach but they're still going to win an eighth straight title. We know all about Benzema, of course, but players like Juninho and [César] Delgado will also pose a threat." The visitors are shorn of former Lyon left-back Eric Abidal, who picked up a groin injury against Espanyol, joining Andrés Iniesta on the sidelines. Guardiola will not be looking for excuses, though, should his team lose for the second time in four days. "I expect a reaction," he declared.

Messi: “It’s an even tie”

Far from agreeing with those who say Barça are favourites in the last 16 of the Champions League, Leo Messi believes that at this stage of the competition “anyone can beat anyone else” and so “it’s going to be a tough game”.

Just a fortnight ago Leo Messi was in France playing for Argentina in a friendly against France at Marseille. But this Tuesday the game at Stade de Gerlande will be competitive as Barça are back in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Tipped as favourites

Leo Messi knows that Lyon think Barça are favourites but he doesn’t agree. “It’s an even tie,” he said. “At this stage of the competition anyone can beat anyone else and it’ll be a tough game.” The only advantage he sees is having the second leg at home.

Getting back on a winning track

After the weekend’s defeat to Espanyol, Leo Messi sees the Lyon match as a chance for the team to get back on a winning track. “It’s a great opportunity,” he noted.

Excited about the Champions League

Even though he was there when Barça won the Champions League in Paris, the Argentine didn’t play in the game as he’d only just come back from serious injury. So he’s particularly anxious to win the competition again. “I felt part of that win but not much,” he said. “That’s why I’d like to win it again and play in all the games.”

Benzema and Juninho

Messi is key in Josep Guardiola’s side while Lyon have Benzema. “He’s a great player and really important for them,” said the Argentine. “He really makes a difference.”

He also spoke about the threat posed by Juninho from free-kicks. “He’s one of the best free-kick takers around,” he said, “so we have to be careful not to give them away around the box.”

Wenger - Euro away goals are too important

Arsène Wenger has questioned the current Champions League away-goals rule.

Speaking ahead of his side’s crucial last-16 clash with AS Roma on Tuesday night the manager declared that the rule, originally brought in to prevent visiting teams from adopting ultra-defensive tactics, has in fact obliged home sides to become negative.

The Frenchman revealed that he had already proposed that Uefa should consider an alteration on the away goals rule, currently employed in the Carling Cup - where away goals are only taken into account at the end of extra time.

“The [current] rule was created in the 1950s when teams went away from home, with no television, played with 10 defenders and kicked every ball into the stand,” Wenger said speaking before the Sunderland fixture. “Now I believe that the tactical weight of the away goal has become too important.

“Teams get a 0-0 draw at home and they’re happy. Instead of having a positive effect it has been pushed too far tactically in the modern game. It has the opposite effect than it was supposed to have at the start; it favours defending well when you play at home.

“We proposed to Uefa at some stage that the away goal should only kick in like it does in the Carling Cup; in extra time. It would still favour the team who plays at home because they play 30 minutes more.

“At the moment when you get 0-0 at home, and then go away, the team who plays against you absolutely has to score. They have to come at you.”

United's Inter mission

As United take on Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan in the Champions League, we give you the lowdown on the latest instalment of Sir Alex v the Special One...

It had to be Jose. No-one of a Red persuasion will quickly forget their first Mourinho moment, the Portuguese flapping like a big grey bird up the Old Trafford touchline as Porto knocked us out on the way to taking the Champions League in 2004. Now, after two Premier League titles for Chelsea followed by two for United, battle lines are to be drawn again, this time as the Reds take on the leaders of Serie A.

Reaction to the draw
As usual the gaffer had his own individual take on matters at UEFA HQ, preferring to concentrate less on the Italian qualities of Inter and more on their imported stars.

“They have a lot of experience in their team, including quite a few South Americans,” Sir Alex said. “In fact I think they have only got two Italians in their team. That in itself represents a tough challenge because you know South American players are always very tough and resilient defensively.”

Mind games about Inter’s attacking ambitions? Possibly, but Mourinho was bullish before and after the balls were drawn (though Inter directors and some supporters seemed less content). He'd as
good as called for a tie against United, saying: “Our group was too easy, so we lost concentration. We deserve to draw the very best and I hope that we will.”

And, given his wish, his reaction to the draw was equally ebullient: “I didn’t say I was happy to face them (United) because it would be easy or I’m certain of winning. I’m not a complete idiot. It will make my job a lot easier, though. There’ll be no need to motivate the players or fans.” The Italian media was cautiously optimistic, the Gazzetto dello Sport reasoning that you need to beat the best to win the competition, so no time is like the present.

Talking tactics
Those who managed to stay awake during the 2007 FA Cup final will hope the two-legged nature of this encounter encourages a more progressive approach from Mourinho, but don’t hold your breath – Inter’s new nickname in Italy is “the tank”.

As at Chelsea, Jose implemented a 4-3-3 when he first arrived in Milan, but the failures of summer signings Quaresma and Mancini forced him into a reshuffle to 4-4-2. The manager refused to be drawn on this tie, but hinted that he might return to narrow ways: “I can't say how I’ll play against United, but to control their wide men and maintain balance it is important to have the 4-3-3 up our sleeves.”
The Nerazzuri are well known for their physicality and effectiveness from set plays, so United should avoid giving away free kicks in the final third if possible.

Record against Inter... and other Italian outfits
United have played only two competitive games against Inter, in the quarter-final in 1999, but that heroic draw in the second leg was the only time the Reds have left the San Siro positively in five attempts. Indeed, our European campaigns in 1958, 1969, 2005 and 2007 were all ended (or in 1969’s case irretrievably holed) at the San Siro by Inter’s neighbours Milan, so there is certainly a ‘bogey ground’ element to this tie.

At home, by contrast, United have a fine record against the Milanese and Italian sides in general. Against Inter it’s played one, won one – the game, you may recall, being the much-hyped ‘rematch’ between Diego Simeone and David Beckham following the latter’s sending off in St Etienne at France 98.

In total the Reds have won 11, drawn two and lost only two against Italians at Old Trafford, and with a record unbeaten European run at home to protect, will be confident, barring a shocker in Milan, of progressing to the next round.

Arsenal look for takeoff against Roma

Arsène Wenger is hoping his Arsenal FC side will put their stuttering home form behind them and use their UEFA Champions League tie with AS Roma as a launch pad for a strong finish to the season.

The Gunners' 0-0 stalemate with Sunderland AFC on Saturday was their fifth draw in six matches – and fourth blank during the sequence. Yet Wenger wants the challenge of bettering Luciano Spalletti's visitors to bring out the best in his men. "It is a very important game," said the Arsenal manager. "At the moment I feel the team is in a period where a big victory can give them the needed lift in confidence. There is a lot of quality coming out of this team, they have developed mentally but are still lacking a bit of spark to really take off. It is down to us now to take the handbrake off and go into the end of the season with complete belief."

Arsenal have won five of their six previous two-legged ties against Italian opposition yet enter this contest hindered by an injury list that includes Emmanuel Adebayor, Eduardo da Silva, Cesc Fàbregas, and Theo Walcott – players who provide much of their attacking edge. While new signing Andrei Arshavin is cup-tied, Wenger can recall the fit-again Abou Diaby to his midfield and his instructions will be to "go for it". After complaining about Sunderland's defensive tactics last weekend, he is relishing the prospect of a more open contest. "Usually the Champions League is more enjoyable and also more difficult – you play more on the edge and if you make a mistake the opponent will take advantage." There are few better at that than Francesco Totti, as Wenger warned: "He can open a defence with any pass at any moment if you give him the necessary freedom."

Wenger may get his wish of an open game, with Roma coach Spalletti undaunted by Arsenal's 22-match unbeaten European home run and stressing that his players "should use the same approach whether they are playing home or away". "We have to have self-belief and be strong, that is important – we have to be confident to face any team, even if it is Arsenal," he said. Although Roma have lost just twice in ten outings this calendar year, their record in England does not augur well. They have won only one of 12 games here and lost the last five, including a 1-0 reverse across London at Chelsea FC in October. Yet they subsequently beat Chelsea in Rome and Spalletti said: "We've won against English teams. The character [my players] have shown on several occasions against this kind of opponent gives me confidence that sooner or later we will win here as well."

The Giallorossi are almost certainly missing injured pair Juan and Mirko Vučinić, while Cicinho failed to complete training on Monday evening, as did Totti who has since been passed fit. Cicinho is a major doubt, and while Italy Under-21 captain Marco Motta would be a like-for-like replacement at right-back, either alternative to centre-back Juan represents a gamble: Simone Loria made a costly mistake on his sole appearance of 2009, at Reggina Calcio, and has featured just once before in the UEFA Champions League; Souleymane Diamoutene only made his debut in Saturday's 1-0 win over AC Siena.

Ronaldo says it's 'kill or be killed'

Cristiano Ronaldo says it is now "kill or be killed" in the Champions League as the remaining 16 elite teams enter the knock-out stages.

"From now on, all games are important," Ronaldo told uefa.com ahead of

Inter have won the Scudetto for the past three seasons and are on course to do so again, but Ronaldo thinks United have the edge after winning the European club competition last season.

"They're a team we need to respect," the Portugal winger said. "They're a team with very experienced players, but we also have our aces and great players. We have a more experienced team, we're the reigning champions. It will be a good game, a well-contested game."

Ronaldo says he wants to repeat the sensations he felt when United beat Chelsea in last season's final in Moscow, even though he missed a penalty in the shoot-out.

"I always had a great ambition to win the Champions League, because it isn't obtainable for every player. It was my first Champions League win, so the emotion was spectacular. I remember Edwin van der Sar saving Nicolas Anelka's penalty and, for me, it was like the earth stood still. It was a really brilliant sensation."

Ramos ready and waiting for Rafa and Liverpool

When the draw was made for the Champions League last-16 round, Liverpool's supporters could have been forgiven for thinking they had hit the jackpot. Real Madrid were in the early days of new management, hit by crisis, and trailed Barcelona by 12 points in La Liga.

Two months and nine successive wins later, the situation has changed entirely. The league title race is alive again after Madrid clawed back five points in just two weeks, scoring 10 goals in the process.

Sir Alex Ferguson may claim that Madrid have not got a hope of winning the Champions League, but a state of euphoria has broken out at the Bernabéu, the president Vicente Boluda going so far as to declare that his side will win 3-0 on Wednesday night. Even Juande Ramos looks quietly confident – even if, in classic Ramos style, the emphasis is very much on the quiet.

His players will not, he insists, let success go to their heads. Nor will the occasion go to his. And as for Ferguson, Ramos simply smiled: "I am not interested in responding to him. I'm not a coach who seeks out controversy."

Ramos also attempted to play down the sense of elation at their recent form. "I don't think there is euphoria – there is optimism," he said. "We are happy with the way things are going. That gives us security and confidence to go into this game. There will be fans that are euphoric but within the dressing room the euphoria is under control. We know that it will be hard and that we will have to work as much as we can to get through but we are confident.

"I'm looking forward to it, but I am not nervous. I am calm and relaxed and am trying to make sure that the players are too. They are all eager to play.

"It's going to be very close – we are talking about two teams that are at a very similar level. I think that it's going to be decided by the small details, right at the end. There are no easy games, and even less so against a historic team like Liverpool."

Ramos also called on the fans to carry Madrid in the first leg at the Bernabéu and insisted that he has nothing to prove to Spurs fans following his sacking after eight games of the season at White Hart Lane. Nor, he insists, is he playing for a new contract with the club.

"The Bernabéu needn't envy Anfield. We need the fans to help us get the game on track. We need them when it's 0–0 and difficult, not when we are 3–0 up. They have a role to play and we know they will be there for us.

"The only thing I am interested in is getting through the tie, it's been a while since Madrid got beyond the last 16. I am not interested in what winning this game means for my future but because it is important for the club. I don't have to prove anything [to English fans]. I have been coaching for a long time and people know what I have achieved."

Ramos added that he "did not have a clue" whether or not Steven Gerrard would play. Nor was he concerned. "It is the unit that stands out with Liverpool, not one player. The only thing I know for sure is that Liverpool will play with 11 players. If Gerrard plays, it's because he's ready. I wouldn't play an injured player and I imagine that Rafa wouldn't either."

Ferguson forced to shuffle after United are stripped of defenders

The interview room was hot and airless and Sir Alex Ferguson had plenty on his mind. The Manchester United manager was about to take his players on the San Siro pitch for a training session with Rio Ferdinand his only fit centre-half and not one orthodox right-back – unless we are counting Richard Eckersley, a teenage reserve who has never started a senior match. What, Ferguson was asked, were the options if Jonny Evans and John O'Shea failed fitness tests in the morning? "The options are, we panic," he replied.

Ferguson went on to joke that Dimitar Berbatov, sitting to his right, might be required to play as a sweeper. But the humour was short-lived. Ferguson could not remember the last time his defensive options were so threadbare and he was almost reluctant to admit that the Da Silva twin who could play at right-back was Fabio rather than the more experienced Rafael. Fabio, a left-back by trade, has made only one appearance in his United career, playing for 53 minutes in the FA Cup defeat of Tottenham Hotspur last month, and Ferguson must surely be aware that a Champions League tie in Milan is no place to blood such a raw player.

With Rafael damaging his ankle in Saturday's 2-1 defeat of Blackburn Rovers, a more feasible option is that Darren Fletcher will play on the right of defence if, as Ferguson expects, Evans is ruled out because of his sprained ankle. Gary Neville, with a muscular strain in his lower leg, and Wes Brown, with a broken metatarsal, are not in Milan and, though Nemanja Vidic trained as normal, it looks increasingly likely that his one-match suspension for being sent off in the World Club Cup could have costly repercussions.

O'Shea has a heel injury and, apart from Ferdinand, Fabio and Patrice Evra, the only other fit defender in United's squad is Eckersley, whose United career consists of two substitute appearances and a total of 56 minutes playing with the first-team.

"These are big concerns for us," said Ferguson. "We just have to get on with it because there is still a great opportunity to take Inter back to Old Trafford with a good, sound result. But I wish we were in a better position defensively. O'Shea is having a light training session but Jonny Evans is unable to train. I'm hoping one of them makes it – the more likely is O'Shea – but then we've got the problem of right-back. It's a real worry for us."

In the circumstances, Ferguson was in good spirits, rolling his eyes theatrically when Jose Mourinho's words from an earlier press conference were put to him and even trying a bit of Italian, with little success, to ask for some air conditioning. But the prospect of Fabio or Eckersley facing the best team in Italy is not one that many United fans will want to contemplate and, lest it be forgotten, O'Shea has been in danger in recent seasons of becoming the player the fans dislike the most.

Ferguson countered that "young players never disappoint you" and tried to exude the impression that he had confidence in every member of his travelling party. "When young players show their potential at the right moment, and you can judge their temperament from big occasions like this, I take more out of that than anything."

Yet Ferguson is also acutely aware that his emergency defence – the worst-case scenario is that Evans and O'Shea both miss out and either Fletcher or Michael Carrick has to partner Ferdinand in the centre – will be facing one of Europe's in-form strikers. The United manager described Zlatan Ibrahimovic as "the star player for Inter," adding that the Sweden striker was having a "fantastic season" and "getting all the praise he deserves".

Ibrahimovic, according to Ferguson, has reached a point of his career where, at 27, he is now playing with "maturity" as well as his natural talent. The same, he hopes, will apply to his own players and he reminded us what had happened when United played at San Siro in the semi-finals two years ago.

United lost that 3–0 to Milan and ­Ferguson had been unusually critical of Cristiano Ronaldo afterwards. "You could see the immaturity in the boy," he recalled. "But we're seeing a different boy now. I want to see maturity in Ronaldo here. We need that from all the players – maturity, to handle the atmosphere and the occasion."

That night in 2007 was a chastening one for United and, though Ferguson did not mention it, he had considerable problems in defence then, with Neville and Ferdinand missing and Vidic rushed back from a broken collarbone. Tonight, however, looks like bringing a new meaning to the words "selection" and "crisis".