UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

There may not be a Superclasico in Munich after all

April 19, 2012

Barcelona | Bayern Munich | Champions League | Chelsea | Real Madrid

A mouth-watering clash between Real Madrid and Barcelona in this season’s Champions League final in Munich appeared to be on the cards when the two Spanish giants were kept apart in the draw, but the prospect of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi watching the showpiece on television instead of taking centre stage on May 19 now looks just as likely.
While Barcelona missed a hatful of chances in their 1-0 defeat by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in a pulsating first leg of their semi, Real were maybe fortunate to escape with only a 2-1 defeat at Bayern after they were undone by a stoppage-time winner from Mario Gomez.
Second-best for long spells with Ronaldo also subdued for much of the game, Real were lucky to be on level terms before Gomez struck to give Bayern a slender lead ahead of the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.
One could argue the away goal still puts Real in the driving seat to reach the final, but the nine-time winners of Europe’s elite club competition face a stern test of their credentials against a fit, cultured and determined Bayern outfit who showed the ability to match them in every department.
Although Barcelona seemingly have more to do than Real after failing to score against Chelsea, the holders should in fact have a slightly easier task than their traditional rivals, whom they entertain in an eagerly awaited Spanish league clasico on Saturday.
The woodwork, a string of superb saves by Petr Cech and some poor finishing by Barcelona, along with the outstanding job  John Terry and Gary Cahill did to keep Messi at bay, secured a memorable night for Chelsea fans which they will cherish at least until the return leg.

TENNIS

Berdych upsets Murray to make Monte Carlo semis 

• Emotional Djokovic fights back to win in Monte Carlo
  Thu, Apr 19 2012
• Murray through in Monte Carlo after Benneteau retires
  Thu, Apr 19 2012
• Djokovic, Nadal make Monte Carlo third round
  Wed, Apr 18 2012
• Murray eases through in Monte Carlo
  Tue, Apr 17 2012
  

  

  

  1 of 5. Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic reacts after defeating Andy Murray of Britain during the quarter-final of the Monte Carlo Masters in Monaco April 20, 2012.

MONTE CARLO | Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:04am EDT

Czech Tomas Berdych overpowered world number four Andy Murray in their Monte Carlo Masters quarter-final on Friday to reach the last four for the second time in the season's first big claycourt event.Berdych, the sixth seed, made the Briton dizzy as he relied on his powerful forehand to prevail 6-7 6-2 6-3 in two hours and 48 minutes.
The Czech, who already reached the semi-final of the Mediterranean glamour tournament in 2007, will face either world number one Novak Djokovic or Dutchman Robin Haase in the next round.
On a chilly morning, Murray had the luck to grab the opening set as Berdych wasted four set-point chances in the 12th game before faltering in the tie-break.
As the sun eventually shone and the sea glittered, the world number seven tightened his grip and hit numerous winners to unsettle a frustrated Murray, who now has a 2-4 win-loss record against Berdych.
"He played extremely well today. He dictated a lot of the points. He went for his shots. He served very well, I think, too," Murray told reporters.
The Scot - who spent most of the match far behind his baseline - struggled with his footwork and made unusual errors, including a backhand smash which went wide to grant Berdych a decisive break in the third set's third game.
"There are a lot of things I would have liked to have done better," added Murray, who was playing his first clay event this season.
"It takes a lot of time for me to do it on this surface. It doesn't come straightaway. It takes time for me to understand the way I'm needing to play."

onte Carlo Masters - Nadal irrepressible on Monaco clay

Wed, 18 Apr 14:41:00 2012

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Seven-time champion Rafael Nadal moved into the last 16 at the Monte Carlo Masters with a 6-4 6-3 win over Jarkko Nieminen in the second round.

 

Nadal was given a stern test in the opening set by the doughty Nieminen with a solitary break separating the pair, before the world number two brushed aside his battling opponent in the second to get his clay-court season underway in confident fashion.

The Spaniard has completely dominated this tournament, winning it the last seven years since losing in the third round in 2003 as a 16-year-old to Guillermo Coria. Then after missing the event in 2004, he has won every year since 2005.

Nadal now has an amazing 40-1 record at the tournament, winning 38 matches in a row, while he extended his head-to-head record against Nieminen to 7-0 – which includes a 69-minute, 6-2 6-2 rout at the same stage of last year’s tournament.

Nadal imposed himself in typically belligerent fashion as he broke Nieminen in the very first game of the match with a clinical assault on his opponent’s serve.

But the world number two did not run away with proceedings as Nieminen showed real tenacity and resolve in persistently reducing the deficit with some tireless running and gutsy play around the court.

Indeed, Nadal was given a real scare in successive service games as Nieminen forced each into deuce with a dogged resistance, but the Spaniard came through both unscathed.

Europa League - Semi Final

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EUROPA LEAGUE 2011-2012 - FIXTURES

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Thursday April 19
19 Apr, 20:05	Atlético MadridvValencia CF	Estadio Vicente Calderón, Madrid
19 Apr, 20:05	Sporting LisbonvAthletic Bilbao	Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon

Thursday April 26
26 Apr, 20:05	Valencia CFvAtlético Madrid	Mestalla, Valencia
26 Apr, 20:05	Athletic BilbaovSporting Lisbon	San Mamés, Bilbao

Europa League - Match facts: Atletico Madrid v Valencia

Tue, 17 Apr 15:31:00 2012

Facts, stats and a preview video ahead of the all-Spanish Europa League semi-final between Atletico Madrid and Valencia.

 

Atletico are on a run of nine straight wins in the Europa League.

In this match, the Rojiblancos can become the first-ever side to win 10 straight games in the UEFA Cup/Europa League.

These two sides were drawn together in the 2009-10 Quarter-finals of this competition. Atletico went through following a 2-2 draw at Valencia and a 0-0 at home.

Atletico are unbeaten at home in all-Spain ties in European competitions (exc.Qualifiers): W2 D1.

Valencia have never won away to another Spanish side in a European competition (D3 L1).

Los Che have only managed one win from their last nine away games in Europe (exc. Qualifiers), and have failed to score more than once in any of these matches.

Falcao has scored 25 goals in 26 matches in the Europa League.

The Colombian striker has scored in each of his last three appearances in the competition.

Valencia central defender Adil Rami has scored three goals and picked up one red card in Valencia’s last three Europa League games.

Suarez - Adversity makes Reds stronger

Wed, 18 Apr 11:36:56 2012

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez believes the Reds will emerge a stronger team for all their recent difficulties.

Kenny Dalglish's men emerged from a dismal run of six defeats in seven Barclays Premier League games with a last-gasp win at Blackburn last week.

They then followed that up by claiming a place in the FA Cup final with victory over arch-rivals Everton at Wembley.Uruguay forward Suarez told LFC Weekly: "All clubs, teams and players go through good runs and bad runs. That is football.

"No team has success after success. Even the very best of all time have bad periods, but it is how they react that defines them.

"You are bound to enjoy picking up trophies and medals, of course you are. But you learn most about one another during a bad patch, you learn how to stick together even more.

"If you react in the right way and support each other, adversity can be a good thing in the long run because you become stronger."