Familiar foes set for fascinating tie

   

John Terry tussles with Lionel Messi in their 2009 semi-finalChelsea against Barcelona is a very interesting tie between two teams that know each other very well.

They have faced each other several times over the last few years. In the four champions League ties they have played against each other since 2005, both clubs have won two.

Chelsea is coming back at the level they have so consistently operated at over the last decade or so. They know that the Champions League is now their priority.

Barcelona play the game with a fluidity that everyone enjoys. It will be a very interesting game with a physically strong team like Chelsea against a team of the quality and pace Barcelona.

It seems that Barcelona are favourites because they have an abundance of quality, and a player in Lionel Messi who can make the difference against anyone at any time. So, logically, everyone bets more on Barcelona.

But Chelsea are doing well at the moment. They have regained their confidence, and they can have such a hunger and will to win in their squad that they could make things difficult for Barcelona. They have a collection of several high-calibre players.

Fernando Torres is beginning to reach his real level once more and Barca will be well aware of the threat Didier Drogba poses. So I think it will also be a tough game for Barcelona.

Obviously, it's a semi-final with two teams that know each other very well and that faced each other a lot of times. I think it will be fascinating to watch, especially because there is no questioning that Barcelona will try to win the first leg at Stamford Bridge.

FA Cup - Dowd to referee final

Tue, 17 Apr 12:04:00 2012

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Phil Dowd has been appointed referee for this season's FA Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool.

 

The 49-year-old will take charge of the Wembley showpiece for the first time in his career on Saturday, May 5 (kick-off 5.15pm). The former miner from Staffordshire was also the man in the middle for this season's Community Shield, as well as the 2010 Carling Cup final.

Dowd, who has been refereeing for 28 years, said: "I was honoured and privileged when I found out. You obviously hope as a referee that you might one day be considered for the FA Cup final, so it will certainly be the highlight of my career so far.

"I would never have thought in my wildest dreams that when I first started refereeing that one day I'd be refereeing the FA Cup final. Watching the final as a boy was something I always loved to do."

The married father of four will also spare a thought on cup final day for his own father, who passed away three years ago. He said: "It was always an ambition of his to see me referee the FA Cup final, so I'll have a special thought for him on the day."

Dowd will be assisted by Stuart Burt and Andrew Garratt, along with fourth official Michael Jones and reserve assistant referee Simon Long.

17 April 2012 Last updated at 16:55GMT

Mario Balotelli has 'no intention of leaving' Manchester City

Mario Balotelli says he has "no intention of leaving" Manchester City this summer.

Manager Roberto Mancini admitted he could be ready to sell the controversial Italian striker after his sending-off against Arsenal.
Mancini has since backtracked but warned Balotelli he must change his ways if he is to remain at the club.
"My future? I'm under contract at City and I have no intention of changing shirt," the 21-year-old striker said.

Continue reading the main story

“I have the fortune to be working with [Roberto] Mancini, one of the best managers in the world, if not the best”

Mario Balotelli

While City have no intention of actively pursuing a sale of the player, BBC Sport understands the club would be prepared to listen to serious offers for Balotelli this summer.

The Italy international has been linked with a return to his homeland, with both Inter and AC Milan known to be monitoring the striker.
However, Balotelli believes his experience in England is helping him to mature. He has scored 17 goals in 31 club appearances this season, but has been sent off twice.
"I am only thinking about winning the title at the moment," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "Why do you always talk of Inter and Milan for me?"
"I don't have nostalgia for Italy. The Premier League is an experience that is serving me very well. When I was at Inter Milan I called my mother to solve every little problem. Now I have to go it alone. "
Mancini's relationship with Balotelli has been a source of tension this season

 

Caf announces seeding system for final 2013 qualifiers

The Confederation of African Football has announced the seeding system for the final round of qualifying for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

A total of 30 teams play in a final knockout round to decide the 15 nations who will join hosts South Africa at the tournament next year.
Caf will use performances at the last three Nations Cup to decide the top 15 seeds, who will drawn to face a team from the bottom ranked 15 countries.
The 16 finalists from the 2012 Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon have all been given byes to the final round.
Joining them there will be the 14 winners of the second round ties.

SOUTH AFRICA LEAGUE

 

Timing change can help South African clubs

 

South Africa's football season is set to change to a calendar-year season from 2014 in a bid to make local clubs more competitive in Caf tournaments.

Since 1994, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs are the only South African teams to have won continental competitions.
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) says local teams are disadvantaged by the timing of the August-to-May season.
"I hope that we would have reached a formal decision by the start of next season," said PSL CEO Stanley Matthews.
"That will give us enough time to plan for whatever logistics or adaptations need to be made."
Matthews says that South Africans teams are weakened by having to register players for Caf competitions in mid-January, which is in the middle of the season.
"Our clubs are seriously disadvantaged because by the time they get to the group stages of the continental competitions, there are two (transfer) window periods that would have passed where some players have left.
"Players became free agents or had been transferred to other clubs so the continuity of those teams playing in the latter stages of the competition isn't good," 
"Sometimes the situation has been so bad that we've previously had clubs who've been down to the bare bones with only 13 players available for a match."
Matthews opined that North African clubs, who have been the most successful in African competition and also have a season that coincides with Europe, do not suffer as much since they do not have as high a turnover of players.
"I'm not saying the moving of the calendar will be the key to success on the continent. There are other reasons like technical, youth and physical development but it is a factor," said Matthews.

Champion League Match Preview: Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

16 April 2012 Last updated at 19:36 GMT

Bayern Munich hoping their name is on the cup

By Raphael Honigstein German football expert

"A terrible week," was how Bayern Munich defender Holger Badstuber described the past few days on Saturday.

For a club which regards winning trophies as the be-all and end-all, losing out on the German championship at the beginning of April for a second year running was a traumatic event - the record title winners (22) have been accustomed to dominating the Bundesliga at least every other year since 1997.
They engage in a 2 leg battle semi final matchs with Madrid in  Allianz Arena to night, what a cracker it would be. 

Bayern Munich hope their incredible home record keeps as they host Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final

Date: Tuesday 17^th April 2012

Venue: Allianz Arena

Capacity: 69,000

Kick Off: 17.45

Probable Line Ups:

Bayern Munich: Neuer; Lahm, Badstuber, Boateng, Gustavo; Robben, Muller, Schweinsteiger, Kroos, Ribery; Gomez.

Real Madrid: Casillas; Arbeola, Ramos, Pepe, Coentrao; Alonso, Khedira; Ozil, Ronaldo, Kaka; Benzema

Match Preview

Bayern Munich will welcome back Phillip Lahm, Franck Ribery and Mario Gomez after the trio were rested in the league. Daniel Van Buyten and Breno are both sidelined although Bastian Schweinstegier is available are serving his one match suspension. Real Madrid also rested players in their last game so Karim Benzema, Kaka and Angel Di Maria are likely to start.

Real Madrid enter the game as favourites but their record at the Allianz Arena is not a strong one. They have never won there (losing 8, drawing 1) and have only beaten Bayern Munich 6 times in 18 meetings. Infact their record in Germany reads poor with 1 win in 22 games.

Not only are Madrid bad in Germany but Bayern Munich are nothing short of excellent there. They have won all home games in the Champions League this season and have sealed 12 wins from their last 13 home European games.

They also boast the competition’s second top goal scorer, Mario Gomez, who has netted 12 times in 11 matches. Cristiano Ronaldo is Real Madrid’s highest European scorer with a tally of 8 while Benzema has 7.

Madrid will have one eye on the ‘El Clasico’ that could define their title challenge in La Liga although manager Jose Mourinho insists focus is purely on Bayern Munich. Victory for Madrid would ensure a mouth-watering final regardless of the opposition as Mourinho could be reunited in a game with former club Chelsea or participate in the biggest of all ‘El Clasico’s ‘.

Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes will want to prove a point after being shown the door when manager of Real Madrid while star player Arjen Robben was also seemed surplus to requirements while a Madrid player and will want to show his former employers why their were wrong to think that.

Madrid and Munich have both cruised through the knockout stages (despite the latter losing against Basel in the first leg) but neither can expect an easy game here.