Three Facts How Attletico Win Barcelona

Three Facts How Attletico Win Barcelona

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There are three facts from Atletico Madrid's stunning 1-0 upset against Barcelona at the Vicente Calderon Stadium, which saw the club advance to the Champions League semifinals thanks to an aggregate score of 2-1.

From history to hysterics
It's have been four years waiting to beat Barcelona, 40 years waiting to return to a stage like the Champions League semifinal, but it would be wrong in this case to dwell on the past. 

Barcelona come full circle, but not with any satisfaction 
Tata Martino was supposed to implement a different style, but still found it drawn out by the defining strands of the existing players and old regime. That was evident at the attempt at possession in the first half, but the lack of proper pressing that allowed Atletico to so assertively tear at them. Caught in that crux, Barca never looked convincing. 

Simeone: Fresh and so fearsome 
Beyond Koke’s breathless opening goal, they hit the frame of the goal three times, saw Gabi squander a glorious opening and should have had a penalty.

It would have been so thoroughly cruel if they had failed to go through after all that. This, however, was not a team that was going to complain about the nuances of knockout fate. At the Calderon, they more than made their own destiny. 

'Its not a goal, its a Joke!!' Mourinho

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Jose Mourinho considers line as the team's defensive players ' joker ' when putting the Blues behind 1-3 to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG ) in the race for the Champions League in the early hours of Thursday.
Mourinho fury against players from first through a goal by Ezequiel Lavezzi when John Terry Goal is to be blamed .
Not enough, Mourinho anxiety to see his team equalized own goal denied by David Luiz .
Mourinha fury can not be concealed again when substitute PSG Javier Pastore easily surpasses Cesar Azpilicueta , Frank Lampard and John Terry to beat Petr Cech for the third goal .
" The third goal ... it is not a goal. It's a joke , " he said.
However one goal deficit still gives hope to Mourinho to see his team rise in the match at Stamford Bridge.
" It is a difficult task , but not impossible because nothing is impossible in football , " he said.
" We need to try and that's what we need to do next," he said.

Champions League 2014:'We are not Underdogs'-Ryan Giggs

Ryan Giggs: Manchester United and Bayern Munich tie

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"We are not underdogs", says Ryan Giggs. 

And ahead of the quarter-final first leg, the 40-year-old insists United believe they can win the competition.
"Of course it is possible," the midfielder said. "You need to play well, to get that little bit of luck."

Giggs acknowledged facing Bundesliga champions Bayern will be "tough", but added: "We're confident."

The Welshman, who made his 961st appearance for the Red Devils in their 3-0 victory over Olympiakos on 19 March to seal their last-eight place, added: "We are Manchester United, and at Old Trafford we have had so many great nights."

Giggs also used the news conference to reject any talk of a rift between him and manager David Moyes.
"The relationship is good," he said. "Of course as a player you want to play all the time... but you are not sulking, you just have to be ready to play your best for the team.

"There is no problem with the manager, I don't know where that came from."

Bayern, who won a historic Treble last season, sealed this year's Bundesliga title last week, with seven games remaining.

United, meanwhile, are seventh in the Premier League, 10 points adrift of fourth place and Champions League qualification.

Manager David Moyes has several selection concerns ahead of Tuesday's game, most notably in defence, where midfielder Michael Carrick filled in at centre-back during the 4-1 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday.

Left-back Patrice Evra is suspended while likely replacement Alexander Buttner is a doubt with a hamstring injury, as is right-back Rafael.

Central defenders Rio Ferdinand, Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling, the latter of whom has also played at right-back this season, have only recently recovered from injuries.

Striker Robin van Persie remains sidelined and January signing Juan Mata is cup-tied having played in the competition for Chelsea earlier this season.

"We have defensive issues undoubtedly, we will have to make one or two changes," said Moyes. "We know that on our day we're as good a side as any but we have to show it more often.

"We are really looking forward to this game, because we have done it many time".

Manchester United vs Olympiakos 3-0 All Goals & Highlights [19/03/2014]

Manchester United vs Olympiakos 3-0 All Goals & Highlights 19/03/2014

Rabin Van Persie netted a hat-trick to overturned Manchester United deficit two goals and go through to the quater finals.

David Moyes was delighted with overall United's performance.

"We looked to get behind them. The players were incredibly committed. They are hurting as well, they know we are not doing as well as we should be doing.

"We didn't play well in Olympiakos. Tonight they put it right - they deserved it. The players gave everything and never left anything behind."

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Champions League:Chelsea Vs Galatasary Preview

A dominant play by the Chelsea team eliminates Galatasary with a 2-0 win and 3-1 aggregat. An early goal by Samuel E'to then added by Gary Cahill in the second half confirms the team through the quater finals.

Chelsea FC made it an unhappy return to Stamford Bridge for Galatasaray AŞ's Didier Drogba by marching into the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals for the eighth time in 11 seasons.

While all the attention had been focused on the reunion with their former forward, it was one of their current ones, Samuel Eto'o, who got the ball rolling Chelsea's way with a strike after four minutes. If that was a well-worked incursion, the second goal owed everything to smart reactions, Gary Cahill following up a John Terry header to score from close range.

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Drogba – a winner of ten major prizes with Chelsea and who will always be remembered for the decisive penalty against FC Bayern München which ensured they lifted the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League – battled as hard as he could and typically won a number of headers and free-kicks, but support was in short supply simply because the home side were so dominant.

The game panned out that way from the fourth minute when Eden Hazard drifted infield and was not picked up as he gathered a throw-in, a smart turn shrugging off his nearest challenger. Oscar joined in and set Eto'o free inside the box, the low finish containing sufficient power to beat Fernando Muslera.

It was a wonderful boost for the Blues while Galatasaray had paid a heavy price for granting Hazard and Oscar the room to weave their magic. If the Turkish champions were to improve on a record of no victories in eight visits to England they would need to show far more discipline.

Drogba, who was afforded a stirring welcome from the home supporters, sent a bicycle kick over the bar but was overambitious when chancing his arm from 35 metres, his free-kick threatening only the 'Always in our hearts' banner that adorned the upper section of the stand behind Petr Čech's goal.

Lampard came close following a delightful combination between Oscar and Hazard. Then, from Lampard's free-kick, Terry's volley flew just too high. With three minutes remaining in the first half Lampard's corner was again met by Terry and when Muslera beat out the header, Cahill reacted first to ram the ball in.

The visiting fans tried to lift their team with a constant wall of noise, but most of the action after the break was in the opposite half of the field as Chelsea sought a third goal, Willian stinging Muslera's palms from the edge of the area.

Drogba did had a chance to score in his former pitch but it was too late.

Champions League:Real Madrid Vs Shalke 04 Preview

Real Madrid had a stunning game last night during their second-leg in Bernabeu as they eliminates Shalke 04 by 3-1 and 9-2 in aggregate.

A record 6-1 home defeat in the first leg meant Jens Keller's Schalke faced an all-but impossible task to reach this term's quarter-finals and their challenge got no easier in the return, Cristiano Ronaldo's 12th goal of this season's competition bringing the second leg to life in the 21st minute. Visiting full-back Tim Hoogland's deflected strike ten minutes later brought parity before second-half efforts from Ronaldo again – taking him within one goal of the record for a European Cup season – and Álvaro Morata wrapped up another Madrid victory.

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Feeling the effects of their weekend toils against Málaga CF, Madrid rang the changes and there was immediate concern for one of those replacements, forward Jesé being carried off following a challenge with Sead Kolasinac. Gareth Bale was summoned from the bench and the substitute had a significant hand in the Merengues' opener, accepting Morata's pass and crossing for Ronaldo to sweep in his 40th club goal of 2013/14.

Bale was involved again soon afterwards as Carlo Ancelotti's men sought to maintain their 100% home record in the current campaign. With Joel Matip giving up possession, the Welsh international pounced to sprint past Matip and find Morata, but the finish was scuffed wide. 

A huge travelling contingent cheered the visitors on throughout the game and were rewarded when Schalke equalised in the 31st minute. Hoogland advanced and his speculative drive from distance clipped defender Sergio Ramos to wrongfoot Iker Casillas in Madrid's goal.

Entering the contest on a run of 30 matches without defeat – 25 of which had ended in wins – Madrid pressed again and were only denied early in the second half thanks to excellent work from Ralf Fährmann. The Schalke custodian was eventually beaten with 17 minutes left, Ronaldo's shot at the end of a probing forward run flashing inside the near post.

Barely 120 seconds later Schalke substitute Kyriakos Papadopoulos ceded possession and, although Morata's initial attempt was blocked by Fährmann, the Spanish Under-21 international eventually stroked in after Ronaldo's ensuing effort crashed against the crossbar and back for Bale, who squared to the youngster.

Ronaldo had a chance for a hat-trick but it was denied by the post in last minute of action.

Champions League 2014:Manchester United Vs Olympiakos Pre report

David Moyes have called for the supporters to get behind the team as they look to overturn a two-goal first-leg deficit and go through to the quater finals Champions League.

Beleaguered Manchester United manager David Moyes has called on the club's supporters to roar his team past Olympiakos and into the Champions League quarter-finals.

Moyes, who Goal exclusively revealed held a crisis meeting with his backroom staff on Monday, knows that defeat to the Greek champions would cast further doubt over his future at Old Trafford with United's disastrous season having taken a further turn for the worse in Sunday's defeat to Liverpool.

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And, although the former Everton boss appreciates that his side have a mountain to climb after suffering defeat in the first leg of their crucial last-16 tie, he believes that the fans can play a significant role in forging an unlikely comeback.

Moyes told the club's official website: "The players are capable of turning it around. We're all desperate to put things right and make sure we play better to give the supporters here something to shout about.

"They shouted [against Liverpool] and we didn't give them anything on the field. When we went to Greece, the Olympiakos fans played their part so hopefully our fans will roar us on.

"We have to go for the throat to get the win. We won't be gung-ho but we will certainly go with a mindset to overhaul the deficit as quickly as we can.

He also mentioned that the team will strive hard to stay in the competition and win the title. 

Champions League:Zabaleta Slams Refferee

It was a shock decision when Pablo Zabaleta get a red card when Edin Dzeko was clearly tackle inside the penalty box. Manchester City defeat 2-1 to Barcelona.

Argentine defender Zabaleta was sent off at the Nou Camp for two bookable offences, picking up his second booking for his protests to Lannoy over his failure to award City a penalty when Edin Dzeko appeared to be felled by Gerard Pique inside the box.

Barcelona also had a strong penalty appeal of their own waved away in the first half, while the home side had a goal controversially ruled out for offside even though replays showed Jordi Alba was onside before he crossed for Neymar to score.

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Zabaleta was insistent that City should have had a penalty for the Dzeko incident and he claims he is in the dark as to why he was sent off.

"It was very clear," Zabaleta said. "I think Pique was behind me and made the tackle on Dzeko and the referee was only two metres away from that.

"I don't know why I was sent off. I went to him to talk to him in a good way.

"I was a little bit angry to him because he didn't give a penalty but I have always been very respectful to him.
"I am frustrated. I think it was a shocking decision.

"Sometimes in the game you are nervous because you are trying to get the result, and sometimes shocking decisions by the ref make you a bit angry."

Zabaleta also felt City should have received a free-kick before Barcelona opened the scoring through Lionel Messi, feeling Dzeko was fouled in the build-up to the goal.

"It was also a foul against Dzeko just before Barcelona's first goal," added Zabaleta. "He held the ball and turned, and Pique had hold of his shirt, and the ref gave a free-kick to Barcelona."

"I am disappointed but also very proud of the team because I think we played a fantastic game.

Manchester City played a good game since beginning but when the French referee Stephane Lanno acts like this, it just killed the game.