Madrid, Spain | AFP | Zinedine Zidane stood for 29 minutes fielding questions but all of them really came down to two: Why now? And, what next? In a packed auditorium in the belly of the Santiago Bernabeu on Monday night, Raul and Roberto Carlos took their seats in the front …
Read More »Allegri counting on goal-king Ronaldo to save Champions League dream
Turin, Italy | AFP | Cristiano Ronaldo has scored so many goals he gives Juventus “a great advantage” insisted coach Massimiliano Allegri as the Italian side look to overturn a two-goal Champions League deficit against Atletico Madrid in their last 16, second leg tie in Turin on Tuesday. “Cristiano has a lot of goals in …
Read More »‘Get ready to come back!’ – Ronaldo carries Juve hopes against Atletico
Turin, Italy | AFP | Juventus’ Champions League hopes are hanging on Cristiano Ronaldo pulling off another sensational comeback as the Italians trail 2-0 to defensive specialists Atletico Madrid going into the last 16, second-leg tie in Turin on Tuesday. “We didn’t expect to lose the first leg 2-0, but anything …
Read More »Will Man City ever have a better chance to win the Champions League?
Manchester, United Kingdom | AFP | “We are still not ready to fight for the latter stages, that is the reality,” Pep Guardiola’s reaction to beating Schalke 3-2 in the first leg of Manchester City’s Champions League last 16 tie was not that expected for the competition favourites. City manager …
Read More »Van Dijk lays foundation for Liverpool’s title finish
Liverpool, United Kingdom | AFP | Liverpool’s attacking power kick-started their challenge for a first English title in 29 years, but with the finish line in sight, the focus is on a rock-solid defence led by Virgil van Dijk as Burnley visit Anfield on Sunday. The arrival of Van Dijk …
Read More »Liverpool title win will not heal Gerrard’s ‘wound’
London, United Kingdom | AFP | As a Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard won almost every trophy bar the Premier League and despite urging Jurgen Klopp’s men to end the club’s 29-year wait for the title this season he admits it will not ease his personal pain. Gerrard, now manager of Scottish …
Read More »Did VAR get big calls right? Debate rages on after Champions League drama
Paris, France | AFP | Neymar called the decision that led to Paris Saint-Germain being dumped out of the Champions League a “disgrace”, while elsewhere on Wednesday Roma were left raging — both clubs are out of Europe and both feel cheated by controversial VAR calls. “It’s a disgrace. They …
Read More »We can go all the way,’ says Solskjaer after United’s last-gasp PSG stunner
Paris, France | AFP | Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said his side “can go all the way” in the Champions League after Marcus Rashford’s dramatic stoppage-time penalty gave them a stunning 3-1 win away to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday as they improbably reached the quarter-finals on away goals. A seriously depleted United looked …
Read More »De Gea’s career crossroads a danger to Man Utd’s revival
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Manchester United’s solitary defeat 16 games in to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s caretaker reign in charge against Paris Saint-Germain exposed the gulf the English giants still have to bridge to become a European powerhouse once more. But that the Red Devils travel to Paris on Wednesday trailing only 2-0 from …
Read More »Three great Champions League comebacks
Dortmund, Germany | AFP | Borussia Dortmund must overturn a 3-0 first-leg defeat when they host Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday in their Champions League last 16, second leg. Only three teams — Barcelona, Roma and Deportivo La Coruna — have managed to overturn a deficit of three goals or more in a knockout-phase tie in …
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