UEFA Champions League Thread

**beavis** · 25-03-2016 22:48

Champions League - Team of the last 16

Zoet (PSV)

Clichy (Man City) - Gimenez (Atletico) - Dragovic (Dynamo Kiev) - Juanfran (Atletico)

Coman (Bayern) - Pogba (Juventus) - Toure (Man City)

Neymar - Suarez (Barca) - Griezmann (Atletico)

**beavis** · 05-04-2016 23:16

Hart fit to start against PSG, but Toure is out

Joe Hart is fit to start Manchester City's Champions League quarter-finals against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, but Yaya Toure will miss out, manager Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed.

Hart suffered a calf injury in City's Premier League defeat to Manchester United and missed both England friendlies in the recent international break, but is now ready to make his comeback.

The goalkeeper trained as normal in the build-up to the first leg, which will be held at the Parc des Princes, and is now expected to replace Willy Caballero for City.

Javier Pastore and Marco Verratti are both unavailable for PSG due to injury, but Angel Di Maria is fit to play, after being rested for last weekend's win over Nice.

City, who are in the quarter-finals for the first time, are also boosted by Kevin De Bruyne's return to fitness, with the Belgium international midfielder starring in Saturday's 4-0 Premier League win at Bournemouth on his comeback.

With Raheem Sterling ruled out, De Bruyne will shoulder much of City's creative burden for the clash against the Ligue 1 champions.

http://www.fullmatchesandshows.com/2...2nd-april-2016

**beavis** · 07-04-2016 19:31

Champions League - Team of the quarter-finals

Benaglio (Wolfsburg)

Bernat (Bayern) - Rodriguez - Dante (Wolfsburg) - Hernandez (Atletico)

Vidal (Bayern) - Fernandinho (Man City) - Motta (PSG)

Arnold (Wolfsburg) - Suarez (Barca) - De Bruyne (Man City)

**beavis** · 08-04-2016 20:20

Robben unlikely to feature in Benfica second leg

Bayern Munchen winger Arjen Robben is unlikely to feature in their Champions League quarter-finals second leg with Benfica.

Robben has been limited to 22 appearances this season because of injury issues and has not featured for Bayern since the 5 March 0-0 draw with Borussia Dortmund because of an adductor problem.

**beavis** · 11-04-2016 18:55

Kompany ruled out of PSG game

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has lost his fitness battle to line up in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-finals against Paris Saint-Germain.

Kompany has been sidelined since suffering the latest calf problem of an injury ravaged season against Dynamo Kiev in the previous round, but returned to training ahead of schedule and played a full part in Monday's open session in preparation for the Etihad Stadium clash.

City claimed a creditable 2-2 draw in Paris but looked defensively vulnerable for much of the contest, although manager Manuel Pellegrini told a pre-match news conference that he was unwilling to risk his star centre-back for the second leg.

"Vincent Kompany is not 100% fit to it is not possible for him to play", Pellegrini said.

The Chilean did offer more encouraging defensive news by declaring Nicolas Otamendi would be available despite twisting his ankle during the closing stages of Saturday's 2-1 Premier League win over West Bromwich and sitting out training on Monday.

Playmaker David Silva is expected to line up for City against the Ligue 1 champions after on-going ankle pain ruled him out against West Bromwich, a match where Yaya Toure returned from a knee problem to feature as a second half substitute.

**beavis** · 14-04-2016 23:40

Champions League - Team of the quarter-finals

Hart (Man City)

Filipe Luis - Godin (Atletico) - Otamendi (Man City) - Carvajal (Real Madrid)

Niguez (Atletico) - Vidal (Bayern) - Casemiro (Real Madrid) - De Bruyne (Man City)

Griezmann (Atletico) - Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

**beavis** · 15-04-2016 17:52

SEMIFINALE

26/27 aprilie turul - 3/4 mai returul

**beavis** · 27-04-2016 21:20

Silva out of semi-finals second leg

Manchester City look set to be without playmaker David Silva for the second leg of their Champions League semi-finals against Real Madrid due to a hamstring injury.

Silva limped out of the 0-0 draw just before half-time at Etihad Stadium, a loss Manuel Pellegrini felt hindered City's momentum on Tuesday.

City had started well and looked the more threatening of the teams in the opening 40 minutes, but Silva's departure saw Madrid come back into the game.

The 10-time European champions created the match's best chances in the second half and City needed Joe Hart to make two sensational saves to keep their clean sheet intact.

"I am pleased with the result", the Chilean told BT Sport.

"We played a very intense game and defended well. We tried to create until David Silva got injured then we lost the ball too much. If you cannot win then a 0-0 draw is good."

http://uploaded.net/file/j2ellhoi

**beavis** · 28-04-2016 17:58

Champions League - Team of the semi-finals

Hart (Man City)

Filipe Luis (Atletico) - Pepe (Real Madrid) - Kompany (Man City) - Juanfran (Atletico)

Casemiro (Real Madrid) - Fernandinho (Man City) - Fernandez - Saul (Atletico)

Griezmann - Torres (Atletico)

**beavis** · 30-04-2016 22:49

Ribery a doubt for Atletico clash

Pep Guardiola is unsure whether Franck Ribery will be passed fit to face Atletico Madrid on Tuesday after the French winger missed Bayern Munchen's 1-1 draw against Borussia Monchengladbach with a back injury.

Bayern would have wrapped up the Bundesliga title with a win, but their celebrations were kept on ice as Guardiola's 100th league game in charge ended all square at the Allianz ArenA, with Thomas Muller's opener cancelled out by Andre Hahn's second half equaliser.

And there was concern for Ribery, who is struggling with discomfort in his back.

Guardiola admitted that Ribery may not be cleared in time to face Atletico at the Allianz when Bayern attempt to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit in the Champions League semi-finals.

"Ribery is injured. He has a bad back", Guardiola said.

"I do not know if he will play Tuesday because he is with the physios. We'll do all that we can so that he can play."

It is a further concern for Bayern, who are already without star winger Arjen Robben due to an adductor problem that has ruled him out since the 0-0 draw against Borussia Dortmund on 5 March.

**beavis** · 01-05-2016 23:44

Godin & Carrasco fit for Bayern clash

Diego Godin and Yannick Ferreira Carrasco have been passed fit to travel for the second leg of Atletico Madrid's Champions League semi-finals against Bayern Munchen on Tuesday.

Diego Simeone's side hold a 1-0 aggregate lead from the first leg at Vicente Calderon, thanks to Saul Niguez's wonderful solo goal, and will be boosted by Godin's return in particular.

Centre-back Godin has missed the La Liga title contenders' last 3 games with a hamstring injury, while winger Carrasco has recovered from an ankle problem.

http://uploaded.net/file/83sbcz6q

**beavis** · 04-05-2016 08:25

Zabaleta confirms calf injury

Manchester City full-back Pablo Zabaleta confirmed he is out of contention for Wednesday's Champions League semi-finals second leg against Real Madrid with a calf injury.

The Argentina international was already under an injury cloud but confirmed the extent of the damage via Twitter on Tuesday, meaning he could be out for the rest of the season.

Bacary Sagna did a fine job at right-back in Zabaleta's absence in the first leg, which finished in a 0-0 draw, and manager Manuel Pellegrini might just look at the Frenchman again.

Zabaleta started the weekend's league fixture against Southampton and played the full 90 minutes in a much poorer defensive effort, with City losing 4-2.

The Argentine has struggled with injuries all season, having made just 13 Premier League appearances and 3 in the Champions League.

**beavis** · 05-05-2016 19:55

Champions League - Team of the semi-finals

Oblak (Atletico)

Alaba (Bayern) - Godin - Juanfran (Atletico) - Carvajal (Real Madrid)

Vidal - Alonso (Bayern) - Modric - Kroos (Real Madrid)

Griezmann (Atletico) - Bale (Real Madrid)

**beavis** · 10-05-2016 20:17

Clattenburg to referee Champions League Final

Mark Clattenburg will referee this month's Madrid derby Champions League Final, UEFA has announced.

The Referees Committee of European football's governing body has selected the Englishman to take charge of the showpiece between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid at San Siro on 28 May.

UEFA also announced experienced Swede Jonas Eriksson will referee next Wednesday's Europa League Final between Liverpool and FC Sevilla in Basel.

**beavis** · 28-05-2016 19:19

Tottenham to play Champions League fixtures at Wembley

Tottenham Hotspur will play their home Champions League fixtures at Wembley next season.

Spurs have begun the process redeveloping their White Hart Lane base with a view to opening a new and improved stadium for the start of the 2018-2019 campaign.

And the Premier League club confirmed on Saturday that England's national stadium will be their home for Champions League games in 2016-2017, as UEFA regulations dictate that issues surrounding "access, capacity and rights delivery" mean an under-development White Hart Lane is unsuitable to host them.

The deal with the Football Assocation (FA) also gives Tottenham the option to play all of their Premier League and FA Cup home matches at Wembley in 2017-2018.

By making the temporary move to Wembley, Tottenham follow in the footsteps of north London rivals Arsenal, who played their home Champions League games at the old national stadium in 1998-1999 and 1999-2000.

Chelsea are also expected to play their home matches at Wembley for 3 seasons starting in 2017-2018 as they redevelop Stamford Bridge.

**beavis** · 29-05-2016 12:25

Finalists' personal extras

UEFA.com sees what the UEFA Champions League Final meant to some of the individuals involved.

Zinedine Zidane
Has lifted the trophy as both player and coach. Is also the first French-born coach to claim Europe's top club prize (though Argentinian-born French national Helenio Herrera was a 2-time European Cup winner as Internazionale Milano coach in the 1960s).

Keylor Navas
The goalkeeper has become the first Costa Rican to appear in, and indeed win, a UEFA competition Final.

Gareth Bale
Already the fifth Welshman to figure in a European Cup Final, Bale is the third Welshman to have won the competition twice after Liverpool's Joey Jones (1977 and 1978) and Manchester United's Ryan Giggs (1999 and 2008).

Cristiano Ronaldo
Picked up his third Champions League title following scoring successes with United in 2008 and Madrid in 2014, but did not become the first player to score in 3 Champions League Finals (though he scored a penalty in the shootout). He shares the record of goals in 2 Champions League Finals with Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona 2009 and 2011), Raul Gonzalez (Real Madrid 2000 and 2002), Samuel Eto'o (FC Barcelona 2006 and 2009) and now Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid 2014 and 2016).

Jan Oblak
Instead of becoming his nation's first winner, Oblak is now the third Slovene to figure on the losing team in the decider after Srecko Katanec (Sampdoria 1992) and Zlatko Zahovic (Valencia 2001). On the wrong side with Benfica in the 2014 Europa League Final, he also now has a full set of major UEFA club competition runners-up medals.

Stefan Savic
The first Montenegrin player to features in a Champions League Final since independence. Previous Montenegrin winners are Dejan Savicevic (Crvena Zvezda 1991 and AC Milan 1994), Slobodan Marovic (Crvena Zvezda 1991), Refik Sabanadzovic (Crvena Zvezda 1991) and Predrag Mijatovic (Real Madrid 1998) - with Mijatovic the sole Montenegrin to have scored in a European Cup Final.