Ten-man Madrid undone by Messi magic

Real Madrid CF 0-2 FC BarcelonaLionel Messi scored twice in the last 15 minutes, the second a fabulous solo effort, to put the visitors in command after Madrid's Pepe had been sent off.

FC Barcelona took a giant stride towards a second UEFA Champions League final in three seasons after Lionel Messi struck twice in the final 15 minutes, the second a memorable solo strike, to earn victory at ten-man Real Madrid CF.
The third game between these eternal rivals in less than a fortnight proved just as intense as the first two, the balance tipping decisively in Barça's favour a minute past the hour when Pepe's dismissal left Madrid a man short. Messi made them pay with two late goals, touching in a low cross from substitute Ibrahim Afellay to break the deadlock and then slaloming his way past four players to score a second that leaves Madrid with it all to do at the Camp Nou on Tuesday.
Despite Saturday's 6-3 win at Valencia CF, coach José Mourinho opted to revert to the more defensive tactics that brought Madrid a 1-1 Liga draw and a Copa del Rey triumph against Barça in the first two instalments of this four-part contest. Xavi Hernández and Cristiano Ronaldo warmed the gloves of Iker Casillas and Víctor Valdés respectively early on but it was the visitors who took control as they sought to break through a stubborn Madrid rearguard.
With ten minutes on the clock, David Villa – who ended an eleven-game scoreless streak against CA Osasuna at the weekend – came close to finding the net again after stealing in from the right to send a shot flying just past Casillas's far post from the edge of the area. Josep Guardiola's side fashioned another opening through the middle with half-time approaching, Messi squeezing past the combined challenge of Xabi Alonso and Raúl Albiol before slipping a low pass through for Xavi whose shot was parried by Casillas.
As the teams went off for the break, Barcelona's reserve goalkeeper José Pinto was sent off following an incident involving a number of players from both sides. Mourinho introduced Emmanuel Adebayor at the restart and immediately Madrid's attack looked more muscular, Ronaldo going close from an Alonso free-kick before firing over from a set piece of his own.
Madrid's momentum was checked in the 61st minute when Pepe was shown a red card for a high challenge on Daniel Alves, Mourinho being sent to the stands for his own protests. Barcelona quickly regained the upper hand, Villa bringing the best out of Casillas after cutting in from the left.
Messi then took over, although his first goal owed much to Afellay, the substitute exploiting a Marcelo slip to advance into the penalty area and provide a cross that was steered in at the near post for Messi's tenth goal in this season's competition. The Argentinian needed little help for his 11th three minutes from time, collecting a pass from Sergio Busquets just inside the Madrid half and racing past four defenders before slotting past the exposed Casillas.
In addition to Pepe, Madrid will also be without Sergio Ramos – booked early in the second half – in Barcelona next week. The Catalan club, meanwhile, are within touching distance of another final, possibly a repeat of the 2009 showpiece against Manchester United FC.

Stankovic faces injury race

Inter Milan midfielder Dejan Stankovic is facing a spell on the sidelines with a thigh strain. The 32-year-old Serbia international suffered the injury during Saturday's 2-1 Serie A victory over Lazio at the San Siro.

A statement on www.inter.it read: "The serious nature of the injury Dejan Stankovic picked up on Saturday, 23 April in the second half of Inter v Lazio was confirmed by the tests programmed by professor Franco Combi, chief of medical staff at FC Internazionale: a second-degree strain in the muscles of his left thigh.

"The midfielder underwent his first physiotherapy session [yesterday], while the rest of the squad at the Centro Sportivo Angelo Moratti resumed training after two days off."

Reports in Italy suggest he could be sidelined for around three weeks, which would mean he could be back in contention for the final league game of the season against Catania on 22 May and the Coppa Italia final the following week should Inter progress.

Bayern won't be held ransom on Neuer

Bayern Munich warned Schalke 04 today that it was not ready to pay out an "astronomical sum" for goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

"We want Manuel," Bayern president Uli Hoeness said in comments to the TZ daily. "When there's a desire, we can find a solution but Schalke management must now not come up with an astronomical sum. Negotiations haven't started, but they're imminent."

Neuer starred in Schalke's 2-0 defeat to Manchester United in the semi-final, first leg UEFA Champions League tie yesterday. The goalkeeper produced a sequence of stunning saves in the opening period, only for second-half strikes from Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney to earn United a victory that scarcely reflected the extent of their dominance.

His performance led Schalke's sporting director Horst Heldt to say: "His value on the transfer market is already very high, I don't know if it can still go up. But watching this match (against Manchester United), I said to myself 'Why sell such a player?'."

Neuer, 25, announced recently that he will not extend his contract with his boyhood club, which is due to expire next year.

Schaefer quits Cologne

Cologne have confirmed coach Frank Schaefer has resigned with immediate effect. Schaefer, who took over from Zvonimir Soldo in October, had already announced he would be leaving his post at the end of the season. Sporting director Volker Finke will take charge of the team for the remaining three matches of the campaign.
Cologne lost 4-1 at relegation rivals Wolfsburg on Sunday to slip to within three points of the bottom three. Supporters made death threats against his team in the wake of the loss, a group of fans leaving a banner at the club's training ground on Monday which read: "If you go down we'll kill you."

Cologne have lost their last three games, including a 5-1 defeat to fellow strugglers Borussia Monchengladbach, and have conceded 18 goals in their last five games. "I take the responsibility in my position to make the best decisions for the club and the team," Schaefer said on the club's official website.

"In view of recent results and in particular of the way we've played I have come to the decision that for the remaining games the team urgently needs another change and above all new impetus. I have come to the realisation that at the moment I can no longer help the team in the way I consider necessary and therefore have decided to take this step."

In view of recent results and in particular of the way we've played I have come to the decision that for the remaining games the team urgently needs another change.

Frank Schaefer, departing Cologne coach

Schaefer insisted his relationship with Finke was not a factor in his departure. He added: "I would like to make it clear again that the tensions reported in the media between Volker Finke and I have not been a factor in my decision. On the contrary, I am glad that Volker Finke is taking over the team for the short term in this difficult period. My greatest wish remains that we all achieve our big goal - survival."

Finke, who said he had no interest staying on as coach beyond the end of the season, admitted he was taken aback by Schaefer's resignation. "The decision by Frank Schaefer has surprised me as we search for a new coach for next season," he said.

"I regret his decision very much. The board and the management have together asked me to take over the team immediately for the short term. I have always said I would not return to the dugout, but in this exceptional situation it's about mustering all the strength we can."

Cologne president Wolfgang Overath revealed the board had tried to persuade Schaefer not to resign at such short notice, but without success.

Neuer: We gave United too much respect

Manuel Neuer has claimed words of praise from Sir Alex Ferguson were no consolation after Schalke's 2-0 defeat by Manchester United in last night's UEFA Champions League semi-final, first leg in Gelsenkirchen.
The 69-year-old Scot hailed the Germany international's display as the best goalkeeping performance against the Red Devils since he assumed their reins in 1986.
Neuer, who is set to leave Schalke in the summer, with Bayern Munich his expected destination, pulled off a succession of outstanding first-half saves to keep his side in the game before he was beaten by post-interval efforts from Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney.
Asked if Ferguson's comments made him proud, he said: "Of course it's nice to hear things like that. But we have lost 2-0 and that irritates me very much."

Of course it's nice to hear things like that. But we have lost 2-0 and that irritates me very much.

Manuel Neuer of Schalke on praise from Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson

Neuer claimed Die Königsblauen showed United too much respect. "It was not [nerves], but the respect was very big - perhaps too big," he added.
The 25-year-old admitted his side now had "nothing more to lose" in the second leg at Old Trafford next week, but insisted they were not out of it.
"The first half will be nervous," he said. "If we go 1-0 up there, we'll still be in with a chance. The crowd will get nervous.

"They'll expect a clear win against the underdogs. But for that to happen we need a perfect day."
However, veteran forward Raul believes Schalke's hopes of making the final are all but over. "For us it will be very, very tough," he conceded.
Bayern president Uli Hoeness confirmed the club would soon start negotiations for Neuer, whose contract runs out next year, but insisted they would not pay through the nose.

"We have up till now not had any negotiations," Hoeness said in an interview with Munich' TZ newspaper. "That will now be addressed. We want Manuel, and where there's a will there's a way. But Schalke cannot now demand an astronomical price."

Hosogai: I want it all

Hajime Hosogai has earned just five full caps for Japan, but the Blue Samurai star has already seen and done more than some players manage in a century of appearances. The 24-year-old was part of the Asian aces’ historic 1-0 victory over Argentina in October 2010, and then exploded onto the world scene in January 2011, playing his part in Japan’s triumph at the AFC Asia Cup in Qatar, scoring a maiden goal for his country in the semi-final.
"As a Japan international, I’m proud we won the Asian championship. I learned a lot from the experience," the defensive midfielder exclusively told FIFA.com, not attempting to conceal his continuing joy at the highlight of his career to date. However, the success in Qatar is just one element in an eventful few months for the Japan player.
Hosogai left top Japanese outfit Urawa Red Diamonds in December 2010 for German Bundesliga high-flyers Bayer Leverkusen, who immediately sent him out on loan to second division FC Augsburg. "Urawa Red Diamonds is where I started out as a professional, and I played there for six years. It was the only club I knew, and I thought I’d keep on developing there. But I think moving abroad, especially to somewhere where I’ve not yet learned the local language, will bring me on both as a player and a person."
The story of Hosogai’s first few hours in Europe is that of a man proverbially thrown in at the deep end. He flew to Germany immediately after the AFC Asia Cup, landing in Augsburg in the early hours of the morning and reporting for his first training session the same afternoon. "I had no time to stop and think, but there’s good Japanese food available in the area, so it actually wasn’t a massive culture shock."
The style of football is another thing, however. "The difference in the football between Japan and Germany is huge. Japanese players are generally technically better, although in Japan, I’ve often been told I have no skill. The physical dimension is much greater in Germany than Japan. Germans are big guys, and I think German football plays on the physical advantage. Japanese teams concentrate on keeping possession, so I had to adapt quite a bit in the first few weeks."

There are people I know who still haven’t been able to get in touch with friends. Just thinking about it causes me real distress.

Hajime Hosogai, Japan midfielder.

Hosogai is hoping to help Augsburg achieve promotion to the top flight this term and is convinced the current team is good enough. "I want to play in the Bundesliga next season, with this same team."
From a professional point of view, things could hardly be better for the 24-year-old at present, but sporting satisfaction has understandably taken a back seat for now. The catastrophe in his homeland, following the devastating earthquake and Tsunami which claimed so many thousands of lives, has made a deep impression on Hosogai.
"Obviously, it’s had an impact on my private life. I wasn’t able to contact my family for two full days after the earthquake, and there are people I know who still haven’t been able to get in touch with friends. Just thinking about it causes me real distress, although at the moment, my family and relatives are fine and not having any problems."
Together with three other Japanese players in Germany, Makoto Hasebe (Wolfsburg), Atsuto Uchida (Schalke) and Shinji Okazaki (Stuttgart), Hosogai recently played in a fund-raising friendly between the national team and a J-League XI, generating around €130,000 to help the needy.
A touch of normality returned to the stricken Asian nation last weekend with the resumption of the J.League programme. Making a virtue out of a necessity, Hosogai too has focused his attention on the game. "I have to do what a professional footballer has to do. When I’m out on the pitch, you have to blank out everything else."
Hosogai’s immediate goals are promotion to the Bundesliga and consistently good performances once there, ideally with Augsburg. With a grin on his face, the player revealed to FIFA.com that he has been thinking hard about his weaknesses, "but I’m working on improving. One weakness is that I sometimes want too much all at once. I’ll leave it to others to assess my strengths."
Promotion is a real and present short-term aim, but the midfielder is wasting no time contemplating the prospect of a major tournament in Brazil in 2013. Representing Japan at the FIFA Confederations Cup was “too far in the future to worry about”, he said, an ultra-professional approach and attitude that will surely take him a very long way, both with club and country.

Toulalan suffers knee injury

Lyon defender Jeremy Toulalan looks set to miss their next league match against Toulouse on Sunday after suffering a left knee injury in today's 3-2 win over Montpellier.
The 27-year-old, who has not earned a recall to the France national side since receiving a one game suspension for his role in the French players training ground strike at last year's FIFA World Cup™, had to go off in the ninth minute of the match.

We will see what the outcome is of the scans that he undergoes this evening or tomorrow morning.

Claude Puel, Lyon coach

Lyon coach Claude Puel, who switched Toulalan to a central defensive role this season, said that the defender may have suffered ligament damage.
"We will see what the outcome is of the scans that he undergoes this evening or tomorrow morning," said Puel.

Gourcuff strike keeps Lyon's hopes alive

Seven-time champions Lyon kept alive their hopes of a first Ligue 1 trophy in three years as they edged beaten League Cup finalists Montpellier 3-2.

France playmaker Yoann Gourcuff, who had started on the bench, delivered the late winner. Lyon are in third place, five points behind new leaders Marseille.

Lyon had taken the lead at home to Montpellier with a stunning effort from Ederson, who was playing instead of Gourcuff, in the 22nd minute as he cut in from the left and fired in a rasping swerving effort that goalkeeper Geoffrey Jourdren could only help into the net.

However, the hosts were not able to hold onto their lead for long as six minutes later Montpellier levelled with the impressive Olivier Giroud running onto a deflected pass to slot the ball under Hugo Lloris's body.

Indeed Lyon were fortunate not to be going into half-time down 2-1 as with two minutes remaining to the first half, Geoffrey Dernis produced a delightful lob from outside the area. Dernis had Lloris beat, but the bar came to the rescue.

Lyon took advantage of this let off as they regained the lead in the 55th minute. Bafetembi Gomis passing unselfishly to Lisandro inside the penalty area and the Argentinian made no mistake to score.

However, the seven-time champions were pegged back again as Lloris saved well initially, but was beaten by a shot from substitute Souleymane Camara. There was to be a final sting, though, as Gourcuff popped up to tuck away the decisive goal.

Ayew brothers send Marseille top

French champions Marseille went top of Ligue 1 as a hat-trick from Ghanaian star Andre Ayew and a goal by his brother Jordan saw them ease to a 4-2 victory over Nice.
Andre's hat-trick took him to ten goals for the season, while it was Jordan's first, and put Marseille one point ahead of long-time leaders Lille with six matches remaining.
"Not everything was perfect, but its rare to score four goals so that is welcome," said Marseille coach Didier Deschamps. "We had a difficult first-half, but improved in the second, like it was a second wind.

"I am delighted by the Ayew brothers. Andre I knew had a lot of qualities, but Jordan is younger and less experienced, but he showed his qualities this evening which is good as I don't have many strikers."
Marseille had taken the lead just before the half-hour mark as 21-year-old Andre profited from an error by Nice's Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina, who dropped an easy take from a Marseille corner, and the son of former Africa player of the year Abdei Pele pounced to rifle the ball home for his eighth goal of the season.
However, the hosts deserved an equaliser and it duly came shortly before half-time as Marseille failed to clear a corner and Abdou Traore was on hand to quickest react and shoot past Steve Mandanda from close range.

Not everything was perfect, but its rare to score four goals so that is welcome.

Didier Deschamps, Marseille coach

Nice thought they should have had a penalty in the 57th minute as Traore looked like he had been brought down by Mandanda, but to the astonishment of the visiting players and coaching staff alike the referee refused to give it.
Ayew brothers combineAt that point Marseille coach Didier Deschamps decided to send on Argentinian star Lucho and Jordan to add some fresh legs. Within two minutes it proved an inspiring decision as Jordan crossed and his brother was on hand to put the ball into the far corner of the goal.
Jordan turned from provider to goalscorer in the 79th minute as the 19-year-old scored a dream of a goal off a right-footed curling effort from outside the box which left Ospina transfixed. Mandanda then produced heroics of his own as he got down well to save Habib Bamogo's penalty five minutes from the final whistle.
Marseille rammed home their superiority in the dying minutes as Andre rose magnificently to head home for his hat-trick, while Nice's Argentinian defender Renato Civelli scored a consolation goal in extra time.

Mourinho calls on Madrid to find will to win

José Mourinho has been quoting Albert Einstein to inspire his players, a tactic that may be working as Josep Guardiola prepares FC Barcelona to meet a side "in their form of the season"
A week on from guiding Real Madrid CF to Copa del Rey glory against FC Barcelona, José Mourinho is anticipating a "different game" when the arch-rivals contest the first leg of a much-anticipated all-Spanish UEFA Champions League semi-final. Though his team won that most recent meeting 1-0 thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's header, the Madrid coach says "my opinion is that there are no favourites" for the tie. Opposite number Josep Guardiola, meanwhile, fears the hosts are in their best form of the season.
José Mourinho, Madrid coachI don't know how Barcelona are feeling at the moment, I only know how we are. We would have been in the same state of mind even if we had lost the Copa del Rey, although it was obviously fantastic to win it. The day after that we were all relaxed and focused again, ready for our next Liga match.
Before coming here today I told someone I am the same coach that lost 5-0 to Barcelona a few months ago. I haven't changed. I don't possess a magic potion to beat them; I only know that it takes hard work. Since that defeat we played a great game against them in the Liga and drew 1-1. We then won 1-0 in the Copa del Rey final [after extra time] but this is a different game and anything can happen.
My opinion is that there are no favourites in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. We are two rivals who know each other well; two rivals with a lot of history between us. We both have players who know how to play in important games and who have had success.
I am a normal motivator. Like anyone, I have to motivate myself first.
I told my players before the final of the Copa del Rey that there was someone called Albert, Albert Einstein, who said that there is a force more powerful than steam, electricity and atomic energy: will. And this guy Albert was not stupid.
If we play well, create great chances, are the better team and finish with a draw then obviously I will be happy. If they do all of those things and we draw then I'll be happy, too.
Josep Guardiola, Barcelona coachTomorrow at 20.45 we will go out there looking to win. I congratulate Real Madrid for their victory in the Copa del Rey, which they won deservedly. Andrés Iniesta is out of the game but we hope he will be back for the return. My players know there are no excuses here. If we win it's because we are better; we will defend that idea until the end.
We are facing a team who are in their form of the season. We are in a UEFA Champions League semi-final and for us it's a big task facing Real Madrid, one of the best teams in Europe. It's a great challenge as we are just one step away from Wembley. We will look to do the best we can. We have come here to try to beat a team that has won nine European Cups.
I'm hugely satisfied to be at this stage of the competition, it's a success. If you come here to defend they will roll over you because the pitch is very wide and they have very good players. We will compete as we know how and with what we have.
Team news• Madrid
Sami Khedira misses out with a right adductor tear. Lassana Diarra, who returned from a hip complaint at the weekend, may well be the man to provide cover in defensive midfield. Emmanuel Adebayor (groin) and Ángel Dí María (bruised right knee) have also shaken off knocks and make the final cut. Fernando Gago remains absent with a torn adductor.
• Barcelona
Barça are also without a key midfield player after Guardiola confirmed that Iniesta's calf injury will prevent him from playing. Maxwell also misses out, though Carles Puyol trained in the capital after overcoming knee and hamstring problems and will captain the side. Gabriel Milito (right calf) had to be withdrawn midway through the second half at the weekend but trained on the eve of this game, while Adriano will be out for a month having torn a muscle in his right thigh in the Copa del Rey final.
Weekend results
Saturday: Valencia CF 3-6 Madrid(Soldado 60, Jonas 80, Alba 85; Benzema 23, Higuaín 31 42 53, Kaká 39 62)
Madrid scored six or more goals for the fifth time this season, although the other four all came at the Santiago Bernabéu: RC Deportivo la Coruña and Real Racing Club were both beaten 6-1 in October while Málaga CF lost 7-0 in Madrid on 3 March. UD Levante were defeated 8-0 in the Copa del Rey on 22 December.
Saturday: Barcelona 2-0 CA Osasuna
(Villa 24, Messi 87)
Before opening the scoring on Saturday, David Villa had not scored in 11 games for Barcelona, though he did hit two for Spain against the Czech Republic on 25 March. Lionel Messi has scored 53 goals in 55 games for club and country this season; his goal against Osasuna was his 50th for Barcelona in 2010/11.
Did you know?Madrid have got the better of Barcelona twice before at this stage of the competition en route to lifting the European Champion Clubs' Cup, in 1960 and 2002.

Guardiola fires up over Mourinho comments

Coach Pep Guardiola wants Barcelona to do their talking on the pitch after a dramatic war of words erupted between him and Real Madrid counterpart Jose Mourinho ahead of tonight's UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg.
Mourinho sparked an uncharacteristically angry response from Guardiola during his pre-match press conference last night with comments the Portuguese made about his opposite number earlier in the day.
Mourinho branded Guardiola as being a unique coach who "criticises the right decisions made by referees", referring to comments attributed to the Barcelona boss following last week's Copa del Rey final regarding a disallowed Pedro Rodriguez goal for offside.
That brought about a biting response from Guardiola, who said his post-cup comments had been misinterpreted. Guardiola also sarcastically conceded that Mourinho was the undisputed king of the press room and had won the off-field battle, but looked ahead to tonight's game for his side to make their response.

We will meet each other on the pitch. He's won his games off the pitch.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola

"Tomorrow we will meet each other on the pitch. He's won his games off the pitch and I'll give him his personal Champions (League) for that," said Guardiola. "In this room, he's the... the person who knows everything about the world and I don't want to compete with him at all.
"If you think that his allegation that I always complain about the referees is true after you've all heard from me over the last three years, well there's nothing I can do. Off the pitch there's nothing we can do to fight that. Off the pitch, he has already won, as he has done all year. On the pitch, we'll see what happens."
Guardiola has plenty on his plate heading into the semi-final first leg at the Bernabeu without having to worry about Mourinho's comments. Already without Eric Abidal, Adriano, Maxwell and Bojan Krkic, he lost Spain international Andres Iniesta for tonight's match due to a calf injury.
Madrid, who beat Barcelona 1-0 in the Copa del Rey final to end a three-year barren spell without any silverware, have less concerns. They are without the suspended Ricardo Carvalho and injured Sami Khedira and Fernando Gago, but with a supposed second-string side thrashing Valencia 6-3 at the weekend, Mourinho has an embarrassing array of riches at his disposal.
Taking all that into account, Guardiola said at the weekend that his side were underdogs heading into tonight's game. However, Mourinho dismissed that suggestion, saying: "For me there are no favourites. It's the Champions League semi-finals - two rival teams who know each other very well. Two teams with long traditions, two teams whose players know what it is to be successful, who know how to win things and play big matches."

Porto trace Mourinho footsteps in Europa fest

Jose Mourinho may be chasing UEFA Champions League glory with Real Madrid, but his influence will be felt in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday when former club Porto tackle Villarreal in the semi-finals.

Porto have already wrapped up the Portuguese title, leading Benfica by 19 points and yet to lose a league game. Nine years ago, they saw off Italy's Lazio at this stage and claimed the old UEFA Cup, the Europa League's predecessor, with a thrilling win over Celtic, as Mourinho came to prominence for the first time as a coach.

A year later, he would bolster his burgeoning reputation by leading Porto to Champions League glory against Monaco. Since those heady days, and with Mourinho having gone on from strength to strength first with Chelsea, then Inter Milan and now Real, Porto have had to be satisfied with domestic dominance.

But now they are on the up once more under Andre Villas Boas, their 33-year-old coach and former Mourinho assistant. Having thrashed Spartak Moscow 10-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals Porto will fancy their chances against Villarreal in the first leg, but the Spanish survivors were almost as impressive in swamping Dutch side Twente 8-2 on aggregate in the last round.

While Porto and Villarreal go head to head a little slice of history will be made as Benfica tackle Sporting Braga in the first ever all-Portuguese UEFA club competition meeting. Benfica, who like Porto have won the Champions League twice, put out PSV Eindhoven in the quarters while Braga, having already dumped out Liverpool, edged out Dynamo Kiev on away goals.

Braga battling history
History would suggest 1983 UEFA Cup winners Benfica are the likelier to reach the 18 May final in Dublin as the 'Eagles' have won 72 of 110 Portuguese league encounters to just 11 for Braga. The first all-Portuguese clash could have come back in 2003 when it was only a Celtic win over Boavista which prevented the latter meeting close neighbours Porto in the final.

With the final looming large, players such as Porto's Falcao - a hat-trick hero against Spartak - and Brazilian forward Hulk will be out to impress - as will Giuseppe Rossi, who has impressed with Villarreal. The one-time Manchester United, Newcastle and Parma striker took time out from his preparations Tuesday by slamming reports he may be on his way to Barcelona.

"I've said all along I don't want speculation about my future and I don't know anything (about potential offers). I am very happy where I am. I want to achieve something great with Villarreal," insisted the 24-year-old.

Should Porto overcome Rossi and company to reach the final, the resulting all-Portuguese affair will not be much of a rarity in that seven UEFA Cup finals were contested by sides from the same country. That started with Tottenham's 1972 win over Wolves while the most recent occurrence was Sevilla's 2007 success against Espanyol.

Raul: Anything is possible

Schalke 04 striker Raul insists that his side can overturn the 2-0 deficit following the one-sided first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final with Manchester United.
The former Real Madrid great was unable to add to his competition record 71 goals in Tuesday's game at Veltins Arena, as United took a sizeable step towards the 28 May final with a dominant attacking performance.
Despite United's advantage, however, Raul refused to give up hope of an unlikely comeback. "In the return leg, anything is possible," he said. "You don't know what could happen. A penalty for us, a sending off for them, nothing is impossible in football."

We tried everything and the fans realised, because they applauded us warmly after the match.

Schalke striker Raul

United left Gelsenkirchen in the driving seat in the tie thanks to rapid-fire goals in the 67th and 69th minutes from Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney. Only the excellence of home goalkeeper Manuel Neuer kept Schalke in the game in the first half and Raul, a Champions League winner with Real in 1998, 2000 and 2002, acknowledged that United had been a class apart.
"We were hoping for another result, another outcome in the match, but we're happy all the same, because we played at our level," he said. The problem was that Manchester United were at another level.
"The only regret is that we didn't create enough chances and we conceded two goals in two minutes. Getting to the semi-finals is a source of great pride for the club and the supporters. We tried everything and the fans realised, because they applauded us warmly after the match."
Raul, 33, joined Schalke from Real last summer and has become the emblem of their unlikely Champions League charge, having scored in both legs of the sensational 7-3 aggregate defeat of holders Inter Milan in the quarter-finals. But with Schalke in tenth place in the Bundesliga, well below the Champions League qualification places, next Wednesday's return leg at Old Trafford could prove to be his final game in a competition that he has graced like few others.
"Finishing at Old Trafford wouldn't be too bad," he said. "We want to finish by not giving up lightly and offering a good image of ourselves against a great team in a great stadium and with a wonderful atmosphere."
Raul's contract is due to expire in 2012, but he revealed that he could decide to extend his stint with the side from the Ruhr. "It's possible. We'll know in the next few weeks," said the former Spanish international. "I'm happy here, from a sporting perspective as well as a family one."
Raul's agent is expected to meet with club directors in the coming days to discuss the possibility of a contract extension.

Dominant United too strong for Schalke

FC Schalke 04 0-2 Manchester United FCGoals in quick succession from Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney broke Schalke's resistance and left United on the brink of a third final in four years.

Manchester United FC can all but smell the Wembley turf after taking a huge step towards a third UEFA Champions League final in four seasons with victory at FC Schalke 04.
United, appearing in their 12th semi-final, completely dominated a Schalke side new to this stage of the competition and got the victory their superiority deserved through strikes from Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney. The winning margin would have been greater but for the brilliance of home goalkeeper Manuel Neuer who made a string of fine saves before United finally broke through with two goals in three minutes midway through the second period, leaving Schalke with a mountain to climb in next Wednesday's return.
First impressions can be deceptive and so it proved here when Schalke midfielder Alexander Baumjohann forced a save from Edwin van der Sar after 29 seconds. It was in the other direction that the traffic would flow, virtually incessantly, for the rest of the match.
United's defensive impregnability had been the main feature of their away performances but here it was all about their attack, with Rooney in inspirational form on the ground where he lived the nightmare of a FIFA World Cup red card against Portugal in 2006. The England forward set the tone in the third minute when picking up the ball on the left corner of the box and curling a shot that, via a slight deflection from Atsuto Uchida, was headed for the far corner until Neuer got a fingertip to the ball.
United were looking dangerous every time they went forward. In the 14th minute Javier Hernández was put clear by Park Ji-Sung but failed to beat Neuer, and the Mexican then lashed a shot wide of the far post after getting clear on the right. For United beating the inspired Neuer was proving easier said than done. After throwing out a hand to thwart Giggs's downward header, the Germany goalkeeper stood tall to foil him again after Rooney had sent the Welshman running through on goal on the stroke of half-time.
The second period brought no respite for the hosts. Within moments of the restart Neuer turned over a Michael Carrick header, then Giggs blazed wide after doing the hard bit by wrongfooting two defenders. The Schalke supporters kept up their noisy backing, though, and their hopes were raised after 52 minutes when Jefferson Farfán's pace opened up United's left side and his half-cleared cross fell for José Manuel Jurado, but the Spaniard spurned the chance.
Schalke showed only briefly as an attacking force and United eventually got their goals. The breakthrough arrived after 67 minutes when Rooney ran infield from the left and, holding off Peer Kluge, slipped a pass through to Giggs who put the ball through Neuer's legs to become the oldest player to score in the competition. Two minutes later it was two as Rooney collected a threaded pass from Hernández and slipped a first-time finish low to Neuer's right.
The Liverpudlian Rooney's new Twitter account revealed he was listening to the Beatles in the build-up to this match. Schalke may have scored five at San Siro but recovering from this hard day's night at Old Trafford will take some doing.

Oppo named as FAM's best player of 2010

Male’, MALDIVES – Ibrahim Fazeel (oppo) wins the Football Association of Maldives (FAM) best football player award. Mohamed Arif (Bakaa) and Ali Ashfaq (Dhagey) finished second and the third respectively.

The golden boot winner was Ali Ashfaq of VB Sports with 31 goals.
The other anticipated award of the night was the award for most successful club of 2010, which went to Dhivehi League and President’s cup winner VB Sports but there was no member from VB to receive the award.

FAM also awarded three top referees of the year and it went to Ahmed Ameez, Mohamed Aslam and Mohamed Anil.

Mohamed Shadhin Abdul Hannan was named as the best youth player. And New Radiant was awarded the fans favourite award and FAM’s fan award goes to Ibrahim Fazeel with 66% of the total sms.

Meanwhile in this ceremony they handover the AFC’s Silver award to Hussain Rasheed and he was also one of the winner of FAM President’s award. With him Abdul Hameed Abdul Gahoor also won the President’s award.

Minister of Human Resources, Youth and Sports Mr.Hassan Latheef and other reputed invitees including football players, coaches and top officials of local clubs, attended the ceremony.

Bolton Wanderers 2-1 Arsenal

Arsenal's Barclays Premier League title bid was surely ended with defeat at Bolton Wanderers.

Substitute Tamir Cohen netted an emotional late winner for the Trotters. The Israeli powered a 90th-minute header past Wojciech Szczesny and then removed his shirt to reveal a picture of his late father Avi, who died in December following a motorcycle accident, before breaking down in tears.
On-loan Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge had opened the scoring in the 38th minute while Kevin Davies also missed a penalty for Bolton at the start of the second half before Robin van Persie netted a 48th-minute equaliser.

Villa drought ends, Euro race heats up

Barcelona striker David Villa ended his goal drought in the 2-0 victory over Osasuna and admitted it was a timely strike as his team aim for a La Liga and UEFA Champions League double.
While the attention was on Lionel Messi, who continued his amazing season by becoming the first player to hit 50 goals in a Spanish season, Villa was also celebrating his opener in yesterday's game.
The player from Gijon went eleven games without hitting the target, almost two months, for one of the longest droughts in his career. He slotted home comfortably from a Jeffren Isaias cross as Barcelona maintained their eight-point lead at the top of the table after Real Madrid had defeated Valencia 6-3.
Both they and Real rested players ahead of their mouth-watering match in the semi-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday. Real will have the psychological advantage after beating the Catalan side in the Copa del Rey final and the manner of their 6-3 victory over Valencia will further boost their confidence.
Gonzalo Higuain will be looking to force his way into the Real side after he bagged a hat-trick while Kaka also scored twice.
"It is now going to be very different match in the Champions League and we need to go out believing in ourselves," said Villa. "We are just one step from the final and we have the desire and hope to get there."

It is now going to be very different match in the Champions League and we need to go out believing in ourselves.

David Villa, Barcelona forward

Europa race heats upThe battle for the UEFA Europa League places remains tight as Sevilla and Atletico Madrid followed up Athletic Bilbao's win over Real Sociedad with victories today.
Sevilla remain in sixth place after they took advantage of a slow start from Villarreal, whose minds were on their upcoming Europa League semi-final with Porto, to win 3-2. They went ahead within 15 minutes through Ivan Rakitic and Alvaro Negredo, before Carlos Marchena pulled a goal back.
Koffi Romaric added a third for the home side, but substitute Giuseppe Rossi, who had been held in reserve, added a second and went tantalisingly close to an equaliser but his shot came back off the post.
Atletico are behind Sevilla on goal difference after beating an in-form Levante 3-1. Elias Mendes put Atletico ahead and while Levante drew level from the penalty spot through Felipe Caicedo, Sergio Aguero then hit a brace, the second again with a penalty kick and keeper Gustavo Munua put the ball through his own goal.
Nacho Novo gave Sporting Gijon a 1-0 victory over Espanyol to practically assure their top-flight future by taking them over the 40-point mark.

Sevilla hang on for victory

Sevilla clung on for a victory to boost their push for European qualification in an enjoyable La Liga encounter against Villarreal at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

Ivan Rakitic and Alvaro Negredo gave the hosts an early 2-0 lead which was cut shortly after half-time by Carlos Marchena. Substitutes Koffi Ndri Romaric and Giuseppe Rossi then traded goals before Marchena was sent off for a second booking.

The first sight of goal brought the opener, as Mateo Musacchio's foul on Didier Zokora earned the defender a yellow card and handed Rakitic his chance from a free-kick. The Croatian stepped up to curl a magnificent effort from 25 yards into the top corner with pace and dip.

It was soon 2-0 in the 14th minute as Negredo raced through a sluggish defence to latch onto Diego Perotti's through-ball and lift the ball neatly over keeper Diego Lopez.

Sevilla were denied a penalty when Negredo went down theatrically, although Musacchio appeared to make contact, while at the other end, Nilmar's curling shot was brilliantly tipped away by keeper Javi Varas. Marco Ruben's weak shot, after a delightful move, was cleared by defender Fernando Navarro as the visitors failed to find a goal before half-time.

Marchena reduces the deficitThey pressed after the resumption, though, and wideman Mubarak Wakaso extended Javi Varas with a ferocious left-footed strike from range which the keeper flew to his left to tip behind. It was a temporary reprieve, though, as Marchena stayed forward after the ensuing corner, controlled Jose Manuel Catala's pass and finished well to score his first league goal for Villarreal.

Santi Cazorla curled a free-kick just wide, but Sevilla eased the pressure as Romaric scored with his first touch. Two minutes after replacing striker Rodri, the Ivorian ran onto Negredo's knockdown and finished through the legs of Diego Lopez.

Marchena somehow escaped a booking after a wild challenge on Zokora which sparked a brief flashpoint, Rakitic instead carded for his retaliation. Ruben was then replaced by Cicinho after a fall in the six-yard box was rewarded only by Javi Varas' studs raking across his head.

Rossi goal not enoughRossi beautifully put Villarreal again withing a goal with a precise curling finish from outside the box, setting the scene for a thrilling finale. Javi Varas saved well from Cazorla and Rossi zipped another excellent left-footed effort against the base of the post as the visitors pressed for an equaliser.

Marchena was booked along with Romaric after another flare-up, though the latter could consider himself unlucky as team-mates Perotti and Zokora appeared more involved. And, Marchena saw a second yellow card five minutes from time for another challenge on Perotti, before Negredo curled an audacious effort just wide as stoppage time began.

Diego Lopez was spared a red card after handling outside his area as referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco played advantage, with substitute Arouna Kone unable to capitalise.

Atletico end in-form Levante run

Captain Sergio Aguero scored twice as Atletico Madrid strengthened their bid for a UEFA Europa League berth with a 4-1 home victory over in-form Levante at the Vicente Calderon.

Atletico took the lead through Elias' free-kick and, although Levante levelled just before half-time with a Felipe Caicedo penalty, Aguero netted two goals after the break to put the Rojiblancos in charge before a late own goal from visiting goalkeeper Gustavo Munua completed the scoring.

The victory lifted sixth-placed Atletico onto 49 points and left them three clear of Sevilla, who play fourth-placed Villarreal later today, and four above Espanyol, who lost at Sporting Gijon.

Levante came into the match as one of the success stories of the season, going from rock-bottom of the standings in January to possible European challengers after racking up eight wins in 12 games, with their only defeat coming at Real Madrid. Another victory today would have left the promoted outfit just a point behind Atletico, but they ended up empty-handed as Quique Sanchez Flores' men deservedly claimed the win.

Elias puts Atletico aheadAtletico were quickly in charge and they took the lead in the 20th minute through January signing Elias, who thumped a free-kick in off the underside of the crossbar after Levante defender Victoriano Nano had body-checked Aguero on the edge of the area.

Elias came close to a second soon after with an effort that Munua turned past the post before Atletico striker Diego Costa had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside. However, Atletico would have to settle for a 1-1 scoreline going into half-time as Levante drew level in the 39th minute. Caicedo fired in from the spot after he had been brought down by Mario Suarez.

Levante then came within inches of taking the lead at the start of the second period, with Atletico goalkeeper David De Gea just managing to divert Jefferson Montero's low shot wide of the far post. Within three minutes of that let-off, though, Atletico got their noses in front. Aguero's 25-yard effort was blocked by Nano, but the Argentinian pounced on the loose ball and drove a first-time effort past Munua at his near post.

Atletico duo Filipe Luis and Costa both had chances to increase their side's lead, while at the other end Caicedo shot wide after a quick throw put him in behind the home defence, before Aguero made it 3-1 with a penalty. Castro went crashing following a challenge by Sergio Ballesteros and Aguero stepped up to send Munua the wrong way from the spot for his 16th league goal of the season.

Levante spurned two decent chances to set up an interesting finale, Christian Stuani and Valmiro Valdo both failing to hit the target when unmarked, and Atletico wrapped up the win with a fourth in the 84th minute.

Elias curled over a corner from the right, and after Atletico midfielder Raul Garcia had dived at the ball at the near post and seemingly missed it, Levante goalkeeper Munua deflected the cross into his own net.

Villa: Win was most important thing

Barcelona striker David Villa admits he was more concerned that his side pick up the three points against Osasuna than worrying about ending his own barren run in front of goal.
Villa had failed to find the back of the net for Barça in 11 successive matches heading into the clash, but the Spain striker got back on the score-sheet to put his side ahead in the 24th minute. Lionel Messi then added a late second to seal a 2-0 win with his 50th competitive goal of the season for the Catalan giants.
The victory helped Barça bounce back from the disappointment of Wednesday's Copa del Rey final defeat to Real Madrid and ensured they remain eight points clear of Jose Mourinho's men at the top of the standings with only five games remaining.

The most important thing is that the team score and win, to forget what happened on Wednesday.

David Villa, Barcelona forward

Villa said of his goal: "The most important thing is that the team score and win, to forget what happened on Wednesday. It's a very important victory and we're very happy. They are a very difficult team and more so because of our mental and physical tiredness from the other day. We've got three points, we keep the same gap and it's one game less."
It was not the best of performances by a much-changed Barça side as Primera Division strugglers Osasuna made it tough for their hosts to get into their stride.
However, the three points keeps Pep Guardiola's men firmly on course for a third successive league title and will help restore confidence ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg against Real at the Bernabeu.
Alves full of anticipation
Defender Dani Alves said: "Osasuna made it a very uncomfortable and difficult game for us. We couldn't get any continuity into our play, but we had the fortune in front of goal."
Looking ahead to their European meeting with Real - the third of four clashes between the two arch-rivals in 18 days - the Brazilian said: "We're pretty good, we are really looking forward to Wednesday's game.
"I think it's going to be a very nice game, very difficult but we need to enjoy it because these are unique matches. We aren't looking at what Madrid do, we are preparing our own work."
Defensive problems mount up
Guardiola could have a major defensive headache going into the semi-final, with Maxwell and Gabriel Milito both finishing last night's match with knocks.
They should find out today the extent of their injuries and it could be they will join left-backs Eric Abidal and Adriano on the sidelines. There also remains a doubt about the fitness of captain Carles Puyol, who sat out last night's win.
Midfielder Javier Mascherano, who has played in defence recently to help cover the absentees, said on the club's website: "The important thing is to help the team in whatever position you are. The coach decided to make this positional change, I've always said that I've come here to win. We need to do things in the best way possible."

Mata, Soldado apologise to fans

Valencia duo Roberto Soldado and Juan Manuel Mata apologised to supporters following their side's humiliating 6-3 home loss to Real Madrid at the Mestalla last night.
Los Che trailed 4-0 at the break and 6-1 just after the hour as Real, despite starting with only two of Wednesday's Copa del Rey-winning line-up, ran rampant to become the first team ever to score six times against Valencia on their home turf in the league.
Valencia netted two late consolation goals to add a little more respectability to the scoreline, but that was only after the points were already long gone.
The Valencia fans, whose side are third in the table but could see their lead over fourth-placed Villarreal trimmed to three points later today, did not hide their anger and Soldado admits he understands their frustrations.

It was a day we need to apologise for, because to be 4-0 behind at half-time you have to have done very badly.

Juan Mata, Valencia captain

"We want to say sorry to them for the first 45 minutes, we were ashamed on the pitch, but in the end they are three points and we need to continue fighting for our objective [third place] because we depend on ourselves," Soldado told SuperDeporte.
"I think we lacked unity on the pitch, we had spoken of intensity and of unity and we didn't achieve either of those things. They've got in behind us almost every time and that's where the goal came from.
"We spoke about it and we weren't able to counteract it. The first half was very tough, that's the image that we don't want to give of ourselves."
Valencia captain Mata, who like Soldado was on Real's books as a youngster, added in AS: "Although it's [only] three points and we are still on track with our objective, it was a very bad day for everyone because the fans did not deserve that and it was a day we need to apologise for, because to be 4-0 behind at half-time you have to have done very badly."

Higuain happy with hat-trick

Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain has spoken of his delight after ending a five-month injury-enforced wait to get back on the score-sheet with a hat-trick in his side's mauling of Valencia.
Higuain's last goal for Real came against Athletic Bilbao in November before he succumbed to a back injury that ultimately required surgery and kept him sidelined until earlier this month.
The Argentina international had made three appearances for Real since returning from his lay-off, but it was not until last night's clash at the Mestalla that he found himself back among the goals in the 6-3 win over third-placed Valencia.
Higuain, who was Real's leading league scorer in the last two seasons and had netted seven times in 12 matches prior to his injury, said in AS: "I'm very happy and I'm going to enjoy this. After all the suffering and so much time without playing, I'm pleased.

I'm very happy and I'm going to enjoy this. After all the suffering and so much time without playing, I'm pleased.

Gonzalo Higuain, Real Madrid striker

"It's been a long time since I scored. When you get back to scoring goals, and more so in a game like that, it makes you happy. Now to continue like that and not let things slip.
"This gives me confidence and I can help the team. It was important to score, although not paramount. I have to continue playing to get back to my best."
Real's victory over Valencia was their second success at the Mestalla in a matter of days, having beaten Barcelona at the ground on Wednesday to win the Copa del Rey.
The win also kept alive their slim hopes of catching Barça at the top of the Primera Division, although the Catalan club remain eight points clear with only five games to go following their win over Osasuna.
Higuain adds to attacking options
Nevertheless, Real coach Jose Mourinho will be delighted with the shape his side are in heading into the final weeks of the season, which will also see them face Barça in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
The return to fitness and form of Higuain also gives the Portuguese an enviable array of attacking talent at his disposal, with Karim Benzema, Emmanuel Adebayor and Cristiano Ronaldo also options for the centre-forward position.
Higuain added: "The competition is good. We have a big squad and therefore you can rest some players and give others playing time."

Raul relishing facing fellow evergreen Giggs

Schalke 04 hot-shot Raul is relishing facing Manchester United's Ryan Giggs in Tuesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final as the two veterans, with a combined age of 70, eye one more European triumph this season.
Unfancied Schalke have surprised themselves by reaching the last four of the Champions League for the first time in their history by knocking-out holders Inter Milan in the quarter-finals. Now the Premier League giants stand in their way of a place in the final at Wembley stadium on 28 May which would be Raul's first appearance at the famous north London ground.
But first the Spaniard's Schalke team must negotiate the two-legged semi-final with the return at Old Trafford on 4 May. One of the sub-plots of the last four clash will be the confrontation between veterans Raul, 33, and Giggs, 37. Between them, the pair have 176 Champions League appearances, 98 goals - of which Raul's 71 are the tournament record - and five winners' medals.
Raul has an enviable record against the three-time European champions, having netted against them four times in three games for Real Madrid. The striker was the scourge of Inter with a goal in each game of their quarter-final encounters, while Giggs put paid to Chelsea with three fine assists in United's 3-1 aggregate last-eight win.

What we have in common is that we love this profession. Football is our lives.

Schalke forward Raul on Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes

Raul says he has enormous respect for both ever-green United stars Giggs and 36-year-old Scholes. "Giggs and (Paul) Scholes are players for whom I have an enormous admiration," Raul told the Daily Mail.
"What we have in common is that we love this profession. Football is our lives. They are great professionals who look after themselves and who train properly. For Giggs to still be playing at this level at 37 years of age is incredible. I would love to swap shirts with Ryan Giggs after the game. It would be a great honour to have that shirt."
Like Giggs, Raul's longevity is impressive. He has played all 31 of Schalke's Bundesliga games this season, making 44 appearances in all competitions and scoring 18 goals.
He has been a revelation in his first season in Gelsenkirchen after joining Schalke on a free transfer from Real and wants to score against United to help him make that first appearance at Wembley. "I'd never scored against Bayern Munich and I scored against them in the (German) Cup," he explained. "I went to San Siro and scored against Inter, which I'd never done. I've never been to Wembley - which is one of the stadiums I'd love to go to."
The reason Raul has been able to play so much this season is he has been relieved of the commercial commitments he had at Real and, like Giggs, has always shunned the showbiz lifestyle. "I am more relaxed now," he said. "At Real Madrid, I had a lot more responsibilities. Now I don't have to worry about anything else, I can concentrate on getting on with my team-mates, training and playing."
While Giggs hails the benefits of yoga as the reason he is still playing, Raul says his focus on football has kept him fresh. "My life has always been about playing and all the rest of it did not really interest me," he said.
"I came to realise that when you don't do those other things, you save your energy for what counts and what you really love to do, which is playing. Then your career goes that bit longer."

United wary of German jinx for Schalke test

If Manchester United are to reach a third UEFA Champions League final in four years, they must overcome both surprise package Schalke 04 and a dismal record against German teams.

United visit Schalke in their semi-final first leg on Tuesday, bidding to reach the final at Wembley 43 years after they beat Benfica there to become the first English champions of Europe. Schalke stunned holders Inter Milan 7-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals though, and they have little to lose ahead of United's trip to the Veltins Arena.

It is the first time the Gelsenkirchen club have appeared in the last four of Europe's premier cup competition, but they will take heart from United's historic struggles against German opposition. Despite having memorably beaten Bayern Munich to win the final of the 1999 tournament, Sir Alex Ferguson's men are yet to win in four two-legged ties against German teams.

Bayern accounted for United at the quarter-final stage in both 2001 and 2010, but more appropriate comparisons can be made with their semi-final defeats by Borussia Dortmund, in 1997, and Bayer Leverkusen, in 2002. On both occasions United were strongly tipped to progress, only to lose 2-0 on aggregate to eventual champions Dortmund in 1997 and go out on away goals against Leverkusen five years later.

Ferguson will be acutely aware of the similarities and he will also be wary of the dangerous have-a-go mentality forged in the Schalke ranks during their astonishing 5-2 first-leg success at Inter in the previous round. "The German teams have always had that resilience and determination about them and that will be exactly the same on Tuesday night," said Ferguson. "We're going into this game with far more experience than we have in previous years and our record away from home in the last few years has been terrific."

Whatever happens on Tuesday, something will have to give, as Schalke have a 100 per cent home record in this season's competition while United are yet to concede a goal on their travels. Manuel Neuer will be the man seeking to keep United at bay and Ferguson is thought to be an admirer of the Germany goalkeeper, who has announced that he will not extend his Schalke contract when it expires in 2012.

An 83rd-minute header from Javier Hernandez earned United a 1-0 win at home to Everton on Saturday that preserved their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League. It was their fourth win in five top-flight games, taking the club to within seven points of a record 19th English title.

Schalke's domestic mediocrityIn stark contrast, Schalke's 1-0 loss at home to Kaiserslautern left the Royal Blues in mid-table anonymity in the Bundesliga - 11 points above the relegation zone and 17 points shy of the Champions League places in 10th. Coach Ralf Rangnick shuffled his pack in a bid to keep key players fresh and he is expected to restore midfielders Jose Jurado, Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Alexander Baumjohann to the starting side.

Centre-back Benedikt Howedes, who crashed home the winner in the 2-1 second-leg defeat of Inter, is also set to return from injury. "I selected the team in such a way because I wanted to win both of our games (against Kaiserslautern and United)," explained Rangnick, who took over from Felix Magath last month. In the Champions League, we will select a different starting 11 again."

United also made wholesale changes against Everton and captain Nemanja Vidic will return to the heart of the defence after being rested for the Merseysiders' visit. Right-back Rafael could start after returning to the squad following a hamstring injury sustained in the first leg of the 3-1 aggregate quarter-final win over Chelsea, but striker Dimitar Berbatov (groin) is a slight doubt.

Mainz hold Nurnberg goalless

Mainz held Nurnberg to a goalless draw to stay two points clear of their opponents in the race for UEFA Europa League qualification.

The visitors had the better of the chances with Elkin Soto and Sami Allagui going close either side of half-time, while Mehmet Ekici hit the post for Nurnberg, but neither side could make the breakthrough. The draw kept Mainz in fifth place with three games of the season remaining.

Nurnberg had the first chance of the game after 20 minutes as Ekici's 25-yard free-kick glanced off the outside of the near left post.

Mainz almost went ahead in the 35th minute following a counter-attack after Philipp Wollscheid lost possession. Andre Schurrle fed Soto, whose left-footed shot went just wide of the far post. Allagui then fired into the side-netting following a throw-in from Christian Fuchs after 52 minutes.

Schurrle dummied two defenders to create space for a shot, but fired it wide from 12 yards with 20 minutes remaining. And, Andreas Ivanschitz's free-kick went just over the bar as the visitors continued to look dangerous.

They had a scare in stoppage time, though, when goalkeeper Christian Wetklo appeared to handle the ball outside the area, but the referee waved away Nurnberg's claims for a free-kick

Mandzukic, Dejagah earn Wolfsburg win

Mario Mandzukic and Ashkan Dejagah scored two goals apiece as Wolfsburg beat Cologne 4-1 to secure a crucial victory in their fight for Bundesliga survival.
Mandzukic put the 16th-placed Wolves in the ascendancy with goals after 14 and 39 minutes at the Volkswagen Arena. Sebastian Freis pulled one back for the visitors five minutes before the break, but substitute Dejagah netted twice in the second half to seal the three points.
After previously collecting just one win in their last 11 matches - and one in their last ten at home - today's triumph moved Wolfsburg two points behind Eintracht Frankfurt in the final position of safety.
"The relief is huge," admitted Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath, whose side face mid-table teams Werder Bremen, Kaiserslautern and Hoffenheim in the next three weeks. "I hope that this result gives us security for the remaining games. Today we have shown the right attitude from the beginning and have been rewarded with some success."
Cologne - now just three points and two places better off than their hosts - nearly went ahead after two minutes but Mato Jajalo's shot skimmed the outside of the post on its way wide. Wolfsburg thought they had taken the lead five minutes later only for Grafite to be ruled offside.

Today we have shown the right attitude from the beginning and have been rewarded with some success.

Felix Magath, Wolfsburg coach

Magath's team did go ahead after 14 minutes, though. Sascha Riether fed Diego on the right wing and the Brazilian crossed into the middle, where Mandzukic slotted past Cologne goalkeeper Michael Rensing.
The Wolves doubled their advantage six minutes before the interval when Mandzukic headed home a cross from the left side from Marcel Schafer.
However, the two-goal cushion lasted only 111 seconds. Milivoje Novakovic supplied Freis and, although Wolfsburg goalkeeper Diego Benaglio got his hand to the shot, he could not prevent it from rolling in.
Rensing kept the visitors in the match with a superb save from Jan Polak's header two minutes into the second half. But the hosts moved 3-1 ahead after 58 minutes following a fine passing move. Diego had plenty of space to feed Grafite, who found Dejagah for a left-footed finish from 18 yards.
Cologne pushed forward looking to get back into the game but were caught on the counter attack as Wolfsburg rounded off their win in style, Dejagah slotting into the bottom-right corner from Mandzukic's right-wing pass.