Category: Football

LONDON: Rodrygo scored twice as Real Madrid cruised into the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday, completing an emphatic 4-0 aggregate win against Chelsea that ends a disastrous season for the London club.

The home team, with Frank Lampard back in the dugout for a second spell, came into the match at Stamford Bridge with form and history against them.

They started brightly but rued a number of huge missed chances that would have heaped pressure on the defending champions.

The Spanish giants made Chelsea pay for their profligacy when Rodrygo scored in the 58th minute after a speedy counter-attack and he made it 2-0 with 10 minutes to go.

“We suffered a lot and helped us stay at 0-0 at the end of the first half,” Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti told BT Sport.

“Second half we were much better and scored the two goals. We are happy to have qualified.”

Chelsea, the 2021 European champions, have now lost all four of their matches since Lampard returned to the club as caretaker boss earlier this month in place of the sacked Graham Potter.

Lampard, who also managed the club from 2019 until early 2021, bemoaned his team’s profligacy.

“We played really well for 60 minutes,” he said. “We created chances but you have to take them.”

The former Chelsea midfielder said his men must find motivation from playing for the club as they contemplate a bleak final few weeks of the season.

“You’re playing for Chelsea,” he said. “So regardless, every game you play you have to give everything. I won’t let anyone off the hook and we have to show. That standard cannot drop.”

Ancelotti stuck with the same team that won the first leg 2-0 last week while Chelsea caretaker boss Lampard restored Reece James, Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante to his line-up.

Roared on by an expectant crowd despite their current woes, the home side made a good start against the 14-time winners.

– Chances –

They had a glorious chance to take the lead but Kante skewed his left-foot shot wide from about 12 yards.

The visitors, content to bide their time, looked sharp on the break.

Midway through the opening period Rodrygo created space for himself and thumped an effort against the outside of the post from an acute angle while Luka Modric tested Kepa.

But Chelsea should have been ahead on the stroke of half-time when James fizzed a ball across the box from the right and it fell to Marc Cucurella at the back post.

The defender took a touch and shot but Thibaut Courtois came flying out of his goal to save.

Kante had another golden opportunity to take the lead early in the second half but his close-range effort hit Eder Militao and deflected away to safety.

Real took the wind out of Chelsea’s sails with just over half an hour to go, when Rodrygo scored from close range after an assist by Vinicius Junior.

Lampard made a number of attacking substitutions, bringing on Raheem Sterling, Joao Felix and Mykhailo Mudryk in a desperate bid to get back into the match.

But Rodrygo found the net again in the 80th minute, tapping home after a clever assist from Federico Valverde.

Real Madrid will likely play Manchester City in the semi-finals, with Pep Guardiola’s team 3-0 up against Bayern Munich after the first leg of their last-eight tie.

Former Chelsea boss Ancelotti is chasing a record-extending fifth win as a coach in the tournament.

But Chelsea, used to winning silverware over the past two decades, are contemplating the final stretch of a horrendous campaign despite a staggering spend of more than £500 million ($621 million) in the first year of the club’s new ownership.

Trophyless this season, they are languishing in 11th in the Premier League and look unlikely to qualify for European football next season.

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LEEDS: Liverpool crushed Leeds 6-1 as Cody Gakpo’s controversial opener provided the spark for the Reds’ first win in five Premier League games on Monday.

Jurgen Klopp’s side took the lead at Elland Road when Gakpo’s goal was allowed to stand despite the ball striking Trent Alexander-Arnold’s arm in the build-up.

It was reported the VAR official did not check the incident because it happened too far back in the move, but Leeds were furious at the perceived injustice.

Mohamed Salah rubbed salt into Leeds’ wounds when he increased Liverpool’s lead four minutes later before Luis Sinisterra got one back for the struggling hosts.

Diogo Jota’s double, another Salah strike and Darwin Nunez’s late effort ensured Liverpool ended their five-game winless run in all competitions.

After coming within a whisker of winning a quadruple last season, Liverpool have been reduced to scrambling to reach next season’s Europa League or Europa Conference League, with the Champions League seemingly out of reach.

With that target in mind, the eighth-placed Reds are now within two points of seventh-placed Brighton.

“It’s the best game we’ve played this season from all different perspectives,” Klopp said.

“My favourite part was in the 92nd minute when we chased the poor boy on the ball from Leeds. The counter-pressing was the best for, I want to say, decades!”

Klopp has compared fan criticism of Liverpool potentially not making big-money transfers in the coming close-season as like a five-year-old asking for a Ferrari for Christmas.

But on the evidence of this composed display and the recent fightback from two goals down to draw 2-2 with leaders Arsenal, Liverpool still have the foundations in place for a return to prominence next term.

“The second half against Arsenal was super important to us. We have to do what we did tonight again and again,” Klopp said.

“I hope these one-and-a-half games gives us the right sign for the end of the season.

“I would like to see us with the same desire and passion. That’s the job, to bring it consistently.”

Leeds crumbled again eight days after their 5-1 home defeat against Crystal Palace and sit just two points above the relegation zone with seven games left.

Javi Gracia’s team were booed off after becoming only the second club to concede five or more home goals in successive Premier League games.

After marking the 34th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster before kick-off, Liverpool quickly seized the momentum before their dubious opener in the 35th minute.

Alexander-Arnold blocked Junior Firpo’s pass with his elbow before picking out Salah.

When Salah passed back to Alexander-Arnold, the right-back squared for Gakpo to slot home from close range.

Leeds were fuming, only for VAR to opt against checking the incident despite their protests.

Gakpo’s fifth goal since signing from PSV Eindhoven in January was followed by the latest example of Salah tormenting Leeds.

Salah’s eighth goal in six appearances against Leeds came in ruthless fashion.

Jota was allowed to advance unchecked before slipping a pass to Salah, who finished with unerring precision.

Ibrahima Konate handed Leeds a goal in the 47th minute when the Liverpool centre-back allowed himself to be dispossessed by Sinisterra on the edge of the area.

Sinisterra gratefully accepted the gift as he clipped his shot over the exposed Alisson Becker.

But Leeds’ comeback hopes were extinguished within five minutes as Curtis Jones’ raking pass picked out Jota, who drilled past Illan Meslier from just inside the area for his first league goal in 12 months.

VAR did disallow a Liverpool goal when Salah’s effort was ruled out for offside against Virgil van Dijk, but the rampant Reds still bagged their fourth of the night in the 64th minute.

Gakpo took Andrew Robertson’s pass and teed up Salah for an emphatic finish from six yards.

Jota swept in Jordan Henderson’s cross after 73 minutes before Nunez put the final flourish on Liverpool’s powerful performance when he controlled Alexander-Arnold’s pass on his chest and fired home in the 90th minute.

GETAFE: In an enthralling contest, Getafe earned a point as leaders Barcelona were held to a nil-nil draw twice a week in LaLiga on Sunday. 

The Catalan Giants, who drew 0-0 with Girona on Monday, would not be happy with this week’s results yet they maintain a healthy lead over second-placed Real Madrid at the top of the standings.

With the current draw, their advantage is cut down to 11 points over arch-rivals, who beat Cadiz 2-0 on Saturday. However, there are still nine games left in the season.

Visitors Barca had two chances to break the deadlock in the 25th minute when Raphinha came close to the target but his shot struck the post before Alejandro Balde’s effort from the rebound also hit the woodwork.

Despite dominating the possession for most of the match, Barcelona looked unimpressive in their attack in the absence of injured players such as Pedri and Ousmane Dembele – two of their mainstays in creating chances this season.

Barcelona next play Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou on next Sunday while 15th-placed Getafe, who sit four points above the relegation zone, visit Mallorca on the same day.

Earlier, Girona thrashed bottom-placed Elche 2-0 at home to go ninth in the standings, thanks to goals in each half by Valentin Castellanos and Oriel Romeu.

In another LaLiga fixture yesterday Atletico Madrid edged past Almeria 2-1 after Antoine Griezmann scored twice in the first half.

Later Sevilla grabbed a sensational 2-0 win at Valencia, credit to Loic Bade and Suso’s strikes in the second half.

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Nacho and Marco Asensio made back-to-back strikes within four second-half minutes half to help Real Madrid claim a 2-0 win over Cadiz and cut leader Barcelona’s lead to 10 points in La Liga on Saturday. 

Defending champion Real kept their slim title chances on the hook by crawling up to 62 points, ten points behind Barcelona who play at Getafe on Sunday. Atletico Madrid are third on the table with 57 points and will host Almeria on Sunday.

Madrid controlled the opponents throughout the game, possessing the ball 70 per cent of the time, and created several chances including three shots that hit the post and a few critical stops by Cadiz goalkeeper David Gil.

However, the visitors opened the scoring only in the 72nd minute when defender Nacho received a pass from Aurelien Tchouameni and slotted a powerful long-range shot into the bottom left corner.

Four minutes later, Asensio doubled the side’s lead by netting the ball from the edge of the box into the bottom left corner.

Earlier, Real Betis breezed past Espanyol 3-1 to go fifth on 45 points after Ayoze Perez, Juan Miranda and William Carvalho scored goals each.

Athletic Club beat Real Sociedad 2-0 at home, thanks to a sensational brace by Inaki Williams.

Valladolid, on the other hand, stunned Villareal 2-1 on the latter’s home ground after first-half strikes from Salim Amallah and Jawad El Yamiq.

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The incident between Sadio Mane and Leroy Sane has been “dealt with” after the Senegal star was fined and suspended by Bayern Munich, coach Thomas Tuchel said on Friday.

Mane was suspended for this weekend’s Bundesliga game against Hoffenheim after reportedly having a physical altercation with Sane following Tuesday’s Champions League defeat at Manchester City.

German daily Bild said Mane struck Sane in the face after the 3-0 loss, leaving the Germany international with a cut lip.

Mane has also reportedly been fined around 500,000 euros ($550,000).

“Of course it concerned us,” Tuchel told a press conference. “A limit was crossed that we don’t want and that we didn’t tolerate.

“But we cleared the air. There was an apology which was absolutely credible… The matter is dealt with.”

Mane has struggled for form since returning from a leg injury which forced him to miss last year’s World Cup in Qatar and has not scored since October.

“I am his first lawyer and his first defender,” said Tuchel, who only replaced the sacked Julian Nagelsmann last month.

“I have known him for so long, I know his entourage. I know him exclusively as a super professional, I have never, never, never, seen anything that we can blame him for…

“Everyone has the right to make a mistake.”

Tuchel, who did not see the incident himself, said the 31-year-old apologised to the entire team and that the way it had been dealt with had a “cleansing effect”.

Mane will be available for the quarter-final second leg against Manchester City at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.

Bayern were also knocked out of the German Cup by Freiburg in the quarter-finals and only hold a two-point lead over Borussia Dortmund as they chase an 11th straight Bundesliga title.

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MADRID: Rayo Vallecano at home on Friday outclassed Osasuna 2-1 to end their winless streak in the ongoing La Liga 2022/23.

Osasuna’s defender Aridane Hernández attempt to make a tackle close to the goal line but instead pushed the ball into his own goal in the 40th minute.

Isi Palazón then took just three minutes to double Rayo’s lead when the midfielder latched on to a clearance by the defence and volleyed the ball just inside the post.

Osasuna’s Moi Gómez scored a stunning long-range goal in the 66th minute to cut Rayo’s lead to 2-1, but the hosts held on to its advantage to earn its first victory in nine games.

With their first victory, after more than two months, Rayo managed to leapfrog the visitors and moved into eighth place with 40 points, two clear of Osasuna.

Meanwhile, both teams still have a chance to finish sixth at the end of the season, which would earn them a Conference League spot.

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MANCHESTER: Two late own goals left Manchester United work to do to reach the Europa League semi-finals as Sevilla salvaged a 2-2 draw from the first leg of their quarter-final tie at Old Trafford on Thursday.

United appeared to be cruising to victory through two goals from Marcel Sabitzer inside the opening 21 minutes.

But the loss of centre-backs Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez to injury proved costly as Tyrell Malacia and Harry Maguire deflected balls into their own net in the final six minutes plus stoppage time.

United will also have to cope without Bruno Fernandes for the second leg on April 20 after he picked up a yellow card that leads to a suspension.

“We conceded two own goals, bad luck, and we have to deal with it,” said United manager Erik ten Hag. “We have to learn to kill the game, but still everything is open.”

The home side were without 28-goal top scorer Marcus Rashford due to injury, but still made light work of the Spaniards before half-time as Sabitzer struck twice.

Anthony Martial’s return for injury is a timely boost for Ten Hag with Rashford set to be sidelined for a few weeks.

The Frenchman has been a peripheral figure since the Dutchman took charge, but Ten Hag said on the eve of the game that his side play their best football with Martial up front.

So it proved as Martial’s hold-up play eventually saw the ball worked to Fernandes, who fired a ball into Sabitzer’s feet and the on-loan Bayern Munich midfielder coolly slotted past Bono.

Just a few moments later Sabitzer, who had scored only once for United in 12 previous appearances, netted his second. Martial was this time the creator with a perfect pass through for Sabitzer to again leave Bono in the Sevilla goal with no chance.

Casemiro’s first appearance for nearly a month due to a four-game Premier League ban added authority to the United midfield and the Brazilian should have marked the occasion with a goal after more good approach play by Martial.

– Martinez concern –

Sevilla are fighting a relegation battle in La Liga and it showed until a late flurry as they only briefly threatened to bring the tie to life.

Tanguy Nianzou’s powerful header in first-half stoppage time was saved by David De Gea before Varane completed the clearance off the line.

Antony came closest to adding to United’s lead in the second half when the winger struck the inside of the post with Fernandes begging for a pass in a better position.

Malacia should also have done better when teed up by Wout Weghorst in acres of space inside the Sevilla box.

Ten Hag showed his thoughts were already turning to a trip to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday as Fernandes and Martial made way in the final half-hour.

That decision proved costly as Malacia dallied to allow Jesus Navas to pounce inside the United box, the former Manchester City winger’s cross deflecting off the Dutch left-back to wrong-foot De Gea.

Martinez then pulled up with a what looked like a concerning Achilles injury and had to be helped from the field by fellow Argentine World Cup winners Marcos Acuna and Gonzalo Montiel.

United had already made their five substitutions so ended the game with 10 men and could not hold on.

De Gea produced a brilliant save to deny Youssef En-Nesyri an equaliser.

But United’s reprieve only lasted seconds as another En-Nesyri header cannoned off Maguire and into the net in the 92nd minute.

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BERLIN: Bayern Munich have suspended forward Sadio Mane for one game following an altercation with Leroy Sane after this week’s Champions League loss to Man City, the club announced Thursday.

Newspaper Bild reported former City winger Sane was hit in the face by the Senegal attacker, suffering a cut lip after Tuesday’s loss.

“Sadio Mane, 31, will not be in the FC Bayern squad for the home game against 1899 Hoffenheim next Saturday,” Bayern said.

“The reason is misconduct by Mane after FC Bayern’s Champions League game at Manchester City.

“In addition, Mane will receive a fine,” they added.

The one-match suspension means Mane will be available for manager Thomas Tuchel in Wednesday’s return leg against Manchester City in Munich.

Bild reported the clash started in the dying stages of Bayern’s loss in Manchester, with footage showing the two arguing on the pitch.

Mane has endured a frustrating time since joining the German champions from Liverpool in the summer of 2022.

Signed as a replacement for the departing Robert Lewandowski, the Champions League winner has scored 11 times in 32 matches for Bayern.

The two-time African Player of the Year scored six goals in his first seven matches in all competitions for Bayern, but has not scored since October.

Mane has also had six goals ruled out for offside so far this season for Bayern, a Bundesliga record.

Mane suffered a leg injury while playing for Bayern against Werder Bremen in November which kept him out of Senegal’s Qatar World Cup campaign and he missed nine club matches.

After Bayern’s German Cup exit at the hands of Freiburg in early April, a smiling Mane told reporters “soon, I promise you” after he was asked when he would return to the spectacular form he displayed with Liverpool.

Mane was given his first start under Tuchel, who replaced the sacked Julian Nagelsmann last month, in Saturday’s 1-0 league win at Freiburg, missing several chances to score.

Before the incident, Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn acknowledged Mane’s struggles, putting it down to the former Southampton striker having “a lot of competition” for starting spots.

“He doesn’t know that (from Liverpool) and is perhaps not used to it.”

“He’s still looking for himself.”

Bayern declined media requests to comment on the altercation.

Mane and Sane were seen on the training pitch early on Thursday, hours before the suspension was announced.

The loss was Bayern’s biggest Champions League defeat since 2017 and one of the club’s most devastating defeats in Champions League history.

Despite Mane being available, the six-time European champions now have little hope of turning over the deficit in next Wednesday’s return leg in Munich to make it to the semi-finals.

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BERLIN: Bayern Munich forwards Sadio Mane and Leroy Sane had a physical altercation in the dressing room after the 3-0 loss to Manchester City in the Champions League, German media reported on Wednesday.

According to Bild, Sky Germany and a number of other media sources, the two players clashed after the match and needed to be separated by teammates.

Bild reported that former City winger Sane was hit in the face by the Senegal international, suffering a cut lip.

Bayern declined requests to comment on the altercation on Wednesday.

Bild reported the clash started in the dying stages of Bayern’s loss in Manchester on Tuesday, with footage showing the two arguing on the pitch.

The loss was Bayern’s biggest Champions League defeat since 2017.

The six-time European champions now have little hope of turning over the deficit in Wednesday’s return leg in Munich to make it to the semi-finals.

READ: Dominant Madrid earn solid lead on Chelsea in Champions League

MADRID: Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio struck for Real Madrid as they dominated 10-man Chelsea and opened up a 2-0 Champions League quarter-final first leg lead on Wednesday.

The record 14-time winners and reigning champions eased to a comfortable win against Frank Lampard’s side, who had Ben Chilwell sent off in the second half for pulling down Rodrygo Goes as he ran through on goal.

Benzema netted from close range after 21 minutes after Kepa Arrizabalaga tipped a Vinicius Junior effort into his path.

Despite controlling the game, Madrid had to wait until the 74th minute for their second, with Asensio drilling home from the edge of the box after a short corner routine.

In a battle between the last two Champions League winners, Madrid demonstrated their strength with an impressive display, while Chelsea showed why they are struggling in 11th in the Premier League.

“We are satisfied with the result, for the performance but it’s not over yet, we have to fight, to sacrifice for another 90 minutes at Stamford Bridge,” said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti.

“We are satisfied only for tonight, it’s not over yet. We know Chelsea will try to (give) everything next week.”

Ancelotti, who coached Lampard at Chelsea between 2009-2011, relied on veteran midfielders Toni Kroos and Luka Modric to pull the strings.

Lampard, in his second game at the helm since replacing Graham Potter last week, threw Thiago Silva and N’Golo Kante straight into the starting line-up after injury worries.

Kante shone against Madrid in the 2021 semis as Chelsea beat them en route to winning the trophy for the second time, and his performance was one positive for Lampard.

The French midfielder slipped on-loan Atletico striker Joao Felix through at the start, but he fired at former Chelsea stopper Thibaut Courtois.

Madrid fans had shown their support for Fede Valverde before the game, after he allegedly punched Villarreal’s Alex Baena on Saturday, and he nearly rewarded them with a piledriver which flew narrowly off-target.

“For me he was the best player on the pitch, he put in a lot of energy,” said Ancelotti.

“He was impeccable at recovering the ball.”

Benzema, who netted a hat-trick at Stamford Bridge last season and scored the goal which sent Madrid through against the Blues in the second leg, tapped home his sixth goal against Chelsea to open the scoring.

Dani Carvajal lofted a tempting ball over the top and although Kepa got his fingertips to Vinicius’s effort, Benzema was left with a simple tap-in.

Chelsea almost produced an instant equaliser but Courtois made a stunning save to deny Raheem Sterling from close range.

Madrid toyed with their opponents, penning them back in their box for large stretches, with Vinicius, Rodrygo and David Alaba going close.

– Blues blows –

Chelsea have struggled badly for goals this season and after their early chances, found it difficult to build in attack.

The Blues have not scored in their last four matches across all competitions for the first time since 1993 — and their only pure striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is not registered to play in the Champions League.

“The last bit is sometimes confidence,” said Lampard. “If you work, keep going, something can change.

“No player doesn’t want to score a goal, sometimes they need support, confidence and a push in a positive way.”

Chelsea’s uphill struggle was made harder before the hour mark when Chilwell tugged back Rodrygo as he ran through on goal and was shown a straight red card.

A difficult evening was compounded when Asensio squeezed an effort through Fofana’s legs and into the bottom corner to double the hosts’ advantage.

Benzema might have netted another in stoppage time but headed off target after Kepa pushed a cross into his path.

Antonio Rudiger made a good block to thwart Mason Mount late on to ensure his former side could not take anything positive into the second leg.

“We’re 2-0 down against Real Madrid, that’s a fact now, that’s done,” said Lampard.

“(But) we’re in a different place now, we’re in a place to prove things wrong, change the tone, change the story.”

Chelsea host Madrid next Tuesday, with the winners facing Manchester City or Bayern Munich in the semi-finals.

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