Tag: Champions League

NAPLES: AC Milan reached the semi-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday after Olivier Giroud struck the crucial goal in a 1-1 draw at Napoli which completed a 2-1 aggregate victory over their fellow Italians.

Giroud tapped in what turned out to be the decisive goal two minutes before the break after a blistering run from Rafael Leao, who was once again key as Milan beat Napoli for the third time this month.

The France striker’s 13th goal of the season saved his blushes after he missed a penalty midway through the first half.

Stefano Pioli’s side now have the prospect of a local derby in the last four as Inter Milan hold a two-goal lead ahead of their second leg with Benfica on Wednesday night.

“I’m very proud of this team, with that spirit we can dream of anything,” said Giroud to Mediaset.

“In the next round there will be another hard match whether it’s against Inter or Benfica, but if we keep this spirit we can go anywhere.”

After the match Mediaset showed Leao a video of Ruud Gullit setting up a goal with an almost identical run at Napoli in 1988.

“It’s the same,” said a shocked Leao.

“It’s what I try to do, go at players, it’s how I can make difference. If I can’t score I look for my teammates. I saw Giroud there.”

Milan have not contested a Champions League semi-final since they were crowned kings of Europe for the seventh and most recent time in 2007.

Victor Osimhen scored in stoppage time but it was not enough for Napoli who are creaking as they come towards the end of what has been a phenomenal season.

Luciano Spalletti’s once freewheeling team are  struggling for goals and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia also had a penalty saved with 10 minutes remaining, a miss which condemned his team to defeat.

Napoli are on the verge of their first league title since 1990, but after being placed on the easier side of the draw Tuesday’s exit was an underwhelming end to their European adventure.

– Well-organised Milan –

Their hardcore fans had agreed a truce in an ideological battle with owner Aurelio De Laurentiis which had made the atmosphere at home matches poisonous, and on Tuesday a packed Stadio Maradona was initially in fine voice.

Their team went straight at Milan, dominating possession and pushing the opposition back towards the vibrating stands.

However, the best they could muster was two long-distance efforts from Matteo Politano which crept wide. On Milan’s first serious attack Mario Rui clattered into Leao and handed Giroud the chance to give the away side a huge advantage from the penalty spot.

However Giroud’s weak effort was easily stopped by Alex Meret, whose save unleashed a roar from the stands, a colossal racket repeated when he prevented Giroud netting a more than presentable chance shortly afterwards.

Napoli had scored at least three goals in all of their previous Champions League home games this season but looked short on ideas against a well-organised Milan defence which kept a tight lid on Osimhen.

And as the hosts pushed to level the scores on aggregate, Milan pounced at the end of the first half.

Leao scooped up the ball after Tanguy Ndombele’s sloppy control and charged from deep his own half, breezed past three Napoli players and rolled an unmissable chance across to Giroud, who fell to his knees in a mixture of joy and relief.

Napoli were again on the front foot after the break but struggled to create much, with Mathias Olivera’s header wide from a 64th-minute corner the best chance until Fikayo Tomori handled Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s low cross as he put in a challenge in the penalty area.

Kvaratskhelia fluffed his own spot-kick just like Giroud, meaning Osimhen’s bullet header in the 93rd minute meant nothing for Napoli who will wonder what might have been after wasting so many chances in the first leg.

READ: Real Madrid beat wasteful Chelsea to reach Champions League semis

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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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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MANCHESTER: Erling Haaland scored his 45th goal of the season as Manchester City took a commanding 3-0 lead over Bayern Munich from their Champions League quarter-final, first leg on Tuesday.

Rodri and Bernardo Silva were also on target for the English champions, who took a giant stride towards finally conquering Europe for the first time.

Victory was sweet for City boss Pep Guardiola as he came up against his former club for the first time since leaving Bayern for Manchester in 2016, but he warned that the job is not yet done.

“I’ve been three years there and I know in Europe this team is special. To knockout these type of teams you have to make two good games not just one,” said Guardiola.

“I know exactly what we have to do there, They are capable to score one, two, three goals. We have to do our game with huge personality.”

City also partially settled a Champions League score with Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel, who beat Guardiola’s men to lift the trophy as Chelsea manager in the 2021 final.

Tuchel was appointed less than three weeks ago by the German champions with one eye on this tie and he believed his side deserved more.

“I try to not allow my players to focus on the result because it is not the deserved result, it does not tell the story of this match,” said Tuchel.

“I’ve seen so many good things that I refuse to just focus on the result. You may say ‘that’s not Bayern’ but I was very proud on the sideline, we were courageous and showed the right character.”

City fought off interest from Bayern among other European giants to win the race to sign Haaland a year ago for nights like this and the Norwegian played his part in a clinical performance.

Haaland uncharacteristically fluffed his lines with the first big chance of the game when his weak shot was straight at Yann Sommer.

At the other end, City were grateful to a brilliant block from Ruben Dias to prevent Jamal Musiala putting Bayern in front.

Rodri then showed the forwards how it is done as the Spaniard took aim from long range on his weaker left foot and curled a sumptuous shot into the top corner on 27 minutes.

– City turn the screw –

Bayern picked up Sommer in the January window as an emergency measure after Manuel Neuer’s season was ended by a skiing accident.

The Swiss international proved the value of that move with a number of vital saves to keep Bayern in the tie, starting with an outstretched leg to deny Ilkay Gundogan.

But Bayern were made to regret not making their bright start to the second period count.

Leroy Sane twice came close to haunting his former club with powerful efforts that were beaten away by Ederson before Matthijs de Ligt and Kingsley Coman had headers from close range blocked by desperate City defending.

Instead, City turned the screw in the final quarter to take a potentially decisive lead to Bavaria next week.

Haaland showed there is more to his game than goals with a perfectly weighted cross for Silva to head in City’s second 20 minutes from time.

Sommer then produced a fine stop low to his left to turn Julian Alvarez’s shot to safety.

But City were not to be denied their third and Haaland his goal as he stretched out a telescopic right leg to turn John Stones’ knockdown beyond Sommer.

Alvarez fired another effort inches wide and Sommer needed finger tips to turn over Rodri’s header as City went in search of a final flourish.

But Bayern will need one of the Champions League’s all-time great comebacks in eight days’ time if City are to be denied a third consecutive semi-final.

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PARIS: Holders Real Madrid will play Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the Champions League while Manchester City were paired with Pep Guardiola’s former side Bayern Munich in Friday’s draw.

Serie A leaders Napoli take on AC Milan in an all-Italian showdown and Inter Milan face Portuguese league leaders Benfica.

The winners of Real’s tie against Chelsea will go on to face either City or Bayern in the semi-finals, throwing open the possibility of an all-English last-four tie.

That also increases the chances of seeing an Italian team reach the final for the first time since Juventus in 2017, as Inter will play either Milan or Napoli in the last four should the Nerazzurri beat Benfica.

The quarter-final first legs will be played on April 11 and 12, with Real entertaining Chelsea at the Santiago Bernabeu first before travelling to London for the return a week later, and City at home to Bayern first.

Inter were drawn to play Benfica at home initially but will now travel to Lisbon for the first leg to avoid a clash with AC Milan’s meeting with Napoli at San Siro.

The semi-finals will be played in May with the final in Istanbul scheduled for Saturday, June 10.

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MANCHESTER: Erling Haaland equalled a Champions League record with a five-goal haul to ease Manchester City into the quarter-finals at RB Leipzig’s expense with a 7-0 win on Tuesday. 

Haaland also set a new club record for goals in a season of 39 in the process as Pep Guardiola’s men reached the last eight for the sixth consecutive season with an 8-1 aggregate victory.

“My super strength is scoring goals,” said Haaland. “A lot of it is being quick in the mind and trying to put it where the goalkeeper is not.”

Abu Dhabi-owned City are yet to go all the way in the Champions League, but they have never had a striker of Haaland’s quality to make the difference in the latter stages before.

At just 22 he now has 33 goals in 25 appearances in Europe’s premier club competition.

“Firstly, I’m proud to play in this competition, I love it,” added Haaland. “Five goals! To win 7-0 is amazing.”

The snowy weather was more akin to Haaland’s homeland, but City did not freeze under the pressure and kept their Champions League dreams alive.

The tie was delicately balanced after a 1-1 draw in eastern Germany three weeks ago, but a Leipzig side depleted by injury never looked like a match for their star-studded opponents.

“That was an incredible performance,” said Leipzig coach Marco Rose.

“They didn’t allow us to control the game at all, at no stage of the game. The bottom line is disappointing for us but they really deserved it.”

Guardiola had kept Kevin De Bruyne in reserve for City’s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace in the Premier League at the weekend and on his return to the starting line-up, the Belgian was back to his best.

Ilkay Gundogan should have opened the scoring after just three minutes from De Bruyne’s inviting cross.

There was some fortune surrounding City’s opener as VAR spotted a handball against Benjamin Henrichs that led to a penalty that neither the City players nor the crowd even noticed.

– Denied record chance –

Haaland fired low to Janis Blaswich’s left to maintain his perfect record from the spot for City with his sixth penalty of the season.

Two minutes later it was 2-0 as Haaland teed up De Bruyne, who smashed a shot against the bar, and then showed his speed and strength to power home a header from the rebound.

Haaland had three before half-time as Ruben Dias rose highest to head Jack Grealish’s corner onto the post and Amadou Haidara’s attempted clearance ricocheted off City’s number nine into the net.

Gundogan’s classy finish into the far corner four minutes into the second half rubbed more salt into Leipzig’s wounds before Haaland started rewriting the record books.

Firstly, he hammered home at the second attempt after Blaswich parried his initial header to match Tommy Johnson’s record of 38 goals for City in the 1928-29 season.

Haaland set a new mark with still three months of the campaign to go when he snaffled up another rebound after Blaswich saved from Manuel Akanji.

In the process, he moved level with Lionel Messi and Luiz Adriano’s record of scoring five goals in a Champions League game.

But Guardiola denied his star striker the chance of another record as he replaced him with Julian Alvarez with 25 minutes remaining.

“If he achieves all these milestones at 22 his life would be boring,” joked Guardiola on making the change.

Instead, it was left to De Bruyne to have the final say as he curled a superb strike into the top corner in stoppage time.

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MUNICH: Bayern Munich ended the Champions League hopes of Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, beating the French club 2-0 in the second leg of their last-16 tie to reach the quarter-finals 3-0 on aggregate.

Leading 1-0 from the first leg in Paris last month, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting put Bayern in front on the night at the Allianz Arena and substitute Serge Gnabry wrapped up the victory a minute from time.

Bayern were worthy winners against a flat PSG side, for whom neither Kylian Mbappe nor Lionel Messi had the expected impact on the game while Neymar was missing with an ankle injury.

It is the second season running in which PSG have gone out of the Champions League in the last 16, and the fifth time in the last seven campaigns the Qatar-owned club have failed to go beyond the first knockout round.

They were not helped by injuries in defence, with captain Marquinhos forced off after 36 minutes with a rib problem and his replacement, Nordi Mukiele, also having to be substituted at half-time.

Vitinha might have put the French champions in front in the first half, but Matthijs de Ligt cleared his attempt off the line.

Bayern went ahead just after the hour mark, Leon Goretzka setting up the unmarked Choupo-Moting for an easy finish after Marco Verratti had been dispossessed in his own box.

Sergio Ramos came closest to getting the visitors back into the game before Gnabry clinched Bayern’s victory late on.

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LONDON: Chelsea kept their season alive by beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at Stamford Bridge to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League 2-1 on aggregate on Tuesday.

Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz, with a twice-taken penalty, got the goals as the Blues relieved the pressure on manager Graham Potter.

The Englishman’s job was on the line after a season that has so far failed to deliver any return on a world-record injection of over £500 million ($600 million) in one season on new signings.

Chelsea had won just three of their previous 16 matches to fall to 10th in the Premier League and bow out early of both domestic cups.

But some of their expensive collection of stars showed up in time to remain in the hunt for a third European Cup.

“There was a fantastic feeling in the dressing room. We have been through a tough period and this competition means a lot for us,” said Potter.

“We wanted to progress and get into the last eight and it sets us up for the next few weeks.”

Dortmund arrived in England on the back of a 10-game winning run in all competitions.

But the visitors posed barely any attacking threat in the first half bar a Marco Reus free-kick that Kepa Arrizabalaga did brilliantly to palm to safety.

“We have to say, over the course of two games, Chelsea deserve to go through,” said Dortmund boss Edin Terzic.

“Both legs were very tight games. In this type of games inches and moments decide if you are going to the next round or not.”

Chances came and went frequently at the other end. Havertz smashed a volley off the inside of the post and then finally found the net via the underside of the bar only for the goal to be ruled out for an offside against Sterling earlier in the move.

The worst miss was to come as Kalidou Koulibaly miscued with an open goal from Ben Chilwell’s free-kick and Felix’s follow-up effort was blocked on the line.

Potter was uncharacteristically animated on the touchline as he constantly whipped the crowd up to keep pushing his side forward.

“There is a lot of emotion in the end,” added Potter. “It was tense in the end but the boys played fantastic.

“I am delighted for them to get the win and great for everyone here.”

The home fans finally had something to celebrate three minutes before half-time.

– Sterling comes good –

Sterling’s first attempt was another one to forget as he swiped and missed Chilwell’s low cross, but the England international composed himself to dribble past Reus and fire high into the net.

“I had a little mis-kick with the first touch but it landed perfectly and allowed us to build on that for our performance,” said Sterling.

That was just Chelsea’s third goal in the last eight games.

Havertz’s penalty early in the second half meant Potter’s men scored more than once for the first time since December 27, but the German international needed two spot-kicks to make his mark.

Marius Wolf was penalised for handling Chilwell’s cross after a VAR review.

Havertz’s first penalty came back off the post, but VAR came to Chelsea’s rescue once more as Dortmund were further punished for encroaching.

There was no second reprieve as Havertz coolly slotted the ball the same way, this time finding the corner of the net.

Chelsea’s spending spree may have ruled them out of the running for Jude Bellingham with the Dortmund midfielder expected to have his choice of Europe’s top clubs this summer.

But on his return to England, Bellingham missed Dortmund’s best chance to take the tie to extra-time when he side-footed wide from close range.

MILAN: Romelu Lukaku boosted Inter Milan’s chances of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in over a decade after scoring the only goal in Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Porto.

Belgium forward Lukaku struck with four minutes remaining of the first leg at the San Siro on the rebound from his own header to decide an absorbing encounter at the San Siro.

Simone Inzaghi’s side travel to Portugal next month to decide who will go through to the last eight with a slight advantage thanks to Lukaku’s second goal in as many games in all competitions.

The 29-year-old, who has struggled with injury all season, struck his first league goal since August at the weekend and came off the bench in the second half to ensure Inter will have a lead to protect in the second leg as they seek a first quarter-final tie since 2011.

“Winning is the most important thing… I’m focusing on trying to do what’s best for Inter,” said Lukaku to Amazon Prime.

“I’m pleased for the win, let’s hope we can keep it going.”

Lukaku stuck as Sergio Conceicao’s Porto were playing with 10 men after key midfielder Otavio, in his first appearance since the start of February, was sent off in the 78th minute for two bookable offences.

The Portuguese champions have been a bogey side to Italian teams in recent seasons but will have to turn the aggregate score around if they are to add to the series of Serie A scalps which include Juventus and Roma.

“It’s a slight advantage that we’ll try to make count against a good, physical team which is used to playing in the last 16 and quarter-finals… It’s a great win,” said Inzaghi.

“It was deserved for what we did on the pitch, but we know it’s not finished here and the second leg will be difficult.”

Inter should have been ahead in the 13th minute when Federico Dimarco found Lautaro Martinez with a deep cross, but the Argentina striker sent his header way of the bar.

Lukaku Strikes

Five minutes later Hakan Calhanoglu forced a fantastic save from Diogo Costa, the Turkey international playing a one-two from his own corner and whipping a beautifully struck effort shot which nearly went in at the near post.

However, it was Porto who wasted the best chance of a niggly half in the 37th minute after a lovely team move, their first decent attack of the match.

From Otavio’s pass Mehdi Taremi played the perfect layoff to Marko Grujic, who should have done better in front of Andre Onana before Wenderson Galeno headed wide with the goal gaping.

Costa then made sure that the teams would go into the break level with another superb stop, this time reacting brilliantly to keep out Alessandro Bastoni’s flicked header from Dimarco’s inswinging free-kick.

Barella flicked just wide before Porto missed two more great chances to take the lead.

In the 54th minute, Taremi shot weakly at Onana at the end of a lightning break led by his striker partner Pepe, and then three minutes later Onana twice save Inter’s bacon in the space of seconds.

Milan Skriniar did well to block Zaidu’s low shot before former Cameroon goalkeeper Onana grasped at the Porto left-back’s second effort and then recovered in time to stop what looked like a certain Taremi goal.

“We had plenty of opportunities to score. We created situations in second half where we should have been more aggressive, because we were lacking in the finish,” Conceicao later told reporters.

“Inter played well, but if we look at the chances at the end of the match, I think we should have got a different result.”

Lukaku almost immediately replaced the disappointing Edin Dzeko and in the 72nd minute the Belgium striker almost laid on the opener for Martinez, who just couldn’t quite meet an inviting low cross as he slid into the six-yard box.

Just as the match looked destined for a goalless draw despite Otavio’s dismissal, Lukaku headed Nicolo Barella’s cross against the post before slotting in the winner on the rebound.

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