Articles by "Champions League"
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at May 02, 2019 1

LIONEL MESSI riled Liverpool supporters when the Barcelona star showed the ugly side of his game in their 3-0 win on Wednesday evening.

As he danced past a host of Liverpool players down the right wing, he was finally tackled by a tenacious Andy Robertson.
And after being humiliated by a cute body feint, James Milner was keen to get revenge.
The veteran midfielder gave Messi a shoulder barge which sent him tumbling.
Messi was keen to make the most of it, rolling around on the touchline provoking an angry reaction towards Milner from the home supporters.
He then held up an imaginary yellow card to try and get Milner booked.
After, Lionel Messi turned to a nearby camera and smiled to toy with fans back home who could see what he was up to.
It created an iconic Champions League image and in the second half, Messi was about to back up his antics by letting his football do the talking.
After Liverpool came flying out of the blocks in search on a crucial away goal, Barcelona was clinical.
Luis Suarez kneed the ball onto the crossbar after a slick counter-attack.
The danger wasn’t cleared as Alisson and Robertson lay helpless in the crowded penalty box, Messi was on hand to calmly chest and slot home.
After being blocked off by Fabinho, Messi had sight of goal from 35 yards.
What followed was spectacular. He bent the ball around the wall and into the top left corner giving Alisson no chance.
It was his eighth goal directly from a free-kick this season and his 600th for Barcelona.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson
Lionel Messi: The Barcelona star fired a stunning free-kick past Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson (Image: GETTY)


After the match Jurgen Klopp insisted he was happy with the performance of his team despite losing 3-0 thanks to Messi and co.
He said: "Football is like this. It's about scoring goals, and they scored three and we scored none.
"Our performance was really good, the boys played a super game. But against Barcelona just a few opportunities can be enough [for them].
"I was happy with the performance, not too happy with the result. That's football. It was a hard result but we have to accept it."
Liverpool now have a mountain to climb at Anfield, having not scored an away goal.
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at April 30, 2019 0

BARCELONA have been told to stop two key Liverpool players in particular if they are to progress to the Champions League final.

The Catalan giants host Jurgen Klopp's men tomorrow night (8 pm) in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
Barca will go into the game as betting favorites after securing the La Liga title over the weekend.
They are attempting to become just the fourth team to beat Liverpool this season, after Chelsea and Wolves defeated them in cup competitions, while Manchester City inflicted the only league defeat that the Reds have suffered.
And it has been suggested that Barca will take a similar approach to the game as City did, with high pressing and wide attacking.

However, ESPN pundit Gab Marcotti explained that Barca will have to take a different tactical approach, and cut off the attacking prowess of full backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson.
Yeah, I don’t necessarily buy that,” Marcotte said of Barca copying City.
“Manchester City have the likes of Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane out wide, whereas Barcelona has Lionel Messi, who is an entirely different player.
“I think that the lesson to take from that is the importance of the midfield.
Liverpool
Manchester City are the only team to have beaten Liverpool in the league (Image: GETTY)
“Barcelona are going to feel that if they can starve Liverpool’s front men’s supply from the middle of the park and also pin back the full-backs of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson with Jordi Alba and Messi.
“Then, they can overload the midfield, dominate the game and pick their spots.”
Marcotti agreed with Klopp's claim that Wednesday night’s game might not be a classic Liverpool performance and suggested that instead, it could be a more cagey affair.
“They feel that they have an edge there, and Jurgen Klopp even said himself that we’re not going to see the crash bang wallop heavy metal football that we’re used to seeing from them,” he continued.
Liverpool
Barcelona have been told to stop Andy Robertson attacking (Image: GETTY“We might see a much more measured approach, this is a more mature team than last year, one which can pace itself, and that knows the tie is going to last 180 minutes.
“Even if they don’t do it at the Camp Nou, they will have chances to go and win it at Anfield.”
The return fixture will be played at Anfield on May 7, just days before their final Premier League game of the season against Wolves.
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at April 27, 2019 0

This year is happening with a huge difference of Barcelona over the other teams in LaLiga, even in the Champions League has not existed a set that so far can decipher the number of variants that have included the Catalans to that possession game at They has got used to the world of football.

Lionel Messi, as usual, has been the main star, this season the Argentine has recovered his best version as if the 31 years with which he already has not weighed at all. The Blaugrana crack is far surpassing a Cristiano Ronaldo who has had to settle for Serie A Italian, seeing their chances ended with a painful elimination against Ajax.

Despite this advantage, Messi wants to secure the Golden Ball without any surprise at the last minute, in that sense, he is aware that he must play the Champions League final. The moment of form and the security of the southpaw is such, that he has bet with Piqué and Suárez that will mark in both parties against Liverpool and that they will pass, a meal was played with them.
Now the English are worried, since it is not the first time that Messi makes some bet inside the dressing room that ends up fulfilling in the parties, it is only necessary to remember that anecdote of Yaya Touré, in which the culé star commented to him which soccer players of the picture rival were going to be the victims of their pipes.

After several campaigns without being able to be protagonists in the European championship at the level of clubs of greater prestige, Barcelona does not think to miss this opportunity in which it seems oriented the way towards the conquest of that Oregon that was targeted as the course began. Sixth Golden Ball for Messi?

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at April 22, 2019 0

Jose Mourinho looks ahead to Liverpool FC's clash with FC Barcelona in the Champions League.

Jose Mourinho has claimed that Liverpool FC has a “50 percent” chance of beating FC Barcelona to reach the Champions League final.

The Reds booked their place in the semi-finals of Europe’s elite club competition last week thanks to an impressive 4-1 win over FC Porto in Portugal.
Jurgen Klopp’s side is now looking to try and reach the Champions League final for the second successive season after they lost 3-1 to Real Madrid in last year’s showpiece.
Former Manchester United manager Mourinho feels that Liverpool FC have improved significantly since last season and he seems to think that they have a great chance of reaching the final at FC Barcelona’s expense.
Speaking in an interview with Russia Today, Mourinho said: “The reality is that Liverpool last season played the final, and this season they are in the semi-finals with, in my opinion, a 50 percent chance of being in the final,
“I think they are better [than last season]. I would say Barca without Messi, Liverpool is favorites. But Barca with Messi… Messi is Messi.”
Liverpool FC will host Huddersfield Town at Anfield in their next Premier League game on Friday night.
The Reds are aiming to try and win the Premier League and Champions League this season as they search for their first piece of major silverware since Klopp’s appointment at Anfield back in October 2015.
Liverpool FC will travel to FC Barcelona for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday 1 May, before the return leg at Anfield six days later. 
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at April 18, 2019 0

PEP GUARDIOLA said VAR had dealt his Manchester City side a “cruel” blow as their hopes of landing a quadruple crashed at the Etihad last night.

Victory for Tottenham, 4-4 on away goals, saw two decisions go against the hosts late on delivering a controversial end to their Champions League hopes.
First Fernando Llorente scored a second-half goal despite appearing to divert the ball in off his elbow.
Then, Raheem Sterling, had a late ‘winner’ ruled out after Sergio Aguero was deemed offside in the build-up.
Referee Cuneyt Cakir ruled both decisions in favor of Spurs but Guardiola suggested the visitors’ winner should have been ruled out.
It is just to see the goal may be from Llorente’s handball,” he said. “From one angle it is a handball. It is tough but it would be better if we don’t concede. We were close to going through. It is cruel.
“Second half we did everything,” he said. “It was not easy to create chance s but we create a lot. We make mistakes in that competition but were punished a lot. It was a bad end for us.
Guardiola insisted he continued to support the use of VAR despite its late intervention.
And he maintained City it did not cost City a place in the semi-final.
“After 20 minutes we were 3-2 up. We missed a penalty in the first leg. We create an incredible amount of chances today. I am so proud, especially for the fans. It was an amazing night for us. I never saw the stadium like tonight since I was here in Manchester. I know they know we gave absolutely everything.
“Football is like this, it is unpredictable.”
Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino called the finish to the match “unbelievable”.
“I am so happy, so proud. My players are heroes to be here. I am so happy for them, so happy for the fans.
“In a moment many things happened in your head, the disappointment was massive but they changed the decision. That is why we love football.
“We showed great character and great personality it was an unbelievable game.”
Christian Eriksen’s mistake, which led to Sterling’s subsequently disallowed goal in the 93rd minute as the match wound up to a dramatic conclusion, called himself the “luckiest man on the planet”.
“I must be one of the luckiest guys on the planet. I thought it was all over but It was a fun game. It was a rollercoaster, we gave them a lot but also got a lot it was a weird game.
“After today we take a deep breath, it will be a fairytale to play Ajax.”

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at April 17, 2019 0

LIONEL MESSI was caught on camera delivering a savage snub to Chris Smalling after the game as Barcelona ended Manchester United’s Champions League dream with a 3-0 win at the Nou Camp.

Messi was left shocked after ending up with a bloodied face from a Smalling challenge in the first leg of their  quarter-final clash.
And when the pair met after the final whistle i was not up for a handshake.
As the two met on the field Smalling was seen to turn as if to shake Messi’s hand, but the Argentine pretty much ignored his approach.
Instead of a friendly handshake, the 31-year-old quickly tapped the United defender on the back, before walking off and extending his hand to embrace another player.
The action might have surprised Smalling as he claimed he had spoken with Messi about the challenge in the first leg and had explained it was an accident.
Though it appeared from Messi’s actions that he clearly hasn’t forgotten the incident from the previous week.
Barca boss Ernesto Valverde even admitted after the game in Manchester it took the striker a couple of days to recover from the challenge.
For all the criticism Barca had come under for their style of play in the opening leg, few would find fault with their performance at home.

United came into the game having to overturn an away goal deficit and Marcus Rashford nearly gave the visitors a perfect start, but his shot cannoned off the bar after just 40 seconds.
Messi then didn’t waste any time opening Barca’s account as he scored after just 16 minutes.
He then grabbed himself a second four minutes later, off a mistake from keeper David de Gea, who let a weak speculative shot roll underneath his body and into the net.
"I have to say Lionel Messi is top quality and he was the difference of course. At 2-0 it was game over,” he said.
"He's different class, he and Cristiano Ronaldo are the best players of the last decade, everyone agrees on that one.
“Messi showed his quality.
"We have to aspire to get to that level of Barcelona, we can get there but we have loads of work to do.”

And the Norwegian’s compliments were echoed by Valverde after the game.
“Leo always appears in the important games," Valverde said.
"Not just to finish off the moves, but all over the pitch.
"He's involved in all our play. He gets the goals, but he also takes on responsibility in the attack.
“When he's playing like that, he's unstoppable."


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at April 16, 2019 0

Leo Messi goes for the Champions League. The Argentine was the great protagonist, with permission from David De Gea, of the meeting, which did not have much history. The Barça, four years later, returns to stand in the semifinals.
The Argentine appeared in the 16th minute to put the tie back on track. In the 20th, the culé captain, with the inestimable collaboration of the Spanish goalkeeper Manchester United, put the second with which he came to rest. Already in the second half, with everything resolved, Coutinho scored a goal of beautiful invoice to restore morale and send a hint to his critics with the celebration.
The '10' broke the gaffe that accompanied the azulgrana box and hit the table. He wants the Champions League and goes with everything. He has already understood that, if he wants to win the Golden Ball, it is a condition 'sine qua non' to raise the Orejona.
Leo is obsessed with regaining his throne and unseating Cristiano Ronaldo as the player with more gold balls in history, in addition to match in European Cups, with five.
In the long term, Messi also dreams of repeating the feat of CR7 at Real Madrid, as impossible as it seems: to be the kings of the World for three consecutive times. The leagues do not matter, if not the maximum continental competition. 
In Turin, Juventus de Ronaldo suffered against Ajax an unexpected defeat. The costumes of Barca did not lose any detail of what was happening in the Allianz Arena and saw how one of the favorites to win the championship was eliminated by the great revelation of the season.
Messi's message to Cristiano could not be more direct. He wants the Champions League and expects a rival in the final. Although yes, he has no doubts. If the 'Vecchia Signora' had arrived, the result would have been humiliating. Leo did not see Juve as the great candidate and believes that Barça would have passed the roller in the final. 
Liverpool waits in the semifinals already.

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at April 16, 2019 0

Barcelona will look to secure a place in the last four of the Champions League as they host Manchester United on Tuesday night.
The Catalan giants hold a 1-0 advantage from the first leg at Old Trafford in their quarter-final tie and are now considered strong favorites to complete the job at home.
However, United remain a threat as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side know that they can cause their rivals' problems after the first meeting, despite failing to register a shot on target.
With the pace, movement, and quality that they have in the final third though, they could be a handful on the counter-attack and that is something Barcelona will have to prepare for and nullify.
After being rested at the weekend, several key stalwarts are back in coach Ernesto Valverde’s squad, as seen in the club’s tweet below.
Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Gerard Pique were all absent in the draw with Huesca, but they all return for this crunch showdown.
Ousmane Dembele also gets the nod as he continues his recovery from an injury, and after featuring on Saturday, the Frenchman is ready to provide Valverde with another key option in attack to pose a different threat to the Red Devils.
The 21-year-old recovered to make the bench in the first leg, but having now got minutes under his belt after missing four consecutive La Liga games with a muscle injury, he’ll hope to play a more prominent role.
Based on the reaction below, it’s fair to say that many Barcelona fans are delighted to have him return to the fold, and they’ll hope that he can prove to be decisive to seal their place in the semi-finals having bagged 14 goals and eight assists in 36 games so far this season.
It’s a strong squad for Barcelona and Valverde, and few will go against them securing the result they need to advance.

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at April 16, 2019 0

MANCHESTER UNITED team news - what starting XI will take to the field against Barcelona this evening?

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has the difficult task of selecting a team capable of overturning a 1-0 deficit at the Camp Nou tonight.
Manchester United thwarted Barcelona well in the Champions League quarter-final first leg but was unable to punish a deep-lying defense.
A team built for the counter-attack, United should have more success going forward in Catalonia - but will also have more work to do in defense.
Solskjaer’s best results have come away from home - think Tottenham (0-1), Arsenal (1-3), Chelsea (0-2), Paris Saint-Germain (1-3) - and that has been because of his team’s ability to spring forward quickly after absorbing attacks.
In two of those wins, against Tottenham and Arsenal, Jesse Lingard played behind a front two, who would sometimes split to the wings, effectively making the energetic England international a false nine.
Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford did the business in the memorable comeback against PSG, from which Solskjaer is drawing inspiration, and you would expect the manager to stick with those two, despite it meaning Anthony Martial’s absence.
Solskjaer may well use Lingard similarly against Barcelona because he is as positionally-aware and hard-working defensively as he is offensive.
That would mean operating with the 4-3-1-2 formation which brought early success on the road.
Alexis Sanchez and Nemanja Matic are back from injury and with the squad but will surely not be thrust into a game of this magnitude without a minute’s preparation, despite the latter’s otherwise secured place at the base of midfield.
Fred has emerged as a trusted player under Solskjaer since Matic’s injury and played well as the holding midfielder against Barcelona last week.
He could anchor a three-man midfield with Paul Pogba on his left and Scott McTominay, who made a standout performance in the first leg, on the right.
McTominay was rested against West Ham on the weekend, presumably priming the academy graduate for tonight. Ander Herrera remains sidelined.

In defense, Luke Shaw is suspended, opening up a spot at left-back.
The forgotten Marcos Rojo played 75 minutes in that position on the weekend, and it looked a practice-run before the main event tonight.
He is left-footed and, despite lacking the offensive threat of Shaw or Diogo Dalot, will be aggressive with Barcelona’s wide men, whatever degree that is to.
Taking all into account, Express Sport expects four changes from Saturday's Premier League match against West Ham, and two from the first leg.
Man Utd predicted line-up vs Barcelona: De Gea; Young, Smalling, Lindelof, Rojo; McTominay, Fred, Pogba; Lingard; Lukaku, Rashford.
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at April 14, 2019 0

LIONEL MESSI will be fit for Barcelona’s Champions League quarter-final second leg with Manchester United despite taking a blow from Chris Smalling.

Messi was left bloodied and bruised after the United defender clattered into him during the first leg at Old Trafford.
That was after the Argentinian had set up Luis Suarez to head in, via a deflection off Luke Shaw, as Barcelona earned a crucial 1-0 lead to take back to the Nou Camp.
But the blow left Messi looking out of sorts, and he failed to have his usual impact for the rest of the game.
Messi was left out as Barcelona faced Huesca in La Liga on Saturday, with a number of other stars rested.
But Barca boss Ernesto Valverde has revealed Messi has recovered from his clash with Smalling.
“I spoke to him and he is fine, but it was a hard knock,” Valverde said.
“He wasn’t feeling good the day after nor during the rest of the match.
“It was like a truck had run over him.”
Manchester United ace Smalling caught Messi in the face with an arm as the two challenged for an aerial ball.
And the duo spoke after the game, with no hard feelings between the pair.
“Yeah, we spoke after,” Smalling said. “I didn’t realize at the time actually that I caught him like that.
“But, after the game we just had a brief chat, shook and hands and he said ‘yeah, it was an accident’.
“[I spoke to] Suarez after as well. We had a good tussle and he just shook my hand after and we said good luck.
“It’s nice when you can have that battle on the pitch and then there’s full respect after the game.

We started sloppy and a bit nervous. After their goal we settled and played well.
"We had very good individual performances in midfield. At times it felt like a proper United team - the crowd were behind us, we got out wide and got crosses in.
"We didn't start great, but it was a great goal and movement from Messi and Suarez but they're fortunate it comes off Luke Shaw.
“It's a blow but we settled well. We're still in this tie."

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at April 13, 2019 0

LIONEL MESSI holds no ill feeling towards Chris Smalling after the Manchester United defender left him bloodied and bruised at Old Trafford - insisting he KNEW it was an accident.

Smalling caught the Barcelona star in the face with his arm as the two challenged for an aerial ball in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Messi was unusually quiet but still managed to have the last laugh as he played a key role in the only goal of the game that saw Luke Shaw turn past into his own net.
It was a feisty affair between two European heavyweights and Smalling was involved in incidents with both Messi and his Barca team-mate Luis Suarez.
However, he insists there is no problem between the players and revealed they discussed it after the game.
“Yeah, we spoke after,” Smalling said. “I didn’t realize at the time actually that I caught him like that.
“But, after the game we just had a brief chat, shook and hands and he said ‘yeah, it was an accident’.
“[I spoke to] Suarez after as well. We had a good tussle and he just shook my hand after and we said good luck.
“It’s nice when you can have that battle on the pitch and then there’s full respect after the game.
Ultimately you’re just trying to do your best and enjoy the game.”
United will go into the second leg next Tuesday as big underdogs as they need to score at least once at the Nou Camp.
However, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes there were positives to take from a game in which United was not overawed by one of the favorites to win the competition outright.
"There were pluses and negatives,” the Norwegian said.

We started sloppy and a bit nervous. After their goal we settled and played well.
"We had very good individual performances in midfield. At times it felt like a proper United team - the crowd were behind us, we got out wide and got crosses in.
"We didn't start great, but it was a great goal and movement from Messi and Suarez but they're fortunate it comes off Luke Shaw.
“It's a blow but we settled well. We're still in this tie."
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at April 12, 2019 0

MANCHESTER UNITED manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer muttered just eight words to Lionel Messi after the Argentine laid on the goal which succumbed United to a 1-0 home loss against Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

Messi was silenced for most of the game at Old Trafford, largely due to a bloody nose which the forward sustained after a reckless aerial challenge from behind by Chris Smalling.
Barcelona’s talisman had to leave the field for treatment before returning with blood somehow smeared around his eye, but the bloodied magician’s work had already been done.
After untypically miss controlling an incisive chipped pass from Sergio Busquets, Messi curled a pinpoint cross to Luis Suarez at the back post and Manchester United’s old foe headed into Luke Shaw, whose torso diverted the ball in.
Solskjaer was seen talking with Messi after the final whistle but the United manager brushed off the significance of the chat.
Asked what he said to Messi, Solskjaer replied: "'All the best and see you next week'. That's it."
United now face the daunting task of overturning the deficit at the Nou Camp next Tuesday, where Barcelona have not lost in the competition since September 2013.
United thwarted Barcelona well for the majority of the game but lacked potency in the final third.
Doing the same, especially to Messi, in Catalonia next week will be a different kettle of fish, but Solskjaer was pleased with how his team coped last night.

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at April 12, 2019 0


Fred and Diogo Dalot had words of encouragement for United’s fans after the loss to Barcelona.
David de Gea sent a message after the match too. What he was talking about is unclear.
The Spaniard fired off a short tweet to supporters almost a full 24 hours after the 1-0 defeat.



 De Gea’s message simply read ‘Focus on the essentials’, with a picture of him walking off the pitch at Old Trafford.

What does it mean?

With De Gea’s contract status the subject of ongoing speculation, unclear messages like this can take on hidden meaning.
United fans are worried he does not want to re-sign. The Mail report he wants a reported £350,000 per week.
Earlier this week we called on him to step up against Barcelona and make an indisputable case he deserves it.
He could do nothing about the own goal and later stepped up to save a goalbound shot from Philippe Coutinho. It’s likely he will be busier in the second leg.
The defeat was United’s fourth in the last five games, with two against Wolves, one to Arsenal and now Barcelona.
We face West Ham this weekend in a must win the game at Old Trafford. De Gea may simply be calling for United to ‘go back to basics’ and get back to winning ways.
After all, no matter how much you earn per week, nobody likes losing.

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at April 11, 2019 0

Paul Pogba believes that, in Barcelona, Manchester United saw a team they can beat last night, despite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side needing a memorable comeback to rescue their Champions League campaign.
United must overturn a 1-0 deficit at the Nou Camp next Tuesday if they are to reach the semi-finals of the competition following their first-leg defeat at Old Trafford.
Luke Shaw's 12th-minute own goal proved to be the difference between the two sides in a game low on quality and clear-cut chances.
United reached this year's quarter-finals thanks to one of their greatest European results, overturning a 2-0 home leg deficit to qualify on away goals against Paris Saint-Germain.

And Pogba, who missed the 3-1 victory in Paris last month through suspension, believes Barcelona are so strong that another turnaround is impossible.
“Of course, we saw a team we can beat," he said. "If you don’t believe that then you just let them go through. We believe we can beat them. 

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