Borussia Dortmund 3 Malaga 2 (agg 3-2) – match report

Posted on April 10, 2013 by adminsports

Dortmund 3 Malaga 2 (agg 3-2): Klopp's side complete stunning comeback with injury- time double

PUBLISHED:

20:41 GMT, 9 April 2013

UPDATED:

00:04 GMT, 10 April 2013

Borussia Dortmund came back from the dead to book their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League with a quite unbelievable victory over Malaga at Signal Iduna Park.

The German side's run in the competition appeared to be as good as over after Eliseu's strike in the 82nd minute made it 2-1 to Malaga and left the hosts needing two goals to progress after last week's first leg ended goalless.

Marco Reus breathed life into Jurgen Klopp's side with a close-range finish in the first minute of stoppage time but there was even greater drama to come as Dortmund pressed on in search of a third goal, which duly arrived with seconds remaining as Felipe Santana scrambled home.

Back from the brink: Borussia Dortmund completed a stunning comeback with two goals in injury time

Jubilation: Dortmund players celebrate their remarkable win

Bundle: The German side looked dead and buried when Eliseu put Malaga 2-1 ahead with eight minutes left

Gutted: Malaga's Antunes shows his dejection as Dortmund fans celebrate

Hero: Winning goalscorer Felipe Santana

Give me a hug! Jurgen Klopp and Santana

Stunning: Dortmund fans unveiled this spectacular banner ahead of kick off

Magnificent: The message on the banner read: 'On the trail of the lost cup'

MATCH FACTS

Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Subotic, Felipe Santana, Schmelzer, Gundogan (Hummels 86), Bender (Sahin 72), Blaszcykowski (Schieber 72), Gotze, Reus,
Lewandowski. Subs Not Used: Langerak, Kehl, Leitner, Grosskreutz.

Booked: Bender, Schmelzer.

Goals: Lewandowski 40, Felipe Santana 90, Reus 90.

Malaga: Willy, Jesus Gamez, Demichelis, Sergio Sanchez, Antunes, Joaquin (Francisco Portillo 87), Toulalan, Camacho, Duda (Eliseu 74), Isco, Julio Baptista (Santa Cruz 83). Subs Not Used: Kameni, Lugano, Saviola, Piazon.

Booked: Jesus Gamez, Toulalan.

Goals: Joaquin 25, Eliseu 82.

Att: 65,000

Ref: Craig Thomson (Scotland).

Joaquin's 25th-minute opener for
Manuel Pellegrini's visitors was cancelled out by Robert Lewandowski's
superbly crafted goal five minutes before the break, but that was mere
prelude to the drama – and acrimony – that was to come after the break.

Both Eliseu's strike for Malaga and
Santana's third for Dortmund should both have been ruled out for
offside, as the officiating team led by Scotland's Craig Thomson ensured
this memorable contest would also be tainted by controversy.

Dortmund's players and fans will
probably not lose too much sleep over the shortcomings of the officials,
with the frenzied delight of the home contingent starkly contrasted by
Malaga's crestfallen players, who as the final whistle blew clearly were
struggling to comprehend how they had been turned over.

A nervy opening was perhaps
understandable with so much riding on the result, and it took until the
16th minute for the first effort on goal to arrive as Lewandowski sent a
chipped effort sailing over the bar.

Ahead: Joaquin gave Malaga the lead after 25 minutes in Germany

After failing to produce a shot on
target in the first quarter of the match, Malaga went ahead courtesy of
their first meaningful attack.

Julio Baptista started the move with a
pass into Joaquin, who exchanged passes with Isco before selling his
marker a dummy and sending a low finish into the left corner.

Reus saw a shot charged down in the
37th minute as Dortmund searched for a way back, but the home fans did
not have much longer to wait for the breakthrough as the hosts conjured a
goal of real class five minutes before the break.

Away goals advantage: Joaquin's strike left Dortmund needing to score twice to advance

Mario Gotze's incisive forward pass
was backheeled beyond the Malaga backline by Reus into the path of
Lewandowski, who expertly dinked the ball over the sprawling Willy
Caballero before tucking the ball home under pressure from Jesus Gamez.

The second half began with a bang with both sides going close to adding to the scoring inside three minutes.

First Lewandowski was afforded time to
take aim from the edge of the area but Caballero got down to save,
while two minutes later Roman Weidenfeller produced a fine reflex stop
to deflect away Joaquin's downward header.

Reliable: Robert Lewandowski brought Dortmund level in the 40th minute

Leading from the front: Lewandowski celebrates his goal at Signal Iduna Park

The hosts were given a let-off when
Marcel Schmelzer appeared to raise his hands to the face of Gamez amid a
tussle by the touchline, but rather inexplicably it was the Malaga man
who went into the referee's book.

The home fans were on their feet in
the 75th minute ready to acclaim a goal as the unmarked Reus looked to
turn home a low centre from six yards but Caballero's trailing leg was
in the right place as the Malaga number one made a wonderful save.

Caballero was again the hero for the
visitors in the 79th minute as Gotze was played clean through but the
goalkeeper flicked out a leg to deflect the ball inches wide of the
post.

Caballero's heroics looked set to be
the cornerstone of a famous win when three minute later Malaga went 2-1
up as Baptista's goalbound shot was turned home by Eliseu from almost on
the goalline, despite the substitute having strayed offside.

All over Eliseu's goal with eight minutes remaining looked to have sealed Malaga's place in the semis

No way back Eliseu left the German side needing to score two more goals in the closing minutes

The match appeared to be destined to
end in Malaga's favour as added time arrived, but all that changed when
Dortmund were awarded a free-kick 40 yards from goal.

Caballero was helpless to deny
Dortmund yet again as woeful defending from the set-piece saw the ball
break to Reus to fire in from close range.

The hosts still needed a goal to progress to the last four, and incredibly it arrived in the third minute of added time.

The officials failed to spot three
Dortmund players in offside positions when the ball was launched into
the area, but when the ball broke to Santana – also in an offside
position on the goal-line – he had no hesitation in blasting home to
trigger scenes of disbelieving delight at Signal Iduna Park.

Turnaround: Santana bundled home a winner from close range in injury time for Dortmund

Dubious: Santana was arguably offside when he scored from less than one yard

Dortmund

Delight: Santana runs off in celebration of his dramatic winner

Pitch invasion: Dortmund head coach Klopp leaps with delight at the final whistle

Joy: Santana is congratulated by Dortmund players and head coach Klopp

PS – Sorry Jurgen, your comeback doesn't beat the 1999 final

Dortmund's stunning comeback was thrilling, but it can't hold a flame to the famous night in Barcelona when Manchester United yanked the Champions League trophy out of Bayern Munich's hands at the death.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side were facing defeat in the face after Mario Basler's sixth-minute free-kick kept the sides apart until the final moments, when Teddy Sheringham swept home in the 91st minute followed two minutes later by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

History boys: Manchester United's triumph over Bayern Munich cannot be beaten for late drama

Dortmund 3 Malaga 2 (agg 3-2) – match report

Posted on April 10, 2013 by adminsports

Dortmund 3 Malaga 2 (agg 3-2): Klopp's side complete stunning comeback with injury- time double

PUBLISHED:

20:41 GMT, 9 April 2013

UPDATED:

21:11 GMT, 9 April 2013

Borussia Dortmund scored two goals in injury-time to complete a stunning 3-2 comeback win against Malaga and advance to the Champions League semi-finals.

Joaquin put the visitors ahead in the 25th minute but Polish striker Robert Lewandowski brought the Germans level five minutes before the break.

Jurgen Klopp's side threw everything they had at the Spanish side in an attempt to score a second goal that would sent them through.

But Dortmund left themselves exposed at the back and Eliseu looked to have sent Malaga into the semi-finals when he turned the ball home to put his team 2-1 ahead with eight minutes to play.

However, Marco Reus and Felipe Santana both scored in injury time as Jurgen Klopp's men pulled off an incredible turnaround and book their place in the last four.

More to follow

Back from the brink: Borussia Dortmund completed a stunning comeback with two goals in injury time

MATCH FACTS

Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Subotic, Felipe Santana, Schmelzer, Gundogan (Hummels 86), Bender (Sahin 72), Blaszcykowski (Schieber 72), Gotze, Reus,
Lewandowski.

Subs Not Used: Langerak, Kehl, Leitner, Grosskreutz.

Booked: Bender, Schmelzer.

Goals: Lewandowski 40, Felipe Santana 90, Reus 90.

Malaga: Willy, Jesus Gamez, Demichelis, Sergio Sanchez, Antunes, Joaquin (Francisco Portillo 87), Toulalan, Camacho, Duda (Eliseu 74), Isco, Julio Baptista (Santa Cruz 83).

Subs Not Used: Kameni, Lugano, Saviola, Piazon.

Booked: Jesus Gamez, Toulalan.

Goals: Joaquin 25, Eliseu 82.

Att: 65,000

Ref: Craig Thomson (Scotland).

Ahead: Joaquin gave Malaga the lead after 25 minutes in Germany

Ahead: Joaquin gave Malaga the lead after 25 minutes in Germany

Away goals advantage: Joaquin's strike left Dortmund needing to score twice to advance

Away goals advantage: Joaquin's strike left Dortmund needing to score twice to advance

Reliable: Robert Lewandowski brought Dortmund level in the 40th minute

Leading from the front: Lewandowski celebrates his goal at Signal Iduna Park

All over Eliseu's goal with eight minutes remaining looked to have sealed Malaga's place in the semis

No way back Eliseu left the German side needing to score two more goals in the closing minutes

Turnaround: Felipe Santana bundled home a winner from close range in injury time for Dortmund

Dubious: Santana was arguably offside when he scored from less than one yard

Dortmund

Delight: Santana runs off in celebration of his dramatic winner

Pitch invasion: Dortmund head coach Jurgen Klopp leaps with delight at the final whistle

Joy: Santana is congratulated by Dortmund players and head coach Klopp

Andy Murray, Jessica Ennis and Sebastian Coe win at Laureus Awards

Posted on March 12, 2013 by adminsports

Ennis, Murray and Coe honoured at Laureus Awards ceremony in Rio after stunning year for British sport

party just a little while longer.

British athletes, past and present, dominated at the Laureus World Sports awards in Rio de Janeiro on Monday night, as the world of international sport gathered at a glittering ceremony to celebrate an unforgettable year.

Britain may have handed over the Olympic and Paralympic flames to the 2016 host city, but the memory of London 2012 still burnt particularly bright 6,000 miles away in south America on Monday night.

Congratulations: Track and field athlete Jessica Ennis receives her award for 'Laureus Sportswomen of the Year' as presenters Nadia Comaneci and Eva Longoria look on

Couldn't make it: Andy Murray accepts his award on video because he was in Indian Wells to face Evgeny Donskoy

Ennis

Actress Maggie Cheung with Laureus Academy Member Martina Navratilova announce Andy Murray as the winner of 'Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year'

The winners…

World Sportsman of the Year – Usain Bolt

World Sportswoman of the Year – Jessica Ennis

World Breakthrough of the Year – Andy Murray

World Comeback of the Year – Felix Sanchez

World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability – Daniel Dias

Laureus Academy Exceptional Achievement Award – Michael Phelps

Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award – Sebastian Coe

World Team of the Year – European Ryder Cup Team

World Action Sportsperson of the Year – Felix Baumgarter

Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis was crowned World Sportswoman of the Year, while Andy Murray won World Breakthrough and Sebastian Coe received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Ian Poulter also accepted the Team of the Year prize on behalf of his European Ryder Cup team-mates.

Tony Blair called Lord Coe one of the ‘giants of British sport’ as the chairman of the London 2012 organising committee and double Olympic champion received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Edwin Moses and was honoured with a standing ovation.

‘I’m surrounded by the most extraordinary group of people, global icons,’ said Lord Coe, ‘and I realise that there is a commonality in the unshakeable belief we have in sport and the fact it transforms lives. This is extraordinary. I’m very, very flattered.’

Ennis beat off competition from fellow Olympic track and field gold medallists Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Allyson Felix, swimmer Missy Franklin, skier Lindsey Vonn and tennis star Serena Williams to win her award, which was presented by former gymnast Nadia Comanechi.

A few hours earlier in a luxurious Rio hotel, Ennis had been discussing her shock and sadness at the closure of Don Valley Stadium in her hometown of Sheffield. Yet she looked equally composed collecting her award at the city’s dramatic Theatro Muncipal last night, during her 36-hour trip to the city in which she will aim to defend her Olympic title in three years’ time. We all know about the extraordinary pressure Ennis was under as the poster girl of London 2012, but it was poignant to see how the sporting world has realised it, too.

‘There was a lot of pressure in London,’ she said. ‘I looked back to what Cathy Freeman achieved in Sydney in 2000 (winning the 400 metres) and I really wanted to emulate that. I have incredible support from my friends and family and I was able to do it.’

Seb Coe

Usain Bolt

Triumphant: Lord Sebastian Coe (above) won the Laureus Lifetime Achievement award while Usain Bolt (right and below) was crowned World Sportsman of the Year

Victory: Usain Bolt

The winners are chosen by the Laureus Sports Academy, comprising 46 of the ‘greatest living sportsmen and sportswomen’, including Sir Bobby Charlton, Daley Thompson and Sir Steve Redgrave, who were all in Rio. Double Olympic decathlon champion Thompson, however, was the only Academy member in a T-Shirt and tracksuit.

Thompson said: ‘Jessica’s performance was majestic. She had the whole weight of the country’s expectation on her shoulders. Despite that, she certainly delivered.

‘She not only produced a wonderful display in her events but she gave the British team an enormous lift. Jessica showed she could win a gold medal, so everyone who followed her also felt they could do it as well.’

Murray was another British winner, receiving the Laureus Breakthrough award after winning Olympic gold and silver and his first Grand Slam at the US Open champion last September.

The Scot, 25, did not attend the ceremony owing to playing commitments in Indian Wells, but said: ‘It was an amazing year: my first Grand Slam in New York and two medals at the Olympics in my home country.

Chit chat: Usian Bolt talks to Laureus Academy Member Michael Johnson as he accepts his award

Laureus Academy Chairman Edwin Moses hands the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award to Coe

Acceptance: Bolt takes his award from Michael Johnson, while Laureus Academy chairman Edwin Moses hands the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award to Coe

Seb Coe with his trophy

'I would have taken that at the start of the year, that’s for sure. Winning an award like this will definitely make me more determined to come back and do better in 2013.’

A video was shown of Poulter receiving the Team of the Year award to mark Europe’s thrilling comeback to win the Ryder Cup.

‘With the legends in sport that have voted for us, it truly is a special trophy to put our hands on,’ he said.

Redgrave presented Michael Phelps with
the inaugural Exceptional Achievement Award, while Mark Spitz also paid
the American a tribute via video link. Phelps, though, was emphatic he
has no intention of trying to add to his 22 Olympic medals in Rio in
2016.

Other winners included
Usain Bolt, who won gold in the 100m, 200m and 4 x 100m relay in London
and became Sportsmen of the Year for the third time, and Felix Sanchez,
the Olympic 400m hurdles champion in 2012 – eight years after his
Olympic title in Athens.

Brazilian
swimmer Daniel Dias, who won six individual gold medals at the
Paralympic Games, fended off competition from Britain’s David Weir to
win Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability. Austrian skydiver Felix
Baumgarter, who became the first human to go through the sound barrier
when he completed a 24-mile free fall over New Mexico in October, was
named World Action Sportsperson of the Year.

Nice work: Michael Phelps poses with the Laureus Academy Exceptional Achievement Award in the winners studio at Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro

Rabobank ends cycling sponsorship

Posted on October 19, 2012 by adminsports

Rabobank rocks cycling as long-term sponsor withdraws backing, claiming sport is 'no longer clean and fair'

UPDATED:

08:49 GMT, 19 October 2012

Dutch bank Rabobank will end their sponsorship of professional cycling from December 31 following the Lance Armstrong doping revelations.

The United States Anti-Doping Agency last week published an extensive report into allegations against Armstrong, concluding that he engaged in 'serial cheating' and his US Postal Service team ran 'the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen'.

Bad sign: The Rabobank withdrawl is the latest blow to cycling on the back of the Lance Armstrong scandal

Bert Bruggink, a member of Rabobank's managing board, said: 'It is with pain in our heart, but for the bank this is an inevitable decision.

'We are no longer convinced that the international professional world of cycling can make this a clean and fair sport. We are not confident that this will change for the better in the foreseeable future.

'Cycling is a beautiful sport, which millions of Dutch people enjoy and a large number of those Dutch people are clients of Rabobank.

Beyond repair: The Lance Armstrong revelations have rocked professional cycling

'But our decision stands: we are pulling out of professional cycling. It is painful. Not just for Rabobank, but especially for the enthusiasts and the cyclists who are not to blame in this.'

A statement on rabosport.com confirmed that the firm will continue with its sponsorship deals in amateur cycling but will sever ties with both their men's and women's professional teams.

The Rabobank team have accrued 23 Tour de France stage wins since their sponsorship began in 1996, most recently by Luis Leon Sanchez in Saint-Flour in 2011.

They looked set for overall victory in 2007 when Michael Rasmussen won nine stages, but the Dane was then withdrawn from the race and sacked by the team after lying about his whereabouts when he missed drug tests in the build-up to the tour.

Rasmussen served a two-year ban, returning in July 2009.

Downfall: Armstrong has been dropped by his own sponsors

Denis Menchov won two Vuelta a Espana titles for the team, in 2005 and 2007, as well as the 2009 Giro d'Italia, while Sanchez won this year's Paris-Nice.

The Spaniard was part of a Tour de France squad this year which largely consisted of homegrown Dutch riders, along with Australian Mark Renshaw and Belgium's Maarten Wynants.

They finished 14th in the team standings with Steven Kruijswijk third in the race for the leading young rider's white jersey, Sanchez eighth in the points standings and Laurens ten Dam 28th in the general classification.

Their current women's team includes Marianne Vos, who won Olympic road race gold for Holland ahead of Great Britain's Lizzie Armitstead in London this summer.

The Rabobank statement added: 'Rabobank started its involvement in cycling 17 years ago, full of conviction and with a clear mission.

'Rabobank has expanded the cycling sponsorship during the course of the years to a complete package, from the men's and women's professional teams to the youth team and the cyclo cross.'

Wiped from history: A Lance Armstrong quote being taken down from US Olympic Training Centre

What Armstrong 'earned' in deals…

According to Forbes, Armstrong has a net worth of $125m. Sports
Illustrated data from 2004 and 2005 show Armstrong averaged $17m in
endorsements a year at the peak of his career. His total worth in
endorsements was worth $28m in 2007.
The
controversy means Armstrong is forecast to lose $50m in endorsements
over the next five years, in addition to the $7m he will have to pay
back annually during that time for past winnings.
He earns $150,000 per speaking engagement and does about 20 a year – they should be interesting now. Livestrong has raised over $470m for cancer research and distributed 84m wristbands worldwide.

Since the Armstrong scandal left a huge stain on cycling the Texan's downfall has been rapid.

First his long-term sponsors Nike pulled their backing with others following and he resigned as chairman of his Livestrong cancer charity on Wednesday.

Armstrong's shamed name is being wiped from US sports history as a quote that covered the walls of the US Olympic Training Centre was removed.

The quote from Armstrong's read: 'I was sure to come under heavy attack from my adversaries, but what they didn’t know was how specifically and hard I had trained for this part of the race. It was time to show them.'

The International Olympic Committee are considering stripping him of the bronze medal he won at the 2000 Sydney Games, a course of action that would involve rewriting their rule book to address cases more than eight years old.

Former England footballer Geoff Thomas, who was inspired by Armstrong to raise money for cancer charities through cycling, urged the Texan to come clean.

And sunglasses firm Oakley, another of Armstrong’s enduring commercial partners, said they were reviewing their involvement with the fallen idol. Trek Bicycle also terminated its contract with Armstrong.

LIVE: Barcelona v Real Madrid – El Clasico action as it happens

Posted on October 7, 2012 by adminsports

LIVE: Barcelona v Real Madrid – follow all the El Clasico action as it happens

UPDATED:

18:41 GMT, 7 October 2012

Sportsmail brings you live coverage of the first 'El Clasico' clash of the season between Spanish heavyweights Barcelona and Real Madrid at Camp Nou.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will be on show as hosts Barca look to stretch their eight-point lead over reigning La Liga champions Real.

HT: Barcelona 1 Real Madrid 1

Barcelona: Valdes; Alves (Montoya 28), Mascherano, Adriano, Alba; Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta; Fabregas, Messi, Pedro.

Subs not used: Pinto, Bartra, Song, Roberto, Sanchez, Villa.

Goal: Messi 31.

Booked: Pedro.

Real Madrid: Casillas; Arbeloa, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Khedira, Alonso; Ronaldo, Ozil, Di Maria; Benzema.

Subs not used: Adan, Albiol, Coentrao, Essien, Modric, Kaka, Higuain.

Goal: Ronaldo 23.

Booked: Alonso.

HALF-TIME: The referee brings to an end a rather scrappy yet immensely gripping first half. Madrid have picked off Barca extremely well on the break and had four glorious chances in the opening half an hour, only one of which was taken – by Ronaldo. Messi's equaliser came courtesy of a defensive howler from Pepe and kickstarted a spell of dominance for the hosts, though they have struggled to find the final ball and often been crowded out on the edge of Real's area. Both sides will be looking to improve in the second half – which promises to be a cracker.

43 mins: Apart their fine finishes, Ronaldo and Messi have both been very quiet tonight. It's been a midfield battle between the likes of Busquets and Alonso – who has just picked up Madrid's first card.

40 mins: Pedro is booked for catching Ramos with a high foot. /10/07/article-2214191-15661B28000005DC-967_634x382.jpg” width=”634″ height=”382″ alt=”Lone ranger: Ronaldo (left) celebrates his goal as his team-mates watch on” class=”blkBorder” />

Lone ranger: Ronaldo (left) celebrates his goal as his team-mates watch on

29 mins: Two corners in quick succession for Barca… it comes to nothing. The home side have really not been at the races so far tonight and are being picked off on the break with ease.

28 mins: Barca's defensive injury crisis worsens as Alves hobbles off to be replaced by young right back Martin Montoya.

27 mins: Real could be four up here. Will they be made to pay for their profligacy

25 mins: Sitter!!! Di Maria puts it on a plate for Benzema just 10 yards out but the striker fluffs his lines, the ball hitting his standing leg again and striking the post. It was practically an open goal!

Sitter: Ramos reacts after heading wide from 12 yards

GOAL!!! Barcelona 0 Real Madrid 1 (Ronaldo)

Who else… Real break with purpose, not for the first time, and Benzema slides in Ronaldo, who fires home low left-footed shot that beats Valdes at his near post. Alves should have shut him down quicker there and Valdes hardly covered himself in glory either.

21 mins: Iniesta has Barca's first shot in anger, curling high and wide from 20 yards out.

19 mins: Real force the first corner of the game… Miss!!! Ramos should have buried that – a free header on the penalty spot but it's wide.

15 mins: Unsurprisingly, Pepe is the first player to be found guilty of play-acting after he is caught on the ball by Fabregas – the big defender was lucky to get the free-kick there.

13 mins: Chance! Ozil finds Benzema at the back post cutting in from the right to cross but the big Frenchman completely miscues his volley, the ball hitting his standing leg and nearly going out for a throw in.

Protest: Those calling for Catalan independence show their support at Camp Nou

11 mins: Sergio Busquets is lucky to escape a booking as he pulls back a breaking Di Maria.

8 mins: Adriano is nearly caught dallying on the ball by Khedira on the edge of his box and he's rushed into a sliced clearance.

4 mins: Both teams have started at break-neck speed. Real look like giants out there against what is an even smaller than usual Barca line-up.

2 min: Adriano is indeed alongside Mascherano at the back. Ronaldo has started on the left for Real with Di Maria on the right.

1 min: Hold on to your hats, we're off…

6.48pm: Incredible scenes as 98,000 home fans hold aloft cards to display the image of Catalonia's La Senyera flag – this one is as politically-charged as they get.

High hopes: Roanldo is challenged by Dani Alves

6.46pm: A couple of interesting side-plots to the action on the pitch today are Jose Mourinho and Tito Vilanova squaring up for the first time and the Catalan independence protest that is set to take place throughout the game…

6.44pm: Real have no such injury problems and are able to field what is probably their strongest line-up. Expect Angel Di Maria, Mesut Ozil and Cristiano Ronaldo to interchange positions behind Karim Benzema, who will no doubt be asked to rough-up the lightweight centre back pairing of Mascherano and Adriano.

6.39pm: Barca, beset by injuries, are forced to line up Adriano – normally a left back or left winger – alongside Javier Mascherano at centre back. That move comes after captain Carles Puyol broke his arm in midweek, adding to a defensive injury list that already contained Gerard Pique and Eric Abidal.

6.34pm: Just six games into the season and this is already looking like a must-win for Real Madrid – defeat and they're 11 points behind their main rivals. They can take heart from the fact that they won here in the league last year though.

6.30pm: As I'm sure you all know our live coverage is centred around English Premier League clubs, but we've made an exception tonight as we bring you coverage of 'El Clasico'… can you blame us

Star performers: Barcelona's Messi (left) and Real's Ronaldo

Real Madrid have been hit by the return of the Cristiano Ronaldo sulk

Posted on September 17, 2012 by adminsports

Good news, City: Real Madrid have been hit by the return of the Ronaldo sulk

UPDATED:

21:49 GMT, 16 September 2012

Just before midnight on Saturday, in the relentless heat of the Spanish night, Cristiano Ronaldo shaped to take a free-kick in his usual fashion.

Three paces back. Legs a stride apart. Arms by his side. It is so familiar, we could see it in our sleep.

Seconds later the ball was in the crowd behind the goal at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. The shot had not remotely threatened Sevilla goalkeeper Andres Palop and, it transpired, was the final kick of another demoralising, confusing night for Ronaldo and his Real Madrid team.

Brooding Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and his Real Madrid team have been beaten in two of four La Liga matches

When the final whistle blew at 1-0 – Real's second defeat in only four La Liga games – Ronaldo left the pitch hastily, rubbing his bleeding left forearm to accentuate, once again, the physical suffering he felt he had endured from his opponents.

For him, it was one of those nights. Those of us who have watched him dozens of times for Madrid, Portugal and Manchester United, recognise the signs of discontent immediately.

Ronaldo, by nature, is a brooder. Despite the flamboyant nature of his football, he withdraws when things are not going well.

About 45 minutes later, he walked briskly through the interview area without pause. His features dark, still he rubbed that left arm.

He was red around the eyes and looked as though he had been crying. We can only presume that he had not. Within Jose Mourinho's team, Ronaldo is not the only problem.

After this defeat, the Madrid coach accused his players of not wishing to suffer enough. He bemoaned his team's lamentable defending.

'At the moment, I don't even have a team,' said Mourinho. Undoubtedly, though, Ronaldo's publicly declared unhappiness is at the heart of the malaise.

Having announced a fortnight ago he felt unloved and sad (maybe he had been crying, after all), he looks less of a talisman and more of a burden.

We have all seen the best and the worst of the 27-year-old over the years, of course. On Saturday, we saw only the ugly side.

Not his day: Ronaldo had a disappointing match against Sevilla ahead of Real's clash with Manchester City

During the first 15 minutes, Ronaldo tumbled to the ground five times. It set a pattern. He clashed off the ball with Fernando Navarro, Gary Medel and Emir Spahic.

There was not a lot of dignity involved. In the second half, pinned to the left side by the introduction of a second Madrid striker Karim Benzema, his influence waned further.

Occasionally, he shot from distance but it was selfish, wasteful football and when the fourth official – mistakenly, it turned out – held up his number for substitution with half an hour left, nobody was surprised.

Ronaldo rarely plays good football when he is not relaxed. He looks under pressure – even if it is of his own making – and that is only encouraging news for Manchester City ahead of Tuesday night's Champions League meeting.

Back on home turf on Tuesday, Ronaldo will strain to impress. He always does against English teams and on really big occasions. Often, though, the strain clouds his vision and complicates his decisions.

Mourinho certainly knows he has a problem. When asked on Saturday night about the relationship between Ronaldo's mood and the team's performance, he answered at length even if it was all rather cryptic. 'I do not think it has anything to do with it,' he said.

Unhappy camper: Jose Mourinho said he would have made seven changes on Saturday, were he allowed to

'Today's match was no different from those against Getafe and Granada, which we won.

'So I don't think that the rumours of the last couple of weeks have anything to do with it. It is about a state of mind and of two or three who aren't thinking like the rest.

'They are the minds of players who are not committed and for whom football is not a priority in their lives. There aren't many involved and it's complicated, but I'm coach and if there are those less committed, then it is my fault.'

We can only guess at the identity of Mourinho's private scapegoats, although the fact that Angel di Maria and Mesut Ozil were hauled off at half-time may provide a clue.

'If I could have made seven changes, I would have,' added Mourinho.

'From the first to the last minute, we were poor. In the first minute, they scored a goal from a corner. 'This shows me the image of my team, lacking concentration, without being mentally prepared to suffer. At this time, my team isn't up to scratch.'

A poor man's Mario Ronaldo's brooding and melodrama was reminiscent of City's Balotelli (centre)

Mourinho's summation was accurate. The goal his team conceded in the second minute here – Piotr Trochowski volleying in unmarked from a corner – was as deflating for Madrid as it was uplifting for the home supporters. What is more, it set the tone.

Madrid enjoyed a lot of possession but attacked without fluency and defended poorly.

There were exceptions – Xabi Alonso and the dangerous attacking left back Marcelo – but they were few.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, was often peripheral. Too much posturing and not enough football.

On Sunday, the influential Marca newspaper described him as being 'less like Cristiano than ever'.

Certainly, on nights like this, he looks less a Ballon d'Or candidate and more a poor man's Mario Balotelli.

Barcelona maintain perfect start but Real Madrid crash again

Posted on September 16, 2012 by adminsports

Barcelona maintain perfect start but Real Madrid crash again

UPDATED:

22:42 GMT, 15 September 2012

Lionel Messi climbed off the bench to score twice while his fellow substitute David Villa was again on the mark as Barcelona continued their 100 per cent start to the new Primera Division season with a 4-1 victory over Getafe on Saturday.

Adriano capitalised on good work by Cesc Fabregas to notch a 32nd-minute opener before the visitors added three more goals in the final 16 minutes to seal their fourth win in four league outings.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi

Hard to handle: Barcelona's Lionel Messi

Messi doubled the lead from the penalty spot before the Argentina ace made it 3-0 four minutes later. Getafe pulled a goal back through Pablo Sarabia's deflected strike but Villa had the final word with a brilliant piece of finishing in stoppage time to complete the scoring.

Getafe came into the game on the back of victory over defending champions Real Madrid who sank to a successive defeat, losing 1-0 at Sevilla to fall eight points behind Barca.

Piotr Trochowski lashed home after 69 seconds and Madrid could not find a response, instead counting themselves lucky that not one but two of their players avoided red cards that could easily have been shown to Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria in separate incidents.

Madrid had scored 12 goals combined in their last two visits to Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, but only fleetingly threatened the goal here as they looked lost in their own uncertainties for long periods.

Perfect 10: Messi celebrates with after scoring

Valencia earned their first league victory at the fourth time of asking after easing past newly-promoted Celta Vigo 2-1 at the Mestalla.

Sofiane Feghouli gave Valencia an early lead and although Celta equalised soon after through Michael Krohn-Delhi, the hosts claimed the points thanks to Aly Cissokho's 50th-minute winner.

Valencia, who have finished third in each of the last three seasons, had only managed to pick up two points from a tough start to the campaign which included trips to big two Real and Barca.

Malaga maintained their unbeaten start to the league campaign with a comfortable 3-1 win over Levante thanks to goals from Javier Saviola, Joaquin and Francisco Portillo.

Not impressed: Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Sevilla's Fernando Navarro

Saviola deservedly put the hosts in front after 26 minutes with a simple finish from Isco's fine through ball, but Levante were level a minute after half-time when Michel thundered in from outside the area.

However, Malaga's lead was restored 12 minutes later when Saviola's cute pass found Joaquin free inside the area and his calm finish gave Gustavo Munua no chance.

And, despite losing Sergio Sanchez to a second yellow card three minutes from time, Portillo sealed all three points with a controlled volley in the last action of the match.

Gloom: Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo (L) and coach Jose Mourinho

Brave Zanardi clinches medal number three with silver in team cycling relay

Posted on September 9, 2012 by adminsports

Brave Zanardi clinches medal number three with silver in team cycling relay

UPDATED:

22:22 GMT, 8 September 2012

Alex Zanardi had to settle for silver on the final day of cycling competition at the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Brands Hatch.

The 45-year-old ex-Formula One driver won individual time-trial and road race gold, but in the mixed H1-4 team relay, Italy's three-person team finished behind the United States as Marianna Davis won her third gold of the Games in combination with Matthew Updike and Oscar Sanchez.

Alessandro Zanardi of Italy competes in the Mixed H 1-4 relay

Stunning achievement: Alessandro Zanardi, who lost both legs in a motor racing accident, has now won three medals at London 2012

Zanardi, Francesca Fenocchio and Vittorio Podesta were second, with Switzerland's Jean-Marc Berset, Ursula Schwaller and Heinz Frei third.

'Once again, I am speechless,' Zanardi said.

'You know, when you achieve something on your own it is great, but winning as a team is even better.'

Alessandro Zanardi of Italy celebrates winning the Silver Medal in the Mixed H 1-4 Cycling Team Relay

Time for a break: The former F1 driver says he is looking forward to returning to normal life

As for his future, Zanardi added: 'It is perfectly fine for me to go back to normal life, take my son to school, things like that.

'But if along the way there will be a chance to light some more firecrackers, I won't hold myself back. It would be a shame to miss opportunities.'

Davis was thrilled with her performances.

'I came here for three golds and I got them,' she said. 'This was the one I was most nervous about, you don't want to let your team-mates down.

'I knew it was going to be a tough race, there's some really good teams.

'It was a really good competition, it was great the whole way through.'

Italy's Ivano Pizzi and his pilot Lucca Pizzi won the 104km men's tandem road race.

The Pizzi brothers finished five seconds ahead of Krzysztof Kosikowski and his pilot Artur Korc of Poland.

Italy's Francesca Fenocchio (left), Vittorio Podesta and Alessandro Zanardi celebrate their Silver Medal in the Mixed H 1-4 Team Relay

Party time: Italy's Francesca Fenocchio, Vittorio Podesta and Alessandro Zanardi celebrate their silver medal in the mixed H 1-4 team relay

Two seconds further adrift were Slovakia's bronze medal-winning duo of Vladislav Janovjak and his pilot Robert Mitosinka.

Ivano
Pizzi said: 'It is an awesome feeling, I feel an immense happiness. I
told my brother 'It's now or never', and eventually we broke away from
the rest. It's a fantastic joy.'

Alessandro Zanardi of Italyraces in the Mixed H 1-4 Cycling Team Relay

Power house: Zanardi in action at Brands Hatch

Luca Pizzi added: 'It was a good race, it's a dream victory. Something I have always dreamt about, and now the dream came true.'

The corresponding women's event over
80km saw Canada's Robbi Weldon and her pilot Lyne Bessette win gold by
33secs from Spanish pair Josefa Benitez and Maria Noriega. Holland's
Katherin Goeken and Kim van Dijk claimed bronze in a sprint for third
place.

Bolton want Liverpool midfielder Jay Spearing

Posted on August 20, 2012 by adminsports

Bolton boss Coyle targets season-long loan for Liverpool midfielder Spearing

UPDATED:

21:30 GMT, 19 August 2012

Bolton manager Owen Coyle wants to take Liverpool midfielder Jay Spearing, 23, on loan for the season.

Spearing is surplus to requirements following the arrival of Joe Allen from Swansea.

Coyle looks to have missed out on another target, Carlos Sanchez from Valenciennes.

On the move Jay Spearing (right) is a target for Bolton boss Owen Coyle

London 2012 Olympics: Dai Greene fourth in 400m hurdles as Felix Sanchez wins

Posted on August 7, 2012 by adminsports

No medal for Greene as veteran Sanchez storms to hurdles gold

UPDATED:

06:36 GMT, 7 August 2012

Olympics 2012

After a valiant but belated charge, Dai Greene was slumped on the stadium floor, leaning on his hands, surveying his broken dream.

He had come fourth, beaten by men who for 300 metres of the 400m hurdles final were simply in another race.

The title went to the Dominican Republic’s Felix Sanchez, the 2004 gold medallist, with a season’s best 47.63sec. That is faster than Greene has ever run.

Sinking feeling: Greene (left) could not win a medal

This was a dose of harsh reality after
the euphoria of the glory that had gone before. Nobody could think that
Super Saturday with its three track and field gold medals could be
repeated. That was a one-off. People spend whole lifetimes waiting for
that.

But, still, Greene’s defeat was a blow for the British contingent
because he is a talisman: champion of Europe, champion of the world and
champion of the Commonwealth. He is also the team captain, a defiant
figure who prides himself on leading from the front.

Intermittently this season he had said he was fresh and always believed
himself to be the strongest finisher. Yet America’s Michael Tinsley was
second with Puerto Rico’s Javier Culson, who was previously unbeaten all
year, third. Greene had to dip for the line to pip Angelo Taylor to the
first non-medal place.

On the line: Sanchez (third left) celebrates as he crosses the line

On the line: Sanchez (third left) celebrates as he finishes

‘I’m just bitterly disappointed,’ said Greene. ‘I missed a lot of
training at the start of the year because of injury. I’ve run a personal
best this year but I guess when it comes to dealing with qualification
rounds in a championship it can be tough and that’s when it finds you
out. It may have cost me the two-10ths of a second I needed to get a
medal.

‘But I’m happy with the way the last few months have gone. I couldn’t have done any more. I gave 110 per cent tonight.

‘The crowd was fantastic. All my family were here somewhere. I hope, in
my role as captain, that everyone saw I gave 110 per cent. It’s been a
brilliant Olympics and I am proud to be part of it.’

Not to be: Greene reflects on a missed opportunity

The shaven-headed Greene has been described by Lord Coe as looking as if
he has just come out of solitary confinement when he steps on to the
track. He would not have been distracted by the myriad flashbulbs that
recorded Usain Bolt’s medal ceremony as the seconds ticked by to his
race.

He prowled along his lane, hands on hips. He was announced to the crowd.
He normally waves to them but this time he just swigged water and
stared ahead. It was business time. But, as he later admitted, he had
felt ‘tired in the warm-up area’.

The grey cloudy sky was turning black, the white triangles of the
stadium lights piercing ever stronger, as Greene settled into his blocks
in lane three. He was sandwiched by Americans – double world champion
Kerron Clement inside him and Taylor outside. The tall Culson, with that
languid stride, was in lane five.

Greene was slow starting – he is never the fastest – and was lying last
as they went round the bend. He surely had too much to do to get on
terms.

Second coming: Sanchez won the title in Athens in 2004

In truth, we knew he would struggle after watching him finish fourth in
his semi-final on Saturday night. He scraped through as one of the
fastest losers but his dejected state told of his deep fears about a
serious absence of winning form.

After that, how could we have expected more than he delivered last
night Disappointingly, he ran slower in the final, 48.24sec, than in
the semi, 48.18sec. He could not match Sanchez, who at 34 – yes, 34 –
ran the same time that won him the Olympic title eight years ago, before
breaking down in floods of tears on the podium.

Really, the road ran out for Greene long ago, except that he rightly
refused to accept the fact. He had surgery on his left knee last
December, though news of it remained a secret for months because he did
not want his rivals to know about his problems.

Because we worked together on his Sportsmail column, he told me on the
condition that I did not breathe a word. I did not. Nor did he. Malcolm
Arnold, his legendary coach, finally let the secret out. ‘I’m pleased in
a way,’ said Greene of Arnold’s revelation. ‘Malcolm would only have
said that in the press if he thought I was doing well.’ Up to a point,
it seems.

Tall order: Greene left himself with a lot to do in the final 200m

Arnold’s admiration for Greene is shared by his head coach. Charles van
Commenee said, when he made him captain: ‘Dai is everything you want. He
is a brilliant athlete, has a cast-iron mindset and a good sense of
humour.’

The laughter was in short supply last night but he is still a fierce competitor.

Greene, 26, immediately turned his attention to the future. ‘I’m not
ready to retire,’ he said emphatically. ‘It’s my first Olympics.

‘Four years ago, when I was watching Usain Bolt win in Beijing, I was
running 49.5sec. Look at the ages of the guys who have beaten me
tonight. I will go on to Brazil, definitely. I will come back stronger
from this.’

So on to Rio 2016 and redemption.

Sports Bound Guide

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