Pro Eleven Headline News
Chelsea need to qualify against Bordeaux: Scolari
Chelsea manager Luis Felipe Scolari underlined the importance of beating Bordeaux on Wednesday to seal their seventh straight appearance in the Champions League knockout stages with a game to spare.
The charismatic Brazilian knows last season's beaten finalists came unstuck in their last away match at AS Roma when they were thumped 3-1 and is not taking the French outsiders lightly.
"We need to qualify either tomorrow or against Cluj and reach the second round," he told a press conference here Tuesday.
"We had a chance against Roma and now we have a second chance. Myself and the players cannot wait for more chances and tomorrow (Wednesday) is the day."
The 60-year-old played down the defeat in Italy and says the group is still wide open with just a one point lead on Roma and Bordeaux with Cluj still in the hunt three points adrift.
"The game against Roma was a time when they were in crisis and it was a game that if they lost they were out of the competition. They played better than us 100 per cent.
"Look, what I know about Bordeaux is that they have very good players and the result in the first match was not a normal result.
"I know they are in fifth or sixth in France and they didn't start the competition very well but they have played well since and we respect this team and more. They have six points and we have only seven so there is no difference."
The Girondins have been hit by the late withdrawal of first choice goalkeeper Ulrich Rame who failed to recover from a hamstring injury which means the gloves will be handed to 25-year-old Matthieu Valverde.
Bordeaux are coming off back to back victories over Romanian newcomers CFR Cluj which has lifted them back into contention for a spot in the final 16 but have never beaten English opposition at home in European play.
They were beaten by Manchester United 2-1 in the 1999-2000 Champions League group phase and also lost 1-0 to Liverpool in the 2006-07 pool stage as well.
Their only point at home in European action came way back in the first round of the 1997-98 UEFA Cup first round when they battled Aston Villa to a 1-1 stalemate.
Scolari also made it clear his team are not thinking about Sunday's showdown with Arsenal in a top of the table Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge and says qualification is crucial and not especially winning the group.
"Myself and the players will not think about Arsenal until after the game tomorrow. If we start thinking about Arsenal, we might lose tomorrow.
"If we have the second leg in the Champions League at home in the next round that it's great but there are two things.
"In the past teams have won the second leg away from home and other times the home team has won but there is not a big difference. The most important thing is to qualify."
In-form striker Nicolas Anelka hopes to carry his hot touch in the Premier League onto the European stage where he has been misfiring so far in the competition.
"I may be need a bit of luck but the important thing is that we get the win and that the team pick up the three points or at least a draw," said the French forward.
"The game tomorrow will be a lot different from the first match at Stamford Bridge (Chelsea won 4-0) and we are expecting a very tough game." AFP
Anorthosis dream of last 16
Cypriot underdogs Anorthosis Famagusta will reach the Champions League last 16 later on Wednesday if they beat Werder Bremen at home and Group B leaders Inter Milan defeat Panathinaikos.
The competition newcomers can seal their shock progression with a game in hand and will be confident after holding the Germans to a 0-0 draw in Bremen in their first group game.
Inter, who drew 3-3 at Anorthosis last time out, need just a point at the San Siro to go through but coach Jose Mourinho is keen to finish top of the group following Saturday's morale-boosting 1-0 Serie A win over Juventus.
Roma visit Romania's CFR Cluj, who beat the Italians 2-1 away in their group opener, but neither can progress just yet.
Liverpool will have inspirational midfielder Steven Gerrard back from injury for the visit of Marseille while fellow Group D leaders Atletico Madrid host PSV Eindhoven. Wins would put the English and Spanish sides through while draws for both would also suffice.
Sporting entertain Barcelona in Group C with the two clubs already through to February's last 16. A victory for Barca in Lisbon would make sure they finish top of the group. Reuters
Manchester United and Villareal reach knock-out stages of Champions League
“It’s a happy place,” Paul McCartney once said of the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine. Well, the title of that song has since been co-opted as a nickname by Villarreal in honour of their bright yellow strip, but their El Madrigal stadium has become a decidedly unhappy place for Manchester United, who on Tuesday night staged a fourth successive 0-0 draw with the Spanish team to leave their plans of finishing top of Group E on hold, as both teams secured a place in the knock-out stages.
The spectacle of Manuel Pellegrini’s well-drilled, brightly-dressed side seems to stir apprehension in United and here was no exception. Nowhere was the sharp attacking edge normally associated with Sir Alex Ferguson, and when this result was juxtaposed with the goalless draw against Aston Villa questions have started to be raised about his strike force.
Rooney, after a searing spell for United and England, fell quiet in Villarreal and was thwarted in his quest for a 100th career goal at club level. As for Carlos Tevez, meant to have been handed a rare chance in the absence of Dimitar Berbatov, he did not even start – casting uncertainty over his future to Old Trafford as the club refuse to tie the Argentinian to a permanent deal.
Doubts for Ferguson ran deeper. The anonymity of Nani on the left wing created plenty of scope for Zoran Tosic, the £8 million-rated Serb whom United aim to sign in January transfer window and whose work permit they will try to secure on Friday. The one blank aspect of a barren evening for United was the performance of Cristiano Ronaldo, who recovered remarkably from an ankle injury to show real verve and endeavour. It was a pity his team-mates could not do the same.
Improbably, all the previous meetings between these two had ended goalless, although United’s urgency about wrapping up qualification from Group E ensured they had little appetite for a stalemate. It was 10 years to the day that they had drawn 3-3 with Barcelona in a display of great drive and dynamism, so they strove to be inspired by that instead.
Rooney, forced to lead the line, had to watch his step amid memories of an inglorious last appearance at El Madrigal in 2005, when he was sent off for sarcastically applauding the referee. Clearly Ronaldo had not taken such heed and was almost involved in a similar contretemps as early as the fifth minute, exchanging needling and needless words with Villarreal’s Ariel Ibagaza.
After a soft collision between them Ibagaza fuelled controversy, appearing to dig his nails into Ronaldo’s neck as the winger raised himself from the turf. The incident had echoes of the type of provocative treatment Ronaldo has been receiving all season – although the Portuguese hardly helped his cause when he took a swipe at Ibagaza, drawing a stern warning from referee Ricardo Rossetti.
Thereafter Ronaldo found his every touch jeered by Villarreal’s fans: another familiar scenario. Tensions on the pitch rose as Rooney looked for a sly way to end the goal drought, deciding to dive under the most innocuous of challenges from Fabricio Fuentes. Rossetti was alert to the chicanery, summoning Rooney to warn the striker that he would not tolerate a repeat.
Villarreal’s threat looked blunt, aside from one swerving 25-yard shot from Santi Cazorla, the exciting attacking midfielder pursued by Real Madrid in the summer. Their efforts were concentrated more on disrupting United, as a spiteful foul on Ronaldo by Javi Venta proved, the right-back’s studs pointing at the sore ankle that the 23-year-old had cut at Villa Park last Saturday.
Ronaldo was riled, and he stood over the resulting free-kick with a face of murderous intent. The same could not be said of his surprisingly tame shot, which Diego Lopez saved easily.
He responded quickly, however, some neat interplay with Rooney teeing up a rising volley that the Villarreal goalkeeper had to tip on to the crossbar. The impression sharpened of a man with a point to prove to his adversaries, and when a late lunge on him by Sebastian Eguren again conceded a free-kick he tested Lopez, who tipped the ball wide.
United’s frustration mounted in the second half and Rooney was fortunate, excused by Rossetti for a second brazen act of simulation. Ronaldo’s shot had been parried by Lopez and as Rooney charged in for the rebound he fell theatrically, pretending to have been clipped by Fuentes, who raced after the referee in indignation, brandishing an imaginary card.
Where Rooney no doubt deserved one, it was Ronaldo who received one when he threw the ball away just a minute later, piqued at Villarreal’s award of a free-kick.
Anderson, playing off Rooney as a support striker, was doing little to assist United but finally contrived one soft shot for Lopez to gather. Villarreal were emboldened, and when Cazorla provided a near-perfect cross from the right it was all Joan Capdevila could do not to connect.
Capdevila was at the centre of the night’s one remaining drama, when he was shown a straight red card for a knee-high challenge on the hounded Ronaldo. But the scars for United were not purely physical. Psychologically, the doughty Villarreal had won this war of attrition. Telegraph
Raul goal puts Real Madrid into last 16 of Champions League 
An early goal from Real Madrid captain Raul Gonzalez gave his side a 1-0 win away to Belarus side Bate Borisov on Tuesday and in doing so qualify them for the last 16 of the Champions League.
Raul controlled a cross from Royston Drenthe after six minutes of the game, which was played in freezing temperatures in Minsk, before firing into the roof of the net.
Real Madrid's win, combined with Zenit Saint Petersburg's failure to beat Juventus means there is no way the Spaniards can finish below the Russian team.
Raul's goal was one of the few moments of merit of a game where a below strength Real Madrid were content to spend the first half dealing with attempts of their rivals to get back into the game.
The Spanish team were clearly technically superior to Bate, who never really threatened in the first 45 minutes.
Bate Borisav came out for the second period determined to make a game of things and the match became a physical affair with both Guti and Sergio Ramos needing bandages following aerial challenges, while two of their rivals -- Alexander Volodko and Maksim Skavysh -- had to be substituted after opening up nasty head wounds.
Nevertheless, for all of the efforts of their opponents, Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas was a virtual spectator all game and the good news for coach Bernd Schuster is that his side's final group game, just three days before they play bitter rivals FC Barcelona in the Primera Liga, now counts for very little, allowing him to rest key players. Xinhua
Bendtner Seals Gunners Qualification
William Gallas had a goal disallowed but sub Nicklas Bendtner netted late on to earn Arsenal a 1-0 Champions League win over Dynamo Kiev.
Outspoken French defender Gallas had the captain's armband taken off him and handed to Cesc Fabregas following criticism of his team-mates.
But he returned to the starting XI on Tuesday night after being dropped for the Manchester City defeat, and was welcomed back by Gunners fans who were celebrating at the final whistle thanks to Bendtner's heroics from the bench.
Aaron Ramsey had a good early chance in the Group G game but his shot hit the legs of goalkeeper Stanislav Bogush.
There was a scare at the other end when Gallas' hesitation let in Ismael Bangoura, who beat Manuel Almunia but hit the woodwork.
Ramsey and Robin van Persie had further chances before Gallas found the net just before the break, only to see the offside flag go up.
Then shortly after the interval, van Persie had two bites of the cherry to score from 12 yards, with his second goalbound attempt hitting the luckless Gallas.
Carlos Vela drew a fine save from Bogush at his near-post, but then Kiev took charge and Almunia saved Olexandr Aliyev's long-range drive before pulling off a terrific close-range stop to deny Artem Milevskiy's 77th-minute strike.
That save proved crucial as on 87, sub Bendtner latched on to a quick free-kick from Fabregas and clinically fired a left-footed shot past Bogush to earn the Gunners a place in the last 16 of the competition.
Aliyev saw red with a minute to go after pushing the referee, who promptly gave him a second yellow card, and that capped a rotten night for Kiev who are out thanks to Porto's win in Fenerbahce.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger hailed the late Champions League victory over Dynamo Kiev as the first step to recovery following a week of turmoil that saw William Gallas stripped of the captaincy.
Wenger said: "This is the first step for us.
"It was what the team needs, reassurance, and this will give us that.
"We left it late. It was more a steady than spectacular performance, but it was important to win the game." Sportinglife
