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Aizawl FC made Indian football history by being crowned I-League champions last night. WION brings you more on this story with our football expert Novy Kapadia

Aizawl FC becomes first North-East club to win I-League 2016-17

Aizawl FC have clinched the I-League title to become the first club from the India&#39;s north-east region to win the country top flight after a Leicester City-like fairytale season.

Aizawl&#39;s championship win, which was sealed with a 1-1 draw against Shillong Lajong on Sunday, has drawn comparisons in India with Leicester&#39;s escape from relegation in 2014-15 to winning the English Premier League last year.

Coached by Khalid Jamil, the Kuwait-born former India player, Aizawl were given a lifeline to be reinstated into the top-flight competition this season by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) despite being relegated in 2015-16.

The Mizoram-based club&#39;s superb showing in the domestic Federation Cup where they twice beat last year&#39;s I-League champions Bengaluru FC was the main reason for their re-entry.&nbsp;

Aizawl had the odds stacked against them this season with West Bengal giants Mohun Bagan pushing them all the way but eventually coming up one point short despite a 2-1 win against Chennai FC in their last match.

&quot;Aizawl FC&#39;s triumph unfurls a new chapter in Indian Football history,&quot; AIFF president Praful Patel said in a statement.

&quot;This victory will encourage the youth of the country and create a self-belief that on the football pitch you can pull it off with teamwork,&quot; Patel added.

However, Aizawl may still not find themselves defending their title next season with the AIFF planning to restructure their system with the India Super League (ISL) likely to become the top-tier competition.

(AFP)

Aizawl had the odds stacked against them this season with West Bengal giants Mohun Bagan pushing them all the way

Aizawl FC have clinched the I-League title to become the first club from the India's north-east region to win the country top flight after a Leicester City-like fairytale season. Aizawl's championship win, which was sealed with a 1-1 draw against Shillong Lajong on Sunday, has drawn comparisons in India with Leicester's escape from relegation in 2014-15 to winning the English Premier League last year. Coached by Khalid Jamil, the Kuwait-born former India player, Aizawl were given a lifeline to be reinstated into the top-flight competition this season by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) despite being relegated in 2015-16. The Mizoram-based club's superb showing in the domestic Federation Cup where they twice beat last year's I-League champions Bengaluru FC was the main reason for their re-entry. Aizawl had the odds stacked against them this season with West Bengal giants Mohun Bagan pushing them all the way but eventually coming up one point short despite a 2-1 win against Chennai FC in their last match. "Aizawl FC's triumph unfurls a new chapter in Indian Football history," AIFF president Praful Patel said in a statement. "This victory will encourage the youth of the country and create a self-belief that on the football pitch you can pull it off with teamwork," Patel added. However, Aizawl may still not find themselves defending their title next season with the AIFF planning to restructure their system with the India Super League (ISL) likely to become the top-tier competition. (AFP)

Football: Underdogs Aizawl FC win I-League title

Chelsea took a significant step towards the Premier League title on Sunday with victory at Everton but Tottenham ensured the champagne will stay on ice for a bit longer with an impressive 2-0 win over Arsenal.

As well as the engrossing fight for the title the battle for the two remaining Champions League places has become a real dogfight -- Arsenal missing a chance to make up ground on the two Manchester clubs, who both stumbled on Sunday against relegation candidates.

Second-half goals by Dele Alli and Harry Kane, from the penalty spot, sealed the three points and ensured that Spurs will finish above their North London rivals Arsenal for the first time in 22 years.

But whether Spurs will ever hunt down relentless Chelsea is another matter, with just four games left and Chelsea still four points clear, and with an easier run-in.

&quot;I am so pleased. It was a very important game and it was a complete performance,&quot; Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino told the BBC.

&quot;The race for the title is down to four points and we will see what will happen.

&quot;To be above Arsenal for the first time in 22 years is fantastic for our fans. it is fantastic for us too, but we want to win the title.&quot;

A superb second-half strike by Pedro and late goals from Gary Cahill and Willian ended Everton&#39;s run of eight successive home wins and had piled the pressure on Spurs, who were playing afterwards.

Chelsea took time to settle but once Pedro scored their opener -- his first goal in nine matches -- the floodgates opened and they ran out 3-0 winners.

&quot;This gives us lots of confidence,&quot; manager Antonio Conte told Sky Sports. &quot;Now it is important to prepare the final rush.

&quot;If in the next game against Middlesbrough you don&#39;t win, you lose this victory. We must look step by step.&quot;Cahill&#39;s eighth goal of the season and Willian&#39;s beautifully worked third inflicted only Everton&#39;s second home defeat of the season.

&quot;It was convincing but we had to work hard for it,&quot; Cahill told Sky Sports, sensing this might be the win that delivers the title in Conte&#39;s first season at Chelsea.

&quot;Pedro&#39;s goal was special, at times you need a bit of class to open up a team, that&#39;s what he did today. I&#39;m buzzing with that, it&#39;s a huge result for us.&quot;

City had to come from behind twice to draw 2-2 at Middlesbrough and United drew 1-1 at home to Swansea on a bad day for the Manchester giants.

City relied on 20-year-old striker Gabriel Jesus to secure them a point in the final five minutes of their game against a Boro side scenting back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time since May 2008.

&quot;We controlled the game and missed so many chances,&quot; Jesus told Premier League Productions.

&quot;Today&#39;s result is disappointing but at least we have a point.&quot;

Arsenal&#39;s defeat in the last North London derby at White Hart Lane leaves manager Arsene Wenger&#39;s proud record of qualifying for the Champions League in real trouble.

They are sixth, five points behind United and six behind City in fourth, although the Londoners have a game in hand on both.

Only the top four get into the Champions League.

Liverpool, the other team in the mix, travel to Watford on Monday looking to cement third spot.Wenger -- whose future at Arsenal is mired in doubt -- gave credit to Spurs for deserving to beat them but was unimpressed by the fact that the Gunners would finish below their rivals for the first time in his long tenure.

&quot;Mathematically it has to happen once,&quot; Wenger told Sky Sports.

&quot;We are not happy with it but we don&#39;t compare ourselves to Spurs, we compare ourselves to where we want to be.&quot; 
&nbsp; 
A sublime free-kick by Icelandic international Gylfi Sigurdsson gained Swansea a deserved point against United at Old Trafford and dented Jose Mourinho`s hopes of breaking into the top four.

Sigurdsson&#39;s 10th goal of the season, but first in 11 matches, cancelled out veteran Wayne Rooney&#39;s contentious penalty in time added on in the first half when Marcus Rashford made the most out of minimal contact with Swans goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The engrossing fight for the title the battle for the two remaining Champions League places has become a real dogfight

Chelsea took a significant step towards the Premier League title on Sunday with victory at Everton but Tottenham ensured the champagne will stay on ice for a bit longer with an impressive 2-0 win over Arsenal. As well as the engrossing fight for the title the battle for the two remaining Champions League places has become a real dogfight -- Arsenal missing a chance to make up ground on the two Manchester clubs, who both stumbled on Sunday against relegation candidates. Second-half goals by Dele Alli and Harry Kane, from the penalty spot, sealed the three points and ensured that Spurs will finish above their North London rivals Arsenal for the first time in 22 years. But whether Spurs will ever hunt down relentless Chelsea is another matter, with just four games left and Chelsea still four points clear, and with an easier run-in. "I am so pleased. It was a very important game and it was a complete performance," Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino told the BBC. "The race for the title is down to four points and we will see what will happen. "To be above Arsenal for the first time in 22 years is fantastic for our fans. it is fantastic for us too, but we want to win the title." A superb second-half strike by Pedro and late goals from Gary Cahill and Willian ended Everton's run of eight successive home wins and had piled the pressure on Spurs, who were playing afterwards. Chelsea took time to settle but once Pedro scored their opener -- his first goal in nine matches -- the floodgates opened and they ran out 3-0 winners. "This gives us lots of confidence," manager Antonio Conte told Sky Sports. "Now it is important to prepare the final rush. "If in the next game against Middlesbrough you don't win, you lose this victory. We must look step by step."Cahill's eighth goal of the season and Willian's beautifully worked third inflicted only Everton's second home defeat of the season. "It was convincing but we had to work hard for it," Cahill told Sky Sports, sensing this might be the win that delivers the title in Conte's first season at Chelsea. "Pedro's goal was special, at times you need a bit of class to open up a team, that's what he did today. I'm buzzing with that, it's a huge result for us." City had to come from behind twice to draw 2-2 at Middlesbrough and United drew 1-1 at home to Swansea on a bad day for the Manchester giants. City relied on 20-year-old striker Gabriel Jesus to secure them a point in the final five minutes of their game against a Boro side scenting back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time since May 2008. "We controlled the game and missed so many chances," Jesus told Premier League Productions. "Today's result is disappointing but at least we have a point." Arsenal's defeat in the last North London derby at White Hart Lane leaves manager Arsene Wenger's proud record of qualifying for the Champions League in real trouble. They are sixth, five points behind United and six behind City in fourth, although the Londoners have a game in hand on both. Only the top four get into the Champions League. Liverpool, the other team in the mix, travel to Watford on Monday looking to cement third spot.Wenger -- whose future at Arsenal is mired in doubt -- gave credit to Spurs for deserving to beat them but was unimpressed by the fact that the Gunners would finish below their rivals for the first time in his long tenure. "Mathematically it has to happen once," Wenger told Sky Sports. "We are not happy with it but we don't compare ourselves to Spurs, we compare ourselves to where we want to be." A sublime free-kick by Icelandic international Gylfi Sigurdsson gained Swansea a deserved point against United at Old Trafford and dented Jose Mourinho`s hopes of breaking into the top four. Sigurdsson's 10th goal of the season, but first in 11 matches, cancelled out veteran Wayne Rooney's contentious penalty in time added on in the first half when Marcus Rashford made the most out of minimal contact with Swans goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski. (AFP)

Premier League round-up: Spurs keep pressure on Chelsea, Manchester misery

Tottenham Hotspur beat local rivals Arsenal with second-half goals from prolific pair Dele Alli and Harry Kane on Sunday to maintain their Premier league title challenge.

A deserved victory kept them four points behind leaders Chelsea,&nbsp;who won 3-0 at Everton earlier.

Alli put Spurs ahead in the 56th minute when he followed up after Christian Eriksen&#39;s shot was saved. Two minutes later Kane went down in the penalty area under Gabriel&#39;s challenge and got up to convert the penalty.

Tottenham&#39;s victory in Arsene Wenger&#39;s 50th North London derby as Arsenal manager ensured Spurs will finish above their neighbours for the first time in 22 years.

It was their ninth successive league win and the margin would have been greater but for some fine saves by Petr Cech.

A disappointing Arsenal were restricted to a single chance in the first half when Aaron Ramsey brought a good low save from Hugo Lloris shortly before halftime.

Spurs in contrast were guilty of two bad misses. Midway through the half Kane&#39;s effort was deflected to the far post where Alli could only head wide.

Three minutes later Eriksen clipped the bar as another deflection reached him just a few metres out.

Cech was much the busier goalkeeper, making saves either side of the interval from Jan Vertonghen and then Victor Wanyama.

He then kept out a close-range effort from Eriksen but could not prevent Alli driving in the opening goal.

In the next attack Kane won and converted the penalty to leave Arsenal wilting.

The visitors exerted some late pressure but never looked like threatening Mauricio Pochettino&#39;s side and remain in danger of missing out on a Champions League place for the first time under Wenger. 
 
(Reuters)

A deserved victory kept Tottenham Hotspur four points behind leaders Chelsea, who won 3-0 at Everton earlier

Tottenham Hotspur beat local rivals Arsenal with second-half goals from prolific pair Dele Alli and Harry Kane on Sunday to maintain their Premier league title challenge. A deserved victory kept them four points behind leaders Chelsea, who won 3-0 at Everton earlier. Alli put Spurs ahead in the 56th minute when he followed up after Christian Eriksen's shot was saved. Two minutes later Kane went down in the penalty area under Gabriel's challenge and got up to convert the penalty. Tottenham's victory in Arsene Wenger's 50th North London derby as Arsenal manager ensured Spurs will finish above their neighbours for the first time in 22 years. It was their ninth successive league win and the margin would have been greater but for some fine saves by Petr Cech. A disappointing Arsenal were restricted to a single chance in the first half when Aaron Ramsey brought a good low save from Hugo Lloris shortly before halftime. Spurs in contrast were guilty of two bad misses. Midway through the half Kane's effort was deflected to the far post where Alli could only head wide. Three minutes later Eriksen clipped the bar as another deflection reached him just a few metres out. Cech was much the busier goalkeeper, making saves either side of the interval from Jan Vertonghen and then Victor Wanyama. He then kept out a close-range effort from Eriksen but could not prevent Alli driving in the opening goal. In the next attack Kane won and converted the penalty to leave Arsenal wilting. The visitors exerted some late pressure but never looked like threatening Mauricio Pochettino's side and remain in danger of missing out on a Champions League place for the first time under Wenger. (Reuters)

Premier League: Spurs beat rivals Arsenal to keep up title challenge

David Moyes&#39;s sorry Sunderland were relegated from the Premier League after a 1-0 home defeat by Bournemouth at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Allied to Hull City&#39;s 0-0 draw at Southampton, the result left Sunderland 13 points adrift of safety with only 12 points to play for this season.

&quot;I&#39;m really disappointed,&quot; said Sunderland manager Moyes. &quot;I feel for the supporters. They put their heart and cash into the team and my thoughts are mainly with the supporters.&quot;

Josh King scored the goal that condemned Sunderland to the Championship, converting a pass from Ryan Fraser after a sweeping counter-attack in the 88th minute.

Southampton had a chance to give Sunderland a stay of execution, but Dusan Tadic&#39;s stoppage-time penalty was saved by Hull goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic.

Ask if he will remain in his post, Moyes replied: &quot;To think about it and talk about it now is just too quick.

&quot;They&#39;re questions for a week or two down the line. I&#39;m not sure it`s for now. I&#39;d like to make sure we get Sunderland back in the Premier League.&quot;

Sunderland have been in the Premier League since 2007, but their return to the second-tier Championship has long appeared only a matter of time.

They have been in the relegation zone since September and have not moved off the foot of the table since January.

&quot;The league table never lies,&quot; said Sunderland captain John O&#39;Shea. &quot;Performances and results are the obvious thing that have brought us down.&quot;

Victory effectively secured Bournemouth`s safety, catapulting Eddie Howe`s side up the table to 10th place, 10 points above the relegation zone.

Hull&#39;s draw at Southampton left Marco Silva&#39;s side three points clear of danger, ahead of third-bottom Swansea City`s trip to Manchester United on Sunday. After a forgettable encounter at St Mary&#39;s, Southampton were awarded a penalty at the death when Alfred N&#39;Diaye was penalised for holding Maya Yoshida.

Tadic drilled his spot-kick towards the bottom-right corner, but Jakupovic plunged low to his left to turn the ball away and condemn Sunderland to the drop.

&quot;It`s a really important moment. If they had scored, they would not deserve it,&quot; said Hull manager Silva.

&quot;It is a good result. You want more, but it&#39;s a good point.&quot;

With Stoke City and West Ham United also drawing 0-0, the only other goal in the four afternoon games came in outgoing champions Leicester City&#39;s 1-0 victory at West Bromwich Albion.

Jamie Vardy settled the game in the 43rd minute, rifling home his 15th goal of the season from Shinji Okazaki&#39;s pass down the inside-right channel.

After an arduous season for Leicester, last season&#39;s fairytale champions have now reached the 40-point mark that usually guarantees survival.

&quot;I want Jamie Vardy to finish on a high,&quot; said Leicester manager Craig Shakespeare, whose side sit 11th. &quot;He`s scored quite a few of late and I want that to continue.&quot;

Burnley also took a giant stride towards safety after their first away league win of the season, a 2-0 success at Crystal Palace, left them on 39 points.

Ashley Barnes gave the visitors an eighth-minute lead, before substitute Andre Gray&#39;s goal five minutes from time put the result of Saturday&#39;s late kick-off beyond doubt.

&quot;It&#39;s been a tough challenge winning away from home in the Premier League,&quot; said Burnley manager Sean Dyche. &quot;But the focus and the mentality of the players I thought was outstanding.&quot;

Leaders Chelsea travel to Everton on Sunday looking to preserve their four-point lead over second-place Tottenham Hotspur, who host Arsenal in the last north London derby at White Hart Lane.

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Sunderland have been in the Premier League since 2007, but their return to the second-tier Championship has long appeared only a matter of time

David Moyes's sorry Sunderland were relegated from the Premier League after a 1-0 home defeat by Bournemouth at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. Allied to Hull City's 0-0 draw at Southampton, the result left Sunderland 13 points adrift of safety with only 12 points to play for this season. "I'm really disappointed," said Sunderland manager Moyes. "I feel for the supporters. They put their heart and cash into the team and my thoughts are mainly with the supporters." Josh King scored the goal that condemned Sunderland to the Championship, converting a pass from Ryan Fraser after a sweeping counter-attack in the 88th minute. Southampton had a chance to give Sunderland a stay of execution, but Dusan Tadic's stoppage-time penalty was saved by Hull goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic. Ask if he will remain in his post, Moyes replied: "To think about it and talk about it now is just too quick. "They're questions for a week or two down the line. I'm not sure it`s for now. I'd like to make sure we get Sunderland back in the Premier League." Sunderland have been in the Premier League since 2007, but their return to the second-tier Championship has long appeared only a matter of time. They have been in the relegation zone since September and have not moved off the foot of the table since January. "The league table never lies," said Sunderland captain John O'Shea. "Performances and results are the obvious thing that have brought us down." Victory effectively secured Bournemouth`s safety, catapulting Eddie Howe`s side up the table to 10th place, 10 points above the relegation zone. Hull's draw at Southampton left Marco Silva's side three points clear of danger, ahead of third-bottom Swansea City`s trip to Manchester United on Sunday. After a forgettable encounter at St Mary's, Southampton were awarded a penalty at the death when Alfred N'Diaye was penalised for holding Maya Yoshida. Tadic drilled his spot-kick towards the bottom-right corner, but Jakupovic plunged low to his left to turn the ball away and condemn Sunderland to the drop. "It`s a really important moment. If they had scored, they would not deserve it," said Hull manager Silva. "It is a good result. You want more, but it's a good point." With Stoke City and West Ham United also drawing 0-0, the only other goal in the four afternoon games came in outgoing champions Leicester City's 1-0 victory at West Bromwich Albion. Jamie Vardy settled the game in the 43rd minute, rifling home his 15th goal of the season from Shinji Okazaki's pass down the inside-right channel. After an arduous season for Leicester, last season's fairytale champions have now reached the 40-point mark that usually guarantees survival. "I want Jamie Vardy to finish on a high," said Leicester manager Craig Shakespeare, whose side sit 11th. "He`s scored quite a few of late and I want that to continue." Burnley also took a giant stride towards safety after their first away league win of the season, a 2-0 success at Crystal Palace, left them on 39 points. Ashley Barnes gave the visitors an eighth-minute lead, before substitute Andre Gray's goal five minutes from time put the result of Saturday's late kick-off beyond doubt. "It's been a tough challenge winning away from home in the Premier League," said Burnley manager Sean Dyche. "But the focus and the mentality of the players I thought was outstanding." Leaders Chelsea travel to Everton on Sunday looking to preserve their four-point lead over second-place Tottenham Hotspur, who host Arsenal in the last north London derby at White Hart Lane. (AFP)

Premier League: Sunderland relegated, Vardy makes Leicester safe

Bayern Munich were crowned Bundesliga champions for the fifth straight season on Saturday after Robert Lewandowski scored twice in a 6-0 thrashing of 10-man Wolfsburg. 
 
After second-placed RB Leipzig were held to a goalless draw by Ingolstadt, Bayern wrapped up the title with a thumping away victory that left them 10 points clear with three games left. 
 
&quot;Five times in a row, that&#39;s unbelievable. We completely deserve to be champions,&quot; Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told Sky. 
 
Carlo Ancelotti has delivered a 27th league title in his first season as Bayern&#39;s head coach. 
 
&quot;I am very happy, this win was important and it&#39;s a fantastic experience,&quot; said the Italian. 
 
Ancelotti has now won four national league titles after also lifting the Premier League with Chelsea, Serie A with AC Milan and Ligue 1 with Paris Saint Germain. 
 
&quot;I want to thank this great club,&quot; he said. &quot;We deserved the title and have played good football, now is the time to celebrate.&quot; 
 
Lewandowski&#39;s brace leaves the Polish predator on 28 goals this season, one more than Borussia Dortmund&#39;s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the race to be the league&#39;s top marksman. 
 
The league triumph is consolation for Wednesday&#39;s 3-2 German Cup semi-final defeat at home to Dortmund, which denied Ancelotti the chance of emulating predecessor Pep Guardiola with the domestic double in his first&nbsp;season.&nbsp;It&nbsp;also goes a small way towards making up for the disappointment of going out in the quarter-finals of the Champions League to Real Madrid. 
 
Bayern were barely made to work for their win as David Alaba drilled home a trademark free-kick on 19 minutes to put the visitors 1-0 up after a foul on Thomas Mueller. 
 
Lewandowski doubled the lead on 36 minutes when Kingsley Coman`s cross was flicked on by Mueller and the Poland hot-shot fired home. 
 
He bagged his second and Bayern`s third just before the half-time whistle after Coman delivered another cross from the left wing. 
 
The floodgates opened late on as Arjen Robben netted on 66 minutes before Wolfsburg`s Luiz Gustavo, a former Bayern player, was sent off for a second booking on 78 minutes. 
 
Bayern exploited their numerical advantage as Mueller banged home Lewandowski&#39;s pass before Joshua Kimmich sealed the rout.Bayern&#39;s latest comfortable title win was made possible by Leipzig&#39;s draw at the Red Bull Arena, where Ingolstadt defender Alfredo Morales was sent off with four minutes to play. 
 
Dortmund, who face Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Cup final on May 27, hold on to third place, which would mean a direct Champions League place next season, despite their goalless draw at home to Cologne. 
 
Both Aubameyang and Cologne`s Anthony Modeste, who has 23 league goals, drew blanks at Signal Iduna Park.&nbsp; 
 
Hoffenheim, coached by Julian Nagelsmann, 29, the youngest coach in Bundesliga history, can leapfrog Dortmund if they beat Eintracht in Frankfurt on Sunday. 
 
Werder Bremen`s remarkable finish to the season continues as they earned a 2-0 win to home to Hertha Berlin to stay sixth. 
 
Bremen remain on course for a Europa League place having risen from bottom in September after losing their first four games. 
 
Werder striker Max Kruse`s dream April continued as he netted Bremen`s second after Fin Bartels`s opener for his eighth goal in six games this month. 
 
Bremen are unbeaten in their last 11 games. 
 
Mainz remain just a point from the bottom three after Japan striker Yoshinori Muto scored their consolation goal in a 2-1 home defeat. Lars Stindl and Nico Schulz scored for Borussia Moenchengladbach. 
 
Plucky bottom side Darmstadt again delayed their relegation with a 3-0 win at home to Freiburg. 
 
Torsten Frings-coached Darmstadt picked up their third straight victory thanks to goals by Felix Platte, Jerome Gondorf and Sven Schipplock. 
 
Darmstadt are still eight points from safety with three games left. 
 
(AFP)

Robert Lewandowski scored twice in a 6-0 thrashing of 10-man Wolfsburg

Bayern Munich were crowned Bundesliga champions for the fifth straight season on Saturday after Robert Lewandowski scored twice in a 6-0 thrashing of 10-man Wolfsburg. After second-placed RB Leipzig were held to a goalless draw by Ingolstadt, Bayern wrapped up the title with a thumping away victory that left them 10 points clear with three games left. "Five times in a row, that's unbelievable. We completely deserve to be champions," Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told Sky. Carlo Ancelotti has delivered a 27th league title in his first season as Bayern's head coach. "I am very happy, this win was important and it's a fantastic experience," said the Italian. Ancelotti has now won four national league titles after also lifting the Premier League with Chelsea, Serie A with AC Milan and Ligue 1 with Paris Saint Germain. "I want to thank this great club," he said. "We deserved the title and have played good football, now is the time to celebrate." Lewandowski's brace leaves the Polish predator on 28 goals this season, one more than Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the race to be the league's top marksman. The league triumph is consolation for Wednesday's 3-2 German Cup semi-final defeat at home to Dortmund, which denied Ancelotti the chance of emulating predecessor Pep Guardiola with the domestic double in his first season. It also goes a small way towards making up for the disappointment of going out in the quarter-finals of the Champions League to Real Madrid. Bayern were barely made to work for their win as David Alaba drilled home a trademark free-kick on 19 minutes to put the visitors 1-0 up after a foul on Thomas Mueller. Lewandowski doubled the lead on 36 minutes when Kingsley Coman`s cross was flicked on by Mueller and the Poland hot-shot fired home. He bagged his second and Bayern`s third just before the half-time whistle after Coman delivered another cross from the left wing. The floodgates opened late on as Arjen Robben netted on 66 minutes before Wolfsburg`s Luiz Gustavo, a former Bayern player, was sent off for a second booking on 78 minutes. Bayern exploited their numerical advantage as Mueller banged home Lewandowski's pass before Joshua Kimmich sealed the rout.Bayern's latest comfortable title win was made possible by Leipzig's draw at the Red Bull Arena, where Ingolstadt defender Alfredo Morales was sent off with four minutes to play. Dortmund, who face Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Cup final on May 27, hold on to third place, which would mean a direct Champions League place next season, despite their goalless draw at home to Cologne. Both Aubameyang and Cologne`s Anthony Modeste, who has 23 league goals, drew blanks at Signal Iduna Park. Hoffenheim, coached by Julian Nagelsmann, 29, the youngest coach in Bundesliga history, can leapfrog Dortmund if they beat Eintracht in Frankfurt on Sunday. Werder Bremen`s remarkable finish to the season continues as they earned a 2-0 win to home to Hertha Berlin to stay sixth. Bremen remain on course for a Europa League place having risen from bottom in September after losing their first four games. Werder striker Max Kruse`s dream April continued as he netted Bremen`s second after Fin Bartels`s opener for his eighth goal in six games this month. Bremen are unbeaten in their last 11 games. Mainz remain just a point from the bottom three after Japan striker Yoshinori Muto scored their consolation goal in a 2-1 home defeat. Lars Stindl and Nico Schulz scored for Borussia Moenchengladbach. Plucky bottom side Darmstadt again delayed their relegation with a 3-0 win at home to Freiburg. Torsten Frings-coached Darmstadt picked up their third straight victory thanks to goals by Felix Platte, Jerome Gondorf and Sven Schipplock. Darmstadt are still eight points from safety with three games left. (AFP)

Bayern Munich win fifth consecutive German title

Marouane Fellaini was sent off for brainlessly headbutting Sergio Aguero in an otherwise forgettable 0-0 draw between Champions League qualification rivals Manchester United and Manchester City on Thursday.

Booked for tripping Aguero in the 84th minute, Fellaini fouled him again seconds later and then blatantly butted the Argentinian, leaving referee Martin Atkinson no option but to send the Belgian off.

City remain fourth, a point behind third-place Liverpool with a game in hand, with United -- who also have a game in hand on Jurgen Klopp&#39;s side -- a point further back in fifth place.

&quot;We were the better team in the first half, they were the better team in the second half,&quot; said United manager Jose Mourinho.

&quot;They had more of the ball, more chances, but my players were amazing the way they fought.

&quot;Marouane Fellaini is frustrated. He says that with another player, it would probably not be a red card.&quot;

While United are now unbeaten in 24 Premier League games, equalling the club record, the Etihad Stadium stalemate means City retain the upper hand in the push for a top-four finish.

But despite controlling the game, City came no closer to scoring than an early Aguero effort that hit the post, while substitute Gabriel Jesus had an injury-time header disallowed for offside.

City also lost goalkeeper Claudio Bravo to an apparent calf injury, sustained as he caught a high ball, with Willy Caballero taking his place for the last 14 minutes after Bravo was stretchered off.

&quot;They created two clear chances and I am satisfied,&quot; City manager Pep Guardiola told BBC Sport.

&quot;We all have tough games coming up now and we know it&#39;s not an option to not win these games.&quot;

City remain on course for a top-four finish, their last remaining objective after last weekend&#39;s FA Cup semi-final loss to Arsenal consigned Guardiola to his first trophy-less season as a coach.

United could yet qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League.

But in the main, Thursday&#39;s drab derby served to illustrate why the Manchester rivals are squabbling over fourth place rather than fighting for the title.

Etihad erupts&nbsp;

With Paul Pogba injured, Mourinho aligned a conservative midfield trio of Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera and Fellaini, setting the tone for a tetchy, attritional contest.

Marcus Rashford returned in one of four changes and while his lightning pace enabled him to leave Nicolas Otamendi for dead repeatedly, the teenager cut an isolated figure.

The football that managed to emerge above the midfield melee was almost all City&#39;s.

The hosts hit the woodwork in the ninth minute, Aguero cushioning a volley against the base of the right-hand post from Kevin De Bruyne&#39;s right-wing cross.

United goalkeeper David de Gea fielded curlers from De Bruyne and Aguero and saved at his near post from Aleksandar Kolarov, while Aguero and Raheem Sterling arrowed shots over the bar.

But there were two moments of unease in the hosts&#39; box, the first when Bravo clawed Anthony Martial&#39;s cross into the path of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, whose shot he was then obliged to block.

Shortly before half-time, Rashford&#39;s free-kick from the left found Herrera unmarked at the back post, but the Spaniard headed wide.

City continued to force the issue after the break, but United, expertly marshalled by Eric Bailly and Daley Blind, kept them at bay.

De Gea comfortably saved from Sterling, twice, and Aguero, while De Bruyne ruffled the side-netting with a low drive after cutting in from the left.

Otamendi looked poised to break the deadlock when he rose to meet Kolarov&#39;s corner, but Bailly diverted his header over the bar.

Fellaini&#39;s dismissal gave City the edge and Guardiola immediately introduced Jesus, back from a broken foot sustained in February.

The Etihad erupted when the Brazilian headed in Aguero&#39;s cross, but an offside flag silenced the home fans and a stretching Aguero could only volley wide from De Bruyne&#39;s cross moments later.

(AFP)

A depleted Manchester United dug their trenches while the blue half of Manchester attacked relentlessly only to draw blank in final third

Marouane Fellaini was sent off for brainlessly headbutting Sergio Aguero in an otherwise forgettable 0-0 draw between Champions League qualification rivals Manchester United and Manchester City on Thursday. Booked for tripping Aguero in the 84th minute, Fellaini fouled him again seconds later and then blatantly butted the Argentinian, leaving referee Martin Atkinson no option but to send the Belgian off. City remain fourth, a point behind third-place Liverpool with a game in hand, with United -- who also have a game in hand on Jurgen Klopp's side -- a point further back in fifth place. "We were the better team in the first half, they were the better team in the second half," said United manager Jose Mourinho. "They had more of the ball, more chances, but my players were amazing the way they fought. "Marouane Fellaini is frustrated. He says that with another player, it would probably not be a red card." While United are now unbeaten in 24 Premier League games, equalling the club record, the Etihad Stadium stalemate means City retain the upper hand in the push for a top-four finish. But despite controlling the game, City came no closer to scoring than an early Aguero effort that hit the post, while substitute Gabriel Jesus had an injury-time header disallowed for offside. City also lost goalkeeper Claudio Bravo to an apparent calf injury, sustained as he caught a high ball, with Willy Caballero taking his place for the last 14 minutes after Bravo was stretchered off. "They created two clear chances and I am satisfied," City manager Pep Guardiola told BBC Sport. "We all have tough games coming up now and we know it's not an option to not win these games." City remain on course for a top-four finish, their last remaining objective after last weekend's FA Cup semi-final loss to Arsenal consigned Guardiola to his first trophy-less season as a coach. United could yet qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League. But in the main, Thursday's drab derby served to illustrate why the Manchester rivals are squabbling over fourth place rather than fighting for the title. Etihad erupts With Paul Pogba injured, Mourinho aligned a conservative midfield trio of Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera and Fellaini, setting the tone for a tetchy, attritional contest. Marcus Rashford returned in one of four changes and while his lightning pace enabled him to leave Nicolas Otamendi for dead repeatedly, the teenager cut an isolated figure. The football that managed to emerge above the midfield melee was almost all City's. The hosts hit the woodwork in the ninth minute, Aguero cushioning a volley against the base of the right-hand post from Kevin De Bruyne's right-wing cross. United goalkeeper David de Gea fielded curlers from De Bruyne and Aguero and saved at his near post from Aleksandar Kolarov, while Aguero and Raheem Sterling arrowed shots over the bar. But there were two moments of unease in the hosts' box, the first when Bravo clawed Anthony Martial's cross into the path of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, whose shot he was then obliged to block. Shortly before half-time, Rashford's free-kick from the left found Herrera unmarked at the back post, but the Spaniard headed wide. City continued to force the issue after the break, but United, expertly marshalled by Eric Bailly and Daley Blind, kept them at bay. De Gea comfortably saved from Sterling, twice, and Aguero, while De Bruyne ruffled the side-netting with a low drive after cutting in from the left. Otamendi looked poised to break the deadlock when he rose to meet Kolarov's corner, but Bailly diverted his header over the bar. Fellaini's dismissal gave City the edge and Guardiola immediately introduced Jesus, back from a broken foot sustained in February. The Etihad erupted when the Brazilian headed in Aguero's cross, but an offside flag silenced the home fans and a stretching Aguero could only volley wide from De Bruyne's cross moments later. (AFP)

Fellaini flashpoint sole spark as Man United, City play out drab draw

A member of FIFA&#39;s audit and compliance committee was handed a provisional 90-ban from football on Friday, a day after pleading guilty in a US court to taking bribes in exchange for using his influence within the global soccer body.

FIFA&#39;s ethics committee said it suspended Richard Lai, who is also president of the Guam Football Association (GFA), at the request of its chief investigator Cornely Borbely.

Lai, 55, pleaded guilty on Thursday to wire fraud conspiracy charges before US&nbsp;District Judge Pamela Chen in Brooklyn, according to US&nbsp;prosecutors who said he had taken close to $1 million in bribes.

As part of the plea, Lai, a US&nbsp;citizen, has agreed to pay $1.1 million, prosecutors said.

He was not among several dozen officials and sports marketing agencies, mainly from Latin America, who were indicted in the United States in 2015 in the biggest crisis in FIFA&#39;s history.

Lai, who has been president of the GFA since 2001, sits on the committee responsible for checking FIFA&#39;s financial accounting.

He was also suspended on Friday by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), where he is a member of the marketing committee.

The Pacific island of Guam is a US&nbsp;territory, though its football association is a member of the AFC. As a full FIFA member, it holds a vote in FIFA presidential elections.

Announcing Lai&#39;s guilty plea, the US&nbsp;department of justice said his &quot;breach of trust was particularly significant given his position as a member of the FIFA Audit and Compliance committee, which must play an important and independent role if corruption within FIFA is to be eliminated.&quot;

(Reuters)

Richard Lai was handed a provisional 90-ban from football on Friday

A member of FIFA's audit and compliance committee was handed a provisional 90-ban from football on Friday, a day after pleading guilty in a US court to taking bribes in exchange for using his influence within the global soccer body. FIFA's ethics committee said it suspended Richard Lai, who is also president of the Guam Football Association (GFA), at the request of its chief investigator Cornely Borbely. Lai, 55, pleaded guilty on Thursday to wire fraud conspiracy charges before US District Judge Pamela Chen in Brooklyn, according to US prosecutors who said he had taken close to $1 million in bribes. As part of the plea, Lai, a US citizen, has agreed to pay $1.1 million, prosecutors said. He was not among several dozen officials and sports marketing agencies, mainly from Latin America, who were indicted in the United States in 2015 in the biggest crisis in FIFA's history. Lai, who has been president of the GFA since 2001, sits on the committee responsible for checking FIFA's financial accounting. He was also suspended on Friday by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), where he is a member of the marketing committee. The Pacific island of Guam is a US territory, though its football association is a member of the AFC. As a full FIFA member, it holds a vote in FIFA presidential elections. Announcing Lai's guilty plea, the US department of justice said his "breach of trust was particularly significant given his position as a member of the FIFA Audit and Compliance committee, which must play an important and independent role if corruption within FIFA is to be eliminated." (Reuters)

FIFA suspends official who pleaded guilty in US bribery case

Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen netted a superb 30-yard goal to down Crystal Palace 1-0 on Wednesday and keep Tottenham Hotspur&#39;s Premier League title hopes alive.

Leaders Chelsea, who beat Tottenham 4-2 in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday, went seven points clear by beating Southampton on Tuesday, but Spurs&#39; win trimmed the gap back to four points.

Eriksen struck in the 78th minute and Arsenal also left it late, Robert Huth&#39;s 85th-minute own goal giving Arsene Wenger&#39;s men a 1-0 win that left them four points off the Champions League places.

Palace had won six, drawn one and lost one of their previous eight league games and had the best of the first half at Selhurst Park, Christian Benteke working Hugo Lloris and Andros Townsend firing over.

Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino took decisive action at half-time, sending on Son Heung-Min and Moussa Sissoko in place of Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama.

Palace lost Mamadou Sakho to a potentially serious injury in the 57th minute, the in-form centre-back, who is on loan from Liverpool, stretchered off after twisting his left knee.

Dele Alli scored a glorious goal for Spurs at Selhurst Park last season, but he squandered a good chance shortly before the hour, volleying wide from Kyle Walker&#39;s right-wing cross.

Eriksen came to the rescue with 12 minutes to play, gathering Harry Kane&#39;s pass and arrowing a glorious shot into the bottom-left corner to secure an eighth successive league win.

Huth&#39;s unwitting intervention allowed Arsenal to prolong the momentum from their dogged 2-1 win over Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday.

On a subdued night, and in front of many empty seats at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal went closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half with an Alexis Sanchez shot that cannoned back off the crossbar.

Wenger threw on Danny Welbeck, Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey in the second half, ditching the back-three system he has been using of late.

Victory looked likely to elude the hosts until five minutes from time when Nacho Monreal&#39;s shot took a huge deflection off Huth and looped over Kasper Schmeichel in the Leicester goal.

The win lifted Arsenal one place to sixth, four points behind fourth-place Manchester City and three points below fifth-place Manchester United.

Arsenal have played the same number of goals as City and United, who meet in the Manchester derby on Thursday.

The evening&#39;s other game also ended 1-0, Marten de Roon&#39;s eighth-minute goal seeing off bottom club Sunderland to give Middlesbrough a glimmer of hope in their battle for survival.

It was Boro&#39;s first win in 17 league games and took them to within six points of safety with four games to play, while Sunderland remain 12 points adrift of the survival threshold.

(AFP)

Both the North London clubs scored in the last phases of the game

Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen netted a superb 30-yard goal to down Crystal Palace 1-0 on Wednesday and keep Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League title hopes alive. Leaders Chelsea, who beat Tottenham 4-2 in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday, went seven points clear by beating Southampton on Tuesday, but Spurs' win trimmed the gap back to four points. Eriksen struck in the 78th minute and Arsenal also left it late, Robert Huth's 85th-minute own goal giving Arsene Wenger's men a 1-0 win that left them four points off the Champions League places. Palace had won six, drawn one and lost one of their previous eight league games and had the best of the first half at Selhurst Park, Christian Benteke working Hugo Lloris and Andros Townsend firing over. Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino took decisive action at half-time, sending on Son Heung-Min and Moussa Sissoko in place of Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama. Palace lost Mamadou Sakho to a potentially serious injury in the 57th minute, the in-form centre-back, who is on loan from Liverpool, stretchered off after twisting his left knee. Dele Alli scored a glorious goal for Spurs at Selhurst Park last season, but he squandered a good chance shortly before the hour, volleying wide from Kyle Walker's right-wing cross. Eriksen came to the rescue with 12 minutes to play, gathering Harry Kane's pass and arrowing a glorious shot into the bottom-left corner to secure an eighth successive league win. Huth's unwitting intervention allowed Arsenal to prolong the momentum from their dogged 2-1 win over Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday. On a subdued night, and in front of many empty seats at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal went closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half with an Alexis Sanchez shot that cannoned back off the crossbar. Wenger threw on Danny Welbeck, Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey in the second half, ditching the back-three system he has been using of late. Victory looked likely to elude the hosts until five minutes from time when Nacho Monreal's shot took a huge deflection off Huth and looped over Kasper Schmeichel in the Leicester goal. The win lifted Arsenal one place to sixth, four points behind fourth-place Manchester City and three points below fifth-place Manchester United. Arsenal have played the same number of goals as City and United, who meet in the Manchester derby on Thursday. The evening's other game also ended 1-0, Marten de Roon's eighth-minute goal seeing off bottom club Sunderland to give Middlesbrough a glimmer of hope in their battle for survival. It was Boro's first win in 17 league games and took them to within six points of safety with four games to play, while Sunderland remain 12 points adrift of the survival threshold. (AFP)

Premier League: Tottenham, Arsenal win by solitary goals

Cristiano Ronaldo was left out of the Real Madrid squad for Wednesday&#39;s trip to Deportivo la Coruna as coach Zinedine Zidane maintained his rotation policy despite defeat by Barcelona on Sunday.

It is the third consecutive La Liga away game Ronaldo has not been included in the Real squad.

However, the European champions have recorded victories at Leganes and Sporting Gijon without the World Player of the Year.

Gareth Bale and captain Sergio Ramos are unavailable through injury and suspension respectively.

Meanwhile, midfielder Toni Kroos is also rested.

Raphael Varane returns from nearly a month out with a hamstring problem to ease the blow of Ramos`s absence at the heart of the defence.

Madrid and Barca are locked on 75 points each at the top of La Liga.

However, Real still have matters in their own hands as they have a game in hand on their title rivals. 
 
(Reuters)

 
&nbsp;

Coach Zinedine Zidane maintained his rotation policy despite defeat by Barcelona on Sunday

Cristiano Ronaldo was left out of the Real Madrid squad for Wednesday's trip to Deportivo la Coruna as coach Zinedine Zidane maintained his rotation policy despite defeat by Barcelona on Sunday. It is the third consecutive La Liga away game Ronaldo has not been included in the Real squad. However, the European champions have recorded victories at Leganes and Sporting Gijon without the World Player of the Year. Gareth Bale and captain Sergio Ramos are unavailable through injury and suspension respectively. Meanwhile, midfielder Toni Kroos is also rested. Raphael Varane returns from nearly a month out with a hamstring problem to ease the blow of Ramos`s absence at the heart of the defence. Madrid and Barca are locked on 75 points each at the top of La Liga. However, Real still have matters in their own hands as they have a game in hand on their title rivals. (Reuters)

Zidane's rotation policy: Real Madrid rests Ronaldo

English soccer clubs were raided early on Wednesday morning by tax officials as part of a wide-sweeping probe, with several men arrested for suspected Income Tax and National Insurance fraud.

&quot;180 HMRC (HM Revenue and Customs) officers have been deployed across the UK and France today,&quot; a statement from the body responsible for UK tax collection said.&nbsp;

&quot;Investigators have searched a number of premises in the North East and South East of England and arrested the men and also seized business records, financial records, computers and mobile phones.&quot;

HMRC said French authorities were assisting the UK investigation, that they have made arrests and that several locations have been searched in France.

&quot;This criminal investigation sends a clear message that, whoever you are, if you commit tax fraud you can expect to face the consequences.&quot;

(Reuters)

180 HMRC (HM Revenue and Customs) officers have been deployed across the UK and France today

English soccer clubs were raided early on Wednesday morning by tax officials as part of a wide-sweeping probe, with several men arrested for suspected Income Tax and National Insurance fraud. "180 HMRC (HM Revenue and Customs) officers have been deployed across the UK and France today," a statement from the body responsible for UK tax collection said. "Investigators have searched a number of premises in the North East and South East of England and arrested the men and also seized business records, financial records, computers and mobile phones." HMRC said French authorities were assisting the UK investigation, that they have made arrests and that several locations have been searched in France. "This criminal investigation sends a clear message that, whoever you are, if you commit tax fraud you can expect to face the consequences." (Reuters)

English soccer clubs raided in tax probe, several arrested

Borussia Dortmund fought back to defeat bitter rivals Bayern Munich 3-2 on Wednesday to reach the German Cup final and shatter the Bavarian giants&#39; dreams of the double.

A brilliant strike from Ousmane Dembele 15 minutes from the end settled a tie at Munich&#39;s Allianz Arena which had seen Dortmund trail 2-1 at half-time.

It was a dramatic turn-around for Thomas Tuchel&#39;s Dortmund who were hammered 4-1 by runaway leaders Bayern in Munich in the Bundesliga just three weeks ago.

&quot;We came from 2-1 down and still won - that&#39;s crazy,&quot; beamed Tuchel.

&quot;We had completely written off our 4-1 defeat in the league. We played well for 20 minutes and then we let it slip.

&quot;After the break, we kept improving and improving, from the 60th minute we were very good. We certainly had a bit of luck too.&quot;

In a repeat of last year&#39;s final at Berlin&#39;s Olympic Stadium, which Bayern won in a penalty shoot-out, Marco Reus put Dortmund ahead after 19 minutes following a mistake by Munich&#39;s Javi Martinez.

The Spanish international&#39;s lazy back pass was snapped up by Dortmund midfielder Raphael Guerreiro, whose snot hit the post and Reus drilled the rebound.

Martinez made amends by equalising with a header nine minutes later before Mats Hummels put Bayern 2-1 ahead at half-time.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made it 2-2 on 69 minutes when he headed home a superb Dembele cross.

That paved the way for the French teenager to hit the winner with a curling left-foot shot.

Dortmund will play in a fourth consecutive final on May 27, when they face Eintracht Frankfurt, who reached the final on Tuesday with a penalty shoot-out win over Borussia Moenchengladbach.

The cup defeat in Munich leaves Bayern winless in their last five games following back-to-back defeats to Real Madrid which saw them crash out of the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Carlo Ancelotti&#39;s Bayern are eight points clear in the Bundesliga with four games left, but their dreams of winning the double came a cropper at the hands of Dortmund.&nbsp;

(AFP)

Borussia Dortmund will meet Eintracht Frankfurt in the final

Borussia Dortmund fought back to defeat bitter rivals Bayern Munich 3-2 on Wednesday to reach the German Cup final and shatter the Bavarian giants' dreams of the double. A brilliant strike from Ousmane Dembele 15 minutes from the end settled a tie at Munich's Allianz Arena which had seen Dortmund trail 2-1 at half-time. It was a dramatic turn-around for Thomas Tuchel's Dortmund who were hammered 4-1 by runaway leaders Bayern in Munich in the Bundesliga just three weeks ago. "We came from 2-1 down and still won - that's crazy," beamed Tuchel. "We had completely written off our 4-1 defeat in the league. We played well for 20 minutes and then we let it slip. "After the break, we kept improving and improving, from the 60th minute we were very good. We certainly had a bit of luck too." In a repeat of last year's final at Berlin's Olympic Stadium, which Bayern won in a penalty shoot-out, Marco Reus put Dortmund ahead after 19 minutes following a mistake by Munich's Javi Martinez. The Spanish international's lazy back pass was snapped up by Dortmund midfielder Raphael Guerreiro, whose snot hit the post and Reus drilled the rebound. Martinez made amends by equalising with a header nine minutes later before Mats Hummels put Bayern 2-1 ahead at half-time. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made it 2-2 on 69 minutes when he headed home a superb Dembele cross. That paved the way for the French teenager to hit the winner with a curling left-foot shot. Dortmund will play in a fourth consecutive final on May 27, when they face Eintracht Frankfurt, who reached the final on Tuesday with a penalty shoot-out win over Borussia Moenchengladbach. The cup defeat in Munich leaves Bayern winless in their last five games following back-to-back defeats to Real Madrid which saw them crash out of the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Carlo Ancelotti's Bayern are eight points clear in the Bundesliga with four games left, but their dreams of winning the double came a cropper at the hands of Dortmund. (AFP)

German Cup: Dortmund stage fightback to overcome Bayern Munich

Diego Costa scored his 50th and 51st Premier League goals as Chelsea overcame spirited Southampton 4-2 on Tuesday to establish a seven-point lead at the top of the table.

Costa set up Eden Hazard&#39;s early opener, which was cancelled out by Oriol Romeu, before Gary Cahill restored the hosts&#39; lead at an unseasonably cold Stamford Bridge.

Costa sealed victory with a second-half brace, ending a seven-game goal drought and heaping the pressure on second-place Tottenham Hotspur, who visit in-form Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

&quot;Today I have to be pleased with the effort of my players. It wasn&#39;t easy after a tough game against Tottenham,&quot; said Chelsea manager Antonio Conte.

&quot;We must be confident for the future. It&#39;s important to look at ourselves and not the other (Spurs).&quot;

Having beaten Spurs in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday, Chelsea&#39;s latest win reaffirmed the status of Conte&#39;s side as England&#39;s team to beat.

They face a thorny trip to Everton this weekend and have now gone 11 league games without a clean sheet -- their longest run since 1996 --&nbsp;but the finishing line is just five games away.

Hazard, Costa and Cesc Fabregas returned to the Chelsea XI after starting Saturday&#39;s 4-2 win over Tottenham on the bench and they combined for the fifth-minute opener.

Fabregas&#39;s pass from halfway sent Costa scampering away down the inside-right channel and his cut-back was swept into the bottom-left corner by Hazard.

The Belgian forward has now scored 15 goals in a Premier League season for the first time, his highest tally since netting 20 times for Lille in 2011-12.

The trio were at it again shortly after, Costa deftly cushioning Fabregas&#39;s pass into the path of Hazard, who curled well wide.

But there had already been nervy moments in the hosts&#39; penalty area -- an unmarked Jack Stephens volleying tamely at Thibaut Courtois -- and before long Southampton were level.

Terry ovation&nbsp;

James Ward-Prowse&#39;s corner from the left was inadvertently flicked on by Cesar Azpilicueta and reached the unattended Manolo Gabbiadini at the back post.

The Italian&#39;s cross-shot flicked off Courtois and was tapped in by ex-Chelsea midfielder Romeu, who had last scored in January 2016.

Set-pieces continued to prove the home side&#39;s Achilles heel, with Courtois obliged to swat away a dangerous Ward-Prowse free-kick before Sofiane Boufal thrashed into the side-netting at a corner.

A storming run by N&#39;Golo Kante forced Stephens into a desperate headed clearance and Costa had a penalty appeal turned down, but Chelsea were wavering until Cahill struck in first-half stoppage time.

Kante&#39;s deep cross was helped on by Marcos Alonso and with Costa launching himself into a mid-air scissors kick, the England centre-back charged in bravely to head home.

Costa would not be denied the next time he got a sight of goal in the 53rd minute as he brought up a half-century of league goals on his 85th appearance since signing from Atletico Madrid in 2014.

After a short corner with Hazard, Fabregas lofted a cross to the far post and Costa held off Bertrand to plant a header past Fraser Forster.

Dusan Tadic worked Courtois with a skidding effort and Gabbiadini hit the side-netting after again being left unmarked at a corner, moving Conte to angrily kick a bag beside the dug-out.

Chelsea club captain John Terry came on for the final five minutes and was afforded a standing ovation in his first appearance since announcing he will leave the club at the end of the season.

Costa made it 4-1 with a delightful goal in the 89th minute, swapping passes with first Hazard and then substitute Pedro before drilling a low shot past Forster.

&quot;We played a good team, but it&#39;s a harsh result,&quot; said Southampton manager Claude Puel, whose side added a stoppage-time consolation through another Bridge old boy, Ryan Bertrand.

&quot;Eden Hazard and Diego Costa made the difference today.&quot;

(AFP)

Chelsea overcame a spirited Southampton to establish a seven-point lead over Tottenham in the league standings

Diego Costa scored his 50th and 51st Premier League goals as Chelsea overcame spirited Southampton 4-2 on Tuesday to establish a seven-point lead at the top of the table. Costa set up Eden Hazard's early opener, which was cancelled out by Oriol Romeu, before Gary Cahill restored the hosts' lead at an unseasonably cold Stamford Bridge. Costa sealed victory with a second-half brace, ending a seven-game goal drought and heaping the pressure on second-place Tottenham Hotspur, who visit in-form Crystal Palace on Wednesday. "Today I have to be pleased with the effort of my players. It wasn't easy after a tough game against Tottenham," said Chelsea manager Antonio Conte. "We must be confident for the future. It's important to look at ourselves and not the other (Spurs)." Having beaten Spurs in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday, Chelsea's latest win reaffirmed the status of Conte's side as England's team to beat. They face a thorny trip to Everton this weekend and have now gone 11 league games without a clean sheet -- their longest run since 1996 -- but the finishing line is just five games away. Hazard, Costa and Cesc Fabregas returned to the Chelsea XI after starting Saturday's 4-2 win over Tottenham on the bench and they combined for the fifth-minute opener. Fabregas's pass from halfway sent Costa scampering away down the inside-right channel and his cut-back was swept into the bottom-left corner by Hazard. The Belgian forward has now scored 15 goals in a Premier League season for the first time, his highest tally since netting 20 times for Lille in 2011-12. The trio were at it again shortly after, Costa deftly cushioning Fabregas's pass into the path of Hazard, who curled well wide. But there had already been nervy moments in the hosts' penalty area -- an unmarked Jack Stephens volleying tamely at Thibaut Courtois -- and before long Southampton were level. Terry ovation James Ward-Prowse's corner from the left was inadvertently flicked on by Cesar Azpilicueta and reached the unattended Manolo Gabbiadini at the back post. The Italian's cross-shot flicked off Courtois and was tapped in by ex-Chelsea midfielder Romeu, who had last scored in January 2016. Set-pieces continued to prove the home side's Achilles heel, with Courtois obliged to swat away a dangerous Ward-Prowse free-kick before Sofiane Boufal thrashed into the side-netting at a corner. A storming run by N'Golo Kante forced Stephens into a desperate headed clearance and Costa had a penalty appeal turned down, but Chelsea were wavering until Cahill struck in first-half stoppage time. Kante's deep cross was helped on by Marcos Alonso and with Costa launching himself into a mid-air scissors kick, the England centre-back charged in bravely to head home. Costa would not be denied the next time he got a sight of goal in the 53rd minute as he brought up a half-century of league goals on his 85th appearance since signing from Atletico Madrid in 2014. After a short corner with Hazard, Fabregas lofted a cross to the far post and Costa held off Bertrand to plant a header past Fraser Forster. Dusan Tadic worked Courtois with a skidding effort and Gabbiadini hit the side-netting after again being left unmarked at a corner, moving Conte to angrily kick a bag beside the dug-out. Chelsea club captain John Terry came on for the final five minutes and was afforded a standing ovation in his first appearance since announcing he will leave the club at the end of the season. Costa made it 4-1 with a delightful goal in the 89th minute, swapping passes with first Hazard and then substitute Pedro before drilling a low shot past Forster. "We played a good team, but it's a harsh result," said Southampton manager Claude Puel, whose side added a stoppage-time consolation through another Bridge old boy, Ryan Bertrand. "Eden Hazard and Diego Costa made the difference today." (AFP)

Premier League: Costa inspires Chelsea to increase lead

Christian&nbsp;Benteke&#39;s double for Crystal Palace against his old club Liverpool dealt perhaps a fatal blow to their hopes of Champions League football whilst boosting Manchester United&#39;s chances on Sunday.

United had already done their chances no end of good earlier on Sunday as Anthony Martial responded positively to criticism by Jose Mourinho in scoring one and being involved in Wayne Rooney&#39;s second beating Burnley 2-0 to move up to fifth spot and a point off Manchester City -- who they play on Thursday.

However, it is Liverpool who will be the most worried about missing out on the lucrative Champions League spot next season as they are just two points clear of United who have two games in hand.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp pondered how Palace had been in danger of relegation when their performance belied their lowly position.

Palace now look certain to preserve Sam Allardyce&#39;s proud record of never being in charge of a club that has gone down.

However, Klopp issued a rallying call to the fans and his players not to give up hope on the Champions League.

&quot;It is frustrating, disappointing of course,&quot; Klopp told the BBC.

&quot;Everyone thinks the Champions League has slipped through our fingers but we have one more month to stay positive.

&quot;We have to try everything to squeeze everything out of this season.&quot;

Allardyce, who has engineered victories over Chelsea, Arsenal and now Liverpool in recent weeks, said there was a sense of relief that there was clear breathing space now between them and the bottom three -- they are seven points clear of Swansea.

&quot;It has been hard work but we are looking up,&quot; he told BBC.

&quot;We have five games to go but Tottenham on Wednesday will come too early.

&quot;We will have to change the side to get fresh legs into the side. It is a big result today, it makes life so much easier,&quot; added Allardyce.

Palace forward Andros Townsend refused to accept they could relax and plan for another season in the Premier League.

&quot;We have seen the other teams at the bottom are winning matches. We are almost there,&quot; he told Sky Sports.

United may be down to the bare bones in certain areas because of injury but even with leading scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic out with a serious knee injury and Marcus Rashford rested till a late appearance as a substitute they made light work of a Burnley side who are not out of trouble yet.

However, Mourinho denied fourth place was their priority as United he said are in the business of winning trophies and it is what he is being paid for.

&quot;If we beat Celta Vigo (their Europa League semi-final opponents) we go to the final and yes it is important for us to play Champions League, but this club wants trophies,&quot; said Mourinho.

&quot;We cannot give the club the Premier League. We have 25 percent chance to win the Europa League and we have to put everything on it.&quot;

(AFP)

Liverpool's loss to Crystal Palace for the third straight year at Anfield has reignited United's top four hopes

Christian Benteke's double for Crystal Palace against his old club Liverpool dealt perhaps a fatal blow to their hopes of Champions League football whilst boosting Manchester United's chances on Sunday. United had already done their chances no end of good earlier on Sunday as Anthony Martial responded positively to criticism by Jose Mourinho in scoring one and being involved in Wayne Rooney's second beating Burnley 2-0 to move up to fifth spot and a point off Manchester City -- who they play on Thursday. However, it is Liverpool who will be the most worried about missing out on the lucrative Champions League spot next season as they are just two points clear of United who have two games in hand. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp pondered how Palace had been in danger of relegation when their performance belied their lowly position. Palace now look certain to preserve Sam Allardyce's proud record of never being in charge of a club that has gone down. However, Klopp issued a rallying call to the fans and his players not to give up hope on the Champions League. "It is frustrating, disappointing of course," Klopp told the BBC. "Everyone thinks the Champions League has slipped through our fingers but we have one more month to stay positive. "We have to try everything to squeeze everything out of this season." Allardyce, who has engineered victories over Chelsea, Arsenal and now Liverpool in recent weeks, said there was a sense of relief that there was clear breathing space now between them and the bottom three -- they are seven points clear of Swansea. "It has been hard work but we are looking up," he told BBC. "We have five games to go but Tottenham on Wednesday will come too early. "We will have to change the side to get fresh legs into the side. It is a big result today, it makes life so much easier," added Allardyce. Palace forward Andros Townsend refused to accept they could relax and plan for another season in the Premier League. "We have seen the other teams at the bottom are winning matches. We are almost there," he told Sky Sports. United may be down to the bare bones in certain areas because of injury but even with leading scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic out with a serious knee injury and Marcus Rashford rested till a late appearance as a substitute they made light work of a Burnley side who are not out of trouble yet. However, Mourinho denied fourth place was their priority as United he said are in the business of winning trophies and it is what he is being paid for. "If we beat Celta Vigo (their Europa League semi-final opponents) we go to the final and yes it is important for us to play Champions League, but this club wants trophies," said Mourinho. "We cannot give the club the Premier League. We have 25 percent chance to win the Europa League and we have to put everything on it." (AFP)

Premier League: Benteke brace sinks Liverpool, Man United inch closer

Lionel Messi struck his 500th Barcelona goal with the last kick of the game to blow the La Liga title race wide open with a thrilling 3-2 win at Real Madrid on Sunday.

Messi had broken a three-year goalless drought against Madrid to cancel out Casemiro&#39;s opener for Madrid in the first-half.

Ivan Rakitic&#39;s stunning strike and a red card for Madrid captain Sergio Ramos for chopping down Messi 13 minutes from time put Barca on course for victory before James Rodriguez came off the bench to level four minutes from time.

However, fittingly, Messi had the final say with a brilliant finish deep into stoppage time to lift Barcelona&#39;s hopes of a third straight La Liga title.

Fresh from dumping Bayern Munich out the Champions League in a 4-2 thriller after extra-time in midweek, Madrid had started confidently in another breathless encounter at the Bernabeu.

Cristiano Ronaldo had strong appeals for a penalty waived away inside two minutes after he appeared to have been clipped by Samuel Umtiti.

Barca grew slowly into the game and had their first big chance when Luis Suarez dragged wide Jordi Alba&#39;s fine cut-back from the edge of the box 11 minutes in.

Shortly after Messi was left floored and bloodied after being caught by a stray elbow from Marcelo.

The Argentine was still down by Ronaldo drilled another fine effort towards goal that Marc-Andre ter Stegen did well to parry to safety.

Unsurprisingly given both Madrid&#39;s potency and Barca&#39;s inability to defend set-pieces, the opener arrived from a dead ball.

Marcelo picked up the loose ball from a corner and when Sergio Ramos volleyed his cross against the post, Casemiro was on hand to tap into an unguarded net.

The lead lasted just five minutes, though, as with a handkerchief still mopping the blood from his cheek, Messi danced past Dani Carvajal and Nacho to fire home his first goal against Madrid for three years.

Ter Stegen was called into action again to prevent Real immediately retaking the lead as he flew to his left to save from Luka Modric&#39;s long-range effort.

However, Barca ended the half feeling hard done by when referee Alejandro Jose Hernandez didn&#39;t show Casemiro a second yellow card for upending Messi as he led a promising counter-attack.

Madrid were rampant at the start of the second period, but were met with a wall of resistance in Ter Stegen.

The German dived low to his left to turn international teammate Toni Kroos&#39;s effort behind before diverting Karim Benzema&#39;s goalbound header to safety with his outstretched foot.

However, Keylor Navas was also busy at the other end as he came to Madrid&#39;s rescue on three occasions.

Firstly, he got a foot to Paco Alcacer&#39;s prodded effort before pulling off acrobatic saves to deny Gerard Pique and Suarez.

Ronaldo then missed a guilt-edged chance to put Madrid back in front as he somehow turned the ball over from point-blank range after unselfish play from Asensio.

There was nothing Navas could do to deny Barca 17 minutes from time when Rakitic took aim from 25 yards and drilled into the top corner.

The match seemed to have swung decisively in Barca&#39;s favour four minutes later when Ramos scythed down Messi to be shown the 22nd red card of his career.

However, even with 10 men, Madrid rallied and levelled when substitute James Rodriguez swept home Marcelo&#39;s cross four minutes from time.

There was still time for one huge twist in the title race, though, as Sergi Roberto&#39;s lung-bursting run led a Barca counter-attack to feed Jordi Alba and his cross was smashed into the corner by Messi.

(AFP)

Messi scored his 500th goal for Barcelona with the last kick of the game

Lionel Messi struck his 500th Barcelona goal with the last kick of the game to blow the La Liga title race wide open with a thrilling 3-2 win at Real Madrid on Sunday. Messi had broken a three-year goalless drought against Madrid to cancel out Casemiro's opener for Madrid in the first-half. Ivan Rakitic's stunning strike and a red card for Madrid captain Sergio Ramos for chopping down Messi 13 minutes from time put Barca on course for victory before James Rodriguez came off the bench to level four minutes from time. However, fittingly, Messi had the final say with a brilliant finish deep into stoppage time to lift Barcelona's hopes of a third straight La Liga title. Fresh from dumping Bayern Munich out the Champions League in a 4-2 thriller after extra-time in midweek, Madrid had started confidently in another breathless encounter at the Bernabeu. Cristiano Ronaldo had strong appeals for a penalty waived away inside two minutes after he appeared to have been clipped by Samuel Umtiti. Barca grew slowly into the game and had their first big chance when Luis Suarez dragged wide Jordi Alba's fine cut-back from the edge of the box 11 minutes in. Shortly after Messi was left floored and bloodied after being caught by a stray elbow from Marcelo. The Argentine was still down by Ronaldo drilled another fine effort towards goal that Marc-Andre ter Stegen did well to parry to safety. Unsurprisingly given both Madrid's potency and Barca's inability to defend set-pieces, the opener arrived from a dead ball. Marcelo picked up the loose ball from a corner and when Sergio Ramos volleyed his cross against the post, Casemiro was on hand to tap into an unguarded net. The lead lasted just five minutes, though, as with a handkerchief still mopping the blood from his cheek, Messi danced past Dani Carvajal and Nacho to fire home his first goal against Madrid for three years. Ter Stegen was called into action again to prevent Real immediately retaking the lead as he flew to his left to save from Luka Modric's long-range effort. However, Barca ended the half feeling hard done by when referee Alejandro Jose Hernandez didn't show Casemiro a second yellow card for upending Messi as he led a promising counter-attack. Madrid were rampant at the start of the second period, but were met with a wall of resistance in Ter Stegen. The German dived low to his left to turn international teammate Toni Kroos's effort behind before diverting Karim Benzema's goalbound header to safety with his outstretched foot. However, Keylor Navas was also busy at the other end as he came to Madrid's rescue on three occasions. Firstly, he got a foot to Paco Alcacer's prodded effort before pulling off acrobatic saves to deny Gerard Pique and Suarez. Ronaldo then missed a guilt-edged chance to put Madrid back in front as he somehow turned the ball over from point-blank range after unselfish play from Asensio. There was nothing Navas could do to deny Barca 17 minutes from time when Rakitic took aim from 25 yards and drilled into the top corner. The match seemed to have swung decisively in Barca's favour four minutes later when Ramos scythed down Messi to be shown the 22nd red card of his career. However, even with 10 men, Madrid rallied and levelled when substitute James Rodriguez swept home Marcelo's cross four minutes from time. There was still time for one huge twist in the title race, though, as Sergi Roberto's lung-bursting run led a Barca counter-attack to feed Jordi Alba and his cross was smashed into the corner by Messi. (AFP)

Messi heroics help Barcelona edge Real Madrid 3-2

N&#39;Golo Kante&#39;s dynamic performances for double chasing Chelsea received the ultimate accolade from his peers on Sunday, the Professional Footballers&#39; Association (PFA) Player of the Year award.

The 26-year-old French midfielder saw off the likes of Tottenham striker Harry Kane and Everton&#39;s marksman Romelu Lukaku for the prestigious award.

It may well not be the last piece of silverware he lifts this season as unlike his former team-mates at Leicester -- for whom he was the driving force of a stunning title success last year -- he stands on the brink of becoming the first player to win successive league titles with different clubs.

&quot;To be chosen by the players to be player of the year means a lot to me,&quot; said Kante.

&quot;It means the world to be chosen and it&#39;s been two beautiful seasons, one with Leicester, and we are in good form with Chelsea. To be player of the year, it&#39;s a great honour.&quot;

Kante, who also faces an FA Cup final date against Arsenal, said Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, like Leicester&#39;s title winning manager Claudio Ranieri an Italian, had instilled a winning mentality into the players.

&quot;He knows what he wants from the players,&quot; said Kante.

&quot;He wants to win, and we work very, very, very hard in training for him. He put a winning mentality into the squad, and everyone wants to give their best for the team, and to make Chelsea win titles.&quot;

Kante, who had a modest playing career in France with Boulogne and then Caen, said the award will not go to his head as he acknowledges they face a tough battle to win either the league or the Cup -- Spurs are just four points behind them in the title race and Arsenal will be desperate to rescue a poor season with a trophy.

&quot;We&#39;re going to fight for both competitions,&quot; said Kante.

&quot;The cup is just one game, and the league six games, and we&#39;re going to give our best to win these two competitions.&quot;

Kante&#39;s performances this season has had former players eulogising about his ability especially after he totally overshadowed his compatriot and the world&#39;s most expensive player Paul Pogba in the 1-0 win over Manchester United in March.

&quot;I&#39;d go as far to say that he&#39;s (Kante) the best central midfield player in the world on current form,&quot; former England and Chelsea great Frank Lampard told the BBC.

&quot;Looking at the way he&#39;s performing this year, he may not be scoring lots of goals but what he&#39;s giving to the team in the way he&#39;s playing, the driving force that he is, I cannot see anyone else out there in world football better than him at the moment.&quot;

Former Barcelona and England striker Gary Lineker said he had the potential to be the greatest midfielder of all time if he corrected one facet of his game.

&quot;Bloody hell, if Kante starts scoring goals as well he&#39;ll become the best midfield player ever,&quot; tweeted Lineker&nbsp;

Tottenham Hotspur -- who would relish the title even more after being beaten 4-2 by Chelsea in their FA Cup semi-final on Saturday -- didn&#39;t go away empty-handed.

Their goalscoring midfielder English international Dele Alli, whom many thought should have been a contender for the senior award, won the young player of the year award for the second successive year.

Other winners included Manchester City&#39;s Lucy Bronze who was the women&#39;s player of the year for a second occasion having won it in 2014. Birmingham City&#39;s Jess Carter won the young player of the year award.

English football icon Davd Beckham followed among another former Manchester United team-mate Ryan Giggs in receiving the PFA&#39;s Merit award for his contribution to the game.

(AFP)

The midfielder saw off the likes of Tottenham striker Harry Kane and Everton's marksman Romelu Lukaku for the prestigious award

N'Golo Kante's dynamic performances for double chasing Chelsea received the ultimate accolade from his peers on Sunday, the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Player of the Year award. The 26-year-old French midfielder saw off the likes of Tottenham striker Harry Kane and Everton's marksman Romelu Lukaku for the prestigious award. It may well not be the last piece of silverware he lifts this season as unlike his former team-mates at Leicester -- for whom he was the driving force of a stunning title success last year -- he stands on the brink of becoming the first player to win successive league titles with different clubs. "To be chosen by the players to be player of the year means a lot to me," said Kante. "It means the world to be chosen and it's been two beautiful seasons, one with Leicester, and we are in good form with Chelsea. To be player of the year, it's a great honour." Kante, who also faces an FA Cup final date against Arsenal, said Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, like Leicester's title winning manager Claudio Ranieri an Italian, had instilled a winning mentality into the players. "He knows what he wants from the players," said Kante. "He wants to win, and we work very, very, very hard in training for him. He put a winning mentality into the squad, and everyone wants to give their best for the team, and to make Chelsea win titles." Kante, who had a modest playing career in France with Boulogne and then Caen, said the award will not go to his head as he acknowledges they face a tough battle to win either the league or the Cup -- Spurs are just four points behind them in the title race and Arsenal will be desperate to rescue a poor season with a trophy. "We're going to fight for both competitions," said Kante. "The cup is just one game, and the league six games, and we're going to give our best to win these two competitions." Kante's performances this season has had former players eulogising about his ability especially after he totally overshadowed his compatriot and the world's most expensive player Paul Pogba in the 1-0 win over Manchester United in March. "I'd go as far to say that he's (Kante) the best central midfield player in the world on current form," former England and Chelsea great Frank Lampard told the BBC. "Looking at the way he's performing this year, he may not be scoring lots of goals but what he's giving to the team in the way he's playing, the driving force that he is, I cannot see anyone else out there in world football better than him at the moment." Former Barcelona and England striker Gary Lineker said he had the potential to be the greatest midfielder of all time if he corrected one facet of his game. "Bloody hell, if Kante starts scoring goals as well he'll become the best midfield player ever," tweeted Lineker Tottenham Hotspur -- who would relish the title even more after being beaten 4-2 by Chelsea in their FA Cup semi-final on Saturday -- didn't go away empty-handed. Their goalscoring midfielder English international Dele Alli, whom many thought should have been a contender for the senior award, won the young player of the year award for the second successive year. Other winners included Manchester City's Lucy Bronze who was the women's player of the year for a second occasion having won it in 2014. Birmingham City's Jess Carter won the young player of the year award. English football icon Davd Beckham followed among another former Manchester United team-mate Ryan Giggs in receiving the PFA's Merit award for his contribution to the game. (AFP)

Premier League: Chelsea's Kante wins player of the year gong

Alexis Sanchez earned Arsenal an FA Cup final showdown with Chelsea and gave Arsene Wenger renewed hope of salvaging a troubled campaign as the gritty Gunners fought back to beat Manchester City 2-1 on Sunday.

When Sergio Aguero put City ahead in the second half of a bruising semi-final, Wenger&#39;s side were on the verge of another dispiriting defeat in arguably the worst season of the Frenchman&#39;s 21-year reign.

But, despite being out-played for long periods, Arsenal summoned a spirit and desire too often missing from their performances this term.

Nacho Monreal&#39;s equaliser forced extra-time and Sanchez&#39;s predatory finish in the additional period secured a final date with Premier League leaders Chelsea back at Wembley on May 27.

Arsenal&#39;s third FA Cup final in the last four years -- they won it in 2014 and 2015 -- gives them a record 20 appearances in the showpiece match of the famous old competition.

Crucially, it presents Wenger with a chance to mute the mounting criticism from his club&#39;s supporters who want him to resign.

The Gunners&#39; failure to challenge for the Premier League title has been compounded by their slide out of the top four.

But those close to Wenger believe he is still leaning towards staying.

With fourth placed City well adrift of leaders Chelsea, boss Pep Guardiola is destined to finish his first season empty-handed.

He now faces the difficult task of lifting his players before a vital derby against Manchester United as the top four battles heats up on Thursday.

City came close to striking first when the diminutive David Silva rose to meet Aguero&#39;s cross with a header that Petr Cech pushed over.

Silva departed due to injury soon after, but City monopolised possession and Arsenal were often reduced to kicking their opponents out of their rhythm.&nbsp;

Aguero and Raheem Sterling combined to bundle the ball into the net just before half-time, but the goal was controversially ruled out because Leroy Sane&#39;s cross was adjudged to have gone out as it looped over the bar before curling back into play.

Off the canvas&nbsp;

To City&#39;s frustration, television replays suggested a tiny part of the ball was still in play before it reached Aguero.

Yet Arsenal&#39;s play still lacked conviction and by the 62nd minute the scoreline finally reflected City&#39;s dominance.

When Yaya Toure seized the ball after Aaron Ramsey&#39;s mistake deep in City&#39;s half, the Ivorian spotted Aguero and sent a long pass towards the striker.

Aguero surged away from Monreal and, although his first touch almost ruined the chance, he recovered to lift a deft finish over Cech for his 30th goal this season.

If that felt like the knockout blow, Monreal had other ideas and he hauled the Gunners off the canvas in the 71st minute.

Having laboured for so long, Arsenal suddenly sprang to life and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain swung over a superb cross to the far post, where Monreal timed his run perfectly to slot home from close-range for his first Arsenal goal in over two years.

City almost hit back immediately, with Toure&#39;s 25-yard volley pushed onto a post by Cech before Fernandinho headed against the crossbar from Kevin de Bruyne&#39;s corner.

Danny Welbeck couldn&#39;t win it for Arsenal with a fine curling strike before extra-time, but Sanchez came to Wenger&#39;s rescue with a far more prosaic effort in the 101st minute.

Sanchez has been a problem for Wenger with his mood swings this season and he was well below his best for long periods once again.

But he was in the right place at the right time when a goalmouth melee ended with the Chilean beating Gael Clichy to the loose ball and firing in from close-range.

(AFP)

The Gunners entered the final for a record 20th time after an Alexis Sanchez winner capped off a spirited comeback

Alexis Sanchez earned Arsenal an FA Cup final showdown with Chelsea and gave Arsene Wenger renewed hope of salvaging a troubled campaign as the gritty Gunners fought back to beat Manchester City 2-1 on Sunday. When Sergio Aguero put City ahead in the second half of a bruising semi-final, Wenger's side were on the verge of another dispiriting defeat in arguably the worst season of the Frenchman's 21-year reign. But, despite being out-played for long periods, Arsenal summoned a spirit and desire too often missing from their performances this term. Nacho Monreal's equaliser forced extra-time and Sanchez's predatory finish in the additional period secured a final date with Premier League leaders Chelsea back at Wembley on May 27. Arsenal's third FA Cup final in the last four years -- they won it in 2014 and 2015 -- gives them a record 20 appearances in the showpiece match of the famous old competition. Crucially, it presents Wenger with a chance to mute the mounting criticism from his club's supporters who want him to resign. The Gunners' failure to challenge for the Premier League title has been compounded by their slide out of the top four. But those close to Wenger believe he is still leaning towards staying. With fourth placed City well adrift of leaders Chelsea, boss Pep Guardiola is destined to finish his first season empty-handed. He now faces the difficult task of lifting his players before a vital derby against Manchester United as the top four battles heats up on Thursday. City came close to striking first when the diminutive David Silva rose to meet Aguero's cross with a header that Petr Cech pushed over. Silva departed due to injury soon after, but City monopolised possession and Arsenal were often reduced to kicking their opponents out of their rhythm. Aguero and Raheem Sterling combined to bundle the ball into the net just before half-time, but the goal was controversially ruled out because Leroy Sane's cross was adjudged to have gone out as it looped over the bar before curling back into play. Off the canvas To City's frustration, television replays suggested a tiny part of the ball was still in play before it reached Aguero. Yet Arsenal's play still lacked conviction and by the 62nd minute the scoreline finally reflected City's dominance. When Yaya Toure seized the ball after Aaron Ramsey's mistake deep in City's half, the Ivorian spotted Aguero and sent a long pass towards the striker. Aguero surged away from Monreal and, although his first touch almost ruined the chance, he recovered to lift a deft finish over Cech for his 30th goal this season. If that felt like the knockout blow, Monreal had other ideas and he hauled the Gunners off the canvas in the 71st minute. Having laboured for so long, Arsenal suddenly sprang to life and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain swung over a superb cross to the far post, where Monreal timed his run perfectly to slot home from close-range for his first Arsenal goal in over two years. City almost hit back immediately, with Toure's 25-yard volley pushed onto a post by Cech before Fernandinho headed against the crossbar from Kevin de Bruyne's corner. Danny Welbeck couldn't win it for Arsenal with a fine curling strike before extra-time, but Sanchez came to Wenger's rescue with a far more prosaic effort in the 101st minute. Sanchez has been a problem for Wenger with his mood swings this season and he was well below his best for long periods once again. But he was in the right place at the right time when a goalmouth melee ended with the Chilean beating Gael Clichy to the loose ball and firing in from close-range. (AFP)

FA Cup: Arsenal overcome City to set up Chelsea showdown

Late goals from Eden Hazard and Nemanja Matric settled a rip-roaring FA Cup semi-final 4-2 in Chelsea&#39;s favour over title rivals Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Saturday.

It was only the fourth time in the famous old knockout competition that a semi-final had featured the current top two in the top flight and it did not disappoint.

Brazilian Willian, surprisingly selected ahead of Hazard in the starting line-up, twice put Chelsea ahead in a sizzling contest, first after four minutes with a free kick and then close to halftime from the penalty spot.

Twice Tottenham roared back with Harry Kane heading them level after 18 minutes and fellow England international Dele Alli making it 2-2 with a superb finish in the 52nd minute.

Tottenham, who are four points behind Chelsea in the Premier League after a brilliant run of seven successive wins, dominated at times but their hopes of a first FA Cup final since 1991 were sunk late on by two moments of magic.

First Hazard, who replaced Willian with half an hour remaining, buried a low shot past Hugo Lloris after 75 minutes, then Matic&#39;s 25-metre piledriver sank Spurs who have won only one of their last nine matches at Wembley and have now lost in seven successive FA Cup semi-finals.

It was a huge win for Chelsea who have wobbled lately with two league defeats and they will face either Arsenal or Manchester City in the final when a &quot;double&quot; could be on offer.

After a resounding ovation for former England defender and Tottenham&#39;s Under-23 coach Ugo Ehiogu who died on Friday the semi-final began at a high tempo.

Chelsea, with Diego Costa and Hazard surprisingly on the bench, settled quickly and struck first.

Spurs defender Toby Alderweireld was a touch fortunate to escape a red card when his desperate tackle ended Pedro&#39;s marauding run, but greater punishment was exacted by Willian who curled a beautiful free kick past a flat-footed Lloris.

Tottenham were rattled as Chelsea swarmed around the pitch threatening a second goal but Chelsea&#39;s lead lasted only 13 minutes.

Delicate header

Christian Eriksen&#39;s corner was blocked but when the ball came back to the Dane he curled in a low cross and Kane, almost kneeling, feathered a delicate header beyond Thibaut Courtois for his 26th goal of the season.

Alli was becoming more involved and left David Luiz in agony after accidentally treading on the Chelsea defender&#39;s ankle.

As Tottenham assumed control Eric Dier went close to giving them the lead with a glancing header from Jan Vertonghen&#39;s teasing delivery that floated just wide.

Chelsea regained the lead out of the blue.

Eating up the ground on a forward run N&#39;Golo Kante slipped a ball towards the overlapping Victor Moses down the right and he was sent sprawling to the turf by Son Heung-min, playing as a left wing back, who needlessly slid in.

After a short delay referee Martin Atkinson pointed to the penalty spot and Willian dispatched it past Lloris.

Tottenham hit back again in brilliant fashion seven minutes after the break when Eriksen&#39;s teasing ball left Luiz floundering and Alli, timing his run to perfection, stabbed the ball high past Courtois.

Conte reacted by introducing Costa and Hazard with Willian making way and it was Hazard who stunned Tottenham when he was allowed to much space and he fired home through a crowd.

Matic then sent Chelsea&#39;s fans into ecstasy with an unstoppable fourth. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Chelsea 4-2 their rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the rip-roaring FA Cup semi-final

Late goals from Eden Hazard and Nemanja Matric settled a rip-roaring FA Cup semi-final 4-2 in Chelsea's favour over title rivals Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Saturday. It was only the fourth time in the famous old knockout competition that a semi-final had featured the current top two in the top flight and it did not disappoint. Brazilian Willian, surprisingly selected ahead of Hazard in the starting line-up, twice put Chelsea ahead in a sizzling contest, first after four minutes with a free kick and then close to halftime from the penalty spot. Twice Tottenham roared back with Harry Kane heading them level after 18 minutes and fellow England international Dele Alli making it 2-2 with a superb finish in the 52nd minute. Tottenham, who are four points behind Chelsea in the Premier League after a brilliant run of seven successive wins, dominated at times but their hopes of a first FA Cup final since 1991 were sunk late on by two moments of magic. First Hazard, who replaced Willian with half an hour remaining, buried a low shot past Hugo Lloris after 75 minutes, then Matic's 25-metre piledriver sank Spurs who have won only one of their last nine matches at Wembley and have now lost in seven successive FA Cup semi-finals. It was a huge win for Chelsea who have wobbled lately with two league defeats and they will face either Arsenal or Manchester City in the final when a "double" could be on offer. After a resounding ovation for former England defender and Tottenham's Under-23 coach Ugo Ehiogu who died on Friday the semi-final began at a high tempo. Chelsea, with Diego Costa and Hazard surprisingly on the bench, settled quickly and struck first. Spurs defender Toby Alderweireld was a touch fortunate to escape a red card when his desperate tackle ended Pedro's marauding run, but greater punishment was exacted by Willian who curled a beautiful free kick past a flat-footed Lloris. Tottenham were rattled as Chelsea swarmed around the pitch threatening a second goal but Chelsea's lead lasted only 13 minutes. Delicate header Christian Eriksen's corner was blocked but when the ball came back to the Dane he curled in a low cross and Kane, almost kneeling, feathered a delicate header beyond Thibaut Courtois for his 26th goal of the season. Alli was becoming more involved and left David Luiz in agony after accidentally treading on the Chelsea defender's ankle. As Tottenham assumed control Eric Dier went close to giving them the lead with a glancing header from Jan Vertonghen's teasing delivery that floated just wide. Chelsea regained the lead out of the blue. Eating up the ground on a forward run N'Golo Kante slipped a ball towards the overlapping Victor Moses down the right and he was sent sprawling to the turf by Son Heung-min, playing as a left wing back, who needlessly slid in. After a short delay referee Martin Atkinson pointed to the penalty spot and Willian dispatched it past Lloris. Tottenham hit back again in brilliant fashion seven minutes after the break when Eriksen's teasing ball left Luiz floundering and Alli, timing his run to perfection, stabbed the ball high past Courtois. Conte reacted by introducing Costa and Hazard with Willian making way and it was Hazard who stunned Tottenham when he was allowed to much space and he fired home through a crowd. Matic then sent Chelsea's fans into ecstasy with an unstoppable fourth. (Reuters)

Chelsea edge Tottenham in thrilling Cup semi

Zlatan Ibrahimovic&#39;s magical season with Manchester United appears over after the club announced he had suffered a serious knee injury in Thursday&#39;s Europa League clash with Anderlecht.

The club revealed that both the 35-year-old Swedish striker and Argentinian defender Marco Rojo had suffered knee injuries in the same match.

&quot;Detailed investigations on the injuries sustained by Marcos Rojo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic during Thursday&#39;s Europa League match have confirmed significant knee ligament damage in both players that requires specialist opinions over the coming days,&quot; read the United statement on their website.

&quot;Estimations of time to full recovery will only be possible once definitive treatment plans have been decided after these consultations.&quot;

Ibrahimovic didn&#39;t have his finest game agianst Anderlecht -- Marcus Rashford edging United through to the semi-finals on aggregate after extra-time -- but his goals this season have been the main reason for an improvement in the club&#39;s fortunes, albeit without ever being title challengers.

Ibrahimovic has defied many doubters since joining on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain last year, scoring 28 goals and inspiring United to victory in the League Cup.

Rojo&#39;s injury is also a serious bodyblow to United&#39;s depleted resources at the back with both England international central defenders Phil Jones and Chris Smalling expected to be out till mid May.

(AFP)

Marcos Rojo's injury is also a serious body blow to United's depleted resources at the back

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's magical season with Manchester United appears over after the club announced he had suffered a serious knee injury in Thursday's Europa League clash with Anderlecht. The club revealed that both the 35-year-old Swedish striker and Argentinian defender Marco Rojo had suffered knee injuries in the same match. "Detailed investigations on the injuries sustained by Marcos Rojo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic during Thursday's Europa League match have confirmed significant knee ligament damage in both players that requires specialist opinions over the coming days," read the United statement on their website. "Estimations of time to full recovery will only be possible once definitive treatment plans have been decided after these consultations." Ibrahimovic didn't have his finest game agianst Anderlecht -- Marcus Rashford edging United through to the semi-finals on aggregate after extra-time -- but his goals this season have been the main reason for an improvement in the club's fortunes, albeit without ever being title challengers. Ibrahimovic has defied many doubters since joining on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain last year, scoring 28 goals and inspiring United to victory in the League Cup. Rojo's injury is also a serious bodyblow to United's depleted resources at the back with both England international central defenders Phil Jones and Chris Smalling expected to be out till mid May. (AFP)

Man United's Ibrahimovic suffers 'significant knee ligament damage'

A graffiti portraying Lionel Messi on tiptoes kissing arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo has caused a stir in Barcelona, just two days before the seaside city&#39;s team faces Real Madrid in a crux game.

The graffiti on a bus stop in central Barcelona shows the Argentina and Barcelona star embracing and tenderly kissing his Portuguese Real Madrid rival, a football at their feet and a rose in Messi&#39;s hand, drawing many camera-wielding tourists.

The artist Tvboy said he had been inspired by the fact that Sunday&#39;s El Clasico game happens to fall on April 23 -- which is when people in Barcelona and the wider region of Catalonia celebrate their very own Valentine&#39;s Day.

&quot;I&#39;m looking for a message of hope and positivity. With all the clashes there have been in football between hooligans, I want to say: &#39;be calmer&#39;,&quot; he told AFP.

&quot;Messi and Cristiano are opponents, I know they would never kiss. But art must portray an ideal world, it must astonish, provoke.&quot;

Tvboy is an Italian from Milan who has lived for 13 years in Barcelona, whose streets have become his canvas.

His latest project dubbed &quot;Love is blind&quot; started during the US election campaign, during which he drew Republican candidate and current president Donald Trump kissing his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton.

(AFP)

The graffiti on a bus stop in central Barcelona shows Messi and Ronaldo tenderly kissing each other

A graffiti portraying Lionel Messi on tiptoes kissing arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo has caused a stir in Barcelona, just two days before the seaside city's team faces Real Madrid in a crux game. The graffiti on a bus stop in central Barcelona shows the Argentina and Barcelona star embracing and tenderly kissing his Portuguese Real Madrid rival, a football at their feet and a rose in Messi's hand, drawing many camera-wielding tourists. The artist Tvboy said he had been inspired by the fact that Sunday's El Clasico game happens to fall on April 23 -- which is when people in Barcelona and the wider region of Catalonia celebrate their very own Valentine's Day. "I'm looking for a message of hope and positivity. With all the clashes there have been in football between hooligans, I want to say: 'be calmer'," he told AFP. "Messi and Cristiano are opponents, I know they would never kiss. But art must portray an ideal world, it must astonish, provoke." Tvboy is an Italian from Milan who has lived for 13 years in Barcelona, whose streets have become his canvas. His latest project dubbed "Love is blind" started during the US election campaign, during which he drew Republican candidate and current president Donald Trump kissing his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton. (AFP)

Messi, Ronaldo kissing graffiti causes stir in Barcelona

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta acknowledged on Tuesday that his team has to provide a perfect performance to turn around the result against Juventus in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals at Camp Nou stadium, after a thrashing 0-3 first leg defeat.

Barcelona had made a historical comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the fourth round, after a 0-4 defeat at the Parc des Princes, wrapping up the match with&nbsp;a 6-1 victory at Camp Nou.

Barcelona finds itself in the same situation today, but this time against Juve&#39;s almost impregnable&nbsp;defense.

On the first leg in Turin, Iniesta said: &quot;It was a tough loss, but we&#39;re potent. We can sow doubt in our opponents and try to turn the tables.&quot;

&quot;We have to play a perfect game. We have to create the maximum number of chances and score goals,&quot; he added.

Asked whether Bar&ccedil;a can make another comeback, the veteran midfielder said: &quot;Twice? It&#39;s complicated, but if we can get close and create uncertainty in our opponents, the team will have a chance.&quot;

Iniesta also believes that Wednesday&#39;s match has many similarities to the PSG encounter, explaining that &quot;it&#39;s similar in that we have to score goals and give our rivals little chance to do so.&quot;&nbsp;

He added &quot;mentality is key from the opening minute. We have to score goals, and the earlier, the better.&quot;

(Agencia EFE)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Barcelona is set to clash against Juventus at Camp Nou today hoping to turn the three goal deficit suffered in the first leg

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta acknowledged on Tuesday that his team has to provide a perfect performance to turn around the result against Juventus in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals at Camp Nou stadium, after a thrashing 0-3 first leg defeat. Barcelona had made a historical comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the fourth round, after a 0-4 defeat at the Parc des Princes, wrapping up the match with a 6-1 victory at Camp Nou. Barcelona finds itself in the same situation today, but this time against Juve's almost impregnable defense. On the first leg in Turin, Iniesta said: "It was a tough loss, but we're potent. We can sow doubt in our opponents and try to turn the tables." "We have to play a perfect game. We have to create the maximum number of chances and score goals," he added. Asked whether Barça can make another comeback, the veteran midfielder said: "Twice? It's complicated, but if we can get close and create uncertainty in our opponents, the team will have a chance." Iniesta also believes that Wednesday's match has many similarities to the PSG encounter, explaining that "it's similar in that we have to score goals and give our rivals little chance to do so." He added "mentality is key from the opening minute. We have to score goals, and the earlier, the better." (Agencia EFE)

We have to play a perfect game against Juventus: Iniesta

Kylian Mbappe and Radamel Falcao struck early as Monaco reached the Champions League semi-finals with a 3-1 home win over Borussia Dortmund in an enthralling game on Wednesday that sealed a 6-3 aggregate victory.

French prodigy Mbappe and Colombia striker Falcao scored in the third and 17th minutes before Marco Reus gave the visitors hope with a 48th-minute goal, only for substitute Valere Germain to wrap up the win for the French side nine minutes from time.

Monaco joined Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus in the last four of Europe&#39;s premier club competition, becoming the first French team to achieve the feat since Olympique Lyonnais in 2010.

&quot;We&#39;re happy to be in the semi-finals, it&#39;s important for French football,&quot; Falcao said.

Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel was philosophical after a difficult tie from the moment his team&#39;s bus was attacked before the first leg last week.

&quot;Over both games we have the feeling that everything that could go wrong went wrong,&quot; he said.

The kickoff was delayed by five minutes after the German team arrived late at the Louis-II stadium due to traffic problems. Dortmund said on their Twitter feed that the bus had been held up by police at their hotel for 20 minutes.

The incident occurred a week after the first leg was postponed by 24 hours after the Borussia team bus was attacked with explosives on its way to the stadium.

Monaco fans unveiled a &quot;You&#39;ll Never Walk Alone&quot; banner, with the German team&#39;s anthem, which they share with British clubs Liverpool and Celtic.

Monaco, who have now scored three goals in each of their last five Champions League games, made a fast start.

Benjamin Mendy&#39;s fierce 25-metre strike was parried by Roman Burki into the path of Mbappe, who coolly slotted home to put the hosts ahead.

Dortmund came close to an equaliser when Nuri Sahin&#39;s free kick hit Danijel Subasic&#39;s left-hand post.

Monaco, however, doubled their tally three minutes later as Falcao perfectly timed his header to beat Burki from Thomas Lemar&#39;s cross from the left.

That left Dortmund with three goals to score to force extra time and Tuchel replaced midfielder Erik Durm with forward Ousmane Dembele.

The German side looked transformed after the break and they were quickly rewarded as Reus reduced the arrears when he volleyed home from Dembele&#39;s cross after a dazzling run by the Frenchman.

It spurred the visitors into action and Monaco started to look shaky as the 19-year-old Dembele proved a constant threat.

Monaco, however, had a golden chance to wrap up their qualification shortly after the hour but Falcao&#39;s chip went over the bar.

Germain replaced Mbappe and had an immediate impact as he latched on to Lemar&#39;s cross to score seconds after coming on.

(Reuters)

French prodigy Mbappe and Colombia striker Falcao scored in the third and 17th minutes

Kylian Mbappe and Radamel Falcao struck early as Monaco reached the Champions League semi-finals with a 3-1 home win over Borussia Dortmund in an enthralling game on Wednesday that sealed a 6-3 aggregate victory. French prodigy Mbappe and Colombia striker Falcao scored in the third and 17th minutes before Marco Reus gave the visitors hope with a 48th-minute goal, only for substitute Valere Germain to wrap up the win for the French side nine minutes from time. Monaco joined Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus in the last four of Europe's premier club competition, becoming the first French team to achieve the feat since Olympique Lyonnais in 2010. "We're happy to be in the semi-finals, it's important for French football," Falcao said. Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel was philosophical after a difficult tie from the moment his team's bus was attacked before the first leg last week. "Over both games we have the feeling that everything that could go wrong went wrong," he said. The kickoff was delayed by five minutes after the German team arrived late at the Louis-II stadium due to traffic problems. Dortmund said on their Twitter feed that the bus had been held up by police at their hotel for 20 minutes. The incident occurred a week after the first leg was postponed by 24 hours after the Borussia team bus was attacked with explosives on its way to the stadium. Monaco fans unveiled a "You'll Never Walk Alone" banner, with the German team's anthem, which they share with British clubs Liverpool and Celtic. Monaco, who have now scored three goals in each of their last five Champions League games, made a fast start. Benjamin Mendy's fierce 25-metre strike was parried by Roman Burki into the path of Mbappe, who coolly slotted home to put the hosts ahead. Dortmund came close to an equaliser when Nuri Sahin's free kick hit Danijel Subasic's left-hand post. Monaco, however, doubled their tally three minutes later as Falcao perfectly timed his header to beat Burki from Thomas Lemar's cross from the left. That left Dortmund with three goals to score to force extra time and Tuchel replaced midfielder Erik Durm with forward Ousmane Dembele. The German side looked transformed after the break and they were quickly rewarded as Reus reduced the arrears when he volleyed home from Dembele's cross after a dazzling run by the Frenchman. It spurred the visitors into action and Monaco started to look shaky as the 19-year-old Dembele proved a constant threat. Monaco, however, had a golden chance to wrap up their qualification shortly after the hour but Falcao's chip went over the bar. Germain replaced Mbappe and had an immediate impact as he latched on to Lemar's cross to score seconds after coming on. (Reuters)

Champions League: Monaco beat Borussia Dortmund 3-1, reach semi-final

Barcelona&#39;s hopes of staging another sensational Champions League comeback fell flat against a hardened Juventus side who held the Catalans to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday at the Nou Camp to reach the semi-finals 3-0 on aggregate.

The Italian champions barely gave Barca a glimmer of hope of repeating their historic turnaround against Paris St Germain in the last 16 and protected their healthy advantage from the first leg by starving the hosts of space and clear sights of goal.

Lionel Messi came closest to giving Barca a route back into the contest with four strikes at goal but failed to hit the target with any of them and frequently came up short against Juve&#39;s intimidating centre-back pairing of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci.

Twice European champions Juve lacked the spark and power of their thrilling first-leg victory in Turin, but there was rarely any doubt they would exact revenge for their defeat to Barca in the 2015 Champions League final by reaching a 12th semi-final.

Barca coach Luis Enrique had said before the game that if Barca managed to strike early then the noise of the Nou Camp would suck the other goals in.

Juventus, however, showed in the opening stages that they are made of sterner stuff than PSG, who gave up a 4-0 first-leg advantage.

Massimiliano Allegri&rsquo;s side pressed Barca in their own half and limited the supply to the front three.

Messi almost managed to pick out Jordi Alba with a hooked pass and later played a one-two with the Spaniard before dragging narrowly wide of the far post.

Ivan Rakitic and Neymar also missed the target with hopeful efforts but Juventus&#39; aggressive gameplan limited how much attacking Barca could do without leaving themselves exposed.

Gonzalo Higuain cracked a shot over the bar before the break while the probing Juan Cuadrado almost picked out the Argentine striker in the middle, but was thwarted by a brilliant block from Gerard Pique.

Barca increased their grip on possession after the break and spent most of the remainder of the game in their opponents&#39; half trying to carve out chances, but Juve were always ready for them.

Messi whipped a free kick onto the roof of the net and slammed another shot wide before spurning his best chance, a volley which fizzed over the bar.

Barca right back Sergi Roberto attempted a repeat of his heroic strike against PSG, but also missed the target, unable to prevent his side&#39;s second successive elimination at the quarter-final stage, which will provoke much soul-searching at the five-times European champions.

(Reuters)

The Italian champions barely gave Barca a glimmer of hope by starving them of space and clear sights of goal

Barcelona's hopes of staging another sensational Champions League comeback fell flat against a hardened Juventus side who held the Catalans to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday at the Nou Camp to reach the semi-finals 3-0 on aggregate. The Italian champions barely gave Barca a glimmer of hope of repeating their historic turnaround against Paris St Germain in the last 16 and protected their healthy advantage from the first leg by starving the hosts of space and clear sights of goal. Lionel Messi came closest to giving Barca a route back into the contest with four strikes at goal but failed to hit the target with any of them and frequently came up short against Juve's intimidating centre-back pairing of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci. Twice European champions Juve lacked the spark and power of their thrilling first-leg victory in Turin, but there was rarely any doubt they would exact revenge for their defeat to Barca in the 2015 Champions League final by reaching a 12th semi-final. Barca coach Luis Enrique had said before the game that if Barca managed to strike early then the noise of the Nou Camp would suck the other goals in. Juventus, however, showed in the opening stages that they are made of sterner stuff than PSG, who gave up a 4-0 first-leg advantage. Massimiliano Allegri’s side pressed Barca in their own half and limited the supply to the front three. Messi almost managed to pick out Jordi Alba with a hooked pass and later played a one-two with the Spaniard before dragging narrowly wide of the far post. Ivan Rakitic and Neymar also missed the target with hopeful efforts but Juventus' aggressive gameplan limited how much attacking Barca could do without leaving themselves exposed. Gonzalo Higuain cracked a shot over the bar before the break while the probing Juan Cuadrado almost picked out the Argentine striker in the middle, but was thwarted by a brilliant block from Gerard Pique. Barca increased their grip on possession after the break and spent most of the remainder of the game in their opponents' half trying to carve out chances, but Juve were always ready for them. Messi whipped a free kick onto the roof of the net and slammed another shot wide before spurning his best chance, a volley which fizzed over the bar. Barca right back Sergi Roberto attempted a repeat of his heroic strike against PSG, but also missed the target, unable to prevent his side's second successive elimination at the quarter-final stage, which will provoke much soul-searching at the five-times European champions. (Reuters)

Barcelona fail to breach Juventus' steely defence, crash out of Champions League

Barcelona clash against Juventus today in a Champions League match with an uphill task to overturn a 3-goal deficit suffered in the first leg.

Champions League: Barcelona ready for Juventus duel

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick to send Real Madrid through to the Champions League semi-finals with a 4-2 extra-time win against 10-man Bayern Munich to seal a 6-3 aggregate victory in controversial circumstances.

A bizarre Sergio Ramos own goal forced the extra period after Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring for Bayern from the penalty spot and Ronaldo equalised.

Marcelo twice cleared off the line for Madrid and Jerome Boateng did the same for Bayern in a thrilling game, which was tilted in Madrid&rsquo;s favour by Arturo Vidal&rsquo;s dismissal for two yellow cards, the second of which was harsh.

Ronaldo put Madrid level at 2-2 on the night in the first period of extra time when he scored his 100th Champions League goal, from a clearly offside position, before he wrapped up his treble and Marco Asensio added a fourth.

Carlo Ancelotti&rsquo;s Bayern began well, with Thiago Alcantara&#39;s close-range shot brilliantly blocked on the goal line by Marcelo. Arjen Robben lashed the rebound into the side-netting.

Vidal crashed a strike inches over the crossbar and Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas had to be quick off his line to beat Ribery to a through-ball.

Madrid began to find their feet and were soon dominating, with the effervescent Marcelo crossing for Karim Benzema, who headed wide, and Dani Carvajal also firing an effort just off target.

Ramos nearly put the hosts ahead after the otherwise superb Manuel Neuer spilled a shot, but Jerome Boateng somehow blocked his effort on the line to keep his side in the tie.

Toni Kroos fired over and Ronaldo shot when he should have passed to Benzema as Madrid ended the first half looking far more dangerous than their opponents.

However, it was Bayern who took the lead when Casemiro fouled Robben in the area and Lewandowski sent Navas the wrong way from the spot.

Ronaldo levelled the score, heading beyond Neuer in the 76th minute from a fine cross by Casemiro, but Bayern restored overall parity within a minute.

Ramos, so used to being Madrid&#39;s hero, turned villain when he shinned the ball into his own net after a scramble in the area.

With the game heading towards extra-time Vidal was sent off for a second booking after appearing to win the ball cleanly from Asensio.

It gave Madrid the upper hand going into the added 30 minutes and they took advantage when Ronaldo scored the crucial second from Ramos&#39;s cross, despite being in an offside position.

Madrid added two more late on, leaving Bayern exhausted and angry.

(Reuters)

Ronaldo put Madrid level at 2-2 on the night in the first period of extra time when he scored his 100th Champions League goal

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick to send Real Madrid through to the Champions League semi-finals with a 4-2 extra-time win against 10-man Bayern Munich to seal a 6-3 aggregate victory in controversial circumstances. A bizarre Sergio Ramos own goal forced the extra period after Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring for Bayern from the penalty spot and Ronaldo equalised. Marcelo twice cleared off the line for Madrid and Jerome Boateng did the same for Bayern in a thrilling game, which was tilted in Madrid’s favour by Arturo Vidal’s dismissal for two yellow cards, the second of which was harsh. Ronaldo put Madrid level at 2-2 on the night in the first period of extra time when he scored his 100th Champions League goal, from a clearly offside position, before he wrapped up his treble and Marco Asensio added a fourth. Carlo Ancelotti’s Bayern began well, with Thiago Alcantara's close-range shot brilliantly blocked on the goal line by Marcelo. Arjen Robben lashed the rebound into the side-netting. Vidal crashed a strike inches over the crossbar and Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas had to be quick off his line to beat Ribery to a through-ball. Madrid began to find their feet and were soon dominating, with the effervescent Marcelo crossing for Karim Benzema, who headed wide, and Dani Carvajal also firing an effort just off target. Ramos nearly put the hosts ahead after the otherwise superb Manuel Neuer spilled a shot, but Jerome Boateng somehow blocked his effort on the line to keep his side in the tie. Toni Kroos fired over and Ronaldo shot when he should have passed to Benzema as Madrid ended the first half looking far more dangerous than their opponents. However, it was Bayern who took the lead when Casemiro fouled Robben in the area and Lewandowski sent Navas the wrong way from the spot. Ronaldo levelled the score, heading beyond Neuer in the 76th minute from a fine cross by Casemiro, but Bayern restored overall parity within a minute. Ramos, so used to being Madrid's hero, turned villain when he shinned the ball into his own net after a scramble in the area. With the game heading towards extra-time Vidal was sent off for a second booking after appearing to win the ball cleanly from Asensio. It gave Madrid the upper hand going into the added 30 minutes and they took advantage when Ronaldo scored the crucial second from Ramos's cross, despite being in an offside position. Madrid added two more late on, leaving Bayern exhausted and angry. (Reuters)

Real beat Bayern 4-2 (agg 6-3) to reach Champions League semi-final

Long-serving Chelsea defender John Terry will leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, the English Premier League club said on Monday.

The 36-year-old former England international played more than 700 games for Chelsea and has been their most successful captain.

&quot;John has given us more than two decades of dedicated and exceptional service,&quot; Chelsea said in a statement.

&quot;In that time he has displayed the utmost pride at wearing the Chelsea shirt.&quot;

Terry made the third-highest number of appearances for Chelsea, captained them a record 578 times and scored 66 goals.

&quot;After 22 years there is so much to say and so many people to thank at this great football club,&quot; Terry said.

&quot;From coaches, team-mates and staff to the fans who have given me so much support down the years, I can&rsquo;t thank you enough,&quot; he added.

&quot;I will decide on my future in due course, but for now I am committed to helping the team achieve success this season.&quot;

Terry has made only four Premier League starts this season as Chelsea have moved to the top of the table, four points clear with six games remaining.

&quot;I will, of course, always be a Blue and am desperate to end my final season as a Chelsea player with more silverware,&quot; Terry said.

&quot;I&#39;ve always been conscious that I depart at the right time, in the right way, and I feel that the end of this season is the right time for the club and I.&quot;

Terry, who made his Chelsea debut in 1998, won the 2012 Champions League, four Premier League titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups and the Europa League.

He played 78 times for England.

(Reuters)

Terry made the third-highest number of appearances for Chelsea, captained them a record 578 times and scored 66 goals

Long-serving Chelsea defender John Terry will leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, the English Premier League club said on Monday. The 36-year-old former England international played more than 700 games for Chelsea and has been their most successful captain. "John has given us more than two decades of dedicated and exceptional service," Chelsea said in a statement. "In that time he has displayed the utmost pride at wearing the Chelsea shirt." Terry made the third-highest number of appearances for Chelsea, captained them a record 578 times and scored 66 goals. "After 22 years there is so much to say and so many people to thank at this great football club," Terry said. "From coaches, team-mates and staff to the fans who have given me so much support down the years, I can’t thank you enough," he added. "I will decide on my future in due course, but for now I am committed to helping the team achieve success this season." Terry has made only four Premier League starts this season as Chelsea have moved to the top of the table, four points clear with six games remaining. "I will, of course, always be a Blue and am desperate to end my final season as a Chelsea player with more silverware," Terry said. "I've always been conscious that I depart at the right time, in the right way, and I feel that the end of this season is the right time for the club and I." Terry, who made his Chelsea debut in 1998, won the 2012 Champions League, four Premier League titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups and the Europa League. He played 78 times for England. (Reuters)

John Terry to leave Chelsea at end of season

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