From Cristiano Ronaldo's struggle to Lionel Messi's double, major takeaways from UEFA Champions League quarter-finals second-leg

Manchester United face an even tougher task to turn around the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-luke-shaws-own-goal-gives-barcelona-advantage-over-tame-united-209409">1-0 deficit from the first leg</a>&nbsp;of their quarter-final with Barcelona than their miraculous comeback away to Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16, coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted on Wednesday.

United became the first side to ever overcome a 2-0 first leg defeat at home to reach the last eight with a 3-1 win in Paris last month.

But Solskjaer, who scored the winner when United won the Champions League at the Camp Nou in 1999, believes Barca's prestigious European history makes beating the Spanish champions a different prospect to PSG.

"Of course the PSG performance away gives us hope and belief we can do it, but we know we are playing against probably the favourites for the tournament," said Solskjaer.

"It will be a greater achievement winning that one with the history of Barcelona. They are not used to losing at home."

Luke Shaw's early own goal was all that separated the sides on the scoresheet, but Barca comfortably edged towards a first Champions League semi-final in four years as United failed to register a single shot on target.

"It leaves a good taste in the mouth to win here, but we know it is not a big enough lead given what happened (with United) in the last round," said Barca coach Ernesto Valverde.

Much has been made of Luis Suarez's Champions League goal drought on the road and while the Uruguayan has still not officially netted an away goal in the competition since September 2015, he had a huge hand in Barca's winner.

Lionel Messi drifted in behind the United defence and his cross hung up to the back post was headed goalwards by Suarez, the ball flicking off Shaw on its way past David de Gea.

An errant offside flag briefly threatened to spoil Suarez's delight. However, the goal was quickly given on a VAR review and the former Liverpool striker took extra glee at having the last laugh with a fist pump in front of the Stretford End.

"The value of the goal doesn't change if another player gets the last touch or not," added Valverde.

The early goal should have settled the Catalans into their stride as their dominance of possession touched close to 90 percent in the opening stages.

Yet they offered United plenty of encouragement with Sergio Busquets in particular off the pace.

"It is very difficult over the course of a season to always be at the highest level," said Valverde.

"To win away from home in the Champions League you have to suffer."

Messi roughed up

United defender Chris Smalling had said "bring it on" at the prospect of facing Messi on the eve of the game.

And he left the Argentine bloodied from the nose as he careered into an aerial challenge on the half-hour mark.

Messi was quickly back on his feet and into the heart of the action, but it was Philippe Coutinho who came closest to extending Barca's advantage before the break with a thunderous low shot that De Gea did brilliantly to repel with his feet.

Moments later United could easily have been on level terms, but the hosts' best chance of the half fell to the wrong man as Marcus Rashford picked out Diogo Dalot only for the Portuguese to completely miscue his header across goal.

However, Rashford also failed to make proper contact with his big chance early in the second-half when Ter Stegen could only punch a cross into his path.

The Red Devils have now failed to score and have lost in four of their last six home Champions League games.

"Those statistics are not bright, we cannot defend not scoring goals at home," added Solskjaer.

"But away from home we beat Juventus, we beat PSG and we have to go to Barcelona and win that one."

The result could have been worse for Solskjaer's men as Suarez fired into the side-netting before De Gea used his feet to good effect once more to deny Jordi Alba.

Manchester United face an even tougher task to turn around the 1-0 deficit from the first leg of their quarter-final with Barcelona than their miraculous comeback away to Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16, coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted on Wednesday.

Manchester United face an even tougher task to turn around the 1-0 deficit from the first leg of their quarter-final with Barcelona than their miraculous comeback away to Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16, coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted on Wednesday. United became the first side to ever overcome a 2-0 first leg defeat at home to reach the last eight with a 3-1 win in Paris last month. But Solskjaer, who scored the winner when United won the Champions League at the Camp Nou in 1999, believes Barca's prestigious European history makes beating the Spanish champions a different prospect to PSG. "Of course the PSG performance away gives us hope and belief we can do it, but we know we are playing against probably the favourites for the tournament," said Solskjaer. "It will be a greater achievement winning that one with the history of Barcelona. They are not used to losing at home." Luke Shaw's early own goal was all that separated the sides on the scoresheet, but Barca comfortably edged towards a first Champions League semi-final in four years as United failed to register a single shot on target. "It leaves a good taste in the mouth to win here, but we know it is not a big enough lead given what happened (with United) in the last round," said Barca coach Ernesto Valverde. Much has been made of Luis Suarez's Champions League goal drought on the road and while the Uruguayan has still not officially netted an away goal in the competition since September 2015, he had a huge hand in Barca's winner. Lionel Messi drifted in behind the United defence and his cross hung up to the back post was headed goalwards by Suarez, the ball flicking off Shaw on its way past David de Gea. An errant offside flag briefly threatened to spoil Suarez's delight. However, the goal was quickly given on a VAR review and the former Liverpool striker took extra glee at having the last laugh with a fist pump in front of the Stretford End. "The value of the goal doesn't change if another player gets the last touch or not," added Valverde. The early goal should have settled the Catalans into their stride as their dominance of possession touched close to 90 percent in the opening stages. Yet they offered United plenty of encouragement with Sergio Busquets in particular off the pace. "It is very difficult over the course of a season to always be at the highest level," said Valverde. "To win away from home in the Champions League you have to suffer." Messi roughed up United defender Chris Smalling had said "bring it on" at the prospect of facing Messi on the eve of the game. And he left the Argentine bloodied from the nose as he careered into an aerial challenge on the half-hour mark. Messi was quickly back on his feet and into the heart of the action, but it was Philippe Coutinho who came closest to extending Barca's advantage before the break with a thunderous low shot that De Gea did brilliantly to repel with his feet. Moments later United could easily have been on level terms, but the hosts' best chance of the half fell to the wrong man as Marcus Rashford picked out Diogo Dalot only for the Portuguese to completely miscue his header across goal. However, Rashford also failed to make proper contact with his big chance early in the second-half when Ter Stegen could only punch a cross into his path. The Red Devils have now failed to score and have lost in four of their last six home Champions League games. "Those statistics are not bright, we cannot defend not scoring goals at home," added Solskjaer. "But away from home we beat Juventus, we beat PSG and we have to go to Barcelona and win that one." The result could have been worse for Solskjaer's men as Suarez fired into the side-netting before De Gea used his feet to good effect once more to deny Jordi Alba.

Beating Barcelona tougher than PSG, admits Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin admitted on Tuesday that he is ashamed of the recent outbreaks of racism that have blighted football this season.

England stars Raheem Sterling, Danny Rose and Callum Hudson-Odoi endured racist abuse from Montenegro fans during last month's Euro 2020 qualifier, while in the club game Inter Milan, Dinamo Zagreb and Dynamo Kiev have all been punished with full or partial venue closures due to racist behaviour by supporters.

"I am ashamed, ashamed that in 2019 we have to hold a conference to promote diversity," said Ceferin, at Wembley on Tuesday for the first Equal Game conference held to help tackle discrimination.

"It is worrying to see world leaders and politicians playing down racist and discriminatory incidents."

Ceferin will ask referees to "not be afraid" to stop matches when there is racial abuse.

"The moment a match is stopped, or it's not played, I think that 90 percent of normal people in the stadium would kick the asses of those idiots," Ceferin said.

"It's 2019, it's not 100 years ago. We will speak to the referees again, and tell them to be confident, not to be afraid to act.

"This is a huge problem. Not just the Balkans, all eastern Europe ... But of course you see Italy, one of the biggest problems with racism, sexism and homophobia. You have England, where you have problems."

'More needs to be done'

English football bosses are also ready to strengthen punishments against racism.

Football Association chairman Greg Clarke revealed the English game's governing body is reviewing disciplinary processes, to ensure claims of abuse are investigated more meticulously.

Clarke also revealed a review of training for match stewards on how to handle discrimination issues, with the FA keen to act after the abuse England players suffered in Podgorica.

"When Raheem Sterling, Danny Rose and Callum Hudson-Odoi speak with such maturity and eloquence, we must listen, we must respond -- and we must not let them down," Clarke said.

"Let me be clear, I'm using this match (Montenegro-England) as an example of something that's happening across all our societies, and across all of Europe.

"None of us can be naive enough to think racism doesn't happen at all of our countries and matches. Clearly more needs to be done.

"We must do more in England, and more across Europe, and we must do this together ... we must put some concrete actions in place."

Clarke believes it is time to re-examine UEFA's three-step process for halting matches as a result of racist abuse.

Current guidelines allow referees to stop, suspend or abandon matches due to racist abuse, but Clarke believes it is time to lower the threshold that allows referees to take that action.

"The protocol asks the referee to stop the match if 'racist behaviour is of a strong magnitude and intensity'," Clarke said.&nbsp;

"I don't now think that is good enough and we should take this opportunity to revisit these thresholds.

"The young men and women who take to the field representing our clubs and countries not only deserve, but should be entitled, to play their football in a safe environment entirely free from racial abuse."

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin admitted on Tuesday that he is ashamed of the recent outbreaks of racism that have blighted football this season. England stars Raheem Sterling, Danny Rose and Callum Hudson-Odoi endured racist abuse from Montenegro fans during last month's Euro 2020 qualifier, while in the club game Inter Milan, Dinamo Zagreb and Dynamo Kiev have all been punished with full or partial venue closures due to racist behaviour by supporters.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin admitted on Tuesday that he is ashamed of the recent outbreaks of racism that have blighted football this season. England stars Raheem Sterling, Danny Rose and Callum Hudson-Odoi endured racist abuse from Montenegro fans during last month's Euro 2020 qualifier, while in the club game Inter Milan, Dinamo Zagreb and Dynamo Kiev have all been punished with full or partial venue closures due to racist behaviour by supporters. "I am ashamed, ashamed that in 2019 we have to hold a conference to promote diversity," said Ceferin, at Wembley on Tuesday for the first Equal Game conference held to help tackle discrimination. "It is worrying to see world leaders and politicians playing down racist and discriminatory incidents." Ceferin will ask referees to "not be afraid" to stop matches when there is racial abuse. "The moment a match is stopped, or it's not played, I think that 90 percent of normal people in the stadium would kick the asses of those idiots," Ceferin said. "It's 2019, it's not 100 years ago. We will speak to the referees again, and tell them to be confident, not to be afraid to act. "This is a huge problem. Not just the Balkans, all eastern Europe ... But of course you see Italy, one of the biggest problems with racism, sexism and homophobia. You have England, where you have problems." 'More needs to be done' English football bosses are also ready to strengthen punishments against racism. Football Association chairman Greg Clarke revealed the English game's governing body is reviewing disciplinary processes, to ensure claims of abuse are investigated more meticulously. Clarke also revealed a review of training for match stewards on how to handle discrimination issues, with the FA keen to act after the abuse England players suffered in Podgorica. "When Raheem Sterling, Danny Rose and Callum Hudson-Odoi speak with such maturity and eloquence, we must listen, we must respond -- and we must not let them down," Clarke said. "Let me be clear, I'm using this match (Montenegro-England) as an example of something that's happening across all our societies, and across all of Europe. "None of us can be naive enough to think racism doesn't happen at all of our countries and matches. Clearly more needs to be done. "We must do more in England, and more across Europe, and we must do this together ... we must put some concrete actions in place." Clarke believes it is time to re-examine UEFA's three-step process for halting matches as a result of racist abuse. Current guidelines allow referees to stop, suspend or abandon matches due to racist abuse, but Clarke believes it is time to lower the threshold that allows referees to take that action. "The protocol asks the referee to stop the match if 'racist behaviour is of a strong magnitude and intensity'," Clarke said. "I don't now think that is good enough and we should take this opportunity to revisit these thresholds. "The young men and women who take to the field representing our clubs and countries not only deserve, but should be entitled, to play their football in a safe environment entirely free from racial abuse."

UEFA chief Ceferin slams outbreaks of racist abuse

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri confirmed on Friday Cristiano Ronaldo is an injury doubt for the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Ajax on April 10.

Ronaldo, a five-time European Cup winner, left the field with a thigh problem captaining Portugal in Monday's draw against Serbia.

"He's already started to move but he won't return to training until he feels fit. There is a risk he'll miss the first leg against Ajax," Allegri said.

"We have to be careful because we're in a tricky period of the season. It's better he misses one match and comes back when he's 100 per cent so there's no risk of a repeat injury. It's better to miss one match than two months," Allegri added.

Serie A champions Juventus travel to Amsterdam before hosting the Dutch outfit on April 16 with the Italians looking for a first European title since 1996.

Juve have virtually wrapped up the Scudetto crown for an eighth straight season as they hold a 15-point lead over second place Napoli with 10 games of the season to go and face lowly Empoli on Saturday.

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri confirmed on Friday Cristiano Ronaldo is an injury doubt for the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Ajax on April 10.

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri confirmed on Friday Cristiano Ronaldo is an injury doubt for the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Ajax on April 10. Ronaldo, a five-time European Cup winner, left the field with a thigh problem captaining Portugal in Monday's draw against Serbia. "He's already started to move but he won't return to training until he feels fit. There is a risk he'll miss the first leg against Ajax," Allegri said. "We have to be careful because we're in a tricky period of the season. It's better he misses one match and comes back when he's 100 per cent so there's no risk of a repeat injury. It's better to miss one match than two months," Allegri added. Serie A champions Juventus travel to Amsterdam before hosting the Dutch outfit on April 16 with the Italians looking for a first European title since 1996. Juve have virtually wrapped up the Scudetto crown for an eighth straight season as they hold a 15-point lead over second place Napoli with 10 games of the season to go and face lowly Empoli on Saturday.

Cristiano Ronaldo 'risks missing' Champions League quarter-final first leg

UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Ireland on Thursday after supporters hurled tennis balls onto the field during their European Championship qualifier against Georgia.

The match in Dublin on Tuesday was held up for up to three minutes as Ireland fans threw dozens of tennis balls in protest at chief executive John Delaney's continued role at the Football Association of Ireland (FAI).

Delaney stood down as the FAI's chief executive last week, days before he was due to appear before lawmakers over a 100,000 euro ($112,450) loan provided to the governing body.

However, the FAI created a new position of executive vice-president for Delaney, who will remain with the association he led since 2005.

The Irish FA could not be immediately reached for comment.

The case will be dealt with by the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary panel on May 16.

UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Ireland on Thursday after supporters hurled tennis balls onto the field during their European Championship qualifier against Georgia.

UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Ireland on Thursday after supporters hurled tennis balls onto the field during their European Championship qualifier against Georgia. The match in Dublin on Tuesday was held up for up to three minutes as Ireland fans threw dozens of tennis balls in protest at chief executive John Delaney's continued role at the Football Association of Ireland (FAI). Delaney stood down as the FAI's chief executive last week, days before he was due to appear before lawmakers over a 100,000 euro ($112,450) loan provided to the governing body. However, the FAI created a new position of executive vice-president for Delaney, who will remain with the association he led since 2005. The Irish FA could not be immediately reached for comment. The case will be dealt with by the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary panel on May 16.

UEFA charge Ireland over tennis ball protest

European football's governing body UEFA has been urged to take strong action over racist incidents in Monday's Euro 2020 qualifier between Montenegro and England in Podgorica and will receive a report from an independent monitoring group.

England defender Danny Rose was subjected to monkey chants and Raheem Sterling, scorer of England's final goal in the 5-1 win, was also targeted, with racist abuse heard throughout the game.

Sterling called for Montenegro supporters to be banned from matches, while England manager Gareth Southgate said he would report the incidents to UEFA.

As well as a complaint from the English FA, UEFA will also examine the referee's report and the official report from their own match delegate.

Independent monitoring group FARE had an observer at the game and said they will also submit a report.

UEFA said they will not comment until their disciplinary body has received those reports while FARE said their evidence would be sent to the Swiss-based body.

"We had an observer present who picked up evidence of racial abuse. Our monitoring team have been compiling the evidence we have before presenting it to UEFA," FARE said in a statement.

"We hope that UEFA will act decisively, the sanctions that could be applied for an offence of this kind range from a partial stadium closure to full stadium closure."

England manager Gareth Southgate said he had no doubt that the abuse took place.

"I definitely heard abuse of Danny Rose when he got booked at the end of the game," said Southgate.

"There's no doubt in my mind that happened and we'll report it to UEFA. It's not acceptable," he added on ITV Sport.

Forward Sterling, who cupped his ears when celebrating his goal in front of the home fans, told Sky Sports: "I didn't hear (racist chanting) personally but Danny (Rose) made it clear and (made me) aware that's what they were doing so I just wanted to show them that they were going to need more than that to upset us and stop us."

Sterling called for strict sanctions from UEFA.

"You've got to punish the whole fans who can't come to the games," he said. "You've got to do something that will really make them think twice because if their team can't play with fans it's going to be difficult for them."

European football's governing body UEFA has been urged to take strong action over racist incidents in Monday's Euro 2020 qualifier between Montenegro and England in Podgorica and will receive a report from an independent monitoring group.

European football's governing body UEFA has been urged to take strong action over racist incidents in Monday's Euro 2020 qualifier between Montenegro and England in Podgorica and will receive a report from an independent monitoring group. England defender Danny Rose was subjected to monkey chants and Raheem Sterling, scorer of England's final goal in the 5-1 win, was also targeted, with racist abuse heard throughout the game. Sterling called for Montenegro supporters to be banned from matches, while England manager Gareth Southgate said he would report the incidents to UEFA. As well as a complaint from the English FA, UEFA will also examine the referee's report and the official report from their own match delegate. Independent monitoring group FARE had an observer at the game and said they will also submit a report. UEFA said they will not comment until their disciplinary body has received those reports while FARE said their evidence would be sent to the Swiss-based body. "We had an observer present who picked up evidence of racial abuse. Our monitoring team have been compiling the evidence we have before presenting it to UEFA," FARE said in a statement. "We hope that UEFA will act decisively, the sanctions that could be applied for an offence of this kind range from a partial stadium closure to full stadium closure." England manager Gareth Southgate said he had no doubt that the abuse took place. "I definitely heard abuse of Danny Rose when he got booked at the end of the game," said Southgate. "There's no doubt in my mind that happened and we'll report it to UEFA. It's not acceptable," he added on ITV Sport. Forward Sterling, who cupped his ears when celebrating his goal in front of the home fans, told Sky Sports: "I didn't hear (racist chanting) personally but Danny (Rose) made it clear and (made me) aware that's what they were doing so I just wanted to show them that they were going to need more than that to upset us and stop us." Sterling called for strict sanctions from UEFA. "You've got to punish the whole fans who can't come to the games," he said. "You've got to do something that will really make them think twice because if their team can't play with fans it's going to be difficult for them."

UEFA urged to take strong action over racist incidents in England match

Paris St Germain have won a legal battle against UEFA after European football's governing body tried to reopen its investigation into the French club's spending on transfer fees and wages.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Tuesday (March 19) it had upheld PSG's appeal against UEFA on the grounds that the body took too long to review its own decision to clear the French champions of breaking Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

The judgement is separate to an ongoing investigation by UEFA regarding PSG's 2017-18 finances -- the season in which the club signed Neymar in a world record €222 million&nbsp;($252 million) deal from Barcelona and Kylian Mbappe from AS Monaco.

In June last year, the Investigatory Chamber of UEFA's Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) cleared PSG of breaking UEFA's break-even rules, yet later that month, the CFCB chairman ordered the Adjudicatory Chamber to review the decision.

The Adjudicatory Chamber then ruled in September that the case should be referred back to the Investigatory Chamber for further review.

PSG's appeal to have that decision annulled was upheld by CAS.

The club successfully argued that UEFA missed the deadline set out in the CFCB's Procedural Rules, which allow for a 10-day period during which any review should be instigated and completed.

Paris St Germain have won a legal battle against UEFA after European football's governing body tried to reopen its investigation into the French club's spending on transfer fees and wages.

Paris St Germain have won a legal battle against UEFA after European football's governing body tried to reopen its investigation into the French club's spending on transfer fees and wages. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Tuesday (March 19) it had upheld PSG's appeal against UEFA on the grounds that the body took too long to review its own decision to clear the French champions of breaking Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. The judgement is separate to an ongoing investigation by UEFA regarding PSG's 2017-18 finances -- the season in which the club signed Neymar in a world record €222 million ($252 million) deal from Barcelona and Kylian Mbappe from AS Monaco. In June last year, the Investigatory Chamber of UEFA's Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) cleared PSG of breaking UEFA's break-even rules, yet later that month, the CFCB chairman ordered the Adjudicatory Chamber to review the decision. The Adjudicatory Chamber then ruled in September that the case should be referred back to the Investigatory Chamber for further review. PSG's appeal to have that decision annulled was upheld by CAS. The club successfully argued that UEFA missed the deadline set out in the CFCB's Procedural Rules, which allow for a 10-day period during which any review should be instigated and completed.

PSG win legal battle with UEFA over FFP investigation

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo has been charged by FIFA for his inappropriate celebration after one of the three goals he scored in last week's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-cristiano-ronaldos-hat-trick-against-atletico-madrid-powers-juventus-into-quarter-finals-202975">3-0 win over Atletico Madrid</a> in the Champions League.&nbsp;

Juve completed a 3-2 aggregate win to qualify for the quarter-finals where they will face Ajax Amsterdam.&nbsp;

The 34-year-old Portuguese footballer is also facing disciplinary action for his "improper conduct".&nbsp;

Ronaldo was found mimicking Atletico boss Diego Simeone, who <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/atletico-coach-diego-simeone-apologises-for-obscene-in-uefa-champions-league-clash-against-juventus-199245">celebrated his team's opening goal</a> in the first leg by turning to the crowd and putting his hands on his trousers.&nbsp;

Watch the video:&nbsp;

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Diego Simeone: 
 
“You can take Cristiano Ronaldo to a war and he’ll win it for you all alone, For Lionel Messi you need to bring all of his Barcelona teammates so he could actually do something.” 
 
(Futbolmundial) <a href="https://t.co/wlbEYQMSwi">pic.twitter.com/wlbEYQMSwi</a>
— FootballFunnys (@FootballFunnnys) <a href="https://twitter.com/FootballFunnnys/status/1107210035933925376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Cristiano</a> the revenge celebration <a href="https://t.co/MpBLQXzhWN">pic.twitter.com/MpBLQXzhWN</a>
— Insane Bain (@DeeBain3) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeeBain3/status/1105596737052397574?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Simeone was fined 20,000 euros ($22,708) for the incident but escaped a touchline ban for the return match.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo has been charged by FIFA for his inappropriate celebration after one of the three goals he scored in last week's 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo has been charged by FIFA for his inappropriate celebration after one of the three goals he scored in last week's 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Juve completed a 3-2 aggregate win to qualify for the quarter-finals where they will face Ajax Amsterdam. The 34-year-old Portuguese footballer is also facing disciplinary action for his "improper conduct". Ronaldo was found mimicking Atletico boss Diego Simeone, who celebrated his team's opening goal in the first leg by turning to the crowd and putting his hands on his trousers. Watch the video: Diego Simeone: “You can take Cristiano Ronaldo to a war and he’ll win it for you all alone, For Lionel Messi you need to bring all of his Barcelona teammates so he could actually do something.” (Futbolmundial) pic.twitter.com/wlbEYQMSwi — FootballFunnys (@FootballFunnnys) March 17, 2019 × @Cristiano the revenge celebration pic.twitter.com/MpBLQXzhWN — Insane Bain (@DeeBain3) March 12, 2019 × Simeone was fined 20,000 euros ($22,708) for the incident but escaped a touchline ban for the return match.

Cristiano Ronaldo faces disciplinary hearing over inappropriate goal celebration

Barcelona will meet Manchester United in the Champions League last eight in a repeat of the 2009 and 2011 finals which were both won by the Catalans, with the help of goals from Lionel Messi.

Manchester City face Tottenham Hotspur in an all-Premier League clash, their first-ever European meeting, while Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus meet Ajax Amsterdam, who are back in the last eight after a 16-year absence.

Liverpool, the fourth English representative, will face Porto in a repeat of last year's last 16 tie which they won 5-0 on aggregate.

The semi-final pairings were also made with Tottenham or City to face Ajax or Juventus and Manchester United or Barcelona to meet either Liverpool or Porto.

The draw had an unusual feel with neither Bayern Munich nor Real Madrid in the hat, the first time both European giants have failed to reach the last eight since 2005-06.

Barcelona, who are in the last eight for the 12th successive season, will be away in the first leg after UEFA switched the order to avoid United's home match clashing with Manchester City, who host Spurs in their second leg.

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😍 The quarter-final draw 😍 
 
🤔 Most exciting tie? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCLdraw?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCLdraw</a> <a href="https://t.co/bpkwkVKvdH">pic.twitter.com/bpkwkVKvdH</a>
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/1106515096661049344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Ajax, once a major European power who struggle to compete financially with clubs from bigger leagues, ousted Real Madrid in the last 16 and their tie against Juventus will be a repeat of the 1996 final, which the Serie A club won on penalties.

They also met in the final of the old European Cup in 1973 with the Dutch side winning 1-0.

"I'm neither happy nor sad. Ajax eliminated Madrid so they are no joke," said Juventus director Pavel Nedved. "I liked them a lot against Madrid so we will have to be very careful. We will have to face Ajax with great commitment: I expect two great games."

Remarkably, Juventus are unbeaten in their last ten meetings with Ajax, winning five of the last six.

Barcelona will meet Manchester United in the Champions League last eight in a repeat of the 2009 and 2011 finals which were both won by the Catalans, with the help of goals from Lionel Messi.

Barcelona will meet Manchester United in the Champions League last eight in a repeat of the 2009 and 2011 finals which were both won by the Catalans, with the help of goals from Lionel Messi. Manchester City face Tottenham Hotspur in an all-Premier League clash, their first-ever European meeting, while Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus meet Ajax Amsterdam, who are back in the last eight after a 16-year absence. Liverpool, the fourth English representative, will face Porto in a repeat of last year's last 16 tie which they won 5-0 on aggregate. The semi-final pairings were also made with Tottenham or City to face Ajax or Juventus and Manchester United or Barcelona to meet either Liverpool or Porto. The draw had an unusual feel with neither Bayern Munich nor Real Madrid in the hat, the first time both European giants have failed to reach the last eight since 2005-06. Barcelona, who are in the last eight for the 12th successive season, will be away in the first leg after UEFA switched the order to avoid United's home match clashing with Manchester City, who host Spurs in their second leg. 😍 The quarter-final draw 😍 🤔 Most exciting tie? #UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/bpkwkVKvdH — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 15, 2019 × Ajax, once a major European power who struggle to compete financially with clubs from bigger leagues, ousted Real Madrid in the last 16 and their tie against Juventus will be a repeat of the 1996 final, which the Serie A club won on penalties. They also met in the final of the old European Cup in 1973 with the Dutch side winning 1-0. "I'm neither happy nor sad. Ajax eliminated Madrid so they are no joke," said Juventus director Pavel Nedved. "I liked them a lot against Madrid so we will have to be very careful. We will have to face Ajax with great commitment: I expect two great games." Remarkably, Juventus are unbeaten in their last ten meetings with Ajax, winning five of the last six.

Manchester United draw Barcelona in Champions League quarter-finals

In order to break out of a difficult phase, Real Madrid have played their trump card - reappointing Zinedine Zidane as the head coach on a three-year contract.&nbsp;

Zidane, who led Madrid to a historic third consecutive Champions League triumph said, "I'm very happy to be home. I want to put this club back where it belongs."&nbsp;

But to restore the previous form and win the most precious European crown in football again next year, Madrid will need some serious strategy.&nbsp;

Following Santiago Solari's sacking, Real Madrid made the announcement of Zizou's return and the change came less than a week after two losses to Barcelona and another to Ajax.&nbsp;

The results eliminated the club from two major title races - Champions League and Copa del Rey. It also diminished hopes of winning the Spanish league as currently, the club is in the fifth position, 12 points adrift of leaders Barcelona.&nbsp;

One point is very clear, Zidane has no pressure in this season because of the condition of the club, however, he has an opportunity to begin from scratch.&nbsp;

"When the president called me, I could not tell him no," said Zidane.&nbsp;

"When you have won a lot, sometimes you can have a dip, and this year it has been like that."&nbsp;

"I don't blame anybody. Lopetegui and Solari wanted to do the best they could for the players, the team and the club. It went how it went, I won't get into that, we must look forward," he added.&nbsp;

The club is out from the UCL title race but Zidane will look to perform better in La Liga games with&nbsp;only 11 games left in the league.&nbsp;

The ongoing season is, however, another matter since it is very difficult for even a coach like Zidane.&nbsp;

After replacing Rafael Benitez in the Santiago Bernabeu dugout in January 2016, Zidane won nine trophies but the narrative has changed at Bernabeu since his exit as the club is going through a crisis.&nbsp;

Real's former player Cristiano Ronaldo's departure in July has had a big impact on the club this season while their other key players like Marcelo, Isco and Gareth Bale have struggled.&nbsp;

Zidane was hailed as one of Real's great coaches of all times and his reunion with the players will boost their morale.&nbsp;

Now as Real Madrid coach, Zidane needs to fill Ronaldo's void and deal with players who are struggling with injuries. Also, he immediately has to reinforce the attack unit.

Even the players like Toni Kroos and Luka Modric have failed to deliver.&nbsp;

First and foremost, Zidane must assess the team and focus on new signings otherwise the "genius coach" will drown along with Real Madrid's sinking ship.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

In order to break out of a difficult phase, Real Madrid have played their trump card - reappointing Zinedine Zidane as the head coach on a three-year contract. Zidane, who led Madrid to a historic third consecutive Champions League triumph said, "I'm very happy to be home.

In order to break out of a difficult phase, Real Madrid have played their trump card - reappointing Zinedine Zidane as the head coach on a three-year contract. Zidane, who led Madrid to a historic third consecutive Champions League triumph said, "I'm very happy to be home. I want to put this club back where it belongs." But to restore the previous form and win the most precious European crown in football again next year, Madrid will need some serious strategy. Following Santiago Solari's sacking, Real Madrid made the announcement of Zizou's return and the change came less than a week after two losses to Barcelona and another to Ajax. The results eliminated the club from two major title races - Champions League and Copa del Rey. It also diminished hopes of winning the Spanish league as currently, the club is in the fifth position, 12 points adrift of leaders Barcelona. One point is very clear, Zidane has no pressure in this season because of the condition of the club, however, he has an opportunity to begin from scratch. "When the president called me, I could not tell him no," said Zidane. "When you have won a lot, sometimes you can have a dip, and this year it has been like that." "I don't blame anybody. Lopetegui and Solari wanted to do the best they could for the players, the team and the club. It went how it went, I won't get into that, we must look forward," he added. The club is out from the UCL title race but Zidane will look to perform better in La Liga games with only 11 games left in the league. The ongoing season is, however, another matter since it is very difficult for even a coach like Zidane. After replacing Rafael Benitez in the Santiago Bernabeu dugout in January 2016, Zidane won nine trophies but the narrative has changed at Bernabeu since his exit as the club is going through a crisis. Real's former player Cristiano Ronaldo's departure in July has had a big impact on the club this season while their other key players like Marcelo, Isco and Gareth Bale have struggled. Zidane was hailed as one of Real's great coaches of all times and his reunion with the players will boost their morale. Now as Real Madrid coach, Zidane needs to fill Ronaldo's void and deal with players who are struggling with injuries. Also, he immediately has to reinforce the attack unit. Even the players like Toni Kroos and Luka Modric have failed to deliver. First and foremost, Zidane must assess the team and focus on new signings otherwise the "genius coach" will drown along with Real Madrid's sinking ship. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Even Zizou's return will not help Real Madrid's sinking ship this season

UEFA announced on Monday they have started disciplinary proceedings into improper conduct by Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone.&nbsp;

The Argentinian <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/atletico-coach-diego-simeone-apologises-for-obscene-in-uefa-champions-league-clash-against-juventus-199245">celebrated his side's first goal</a> in their 2-0 Champions League last 16 first win over Juventus on February 20 by grasping his genitals and thrusting out his groin.&nbsp;

Simeone apologised for his behaviour the following day and said it was to recognise the courage his team showed in the victory.&nbsp;

Juve's Massimiliano Allegri and the Italian club also face disciplinary action for the late kick-off of the game in the Spanish capital.&nbsp;

Atletico also face charges that their fans blocked stairways and threw objects during the match.&nbsp;

No date for the hearing has been set by the governing body.&nbsp;

The second leg of the tie will be played in Turin on March 12.&nbsp;

UEFA announced on Monday they have started disciplinary proceedings into improper conduct by Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone. The Argentinian celebrated his side's first goal in their 2-0 Champions League last 16 first win over Juventus on February 20 by grasping his genitals and thrusting out his groin.

UEFA announced on Monday they have started disciplinary proceedings into improper conduct by Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone. The Argentinian celebrated his side's first goal in their 2-0 Champions League last 16 first win over Juventus on February 20 by grasping his genitals and thrusting out his groin. Simeone apologised for his behaviour the following day and said it was to recognise the courage his team showed in the victory. Juve's Massimiliano Allegri and the Italian club also face disciplinary action for the late kick-off of the game in the Spanish capital. Atletico also face charges that their fans blocked stairways and threw objects during the match. No date for the hearing has been set by the governing body. The second leg of the tie will be played in Turin on March 12.

Diego Simeone faces UEFA investigation after controversial celebration

Olympique Lyonnais will be out to 'reduce' the influence of Lionel Messi when they host Barcelona in their Champions League last-16 first leg without their talisman and captain Nabil Fekir on Tuesday.

Fekir will be suspended for the game, limiting Lyon's striking power as Bruno Genesio's side will rely on defender Ferland Mendy to contain Argentine forward Messi and French striker Ousmane Dembele.

"Nabil Fekir is our captain and technical leader. We will have to do more to compensate for his absence," Genesio told reporters on Monday.

"We will have to reduce Messi's influence."

Despite Messi having scored more than 100 times in the Champions League, Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar has confidence in his team mate Mendy to control proceedings at the Groupama Stadium.

"I think that Ferland Mendy is ready to face Messi," he said.

"We are confident in the qualities of our squad."

Aouar's enthusiasm may yet be dented as Lyon are also sweating on the fitness of defender Jason Denayer and midfielder Tanguy Ndombele.

The French side geared up for Tuesday's clash with a hard-fought 2-1 Ligue 1 win against Guingamp on Friday while Barca needed a Messi penalty to beat Real Valladolid 1-0 in La Liga on Saturday.

Lyon are the clear underdogs but they have already shown they can rise up to the big occasions, inflicting Paris St Germain's only Ligue 1 defeat of the season a couple of weeks ago. They also beat English champions Manchester City in the Champions League group stage in September.

Olympique Lyonnais will be out to 'reduce' the influence of Lionel Messi when they host Barcelona in their Champions League last-16 first leg without their talisman and captain Nabil Fekir on Tuesday.

Olympique Lyonnais will be out to 'reduce' the influence of Lionel Messi when they host Barcelona in their Champions League last-16 first leg without their talisman and captain Nabil Fekir on Tuesday. Fekir will be suspended for the game, limiting Lyon's striking power as Bruno Genesio's side will rely on defender Ferland Mendy to contain Argentine forward Messi and French striker Ousmane Dembele. "Nabil Fekir is our captain and technical leader. We will have to do more to compensate for his absence," Genesio told reporters on Monday. "We will have to reduce Messi's influence." Despite Messi having scored more than 100 times in the Champions League, Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar has confidence in his team mate Mendy to control proceedings at the Groupama Stadium. "I think that Ferland Mendy is ready to face Messi," he said. "We are confident in the qualities of our squad." Aouar's enthusiasm may yet be dented as Lyon are also sweating on the fitness of defender Jason Denayer and midfielder Tanguy Ndombele. The French side geared up for Tuesday's clash with a hard-fought 2-1 Ligue 1 win against Guingamp on Friday while Barca needed a Messi penalty to beat Real Valladolid 1-0 in La Liga on Saturday. Lyon are the clear underdogs but they have already shown they can rise up to the big occasions, inflicting Paris St Germain's only Ligue 1 defeat of the season a couple of weeks ago. They also beat English champions Manchester City in the Champions League group stage in September.

Lyon hoping to limit Lionel Messi's influence

Edinson Cavani has been ruled out of Paris St Germain's Champions League clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Tuesday, French sports daily L'Equipe reported on Sunday.

A source inside the club said Cavani's absence had been acknowledged, the report said without elaborating.

Uruguay striker Cavani sustained a thigh injury in Saturday's 1-0 Ligue 1 victory over Girondins de Bordeaux adding to PSG's injury woes ahead of the last-16 first leg against a resurgent United side.

PSG are already without Neymar, who was ruled out with a foot injury, leaving the French side with only Kylian Mbappe as a world class striking option.

"The club will issue a statement later during the day. In my opinion, the news will not be good," PSG coach Thomas Tuchel told French TV channel TF1 earlier on Sunday.

"There is a glimmer of hope. We always hope, but the first exam was not good."

Cavani picked up the injury at the end of the first half and he limped off the pitch holding his right thigh shortly after scoring the only goal with a penalty.

Edinson Cavani has been ruled out of Paris St Germain's Champions League clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Tuesday, French sports daily L'Equipe reported on Sunday.

Edinson Cavani has been ruled out of Paris St Germain's Champions League clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Tuesday, French sports daily L'Equipe reported on Sunday. A source inside the club said Cavani's absence had been acknowledged, the report said without elaborating. Uruguay striker Cavani sustained a thigh injury in Saturday's 1-0 Ligue 1 victory over Girondins de Bordeaux adding to PSG's injury woes ahead of the last-16 first leg against a resurgent United side. PSG are already without Neymar, who was ruled out with a foot injury, leaving the French side with only Kylian Mbappe as a world class striking option. "The club will issue a statement later during the day. In my opinion, the news will not be good," PSG coach Thomas Tuchel told French TV channel TF1 earlier on Sunday. "There is a glimmer of hope. We always hope, but the first exam was not good." Cavani picked up the injury at the end of the first half and he limped off the pitch holding his right thigh shortly after scoring the only goal with a penalty.

Champions League: PSG's Edinson Cavani doubtful for Manchester United game

French club Paris Saint-Germain had an outstanding first half of the season, but as a key part of the campaign looms, especially the UEFA Champions League knockout stages, the team started to stutter, having conceded its first 2018-2019 Ligue 1 defeat to Olympique Lyonnais. 
 
Although Sunday's 2-1 defeat did not endanger PSG's league lead. It did, however, raise some important questions regarding the team's cool-headedness during this decisive period of the season, especially ahead of the UCL last-16 encounters against England's Manchester United. 
 
The first concern for the Parisian club should be the impact of Brazil superstar Neymar Jr.'s 10-week absence due to his recurring fifth right metatarsal injury, which had also resigned him to the sidelines last year, forcing PSG to confront its main challenge of the season without its star player. 
 
"Last season, he was also injured," PSG's and France's young talent Kylian Mbappe said after the 2-1 defeat to Lyon. "It would be nice not to make the same mistakes, otherwise it would mean that we did not learn anything." 
 
"It feels good to play matches like that," he added. "Facing teams that play (well), is the best way to prepare for the upcoming deadlines. It is up to us to win." 
 
The 26-year-old Brazilian star Neymar became the most expensive player in the world when PSG paid the 222-million-euros buyout clause ($254 million) for the forward in Aug. 2017 in a surprise move which brought Neymar from Barcelona to Paris. 
 
Neymar is expected to miss much of the UEFA Champions League, the most important competition for PSG this season, for which the Qatari-owned club invested roughly 400 million euros over the last two summer transfer windows. 
 
The Ligue 1 defending champion is set to take on Man United at Old Trafford on Feb. 12, then to host the English team at Parc des Princes on Mar. 6. Neymar is also expected to miss both legs of the quarter-finals should PSG make it that far. 
 
When both teams were paired during the UCL draw on Dec. 17, PSG seemed to be the favorite, as Manchester United then was experiencing bad streak under Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho, who was sacked the next day. 
 
Then, after appointing the Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as caretaker manager until the end of the season, the English team has been on a 10-match unbeaten run in all domestic competitions. 
 
Meanwhile, PSG had put on a strong performance at the beginning of the season, claiming 14 consecutive Ligue 1 victories, and securing a 22-match undefeated run. But, things changed after the winter break. 
 
PSG's first ever defeat of the season was in the Coupe de la Ligue's quarters on Jan. 9, at the hands of the minnow Guingamp, who is last in the French league's table. That shock defeat was followed by PSG's first Ligue 1 loss to Lyon on Sunday. 
 
The timing evoked memories of its wobbles last season against Real Madrid and begs the question as to whether its lack of real national rivals makes it lose context when facing elite teams from across Europe.&nbsp; 
 
In the 2017-2018 CL campaign, PSG was the Group B winner with 15 points, scoring 25 goals, however, the French team was handed two defeats in the round of 16 both legs (3-1 and 1-2), at the hands of Real Madrid, who eventually won the trophy for the third consecutive year. 
 
However, the team's German coach Thomas Tuchel downplayed Sunday's loss.&nbsp; 
 
"This is the level of intensity that we have to show in the Champions League," Tuchel said. "We are capable of fighting at that level."

French club Paris Saint-Germain had an outstanding first half of the season, but as a key part of the campaign looms, especially the UEFA Champions League knockout stages, the team started to stutter, having conceded its first 2018-2019 Ligue 1 defeat to Olympique Lyonnais.

French club Paris Saint-Germain had an outstanding first half of the season, but as a key part of the campaign looms, especially the UEFA Champions League knockout stages, the team started to stutter, having conceded its first 2018-2019 Ligue 1 defeat to Olympique Lyonnais. Although Sunday's 2-1 defeat did not endanger PSG's league lead. It did, however, raise some important questions regarding the team's cool-headedness during this decisive period of the season, especially ahead of the UCL last-16 encounters against England's Manchester United. The first concern for the Parisian club should be the impact of Brazil superstar Neymar Jr.'s 10-week absence due to his recurring fifth right metatarsal injury, which had also resigned him to the sidelines last year, forcing PSG to confront its main challenge of the season without its star player. "Last season, he was also injured," PSG's and France's young talent Kylian Mbappe said after the 2-1 defeat to Lyon. "It would be nice not to make the same mistakes, otherwise it would mean that we did not learn anything." "It feels good to play matches like that," he added. "Facing teams that play (well), is the best way to prepare for the upcoming deadlines. It is up to us to win." The 26-year-old Brazilian star Neymar became the most expensive player in the world when PSG paid the 222-million-euros buyout clause ($254 million) for the forward in Aug. 2017 in a surprise move which brought Neymar from Barcelona to Paris. Neymar is expected to miss much of the UEFA Champions League, the most important competition for PSG this season, for which the Qatari-owned club invested roughly 400 million euros over the last two summer transfer windows. The Ligue 1 defending champion is set to take on Man United at Old Trafford on Feb. 12, then to host the English team at Parc des Princes on Mar. 6. Neymar is also expected to miss both legs of the quarter-finals should PSG make it that far. When both teams were paired during the UCL draw on Dec. 17, PSG seemed to be the favorite, as Manchester United then was experiencing bad streak under Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho, who was sacked the next day. Then, after appointing the Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as caretaker manager until the end of the season, the English team has been on a 10-match unbeaten run in all domestic competitions. Meanwhile, PSG had put on a strong performance at the beginning of the season, claiming 14 consecutive Ligue 1 victories, and securing a 22-match undefeated run. But, things changed after the winter break. PSG's first ever defeat of the season was in the Coupe de la Ligue's quarters on Jan. 9, at the hands of the minnow Guingamp, who is last in the French league's table. That shock defeat was followed by PSG's first Ligue 1 loss to Lyon on Sunday. The timing evoked memories of its wobbles last season against Real Madrid and begs the question as to whether its lack of real national rivals makes it lose context when facing elite teams from across Europe. In the 2017-2018 CL campaign, PSG was the Group B winner with 15 points, scoring 25 goals, however, the French team was handed two defeats in the round of 16 both legs (3-1 and 1-2), at the hands of Real Madrid, who eventually won the trophy for the third consecutive year. However, the team's German coach Thomas Tuchel downplayed Sunday's loss. "This is the level of intensity that we have to show in the Champions League," Tuchel said. "We are capable of fighting at that level."

Paris Saint-Germain struggle again ahead of season's main challenge

Manchester United manager <a href="http://www.wionews.com/search?q=Jose+Mourinho">Jose Mourinho</a> has demanded more from his players after his side missed the chance to finish top of its <a href="http://www.wionews.com/search?q=champions+league">Champions League</a> group.

United lost 2-1 at Valencia on Wednesday, with an embarrassing own-goal by Phil Jones.

Mourinho got a chance to rotate his squad as United went into the final Group H match having already qualified for the last 16 of the competition.

While he found a little comfort in the players' performance that lacked energy and drive.

With first-place Juventus losing 2-1 at Young Boys, United could have jumped above the Italian team in Group H with a win at the Mestalla but Mourinho's decision to play a virtual reserve lineup backfired.

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The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MUFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MUFC</a> boss has given his thoughts on tonight's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> game...
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The frustrated manager said that he expects more from the players.

"My team improved really when I made the changes that I didn't want to make which is a little bit of frustration because I didn't want to play the three players that I played in the second half,'' said Mourinho.

"I think that to qualify in this group is a success. Never a failure to finish second in this group is always a success," added the Portuguese.

Paul Pogba returned to the starting side after being benched for the last two Premier League games but the French international midfielder failed to seize his opportunity.

United then introduced striker Marcus Rashford, and midfielders Jesse Lingard and Ashley Young as they chased the game after falling 2-0 behind.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has demanded more from his players after his side missed the chance to finish top of its Champions League group. United lost 2-1 at Valencia on Wednesday, with an embarrassing own-goal by Phil Jones.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has demanded more from his players after his side missed the chance to finish top of its Champions League group. United lost 2-1 at Valencia on Wednesday, with an embarrassing own-goal by Phil Jones. Mourinho got a chance to rotate his squad as United went into the final Group H match having already qualified for the last 16 of the competition. While he found a little comfort in the players' performance that lacked energy and drive. With first-place Juventus losing 2-1 at Young Boys, United could have jumped above the Italian team in Group H with a win at the Mestalla but Mourinho's decision to play a virtual reserve lineup backfired. The #MUFC boss has given his thoughts on tonight's #UCL game... — Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 12, 2018 × The frustrated manager said that he expects more from the players. "My team improved really when I made the changes that I didn't want to make which is a little bit of frustration because I didn't want to play the three players that I played in the second half,'' said Mourinho. "I think that to qualify in this group is a success. Never a failure to finish second in this group is always a success," added the Portuguese. Paul Pogba returned to the starting side after being benched for the last two Premier League games but the French international midfielder failed to seize his opportunity. United then introduced striker Marcus Rashford, and midfielders Jesse Lingard and Ashley Young as they chased the game after falling 2-0 behind.

UCL: Jose Mourinho expresses frustration with starting eleven after losing to Valencia

The bid to reach the knockout stages of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/search?q=champions+league">Champions League</a> reaches its climax this week with Inter Milan, Paris St Germain and Liverpool among seven clubs sweating on taking the remaining four places for the last 16.

Tuesday includes a number of blockbuster encounters as Liverpool hope for one of those magical European nights at Anfield against Napoli in Group C, while Inter will be relying on Group B winners Barcelona to do them a favour and see off Tottenham Hotspur.

Juergen Klopp's Liverpool, sitting third in the group on six points behind PSG (eight) and leaders Napoli (nine), must win to have any chance of progress while the Serie A side need just a draw at Anfield to guarantee their spot in the next round.

Napoli could even lose and still go through if PSG lose to Red Star Belgrade.

Should Neymar and co prevail in Serbia, Liverpool would need to win 1-0 or by two goals or more due to pip Napoli on their head-to-head record. Liverpool's Egypt striker Mo Salah certainly looks capable having scored a superb hat-trick at Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday.

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Monday nights under those Melwood lights. 💪💫 <a href="https://t.co/WYUFcg2HTW">pic.twitter.com/WYUFcg2HTW</a>
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If Napoli, PSG and Liverpool all finish on nine points, the Merseyside club would finish top with second place determined by the scoreline at Anfield.

A group stage exit for PSG would be humiliating for new manager Thomas Tuchel given the club's Qatari owners' desperation to see the French champions conquer Europe.

They have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League in every season since 2012-13 but have never gone on to reach the final.

After claiming one point from their first three matches in Group B Tottenham looked out of contention but consective wins against PSV Eindhoven and Inter mean they head to the Nou Camp in second place and knowing a win will guarantee them a place in the last-16 for the third time.

Luciano Spalletti's Inter side, who are level with Tottenham on seven points but below them on head-to-head, lost 1-0 to Serie A leaders Juventus on Friday but will be heavy favourites at home to bottom side PSV who have just one point from seven matches in the Champions League this season.

Tottenham lost 4-2 against Barcelona in the home leg at Wembley, but may have an advantage in the fact that Barca have already qualified as group winners and may take a leisurely approach as they wind down for the mid-season break.

Mauricio Pochettino's team also do not necessarily need a win, as merely matching Inter's result will do.

On Wednesday, Lyon and Shakhtar Donetsk will face each other in the final showdown for a last 16 place in Group F.

The French side sit second on seven points, two ahead of the Ukrainians and so only need a draw to qualify.

Shakhtar must get maximum points to seal their fifth appearance in the competition's round of 16.

The 12 teams who have qualified already for the knockout stages are Ajax, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Manchester City, Manchester United, Porto, Real Madrid, Roma and Schalke 04.

However, only Barca, Porto and Real have clinched top spot in their respective groups.

The bid to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League reaches its climax this week with Inter Milan, Paris St Germain and Liverpool among seven clubs sweating on taking the remaining four places for the last 16.

The bid to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League reaches its climax this week with Inter Milan, Paris St Germain and Liverpool among seven clubs sweating on taking the remaining four places for the last 16. Tuesday includes a number of blockbuster encounters as Liverpool hope for one of those magical European nights at Anfield against Napoli in Group C, while Inter will be relying on Group B winners Barcelona to do them a favour and see off Tottenham Hotspur. Juergen Klopp's Liverpool, sitting third in the group on six points behind PSG (eight) and leaders Napoli (nine), must win to have any chance of progress while the Serie A side need just a draw at Anfield to guarantee their spot in the next round. Napoli could even lose and still go through if PSG lose to Red Star Belgrade. Should Neymar and co prevail in Serbia, Liverpool would need to win 1-0 or by two goals or more due to pip Napoli on their head-to-head record. Liverpool's Egypt striker Mo Salah certainly looks capable having scored a superb hat-trick at Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday. Monday nights under those Melwood lights. 💪💫 pic.twitter.com/WYUFcg2HTW — Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 10, 2018 × If Napoli, PSG and Liverpool all finish on nine points, the Merseyside club would finish top with second place determined by the scoreline at Anfield. A group stage exit for PSG would be humiliating for new manager Thomas Tuchel given the club's Qatari owners' desperation to see the French champions conquer Europe. They have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League in every season since 2012-13 but have never gone on to reach the final. After claiming one point from their first three matches in Group B Tottenham looked out of contention but consective wins against PSV Eindhoven and Inter mean they head to the Nou Camp in second place and knowing a win will guarantee them a place in the last-16 for the third time. Luciano Spalletti's Inter side, who are level with Tottenham on seven points but below them on head-to-head, lost 1-0 to Serie A leaders Juventus on Friday but will be heavy favourites at home to bottom side PSV who have just one point from seven matches in the Champions League this season. Tottenham lost 4-2 against Barcelona in the home leg at Wembley, but may have an advantage in the fact that Barca have already qualified as group winners and may take a leisurely approach as they wind down for the mid-season break. Mauricio Pochettino's team also do not necessarily need a win, as merely matching Inter's result will do. On Wednesday, Lyon and Shakhtar Donetsk will face each other in the final showdown for a last 16 place in Group F. The French side sit second on seven points, two ahead of the Ukrainians and so only need a draw to qualify. Shakhtar must get maximum points to seal their fifth appearance in the competition's round of 16. The 12 teams who have qualified already for the knockout stages are Ajax, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Manchester City, Manchester United, Porto, Real Madrid, Roma and Schalke 04. However, only Barca, Porto and Real have clinched top spot in their respective groups.

Champions League: Inter, PSG and Liverpool sweat over last-16 spots

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he has received assurances from the club's hierarchy that they will not be banned from the Champions League over allegations of a breach of UEFA Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

European football's governing body are investigating allegations made in German publication Der Spiegel last month that City's Abu Dhabi owners inflated sponsorship agreements in order to comply with FFP requirements.

In response, Premier League champions City said information had been "hacked" and that they were victims of an "organised and clear" attempt to damage the club's reputation.

Punishment for clubs found guilty of breaking the rules could extend to being excluded from the Champions League.

Guardiola, appointed with the task of trying to win Europe's biggest club prize, said he was calm about the situation.

"We will not be banned, no. That's what I think because I trust in my chairman (Khaldoon al-Mubarak), with my CEO (Ferran Soriano), what they have explained to me. I trust in them," the Spaniard was quoted as saying by British media.

"If it happens, because UEFA decide that, we will accept it and move forward."

Der Spiegel's report, based on documents received by the whistle blower platform Football Leaks and reviewed by Reuters, in partnership with European Investigative Collaborations, a network of international media, alleged that some of City's Abu Dhabi sponsorships were three times more lucrative than independent experts deemed they were worth.

City said the claims were "erroneous conclusions and assertions."

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he has received assurances from the club's hierarchy that they will not be banned from the Champions League over allegations of a breach of UEFA Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he has received assurances from the club's hierarchy that they will not be banned from the Champions League over allegations of a breach of UEFA Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. European football's governing body are investigating allegations made in German publication Der Spiegel last month that City's Abu Dhabi owners inflated sponsorship agreements in order to comply with FFP requirements. In response, Premier League champions City said information had been "hacked" and that they were victims of an "organised and clear" attempt to damage the club's reputation. Punishment for clubs found guilty of breaking the rules could extend to being excluded from the Champions League. Guardiola, appointed with the task of trying to win Europe's biggest club prize, said he was calm about the situation. "We will not be banned, no. That's what I think because I trust in my chairman (Khaldoon al-Mubarak), with my CEO (Ferran Soriano), what they have explained to me. I trust in them," the Spaniard was quoted as saying by British media. "If it happens, because UEFA decide that, we will accept it and move forward." Der Spiegel's report, based on documents received by the whistle blower platform Football Leaks and reviewed by Reuters, in partnership with European Investigative Collaborations, a network of international media, alleged that some of City's Abu Dhabi sponsorships were three times more lucrative than independent experts deemed they were worth. City said the claims were "erroneous conclusions and assertions."

Pep Guardiola confident Manchester City will not face Champions League ban

European champions Portugal will take on Switzerland in the semi-finals of the inaugural UEFA Nations League tournament in June while World Cup semi-finalists England will meet a resurgent Netherlands following Monday's draw in Dublin.

Hosts Portugal face the Swiss, the only one of the four sides never to have won a major trophy at senior level, at Porto's Estadio do Dragao on June 5 with England playing the Dutch the following day in nearby Guimaraes.

The final of the mini-tournament will be on June 9 in Porto with a third-place match in Guimaraes earlier the same day.

Portugal, without forward Cristiano Ronaldo who has not been selected since the World Cup, qualified by winning Group A3 ahead of Italy and Poland while the Swiss topped Group A2 after coming from two goals down to beat Belgium 5-2 in the final game.

They previously met in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers with Portugal finishing top of the group on goal difference after the sides traded 2-0 wins.

"We know Switzerland very well and, even if we didn't, we would just have to look at their record in the Nations League, where they were the highest scorers," said Portugal coach Fernando Santos, who has been ambiguous over Ronaldo's future.

"We are going there to win, we are ready to pull off an upset," said Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic.

England face the Netherlands in a competitive match for the first time since a thumping 4-1 win in the 1996 European Championships.

Gareth Southgate's side needed a late goal from Harry Kane to beat World Cup finalists Croatia and claim top spot in Group A4 which also featured former world and European champions Spain.

The Netherlands, a rejuvenated side under new manager Ronald Koeman, topped a tough group featuring world champions France and Germany as they bounced back from their failure to qualify for the last European Championship and World Cup.

"All four teams are fairly evenly matched and bunched together in terms of our world rankings so everybody will feel they have a good chance," said England manager Southgate.

"It’s a really good test for us and I know all of our players will be looking forward to the summer.

"I’ve been watching Holland closely since Ronald Koeman took over and they’re similar to us, in that they have a lot of exciting young players with good technical ability, high energy and a lot of pace."

The event, created to replace friendly internationals that were unpopular with clubs, players and fans as they interrupted league action, largely got the thumbs up after the first batch of matches in September.

European champions Portugal will take on Switzerland in the semi-finals of the inaugural UEFA Nations League tournament in June while World Cup semi-finalists England will meet a resurgent Netherlands following Monday's draw in Dublin.

European champions Portugal will take on Switzerland in the semi-finals of the inaugural UEFA Nations League tournament in June while World Cup semi-finalists England will meet a resurgent Netherlands following Monday's draw in Dublin. Hosts Portugal face the Swiss, the only one of the four sides never to have won a major trophy at senior level, at Porto's Estadio do Dragao on June 5 with England playing the Dutch the following day in nearby Guimaraes. The final of the mini-tournament will be on June 9 in Porto with a third-place match in Guimaraes earlier the same day. Portugal, without forward Cristiano Ronaldo who has not been selected since the World Cup, qualified by winning Group A3 ahead of Italy and Poland while the Swiss topped Group A2 after coming from two goals down to beat Belgium 5-2 in the final game. They previously met in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers with Portugal finishing top of the group on goal difference after the sides traded 2-0 wins. "We know Switzerland very well and, even if we didn't, we would just have to look at their record in the Nations League, where they were the highest scorers," said Portugal coach Fernando Santos, who has been ambiguous over Ronaldo's future. "We are going there to win, we are ready to pull off an upset," said Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic. England face the Netherlands in a competitive match for the first time since a thumping 4-1 win in the 1996 European Championships. Gareth Southgate's side needed a late goal from Harry Kane to beat World Cup finalists Croatia and claim top spot in Group A4 which also featured former world and European champions Spain. The Netherlands, a rejuvenated side under new manager Ronald Koeman, topped a tough group featuring world champions France and Germany as they bounced back from their failure to qualify for the last European Championship and World Cup. "All four teams are fairly evenly matched and bunched together in terms of our world rankings so everybody will feel they have a good chance," said England manager Southgate. "It’s a really good test for us and I know all of our players will be looking forward to the summer. "I’ve been watching Holland closely since Ronald Koeman took over and they’re similar to us, in that they have a lot of exciting young players with good technical ability, high energy and a lot of pace." The event, created to replace friendly internationals that were unpopular with clubs, players and fans as they interrupted league action, largely got the thumbs up after the first batch of matches in September.

UEFA Nations League: Portugal take on Switzerland as England face Dutch test

UEFA Champions League confirmed that&nbsp;Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will be implemented from the knockout stages in the ongoing season .

The technology, which&nbsp;is considered as the game-changing by FIFA, will also be used in&nbsp;the Nations League finals in June.

European football's governing body had previously stated its intention to introduce VAR only from the start of the 2019-2020 season.&nbsp;

"If we can do it before, why wait? We cannot afford any mistakes if we can do it earlier," said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin after a meeting of the European football body's Executive Committee.&nbsp;

"We are ready to use VAR earlier than initially planned and we are convinced that it will be beneficial for our competitions as it will provide valuable help to match officials and will allow to reduce incorrect decisions."&nbsp;

Watch | <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/explainer-video-assistant-referees-var-technology-in-football-178196">Explainer: Video Assistant Referees (VAR) technology in football</a>

VAR is already used in a number of Europe's top leagues, including Spain's La Liga, Germany's Bundesliga and Serie A in Italy and was widely seen as a success at this summer's World Cup.

The Europa League final and the under-21 European Championships in Italy in June will also use VAR.

UEFA Champions League confirmed that Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will be implemented from the knockout stages in the ongoing season . The technology, which is considered as the game-changing by FIFA, will also be used in the Nations League finals in June.

UEFA Champions League confirmed that Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will be implemented from the knockout stages in the ongoing season . The technology, which is considered as the game-changing by FIFA, will also be used in the Nations League finals in June. European football's governing body had previously stated its intention to introduce VAR only from the start of the 2019-2020 season. "If we can do it before, why wait? We cannot afford any mistakes if we can do it earlier," said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin after a meeting of the European football body's Executive Committee. "We are ready to use VAR earlier than initially planned and we are convinced that it will be beneficial for our competitions as it will provide valuable help to match officials and will allow to reduce incorrect decisions." Watch | Explainer: Video Assistant Referees (VAR) technology in football VAR is already used in a number of Europe's top leagues, including Spain's La Liga, Germany's Bundesliga and Serie A in Italy and was widely seen as a success at this summer's World Cup. The Europa League final and the under-21 European Championships in Italy in June will also use VAR.

UEFA to use VAR from Champions League knockout rounds this season

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is not happy after receiving six yellow cards during Wednesday's 2-1 Champions League <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/liverpool-on-the-ropes-as-psg-close-in-on-champions-league-knockouts-180113">loss against Paris Saint Germain</a>.

"<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-liverpool-made-to-look-like-butchers-against-psg-says-klopp-180125">We looked like Butchers</a>' Jurgen Klopp complains of PSG's 'playacting' during the French club's 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Champions League.

The Parc des Princes contest was marked by a number of interruptions with last season's finalists Liverpool committing 20 fouls.

While addressing the media, Klopp said, "The number of interruptions in the game was just not cool."

"Two times in a row we won the fair play, what is it table, in England. And tonight we like butchers when you at the yellow cards we had," he added.

"So it was clever of PSG, of Neymar, specially him yeah, but a lot of other players went down like it was really something serious."

Defeat left the English club's hopes of reaching the last 16 hanging in the balance.

Liverpool are third in Group C on six points, two behind PSG and three behind Napoli, who they face at Anfield in the final round of matches on Dec. 11.

Juergen Klopp's side need a 1-0 win, or a victory by a two-goal margin or more, to progress.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is not happy after receiving six yellow cards during Wednesday's 2-1 Champions League loss against Paris Saint Germain. "We looked like Butchers' Jurgen Klopp complains of PSG's 'playacting' during the French club's 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Champions League.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is not happy after receiving six yellow cards during Wednesday's 2-1 Champions League loss against Paris Saint Germain. "We looked like Butchers' Jurgen Klopp complains of PSG's 'playacting' during the French club's 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Champions League. The Parc des Princes contest was marked by a number of interruptions with last season's finalists Liverpool committing 20 fouls. While addressing the media, Klopp said, "The number of interruptions in the game was just not cool." "Two times in a row we won the fair play, what is it table, in England. And tonight we like butchers when you at the yellow cards we had," he added. "So it was clever of PSG, of Neymar, specially him yeah, but a lot of other players went down like it was really something serious." Defeat left the English club's hopes of reaching the last 16 hanging in the balance. Liverpool are third in Group C on six points, two behind PSG and three behind Napoli, who they face at Anfield in the final round of matches on Dec. 11. Juergen Klopp's side need a 1-0 win, or a victory by a two-goal margin or more, to progress.

'It was clever of Neymar': Juergen Klopp complains of PSG playacting

Juventus clinched a place in the Champions League knockout stages when a brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo assist set up Mario Mandzukic to give them a 1-0 win over Valencia on Tuesday.

The Serie A champions had struggled to break down Valencia's defence until Joao Cancelo slipped the ball to Ronaldo in the Valencia area in the 59th minute of the Group H clash.

Ronaldo wrong-footed Gabriel Paulista with some fancy footwork, giving him space to roll a low cross across the face of goal for Mandzukic to turn in from two metres.

Juventus top the section with 12 points from five games while Valencia, third with five points, were eliminated after second-placed Manchester United beat Young Boys 1-0.

"Valencia have the best defence in La Liga and it's not easy to score against them," said Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri.

"We got caught on the break a couple of times, we need to be more lucid when we go looking for the second goal," he said, repeating a criticism that he routinely levels against his team.

Needing a draw to qualify, Juventus took few risks and the first half produced only one shot on target for each side.

Ronaldo tested Neto with an early shot which the Brazilian dealt with easily while Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny made a brilliant save under the bar to keep out Mouctar Diakhaby's header on the stroke of halftime.

Ronaldo, sent off in the first meeting between the teams in the group, tried again with a low free kick after the break but again Neto dealt with it comfortably.

Diakhaby had the ball in the Juventus net two minutes after Ronaldo's goal but the Frenchman had used his arm to deflect in a free kick and it was chalked off.

Paulo Dybala had a shot turned over by Neto and Mandzukic was close again from another inspired Ronaldo assist, the Portuguese this time controlling the ball on his chest and hooking it back in one move, as Juve cruised home.

"Our team is nine-tenths the same as last season but we have improved the speed of our passing and our execution, and Ronaldo gives us more self-confidence," added Allegri.

Juventus clinched a place in the Champions League knockout stages when a brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo assist set up Mario Mandzukic to give them a 1-0 win over Valencia on Tuesday.

Juventus clinched a place in the Champions League knockout stages when a brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo assist set up Mario Mandzukic to give them a 1-0 win over Valencia on Tuesday. The Serie A champions had struggled to break down Valencia's defence until Joao Cancelo slipped the ball to Ronaldo in the Valencia area in the 59th minute of the Group H clash. Ronaldo wrong-footed Gabriel Paulista with some fancy footwork, giving him space to roll a low cross across the face of goal for Mandzukic to turn in from two metres. Juventus top the section with 12 points from five games while Valencia, third with five points, were eliminated after second-placed Manchester United beat Young Boys 1-0. "Valencia have the best defence in La Liga and it's not easy to score against them," said Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri. "We got caught on the break a couple of times, we need to be more lucid when we go looking for the second goal," he said, repeating a criticism that he routinely levels against his team. Needing a draw to qualify, Juventus took few risks and the first half produced only one shot on target for each side. Ronaldo tested Neto with an early shot which the Brazilian dealt with easily while Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny made a brilliant save under the bar to keep out Mouctar Diakhaby's header on the stroke of halftime. Ronaldo, sent off in the first meeting between the teams in the group, tried again with a low free kick after the break but again Neto dealt with it comfortably. Diakhaby had the ball in the Juventus net two minutes after Ronaldo's goal but the Frenchman had used his arm to deflect in a free kick and it was chalked off. Paulo Dybala had a shot turned over by Neto and Mandzukic was close again from another inspired Ronaldo assist, the Portuguese this time controlling the ball on his chest and hooking it back in one move, as Juve cruised home. "Our team is nine-tenths the same as last season but we have improved the speed of our passing and our execution, and Ronaldo gives us more self-confidence," added Allegri.

Juventus through as brilliant Ronaldo assist sets up Valencia win

Real Madrid secured first place in Champions League Group G and ended AS Roma's eight-match unbeaten home run in Europe with a 2-0 victory at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday although the Italians are also through to the last 16.

Real's win thanks to second-half goals from Gareth Bale and Lucas Vazquez means the European champions are guaranteed to top the group due to a better head-to-head over the hosts.

Like Real, Roma had already clinched a place in the knockout stages with one game to spare thanks to Viktoria Plzen’s 2-1 win at CSKA Moscow in the early kick-off, which leaves Eusebio di Francesco’s side five points clear of third place.

Real and Roma went into the game locked on nine points but having both suffered shock domestic league defeats at the weekend, the Italians losing 1-0 at lowly Udinese while Madrid suffered a stunning 3-0 reverse away to mid-table Eibar.

Roma were without injured striker Edin Dzeko, the Champions League joint-top scorer this season with five goals, and the Bosnian’s absence was felt during a wasteful first half.

Real keeper Thibaut Courtois blocked Patrik Schick’s effort from point-blank range before an Aleksander Kolarov strike from distance whistled wide, but Cengiz Under spurned the best chance just before the break when he fired over from close range.

The home side were made to pay for their profligacy as Real went in front within two minutes of the restart as Welshman Gareth Bale pounced on a poor header back towards his own goal by Federico Fazio before finishing into the corner.

Santiago Solari’s side doubled the advantage just before the hour. Bale curled a cross to the back post and Karim Benzema’s knock-down put the ball on a plate for Vazquez to tap in.

That knocked the stuffing out of Roma and it was the visitors who threatened to find a third, with Marcelo and Benzema both testing Robin Olsen in the Roma goal.

The result ended a run of eight home Champions League games without defeat for Roma as Real became the first away team to win at the Olimpico in Europe since Porto in August 2016.

Real Madrid secured first place in Champions League Group G and ended AS Roma's eight-match unbeaten home run in Europe with a 2-0 victory at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday although the Italians are also through to the last 16.

Real Madrid secured first place in Champions League Group G and ended AS Roma's eight-match unbeaten home run in Europe with a 2-0 victory at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday although the Italians are also through to the last 16. Real's win thanks to second-half goals from Gareth Bale and Lucas Vazquez means the European champions are guaranteed to top the group due to a better head-to-head over the hosts. Like Real, Roma had already clinched a place in the knockout stages with one game to spare thanks to Viktoria Plzen’s 2-1 win at CSKA Moscow in the early kick-off, which leaves Eusebio di Francesco’s side five points clear of third place. Real and Roma went into the game locked on nine points but having both suffered shock domestic league defeats at the weekend, the Italians losing 1-0 at lowly Udinese while Madrid suffered a stunning 3-0 reverse away to mid-table Eibar. Roma were without injured striker Edin Dzeko, the Champions League joint-top scorer this season with five goals, and the Bosnian’s absence was felt during a wasteful first half. Real keeper Thibaut Courtois blocked Patrik Schick’s effort from point-blank range before an Aleksander Kolarov strike from distance whistled wide, but Cengiz Under spurned the best chance just before the break when he fired over from close range. The home side were made to pay for their profligacy as Real went in front within two minutes of the restart as Welshman Gareth Bale pounced on a poor header back towards his own goal by Federico Fazio before finishing into the corner. Santiago Solari’s side doubled the advantage just before the hour. Bale curled a cross to the back post and Karim Benzema’s knock-down put the ball on a plate for Vazquez to tap in. That knocked the stuffing out of Roma and it was the visitors who threatened to find a third, with Marcelo and Benzema both testing Robin Olsen in the Roma goal. The result ended a run of eight home Champions League games without defeat for Roma as Real became the first away team to win at the Olimpico in Europe since Porto in August 2016.

Real Madrid seal top spot with 2-0 win at Roma

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has warned his players that they must stop Paris St Germain as the two sides meet on in the French capital on Wednesday.

The 'Reds' head into the game sitting second in their Group C standings, behind leaders Napoli on goal difference, with PSG third on five points and Crvena Zvezda bottom with four - all four teams still have everything to play for.

While addressing the media, Klopp said that his players are "psychologically ready" for a tantalising clash.

"Little mistakes can make the decision, can be decisive," told Klopp.

"I'm not worried, and my team. I'm now together with them for three years and one-and-a-half months, roundabout. And in this time they were always psychologically ready," he added.

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PSG faced missing two of their star attackers, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, who were injured for their weekend 1-0 league win over Toulouse, but coach Thomas Tuchel confirmed they will both play against Liverpool.

"In this group it was from the beginning clear that, it's a difficult one and now that's it and we are here. We never moaned about it, we didn't even think negatively about it," said Klopp.

Red Star Belgrade lie in fourth but are also in contention to qualify from the group after a shock 2-0 win over Liverpool earlier this month.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has warned his players that they must stop Paris St Germain as the two sides meet on in the French capital on Wednesday. The 'Reds' head into the game sitting second in their Group C standings, behind leaders Napoli on goal difference, with PSG third on five points and Crvena Zvezda bottom with four - all four teams still have everything to play for.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has warned his players that they must stop Paris St Germain as the two sides meet on in the French capital on Wednesday. The 'Reds' head into the game sitting second in their Group C standings, behind leaders Napoli on goal difference, with PSG third on five points and Crvena Zvezda bottom with four - all four teams still have everything to play for. While addressing the media, Klopp said that his players are "psychologically ready" for a tantalising clash. "Little mistakes can make the decision, can be decisive," told Klopp. "I'm not worried, and my team. I'm now together with them for three years and one-and-a-half months, roundabout. And in this time they were always psychologically ready," he added. × PSG faced missing two of their star attackers, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, who were injured for their weekend 1-0 league win over Toulouse, but coach Thomas Tuchel confirmed they will both play against Liverpool. "In this group it was from the beginning clear that, it's a difficult one and now that's it and we are here. We never moaned about it, we didn't even think negatively about it," said Klopp. Red Star Belgrade lie in fourth but are also in contention to qualify from the group after a shock 2-0 win over Liverpool earlier this month.

Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp says players are 'psychologically ready'

Netherlands scored twice in the last five minutes to recover from two goals down and earn a 2-2 draw against relegated Germany in the Nations League on Monday to secure a spot in next year's finals ahead of world champions France.

Virgil van Dijk struck a superb close-range volley in stoppage time to equalise for the visitors after Quincy Promes had cut the deficit in the 85th minute with the Germans having led through early goals from Timo Werner and Leroy Sane.

Switzerland, England and hosts Portugal had already qualified for the four-team finals in June.

The Dutch, on the road to recovery under new manager Ronald Koeman after failing to qualify for the last two major tournaments, topped League A Group 1 despite finishing level on seven points with France due to a better head-to-head record.

"This is the reward for our hard work," central defender Van Dijk told reporters. "It was good to get the equaliser and qualify. After a moderate first half we wanted to come out stronger after the break. We showed character tonight."

The Germans, who suffered a shock first-round exit at the World Cup in June and lost a German record six times this year, finished in last place with just two points after what has become a familiar lack of focus this year.

However, their quick young frontline, nicknamed 'the moped gang', looked promising and lived up to their tag as 22-year-olds Werner and Sane, plus Serge Gnabry, 23, frightened the Dutch defence with their speed, especially in the first half.

They had already shown their potential in a 3-0 friendly win over Russia on Thursday as coach Joachim Loew made changes after Germany's World Cup flop and Nations League relegation.

"I am a bit disappointed by the result but overall I saw more positives than negatives," Loew told reporters. "We played a very good first half and should have scored a third in the second half to finish the game.

"But this kind of thing seems to be the story of our entire year," he said, in reference to his side's disappointing season.

The Germans took the lead after nine minutes when Werner controlled a pass with his head and then fired a precise low shot into the corner of the net from 20 metres.

Sane finished an almost identical move in the 20th, latching onto a deep Toni Kroos pass and drilling in the second goal of the evening with a deflected shot from the edge of the box.

Gnabry almost got a third with a glancing header in the 40th and Werner outsprinted his marker only to fire wide on the hour as the Dutch struggled to contain their opponents and remained toothless up front until Promes got them back in the game.

They then earned a last-gasp equaliser through Van Dijk to book their spot in the new competition's finals in Portugal.

Netherlands scored twice in the last five minutes to recover from two goals down and earn a 2-2 draw against relegated Germany in the Nations League on Monday to secure a spot in next year's finals ahead of world champions France.

Netherlands scored twice in the last five minutes to recover from two goals down and earn a 2-2 draw against relegated Germany in the Nations League on Monday to secure a spot in next year's finals ahead of world champions France. Virgil van Dijk struck a superb close-range volley in stoppage time to equalise for the visitors after Quincy Promes had cut the deficit in the 85th minute with the Germans having led through early goals from Timo Werner and Leroy Sane. Switzerland, England and hosts Portugal had already qualified for the four-team finals in June. The Dutch, on the road to recovery under new manager Ronald Koeman after failing to qualify for the last two major tournaments, topped League A Group 1 despite finishing level on seven points with France due to a better head-to-head record. "This is the reward for our hard work," central defender Van Dijk told reporters. "It was good to get the equaliser and qualify. After a moderate first half we wanted to come out stronger after the break. We showed character tonight." The Germans, who suffered a shock first-round exit at the World Cup in June and lost a German record six times this year, finished in last place with just two points after what has become a familiar lack of focus this year. However, their quick young frontline, nicknamed 'the moped gang', looked promising and lived up to their tag as 22-year-olds Werner and Sane, plus Serge Gnabry, 23, frightened the Dutch defence with their speed, especially in the first half. They had already shown their potential in a 3-0 friendly win over Russia on Thursday as coach Joachim Loew made changes after Germany's World Cup flop and Nations League relegation. "I am a bit disappointed by the result but overall I saw more positives than negatives," Loew told reporters. "We played a very good first half and should have scored a third in the second half to finish the game. "But this kind of thing seems to be the story of our entire year," he said, in reference to his side's disappointing season. The Germans took the lead after nine minutes when Werner controlled a pass with his head and then fired a precise low shot into the corner of the net from 20 metres. Sane finished an almost identical move in the 20th, latching onto a deep Toni Kroos pass and drilling in the second goal of the evening with a deflected shot from the edge of the box. Gnabry almost got a third with a glancing header in the 40th and Werner outsprinted his marker only to fire wide on the hour as the Dutch struggled to contain their opponents and remained toothless up front until Promes got them back in the game. They then earned a last-gasp equaliser through Van Dijk to book their spot in the new competition's finals in Portugal.

Dutch draw 2-2 with Germany to reach Nations League semi-finals

England striker Harry Kane on Sunday led his national team to rally from a one-goal deficit and beat Croatia 2-1, booking a place in the UEFA Nations League finals as the winners of League A Group 4.

The defeat sends 2018 FIFA World Cup runner-up Croatia down to League B, the second tier of the first-ever edition of the new men's tournament while denying Spain a berth in the finals, as La Roja had to settle for the second spot.

England was keen to earn the win and made that clear in the early going, as attacking midfielder Raheem Sterling was set up for a one-on-one situation against Croatia goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic, who made the save.

Shortly after, Kalinic nearly cost his team a goal when he tried to prevent the ball from reaching Kane but exposed his goal instead.

Kane's shot at the wide-open goal was cleared by a Croatia player off the goal line, and then Kalinic, who recovered his position, saved his second attempt on the goal.

Midway through the first half, the momentum shifted as Croatia seized control of the ball, trying to threaten Jordan Pickford's goal, but the game remained scoreless at the half.

On Croatia's first real attempt in the second half, substitute forward Josip Brekalo passed the ball to attacking midfielder Andrej Kramaric, who dribbled around several players inside the area before putting the ball home in the 57th minute.

The Three Lions, however, did not give up as they pushed for a comeback and coach Gareth Southgate sent Jadon Sancho and Jesse Lingard onto the field.

Southgate's changes proved to be decisive as Lingard drew his team level after he was set up for the goal by Kane in the 78th minute.&nbsp;

With four minutes to go before second-half stoppage time, Kane struck his first Nations League goal, sealing the win.

England striker Harry Kane on Sunday led his national team to rally from a one-goal deficit and beat Croatia 2-1, booking a place in the UEFA Nations League finals as the winners of League A Group 4.

England striker Harry Kane on Sunday led his national team to rally from a one-goal deficit and beat Croatia 2-1, booking a place in the UEFA Nations League finals as the winners of League A Group 4. The defeat sends 2018 FIFA World Cup runner-up Croatia down to League B, the second tier of the first-ever edition of the new men's tournament while denying Spain a berth in the finals, as La Roja had to settle for the second spot. England was keen to earn the win and made that clear in the early going, as attacking midfielder Raheem Sterling was set up for a one-on-one situation against Croatia goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic, who made the save. Shortly after, Kalinic nearly cost his team a goal when he tried to prevent the ball from reaching Kane but exposed his goal instead. Kane's shot at the wide-open goal was cleared by a Croatia player off the goal line, and then Kalinic, who recovered his position, saved his second attempt on the goal. Midway through the first half, the momentum shifted as Croatia seized control of the ball, trying to threaten Jordan Pickford's goal, but the game remained scoreless at the half. On Croatia's first real attempt in the second half, substitute forward Josip Brekalo passed the ball to attacking midfielder Andrej Kramaric, who dribbled around several players inside the area before putting the ball home in the 57th minute. The Three Lions, however, did not give up as they pushed for a comeback and coach Gareth Southgate sent Jadon Sancho and Jesse Lingard onto the field. Southgate's changes proved to be decisive as Lingard drew his team level after he was set up for the goal by Kane in the 78th minute. With four minutes to go before second-half stoppage time, Kane struck his first Nations League goal, sealing the win.

Harry Kane leads England to beat Croatia 2-1, advance to Nations League finals

The head coach of Spain's national soccer team said here Saturday that goalkeeper David De Gea has been unfairly criticised for his performance in a 3-2 loss against Croatia. 
 
"De Gea has been singled out, and such targeted and personalised criticism of a single player is very unfair," Luis Enrique said. 
 
He added that soccer is a team game and that goals can only be scored against a net minder after the opposing team has gotten the ball into scoring position 
 
"So the other players don't defend too?" he asked rhetorically. 
 
The former FC Barcelona head coach said soccer players and coaches have to accept criticism from fans and the media as part of the game. 
 
But he added that he would never cast judgment on his players in public. 
 
Referring to the health of key defender Sergio Ramos, Luis Enrique said the Real Madrid star had reported for international duty with pain in the adductor muscle of his right leg. 
 
"Even so, he ran the risk of playing (a 2018-2019 UEFA Nations League contest on Thursday against Croatia) in Zagreb and did well, and luckily didn't injure himself (further). But it made no sense to take the same risk in a friendly like tomorrow's." 
 
He said that the team was in good spirits despite the 3-2 loss to Croatia, a result that came two months after Spain thrashed the 2018 World Cup runner-up 6-0 in a Nations League match in Elche, Spain. 
 
Luis Enrique added that he expected an interesting match on Sunday against Bosnia and Herzegovina at Estadio Gran Canaria in Las Palmas, a city in Spain's Canary Islands. 
 
After the Bosnia match, the Spanish national team will not reassemble again until March, the head coach said.

The head coach of Spain's national soccer team said here Saturday that goalkeeper David De Gea has been unfairly criticised for his performance in a 3-2 loss against Croatia.

The head coach of Spain's national soccer team said here Saturday that goalkeeper David De Gea has been unfairly criticised for his performance in a 3-2 loss against Croatia. "De Gea has been singled out, and such targeted and personalised criticism of a single player is very unfair," Luis Enrique said. He added that soccer is a team game and that goals can only be scored against a net minder after the opposing team has gotten the ball into scoring position "So the other players don't defend too?" he asked rhetorically. The former FC Barcelona head coach said soccer players and coaches have to accept criticism from fans and the media as part of the game. But he added that he would never cast judgment on his players in public. Referring to the health of key defender Sergio Ramos, Luis Enrique said the Real Madrid star had reported for international duty with pain in the adductor muscle of his right leg. "Even so, he ran the risk of playing (a 2018-2019 UEFA Nations League contest on Thursday against Croatia) in Zagreb and did well, and luckily didn't injure himself (further). But it made no sense to take the same risk in a friendly like tomorrow's." He said that the team was in good spirits despite the 3-2 loss to Croatia, a result that came two months after Spain thrashed the 2018 World Cup runner-up 6-0 in a Nations League match in Elche, Spain. Luis Enrique added that he expected an interesting match on Sunday against Bosnia and Herzegovina at Estadio Gran Canaria in Las Palmas, a city in Spain's Canary Islands. After the Bosnia match, the Spanish national team will not reassemble again until March, the head coach said.

De Gea has been unfairly criticised, Spain head coach says

England's boss <a href="http://www.wionews.com/search?q=gareth+southgate">Gareth Southgate</a> said that it is becoming very difficult to pick a squad due to the presence of extremely talented players in the team. While he also added that it's a "good sign" for the future of 'The Three Lions' because there is a competition for every single spot.

"Yeah, it's becoming increasingly difficult to pick a squad and increasingly difficult to pick a team and that's a really good sign because we have competition for places," said Southgate.

England will face a winner-takes-all UEFA Nations League clash with Croatia on Sunday (November 18).

It will give some idea of how far the team have come since they lost to the same opponents in the last four in the FIFA World Cup 2018.

"Some young players who've emerged since the summer and even with missing Kieran Trippier and Harry Maguire from the squad in the summer in particular, young players have come through and done well in those positions and in other positions so the only way to avoid complacency and keep driving performances I believe is to have that competition," he added.

World Cup finalists Croatia beat Spain on Thursday (November 15) to blow the Nations League Group A4 wide open, meaning victory for either Croatia or England at Wembley will seal top spot in the standings, and a place in the Nations League finals next year.

The victory will secure progress to next summer's Nations League Finals and a semi-final spot, while the defeated side will be relegated from the top tier after an exciting first edition of the previously derided competition.

A full house will greet the sides for the Group A4 finale, when England have the chance to exact revenge for the extra-time 2-1 defeat to Croatia in July's World Cup semi-final.

England's boss Gareth Southgate said that it is becoming very difficult to pick a squad due to the presence of extremely talented players in the team. While he also added that it's a "good sign" for the future of 'The Three Lions' because there is a competition for every single spot.

England's boss Gareth Southgate said that it is becoming very difficult to pick a squad due to the presence of extremely talented players in the team. While he also added that it's a "good sign" for the future of 'The Three Lions' because there is a competition for every single spot. "Yeah, it's becoming increasingly difficult to pick a squad and increasingly difficult to pick a team and that's a really good sign because we have competition for places," said Southgate. England will face a winner-takes-all UEFA Nations League clash with Croatia on Sunday (November 18). It will give some idea of how far the team have come since they lost to the same opponents in the last four in the FIFA World Cup 2018. "Some young players who've emerged since the summer and even with missing Kieran Trippier and Harry Maguire from the squad in the summer in particular, young players have come through and done well in those positions and in other positions so the only way to avoid complacency and keep driving performances I believe is to have that competition," he added. World Cup finalists Croatia beat Spain on Thursday (November 15) to blow the Nations League Group A4 wide open, meaning victory for either Croatia or England at Wembley will seal top spot in the standings, and a place in the Nations League finals next year. The victory will secure progress to next summer's Nations League Finals and a semi-final spot, while the defeated side will be relegated from the top tier after an exciting first edition of the previously derided competition. A full house will greet the sides for the Group A4 finale, when England have the chance to exact revenge for the extra-time 2-1 defeat to Croatia in July's World Cup semi-final.

Gareth Southgate says, 'difficult to pick a squad' due to quality players

The Portugal soccer squad tied Italy 0-0 this Saturday at Milan's San Siro Stadium and so added the point it was lacking to move on to the finals of the UEFA Nations League, to be contested in June 2019.

Portugal withstood the pressure of an Italy that dominated the match throughout the first half and set up many opportunities to take the lead - particularly two beautiful chances for Ciro Immobile, whose shots unfortunately went astray.&nbsp;

Fernando Santos's Portugal team, led by the defense of goalkeeper Rui Patricio, remains unbeaten in Group 3 and became the first squad guaranteed a place in the semifinals next June.&nbsp;

For its part, Italy had to settle for a tie, the sixth consecutive on its home turf, and wrapped up its drive toward the UEFA Nations League finals with one win, two ties and one defeat.&nbsp;

At the start it all looked different, when Italy's control of the ball pretty much kept Portugal at its own end of the field for the entire first half, but was itself held to a tie until halftime thanks to some deft blocks by Portugal's Rui Patricio and Immobile's misplaced shots at goal.&nbsp;

And then, as the minutes passed in the second half, the Italians lost their intensity while Portugal gained theirs to make it a very even contest. And despite Italian coach Mancini replacing Immobile with the much more dynamic striker Kevin Lasagna, the score ended as it began, 0-0.

The Portugal soccer squad tied Italy 0-0 this Saturday at Milan's San Siro Stadium and so added the point it was lacking to move on to the finals of the UEFA Nations League, to be contested in June 2019.

The Portugal soccer squad tied Italy 0-0 this Saturday at Milan's San Siro Stadium and so added the point it was lacking to move on to the finals of the UEFA Nations League, to be contested in June 2019. Portugal withstood the pressure of an Italy that dominated the match throughout the first half and set up many opportunities to take the lead - particularly two beautiful chances for Ciro Immobile, whose shots unfortunately went astray. Fernando Santos's Portugal team, led by the defense of goalkeeper Rui Patricio, remains unbeaten in Group 3 and became the first squad guaranteed a place in the semifinals next June. For its part, Italy had to settle for a tie, the sixth consecutive on its home turf, and wrapped up its drive toward the UEFA Nations League finals with one win, two ties and one defeat. At the start it all looked different, when Italy's control of the ball pretty much kept Portugal at its own end of the field for the entire first half, but was itself held to a tie until halftime thanks to some deft blocks by Portugal's Rui Patricio and Immobile's misplaced shots at goal. And then, as the minutes passed in the second half, the Italians lost their intensity while Portugal gained theirs to make it a very even contest. And despite Italian coach Mancini replacing Immobile with the much more dynamic striker Kevin Lasagna, the score ended as it began, 0-0.

Portugal keeps Italy off scoreboard 0-0 to move on to Nations League finals

Premier League clubs have agreed in principle to introduce video assistant referees (VAR) from the start of next season, they said on Thursday.

The top leagues in Spain, Italy and Germany are already using VAR, which allows disputed incidents to be reviewed with the use of video replays, and the technology was used at the World Cup in Russia this year.

The English clubs were provided with an update on this season's VAR trials, with key examples of its use in the FA Cup and League Cup discussed in detail.

"The League will now formally make a request to the International Football Association Board and (world body) FIFA to use VAR next season," the Premier League said in a statement.

The decision comes after contentious refereeing decisions overshadowed a 1-1 league draw between Southampton and Watford last weekend.

Southampton striker Charlie Austin demanded the introduction of VAR after his goal was disallowed by referee Simon Hooper, who deemed Maya Yoshida to have interfered with the ball from an offside position.

The English top-flight was one of the first leagues to adopt goal-line technology in 2013 but had voted unanimously against VAR ahead of the 2018-19 campaign, instead agreeing to continue testing the system.

The initial trials in English domestic cup matches last season received mixed reviews, with fans often complaining that they were being left in the dark when decisions were made.

"The Premier League's non-live testing programme will remain in place for the rest of this season, with a continued emphasis on those Saturday afternoons which have several matches being played concurrently," the League added.

The VAR system uses a match official who monitors video footage of the game for incidents that the on-pitch referee and his assistant referees might have missed, such as determining goals, red cards, penalties and cases of mistaken identity.

How VAR decisions are communicated to the fans in the stadiums will also be addressed, the league confirmed.

The use of VAR was hailed as a success by FIFA after the World Cup in Russia, which saw 455 incidents checked in 64 matches at an average of 7.1 per game. Those incidents led to 20 reviews, with 17 decisions changed as a result.

Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey believes the time is right for the league to use the technology, which should help the officials to make correct decisions during match-defining moments.

"I think it is a good thing. I know a lot of people are against it but we've got to embrace it now and move forward," he told the BBC.

"We've seen this season a number of incidences that have been called wrong, especially this weekend when there were a number of goals ruled out when they shouldn't have been.

"I think as long as we get the training and education right, and we get the right personnel, that's the most important thing for me."

VAR will also be used in the Champions League from next season.

Premier League clubs have agreed in principle to introduce video assistant referees (VAR) from the start of next season, they said on Thursday. The top leagues in Spain, Italy and Germany are already using VAR, which allows disputed incidents to be reviewed with the use of video replays, and the technology was used at the World Cup in Russia this year.

Premier League clubs have agreed in principle to introduce video assistant referees (VAR) from the start of next season, they said on Thursday. The top leagues in Spain, Italy and Germany are already using VAR, which allows disputed incidents to be reviewed with the use of video replays, and the technology was used at the World Cup in Russia this year. The English clubs were provided with an update on this season's VAR trials, with key examples of its use in the FA Cup and League Cup discussed in detail. "The League will now formally make a request to the International Football Association Board and (world body) FIFA to use VAR next season," the Premier League said in a statement. The decision comes after contentious refereeing decisions overshadowed a 1-1 league draw between Southampton and Watford last weekend. Southampton striker Charlie Austin demanded the introduction of VAR after his goal was disallowed by referee Simon Hooper, who deemed Maya Yoshida to have interfered with the ball from an offside position. The English top-flight was one of the first leagues to adopt goal-line technology in 2013 but had voted unanimously against VAR ahead of the 2018-19 campaign, instead agreeing to continue testing the system. The initial trials in English domestic cup matches last season received mixed reviews, with fans often complaining that they were being left in the dark when decisions were made. "The Premier League's non-live testing programme will remain in place for the rest of this season, with a continued emphasis on those Saturday afternoons which have several matches being played concurrently," the League added. The VAR system uses a match official who monitors video footage of the game for incidents that the on-pitch referee and his assistant referees might have missed, such as determining goals, red cards, penalties and cases of mistaken identity. How VAR decisions are communicated to the fans in the stadiums will also be addressed, the league confirmed. The use of VAR was hailed as a success by FIFA after the World Cup in Russia, which saw 455 incidents checked in 64 matches at an average of 7.1 per game. Those incidents led to 20 reviews, with 17 decisions changed as a result. Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey believes the time is right for the league to use the technology, which should help the officials to make correct decisions during match-defining moments. "I think it is a good thing. I know a lot of people are against it but we've got to embrace it now and move forward," he told the BBC. "We've seen this season a number of incidences that have been called wrong, especially this weekend when there were a number of goals ruled out when they shouldn't have been. "I think as long as we get the training and education right, and we get the right personnel, that's the most important thing for me." VAR will also be used in the Champions League from next season.

Premier League set to use VAR from next season

Real Madrid took a huge step towards clinching a spot in the Champions League knockout stage on Wednesday with a 5-0 rout of Viktoria Plzen as Karim Benzema scored two of four first-half goals for the Spanish giants.

In temporary coach Santiago Solari's first Champions League game in charge Real began slowly but were out of sight before halftime after a masterclass of finishing.

Benzema opened the scoring in the 20th minute when he beat two defenders before slipping a shot through the legs of Plzen goalkeeper Ales Hruska.

Casemiro doubled the lead three minutes later when the Brazilian outjumped his marker and headed home from a corner.

An unmarked Benzema notched his second goal in the 37th minute with a redirected header assisted by Gareth Bale to give Real a 3-0 lead and Benzema returned the favour minutes later when he flicked on a cross for Bale to sweep home a volley.

Toni Kroos completed the scoring in the 67th minute when he cooly chipped over the keeper after a counter-attack involving Brazilian substitute Vinicius.

With two games remaining in Group G Real Madrid are in second spot, level on nine points with AS Roma who beat CSKA Moscow 2-1. CSKA have four points with Plzen on one.

Real had an early scare in the 10th minute when Patrik Hrosovsky's cross cannoned off Nacho and hit the woodwork.

But any hopes Plzen harboured of a shock win were wiped out with two quickfire goals in the 21st and 23rd minutes.

The hosts were more lively after the break and managed a few shots on goal but could not find the quality they needed in the final third to chip away at Real's lead.

Madrid beat Plzen 2-1 at home last month 2-1 with Julen Lopetegui at the helm before the former coach was sacked three months into his first season in charge after Real were thrashed by arch-rivals Barcelona.

Real Madrid took a huge step towards clinching a spot in the Champions League knockout stage on Wednesday with a 5-0 rout of Viktoria Plzen as Karim Benzema scored two of four first-half goals for the Spanish giants.

Real Madrid took a huge step towards clinching a spot in the Champions League knockout stage on Wednesday with a 5-0 rout of Viktoria Plzen as Karim Benzema scored two of four first-half goals for the Spanish giants. In temporary coach Santiago Solari's first Champions League game in charge Real began slowly but were out of sight before halftime after a masterclass of finishing. Benzema opened the scoring in the 20th minute when he beat two defenders before slipping a shot through the legs of Plzen goalkeeper Ales Hruska. Casemiro doubled the lead three minutes later when the Brazilian outjumped his marker and headed home from a corner. An unmarked Benzema notched his second goal in the 37th minute with a redirected header assisted by Gareth Bale to give Real a 3-0 lead and Benzema returned the favour minutes later when he flicked on a cross for Bale to sweep home a volley. Toni Kroos completed the scoring in the 67th minute when he cooly chipped over the keeper after a counter-attack involving Brazilian substitute Vinicius. With two games remaining in Group G Real Madrid are in second spot, level on nine points with AS Roma who beat CSKA Moscow 2-1. CSKA have four points with Plzen on one. Real had an early scare in the 10th minute when Patrik Hrosovsky's cross cannoned off Nacho and hit the woodwork. But any hopes Plzen harboured of a shock win were wiped out with two quickfire goals in the 21st and 23rd minutes. The hosts were more lively after the break and managed a few shots on goal but could not find the quality they needed in the final third to chip away at Real's lead. Madrid beat Plzen 2-1 at home last month 2-1 with Julen Lopetegui at the helm before the former coach was sacked three months into his first season in charge after Real were thrashed by arch-rivals Barcelona.

Karim Benzema scores twice as Real Madrid thrash Viktoria Plzen 5-0

Paris Saint-Germain has challenged UEFA in court after a club finance panel reopened its investigation into the French champion, and can assess transfer deals for superstar forwards Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Monday the appeal case is confidential at the request of PSG and UEFA and gave no further details.

Qatar-owned PSG has long been a target of UEFA rules designed to curb so-called financial doping by wealthy backers of clubs which qualify for the Champions League or Europa League.

The Financial Fair Play program requires clubs to approach break-even on soccer-related business, such as player trading and wages, and also assesses the fair market value of sponsorship deals.

PSG forfeited 20 million euros (USD 22.8 million) of Champions League prize money in a 2014 settlement. Then, Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City got the same deal from UEFA in signature cases from the first round of FFP sanctions.

Details of tough 2014 negotiations between both clubs and UEFA's then-leaders were revealed at the weekend by European media. Published emails included legal threats by the clubs trying to prevent possible bans from the Champions League worth tens of millions of euros per season.

In April 2017, UEFA released PSG and Man City from their settlement deals for complying with three years of stricter monitoring.

PSG then spent heavily in that offseason, breaking soccer's transfer record to buy Neymar from Barcelona for 222 million euros (USD 253 million). A loan deal was agreed with Monaco for Mbappe that became a 180 million euros (USD 205 million) purchase this year.

UEFA opened an investigation soon after the Mbappe loan, and warned PSG in June this year to raise cash quickly from player sales to balance its 2017-18 accounts. UEFA also said some sponsor deals, including from Qatar, were overvalued.

Still, investigators for UEFA's Club Financial Control Body closed their scrutiny of PSG's accounts for the year through June 2017 before the Neymar signing.

The UEFA panel's judging chamber reviewed the decision and in September sent the case back for a "deeper investigation." It is that move which PSG is challenging at CAS.

The sports court's judges must first decide if it is admissible to appeal a procedural step rather than a final ruling.

Joining PSG in a similar situation, Galatasaray was also placed under further investigation by the UEFA panel last month. It is unclear if the Turkish club has appealed to CAS.&nbsp;

Paris Saint-Germain has challenged UEFA in court after a club finance panel reopened its investigation into the French champion, and can assess transfer deals for superstar forwards Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Paris Saint-Germain has challenged UEFA in court after a club finance panel reopened its investigation into the French champion, and can assess transfer deals for superstar forwards Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. The Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Monday the appeal case is confidential at the request of PSG and UEFA and gave no further details. Qatar-owned PSG has long been a target of UEFA rules designed to curb so-called financial doping by wealthy backers of clubs which qualify for the Champions League or Europa League. The Financial Fair Play program requires clubs to approach break-even on soccer-related business, such as player trading and wages, and also assesses the fair market value of sponsorship deals. PSG forfeited 20 million euros (USD 22.8 million) of Champions League prize money in a 2014 settlement. Then, Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City got the same deal from UEFA in signature cases from the first round of FFP sanctions. Details of tough 2014 negotiations between both clubs and UEFA's then-leaders were revealed at the weekend by European media. Published emails included legal threats by the clubs trying to prevent possible bans from the Champions League worth tens of millions of euros per season. In April 2017, UEFA released PSG and Man City from their settlement deals for complying with three years of stricter monitoring. PSG then spent heavily in that offseason, breaking soccer's transfer record to buy Neymar from Barcelona for 222 million euros (USD 253 million). A loan deal was agreed with Monaco for Mbappe that became a 180 million euros (USD 205 million) purchase this year. UEFA opened an investigation soon after the Mbappe loan, and warned PSG in June this year to raise cash quickly from player sales to balance its 2017-18 accounts. UEFA also said some sponsor deals, including from Qatar, were overvalued. Still, investigators for UEFA's Club Financial Control Body closed their scrutiny of PSG's accounts for the year through June 2017 before the Neymar signing. The UEFA panel's judging chamber reviewed the decision and in September sent the case back for a "deeper investigation." It is that move which PSG is challenging at CAS. The sports court's judges must first decide if it is admissible to appeal a procedural step rather than a final ruling. Joining PSG in a similar situation, Galatasaray was also placed under further investigation by the UEFA panel last month. It is unclear if the Turkish club has appealed to CAS.

Paris Saint-Germain challenges UEFA in court

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