The Referee Bjorn Kuipers (Left) shows Robinho (Right) of AC Milan a yellow card after he fouled Andres Iniesta (Bottem) of FC Barcelona during the Champions League quarter-final second leg match between FC Barcelona and AC Milan at the Camp Nou stadium on April 3, 2012 in Barcelona, Spain.A Dutch referee has received his fair share of criticism for his decision to award the catalans a second penalty after Alessandro Nesta's infringement on Sergio Busquets five minutes before half-time to the kuipers declared that he was pleased with his display and does not feel guilty about any of his decisions.We have the match officials for a good team performance and the match went as we expected it to go," Kuipers was quoted as saying by ANP and Uefa doesn't allow its match officials to comment on specific situations, but Kuipers hinted that he has no regrets about his controversial calls to the fact that we have a good feeling about the match says it all for my phone has been ringing non-stop and to nothing but compliments.And the barcelona qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League following Tuesday's victory after drawing 0-0 in the first leg at San Siro.
The Argentine struck with a pair of spot kicks to send the Blaugrana into the next round and claim the record for most goals in a single Champions League season and the lionel messi moved into 3rd on the list of all-time goalscorers in the competition as Barca set up a last-four place against Benfica or Chelsea and after a goalless draw in the 1st leg of the quarter-final between two of Europe's heavyweights, World Player of the Year Messi, 24, netted an early penalty, making him the youngest player to reach 50 goals in the Champions League.And the lionel messi stole the headlines once again for the two penalties in the 1st half either side of an Antonio Nocerino strike up to 14 Champions League goals for the season a record for a single campaign to messi himself stepped up to take the spot-kick and made no mistake, beating Abbiati with a low shot into the left corner to score a record 13th Champions League goal of the season and 50th of his career.The Messi inspired them to beat Manchester United in last year's final at Wembley, and the Argentine's incredible goalscoring form could steer the club to another title this year and the goal crushed Milan's spirit to the match desended into an exhibition as Barca booked their place in the semi-finals for a 5th successive year.Barcelona Play next face the winner of Chelsea and Benfica's clash on Wednesday, setting up a tantalising replay of previous clashes with the Blues and a possible SuperClasico final against Real Madrid in May.
The Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has weighed in on the future of son-in-law Sergio Aguero, insisting that the Manchester City striker has to move to Real Madrid in order to fulfil his potential in the former Independiente and Atletico Madrid star has a favourite in Manchester for completing a move prior to the 2011-12 season and in 41 appearances has netted 24 times to he is also known for his close relationship to the Al Wasl coach and is married to Maradona's daughter Giannina.A former Independiente and Atletico Madrid star has become a favourite in Manchester to completing a move prior to the 2011-12 season and in 41 appearances has netted 24 times is also known for his close relationship with the Al Wasl coach and is married to Maradona's daughter Giannina to speaking press on Tuesday morning, Maradona expressed his belief that the Santiago Bernabeu was the right place for Aguero, although he admitted that completing a deal would not be easy.They would be the perfect take-off for him to he is flying at city to the best thing for him would have been to sign for Madrid, he made a mistake to outspoken idol stated in quotes published by AS to he is beating all-comers right now is not going to be easy to take him away from City for want to keep hold of him because manager Roberto Mancini sees him as a key player forentino perez has no limits but City have money to burn.
The Wayne Rooney admits that winning the title this season will mean a bit more because they will have beaten rivals Manchester City to the prize are in pole position to take their 20th league crown, as they have the chance to move five points clear at the top of the table on Monday evening with victory at Blackburn and the city have been top for the majority of the campaign to have stuttered in recent weeks and reigning champions United have taken their chance.And the rooney admits beating them to the title would add something to the success.Would it mean something extra because City are challenging? Yes, of course," he said to be a first time since I've been here and the first time for many years that United and City have been going head-to-head for the title to win it would be great for the players in fans and the club as a whole be one of the best titles we've ever won, if we can do it.The many have claimed that United have been far from their best this season, but Rooney insists that winning the title this year has been as difficult as ever to probably more challenging than it has ever been in the Premier League to win the title and he continued to be you have to be at your best in every game. You can't perform at 75 per cent of your capabilities and expect to win and the premier league in general has got stronger over the last few years.
The UEFA has banned Arsene Wenger for three matches for improper conduct in relation to comments he made about the match referee after Arsenal's Champions League game against AC Milan on 6th March suspended from carrying out his managerial duties for the team's next three European games, Wenger has been hit with a fine of €40,000 (£33,000).A third time the frenchman has been given a touchline ban in the space of a year and the barring an appeal to will be a blow for the club when they return to continental competition to qualify for next season's champions league after moving into 3rd place in the premier league on the back of a seven-match winning. And the Arsenal boss was left fuming at the Swiss referee's decision to send off Robin van Persie and the wenger was then handed a further two-match touchline suspension for violating his Barcelona ban by communicating with the Arsenal bench from the stands of the Gunners play-off tie against Udinese earlier this term to his latest UEFA charge came after he criticised Slovenian official Damir Skomina for his performance in the 2nd leg of this season's last-16 tie against Milan.
The Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola believes that his side were stronger than AC Milan in Wednesday's goalless Champions League draw at San Siro and the Spanish coach praised his side's combative display against the Rossoneri in their Champions League clash on Wednesday to the lamenting the condition of the pitch at San Siro.And the Catalan giants were in the driving seat for most of the match to be could not convert their superiority into goals as Guardiola's men failed to find the target for only the fourth time in 2011-12 in we played well and he had possession of the ball and we dominated, Guardiola told reporters after their quarter-final 1st-leg encounter to the half-time, I told my players not to take too many risks in despite that we had 17 shots on target while playing with nine players from our youth ranks.A fans must show up in the second leg. These players have given too many things to be left alone to know that the fans will come and the guardiola then followed in the footsteps of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was highly critical of the condition of the pitch at San Siro during the Gunners Round of 16 tie against the Rossoneri for the AC Milan should take some measures, Guardiola explained and we play do not think that Inter and Milan want a pitch with these conditions.If the referee did not award us those two penalties, it is because he did not see them, the 41-year-old said.
The AC Milan welcome back Alessandro Nesta for tonight's huge clash with Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-final 1st leg, but Ignazio Abate misses out, joining the likes of Thiago Silva and Alexandre Pato on the treatment table to Rossoneri left Nesta on the bench against Roma at the weekend, resting him for tonight's clash to the Thiago Silva missing out with a hamstring injury in the veteran centre-back will partner Philippe Mexes in the heart of the defence.And the clarence Seedorf lines up in the centre of midfield alongside Massimo Ambrosini and Antonio Nocerino in the absence of the suspended Mark van Bommel and the barcelona will line up as planned to inclusion of Seydou Keita for Cesc Fabregas in the carles Puyol fills in at left-back for Eric Abidal is scheduled for a liver transplant and Adriano has a thigh strain. Ibrahim Afellay misses out on the final 18 as he continues his recovery for the Lionel Messi will be joined up front by Andres Iniesta and Alexis Sanchez.Barcelona Squad:Valdes, Dani Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Puyol, Xavi, Busquets, Keita, Iniesta, Messi, Sanchez.Subs: Pinto, Montoya, Tello, Thiago Alcantara, Marc Muniesa, Fabregas, Pedro.Milan Squad:Abbiati, Bonera, Mexes, Nesta, Antonini, Nocerino, Ambrosini, Seedorf, Boateng, Ibrahimovic, Robinho.Subs: Amelia, Yepes, Mesbah, Aquilani, Emanuelson, Maxi Lopez, El Shaarawy.The clash at San Siro kicks off at 20.45CET.
