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Showing posts from March, 2017

UEFA Champions League Selection Headache: Sergio Busquets Out for Barcelona-Juventus First Le

Barcelona  will be without midfielder  Sergio Busquets  in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League clash against Juventus due to yellow card accumulation. This could prove a real headache for Luis Enrique  as he hopes his team can improve upon their last away outing in Europe, a 4-0 loss against Paris Saint-Germain that took a miraculous 6-1 comeback win to overturn. It was precisely in that historic 6-1 win that Busquets was booked, with the score still 1-0 to Barcelona and the comeback still a far off dream. He was probably thinking it would be next season when he served the ban, but instead, improbably, he’s missing the match this term. Will Lucho persist with a four-man midfield? If so, who replaces Busquets? The Catalan is a key cog in Barcelona’s turnaround of late, so whoever it is, he will have big shoes to fill. Could the much-maligned Andre Gomes get another turn? Or will Lucho play Sergio Roberto    as a pivot? What about moving...

Bayern vs Real Madrid, Juventus vs Barcelona in Champions League quarters

Nyon (Switzerland), March 17 (IANS) The Champions League draw pits Europe's four heavyweight football clubs in the quarter-finals that also see underdogs vying for a place in the final four showdown. Nyon (Switzerland), March 17 (IANS) The Champions League draw pits Europe’s four heavyweight football clubs in the quarter-finals that also see underdogs vying for a place in the final four showdown. The draw, held here on Friday, left Bayern Munich facing Real Madrid and Juventus grappling with FC Barcelona — in two pairings that are set to absorb soccer fans and viewers across the globe. The ceremony, presided over by UEFA’s director of competitions, Giorgio Marchetti, also portended a hard-fought battle between Atletico Madrid and Leicester City, while Borussia Dortmund will clash with AS Monaco, reports Efe. This season’s competition, called “The Road to Cardiff,” will see the two surviving teams clash in the final on June 3 at the Welsh capital’s magnificent Millennium Sta...

Barcelona's UCL win over PSG tops football's greatest comebacks

This article first appeared on ESPN FC on May 9, 2014, and has since been updated. The New England Patriots' epic comeback win in the Super Bowl against the Atlanta Falcons was a reminder that, when it comes to sport, it's not over until it's over. Here are 10 of the best footballing comebacks from down the years. 10. Leeds 4-6 Preston, 2010 Simon Grayson's tenure at Leeds ended rather unpleasantly, but if he wanted to look for crumbs of comfort, at least he could say he saw this one coming. "I still had a go at the players at halftime," he said after his Leeds side had thrown away a commanding advantage in their Championship clash with Preston. "Because we had given them far too many opportunities. When we were 4-1 up, we needed to be more professional, but we gave them a chance to get back into the game." Preston took the lead through Jon "The Beast" Parkin, but Leeds scored four straight goals to take a commanding lead at the brea...

MATCH PREVIEW: FC Barcelona v Paris Saint Germain

Barcelona (CNA).- There was a mood of doom of gloom after PSG put four goals four goals past Barça in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie. But the last three weeks have provided plenty of time to digest that hefty setback, and going into the return leg the atmosphere is surprisingly upbeat. Barça are on a 14-match winning streak in the Champions League and few would dare bet against an extension of that run. But can they get the goals they need against another of the strongest teams in world football? While also ensuring that they don’t concede any at their own end? Just one PSG goal would leave the Catalans needing a minimum of six…Nobody is saying it won’t be difficult. Very, very difficult. But as Luis Suárez said in his pre-match conference, “if any team can do this, Barça can.” We can but dare to dream… Team news The name of André Gomes in place of Denis Suárez is the only change with respect to the...