The Sport Review: “Inter Milan 2 Schalke 5: This tie’s not over yet, insists Raúl” plus 5 more

Inter Milan 2 Schalke 5: This tie’s not over yet, insists Raúl
Real Madrid 4 Tottenham 0: Spurs’ task was ‘impossible’
Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney to appeal FA ban
Joe Marler and Marcos Ayerza handed two-week bans
Carlo Ancelotti keen to lengthen his stay at Chelsea
Uefa to bring back European Player of the Year award

Inter Milan 2 Schalke 5: This tie’s not over yet, insists Raúl

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 04:33 PM PDT

Uefa Champions League quarter-final first leg, 5 April 2011, San Siro

Inter Milan

Stankovic (1) Milito (34)

2 – 5

Schalke

Matip (17) Edu (40, 75) Raul 53, Ranocchia (og 57)

Schalke striker Raúl insists Internazionale can overturn a 5-2 first-leg deficit and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League despite the German side’s stunning victory over the holders at San Siro.

Raúl netted Schalke’s third as the visitors twice came from behind to take a commanding lead into the return leg at the Veltins-Arena next Wednesday.

“It was an excellent night, but it’s still not over,” Raúl told Sky Sport Italia. “Inter are full of champions and we know anything can happen in 90 minutes. They won’t give up.

“The first half was balanced and we created plenty. But in the second half we were by far more superior. It’s a result we did not expect."

Dejan Stanckovic opened the scoring within a minute when the Serbia international capitalised on a rushed clearance from Manuel Neuer and superbly lobbed the Germany number one with a volley from the half-way line.

Joël Matip then equalised for the visitors after 17 minutes when the Cameroonian pounced a loose ball from a Schalke corner.

Diego Milito put the Italian side ahead once more when he steered home Esteban Cambiasso's accurate header, but Inter's lead lasted just six minutes when Edu restored parity just before half-time.

Schalke then stormed into the lead in the second half through Raúl’s 70th goal in Europe before an Andrea Ranocchia own-goal and Edu's second of the night capped a memorable evening for the Gelsenkerchen side.

Real Madrid 4 Tottenham 0: Spurs’ task was ‘impossible’

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 03:36 PM PDT

José Mourinho believes Tottenham Hotspur’s difficult task was made “impossible” by Peter Crouch’s first-half dismissal after Spurs’ European dreams faded on a miserable night in Madrid.

Emmanuel Adebayor put Mourinho’s men in front early on when he nodded home a fourth-minute corner before Crouch was shown his second yellow card 10 minutes later.

Former Arsenal striker Adebayor then doubled the hosts’ lead on 57 minutes when he expertly headed Marcelo’s cross past Heurelho Gomes.

Angel di María’s stunning drive put Real three up before Cristiano Ronaldo volleyed home late on to give the hosts a surely insurmountable lead to take to White Hart Lane next Wednesday.

Mourinho was delighted with his side’s display but admits Harry Redknapp’s men faced mission impossible after being reduced to 10 men.

“We started very well, 11 against 11,” he said. “We scored a goal and we showed immediately that we had the intention to play with pressure. We wanted to put pressure on Tottenham and we were in the right way.

“I know after that, 11 against 10 at Champions League level, it is an impossible mission. I played in Barcelona with Chelsea with 10 men, impossible.

“I played in Barcelona with Inter with 10 men, impossible. Arsenal played against Barcelona a few weeks ago with 10 men, it is impossible.

“It just a question of the team with 11 staying concentrated, playing with a high tempo and not letting the opponent breathe. We did that in the second half, not so much in the first half.

“It is an impossible job. It is just a question of getting three or four. It is an impossible mission and I feel sorry for them because 11 against 11, the match would have been much better.

“Tottenham had to be defensive, with two lines of four at the back, and they couldn’t play their match. It was good for us because we got a good result, but it was difficult for them.”

Spurs boss Redknapp hoped his side could stop Madrid scoring in the second half but concedes Crouch’s dismissal all but ended their hopes of causing an upset in the Spanish capital.

“He’s not one for making rash challenges,” said Redknapp. “I don’t know if he has lunged in for the second one, but it has cost us dearly.

“It’s just what we didn’t need, to have 10 men here against a team like this. We then ended up losing our right-back [Vedran Corluka to injury] and Gareth [Bale] gets cramp. Is he fit, isn’t he fit? It was difficult.

“They are a great team with unbelievable forwards. To get to half-time, I thought if we could hang in there we would be in with a chance, but it didn’t happen.

“It was one of those days where anything that could have gone wrong did go wrong.”

When asked if he thinks the tie is now over, Mourinho added: “Not yet. I know English football well and I know the English mentality. It is not over.

“For you, it is not over. In another country I would say yes, but with English culture it is not over. They have belief until the last minute, so it is not finished.”

Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney to appeal FA ban

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 11:10 AM PDT

wayne rooney

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has accepted The FA’s charge for using offensive language but will appeal his two-match ban.

Rooney was charged by The FA for using “offensive, insulting and/or abusive language” during United’s 4-2 win at West Ham after he swore into a Sky television camera while celebrating his hat-trick.

The 24-year-old runs the risk of having the suspension that currently includes Saturday’s Premier League clash with Fulham and the following week’s FA Cup semi-final with Manchester City extended if his appeal, which will be heard on Wednesday, is deemed to be frivolous.

A statement on the FA’s website read: “Manchester United player Wayne Rooney has today admitted a charge for the use of offensive, insulting and/or abusive language.

“However, Rooney has submitted a claim that the automatic penalty of two games is clearly excessive. A commission will hear the submission on Wednesday.”

Joe Marler and Marcos Ayerza handed two-week bans

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 10:27 AM PDT

Joe Marler will miss Harlequins’ Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final against Wasps on Friday after being banned for clashing with Leicester’s Marcos Ayerza.

The pair have been handed two-week suspensions for their brawl during Saturday’s Aviva Premiership clash at The Stoop, when Marler reacted angrily after Ayerza appeared to headbutt the England Saxons prop.

Leicester Tigers’ Ayerza will miss his side’s quarter-final clash with Leinster at Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday.

RFU disciplinary panel chairman Jeff Blackett said: “This was unacceptable behaviour which was captured on live television and not something we want to see in our game. That said, both offences were deemed to have a low end entry point for sanction.

“The starting point for Ayerza striking with the head was four weeks, reduced to two for his guilty plea and relatively good record.

“Marler’s sanction did not alter from the two-week entry point because, despite his guilty plea, his previous disciplinary record counted against him.”

Carlo Ancelotti keen to lengthen his stay at Chelsea

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 09:55 AM PDT

carlo ancelotti

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti hopes to extend his contract with the Premier League champions beyond the end of next season.

Ancelotti, whose current deal expires next year, guided the club to a league and cup double in his first season in charge of the Blues, but a failure to defend both this term has triggered speculation over his future.

The 51-year-old Italian, however, is keen to lengthen his stay in west London and does not believe he needs to win a trophy this season to keep his job.

“I want to stay at Chelsea. I would like to extend my contract because I love these players and this club,” he told the Daily Express

“Obviously it is just not my decision, but I don’t think they require me to win a trophy to retain my position.”

Chelsea host Manchester United in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash on Wednesday, and Ancelotti is confident he can lead his side to European glory.

“The Champions League is a dream for this club but it cannot be an obsession,” he continued.

“It is a motivation. Chelsea deserve to win it. They lost the final on penalties, lost a semi-final in the last minute, they went out with a goal that was no goal at Liverpool.

“I have told my players that we have 450 minutes of football now to win the Champions League. I believe we can do that.”

Uefa to bring back European Player of the Year award

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 05:27 AM PDT

european player of the season

The European Footballer of the Year award will be reintroduced this season, Uefa president Michel Platini has revealed.

The award will be presented at Uefa's European season kick-off event in Monaco in August and will replace the separate awards given to the season's best goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward.

The original European prize, created by France Football in 1956, has been incorporated into Fifa's new-look Ballon d'Or award, which Lionel Messi won this year at a ceremony in Zurich in January.

Platini, a three-time winner of the original European prize, said: "Uefa will give a special prize to the best European player to revive the spirit of the old European Footballer of the Year award.”

The winner of the new award will be picked by representatives of all the 53 European national associations and journalists coordinated by the European Sports Magazines organisation.

Inter Milan enjoyed a clean sweep of all of last season's prizes when goalkeeper Júlio César, defender Maicon, midfielder Wesley Sneijder and striker Diego Milito were crowned winners in the wake of the Serie A side's treble-winning campaign. Milito then scooped the Uefa Club Footballer of the Year prize.