Lucas Moura named on Brazil's seven-man World Cup standby list

Lucas Moura named on Brazil's seven-man World Cup standby list - Brazil has named its list of seven players who will be on standby for this summer's home World Cup, with Lucas Moura the star among the backup options.

Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has already named his preferred 23-man selection for the tournament, but has now confirmed the list of those who will be held in reserve should any late changes to the squad be required.

Lucas Moura named on Brazil's seven-man World Cup standby list

Atletico Madrid defenders Filipe Luis and Miranda are in the seven-man list of backups, as is Bayern Munich right back Rafinha.

Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva, Paris Saint-Germain winger Lucas Moura and Sao Paulo striker Alan Kardec have also been asked to be ready if called upon.

Fluminense goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri rounds off the list and will step in for the tournament if there are any issues with Julio Cesar, Jefferson or Victor.

The announcement means some of the notable absentees from the original squad, including Kaka, Robinho, Ronaldinho and Philippe Coutinho, have not even made Scolari’s top 30 for this summer.

Brazil has warm-up matches against Panama and Serbia before it begins its World Cup campaign against Croatia on June 12.

Brazil standby list: Lucas Leiva (Liverpool), Alan Kardec (Sao Paulo), Lucas Moura (PSG), Rafinha (Bayern Munchen), Filipe Luis (Atletico Madrid), Miranda (Atletico Madrid), Diego Cavalieri (Fluminense). // goal.com

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Maybe one day I'll be in France

Cristiano Ronaldo: 'Maybe one day I'll be in France' - Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted he could be tempted to one day play in France should he leave Real Madrid.

The Portugal star, who has enjoyed another excellent campaign with 22 goals in 20 La Liga games so far, was linked with a potential switch to Paris Saint-Germain prior to signing a new contract at Santiago Bernabeu last year.

Speaking on Sunday, the Blancos forward was open in discussing his footballing aspirations and, while he stressed he is keen to see out his five-year deal with the Spanish giants, he pointed to an interest in Ligue 1.

"Maybe one day I'll be in France to live and to play. Or maybe not," he told French football programme Telefoot. "France has always been welcoming to the Portuguese people. My mother worked there. It's a country that I really love. All I can say about French fans is that they continue to support me.

"I have a contract with Real until I am 33. I hope to stay here, I'm very happy."

Ronaldo believes PSG should be considered among the favorites to win the Champions League this season, with Laurent Blanc's side having cruised through the group stage to set up a tie with Bayer Leverkusen.

"PSG will be a contender to win the Champions League," Ronaldo said. "It's a strong team and will be hard to beat. They will be one of the favorites to win this competition."

Ronaldo claimed the second Ballon d'Or of his career last month after his sensational 2013, and the 28-year-old says the emotional ceremony will live long in his memory.

"Maybe people were surprised to see me cry [when I won]," he said. "But those who know me know that this is the real Cristiano. Someone honest. This is the reality, this is not the image that I give myself. It was natural. Having my son at my side, it was an incredible moment. It was one of the most beautiful nights of my life.

"[Franck] Ribery, like Lionel Messi, deserved to win it too. They accomplished a lot of things. But it was my turn. People voted for me because I made a superb season. It will be hard to beat my own record [of 69 goals], but nothing is impossible. I will do my best, as always. I hope I will not have any injuries. I am prepared for this challenge. We'll see what happens."

Ronaldo and Madrid will be in action Sunday as they travel to face Athletic Bilbao and will be hoping to overtake leader Barcelona, which is a point ahead in the table. ( .goal.com )

READ MORE - Maybe one day I'll be in France

Messi eyes PSG return after avoiding serious injury

Messi eyes PSG return after avoiding serious injury - Lionel Messi underwent a special session at Barcelona on Thursday as he aims to recover from his hamstring problem in time for the Catalans club's Champions League semifinal second leg at home to Paris Saint-Germain next Wednesday.

Messi was withdrawn at halftime at the Parc des Princes after pulling up late in the first period, by which time he had already given Barca the lead in the first-leg match, which finished 2-2.

Thursday was a day off for the Barcelona squad, but Messi turned up for a double session with physio Juanjo Brau and is keen to play the return match versus PSG.

Messi eyes PSG return after avoiding serious injury

Tests on Wednesday revealed the problem to be less serious than the club had initially imagined, with the original prognosis estimating that the Argentine would be sidelined for around three weeks.

But Messi allayed fears as he wrote on his official Facebook page: "I will be back soon, luckily it [the injury] wasn't much."

The 25-year-old Messi will miss Saturday's match at home to Mallorca in La Liga, thereby ending his run of 19 consecutive rounds on the scoresheet. Messi has benefited from the Catalan club's calendar in that its match in Paris was played on Tuesday, with the return scheduled for Wednesday - an eight-day gap, as opposed to Real Madrid's six-day break between its two games against Galatasaray.

Adriano also has an outside chance of returning on Wednesday as well, as Barca hopes to bring back defenders to ease the current crisis, with Carles Puyol sidelined following a knee operation and Javier Mascherano stretchered off with ligament damage against PSG.
goal.com

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Balotelli just like Ibrahimovic, says Allegri

Balotelli just like Ibrahimovic, says Allegri - AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has compared Mario Balotelli to his side's former talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Balotelli joined the Rossoneri in January, and he has since scored seven goals in his first six games for the club, leading Allegri to compare the 22-year-old with the Paris Saint-Germain star.

“He’s similar to Ibrahimovic both physically and technically, but he can get better because he’s playing with continuity here," Allegri said at a press conference. "Balotelli still has to improve a lot as a center forwardgiven his potential, but he has all the right ingredients to do it." 

Balotelli just like Ibrahimovic, says Allegri

After a disappointing start to the campaign, which included the sale of star players such as Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva to Paris Saint-Germain, Milan now finds itself third in Serie A, two points adrift of Napoli in second.

Allegri admits he is thrilled by the progress shown by his side, but has warned it cannot afford to rest on its laurels just yet.

“The squad is young and I’m happy with the work that the club has done," Allegri said. “If we get into the Champions League, without having to pre-qualify, it’ll have been a good year. One thing is for sure, if we’re to get where we want to be, we’ll need a lot of points.”

On the topic of his own future, Allegri added that he plans remain with Milan beyond the 2013-14 campaign.

“I’m very happy to be at Milan and hope to stay at this club for the long term. For that to happen we need results so let’s hope the team can give us some satisfaction," Allegri said.

Goal.com

READ MORE - Balotelli just like Ibrahimovic, says Allegri

Barcelona says injured Messi to miss league game

Barcelona says injured Messi to miss league game -- Lionel Messi will miss Barcelona's Spanish league match this weekend because of a hamstring injury, but may play in the Champions League return leg against Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi was substituted at halftime of Tuesday's 2-2 draw against PSG in Paris, having scored the first goal of the game before injuring his right leg.

Barcelona said Messi will definitely miss Saturday's game against Mallorca and ''his availability after that will depend on how the injury progresses.''

Fellow Argentina player Javier Mascherano ruptured a right knee ligament Tuesday after teammate Jordi Alba fell on top of his leg late in the second half. Barcelona said he was expected to be sidelined for an ''estimated six weeks.''

 

View PhotoBarcelona's Lionel Messi, center, escales Paris Saint Germain's Ezequiel Lavezzi, left, and Alex, during their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first …

 

View PhotoBarcelona's Lionel Messi scores the opening goal while Paris Saint Germain's goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu of Italy looks on during their Champions League … 

''I will return soon, thankfully it was not so serious,'' Messi said on his Facebook page. ''We are so sorry for Masche (Mascherano), we will give our support.''

Messi suffered a similar injury to his current one in March 2008 against Celtic in the Champions League quarterfinals, and was then sidelined for five weeks. // The Associated Press

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Soccer-Brazilian fans seduced by glamour of Europe

Soccer-Brazilian fans seduced by glamour of Europe - Mario Soares, who lives in soccer-mad Brazil and speaks little English, runs a Facebook page devoted to the fortunes of Nottingham Forest.

With the help of automatic translation programs, the 20-year-old Brazilian journalism student spends countless hours reporting on the modest English championship (second tier) club.

"My friends thought it was weird at first but when I explained the club's history to them they came round a bit," Soares said. "They all follow one Brazilian team and other teams in foreign leagues."

Turned off by the corruption and mismanagement endemic in their domestic game and with European soccer available on demand via TV, the internet and video games, many Brazilians are taking a greater interest in foreign football.

"Little by little, the big European clubs are silently 'invading' the hearts and minds of Brazilian football lovers, especially the young, who are seduced by competitions that are much more attractive than those we are used to seeing in Brazil," said Fernando Ferreira, the director of sports consultancy firm Pluri.

"The phenomenon of Brazilians supporting one team in Brazil and another abroad is more and more common."

The trend is occurring all over the world but it is especially striking in Brazil, the home of Pele, Zico and Ronaldo and the only country to win the World Cup five times.

Brazilians already have their own highly competitive league and their country is known throughout the world for producing great players and strong teams.

So why do Brazilians care about what happens on a wet Wednesday in Stoke?

BETTER PRODUCT

Some of the answer resides in Brazil's economic boom over the past decade.

More than 30 million people have been lifted from poverty into the consuming classes. As a result of that and improved, cheaper technology, the number of households with cable TV has more than tripled to 16.5 million since 2007.

Brazilian cable TV broadcasts as many as nine English games a day over the weekend and several more from Italy, Spain, Russia and elsewhere.

The matches feature the best footballers in the world playing at their peak and Brazilians, accustomed to half-empty stadiums, enjoy and envy the spectacle of grounds filled with fans who chant and sing for 90 minutes.

While Brazil is now the seventh biggest economy in the world, it is also exorbitantly expensive. It costs more for a family of four to buy tickets to see one top-flight game than it does to purchase a cable TV package featuring two dozen Premier League matches.

They can watch those games in the comfort of their own homes. In Brazil, fans must sit in run-down stadiums, with dilapidated facilities, basic yet overpriced food and drink, and under constant threat from fans and police alike.

More than 50 fans have been killed in or around football grounds since the turn of the century, according to studies and news reports.

There is the question of inconvenient kick-off times, designed not for supporters, but for TV companies to fill in time between soap operas and the nightly news.

"Authorities show a lack of respect for fans, scheduling (midweek) games to start at 10 p.m., making people return home in the middle of the night," said Max dos Santos, the 18-year old who founded and runs BritFoot, a website dedicated to British soccer.

Dos Santos supports Manchester United but Brazilians' thirst for foreign football embraces less glamorous teams too.

In addition to Soares's Nottingham Forest page, there are other Facebook and Twitter forums for Brazilians who follow West Ham United, Queens Park Rangers, Norwich City and Wigan Athletic.

Clubs and businesses have spotted the trend.

The sale of foreign jerseys increased 50 percent in the last year alone, according to Netshoes, one of Brazil's biggest online sports retailers, with Barcelona, Real Madrid and now Paris Saint-Germain, home to Brazilian youngster Lucas, among the biggest sellers.

The firm has expanded the number of club shirts in stock by 20 percent because of rising demand, said Marcel Castro, the company's head of football marketing.

Clubs, too, are taking steps to connect with a fan base that is young, knowledgeable and potentially lucrative.

Liverpool recently added a twitter account in Portuguese and are preparing a Facebook page also.

Although other British clubs have concentrated on the Far East, Liverpool officials believe more will soon be looking to South America.

"This is an emerging market but not for football," said Paul Rogers, Liverpool's head of international digital development.

"What we have seen is that where we have engaged fans we have seen more traffic to the website and the online store. In Brazil's case it is early to say but ultimately we believe that the more fans that follow the club (via social media), the stronger the bond and you'd expect that to lead to a better commercial situation."

(Editing by Brian Winter and Ed Osmond) // Reuters

READ MORE - Soccer-Brazilian fans seduced by glamour of Europe

Paper Round: Carroll offered Anfield lifeline

Premier League - Paper Round: Carroll offered Anfield lifeline - Andy Carroll, marginalised and loaned out of Liverpool by manager Brendan Rodgers, has an opportunity to return, claims the Daily Mirror.

But any Liverpool comeback, the paper adds, would be contingent on two things - Carroll accepting a role as an impact substitute, and undergoing a personalised medical programme.

The report says the £35m man, who is spending the season at West Ham United, has not done enough to convince the Hammers to sign him up full-time.

That might come as something of a surprise to those who watched the 24-year-old torment West Brom at the weekend with a powerful brace of goals, but he only has five goals in 21 appearances this season and has also battled with injuries.

Eurosport - West Ham's English striker Andy Carroll celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and West Bromwich Albion at Upton Park in east London on March 30, 2013 

West Ham have an option to buy as part of their loan agreement, but appear to be looking elsewhere, with Wilfried Bony rumoured to be the striker they want to lead the line next season.

Rodgers and Carroll are set to talk about his Anfield future, and if the target man agrees to a personalised fitness programme and a limited role within the team, he has a chance to resurrect his career with the club.

Tottenham are another club with a striker shuffle in mind – the Daily Star says that they are set to negotiate with Aston Villa over the £15m sale of Christian Benteke.

While Spurs know Villa’s bargaining position will be weakened if the Belgian’s club are relegated, the flip side is that he could be the subject of a bidding war, with several top clubs impressed by his performances this season.

In addition, the paper breathlessly adds, Emmanuel Adebayor could be on his way out of White Hart Lane, Jermain Defoe’s injury worries mean that Spurs would be prepared to sell him for the right price, while Leandro Damiao remains a target.

The Wayne Rooney to Paris Saint-Germain story remains on the back pages – The Sun boasts a ‘world exclusive’ that Zlatan Ibrahimovic wants him to join him in Paris.

“If he wants to be part of the best project in football then there is only one club to sign for,” Ibrahimovic reportedly said.

“Only he knows the decision he is going to make in the summer but the project we are trying to build here is clear.

“We are not content with being the dominant force in France, we want to be the top club in Europe as well.

“I can understand why the owners are interested in Rooney — he is in the top 10 of strikers in Europe.”

The Daily Telegraph, meanwhile, says that Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are all ready to swoop for Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany should the defender’s row with his manager escalate to the point that the Belgian wants out of the club.

Right then - you've now read a couple of hundred words about what’s in the papers without mention of Paolo Di Canio. Feels good, right? We're afraid that feeling of relief ends here, however.

As much as Di Canio fatigue is setting in, Paper Round's job is to tell you what’s in the papers, and many of the back pages are leading on his belated clarification that he is not, nor has ever been, a fascist.

End of the saga, then?

Not quite.

The Sun brings us Rio Ferdinand’s view on Di Canio – and he reckons the Italian is an ‘absolute idiot’.

Or at least, he did once – in his 2006 autobiography.

When you think about it, using quotes in a 2006 autobiography to counter a quote from 2005 dragged up again this week is actually strangely fitting.

Elsewhere the Daily Mail ask why the Italian was at the funeral of an Italian terrorist bomber, and why he has a tattoo of Benito Mussolini.

The Daily Telegraph, meanwhile, brands his appointment at Sunderland as the ‘most botched recruitment in Premier League history’, suggesting that this story will run and run – at least until there’s some football to play.

Eurosport – 2 hours 23 minutes ago

READ MORE - Paper Round: Carroll offered Anfield lifeline

Mourinho relishing war of egos with sidelined Casillas

Mourinho relishing war of egos with sidelined Casillas - There are two lines of questioning that are rolled out before Jose Mourinho at every press conference and interview: which club will you be managing next season, and what game are you playing with Iker Casillas?

The Portuguese's answers to the former are ever more cryptic; his responses to the latter are ever more juvenile.

Last evening, Mourinho decided to respond to both questions at the same time, in one rambling answer that resembled a stream of consciousness.

"I want to come back to Inter, but I will not coach them next year. They won’t be my team next year," he told Sky Italia. "Casillas? If Diego Lopez keeps on playing like this, he will be the regular instead of Casillas. The team always come first."

Lopez spent most of the quarter-final first leg against Galatasaray pacing the edge of his penalty area and flapping unconvincingly at occasional balls into the box - it was hardly a performance that merited particular post-match praise. This was more about Mourinho extolling Lopez's virtues in terms of the selfless team ethic he so clearly believes his more illustrious team-mate lacks.

Casillas is the only player currently at the Bernabeu who has won the Champions League previously with Real Madrid, but if anything that is a deterrent for Mourinho, who is attempting to inspire his players to achieve something he continues to bill as 'against the odds' and 'in the face of recent history'. Indeed, throughout his career he has always targeted and prioritised 'hungry' players without bulging trophy cabinets.

He has even preferred to include Jesus Fernandez and Antonio Adan in his squad ahead of him - much to the ire of the Spanish media and many supporters. But we would be fooling ourselves to think that he even remotely cares about what anyone else thinks, and he is entirely right to not let anything else bother him besides picking the players he deems most focused and determined to achieve success this season.

The former Chelsea manager became the first boss to drop Casillas in over a decade when he left the player out of Real Madrid’s team to play Malaga last year, but what has been more striking of late has been the way that he has been at pains to point out that the keeper is fit and ready to go. As if to say, 'yes, I can pick him - I just don't want to'.

In the build-up to his side's clash with Galatasaray, Mourinho pulled a note out of his pocket in contrived Benitez-esque fashion and proceeded to project his voice in reading out a series of statements made by the journalist who had the audacity to ask the question and had accused him of not being particularly impartial.

"There should be no law that says any particular player should play," Mourinho read out. "No one should play for what they have won in the past." This did not sound like a coach in any great rush to positively nurture a previously injured player back to match fitness with the intention of introducing them back into the side.

How long will the Spanish number one have to wait? At this stage it has gone way beyond simply picking the best available goalkeeper, and Mourinho is off at the end of the season. Who can blame him for only having the short term in mind? He is not exactly renowned for his long-term development projects at clubs. His only focus should be on galvanising his squad to produce the best possible results in the few big matches still to come.

When the keeper broke his hand two months ago he pushed for the signing of Sevilla's Lopez. It was the perfect opportunity to make his point, and he fully intends to stick with his new man until the bitter end of a very mixed campaign that he hopes - and no doubt fully expects - will culminate in a glorious triumph at Wembley Stadium on May 25.

It is, of course, patently clear to anyone that the Casillas issue will remain the elephant in the room for the remainder of the campaign, and Mourinho will no doubt take great delight in praising Lopez at every opportunity as he retains his place in the side. This Champions League run is all about the manager - in the manager's eyes - and not the return of the harshly neglected club captain.

As barbed remarks go, Mourinho's curt answer to the 377th Casillas question earlier in the week was a pretty prickly one: "Individuals are not important". Indeed, the only important individual to Mourinho is himself, and he uses his stubbornness as an additional motivation for proving people wrong.

Mourinho's assistant Aitor Karanka said last week Casillas lacked the "competitive edge" necessary to return to the team, further suggesting that either the keeper is not mentally ready to play - which is unlikely - or that his continued omission will be justified by any means possible. If he was to be considered for a comeback, the 1-1 draw at Real Zaragoza in La Liga on the weekend would have been an ideal opportunity, but despite having been passed fit, he was not.

Spanish newspaper Marca reported in January that Casillas - and Sergio Ramos, incidentally - informed club officials that they would be handing in transfer requests should Mourinho remain in charge at the beginning of next season. Well, he won't be in charge next season, and he will continue to enjoy the tumultuous relationship he has with an ego that has clashed with his own so publicly.

This season is increasingly looking to be a write off for Spain's number one, as Mourinho eyes the glorious sign off.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: 

"In the last few hours, on social networks, unacceptable remarks have been made by Marseille player Joey Barton against Paris St Germain player Thiago Silva. These attacks are serious and go beyond mere verbal jousting. The directors of the club, the players and the coaching staff are supportive of Thiago Silva and cannot accept such statements. They reaffirm their unwavering commitment to the values of respect that should govern our sport. Thiago Silva and Paris St Germain reserve the right to take any action they deem necessary." - PSG criticise and threaten legal action against Joey Barton after the Marseille midfielder used Twitter to liken Thiago Silva to an "overweight ladyboy", as you do. It was never going to get him into any trouble, was it...

FOREIGN VIEW: 

A Brazilian player has been banned for six games for entering the pitch without permission and stopping a certain goal by heading the ball off the line - one of the most heroic, and well... stupid, acts. Bangu defender Celsinho had been receiving treatment for cramp behind the goal when he leapt up and intervened after goalkeeper Getulio Vargas dribbled the ball out and was left looking remarkably silly as he lost the ball. Celsinho, for saving his goalkeeper's blushes with an extraordinary diving header, was found guilty of 'unethical behaviour'.

COMING UP: 

Three Premier League clubs are in Europa League quarter-final action as Chelsea take on Rubin Kazan, Newcastle host Benfica and Tottenham face FC Basel. Oh, and Lazio are up against Fenerbahce. Big Jan Molby will also file for us in the afternoon.

By Eurosport | Early Doors – 5 hours ago

READ MORE - Mourinho relishing war of egos with sidelined Casillas

Beckham was in cruise control against Messi and Co... so, should England really bring him back?

Beckham was in cruise control against Messi and Co... so, should England really bring him back? - Say what you like about David Beckham’s return to the Champions League in Paris on Tuesday night but one thing is beyond question. There was never any doubt that, at 37, the former England captain would look entirely at home.

As the dust settled on PSG’s dramatic 2-2 draw with Barcelona at the Parc des Princes the debate over Beckham’s influence on the game began.

Some thought the midfielder's contribution had been enough to catapult him straight back in to the England team. Others – rather less generously – suggested PSG had actually improved once he was substituted with 20 minutes left.

Greatness: Lionel Messi and David Beckham shake hands before the game

Holding his own: There was never any doubt that Beckham could handle this kind of occasion

BUT IT'S A 'NON' FROM L'EQUIPE

Beckham seemed to hold his own against the celebrated Barcelona midfield last night, but he failed to impress leading French sports newspaper L’Equipe.

In the player ratings he was given only three out of 10 – the worst of any player on the pitch. The verdict claimed: ‘He sometimes found some precision with his right foot to create an opening or two. But he didn’t make much impact, he lacked rhythm and he is was sometimes off the pace.

'He lost the ball to allow Barca to open the scoring (38th minute). He was replaced by Verratti (70th), who was more resolute.’

Personally, I was somewhere in the middle.

Beckham certainly did enough to warrant his surprising selection. It remains a privilege to witness him pass a football and his understanding of time and space remains sharp.

For what it’s worth, I thought the late PSG rally that came after his removal was merely a home team summoning one last push and gaining some momentum, as often happens

Nevertheless, I think the argument – if indeed there is one – about a return to the England set up remains fatuous. Beckham is no longer an international footballer. It’s as simple as that.

To really help England – and goodness they need it – Beckham would perhaps need to be a few years younger and a little more mobile. He would need to be able to play a couple of games in short succession. Are we back to the Rio Ferdinand debate again? Maybe we are.

Beckham would not look out of place. He can still play. He can still find a pass. His presence in an international dressing room and on the training field may certainly lift a few chins.

Quarterback: Beckham operated from a deep position and helped PSG reduce Barcelona's attacking threat

Deep-lying playmaker: Beckham spent most of his time against Barcelona in his own half but covered a lot of ground

But England coach Roy Hodgson needs to look forwards. He needs to look beyond a World Cup in Brazil for which we may not even qualify.

Beckham has already given his country more than it ever asked of him, certainly more than it ever deserved. The memories of his stellar moments remain pin sharp. He has his place in the pantheon and he certainly worked hard for that.

Let us leave it there, though. Let’s not sully the legacy.

Taking names: Beckham receives a yellow card from Wolfgang Stark

Seeing Beckham returning to the Nou Camp – scene of his greatest club moment with Manchester United in 1999 – next week will be a wonderful thing. As only he can, Beckham has managed to stage manage one last farewell to some of football’s greatest venues.

But let us leave it at this. Let Beckham eek the last drops of energy and life out of his club career. That is entirely his prerogative. But let us not see him in the white of England again.

We perhaps do not quite need him, no matter how mundane we are. And – just as pertinently – he surely does not need us.

Eek it out: Beckham should continue at club level but England do not need him - and he does not need them

Dailymail.co.ukBy Ian Ladyman : 08:58 GMT, 3 April 2013 | : 12:33 GMT, 3 April 2013

READ MORE - Beckham was in cruise control against Messi and Co... so, should England really bring him back?

Champions League - PSG snatch late draw at home to Barcelona

Champions League - PSG snatch late draw at home to Barcelona - Champions League quarter-final, first leg, Parc des Princes - Paris Saint-Germain 2 (Ibrahimovic 79, Matuidi 90) Barcelona 2 (Messi 38, Xavi 89 pen.) - Lionel Messi scored once again but went off injured before Blaise Matuidi netted with the last kick of the game to give Paris Saint-Germain a 2-2 draw with Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Matuidi's deflected effort was somehow leaked through by Victor Valdes after over four minutes of time added on in an eventful last-eight first-leg tie.

Xavi had restored Barcelona's lead from the penalty spot in the 89th minute shortly after Zlatan Ibrahimovic cancelled out Messi's first-half opener.

Messi, however, did not come back out for the second half after tweaking his hamstring moments before the interval.

Messi's fellow Argentine Javier Mascherano also sustained an injury, of a more serious nature. He left the pitch on a stretcher later in the game with a ligament tear in his right knee.

Despite the disappointing finish to their away leg and an inconsistent performance by their usual high standards, Barcelona very much sit in the driver's seat in the race to the last four with two away goals and the excellent Matuidi suspended for the trip to Camp Nou.

It did not take Barcelona very long to establish a stronghold on the ball, but the home side came with a disciplined gameplan to combat the tiki-taka suffocation – and it almost reaped big rewards.

Eurosport - Paris St Germain's Zlatan Ibrahimovic (L) celebrates with Blaise Matuidi after scoring against Barcelona during their Champions League quarter-final first leg soccer match at the Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris, April 2, 2013 (Reuters)

After weathering early Barca control and easing into their formation - complete with former England captain David Beckham in a central midfield role in place of Thiago Motta - PSG had the first real chance of the contest when Ezequiel Lavezzi galloped into the danger zone and sent his shot across Victor Valdes and onto the far upright.

Javier Pastore was next to come close to breaking the deadlock as the Ligue 1 leaders continued to pick off their guests on the break, and only a good stop from Valdes kept his low drive out on the quarter-hour mark.

The keeper had to be alert again four minutes later when Ibrahimovic pulled rank on Beckham to take a 20-yard free-kick. He too went low and across Valdes, who once again met the strike well.

But having found himself well marked for the opening half hour, Messi began to grow into the game and found his 59th Champions League goal in 77 appearances on 39 minutes, courtesy of his side’s best player at that point, Dani Alves.

Alves’s exquisite lofted assist picked out Messi’s run perfectly after PSG had only half-cleared a corner, and the Argentine’s low volleyed finish across Salvatore Sirigu was befitting of the set-up.

After holding off the PSG back line to send another effort just past the top corner, however, Messi required a trip to the sidelines for an injury to his leg.

Though he returned for the dying embers of the half, Messi would be taken off by the Barca management team – which included Tito Vilanova in his return from a 10-week medical absence – with Cesc Fabregas on in his place.

Though the former Arsenal man helped keep the away side on top early in the second 45, PSG soon began to push them back once more after Alexis Sanchez blew a golden chance for 2-0 on 63, taking one touch too many six yards from goal.

And as Barcelona defended their lead into the closing stages, frustration at dealing with heavy pressure and a number of contentious decisions got the better of them.

Ibrahimovic may have been offside when he converted the loose ball after Valdes saved a Thiago Silva header, but 1-1 had been coming for some time.

Nonetheless, it appeared to be mission impossible for Carlo Ancelotti’s men when Sanchez was brought down in the box by Sirigu in the 88th minute and Wolfgang Stark pointed to the spot.

Xavi converted from 12 yards in Messi’s absence but there would be one late twist just as Herr Stark was ready to blow for full-time.

Ibrahimovic showed good vision to head an awkward cross into the path of Matuidi, and though his low strike came off substitute Marc Barta’s leg it really should have been kept out by Valdes.

Instead, the ball flapped past the limp hand of the goalkeeper and the French big-spenders will head to Catalonia hoping to pull off a massive result and reach the semi-finals.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain): Once again, PSG's defenders shone on the European stage and none more so than the Brazilian who helped prevent a typical Barcelona scoreline despite the real test yet to come at Camp Nou.

PLAYER RATINGS

PSG: Sirigu 7; Jallet 5, Alex 7, Silva 8, Maxwell 5, Moura 7, Beckham 6, Matuidi 8, Pastore 7; Lavezzi 7, Ibrahimovic 7. Subs: Menez 6, Gameiro 5, Verratti 5.
BARCELONA: Valdés 7, Alves 8, Mascherano 7, Piqué 6, Alba 6; Busquets 7, Iniesta 7, Xavi 8; Villa 6, Messi 7, Sanchez 5. Subs: Bartra n/a, Fabregas 7, Tello 6.

By Liam Happe - @liamhappe | Eurosport – 6 hours ago

READ MORE - Champions League - PSG snatch late draw at home to Barcelona

Bi-polar Barca and the UEFA Celebrity League

Bi-polar Barca and the UEFA Celebrity League - After over 24 hours of tedious political agendas infecting our beautiful game in response to one managerial appointment, it was with a massive sigh of relief that I sat down in a comfortable chair for a mouth-watering double bill of high-end Champions League action.

Though both games delivered - especially PSG-Barcelona - there was nonetheless a touch of the 'Di Canios' about the Parc des Princes contest, or more specifically how it was generally portrayed.

The minute whispers escaped the stadium that a certain 38-year-old marketing powerhouse had been given the nod by Carlo Ancelotti to start the match, anticipation of a rare meeting between two of the world's most powerful clubs was masked by giddy yelps of "BECKHAM STARTS! BECKHAM STARTS!"

And as said contest fascinated purists for this much-maligned sport from start to finish, appreciation of the entertainment on offer became tellingly more difficult at the halfway stage amid widespread fears the world's best footballer had a boo-boo on his leg (Javier Mascherano was injured too, y'know).

Much like with Paolo Di Canio making tabloid front pages for eight-year-old news, the actual matter at hand found itself drowning in a sea of headline-grabbing 'celebrity' names that drummed up more mainstream attention than just trying to get a football over a goal line would do.

Don't get me wrong: I hope Lionel Messi is fine, and doesn't deprive any upcoming Barca fixtures of his brilliance. And I have always appreciated what Becks has brought to the pitch beyond his prime.

But there was so, so much to enjoy about this quarter-final first-leg outside of a lifestyle magazine-esque celebrity quest.

And when the Argentine performs well for approximately 10 minutes of a 45 minute display while the Englishman puts in nothing more than a passable 70-minute shift, do they really warrant the headlines coming out of such a game that they kinda-understandably do going into most matches?

Messi and Barcelona are of course no strangers to this shallow spotlight. Remember when their era was deemed 'over' because they dropped a first-leg 2-0 to Milan last time out?

Yeah. That came from the same Chinese whispers which declared them stronger than ever for beating a frankly poor and wasteful Rossoneri side 4-0 to advance, after all.

It is actually pretty amusing to hear declarations that 'naysayers have been proven wrong' - which are in fact the very same voices performing to a bathroom mirror.

And talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity, so I hear.

Forget their blissful possession, world class youth development and generation-defining approach to football, Barcelona's biggest asset in their golden era could well be their ability to ignore an endless stream of bi-polar hype from narrow-minded numpties who want glamour and gossip rather than great sporting action.

I do wonder how many times the consensus swayed from 'dominant' to 'doomed', as far as the Catalonians are concerned, as their back-and-forth opener against PSG went one way, then the other.

Meanwhile, those of us who did not have our view of the forest blocked by all those pesky trees enjoyed tidy possession, exhilarating counter-attacking, some superb point-blank goalkeeping, a few eye-catching errors, a monster performance from Thiago Silva and the very best (and very worst) of Dani Alves.

More often than not, second legs are even more gripping than the first. In that case, roll on April 10. Even if Paris Saint-Germain's chances of advancing are slim, evidence suggests they will go out with a bang if they fail to pull off a huge result.

Lionel Messi may not be fit to start. David Beckham may not get picked for the XI. Hopefully both feature, but if not... so what? It's not make or break for Barcelona. It's not the acid test of PSG's big spending. One team advances, the other will just have to try again next year. And they will.

It's one game of football. One that will (hopefully) keep all us sports freaks entertained. So sit back, relax, and try to appreciate it for what it is.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"There should be no law that says any particular player should play. No one should play for what they have won in the past." - Jose Mourinho lays down the law to Iker Casillas, who will not tend goal for Real Madrid against Galatasaray tonight.

COMING UP

Real-Gala is complemented by Borussia Dortmund v Malaga as the Champions League's last eight round out the first legs. Los Galacticos and the Bundesliga champions will look to join their compatriots in holding the advantage ahead of next week's return fixtures. Join us for LIVE text coverage from 18:45 GMT, with kick-offs at 19:45 GMT.

By Eurosport | Early Doors – 1 hour 35 minutes ago

READ MORE - Bi-polar Barca and the UEFA Celebrity League

Fakta-fakta Menarik Jelang PSG Vs Barcelona

Fakta-fakta Menarik Jelang PSG Vs Barcelona - Duel seru bakal tersaji di Stade de France, Rabu, 3 April 2013, dinihari nanti. Pemuncak klasemen Liga Prancis dan Liga Spanyol akan saling berhadapan. Paris Saint-Germain, klub bermaterikan pemain bintang, akan berhadapan dengan Barcelona, klub yang dianggap sebagai tim terbaik dalam beberapa tahun terakhir. Berikut fakta-fakta menarik yang menghiasi pertandingan PSG melawan Barca.

-PSG tak terkalahkan dalam 23 pertandingan kandang di kompetisi Eropa. Kekalahan terakhir PSG di kandang terjadi ketika takluk 4-2 dari Hapoel Tel-Aviv, dalam laga penyisihan grup Piala UEFA, pada November 2006.

-PSG sudah sembilan kali menjamu tim asal Spanyol. Rekor mereka adalah lima kali menang, tiga kali imbang, dan sekali kalah.

Pemain Paris Saint Germain meluapkan kegembiraannya, setelah pertandingan 16 besar Liga Champions berakhir 1-1 di Paris (7/3). PSG lolos ke babak selanjutnya karena menang agregat 3-2. AP/Christophe Ena

-Barca sudah 14 kali tampil dalam pertandingan perempat final kompetisi Eropa. Barca merebut 12 kemenangan dan hanya menelan dua kekalahan.

-Kekalahan terakhir Barca di babak perempat final terjadi pada musim 2002/2003. Ketika itu Barca dikalahkan Juventus. Sementara kekalahan tandang terakhir di babak perempat final terjadi pada musim 2001/2002.

-Barcelona telah tujuh kali bertandang ke markas klub Prancis, dengan rekor tiga kemenangan, dua kali kalah, dan sisanya berakhir imbang.

-Stadion Stade de France memiliki kenangan indah buat Barca. Di tempat itu, Barca sukses mengalahkan Arsenal 2-1, dalam partai final Liga Champions 2005/2006.

-Gelandang PSG, Thiago Motta, adalah pemain didikan akademi Barca. Selama enam musim bermain di tim senior Barca, pemain internasional Italia itu sukses merebut dua gelar Liga Spanyol, satu Liga Champions, dan dua Piala Super Spanyol.

-Maxwell bergabung dengan Barca pada 2009, dan kemudian hijrah ke PSG pada Januari 2012. Maxwell tampil dalam 57 pertandingan di Liga Spanyol dan merebut dua gelar Liga Spanyol, tiga Piala Super Spanyol, satu Liga Champions, dua Piala Super Eropa, dan dua Piala Dunia Antarklub.

-Zlatan Ibrahimovic menghabiskan musim 2009/2010 di Barca. Pemain asal Swedia itu merebut satu trofi Liga Spanyol, satu Piala Super Spanyol, satu Piala Super Eropa, dan satu Piala Dunia Antarklub.

-Eric Abidal dan Alex Song memulai karier profesonal di Liga Prancis. Abidal pernah memperkuat AS Monaco, Lille, dan Olympique Lyon. Sementara Song memulai kariernya bersama Bastia.

-Pemain tertua Liga Champions di musim ini, David Beckham, pernah tujuh kali melawan Barcelona. Beckham, ketika itu berkostum Real Madrid, merebut tiga kemenangan, sekali imbang, dan tiga kali kalah ketika melawan Barca.

tempo.co : Selasa, 02 April 2013 | 20:12 WIB

READ MORE - Fakta-fakta Menarik Jelang PSG Vs Barcelona

You're a liar! Nasri hits back at Mancini's barb

You're a liar! Nasri hits back at Mancini's barb - You're a liar! Nasri hits back at Mancini and praises former manager Wenger as his best-ever boss in further snub

Samir Nasri has labelled Roberto Mancini a liar after the Manchester City manager questioned his £24million man’s efforts in training.

The Frenchman has endured a difficult campaign with the Barclays Premier League champions and was damned with faint praise by Mancini after his impressive showing against Newcastle on Saturday.

Nasri turned in a man-of-the-match performance in City’s 4-0 win and the manager joked that he ‘wanted to give him a punch’ for only showing his best form in fits and bursts.

False accusations: Samir Nasri, who shone against Newcastle, has hit back at manager Roberto Mancini

‘I don’t know what the difference was today,’ Mancini said. ‘I can’t understand sometimes a player with his quality doesn’t play like today every game.

'I think that the second year is always difficult to win again. And sometimes a player can think it is enough to play 50 per cent. Probably we had this problem this year.’

But speaking on French television channel beIN Sport on Monday night, Nasri hit back.

He said: ‘I am aware that I have not had a good season. There are many reasons for this. But when Mancini said that I’m training at 50 per cent, this is not true.’

Swipe: Mancini had blasted Nasri for only putting '50 per cent' effort in in training

In another thinly veiled swipe at Mancini, Nasri heaped praise on former boss Arsene Wenger, under whom he was first given a chance in the Premier League in 2008 with Arsenal.

The France forward spent three years at the Emirates Stadium but left in 2011 - a decision which continues to sit uncomfortably with Gunners fans.

But the 25-year-old says he has no regrets about the decision to turn his back on ‘the greatest coach he ever worked with’, insisting his decision to move north was not based on money.

Star man: Nasri put in an impressive display in City's ruthless 4-0 demolition of Newcastle on Saturday

He added: ‘Arsene Wenger is the greatest coach I have worked with. He is the one who understands me the most, he made me realise my potential.

'I am grateful to him for the role he played in my career. I only regret not having more discussions with him when I left.

‘I do not have other regrets. I do not regret joining Manchester City. I want to play and perform, and my departure from Arsenal is purely for sporting reasons.

Mentor: Nasri said Arsene Wenger, watching Arsenal's win over Reading, was his best-ever manager

‘When you compare Arsenal and City, it’s not the same. With City I’m playing in a better team, I won the title, and Arsenal fight to qualify for the Champions League. I didn’t leave for money.

‘Even when I left, I was in training well. All went well with the manager because he knows I showed professionalism.’

And in a move which likely enrage fans even further, Nasri claims he was forced out of the club because unpopular owner Stan Kroenke wanted to cash in a player who had one year left on his deal.

The real story: Nasri claimed he was forced out of Arsenal by billionaire owner Stan Kroenke

‘Cesc (Fabregas, who quit for Barcelona the same summer) or me were supposed to leave,’ he explained. ‘Arsene told me that if Cesc would leave, I would stay. ‘But Kroenke could not ignore the transfer fee.’

Nasri also dismissed speculation linking him with a move away from England this summer, despite interest from his homeland.

‘There is nothing going on with Monaco, nor with PSG,’ he concluded.

dailymail.co.uk : By Andy James : PUBLISHED: 22:29 GMT, 1 April 2013 | UPDATED: 07:05 GMT, 2 April 2013

READ MORE - You're a liar! Nasri hits back at Mancini's barb