Champions League Roundup, Mar. 7

March 7, 2006

Champions League Wrap: FC Barcelona, Juventus and Villarreal qualified for the quarterfinals of the Champions League on Tuesday. Chelsea didn't.

CTL: Rocha beats Liga of Quito 3-2

March 7, 2006

Copa Libertadores: Pedro Cardozo scored his second goal of the game in the 80th minute and paced Rocha to a 3-2 victory over Liga de Quito on Tuesday, its first victory in three games in the Copa Libertadores and keeping alive its hopes of advancing.

More goals needed, French league says (Reuters)

March 7, 2006

By Pierre Serisier

UPDATE 1-Soccer-Rangers fans arrested amid violence in Spain (Reuters)

March 7, 2006

(adds SPORT to slugline)

Rangers fans arrested amid violence in Spain (Reuters)

March 7, 2006

(adds Pellegrini quote para 5)

Revenge did not come into it, says satisfied Rijkaard (Reuters)

March 7, 2006

By Simon Baskett

Barcelona and Villarreal give Spain win double (Reuters)

March 7, 2006

(Updating with details, quotes, arrests in Spain)

Emerson thanks luck and a shout for Juve win (Reuters)

March 7, 2006

By Simon Evans

Villarreal 1-1 Rangers: So close, so far

March 7, 2006

Villarreal 1-1 Rangers: So close, so far

by UEFA Champions League

Barcelona 1-1 Chelsea: Revenge is sweet

March 7, 2006

Barcelona 1-1 Chelsea: Revenge is sweet

by UEFA Champions League

Mourinho: We were the better team again

March 7, 2006

Mourinho: We were the better team again

by UEFA Champions League

Juventus 2-1 Werder Bremen: Wiese error

March 7, 2006

Juventus 2-1 Werder Bremen: Wiese error

by UEFA Champions League

Solskjaer in hospital after reserve team clash

March 7, 2006

Solskjaer in hospital after reserve team clash

by England

Championship: Stalemates hinder play-off hopefuls

March 7, 2006

Stalemates hinder play-off hopefuls

by England

Bayern and Magath prepare for life after Ballack

March 7, 2006

Bayern and Magath prepare for life after Ballack

by Europe

CL: Barcelona advances to quarterfinals

March 7, 2006

Champions League: Ronaldhino scored a late goal Tuesday to lead FC Barcelona into the quarterfinals of the Champions League after a 1-1 draw with Chelsea. The Spanish team won the two-leg series 3-2 on aggregate.

Champions League gallery, Mar. 7

March 7, 2006

AC Milan and Bayern resume after draw

March 7, 2006

Italy's duel with Germany continues Wednesday when AC Milan hosts Bayern Munich in the second round of the Champions League.

Lyon won't drop its guard against PSV

March 7, 2006

Lyon hosts PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday needing only to stop its opponent scoring to reach the Champions League quarterfinals. Still, the French league leader isn't taking anything for granted.

Bundesliga Roundup, Mar. 7

March 7, 2006

An injury-time goal by forward Mario Gomez gave visiting VfB Stuttgart a 1-1 draw against FC Kaiserslautern in the Bundesliga on Tuesday.

Clemente escapes punishment

March 7, 2006

Athletic Bilbao coach Javier Clemente has escaped punishment from the Spanish soccer federation for making an allegedly racist remark about FC Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o.

O'Shea avoids one-match ban

March 7, 2006

Manchester United's John O'Shea will not have to serve a suspension, despite picking up his fifth booking of the season in Monday night's win at Wigan.

Bellamy arrested over Cardiff assault claims

March 7, 2006

Bellamy arrested over Cardiff assault claims

by England

Uruguay bring in Tabarez for second stint

March 7, 2006

Uruguay bring in Tabarez for second stint

by Global

Bellamy arrested over alleged assault (AFP)

March 7, 2006

Controversial Welsh international striker Craig Bellamy was arrested in connection with an alleged assault on a young woman in a Cardiff city centre nightclub.

Defiant Koeman confident of silencing Kop (AFP)

March 7, 2006

Ronald Koeman insisted his Benfica players can silence Liverpool's famous Kop and cause a major shock by advancing to the quarter-finals of the Champions League at the expense of the holders on Wednesday.

Lyon are a tougher nut to crack this time round admits Hiddink (AFP)

March 7, 2006

Four-time French champions Lyon will be even more difficult to beat this time round in the Champions League last 16 second leg clash admitted PSV Eindhoven coach Guus Hiddink.

Forty British police to travel with England fans to World Cup (AFP)

March 7, 2006

Forty British police officers will accompany England fans to this year's World Cup finals in Germany, the British embassy in Germany and German officials announced.

World Cup organizers not afraid of English influx (SportsTicker)

March 7, 2006

DUSSELDORF, Germany (Ticker) - The World Cup Organizing Committee has no fears that English soccer fans might pose a special security threat to the tournament in Germany - even though up to 100,000 of them are expected to pour into the country this summer.

MLS club changes name after angering Hispanics (AFP)

March 7, 2006

After upsetting the Hispanic audience they had hoped to reach with their first nickname choice, officials of Major League Soccer's Houston franchise have re-named the club the Houston Dynamo.

Turkey's 2002 World Cup star Davala to retire: report (AFP)

March 7, 2006

Former Turkish international midfielder Umit Davala, who played a key role in helping his country to third place in the 2002 World Cup, is reportedly retiring after failing to recover from a hip injury.

Bravo extends contract with Real until 2009 (Reuters)

March 7, 2006

Real Madrid defender Raul Bravo hopes to celebrate a three-year extension to his contract with a victory over Arsenal in the Champions League.

Arsenal doesn't plan to just defend lead

March 7, 2006

Champions League: Don't expect Arsenal to simply defend its 1-0 lead over Real Madrid. Manager Arsene Wenger wants his team to "finish the job" when the Spanish club plays at Highbury on Wednesday in the second leg of their Champions League knockout game.

'Superior' Perez leaves a Real mess behind

March 7, 2006

Outgoing Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has left a difficult task for the incoming Fernando Martin which, as Bobby McMahon explains, has more to do with his own shortcomings than the players on the field.

O'Shea avoids one-match ban

March 7, 2006

Manchester United's John O'Shea will not have to serve a suspension, despite picking up his fifth booking of the season in Monday night's win at Wigan.

Wigan 1 Manchester United 2

March 7, 2006

Wigan suffered late heartbreak as an own goal from Pascal Chimbonda gifted Manchester United an undeserved come-from-behind victory.

EPL Gallery, Mar. 6

March 7, 2006

Two referees fined for fixing match

March 7, 2006

A Czech court fined two former referees Tuesday for fixing a Slovakian league match in 2003.

DO'L: More to come from Baros

March 7, 2006

David O'Leary believes the best is still to come from Aston Villa striker Milan Baros despite the Czech Republic international averaging almost a goal every other game for the West Midlands club.

Klinsmann and Beckenbauer square off in World Cup row (Reuters)

March 7, 2006

By Noah Barkin

Two referees fined for fixing Slovakian game (AP)

March 7, 2006

Two former referees were fined Tuesday for fixing a Slovakian league match in 2003. Lubomir Pucek and Jiri Vodicka were $2,950 each, said judge Livia Lasakova, who ruled at the Czech court in Havirov. The two appealed the verdict, which was based on police wiretappings and witness evidence, Lasakova said.

Former referees fined for match-fixing attempt (AFP)

March 7, 2006

A Czech court fined two former football referees 70,000 koruna (around 2,400 euros) for their part in trying to fix the result of a Slovak first division league game in November 2003.

Germany launches charm offensive ahead of World Cup (AFP)

March 7, 2006

Twenty thousand posters went up around Germany as part of a charm campaign to present Germans as a welcoming nation to football fans coming to the World Cup.

World Cup coaches want mid-May squad deadline pushed back (Reuters)

March 7, 2006

By Erik Kirschbaum

FA reject Chelsea appeal over Robben red card (AFP)

March 7, 2006

Chelsea's appeal to the Football Association (FA) over the red card shown to Arjen Robben for a dangerous tackle over the weekend has been rejected.

German government gives Klinsmann its backing (AFP)

March 7, 2006

The German government threw its support behind under-fire coach Juergen Klinsmann as he defended his absence from a pre-World Cup coaches' workshop.

Fowler looks to boost job prospects against Benfica (Reuters)

March 7, 2006

By Jeremy Butler

Bayern and Magath prepare for life after Ballack

March 7, 2006

Bayern and Magath prepare for life after Ballack

by Europe

Real boss more worried about Arsenal than Ronaldo

March 7, 2006

Real boss more worried about Arsenal than Ronaldo

by UEFA Champions League

Four-game ban for Robben after appeal fails

March 7, 2006

Four-game ban for Robben after appeal fails

by England

'Messi is ready to punish Chelsea' - Rijkaard

March 7, 2006

'Messi is ready to punish Chelsea' - Rijkaard

by UEFA Champions League

Man Utd's O'Shea escapes ban

March 7, 2006

Man Utd's O'Shea escapes ban

by England

Blackwell 'delighted' by new Leeds deal

March 7, 2006

Blackwell 'delighted' by new Leeds deal

by England

Stefanovic set to shock docs with comeback

March 7, 2006

Stefanovic set to shock docs with comeback

by England

Wenger seeks to calm Cole World Cup fears

March 7, 2006

Wenger seeks to calm Cole World Cup fears

by England

Under pressure Klinsmann sticking to his 'plan'

March 7, 2006

Under pressure Klinsmann sticking to his 'plan'

by World Cup

Tuesday's Tottenham-Led Gossip

March 7, 2006

Julio Arca and Juan Pablo Angel are said to be Spurs targets, while Chelsea wants a Mexican and Sylvain Distin could be off...

Fowler hoping to start scoring

March 7, 2006

Champions League: Robbie Fowler hasn't scored since returning to Liverpool in January. Now would be the perfect time to start. The title holder hosts Benfica in a Champions League knockout match Wednesday, trailing 1-0 from last month's first leg.

Mirkovic retires due to back injury (Reuters)

March 7, 2006

Former Serbia and Montenegro defender Zoran Mirkovic has retired due to a recurring back injury at the age of 34.

'Messi is ready to punish Chelsea' - Rijkaard

March 7, 2006

'Messi is ready to punish Chelsea' - Rijkaard

by UEFA Champions League

Jewell sets European target for Wigan

March 7, 2006

Jewell sets European target for Wigan

by England

'Hostility toward Mourinho won't faze us' - Carvalho

March 7, 2006

'Hostility toward Mourinho won't faze us' - Carvalho

by UEFA Champions League

Liverpool's Kromkamp on World Cup mission

March 7, 2006

Liverpool's Kromkamp on World Cup mission

by UEFA Champions League

Rangers urge ticketless fans to 'see sense'

March 7, 2006

Rangers urge ticketless fans to 'see sense'

by UEFA Champions League

'Superior' Perez leaves a Real mess behind

March 7, 2006

Outgoing Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has left a difficult task for the incoming Fernando Martin which, as Bobby McMahon explains, has more to do with his own shortcomings than the players on the field.

Juve maintains huge lead; Roma's record winning streak halted (SportsTicker)

March 7, 2006

GENOA, Italy (Ticker) - Juventus continued its march toward a 29th Serie A title by posting a hard-fought 1-0 road victory over Sampdoria at the Marassi.

PSV moves closer to second straight Dutch title (SportsTicker)

March 7, 2006

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands (Ticker) - If PSV Eindhoven coach Guus Hiddink does leave the club this summer, then it will now almost certainly be with a third Eredivisie title in four years.

PREVIEW-Soccer-Benitez confident of goals against Benfica (Reuters)

March 7, 2006

By Jeremy Butler

PREVIEW-Soccer-Milan's good form is warning to Bayern (Reuters)

March 7, 2006

By James Eve

PREVIEW-Soccer-Arsenal close in on Real prize (Reuters)

March 7, 2006

By Trevor Huggins

World Cup hosts tackle image problem (Reuters)

March 7, 2006

By Philip Blenkinsop