Pique: We were better than AC Milan from the start

The Catalan giants fought back from a two-goal first-leg deficit at Camp Nou, silencing their critics with an imperious victory which sees them progress to the quarter-finals

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said his side were clearly the better side during their 4-0 Champions League win over AC Milan on Tuesday.

David Villa bagged the third and decisive goal for the Spanish side after two goals from the majestic Lionel Messi, before Jordi Alba wrapped up the victory in stoppage time - with no reply from the visitors

"We were lucky to score early and that helped us a lot," Pique told reporters.

"The atmosphere was amazing, the fans know we need them and for them we played well.

"We were better than Milan from the start tonight and fortunately we managed to score the goals to qualify."

Villa then spoke of the confidence flowing through the Barca team after such a heroic victory, as the Catalan side overturned Milan's two-goal lead and kept a clean sheet.

"The fans were always behind us, they always trusted us," he added.

"They knew we could do it and in the end we did it for them. When you go through a night like this all of the bad days are forgotten.

"After experiencing what we did tonight we don't care who we get in the quarter finals.

Jordi Alba echoed Villa's thoughts, believing that a continuation of their intensity and form is vital to their fight towards European glory.

"This was a very important victory for us," he told reporters.

"We were very good defensively and going forward. We knew exactly how to play this game tonight.

"We will look to continue with the same intensity in the next round."

Allegri: AC Milan were centimetres away from qualification

The Rossoneri coach believes the outcome could have been different had luck gone his side's way during a few key moments

Massimiliano Allegri claimed that AC Milan were “centimetres” away from qualifying for the Champions League quarter-finals after a 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in their round of 16 second-leg on Tuesday.
The Rossoneri’s 2-0 advantage from the first meeting in Italy was wiped out by half-time thanks to a Lionel Messi double, before second-half goals from David Villa and Jordi Alba put the tie to bed.
The match could have been much different had M’Baye Niang found the back of the net instead of the post, minutes before Messi made it 2-0, and Allegri maintained that the game was always likely to be decided by such small margins.
“Of course, qualification was always going to be a matter of centimetres. We hit the post with Niang, then conceded with Messi,” lamented the 45-year-old trainer to reporters.
“In order to play these games, you need legs and I made these choices. If Niang had scored, my choice would’ve been praised. Luck was with us in the first leg with that deflection into Boateng’s path, this time it went against us with Niang hitting the upright.
“This defeat is disappointing for the club, the fans and the lads, as they gave their all and hoped to achieve something remarkable. Tonight it was tough, yet we kept it open to the end and when 3-0 down had some chances that could have gone better.
“Barcelona are the strongest side in the world. Messi and Iniesta kept dribbling with such cool heads in stoppages, Xavi was so sharp. I have to praise my lads for not giving up to the very end, as they could’ve let their heads drop."
With Champions League football no longer a concern for the rest of the campaign, Allegri encouraged his side to focus on qualifying for the competition next season, with Milan sitting in third place in Serie A.
He added: “On Sunday we face Palermo and our position in Serie A is the most important thing. Our objective right now is to get back into the tournament for next year.
“We had five players in their first Champions League campaign. Tonight’s game will help everyone grow. It will be a useful experience.”

Boateng: El Shaarawy has huge potential

The attacking midfielder believes his young team-mate is destined for greatness, and has admitted he has made mistakes in the past

Kevin-Prince Boateng has tipped AC Milan team-mate Stephan El Shaarawy to have a bright future ahead of him in the game.

The Italy international has been one of the revelations of the 2012-13 campaign so far, netting 16 goals in 27 Serie A appearances, and his colleague has little doubt that there is more to come.

"El Shaarawy has huge potential. He's a very cheeky player, and I like those types of players. Those who don't care if they play against Barcelona or Cagliari," he told reporters.

The former Ghana international then went on to reflect on his behaviour in the past and admitted that he has not always made the right decisions.

"When I was younger, I did a lot of things I shouldn't have done. Then you get dumped into a new life where you earn a lot of money and play in front of a crowd of 80,000. That isn't easy.

"You should always try to remain grounded and work hard constantly. That's the most important thing."

Montolivo: Milan must make sacrifices against Barcelona

AC Milan midfielder Riccardo Montolivo is eagerly anticipating Tuesday's Champions League round of 16 match against Barcelona, and has stressed that the Rossoneri must show the right attitude if they are to reach the quarter-finals.

The Serie A giants recorded a 2-0 win in the first leg at San Siro, but the midfielder is not convinced that his side will make it to the next round just yet.

"We have to remember how we played in the first leg against Barcelona," Montolivo told the club's official website.

"We’ll have to make sacrifices and show the right spirit. They’re convinced they can win and we just have to play our own game."

Montolivo then went on to voice his delight with Friday's 2-0 league win over Genoa at the Luigi Ferraris.

"It was a tough game and these are three big points. We showed the right spirit and we gave as good as we got.

"We won by suffering. Before Friday we've won by playing well, but to climb high you have to do both of those things."

Milan currently sit third in the Serie A table with 51 points from 28 games.

Without Pazzini, Milan have a problem - Tassotti

AC Milan assistant coach Mauro Tassotti has highlighted Giampaolo Pazzini's importance to the Italian side after he scored in the Rossoneri's 2-0 victory over Genoa but limped off with a suspected bone fracture.

The injury blow comes ahead of the Serie A side's second-leg clash with Barcelona, which they go into with a 2-0 lead from the first leg.

“There is a while to go before the Barcelona game, so we will see what conditions Pazzini and Philippe Mexes are in," Tassotti told a press conference.

“If Pazzini isn’t fit, then it would be a problem. He was in great shape and scoring important goals. There are other players, but it’s better to have everyone at your disposal to make the best choice."

The assistant coach also said that the side were looking forward to the atmosphere at Camp Nou, but refused to comment on the result.

“The environment will be fiery, but it’s not the first game we have played in front of 90,000 people. The team is in good shape and we are happy to be playing a Champions League match like this.

“Anything can happen, the important thing is that we are there.”

Balotelli reveals Milan derby frustration

Mario Balotelli has expressed his satisfaction with the way he has settled at AC Milan, though he has confessed he already has had frustrations to deal with.

The 22-year-old has scored five in as many games for the Rossoneri since joining from Manchester City for a reported €24 million in January.

Speaking to the Milan Channel after his side’s 2-0 victory over Genoa, Balotelli was positive about his start at the club, though confessed the Derby draw with Inter disappointed him.

"I expected to settle down quickly at Milan and get along with my team-mates," the Italy striker said.

"I’m happy it has happened so fast. I still have regrets over the Derby and other opportunities.

"Mancio [Roberto Mancini] said I will always be myself,” he responded when asked on his former coach’s comments on his behaviour.

"Mistakes are made at any age and he didn’t mean what was written in the papers."

Balotelli, who came off the bench to score Milan’s second against Genoa in place of the injured Giampaolo Pazzini, also revealed his irritation over the lack of protection he often receives from officials.

"I am well, although I am still not 100 per cent after that knock to my leg," he continued.

"Defenders can kick me as much as they want to, but the referee has to make decisions on the field. He [the referee] was pretty good to me last night, though defenders often don’t get the punishment they deserve for kicking us strikers."

Pazzini out of Barcelona clash

The striker was forced off with an ankle injury after scoring in the win over Genoa, and has been omitted from Massimiliano Allegri's 22-man squad for the trip to Camp Nou

Giampaolo Pazzini has been ruled out of AC Milan's Champions League clash with Barcelona on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old was forced off with a suspected ankle injury after scoring in his side's 2-0 win over Genoa, with Mario Balotelli replacing him after just 22 minutes.

The striker is set for a scan to determine the full extent of the damage, but he will take no part in next week's last 16 second-leg clash with the Blaugrana, having been omitted from Massimiliano Allegri's 22-man squad for the trip to Spain.

The news will come as a bitter blow to the Italian giants, with fellow forward Mario Balotelli ineligible to feature in the match, meaning Stephan El Shaarawy and M'Baye Niang are the only recognised first-team forwards available for selection.

Pazzini has enjoyed an excellent run of form in recent weeks after a difficult start to his Milan career following his move from Inter, having scored six times in six victories for the Rossoneri in 2013.

Barcelona are 'psyched' for AC Milan game, says Roura

Barcelona stand-in coach Jordi Roura says his side will head into Tuesday's decisive Champions League match against AC Milan with confidence after the 2-0 win against Deportivo on Saturday.

The Blaugrana tightened their stranglehold at the top of the Liga against the Riazor outfit thanks to goals from Alexis Sanchez and Lionel Messi.

And Roura has maintained that the victory will provide a timely boost for the second leg against Milan, with his men needing to reverse a 2-0 deficit against their Serie A opponents in order to progress.

"We are very clear how we will play against Milan, and how they want to play us. We are psyched," the 45-year-old told reporters.

"The Liga is key for us, we shouldn't forget that. Three points were important, and we're keeping our lead. The game we played today benefits us. Not conceding was important."

Sanchez, who has been a bit-part player at Camp Nou this season, put in an instrumental performance but Roura was coy over whether the Chilean could start against the Rossoneri.

"Alexis playing on Tuesday is an option. He was important tonight and helped us a lot, scoring and moving well," he continued.

"[Cesc] Fabregas? Everyone has good and bad games in a season, but Cesc is having a great season, he has played some extraordinary games.

"Xavi has trained yesterday, we'll see how he recovers from that, and we'll decide later if he can play on Tuesday.

"Some might predict who plays and who will not play against Milan, but the starting line-up is yet to be decided. Having all players competing is good for the team."

Barcelona are the best team in the world, says Galliani

The AC Milan CEO has claimed that the Catalan side are the best team in the world, despite the Rossoneri defeating them in the first leg of their Champions League clash

AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani has expressed his admiration for Barcelona, claiming that they are the best team in the world despite his own side's first-leg win against them in their Champions League tie.

Galliani heaped praise upon Barcelona, and said they remain the best team in the world regardless of some disappointing recent results.

"We'll see [our quality] against the best team in the world," he told reporters.

"It is one of the greatest games that we have played this year. We are anxious about the potential absences of Pazzini and Mexes, but we won't have regrets if we have to play without anyone."

And Galliani acknowledged the importance of ensuring Milan's continued involvement in the competition, adding: "The Camp Nou will be watched worldwide, and it is essential for us to get back in the Champions League again next year."

The 68-year-old also insisted that Milan will aim to play their own game against Barcelona and believes his side will triumph over the Spanish giants.

"We won't look to man the barricades, we will play our game," he said.

"I'm rooting for my side, but Barcelona will want to return strongly after playing poorly in Milan. They may have had a drop [in form], but the Blaugrana remain the strongest in the world."

Galliani also emphasised the importance of ensuring a good end to their Serie A season, adding: "From January to June, my goal is to be league champions and it has been since I got here.

"I'm here to finish first. I don't ever play for second place, or for third."

Pique targets 3-0 win over AC Milan

Gerard Pique believes Barcelona can secure a 3-0 over AC Milan on Tuesday night to secure their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The Blaugrana were defeated 2-0 at San Siro in February and will need to pull off an historic comeback in the second leg to have any chance of progressing beyond the last 16.
"AC Milan are a competitive team with a great history, and we knew it would be a difficult clash," Pique told Sport.
“We will attack all game long and be faithful to our style, so we hope to win 3-0 at home."
Barca remain without head coach Tito Vilanova, who is in New York receiving treatment as he recovers from a cancer relapse, and Pique insists that the team must progress without him in the short-term.
"Tito is greatly missed," the Spain centre-back added, "We trust him and want him back.
"We are in a difficult situation without a coach; we are like an orchestra without a conductor. But we'll get over it; Tito is helping us from New York.
"The most important thing is his health and we do not want to put any pressure [on his return], so we will wait until he recovers."
Jordi Roura has been in temporary charge in the absence of Vilanova, and he guided the Catalans to a 2-0 victory on Saturday night.

Zanetti: Inter starting to lose belief

Javier Zanetti has admitted that Inter are slowly starting to lose belief as they continue to struggle to find their best form in the second half of the season.

The Nerazzurri were beaten 3-0 by Tottenham in the Europa League last Thursday, and they were dealt another huge blow on Sunday when Bologna proved to be too strong at San Siro (1-0), much to the disappointment of Zanetti.

"It's a tough time, you lose a bit of belief when things aren't going well," the Argentine was quoted as saying on the club's official website.

"We now need this to end as soon as possible because it can't continue: we need to rediscover our confidence. We're working on it but it's not easy.

"We really needed a convincing performance from everyone [against Bologna]. We all must try and give more."

Inter have dropped to fifth spot in the Serie A table following this weekend's results.

Barcelona-AC Milan Preview: Blaugrana out to overturn first-leg deficit

Barcelona playmaker Xavi is available to face AC Milan on Tuesday after recovering from a thigh problem.

Goalkeeper Victor Valdes returns from a domestic ban, while stand-in coach Jordi Roura will also recall several players who were rested for the 2-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna.

Milan striker Giampaolo Pazzini has not made the trip to Spain after suffering a micro-fracture to his fibula in Friday's victory at Genoa, with M'Baye Niang, Bojan Krkic and Robinho all vying to replace the Italy international.

Philippe Mexes and Kevin-Prince Boateng should be fit to play despite carrying niggling injuries, while Mario Balotelli is cup-tied.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Barcelona are on a 19-match unbeaten run at Camp Nou in the Champions League, winning 15, since a 2-1 loss to Rubin Kazan in October 2009.

• The Blaugrana have won 11 of 24 ties in European competition in which they have lost the first leg away from home. However, no team in Champions League history has overturned a 2-0 first-leg defeat.

• Lionel Messi (pictured, right) needs one more strike to overtake Ruud van Nistelrooy's record of 56 goals and become the second-highest scorer in Champions League history.

• AC Milan are unbeaten in Serie A in 2013, winning seven and drawing three.

• The seven-time European champions have already lost on Spanish soil this season - a 1-0 reverse at Malaga in the group stage. Their overall away record against Spanish opposition is W4, D6, L13.

• Milan hold the unwanted record for the biggest first-leg lead squandered in the Champions League era, when their 4-1 advantage in the 2003-04 quarter-finals against Deportivo La Coruna was overturned by a 4-0 defeat in the return leg.

 

AC Milan will not just defend against Barcelona, says Constant

Kevin Constant has made it clear that AC Milan will not just sit back and defend in Tuesday's Champions League match at Camp Nou against Barcelona.

The Serie A outfit recorded a 2-0 victory at San Siro in the first leg of the round of 16 tie, but Constant expects a tough night's work in the second meeting between the two sides.

"We’re all focused on the match against Barcelona. We’re well aware that Tuesday’s match will be very different to the first leg," Constant told Milan Channel.

"We start with a 2-0 lead but we won’t be going there just to defend. We’ll have to take to the field with the right mentality. They’ll have a lot of possession but when we get on the ball we’ll have to make it count.

"Barcelona are a great team but they’re going through a tough period. It happened to us as well at the start of the season but we’ll have to be wary of playing the best team in the world."

The wing-back then went on to stress that he's confident Milan have what it takes to make it to the quarter-finals.

"I’m convinced that we’ll play a good game and get through to the next round, though. We’ll have to make the most of the advantage that we have.

"They’ll try and attack from the outset and try to score as quickly as possible and we’ll have to be ready for that mentally."

Serie A Team of the Week: Amauri and Ibarbo are the hat-trick heroes

The 28th round of Serie A action saw Juventus pull further ahead, the bottom four become increasingly detached from the rest of the league and a whole host of superb individual performances worthy of inclusion in the Goal.com Team of the Week

Christian Puggioni kept one of the more notable clean sheets of the weekend as Chievo recorded a 2-0 win over Napoli, to deny the Partenopei the chance of remaining on Juventus' coat-tails.

Defensively, Davide Astori was one of the weekend's key characters as his towering performance in Cagliari's clash with Sampdoria helped the Isolani to a 3-1 win. Meanwhile, Bostjan Cesar and
Boukary Drame led the Chievo back line as Napoli's recent poor scoring run was extended to one goal in four league games.

Alessandro Florenzi's excellent shift in the Roma midfield helped the Giallorossi to ean a point from their trip to Udinese, and Borja Valero was in superb form once more as Fiorentina took advantage of Lazio's lethargy to record a 2-0 win in the capital. Over in Turin, Paul Pogba was Juventus' star man and Emanuele Giaccherini their last-minute goal hero as the champions extended their lead with a late, late show against Catania.

In the striking department there were a number of unlikely headline-makers. Victor Ibarbo stung Sampdoria with a hat-trick for Cagliari, while Amauri also bagged a treble in Parma's come-from-behind 4-1 victory against Torino. Over in Bergamo, German Denis decided Atalanta's game against Pescara with a double, to help the Orobici put a comfortable distance between themselves and the drop zone.

Ribery ruled out of Arsenal clash

 

Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes will have to do without the services of Franck Ribery for the second-leg of their last-16 Champions League clash with Arsenal.

The France international featured for the full 90 minutes in Bayern's 3-2 Bundesliga win over Fortuna Dusseldorf at the weekend and even scored the equaliser to make it 2-2 in the 73rd minute.

Nevertheless, he complained about pain in his left ankle after the match, and Bayern have now confirmed that he will not be match fit in time for Wednesday's clash with the Gunners.

Ribery's injury is yet another blow for Heynckes, who will also be without Bastian Schweinsteiger and Jerome Boateng due to suspension.

Bayern defend a 3-1 lead from the first leg at the Emirates Stadium.

Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes will have to do without the services of Franck Ribery for the second-leg of their last-16 Champions League clash with Arsenal.

The France international featured for the full 90 minutes in Bayern's 3-2 Bundesliga win over Fortuna Dusseldorf at the weekend and even scored the equaliser to make it 2-2 in the 73rd minute.

Nevertheless, he complained about pain in his left ankle after the match, and Bayern have now confirmed that he will not be match fit in time for Wednesday's clash with the Gunners.

Ribery's injury is yet another blow for Heynckes, who will also be without Bastian Schweinsteiger and Jerome Boateng due to suspension.

Bayern defend a 3-1 lead from the first leg at the Emirates Stadium.

Bundesliga Team of the Week: Derby heroes Uchida & Draxler included

All eyes were on the Veltins Arena this weekend in the Bundesliga as Schalke completed a domestic double over Ruhr rivals Borussia Dortmund after securing a 2-1 victory.

Elsewhere in Germany, Bayern Munich overcame a plucky Fortuna Dusseldorf side, while Wolfsburg recorded an excellent 5-2 away win over Freiburg, and these teams dominate we have Fabian Giefer, who was made to withstand a barrage of pressure in goal for Fortuna Dusseldorf against Bayern Munich and performed admirably, saving a number of efforts from the rampant Bavarians.

Atsuto Uchida returned to the Schalke starting line-up in style, getting forward brilliantly from right-back and setting up both of his side's goals. Sotirios Kyrgiakos has been used sparingly by Wolfsburg this season, but put in a fine performance as his side beat Freiburg 5-2, as did Ricardo Rodriguez.

Another Wolfsburg star who shone was Vieirinha, who scored a spectacular goal to put his team 2-1 up. Also on the scoresheet were Julian Draxler and Franck Ribery, who continued their excellent seasons for Schalke and Bayern respectively. Finally, Hiroski Kiyotake opened the scoring for Nurnberg in a 2-1 Bavarian derby win over Augsburg.

The Japanese schemer's team-mate, Alexander Esswein, went on to seal the victory for der Club in the second-half and makes the cut up front, alongside Ivica Olic, scorer of two of Wolfsburg's goals. Finally, at the wrong end of the table, Hoffenheim beat Greuther Furth 3-0 thanks in part to Roberto Firmino's opener.

Cruyff slams Cakir after Nani dismissal

The Netherlands legend has had his say on the referee who sent off the Portuguese in last week's Champions League encounter at Old Trafford

Johan Cruyff has hit out at referee Cuneyt Cakir following his decision to dismiss Nani in Manchester United's 2-1 Champions League loss to Real Madrid last week.

The Turkish official's decision has been heavily criticised and Cruyff feels Uefa was wrong to award the second leg of the round of 16 tie to Cakir.

"There's a lot of talk about respect for each other, but that's not really working out, is it? Just look at the decision to appoint this Turkish guy as the referee for the game between Manchester United and Real Madrid. His mother is probably the only one who knows who he is," Cruyff writes in his weekly column for De Telegraaf.

"That immediately makes me wonder who in his right mind made the decision to award such a big game to this guy.

"Especially when you look at the position both clubs find themselves in. You know that Real Madrid will not give anything away and can go pretty far.

"A referee should feel these kinds of things. This was not exactly the case with our Turkish friend."

United were unable to defend their 1-0 lead after Nani's dismissal and eventually lost the game 2-1, having drawn 1-1 in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

It would be unforgivable for Inter to throw in the towel, says Stramaccioni

Andrea Stramaccioni has claimed it would be unforgivable if Inter were to throw away their chances of a top-three finish on the back of a home defeat to Bologna on Sunday night.
Alberto Gilardino’s second-half goal gave the visitors a 1-0 victory at San Siro to condemn the Nerazzurri to their second loss in three days following Thursday’s 3-0 humiliation at Tottenham.
Stramaccioni told reporters after the match: “All of Inter were absent in the first half, then we attacked more after the break knowing we would run a few risks.
“I make mistakes, just as everyone does. I thank the president for his faith in me, but I’d like to thank him with results.
"This is a difficult moment and it’s important for us to get back some of our players. I see many sides tripping up and I think the Champions League spots are still within reach.
“We have lost an opportunity tonight, but there are 10 games to go and we should reserve judgment to the end of the season. It would be an unforgivable error to throw in the towel now.
“Of course we are angry and sad at the situation and at ourselves, but there is time to make up for it.”
Stramaccioni refused to be downbeat about the club’s chances of Champions League qualification despite their poor run of form recently.
“There are still 10 rounds to go, we are at the moment unable to do what we want to, especially in the first half,” he added.
“We came out for the second half fortunate not to be behind. Paradoxically, we did better after the break and that was when Bologna scored. It was a heavy blow.
“We reacted and went close to an equaliser, but the result is what counts. It is not a positive time for us, but I see other teams who have had problems.
"It is a very balanced league and, apart from Juventus, every team can cause each other problems.
“We lost Ricky Alvarez to injury, but other than him it was the same side that did so well at Catania, scoring three goals. In the first half we didn’t achieve anything that we were trying to do.”
Inter host Spurs in a Europa League last-16 second leg at San Siro on Thursday night, and Stramaccioni hinted that a weakened side would be fielded even though they need to perform quite the comeback to make it into the quarter-finals.
“I had 12 players available against Tottenham, as five are cup-tied and others are injured,” the coach continued.
“I will again have to make some difficult decisions. We want to honour the game, but my decisions will above all have to be based on fitness levels.”

Buffon: Juventus won six points

The Bianconeri goalkeeper is delighted with how the side's 1-0 win over Catania has propelled them nine points clear at the top of the Serie A table

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has stressed the importance of the results this weekend which have seen the reigning Scudetto holders go nine points clear in Serie A.
Napoli lost 2-0 to Chievo which meant that Emanuele Giaccherini’s last-gasp winner for the Bianconeri gives them a bigger cushion at the top of the table at the end of round 28.
Buffon told Sky: "If we look at the results of the opponents, we can say that today we have won six points.
"Our win was a hard-fought victory and important, and we now have a great advantage on both Napoli and Milan.
"Today we almost had to settle for only a draw, perhaps hoping that something would happen, but then that [the goal] happened.
"Among the pursuers who are playing best are Milan, but Napoli is an quality team. It is important to get as many points as possible between us and them.
"The more you put on the board, the better, so we cannot lower our guard now. We have a special group at Juve."

Kroos: Bayern must not underestimate Arsenal

Toni Kroos has stressed that Bayern Munich cannot afford to underestimate Arsenal ahead of the second-leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie.

The Bundesliga leaders recorded a 3-1 win in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium back in February, but Kroos has warned that the tie is not decided just yet.

"We should not be talking about the draw for the quarter-finals yet. We have the return against Arsenal first. We will have to secure progress before we can think about the outcome of the draw.

"We have to be focused and cannot afford to underestimate Arsenal. They are a top team, as we all saw in the first leg. We have to put in another sovereign performance.

"So far strong teams such as Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and Juventus have qualified [for the quarter-finals], so we will face a difficult opponent either way."

Meanwhile, Manuel Neuer has insisted, too, that Bayern will approach Wednesday's encounter with the right attitude.

"We continue to give our all, also in the Champions League match versus Arsenal. We will approach the game with the right attitude again and want to emerge victorious. I hope we can keep a clean sheet this time."

Barcelona must take risks against Milan

Dani Alves believes that Barcelona will have to take risks in Tuesday's match against AC Milan if they are to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

The Spanish champions were beaten 2-0 in the first leg at San Siro and the Brazilian defender is eagerly anticipating this week's return as he has set his sights on an "historical comeback".

"We will do our utmost to try and win the game. If we don’t take risks we won’t win, though. We are not afraid of the task at hand," Dani Alves told Barca TV.

"We have shown to be a great team, but we have never completed a historic comeback. Perhaps the moment has come to do it...

"People need to see that you’re going to fight to get to the next round. We need to have a connection."

Barcelona last failed to make it out of the round of 16 in 2006-07 when Liverpool proved to be too strong, and have since made it to at least the semi-final on each occasion.

Rooney admits to team-mates

Rooney has maintained a public stance of silence following widespread suggestions that Sir Alex Ferguson might be willing to sell him.
But Goal.com understands that the 27-year-old has privately told club and international colleagues that his Old Trafford future is up in the air.
Rooney harboured the doubts long before he was dropped for last Tuesday’s defeat by Real Madrid. He is believed to have told team-mates during the international break in the first week of February that he could leave United in the summer.
Although Rooney scored United’s second goal upon his return to the starting XI in their 2-2 FA Cup draw against Chelsea on Sunday, he is said to know that his status at Old Trafford has been downgraded following the £24 million arrival of Robin van Persie last summer.
Sir Alex has made it clear that he is unhappy with the England talisman’s fitness, conditioning and lifestyle. One training ground theory is that the United coaching staff believe Rooney has already peaked as a footballer.
Sir Alex’s public stance is that United plan to hold talks to renew the player’s contract, which expires in 2015.
“I wasn’t even aware of that [his contract running out],” the manager said at his media briefing last Friday.
“So there’s no issue with his contract. When it has to be renegotiated it will be done. We don’t want players to leave.”
Despite Sir Alex’s declaration that Rooney is not for sale, the England international’s importance to the team has diminished to the point that he is highly unlikely to be offered anywhere near the £250,000-a-week salary he secured after threatening to quit United in 2010.

There remains the strong possibility that the offer of reduced terms when the two parties sit down at the end of the season could open the door for a move.
Paris Saint-Germain have been most strongly linked with Rooney, who scored his 196th goal for United on Sunday, but it is understood that the forward would only be willing to sever his ties with the north-west of England if he was to follow in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gabriel Heinze, David Beckham and Ruud van Nistelrooy and make a switch to Real Madrid.
Although the upcoming presidential elections at Real will not be as fiercely disputed as usual and the club’s priority is tying Cristiano Ronaldo to another contract, the unopposed Florentino Perez could be persuaded to recruit a Galactico signing to one of the few clubs able to afford Rooney’s mammoth wages.
Rooney is understood to believe that if he can recapture his form of last season in the final two months of this campaign, he could entice Real to make a move.