The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Ancelotti wishes to extend PSG contract Posted: 12 Apr 2013 08:33 AM PDT
"I have decided that I want to stay," Ancelotti, whose contract ends in June but is due to be automatically renewed for one year if the club finish in the top three, told a news conference today. "Things are very clear. The work I have been doing will be judged at the end of the season. If everybody is happy I will be happy to stay. Then we will be able to extend the adventure here." Last month, club president Nasser al Khelaifi said he wished Ancelotti and sports director Leonardo would stay next season. Ancelotti took over from Antoine Kombouare in December 2011 as PSG finished second in the top flight last season. This term they have 64 points with seven games left and lead Olympique Marseille by seven points. PSG also reached the Champions League quarter-finals but were eliminated by favourites Barcelona 3-3 on aggregate. — Reuters |
| Bayern Munich to face Barca in semis, Real versus Dortmund Posted: 12 Apr 2013 08:10 AM PDT
The draw ensured bitter local rivalries would not be renewed for the time being, although it opened up the possibilities of an all German final or a Real-Barca clash at Wembley. A Bayern-Real meeting would also have been potentially explosive as there is a long history of stormy encounters between them. The German pair, whose duel for domestic supremacy has sparked some acrimonious comments off the pitch, were glad to have avoided each other. "We are happy with this draw, not because we think it's an easy one, but because the Champions League is an international competition and we wanted an international game rather than a national tie against Bayern," said Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke. Bayern winger Arjen Robben said before the draw: "We'd like to be kept apart from Dortmund, but you don't have a choice in these things." The German sides will be at home in the first legs in two weeks' time with the return games one week later. Bayern and Barcelona have surprisingly met just six times in European competition with only one win for the Catalans. Barcelona's 4-0 thrashing at the Nou Camp in the Champions League quarter-final in 2008/09 is still fresh in the mind of Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. "Barcelona are the benchmark for me in Europe," he said. "They have won the Champions League more than any other team in the recent years. "They are the best team in Europe at the moment, with fantastic attacking potential. We played them in 2009 and received a real thumping. "I remember that game well and I don't really like to think about it, because it was quite painful to watch. However, it's a wonderful opportunity to show that we have improved a lot since then. " However, Bayern are Europe's in-form team, having already won the Bundesliga with six matches to spare and they demolished Serie A champions Juventus 4-0 on aggregate in the quarter-finals. Dortmund had the upper hand in their group stage meetings with Real Madrid, drawing 2-2 at the Bernabeu and winning 2-1 at home. "We have already played them twice this season and we were unable to beat them," said former Real Madrid Emilio Butragueno, now a club director. "But we hope this time it will be different and we can get through to the final." — Reuters |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: Sports To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan