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THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014

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MADRID: (Left to right) Atletico ’s Brazilian defender Filipe Luis, Atletico’s midfielder Juanfran, Barcelona’s Brazilian forward da Silva Santos Junior and Atletico’s Portuguese midfielder Tiago Mendes vie during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final football match. — AFP Koke fizz dazzles Barcelona Atletico in Champions League semis after 40 years MADRID: Atletico Madrid progressed to the post and when collected the time as Koke went down under pressure And it was the Atletico man, whose won- semi-finals of the Champions League for loose ball his cross was headed by Adrian from Javier Mascherano before Cesc der strike put Los Rojiblancos in front in the Five facts on Atletico Madrid the first time in 40 years with a 1-0 win over into the path of Koke to volley home. Villa Fabregas claimed he had been caught by first leg, who nearly made an immediate Barcelona yesterday to seal a 2-1 aggregate should then have doubled Atletico’s advan- Diego Godin, but on both occasions English impact as his drive from a narrow angle was • Atletico Madrid are coming out of four decades victory. tage as he burst onto Koke’s through ball referee Howard Webb was unimpressed. beaten away by Pinto. in the football wilderness. They have reached the Koke put the hosts in front after just five and struck the post with just Jose Manuel The roles were reversed at the start of The Barca reserve ‘keeper then made a Champions League semi-finals for the first time minutes as he volleyed home Adrian Pinto to beat. the second-half as Barca pressed in search vital save with his outstretched leg to pre- since 1974. Lopez’s headed pass. Atletico also hit the then had Barca’s first clear of the precious away goal that would bring vent Gabi sealing the tie as he bore down • They join Real Madrid in Friday’s draw and if pit- woodwork three times in the first-half, but opening when he headed Dani Alves’ cross them back into the tie. on goal. Andres Iniesta was surprisingly ted against each other it will be a repeat of the 1959 were made to hold on in the final stages as inches wide. However, Atletico were soon Neymar was played in by a fine through replaced by Pedro Rodriguez, but even European Cup semi-final. Real needed a replay to Neymar came within inches of taking the back on the front foot and Villa was again ball by , but did without their creative fulcrum Barca nearly win then with the legendary Alfredo di Stefano and game to extra time when his header went denied by the woodwork against his old enough to force the Brazilian wide before found a way through when Neymar’s diving Ferenc Puskas scoring in the 2-1 win. just wide. side on 19 minutes when he volleyed Raul Xavi somehow was unable to bundle home header flew inches past 12 minutes from • Koke, scorer of Atletico’s first goal against Defeat ends Barcelona’s run of reaching Garcia’s flick-on against the bar. Dani Alves’ cross from the rebound. time. Barcelona, joined the club at the age of eight and six straight Champions League semi-finals. Barca managed to stem the Atletico tide Xavi came close again on the hour mark Pinto made another fine save to prevent made his debut when just 17 in a 5-2 hammering at Despite missing top-scorer Diego Costa somewhat as the first-half developed and as this time he headed an Alves cross just Cristian Rodriguez rounding off a famous Barcelona. Barcelona’s Xavi said ahead of the quar- through injury, Atletico made an incredibly Messi fired another decent opening wide past the far post. Both coaches then made night for Atletico in style in the final minute. ter final that Koke would replace him in Spain’s fast-paced start and were ahead within five after sensational skill by Neymar took him their first changes as Alexis Sanchez However, it made no difference to the final national team. minutes. Adrian, who was only starting due past three Atletico players. Both sides had replaced Fabregas and Diego Ribas was result as the final whistle was greeted with • Former Argentine international and Atletico to Costa’s absence, smashed a shot off the penalty shouts waved away just before half- introduced for Adrian. a huge roar by the home fans. — AFP player became coach in December 2011 when Atletico were just four points above the relegation zone. In his first year in charge, the side won the Europa League, European Supercup and Bayern brush Copa del Rey. • Atletico Madrid are battling back from tackling a debt mountain. in 2013 they had to sell striker to Monaco for 60 million euros ($83 aside United million) when their debt was officially estimated at 170 million euros but some experts said it was up to 300 million euros. MUNICH: Holders Bayern Munich Bavarians’ main source of chances. The lead lasted just under two min- romped into the Champions League Just as they had in the first-leg, United utes as Ribery was released on the left Five facts on Bayern Munich semi-finals with a 3-1 victory at home to gave a masterclass in how to defend wing and his cross was met by Manchester United in yesterday’s quar- against Bayern’s star-studded attack with Mandzukic who beat Evra to the diving • Bayern are into the semi-finals for a third year in ter-final, second-leg to win 4-2 on aggre- their deep-lying defence quickly closing header. gate. down any spaces the Germans managed The relief from the Bayern squad was a row. They have reached 10 European Cup or Having drawn 1-1 at Old Trafford in to open up and tightly marking Bayern’s palpable as the Croatia international Champions League finals and won the title five last week’s first-leg, Bayern had to come stars. unleashed a primal scream after his times. from behind after United’s left-back The ten first-half chances Bayern cre- equaliser. The goals breathed life into the • The German champions are now unbeaten in Patrice Evra put the guests ahead with a ated in peppering the United goal to the match as space suddenly opened up for five home games against Manchester United. They superb second-half strike at Munich’s single Manchester effort-when Luis both teams to attack. United had their have won three and drawn two. Allianz Arena. But Bayern equalised Valencia had a goal disallowed-told its chances after when England striker • Bayern goalscorer Mario Mandzukic became the almost immediately through a diving own tale. Rooney, who played despite the effects first Croat to score in a Champions League final Mario Mandzukic header, the first of their United looked to have taken a first- of a badly bruised toe, mistimed his shot when Bayern beat Borussia Dortmund last year. The three goals in the final half an hour. half lead when Luis Valencia converted with just Neuer to beat. 27-year-old is said to be wanted by Chelsea and Thomas Mueller then tapped Bayern Wayne Rooney’s cross at the back post, Germany’s Mueller then put the Arsenal for next season. Thomas Mueller, who hit into the lead before Arjen Robben slot- but the effort was ruled offside. defending champions in the last four the second, won the Golden Boot for the top scorer ted the hosts third to knock David Moyes’ Robben was United’s chief tormentor when he flicked Robben’s cross past at the 2010 World Cup finals. United out of the competition. in the first 45 minutes and he threatened United goalkeeper on 68 • The German side have now drawn the first leg The first-half was a tense, tactical with a probing run into the area before minutes. And the hosts turned the screw 1-1 in European competition 12 times and won each affair with Bayern failing to exploit their his final shot was charged down just on United when Robben was finally time. They had 65% of the possession against customary 70 percent possession as before the half-time whistle. rewarded with a 76th-minute goal which Manchester United, but that is down from their United packing their defence, forced the United put the Bayern defence under he had threatened to produce all night. Champions League season average of more than Germans to attack through the middle pressure after the break and they were The Dutch winger cut across the 70%. with little success. Manchester’s wing- rewarded when Evra gave the guests the United defence, then buried his shot past GERMANY: Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic (right) • Bayern coach Pepe Guardiola did not lose in backs Phil Jones and Evra worked tire- lead with a thunderbolt of a shot which the diving De Gea into the bottom left- climbs on top of Bayern’s Mario Mandzukic during the lessly to contain Bayern’s wingers gave Neuer no chance as it hit the top hand corner to complete Bayern’s fight- Champions League quarter-final second leg soccer nine home games against English clubs when play- Robben and Franck Ribery, limiting the right-hand corner on 57 minutes. back. — AFP match. — AP er and coach at Barcelona. —AF