SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 SPORTS How the Champions League Photo of the day last eight shape up LONDON: UEFA’s four top-ranked teams-Barcelona, Real promising passing game reminiscent of the style he Madrid, Bayern Munich and Chelsea-are on a Champions patented at Barcelona. The Bavarians passed Arsenal to League collision course after being kept apart in the quar- death in the last 16, enjoying a staggering 73 percent of ter-final draw. possession during their 2-0 first-leg victory. Having While Barcelona face an all-Spanish tie against La Liga utilised a 4-1-4-1 system that saw full-back Philipp Lahm title rivals Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid will attempt to redeployed as a holding midfielder, Bayern have reverted avenge their 4-3 aggregate loss to Borussia Dortmund in to a 4-2-3-1 shape since Bastian Schweinsteiger returned last season’s semi-finals. from an ankle injury in February. Holders Bayern, 2-1 victors against Dortmund in last year’s final, will play stuttering Manchester United, with Real Madrid (ESP) v Borussia Dortmund (GER) Chelsea’s tie against dark horses Paris Saint-Germain com- The redoubtable pace of Cristiano Ronaldo and record- pleting the last eight line-up. breaking signing Gareth Bale means that Real Madrid Here, AFP Sports looks at the tactical factors that will remain a formidable counter-attacking side, but coach help to decide which teams make it through to the semi- Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to switch to a 4-3-3 formation finals: has given them better control of the ball in the middle of the pitch. Madrid are also the competition’s top scorers Barcelona (ESP) v Atletico Madrid (ESP) with 29 goals-an impressive 25 of which have come from Barcelona remain the masters of ‘tiki-taka’, but they have open play. Dortmund have gone off the boil domestically lost their crown as the competition’s ball retention kings to since last season, bedevilled by injuries and left for dead in Bayern Munich, who have averaged 65 percent of posses- the Bundesliga by Bayern, but Jurgen Klopp’s team remain sion to the Catalans’ 62 percent. Last year’s arrival of jet- one of the most hard-working in Europe. They have made heeled Brazil star Neymar has encouraged coach Tata more tackles (24.6) and interceptions (19) per game than Martino to adopt more of a counter-attacking style, but any other side still in the competition, according to the Barca’s game is nonetheless still based on patient ball cir- Who Scored website, and conceded fewer shots on goal culation, orchestrated by peerless Spain midfielders Xavi (nine per game) than anyone apart from Barcelona and and Andres Iniesta. Under former player Diego Simeone, Bayern. Atletico have adopted a high-intensity pressing game that Pauls Jonass performs during a training session at Marchetti Racing track in Viterbo, Italy. has made them the most defensively robust side in La Liga. Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) v Chelsea (ENG) —www.redbullcontentpool.com Los Colchoneros also pose a major threat from set pieces (a Since succeeding Carlo Ancelotti as PSG coach, Laurent Barcelona weakness), having scored more goals from dead- Blanc has added a dash of flair to the French giants’ ball situations (eight) than any other team left in the tour- domestic dominance, devising a 4-3-3 system in which nament. Zlatan Ibrahimovic leads the line and record signing Edinson Cavani patrols the right flank. In midfield, Thiago Manchester United (ENG) v Bayern Munich (GER) Motta, Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi respectively sup- Bayern made to United manager David Moyes was accused of regress- ply poise, artistry and lung-bursting energy, while Brazil ing the club to a tactical Dark Age after they lumped 81 captain Thiago Silva imperiously marshals the defence. crosses into the box during a 2-2 draw with the Premier After returning to Chelsea from Real Madrid, manager Jose League’s bottom club Fulham last month. They looked Mourinho was quick to fall back upon the counter-attack- wait for title more like the United of old in the second leg of their last ing style with which he has forged his reputation. No 16 tie against Olympiakos, but Robin van Persie, who Chelsea player has scored more than three goals in the scored all of his side’s three goals in that game, will miss competition, but in Eden Hazard, Willian, Oscar and Andre BERLIN: Bayern Munich are poised to have Champions League exit at Real Madrid with striker Ivica Olic equalised for Wolfsburg nine both legs of the Bayern tie with a sprained knee. Since Schurrle, Mourinho possesses some of the swiftest attack- their Bundesliga title confirmed in the next a 3-1 win at home to bottom side Eintracht minutes from time to keep Wolves fifth. arriving at Bayern, Pep Guardiola has instituted an uncom- ing midfielders on the continent. —AFP three days after yesterday’s 2-0 win at Mainz Braunschweig. At the other end of the table, Stuttgart 05 kept them 23 points clear. Teenage midfielder Leon Goretzka gave climbed out of the bottom three with a 1-0 Bayern would have been champions if Schalke the lead when he fired home a long- win at home to 10-man Hamburg. Toulouse leave it late for rivals Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04 range shot on 17 minutes. Dutch striker Hamburg took Stuttgart’s place in the had both failed to win, but Dortmund kept Klaas-Jan Huntelaar claimed his 10th goal of bottom three, while new coach Huub the Bavarians waiting with a 3-0 win at the season when he fired home a direct free- Stevens enjoyed his first win in only his sec- thrilling Stade draw Hanover while Schalke cruised to a 3-1 win kick 20 minutes from time to claim his sixth ond game in charge as Stuttgart picked up at home to Eintracht Braunschweig. goal in his last three league games. their first win in ten games. PARIS: Replacement prop Yohan Montes Bayern left it late at Mainz with midfield- crashed over for an injury-time try under er Bastian Schweinsteiger striking with a the posts, converted by Jean-Marc header on 82 minutes before Germany Doussain, to hand Toulouse a thrilling 27-27 team-mate Mario Goetze netted the draw with Stade Francais in Top 14 action European champions’ second four minutes yesterday. Stade Francais looked to have the later. upper hand, having led 27-8 at half-time, Their massive 23-point lead means but Toulouse came storming back in the Bayern are now set to be crowned champi- second period, eventually outscoring their ons with a record seven Bundesliga games hosts at the Stade de France-in front of a left if they win at Hertha Berlin on Tuesday. 63,000-strong crowd-by four tries to three. Bayern fired in 23 shots on goal to “Never would I have thought we were Mainz’s four as they extended their record capable of getting back into this match,” unbeaten run to 51 Bundesliga matches and Toulouse coach Guy Noves acknowledged. earn their 18th consecutive league win. “I found the way the second half played Second-placed Dortmund, who made out completely satisfying. “But we can’t the Champions League quarter-finals in afford to be as lax as we were in the first midweek despite a last-16 second leg home period. We’ve never conceded so many defeat to Zenit Saint Petersburg, enjoyed a points in so little time. How do I explain it? I 3-0 win at Hanover 96. can’t explain it!” Hanover made a bright start when cen- Noves’ Stade Francais counterpart tre-back Andre Hoffmann clattered the post, Gonzalo Quesada was left equally stumped leaving Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp by the result. “I’m trying to understand,” the shaking his head on the sidelines. Argentinian sighed. “We never said ‘our But Dortmund took control when cen- work’s done’, we knew Toulouse would tre-back Mats Hummels fired home just come back out with intent. before the break then Poland striker Robert HANNOVER: Dortmund's defender Erik Durm (right) vies with “We suffered but with a 19-point advan- Lewandowski netted a spectacular second- Hanover's midfielder Leonardo Bittencourt during the German First half goal. tage, we should have shown better game Division Bundesliga football match. —AFP management.” Stade’s Julien Dupuy opened the scoring with a long-range penalty after SUPERB STRIKE Luke McAlister had missed an earlier effort There was nothing on when the 26-year- Not to be outdone, Huntelaar’s replace- Guests Hamburg were reduced to ten for Toulouse. old, who joins Bayern next season, took the ment Adam Szalai netted the Royal Blues men when Turkey midfielder Hakan The feisty scrum-half then sliced ball on the left wing, raced down the flank, third just before the final whistle after Calhanoglu was shown a second yellow between McAlister and Patricio Albacete for cut inside and drilled his shot home despite Benjamin Kessel scored Eintracht’s consola- card, and the subsequent, red on 53 min- a gift of a try he also converted. But the attention of five defenders. There was tion. utes. more good news for Klopp late on as Marco Augsburg were held to a 1-1 draw at VfL Stuttgart scored the winner when Toulouse came firing straight back, centre FRANCE: RC Toulon’s lock Jocelino Suta is lifted by RC Toulon’s play- Gael Fickou pouncing on a loose kick-off Reus celebrated his comeback from injury Wolfsburg, who had ex-Chelsea midfielder Romania midfielder Alexandru Maxim net- ers as a teammate grabs the ball during the French Top 14 rugby by scoring their third in added time having Kevin de Bruyne sent off for a second yellow ted just six minutes after Guinea winger and driving forward, McAlister taking Pascal union match between ASM Clermont Auvergne and RC Toulon, at Pape with him as he crossed the line from come off the bench.