Champions League

If Arsenal had to be sacred in Champions League in May in Moscow, Arsene Wenger will recall that the curse which was continuing in Europe was defeated March 4, at San Siro, where his team has removed the final eighth of light, 'AC Milan (2-0). To annoy french technician, journalists have weapons unstoppable make mine compâtir out qu'Arsenal is not perceived as a Grand Europe, asking why he had lost three finals (1992 with Monaco , C1 and C3 in 2000 and 2006 with Arsenal), if he lives poorly not to belong to the club of the kings of the Champions League, in the company of Alex Ferguson or Jose Mourinho, his favorite enemies. Pincé, Wenger responds that "there are great coaches who have never won" the C1. But tension testify face of a real suffering. The finals lost against Barcelona in 2006 remains an open wound. Since Tuesday, Europe knows he has the team capable of treating the injury. The applause at the San Siro winners have testified as clearly as Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti: "Arsenal have the quality to go in the finals." The "authority, maturity, the talent" shown by Londoners and leased by Wenger, put this victory above that in the Bernabeu to Real two years ago (0-1). "To move one step, you need a game like that. This result will strengthen the faith of this team. Must now keep the balance between faith and humility," he says. When Manchester was swept in twenty minutes last year, Arsenal was extinguished by the Milanese, never beaten in San Siro by a team English before taking the estocade when the opponent was exhausted. Epaulé by Mathieu Flamini and Alexander Hleb, Cesc Fabregas has stifled Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo and Massimo Ambrosini in the middle before they entered the purpose of the qualification. This performance is all the more remarkable in that it comes at a time when Arsenal appeared to decline. "We went out of a hollow and this has enormous significance for my team, 'said Wenger. The youth of Arsenal, praised in England, has been its weakness in Europe. But facing the old Milanese beards, the Gunners have now shown that they have the necessary experience. They knew how to override the disappointment of the match to go, ended in a draw 0 to 0 after wide domination. The only flaws for the Gunners, also in the fight for victory in the championship in England, seemed the absence of a world class goal scorer (but Liverpool in 2005 and Milan in 2007 won the C1 with this handicap) and lack of strength in depth. "We do not have a team like Chelsea, with 25 international. We will never play on all tables. But we are racing in the two competitions that matter, and I see no reason not to win," Fabregas assured. "I said before the match that we can win this competition. We are in the quarter finals. Why not believe it?" Wenger asked.

Manchester United

There are silences that no mistaking. The three pillars of Olympique Lyon, Gregory Coupet, Juninho and Cris, usually so quick to deliver their impressions at the end of the match, shunned the meeting for questions and answers with the press that followed the defeat facing Manchester United (1-0), Tuesday, March 4. Not a word of those players "framework" on the evening they came to live at 75000 football lovers gathered at Old Trafford, the stadium-Cathedral of Red Devils (the "red devils"). No comment "tauliers" OL short on this defeat meant elimination of the Champions League. At the final whistle, the keeper of Lyons, his Brazilian midfielder and defender income of injury had too many regrets in mind for a look neutral on this new setback sextuple European champion France. For the second consecutive year, OL fails 8th finals of the Champions League. The three previous seasons, the champion of France had been reset in the quarter-finals. But, unlike last year, when Lyon went completely beside the meeting, Gerland stadium beaten (2-0) by a team of AS Roma much stronger than him, the club french n ' a deal worth in Manchester. Potentially eliminated after going zero of the match (1-1), Feb. 20 at Gerland, Lyon had the dual obligation to mark at Old Trafford - Manchester United where accumulated before the beginning of the encounter nine wins in a row at home Champions League - and n'encaisser no purpose. A pipe dream when we know the effectiveness of mancuniens attackers. "At Old Trafford, Manchester United always fond attack had warned Patrice Evra, the defender of french Red Devils. Entry There is a big pressure on the opponent. Must be very hard to resist." Players Alain Perrin have managed to do so nearly a half-time before a cafouillage of Defence Lyon at the 41st minute only ruin the efforts of the OL and allowing Cristiano Ronaldo to score his 30th goal of the season. In the second period, new thrills toured the spans of Old Trafford, when the attacker Ivorian OL, Kader Keita, hit on the post of mancunien doorman. This goal before the break, then let the pole "some regrets" the coach of Lyon. "We missed this little success factor in our offensive actions, regretted Alain Perrin. Assessing the two matches shows the importance of goal by Carlos Tevez in the last three minutes to go. This one Manchester who qualifies. " With this victory over Lyon, for a total of ten success in a row at home in Champions League, Mancuniens equals the record that only Juventus Turin held so far. Qualification for the quarter-finals, Manchester can now dream to repeat his tripled from 1999 (league, FA Cup and England Champions League). Lyon, however, must "turn the page" as soon as possible and "digest in order to concentrate on the objectives it (him) remains", in the words of Alain Perrin. The first of these goals is to once again win the championship of France. The path to a seventh title seemed reached in mid-season. But the Girondins de Bordeaux went on the road. Now three points behind the leader Lyon, the team of Laurent Blanc, who knocked off PSG (3-0) on March 2, could create surprises at the 28th day of Ligue 1: the meeting between Lyon and Bordeaux, Sunday, March 9 at Gerland, is positively final prior to the time of the championship. "It is in a difficult situation, should Jérémy Toulalan, the middle recuperator Lyonnais. Against Bordeaux, I fear fatigue. Costs will be in a good momentum. They are less well in the game, but they win." "We must win against Bordeaux and the 8th finals of the French Cup against Sochaux" on March 18, said Jean-Michel Aulas. Despite good marks awarded to his coach and his players, the president of the OL had a hard time too, to conceal his disappointment Tuesday night.

Cycling Union

Emportée up in a spiral of conflict between ASO, the organizer of the Paris-Nice, the International Cycling Union has threatened direct runners to participate in the event, for which the teams have announced their engagement from 9 to 16 March. Last Degree dated in this escalation, the threat of the UCI has doubled Tuesday evening the refusal of its chairman, Pat McQuaid, to meet with the Secretary of State for Sports french, Bernard Laporte, as proposed by the French federation the request of the Union of European federations. "The UCI launches totally disproportionate threats against riders and teams (such as fines, suspension, exclusion)," said ASO, the main organizer of the World Cycling (Paris-Nice, Tour de France). ASO has insisted on the legality of his race, "organized under the auspices of the FFC and in accordance with French law," and stressed that it "has the support of the Ministry of Sports and the French Agency for fight Anti for the organization "in the race, the first big rendezvous of the season. "A grave mistake" On the merits, ASO explained ask "two simple things: the maintenance of the Paris-Nice race among the major global calendar, the choice of system for selecting teams for the Tour de France," namely an open system from criteria and ethical sportsmen, and not the closed system of licences and wantonly advocated by the UCI within the ProTour. " The organiser had beautiful game to emphasize also that an agreement had been reached with the AIGCP (International Association of teams) for a negotiated agreement "in a constructive spirit". The AIGCP, chaired by the French Eric Boyer, in fact obtained the desired improvements in the contract which was submitted to the teams for Paris-Nice. In essence, resort to arbitration by the National Olympic and Sports Committee french in the event of litigation, especially in the field of ethics and image of cycling. "The decision of the teams to participate in the Paris-Nice is linked to their willingness to guarantee the interests of their sponsors and their sporting interests and those of their riders," recalled the AIGCP. Questioned by AFP on threats of suspension of the UCI, Eric Boyer reacted coldly: "It would be a grave mistake." Verbruggen called into question The six European federations (Italy, Spain, Luxembourg, France, Belgium, Austria), in disagreement with the UCI ProTour in its current form, also protested against this threat. In a statement, they argued against "that their teams and riders are taken hostage and threatened:" They do not accept being threatened with sanctions that could deprive their athletes to participate in championships World and Olympic Games. " These federations have also called into question Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI (and current vice-president). They suspect the promoter of the ProTour want to provoke a breach. "Recent statements by co-vice president, Hein Verbruggen, openly advocating (...) for a split of the world cyclist leading to the establishment of a commercial structure on the sidelines of Federations, unfortunately show that tries cause a break rather than trying to find a common ground ", felt the federations. "The UCI will be strong," responded Eric Breukink, manager of Rabobank noting the mall Pat McQuaid. "We spérons a solution because the riders want to Paris-Nice."

FC Barcelona

This is a big blow to the Argentine prodigy and the FC Barcelona. Messi, crying out in the lawn of the Camp Nou in the 38th minute, replaced by Thierry Henry, suffered a fracture of the left femoral biceps of his left thigh. His style of play, based primarily on acceleration and change of pace, has not been spared in recent times. Indeed, he has already missed five weeks of competition this season for a similar injury. "It is a very sad moment for the players," said Rijkaard. "The wound of Messi is a loss for everyone. We have put pressure on him to play against Celtic, and now look what happened, "added Puyol. "We paid a heavy price for this victory. Leo was in a fantastic shape. It is really a pity, "adds Xavi. Lionel Messi will miss the quarter-finals of the Champions League but will certainly be present for the semi-finals if the Barça qualifies.