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News Archive

Champions League, day 4

An unexpected first defeat for Barcelona in Scotland on Wednesday evening, Tito Vilanova's side losing 2-1 to Celtic. Wanyama headed the locals in to the lead in the twentieth minute, and young substitute Watt added a second before Messi scored a last minute consolation. Barça stay top of group G however, and Valencia are also in first place in group F after beating BATE Borisov 4-2. A Jonas shot and a Soldado penalty put the Ches two up before the break, and Feghouli added a third soon after the restart. The Bielorussians got two back though through Bressan and Mozolevski, and it was not until Feghouli scored his second of the evening that the result was safe. (07.11.12)

Málaga are the first team through to the last sixteen of the competition after the Andalusians held AC Milan to a 1-1 draw in the San Siro stadium! Eliseu put Pellegrini's side ahead after good work by Isco shortly before half time, but Pato headed the equalizer for the Italians with twenty minutes to go. Real Madrid also drew 2-2 against Borussia Dortmund to remain a point behind the German side in their group, although it took a last minute Özil free kick to save it for them. Reus gave Dortmund the lead with just under half an hour on the clock, and although Pepe headed in Özil's cross to make it all square, an Arbeloa own goal on the stroke of half time restored the lead for the visitors. (06.11.12)

Glasgow Celtic 2 - Barcelona 1

An unexpected first defeat for Barcelona in Glasgow on Wednesday evening, Tito Vilanova's side losing 2-1 to Celtic. The Scots used the same tactics as two weeks ago in the Nou Camp, sitting back to defend and looking to score on the breakaway. And although Alexis had a shot blocked and Messi fired an effort over the crossbar in the opening minutes, once again Neil Lennon's side took the lead, Wanyama getting above Alba on the far post to head Mulgrew'a corner past Valdés. Later in the first half Messi shot against the bar and Alexis headed against the post, and after the restart Forster did well to keep out the two forwards once again. However with ten minutes to go Xavi failed to cut out a long clearance by the keeper, and young substitute Watt ran on to make it two. Soon afterwards Mascherano was lucky to be let off a possible red card when he stopped Watts as he threatened to score again, and although Messi finally got the ball in the net after Forster could only push out a shot from Pedro, it came to late to save the day. Barça stay top of group G however, but Celtic are now only two points behind them in the table. (07.11.12)

Valencia 4 - BATE Borisov 2

Valencia stay in first place in group F, level on points with Bayern Munich, after beating BATE Borisov 4-2 in the Mestalla stadium. After their convincing win in Minsk two weeks ago, the Ches were in confident mood, and they went ahead midway through the first half after Jonas picked up a long ball from Tino Costa before firing an angled shot past Gorbunov. The visitors were unhappy though that the Brazilian striker had handled the ball in the build up, and they also protested three minutes later when Polyakov brought down Guardado, the referee awarding a penalty even though the tackle started outside of the area. Soldado converted the resulting spot kick though, and Feghouli went close before adding a third after Gago put him through six minutes in to the second half. Bressan pulled one back though a couple of minutes later with a wide free kick which went past everyone, and with seven minutes to go the Bielorussians reduced the gap to one goal when Gago lost the ball to Bressan on the edge of the area, and Rodionov set up Mozolevski to turn the ball in to the empty net. However three minutes after that Feghouli put the game beyond the visitors' reach with his second of the evening after picking up a ball over the top from Banega. (07.11.12)

AC Milan 1 - Málaga 1

Málaga are the first team through to the last sixteen of the competition after they held AC Milan to a 1-1 draw in the San Siro stadium! After winning their first three games, the Andalusians only needed one more point to ensure at least second spot, although the seven times champions were not going to lie down without a fight. Willy Caballero had to make first class saves from Bojan and Emanuelsen in the first half, and Eliseu blocked a shot from El-Shaarawy, but five minutes before the break Isco put Eliseu through for him to beat Abbiati. With twenty minutes to go Alexandre Pato got on the end of Emanuelsen's high cross to head the equalizer on the far post, the first goal that Pellegrini's side have let in in the competition, but after that they held on for a point which ensures their place in the knock-out stage. (06.11.12)

Real Madrid 2 - Borussia Dortmund 2

Real Madrid remain in second spot in the "group of death" after they could only draw 2-2 against leaders Borussia Dortmund, although a similar draw in the other group game means that a victory in their last match at home to Ajax will take them through to the knock-out stage, whatever their result at Manchester City in three weeks' time. Reus ran on to Lewandowski's headed pass to fire the German side in to the lead on the half hour mark, and although Pepe levelled the scores soon afterwards with a header from Özil's cross, Arbeloa turned Grosskreutz's centre in to his own net under pressure from Götze on the stroke of half time. Callejón came on at the break for the injured Higuaín and immediately got the ball in the net only for the strike to be ruled out for a borderline offside, and then had a shot cleared off the line by Grosskreutz, and Ronaldo had an effort saved by Weidenfeller before Özil came to the rescue with a last minute free kick. (06.11.12)