LIONEL MESSI was denied a hat-trick but Barcelona put their shock Primera Division defeat to Hercules behind them as they opened their UEFA Champions League campaign with a crushing 5-1 win over Panathinaikos.

FRANCE international footballers Frank Ribery and Karim Benzema were yesterday charged with having had sex with an underage prostitute, as magistrates cracked down on an alleged celebrity vice ring.

French footballers Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema were held for questioning by police today as part of an investigation into an alleged prostitution ring.

France captain Patrice Evra and Florent Malouda were both banished to the bench for the vital Group A game against South Africa at the Free State Stadium.

PERHAPS the biggest surprise about France’s toothless defeat to Mexico, which leaves their World Cup fate out of their hands, is that it came as no surprise at all.

France skipper Patrice Evra has slammed reports of a rift in the camp as “bull” amid rumours team-mate William Gallas is furious he was overlooked for the captaincy.

France winger Florent Malouda admits he found it "frustrating" to be kept on the bench until the last 15 minutes of last night's World Cup stalemate with Uruguay.

World Cup Group A

France 0 Uruguay 0

France 0 China 1

William Gallas has retained his place in a reduced France squad as Raymond Domenech’s side begin their World Cup preparations in earnest in Tignes tomorrow.

BAYERN MUNICH cruised into their first Champions League final for nine years in France last night, courtesy of Ivica Olic’s hat-trick – and team-mate Arjen Robben immediately declared he wants Inter Milan and old boss Jose Mourinho in the final.

Lyon 0 Bayern Munich 3 (Bayern win 4-0 on aggregate)

BAYERN MUNICH defender Philipp Lahm has played down the impact of Lyon’s travel woes ahead of tonight’s Champions League semi-final first leg.

FULL-BACK Aly Cissokho has backed Lyon to complete a “difficult” Champions League quarter-final win over Bordeaux – and claims his side have the quality required to go on and win the competition.

REAL MADRID’S dreams of a Champions League final at their Bernabeu home were crushed by Lyon last night as the Spanish giants were knocked out at the last-16 stage for the sixth successive season.

Real Madrid 1 Lyon 1 (Lyon win 2-1 on aggregate)

Lyon 1 Real Madrid 0

Lyon 1 Real Madrid 0

THE wind and rain was of King Lear proportions outside the French team’s Dublin hotel last night but the storm clouds have never been far from Raymond Domenech during his five years in charge of Les Bleus.

Lyon utility man Jeremy Toulalan is unlikely to play for France in their crucial World Cup play-off against the Republic of Ireland on Saturday, according to his club coach Claude Puel.

Raymond Domenech today left captain Patrick Vieira out of his France squad to face the Republic of Ireland in their World Cup qualifying play-off this month.

RAYMOND DOMENECH names his France squad for next week’s World Cup qualifying play-off against Ireland this afternoon with doubts over his two most senior players.

LIVERPOOL’S hearts were broken by a cruel last-minute equaliser that has all but ended their Champions League dreams for a traumatic season.

Lyon 1 Liverpool 1

Liverpool are able to call on defender Daniel Agger for tonight's crunch Champions League Group E clash in the Stade Gerland, the Dane having recovered sufficiently from a back problem to return for the Anfield club’s injury-hit side.

Liverpool 1 Lyon 2

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard returned for the Champions League encounter against Lyon at Anfield but the surprise selection was teenage defender Martin Kelly.

ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC hopes to make a winning return to the San Siro to face his former club Inter Milan tonight when FC Barcelona begin their Champions League title defence.

JUANDE RAMOS may be wielding a new broom at Real Madrid but it was one of the old guard who starred as the nine-times champions saw off Zenit St Petersburg in their final Champions League Group H game last night.

TWO GOALS from Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso ensured European champions Spain completed preparations for their World Cup qualification campaign on a high.

Netherlands 4 France 1

LYON MANAGER Alain Perrin believes star striker Karim Benzema can light up Old Trafford tonight.

Rangers 0 Lyon 3

Rangers 0 Lyon 1

Walter Smith fielded a cautious line-up for Rangers’ crunch Champions League qualifier against Lyon at Ibrox.

MAGNIFICENT Rangers recorded arguably the best European result in their history by thrashing French giants Lyon in their own back yard.

A FRANCOIS Clerc own goal in the first half and late strikes from Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry gave Barcelona a comfortable victory over Lyon in their Group E Champions League clash at the Nou Camp on Wednesday night.

Roma 0 Lyon 0

MANCHESTER United left-back Patrice Evra has been recalled to the France squad by Raymond Domenech.

Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra has been recalled to the France squad by Raymond Domenech.

FRANCE coach Raymond Domenech has called up Nicolas Anelka for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Scotland and the Faroe Islands.

France coach Raymond Domenech has called up Nicolas Anelka for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Scotland and the Faroe Islands.

Coach Roberto Donadoni believes Italy were not match fit against France last night in their Euro 2008 qualifier due to the delayed start of the Serie A season.

Portsmouth have signed Manuel Fernandes on loan from Benfica and the midfielder could eventually become the club’s record signing at £7m (€10.39m) if he proves his fitness at Fratton Park.

France defender Eric Abidal was once hailed as “the new Lilian Thuram” but the full-back claims he is still overwhelmed by the ability of the man who will play alongside him in Sunday’s World Cup final with Italy.

Spain 1 France 3

Lyon striker Sidney Govou has been called up as a replacement for the injured Djibril Cisse in France’s World Cup squad.

PSV Eindhoven 0 Lyon 1

Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko struck as Bayern Munich and AC Milan played out a 1-1 draw in their Champions League last-16 clash in Germany while Lyon claimed a priceless away-leg victory over PSV Eindhoven.