Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has admitted his annoyance at the timing of the announcement of Mario Gotze’s move to Bayern Munich, which has drawn fierce criticism from fans and seen the 20-year-old accused of betraying the club.

Lionel Messi has been included in Barcelona’s squad for their Champions League semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich, although he has yet to receive the medical all-clear to return to action.

Real Madrid 3 Real Betis 1

Frank Lampard admitted Chelsea’s hopes of beating Barcelona in their Champions League semi-final could lie with keeping 11 men on the field.

Roberto Di Matteo was today pondering the biggest selection dilemma of his managerial career as he plotted Barcelona’s downfall in Chelsea’s latest Champions League semi-final.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola preferred to focus on his team’s Champions League semi-final against Chelsea rather than next weekend’s crucial El Clasico, but labelled his side’s chances of retaining the Primera Division title “a little less impossible” following Saturday night’s 2-1 win at Levante.

BARCELONA led Real Madrid 3-2 on Wednesday night in the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup final. The teams had drawn 2-2 in the first leg. Both were thrillers.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson made eight changes for this Champions League semi-final against Schalke at Old Trafford tonight.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has leapt to the defence of his players ahead of the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, claiming they are examples of professionalism.

Real Madrid and Barcelona will both face UEFA disciplinary hearings following their ill-tempered Champions League semi-final, first leg last night.

BARCELONA coach Pep Guardiola hit back at Real Madrid counterpart Jose Mourinho as a stunning war of words erupted between the rival coaches ahead of tonight’s Champions League semi-final first leg.

Manchester United are without top scorer Dimitar Berbatov for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tonight.

Alex Ferguson made five changes to his starting line-up as Manchester United warmed up for their Champions League semi-final with Schalke by trying to claim a crucial Premier League win over Everton at Old Trafford.

Champions League record goalscorer Raul admits Manchester United was a possible destination after he left Real Madrid last summer before he moved to Schalke.

Schalke boss Ralf Rangnick has labelled his side “clear outsiders” for the Champions League semi-final against Manchester United despite watching them ease past defending champions Inter Milan.

Alex Ferguson believes the “electric atmosphere” at Old Trafford next Tuesday can propel his Manchester United side into the Champions League semi-final.

Bayern Munich today lodged their appeal against Franck Ribery’s three-match European ban for his sending-off in the Champions league semi-final first leg against Lyon.

CHELSEA have been the big winners of a dramatic week of Champions League football as title rivals Manchester United and Arsenal count the cost of their midweek exertions.

Manchester United have confirmed Wayne Rooney suffered only “minor” ankle ligament damage in the Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich on Tuesday night.

THERE are many rites of passage thrown up for Premier League novices but surely none as daunting as a first encounter with Alex Ferguson.

Chelsea are to appeal the “unnecessarily harsh” punishments handed out by UEFA in the wake of their controversial Champions League semi-final defeat.

Manchester United will find out on Monday whether their appeal against the red card issued to Darren Fletcher in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Arsenal has been successful.

CHELSEA have warned fans they will take the “strongest possible action” against anyone found guilty of making threats against referee Tom Henning Ovrebo.

Chelsea captain John Terry has launched a scathing attack on Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo by claiming he was not good enough to take charge of their Champions League semi-final against Barcelona.

ONE game shouldn’t make or break a season, let alone a three minute spell when everything seems to collapse around you.

Manchester United have been given a major lift ahead of their Champions League semi-final with Arsenal as Rio Ferdinand returned to training.

Winger Florent Malouda wants the referee in charge of next week’s Champions League semi-final return leg to withstand any play-acting from Barcelona’s stars.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson looks like having all his key players available for tomorrow’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Arsenal at Old Trafford.

GUUS HIDDINK is confident that Jose Bosingwa can effectively shackle Barcelona winger Lionel Messi in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final in the Camp Nou tonight.

Chelsea will be without midfielder Deco and defenders Ricardo Carvalho and Ashley Cole for their Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

Arsenal 2 Middlesbrough 0

Manchester United defender Gary Neville has been ruled out of action for two weeks after injuring his foot against Portsmouth on Wednesday.

Guus Hiddink is ready to concentrate on a cup double after conceding Chelsea are realistically out of the race for the Barclays Premier League title.

Manchester United suffered a double blow with Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic ruled out of this Champions League semi-final second leg match.

Chelsea boss Avram Grant insists star striker Didier Drogba is not a cheat and accused Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez of playing mind games ahead of their return Champions League semi-final at Stamford Bridge tomorrow night.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez recalled eight players for tonight’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Chelsea at Anfield.

It's Euro 2008 International Week and the Irish Examiner's football correspondent Liam Mackey is doing his Man in a Suitcase impersonation around Eastern Europe.

Jose Mourinho has defended the contributions of his summer signings after watching Chelsea equal Liverpool’s 63-match home unbeaten run against Everton.

Chelsea today denied that Andriy Shevchenko refused to travel with the rest of the team to face Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final and claimed instead that the Ukrainian striker had suffered an injury during training.

Shaun Wright-Phillips is determined Chelsea will rise above any intimidation from Liverpool in their Champions League semi-final at Stamford Bridge tonight.

Rafael Benitez will demand that his European heroes must not lose the momentum of their blossoming season by slipping up in the Barclays Premiership.

SATURDAY night’s 1-1 draw between Roma and Milan in Rome lived up to its billing as a possible dress rehearsal for the Champions League semi-final.

JOSE MOURINHO claims there is no great rivalry between Chelsea and Liverpool despite the two clubs coming face to face for the 10th time in two seasons today (5.05pm).