Eamon Dunphy was yesterday predicting contrasting fortunes for Ireland and England at the European Championships.

There’s little doubt that Sergio Ramos stands out.

Cristiano Ronaldo looked to his feet. Leo Messi looked to the sky. And, all around, their team-mates looked expectantly to the two of them.

Not that you’d think it when you look at their squad, but Spain seem to have an issue as regards quality... at least in one area.

MICHAEL CARRICK looked to the line. Then he did so again. And again. There were 20 minutes gone in the 2009 Champions League and the Manchester United midfielder must have glanced at his manager’s bench at least 30 times. What he sought was instruction. But all he saw was Alex Ferguson sitting motionless and stony-faced.

DANI ALVES was trying to sound measured.

Barcelona 0 Manchester City 1

BARCELONA captain Carlos Puyol insists his team have no excuse not to triumph in the first leg of their Champions League clash against Bayern Munich tonight.

The European Commission today unveiled its all-star football squad to play Manchester United in a one-off charity match at Old Trafford.

WHILE Chelsea romped to a comfortable win in Sofia last night, group rivals Werder Bremen and Barcelona shared the points in Germany.

COME the final whistle those of us in the front few rows at the Stade de France looked like a load of drowned Gooner rats, all our hopes and high expectations having disappeared down the stadium drains along with the torrent of rain which soaked us in the second half.

THE pre-match talk may have centred around Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry but the Champions League final was ultimately a tale of two goalkeepers.

Chelsea 4 Barcelona 2 - Agg 5-4

The focus now is not on Greece but Germany. To whom do they turn to lead the team in the World Cup of 2006?

SPAIN usually depart major tournaments bemoaning their luck and cursing the referee.

Celtic star Stilian Petrov feared he was being attacked by a Barcelona fan during the final tense minutes of their UEFA Cup clash in the Nou Camp – before he realised it was Carlos Puyol.

Rookie keeper Tim Howard has insisted he does not want to be an overnight sensation at Manchester United. The American is at Old Trafford for the long haul.

Alex Ferguson has called on his Manchester United players to put last season’s title triumph out of their minds when they square up to Arsenal in tomorrow’s FA Community Shield.

Fernando Morientes came off the bench to send Spain through to the last 16 of the World Cup with two goals against Paraguay.

Paraguay have taken the lead in the 10th minute thanks to an own goal from Barcelona defender Carlos Puyol.

As if they did not already know, Liverpool have been warned that they should be frightened to death of the world’s finest forward.