REAL MADRID progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in seven years after convincingly seeing off Lyon last night to record a 4-1 aggregate victory.

BAFETIMBI GOMIS struck a late equaliser for Lyon but Real Madrid will be favourites to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in seven years thanks to Karim Benzema’s away goal.

FABIO CAPELLO opened a door on the future for England – and the fans did not like what they saw as the Three Lions were jeered off after defeat to France at Wembley last night.

Lyon have agreed a €22m fee with Bordeaux for France playmaker Yoann Gourcuff.

FRANCE exited the World Cup at the first-round stage with barely a whimper after this humbling defeat by the host nation at the Free State Stadium.

France 1 South Africa 2

France 0 South Africa 2

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.

World Cup Group A

France 0 China 1

France 0 China 1

LYON were grateful to goalkeeper Hugo Lloris for a dramatic late save as Les Gones reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in their history with victory over Ligue 1 rivals Bordeaux last night.

Marseille midfielder Benoit Cheyrou has been handed a debut call-up to the France squad to face Spain on March 3.

Olympiacos 0 Bordeaux 1

Giovanni Trapattoni kept faith with the men who ran France close on Saturday for tonight’s decisive World Cup play-off clash in Paris.

Republic of Ireland 0 France 1

Liam Lawrence was handed the task of shoring up the Republic of Ireland’s right flank in their World Cup play-off with France.

RAYMOND Domenech has told France’s players the pressure must come from within for their make-or-break World Cup play-off against Ireland.

Bayern Munich 0 Bordeaux 2

Faroe Islands 0 France 1

Bordeaux 1 Chelsea 1

Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack is on the bench for the Champions League clash against Bordeaux at Stamford Bridge after missing two games with a foot injury.

Arsene Wenger opted on the side of caution by deploying Emmanuel Adebayor as a lone striker when Arsenal took on AC Milan for a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League at the San Siro tonight.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson made three changes to his side for this Champions League semi-final first leg match at Old Trafford.

AC MILAN coach Carlo Ancelotti admits an injury to Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand will play into his team’s hands for the Champions League semi-final.

Brazilian goalkeeper Dida has been included in AC Milan’s 25-man squad for Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

AC Milan 1 Red Star Belgrade 0

Ireland 0 France 1