Newcastle 1 Benfica 1 (Benfica win 4-2 on aggregate)

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew conceded his side faced a tough ask to qualify for the last four of the Europa League after a 3-1 defeat in their quarter-final first leg in Benfica.

Benfica 3 Newcastle 1

Alan Pardew was fuming with the referee as Newcastle failed to turn their dominance into a first-leg victory over Metalist Kharkiv in their Europa League last-32 tie last night.

Benfica and Porto are once again locked in mortal combat at the top of the league in Portugal.

Barcelona 0 Benfica 0

Benfica 2 Celtic 1

Benfica 2 Celtic 1

Bayern Munich surged to the top of Champions League Group F with a 6-1 hammering of pointless Lille.

Celtic 0 Benfica 0

Chelsea 2 Benfica 1 (Chelsea win 3-1 on aggregate)

There can be little doubt that Frank Lampard was right when he said that Chelsea are no longer the force of old, but they still have the knack of winning games they don’t deserve to.

Benfica 0 Chelsea 1

It is apt that the venue where Chelsea will attempt to stave off the darkness that is threatening to envelope both their present and future is called The Stadium of Light.

Benfica 2 Zenit St Petersburg 0 (Benfica win 4-3 on aggregate)

Zenit St Petersburg secured a narrow advantage in their Champions League last-16 tie against Benfica as Roman Shirokov’s brace helped the hosts to a hard-fought win at a frigid Stadion Petrovskiy last night.

BAFETIMBI GOMIS struck four times as Lyon routed 10-man Dinamo Zagreb 7-1 in Zagreb and completed a remarkable nine-goal swing to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League ahead of Group D rivals Ajax.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has promised record signing Dimitar Berbatov he will get games this season despite being left on the bench for last night's 1-1 draw with Benfica.

ALEX FERGUSON praised goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard’s performance in the 1-1 Champions League draw with Benfica as United came from behind to salvage a point.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson praised Anders Lindegaard’s performance in the 1-1 Champions League draw with Benfica, while lashing out at perceived criticism of his fellow goalkeeper David De Gea.

Benfica 1 Man Utd 1

BENFICA will take a slight advantage into the second leg of their all-Portuguese Europa League semi-final following a deserved victory over Braga at the Estadio da Luz.

BRAGA capped a historic night for Portuguese teams in the Europa League as all three Primeira Liga representatives booked their places in the semi-finals of the competition.

Braga capped a historic night for Portuguese teams in the Europa League as all three Primeira Liga representatives booked their places in the semi-finals of the competition tonight.

SUBSTITUTE Fredy Guarin netted a late winner to put Porto in pole position in their Europa League last-32 tie with Iberian rivals Sevilla.

Emmanuel Mayuka struck four minutes into injury time as Swiss side Young Boys came back from a goal down to upset reigning Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg 2-1 in their Europa League last 32 first leg clash.

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.

ANDRES INIESTA insists Spain’s Euro 2008 final victory over Germany will give them no psychological advantage when the sides meet in the last four of the World Cup.

Andres Iniesta insists Spain’s Euro 2008 final victory over Germany will give them no psychological advantage when the sides meet in the last four of the World Cup.

Paraguay 0 Spain 1

PARAGUAY coach Gerardo Martino revealed his side were in party mood following their historic victory over Japan last night, although he admitted the full impact of their success has not yet sunk in.

Paraguay 0 Japan 0 (after extra time; Paraguay win 5-3 on penalties)

Paraguay 0 New Zealand 0

Paraguay 0 New Zealand 0

DEFENDING champions Italy had to come from behind to salvage a draw in their World Cup Group F opener against Paraguay in Cape Town last night.

Italy 1 Paraguay 1

Paraguay have dismissed suggestions that Oscar Cardozo could be out of the World Cup through injury and declared the striker could yet make next week's opening match against Italy.

Oscar Cardozo is a fitness worry for Paraguay with just four days to go before their World Cup opener against Italy in Cape Town.

THE now clichéd wonderful European nights, the Kop at full voice, the herculean performances, and the often-forgotten chaotic performances from officials.

Liverpool 4 Benfica 1 (Liverpool win 5-3 on aggregate)

Liverpool forward Ryan Babel has admitted to being “stupid and silly” after his sending-off in last night’s 2-1 Europa League quarter-final first leg defeat to Benfica in Lisbon.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is confident his side can turn around their Europa League tie against Benfica after watching a battling performance in the controversial 2-1 first leg defeat in Lisbon.

TEN-MAN Liverpool were undone by two harsh penalty decisions and an at-times shambolic refereeing display as they lost 2-1 to Benfica in a hostile Europa League quarter-final first leg in Lisbon last night.

Benfica 2 Liverpool 1