AFTER slumping to morale-sapping defeats in their opening games, Real Madrid and Dynamo Kiev meet at the Bernabeu tonight knowing that another slip-up could torpedo their Champions League ambitions.

While David Beckham has been laid low by a virus, Real Madrid have confirmed that team-mate Cicinho will need an operation after tearing the cruciate ligament in his right knee.

BRAZILIAN Kaka scored twice as AC Milan beat Schalke 3-2 last night to take their place in the last 16 of the Champions League at the expense of the German team.

A NIGHT of contrasting fortunes for Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga.

MARCELO ZALAYETA grabbed an extra-time winner to send Juventus into the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

TWO years’ ago the limitations of a Real Madrid side packed with attacking talent but lacking defensive solidity were exposed in a Champions League semi-final defeat by Juventus.

A GLANCING header from Ivan Helguera gave a dominant Real Madrid a 1-0 win over Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League knock-out tie at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.

Spain will be without central defender Carlos Marchena for Sunday’s match against Portugal.

Spain coach Inaki Saez is expected to make two changes to the team which beat Russia 1-0 on Saturday with Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso tipped to replace Fernando Morientes and Ruben Baraja in the starting line-up for tomorrow’s encounter with Greece in Porto.

Striker Fernando Morientes insists nothing less than victory will be good enough when perennial under-achievers Spain face Russia in their opening Group A match tomorrow.

Spain coach Inaki Saez has one tough decision to make before their opening group A match with Russia in Faro.

Arsenal striker Jose Antonio Reyes has been left out of Spain’s Euro 2004 squad announced today by coach Inaki Saez in Madrid.

REAL MADRID claimed a place in the Champions League quarter-finals after a first-half strike from Zinedine Zidane gave them a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in a fiery encounter at the Bernabeu last night.

AN awful blunder by goalkeeper Oliver Kahn presented Real Madrid with a 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich in the first leg of their heavyweight Champions League first knockout round tie last night.

DAVID BECKHAM last night dismissed Bayern Munich’s threat to Real Madrid’s ambitions of lifting a 10th European crown.

Real Madrid 4 Marseille 2

Seth Johnson is out for the rest of the season as the Leeds midfielder requires immediate knee surgery.

Leeds striker Mark Viduka completes a three-match suspension with tomorrow’s visit of Newcastle to Elland Road.

Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale has stepped up his personal security after receiving death threats from fans.

Here is the full club-by-club list of transfer deals completed during the calendar month of January.

JONATHON WOODGATE made the biggest move of January’s transfer window on deadline day to complete a torrid month for Leeds.

Leeds have signed Real Madrid defender Raul Bravo on loan until the end of the season.

REAL MADRID have beaten the transfer deadline and completed the signing of Brazil striker Ronaldo from Inter Milan.

REAL MADRID have beaten the transfer deadline and completed the signing of Brazil striker Ronaldo from Inter Milan.