Carlo Ancelotti has warned Bayern Munich to guard against an Arsenal backlash as the Italian coach looks to avoid another stunning Champions League meltdown.

Carlo Ancelotti’s Bayern Munich arrive at the Emirates Stadium with one foot firmly planted in the quarter-finals after thrashing Arsenal 5-1 in the last 16 first leg. (AFP/Glyn KIRK)

Ancelotti’s side will arrive at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday with one foot firmly planted in the quarter-finals after thrashing Arsenal 5-1 in the last 16 first leg.

But the Bayern boss knows all to well that sizeable leads can quickly disappear in the crucible of a high-stakes European showdown.

Ancelotti was in charge of the AC Milan team that famously squandered a three-goal half-time lead before losing on penalties against Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League final.

That epic collapse in Istanbul came just a year after Ancelotti had watched Milan throw away a 4-1 first leg lead in the Champions League quarter-finals as Deportivo La Coruna came back to win 5-4 on aggregate.

With Arsenal in turmoil after Saturday’s Premier League defeat against Liverpool sparked rumours of a rift between boss Arsene Wenger and star striker Alexis Sanchez, it seems unlikely the Gunners will add another painful chapter to Ancelotti’s European history.

But the former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss has no intention of taking Arsenal for granted and he has already underlined the potential danger posed by the wounded hosts.

“I try to forget but I’m not allowed to forget,” Ancelotti said of his past defeats.

“This is the beauty of football. You never know what will happen.

“I think that experience was good for me to avoid this type of problem. Tomorrow could be a good moment to show we are focused from the beginning.

“I hope the players won’t switch off. I spoke with them and they are focused.

“They know the start of the game will be tough. We won’t take into consideration the advantage that we have.

“If you not playing well and you are going a little bit down, for a team that has problems maybe this kind of game is an opportunity for Arsenal to solve the problems.”

DOUBTERS

Although many Arsenal fans calling for Wenger to quit at the end of what looks set to be another unfulfilling campaign, Ancelotti warned the doubters to be careful what they wish for.

Wenger has won three Premier League titles and six FA Cups with Arsenal and Ancelotti said: We have to live with critics in our job, but the most important thing is to consider the right critics.

“Wenger is a manager with a lot of experience. I’m sure he will be able to react and manage this situation.

“I sympathise with him as a manager, as a man i have a good relationship with him.

“I have a lot of respect for him. Not every manager will be able to do what he did in this club.”

Bayern winger Franck Ribery gave a less glowing appraisal of his fellow Frenchman’s current predicament, but he too won’t write off Wenger just yet.

“At the moment they have lots of problems at Arsenal,” he said.

“It’s a difficult situation for Arsene. It’s not easy for him. He has to continue and try everything with his team.

“But we shouldn’t forget what he has done for the club. He has worked here for so many years and all the titles he has won.”

Ancelotti expects goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to be fit to start on Tuesday after he missed training on Monday with a minor injury.

Bayern made the trip to London in confident mood after a lengthy winning run and German midfielder Thomas Muller expects the feelgood factor to shine through against Arsenal.

“We are in good shape at the moment. We want to have the same fun and enjoy ourselves like in the last few games,” he said.

“When you have the momentum you want to ride on that wave. Of course we know Arsenal will try everything, but we have prepared intensely.”

Source AFP

Arsene Wenger said he had no interest in succeeding Luis Enrique as Barcelona coach on Thursday (Mar 2), but admitted his future as Arsenal manager remains up in the air.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. (Photo: AFP/Christof Stache)

Luis Enrique announced after Barcelona’s 6-1 win over Sporting Gijon on Wednesday that he will step down from his role at the end of the season in order to take a break.

Wenger, 67, is due to make a decision on whether to extend his 20-year association with Arsenal either this month or next and he reiterated that his preference would be to remain at the Emirates Stadium.

Asked if he would be interested in moving to Camp Nou, he said: “No, my preference has always been the same and will remain the same.

“Of course I am not looking for jobs in other clubs or jobs off other people. I am focused on me, getting to the next level and trying to improve and always trying to see what you can do better and reinvent yourself and that’s what I try to do. That’s basically it.”

Wenger’s position is once again under scrutiny after Arsenal fell off the pace in the Premier League title race and lost 5-1 at Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.

Despite his long attachment to the club, he said he was not allowing sentiment to cloud his thinking about his future.

“I have been here for 20 years and I had many times the opportunity to leave so I don’t think I have to convince you that my preference has always been Arsenal,” he told a press conference at Arsenal’s training base.

“But of course I am objective and lucid enough to make the right decision for myself and the club as well. The club is free to make the decision it wants and I will respect that.”

Wenger also said he would not be worried about the potential impact of making a statement about his future similar to Luis Enrique’s.

“I believe that the players have their targets, the team targets, and I don’t think that can be detrimental. It can be positive as well,” said the Frenchman, whose side visit Liverpool on Saturday.

Source AFP

Gareth Bale complained he had been harshly treated after the first red card of his Real Madrid career cost the European champions in a thrilling 3-3 draw at home to Las Palmas on Wednesday.

Real Madrid’s Welsh forward Gareth Bale (centre) vies with Las Palmas’ forward Jese (left) and Las Palmas’ defender Daniel Castellano during the Spanish league football match Real Madrid CF vs UD Las Palmas at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on March 1. — AFP/VNA Photo

Bale kicked out at Jonathan Viera twice before finally pushing the Las Palmas midfielder to the ground early in the second-half with the scores level at 1-1.

“I don’t believe that it was deserving of a red card,” the Welshman told Real Madrid TV.

“I was shown the yellow for the foul, I was then pushed and I just pushed him back.

“I want to apologise to the team and the fans. I hope to learn from my mistake”.

Madrid looked set for a first home league defeat in a year as Las Palmas took advantage of Bale’s dismissal to lead 3-1 with just three minutes remaining through Viera and Kevin-Prince Boateng.

However, Cristiano Ronaldo’s double salvaged a draw that keeps Real just a point adrift of league leaders Barcelona with a game in hand.

“We can’t look for excuses,” said Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.

“What we can do is improve our performance. We are not happy with how we are playing.

“There are moments in the season like this. The past three or four games things haven’t gone as we would want, but we are not going to look for excuses in the referees.”

Madrid vice-captain Marcelo said Bale is aware his moment of madness had badly let his teammates down.

“I am not one to give him a clip round the ear, that is what I do to my children,” said the Brazilian.

“Bale is old enough to know if he has made a mistake or not.

“These things happen in football, but hopefully it doesn’t happen again between now and the end of the season.”

In a recurring theme of Madrid’s season, a stunning late effort undid a lot of the damage caused by a below-par display.

The European champions trailed Villarreal 2-0 on Sunday before a rousing fightback in the final 25 minutes sealed a 3-2 win.

’We will change things’

However, having also lost 2-1 at Valencia last week after conceding twice in the first 10 minutes, Zidane insisted Los Blancos can’t always leave themselves with a mountain to climb.

“We can’t go over the top. There are things we have done well this year, but we have to analyse it and we will change things,” added the Frenchman.

“We have shown we have character and we can do more. We have to improve particularly in our first-half performances.

“We have to think about the positives. We will analyse the negatives, but to come back from 1-3 to 3-3 is a huge effort.”

On the same night that Barcelona coach Luis Enrique announced he will not continue next season, the Catalans have the fate of the title in their own hands for the first time in months.

A 6-1 thrashing of Sporting Gijon earlier on Wednesday saw Barca leapfrog Madrid into top spot and the two sides are still to meet at Real’s Santiago Bernabeu in April.

However, Zidane rejected suggestions Madrid are in danger of throwing the title away.

“We are going to fight. When there were good moments and we were leaders, I always said we would have difficult moments.

“We are not leaders, but the league is still open and we are not going to give up.

“You win leagues at the end (of the season) not now.” — AFP

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola insisted he has no concerns about his goalkeeper Claudio Bravo despite the club’s supporters appearing to show their displeasure at the experienced Chilean international during a 5-1 FA Cup win over Huddersfield Town.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola salutes Claudio Bravo despite fans doubts. Photo goal.com

Bravo, who has been displaced by Willy Caballero as first choice at the Etihad, let an opening goal from Harry Bunn through his legs early in the fifth round replay against the Championship side.

City supporters cheered sarcastically when Bravo made an unconvincing save in the first half and, again, later in the match when he caught a routine cross.

But Guardiola, who paid £15.4 million for his services from Barcelona last summer, insisted the performance from Bravo was up to standard.

“You would have to ask the fans (about jeering). The performance from Claudio was amazing, to make the build-up, nobody else can do that,” said Guardiola.

“He reads when the men are free. It’s not easy to read that. He gave us the opportunity to play. What the fans express, I’m not here to judge them.

“I am not worried about him, he’s strong enough. He’s one of the best. This year, he was named as one of the best five goalkeepers in the world.

“The people cannot imagine a goalkeeper is. But I know how the media works. I’m delighted and so happy that he’s with us.

“I know I can count on him. I can count on his behaviour when he’s playing and when he’s not playing. He’s always involved in the team. I just congratulate him on how he played at Huddersfield and how he played today.”

Bravo’s poor start was unimportant in the end as City coasted into the FA Cup quarter-finals where they will meet Middlesbrough.

’Best of Aguero’

Sergio Aguero scored twice, taking his season tally to 22 goals, and Leroy Sane, Pablo Zabaleta and Kelechi Iheanacho were also on the mark for a City team that scored five for a second consecutive game, after their thrilling 5-3 Champions League win over Monaco.

For Aguero, who had lost his place after the brilliant start made by the now-injured Gabriel Jesus, the performance was particularly impressive, according to his manager.

“It was the best performance I have ever seen from Sergio in many, many things,” said Guardiola. “He was good with the ball, one against one, two against one. He didn’t lose the ball in the box.

“He scored two goals and made another one, created a lot of chances. When he plays at that level, Sergio, he is unstoppable. I’m so, so happy with the way today he played.

“I’m pretty sure he’s going to help us keep going until the end of the season.”

However, despite City having scored 10 goals in their last two games, Guardiola refused to compare City’s attacking talent with his previous teams at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

“No, come on, we are what we are,” he said. “So it is better for us not to compare with anything.

“But I think the team made a good performance. We are still in the process to grow but still we are far away from being consistent and solid. Last game we score five goals and today five, so we are scoring a lot of goals, chances are arriving, we are attacking, people enjoy the way we played and the people are happy.”

Huddersfield manager David Wagner made nine changes for the replay with an eye on a big promotion game against Championship leaders Newcastle on Saturday.

“We’re playing at home and that is our fortress,” said Wagner. “There will be a sold-out crowd, I’m totally sure our supporters will create a great atmosphere — maybe the best one ever — on Saturday.

“So we have to make sure we are as fresh as we can be and try to make sure we compete better than today.” — AFP