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Bremen revel in Milan success

Petri Pasanen jumped up from the bench, knelt in front of his team-mates, took their hands and shook them so energetically as if he was mixing a winner’s cocktail. Head coach Thomas Schaaf leapt up, turned to his bench players and unleashed a scream full of joy. Both Pasanen and Schaaf were all celebrations in front of the bench in the 78th minute.

“That really did us good. It was a really great feeling,” said the Finnish international defender after game. “Yeah, I was celebrating, but inside I was thinking the goal came 10 minutes too early. That was like déjà vu with a happy end. Six years ago I was here with Ajax Amsterdam in exactly the same situation. And then we lost 3-2. But today everything worked out,” added Pasanen. “I’m very happy. My god! That was Milan! And we advanced!”

The somewhat surprising aspect of the success against the team with the most international titles in the world is that not one fan of either team could seriously doubt that Werder deservedly advanced to the UEFA Cup Round of 16. Milan head coach Carlo Ancelotti gave the best reasoning: “We may have led 2-0 but we did not deserve the lead. We never had the game under control. Werder were better physically and tactically. It was a sad night for Milan. But the better team moved on.”

Bremen manager Klaus Allofs saw things similarly: “Today the team showed that it’s no fantasy what we have been saying about the potential of this team over the past few weeks. And our expectations were confirmed today. You can say that we played four games this season against Milan teams and did not lose one game.” And the manager said Bremen just has to keep it going over the next few weeks. “We always complained that we were lacking a real big success. Now we have one. And we have to draw strength from it.”

Werder laughed off talk that the Green-Whites should now be considered the top favourites to win the UEFA Cup title. “Is that really your opinion?” asked Claudio Pizarro dumbfounded, thinking of all the criticism of the past weeks. “No, we are not all of a sudden favourites. We know what we can do. But there are a lot of other good teams still in this competition.”

Ronaldo could have been Inter player

Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted that he was approached by Inter Milan when he was playing at Sporting Lisbon and was being lined up for a move before he joined Manchester United.

“It has been many years and I don’t remember too well,”

“When I was 17 or 18 there was interest and someone spoke to me about the possibility of coming to Italy.

“I don’t remember what they told me because many years have passed, but it was a thing which we discussed. Then I arrived in Manchester and I came here.”

Ronaldo is confident United can reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, despite drawing 0-0 with Inter in the first leg.

“In the first half we played in a really good way and I’m surprised to have not won because we did better than Inter,” he added.

“We had more opportunities to score and we have been unlucky too. I’m still a little angry because we have not won but anyway we put in a fantastic performance and I’m proud to be a part of a side like Manchester.

“We will have new opportunities to score (in the second leg) and this time we won’t be wrong. I assure you. We will have our supporters and better faith.

“We will respect Inter because they are a strong side, but we don’t fear them. The aim is to play as in the first-half in the San Siro. Should we do this, I’m sure the final result will be different.

“I’m confident. Considering the team we have, we can do it. I want to lift the Champions League again.”

Henry looking for Barca stay

French International Thierry Henry has been linked with moves to a number of English clubs including Manchester City but insists he is happy at Barcelona and would like to play out his career there.

“I would like to do that. I always say that and at times I think people do not listen to me,”

“You know, I love this city. We are in February and it is sunny. However hard it was last year, the people in the street were always encouraging me.

“I enjoy the life here and the food is great too.”

Hull City 2-1 Sheffield United

Hull City progressed to the quarter finals of the FA Cup thanks to Peter Halmosi’s first Hull City goal, in a game that was full of controversy. City had taken the lead thanks to an own goal from Kyle Naughton, but replays cannot certainly clearify that the ball crossed the line. Billy Sharp levelled back up moments later, but Halmosi’s 56th minute goal was enough to secure a win for City, as they will face Arsenal or Burnley away in the quarter finals. Phil Brown brought Boaz Myhill back in goal, whilst Nathan Doyle, Peter Halmosi, Caleb Folan, Nick Barmby and Ryan France all coming into the side, whilst Dean Marney captained the Tigers.

Sheffield United could only place five out of a possible seven substitutes on the bench, three of those being called up from the youth squad, due to players been cup-tied and injuries. Greg Halford, who scored the goal againgst Hull in the first game, has been playing up front instead of his usual position at full-back, and he had the first chance of the game, but his header was just wide of Myhills post. Halmosi beat his man on the near side, before squaring back to Barmby, but the ex England international fired over on the volley from close range. Zayatte and Folan then both headed wide for City from corners, and young full back Naughton was lucky not to be sent after hauling down the onrushing Halmosi just outside the box, he was just shown a yellow, and Marney could only fire the resulting free kick in to the Blades wall. Moments later, Naughtons night got even worse.

Doyles cross from the right was headed back towards Paddy Kenny from the full-back, but his header bulleted towards goal, before bouncing down of the bar, onto the line, and hitting the bar again before being hooked away by the visitors, but not before the linesman had raised his flag for a goal, much to the dismay of Sheffield United. Replays of the incident didn’t prove conclusive. But the visitors hit back eight minutes later thanks to ex Scunthorpe front man Billy Sharp. Greg Halford found himself in plenty of space on the right hand side, and he floated his cross to the back post, where Lee Hendrie lurked, and he headed beautifully to Sharp, who volleyed home from six yards, despite the attempts of Michael Turner to head the ball clear on the line. Sheffield United then had a very good claim for a penalty turned down.

Sharp was played in on goal, and was brought down seven yards from goal by Zayatee. Referee Peter Walton put the whistle to his mouth, with most people expecting him to award the visitors a penalty, but instead booked Sharp for diving. Replays later showed that Zayatte had brought the striker down in the box, and according to Dean Windass and Steve Mcmanaman in the Setanta Sports studio at half time, the incident was a ’stone wall penalty’. The first chance of the second half fell to Nick Barmby following another City corner, but his volley was hooked wide of the post.

Minutes later City did have the lead. Nathan Doyle did excellently well to keep the ball in on the near touchline, and threaded the ball to Barmby, whose cross found Halmosi, and the Hungarian managed to prod the ball beyond Kenny into the corner. City then pressed for a third to seal the cup tie, with Mendy heading just over. Sheffield United pushed hard late on, with Kevin Blackwell throwing some substitutes, but the Tigers backline stayed resolute, and held out the threat of the Blades, to hand City a quarter final tie at either Burnley or Arsenal. But before that they face Blackburn Rovers on Sunday at the KC, in a game that could carry huge significance for the Tigers season.

Bremen knock Milan out UEFA Cup

Two header goals by Claudio Pizarro in the second half helped Werder Bremen complete a mini-miracle by coming back from a two-goal deficit for a 2-2 draw at AC Milan, sending Bremen to the UEFA Cup Round of 16. After a 1-1 result in the first leg, Bremen advanced 3-3 on aggregate on the away goals rule. Andrea Pirlo (26’ hand ball penalty) and Alexandre Pato (33’) shocked Thomas Schaaf’s team in the first half. But in the end, it was the Green-Whites celebrating.

Werder started the game very strong and was the better side but unable to take advantage of a 5-1 advantage on shots on goal in the first quarter-hour. And Milan struck back showing nerves of steel with a double strike. First it was Pirlo converting a penalty in the 26th minute after Torsten Frings was charged with a handball in the area. Just seven minutes later, Pato doubled the lead with a shot from 18 yards. And it remained 2-0 at the break.

Little changed in the second half as Werder were still the more aggressive team – though unable to create much trouble in front of the Milan goal. But that all changed in the 68th minute as Diego sent a free kick into the area and Pizarro nodded home to make it just 2-1. Werder knew they were just one goal from advancing and increased their pressure once again – with success. Pizarro was once again in the right place 11 minutes from time, hitting home his second header to complete the mini-miracle from Milan. The 2-2 draw was completely deserved as was the advancement to the UEFA Cup Round of 16. Now it’s a Green-White celebration.

The game at a glance:

AC Mailand: Dida - Zambrotta, Senderos, Maldini, Favalli (77′ Jankulovski) - Beckham, Pirlo, Ambrosini, Seedorf (54′ Flamini)- Pato, Inzaghi

Werder Bremen: Vander - Fritz, Mertesacker, Naldo, Pasanen (67′ Boenisch) - Frings, Tziolis, Özil (90′ Jensen), Diego - Almeida (61′ Rosenberg), Pizarro

Goals: 1-0 Pirlo (26′/penalty), 2-0 Pato (33′), 2-1 Pizarro (68′), 2-2 Pizarro (78′)

Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden)

Attendance: 24,000 (Giuseppe-Meazza-Stadium)

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