When Bayern Munich take on Borussia Dortmund in the first all-German Champions League final on Saturday, it will not only be a clash of footballing cultures but also a showdown of two different coaching styles.
The 30-year-old, whose contract expires at the end of next season, says he is happy at the club amid transfer talks
Real hold a 2-1 lead after the first leg in Germany last week, however the Frenchman insists the job is nowhere near complete.
Juergen Klinsmann said on Sunday he had spent a restless night after he and his Bayern Munich team were booed off following a 3-3 draw at home to Bochum. Bayern squandered a two-goal lead in the second half and now sit down in 11th place in the table, seven points behind the leaders.
Eden Hazard finally scored his first goal for Real Madrid as his side beat second-placed Granada 4-2 in a highly entertaining game at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday to go four points clear at the top of La Liga.
Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus scored twice in a 3-1 victory at Werder Bremen on Saturday to put them within five points of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich while Borussia Moenchengladbach continued their sensational winning run with a 4-1 demolition of Hertha Berlin.
Atalanta's Josip Ilicic and Robin Gosens scored quickfire second-half goals to give them a comfortable 2-0 win over a toothless Liverpool
The last thing Real Madrid wanted was another Champions League semi-final clash against Bayern Munich and on Wednesday they will need to get the better of a familiar foe who very much appears to have their number.
Reader Ahsan Ali sent us this picture from Saudi Arabia.
For the first time since 1998, the Champions League final will feature two teams who entered the competition as domestic champions, a throwback to the day's of the old European Cup when only a country's title winners were allowed to enter.
The first legs of the ties will take place on February 16, with the return match a week later on February 23.
Brazil captain Lucio has agreed to join Inter Milan after five years at Bayern Munich, the German club said on Thursday. Lucio, whose contract with Bayern ran until 2010, will sign a three-year deal with the Italian champions, Bayern said on their website www.fcbayern.de.
Roberto Carlos will miss the return leg of his side's Champions League knockout tie against Bayern Munich.
Sporting marked the final home game of coach Ruben Amorim's reign in stunning fashion as Viktor Gyokeres' hat-trick saw them come from behind to thrash Manchester City 4-1 and maintain their superb start to the Champions League on Tuesday.
An in-form Bayern Munich will be looking to notch up their fourth straight win in the Champions League group stage and seal a spot in the final 16 when the Bundesliga champions face Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday.
Spanish media claims that the Barca talisman was in talks to move to City, a claim that City coach Guardiola denies.
Fancied teams from England, Italy and Spain didn't make it to this year's Champions League final, which was contested by two German sides. But who would make up an All Stars Champions League team? Check out Siddhanta Pinto's Dream XI.
A toothless and haggard Real Madrid slumped to a humiliating 10th Liga defeat of the season on Sunday as they lost 1-0 at struggling neighbours Rayo Vallecano.
Antonio Conte made an uncharacteristic hash of his team selection against Bayern Munich last week and the Juventus coach cannot afford to get it wrong again as his side chase a two-goal deficit on Wednesday.
Major trophies won by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola in his managerial career:
Long-serving Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger can do very little to salvage even pride from what looks like being another trophyless season after Tuesday's 3-1 Champions League home defeat by Bayern Munich.
Chelsea's caretaker manager Roberto Di Matteo is hoping to avoid what he described on Tuesday as the "worst-case scenario" with reserves and youngsters on the bench for the Champions League final against Bayern Munich on Saturday.
Spanish football giant Real Madrid is ready to offer Argentine star Carlos Tevez an escape from his Manchester City nightmare.
Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho said the better team lost the UEFA Super Cup on Friday and he bemoaned his bad luck for playing another big match with 10 men following his team's shootout defeat by Bayern Munich.
English Premier League club Manchester City have named Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola as their new manager from July, hoping the Spaniard can emulate the glory years he enjoyed at Barcelona.
Images of the Chelsea's victory parade in London
Reuters television footage showed players arriving for the session which began at 1730 local time (1530 GMT) and Messi did not appear.
Bayern Munich's talismanic playmaker Franck Ribery is fit to start in the Champions League semi-final against Olympique Lyon on Wednesday after skipping training because of muscular problems.
European champions Inter Milan will play Bayern Munich in a repeat of last season's final following the draw for the first knockout round of the Champions League on Friday.
Paris St. Germain's unbeaten start to their Ligue 1 season continued on Friday with a comfortable 3-1 win over Rennes at the Parc des Princes that saw Bradley Barcola score twice to keep them top of the standings.
Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski scored a quick-fire second-half double to set the leaders on course for a thrashing of Real Madrid.
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mario Goetze will miss Saturday's Champions League final against Bayern Munich due to a thigh muscle injury, the Bundesliga club said on Wednesday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
For the first time in 10 years, four English clubs have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League
Liverpool, five-times European champions and last season's Champions League runners-up, eased past the Bavarians and into the quarter-finals with two goals from Sadio Mane and one from Virgil van Dijk after a goalless first leg at Anfield.
Manchester City suspended Carlos Tevez on Wednesday while they investigate his conduct in their Champions League match at Bayern Munich in which manager Roberto Mancini said the striker had refused to come on as a substitute.
Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery returned to training on Monday following a knee injury that has kept him out of action for around two weeks.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances