Chelsea's players must shoulder the blame for the Londoners becoming the first holders to leave the Champions League at the group stage, goalkeeper Petr Cech said after Wednesday's exit.
The chinks in Inter Milan's armour were exposed again as Tottenham Hotspur beat the holders 3-1 in Champions League Group A and all three teams able to secure last-16 qualification flopped on Tuesday.
Inter Milan, Real Madrid and company will put their faith in attacking football again this week as Europe's leading lights seek early qualification for the Champions League knockout stages.
Confusing an FC Copenhagen player into believing he was offside when clear through on goal earned Barcelona's Jose Manuel Pinto a two-match Champions League ban from UEFA on Friday.
While Real Madrid plot to clinch European Cup number 10, neighbours Atletico will look to thwart those plans.
Angel di Maria's late intervention spared Real Madrid another inquest into the case of the misfiring forwards while Zlatan Ibrahimovic's sense of occasion salvaged a Champions League point for AC Milan.
Openers Michael Klinger and Daniel Harris scripted a dramatic run-chase as South Australia beat fancied Mumbai Indians by five wickets in a thrilling Champions League Twenty20 match in Durban on Tuesday night.
Mumbai Indians' disastrous campaign in the Champions League Twenty20 came to an end with their third defeat in four matches as they meekly surrendered to Sydney Sixers by 12 runs at Kingsmead in Durban on Monday night.
Had it not been for the washed-out game against Perth Scorchers, reigning IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders could have made the semi-finals of the ongoing Champions League Twenty20, said senior all-rounder Jacques Kallis.
Their title defence having ended early with a whimper, Mumbai Indians will look to salvage some of their battered reputation with at least a win when they take on Sydney Sixers in an inconsequential Group B match of the Champions League Twenty20 in Durban on Monday.
The Champions League Twenty20 match between Delhi Daredevils and Auckland Aces was abandoned due to incessant rains in Durban on Friday.
Kolkata Knight Riders' chances of making the semifinals of the Champions League Twenty20 tournament suffered a major blow as they slumped to their second successive defeat after losing to Auckland Aces by seven wickets in a Group A match in Cape Town on Monday.
Australia's in-form Sydney Sixers start outright favourites but will have to guard against complacency when they take on spirited English qualifiers Yorkshire in their second Group B encounter of the Champions League Twenty20 in Cape Town on Tuesday.
Artificial pitches should not be used in the Champions League, Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp said on Tuesday after his side lost 3-2 in their playoff first leg against Swiss side Young Boys.
Two special goals lit up the Nou Camp on Tuesday as Barcelona shared a 1-1 draw with Spanish rivals Atletico Madrid. While holders Bayern Munich were held to a 1-1 draw at Manchester United.
A famous win over Barcelona 30 years ago this week could inspire Manchester United to a comeback victory over Olympiakos in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Images from the Champions League matches played across Europe on Tuesday.
Not even could coach David Moyes run away from the fact that Manchester United were woeful in their last 16 first leg outing against Olympiakos on Tuesday.
Croatian striker Ivica Olic's superb hat-trick fired an unflinching Bayern Munich into their first Champions League final since 2001 on Tuesday as the German side demolished 10-man Olympique Lyon 3-0.
Arjen Robben spared Franck Ribery's blushes with a spectacular strike to lift Bayern Munich to a 1-0 win over Olympique Lyon in their Champions League semi-final first leg on Wednesday.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) has welcomed the Champions League Governing Council's decision to host the 2012 edition of the tournament in Johannesburg.
Images from the Champions League first-leg quarter-finals match played on Wednesday.
Images from the Champions League second-leg match played on Wednesday.
Sevilla are favourites to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League after holding CSKA Moscow to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their last-16 clash on Wednesday.
Champions League commissioner Lalit Modi on Thursday dismissed allegations that the England and Wales Cricket Board was not consulted before finalising the dates of the T20 event and asked the ECB to tweak its county schedule.
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo set a Champions League group phase scoring record on Tuesday as Bayer Leverkusen and Olympiakos Piraeus reached the last 16 and snow forced Galatasaray's match with Juventus to be abandoned.
Chelsea may never quite get over the perceived injustice of their 2009 Champions League semi-final loss to Barcelona but Wednesday's victory over the Spaniards could go some way to easing the pain.
Striker Mario Gomez pounced from close range in the final minute to give Bayern Munich a 2-1 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday.
Written off as too old and accused of hastening the downfall of Andre Villas-Boas, Chelsea's old guard have flourished under stand-in manager Roberto Di Matteo and will relish trying to halt Barcelona's bandwagon on Wednesday.
Images from the Champions League quarter-final matches played across Europe on Wednesday.
Barcelona have a doubt over midfielder Xavi as they prepare to go on the offensive in their Champions League quarter-final second leg against AC Milan on Tuesday.
Barcelona and Lionel Messi can write new chapters in the record books on Tuesday if they are able to break out of the straightjacket imposed on them by AC Milan and reach the Champions League semi-finals.
Barcelona will decide on Tuesday whether to risk Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi in their Champions League clash with Inter Milan at the Nou Camp, coach Pep Guardiola said on Monday.
Mario Gomez scored four opportunist goals as Bayern Munich shattered Champions League records and ruthlessly ended Basel's surprise run with a 7-0 win on Tuesday to reach the quarter-finals.
Images from Champion League matches played across Europe on Tuesday.
European champions Barcelona have injury worries up front for their Champions League Group F match at home to Rubin Kazan on Tuesday.
Two of Europe's in-form teams clash in the Champions League on Wednesday when Serie A leaders Napoli take on a Borussia Dortmund side still on a high after hitting six goals in the Bundesliga at the weekend.
Another Lionel Messi hat-trick lit up the Champions League yet again as Barcelona and AC Milan qualified for the last 16 with time to spare on Tuesday although it is APOEL Nicosia who are fast becoming the talk of the group stages.
Statistical highlights of Wednesday's Champions League Twenty20 match between Royal Challengers angalore and South Australia Redbacks, in Bangalore.
Rocked by two consecutive defeats, Kolkata Knight Riders badly need a win as they take on an equally desperate South Australian Redbacks in their next Champions League Twenty20 match, in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
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