Drogba’s victim makes quick return
Bayern Munich welcomed back Franck Ribery for a second-half stint in yesterday’s 3-2 exhibition win over the Netherlands international team merely three days after the Frenchman had to leave the UEFA Champions League final in extra-time due to a tackle on the ankle from Chelsea’s Didier Drogba. Not only did Ribery come off the bench...
Oranje trio slam Bayern fans
Netherlands stars Wesley Sneijder and Mark Van Bommel have hit out at Bayern fans for jeering Arjen Robben during an exhibition match at the Allianz Arena last night while manager Bert van Marwijk will understand if the winger now chooses to walk out on the club despite recently signing a new contract. Robben, 28, has...
Blues hero talks up CL final ‘homework’
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has revealed that his penalty shoot-out heroics against Bayern Munich in Saturday’s Champions League final triumph are directly attributable to homework rather than guesswork. Even before the shoot-out, Cech was brilliant in denying former Blues teammate Arjen Robben five minutes into extra time, thus thwarting Bayern’s hopes of taking a 2-1...
Arsenal starlet credits Henry for turnaround
Robin van Persie may have picked up all the accolades but Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is fully aware that the impact of Thierry Henry’s loan spell midway through the season played an instrumental role in reviving the Gunners’ Premier League season. In particular, Szczesny recalls Henry’s last-gasp match winner in the 2-1 win over Sunderland...
Cahill: Destiny denied brilliant Bayern
Chelsea defender Gary Cahill has expressed his sympathy for a dominant Bayern Munich side that the Blues overcame against all odds to win Saturday’s Champions League final at the Allianz Arena. Cahill, 26, recovered from injury to make it to the final to provide cover for the suspended John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic. The former...
Neuer: Bayern had ‘one hand on trophy’
Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has rued his side’s inability to finish off Chelsea as the German giants lost Saturday’s Champions League final on penalties despite a dominant performance. There were several chances for Bayern to put the Blues away but the defiant Premier League side managed to hang on until the very end, when...
Terry relaxed despite being ridiculed
Chelsea captain John Terry has refused to pay attention to media and rival supporters’ mockery of his Champions League celebrations, insisting that he feels blessed to simply be a part of the most glorious week in the Blues’ history. Terry received a red card in the semifinal second leg clash with Barcelona last month and...
CL winner reveals Spurs sympathy
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard acknowledges that lifting the Champions League trophy at Tottenham’s expense was a little bittersweet due to the efforts of his uncle Harry Redknapp but knows that it was only the top priority for the Blues to seize their moment of glory. Lampard and his teammates finished sixth in the Barclays Premier...
Blues confirm Drogba departure
A day after cooling talk of Didier Drogba’s summer exit, Chelsea have confirmed on their official website that the Champions League final hero will no longer don the club’s blue shirt next season. Drogba, who headed home a massive equalizer to send Saturday’s clash with Bayern Munich to extra time and also scored the decisive...
Stunned Bayern put loss into perspective
It is no secret that most of Bayern Munich’s squad endured a sleepless night following the penalty shoot-out defeat to Chelsea in Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final. But after hours of reflection, at least some are able to put it all into perspective. Bayern had 43 shots to the Blues’ nine, while also delivering 20...
Rummenigge: 2012 worse than 1999
Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has insisted that his side’s penalty shoot-out defeat to Chelsea at the Allianz Arena on Saturday evening was a more bitter pill to swallow than the nightmare 2-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester United in 1999. Thirteen years ago in Barcelona, Bayern led 1-0 heading into stoppage time before...
RDM hails Lampard’s ‘proper’ leadership
Interim Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has expressed his great confidence in Frank Lampard’s ability to lead Chelsea to a historic Champions League triumph against German giants Bayern in Munich this evening. Lampard will be supervising on the field in tonight’s final at the Allianz Arena in the absence of suspended skipper John Terry. Although...
