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News Archive

Champions League, round of 16, first leg

Arsenal 2 - Barcelona 1

A rude awakening for Barcelona in London, Guardiola's side unable to hold on to a one goal lead as they lost 2-1 to Arsenal in the Emirates stadium on Wednesday evening. Messi (who has never scored in six games in the UK) missed two or three what for him were relatively easy chances before setting up Villa to open the scoring midway through the first half. And before the half time break the Argentinian forward got the ball in the net only to be pulled up for a more than dubious offside. After the restart though the Premier League side got back in the game, Wilshire, Van Persie and Fábregas all failing to find the target. Pedro had a penalty appeal turned down at the other end, but with twelve minutes to go Van Persie ran on to Cichy's pass to beat Valdés from a wide angle, and six minutes later substitute Arshavin latched on to a cross from Van Persie to beat the keeper for a second time. (16.02.11)

Valencia 1 - Schalke '04 1

A second half strike from Raúl spoilt Valencia's night on the opening day of the knock-out stages of the Champions League, the ex Real Madrid forward scoring a record 70th goal in the competition to help his new side Schalke '04 to a 1-1 draw in the Mestalla stadium. Aided and abetted by fellow Spaniard Juarado, Raúl held off David Navarro before turning a shot past Guaita to cancel out a first half goal by Soldado, who had turned in Matieu's cross in the seventeenth minute. Before that Huntelar had missed a sitter, and later in the first half Guaita did well to tip a looping header from Cluges round the post. But otherwise the Ches had the better chances, with Soldado and Aduríz both going close to increasing the lead before the break. After Raúl's goal Emery threw on all his attacking forces, but the German side held fast to take the edge for next month's second leg. (15.02.11)