Suarez, Messi hit 5 goals in Barcelona 6-2 win

Luis Suarez scored a hat trick and Lionel Messi added two more goals as Barcelona made a superb start to its Spanish league title defence by routing Real Betis 6-2 on Saturday.

Suarez, who led scoring in La Liga with 40 goals last season, helped to put the result beyond doubt before halftime and struck twice afterward to complete the demolition.

Even better for the Catalan club, Messi destroyed any hopes of title rivals that a difficult summer could have affected his game.

Messi was found guilty in June of tax fraud in Spain — he is appealing — and lost another Copa America final with Argentina. But he was his normal brilliant self at Camp Nou.

With the score at 1-1, Messi restored Barcelona’s lead for good in the 37th minute with his first of two unstoppable strikes from the edge of the area. He was just as impressive as a playmaker, taking part in setting up three more goals.

“(Messi) is incredible. He is the best player in the world,” Suarez said. “You have to enjoy playing with a player like that.”

Arda Turan had put Barcelona ahead before Real Betis striker Ruben Castro equalized with the first of two goals. Barcelona’s biggest title rivals play their opening matches on Sunday, when Real Madrid visits Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid hosts the promoted Alaves.

For Suarez, the six-goal victory over Betis was a message that Barcelona is still the team to beat. “Barca is always the favourite,” Suarez said. “Today’s game was to show why we have been the champion in recent seasons.”

Before kickoff, Messi and Andres Iniesta received the trophy for last season’s title.

After Iniesta, who is recovering from a leg injury, returned to the stands, Messi got down to helping Barcelona make its first step toward a third straight league crown.

I am the greatest, says Bolt after winning third gold

Usain Bolt ended his Olympic career by claiming an unprecedented ‘triple triple’ and his ninth gold as Jamaica won the 4x100m relay final in Rio.

Bolt, 29, had won the 100m and 200m in Rio and is the only man to win all three sprint events at three Games.

He combined with Asafa Powell, Yohan Blake and Nickel Ashmeade to finish in 37.27 seconds.

Japan won a surprise silver and the USA were disqualified to hand Canada bronze and lift Britain up to fifth.

“There you go. I’m the greatest,” said Bolt, after bringing an end to one of the most astonishing Olympic careers of all time.

In February, Bolt confirmed he would retire after the 2017 World Championships in London and will not compete at Tokyo 2020, at which point he will be nearly 34.

His haul of nine gold medals is the joint highest among Olympic athletics, equal with USA sprinter and long jumper Carl Lewis and Finnish long-distance runner Paavo Nurmi.

Usain Bolt’s ‘triple triple’ came on the eve of his 30th birthday

“I’m going to stay up late and have fun. I never knew this would happen when I started out,” Bolt told BBC Sport.

“My team came through for me tonight. As long as we got the baton round, it was never in doubt.”

Blake made an attempt to persuade 100m and 200m world-record holder Bolt to continue for another four years, saying: “Usain needs to be immortal and he is immortal. I will encourage him to come back for 2020.”

Bolt’s Olympic ‘triple triple’ Beijing 2008 100m, 200m, 4x100m London 2012 100m, 200m, 4x100m Rio 2016 100m, 200m, 4x100m

Mourinho set record after Man Utd 2-0 win over Southampton

Jose Mourinho is only the first Manchester United manager in 79 years to win his first three games in charge of the club, following his team’s 2-0 win against Southampton at Old Trafford.

The last manager to achieve this feat was Walter Crickmer in November 1937.

As Paul Pogba made his second debut for the club, Zlatan Ibrahimovic made it four goals in three games, opening the scoring 35 mins in with a blinding header assisted by Wayne Rooney – who made his 600th club appearance.

Jose Mourinho is the first Manchester Utd manager in 79 years to win his first 3 games in charge of the club.

As the second half got underway, Tadic scored a goal deemed offside for the Saints before United were handed a penalty which an Ibrahimovic converted with ease into the bottom corner.

Ibrahimovic scored 31 goals in 38 games for Paris Saint-Germain last season, a total he’ll be looking to exceed to see the Red Devils into the Premier League title race and the Champions League following their fifth-place finish under Louis Van Gaal last season.

Next up, Mourinho’s side face Hull City away next Saturday, before they clash with rivals Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City two weeks later at home.

Pogba banned for Man United opener – FA

Manchester United’s new signing Paul Pogba is suspended for his side’s Premier League opener at Bournemouth on Sunday, England’s Football Association announced on Friday. The 23-year-old France midfielder was booked twice while playing for Juventus in last season’s Coppa Italia, incurring a one-game ban that has been transferred to England. Having only just returned from his holidays after Euro 2016, Pogba was doubtful to feature against Bournemouth anyway. Pogba returned to United earlier this week in a reported 89 million pounds (105 million euros, $116 million) deal that made him the world’s most expensive player. He left United for Juventus in 2012.

Valencia, other LA Liga teams to storm Nigeria

As part of the NPFL/ LaLiga partnership, Valencia CF and other Spanish clubs may play pre-season friendly matches in Nigeria soon. President of Valancia CF, Chan Lay Hoon made this known while speaking to NPFL media in Alzira after the encounter between Valencia and the NPFL All Star side. According to Hoon, La Liga is hoping to have more Spanish teams go to Nigeria to build a good relationship.

“Well, I hope Valencia can come to Nigeria someday. La Liga is hoping to have more Spanish teams go to Nigeria to build a good relationship with the League in Nigeria,” Hoon said. Hoon also praised the fighting spirit of the NPFL All Stars side saying she was impressed with what she saw. “They gave us a good fight. The Nigerian team is good. I noticed the fighting spirit.” The last time a European side came to Nigeria was in 2008 when Manchester United and Portsmouth played pre-season friendly games in Nigeria with United playing Portsmouth who later played against Kano Pillars.

Richest Footballers In The World - Top 10 Richest Soccer Players 2016

Richest Soccer Players 2016 – Many might not agree with these figures below. But you should because these became known to the public After much research on the amount footballers do earn across the globe. As it where, clubs do not reveal the exact figures they pay their players. For the figures seeing also include bonuses and incentives plus match fee etc.

So below are the list of Richest Soccer Player – Highest Paid Footballers in the World

1. Cristiano Ronaldo – £288,000 a week (After tax) Richest Soccer Player The Real Madrid super star earns a massive £288,000 a week. This figure in his contract is after tax. It has been reveled that he owns most of his image rights with the club at the same time he has many endorsement deals with major brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Castrol, Konami, Motorola, Herbalife, KFC, Tag Heuer, Emirates, Armani etc. A close source reveals that the Madrid man has launched his very own underwear brand called CR7 which increase him yearly income.

2. Lionel Messi – £275,000 a week (After tax) Lionel Messi No doubt he is the best player on planet earth. The Argentine also enjoy a massive pay hike immediately he renewed his recent contract extension with FC barcelona which makes him worlds second highest paid footballer with weekly salary of £275,000. Woah this is cool cash. Lionel Messi has many endorsement deals from the likes of Adidas, Turkish Airlines, Pepsi Herbalife, EA Sports, Dolce & Gabanna, Gillette, of which most major brands are the competitors of the Madrid's Ronaldo brand, for example Messi endorses Pepsi while ronaldo endorse Coca Cola, Messi has Adidas as his sponsor while ronaldo has Nike. This is very interesting because this has made them both of them to competite both on and off the field.

3. Wayne Rooney – £250,000 a week Wayne Rooney 1 As it stands now, Wayne Rooney is the 3rd highest paid player in the world and that makes highest paid footballer in premier league. This pay came as he extended his contract deal last year to stay with United that earned him a weekly salary of around £255,000, although his overall stock has come down dramatically after couple of poor seasons with United. According to reports Wayne Rooney major endorsement deal include Nike, Coca Cola, and EA Sports. For the complete list, click >>> Top 10 Richest Soccer Players 2016

Lagos Farewell Testimonial match for late Shuaibu Amodu and Stephen Keshi to hold on July 23

Lagos Farewell Testimonial match for late Shuaibu Amodu and Stephen Keshi to hold on July 23

The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria in association with the Nigeria Football Supporters Club and the Lagos state government have scheduled the 23rd of July, 2016 for the Lagos Farewell Testimonial Match for the two departed former Super Eagles chief coaches, Amodu Shaibu and Stephen Keshi at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere on July 23, 2016. A committee to oversee the match has also been set up according to the NFF.

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“The Farewell Testimonial match would see the Super Eagles players battle against Lagos All Stars team in the main match of the day, while the curtain raiser would be a game between the Lagos SWAN team and the Supporters Club. This would be followed by Musical Concert where prominent Nigerian musicians and comedians would perform in the entertainment aspect of the programme. This aspect of the event is coordinated by veteran music act, Chris Mba.” Chairman of the committee and President-General of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo said

How Nigerians spend N1.4bn daily on sports betting 8 hours ago SHARE THIS NEWS! Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Email

Casinos and endless entertainment are primarily what Las Vegas in the US is known for. But back home in Nigeria, those involved in casino and sports betting are discriminated against by the larger society. In an interview, Yahaya Maikori, the president of the Nigeria Gaming Association (NGA), speaks on the success and challenges of the industry back home in Nigeria. Excerpt. Betting is becoming very popular in Nigeria with the likes of Naija Bet, 1960 Bet amongst others.What is fueling this revolution as far sports betting is concerned in Nigeria? Yes. It may seem revolutionary but it is not entirely a new thing. It started with pools betting which has been around even from when we were children. However the revolution you talk about is now fueled by several things which include access to media, technology and the internet, which have now brought sports even to our mobile phones. Also, the emergence of big brands like the English Premier League, the German Bundesliga, etc. Some of these companies worth hundreds of millions of dollars have in the process of building their brands embarked on some form of evangelization attracting massive followership across the globe. The passion sports evokes has contributed immensely to the popularity of sports betting. Sports betting means to bet on a sporting event. Since Nigerians are sports loving people, getting people from just enjoying a game to staking cash on what they are passionate about is really easy. Tell our readers what they might not know about the Nigeria Gaming Association (NGA). The association started about five years ago when we started having issues with some of the government regulatory bodies. First we started as Association of Casino Operators of Nigeria (ACON), and as time went on, we started to notice the growth of other areas like sports betting, online, etc. So, we decided to broaden the association to cover the whole gaming industry. Currently, our trustees represent different sectors of the industry. The idea is to create a platform for the advancement of our common interest as well as liaise with relevant institutions particularly government to build an economically viable industry for all stakeholders. The manner in which you talk about ‘gaming industry’ suggests to me that we have an industry here in Nigeria. In actual sense, do we really have gaming industry yet? Oh we have a very big gaming industry, probably bigger than what you imagine. In an interview some time back I stated that sports betting were a N40 billion industry annually. But with the information currently available to me now, I know sport betting in Nigeria is much bigger than that and that is only one side of the story. We have casino, we have lottery, promos, poker, video games and apps, etc. READ ALSO: NFF furious with referees favoring teams in the NPFL The Nigerian Lottery Act defines lottery to include “any game of chance or game of skill”. If you use that definition, you will find out that the issue is gone beyond your traditional perception of the industry. It also means that promos sponsored by corporate organizations fall into this space; these include those by telcos, banks, FMCGs, etc. Traditionally, when we talk about the gaming industry, we tend to limit it to only when people stake money but it goes way beyond that. When you text for the purpose of winning something or when you play Candy Crush or Angry Birds on your phone or laptop it means you are actively engaged at some level in the industry. Yahaya Maikori In terms of size, sports betting alone is conveniently over N100 billion in revenues annually. There is a report that says Nigerians stake N1.4 billion every day on sports betting, although I don’t know the basis of that report. But that begins to give you an insight into how big the industry possibly is. Even looking at some of the information I am privy to reinforce those projections. We haven’t even talked about lottery, which is surprisingly still bigger than sport betting. How, in your view, can government create or increase its own revenue in this huge industry as you are saying? First of all, the government needs to understand the industry especially the value chain. Government should not wear the ‘we don’t want to get involved in it’ attitude. This industry is a critical part of the entertainment industry because that is the first service it provides. What you decide to do is entirely your own choice. Some people play video games without staking anything; while some play and stake something. Some people watch football and stake cash while others watch and don’t. The industry is totally ICT driven; a report says Nigeria loses over $5 billion to foreign companies on software per annum. So you can imagine the revenue and employment opportunities that government can tap into if they encourage Nigerian software developers. So primarily, any gaming company is an ICT company. Ninety per cent of what they do is based on ICT. Tourism is another opportunity for government to tap into and that is why people go to Las Vegas and you will be amazed at how many Nigerians travel to Vegas, Macau, etc. Lottery has traditionally been seen as form of taxation and I believe you are going to see many state governments start to run their lottery as an alternative revenue stream. Shouldn’t we be thinking about adequate legislative framework now as a step towards unleashing the industry’s huge economic potential in order to increase government’s revenue in the sector? At the moment, there is nothing deliberate in terms of legislation as far as the gaming industry is concerned. What we have is haphazard. You know in 1977, I think it was Obasanjo’s government that banned the importation of slot machines. Whatever the intention was then the purpose has been defeated and the law is obsolete because things have totally changed. With the benefit of technology people simply download slots apps on their phones while using their credit cards to pay. There is a need for us to have national policy on gaming for the purpose of integrating it into our developmental plan. In fact, a new research shows that with the continued automation of businesses will result in massive unemployment, the millennial will depend on the gaming industry for livelihood potentially making it the biggest industry in the next 10-15 years. For most investors they consider our market a grey market because of the lack of proper legislation in most of the states. Government needs to know that the gaming industry is part of popular culture and technology has made it ubiquitous and the only way you can get a grip is to be proactive in legislating for the sector. Now, there has been this talk of diversifying the Nigerian economy by successive governments since only God knows when, without any deliberate policy and action to back it up. Using the same terminology (diversification), how can government benefit in the industry in terms of taxes? The gaming industry is being taxed at the moment but without an understanding of the uniqueness of the industry and I think this was one of the reasons why our association was formed. The uniform application of taxes without regard to the peculiarity of the industry has discouraged a lot of local operators and potential foreign investors to the Nigerian market. But if the tax regime is properly aligned with what obtains internationally, it will definitely be a huge revenue stream for Nigeria. So, taxes for lottery and sports betting are totally different; in short all the subsectors are taxed differently taking into account their uniqueness. Improper taxation will simply discourage investments while making operators go underground which can become detrimental to the economy. So, engaging the Federal Inland Revenue is top on our agenda. That now takes us to job creation. In what way can government partner with the gaming industry key stakeholders including the gaming association to create employment for the teeming youths in the country? Also, since government maybe naïve of this opportunity, what is your organization doing to bring government up to speed about this huge potential? Part of what we intend to do soon is to hold a media briefing with some of our trustees and members in attendance. This briefing I believe will help lift the mystery surrounding the industry. We need the media to understand in order to help push our agenda of ‘economic development through gaming’. At this briefing data from other jurisdictions would be showcased to disprove some of the misconceptions about the industry. For example, the word ‘casino’ evokes memories of the 60s where all manner of crime converged but casinos are now legitimate establishments you can go to without fear. Besides, the government has several mechanisms in place to check even money laundering which they were hitherto known for. In any case, today’s casino has changed and can also be experienced online or with your phone. We hosted an event last year (Big Africa Summit) in Lagos, where we had key government officials in attendance. We are planning another one this year. We intend to interact with some of the key government agencies we think are important to the development of the industry. This kind of engagement will be the first step towards being able to profile the value chain and how to leverage on the potentials. In the ICT world, companies have been valued in billions of dollars without grossing any revenue. If for example, the gaming companies were using local software, you can only imagine how much of the $5 billion being lost annually on software will be saved by Nigeria! That amount represents a huge leakage to our economy. So, gaming companies are essentially software companies with huge potentials for exports and I believe we have enough local talent to build software that can become dominant in powering the industry world wide. But is there any country you can sight as example where gaming industry is hugely adding to its economic value? Let us not go too far. Let us look at the UK and the US. What drives the economy of Las Vegas, Macau? Some will call it tourism while some call it entertainment and this is part of the reason for poor data because it touches different sectors. Some call it gambling but elsewhere they are known as the software or tech industry. The gaming industry contributes hugely to the economy of these countries. Even in Nigeria, the problem is that we have just not been able to look at it for what it is, and that is why we have not been able to figure its exact contribution to Nigeria’s GDP. READ ALSO: Five countries that may likely win Euro 2016 So, what is the association of which you are the president doing to bridge this data gap in order for you to be able to state categorically the gaming industry’s contribution to the GDP? I asked this question because government may want you to convince it what your contributions are at the moment if it will have a sense of this potential. We have started engaging all the relevant stakeholders. We also make available templates to our members to assist us with data capture; but the most effective way of covering the leakages is to educate government on the benefits and importance of putting in place framework that will enhance proper licensing, monitoring and enforcement. As a first step to achieve this, we are partnering with Clarion Events, owners of ICE/EIG, to host a high level event this year where we are going to have all the critical government institutions in one room to chart a way forward. Lastly, who are those that constitute the stakeholders of the gaming industry in Nigeria? The stakeholders are many. We have government institutions, state governments, those interested in entertainment, financial institutions especially those involved in payment processing; investors, operators and even the punters. The truth is that we are all stakeholders in this industry at some level. SHARE THIS NEWS! Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Email

Messi lights up Copa America with hat trick

Fans chanted his name throughout Argentina's opening game even though he wasn't on the pitch, against Panama, but they eventually got to see their hero in action. With Argentina leading by a goal and half an hour to play, Lionel Messi was introduced and in typical fashion, he lit up the tournament with his brilliance. The attacker bagged a hat trick and set up a fifth goal to help Argentina to a comfortable win and send them through to the next round. Argentines will be hoping their talisman maintains this blitz all the way in search of an elusive continental title.

Nigeria to face Brazil, England and Korea in FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2016 Nigeria's female U-17 National team have been paired against Brazil, England and Korea in a FIFA draw for the U-17 Women's World Cup 2016 to take place in Jordan.

Nigerians drag Sunday Oliseh on twitter after he congratulated Zidane for winning UEFA Champions league

Real Madrid v Atlético Madrid: Champions League final – live! All the action from the final at the San Siro

Preamble So here we are then. For the second time in three seasons the Champions League final is an all-Madrid affair. Two years ago at the Estadio da Luz Atlético were seconds – seconds – from victory before Sergio Ramos’s headed an equaliser and Diego Simeone’s shattered side suffered something of an extra-time meltdown. Revenge is in the air in Milan tonight. Simeone says the scars of Lisbon have healed but he’s fooling nobody. Real are the narrow favourites and Atlético relish the role of underdogs but to paint them as plucky happy-go-lucky upstarts would be a mischaracterisation. This isn’t really the Evil Empire v the Ewoks. There’s plenty of enjoyment to be had in the win-at-all-costs-and-I-mean- ALL-costs mentality that Simeone has imbued in his side but it doesn’t necessarily make them universally likeable. Still, few outside the white half of the city would begrudge Atletico a redemptive victory at San Siro this evening. Road to the final For Real it has been plain sailing – a group-stage campaign featuring five wins, blemished only by a 0-0 draw in Paris against PSG and concluded with an 8-0 walloping of Malmo. Roma should’ve made Real pay for their sloppiness in the last 16 but were eventually swatted aside 4-0 on aggregate; Wolfsburg did make Real pay in their quarter-final first leg but their 2-0 lead was wiped out within 17 minutes at the Bernabeu and Cristiano Ronaldo finished the job (and his hat-trick) in the second half. Manchester City provided stubborn resistance in the semis but Fernando’s own goal was enough for a 1-0 Real win. Atletico’s road has been rather rockier. A home defeat against Benfica and a 0-0 draw in Astana left them sweating with two games to go in the group stage before two wins took them over the line with plenty to spare. In the last 16 there were 210 goal- less minutes against PSV before the two sides showed they could actually find the target in a thrilling penalty shootout, Atleti running out 8-7 winners. Barcelona awaited in the quarters and a couple of Antoine Griezmann suckerpunches in the second leg led to a 3-2 aggregate win. Bayern also suffered at the hands of the France forward, Griezmann’s goal at the Allianz Arena proving the difference as Atleti advanced on away goals. Previous meetings Recent history looks pretty good for Diego Simeone’s side. Atlético have lost only one of their last 10 Madrid derbies – the 1-0 defeat in the quarter-finals of this competition in April 2015. That game was the last of eight meetings between the sides last season, with Atletico going unbeaten in the other seven. Their two meetings in this campaign ended in a 1-1 draw at the Calderon back in October and a 1-0 Atleti win at the Bernabeu (courtesy of an Antoine Griezmann goal) in late February. And if you want the full breakdown: this is the 201st meeting between the sides. Of the previous 200, Real have won 102, Atléti 50 and there have been 48 draws. Recent form Real ended the La Liga season with 12 wins on the bounce, a run that began after that February defeat to their neighbours but one that was interspersed with a couple of less impressive European performances – namely that almost bizarre defeat in Wolfsburg in the last eight and the 0-0 draw at the Etihad in the semis. Atlético couldn’t quite match the late season form of their neighbours from across the Spanish capital. Their were 10 wins in those dozen post- derby league fixtures but crucially two defeats – at Gijon in mid-March then, painfully, at Levante on the penultimate matchday of the campaign. There were away defeats against Barcelona and Bayern too in the Champions League but Simeone’s side still found ways to get the job done. Kick-off … is 7.45pm BST.

Real Madrid v Atlético Madrid: Champions League final – live! All the action from the final at the San Siro

£150m transfer wishlist

JOSE MOURINHO has reportedly targeted seven players for his Manchester United revolution. By Colin Harvey / Published 27th May 2016 The Portuguese was announced as the new Red Devils boss earlier today and it looks like he is wasting no time in his recruitment drive. Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has tweeted to list the seven players on the former Chelsea boss' wishlist. Zlatan Ibrahimovic heads the field and would be a perfect solution to United's lack of goals. But he could be joined by Juventus striker Alvaro Morata who is expected to fetch £40m this summer. Valencia midfielder Andre Gomes also features and would inject some pace into United's ponderous midfield. RELATED VIDEOS Mourinho is said to be concerned about the heart of United's defence and has targeted four potential central defenders. Roma's Kostas Manolas, Real Madrid's Raphael Varane, John Stones of Everton and Zenit's Ezequiel Garay are all candidates for a summer switch. Mourinho is likely to be backed in the market and it thought to have been handed a £150m transfer war chest.

The 2016 UEFA Champions League Final brings together local rivals Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid for a mouth-watering showdown at Milan’s San Siro stadium, this Saturday, May 28, 2016. Will Atletico Madrid take it? Or will Real Madrid win? Don’t answer y

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See Jose Mourinho's new office at Man Utd (photos) After Man U confirmed Jose Mourinho as its new coach today, Jose Mourinho's wife and son uploaded pictures of his new office to their Twitter accounts, which included a Red Devils home shirt dra

"Ever knowing how he can hurt you, if he has a good day, you cannot stop him." The Argentine coach, a former Real Madrid player himself, said he did not expect to encounter a distracted team as Zinedine Zidane looks to balance his side's Ch

Bayern Munich could be crowned Bundesliga champions next weekend after they downed a stubborn Schalke side 3-0 at Allianz Arena 24/7 Live - Subscribe to the Pulse Newsletter! Subscribe A Robert Lewandowski brace and Arturo Vidal's goal helped Bayern Munich close to within touching distance of a fourth successive Bundesliga crown as they downed Schalke 3-0 at the Allianz Arena on Saturday. The result means Pep Guardiola's men can clinch the title as early as next weekend if second- placed Borussia Dortmund fail to beat Hamburg on Sunday, coupled with a Bayern triumph at Hertha Berlin on April 23. The deserved victory rounded off a fine week for the Bavarian giants in which they also progressed to the last four of the Champions League, but they were made to work for the three points by an stubborn Schalke side who kept them at bay for almost an hour.

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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2nd Leg: Tuesday (12/04/16) - Read Madrid Vs Wolfsburg

Madrid seek to overhaul Wolfsburg deficit Real Madrid have reached five straight semi-finals but must undo the damage caused by a 2-0 first- leg defeat at knockout debutants Wolfsburg to extend that run. VfL Wolfsburg and Real Madrid CF are at the opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of UEFA Champions League quarter-final experience as they prepare for the second leg in the Spanish capital. Previous meetings • The first leg was the sides' first meeting – and only Wolfsburg's fifth game against Spanish opposition. Match background Real Madrid • Madrid are in the quarter-finals for the sixth season in a row – they have won their last five and nine of the last ten. Their European Cup quarter-final record is W26 L6. • Madrid have won all four home games in this season's competition, including a 2-0 defeat of AS Roma in the round of 16 second leg for a 4-0 aggregate success, and an overwhelming 8-0 defeat of Malmö FF in December – the joint-biggest victory in 24 years of the UEFA Champions League. Overall at home they have scored 15 goals and conceded none. • Madrid's record in two-legged ties with German clubs in UEFA competition is W12 L8. They have won each of their last four ties against German opposition, scoring 22 goals in the process. • Madrid lost their most recent fixture against German opposition, 4-3 at home to FC Schalke 04 in last season's round of 16 second leg, yet still prevailed in that tie having triumphed 2-0 away. • The Schalke defeat ended a run of four straight home wins and a 12-game unbeaten run at the Santiago Bernabéu (W10 D2), against German visitors. • Madrid's overall home record against Bundesliga clubs is W22 D4 L3; overall, it is W28 D10 L23. • Madrid have overturned a first-leg away defeat 22 times, failing on a further 16 occasions including the last five – most recently against Juventus in last season's semi- finals. However, they have retrieved large first-leg away deficits: against Derby County FC (1975/76 European Champion Clubs' Cup second round: 1-4 away, 5-1 home); RSC Anderlecht (1984/85 UEFA Cup third round: 0-3 away, 6-1 home); and VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach (1985/86 UEFA Cup third round: 1-5 away, 4-0 home). • Madrid's shoot-out record in European competition is W1 L2: 5-6 v FK Crvena zvezda, 1974/75 European Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals 3-1 v Juventus, 1986/87 European Cup second round 1-3 v FC Bayern München, 2011/12 UEFA Champions League semi-finals Wolfsburg • In the UEFA Champions League for only the second time following their 2009/10 debut, Wolfsburg are in the knockout stages for the first time. • This is the German club's third quarter-final in a major UEFA competition. Beaten 3-1 on aggregate by Fulham FC in the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League (1-2 away, 0-1 home), they also lost to SSC Napoli at the same stage of last season's competition (1-4 home, 2-2 away). • Wolfsburg lost their first two away games in this season's competition, but have won the last two, 2-0 at PFC CSKA Moskva on matchday five and 3-2 at KAA Gent in the round of 16 first leg. • Dieter Hecking's side have lost only two of their last nine European away games, winning five. • The German club have won all four ties in UEFA competition in which they won the home first leg. That includes two 2-0 first-leg successes, most recently against Sporting Clube de Portugal in last season's UEFA Europa League round of 32 (0-0 away). • Wolfsburg have never been involved in a penalty shoot-out in UEFA competition. Coach and player links • Wolfsburg's Julian Draxler was in the Schalke team beaten by Madrid in the 2013/14 round of 16, the Germans losing 6-1 in Gelsenkirchen and 3-1 in Madrid. Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema all scored twice in the first leg, Ronaldo adding two more at the Santiago Bernabéu. • Toni Kroos scored at the VfL Wolfsburg Arena for Bayer Leverkusen, where he was on loan from Bayern München, on 18 April 2009. Wolfsburg went on to win 2-1. • Josuha Guilavogui is currently on loan at Wolfsburg from Club Atlético de Madrid, for whom he has made just one appearance. • Kroos faced Wolfsburg 12 times during his time in Germany with FC Bayern München (2007–09, 2010– 14) and Bayer 04 Leverkusen (2009–10) with the record W10 D1 L1. • Daniel Carvajal spent 2012/13 on loan at Leverkusen, recording a draw and two losses against Wolfsburg. • André Schürrle and Kroos each scored twice as Germany beat a Brazil side containing Marcelo and Luiz Gustavo 7-1 in the 2014 FIFA World Cup semi-finals. • Kroos scored Germany's winner in a November 2014 friendly against Spain, with Kiko Casilla and Sergio Ramos in the home team. Max Kruse also featured for Germany, with Robin Knoche an unused substitute. • Play for same country: Joshua Guilavogui & Raphaël Varane, Karim Benzema (France) André Schürrle, Julian Draxler, Max Kruse, Maximilian Arnold, Sebastian Jung, Christian Träsch, Marcel Schäfer & Toni Kroos (Germany) Luiz Gustavo, Dante & Marcelo, Danilo, Casemiro (Brazil) Vieirinha & Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe (Portugal) • Have played together Toni Kroos & Dante (Bayern, 2012– 14) Toni Kroos & Luiz Gustavo (Bayern, 2011–13) Match facts Real Madrid • Casemiro, Danilo and Sergio Ramos will incur a suspension with their next bookings. • The defeat in Wolfsburg ended Madrid's six-match winning run. • Cristiano Ronaldo took his Liga total to 30 for the season in Saturday's 4-0 defeat of Eibar; he is the first player to reach 30 goals in six successive Liga seasons. Wolfsburg • Arnold, Diego Benaglio, Daniel Caligiuri, Vieirinha and Luiz Gustavo are a booking away from a ban. • The victory over Madrid was Wolfsburg's first win in four games. Their 1-1 draw against Mainz on Saturday was their fourth successive Bundesliga game without a victory (D2 L2). • Winter signing Bruno Henrique made his first start for Wolfsburg in the quarter-final first leg. • Naldo, expected to miss the rest of the campaign after sustaining a right shoulder injury against Bayern on 27 February, returned to the side against Madrid. • Caligiuri has been out since sustaining a groin injury against SV Darmstadt 98 on 19 March. • Jung suffered a knee injury in Ghent on 17 February and was ruled out for the remainder of the season. • On 12 January, Bas Dost fractured a metatarsal in his left foot during Wolfsburg's winter training camp in Portugal. He returned to play 71 minutes against Mainz on Saturday

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2nd Leg: Tuesday (12/04/16) - Man City Vs Paris Saint German

Manchester City hold edge for Paris visit A 2-2 away draw has left Manchester City well placed to reach the semi-finals for the first time, although Paris Saint-Germain have already won in England this season. While Paris Saint-Germain are in a fourth successive UEFA Champions League quarter-final, Manchester City FC are making their first appearance – and it is they who hold a slight advantage in the tie. Previous meetings • Paul Le Guen's Paris earned a goalless draw against a Manchester City managed by Mark Hughes at the City of Manchester Stadium in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup group stage – their only previous meeting before the first leg and City's only prior tie against a French side. Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta and Vincent Kompany were all in the City team. • The teams in Manchester on 3 December 2008 were: Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Dunne, Ben Haim, Garrido, Kompany, Ireland, Elano (Benjani 49), Vassell (Hamann 76), Sturridge, Jô (C Evans 65). Paris: Landreau, S Traoré, Sakho, Z Camara, Bourillon, Makelele (Armand 59), Clement, Rothen, Pancrate (Giuly 69), Luyindula, Kežman (Hoarau 69). • City finished first in Group A with Paris third, both sides progressing to the round of 32. Both eventually lost in the quarter-finals, City going down 4-3 on aggregate to Hamburger SV while Paris were beaten 3-0 over two legs against FC Dynamo Kyiv. Match background Manchester City • This is City's first European Cup quarter-final. Their last two UEFA Champions League campaigns both ended in round of 16 defeat by Barcelona, in 2013/14 and 2014/15. • The 3-1 aggregate win against Dynamo Kyiv in this season's round of 16 – 3-1 away, 0-0 home – was City's first European Cup knockout win. Aside from those Barcelona defeats, their only previous tie was a 2-1 aggregate loss by Fenerbahçe SK in the 1968/69 first round. • At home in this season's competition, City lost 2-1 to Juventus but then beat Sevilla FC 2-1 and VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-2 before the goalless draw against Dynamo. • While this is City's first quarter- final, their coach Pellegrini has been there with two different clubs – Villarreal CF (2005/06, 2008/09) and Málaga CF (2012/13). Only Villarreal's 2006 side won their last-eight tie, going on to lose to Arsenal FC in the semi-finals. • City have won all six ties in UEFA competition in which they drew the away first leg, including two where the first scoreline was 2-2: against FC København in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup round of 32 (2-1 home) and AC Milan in the 1978/79 UEFA Cup third round (3-0 home). • City's record in penalty shoot- outs in UEFA competition is W2 L0: 4-2 v FC Midtjylland, 2008/09 UEFA Cup second qualifying round 4-3 v Aalborg BK, 2008/09 UEFA Cup round of 16 Paris • Paris are in the quarter-finals for the fourth year in a row, having lost to Barcelona in 2013 and 2015 and Chelsea in 2014. • Overall their European Cup quarter-final record is W1 L3. They beat Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate in 1994/95, subsequently losing to AC Milan in the semi-finals. • The French club have won three of their four away games in this season's competition, prevailing 3-0 at FC Shakhtar Donetsk and 5-0 at Malmö FF in addition to winning at Chelsea in the round of 16. They lost 1-0 at Real Madrid CF on matchday four. • Paris are unbeaten in their last four matches with Premier League opposition, all against Chelsea, since a 2-0 loss at Stamford Bridge in April 2014. • The Parisian club have played 14 matches against English sides with the record W4 D6 L4. Away it is W1 D3 L3. • Their knockout record in ties against English sides reads W3 L2. • The Parisians have drawn the home first leg 12 times in UEFA competition and won six of those ties on aggregate. However, they have been held at home 2-2 three times and lost all those ties: against Juventus in the 1983/84 European Cup Winners' Cup second round (0-0 away), FC Karviná in the 1986/87 European Champion Clubs' Cup first round (0-1 away) and Barcelona in the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals (1-1 away). • Paris's European shoot-out record is W0 L1: 3-4 v Rangers FC, 2001/02 UEFA Cup third round Coach and player links • Yaya Touré was a team-mate of Ibrahimović and Maxwell at Barcelona in 2009/10. • David Luiz joined Paris in 2014 after three and a half years and 81 Premier League appearances for Chelsea. He scored against City in Chelsea's 2-0 home win in March 2011. • Also played in England: Angel Di María, Manchester United (2014/15); Benjamin Stambouli, Tottenham Hotspur FC (2014/15) • Played in France: Bacary Sagna, AJ Auxerre (2004–2007), Yaya Touré, AS Monaco FC (2006/07), Gaël Clichy (AS Cannes, 2002/03) • Hart was in goal for England when Sweden's Ibrahimović scored four times in a 4-2 victory for the Blågult in a November 2012 friendly. • Hart and Raheem Sterling helped England to a 2-0 Wembley win against Blaise Matuidi's France on 17 November 2015. • Aleksandar Kolarov's scored Serbia's goals in a 1-1 friendly against France in Belgrade on 7 September 2014. Matuidi came on for the visitors. • Blanc ended his playing days at Manchester United FC between 2001 and 2003, appearing in a 3-1 loss at Maine Road on 9 November 2002. • Gaël Clichy made three appearances for Blanc's France side at UEFA EURO 2012, including the quarter-final loss to David Silva's Spain (2-0) • Ibrahimović scored Barcelona's winner against Pellegrini's Real Madrid CF at the Camp Nou on 29 November 2009. • International team-mates: Bacary Sagna, Gaël Clichy, Eliaquim Mangala & Blaise Matuidi, Layvin Kurzawa (France) Fernandinho & David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Lucas (Brazil) Nicolás Otamendi, Martín Demichelis, Pablo Zabaleta, Sergio Agüero & Javier Pastore, Ángel Di María (Argentina) Yaya Touré, Wilfried Bony & Serge Aurier (Ivory Coast) Match facts Manchester City • Jesús Navas and Otamendi will incur a suspension with their next bookings. • City have won only four of their last 13 matches in all competitions (counting the shoot-out success against Liverpool FC in the League Cup final as a draw). • De Bruyne scored in his first two appearances since returning from a two-month injury lay-off on 2 April, but was not among the scorers as City beat West Bromwich Albion FC 2-1 on Saturday. • Making his first start since September, Samir Nasri scored the winner against the Baggies, his first goal following a long absence with a thigh injury. • Touré (knee) came on against West Brom for his first appearance since 20 March. • Sterling was ruled out for six to eight weeks after suffering a groin injury in the 1-0 home loss to Manchester United on 20 March. • Kompany has yet to return after hobbling off early on against Dynamo on 15 March with a recurrence of a calf injury. Paris • Aurier, Ibrahimović and Marco Verratti are a booking away from a ban. Matuidi and David Luiz serve one-match suspensions. • Aurier's start against Manchester City was his first for Paris since 10 February for disciplinary reasons. • Paris retained the French championship with an unprecedented eight games to spare, wrapping up their fourth consecutive title with a 9-0 success at ES Troyes AC on 13 March, Ibrahimović scoring four times. • Lucas Moura scored both goals as Paris won 2-0 at Guingamp on Saturday, with Blanc omitting ten senior players from his squad: Edinson Cavani, David Luiz, Ángel Di María, Nicolas Douchez, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Maxwell, Javier Pastore Thiago Motta, Thiago Silva and Marco Verratti. • Verratti (groin) has not played since 20 February. • Winners of the last two editions, Paris face LOSC Lille in the French League Cup final on 23 April. Txt NCG to 700 (MTN) For News/Gist SMS A must win for PSG,,