Robben highlights CSKA negativity

Arjen Robben highlighted a negative approach from CSKA Moscow as they slipped to a meek UEFA Champions League elimination at Bayern Munich.
The Russian side needed to match Manchester City's result at Roma to guarantee a spot in the last 16, while victory would have taken them through in the event of a draw at the Stadio Olimpico.

However, CSKA failed to impose themselves on Bayern at the Allianz Arena, and succumbed to a 3-0 defeat which eliminates them from European competition for the season.

Thomas Muller's first-half penalty and late goals from Sebastian Rode and Mario Gotze helped the Bavarian side ease through with five victories from their six Group E fixtures.

While naturally delighted to win, Robben was quick to point out CSKA's curious apparent unwillingness to press on and look for a vital win.
"Moscow weren't at all positive, they pulled everyone back and waited to hit us on the break," he said.

"We had total control over the game.
"If we'd seen our moves through to the end a little better in the second half, we'd have scored a couple more goals. But it was fun.

"It was a tough group but all credit to the team because we’ve done well."

Phelan questions Van Gaal´s methods

Former Manchester United assistant Mike Phelan believes a change in approach under Louis van Gaal is behind the club's injury crisis.
Van Gaal's squad has been ravaged by injury during this season but they have managed to win five straight games to sit third in the Premier League.

Phelan said Van Gaal's decision to change former fitness coach Tony Strudwick's role and alter the club's training were behind the injuries.
"What's happened is a continuation of the same players getting injured all the time, so you have to look to the reasons why," he told the International Business Times UK.

"I think Manchester United changed their thoughts on the fitness regime, they looked at it a little bit differently.
"Tony Strudwick, who was operating as head of sports science, was involved day to day with the first team. He understood the ins and outs of how to keep players fit, how to keep them ready for competition. Then suddenly they moved him sideways and did something completely different. That may have had an effect. That one area has changed.

"They've brought in new people with a different way of doing things. The intensity of training may be one thing - it may be too intense, or not intense enough - but obviously slight changes have been made with the present way of doing things.

 "I would have thought [the squad] is big enough at Manchester United, because they can go out and get players in, but obviously they keep breaking down and they don't seem to be getting any better. They seem to get one back and lose another two."
Phelan backed former Netherlands coach Van Gaal to adapt and start learning what his players could handle.

The likes of Angel di Maria, Radamel Falcao, Michael Carrick and Phil Jones have spent time on the sidelines due to injury.
"He knows now roughly the intensity of the Premier League and what his players can produce," he said.

"He's been at the highest level, working with the highest players, in different countries.
"It's just a case of maybe understanding the specific requirements of players, individual players, where they need to be at certain times in order to perform. He's got enough staff there to sort that out."

Monaco´s success ´important for French football´ - Jardim

Monaco's progression in the UEFA Champions League was a breakthrough moment for French football, according to coach Leonardo Jardim.
The club from the principality on the Mediterranean coast secured a berth in the Champions League's round of 16 on Tuesday, overcoming Zenit 2-0 to clinch top spot in Group C ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, the Russian outfit and Benfica.

Jardim clearly took some satisfaction in proving Monaco's critics wrong with his team having won their last two matches in Group C to storm to the top of the standings.
The win saw two French clubs - Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain - reach the last 16, the first time that has happened since the 2011-12 season when Marseille and Lyon progressed.

"This qualification is important for me, but more so for the team, the principality and French football," Jardim told ligue1.com after the win over Zenit.
"Two French teams have qualified for the last 16, which is rare. And remember, in August, Monaco were regarded as the worst team in the group.

"Revenge? No, but I am happy because we reached our objective.
"The team gave a frank response to the critics, and especially to people in France who said at the start of the season that we weren't up to the level needed to qualify."
Having lost key players Radamel Falcao (on loan at Manchester United) and James Rodriguez (Real Madrid) before the season, Monaco have struggled to match their success of last campaign, where they pushed PSG for the Ligue 1 title.

Jardim has come in for criticism in France in his first season in charge of the club - as they sit seventh in Ligue 1, 12 points behind leaders Marseille.
But the Portuguese coach played down any stress he has felt over the past six months.
"We finished first because we got more points than the other teams. It is deserved, we were the best team," the 40-year-old said.

"This will not change Monaco's season. Monaco's season changed in August.
"This match will give the team more confidence. It is a victory first and foremost for the players, and then for the coach.
"When you arrive in a new country it is difficult. But over these six matches we have succeeded in finishing first in our group where there were quality teams with great coaches."

Roma confirmed for International Champions Cup

Serie A giants Roma have been confirmed as the third and final side to play in next year’s International Champions Cup at the MCG.
Roma, currently second in the league, join European champions Real Madrid and Premier League winners Manchester City in a super-powered tournament from July 18-24.
The news was confirmed via the ICC on Twitter on Wednesday.

A report in the Herald Sun on Wednesday revealed Roma are likely to kick-off the tournament against Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and their Real team-mates on July 18.
The Italians would back up and play Manchester City three days later before Manuel Pellegrini's men take on Real to close the event on July 24.

It is understood the event organisers - Nine Live and TLA Worldwide - have signed a four-year deal to host the ICC in Australia.
It could see clubs likes Barcelona, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Juventus, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal head Down Under in coming years.

It was believed Inter Milan would be the third side to take part in the tournament but organisers decided to go with Roma.

The Roma side contains Italian legend Francesco Totti, who scored the famous penalty which knocked Australia out of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Perth Glory teenager Daniel De Silva will also be a part of the Roma squad next season after he was signed by the club earlier this year before being loaned back to the A-League club.

Hamzaoglu ´hopeful´ despite Galatasaray loss

Galatasaray coach Hamza Hamzaoglu was pleased with his players, despite Tuesday's 4-1 loss at home to Arsenal.
The Turkish side's dismal UEFA Champions League Group D campaign - that resulted in just one point - came to an end at the Turk Telekom Arena as Lukas Podolski and Aaron Ramsey ran rampant in Istanbul.

Galatasaray - bottom of the group - found themselves three goals adrift inside the first half-hour, with Podolski's third-minute opener and Ramsey's brace virtually ending the match as a contest.
Dutch star Wesley Sneijder netted a consolation goal for Galatasaray two minutes from the end, but

Podolski restored the visitors' three-goal buffer in the second minute of injury time.
Tuesday's defeat left Galatasaray winless through the group stage but Hamzaoglu was happy with how his team responded in the second half.

"We conceded an early goal which upset our balance and led to us not playing well," Hamzaoglu said afterwards.
"In the second half we played better and became the dominant team. We struggled to find the goal we needed, however.

"Although we lost, the display in the second half makes us hopeful. I am pleased with my players and thank the fans who came to support us."
Hamzaoglu added: "We want to improve as a group, work harder and aim to become stronger.
"We would like to be successful in the league and the cup. We don't want to let the fans dow

Hasi predicts Anderlecht success

Anderlecht coach Besnik Hasi urged his team to build on their finish to the UEFA Champions League group stage throughout the rest of the season.

The Belgian champions went undefeated across their final three matches in Group D, coming from three goals down to draw 3-3 at Arsenal and defeating Galatasaray 2-0, before clinching a late 1-1 draw away to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.

After Ciro Immobile gave Dortmund the lead just before the hour-mark with a sharply-taken goal, Aleksandar Mitrovic clinched a share of the points for the visitors in the 84th minute, heading Anthony Vanden Borre's cross home at the back post.
Anderlecht sit third in the Belgian Pro League after 18 rounds, having slipped behind Club Brugge and Kortrijk over the past three weeks, but Hasi is confident his team can win silverware this season if they maintain their Champions League form in other competitions.

"Tonight I expected my lads to make up [for poor league performances] and that's what they did," Hasi said, according to uefa.com.
"It was important to make amends but now we have to confirm this good performance against less glamorous opposition.

"If we continue like this, we can still go places this season."
Anderlecht have lost on the road at mid-table clubs Mouscron-Peruwelz and Sporting Charleroi in their past three league fixtures, while they were held to a 2-2 draw at home by rivals Club Brugge.

But with a Belgian Cup quarter-final first leg coming up next week, plus the UEFA Europa League, which Anderlecht qualified for after finishing third in Group D of the Champions League, Hasi is excited about what could happen in 2014-15.
"This Champions League campaign has been extraordinarily positive, I want to congratulate my players on it," the Albanian said.

"It has showcased our football, something we last had at Anderlecht in 2000-01. We must not forget that we have one of the youngest sides in the Champions League and at times we were able to play refreshing attacking football.
"Now we wait to see who the draw pits us against in the UEFA Europa League but first we will focus on the Belgian Pro League."

Allegri: Juve will grow in confidence

Massimiliano Allegri is sure Juventus will grow in confidence after securing their place in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages.
The Serie A champions played out a 0-0 draw with Spanish counterparts Atletico Madrid in Turin on Tuesday and the point was enough to secure second in Group A.

It marks a return to the last 16 for Juve, who were eliminated at the group stages in the 2013-14 Champions League campaign.
Head coach Allegri believes there are four teams that are currently a cut above the rest in Europe's premier competition, but feels that his side are capable of competing with the elite.

"[Finishing second] means Juve will take on one of the group winners in the next phase of the competition," he told Sky Sport Italia.
"The level of European teams is three or four who are far above the rest - Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea.

"The rest of us are battling and we are aware of our qualities.
"We can slowly improve our self-confidence and I think we have played a good group with undeserved away defeats in Athens [against Olympiacos] and Madrid."