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Last week was not
the best football wise. You see we have a challenge in my home. We all
like football from the youngest (10 year old) to the oldest but we
belong to different camps – I am a die hard Arsenal fan whilst my
better half is Man U for life. Using my veto power, I have managed to
convert everyone else in the family to a Gunner. Of course you can
imagine the situation the day the two teams are playing against each
other.

But, as the saying goes love conquers all. This past week was however not a good one for the entire household.

Arsenal’s humiliation

First was Arsenal’s
loss to Barcelona. I was consoled and taunted a bit but I held my cool.
Come Wednesday, I was the one doing the consoling. I managed to
restrain myself from making statements such as “the rich also cry” or
“how are the mighty fallen”. Since both our teams have now been ejected
from the UEFA championship, we obviously needed to adopt another team
to support (albeit temporarily). In spite of the pain inflicted on
Arsenal, I really do not have a choice but to adopt Barcelona. Inter
Milan would have been preferable but the posturing of Jose Morinho are
a bit too much for my Oyo-girl sensibilities! We have also decided to
step down somewhat and begin to follow more closely the UEFA Europa
championship. Liverpool having advanced to the last four is
representing the English premiership in that tournament. That’s
football for you; the much touted teams – Man U and Arsenal are out of
the UEFA champions league whilst Liverpool struggling to attain a top
four position in the premiership league gets to advance to the last
four of the UEFA Europa championship. Though not as prestigious as the
UEFA champions league it is still Europe and winning the cup would give
silverware to Liverpool this season unlike Arsenal which is looking
like having nothing to hold aloft again this season. From all
indications, Arsene Wenger should now be looking to dump the ‘catch
them young and grow them’ policy and just splash some cash on
experience.

The day after

The hullabaloo that
followed Arsenal’s loss seemed to me not to be as great as the coverage
of Man U’s loss to Bayern Munich. Or was it the goals scored that made
the difference? After all many pundits had written Arsenal off this
season and did not expect the team to advance this far. I am not a
conspiracy theorist under any guise and based on my professional
background would typically focus on facts but the uproar was in my
opinion unprecedented. I console myself with this thought though that
at least we succeeded in temporarily taking the heat off Man U
following its 2-1 loss to Chelsea! Last week also brought home the fact
that some players are like good luck charms for their teams. Using the
word ‘key’ for these set of players is an understatement. Man U without
Wayne Rooney is like Arsenal without Cesc Fabregas. Liverpool without
Steven Gerrard is like Barcelona without Lionel Messi. I also know this
for sure; Nigeria is finished if he continues in this form in the World
cup. There is no way (unless there is divine intervention) that the
tired legs in the Nigerian team’s defence can cope with a rampant
Messi. So all this talk of the super Eagles (I cringe using the word
‘super’ hence the small ‘s’) attaining semi-final position in the
oncoming FIFA World cup is rather bewildering to me. Are these people
from Mars or is this the usual Nigerian talk ourselves into feeling
good situation without actually doing anything to implement factor?

New minister, old solution

Which leads me to
the issue of the new sports minister – if as it is claimed the country
needs to create 24 million jobs over the next 10 years to reduce its
unemployment rate and majority of our 140m plus population are youths,
it’s a no brainer that sports should be one of the areas we should
focus on. This is not just about football but the other sports –
athletics, tennis, boxing all sports that Nigeria used to excel in
internationally but no more.

I pray this week will be better for us all whether you are a Man U
or Arsenal supporter. To paraphrase Richard Quest of CNN’s ‘Quest means
Business’ may this week be profitable for us all football wise!

With those words, Emmanuel Adebayor summed up his season and gave his reasons for retiring from playing for his national team. Essentially, the now former captain of the Togo national team is saying he was so traumatised by the unfortunate gun attack on the Togo team bus that preceded this year’s African Cup of Nations, that he has come to the ‘very difficult decision’ to quit international football.

Adebayor’s track record

Permit my cynicism but he has had a fairly chequered history with his national side: tangles with coaches, being dropped and then re-selected, and joining the team for a narrowly-avoided boycott at the 2006 World Cup over unpaid bonuses. Now let’s talk about the distress caused by the gun attack in Angola. No doubt it was a terrible experience. His employers at Manchester City clearly recognised this and gave him compassionate leave. He has since returned again to fine form for his club and one wonders at his decision to leave the international stage.

Again, the cynicism: He is twenty-six years (or football years) old. Unless the Court of Arbitration for Sports overturns the CAF ruling that suspends Togo from next two editions of the competition, that would make him a football veteran of thirty-two at the 2016 Nations Cup, and most probably not the first choice striker for the national team. As for the World Cup, Togo is not famous for outstanding performances and continuing qualification.

They are a relatively small nation, working hard to make a mark in world football. Therefore, World Cup 2014 is most certainly not assured. Another point is that African men just don’t ‘do’ trauma.’ (I’d like to extend my sincere apologies to our men for the sweeping generalisation.) Adebayor is also an ex African footballer of the Year, so there really isn’t that much more for him to achieve with the national team.

What could have been?

Here’s what an honest press release might have sounded like: “Having given my very best to the national team over the years, playing at our first World Cup and captaining the team, I feel it’s now time to concentrate on my club career. After all, you will agree with me that footballers have a short shelf life; at this point, I would like to restate that I am truly the age that I declare and while I am at the peak of my career, I would like to earn and save as much as possible to cushion the return to my beloved homeland after the end of my club career. Things are looking very good right now, I’m scoring goals and we should be in the Champions League next season. On the other hand, Togo might not get any international football for a decade despite all my best efforts. It’s a good time to leave.”

Did anyone tune in to watch El Clasico at Real Madrid’s home ground?

Anticipation, fuelled by media hype, had reached fever pitch in many homes including mine.

Moneybags Madrid with Cristiano Ronaldo locking horns with Barcelona’s ‘Atomic Flea’ Lionel Messi. With the two teams separated on the league table by goal difference and Barcelona’s attacking football, one expected ninety minutes of soccer dreamland. It turned out to be a disappointment with the kind of stop-start football that makes one want to jump into the television screen and give the players a good shake.

Unsurprisingly, Barcelona broke the deadlock in the first half with their leonine, Messi. A second half goal effectively put an end to the contest, giving the Spanish Champions a three-point lead. We’re not sure if this will put paid to the debate about who the better player is between Ronaldo and Messi but sincerely hope the next El Clasico lives up to the hype.

The hallmark of dictators all over the
world is their resistance to change. From colonial masters to promoters
of apartheid and modern day ‘animals in human skin’ like Charles Taylor
and Samuel Doe, they are leaders whose authority lacks legitimacy, who
resist change of any form; they are disciples of Machiavellianism and
their political hegemony is built on divide-and-rule, brute force, and
sowing seeds of discord.

Rafiu Ladipo’s infinite tenure as
President General of Nigeria Football Supporters Club and his actions
and utterances bear close resemblance to those of disciples of
Machiavelli.

Forever president

Before I became a journalist in 1996,
and ever since I started reporting in May 1996, the body has not known
any other president than Ladipo.

I know many young professionals who
have what it takes to take the club to the next level and run the club
the way supporters clubs are being run all over the world, but for
these professionals, the fear of Ladipo is the beginning of wisdom .

The few that dared him and wrestled limited power from him like Yusuf Elepo are just in office, but not in power.

Elepo was the President of the Nigeria
branch, while Ladipo is President-General World Wide, but Ladipo is
ubiquitous; the local president was relegated to the background. The
President-General, Worldwide is leading all aspects of the club.

Mention Bahorun Olatunde and I can bet
my last naira, that majority of Nigerians have never heard of that
name; yet he is the current president of the club in Nigeria. Like
Elepo and others before him, Ladipo has relegated Olatunde to the
background. The president-general worldwide is also the president of
Nigeria branch, Lagos and everywhere. Even the former sports minister,
Sani Ndanusa, whose love for power has been unmatched in Nigeria’s
recent sports history, could not understand Ladipo love for power and
attention.

Ndanusa voiced out his concern last
year at Sheraton Hotel. “This man is powerful o, he is
president-general worldwide, where was the election held?” he asked
rhetorically.

He was not elected; Ladipo just
conferred the title on himself. Ndanusa later toed a similar line,
bulldozing all obstacles in his inordinate ambition to become the
president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee. Documents were forged,
nocturnal meetings were held, association chairmen and presidents were
blackmailed, Nigeria courted bans from international sporting bodies
like the International Olympic Committee (IOC) all because of one man
ambition,

But for divine intervention and the elders report that nailed Ndanusa, things would have been worse.

Ladipo and Vuvuzela

Back to Ladipo, what members of his
club and other who detest Ladipo’s iron-fisted leadership of the club
could not achieve has been achieved by a trumpet from South Africa
called Vuvuzela.

What is Vuvuzela? It has been defined
has a blowing horn, approximately one metre in length, commonly blown
by fans at football matches in South Africa. It is also used in other
countries such as Mexico, Brazil, or Israel.

It became an international brand during the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa.

There were arguments for and against its ban but President of FIFA Sepp Blatter opposed it, noting that

“We should not try to Europeanise an African World Cup.”

After its introduction in Nigeria by
South Africa Tourism through Tope Ogbeni-Awe’s TopComm Communications,
Nigerians have embraced the Vuvuzela in their millions.

At stadia, churches and other social
gatherings, Nigerians not only blow the Vuvuzela, they have made a
smaller version, which is very easy to blow and carry.

This has not gone down well with Ladipo as his Supporters Club were made irrelevant during the Nigeria’09 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Foreseeing that continued use of the
Vuvuzela will render them totally irrelevant in the nearest future,
Ladipo told KickoffNigeria.com that he would discourage Nigerians from
buying or using the Vuvuzelas during games involving the Super Eagles
at the World Cup.

“It is alien to our style and we will
not go there with one or buy any in South Africa,” he said. “We have a
traditional way of supporting our team and FIFA has praised our style.
Many teams have cried against the use of the instrument in football
because of the deafening noise and we are not going to encourage it in
Nigerian football.”

Did you say alien?

Let Ladipo be told in clear term that
the number of his club members that will be at Ellis Park when the
Eagles take on Argentina on June 12 will be insignificant when compared
to the number of South Africans, Nigerians resident in South Africa and
thousands of us from Nigeria that would be blowing the Vuvuzela.

If Ladipo feels this instrument
irritates, does he know the number of people that the trumpets and
drums his club members beat irritates?

If Ladipo says the Vuvuzela is alien,
then what about the instruments that his club members use – are they
all indigenous to Nigeria?

By calling a South African instrument
alien to Nigerians and calling for its ban, does he not know that he
may be inciting South African fans, who will be in the majority at the
World Cup, against the Super Eagles?

Did he ever think about the
implications of his statement on the Nigeria-South Africa relationship?
I think Ladipo needs a versed and seasoned public relations manager so
that he won’t make such unguarded statement in future.

To South Africans, they can be assured that Ladipo is speaking for
himself and his club. The statement is the opinion of a man who is
trying to resist change. There are many Nigerians who are in love with
the government, people, culture and music from South Africa and we will
not only be holding the Vuvuzela in South Africa, we will be blowing it
when Eagles play Argentina at Ellis Park on June 12. I cannot thank the
Vuvuzela enough for signalling the end of the Ladipo hegemony by
rendering his club irrelevant.

Hallo, minister of sports Ibrahim Bio, I will in the genuine
spirit of fair play, not congratulate you, on your new and latest appointment.
I also do not envy you at all and confess that I will not accept this type of
appointment, except I heard from God Almighty. I therefore, on behalf of
millions of sports loving Nigerians, salute you for your courage, patriotism
and decision, to put your head on the block – figuratively. You must be a very
bold man.

This is because, I am sure you have not been forced to, or
deceived by anyone, to take up a ministry in a very sorry state of comatose.
Good thing you mentioned during one of your media chats that the last 10 years
witnessed a woeful decline of Nigerian sports. Well said, the Nigerian sports’
ship is steadily and speedily heading for the rocks and except there is urgent
change of direction, the situation will only get worse.

So, welcome on board, as you take over a ministry that has
experienced systemic failure for almost two decades. A sports ministry that has
been plagued by fraud, sorcerous and shameless species of corrupt
administrators and managers. A jinxed sports ministry that has inflicted pain
and misfortune on sports loving Nigerians.

A lot has been said and is being said about you. You became
topics of discussion in pepper soup joints, especially after a few bottles of
larger! I wonder what people say about you inside “molue” or “danfo” buses. But
one thing is clear – the man is a pharmacist, from the state of harmony and
ex-transport minister.

Hence I imagine something like this:

A: “You said the man is from the state of harmony?

B: “Yes”

A: “There is a big problem o. Big problem. How does he handle
the ‘no – shaking’ cabal in that sports ministry and commission? How does he
fight two battles at the same time? One battle at the ministry and the other at
the Sports Commission?

B: “Don’t worry about those ones, he has the pharmaceutical
arsenal to handle them. The mother no, father of all battles, will be with the
glass house”

A: “NFA?”

B: “No, NFF.”

A: “Okay NFF.”

B: “Yes, NFF. We reject that NFA stuff by fire and by force.
Don’t you know what that NFA means?

A – “Tell me, what does it mean?”

B – “It means – no future ambition, and that is why we must stop
referring to our football federation…”

A: “Okay, let’s go back to this issue of the father of all
battles …”

B: “Oh that one, okay let me explain. How is this pharmacist/ex
– transport minister going to handle the ‘tortoise’ inside the pot – belly of
the loquacious, basket-mouthed General in the glass house? Does he possess the
technical wherewithal of the soft – spoken, smooth-operating suavity of the ex-
international from Osogbo ?

Has he?

Combine these two with the lulling personality of the man from
the confluence town and tell me how this Bio of a minister, can win the battle?
And don’t forget that the “admiral”, is still very much in charge of sporting
affairs in this country.

A: “kai, this country is in trouble o”

B: “No, you only need to apply wisdom. Be smart. There is no
need for the man to attempt killing himself. He should learn from his
predecessors”

A: “What do you mean by that?

B: “Join them, if you can’t beat them.”

A: “What?

B; “The man is like the new wine poured into the very old bag”

A; “Very good, the bag will burst and …”

B – “The new wine spills”

A: “Whaoh! Who then can rescue Nigerian sports?

B: “Only God, but in the mean time, let us pray for good luck.”

The above dialogue may seem very incongruously offensive, but
please, let us not deceive ourselves, by writing it off as impossible.

Minister, I will personally warn you to look out for “banana
peels”, within and outside your ministry – Nigerians want to see changes taking
place, in order to salvage the poor state of sports in Nigeria. But how much
change can be effected between now and 2011 or 2012? This is my own advice to
you Bio. Initiate. Be careful with changes.

Another show of shame

The FIFA organised girls U-17 World Cup qualifier played at the
M.K.O. Abiola stadium, Abeokuta, on Saturday 17 April, was – to say the least,
a travesty of age – grade football competition. While there is no doubt that
the South African Makharibe girls are genuinely U-17, there is also no doubt
that the women representing Nigeria are not in the category of the U-17. None
of the Flamingos of Nigeria can be below 20 years and this is being modest.
Would Amos Adamu – a FIFA executive member and a father of children, who was
the guest of honour, cross his heart and say to the world that this report is
false? I wonder how he felt, when he met with the players before the match
started.

During the post – match conference, Coach Solley Luvhengo from South Africa,
was shamelessly told that the main reason, our women thrashed his girls was
because of the very high standard of the female football league in Nigeria. Can
anyone imagine such professional idiocy from an adult sports writer?

Lagos based Dragons
Rugby Football Club have emerged the inaugural winners of the Cresta
Kwara Rugby Sevens tournament concluded over the weekend in Ilorin.

Dragons, formerly
known as Addax, defeated fierce Lagos rivals Racing Rugby Club to win
the cup in the tournament which had 12 clubs in attendance. The teams
included Plateau, Benue, Edo, Police College, as well as the Kwara
based duo of Dynamite and Ilorin Rugby Clubs.

The tourney, which
was sponsored by Ilorin based Cresta Hotels, started on a promising
note for Dragons thanks to a 21-7 victory over Kano based Barewa Rugby
Club which they followed up with another victory over Kaduna Rugby Club
to emerge winners of Group D which was undoubtedly the tournament’s
toughest group.

Dragons then
proceeded to the semi finals where they came up against home side
Ilorin Rugby Club who finished tops in their preliminary round group
courtesy of victories over Edo Rugby Club and the team from the Obafemi
Awolowo University, Ile Ife.

The semi final
clash against Ilorin ended in a convincing 21-5 victory for Dragons who
then proceeded to meet in the final a Racing side that had defeated
Zaria Rugby Club in the other semi final. And the final equally proved
easy for Dragons as they overcame Racing by 17 points to 7 to emerge
victorious in the tournament that also had on display an exhibition
game involving primary school pupils.

Other winners

Dragons weren’t the
only winners on the day as Barewa emerged victorious in the consolatory
‘Plate Final’ which was competed for by the four second placed teams
from the preliminary round. They defeated Jos Rugby Club 29-5 in the
one-sided encounter.

Speaking at the end
of the tournament, the Chief Operating Officer of the Nigerian Rugby
Football Federation, Akin Akintola rated the event highly.

“The tournament was a resounding success and the level of rugby was
of high standards,” said Akintola who also thanked the sponsors for
making it an annual event.

The race to determine the players that
will represent Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games taking place in
October begins today as table tennis players across the country have
started arriving in Ibadan ahead of the trials taking place on Thursday
and Friday.

The Secretary of the Nigeria Table
Tennis Federation (NTTF), Segun Oguntade says about 50 players will be
participating in the trials and that 40 players (20 male and 20 female)
will be selected.

He, however, revealed that the 40
players would still be trimmed as decided on by the National Sports
Commission (NSC), which will conduct training for the players from June
5 to 9.

A better 2010

NEXTSports spoke to Africa Singles
Champion, Aruna Quadri who just returned to the country after taking
part in the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Pro Tour in
Qatar and Kuwait.

He said, “I hope and pray that this
year will be better than last year because I achieved a lot and was
very happy. Everybody started preparing for this trial some months back
but I just believe I should be able to do better this year. I don’t
think I have an edge over anybody, though I pray that my going for the
pro Tour would make a difference.

“I hope to make the team because it
will be great playing in the Commonwealth Games for the first time even
though I played in the Commonwealth Championships in 2007. I was
unfortunate not to qualify during the last Commonwealth trials.”

Dethroning experienced players

Another player who is hoping to make a
debut to the Commonwealth Games is Rashidat Ogundele, younger sister of
former Asoju Oba champion, Ganiat Ogundele.

The younger Ogundele was able to get to
the finals of the Asoju Oba Championship for the first time last year
and defeated her elder sister to win the O’jez Table Tennis
Championships later on:

“I have never gone for the Commonwealth Games and will be happy if I
make the team even though I participated in the trials before but was
unable to qualify. My target this year is to win any tournament I
participate in that’s why I’ve been training hard this year to achieve
that goal. I know there we will be more experienced players but we will
slug it out together, I’m trying my best.”

Ronaldinho confident of being selected for Brazil

Ronaldinho claims
he will make coach Dunga’s final Brazil World Cup squad and take part
in this year’s tournament in South Africa.

The Milan playmaker
has been constantly overlooked by Dunga this season, despite being the
assist leader in Italy’s top flight and improving over 600 places in
the Castrol Rankings since September.

“I’ll tell you a
secret: I can’t imagine a World Cup without Ronaldinho on the pitch,”
suggested ‘Dinho in an interview with Chi.

“It seems
impossible, even if I consider the risk of not being there I feel bad,
very bad. Then I say with certainly I will honour my country at the
next World Cup and I, along with my national team, will win.”
Meanwhile, his club side are now third favourites for the Scudetto
after falling behind Roma and Inter in the Serie A standings.

“The Scudetto? It’s finished only when we are out mathematically,” continued the former Barcelona man.

“I am compelled to believe in the championship. Each game will be a battle and I am ready.”

‘Five or six injured players can’t be in the squad’

Spanish national
team coach Vicente Del Bosque hopes that the majority of the players he
is hoping can represent La Roja in this summer’s World Cup will be able
to overcome any physical ailments to be included. But he has
acknowledged: “In the case that some players are not able to play,
there are excellent alternatives.” In comments reported by Marca, Del
Bosque spoke of his hope that in the remaining month before the World
Cup, “all players will be in fine health”.

Furthermore, the
coach dismissed the notion of any controversy regarding Fernando
Torres’ knee operation, stating: “He [Torres] decided on an operation
with the counsel of his club. He could not play in the condition he was
in.” However, in the event that players are not ready in time for the
competition, Del Bosque warned: “I cannot include five or six injured
players in the World Cup squad with the hope that they will recover in
time. In the case that a player would not be able to play, there are
many others who can step in.” Currently, Fernando Torres, Cesc Fabregas
and Andres Iniesta are all suffering from extended injuries that could
put their World Cup hopes in jeopardy.

Sibusiso Zuma hopes to win South Africa squad place

Sibusiso Zuma has
been playing his football at club level in Denmark, with FC
Nordsjaelland and he recently revealed his confidence in capturing a
place in the 23-man squad to be announced by South Africa coach Carlos
Alberto Parreira ahead of the World Cup in June.

“If I play well for
the club, I can decide for myself if I go to the World Cup. They know
me in the coaching staff, and I have worked a lot with the coach before
so he knows what I stand for,” Zuma told Kanalsport.

“It is up to me to
prove that I can still get into top form. I am not that far away, but I
still need some hard work.” The striker revealed that he would not
simply be making the team to warm the bench, stating that he would be
an important part of the coach’s plans.

“I don’t go just to
be part of the squad. I have played in the World Cup before, so I have
experienced it.” After expressing his confidence of potentially making
it into the squad for the World Cup, the Bafana hopeful suffered an
injury at his club, which is likely to keep him out of action for a few
weeks, well into May.

After the injury, he told Kanalsport: “The timing is all wrong. My
form was getting better. I don’t know if I can make it to the World
Cup, but I still hope I have a chance.” Time will tell whether the
South African star will find space in the final 23 players destined to
defend the host country’s colours at the World Cup, but this latest
injury is likely to be a major setback for Zuma.

The Disciplinary
Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will, on Thursday,
meet in Abuja to decide on the statement of the Delta State Football
Association Chairman, Amaju Pinnick, which the federation considers
capable of putting the NFF and its leadership to ridicule.

The Committee
agreed last week to give Pinnick, who is also Chairman of the Delta
State Sports Commission, one last chance to appear before it after he
failed to turn up for the scheduled date of April 15 in Abeokuta.

In a letter signed
by the Assistant General Secretary (Competitions), Mohammed Sanusi,
also Secretary of the Committee, the NFF warned that it would be the
last opportunity for Pinnick to defend himself against the allegations
before it takes a decision.

“We wish to express
our disappointment on your inability to honour the invitation extended
to you. We have also observed that your letter did not indicate when
you will be available to be heard, neither did you attach your travel
plan for the committee to consider,” wrote Sanusi.

Pinnick had been
invited by the NFF Disciplinary Committee to make clarifications on
statements credited to him and published in some national dailies, in
which he accused the Federation of over-bearing in handling the issue
involving the management of Sharks Football Club of Port Harcourt.

Dr. Sanusi wrote further: “Thus, you are by this letter invited to
appear before the committee on the 22nd April, 2010 at the NFF
Conference Room, Abuja at 4pm. Please note that this is the last
opportunity for you to defend yourself, as the committee will take its
decision on 22nd April, 2010.”

Bayern Munich
refused to discuss Franck Ribery’s involvement in a French police
investigation into a prostitution network ahead of Wednesday’s
Champions League semi-final first leg against Olympique Lyon.

Ribery was replaced
by defender Philipp Lahm at a news conference on Tuesday following the
playmaker’s appearance as a witness in the police probe.

“Our press chief said we will not talk about that,” said defender Daniel van Buyten when asked about Ribery.

“Franck … has
invested a lot in this season and wants to finish strongly as we are
still fighting for three titles.” Ribery was substituted in the second
half of Bayern’s 7-0 demolition of Hanover 96 on Saturday because of
muscular problems and did not train on Monday.

Just fine

“Franck looks fine and he completed full training today,” said Bayern assistant coach Andries Jonker.

“He looks to be at
a good level and it looks now that he can last the match tomorrow.”
Jonker stepped in for Dutch coach Louis van Gaal who travelled by car
to Amsterdam to attend a funeral. He is due to return to Munich later
on Tuesday or on Wednesday morning.

Bayern are chasing a German first — a Champions League, Bundesliga and domestic cup treble.

The Bavarians are
without captain Mark van Bommel and defender Holger Badstuber through
suspension but Lahm said appearing in his first Champions League
semi-final was enough motivation to overcome any absences.

“It does not happen
every year that you are in a Champions League semi-final and we have a
good chance to reach the final,” said the Germany full back.

“What we want to do is not to concede a goal. We would like 1-0 or
even 2-0 which would be a very good starting position for the return
leg.”

Jose Mourinho’s
Inter stunned defending champions, Barcelona 3-1 to move closer to the
final of the UEFA Champions League. Goals from Wesley Sneijder, Maicon
and Diego Milito cancelled out Pedro Rodriguez’s 19th minute goal which
had put Barcelona ahead and suggested that the Catalan team was poised
to run away with an away victory.

The loss is Barcelona’s first defeat since February this year and
the heaviest defeat inflicted on the Spanish and world champions since
2009. This result certainly endangers Barcelona’s hope of retaining the
trophy it won last season. Coach Pep Guardiola and his boys need to dig
really deep to beat Inter at least 2-0 in the return match to have any
hope of playing in the final.