i Dream, i Conquer, i Succeed!

Lyon rolled on tonight to the Champions League quarterfinals, sending the final’s hosts Real Madrid crashing out in ugly fashion with a 1-1 draw (2-1 aggregate) while Manchester United cruised to an easy 4-0 win (7-2 agg) over an outclassed AC Milan side.

Miralem Pjanic scored Lyon’s winner to lead Olympique to another famous victory, while it was all Wayne Rooney at Old Trafford.

The question after tonight in Spain will be not if, but when manager Manuel Pellegrini is shown the exit. Despite a massive payroll and the presence of international stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka, the result remains the same – Real Madrid has now failed to get past the knockout stage for seven seasons. @FoxSports

RONNY or RED NEV

Only one winner. And it wasn’t the goofy Brazilian. After his fast start in the San Siro, with a goal after three minutes, this was a slow start here that never got any quicker. Ronny barely touched the ball in the first half. Perhaps it was the prospect of facing the recalled Gary Neville that worried him. Neville was exceptional. A no contest

STAND AND STARE

A first touch in the sixth minute for Ronaldinho as he drifts across to the Milan right (to escape Neville?), but in the mean time Neville is attacking again in the wide open spaces left by the Brazilian. A left-foot shot from 25 yards is close @Dailymail

After spending over 250 million euros to build a second dynasty of ‘Galacticos’ Real Madrid were expected to lift this season’s Champions League trophy in the May 22 final at their Santiago Bernabeu stadium,

But that dream was shattered on Wednesday as Lyon eliminated Real 2-1 on aggregate at the last 16 stage.

Pressure is always intense on Real Madrid managers and Manuel Pellegrini had more than usual after a massive summer outlay on Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and company – but money doesn’t guarantee success and the bitter Champions League exit leaves the likeable Chilean fearing for his job. @Soccerway

This was all too easy for Manchester United. If Leonardo’s selection had given the impression that the visitors would show more of an athletic challenge than in the first leg, the opening half-hour dispelled that notion. The visitors’ ageing pedestrians were knocked down by their hosts’ energetic pressure.

Milan actually enjoyed more of the ball in the first half but it came in no man’s land and while two of their more direct passes made chances that were missed by Ronaldinho and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, too much of their play was slow and sideways. It was passive football.

United, led by their brilliant frontman Wayne Rooney, had every opportunity to retreat and close the ball down, snuffing out Milan’s chances of finding their forwards as a result (see diagram). The Italian team were so ponderous that United could move back behind the ball as Milan approached halfway. If Milan did find a way to the United box, they were confronted by a forest of bodies. @Guardian

Fabio Capello has set the bold target of steering England to the semi-finals of the World Cup at the very least, thereby emulating the national team’s best performance at the tournament since the trophy was won in 1966.

The Italian has had to contend over the past month with injuries to key personnel and serious allegations over his players’ personal lives – one of them cost John Terry the captaincy – together with confirmation that the England team hotel had been bugged before last week’s friendly against Egypt. Yet those distractions have not doused his enthusiasm for a role he accepted a little over two years ago, with his basic target now to take the team beyond the quarter-finals, where Sven-Goran Eriksson twice came unstuck, in South Africa this summer. @Guardian

For the sixth consecutive season, Real Madrid failed to progress past the first round of the knockout stages. Even a €250 million  investment was not enough for Florentino Perez’s neo-Galacticos to get what has become more of a gorilla rather than a monkey off their backs.

The match began with the Bernabeu faithful in an optimistic mood. After Los Blancos’ epic comeback against Sevilla, many Madridistas were expecting their team to impose their tradition of beautiful football upon bogey side Lyon. “We will win by 3-0”, declared Sergio Ramos in comments reported by Marca earlier in the week. Bold statements, indeed, but in the opening minutes it certainly looked like Ramos’ brazen, cocky prediction would come true. @Goal

The government has faced repeated riots over its failure to provide proper homes for millions of people, nearly 16 years after the advent of democracy.

Now squatters are vowing to cause chaos as the global spotlight falls on the host nation when the month-long tournament kicks off in June.

Police could be forced to flood high-risk zones to protect foreign fans from demonstrations which commonly involve the throwing of stones and burning tyres.

The latest threats came on Tuesday in Mamelodi East, a sprawling area of shacks where thousands live without electricity or running water five miles from 2010 host city Pretoria. @Telegraph

Rooney, who overcame a knee injury in time to face the Italians, produced another stunning display as Manchester United joined Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals.

And with United possibly having up to 14 games left to play this season, manager Ferguson insists that Rooney is capable of surpassing even Ronaldo’s mark.

Ferguson said: “It’s a challenge [for Rooney to get 42 goals]. I was just happy for him to reach 30, to be honest with you.

“But he keeps on improving and he was sensational again tonight. @Telegraph

It is time for the Europa League. On Thursday night, Juve will be playing the first leg of the final 16 of the Europa League and the bianconeri will be hosting Fulham. In Vinovo, the eve of the match was characterized by the press conference. The match was presented by Alberto Zaccheroni and David Trezeguet.

The coach from Romagna underlined the difficulties the team could encounter against the English team: «We will be facing a strong , compact team that knows what it wants and how to get there. It is the classical English team, robust and which has great team spirit. I know Hodgson well. He is a  well balanced coach who does not try to overdo things and against whom you must keep a close look. It will be an important match but we must remember that it is 180 minutes long». @Juventus

Rafael Benitez believes Thursday’s Europa League clash with Lille presents his players with the ideal opportunity to show the ‘real Liverpool’ following their Wigan disappointment.

The Reds were left frustrated after a 1-0 defeat at the DW Stadium on Monday evening – and the boss knows his side must produce an improved display in France.

However, Benitez is confident his contingent can demonstrate the Wigan setback was a blip in an otherwise encouraging run that has seen them lose just three times in 15 fixtures since Christmas. @Liverpool