JUDGEMENT DAY
Man U face Bayern juggernaut in Champs League quarterfinal first leg NAPOLI STUN LEADERS JUVENTUS
London, March 31: Manchester United manager David Moyes says that his side must exploit the smallest weaknesses in Bayern Munich’s game if they are to eliminate the Champions League holders in the quarterfinals.
United appeared in three of the four finals between 2008 and 2011, triumphing in the first year, but their fall from grace under Moyes means that they approach Tuesday’s first leg at Old Trafford as underdogs.
While Bayern have grown even stronger under their new coach, Pep Guardiola, sweeping to a successful Bundesliga title defence in record time, United have endured a torrid campaign. Milan, March 31: Goals by Jose Callejon and Dries Mertens handed Napoli a stunning 2-0 win over champions Juventus and sparked some life into the Serie A title race on Sunday.
Juventus had seen their 14-point lead cut back earlier in the day when Roma, in second with a game in hand, prevailed 20 at struggling Sassuolo.
Napoli came flying out the blocks and at the tail end of a dominant first half, Callejon broke the deadlock in the 37th minute.
The pace slowed after the break but moments after replacing Marek Hamsik, Mertens made the most of Goran Pandev’s delivery to beat Gianluigi Buffon with a crisp drive from the edge of the area and condemn Juventus to just their second league defeat of the season.
Juve now lead Roma by 11 points with Napoli, who have been chasing the second automatic Champions League qualifying spot, still third but six points behind Roma and 12 ahead of Fiorentina. Juve suffered their only other reverse in a 2-4 defeat away to Fiorentina in October.
Striker Gonzalo Higuain returned to the Napoli line-up after being rested for the 4-2 win at Catania, while Pablo Daniel Osvaldo replaced the suspended Carlos Tevez to partner Fernando Llorente in Juve’s attack.
— AFP