Real sight La Liga title, Barca hit seven

Real Madrid edged closer to their first league title in four years with a 3-0 win over Sevilla on Sunday, but Barcelona ensured their celebrations were put on hold with a 7-0 mauling of Rayo Vallecano.

Karim Benzema struck a second half brace after Cristiano Ronaldo had given Real the lead to beat Sevilla as the Madrid side took their record-breaking haul of league goals for the season to 112.

Victory against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday will guarantee a first title since 2008 for Jose Mourinho's team.

"It was an important win and the team deserves to be champions as the players have shown their mentality and character," said Real assistant coach Aitor Karanka.

Referring to their Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich, he added: "The players went into the game tired and down but they responded well, even though winning the league will not cure anything.

"We will go out looking to win games even when we are the champions, if that happens, as we only have one plan. It will be fantastic to win the league and it is the most important objective at the moment."

Mourinho, looking to wrap up the championship as quickly as possible, fielded his strongest side with the only change from the Bayern match being the introduction of Esteban Granero for Sami Khedira.

Both Ronaldo and Benzema tested the visitors' defence with a number of dangerous runs and it seemed a matter of when and not if the hosts would score the opener.

The breakthrough came after 19 minutes when Benzema supplied Ronaldo in the box, allowing the Portuguese striker to turn inside Jorge Coke before smashing the ball into the corner.

While Real were impressive going forward, they were -- in keeping with their midweek performance against Bayern -- leaving themselves exposed at the back.

Former Real player Jose Antonio Reyes shot tamely at Iker Casillas and then both Jesus Navas and Negredo fired wide from excellent positions.

Real continued to dominate and Ronaldo was inches away from his second goal moments before the break when he hit the post from an indirect free-kick but in a four-minute spell shortly after the restart, all chance of a Sevilla fightback was ended by Benzema.

Taking advantage of some poor defending, the Frenchman stole in at the far post to roll in an Angel Di Maria cross after Coke mis-kicked in the 48th minute.

Four minutes later Benzema made it three when he headed home a Sergio Ramos cross.

Barcelona, in their first match since Pep Guardiola announced he would quit at the end of the season, produced a sensational attacking display to help ease a little of the pain suffered by their midweek Champions League exit to Chelsea.

Lionel Messi put Barca ahead and then an own goal from 'Rober' Correa, who turned in an Alexis Sanchez shot, and a Seydou Keita strike gave them a 3-0 lead at the interval.

Pedro Rodriguez got a double in the second half and Thiago Alcantara was also on target before, a minute from the end, Messi got his second.

It means that Messi is now joint top scorer in the league with Ronaldo on 43 goals.

"We prepared for this game as we would for any other and I was very pleased with the way that the team played. We worked hard in what was a tough match against a side looking for points to stay up," said Guardiola.

"This is a very young squad with an average age of 23-24. I know the players very well and I am sure this team will continue at the top."

It was an unfamiliar looking Barcelona side with Xavi Hernandez and Gerard Pique out injured while Guardiola chose to give reserve keeper Jose Pinto and youngster Martin Montoya a run out.

Although they lacked fluidity in the middle of the pitch to begin with they maintained their deadly attacking threat and Messi put them in front with 15 minutes gone after he was unselfishly played in by Pedro.

Messi then found Alexis who rounded the keeper and his shot from a tight angle went in off Rober after 26 minutes, while Keita finished a fine move to give Barca a three-goal lead before the break.

With a minute gone of the second half Pedro added the fourth, knocking in a rebound after Messi's shot had hit the crossbar, and then 13 minutes from the end Thiago headed home but there was still time for further goals from Pedro and Messi

Bayern's Olic signs two-year deal with Wolfsburg

Croatia striker Ivica Olic will switch from Bayern Munich to German league rivals Wolfsburg next season having signed a two-year contract, he confirmed Thursday.

The 32-year-old, who has spent three seasons in Munich, confirmed the news after flying back from Spain with Bayern after their Champions League semi-final victory over Real Madrid.

"Ivica is an absolute professional," said Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath, who coached Wolves to the 2009 German league title.

"His will and his hunger to play are exemplary.

"He has always been a performer for any team he plays for and I am sure he will bring those qualities to our team."

Olic lost his place in Bayern's first-team after a series of injuries and while he is set to star for Croatia at Euro 2012 in June, he has scored just two goals this season in 19 league appearances, 16 of which were off the bench.

Premier League spare Terry and Ferdinand handshake

Premier League chiefs have tried to avoid a potential flashpoint by abandoning the pre-match handshake at Sunday's match between Chelsea and QPR because of the racism allegations involving John Terry and Anton Ferdinand.

Chelsea skipper Terry is facing a July 9 court case over allegations he racially abused Ferdinand during QPR's victory over Chelsea in October.

Terry, who lost the England captaincy over the issue, has strongly denied wrongdoing.

The Football Association cancelled handshakes when QPR faced Chelsea in the FA Cup in January, but the Premier League had previously been adamant the ritual would go ahead in Sunday's game at Stamford Bridge.

But after a day of conflicting reports about whether the gesture would be observed this weekend, and the potential legal ramifications if Ferdinand and Terry did or did not shake hands, the Premier League decided to suspend the convention for this match only.

"The Premier League position on the pre-match handshake convention remains consistent," a statement issued by the Premier League on Thursday said.

"In all normal circumstances it must be observed.

"However, after discussions with both Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers about the potential and specific legal context in relation to John Terry and Anton Ferdinand the decision has been taken to suspend the handshake convention for Sunday's match."

The Premier League stuck to their handshake policy when Liverpool met Manchester United following Luis Suarez's ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra -- when the Liverpool striker caused a storm by snubbing the French defender.

But such was the media speculation Thursday surrounding the question of whether the ritual would take place at Stamford Bridge, the Crown Prosecution Service issued a statement insisting it had not advised Terry to avoid shaking hands with Ferdinand.

"Some sections of the media have reported today (Thursday) that the CPS has advised footballer John Terry not to shake hands with Anton Ferdinand before a match this weekend. This is not correct," the CPS statement said.

"The CPS has not given any such advice to Terry or his legal representatives."

Premier League chief Richard Scudamore last month said the handshakes, introduced in 2004, would remain part of the game.

"It's not a handshake that says everybody loves everybody else," Scudamore said.

"It's a handshake that says 'whatever crap's gone on before now and whatever crap will go on after this game is over, for the next 90 minutes, let's just play a game of football'.

"It's nothing more symbolic than that, which is why in our view, they should continue -- period."

Premier League spare Terry and Ferdinand handshake

Premier League chiefs have tried to avoid a potential flashpoint by abandoning the pre-match handshake at Sunday's match between Chelsea and QPR because of the racism allegations involving John Terry and Anton Ferdinand.

Chelsea skipper Terry is facing a July 9 court case over allegations he racially abused Ferdinand during QPR's victory over Chelsea in October.

Terry, who lost the England captaincy over the issue, has strongly denied wrongdoing.

The Football Association cancelled handshakes when QPR faced Chelsea in the FA Cup in January, but the Premier League had previously been adamant the ritual would go ahead in Sunday's game at Stamford Bridge.

But after a day of conflicting reports about whether the gesture would be observed this weekend, and the potential legal ramifications if Ferdinand and Terry did or did not shake hands, the Premier League decided to suspend the convention for this match only.

"The Premier League position on the pre-match handshake convention remains consistent," a statement issued by the Premier League on Thursday said.

"In all normal circumstances it must be observed.

"However, after discussions with both Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers about the potential and specific legal context in relation to John Terry and Anton Ferdinand the decision has been taken to suspend the handshake convention for Sunday's match."

The Premier League stuck to their handshake policy when Liverpool met Manchester United following Luis Suarez's ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra -- when the Liverpool striker caused a storm by snubbing the French defender.

But such was the media speculation Thursday surrounding the question of whether the ritual would take place at Stamford Bridge, the Crown Prosecution Service issued a statement insisting it had not advised Terry to avoid shaking hands with Ferdinand.

"Some sections of the media have reported today (Thursday) that the CPS has advised footballer John Terry not to shake hands with Anton Ferdinand before a match this weekend. This is not correct," the CPS statement said.

"The CPS has not given any such advice to Terry or his legal representatives."

Premier League chief Richard Scudamore last month said the handshakes, introduced in 2004, would remain part of the game.

"It's not a handshake that says everybody loves everybody else," Scudamore said.

"It's a handshake that says 'whatever crap's gone on before now and whatever crap will go on after this game is over, for the next 90 minutes, let's just play a game of football'.

"It's nothing more symbolic than that, which is why in our view, they should continue -- period."

Premier League spare Terry and Ferdinand handshake

Premier League chiefs have tried to avoid a potential flashpoint by abandoning the pre-match handshake at Sunday's match between Chelsea and QPR because of the racism allegations involving John Terry and Anton Ferdinand.

Chelsea skipper Terry is facing a July 9 court case over allegations he racially abused Ferdinand during QPR's victory over Chelsea in October.

Terry, who lost the England captaincy over the issue, has strongly denied wrongdoing.

The Football Association cancelled handshakes when QPR faced Chelsea in the FA Cup in January, but the Premier League had previously been adamant the ritual would go ahead in Sunday's game at Stamford Bridge.

But after a day of conflicting reports about whether the gesture would be observed this weekend, and the potential legal ramifications if Ferdinand and Terry did or did not shake hands, the Premier League decided to suspend the convention for this match only.

"The Premier League position on the pre-match handshake convention remains consistent," a statement issued by the Premier League on Thursday said.

"In all normal circumstances it must be observed.

"However, after discussions with both Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers about the potential and specific legal context in relation to John Terry and Anton Ferdinand the decision has been taken to suspend the handshake convention for Sunday's match."

The Premier League stuck to their handshake policy when Liverpool met Manchester United following Luis Suarez's ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra -- when the Liverpool striker caused a storm by snubbing the French defender.

But such was the media speculation Thursday surrounding the question of whether the ritual would take place at Stamford Bridge, the Crown Prosecution Service issued a statement insisting it had not advised Terry to avoid shaking hands with Ferdinand.

"Some sections of the media have reported today (Thursday) that the CPS has advised footballer John Terry not to shake hands with Anton Ferdinand before a match this weekend. This is not correct," the CPS statement said.

"The CPS has not given any such advice to Terry or his legal representatives."

Premier League chief Richard Scudamore last month said the handshakes, introduced in 2004, would remain part of the game.

"It's not a handshake that says everybody loves everybody else," Scudamore said.
"It's a handshake that says 'whatever crap's gone on before now and whatever crap will go on after this game is over, for the next 90 minutes, let's just play a game of football'.

"It's nothing more symbolic than that, which is why in our view, they should continue -- period."

Athletic, Atletico set up all Spanish final

Athletic Bilbao and Atletico Madrid set up an all-Spanish Europa League final on Thursday as La Liga found some solace after the Champions League misery suffered by Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Athletic reached their first European final in 35 years when they grabbed a winner two minutes from time to beat Sporting Lisbon 3-1 in their semi-final second leg for a 4-3 aggregate.

Fernando Llorente scored the crucial goal just as the tie was heading for extra-time when he bundled a cross from Ibai Gomez over the line and past Rui Patricio in the Portuguese goal.

In the May 9 final in Bucharest they will face 2010 winners Atletico who beat countrymen Valencia 1-0 for a 5-2 aggregate win.

Just like they had done in the first leg, Athletic went in front against Sporting with a goal after 17 minutes at their San Mames home which took them level on aggregate, but ahead on away goals.

Iker Muniain crossed from the right, the dangerous Llorente chested the ball back, and Markel Susaeta was on hand to volley the ball past Patricio.

The Portuguese were level on the night a minute before half-time when Ricky van Wolfswinkel's left-footed shot beat Gorka Iraizoz in the Athletic goal.

But in time added-on at the end of the first half, Ibai Gomez made it 2-1 on the night to the Spanish side, and 3-3 on aggregate, when he was set up by the impressive Llorente before beating Patricio.
Midway through the second half, both sides hit the woodwork.

Athletic's Javi Martinez crashed a header off the crossbar before former Liverpool player Emiliano Insua sent a drive past Iraizoz but off the post.

As the tie headed towards extra-time, Llorente found the target to put Athletic into a first European final since 1977.

In Valencia, the home side, who had played in the Champions League earlier in the season, mounted a series of attacks against Atletico Madrid in an effort to reduce their 4-2 first leg aggregate deficit.

On the half-hour mark, Spanish international Roberto Soldado got on the end of an Antonio Barragan cross, but his drive just went the wrong side of Thibaut Courtois's goal.

Five minutes before the interval, Sergio Canales shot low and hard but Courtois smothered the danger.

Valencia continued to press after the interval, and they were finally caught on the break on the hour mark as Atletico, the champions in 2010, put the tie to bed.

Adrian Lopez controlled a long pass on his chest and then hit it high into the far corner past Diego Alves in goal.

His strike came just moments after Valencia's Canales had been stretchered off in tears at the Mestalla.

In the 80th minute, Atletico skipper Tiago was sent off for a foul on Soldado and will miss the final

Messi feeling Blue as Chelsea jinx continues

Lionel Messi's scoring jinx against Chelsea struck again as the Barcelona maestro missed a second-half penalty which could have put the Catalans into the Champions League final.

With Chelsea down to 10 men and trailing 2-1 on the night, Messi was handed a golden opportunity to end his seven-match scoring drought against the Blues after Cesc Fabregas was brought down by Didier Drogba.
But instead of firing Barcelona 3-1 ahead, the FIFA World Player of the Year was left stunned as his shot crashed back off the crossbar.
Chelsea then dug in to frustrate Messi at every turn through the remainder of the second half, and Fernando Torres' late goal on the counter-attack sealed a miserable night for the Argentinian maestro.
Messi has now failed to score in eight matches against Chelsea in the Champions League.
Barcelona's exit from the competition means Messi will have to wait before he breaks the record for a single European Cup campaign that he currently shares with Jose Altafini, who scored 14 goals for AC Milan in 1962-1963.
Overall, Messi has scored 63 goals in 55 games this season, four shy of Gerd Muller's all-time single-season European record of 67.

Chelsea joy

Chelsea's Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic (L) celebrates with Chelsea's Ivorian forward Didier Drogba after beating Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League second leg semi-final football match Barcelona against Chelsea at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. The match ended in a 2-2 draw and Chelsea advance to the final.

Di Matteo hails Chelsea's unbreakables

Roberto Di Matteo hailed the phenomenal spirit of his players after Chelsea completed the latest in a line of stunning fightbacks to upset Barcelona and advance to the Champions League final.

In one of the most remarkable nights in the illustrious competition's history, a Chelsea side reeling from the dismissal of captain John Terry came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 and seal a 3-2 aggregate win over the Catalans.

Brazilian midfielder Ramires and striker Fernando Torres scored the goals which secured Chelsea's passage to the Munich final after Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta had put Barcelona in the driving seat.

But Chelsea owed everything to a heroic collective effort from a battle-hardened group of players who once again managed to pull victory from the jaws of defeat.

"It was an incredible game with all the events that happened," Di Matteo said. "I am very happy and pleased for all the players because they deserved this moment.

"We've had a difficult season; they always seem to dig something special out when they need to. I think that's part of the DNA of these players.

"Barcelona are the best team in the world. They are amazing. They have some of the best players in the world as well in their team.

"The way we played and defended and we just showed a lot of desire to reach the final and go through.

"We had a little bit of luck as well, which you need but I think to win the trophy, you need that."
Di Matteo has presided over a remarkable transformation in Chelsea's fortunes since he took over following the dismissal of Andre Villas-Boas in March.

At that time, Chelsea were on the brink of Champions League elimination following a calamitous 3-1 first leg defeat to Napoli.

However with Di Matteo at the helm Chelsea overturned that deficit with a 4-1 win at home and with Tuesday's win over Barcelona they now stand just 90 minutes away from an improbable Champions League triumph next month.
But Chelsea, who will face either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the final, will do so with a squad which has been decimated by suspensions.

Terry, given a deserved red card for an off-the-ball challenge on Alexis Sanchez, is automatically out of the final while Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles all picked up yellow cards which will see them suspended.

Di Matteo sympathised with Terry, who will now be deprived of the opportunity to atone for the 2008 Champions League final penalty shoot-out miss in Moscow that prevented the Londoners from lifting the title.

"He's obviously very sad and disappointed that he got sent off tonight and he won't be able to play the final," Di Matteo said.

"On the sending off -- we are all human beings and we are put under pressure. Everyone can make mistakes, but we're just delighted that we've gone through.

"The success tonight is for the players. They deserve everything. They've put so much effort into this. They always seem to find some reserve from somewhere and play against the odds. It's quite incredible."

Di Matteo meanwhile insisted that Chelsea would be able to field a competitive side in the final despite the raft of suspensions.

"For the moment we will try to enjoy this night because it's quite a historical night for our club," he said.

"We will see which players will be available for the final and I'm sure we'll put out a strong side."

With Terry missing the final in Munich, Chelsea stalwart Frank Lampard is now highly likely to don the armband next month.

Lampard was superb once more on Tuesday, delivering the exquisite pass which led to Ramires' crucial goal to haul Chelsea back into the tie on the stroke of half-time while organising the rearguard action that kept Barcelona at bya.

"It's one of the finest moments I've felt in a Chelsea shirt," Lampard said afterwards. "It was backs to the wall. I know we dug in and people want to see beautiful football, but with 10 men for 50-odd minutes or whatever it was, to perform like that was unbelievable.

"That clock wasn't half slow in the second half! You know they're liable at any moment because of the players they've got in their team but there's a determination about us and you get what you deserve.

"We were all in it together and we dug in."

Guardiola rallies Messi after spot-kick misery

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola rallied to the support of Lionel Messi after the Argentinian star's penalty miss that almost certainly cost his team a place in the Champions League final.

Messi cut a disconsolate figure on Tuesday following his side's agonising semi-final exit to Chelsea, who fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 on the night and claim a 3-2 aggregate victory.

Arguably the turning point in the contest came early in the second half when Messi smashed a penalty against the crossbar after Didier Drogba was adjudged to have brought down Cesc Fabregas.

Had Messi converted his spot-kick Barcelona would have been 3-1 up and effectively assured of a place in the final against a Chelsea side reduced to 10 men following the first-half dismissal of John Terry.

Fernando Torres' last-gasp equaliser, which came as Barcelona swarmed forward desperately in search of the goal that would seal the tie, shattered the Catalans' hopes of reaching a third final in four seasons.

Guardiola however issued a vociferous defence of Messi, who has now failed to score in eight games against Chelsea.

"We've gotten to where we are today thanks to this kid," Guardiola said. "More than ever I want to thank him for what he's done for us.

"My admiration for him knows no limits. He's daring, he's brave, he plays fantastic in different conditions.

"We played in Pamplona and it was 10 below zero -- very cold -- and he wanted to play and win the game. He's an example for all of us.

"His competitiveness, how he pushes us all to be better. I've got no doubt that he's going to experience a few difficult hours now because he's a competitive guy but this is what is beautiful about football.

"Sometimes you smile and sometimes it's your turn to be sad."

Guardiola said Barcelona's concession of a goal from Ramires on the stroke of half-time had proved crucial. Prior to that Barcelona had led 2-0 and appeared to be sauntering to a routine victory.

"I think that at 2-0 at half-time we would have believed we would do it, but at 2-1 it was bad for us psychologically," Guardiola said.
"Even so, we went out in the second half, we had a penalty but we didn't score and then they they got stronger and it was difficult for us to score with the minutes we had left.
"It's not easy to score. We were not a team that can play in lots of different ways. We have a peculiar way of playing and this is why the opposition adapts themselves to us.
"Anyway, we will go away and look at it and decide what is best for the institution."

Guardiola admitted however he was struggling to pinpoint weaknesses in his side who once again dominated possession -- by a margin of 72 percent to Chelsea's 28 percent -- but were unable to land the decisive blow.

"You look at the team and try to tell them what they did wrong, why they're not in the final," Guardiola said. "And I don't know what to tell them.

"At the end of the day you're out of the final and that's all that matters. Sincerely I think it wasn't our turn.

"We did everything we could -- absolutely everything -- but we got to a semi-final and lost.

"No matter what we did it wasn't enough. And this is what counts. Probably we did something wrong and we need to see what that was and try to fix it in the future," he said.

"You have to praise Chelsea for their defensive display -- for their courage, for their bravery, for their mental strength in knowing that they had to play this game."

Amateurs in name only - Quevilly set for Cup final

This Saturday's French Cup final will be a veritable David versus Goliath affair as third-tier minnows Quevilly take on Ligue 1 giants Lyon at the Stade de France.

France's national knockout competition is no stranger to giant-killing, with Calais famously going all the way to the final in 2000 before losing to Nantes.

Quevilly -- who hail from a suburb of the Normandy city of Rouen -- have a proud history in the competition too, having lost to Marseille in the 1927 final and also reached the last four in 2010, where they lost to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.

This year's run has been nothing short of remarkable, with Quevilly beating Marseille 3-2 after extra time in the quarter-finals and then eliminating another top-flight side in the last four in the shape of Rennes.

Now Lyon -- a club with an annual budget of 130 million euros ($172m) -- stand in the way of Quevilly -- budget 1.9 million euros -- and a remarkable final triumph.

After being promoted from the fourth tier of the French game last season, Quevilly currently sit 13th in the Championnat National, the semi-professional third division.

With five games of the campaign remaining, they are not yet certain of avoiding an immediate relegation.
Quevilly have always been proud of their amateur status, but many of the current squad were brought up in the academies of professional clubs and do make a living from the game.

John-Christophe Ayina learnt his trade at Paris Saint-Germain before making headlines with a brace in that quarter-final defeat of Marseille while Zanke Diarra -- younger brother of OM and France star Alou -- also came through the ranks at PSG.

There may be more than a whiff of cup romance about Quevilly's achievements in going as far as they have, but this is not some rogue selection of bakers, postmen and milkmen.
Of Quevilly's 26-man squad, 17 are paid to play the game, including 14 who are on full-time federal contracts.
Goalkeeper Yassine El Kharroubi is on loan from second-division club -- and 2009 Cup winners -- Guingamp, while captain Gregory Beaugrard and fellow defender Kevin Giboyau have contracts as youth coaches.

Coach Regis Brouard, a former Montpellier player who has become one of France's most coveted young managers, oversees daily training sessions and makes sure the day-to-day running of the club is just like that of a top-tier outfit.

"We have to watch what we eat, make sure we get enough sleep...it is as it should be, we are paid to perform and you cannot be at your best if you eat pizzas or kebabs for dinner, or go out every night," says striker Joris Colinet.
Brouard adds: "In terms of the work we do, we are no different to any professional club. We work hard!
"But we don't have the budget nor the infrastructure of a profesional club, we just have to take things day by day."
Things are improving behind the scenes, and Quevilly already invest in youth development.
In addition, they will have two artificial training pitches completed this summer, although for the moment Brouard oversees sessions on local municipal fields.

Journeys to away games are undertaken by bus, and the players must pay for physiotherapy themselves.

And while the majority of Quevilly's players are technically professional, the best-paid of those takes home 3,200 euros ($4,224) a month.

Meanwhile, Lyon's biggest earner, Yoann Gourcuff, pockets a cool 450,000 euros ($594,000) a month.

Bayern's Rummenigge expect 'hell' in Madrid

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said he expects Wednesday's Champions League semi-final return leg at Real Madrid to be like a trip to 'hell'.

Bayern hold a slender 2-1 lead from Tuesday's first-leg in Munich after Germany striker Mario Gomez scored the winner in the 90th minute after Real midfielder Mesut Ozil had earlier scored what could prove to be a crucial away goal.

"We have great respect for Real, but no fear, even if we are expecting hell in the Bernabeu stadium," Rummenigge told SID, an AFP subsidiary.

"The last-minute goal has given us a small chance, but it will be incredibly difficult.

"We have to concentrate fully and put a tight performance in defence."

Rummenigge says Bayern must not try just to defend against Real and must do all they can to score an early goal.

"We have to try and put pinpricks in their defence to get a goal," he said.

"Sitting back and defending won't achieve anything against such a strong attacking side."

Bayern fans are dreaming of contesting the Champions League final at their own Allianz Arena in Munich on May 19 against either Chelsea or Barcelona and the trophy has already arrived in the Bavarian city.

"Of course it is our big dream to reach the home final," said Rummenigge.
"We'll do everything we can to make the dream come true.
"It would be fantastic, historically no team has reached the final in their own stadium."

No team has won the Champions League title in their own stadium, but Inter Milan were the last team to lift the European Cup at their stadium when they beat Benfica 1-0 at their own San Siro stadium 1965.

Harsh punishment called for after Genoa protest

ROME (AP) — Genoa risks a multi-match home stadium ban and could face even harsher measures in the wake of a protest-filled 4-1 loss to Siena.

It's the latest in a long list of crowd trouble at Serie A matches, and Italian Olympic Committee President Giovanni Petrucci declared Monday that the situation is "beyond the point of no return."

Sunday's match with Siena was suspended for about 45 minutes early in the second half, when Genoa fans threw flares onto the pitch and climbed atop barriers as they were faced by stewards in riot gear.

With their side trailing 4-0, players tried to appease the hard-core "ultra" fans by removing their shirts to acknowledge they weren't worthy of wearing them.

"It's not enough to ban the stadium, we need to stop these delinquents that are damaging football and Genoa," said Maurizio Beretta, the Serie A president.

Giancarlo Abete, president of the Italian football federation, said the players shouldn't have given in to the fans' demands, but Genoa's president said the shirt removals "made good sense, to prevent something worse from happening.

"They were throwing fireworks and small bombs onto the pitch," Enrico Preziosi said. "These 60-70 people are not fans, they're just organized delinquents."

Speculation over the home stadium ban that Genoa will likely receive ranged from two to three matches.

Genoa only has two home games remaining this season — against Cagliari on May 2 and against Palermo on May 13.

There will also likely be an inquiry into why players removed their shirts.

And police have already begun an investigation to identify the fans involved, with possible charges including damage to public property, throwing dangerous objects, violence and interruption of a sports event.

The loss left Genoa one point above the relegation zone, and resulted in coach Alberto Malesani being fired for the second time this season.

An Italy-Serbia match in the same stadium last season was stopped in similar circumstances — albeit with Serbian fans causing the violence. There were also massive clashes following the shooting of a Lazio fan by a police officer at a highway rest stop in 2007. And the hard-core "ultra" fans forced the 2004 Rome derby to be suspended after a false rumor spread that a boy had been shot by police outside the stadium.

The latest protests came just a week after all Italian matches were canceled following the death of Piermario Morosini in a Serie B game due to cardiac arrest.

"I'm not sure people realize what is happening to part of the football world," Petrucci said. "A week ago we had a drama and there was dedication to (improve), but yesterday it seemed like nothing had happened at all. We showed how you can ruin the best show in the world.

"Whoever can intervene needs to, and CONI is leading the list," Petrucci added. "I just hope that starting tomorrow we don't go back to just talking about matches with nobody admitting that we should be ashamed of ourselves."

Rooney's dad cleared over alleged betting scam

LONDON (Reuters) - The father of Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney has been cleared of involvement in an alleged betting scam, media reports said on Monday.

"Mr Rooney senior has always vigorously denied the allegations and maintained his innocence throughout the investigation," said his solicitor Anthony Barnfather. "He is delighted the matter has now concluded."

Rooney's father was among nine men arrested in October over "suspicious betting activity" surrounding the Scottish Premier League match between Motherwell and Hearts in December 2010.

Pique denies Guardiola rift on eve of Chelsea tie

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique dismissed reports of a rift with coach Pep Guardiola here Monday on the eve of the Spanish giants' crunch semi-final second leg with Chelsea.

Pique, regarded as one of the key figures in Barcelona's evolution in recent years, was surprisingly omitted from last week's first leg defeat at Stamford Bridge and was also left on the bench for Saturday's 'Clasico' with Real Madrid.

The 25-year-old defender's recent exclusion from the starting XI follows persistent rumours of a fall-out with Guardiola, but Pique insisted here Monday that his relationship with the Barcelona coach remained solid.

"It is a new situation for me because I'm used to playing and in the last matches I have not had a chance to play," Pique told reporters at the Camp Nou. "But it's a technical decision of the manager and I have to respect that."

Pique learnt his trade at Barcelona before spending the early part of his career at Manchester United, eventually returning to Catalonia in 2008 at the start of Guardiola's reign as coach.

"We got here together in the same year -- him as a coach and me as a player," Pique said. "We're part of a very important era for this club and I trust him."

Pique is also convinced that Guardiola, who has yet to commit his future to Barcelona beyond the end of the season, will continue at the helm.

"I think he's going to keep going -- he loves this club, he loves his profession. I think there is no bigger passion for him than football and FC Barcelona. So really I bet he will be with us next year.

"My relationship with him is very good. Some people here might doubt it but our relationship here is very good."

Pique meanwhile revealed he had sought out Guardiola last week to seek guidance about his current exclusion from the team.

"He just told me what he thought and that's it. He's always been tough with me but I like that," he said.

Barcelona's defeat to Chelsea in the first leg last week and the loss to Real Madrid on Saturday has led some observers to question whether the club might be in the grip of a mini-slump.

Pique laughed off suggestions that Barcelona's recent problems were anything other than a blip however.

"I believe a team that has won 13 awards in the last few years deserves more credit than that," he said.

"People talk too easily. I think we deserve more respect."

He also denied that the defeats to Chelsea and Madrid were linked to the failure of Lionel Messi to score.

"I think that the opposition knows us very well now and it is very difficult to get behind the defence and score," he said.

"Of course Leo offers us a great deal and his goals are vital sometimes, but we have a lot of players who can score. I don't think we have a Messi dependency. We have proved that."

Drogba no cheat, says Pique

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique leapt to the defence of Chelsea striker Didier Drogba here Monday, denying the Ivorian had "cheated" during last week's Champions League semi-final clash.

Drogba's conduct during Chelsea's 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge has attracted a storm of criticism in England, with the 34-year-old accused of repeatedly feigning injury to disrupt Barcelona's rhythm.

However the two-time former African Footballer of the Year received staunch support from centre-half Pique here Monday, who said he had no doubts about the Ivorian's integrity.

"Every time a player goes down and complains I believe he has been hurt," Pique said. "I trust the player every time he goes down. I don't think he's been criticised. I believe in Drogba, I believe in his honesty.

"I think every time he goes down it's because he's in pain or he felt a kick. I don't think that Drogba is trying to act or dive. I don't think so. Because he's not like that."

Pique, who did not play in the first leg and also missed Barcelona's 'Clasico' defeat to Real Madrid on Saturday, meanwhile said he was confident the Spaniards could overturn their first leg deficit.

"We have to play our game and play 90 minutes with the ball. We will have our chances. I don't know if we will score or not but we will have to work hard to find the chances," he said.

"If we have 70 percent possession like we've had in the last few days and years I think we will have opportunities to get to the final.

"It's hard to play against Chelsea because they are strong, really competitive, they know how to play these games because they have a lot of experience.

"It's always difficult when you play against guys like (Frank) Lampard, (Didier) Drogba -- these kind of players have a lot of games in their legs and they know what they are doing."

Britain, Spain, Brazil, Mexico seeded

COVENTRY, England (Reuters) - Hosts Britain, world champions Spain, Brazil and Mexico were named by FIFA as the top seeds for the men's Olympic soccer tournament on Monday, a day before the draw for the 16-team finals.

Britain, world champions Japan and defending champions the United States were named as the top three seeds in the women's competition.

The men's tournament comprises 16 teams in four first round groups, with Britain, taking part in their first Olympic finals since 1960, in Group A.

Mexico, the top-ranked team among the qualifiers from Asia, Africa, Oceania and their own CONCACAF region, were seeded in Group B.

Brazil, who have the best overall playing record in the Olympics despite never winning the gold medal, will head up Group C with Spain in Group D.

The women's competition comprises 12 teams in three groups with Britain playing in the very first event of the entire games on July 25, two days before the opening ceremony.

They will discover their opponents for the opening Group E match at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium when the draw is made on Tuesday.

West Ham keep promotion bid alive

West Ham ensured their bid for automatic promotion to the English Premier League will go to the final day of the season after coming from behind to win 2-1 away to Leicester on Monday.

The Hammers had to take all three points at the Walkers Stadium otherwise Southampton would have been assured of the second and final automatic promotion spot behind already crowned Championship winners Reading.

Leicester led when Ben Marshall's cross was headed home by Jermaine Beckford in the 34th minute but five minutes later Winston Reid equalised from Matty Taylor's centre.

Jack Collison settled the match in West Ham's favour with a 25-yard shot shortly before the hour mark.

West Ham are two points behind the Saints going into Saturday's final day.

The London club need to beat Hull City on the final day and hope Southampton lose to relegated Coventry.

If the Saints draw, West Ham would need to win by three or four goals -- depending on how many Southampton score -- to clinch promotion.

"We got exactly what we wanted tonight," said West Ham manager Sam Allardyce after Monday's win over the Foxes.

"It's a good night for us and of course we've stayed in the race until the very end, which is what we wanted and we have to do our job on Saturday and just hope that Coventry can do a little bit at Southampton and then we'll wait and see," added Allardyce, who has Premier League managerial experience with Bolton, Newcastle and Blackburn.

"It's one game left and who knows, if Southampton get the jitters or the nerves, or Coventry play with no fear because they've been relegated now, who knows, but we need to make sure we do our job and win against Hull.

"Whether we go straight up, which is a slim chance, or whether we go in the play-offs, it's still been a very good season from the players and everybody concerned," Allardyce insisted.

Teams that finish third, fourth, fifth and sixth in the regular Championship season will then enter the playoffs, which culminate in a Wembley final for the prize of the third and last promotion place to the lucrative Premier League.

West Ham are looking to bounce straight back to the top flight following their relegation at the end of the 2010/11 season while it is seven years since south coast side Southampton last played in the Premier League

Milan looking for home improvements

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri says his team need to improve at home if they are to stand any chance of denying Juventus a first Serie A title since 2003.

AC Milan have now taken just one point from their last two matches at the San Siro.

In fact, they are struggling all round with five points from their last four league games and only one win in their last six in all competitions.

It has allowed Juve to stretch their lead at the top of the table to three points and given that the Old Lady of Turin have the better head-to-head record, Milan need to make up four points if they are to win the league.

A month ago Milan seemed on track for a second straight title having opened up a four-point lead over a Juve side that had drawn six out of seven games.

But since then, Juve have recovered and won six straight matches while Milan have stuttered.
The Turin giants' 4-0 win over Roma on Sunday was indicative of their recent form.
Gone are the days when they struggled to score goals and were hamstrung by a string of draws.
Now Antonio Conte's team have become an unstoppable force, buoyed by Milan's struggles and helped by their own failure to qualify for Europe this season leaving them fresher.
Even so, Allegri believes his team must simply get back to winning ways before worrying about what Juve do, something they failed to manage at home to Bologna on Sunday.
"We've got one point from our last two home games and we needed to get more than that," said Allegri ahead of Wednesday's game with Genoa.
"We started well (against Bologna) but then we gifted them a goal and became disorganised. We created a lot in the second half but we didn't manage to win.

"On Wednesday we have another home game and we need to try to win regardless of what Juve do, not least because second place isn't mathematically secure. And you never know in football."

One advantage Milan have is they will be entertaining Genoa who are in disarray and in freefall towards the relegation trap-door.

Genoa were thumped 4-1 at home to Siena on Sunday in a match in which some fans held up the match for 45-minutes in protest at how their team was playing.

Genoa have the worst defence in the league and their own fans have turned against them leading to president Enrico Preziosi saying he'd like a stadium closure so they can escape their own supporters.
Juve for their part travel to rock bottom Cesena who will be relegated if they fail to win.
Their demotion back to Serie B after just two years in the top flight has appeared sure for some time but they at least showed some spirit in Sunday's 2-2 draw at home to Palermo.
Stopping a Juve team that has plundered 18 goals in their last six games will be another matter.
Elsewhere Novara could also suffer relegation if they don't beat Lazio at home, although it would depend on three other teams' results.

Lazio are defending third place, and the final Champions League qualification spot, with a three-point gap to Udinese, who host Inter Milan.

Napoli, who travel to Lecce, are four points back with Roma, who host Fiorentina, five behind and Inter six off the pace.
Fixtures:
Tuesday
Atalanta v Chievo, Cagliari v Catania (both 1630GMT)
Wednesday

Novara v Lazio (1030GMT), Lecce v Napoli, Palermo v Parma, Roma v Fiorentina, Siena v Bologna, Udinese v Inter Milan (all 1300GMT), Cesena v Juventus, AC

Barcelona look for Champions League salvation vs Chelsea

Chelsea are bracing for a Barcelona onslaught on Tuesday as the wounded Catalans bid to recover from domestic disappointment by reaching their third Champions League final in four seasons.

The holders -- stunned 1-0 by Chelsea in last week's semi-final first leg -- completed a week to forget on Saturday when a 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid at Camp Nou effectively handed the domestic title to their bitter rivals.

Chelsea will hope to exploit any lingering hangover from Saturday's traumatic reverse to Real as they attempt to avenge their agonising elimination to Barca at the same stage three years ago.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola refused to hit the panic button after his side's loss to Real, expressing confidence that his players would be able to raise themselves again for the visit of Chelsea.

"We'll see on Tuesday if these two defeats have affected us, we have to rest now and then pick oursleves up and see if we can find a way to beat such a physical side as Chelsea," Guardiola said.

Guardiola acknowledged however that Chelsea, who rested eight members of the side which started the first leg in Saturday's 0-0 draw with Arsenal, were likely to be the fresher of the two teams.

"They have managed to rest some players and we have not, but as I say we'll get some rest and start again," Guardiola said.

"I have not been disappointed with our play in these two defeats and we'll forget them now and prepare well for Tuesday."

Chelsea, too, are unlikely to lose sight of the fact that they were comprehensively outplayed for much of the first leg.

Barcelona enjoyed 70 percent possession, hit the woodwork twice and carved out three other scoring chances that they would normally have expected to convert with ease.

Chelsea's lone shot on target proved to be Didier Drogba's first-half winner, scored on the counter-attack after a mistake by Lionel Messi.

Interim Chelsea coach Roberto Di Matteo is under no illusions about the scale of the task in front of his side.

"It's going to be a high-intensity game, mentally as well, with pressure," Di Matteo said. "Every player that's going to go on the pitch is at risk."

Yet Di Matteo is hopeful that the drive of Chelsea's senior citizens -- John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Petr Cech and Drogba were all outstanding in the first leg -- augurs well for Tuesday.

"The personal ambition of these players comes through in these games," Di Matteo said. "You can see the drive and also quality that these players have.

"They want to show it and I think there is a good group of players here that have shown it in the past and are now continuing to show their great strength."

Another standout performer in the first leg was Gary Cahill, who is finally starting to show the sort of form which persuaded the club to sign him from Bolton in January for around £7 million.

Cahill and Terry have conceded just one goal in the five games the two have started together in central defence, with another clean sheet coming against Arsenal at the Emirates on Saturday.

Cahill is delighted with his form but expects he will need to raise his game to another level to withstand Barcelona's relentless pressure on Tuesday.

"I think we require similar to the home leg: a little element of luck, defensively as a whole unit everyone sticking to their task and the concentration level," Cahill said.

"The other night, I think physically I've run more in games, but the concentration level had to be unbelievably high and that's what all the lads did. So we need that again," said Cahill, who has never played in the Camp Nou.

"Obviously, I haven't played there yet, but the lads tell me that the pitch is massive," he said.

"It's tough because there'll be a lot of space there and fantastic players filling it. We know how tough it's going to be but we go there to give it our all and with a good start."

Inter toil in Florence as CL hopes fade

Inter Milan's Champions League qualification hopes slipped further away following a 0-0 draw at Fiorentina on Sunday.

Sixth-placed Inter closed the gap on third-placed Lazio to five points but having played a game more.

And it could have been worse as Fiorentina missed a penalty in a lacklustre affair.

The only real plus for Inter was that coach Andrea Stramaccioni maintained his unbeaten start on the bench.

But the 36-year-old still hasn't given up on third place.
"We're not hiding, that's our aim and we'll keep believing as long as it's possible," he said.

"We're in our first few matches, we need time to learn but I was pleased with our shape, even though we didn't develop our game as we wanted.

"We want to build down the flanks but we only managed that in part."

It certainly wasn't a great advert for Italian football in a tight match that never really came alive.

Houssine Kharja had an early opportunity for the hosts but shot just wide while Diego Forlan's left footed effort at the other end was saved by Artur Boruc.

Alessio Cerchi for Fiorentina and Mauro Zarate for Inter were both guilty of squandering good opportunities when shooting from a tight angle instead of slipping in a better placed team-mate.

But that was all that happened of note in a dire first 45 minutes.

The game perked up halfway through the second period when Kharja's reverse pass put Andrea Lazzari in behind the Inter backline.

Julio Cesar came out and was adjudged to have brought down the Fiorentina midfielder and was booked for his troubles.

However the Brazilian made amends by plunging low to his right to tip Adem Ljajic's spot-kick around the post.

La Viola came close again as Matija Nastasic was left alone at the back post at a corner but his volley sailed over.

Boruc saved a low shot from Zarate and Japan full-back Yuto Nagatomo squeezed another just past the upright as Inter belatedly started to push.
Diego hit a half-volley with power after a smart turn but Boruc was well placed to block.

On Saturday Napoli kept alive their Champions League qualification hopes and ended a run of three straight defeats with a 2-0 win over Novara, who remain second bottom.

Edinson Cavani and Paolo Cannavaro scored the goals that moved the southerners up to fifth and three points off Lazio.

Udinese's troubles continued as they drew 0-0 at Chievo to remain fourth and two points behind Lazio.

However, they now have just one win in the last eight.

Eighth-placed Catania kept up their pursuit of a Europa League finish with a 2-0 win over Atalanta while Parma surpassed the theoretical survival ceiling of 40 points with a 3-0 win over Cagliari.

German stars under pressure to prove Euro fitness

Germany's stars Mario Goetze, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose and Per Mertesacker must prove their fitness before Euro 2012 as coach Joachim Loew has said he will take only form players.

Loew is set to name his 23-man squad for Euro 2012 at the start of May and will decide his first-choice line-up after training camps in Sardinia and the south of France.

"The decision who will play at the Euro will come after two or three weeks of preparations," Loew told daily newspaper Bild with Germany to face Portugal, Holland and Denmark in Group B at Euro 2012, which starts on June 8.

"And if I notice that a player is not in form after a long injury lay-off, then it could well be that I will decide to use a different player.

"Because then it is not about what a player has done for the team, it is about how good he will be at Euro 2012.
"And, of course, I can't decide that right now."

Goetze, 19, made his first appearance of 2012 on Saturday, following a groin problem, after he came off the bench as Borussia Dortmund won 2-0 at home to Moenchengladbach to be confirmed as this season's German league champions.

Likewise, Germany's vice-captain Schweinsteiger, 27, is working his way back to fitness after tearing ankle ligaments in February.

Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker, 27, is recovering from surgery after also tearing ankle ligaments in February which has ruled him out for the rest of the Premier League season.
And veteran striker Klose, 33, has been sidelined with a thigh injury since last month, but it is hoped he will be able to play again for Italian club Lazio this season.
With 114 appearances for Germany, Klose is just five goals short of Gerd Mueller's record as his country's top scorer.
Loew has an embarrassment of riches in midfield with an abundance of talented young players to choose from including Moenchengladbach's Marco Reus and Bayer Leverkusen's Andre Schuerrle.

Franz Beckenbauer, who has both coached and captained Germany to the World Cup title, says Loew will be able to choose from a dream squad.

"We always had a high level of quality in the national team squad, but Jogi, you now have the best squad of all time," Beckenbauer told Bild.

"You have 23 players at a top level, that has never happened before."

Germany will be based in Gdansk, Poland for Euro 2012.

Klopp hails five-star Dortmund's 'crazy' season

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has hailed the German league champions' 'best-ever season' in the wake of their record-breaking unbeaten run to the defence of their title as they eye more records.

Dortmund's 2-0 home victory over Moenchengladbach on Saturday left them eight points clear of second-placed Bayern and crowned German champions for the eighth time to claim their fifth Bundesliga title since it began in 1963.

Klopp's team will be awarded the Bundesliga shield in their final match at home to Freiburg on May 5.

Dortmund have gone 26 games without defeat, extending the record for the longest unbeaten run in a single German league season, and their last league defeat was back on September 18 at Hanover.

"We could have played our best season," admitted Klopp.

"We haven't lost in 26 league games, that's just crazy.

"And we have never had the feeling that we'd lose. It just went on and on."

With two games left and 75 points to their credit, Dortmund can still break the record of 79 collected in a single German league season by Bayern in both the 1971/72 and 1972/73 seasons.

"We were in an unusual situation of having to defend the title," said Dortmund manager Hans-Joachim Watzke.

"You can only imagine how well this this team has done.

"To be able to hold off such a strong Bayern team shows that we deserve an extra star."

Dortmund have earned the title with home and away league wins over their main rivals Bayern and Schalke already this season.

"We have beaten the runners-up, we beat the third-best team (Schalke 04) and now we have beaten the team in fourth (Gladach)," said Dortmund president Dr. Reinhard Rauball.

"I don't think anyone believes we don't deserve to be German champions."

For all their domestic success, Klopp's side showed their inexperience on the European stage and finished last in their Champions League group with Arsenal and Olympique Marseille reaching the knock-out stages.

The most glaring example came as they threw away a 2-0 lead after half an hour at home to Marseille in their final group match and conceded an 87th-minute goal as the French poached a 3-2 victory in Dortmund.

But although their European campaign foundered early it allowed Dortmund to concentrate on the domestic league.

They embarked on their unbeaten run despite losing teenage play-maker Mario Goetze in January with a groin injury and the 19-year-old came off the bench against Gladbach for his first appearance of 2012.

In his absence, Japan's Shinji Kagawa has been a revelation using his pace to leave defenders in his wake and high quality passes have unpicked many a defence.

Kagawa's creativity is part of the reason Poland striker Robert Lewandowski to score 20 goals in 31 league games this season.

Dortmund face a fight to keep the 23-year-old Kagawa who has still a year left on his contract.

Reports in the German media suggest he is tempted by a switch to the Premier League with Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United all reported to be interested.

Even if Kagawa quits, Dortmund will be boosted by the arrival of Germany's rising star Marco Reus from Gladbach next season and the 22-year-old has signed a deal worth 17 million euros.

Their remaining games against bottom side Kaiserslautern and Freiburg promise to be a party for their army of fans.

The German Cup final against Bayern Munich on May 12 at Berlin's Olympic Stadium gives Klopp's team the chance to claim a third win over the Bavarians this season.

Watt at the double as Celtic down Motherwell

Teenager Tony Watt made a sensational debut for Scottish Premier League champions Celtic as he scored twice in his side's 3-0 defeat of Motherwell at Fir Park on Sunday.

The 18-year-old, signed from Airdrie last year, replaced Pawel Brozek in the 59th minute and scored his first just over three minutes later when he volleyed in Victor Wanyama's cross.

Watt grabbed his second in the 66th minute, sending a low, angled drive into the bottom-left corner to mark a memorable start to his Celtic career.

South Korean international Cha Du-Ri rounded off the win when he headed in substitute Paddy McCourt's cross in the 83rd minute.

The win keeps the Hoops 18 points clear of second-placed Rangers ahead of next Sunday's Old Firm derby at Celtic Park.

Celtic assistant manager Johan Mjallby was very satisfied with his team's showing.

"I thought it was a very good performance. Although it was goalless in the first half, I felt we created chances," Mjallby said.

"We got the first one and then we grew from that. It was a sensational debut for Tony."
Motherwell coach Stuart McCall felt his side had competed well with the champions.

"At half-time we were still well in the game. It was an open game and they had chances and we had chances," he said.

"It was a disappointing result and not what we were looking for but we've got four huge games still to go."

At Fir Park, Celtic made six changes to the side that lost to Hearts last Sunday as manager Neil Lennon, who watched the match from the stands as he started a two-match touchline ban, rested several key players ahead of next week's match with fierce rivals Rangers.

Kris Commons was the first to try his luck but his long-range shot flew past the post before Wanyama watched his effort from 25 yards go the same way.

Lukasz Zaluska was making a rare start in goal for the Hoops and he had to be alert to stop Chris Humphrey's shot on the half-volley after the forward latched on to Michael Higdon's headed flick-on.

Humphrey had a go again moments later when he picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box and fired in a fierce strike that Zaluska got down smartly to stop.

On-loan Polish striker Brozek started his first game for Celtic and missed a golden chance to put the Hoops ahead in the 35th minute when Wanyama picked him out with a pass but he poked the ball well wide with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Darren Randolph came to the rescue for Motherwell on the stroke of half-time when he stopped Brozek's low drive with his feet after the striker found some space in the box.

Omar Daley created a chance for Nicky Law at the start of the second half but the midfielder sliced his shot wide.

Watt replaced the ineffectual Brozek in the 59th minute and he scored with almost his first touch in the 63rd minute.
Wanyama sent in a measured cross from the right and the teenager met it at the far post to send an angled volley under the legs of Randolph.
Watt got his second after Joe Ledley picked him out in the box with a pass and he took a touch before drilling an angled shot through the legs of Shaun Hutchinson and past Randolph.
Cha made sure of the three points when McCourt swung the ball into the box and the South Korean bulleted a header past the keeper from close range.

Huntelaar spares Schalke's blushes at Augsburg

Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar brushed off his training pitch bust-up with team-mate Jermaine Jones to save Schalke 04's blushes on Sunday in their 1-1 draw at Augsburg in the German league.

The German title was decided on Saturday when Borussia Dortmund clinched their eighth championship with a 2-0 win at home to Moenchengladbach.

But while Dortmund will finish top with Bayern Munich in second spot, third place, and an automatic Champions League place, is still to be decided between fourth-placed Gladbach and Schalke, who have a two-point lead in third.

Huntelaar's 38th-minute strike cancelled out Augsburg's opener after just six minutes from defender Sebastian Langkamp and was the Dutchman's 25th of the season to make him joint leading goal-scorer alongside Bayern's Mario Gomez.

"We had wanted to win in Augsburg, but that was difficult after our early setback," said Schalke coach Huub Stevens.

"We shouldn't have allowed it, but we can be happy we have Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. He made something out of nothing to get us back to 1-1. We were better in the second half, but it still wasn't the level of performance expected of Schalke."

Augsburg remain 15th, four points away from the relegation zone with two games left.

Pictures of Huntelaar and Jones trading blows in training on Saturday were published in German daily Bild on Sunday.

They appeared in the wake of Bayern Munich reportedly fining French star Franck Ribery 50,000 euros ($66,000) for an alleged dressing room bust-up with team-mate Arjen Robben.

Hanover remain seventh in the league, and on course for a Europa League spot, after their goalless draw with Freiburg.

On Saturday, Dortmund clinched a second successive title as Japan star Shinji Kagawa's second-half goal helped beat Gladbach after Ivan Perisic's first-half header had put the hosts ahead at their sold-out Signal Iduna Park.

The victory left Dortmund eight points clear of Bayern with just two games left.

This is the eighth time that Dortmund have won the German league and the fifth time they have won the Bundesliga since it was founded in 1963.

Victory also extended their record for the German league's longest unbeaten run in a single season to 26 matches.

Earlier, France star Ribery hit a 90th-minute winner as Bayern poached a 2-1 win at Werder Bremen to briefly delay Dortmund's title celebrations.

With Bayern due to visit Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday with a 2-1 lead, coach Jupp Heynckes decided to rest a host of stars.

Bayer Leverkusen remained on course for a Europa League place thanks to a 1-0 win over Hoffenheim, with Germany midfielder Andre Schuerrle hitting a late winner.

Former Germany captain Michael Ballack made a rare appearance from the bench.

At the other end of the table, Kaiserslautern were relegated despite managing a 2-1 win at Hertha Berlin.

Berlin look set to join Kaiserslautern in the second division and are locked in a battle with Cologne for 16th place in the league, which gives the chance of survival via a relegation play-off at the season's end.

The side finishing third from bottom faces the third-best team in the second division in a two-legged play-off.

Cologne were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Stuttgart, while Hamburg look to have avoided relegation after their 1-1 draw at Nuremberg.