HAMILTON SENDS OUT WARNING TO KIMI

Lewis Hamilton showed Kimi Raikkonen he will push the Ferrari all the way in the Australian Grand Prix this weekend after the McLaren driver headed this afternoon's second practice run.

Raikkonen had topped the timesheets in this morning's 90-minute session with a lap of one minute 26.461 seconds and although Hamilton's effort was just under one hundredth of a second slower than his Finnish rival, it provided further belief the duo will be the main contenders for the 2008 drivers' crown.

Hamilton set the early pace with a time of

1.27.742 secs at the start of the second run before Mark Webber put his Red Bull at the head of the field.

The Australian improved his mark to 1:27:614 and led the way for the majority of the session before Hamilton bettered that by almost a second with minutes remaining, posting a lap of 1:26.559 as all teams took the opportunity to put plenty of laps under their belts ahead of the season-opener at Albert Park this weekend.

Webber eventually finished second, encouraging signs for his home Grand Prix after finishing fifth in the morning outing as Red Bull showed they are set for a competitive weekend.

Felipe Massa was third but over a second off the pace while Hamilton's new team-mate Heikki Kovalainen finished fourth.

David Coulthard improved on his 13th place in the first session to post an effort of 1:28.037 and claim fifth in the other Red Bull, while Raikkonen was sixth, well off the pace of his morning mark.

Jarno Trulli finished seventh in the Toyota and the Williams of Nico Rosberg rounded out the top eight.

Jenson Button again finished 11th but over half a second up on his morning time, while Anthony Davidson finished dead last in the troubled Super Aguri, which only completed eight laps after an equally difficult first run.

Earlier, Raikkonen had looked impressive as the Ferrari led the way in this morning's first practice.

The Finn yesterday played down his favourite's tag but his time of one minute 26.461 seconds was nearly half a second quicker than the Hamilton's McLaren.

Hamilton had led for a healthy portion of the 90-minute session as the cars took to the track for the first time in the 2008 season, setting a time of one minute 27.085secs.

But Raikkonen bettered his title rival's time with just over two minutes remaining before taking a further four tenths of a second off his mark.

Times
01 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:26.559 33 laps
02 M. Webber Red Bull 1:27.473 27 laps
03 F. Massa Ferrari 1:27.640 29 laps
04 H. Kovalainen McLaren 1:27.683 29 laps
05 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:28.037 26 laps
06 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:28.208 28 laps
07 J. Trulli Toyota 1:28.292 22 laps
08 N. Rosberg Williams 1:28.352 31 laps
09 G. Fisichella Force India F1 1:28.469 32 laps
10 T. Glock Toyota 1:28.582 28 laps
11 J. Button Honda 1:28.632 30 laps
12 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:28.731 33 laps
13 F. Alonso Renault 1:28.779 37 laps
14 R. Barrichello Honda 1:28.849 28 laps
15 R. Kubica BMW 1:28.860 35 laps
16 K. Nakajima Williams 1:29.077 33 laps
17 A. Sutil Force India F1 1:29.161 32 laps
18 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:29.193 40 laps
19 N. Piquet jr. Renault 1:29.518 14 laps
20 S. Bourdais Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:29.605 11 laps
21 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:30.663 16 laps
22 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:31.527 8 laps

GIGGS HAILS 'BRILLIANT' RONALDO

Ryan Giggs has likened Cristiano Ronaldo's remarkable scoring sequence this season for Manchester United to that of a "a brilliant centre forward", never mind a winger.

And Portugal international Ronaldo has the chance to improve on his 30-goal tally on Saturday when title-chasers United face struggling Derby at Pride Park.

Giggs said: "Cristiano's form, not just this season but the last two, has been unbelievable.

"To top that off his goalscoring record is one of a brilliant centre forward.

"Hopefully his form and goalscoring form will continue. It is great to have it.

"We have always had a good mix of players at this club who can score.

"Cristiano's all-round game has been brilliant. He attracts two or three players most of the time and that makes space for others."

Giggs could return to the side after a four-match absence as United look to recover from the FA Cup defeat by Portsmouth last weekend.

But the former Wales captain knows there is no need to rush back because of the strength of the squad.

He said: "We had only 11 or 12 players to choose from this time last season, so sometimes you had to play with little niggles.

"But it is completely different this year as we have a lot of players fit.

"We have two players for every positions, so if you have a small injury or are a bit tired the manager can change things around."

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson could, meanwhile, hand goalkeeper Ben Foster his debut as Edwin van der Sar has a groin problem and Tomasz Kuszczak is suspended.

United Face Roma

United have been drawn against AS Roma in the Champions League quarter finals.

It's a familiar face for the Reds. It's the second time this season that United have been paired with the Italians, and the second time in two seasons that the Giallorossi stand in Sir Alex Ferguson's way at the quarter final stage.

The United boss will be pleased that his side are away in the first leg on Tuesday 1 April, with Luciano Spalletti bringing his side to Old Trafford a week later for the return leg Wednesday 9 April.

The draw for the semi finals was also made in Nyon on Friday. Should United past Roma, the Reds will again be away in the first leg of the last four, against either Schalke or Barcelona. The first leg of that semi final will be played on Wednesday 23 April, the return leg on Tuesday 29 April.

It means United avoid the potential to face Premier League opposition before the final in Moscow, while the winner of Arsenal and Liverpool's all-English quarter final will face either Fenerbahce or Chelsea.

Full Draw
Arsenal v Liverpool
Roma v Manchester United
Schalke v Barcelona
Fenerbahce v Chelsea

United v Roma

Past Record
AS Roma 1-1 United (Group F)
United 1-0 AS Roma (Group F)
United 7-1 AS Roma (CL Q/F 2)
AS Roma 2-1 United (CL Q/F 1)

Roma's Key Man
Francesco Totti
The talisman, captain and inspirational force behind the team. Didn't register in any of the four games in the past two seasons, but he is a major threat.

Foster handed Reds debut

Ben Foster will face Derby on Saturday as injury to Edwin van der Sar and a one-match suspension for Tomasz Kuszczak force Sir Alex Ferguson into giving the promising young goalkeeper his Reds debut ahead of schedule.

Van der Sar has failed to recover from a groin strain picked up in the FA Cup defeat to Portsmouth, while Kuszczak's red card in the clash sees him sit out the trip to Pride Park.

Foster, who had been tipped to go out on loan for the rest of the season, made a successsful return to action last week for the Reserves having spent the last eight months on the sidelines recovering from knee ligament damage.

"Edwin misses the game, so it's a debut for Ben Foster," said Sir Alex. "I had planned to send him out on loan. But Edwin is injured and Tomasz Kuszczak is suspended.

"Having been out for the best part of a year and with only one reserves game behind him, it's a big challenge for Ben. But I have no fears. He will be OK. What encourages me is that he has got fantastic presence, speed and agility.

"His rehabilitation went completely as planned and he's been in full training for about a month so there are no question marks over his fitness. What we can't tell is how match sharp he is. He's only had one game. But his assets give me confidence he'll do well."

It has taken the 24-year-old almost three years to get a shot at his United debut. After arriving at Old Trafford in the summer of 2005 from Stoke City, he was immediately farmed out to Watford for two seasons. He excelled there, eventually earning his first England cap.

Foster's lengthy loan spell away from the club and his subsequent injury.

COLE: DEFEAT WON'T KNOCK US DOWN

Joe Cole - looks for the positives

England midfielder Joe Cole is confident that Chelsea's first taste of defeat in a major final will make Avram Grant's squad even stronger in the long term.

Chelsea's Carling Cup final loss at the hands of Tottenham was the first time the squad of players put together by Grant and former coach Jose Mourinho had experienced such disappointment.

But Cole, left out of the starting line-up to accommodate new £15million striker Nicolas Anelka, believes the setback can only help them become tougher.

Cole said: "We are disappointed but we have got to pick ourselves up for the next game.

"We will go away and digest this game but it is disappointing for everyone at the club to lose in the final. We've not experienced that before as a group and it can only make us stronger now.

"We will wash ourselves of this game and concentrate on the next one. Tottenham are a very good side and give them credit for winning. But we have to move on."

Meanwhile, Grant insists Anelka and Didier Drogba can become a potent partnership despite failing to shine at Wembley.

The predatory talents of Anelka were sacrificed in a wide role that left him isolated for much of the contest.

Grant left Cole on the bench but he was forced to introduce the midfielder when Chelsea found themselves chasing the game in extra-time.

Drogba had put the Blues in front with a curling free-kick in the first-half but a penalty from Dimitar Berbatov levelled the scores at full-time.

Spurs defender Jonathan Woodgate won the trophy for Spurs with an extra-time header that rebounded off his face and into the net after Chelsea keeper Petr Cech's had punched.

But Grant remains confident that Anelka and Drogba can become a lethal force.

"It was the first game they played together and I think it will be a good combination," said Grant.

"We wanted to play Anelka on the side because he's a creative player and quick. That's what we wanted from him.

"Today was not an easy game for them to do their best. It is not a casino - there is no gamble in football.

"They can play together, no question. You can't pick players like them and say it's a gamble."

Tottenham's winning goal, in the fourth minute of extra-time, saw Cech beaten by Woodgate after Jermaine Jenas's free-kick.

But Grant refused to blame Cech for failing to get the ball away from the Spurs player.

Grant said: "We win as a team and lose as a team. There are always personal mistakes in football, but we lost as a team. We will see what we can learn from this game."

Grant, whose side are still in both the Champions League and FA Cup, while not yet out of the race for the Barclays Premier League, added: "We drew at 90 minutes again today. We would like to win and we'll think about everything.

"We would like to get back to winning a few games.

"We got to the final, which was not easy. Now we have lost but we are still in all three other competitions and will do our best in them."

WOODY WINS CUP FOR SPURS

Tottenham celebrate Carling Cup glory

Jonathan Woodgate's headed goal in extra-time gave Spurs a 2-1 victory over holders Chelsea in the Carling Cup final.

Spurs made the brighter start to the showpiece but wasted a host of chances before Didier Drogba, who sent a 25-yard free-kick narrowly wide on 33 minutes, made no mistake six minutes later, steering an effort around the wall to leave Paul Robinson flat-footed.

Drogba's goal saw him become the first player to score in three League Cup finals - but Spurs drew level on 70 minutes when the linesman spotted a handball by Wayne Bridge in the 18-yard box.

Referee Mark Halsey pointed to the spot, and Dimitar Berbatov kept his cool to slide the spot-kick home.

The goal sparked a concerted push for a winner by Juande Ramos' troops - but the Blues held firm to force an extra 30 minutes.

Spurs kept their momentum going in the extra period and took the lead on 94 minutes, when Jermaine Jenas floated a free-kick into the Chelsea box. Woodgate glanced the ball onto Cech's gloves and it rebounded off the Spurs defender's face and into the net.

Robinson then pulled off good saves to deny Salomon Kalou and Joe Cole in the dying stages and secure glory for Ramos' heroes.

Tottenham striker Robbie Keane described the outcome as a "dream come true".

He told Sky Sports 1: "Hopefully this is start of something special, hopefully we can kick on now. It's special for the fans.

"This was a massive test for us and it's unbelievable and a dream come true to come out as winners. I dreamt of this moment as kid and I'm speechless."

Matchwinner Woodgate said: "I don't really go up for corners but I took a chance and was able to get my head on it and luckily it went it.

"I think we were the best team and hopefully we can push on from this next year. Chelsea are a top side and they showed that today but we did it."

Ramos was "happy because the people (fans) are very happy" while captain Ledley King hailed the "spirit" of his side.

Chelsea boss Avram Grant felt his side were unlucky to lose the match but called on his players to regain focus for the challenges ahead.

He told Sky Sports 1: "I think even in the second half Tottenham were not in the game and that we were the better side.

"The penalty put them back in the game and that turned the match. The second goal was from a set-piece so we are disappointed.

"I did not think it was a penalty. Wayne Bridge could not keep his hand behind his back when he was challenging for the ball and you saw it was not the referee who gave it but the linesman.

"It was always going to be close because cup finals are like this and it was not a great performance from both teams. We tried to score a goal and keep it tight but we lost."

VILLA STAY IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HUNT

Morten Gamst Pedersen

Aston Villa saw off Reading 2-1 at the Madejski Stadium to bring their dream of Champions League football nearer to reality and push their opponents closer towards relegation from the Barclays Premier League.

Goals from Ashley Young and substitute Marlon Harewood were enough to take the points against a side who have now lost a club-record eight successive league fixtures and appear incapable of saving themselves.

Villa could have triumphed by a much larger margin, especially as Gareth Barry missed a first-half penalty.

Nicky Shorey's 90th-minute free-kick - Reading's first goal in 540 minutes of play - had no bearing on the game.

Reading chairman John Madejski had called for the fans to turn the stadium into a "cauldron of optimism" but although James Harper planted an early shot into Scott Carson's midriff, it quickly became apparent Villa would simply not allow any release from the paralysis that has gripped the home side's season.

Young's fourth goal of the campaign may have taken 45 minutes to arrive but when it did, it was merely the inevitable result of his side's superiority and the home players' lack of confidence.

And Harewood's strike meant Shorey's late effort was merely a consolation.

In Sunday's other game, Benni McCarthy forced beleaguered Bolton to pay the penalty at Ewood Park with two ice-cool spot-kicks as Blackburn won an incident-packed Lancashire derby 4-1.

Gary Cahill's needless 65th-minute foul on David Dunn in the visitors' box turned the game on its head, paving the way for Rovers to reignite their European hopes and leaving Gary Megson's men deep in relegation trouble.

Bolton had burst out at the start of the second period and Kevin Davies' 49th-minute equaliser - after McCarthy's opening penalty - sparked a prolonged period of dominance which was only broken by Cahill's clumsy challenge.

Five minutes later the match was effectively over when David Bentley nodded home Rovers' third at the far post, with Morten Gamst Pedersen giving an overly one-sided look to the scoreline with an injury-time fourth.

RODDICK CLAIMS SAN JOSE TITLE

Roddick - beat Stepanek in straight sets

Top seed Andy Roddick claimed a third SAP Open title on Sunday after defeating fourth-seeded Czech Radek Stepanek 6-4 7-5.

The 25-year-old American, who captured back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2005, picked up his 24th career title after improving his impressive San Jose record to 25-4 in 80 minutes.

World number six Roddick broke Stepanek in the first game of the match and again in the penultimate game to secure the win to maintain his 100% career record over the world number 34.

In 2006 and 2007, Roddick suffered semi-final defeats by eventual champion Andy Murray, who did not defend his title this year.

"I served well," said Roddick, who recorded 13 aces. "He didn't really give me many chances, so luckily, a break of serve in each set was good.

"It felt good. You survive a couple tough ones, you give yourself a chance to play well. I did that this week, and was able to bring my best stuff out in the semi and the final."

Stepanek, who reached the final by rallying to defeat American wild card Robby Ginepri in three set, lamented his slow start.

"I had a bad start, losing the first game, which is what I didn't want to do against Andy when he's serving big," said Stepanek. "He didn't give me any chance to get back into the first set."

SHARAPOVA WINS DOHA TITLE

Sharapova with her trophy

Maria Sharapova clinched the Qatar Open on Sunday with a 6-1 2-6 6-0 victory over her fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva to maintain her 100 per cent record in 2008.

The 20-year-old won the Australian Open last month without dropping a set and followed it by claiming her 18th career title in Doha.

The fourth seed avenged her loss to Zvonareva at Indian Wells last year and came out all guns blazing, losing the first set before taking the next six in a row in just 23 minutes.

The world number five then struggled, however, allowing Zvonareva to clinch the second set at the fifth opportunity.

It was only the second set Sharapova has dropped this year, the first being against Galina Voskoboeva in the second round of this tournament.

It was far from a polished performance from Sharapova but she produced powerful groundstrokes when it mattered to break Zvonareva three times in succession in the third set and served out to seal the win.

FLAMINI WANTS TITLE FOR EDUARDO

Eduardo suffers a terrible injury

Mathieu Flamini has revealed the determination of the Arsenal players to win the Barclays Premier League title in honour of broken-leg victim Eduardo.

The Croatia international is facing many months on the sidelines after suffering the setback following a tackle by Birmingham defender Martin Taylor during Saturday's 2-2 draw at St Andrews.

A distraught Taylor, who was red-carded for the challenge, went to visit Eduardo in hospital in Birmingham yesterday before he was transferred to a London hospital.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has back-tracked on his initial comment minutes after the final whistle that Taylor "should never play football again".

But the incident still left the Arsenal players feeling distressed and now they want to capture the league crown for Eduardo who today celebrates his 25th birthday.

Midfielder Flamini said: "We have lost Eduardo. It is a terrible injury because he has a broken leg. It was difficult. I have no words to describe what I saw.

"It was maybe the worst injury I have seen. We will have to stay very close to him because it's going to be difficult. It will be difficult to get over. He is a friend and a team-mate. It upsets you.

"Would I like to win the title for Eduardo? Yes, of course. We wanted to win it before, but now we want to win it also for him. Eduardo is not going to be with us for a long time so, of course, we want to win it for him."

Gunners striker Nicklas Bendtner, who spent last season on loan at Birmingham, believes Taylor would not have deliberately looked to inflict an injury on Eduardo.

The Danish international said: "We obviously have to think about Edu who is terribly hurt. We wish him all the best.

"I know Martin Taylor and he is not a player who goes in to hurt people - never. He is really calm. I've been told he is very upset and I know he would be like that.

"But in football things like this happen. Even though he is not one who does bad tackles, this was a bad tackle and he deserved to be sent off. The referee had no choice.

"I could see from the players' reaction that it didn't look very good. I could see everyone running on to the pitch, I thought something was wrong. It made us all really sad."

Taylor has already issued a statement insisting there was "no malicious intent" in his challenge on Eduardo.

GRANT EYES DOUBLE CELEBRATION

Avram Grant's father Meir will be a special guest at Sunday's Carling Cup final just days after celebrating his 80th birthday.

Meir, a holocaust survivor of the Second World War, is Grant's idol and the 52-year-old Israeli has paid for his dad to see their Wembley showdown with Tottenham.

Grant knew nothing of his family's fate until one night, aged 15, he heard his father screaming in his sleep and rushed into his room to find that he was having a bad dream.

His father explained that he had been dreaming he was back in the Russian forest in which he had been forced to dig graves for his parents and five brothers and sisters as each, in turn, died of cold or starvation. Only he and one brother survived.

Now Grant's proudest day as a manager will be cause for a double celebration when Meir attends the game.

His presence will be made more poignant by the fact that anti-Semitic threats were sent to Chelsea's training ground while the team lined up against Olympiacos in the Champions League.

Grant said: "My father was 80 years old on Thursday so we are celebrating of course, and he will be at the game.

"I don't know if you know the story of my father but he is a great man, one of the greatest that I know. He is optimistic like I have never seen in my life and he suffered a lot in the age when he was young.

"He was a survivor of the holocaust and I am of the name of my grandfather that died in the holocaust. But what impressed me about him is that he always sees the positive things.

"Even now, he is optimistic. If you speak to him about the past, he says it was in the past but I live the future. He's only 80 years old. I wish him all the best. I love him.

"My father would accept everything in a positive way. Everything that happened in my life, I can only thank them for it. I have bought him his ticket - I think I can afford it!"

Meir was 13 when he and his family fled their native Poland in 1941.

"In 1941 we realised things were looking bleak in Poland and decided to take our chances in Russia," said Meir.

"We were exiled to the far north. Guards dropped us off in a forest and said, 'build a home or die'.

"It was minus 40 in winter and in such circumstances, people who are not young stand no chance.

"When I buried my father, I cut off my peyot [sidecurls] and removed my kippah. To survive, you must look forward in hope, never back.

"Avram is similar to me. He gets on with everyone and never argues but knows how to shout if people aren't working the way they should."

Against Tottenham, Grant is struggling with the dilemma of whether to recall captain John Terry and Frank Lampard.

Both were left out of the Champions League game against Olympiacos and there is growing speculation they may miss out against Spurs.

But Grant admitted he cannot keep all the players happy all the time.

"I don't think it is possible to keep them happy all the time," Grant said.

"But when you have a big squad, you have problems like this sometimes. I think the players have shown, until now, great attitude from the beginning when it was a very difficult time and I will not forget it.

"I think now when you speak about John Terry and Lampard that they are available to play, I think you need to respect the players that played without them."

NO MORE NANI GOAD

Manchester United winger Nani has revealed that a stern word from manager Sir Alex Ferguson was enough to persuade him not to repeat his on-field juggling antics.

The 21-year-old provoked the fury of several Arsenal players, as well as Ferguson, when he indulged in some 'kick-ups' towards the end of last weekend's 4-0 FA Cup thrashing of the Gunners at Old Trafford.

Nani insists he was not being disrespectful and was merely trying to entertain - but has also vowed not to repeat the trick.

"In Portugal I have done this many times but it is only because it is an entertaining spectacle and not because I disrespect my rivals," he told the Daily Mail.

"I am a professional and am always very respectful with all the opposing players, but I do appreciate now that it may have looked bad.

"After the match Ferguson spoke to me and demanded that I do not repeat it in order to avoid problems.

"Obviously, I agreed. I always follow the orders of my coach and am not interested in causing controversy."

The Portugal winger added: "Gilberto Silva of Arsenal spoke to me and was clear about what their players thought about it. He was very critical of what I did and accused me of provoking Arsenal. But he never threatened me.

"On the field I am different from most players. My celebrations of goals with a somersault is an example. This is my character as a footballer."

CARRICK HAS TWIM AMBITIONS

Michael Carrick returns to his native Newcastle this evening with twin ambitions.

The north-east-born Manchester United midfielder is anxious to finish on the winning side for the first time at St James' Park - and keep the pressure on Arsenal at the top of the Barclays Premier League.

Carrick, who has also worn the colours of Tottenham and West Ham, is aiming to kick on in the club's treble bid.

He said: "There is a lot at stake but I am confident we can get a good run going.

"We do not feel the pressure as we set our standards and go into every game expecting to win.

"Mind you, I haven't won at Newcastle. While it is always nice to go home and see old faces, we need to get the job done."

Kevin Keegan is back in charge and trying to push Newcastle back up the league.

Carrick remembers Keegan's first stint on Tyneside.

The England international was about to join the Hammers after catching the eye at Wallsend Boys Club.

Carrick said: "I remember Kevin working his magic but he didn't quite pull it off.

"It is a big job again. I hope he gets it right but there is a lot of work to do as they are not where they want to be and it will not happen overnight.

"But he has done it in the past and it would be nice to see him get success as long as it is not against us."

United romped home 6-0 - all the goals coming in the second half - when the teams met at Old Trafford last month.

But Carrick is not expecting an action replay.

He said: "When we go away, it is like a cup final for the other team.

"St James' will be bouncing. When they are playing well, the noise the fans generate is something else.

"We are on our guard as we know we cannot slip up and will be ready for the fight."

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes United's never-say-die attitude will serve them well in the coming weeks and months.

They go into the game on the back of a 1-1 Champions League draw against Lyon in midweek.

Carlos Tevez stepped off the bench to score the equaliser, and what could prove to be a vital away goal, three minutes from time.

Ferguson said: "We have only done in Lyon what we have done for years - we do not give in.

"It is a quality that will serve us well in the run-in.

"It tells you we have players with desire and commitment. We are very pleased with their attitude."

BENITEZ HAPPY WITH BACKING

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is happy with the support he has been receiving from the club's co-owner Tom Hicks.

The Spanish tactician has been under immense pressure recently over their disappointing Premier League campaign.

Their form was such that Hicks and co-owner George Gillett revealed they spoke to Jurgen Klinsmann as a possible replacement for Benitez.

However, The Reds' midweek success over Internazionale in the UEFA Champions League eased the pressure on the former Valencia coach, who claims his relationship with Hicks could not be better.

"After the meeting we had then, everything was clarified and I have had the support of Tom Hicks," said Benitez.

"Almost every week - not every day, but before or after a game - he contacts me.

"He sends e-mails saying: 'Come on', 'Well done' and 'You can do it'. Very positive. I e-mail him back saying 'Thank you'.

"After Barnsley he said 'Come on, keep focused on the Champions League'. He is very supportive.

"My relationship with Tom is good and I don't have a problem.

"It was a misunderstanding before and I think he understands all the things I was telling him before.

"I am a fighter, I have always been a fighter so when we had the problems I was fighting. When everything was much better I was really focused.

"I don't have any concerns. I am trying to concentrate on football.

"To win the Champions League is difficult. Against top sides you can play really well and lose.

"It's important to finish in the top four and progress as much as you can in the Champions League."

MASSA: FERRARI ON TRACK

Felipe Massa isn't too fazed about being outpaced by the McLarens during this week's testing at the Barcelona circuit.

Although in the build-up to the Barcelona test Ferrari were billing as the team to beat this season, McLaren appeared to move slightly ahead in Spain.

However, Massa reckons Ferrari have little to worry about as the Scuderia are well on track for the start of the new season.

"There's nothing to say," he told Autosport when asked about McLaren's apparent improvement.

"We've finished our program, we've done what we wanted.

"In the end, lap times are important but they aren't the most important thing.

"We are behind by a few thousandths, so we have things to improve on the car, and things to develop for the future.

"As I said, we are where we wanted to be, but we can't give up and we must carry on working."

The Brazilian was also asked for his thoughts on Fernando Alonso's recent comments about Renault being too far off the pace to achieve podium finishes never mind race wins.

Massa, though, is more interested in how Ferrari are doing than he is in Renault's progress.

"I don't know. If he says so... He is the one driving the car. I am happy about my car," he said. "I think we are doing a good job.

"I don't know if we are first, second or third, but I think we are heading in the right direction."

BLAKE ELIMINATED, RODDICK ADVANCES

Second seed James Blake was dumped out of the SAP Open by Robby Ginepri, while Andy Roddick disposed of Mardy Fish to progress to the semi-finals.

Blake fell 6-2 6-2 to Ginepri, who avenged a 6-4 6-4 loss to his fellow American in last week's event at Delray Beach.

The world number nine came up short of a title for the second successive week after losing in the Delray Beach final to Japanese teenager Kei Nishikori last Sunday.

Ginepri will face Radek Stepanek in the last four after the fourth-seeded Czech posted a 6-2 7-6 (7/5) victory over Yen-Hsun Lu of Chinese Taipei.

Despite firing 22 aces, American John Isner's quest for a first career ATP title ended on Friday, as he suffered a thrilling 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (1/7), 7-6 (13/11) loss to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain, who will now face Roddick, a back-to-back winner of this event from 2004-05.

Top seed Roddick reached the semi-finals in San Jose for a fifth successive year after edging a close encounter with Fish 7-6 (8/6) 1-6 7-5

Roddick is seeking his 24th career title and has not won on the tour since Washington last July.

FABREGAS WARY OF SAN SIRO TEST

Fabregas In Action on Wednesday night

Cesc Fabregas knows Arsenal's young side will face the sternest test yet of their potential when they take on holders AC Milan for a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League at the San Siro in two weeks' time.

The Gunners failed to capitalise on their dominance in last night's goalless first leg, when the Serie A giants were made to look ordinary for long spells.

Indeed, but for the width of a crossbar in stoppage time when Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor smashed his close-range header against the woodwork, Arsene Wenger's men could have taken a slender lead to Italy on March 4.

Nevertheless, it is set to be an intriguing return at the San Siro - where Milan have never lost to an English club, but the same stadium in which their city rivals Inter were thumped 5-1 by Arsenal five years ago.

Carlo Ancelotti's men will have to perform much better themselves if they are to progress towards a third final in four seasons, with World Player of the Year Kaka only having limited impact last night.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have to net an away goal to avoid the lottery of penalties, and so the Italians are sure to be wary of leaving themselves vulnerable to the quick counter-attack.

Fabregas, 20, admits it is a daunting challenge ahead of the Gunners - who will be missing injured defender Kolo Toure, but could welcome back striker Robin van Persie to the squad.

Yet it is one which the midfielder maintains they are ready to meet head on.

"After a big defeat against Manchester United at the weekend we came back well and came back strong," said Fabregas.

"We had quite a lot of chances but in football you have to take them. Hopefully we won't regret it and we can go there, play the same way and I am sure we can win."

Fabregas added: "We are a positive side, we are young - but even that having seen what we have seen we can cope with their pace, their experience and we can create chances.

"If we can score a goal I think we have a good opportunity to go through.

"But it is very difficult. They have a lot of experience, they know how to play, they defend very well, they are very intelligent.

"They never play around, if they have to kick it out, they will.

"It is the hardest team we could get, especially so early - but if you want to be the best you have to beat the best and they are one of the hardest teams to beat in the world."

Adebayor maintains he will not dwell on the stoppage-time miss, with AC Milan defender Kakha Kaladze appearing to tug the striker's shirt just as he went to connect with the ball.

Midfielder Mathieu Flamini believes everyone must now forget about what might have been, and remain focussed on what is coming next.

"Ade had the chance at the end, but that happens. He has scored so many goals for us," said the Frenchman.

"We have no choice now - we have to go over there and win the second leg.

"We have the quality to go over there and win the game to qualify.

"We have been playing together a few years now and already been to the final of the Champions League, so we cannot say we are inexperienced, too young, that is not a problem.

"We have beaten teams like Real Madrid and Juventus before so it's important to demonstrate that on the pitch again."

Flamini added: "We will have to deal with the midfield battle - after that we can play our game. It is important to be ready for the fight."

France international Flamini, 23, is out of contract in the summer, but hopes talks over a new deal will have a positive outcome.

He said: "I hope I will stay.

"I am having a lot of fun at Arsenal, I get on very well with the team.

"I am happy here so I hope that everything is going to be all right."

Arsenal are five points clear at the top of the Barclays Premier League, and resume domestic action against relegation battlers Birmingham at St Andrews on Saturday lunchtime.

Wenger has now revealed Toure could be back in action sooner than originally thought, and may even be in contention for the second leg against Milan on March 4.

"The news is maybe a bit better," Wenger told Arsenal TV Online.

"For me on Wednesday night it looked like he would be out for two to four weeks. The way he was walking perhaps four - but today the medical staff said to me it would be closer to two than four."

While Toure's prognosis is clearly more positive, the Arsenal manager maintains he will not be pushing Van Persie into a swift return.

The 24-year-old has been plagued by fitness problems all season, having opened the campaign in fine form.

Van Persie last appeared for the Gunners in the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final against Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium on January 9, but was substituted at the interval.

Wenger has no intentions of rushing the Dutchman this time.

The Arsenal manager said: "No. Robin is not a very long away from being fit at all, but he lacks match-practice.

"Could he be in the squad for Milan? Maybe - but don't forget he has not played regularly for five months now."

Wenger has some more immediate concerns ahead of the Birmingham game.

Winger Emmanuel Eboue is suspended following his red card in the FA Cup defeat at Manchester United. Alex Hleb (foot) and Adebayor (stiff neck) are slight doubts.

However, goalkeeper Manuel Almunia expects to be back in action after first missing out through a hand injury, and then being laid low with a virus.

VIDIC HAILS UNITED SQUAD STRENGTH

Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic believes his club represent the benchmark when it comes to squad depth.

The Serbian international says manager Sir Alex Ferguson is spoiled for choice and left with a constant headache about who to select.

Ferguson saw his side secure a 1-1 draw against Lyon last night in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie, after taking 22 players to France.

The Old Trafford boss opted to use Wayne Rooney as a solitary striker and play wise old heads Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes in the middle of the park.

But when Karim Benzema put Lyon ahead in the 54th minute with a stunning strike, Ferguson reverted to plan B.

Giggs and Scholes came off and were replaced by summer singings Carlos Tevez - who was paired with Rooney - and Nani.

United suddenly had a sense of urgency about them and got a deserved equaliser, and a potentially vital away goal, three minutes from time.

Ferguson must have had a wry smile as Nani delivered the cross and Tevez scored at the back post for his 15th of the season, as Lyon failed to clear their lines.

Despite having his work cut out by Benzema, Vidic claims it is United who have good reason to be cheerful and the players to cope with a hectic schedule.

Darren Fletcher may have scored twice in the FA Cup victory against Arsenal at the weekend but he had to settle for being a substitute.

That scenario also applied to Louis Saha, Michael Carrick and John O'Shea - experienced players who can make a difference.

Vidic said: "We are capable of finishing games strongly because we have so much strength on the bench.

"Nani and Tevez made a big difference when they came on."

Vidic claims United have one foot in the quarter-finals going into the second leg at Old Trafford on March 4.

He said: "Lyon have some good players, and Benzema caused us some problems.

"But scoring near the end makes it feel a little bit like a victory."

Ferguson added: "With our attacking options we had on the bench and being 1-0 down, we were always going to make changes.

"You always wonder if a goal will come, but Tevez has given us a good opportunity to qualify."

Giggs, who made his 100th Champions League appearance in Lyon, will take another step towards a potential coaching career this summer.

He was delighted to have joined a select band of centurions - including Paolo Maldini, Raul, Roberto Carlos, David Beckham, Oliver Khan, Luis Figo and Clarence Seedorf.

He said: "I was pleased to get to the 100th Champions League milestone. To play that many is something special, and so it was a special night.

"It is always important to get the away goals and we got it, so we have to be happy.

"The job is half done, and we will need to play well to beat them at Old Trafford. We hope we will finish the job at home now."

ALONSO: SPAIN IS NOT RACIST

Fernando Alonso has insisted Spain is not a racist country in the wake of the abuse former McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton suffered there.

The Oviedo-born driver also believes there is no need for the anti-racism campaign due to be launched at April's Spanish Grand Prix by motor racing's world governing body, the FIA.

Alonso's comments stem from an incident during a test session in Barcelona just over a fortnight ago when Hamilton was targeted by a small minority of spectators.

Widespread condemnation followed, with the FIA quickly adopting a positive attitude by saying they were "appalled" by the ugly scenes that unfolded at the Circuit de Catalunya.

But Alonso has joined forces with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who at the weekend stated the FIA's initiative was "unnecessary" due to what he perceived was "a one-off" incident.

"I don't think this is a racist country and the fans aren't either," said Alonso, speaking to Spanish newspaper AS.

"Whoever says there's racism in Spain is talking about isolated cases.

"The less we talk about what happened 15 days ago, the better, because that's a completely isolated case from someone who was celebrating a carnival.

"I haven't seen any video or recording of the alleged insults."

When asked if an anti-racism campaign was necessary, Alonso added: "No. It was an isolated incident and the FIA or anyone saying that the Spanish fans are racists is laughable.

"Last year, they called me a dog in a few races. Niki Lauda said those things about me, and no-one came to me to show me their support."

Alonso, meanwhile, believes he has little chance of stepping onto the podium this season after returning to Renault.

The French marque helped him win the world title in 2005 and 2006, but he maintains this year's model is a long way off of challenging Ferrari and McLaren.

He said: "I think it's looking like at the end of last year: two Ferraris, two McLarens and two BMWs, and if everything goes like that, you can almost only fight for seventh place.

"Thinking about the podium would be too optimistic right now.

"But then you arrive in the first grand prix, you start warming up in practice, your morale starts going up and you think you can be on the podium.

"But right now, thinking coldly, reaching the podium is a dream. In our current shape, it will be hard to make it into Q3."

RODDICK PUSHED TO LIMIT

Andy Roddick narrowly survived a first-round scare at the SAP Open to prevail 6-3 6-7 (7/3) 7-6 (7/5) against heavy-serving Australian Chris Guccione on Wednesday.

Holder of the world's fastest serve at 155 miles per hour, the top-seeded Roddick almost was upstaged by the unheralded Guccione, who fired 20 aces in almost pulling off a stunning upset.

Roddick, the top seed, managed just nine aces but ensured his place in the second-round where he will play Japanese teenager Kei Nishikori, who defeated unseeded Argentine Diego Hartfield 7-5 6-3.

The 18-year-old Nishikori is coming off a stunning win over American James Blake in Sunday's Delray Beach final to capture his first career title.

Blake, the tournament's number two, rebounded from that defeat with 6-3 6-1 victory over Sam Warburg in Tuesday's opening round.

In second-round play, fourth-seeded Czech Radek Stepanek advanced to the quarter-finals with a 7-5 7-6 (7-5) win over Bobby Reynolds, and will face the winner of Wayne Odesnik and Yen-Hsun Lu.

Eighth seed Kristof Vliegen of Belgium was sent home by American wild card Robby Ginepri 6-2 6-3. Ginepri will face the winner of the second-round match between Blake and Jesse Levine on Thursday.

Joining Ginepri in the quarter-finals will be Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, who punched his ticket with a hard-fought 3-6 7-6 (7/3) 6-4 victory over German Benjamin Becker.

In the final match of the night, third-seeded German Tommy Haas, returning to action following injury, advanced with a 6-3 4-6 6-2 win over American Robert Kendrick. He will next face American John Isner.

NADAL FALLS TO SEPPI IN ROTTERDAM

Rafael Nadal crashed out of the AMRO World Tennis Tournament on a dismal day for the seeded players in Rotterdam.

The top seed and world number two fell to a surprise 3-6 6-3 6-4 defeat against unseeded Italian Andreas Seppi, who claimed his first win in three meetings with the Spaniard.

Nadal had been the only remaining seeded player in the draw before the second-round match after a bevy of upsets earlier on Thursday.

Second seed Nikolay Davydenko was beaten 6-3 7-5 by Michael Llodra of France, while third-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer suffered a 6-2 7-5 defeat at the hands of German Mischa Zverev.

Czech Tomas Berdych, the number five seed, was also ousted on Thursday in a 6-4 6-4 upset against unseeded Croatian Ivo Karlovic.

RAIN NO PAIN FOR MASSA

Felipe Massa topped the timesheets at Barcelona on Wednesday while rivals McLaren opted out of playing in the rain.

For the second successive day it was the rain that dominated the proceedings at the Spanish circuit, limiting the number of laps completed. In fact one team, McLaren, opted not to run at all.

But while McLaren sat on the sidelines, their rivals Ferrari did not with Felipe Massa proving to the quickest driver out on track on day two.

The Brazilian clocked a one minute 30.673-second lap to beat Red Bull's Mark Webber by 0.540 secs while Ferrari's test driver Luca Badoer finished up in third place, a further 0.075 adrift.

However, it wasn't a problem-free day for Massa, who slid off the track at Turn 12 near the end of the morning session. The Brazilian, though, managed to avoid damaging his F2008 and therefore was able to resume running short afterwards.

David Coulthard set the fourth best time ahead of Renault's Fernando Alonso. The double world champion was over a full second off the pace as he worked on bettering the R28's handling in the wet.

"Another disrupted day and we did not do many laps. It was too wet in the morning to do any running so we waited until the afternoon," he said.

"We did some laps and tried some things in the wet and it was a chance to get used to driving without traction control and to improve the behaviour of the car in these conditions. Tomorrow the forecast is better; we have been waiting for these conditions all week, so fingers crossed."

Nico Rosberg finished in sixth place ahead of the Toyota's of Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli. Glock, however, had his running cut short when he crashed during the afternoon session.

"That was only half a day's work for me today because the morning was too wet for us to gain anything from testing. In the afternoon we did some running in the wet conditions - first on heavy wet tyres, changing to standard wet tyres," he said.

"The track conditions changed quite a lot as the track dried out but not enough. It was difficult to draw conclusions but we found a similar picture to the dry which will help us define where we concentrate our work. We have a few more days of testing to work out how to move forward so we will push hard."

Times
01 F. Massa Ferrari 1:30.673 46 laps
02 M. Webber Red Bull 1:31.213 43 laps
03 L. Badoer Ferrari 1:31.288 33 laps
04 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:31.654 44 laps
05 F. Alonso Renault 1:31.731 28 laps
06 N. Rosberg Williams 1:31.963 97 laps
07 T. Glock Toyota 1:32.407 33 laps
08 J. Trulli Toyota 1:32.571 47 laps
09 N. Hulkenberg Williams 1:33.102 13 laps
10 K. Nakajima Williams 0:00.000 1 lap
11 N. Piquet jr. Renault 0:00.000 1 lap

FA: PLANS ARE 'UNSUSTAINABLE'

The Premier League's plans for overseas matches have suffered a blow after the Football Association's board said the proposals were "unsustainable".

The FA say the League must either return with new plans quickly or drop the idea altogether.

The board decided the prospect of each club playing a 39th game in a foreign city would threaten to cause fixture congestion and damage their relations with FIFA and UEFA during the campaign for the 2018 World Cup.

FA chairman Lord Triesman said: "At the moment, we have not seen a sustainable plan to which we can agree.

"If the Premier League has things it wants to say about changes or new variants, well then come forward.

"But personally, I would prefer it happened sooner rather than later because I don't want this to drift on particularly as we are to launch our World Cup bid (for 2018)."

It is understood that there was almost unanimous agreement among the board members that the League's proposals could not be supported in their current format.

Triesman will however travel to Zurich on Thursday next week with Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore to meet FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who is staunchly opposed to the '39th step'.

League bosses remain insistent however they are not going to abandon their plan for a year-long consultation on the proposals.

A Premier League spokesman said: "We are pleased that the FA shares our opinion that the proposed Premier League international round merits full consideration and consultation.

"The issues raised - sanction, fixture calendar, sporting criteria and stakeholder consultation - remain the ones we identified, with our member clubs, as being critical to the progress of the proposal."

The league's hopes of persuading the FA to back them were not helped by Manchester United, whose chief executive David Gill is one of three top-flight representatives on the FA board, opposing the scheme as well.

Triesman said the Premier League had failed to answer the four issues he had outlined earlier this week - and that the rest of the board agreed with him.

The FA chairman added: "There are still a lot of fundamental issues for us.

"Firstly there are serious problems of congestion in the season.

"Secondly, I think that we have to make sure that our international relationships are in good shape. The 2018 World Cup is one of those reasons, and it is an important reason, but it is also true that we want to make sure we are working with international partners in a way that is effective.

"Third, there is bound to be continuing concern about whether the 39th game would change the symmetry of the competition or would introduce unfairness as it is perceived in the competition.

"It's also important to see that we're in a very difficult climate; people are very hostile and we've seen a great deal of that. We have to need to try to ensure that the football family as a whole feels more content with any proposal going forward.

"I think there is a consensus, that we've not seen a sustainable plan yet."

Asked if the Premier League's idea was now dead, or if the FA had sent them back to the drawing board, Triesman said quick answers were needed.

He added: "My reason for wanting it to be on a relatively shorter timescale is because I think it will help us in the discussion which we are going to have with FIFA next week.

"The whole of the process I think certainly does require some fresh thinking, some really substantive answers to the questions I've posed."

Triesman said the whole of the board shared similar views about the proposal.

He added: "I'm not going to talk about divisions in the board because I am very pleased to say that we are very much on the same page today. And that's not because members of the Premier League have suddenly abandoned the plan, they've most certainly not done that, that's not the issue."

REDKNAPP BACKS NUGENT LOAN SWITCH

David Nugent has been given the green light to join Ipswich on loan by Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp.

The striker only moved to Fratton Park from Preston last summer but he has struggled to establish himself in the Premier League, making just four top-flight starts.

Ipswich have made an offer to take Nugent to Portman Road on loan, and Redknapp believes it could be beneficial for him to go out and play more regularly.

Milan Baros and Jermain Defoe have arrived at Pompey in recent weeks to boost their attacking options and further limit Nugent's opportunities.

Redknapp told Sky Sports News: "Ipswich are interested in David. They want to take him on loan and it's a decent deal.

"It would do him good and, if that's what he wants, I won't stop him.

"David wants to play and if he goes to Ipswich, gets some goals and helps them get promoted it won't do him any harm.

"It's certainly a possibility but at the end of the day, it's David's decision. No-one is pushing him out."

Redknapp insists a move would not mean 22-year-old Nugent has failed in the Premier League.

"I still think he can adapt to the Premier League and he will adapt but he's been unlucky," Redknapp said.

There has been some speculation any switch could be held up by an injury to Nugent, but Redknapp expects him to be back in action soon.

"He's had a hernia operation three weeks ago and he's not far away," Redknapp explained.

"Maybe on Monday or Tuesday he'll be back training."

FIORENTINA SET UP EVERTON CLASH

Fiorentina set up a clash with Everton in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup with a comfortable 2-1 victory over Rosenborg.

Fabio Liverani, who returned from a two-week injury lay-off last weekend, got the first goal of the game shortly before half-time and Daniele Cacia sealed Fiorentina's victory 10 minutes from time.

Yssouf Kone pulled one back for Rosenborg right at the end but it was a case of too little too late for the Norwegians, who lost 3-1 on aggregate.

PSV Eindhoven will meet Tottenham in the next round after they beat Helsingborgs 2-1.

Second-half strikes from Mike Zonneveld and Danko Lazovic added to last week's 2-0 win were enough to secure PSV's progression, rendering Leandro Castan's 81st-minute goal purely consolatory.

Sporting Lisbon will now face Bolton after they beat beleaguered Basle 3-0.

Leading 2-0 from the first-leg, a second-minute goal from Bruno Pereirinha at St Jakob-Park all but ended the Swiss side's hopes of a fightback before Liedson struck twice either side of half-time to seal Sporting's progression.

Bayer Leverkusen cruised through with a stunning 5-1 success over Galatasaray at The BayArena.

Last week in Istanbul, the Germans struggled to find the target as the match ended goalless. But they made up for that in glorious fashion this time.

Sergej Barbarez opened the scoring after just 12 minutes and their lead was doubled a minute later when Stefan Kiessling pounced.

Barbarez was on hand to grab his second on 22 minutes to virtually seal Bayer's place in the next round.

After the break Bayer's dominance continued as Karim Haggui added a fourth and Bernd Schneider fired home from the penalty spot just after the hour to make it five.

Galatasaray grabbed a late goal when Ahmed Barusso scored from the spot, but it was scant consolation for the outclassed Turks.

Bayer will face German rivals Hamburg, who advanced 3-1 on aggregate after playing out a drab goalless draw at home to FC Zurich.

The German outfit were without injured captain and playmaker Rafael van der Vaart, but their progression never looked under threat as they dominated from start to finish.

The Swiss side had to score at least three times to have any hope of going through, having been outplayed in the first leg, but Huub Stevens' team were always in complete control of the tie.

Goals by Aleksandr Pavlenko and Roman Pavlyuchenko gave Spartak Moscow a 2-0 victory over Marseille on the night, but it wasn't enough for progression.

Having lost 3-0 in the first leg in the south of France last week, Spartak needed to produce something special at a freezing Luzhniki Stadium in the return fixture to progress.

They came mighty close, Pavlenko volleying home just before half-time and Pavlyuchenko adding to the lead in the 85th minute, but OM hung on to squeeze through.

Zenit St Petersburg produced one of the tournament's biggest surprises as they knocked out Villarreal on away goals despite losing 2-1 at El Madrigal.

Pavel Pogrebnyak seemed to have sealed the tie for the Russian side, who won the first-leg 1-0, but late goals from Guille Franco and Jon Dahl Tomasson gave Villarreal hope as Zenit finished the game with nine men following the dismissals of Sergei Shirokov and Radek Sirl.

Nine-man Bordeaux crashed out of the competiton after only managing a 1-1 draw at home to Belgian champions Anderlecht.

Trailing 2-1 from the first leg last week, the French side were given a glimmer of hope when Fernando Cavenaghi scored in the 71st minute to cancel out Thomas Chatelle's 34th-minute opener, but they imploded spectacularly with two dismissals in the final 16 minutes.

Benoit Tremoulinas saw red minutes after Bordeaux equalised and Mathieu Chalme was sent off with three minutes to go in a game which saw 11 other yellow cards.

A first-half Esteban Granero goal and late strikes from Cosmin Contra and Braulio earned Getafe a 3-0 victory over AEK Athens.

Michael Laudrup's side will take on Portuguese giants Benfica in the next round after they secured a 4-1 aggregate victory at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez.

TROTTERS HOLD ON IN MADRID

Bolton's European adventure continued tonight after a goalless draw saw them dump out Spanish giants Atletico Madrid to reach the last 16 of the UEFA Cup.

Holding a slender 1-0 lead from last week's first leg, Wanderers produced a perfect defensive performance in the Spanish capital to frustrate the home side and claim a famous scalp.

That result was enough to send Gary Megson's side through to a meeting against Sporting Lisbon in the next round.

Ayegbeni Yakubu bagged his second hat-trick this season to send Everton through in style with a 6-1 victory over Brann on the night, 8-1 on aggregate.

Brann started well with confidence and fire, but they were eventually blown away by an Everton side winning their seventh successive game in Europe.

Yakubu scored three, with Andrew Johnson (2) and Mikel Arteta also netting. Petter Vaagan Moen replied for the Norwegians.

Paul Robinson pulled off a stunning save to help nervy Spurs scrape through with a 1-1 draw on the night against Slavia Prague, putting himself in the frame for Wembley this weekend.

Robinson was dropped last month and missed 10 games, losing his England place in the process, but was granted a return after Radek Cerny's blunder allowed Slavia Prague back in this tie a week ago.

It meant Robinson and Spurs only had a slender 2-1 lead to protect from Prague, and they very nearly failed to do it.

Had Robinson not brilliantly tipped Milan Ivana's free-kick around the post late on, then the Carling Cup finalists would have been facing an unwanted extra 30 minutes.

It all looked plain sailing early on, as the north-London side extended their advantage when Jamie O'Hara netted his first goal for the club but Matej Krajcik's close-range strike- which left Robinson with no chance - meant a nervous second half before Spurs could celebrate a 3-2 aggregate victory.

Nacho Novo's late strike earned Rangers a place in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup thanks to a dramatic away-goals victory over Greek giants Panathinaikos, as the second leg clash in Athens ended in a 1-1 draw.

Novo, guilty of wasteful finishing in last week's goalless stalemate at Ibrox, made amends by pouncing on a loose ball nine minutes from full-time to fire a precious away goal past Pana goalkeeper Mario Galinovic.

Ioannis Goumas had earlier given Panathinaikos the lead with the first goal in the tie in spectacular fashion with a thunderous 25-yard strike - and Rangers were far from impressive in what was a lethargic display.

Bayern Munich knocked Aberdeen out with a 5-1 win at the Allianz Arena giving them a 7-3 aggregate success.

Brazilian defender Lucio set the home side on course for the last 16 of the UEFA Cup in the 12th minute and Daniel van Buyten made it two 10 minutes before the break.

A brace from Lukas Podolski put the result beyond doubt with 15 minutes remaining before Steve Lovell netted a consolation for the Dons in the 83rd minute.

Two minutes later, Mark van Bommel completed the scoring as Bayern eased into the next round.

BENITEZ HAILS KUYT IMPACT

Rafael Benitez reserved special praise for Dirk Kuyt after Liverpool's unexpected Champions League victory over Inter Milan.

Dutch striker Kuyt has been badly out of form this season, and his goal in the shock FA Cup defeat to Barnsley on Saturday was his first since mid-December.

But against the Italian champions on Tuesday night, Kuyt struck in the closing minutes - Steven Gerrard grabbing a second - to keep Liverpool's European dreams very much alive.

Their 2-0 victory in the last-16 first leg gave them a great chance of reaching the quarter-finals when they play Inter again in the San Siro next month.

Benitez said: "I have always had confidence in Kuyt. He has had a difficult time this season but has never failed to work hard.

"Against Inter, he was asked to play out of position on the right, but he produced a good hard-working display and was rewarded with a crucial goal for us."

Benitez insisted he always believed his under-fire team could produce a night of European triumph, just four days after their humiliation at the hands of Barnsley.

Liverpool bounced back from that disaster against a Coca-Cola Championship side to beat a team rated the best in Europe on current form.

Fans will struggle to understand how Liverpool can produce two such contrasting performances.

Benitez, his job reputed to be on the line, said: "This result is good for the confidence of the team, the supporters and the club.

"I always had confidence in my players. They played well, with passion, and they passed the ball excellently.

"It was clearly much better than the last match, and even though Inter Milan had 10 men for a long spell, they were still formidable opponents who were organised, defended well and were always capable of scoring on the break."

The Spaniard added: "I accept that we needed this win as a team, we needed to progress in the competition. As a manager, you are always pleased with a win like this, and this is now the time to be happy."

Benitez felt the red card for Inter defender Marco Materazzi was correct, and also insisted Liverpool should have had a second-half penalty when Patrick Vieira handled in the box.

He said: "The red card was clear. It was for two yellow cards and the referee was right. As for the penalty, everyone could see the Inter player handling the ball.

"But you cannot change things now, it is an excellent win made better by a clean sheet.

"I know people will say they cannot understand how we can lose to Barnsley and then beat Inter Milan. But on Saturday we changed the team, we had 10 internationals on the pitch and missed a lot of chances.

"This time we were better, we had far less chances but we scored two good goals.

"It gives us a great chance in the second leg, but we must be careful because Inter are a very good side and they will make it very difficult for us at the San Siro."

Inter coach Roberto Mancini insisted that the referee was wrong to dismiss former Everton defender Materazzi, saying: "I think the referee got both the yellow card decisions wrong. Neither were worthy of cautions and the sending-off changed the game.

"I was not surprised by this performance from Liverpool, I knew they would put in a good performance after what happened at the weekend because they are a good side.

"But I will not conceded that the task is now beyond us. We have another 90 minutes on our own ground, although the fact is that the second goal they scored has made it all a lot harder.

"But it is not out of our reach."

BLUES EARN ATHENS STALEMATE

Chelsea carved out a 0-0 draw against Olympiacos in Athens to give themselves a real chance of reaching the last eight of the Champions League.

But the rest of Europe will hardly be quaking in their boots after the Blues failed to create one real clear-cut chance against their opponents.

However, the Londoners will be favourites to progress into the quarter-finals when the two sides meet again in the return leg at Stamford Bridge in a fortnight.

Chelsea coach Avram Grant took a massive Euro gamble in leaving both captain John Terry and midfielder Frank Lampard on the substitutes' bench against the Greek champions.

But his plan worked as Chelsea ground out a goalless draw that made a mockery of the plan to turn his side into one of the most free-flowing in Europe.

Olympiacos proved they were no pushovers after qualifying for the knockout stages from a group that included Werder Bremen, Lazio and Real Madrid.

They have won 10 domestic titles in 11 years and Grant's decision to rest the England international duo was a brave one to take given the strength of the opposition.

It took Chelsea just 31 seconds to have the first shot on goal but unfortunately Michael Essien's effort was well wide.

Chelsea were lucky to escape in the seventh minute when Ieroklis Stoltidis tried to find Darko Kovacevic only for Ricardo Carvalho to react quickest and cut out what would have been a goalscoring opportunity for the Olympiacos forward.

In the 13th minute, Anastasios Pantos got the better of Joe Cole on the left flank only for his shot to deflect off Kovacevic and out for a goal-kick to Chelsea.

Florent Malouda tested home goalkeeper Antonios Nikopolidis in the 15th minute with a right-foot volley from the edge of the penalty area which the veteran shot-stopper did well to collect at the first attempt.

Olympiacos almost opened the scoring in the 28th minute when Vassilis Torosidis just failed to connect with a flick-on from Stoltidis.

The Greek side were clearly capable of unsettling the visiting defence but for most of the half, it was Chelsea who dominated possession.

The Greek champions were far from fluid in going forward and this allowed the English side to deal comfortably with their sporadic attacks.

Chelsea defender Alex was shown the yellow card in the 35th minute for a foul on Cristian Ledesma.

The English side were being forced to defend in numbers for the first time in the game now but the home side continued to show little invention in attack.

Too many aimless long balls were collected with ease by the Chelsea defence who, like their hosts, were unable to make the most of their

possession.

It was a measure of their frustration that a shot from Claude Makelele was way off-target when the France veteran, and captain on the night, tried his luck from 30 yards.

Chelsea wasted another chance when a free-kick from Juliano Belletti was headed well wide by the unmarked Michael Ballack.

Grant resisted the opportunity to change his side during the interval but his team failed to raise their game at the start of the second half.

In the 56th minute, Belletti was booked for a rash challenge on Stoltidis and Petr Cech had to be at his best to keep out a 25-yard drive from Predrag Djordjevic.

There was little to enthuse about as both sides struggled to find any fluidity during a game that rarely threatened to entertain.

It was far from the best advert for free-flowing football and Chelsea seemed quite content to pass the ball around without purpose until they lost possession.

Olympiacos would have benefited from an injection of pace in attack but the tall frame of Kovacevic was not the man to supply it.

One the rare occasions they found some pace it was from the combination of Stoltidis and Djordjevic.

They combined superbly in the 65th minute to set up a real chance for Luciano Galletti but the Olympiacos midfielder sent his right-foot volley over the crossbar from 10 yards.

Chelsea were devoid of ideas and their lack of initiative in the final third was summed up by an aimless ball from Makelele in the 68th minute that caught both Drogba and Ballack offside.

Chelsea sent on Nicolas Anelka, Frank Lampard and Salomon Kalou in the closing stages in a bid to find a goal from somewhere but it was much too late for them to make an impact.

Now Chelsea will have to finish the job on home soil to reach the quarter-finals of a competition Grant is desperate to win.

FABREGAS REVEALS ETO'O WISH

Cesc Fabregas admits he would 'love' Arsenal to sign Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o.

The Cameroon international has been repeatedly linked with a move to the Premier League after becoming one of football's most feared forwards.

Fabregas is a huge admirer of Eto'o and would relish the opportunity to play alongside the striker at the Emirates Stadium.

"If I was asked which one player I would like to see at Arsenal, it would be Samuel Eto'o," Fabregas told CNN International's 'World Sport'.

"Eto'o is a phenomenal striker, he's ambitious, he runs, he works for the team, he scores well and he's a real winner.

"I would love to have him on my team."

The Gunners return to UEFA Champions League action on Wednesday when holders AC Milan make the trip to London for the first leg of their last 16 encounter.

Though Milan have endured an indifferent season in Serie A, Fabregas has warned his team-mates not to underestimate the Italians' threat.

He added: "Everybody talks that they are not well in the league, but these teams they can kill you in one second.

"They have great players like Pirlo and Kaka."

CHELSEA TO REST KEY DUO - REPORT

Chelsea manager Avram Grant will reportedly rest John Terry and Frank Lampard in the Champions League to keep them fit for the Carling Cup final.

Terry and Lampard both played against Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup on Saturday - with Lampard scoring two goals - but neither will play against Olympiacos in the Champions League, according to The Sun.

Grant wants them both fit and well-rested for Sunday's Carling Cup final against Tottenham, so Alex and Michael Ballack will continue for Chelsea in Greece.

The Blues boss also has a decision to make in attack as both Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka are bidding to play as the lone striker.

TOP NAMES HEAD FOR DUBAI

A host of top players have added their names to the entry list for the forthcoming Barclays Dubai Championships.

In the men's event, which takes place from March 3-8, top-10 stars Nikolay Davydenko, Richard Gasquet and Mikhail Youzhny have all announced they will compete.

And for the women's tournament, which takes place the previous week, world number two Svetlana Kuznetsova, 2002 champion Amelie Mauresmo and Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli will all play.

Last year Youzhny pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the tournament when he overcame defending champion and world number two Rafael Nadal in straight sets on his way to a final showdown with Roger Federer.

Now he has the pressure of trying to live up to his reputation as a giant killer when play returns next month.

"It's tough to beat Roger," said Youzhny. "The only chance to beat him is to serve unbelievably good. When you play against Roger we understand you can be up 5-0 and the set is not finished."

Mauresmo has yet to return to her best form, which saw her capture two Grand Slam titles in 2006, following a 2007 season ruined by emergency appendix surgery.

The Frenchwoman did reach the final in Dubai last season only to lose to Justine Henin.

"This year can only be better," she said. "I don't have that many points to defend (on tour), and especially physically I really want to feel better, because I've been struggling."

The Dubai tournaments promise to be two of the strongest fields assembled on the ATP and WTA tours outside of the Grand Slams.

The world's top three Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, plus Andy Roddick and Briton Andy Murray, are all in the men's field, while four-time champion Henin, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic are due to play in the women's.

TENNIS STARS TAKE TOP AWARDS

Tennis stars Roger Federer and Justine Henin took top honours at the 2008 Laureus Sports Awards in St Petersburg on Monday - but there was also joy for two Britons.

Federer was named Sportsman of the Year for the fourth year in a row after scooping three of the four Grand Slam titles on offer in 2007.

And Henin took the equivalent female award after a highly impressive 2007 season - one she described as "the best of my career so far'' - which saw her lose just four matches, capturing the French and US Open titles along the way.

Speaking as he received the award, Federer said he had no plans to retire in the near future, with Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam titles firmly in his sights.

The Swiss star said: "My goal is to play as long as possible - maybe until I am 35.

"I have 12 Grand Slams, and Pete has 14 - of course it is on my mind now. I think it is going to be very difficult.''

There was also British success with Lewis Hamilton and Paula Radcliffe both picking up gongs.

Hamilton was chosen for the Breakthrough of the Year award after finishing runner-up in Formula One's world championship, missing out on the title by just a single point.

And Radcliffe took the honours in the Comeback of the Year category having returned to action following the birth of her daughter, recording a stunning win in November's New York Marathon.

Hamilton said: "It's quite a strange feeling being here. I feel a bit overwhelmed.

"Looking around (at the nominees) I didn't think I deserved it as much as the others.

"I just hope I can do my country proud and I keep working and achieve all my goals in the future.

"This year I will approach it with the same determination if not more.''

South Africa's rugby union team won the Team of the Year award for their efforts in lifting the Rugby World Cup, while pole vault legend Sergey Bubka was awarded a lifetime achievement award. He still holds the world record, almost 14 years after setting it at 6.14m.

The winners were chosen from a shortlist of six by the Laureus World Sports Academy, made up of former sports stars.

HAMILTON EYES TITLE

Lewis Hamilton has warned his Formula One rivals he will be better this year after being crowned as the planet's best new sporting talent.

Hamilton won the World Breakthrough Award at yesterday's Laureus World Sports Awards in St Petersburg - joining marathon runner and fellow Briton Paula Radcliffe, who claimed the Comeback of the Year award, on the roll of honour.

Hamilton was pipped to the F1 drivers' championship by just one point by Kimi Raikonnen in the final race of last season.

However, rather than seeing that as a setback, he has set out his ambition for the season - becoming world champion.

"My goals would be winning more races, finishing more races - last year we were very, very close to finishing every race so we have to try and improve that, more pole positions, fastest laps and then the main goal is to win the World Championship,'' he said.

"It's going to be a tough season again and by no means will it be easy so we are working as hard as we can.

"But I feel even more confident than last year, even more determined because I know what to expect, I know how to manage my time better, I know how to train better and how to drive better so I feel very optimistic.''

Hamilton refused to be drawn into the row over Bernie Ecclestone's remarks that the racial abuse he suffered in Barcelona was "nothing to worry about".

The 22-year-old was taunted by a number of fans while he was testing earlier this month at the Spanish circuit, prompting widespread condemnation.

Formula One chief Ecclestone's insistence the abuse was "a one-off...nothing to worry about'' provoked criticism from anti-racism groups and the FIA themselves, who insisted they would carry out their review.

But Hamilton said: "It's not really something I want to comment on.

"I've moved forward and I'm looking forward to the first race.

"Honestly, I can't wait to get back out there.

"The first Grand Prix - the car is feeling good, the team feels good and I feel good and that's all that matters.''

Former marathon world champion Radcliffe returned to racing after a two-year absence.

On her return she finished second in the Great North Run in September before winning the New York Marathon just five weeks later.

Roger Federer was named Sportsman of the Year for the fourth consecutive time.

The Swiss has been world number one since February 2004 and a superb 2007 saw him win the Australian and US Open events as well as his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title. Federer is now just two Grand Slams away from equalling Pete Sampras' record of 14 wins.

Justine Henin was named Sportswoman of the Year after returning from personal problems to win the French and US Open and reached the semi-final at Wimbledon.

The South Africa rugby team were the Team of the Year after winning the Rugby World Cup.

TORRES: WE ARE GETTING BETTER

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres insists the Reds have made progress this season and does not believe Rafael Benitez's rotation policy has affected the team's momentum.

The Anfield club head into Tuesday's crucial Champions League second round first-leg clash with Inter Milan in dire need of a positive performance after Saturday's embarrassing FA Cup exit at the hands of Barnsley.

Failure to see off the Serie A champions and leaders over two legs would leave the Merseysiders with little to play for aside from fourth place in the Barclays Premier League - and leave manager Benitez clinging to his job by his fingernails.

The current malaise is a far cry from the early months of the season when it seemed Liverpool were finally poised to mount a genuine title challenge.

But despite that bid long since faltering, Torres - one of the few summer signings to justify the pre-season hype - still sees signs of progress.

"If you look at the stats, this season is better than last season," he told The Times.

"The problem is that people asked us to win the Premier League this year.

"There is a progression, I don't think it's a bad season. We started wanting to win everything, but, as it progresses, you are forced to change your targets."

Torres does not believe Benitez's preference for chopping and changing his side has been a factor in the stalling of the Reds' season.

"When things don't go the way one wishes, people look for things to blame," he added.

"We have a manager with a philosophy that people knew before he came and one that has succeeded.

"It is very opportunistic to blame rotation for everything that goes wrong. It is not a problem for us. Liverpool have won a Champions League, FA Cup and so on with rotation.

"It is normal to rest. We players never want to, but if the manager says so, you have to. If everybody accepts that is the way forward, the atmosphere doesn't suffer."

BENITEZ : CONFIDENCE IS UNBROKEN

Rafael Benitez claims the confidence of his Liverpool players has remained unbroken despite their shock exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Championship side Barnsley.

Liverpool's last remaining hope of silverware this season is the Champions League - but they must overcome the daunting prospect of Inter Milan in the last 16 of the competition.

The Reds face the Serie A champions, unbeaten in the league this season, at Anfield on Tuesday and again in Milan on March 11.

Such has been the growing crisis at Anfield in the past three months, it might be assumed Liverpool's self-belief would be rock-bottom.

But Benitez insists his players are in the right frame of mind for the visit of the Nerazzurri.

"I believe confidence is okay," he said.

"We played well against Sunderland and Chelsea - and against Barnsley we know we had a lot of opportunities we should have taken.

"Now we must prepare properly. Mentally the team is ready, and I believe this coming game will be a lot different to the one against Barnsley.

"Everyone is disappointed by the FA Cup result against Barnsley - the players, the staff, everyone in the club. But we cannot change anything now.

"The atmosphere between the players is not as bad as people seem to think. They will try to win this game and I am sure they can do it.

"Then, if we beat Middlesbrough next Saturday here, everything will look different."

Benitez rested Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Jose Reina, Alvaro Arbeloa and Fabio Aurelio for the 2-1 defeat against the Tykes.

The Spanish coach will have all of them available for the visit of Roberto Mancini's side, who have not lost a game in the league this season and have conceded just 13 goals in Serie A.

Benitez, who ignored claims that his job rests on the result of the tie, has reiterated his "total commitment" to the club.

"When you lose it is important to have another game in a couple of days," he said.

"Inter Milan are a top side in Italy and Europe, but if we can beat them it will change a lot of the things being said about us.

"Every game is an opportunity for us to change the situation - we will continue to try to do that.

"You do not need to say too much to the players in this competition, because they know how important it is.

"We must keep going, thinking about the Champions League and fourth place in the league. We must progress as far as we can in Europe and make sure we are fourth, at least."