Nichols picked up his second yellow card of Australia's Olympic qualifying campaign during the loss to Uzbekistan in freezing conditions last weekend, while Ryall injured his hamstring in the 2-0 defeat in Tashkent.

No replacement will be called up for Nichols while Gold Coast United's Dylan McGowan has been called up by coach Aurelio Vidmar to replace Ryall.

Australia's hopes of qualifying for this year's Olympics became even slimmer with the overnight decision by FIFA to award the UAE a 3-0 win over Iraq after the Iraqis were deemed to have fielded an ineligible player in the November 27 fixture.

It means the Olyroos must win their remaining two fixtures against the UAE and Iraq and hope Uzbekistan and the UAE accrue no more than one point from their final two matches, which would leave goal difference to determine the final placings.

The Olyroos squad is in Dubai preparing for the UAE match, which will be played on February 22.

The annual review of football finance by Deloitte shows Madrid topping the list for the seventh straight year with revenue of 480 million euros ($591 million) to the year ending June 30, an increase of nine per cent on the previous 12 months.

English champion Manchester United was again in third place with 367 million euros ($453 million), the highest of four English clubs in the top-10 earners. Germany's Bayern Munich was fourth with 321 million euros ($396 million), with Arsenal, Chelsea, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Liverpool and Schalke next.

One more year at the top for Madrid would equal United's No.1 streak from 1997-2004 but the accountancy firm says on-field success could yet push Barcelona into first place next year.

Barcelona trails Madrid by seven points in the Spanish league but its revenue increased 13 per cent to 451 million euros ($556 million) and it could rise further if the team retains the UEFA Champions League title.

Defending Spanish and European champion Barcelona receives about 30 million euros ($37 million) per season in a sponsorship deal from the Qatar Foundation and earned 51 million euros ($63 million) from the Champions League, beating United 3-1 in last season's final at Wembley Stadium.

It can already count on 3.5 million euros ($4.3 million) towards next year's total after winning FIFA's Club World Cup in December.

"This may allow it to narrow, or even bridge, the gap to Real," Deloitte sports business group partner Dan Jones said. "However, relative on-pitch performance, particularly in the Champions League, may determine next year's top two Money League placings."

United is certain to trail again next season after its early elimination from this season's Champions League, only the second time it has failed to progress from the group stage in 16 seasons.

Tottenham rose above Manchester City to 11th place after its run to the quarter-finals in its debut Champions League campaign, but City could leapfrog its English rival next year after six matches in this season's group stage.

Borussia Dortmund, Valencia and Napoli are newcomers in the top 20, replacing Atletico Madrid, Stuttgart and Aston Villa after a season of greater domestic success.

French champion Lille was the only winner of one of Europe's five major leagues - Spain, England, Italy, Germany and France - not to make it into a top 20 entirely composed of European sides.

Deloitte said Brazilian clubs Corinthians and Sao Paulo, with reported revenues of between 70 million euros ($86 million) and 80 million ($99 million), would only make a top-50 list.

The 20 richest clubs based on revenue for the year ending June 30, 2011 (2010 positions in brackets)

1. Real Madrid, Spain, 480 million euro ($A591 million) (1)
2. Barcelona, Spain, 451 million euro ($A556 million) (2)
3. Manchester United, England, 367 million euro ($A453 million) (3)
4. Bayern Munich, Germany, 321 million euro ($A396 million) (4)
5. Arsenal, England, 251 million euro ($A310 million) (5)
6. Chelsea, England, 250 million euro ($A308 million) (6)
7. AC Milan, Italy, 235 million euro ($A290 million) (10)
8. Inter Milan, Italy, 211 million euro ($A261 million) (9)
9. Liverpool, England, 203 million euro ($A251 million) (8)
10. Schalke, Germany, 202 million euro ($A250 million) (16)
11. Tottenham, England, 181 million euro ($A223 million) (12)
12. Manchester City, England, 170 million euro ($A209 million) (21)
13. Juventus, Italy, 154 million euro ($A190 million) (10)
14. Marseille, France, 150 million euro ($A186 million) (15)
15. AS Roma, Italy, 144 million euro ($A177 million) (18)
16. Borussia Dortmund, Germany, 139 million euro ($A171 million) (-)
17. Lyon, France, 133 million euro ($A164 million) (14)
18. Hamburg, Germany, 129 million euro ($A159 million) (13)
19. Valencia, Spain, 117 million euro ($A144 million) (-)
20. Napoli, Italy, 115 million ($A142 million) (-).

In the opening game of Group Five, Nacional took the lead in the 30th minute as Vasco defender Dede scored an own goal from a Tabare Viudez corner kick.

Vicente Sanchez doubled the lead a minute into the second-half and then missed the chance to score a third goal after dribbling past Vasco keeper Fernando Prass.

The Brazilian team managed to reduce the deficit at the 73rd minute when Alecsandro finished from a Juninho Pernambucano pass from the right.

Vasco had an equaliser disallowed in the 89th minute as Carlos Tenorio was offside when he headed the ball into the back of the net.

Substitute Renato Silva was sent off for protesting about the decision to Colombian referee Jose Buitrago.

Juninho Pernambucano told Globo TV: "Nacional played very well, and were fast in attack.

"We had to win tonight but we failed. Now, we'll fight. We are not happy, but our fans are great and we'll fight a lot."

The other Group Five teams, Libertad of Paraguay and Peru's Alianza Lima, will meet on Thursday in Asuncion.

In Group Three, Chilean side Union Espanola beat Colombia's Junior 2-0 by scoring two goals in 60 seconds.

In the 64th minute, Emanuel Herrera netted after a corner, while Fernando Cordero doubled the lead at the 65th, when his cross saw the ball straight into the goal at the far post.

Union Espanola midfielder Braulio Leal told Fox Sports: "Winning the first game is very important. And it is more if you are home team. This is a very even tournament and you cannot make mistakes."

A brace by Javier Orozco gave Mexico's Cruz Azul a 2-1 win over Nacional in Paraguay.

Ariel Bogado netted for the host in their first game in Group Six.

The club last week announced Czech Republic-born Lavicka will leave Sydney at the end of this season, his third with the A-League club.

Emerton, who has returned to Australia this year after spending the last decade in Europe, admitted he hadn't come across such a situation with a club in title contention.

"It is a unique situation and not one which I've come across in my career so far," Emerton told reporters before Sydney FC training on Thursday.

"But I don't think it will affect the team's performance because I think, as a group of players, we want to achieve something this year.

"It doesn't matter who was our manager, we would be going out there and giving 100 percent each and every time and we do respect the manager, so we want to send him off in the right way."

Sydney slipped out of the top six after last week's heavy home loss to Newcastle Jets.

Another home defeat on Saturday against high-flying Perth Glory could seriously damage Sydney's finals prospects.

Lavicka, who won the A-League title with Sydney in his first season at the club, gave no hint he would look to leave before the end of the season if it became apparent the side couldn't make the finals.

"At the moment, I still have a commitment and clear desire to reach a successful season with the players and the club, so we don't give up the season and try to do our best," Lavicka told reporters.

"We have seven games to go, which means (a maximum of) 21 points.

"There's plenty of room to improve and we have a chance to pick up points and reach the finals."

Lavicka revealed he was poised to make three changes to his team for the SFS clash with Perth.

Captain Terry McFlynn is suspended and striker Mark Bridge has an ankle ligament injury.

Lavicka said he would make one other change, but didn't want to reveal who would be dropped.

He said every game from now on was like a grand final, while Emerton stressed the significance of Saturday's clash with Glory.

"I think it's arguably probably the most important game of our season so far," Emerton said.

Signed on a loan deal, coach Jim Magilton was still unsure on Thursday morning whether the tall defender's international clearance would be finalised in time, but the paperwork was completed later in the day.

It was still uncertain whether Victory skipper Adrian Leijer could partner Luzardo in the centre of defence at AAMI Park, after failing to train all week with a groin injury.

Magilton, still seeking his first win after five games in charge, would not reveal his preferred line-up.

But Thursday's training session indicated he wants the tall Luzardo to slot in alongside Leijer, allowing Mark Milligan to move into midfield.

That would cover for the absence of veteran midfielder Grant Brebner, who ruptured an ankle tendon in last round's scoreless draw with Melbourne Heart.

A scan on Wednesday gave Victory some hope the 34-year-old Scotsman could return later in the season.

If not, the two-time championship winner has probably played his last A-League match.

Magilton said Leijer's groin had troubled him throughout the season, and he was hoping the skipper could again play through pain.

"We'll see him tomorrow and then we'll make that assessment," he said.

The Mariners have lost Pedj Bojic (knee) and Troy Hearfield (hamstring), but regained midfielder John Hutchinson from suspension.

The match is desperately important for eighth-placed Melbourne, who sit three points outside the top six.

Magilton doubted the Mariners' first loss in 16 matches, to Brisbane Roar last round, would have dented their enviable confidence.

He admitted Victory was struggling on the confidence front, after missing opportunities to win recent matches.

"If there's a little bit of fear creeps in, things that you do naturally are taking a second longer," Magilton said.

He drew one positive from the derby draw - Victory's first clean sheet in 14 matches. The next step was for an attack boasting the talent of Archie Thompson, Harry Kewell and Carlos Hernandez to play to its potential.

"They've got to be able to step out across the white line and produce. There's no doubt on their day they can," Magilton said.

Despite the vast gulf between the two sides on the ladder, Central Coast's Josh Rose said Victory remained a serious threat.

"If you look at their forward line, they've got a lot of dangerous players," Rose said.

Despite sitting 18 points ahead of Victory, Rose reckons the Yellow and Navy cannot afford to be complacent against Jim Magilton’s star-studded line-up.

“Melbourne Victory are always a dangerous team to play,” Rose said. “If you look at their forward line they’ve got a lot of dangerous players and they can punish you on the break if you’re not careful.”

“You watch some of their games that they have got a good result from … and you can’t take them lightly”.

Despite having had its 15-game unbeaten run broken by Roar, Rose said Mariners boss Graham Arnold has changed little throughout the team's preparation for the clash with Victory.

Indeed, the lightning fast, level-headed left defender said it is up to the team to ‘move on’ swiftly following the teams first defeat since October 23.

“Arnie’s (Graham Arnold) been really positive," he said. "I think the most important thing is that we learn our lesson from last week and move on and try and change it – turn it around this week.”

With the wet weather having largely ceased on the Central Coast, the Mariners have enjoyed a far better build up for the Victory fixture.

“I think that there were reasons behind last weeks performance,” Arnold said. “Even saying that we definitely had our chances to win the game against Roar.

"The fact that we got back to the Central Coast after the Gold Coast game and we couldn’t train anywhere made it very difficult.”

Arnold has been forced into a number of squad changes due to injuries sustained to Pedj Bojic (knee) and Troy Hearfield (hamstring) at Bluetongue Stadium when Mariners met Roar.

Two days after Ferguson expressed his desire for a multi-year deal to continue his transformation of the club, Sage held fast to the handshake agreement which set the completion of the 2011-2012 campaign as the trigger for a decision on Ferguson’s future.

Speaking from South Africa, where the mining magnate is on business, Sage said: “I’ve been under immense pressure to sack Ian during the horror stretch of results we had last year and I backed him all the way.

“Just now because he is having a good run doesn’t mean that I will go back down on the agreement we had that a decision would be made at the end of 27 rounds.

“That was the agreement and I am not suddenly going to change my mind now. I shook his hand at the beginning of the season and he has not come back to me now to change that and I am not going to go to him either.

“We both know the situation. He is a gentleman and he is not bringing any pressure on me now while I didn’t bring any pressure on him during the horror stretch.

“He’s brilliant but he still has seven games to go, so let’s get through those 27 games.”

Sage expressed his delight at an eight-match unbeaten run which has turned Glory from also-ran to title contender.

“We had a terrible run of injuries – and losing the spine at the back four the season in Scott Neville and Chris Coyne – was a major blow for us which many people under-estimated,” he added.

“That’s why conceded so many sloppy goals. We also need at least 13 games to gel after changing 13 squad players from last season to this, so it was always a case of being patient.”

Travis Dodd, one of the new faces and the scorer of Glory’s fourth in the 4-0 Monday night romp over Gold Coast United, believes Ferguson deserves some credit after being cast as a pariah by many Glory fans earlier in the campaign.

“It’s a credit to the gaffer. From day one he never blamed the players and shouldered the responsibility for results.

“There were a lot of people wanting him out of the club but he showed enormous belief in the players and hopefully now we are starting to repay some of that.

“He’s turned things around for us and results are speaking for themselves now. He’s said that he’d like to be here for a few more years to build on where the club is at now and I’d like to see him stay.

“He’s the kind of manager you can talk to and being a Scotsman you always know where you stand with him. That’s what you want from a manager.”

Dodd is wary of talk of a top-two finish, even though Glory only trails Wellington by two points ahead of the match against Sydney FC at the SFS on Saturday.

“It has been mentioned but our objective was always top six and we’re in a position to go on that. I’ve always said we have a great squad here and there’s no reason why we can’t go on and challenge for the title.

“We’re undefeated since Christmas but we are certainly not in a position where we can get carried away with ourselves.”

Saturday lunchtime (local time) is likely to see the Uruguay international come up against United for the first time since his eight-match ban for racially abusing defender Patrice Evra.

The teams have already met, in the Reds' FA Cup fourth-round win at Anfield last month, but the encounter at Old Trafford has the potential to be particularly hostile atmosphere towards the striker who finally made his comeback in his side's draw at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

That game threatened to re-open the simmering tensions between the two clubs and sets of fans after United striker Wayne Rooney wrote on Twitter he felt Suarez should have been sent off and not just booked for kicking Scott Parker in the stomach.

Equally, Dalglish's assertion in his post-match interviews that he felt the player should never have been banned in the first place could have been viewed by some as antagonistic.

But the Scot, who confirmed Suarez would shake the hands of Evra and all the United players, has called for a 'responsible' approach.

"Everyone involved, including the media, the supporters and both teams have a responsibility to ensure this weekend is remembered as a cracking game of football between two very good sides, rather than for anything else," he told liverpoolfc.tv

"I thought everyone involved in the FA Cup tie at Anfield played their part in making sure that the match was played in the right way, so let's make sure that happens again this weekend.

"I'm sure people will want to talk about Luis Suarez but he accepted his ban, served his suspension and returned against Spurs on Monday.

"It's time for all of us to draw a line under what happened and move forward.

"People are already speculating on the pre-match ceremony, but from Luis's point of view we have spoken to him and I know he will shake the hand of Patrice Evra and the other Manchester United players before the game."

There are no plans to abandon the pre-match pleasantries at Old Trafford, Press Association Sport understands.

A precedent was set when Queens Park Rangers hosted Chelsea in the last round of the FA Cup and the handshakes between the teams were cancelled in an effort to ease tensions due to John Terry's charge of racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand, an allegation the Chelsea captain denies.

Suarez, who was in the stands at Anfield for the cup tie with United and heard the chants aimed at him by the visiting fans, is under no illusions about what awaits.

"I know against United it is going to be tense because I'm going to face Evra," the 25-year-old told the Uruguayan station Radio Sport 890.

"But I'm used to having fans whistle at me. I hope nothing unusual happens. I'll have to forget what happened for that moment.

"I do know Man United fans are going to try to make me feel uncomfortable but I have to tell them, they are going to spur me on if they whistle at me."

Henrique Dias, Sergio Manoel, Rissardo Xuta and Preto scored for Mirassol in a 4-0 away victory over Guaratingueta.

Moro Giancarlo scored twice and there were also goals from Romerinho and Gabriel as Bragantino won 4-1 against Ituano whose goal came from Kleyton Domingues.

Catanduvense drew 1-1 with Ponte Preta thanks to a goal from Du. Gian netted the equaliser for Ponte Preta.

Capello told ANSA, the national Italian news agency: "I leave England and I will not say anything else."

When asked about the quotes attributed to him by other Italian news agencies, he said they were 'false'.

The Italpress agency quoted Capello at length attacking the Football Association.

His son Pierfilippo wrote in an email: "A story on football-italia website quoting Fabio Capello is not accurate and not true.

"We will take legal actions against any further story of this nature."

Capello quit as England manager after a showdown with the Football Association chairman David Bernstein over the decision to go over his head and strip John Terry of the England captaincy.

At almost exactly the same time as the Wembley meeting, Harry Redknapp was being cleared of charges of tax evasion at Southwark Crown Court - and opening the way for the him to take over as England manager.

Capello was due to leave his £6 million ($8.79 million)-a-year job after EURO 2012 but now his successor - and the FA will have to deal with Tottenham Hotspur first if it does want Redknapp - will have only four months or less to prepare for the finals of a major tournament.

The energetic midfielder completed the milestone when he was introduced as a substitute in United's staggering comeback draw at Chelsea last weekend.

It is not a bad effort from the 30-year-old considering how many times he has been forced out for extended periods through injury since his bargain £2 million ($2.93 million) arrival from PSV Eindhoven in 2005.

At the time, Park's signing was dismissed as an elaborate money-making venture by the Old Trafford money men.

Yet Sir Alex Ferguson always knew the South Korean had the capacity to be a key figure in his plans.

"I am proud to reach this mark," said Park.

"I never thought I could play 200 matches for Manchester United.

"Some people did say those things (shirt-seller) when I came here. Now no-one says it.

"I am very happy that I proved Asian players can deal with the high levels of European football."

Park was part of an odd trio of close friends at United.

The sight of him engaged in animated conversation with Patrice Evra and Carlos Tevez brought inevitable questions about what language they communicated in.

Tevez has gone of course but the observations of Park have been widened beyond mere curiosity to an appreciation of his game.

His industry has never been questioned. But with greater experience has come a calmness and game appreciation even he wondered whether he was capable of when he left Asia for Europe almost a decade ago, and then headed for the Premier League.

"Before I came here, I believed I could do it but I wasn't sure," he said.

"But the manager believed in me. He encouraged me to deal with these kinds of levels. He told me to fight.

"That made a big difference for me to adapt to English football."

Park's return has been impressive.

Since he has been at United, the club has claimed four league titles - becoming the first South Korean to collect a winners' medal - three League Cups, the World Club Cup and the UEFA Champions League.

Park was not in the match-day squad for the latter triumph over Chelsea in Moscow four seasons ago.

However, he did play a pivotal role in the semi-final victory against Barcelona, running a mammoth 19 km to help shut down Lionel Messi in the second leg at Old Trafford.

He has also made a remarkable habit of scoring in matches against the biggest opposition, most recently in the FA Cup defeat to this weekend's visitor Liverpool.

Typically though, Park has no desire to rest on his laurels.

"To make 200 games is brilliant," he said.

"I have a lot of good memories, especially the days when I have lifted trophies. They are great feelings.

"But the atmosphere at Manchester United is such that when you reach one point in your career, there is a determination straight away to reach other goals and aims.

"That is why Manchester United players want to lift trophies again and again.

"I know why their hunger is so much to win titles. That is the mentality."

Despite guiding the club to a seven-point lead over perennial foe Barcelona at the top of the Primera Division table, reports continue to link the 49-year-old Portuguese with a move away from the club at the end of the campaign.

But Callejon, who has been an impressive performer under Mourinho since returning to the club from Espanyol last northern summer, does not believe his manager is looking to quit the Spanish capital.

He told AS: "I don't think he is going to leave because he is happy here. He wants to work and do things right. I see him as calm and with the desire to win many titles."

The Gunners head to Sunderland this weekend on the back of a 7-1 thrashing of Blackburn Rovers at Emirates Stadium, which was a welcome first league win of 2012 and reduced the gap on fourth-placed Chelsea, which drew with Manchester United, to three points.

Wenger's side is set to host four of the five sides currently above it over the coming weeks, and the Arsenal manager feels the team can produce the needed consistency.

"We still have real hope that we can finish the season the strongest," the Arsenal manager told the club's official website.

"We have a good spirit and desire within the group - and we have quality.

"We know that with the position we are in we need an exceptional consistency, so that is the challenge we have in front of us at Sunderland."

Arsenal' defensive worries have eased somewhat in recent games with the return to match fitness of Bacary Sagna, while fellow fullback Kieran Gibbs is also close to being in contention again after his groin problems.

Switzerland international Johan Djourou did not feature in the squad for Blackburn.

The 25-year-old, though, appears to remain very much part of Wenger's plans, with the Switzerland Football Association posting an article announcing Djourou - who came up through the Arsenal youth ranks - had agreed a contract extension until 2015.

Press Association Sport understands confirmation will come from Arsenal later.

Djourou, who posted a link to the story via his Twitter account, told http://www.football.ch: "I like this club and I want to stay here as long as possible.

"I currently work in the background, waiting for another chance to show my potential. I have confidence in the future."

One player, however, who does not appear to view his long-term future at Arsenal is striker Carlos Vela, currently on loan at Spanish club Real Sociedad.

The 22-year-old Mexico international failed to break into the Gunners first-team regularly and said in El Diario Vasco: "I would stay at Real. I am happy and the people support me.

"I owe Arsenal affection and gratitude for the opportunity that they gave me, but I was not happy there and this affected my work.

"It was hard day to day and, when it came to training, I was thinking about going home. Here, however, I am happy and have made good friends."

Vela added: "It is too early to talk about these issues, but I do not close the door to Real. However, if you cannot reach an agreement with Arsenal, you cannot do anything.

"As I said, I'm happy here and would like to help the team stay up, then we will see what happens in the summer. Right now, we cannot do anything even if we wanted to."

Favre has taken Borussia Monchengladbach from the bottom of the Bundesliga, via a relegation play-off, to fourth place in the table and on course for a place in the UEFA Champions League next season.

That achievement has caught Beckenbauer's eye and, only weeks after proposing the name of Thorsten Fink as a future Bayern boss, he now says Favre has what it takes to succeed in Munich.

"I think that Favre would also have the authority (that he has now) at a club like Bayern," he told Sport Bild magazine.

"The experienced players are quick to notice if they are dealing with a coach who is a charlatan or speaks rubbish, or if they are working for somebody who understands their job."

However, while Beckenbauer continues to think of future coaches for his club, he admits the present solution with Jupp Heynckes could endure.

Heynckes' contract runs until 2013 and Beckenbauer would not be surprised if the 66-year-old extended his stay in Bavaria.

"If he feels fit enough, then he has the best opportunities at Bayern," added Beckenbauer.

"If his life revolves around the Bundesliga, then he can carry on for a year or two."

Krasic has been strongly linked with a move to Zenit St Petersburg, with the Russian transfer window closing on 24 February 24.

"I can only say that as it stands right now, Milos is not thinking about moving to Russia," Krasic's agent Vlado Borozan told www.tuttomercatoweb.com

"He was in Russia for seven years (at CSKA Moscow) and even though Zenit is a great club, he wants to remain on this side of Europe.

"The transfer window (in Russia) closes at the end of the month and I cannot exclude that he might change his mind although I think it would be very difficult.

"He knows that at Juve he will not find space but he is aware of his choices."

Krasic, who has been linked with a move to Chelsea, joined Juventus from CSKA Moscow in the northern summer of 2010 and scored seven goals in 33 league appearances last season.

However, since the arrival of coach Antonio Conte to Juventus this northern summer, the 27-year-old has had limited playing time, making just seven appearances for the Turin giant so far.

Klopp said the game should not have gone ahead due to a frozen pitch in Kiel and, although his side won 4-0 to move into the semi-finals of the competition, he was livid at the final whistle, claiming the ARD had forced the game to be played due to its television schedule.

"The game could not have been called off today because the TV puts so much pressure on," Klopp said.

"I am just incredibly relieved that nobody has picked up a serious injury.

"You wouldn't even play ice hockey on this surface. The conditions were not good enough for professional football."

However, the ARD's sports co-ordinator Axel Balkausky said Klopp was pointing the finger at the wrong people.

He said it is the responsibility of the German Football Association (DFB) to decide whether a game takes place, whether it is destined for live television broadcast or not.

"Our influence is zero," he is quoted as saying by the Bild newspaper. "It is zero point zero.

"The referee does not confer with us, and that is perfectly right too.

"We do not decide whether any sport event should take place or not."

Maarten Martens netted the fourth and Jozy Altidore was on target twice late on as AZ ran riot in the second half with five goals to seal a 6-0 win.

The win moved AZ into second, three points ahead of FC Twente.

The game had been postponed from last weekend because of a frozen pitch and another pitch inspection was needed 90 minutes before kick-off before the game could go ahead.

AZ got used to the firm surface quicker and Simon Poulsen had a shot deflected just wide.

The visitor went ahead in the 33rd minute when Brett Holman crossed the ball from the left and Benschop got to it ahead of defender Gabor Horvath to score.

It doubled the advantage two minutes into the second half as Martens took advantage of poor defending to set up Benschop, who picked out the left corner from just inside the area.

The host briefly threatened to grab a lifeline, but AZ goalkeeper Esteban Alvarado tipped away Tjaronn Chery's shot.

Instead Benschop completed his hat-trick and put the game to bed in the 69th minute as he ran on to Rasmus Elm's pass and fired home.

AZ made it four four minutes later as Johann Berg Gudmundsson's throughball this time split the defence and Martens chipped keeper Gino Coutinho as he came off his line.

ADO showed plenty of spirit and kept on pressing, but could not find a way past Alvarado.

Instead substitute Altidore added a fifth in the 85th minute, converting Holman's pass, and the American completed the rout two minutes from time, following up to score after Coutinho failed to hold Martens' shot.

The match had been suspended due to a waterlogged pitch after 65 minutes on 14 January with the score at 1-1, Nicola Legrottaglie having put the home side in front in the 24th minute only for Daniele De Rossi to equalise four minutes later.

The host started well in the second installment of the game, Sergio Almiron lashing a right-footed shot just wide from a central position after three minutes.

Rodrigo Taddei sent a free-kick from just outside the box high and wide three minutes later in the visitor's first attempt of the night.

Catania had two late chances to turn one point into three but was unable to find a way past Maarten Stekelenburg. The goalkeeper tipped a Cristian Llama blast over the bar five minutes from the end and then Alejandro Gomez fired just wide.

Roma too could have nicked it before the end, but Tomas Kosicky pulled off a brilliant save to keep out Fabio Borini's close-range shot after he was set up by Aleandro Rosi.

Seconds after Stephen Elliott's second-minute header appeared to cross the line before being blocked by Celtic midfielder Joe Ledley, Hoops skipper Scott Brown drove low past Jambos goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald for the opener.

Midfielder Victor Wanyama and Ledley made it 3-0 at the interval before striker Gary Hooper concluded the romp on the hour mark with a typical poacher's goal from close range.

There was all to play for with the tie finely balanced at 1-1 heading into the second leg at the Nou Camp, and the host needed only 16 minutes to take the lead through a neat finish from Fabregas.

Sofiane Feghouli was sent off for the visitor in the 76th minute for a second bookable offence and soon after Xavi eased any Barca nerves by grabbing his side's second goal.

Barca will face Athletic Bilbao in the final after the Basque club completed an 8-3 aggregate win over Mirandes.

Valencia had a couple of early sights of goal but was unable to work Jose Pinto in the Barca goal.

Victor Ruiz failed to connect in the six-yard box in the third minute and then Feghouli lashed in a left-footed shot, which whistled narrowly past the top-left corner.

The host went ahead on the quarter-hour mark, Fabregas dinking over Diego Alves with the outside of his right boot following a fine pass from Lionel Messi.

Barca was beginning to gain a foothold as the game wore on, although Los Che remained a threat on the counter-attack.

Alves prevented Barca from going two up in the 18th minute, producing a brilliant save to keep out Messi after the Argentina forward had burst through on goal.

Alexis Sanchez had another blast deflected wide in the 27th minute and Fabregas saw another drive stopped by Alves three minutes later as Pep Guardiola's side continued to push forward.

A last-gasp tackle from Gerard Pique denied Jonas a shooting opportunity nine minutes before the break when the Valencia forward looked to have found space.

Valencia was almost back on level terms in the opening moments of the second half, but Pinto got out well to block with his legs from Jordi Alba's angled shot.

The ever-lively Messi went within a whisker of extending his side's lead at the other end in the 54th minute after latching onto Isaac Cuenca's slick pass, the Ballon d'Or winner's effort deflected over the bar by Ruiz.

The visiting side had a sniff of an equaliser soon after when, with Pinto in no-man's land, Aritz Aduriz sent over a cross but Javier Mascherano cleared the danger.

The action soon returned to the other end, where Messi capitalised on sloppy defending to go close again but his only reward was a corner.

Pinto had to be alert in the 73rd minute to tip a fierce attempt from Jonas over the bar for a corner.

Valencia's cause was not helped by the dismissal of Feghouli 14 minutes from time, the midfielder shown a second yellow card for a stray arm in the face of Carles Puyol.

Barca did not take long to capitalise on the numerical advantage.

Messi's superb pass found Sanchez and he laid the ball off for Fabregas to tee up Xavi, who lashed a stunning shot into the roof of the net to put the result beyond doubt.

Messi could have added further gloss to the scoreline when he unleashed a brilliant free-kick in the 85th minute but Alves produced a magnificent right-handed save.