The 30-year-old - scorer of 51 goals in 82 internationals - had been a major doubt since breaking his tibia at last December's World Club Championship.

However, the Barcelona star was given time by national coach Vicente del Bosque to prove his fitness but time finally ran out on Tuesday as the defending European champion arrived at its training camp in Austria.

"David Villa cannot definitely be on the list for Euro 2012," read a statement on the Spanish Football Federation's website.

"Villa spoke with the national team doctor this afternoon after the arrival of the team in the Austrian town of Schruns.

"After not getting in the final practice and development desired, David Villa spoke with del Bosque, who relayed that although it was Villa's wish to be with the team in Poland and Ukraine, that his physical state was 'not as good' as would be desirable."

Mourinho, who joined the club in May 2010 on a four-year deal, said early in May he had no ambition to coach in new countries.

But media reports had continued to speculate on him returning to England, with some linking him to a move back to Chelsea.

"Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho have reached an agreement to extend the latter's contract with the club until June 30, 2016," the club said in a statement published online.

The self-appointed "Special One" took Real Madrid to its 32nd league title last month, ending a run of three successive league crowns for bitter rival Barcelona.

That made him only the fourth coach to have won four different league titles after taking the English, Italian and Portuguese crowns, along with Austria's Ernst Happel, the late Croat Tomislav Ivic and Italian veteran Giovanni Trapattoni.

During his first season at the club, critics said the star coach's approach was too aggressive both on the field and in comments at press conferences about rivals and referees.

In one infamous incident in August last year when Barcelona won the domestic Super Cup against Real, a brawl broke out after Marcelo was red carded for a reckless challenge on Cesc Fabregas.

During the melee, Mourinho was shown on public television poking his finger into the eye of Barca assistant coach Tito Vilanova - who has since been promoted to the top to replace departing Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola, 41, announced last month that he was leaving at the end of the season after a four-year rein at Barcelona, saying he felt "drained".

Asked about the incident at the time, which earned him a two-match ban, Mourinho famously asked journalists at a post-match news conference: "Pito Vilanova? I don't know who this Pito is."

Mourinho has been supported through thick and thin by Real president Florentino Perez.

Former Real director general Jorge Valdano had unsuccessfully argued against Mourinho's appointment, but then found himself out of a job.

In May 2011 Perez terminated the position of director general occupied by Valdano to give Mourinho more autonomy.

Spanish media reported at the time that Mourinho had demanded that Valdano, a former Argentine international, be dismissed as a condition for his staying on at the club.

Real striker Cristiano Ronaldo praised Mourinho in an interview published Tuesday in Spanish sports daily AS, calling him "the best coach in the world".

"To continue my career with Mourinho now is just great because it helps me improve and learn more," he said.

"I don't wish for anything different than that. It's great to work with him because, right now, he is the number one manager."

Mourinho began his hugely successful coaching career with Portuguese side Benfica in 2000.

The foundations of his coaching career were set when he took a job as an interpreter and assistant for the late Sir Bobby Robson in Spain and Portugal.

Madrid finished its season after winning a record 32nd league title by taking on Kuwait, who is ranked 86th in the world by FIFA.

Maria opened the scoring for Madrid in the 26th minute after receiving a pass from Mesut Ozil.

Ronaldo, who led his team with 46 goals this season, doubled the lead five minutes later when he headed into the net from close range.

Kuwait threatened several times in the second-half but couldn't beat goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

The 34-year-old announced last month that he would be leaving Schalke 04 at the end of the campaign, despite having proven a hit in Gelsenkirchen since arriving from Real Madrid in 2010.

His destination was unknown but Al Sadd said on its website that he will be their player for the 2012-2013 campaign.

"Al Sadd will hold a press conference on Sunday, May 13 to present Spanish star Raul Gonzalez, who is contracted to the team for the 2012-2013 season," the club statement read.

When five Primera Division clubs made it through to the semi-finals of the two European competitions it was the prospective 'Clasico' Champions League final showdown between Barcelona and Real Madrid that attracted most attention.

But, with those two sides somewhat surprisingly being dumped out by Chelsea and Bayern Munich, it has given the chance to Europa League finalists Athletic Bilbao and Atletico Madrid to show the footballing world there is much more to La Liga than just the big two.

It is an encounter that promises to have something for everyone.

For those who like their matches filled with thrills, spills and goals - the last time these two sides drew 0-0 against each other was back in 1998, and the 22 fixtures between the pair since then have produced an average of more than three goals per game.

There is evidence to suggest it will not be any different in Bucharest next week either, with Bilbao having wowed much of Europe with its attractive and hugely effective high-tempo attacking football this season, not least in its quarter-final humbling of mighty Manchester United.

Star striker Fernando Llorente is a big threat both in the air and on the ground, while he is ably supported by a host of seemingly indefatigable team-mates such as Iker Muniain, Oscar de Marcos and Markel Susaeta.

Prompting from the middle of the park there is Ander Herrera while Spain internationals Javi Martinez and Andoni Iraola have also impressed during the side's run to its first European final since 1977.

New-look Atletico Madrid has also proved a formidable and entertaining side as it seeks a second Europa League title in three years, winning 16 of 18 games in the competition this season while losing just once.

Adrian Lopez, Diego and Arda Turan have all done well in their first seasons at Atletico, but there is little doubt where the capital club's main threat lies - Radamel Falcao.

The Rojiblancos bought the Colombia international last northern summer to cover the loss of Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan and the former Porto man has been a massive hit.

The 26-year-old has added 10 goals to the Europa League-record 17 he netted in Porto's title-winning campaign last year, and has 33 overall for Atletico this term.

Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois told uefa.com: "It's going to be 50-50. We are more or less level in the league. In Athletic we know we are facing a great team where almost anything can happen, but we hope we can win it."

Aside from the promise of goals, the match should also appeal to the football romantics, with Athletic's success in reaching two cup finals this season - it is also in the Copa del Rey showpiece - a fairytale story.

The Basque club's philosophy of only selecting locally-produced players puts it at an obvious disadvantage to all of its rivals, and the prospect of Athletic returning to its past glory days seemed to be diminishing by the season in the modern world of big-money signings.

Indeed, Athletic almost saw its proud record of being one of only three clubs never to have been outside the Spanish top flight come to an end in 2007 when it avoided relegation by just a point after winning on the final day.

However, Athletic has not only become a force to be reckoned with in La Liga again, but it is within touching distance of a trophy double - having not tasted silverware since 1984.

Winger Susaeta said after his side booked its final spot: "It's been a beautiful week so far and what's vital now, given that Athletic have gone so many years without winning anything, is for us to ensure we win at least one of our two finals. The fans deserve something."

Tactical aficionados will also find the Europa League final an interesting case study as it pits apprentice Diego Simeone against master Marcelo Bielsa, both of whom are in their first seasons with their clubs.

The 56-year-old Bielsa, who was Simeone's former Argentina coach, has revolutionised Athletic's style of play this season and helped turn a promising young bunch of players into a side that has taken Europe by storm.

Simeone, 42, has also made a considerable impact since taking charge at Atletico in December, steeling up a Rojiblancos side that in recent years has been breathtaking going forward but often too generous at the back.

Simeone said: "It's great for us to meet in the final. We have a great mutual affection for each other. It's going to be very nice."

So, while the Barca-Real dream final may not be taking place this year, the Europa League showpiece looks to have everything needed to be a classic of its own.

Sporting Gijon is now almost certainly returning to the second-rung of Spanish football after three seasons in the top division.

Full-back Mario Gaspar put the away team ahead on 19 minutes only for Alberto Lora to level 20 minutes later.

The all important third goal came from the penalty spot when Marcos Senna put Villarreal ahead just before half-time after Sporting defender Gregory Arnolin had inexplicably brought down Marco Ruben.

Hernan Perez added a third on 56 minutes and although Alejandro Galvez gave the home team some hope with five minutes remaining, it was Villarreal which deservedly took the crucial three points.

The referee threatened to remove the teams in injury-time as the home fans showed their discontent by throwing objects onto the pitch.

With only two games remaining, the 'yellow submarine' which reached the Europa League semi-final last season and narrowly lost a Champions League semi to Arsenal in 2006, moves seven points clear of Sporting in a game that was always going to be decisive for the loser.

Villarreal will be safe if Zaragoza fails to beat Levante on Wednesday while Sporting's only hope of survival comes with gaining two wins in its final two games and hoping Rayo Vallecano, currently six points ahead, does not pick up another point.

Earlier Nigerian forward Odion Ighalo scored a first-half double for Granada to help the Andalusian club to a vital 2-1 home win over Espanyol that also almost guarantees it will be playing in the first division next season.

Didac Vila got a goal back for Espanyol but Granada hung on for the win that puts it eight points clear of Sporting, which now can't catch it, and Zaragoza which plays on Wednesday.

If Zaragoza fails to beat Levante at home then Granada will be playing its second season in La Liga since 1976 after its promotion back to the top division last northern summer.

Also on Tuesday Getafe wasted a chance to improve its hopes of qualifying for next season's Europa League after drawing 1-1 at home to already relegated Racing Santander.

Miku scored a 59th minute penalty for the home team but Pape Diop levelled the game five minutes later to earn a deserved point for Racing.

Getafe remains 10th with 46 points but seems destined to miss out on European football as a host of teams above it play on Wednesday.

Real Madrid will win its first league in four seasons on Wednesday if it beats Athletic Bilbao or if second-placed Barcelona fails to beat Malaga.

Cadena Ser radio reported the LFP had met with the state prosecutor to ask for an investigation into recent matches, with reports in Spain suggesting Sporting Gijon's 3-0 win at Espanyol on Sunday (Sunday AEDT) was among them.

The LFP said it had not lodged any complaint about irregularities but met with the state authorities to discuss means of working together to investigate and prevent match-fixing in Spain.

"The LFP has not asked the state prosecutor for an investigation into irregularities involving matches from this season in the first and second division," the LFP said in a statement.

"The LFP met with the state prosecutor several weeks ago with the LFP's interests at heart, as it looks to prevent any type of situation that could be deemed illegal."

The LFP vowed to use all means necessary to prosecute any one found guilty of being involved in match-fixing.

Both Espanyol and Sporting hit out at Cadena Cope radio for using unnamed sources to report that their clubs were under investigation, with Sporting president Manuel Vega-Arango saying legal proceedings against the radio station were being considered.

"These things disgust me and I'm very angry about it," Vega-Arango said.

"We're a modest club, economically speaking, but we're very big with a sensational fan base that does not deserve these things."

Sporting is four points from safety with three games to play as relegation to the second division looms.

Cadena Ser also reported European governing body UEFA was investigating suspect betting patterns involving Spanish games.

Madrid is seven points clear of its top rival with three games to play, so even a Barcelona loss earlier in the day will award the Spanish leader its record 32nd domestic crown.

Madrid's record achievement - Barcelona is next closest with 21 trophies - comes with the team building on its record 112 goals scored in a season, Cristiano Ronaldo looking to establish a record scoring total in a season and coach Jose Mourinho set to become the first coach to win league titles in four different countries.

Mourinho has won league titles in Portugal with FC Porto, in England with Chelsea and Italy with Inter Milan, and now the Portuguese coach looks set to add a Spanish title to his resume.

"A team like Madrid cannot continue on any longer being a supporting act," goalkeeper Iker Casillas said as he eyed his fifth league title with Madrid but the first in four years that have been dominated by Barcelona.

"We're a little tired of it and it looks like it's over. All of our work over these months, even years, is finally bearing fruit."

Ronaldo scored his record 43rd goal in Sunday's (Monday AEDT) 3-0 victory over Sevilla only for Lionel Messi to match that total with his own brace in Barcelona's 7-0 win at Rayo Vallecano. Messi's overall goal tally on the season is 65 goals to Ronaldo 57.

Barcelona's last three games, starting against Malaga, will serve as preparation for next month's Copa del Rey final against Athletic, which will be coach Pep Guardiola's last game in charge before handing over the reins to assistant Tito Vilanova.

Barcelona responded to Guardiola's announcement of his departure by thrashing Rayo for its largest ever away victory, with the coach rotating his team and leaving out Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas.

Alexis Sanchez is questionable against Malaga, which is tied on points with third-place Valencia in the chase to qualify for Champions League football next season.

Valencia hasn't had the best week after it lost to Malaga last weekend and failed to reach the Europa League final.

"Everything depends on ourselves," said under-pressure Valencia coach Unai Emery, whose club has been third nearly all season long. "If we take three points against Osasuna (on Thursday AEDT), third place is ours."

On Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT), Villarreal travels to Sporting Gijon knowing victory secures its place in the first division and condemns Sporting - and likely Zaragoza - to relegation.

Villarreal is four points ahead of Sporting and Zaragoza, which welcomes Levante on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT) with the Valencia club also chasing the final Champions League spot. Villarreal is only three points behind Malaga.

Atletico Madrid must beat Real Sociedad to stay in touch with Malaga, which it trails by six points, while Athletic will likely have no chance if it loses to Madrid with it already trailing fourth place by seven points.

In other matches, it's: Getafe v Racing Santander, Granada v Espanyol, Mallorca v Rayo Vallecano and Sevilla v Real Betis.

Xavi has been bothered by his left calf muscle all season and could miss the rest of the season due to a tear.

The star could miss Barcelona's last four league games but the Spain international should be available for the May 25 Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao.

He has 14 goals from 47 appearances this season but has played a full match only twice in the past eight games.

Barcelona trails Real Madrid by seven points in the league, and failed to reach the Champions League final.

Bielsa will send his team out at the Estadio San Mames knowing it will have to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit if it is to book an all-Spanish clash with either Atletico Madrid or Valencia in the final in Bucharest on 9 May.

He will do so having seen Primera Division rival Barca fail to make the most of home advantage in similar circumstances to lose the chance to retain its UEFA Champions League title at the hands of 10-man Chelsea.

Asked whether he needed to have a Plan B in the wake of Barca's failure to break down the Blues' defence, Bielsa acknowledged that football is not an exact science.

He told as.com: "Plan B is not an idea I understand. The game yesterday indicates that the attacking football has nuances. Styles cannot be changed."

Athletic will run out in front of a sell-out home crowd trailing in the tie despite taking the lead through Jon Aurtenetxe's 54th-minute strike at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

Sporting hit back with goals from Emiliano Insua and Diego Capel inside the final 14 minutes, to give itself a slim advantage to take to Bilbao.

The Spanish side has faced Portuguese sides seven times in European competition in the past and lost just two, both to Sporting.

However, perhaps significantly, it has won all three of the games it has played on its own pitch, while Sporting is yet to taste victory on Spanish soil in nine attempts in Europe, although it has recorded three draws, and a fourth would be enough this time around.

But Bielsa is aware that the tie could yet go to extra-time and penalties, saying: "We are prepared."

Sporting coach Ricardo Sa Pinto and his players arrived in Spain two hours later than planned because of adverse weather conditions, and were due to train at the stadium on Wednesday evening.

But as he arrived in Spain, midfielder Capel admitted he and his team-mates know what lies ahead, telling Abola.pt: "It will be a tricky game."

Bielsa will have midfielder Javi Martinez available after suspension and striker Iker Muniain back from an eye problem, although frontman Oscar de Marcos is banned.

Sa Pinto will be without injured duo Fabian Rinaudo and Alberto Rodriguez, but midfielder Matias Fernandez is fit after a two-game absence.

After winning two of the last three UEFA Champions League titles, defending champion Barcelona was eliminated from the competition after a 2-2 draw with 10-man Chelsea in the second leg of the semi-finals.

While Barcelona's best attributes of possession, quick-touch passing and overall shots were on show, the club failed to score enough goals to reach yet another European Cup final.

And maybe worse, the exit comes only four days after a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid that essentially dropped Barcelona out of contention for the Spanish league title.

With coach Pep Guardiola's future to be determined in the coming days, newspaper La Vanguard summed up the mood in the Catalan capital with the headline 'Funeral at the Camp Nou'.

Most of Spain's sports newspaper rallied around Barcelona's play, with El Mundo Deportivo among those that labelled the result 'unjust', but Chelsea's players were not buying into such an analogy after playing for more than 50 minutes with 10 men after John Terry's red card.

"We came here and we scored goals and in the first leg we scored as well," Chelsea striker Didier Drogba said. "Without being arrogant, we deserved to win."

Barcelona's poor effort capped a miserable week for Lionel Messi, which showed the club thrives or dies off the boot of the Argentina forward.

Messi missed a penalty that would likely have swung the tie in Barcelona's favor and the world player of the year was held scoreless in both legs and against Madrid. Barcelona failed to win in three consecutive games for the first time since 2009, and the only remaining consolation for the team is next month's Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao.

But the domestic cup will provide little consolation to a team that has won 13 trophies under Guardiola.

"I don't even know what I feel right now. I try to figure out what to say when looking at the team, about what we did wrong to not reach the final and I can't think of anything," Guardiola said. "From opening day I've transmitted this crazy theme of 'You have to go out and attack, attack, attack', and there are moments when we don't know when to pause. Maybe it's a lesson to learn for the future. We have to find the way to attack better."

Guardiola certainly missed injured striker David Villa against Chelsea, but he also left Daniel Alves and Pedro Rodriguez on the bench, with Alves replacing Gerard Pique only after the Spain defender left with a concussion midway through the first half. Guardiola has recently preferred young wingers Isaac Cuenca and Cristian Tello over his more experienced players, while the team continues to have a tough time breaking down defences that crowd the area, as Inter Milan did two years ago to also deny Barcelona a spot in the final.

While Barcelona enjoyed 72 percent of the possession, it's 22 overall shots dwarfed the actual number it had on target: five compared to Chelsea's three. Barcelona had 46 shots over two legs with nine on target, while Chelsea advanced 3-2 on aggregate after taking better advantage of its four shots on goal in the entire series.

"That wasn't beautiful football," Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard said after his team stretched its unbeaten run over the Catalan side to seven games to reach its second final since 2008. "Football's not just about the beautiful stuff, it's about doing the other side and we done that."

The Spanish side, trailing 2-1 from the first leg, raced into to 2-0 lead inside 15 minutes thanks to a double from Cristiano Ronaldo, but Bayern levelled the tie through Arjen Robben's penalty just before the half-hour mark.

Neither side could then break the deadlock as the game drifted into extra-time and finally penalties and after Ronaldo, Kaka and Sergio Ramos had all missed for the host, Bastian Schweinsteiger rattled home his spot-kick which means Bayern will become the first side to host a Champions League final on its own ground when it faces Chelsea on 19 May.

And Mourinho believes the extra strain put on his players from beating Barca last weekend, whilst Bayern rested a host of players in its 2-1 win over Werder Bremen, proved decisive.

He said, "We deserved to win, mainly because the matches were very even and it is a completely different situation when a team plays for a championship against a side that doesn't.

"I had the same situation when Chelsea played Liverpool in a semi-final. Liverpool were 30 points off the top and played a reserve team at Fulham whilst Chelsea fought every game to win the championship that season.

"If we weren't playing to win the title, we would have had fresher players, but the team were fantastic in terms of their physical condition.

"Barcelona played the Clasico and then two days later lost to Chelsea, this has incredible value.

"You only have to look at the final which will be played between the fifth placed team in England against the second placed team in Germany, both of which used second choice players at the weekend."

However, Mourinho praised his former club for its stout defensive performance against Barca at the Nou Camp the previous day and was scathing of those who criticised its tactics.

"John Terry will be missing but Chelsea are there and that is the most important thing. Chelsea were heroes yesterday.

"People who criticise them know nothing about character, effort and how a team with 10 men can resist physically, mentally and tactically. It reminded me of my own Inter Milan team two years ago.

"The Chelsea fans are fantastic, as are the German fans so I hope they enjoy it and it is a great final, but I hope Chelsea win."

Mourinho also hinted that the disappointment of falling at the semi-final stage for a second consecutive season may encourage him to stay in Madrid.

"I want to win this title with this team. Reaching two semi-finals is not bad but of course we want more and my feelings are that the group still has room for growth.

"I will discuss my ideas with the club of how to move us forward on and off the pitch and if the club think I can contribute something, which I get the feeling they do, then I think I will continue."

Bayern boss Jupp Heynckes was delighted with how his players reacted to falling two goals behind so early on.

He said: "In the first 15 minutes Real were ahead of us. We were 2-0 behind and everyone knows how difficult it is to play in the Bernabeu.

"After this though we dominated, we managed to release the pressure and we improved as the game went on.

"We improved in defence and had opportunities. In 120 minutes we deserved to reach the final."

Heynckes called on UEFA to change the rule which sees players miss the final if they pick up their second yellow card of the competition in the second leg of the semi-final.

David Alaba, Luis Gustavo and Holger Badstuber will all miss the final for the Bavarian side after being booked and with Chelsea also missing four key players, the German coach believes it is time for the governing body to take action.

He explained: "That is a problem with the rules, I feel the rules should be changed.

"It is a shame the final can't be played by the best players both for Chelsea and Bayern.

"The yellows shouldn't be carried forward to the final, these three players have been exceptional for us."

Bastian Schweinsteiger scored the decisive spot-kick after Manuel Neuer had made two stunning saves to deny Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka.

David Alaba and Mario Gomez had sent Iker Casillas the wrong way to put Bayern in control of the shootout, but Real was handed a lifeline as the Spain captain saved from Toni Kroos and Philipp Lahm.

However, after Sergio Ramos had blasted his attempt over the bar, Schweinsteiger was calmness personified as he slammed the ball home to send Bayern into its second final in three years.

Real had erased its 2-1 deficit from the first leg within five minutes as Alaba was somewhat harshly punished for handling Angel Di Maria's shot and Ronaldo slotted home the resulting penalty.

The visitor responded positively though and should have been level within minutes as Alaba nearly made amends for conceding the penalty with a brilliant run and cross but somehow Arjen Robben scuffed the ball over the bar from only yards out.

Franck Ribery was then denied by a brilliant saving challenge from Sami Khedira after Casillas had spilled a Gomez shot from 20 yards, but only 15 minutes had passed when Ronaldo doubled his tally and Madrid's advantage on the evening as he raced on to a brilliant throughball from Mesut Ozil and stroked the ball past Neuer from the edge of the area.

The tie was back on a knife-edge 12 minutes later though as Pepe was penalised for a push on Gomez as he tried to get on the end of Kroos' cross into the box.

Robben had missed a significant penalty in the Bundesliga title decider against Borussia Dortmund a fortnight ago, but the former Real player stepped up again and his spot-kick just sneaked past Casillas who got a hand to the ball.

The chances continued to flow at both ends towards the end of an engrossing 45 minutes as firstly Karim Benzema's curling effort floated just over the bar before Gomez was again found by Kroos but the man who had scored 12 goals in his previous 10 European appearances could not find a way past Casillas.

The Real captain was called into action again in the final action of the first half as he palmed away Robben's free-kick and the visitor came close again right at the start of the second period as Gomez's header from Lahm's cross crept inches wide.

Generally though both sides tightened up significantly in the second half and opportunities were far harder to come by at either end.

Benzema brought a smart save from Neuer before the Frenchman wasted Real's clearest opening after the break as he fired over from the edge of the area after being fed by Ronaldo.

Gomez then had the chance to send Bayern into the final with five minutes remaining of normal time as Robben found him free inside the area but he took too many touches and allowed the Real defence to recover and block his effort.

The home side regained the initiative at the start of extra-time but tiredness seemed to affect its decision making in the final third as Ronaldo dallied to allow Lahm to make a crucial last-ditch challenge before the break and Kaka did likewise when presented with the ball in the area with just eight minutes remaining.

Real had claims for a third penalty of the evening turned down moments later as instead Esteban Granero was booked for going down under pressure from Neuer.

And that decision was to prove vital as Ronaldo, Kaka and Ramos all failed from the spot to hand the German side a place in the final on 19 May.

The holder looked on course to overturn its 1-0 semi-final, first-leg defeat when it took a 2-0 lead at the Nou Camp, with Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta scoring either side of captain John Terry's dismissal for kneeing Alexis Sanchez.

However, Ramires clawed a goal back for the Blues in first-half stoppage-time and, after weathering the proverbial storm, Fernando Torres came off the bench to wrap up victory late on.

Messi missed a penalty and hit the post as Barca pressed in the second half, but Rosell does not blame the diminutive attacker for its exit.

"I do not think Barca has been knocked out by Messi's penalty," he said.

"After 180 minutes we had many occasions and they took three of theirs. That's what happened.

"The way we play is taught in la Masia and is not going to change.

"Football is a game. Sometimes you win and sometimes not. We win and lose.

"I think every time we've had a setback against this season it has been unfair, but opposing teams play well against us and we must accept it.

"Despite failing to qualify for the final and having had a bad week, the fans have been supporting us.

"I am very proud of them. I'm not happy with the result but I am proud."

Cesc Fabregas also left the match with an overriding sense of pride, albeit a sensation tainted by what he feels was an undeserved Champions League exit.

"It's a painful way to go out because we were superior," he told the club's official website, www.fcbarcelona.com

"The result in Stamford Bridge is what did us in.

"We played a great game, we dominated and we created a lot of chances. We didn't sacrifice our style.

"It's painful to be eliminated this way, seeing that we had a lot of chances to score.

"It's a very hard blow. We have to hold our heads high. [Next year] we'll have the chance to do important things."

Dani Alves echoed his team-mate's sentiments, adding: "We tried in every way, but the approach they took, playing ultra-defensively, worked well.

"We had opportunities to take the tie forward and we failed.

"I think this team is great and once again we have to show how big we are.

"We suffer and hurt like hell, but it is a profession in which there are wins and losses, not only happy moments."

While Barcelona players were all left hurting emotionally, defender Gerard Pique also had to deal with physical pain.

The Spain international was involved in a horrific collision with goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who came storming off his line to punch the ball away under pressure from Didier Drogba and took out his own player in the process.

After trying to play on, Pique was substituted and taken to hospital with suspected concussion and, despite being released on Wednesday morning, will rest for a week before being re-assessed.

The 25-year-old was a key component in Barca's 3-4-3 formation before his substitution, which left Carles Puyol as the only recognised central defender in the side.

Coach Pep Guardiola admitted he may have to alter the way they attack in the future, which goalscorer Iniesta agrees with.

"Football has not been fair in this tie," he told Barca TV. "The tactics we used penalised us.

"We play as we do because we are passionate about our profession and for those fans that are behind us and suffer.

"We will return to be there [in the final]."

Guardiola said he 'will decide if I continue or not' after discussing the situation with assistant Tito Vilanova and president Sandro Rosell.

He said it was the moment to 'take a decision because it's evident that it's time to'.

Guardiola has guided Barcelona to 13 trophies in 16 competitions and has helped the Catalan club in May's Copa del Rey final.

But the team's exit from the Champions League coincides with a loss to Real Madrid that leaves it unlikely to win a fourth straight Spanish league title.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"I think that at 2-0 at half-time we would have believed we would do it, but at 2-1 it was bad for us psychologically," Guardiola said.

"Even so, we went out in the second half, we had a penalty but we didn't score and then they got stronger and it was difficult for us to score with the minutes we had left.

"It's not easy to score. We were not a team that can play in lots of different ways. We have a peculiar way of playing and this is why the opposition adapts themselves to us.

"Anyway, we will go away and look at it and decide what is best for the institution."

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bayern travels to Madrid with a slender 2-1 advantage from the first leg at Munich's Allianz Arena, which will also host the final on 19 May, and Schweinsteiger, who is back after an ankle injury, says it will score.

"I assume we will score a goal in Madrid. And we will," said Schweinsteiger ahead of the match at Real's Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

"The chance to reach the final in our own stadium is motivation enough for us, but their stadium, with so many spectators and emotions, is sure to influence the game.

"In the first 20 minutes, it will be very intense, that is when we have to hold our composure and not concede a goal.

"A game like this is the highlight of the season, this is what you work hard the whole season for and the chance to play in a game like this motivated me through my injury."

Bayern striker Mario Gomez scored the 90th-minute winner in Munich to give his side a second-leg advantage and Real coach Jose Mourinho says games like this are what being part of football is all about.

Real's 2-1 El Clasico win at arch-rival Barcelona in the Spanish league last weekend keeps it on course to win the La Liga title but Mourinho knows nothing is decided yet.

"We can win two titles, one or none. This is the excitement of football that turns my hair grey," joked the Portuguese coach, who won the 2010 Champions League title at the Bernabeu as Inter Milan coach.

"I see my players excited about this semi-final like my Inter players were two years ago before the semi-final against Barcelona. They just want to win it.

"Bayern are a great team, the coach is good and they have the right to think they are going to play the final.

"I also know what Bayern want to do. If they don't score, they will be out and I think they will score."

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes, who coached Real to the 1998 Champions League title, said the game will showcase European football.

"On Wednesday night, we will witness the creme de la creme of football games," he said.

"In terms of tradition, both teams are fantastic and for that reason it will be very even.

"I have positive memories from here. It was very difficult to be coach of Madrid back then, just as I am sure it is today.

"I realised after I won the Champions League here just how much of an obsession it was for everyone involved with Madrid and all of their fans.

"Madrid have great attacking potential, but so do my team."

VIDEO: Jose Mourinho discusses his coaching future

Mourinho claims he has been bereft of fortune in previous matches at the last four stage after twice losing to Liverpool (in 2005 and 2007) - when at Chelsea - and again to arch-rival Barcelona last season - a defeat he blamed on a UEFA conspiracy.

Madrid goes into the second leg with Bayern Munich at the Bernabeu 2-1 down with a place against Chelsea the prize for the winner.

"Overall I have not been lucky in semi-finals of the Champions League," he said.

"I lost one with Chelsea (2005) due to a goal that wasn't a goal, the ball didn't cross the line. Another season (2007) we lost on penalties and when you lose a semi-final on penalties it is due to bad luck and I lost the semi-final last season because of what everyone knows."

The Portuguese admits he also has more interest than usual in the other semi-final due to Chelsea's involvement.

Speaking before Chelsea progressed he said: "If it were Barcelona against Milan or Arsenal or any other team then it wouldn't matter to me who progressed, I would want the best team to win, but because it is Chelsea I feel slightly different.

"I would like it if the luck went to my old players."

Despite the Clasico victory at Barca last weekend virtually assuring Madrid of its first Primera Division title since 2008, speculation continues to suggest Mourinho could quit the club in the northern summer.

But the former Porto and Inter Milan boss insists he plans to stay.

"At the moment my future is not important, but I think I will be here next season," he added.

"I have a contract and once we arrive at the end of the season I will have time to speak with the players and the directors and we will decide what is best for me, for the club and for the squad.

"It is better to stay at a club for four or five years."

Mourinho was quick to point out that it was not the time to discuss individuals, however, something he was keen to stress with Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso, Fabio Coentrao and Gonzalo Higuain all one booking away from missing the final through suspension.

"A player can't be an egoist," he said.

"The important thing is that Madrid are in the final. I would sign now for me to not be in Munich (where the final is being staged) and stay back in my house if it means the team reaches the final.

"I hope that the referee is sensible enough to not show yellow cards that can be avoided."

Mourinho is confident his players will handle the occasion against Bayern, just as they did at the weekend.

He said: "I don't know if the Champions League is more important than the league, because the best team always wins the league and this isn't always the case in Europe.

"However, the final of the Champions League is the most important thing in football.

"Tomorrow is almost like a long-awaited final, but I see calmness in the players. I don't like an excess of emotion, nor a lack of it."

Pique exited the match at the Camp Nou in the 25th minute, nine minutes after colliding with team-mate Victor Valdes as the pair went to clear a long ball from the chasing Didier Drogba.

Pique lay motionless for some time before eventually getting to his feet and playing.

Barcelona says Pique suffered a light concussion.

Defending champion Barcelona failed to reach its third final in four seasons after 10-man Chelsea advanced 3-2 on aggregate.

The Blues somehow overcame John Terry's first-half sending off at the Nou Camp to progress to the Munich finale.

Chelsea came into the match boasting a 1-0 first-leg lead but went behind to goals from Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta, either side of Terry's sending off for inexplicably kneeing Alexis Sanchez from behind.

However, Ramires clawed a goal back in first-half stoppage-time with a deft chip and, after Lionel Messi missed a penalty and hit the post, Fernando Torres came off the bench to wrap up victory late on.

"It was an incredible game with all the events that happened," Di Matteo said.

"I am very happy and pleased for all the players because they deserved this moment.

"We've had a difficult season and we seem to always get something special out when we need to.

"I think that's part of the DNA of these players.

"Barcelona are the best team in the world. They are amazing.

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

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

"We had a little bit of luck as well, which you need but I think to win the trophy, you need that."

Chelsea will find out its opponent for the 19 May showpiece when Real Madrid and Bayern Munich meet for its semi-final, second leg.

"I am just delighted for the players," Di Matteo added. "They put so much effort into this.

"We seem to always to find some reserves from somewhere, playing against the odds.

"We obviously weren't the favourites, even after that first leg.

"We had all the difficulties that you could imagine in any football game tonight, particularly with the way Barcelona play, but we still managed to qualify. It's quite incredible."

While Di Matteo was understandably elated, Chelsea's progression from the semi-finals has come at a huge cost.

Terry, Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles are all suspended for the final, while the Blues saw Gary Cahill limp off with a hamstring complaint early on.

"For the moment, we'll try and enjoy this night because its quite historic for our club," Di Matteo said.

"Then we will see which players will be available for the final and I'm sure we'll put a strong team together which will make Chelsea Football Club proud.

"On the sending off, we're all human beings. We are put under pressure every three days.

"This was our fourth game in nine days, and you know everybody can make a mistake.

"We work as a group and we're delighted we've gone through."

Barcelona counterpart Pep Guardiola seemed shell-shocked when he made his late appearance at the post-match press conference.

"The first thing that crosses my mind is huge sadness," he said.

"I think we played exceptionally well and we have done everything we could to reach the final.

"Finals are great but we will have to watch this one on TV and I have to congratulate Chelsea because they were great defensively speaking.

"I think we failed because we did everything we could but we couldn't score [another goal] and football is about scoring.

"They scored at key moments but having said that we have worked very hard to get here and there is always this possibility.

"You can win and get the trophy or you can lose and today we lost."

On a night of unparalleled drama at the Nou Camp which saw a 2-2 draw enough for Chelsea to advance 3-2 on aggregate, Terry looked to have pressed the self-destruct button on the Blues' hopes of glory on the continent when he saw red for kneeing Alexis Sanchez from behind.

But the 10 men were simply magnificent for the rest of the second leg, fighting back from goals from Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta with a stunning chip from Ramires before half-time.

And after surviving a Barca siege from start to finish that saw Lionel Messi miss a penalty, Fernando Torres came off the bench to score a stoppage-time breakaway goal as Chelsea avenged its 2009 defeat in the most dramatic manner possible.

Reaching its second final came at a huge cost, with Terry's red card and yellows for Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles ruling them out of the final.

But it will worry about that in the morning after celebrating arguably the greatest result in the club's history and one which may finally convince Roman Abramovich to make Roberto Di Matteo's appointment as manager permanent.

Disaster struck for Chelsea as early as the sixth minute, Gary Cahill eventually forced off after slipping and pulling his hamstring, with Jose Bosingwa coming on and Ivanovic forced to move to centre-back.

It was soon 1-1 on the injury front, Gerard Pique lasting just 26 minutes of his recall after failing to recover from a sickening collision with the backside of Victor Valdes that appeared to leave him briefly unconscious.

That failed to alter the pattern of a game which was a carbon copy of the first leg as Chelsea parked the bus once more.

Messi rippled the side-netting inside three minutes and, after both sides' injury woes, he should have opening the scoring in the 20th minute, firing a one-two with Cesc Fabregas against Petr Cech's leg.

Fabregas also volleyed into the side-netting and Cech tipped over Javier Mascherano's drive but there was hope for Chelsea before Pique's departure when Didier Drogba shrugged him off but could himself only find the side-netting from the tightest of angles.

The first sign of Chelsea's discipline wavering came when John Obi Mikel was booked for chopping down Sanchez in the 32nd minute.

And when it went to sleep three minutes later, it was behind, its failure to close down allowing Isaac Cuenca to square for Busquets to tap into a virtually unguarded net.

The build-up to this tie was dominated by talk of refereeing meltdowns in previous clashes but Terry simply gave Cuneyt Cakir no choice but to dismiss him less than two minutes later.

Sanchez over-reacted to the swipe, bringing back memories of David Beckham's 1998 World Cup sending-off, and Terry initially refused to walk.

But Cech made him listen to reason before picking the ball out of his own net again two minutes before half time, Chelsea carved apart as Messi teed up Iniesta to stroke the ball home.

Chelsea looked dead and buried but, as at Stamford Bridge, it struck a dagger blow with its first shot on target in first-half stoppage-time.

Frank Lampard was again the creator as Ramires burst through and floated a glorious finish over Valdes - moments after picking up a booking that would rule him out of the final.

The cascade of noise that had filled the Nou Camp turned to silence at half-time but they were soon cheering again after the restart when Drogba conceded a penalty.

Cakir adjudged the striker had tripped Fabregas and pointed to the spot, with Ivanovic cautioned for his protest.

It looked certain Messi would end his Chelsea hoodoo but, incredibly, he smashed his effort against the crossbar.

Lampard was fortunate to escape punishment for a flare-up with Fabregas, Sanchez nodded substitute Daniel Alves' cross wide, and Cech was booked for timewasting having already been warned before saving well again from Cuenca.

Ivanovic almost capitalised after Drogba helped Chelsea win a rare corner but he was warned himself after going down theatrically, while Lampard was lucky to only see yellow for cutting down Fabregas after Messi was booked for tugging him back.

The visitor was hanging on and was given two lifelines in 60 seconds in the final 10 minutes when Sanchez had a goal ruled out for offside and Messi hit the post from 20 yards.

With time running out, Meireles was ruled out of the final after being booked for fouling Mascherano, who Cech saved from again in the final minute.

And then, in stoppage-time, a long clearance found substitute Torres with 50 yards of space in which to run.

Unlike most of his Chelsea career, he made no mistake, rounding Valdes and slotting home to jubilant scenes.

Star attacker Cristiano Ronaldo spoke of the importance of the crowd at the Santiago Bernabeu after edging his side closer to its first Spanish league title in four years last weekend with the decisive goal in a 2-1 win over Barcelona.

"I hope the Bernabeu gets the first goal. The crowd has to be ready from the minute we go on the pitch because we feel their influence. It's a big match and if we have the crowd's support we'll be full of confidence," he said.

"We know from the first game that Bayern are going to play on the counter-attack and they'll have a lot of respect for us in our own stadium."

After a tight first leg decided in Bayern's favour by a Mario Gomez goal in the 90th minute, every little detail is going to count as these two giants - with 13 European Cups between them - go head to head again.

Victory in the Clasico will lift Madrid as it attempts to reach its first Champions League final since 2002, when it beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 at Hampden to lift a record ninth continental crown.

Madrid coach Jose Mourinho kept quiet after the Barcelona match, as is his custom of late in league games, perhaps to consider the important question of whether or not to continue with a winning team.

The same eleven that started at the Camp Nou lost in Germany last week, and he has options if he believes three big games in little over a week are too much for some of his players.

Brazilians Kaka and Marcelo and Argentinian striker Gonzalo Higuain could all be used from the start to freshen things up.

Bayern accepted defeat in its own domestic battle to catch Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga before the first leg with Madrid.

For that reason coach Jupp Heynckes, who led Madrid to its seventh European title in 1997-1998, was able to make eight changes to his team for the 2-1 win at Werder Bremen last weekend.

"Playing every third or fourth day isn't easy, which is why I rotated my squad," said Heynckes, who also coached in Spain at Athletic Bilbao and Tenerife.

"I'm satisfied with our attitude and determination. We deserved the win, it will be morale-boosting, and we go to Madrid full of confidence and belief. We're always capable of scoring away from home so I'm optimistic."

Heynckes will look for inspiration in his club's superior record over Madrid in European Cup semi-finals, with Bayern having won three of the sides' four meetings, including its last clash in 2001.

Madrid's only success was in 2000.

"We know that we have to score once or twice and we can, we have some amazing attacking players. But first we have to be solid at the back and give ourselves the chance to hit on the break," Heynckes added.

One decision Heynckes has to make is whether to play influential midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, who has struggled with injuries all season.

Thomas Muller, who replaced Schweinsteiger as a substitute in the first leg, agrees with Heynckes' assessment of the team's current form.

"We go to Madrid full of confidence. We know what we're capable of. But we also know we'll have to invest a huge amount if we're to stand our ground there," he said.

A number of players on both sides are under threat of missing the final if they are booked.

For Madrid, Xabi Alonso, Fabio Coentrao, Higuain and Sergio Ramos will all have to be careful while seven Bayern players are on their last warning, including Muller and captain Philipp Lahm.

The Catalan side heads into the semi-final, second leg on the back of successive defeats, losing 1-0 to the Blues in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge and then suffering a home defeat to arch-rival Real Madrid last weekend.

Guardiola struck a frustrated figure during a press conference at the Nou Camp, where his selection and tactics were questioned.

The Barca coach took particular exception to a Spanish journalist probing him on his decision to start Cristian Tello against Madrid.

Guardiola responded with a long rant as he defended his selection decisions, saying: "He played a f****** good game. I mean most of the dangerous chances were created by him."

The Spaniard was curt in some answers and rambling in others during a lengthy press conference, which he brought to an abrupt end by walking out.

Guardiola, though, earlier insisted he was not feeling the pressure due to the trust he had in his players to perform.

"I don't know if this is the most important moment of my career as a coach, but I have always faced these challenges with a lot of optimism as I believe in my players and team," he said.

"Whenever you have a defeat, the day after the match you feel a little low but afterwards you get faith in the facts and I am optimistic because I know them well and that we will work hard.

"We try to cover everything that is important so we just try and do that.

"We will analyse the challenge and I think we have had other challenges over the years.

"I cannot really tell you if this is the most important challenge of my life."

Barcelona's chance of overhauling the 1-0 deficit against Chelsea has been boosted by Lionel Messi's fitness.

The reigning world player of the year missed training on Sunday but returned on Monday in an open media session at the Nou Camp.

Gerard Pique also trained and Guardiola batted away talk of a rift with the Spain international, who has been left out of the past two matches.

"Well, Leo had a gastric issue," Guardiola said. "The doctor saw him and he called us before the training session.

"He didn't go to it as he didn't feel well but now he is ok.

"As for Gerard, there is no problem at all. He has had an injury for a long time.

"I have many players and can choose Javier Mascherano and Carles Puyol, who are a good combination in central defence.

"We wanted to have the right players to face [Karim] Benzema, [Cristiano] Ronaldo, [Angel] Di Maria and that is why I decided to play with the players I have chosen so far.

"I do appreciate Gerard because of his approach to life and because how he loves football.

"The rest is just my decision, the fact he plays or not."

Barcelona has won three of the two clubs' four two-legged contests in the Champions League knockout phases.

The last time Chelsea came to Barca defending a lead was in 2000, where Guardiola and Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo were on opposing sides as players.

Barca triumphed that time after extra-time and the former is expecting a similarly tough encounter.

"I don't remember so much but I do remember it was a similar game to what we are going to play tomorrow," Guardiola said.

"It was a very physical game, very defensive as they try to defend a good result for them and try to find a way to create the chances.

"When we lose control of the ball, they use the counter-attack because it is one of the big, big points for Chelsea."

Both clubs have work to do to set up a punters' dream European final in Munich after suffering defeats in the first legs of their semi-finals in midweek.

But thoughts of how Real can overturn a 2-1 deficit against Bayern Munich and of how Barcelona might hit back from 1-0 down in its tie with Chelsea will have to wait.

The two Spanish giants meet at the Nou Camp in La Liga on Saturday evening and the stakes could not be higher.

Real takes on its biggest rival with a four-point lead at the top of the Primera Division table but, having trailed by 10 at one stage, European champion Barca has momentum.

The Catalan side's midfield inspiration Andres Iniesta was frustrated by the loss at Chelsea, where a Didier Drogba goal proved decisive, but is determined to bounce back quickly.

The Spain World Cup winner said: "That is the only thing that leaves a bad taste in the mouth - the failure to score.

"We generated enough chances to have won the game.

"But we can't feel sorry for ourselves - what we have to do now is think about the games that lie ahead."

Victory for Real would put it in sight of the finish line with games against Sevilla, Athletic Bilbao, Granada and Mallorca to come.

But another inspired display from Pep Guardiola's side, which has won its last 11 games, would set up a tense finale.

Real defender Sergio Ramos is determined not to be affected by the last-gasp loss to Bayern at the Allianz Arena.

He said: "Football carries on, the league is still going and we'll look ahead to the next match, but we also need to rest as we have worked very hard."

Elsewhere in La Liga, Valencia will look to recover from a 4-0 hammering by Espanyol to retain its slender advantage in the race for third spot.

Los Che - one of three Spanish clubs also involved in the Europa League semi-finals this week - leads fourth-placed Malaga by a point ahead of a visit from Real Betis.

Malaga travels to sixth-placed Osasuna while Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao return to domestic matters from European competition to face Espanyol and bottom side Racing Santander respectively.

Sporting Gijon, eight points from safety, hosts Rayo Vallecano while the other side in the relegation zone, Real Zaragoza, travels to Mallorca.

European hopeful Levante faces a difficult trip to Sevilla while Real Sociedad hosts Villarreal and Granada takes on Getafe.

Didier Drogba, preferred in attack to Fernando Torres, scored the only goal just before the break that puts the Blues in pole position to reach the final at the Allianz Arena next month.

Coming just three days after it hammered Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup semi-final, it was another superb performance from Di Matteo's side, which the Italian feels answered those who claimed his squad is too old.

"In the past, a lot of people have had the opinion that our boys were over the line and too old to play at this level," he said.

"It was not just Didier, but a lot of players in our squad, that they said couldn't play two games in such a short period of time.

"They gave their answer on the pitch tonight."

Di Matteo also singled out Gary Cahill for special praise after the transfer window arrival from Bolton Wanderers responded to the opportunity created by David Luiz's hamstring injury in magnificent fashion, helping to keep a much-hyped Barca attack at bay.

"It was a bit of a baptism for Gary," he said.

"He has not played much in the Champions League and it was a difficult game.

"But I am very pleased that he played so well, as did the whole back four."

Chelsea was forced to survive a few scares but Di Matteo said that was only to be expected under the circumstances.

"Sometimes it feels like they have 20 players," he said.

"We watched Barcelona against AC Milan and Real Madrid, top European clubs, and they did exactly the same to them.

"They have a unique style of play, with quality players. They are the only team in the world who can do that."

Di Matteo refused to celebrate too much though, knowing the outcome of the tie will not be settled until next Tuesday evening's (Wednesday morning AEST) return encounter at the Nou Camp.

"The semi-final on Sunday was going to be our biggest test, then tonight, now next week," he said. "We are facing a lot of tests at the moment.

"I am very pleased with this result but it is only half-time.

"Nothing has been decided yet and we need to play another game like this one if we are going to get through."

Barcelona is attempting to become the first side in the Champions League era to retain the trophy.

However, after watching his side fail to find the net despite having an astonishing 24 attempts on goal, coach Pep Guardiola conceded Chelsea is now favourite to reach the final in Munich on 19 May.

"One-nil is a very good result for them," said Guardiola. "They are the favourites."

He also refused to condemn the host for spending so much of the game on the back foot.

"It's football," he said. "It's not a question about fair or unfair.

"Congratulations to Chelsea. We'd win every game if it all was about possession of the ball because our average is more than our opponents.

"But the most difficult thing in this game is putting the ball in the net, and that's what we couldn't do this evening.

"We have to focus on the next game now and try and create the same number of chances.

"It won't be simple. They'll have 10 men behind the ball, they'll defend, they're stronger than us, they run, they jump more than us.

"But we have to try and take the game under control and discover a way of scoring the goals."

Barcelona's problem is that it has an energy-sapping La Liga confrontation with Real Madrid on Saturday evening (Sunday morning AEST) as it bids to hold on to the domestic crown it has worn for three seasons.

"Only winners are remembered," Guardiola said.

"But my feeling is that being here is already a success.

"This year has been quite tough. We've had some set-backs, but we've confronted them with great dignity and support.

"We'll see if we're able to claim a trophy, but we already have achieved a lot."

The Blues once again proved the nemesis of the team feted by many as the greatest to play the game thanks to an amazing smash-and-grab display in the semi-final, first leg at a jubilant Stamford Bridge.

Caretaker manager Di Matteo's plan paid off spectacularly, Didier Drogba scoring the winner to go some way to burying the demons of the sides' last meeting three years ago.

As well as being magnificent to a man in carrying out the instructions of Di Matteo - whose claim to be appointed manager on a full-time basis is becoming irresistible - Chelsea also enjoyed the kind of luck that deserted it in 2009 and which it has had in spades since the Italian took charge.

It may need plenty more at the Nou Camp next week to reach its second final after Barca missed a glut of chances after dominating possession from start to finish.

The pattern of the match was set the moment the visitor kicked off, Chelsea allowing it possession to a point and Raul Meireles leading the pressure behind Drogba.

From a defensive point of view, it largely worked, although the visitor should have taken one of the chances to have fallen its way.

Luck played a part in the first of them in the ninth minute, Alexis Sanchez chipping against the crossbar from Andres Iniesta's perfectly-timed pass.

The other two both fell to Cesc Fabregas courtesy of Lionel Messi, who was otherwise restricted to a quiet half.

The first was a sitter, Fabregas shanking his finish after Messi's burst and pass had set up Andres Iniesta for a shot Petr Cech parried.

Messi finally had the chance to build up a real head of steam two minutes before half-time, Fabregas this time producing a delightful dink which was only kept out by Ashley Cole's clearance off the line.

Otherwise Chelsea had plenty to give it hope from what little ball it had.

The benefit of going long was quickly demonstrated when only a heavy touch prevented Drogba capitalising on Cech's clearance.

Drogba, who got away with overstepping the mark when he trod on Sergio Busquets' foot, also failed to make the most of a one-on-one with Carles Puyol.

Long throws predictably unsettled Barca, too, and Gary Cahill almost took advantage of the first of them.

Chelsea did tread a fine line discipline-wise, with Meireles lucky not to pick up a booking that would see him suspended for the second leg.

"Same old Barca, always cheating," chanted the home fans whenever a Barca player went down.

They were in good spirits despite the deluge, which may have played a part in Drogba scoring with the final kick of the first half.

Barca was caught upfield and Frank Lampard's ball over the top sent Ramires rampaging forward, the Brazilian's cross picking out Drogba.

Victor Valdes should have saved the scuffed finish but could only help it into the net.

Barca was even more dominant after the restart, Cech parrying Adriano's curler before Sanchez missed another gilt-edge chance when he stabbed Fabregas' scooped pass wide from six yards.

Otherwise it was being kept at bay by a world-class defensive display led by Cahill and John Terry, who were almost single-handedly keeping Messi at bay.

Pep Guardiola sent on Pedro for Sanchez with 24 minutes remaining, with Barca becoming increasingly frustrated, not least with perceived play-acting from Drogba, who got an earful from Puyol.

There was finally a booking when Ramires tripped Messi in full flight, Pedro quickly following for a similar offence on Cole.

Busquets was also cautioned for scything down Ramires after Juan Mata was withdrawn for Salomon Kalou.

Fabregas left the field to a chorus of boos for Thiago Alcantara as Chelsea began to drop deeper and deeper, as it had done three years earlier.

Barca laid siege to the Blues goal and Cech produced a magnificent save three minutes' from time when Puyol glanced Messi's free-kick towards the corner.

And, in stoppage-time, the visitor saved its worst finish until last, Busquets skying high over the crossbar after Pedro's effort had hit the post.

Munich police are reportedly investigating after Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil and Karim Benzema allegedly had belongings stolen from the dressing room before the semi-final, first leg at the Allianz Arena.

Bayern 1 presenter Stephan Lehmann, who is also the Bayern Munich stadium announcer, appealed to his listeners for a pair of brogues to send to Ronaldo and some were donated by a shoe maker, the radio station told its website.

"We need Bavarian brogues, size 43, for the most expensive footballer in the world," Lehmann said, www.br.de reported.

The package also included a personal note to Ronaldo, telling him he would look 'really snazzy' in the new shoes.

It read: "Dear Cristiano Ronaldo.

"Hospitable people live here in Bavaria. We may steal maypoles, but not shoes. We therefore wanted to replace what you lost. Here are a pair of genuine Bavarian brogues for you. With them you won't be able to score any goals, but you will look really snazzy.

"Kind regards, Stephan Lehmann and the Bayern 1 team."

Madrid lost the game 2-1. The second leg will take place in the Spanish capital next week.

Guardiola is said to be Blues owner Roman Abramovich's number one target to succeed Andre Villas-Boas as manager, with reports suggesting he could be offered a £10 million ($15.32 million)-a-year contract.

But the 41-year-old gave short shrift to questions about whether he would swap the Nou Camp for Stamford Bridge, claiming Chelsea already had a 'very, very good manager' in caretaker Roberto Di Matteo.

Guardiola, who has still to sign a new contract at Barca to replace the one that expires this northern summer, said: "It is fantasy, it's hypothetical.

"I am coach of Barcelona now and they have a good manager who is getting unbelievable results.

"It's not useful for Chelsea or for Barcelona to talk about that. There is no time to talk about that."

Guardiola has been asked countless times this season whether he will stay on at Barca and it was no different here.

He replied: "I just want to focus on the game. This is a dream come true, to be here ahead of this great game.

"I just want to make sure my players are focused on the game and can enjoy playing matches like that."

That game is Wednesday evening's (Thursday morning AEST) UEFA Champions League semi-final, first leg at Stamford Bridge, the latest instalment in a Chelsea-Barca rivalry that has become a saga.

The build-up has been dominated by talk of revenge, with the Blues still smarting from the sides' last meeting in 2009.

That saw Chelsea denied several penalties before Andres Iniesta's stoppage-time away goal saw Barcelona triumph.

Guardiola said: "A long time has passed. I don't think they are playing for revenge.

"What you have lost, is lost. We will both be playing to try to reach the final in Munich."

Barca emerged from that triumph to establish itself as one of the greatest - if not the greatest - club side ever to play the game.

Guardiola, who recalled his euphoric celebrations that night, said: "That was our first year together.

"We had that kind of love story you have in the first year.

"We were united, and we scored that goal right at the end. The rest is history."

While Barca has gone on to conquer the world since 2009, Chelsea has endured a turbulent three years that brought it its first ever double but more Champions League misery.

It looked certain to suffer the same fate this season before Andre Villas-Boas' sacking just over six weeks ago but it is a side reborn under Roberto Di Matteo.

Di Matteo has had a near-identical impact to Guus Hiddink three years ago and Guardiola said: "They have the same spirit, the same soul, the same foundation.

"They've changed the manager and a couple of players, but the same players are largely there.

"I do admire that generation of players, who have done so well over the last seven years and have got into so many semi-finals and finals, and competed in the Premier League so well."

Despite the Chelsea revival, it has been written off in many quarters against Guardiola's all-conquering side.

But the Barca boss said: "I'm struggling to see how we'll hurt them, create chances and score.

"We shouldn't forget they've been very consistent here in this stadium, winning all five of their (Champions League) games."

He added: "We're the holders at the moment, so everyone wants to beat us and play well against us."

Barca's success has been tarnished somewhat by accusations of diving and claims it gets the benefit of the doubt from referees - as in 2009.

Guardiola dismissed this, saying of its philosophy: "They take the ball, pass the ball, take the ball, pass the ball. Diving is for the swimming pool."

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has been its biggest critic and would love nothing more than for his former side to beat the club that has become his nemesis.

Asked whether his 'friend' Mourinho may try to help Chelsea, Guardiola said: "Thank you for calling him 'my friend'.

"I don't know if the players have an extra motivation for that reason.

"I think they'll play to get a good result ahead of the second game and to get to Munich."

Chelsea faces the biggest test of its season when it hosts Barca in the first leg of its semi-final clash.

The game brings back memories for most Chelsea fans of the controversial 2009 clash at the same stage in the competition when it was denied up to four plausible penalties before Andres Iniesta scored a 93rd-minute away goal to seal Barcelona's passage to the final.

Fabregas returned to the Nou Camp last northern summer after an eight-year spell at the Emirates Stadium, where he enjoyed a simmering rivalry with the Blues as both teams fought for supremacy in the capital.

Fabregas was involved in a fracas with Frank Lampard in the 2007 Carling Cup final - which Arsenal lost - and he admits he took great pleasure from watching the west London rival exit the Champions League to his hometown club three years ago.

"The previous night we'd lost the semi-final with Arsenal at Manchester United so I was still a bit upset," Fabregas recalled.

"But I was at home with my family that night. We were about to play PlayStation (believing Chelsea were going through) and then that goal (by Iniesta) was scored.

"It was really happy memories because my whole family are Barcelona supporters."

Many had predicted that with the likes of Xavi and Sergio Busquets already well established in the Barcelona side, Fabregas would struggle to get much game time with the five-time European champion, but the 24-year-old has played 25 of the club's 33 Primera Division games, scoring nine goals.

The midfielder says he has matured in to a much better player since his return to Catalonia, and even claims he may have been tactically naive during his time in the Premier League.

"I've learned a lot tactically, personally," he said.

"I know my position on the pitch a lot more. Before I was free to do whatever on the pitch at Arsenal, and I wasn't tactically good.

"I was playing wherever I wanted, up and down. Here I have to work much more for the team, individually, and think about the team tactically."

Despite spending eight years at Arsenal, Fabregas only managed to win one piece of silverware - the 2005 FA Cup.

With Barca, however, he has the chance to create history in his first campaign back at the Nou Camp.

Pep Guardiola's side is favourite to become the first team in history to retain the Champions League and Fabregas also has the privilege of being part of a team that contains the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Dani Alves.

"The move has been much better than I expected," Fabregas said.

"I played much more than I expected. I came here to learn, to get better as a player and a person, and also to experience weeks like we start tomorrow.

"We have Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Champions League and then play against Real Madrid in a game which, if we win, we are back in the title race; then against Chelsea again.

"Hopefully we will win all the games and to win the Champions League in my first year at Barcelona would be a dream come true."

Chelsea struggled under Andre Villas-Boas at the start of the campaign but his sacking, and the appointment of interim head coach Roberto Di Matteo, has breathed life in to its season.

Fabregas has been impressed with how the former West Bromwich Albion boss has fared, claiming his more direct approach has been key to its recent revival.

"What happened with Villas-Boas was they played more from the back," Fabregas added.

"They tried to keep possession and take initiative in the game.

"They've gone back to the type of Chelsea that was more successful a few years ago with Di Matteo: playing on the counter, trying to hit the target man, sitting back and using that number nine as a reference point."

Cech has lauded Messi and his Barcelona team-mates, but believes Chelsea can triumph in its UEFA Champions League semi-final, the first leg of which is at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday evening (Thursday morning AEST).

Cech told his personal website: "Barcelona alone are an exceptional team with a fantastic generation of players and he is the most exceptional among the exceptional. He is even better than the rest.

"Messi in his current form is an enormous threat. He is for sure one of the best players in the world but, as I said before, no team is invincible.

"His ball technique is superb but, most importantly, he can react to how the game develops. At the last possible moment in any situation he can find the ideal solution. There are a lot of ways that Messi can finish an attack.

"On the other hand, he is also only human and, if we perform to 100 percent, we will be able to defend against him."

Cech has also admitted Pep Guardiola's side goes into the semi-final as favourite, but wants Chelsea to upset the odds.

He said: "They are the biggest favourites of the Champions League, they are defending the trophy but anything can happen.

"We have two matches in which we can overturn the prognosis about favourites."

Heynckes wanted to see a reaction from his side after it effectively lost the Bundesliga title in its last two games, and he believes he got it.

"My players showed what I had demanded from them yesterday: lust and hunger for success," he told Sky television.

"I think we more than deserved the win because we played cleverly and intelligently."

Bayern takes a one-goal advantage with it to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu next Wednesday evening (Thursday morning AEST), but the tie is not over yet, according to Real coach Jose Mourinho.

"We don't need any crazy result in the return leg, we can win with a normal result and go through," he said at the post-match press conference.

"I think my team can respond to this game, with our fans behind us."

Mesut Ozil, who brought Real level early in the second half, shares his coach's optimism that the tie is still wide open.

"I think that we will win the return leg," he said. "We are a touch stronger at home.

"We believe in our strength and I am convinced that we will go through.

"We will be coming back to Munich again."

The result was nevertheless disappointing for Real, but Mourinho did not want to dwell on Bayern's first goal, which could have been ruled out for offside against Luiz Gustavo just in front of Iker Casillas.

"I don't want to criticise the referee," he said. "I will just accept his decision, even if it (the goal) should have been ruled out."

Heynckes also admitted that 'similar goals have been ruled out in the past', but destiny wanted Bayern to win, according to its chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

"It was an emotional game and Real showed that they are a great side," he said.

"Fortunately, we had luck on our side in the end."

Franck Ribery gave Bayern the lead in the 17th minute of the semi-final first leg, but Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil levelled early in the second half.

Bayern dominated for large parts of the game and found a deserved winner in the last minute through the prolific Gomez, giving it a slender advantage to take to Spain next week.

Madrid had the better of the first 10 minutes, but all it could produce was a shot from Karim Benzema which Manuel Neuer tipped over the crossbar after Bastian Schweinsteiger uncharacteristically gave away possession in midfield.

Bayern responded and took the game to its visitor.

Ribery felt he should have had a penalty when he went to ground under a challenge from Sergio Ramos inside the area, but referee Howard Webb waved play on.

But the France winger was soon celebrating as he rifled Bayern in front with a shot from 10 yards, which only just avoided Luiz Gustavo in an offside position.

The host was looking dangerous every time it came forward, and those attacks were becoming increasingly frequent, with Arjen Robben marauding down the right and Ribery causing confusion in the Madrid defence down the Bayern left.

But it failed to make its pressure count with Gomez's shot turned behind by Iker Casillas just before the break.

And Madrid levelled on the counter-attack eight minutes after the break.

Cristiano Ronaldo looked to have wasted the chance when his tame effort, one-on-one with the keeper, was saved by Neuer.

But Benzema picked up the rebound and took the ball back into the area, playing it across goal to Ronaldo, whose clever pull-back gave Ozil a tap-in from a yard out.

Madrid enjoyed its best spell of the game with Bayern and many of the 66,000 fans in the Allianz Arena becoming increasingly anxious.

The Bavarian side regrouped and soon got back on top of the game, though.

Gomez spurned an excellent chance to put it back in front in the 71st minute when he lifted the ball over the bar from close range after being teed up unwittingly by Sergio Ramos.

Gomez headed straight at Casillas as the host continued to be frustrated in its attempts to find another goal.

Two hopeful penalty claims were waved away by referee Webb as Bayern kept on pressing and the pressure finally paid off in the 90th minute.

Philipp Lahm got to the byline down the right and fired a ball in which Gomez, sliding in, bundled over the line at the near post.

Just before kick-off, with the Spanish giant preparing for their first-leg clash at Munich's Allianz Arena, a thief stole six pairs of boots and some shirts from Real's dressing room in the stadium.

The website of Spanish sports newspaper Marca claims Cristiano Ronaldo had three pairs of boots stolen while a total of three pairs belonging to either Germany's Mesut Ozil or France's Karim Benzema were also pinched.

Real has already complained to European football's governing body UEFA.

Ahead of Wednesday evening's (Thursday morning AEST) semi-final, first leg between the two sides, Alves has reopened wounds from the controversial clash three years ago, when Chelsea claimed it was robbed of a final place.

Chelsea's then-boss Guus Hiddink claimed Ovrebo's performance was 'the worst I have ever seen' by a referee, and Didier Drogba and Jose Bosingwa were both sanctioned for protesting at the final whistle.

But Alves told the Independent: "There is no doubt that was the hardest game we've played, but a team with a man advantage playing at home and winning should have attacked us more.

"People say Chelsea should have won but for the referee, but that is not our problem. We were there to play football, to compete and try to get to the final. Chelsea did not reach the final because of fear."

Iniesta left Chelsea heartbroken back in 2009 when his stoppage-time strike earned Barca a 1-1 draw in London and saw the Catalan side progress through to the UEFA Champions League final instead of the Blues on away goals.

Chelsea now has the chance to gain revenge over Pep Guardiola's reigning champion when they clash again in this year's semi-finals and, speaking ahead of Wednesday evening's (Thursday morning AEST) first leg at Stamford Bridge, Iniesta knows the Premier League side will again be no pushover.

"It's painful to be knocked out so close to the final. Now we are facing each other again and undoubtedly their desire to beat us and be in the Champions League final will be significant," Iniesta said.

"We hope that things will turn out well for us again this time.

"We are going there with the intention of winning, to have a good game and commit as few mistakes as possible, as in the Champions League they are very costly. We always go out to win. We know that it is a knock-out tie and there is a return game, but our only intention is to win.

"It will be a tough 90 minutes. Chelsea are more experienced now, inevitably, and they have also changed some players. They have Fernando (Torres), (Juan) Mata and some other young players. Chelsea were very strong that year and the will be this year as well.

"They are very dangerous, very intense, and that will by multiplied in their stadium due to the atmosphere. We are expecting a very tough tie."

Iniesta also warned of the threat posed by some of Chelsea elder statesmen, such as Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard.

"They are dangerous for who they are, not because they are older or that it could be their last opportunity to win the Champions League. You have to respect them because they are great players and right now are in a very good moment. I think it's going to be a very nice tie," he added.

The trip to Chelsea starts what could be a key week in Barcelona's season, with Real Madrid visiting the Nou Camp in the Primera Division this weekend before the Champions League second leg takes place next week.

Barca has won 11 successive matches in the Primera Division to cut Madrid's lead at the summit back from 10 points to four heading into the final five rounds of the season, and the destination of this year's title could ultimately rest on the outcome of this weekend's 'Clasico'.

"It's a key and very important week. That's the reality. We are playing to get into a Champions League final and we are playing to extend the battle for the league," said Iniesta, who insisted his side's attention was only on Chelsea and not on Madrid.

"We are 180 minutes from a Champions League final. Our thoughts and focus have to be on the game against Chelsea. On Thursday we will start to think about the Clasico against Real Madrid.

"In the Champions League we depend on ourselves and in the league we depend on the leaders slipping up. We have to be right up there in case they do.

"We are in the final straight and if it has been difficult up to this point, then what is left ahead of us will also be difficult."

In the previous nine meetings between Real and Bayern in Munich, the German side has recorded eight wins and a single draw in European competition since the teams first met back in 1976.

The last time they clashed in the Champions League five years ago, Bayern won the round-of-16 clash on away goals after it finished 4-4 on aggregate after Bayern's 2-1 win in Munich and Madrid's 3-2 victory in Spain.

But Mourinho says previous records and statistics will mean nothing come kick-off as Real arrives in Munich having scored 107 goals in the Spanish league this season with midfield star Cristiano Ronaldo having netted 41 of them.

"These are historical figures, history doesn't count tomorrow, the match will have nothing to do with what has gone before," said the 49-year-old who once famously dubbed himself 'The Special One' while at Chelsea.

"The results that have gone before don't count. This is a semi-final, everyone wants to get through, you have to have the right motivation.

"Bayern have that as they want to play the final here.

"This is the second time we have been in the semis for two years, so we want to do well too."

Having been denied a place in last season's Champions League final by eventual winner Barcelona, Mourinho wants victory in Munich to set up his side for the return leg at Madrid's Bernabeu on 25 April.

Either Barcelona or Chelsea await in the final which will be hosted at Munich's Allianz Arena on 19 May.

"We have nothing to lose, the only thing we can loss is the Copa del Rey (the Spanish Cup), we can't defend that title anymore and can concentrate on the other competitions," he said with his team four points ahead of Barcelona in La Liga.

"The Spanish League and Champions League are still there for us, so that is what we will focus on and that is what we are going for."

The former Chelsea boss is too street-wise not to pay Bayern Munich due respect and was said his team will need to be wary of the home side bidding to reach the final at its own stadium.

"They are a very strong institution, they are a strong club with great institutional powers. They are a big opponent for us," said Mourinho, who won the 2010 title with Inter Milan when it beat Bayern in the Madrid final.

"They have flair players, who can really show some great talent, but you have to see them as a collective, they have grown as a team.

"(Former Dutch coach) Louis van Gaal was very important for this, he steered them to the final two years ago and they are in the hands of another great coach in Jupp Heynckes.

"They have shown they deserve to be here and will want to reach the final."

With an attacking line boasting the likes of Ronaldo, France's Karim Benzema and Argentina's Gonzalo Higuain, as well as Germany's play-maker Mesut Ozil, Real could be considered favourite to reach the final, but Mourinho refused to be drawn.

"No, everyone has their opinion about who are favourites," he said.

"Some people make Bayern favourites, some people talk about them being our bogey team, we will have to wait and see what happens."

Real and Barca are through to the elite Champions League semi-finals, and three Spanish clubs are into the UEFA Europa League last four, but a survey of the accounts of the country's top clubs reveals a tale of crippling debts and tax arrears.

Real Madrid leads Barcelona by four points at the top of La Liga but the two global superstars also rival each other in the depth of their debts.

Real has accumulated 589 million euros ($745.53 million) in debts and Barcelona owes 578 million euros ($731.6 million).

The arch-rivals' debts eclipse their revenues, which for 2010-2011 amounted to 479 million euros ($606.29 million) for Real Madrid and 450 million euros ($569.63 million) for Barcelona.

Europa League semi-finalists Valencia and Atletico Madrid are also both awash with red ink, to the tune of 382 and 514 million euros ($483.55 and $650.55 million) respectively.

But the latest figure to hit the headlines in Spain is the 752 million euros ($951.53 million) that Spain's elite clubs owe to the tax man at a time when more than five million are unemployed and the government is asking citizens for more sacrifices.

Spain's sports ministry has announced a plan to ensure that football pays for its own debts. But for the moment it is unclear how they will do so.

Six of the 20 Liga clubs - Rayo Vallecano, Racing Santander, Real Betis, Zaragoza, Granada and Mallorca - are currently in bankruptcy proceedings, as are another six second-division teams.

"That figure alone shows that Spanish football is not well managed financially," said Barcelona University Professor of Economics Jose Maria Gay de Liebana, who specialises in football.

The analyst compared Spanish football's debts, which he estimated at 3.5 billion euros ($4.43 billion) in total, to the frenzy of the country's property market bubble, which imploded in 2008.

"Football is a mirror of the general economy in Spain. For years we have been spending beyond our means, getting deeper and deeper into debt," he explained.

"For football it's the same: for years clubs have made colossal and inefficient investments. And as they did not have their own funds to finance these expenses, they went massively into debt."

A good example of the race to invest, no matter the cost, is Valencia's 'New Mestalla' stadium.

In 2007, in the midst of the property boom, Valencia decided to buy a new 70,000-seat stadium - even though the club only has 39,000 members.

The 300 million euro ($379.8 million) construction cost was supposed to be financed by the sale of the land from its old stadium for about 400 million euros ($506.39 million).

Two years later, engulfed by the property market crisis, construction stopped when the club realised it could not find buyers for the old stadium property.

One other factor may have contributed to the accumulation of debts - a lack of financial control by Spanish institutions.

Some blame a lax attitude by the Spanish football league, others the league's inability to impose tough sporting sanctions.

Until recently the Spanish professional football league did not have the power to relegate a club in bankruptcy.

Some teams even used the bankruptcy law to their advantage, enjoying legal protection from their creditors while continuing to play football at the highest level.

"I think the new law that came into force in January 2012, which now authorises the authorities to relegate a club in bankruptcy, will change things a lot," said sports lawyer Juan de Dios Crespo.

It is unclear, however, if the authorities would risk the public backlash of taking on a football club.

In the 1990s when the footballing authorities threatened to relegate Celta Vigo and Sevilla because of problems with their registration paperwork, they were forced to backpedal after huge pressure from fans.

Despite suffering a 2-1 reversal in the opening fixture in the Netherlands last week, Valencia was on top form with Jordi Alba and Pablo Hernandez adding to Rami's early brace to wrap up an emphatic 4-0 win on the night, and a 5-2 aggregate success.

Atletico Madrid progressed to the semi-finals for the second time in three seasons as second-half strikes from Adrian Lopez and Radamel Falcao were enough to see off Hannover 4-2 on aggregate.

With the tie finely balanced from the first leg in Madrid last week, the game did not open up until after the break when Adrian spun away from three desperate Hannover challenges to slot home his sixth goal of the competition.

On-loan Manchester United striker Mame Biram Diouf gave the host hope as he pulled a goal back with nine minutes remaining, but Atletico sealed a 2-1 win on the night and its passage into the last four when Falcao rocketed home a volley from the edge of the area five minutes later.

Atletico will now face Valencia in an all-Spanish semi-final.

Athletic Bilbao advanced to the semi-finals with a 6-4 aggregate win over Schalke, although it was tested to the limit at San Mames.

Trailing 4-2 from the quarter-final first leg, Schalke twice took the lead on the night through Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Raul.

But the home side replied with strikes from Ibai Gomez and Markel Susaeta to secure a 2-2 draw which earned it an aggregate victory and a last-four meeting with Sporting.

Cleiton Xavier's second-half penalty miss cost host Metalist Kharkiv dear as Sporting clung on for a 1-1 draw in Ukraine which sent it through to the semi-finals 3-2 on aggregate.

Leading 2-1 from the first leg in Portugal, Sporting extended its lead through Ricky van Wolfswinkel before Jonathan Cristaldo equalised early in the second half.

Metalist blew its big chance of levelling on aggregate in the 63rd minute when Alexandre Xandao fouled Marko Devic in the box, and Xavier rattled his resulting spot-kick at the legs of Sporting goalkeeper Rui Patricio.

Two Lionel Messi penalties - his 50th and 51st Champions League goals - and an Andres Iniesta strike rendered Antonio Nocerino's away goal for Milan mere consolation as Barca picked up the win it needed after the first leg in Italy had ended goalless.

The result means Barcelona has now reached the semi-finals of the prestigious competition in each of the last five seasons, and Brazil wing-back Alves was full of praise for the approach of his side against experienced opposition.

"It was a grand night, a fantastic response from my team-mates. Today, more than ever, I'm very proud to be part of this great family called Barca," Alves wrote on his Twitter account.

Alves added: "We knew that we had a great team in front of us and that the tie was difficult but the team responded perfectly.

"I liked the team's good play and the disposition of my team-mates.

"The result is in accordance with the chances we created. We were magnificent."

Alves' team-mate Javier Mascherano hailed the defensive resolve of the Catalan side after it succeeded in restricting Milan's goalscoring chances.

"In general, we put in a great performance on defence despite conceding a goal," Mascherano said.

"They practically didn't have any goalscoring chances - that's due to the defensive work of the whole team."

The Argentina international added: "I hope we can make it to our third final in four years.

"It would be great for the club and for us, but we need to be mentally strong."

Next up for Barcelona is a repeat of its 2009 semi-final with Chelsea.

Mourinho was happy to have had the opportunity to rest some players ahead of a difficult month, while also seeing Jose Maria Callejon and Angel Di Maria score on their return from injury in the 5-2 second-leg win.

He said: "Bayern is a very powerful opponent. It is a team I know well as it is almost the same side that I played when coach of Inter Milan in the Champions League final two years ago and they have great individual players.

"The players and myself are looking forward to what should be a great semi-final.

"The team is doing well, the players that were injured are getting there and we are physically prepared for the difficult April that we have.

"We wanted to build a team to win the game. Because I didn't think it was possible for APOEL to score four, we wanted to rest a few players and we attempted to balance things.

"We wanted to rest Marcelo and (Esteban) Granero so we substituted them and there might have been a few defensive errors towards the end, but I don't have any criticism, just positive words for a group that have reached this stage for two seasons in a row."

Mourinho was full of praise for his side's Cypriot opponent, which he said had achieved more than anyone else in this season's competition.

"I think in a few years people in Cyprus will realise what APOEL have done, it is the biggest achievement in Champions League this season," Mourinho added.

"If Barcelona, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich win it's not the same achievement as for APOEL to reach the quarter-final."

Former Chelsea boss Mourinho does not hold out much hope for his former side when it faces Barcelona in the other semi-final.

Asked why he had told Telemadrid that the Catalan side would advance, he said: "Because they are very good. Barcelona aren't the favourites, they are super-favourites."

He added: "Let me be honest, I don't think the final will be a Real Madrid/Chelsea final. It could be Bayern or Barcelona, I just don't think it will be Real Madrid v Chelsea and we know why."

APOEL coach Ivan Jovanovic reflected on the end of a great journey for his side, but declared his pride at having reached the last eight for the first time in the club's history.

"We're the only team at this stage in the competition to have started on July 12 (2011)," he said.

"This was our 16th game, we don't have a big squad but we have worked very hard to reach the position we have. This is the end of this wonderful journey but I and the whole of Cyprus are proud of this team.

"Real Madrid won fairly and it is a fair result, but to score two goals is no small feat. We knew after the result in Nicosia we wouldn't advance, but we wanted to give our best against such a rival in such a stadium."

Already leading 3-0 from the first leg the host started brightly but had to wait until the 25th minute to open the scoring as Cristiano Ronaldo tapped home Marcelo's cross at the back post.

Kaka doubled Real's lead with a stunning effort from outside the area nine minutes before half-time, but the goal of the night was arguably scored by Gustavo Manduca as he pulled one back for the visitor after a flowing team move midway through the second half.

Ronaldo soon restored the host's two-goal advantage and substitutes Jose Maria Callejon and Angel Di Maria added further goals either side of Esteban Solari's 82nd-minute penalty for the visitor.

Jose Mourinho took the chance to rest some of his established stars as Xabi Alonso, Mesut Ozil and Karim Benzema started on the bench, but the Portuguese coach still named a strong side which had far too much for its Cypriot opponent from the off.

APOEL coach Ivan Jovanovic had claimed before the game that his side 'never play with fear' but it certainly appeared nervous early on as two defensive errors nearly handed Madrid the opener within the first four minutes.

Firstly, Gonzalo Higuain could only head William Boaventura's misguided clearance wide before Savvas Poursaitides presented Ronaldo with a great chance but the Portuguese fired straight at Urko Pardo.

Ronaldo did eventually get his 48th goal of the season when he bundled the ball home after Higuain had failed to get a telling touch on Marcelo's cross.

Hamit Altintop fluffed his lines after being played in by Higuain and Kaka saw another effort fly just over - but the Brazilian had been the pick of those on show in the first 45 and he deservedly scored the second goal with a brilliant curling effort which bent just inside Pardo's left-hand post.

The former Milan playmaker nearly replicated that effort from Ronaldo's clever pass five minutes before the break but this time saw the ball clip the outside of the post.

To APOEL's credit it took advantage of the host's sloppiness at the beginning of the second half and gave its travelling hordes of fans a moment to treasure with 23 minutes remaining as a wonderful team move ended with Ailton slipping the ball through to Manduca, who slotted calmly past Iker Casillas to record his fourth Champions League goal of the season.

Constantinos Charalambides was denied a spectacular equaliser moments later as Casillas produced a fingertip save to divert his drive behind for a corner but Ronaldo soon put an end to any hopes of a heroic comeback as having gone all season without scoring from a free-kick he made it two in two games with a stunning effort from wide on the left.

Callejon then added a fourth as he cut in from the left to finish low beyond Pardo, but the Cypriot side responded again and got its second goal when Solari netted from the spot after Aldo Adorno had been upended by Altintop.

However, Di Maria had the final say when he rounded off a fine night for the nine-time winner as he lofted a wonderful chip over Pardo.

After the 3-0 victory in Nicosia last week, Real can, barring a miracle, almost certainly look forward to a semi-final place against Bayern Munich.

But Mourinho said that he would be fielding a near first-choice line-up despite the huge advantage his side holds over the Cypriot minnow.

"Few people think that APOEL can win 4-0 here but we must respect our public and our rivals," the former Chelsea coach said.

"I will therefore make very few changes and we will go out there with a very strong team."

The decision might surprise even the most hardened Real fan, given the team's busy end-of-season run-in in its ambitious bid for a La Liga-Champions League double.

Mourinho justified naming a strong line-up by stressing the good physical form in which starters like Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso find themselves.

"They're good, they're not tired and want to play. We've established some good stats over the last two years in the Champions League and we want to continue in that vein."

The Portuguese coach also took aim at rumour-mongerers who have suggested that he might sign for English Premier League contender Manchester City or that Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain could move to Malaga.

The rumours were aimed solely at 'destabilising' Real Madrid, he said.

Real's potential starting line-up will, however, be without injured midfielders Lassana Diarra and Sami Khedira but Argentinian winger Angel Di Maria is included in the squad.

Di Maria played for a few minutes in the 5-1 victory over Osasuna in the league over the weekend in his slow comeback from a right thigh muscle tear which has seen him play only twice in 2012.

"He's an important player for the team and his injury was complicated," said Mourinho. "He's been training at full speed for a couple of weeks but playing is a different matter.

"At Pamplona (against Osasuna), he felt good and tomorrow (Wednesday) he will not play 90 minutes but surely more than 10."

Two Lionel Messi penalties and Andres Iniesta's cute finish ultimately rendered Antonio Nocerino's away goal midway through the first half just a consolation. The first leg in Italy had finished goalless.

Guardiola said after Barcelona's Nou Camp triumph: "We have eliminated one of the big sides in Europe. It has been a very difficult victory.

"They have had three efforts on goal and we have had 21 and this is against a strong Italian team. If people were expecting a 6-0 or a 7-1, it doesn't work like this. Everything we have done is to win the game."

Guardiola refuted Zlatan Ibrahimovic's claims that Jose Mourinho had been right to argue that Barcelona is a beneficiary of dubious decisions at the Nou Camp, and was convinced that both penalties were correctly awarded.

"Ibrahimovic can say the same as Mourinho but we respond on the pitch. They were two penalties," Guardiola said.

"They were fouls in the area and they were given so they were two penalties. This is what I have been taught since I was a child.

"If Ibrahimovic says it is thanks to the referees then fine, but we have qualified five times and the players speak on the pitch, which is where they should do their talking."

The reigning European champion may face a repeat of its 2009 semi-final with Chelsea as the London side holds a 1-0 lead over Benfica going into the second leg of its quarter-final on Wednesday evening (Thursday morning AEST), but Guardiola refused to count the Portuguese side out of the tie.

"Chelsea still have a game to play, in the Champions League everything is very difficult. We have to be cautious with Benfica, Chelsea have a very good team but everything is possible," he said.

Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri admitted that the best team had won, but he was not happy with referee Bjorn Kuipers' decision to award the second penalty just before half-time.

Allegri said: "The best team has qualified. We committed a terrible error for the first penalty, the second is more dubious and the referee gave it too quickly."

Milan has failed to reach the Champions League last four in any of the last five seasons but Allegri thinks his side is making progress.

"Next year Milan will be much more competitive, this year we have gone a step further in the Champions League and as much as it hurts we must now concentrate on the league," he said.

Allegri makes Barcelona favourite now, as it bids to become the first side to retain its European crown in the Champions League era.

He said: "Barcelona were the favourites before and they continue to be so."

The Argentinian opened the scoring on 10 minutes after he had been brought down by Luca Antonini but Antonio Nocerino levelled just after the half hour after he was set up by Zlatan Ibrahimovic on his return to the Camp Nou.

Messi restored the Catalan side's lead five minutes before the break as Alessandro Nesta was penalised for holding Sergio Busquets and inevitably the World Player of the Year was involved again for the third as his blocked effort rebounded for Iniesta to fire home.

Barcelona's all-time top-scorer now holds another prestigious record as he equalled former Milan striker Jose Altafini's record of 14 goals in one season of European football's top club competition.

However, his side was made to suffer at times for its place in the last four by a Milan team that showed far more attacking intent than during its last visit in September.

The host started strongly and Messi could have given it an even earlier lead as he uncharacteristically wasted two good sights of goal within the first six minutes, firstly firing straight at Christian Abbiati and then side-footing wide after a wonderful pass from Cesc Fabregas.

The reigning champion was in front four minutes later though as Messi robbed the ball on the left and after his square ball to Xavi rebounded back into the Argentinian's path, he was brought down by a desperate challenge from Antonini. Messi stepped up to roll in his 57th goal of the season.

However, against the run of play the Italian side equalised on 32 minutes as Robinho and Ibrahimovic combined to play in Nocerino and he finished calmly to give Milan the advantage on away goals.

Xavi had a fierce effort beaten away by Abbiati minutes later as Barca responded immediately and it was handed the chance to retake the lead five minutes before the break as Busquets was hauled down by Nesta and referee Bjorn Kuipers pointed to the spot for the second time. Messi this time choose to go to Abbiati's left and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.

Milan had its own claim for a penalty two minutes into the second period as Ibrahimovic went down under pressure from Javier Mascherano however this time Kuipers waved away the claims.

And five minutes later Barca had the two-goal cushion it craved as Messi's deflected effort found its way through to Iniesta and he showed great composure to stab the ball past Abbiati from a narrow angle.

Kevin-Prince Boateng should have reduced the arrears when he headed over when unmarked from Clarence Seedorf's corner but at the other end substitute Thiago Alcantara wasted an even better opportunity as he pulled his effort wide after another fine pass from Messi.

Adriano should have sealed the tie but skewed horribly wide when clean through with three minutes remaining - but Barca saw out the final stages to equal Real Madrid's record of five straight semi-finals from 1956-1960.

The Barcelona-based club is believed to have total debts in the region of 160 million euros ($A206 million), with a significant lump of that owed to Spain's tax authorities.

Those figures are far higher than the club's overall budget for this season, and spokesman Rafael Entrena says offers for its talented crop of players will be welcome come the end of the current campaign.

"It is possible that decisions will be taken that some will struggle to understand, but we must make an effort to balance the books," he was quoted as saying on the club's website.

"If we have to sell players to balance the books, then that is what we will do although, right now, we don't know if we will be buying or selling in the summer.

"We do not want to see the club fall into administration," he added, mindful that several clubs in La Liga, such as Racing Santander, Rayo Vallecano and Betis, are in administration or have been in the recent past.

The total amount of money owed by Spanish clubs to the taxman has grown in recent years to reach 752 million euros.

The Spanish Sports Council says plans to reduce the debt will be unveiled in coming weeks.

Espanyol - with a squad containing numerous homegrown talents - sits seventh in La Liga and remains in contention for European qualification next season, providing its finances allows it to obtain a UEFA licence to compete in continental competition.

The Spanish team will face Serbia on May 26 and South Korea four days later, both at venues outside Spain, with the June 3 game against China set to take place in Seville, a federation spokesman told AFP.

The world champion will then likely gather in camp at the Austrian Alpine village of Schruns on May 21, two days after the Champions League final, according to the AS sports newspaper.

Vicente Del Bosque's squad will arrive in their Polish base camp of Gniewino on June 5 for their Euro campaign that sees them in the same pool as Italy, Ireland and Croatia, their first game coming against the Italians on June 10.

The Brazil international was introduced in the 63rd minute and set up Benzema for a 74th-minute opener before tucking away fellow sub Marcelo's excellent cutback eight minutes later.

France striker Benzema's second gave the scoreline an emphatic look despite a mighty defensive effort by APOEL, whose giant-killing run has accounted for Lyon, Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk but which was outclassed here.

APOEL lost key defender Marcelo Oliveira to injury inside 10 minutes after his standing leg twisted under him as he overcommitted in a tackle.

Mesut Ozil tested goalkeeper Dionisis Chiotis, with the host still down to 10 men before replacement centre-half Kaka - the namesake and compatriot of Real's in-form schemer - could be introduced.

Fabio Coentrao shot well wide and a frustrated Cristiano Ronaldo was beckoned to his feet by referee Felix Brych after tumbling over Savvas Poursaitidis.

Benzema was guilty of a shocking miss in the 33rd minute when he hung a foot out at Ronaldo's low cross but stubbed the ball into the ground and it bounced over the bar.

Ronaldo sliced wide when picked out by Ozil as Real was held at bay until the interval.

Benzema lashed over from the edge of the box early in the second half and Ronaldo was similarly inaccurate before another Benzema effort was blocked.

Ailton lifted the home crowd with a wonderful solo run down the left before being fouled by Sergio Ramos, but the free-kick came to nothing.

Jose Mourinho was driven to a double change in an attempt to lift Real, introducing his own Kaka and Marcelo for Higuain - injured a few minutes previously - and Coentrao.

Esteban Solari, the brother of former Real stalwart Santiago, stepped off the APOEL bench - but soon found his side trailing as the better-known Kaka crossed deliciously from the left and Benzema dived to head past Chiotis.

The keeper saved Ronaldo's drive with his legs and then fumbled Kaka's effort as Real sought a killer second goal.

And it duly arrived as Marcelo was caught in the box by Paulo Jorge but kept his balance and cut the ball back for Kaka to slot home.

Benzema tucked away Ozil's inviting low pass in the last minute as Real put the tie to bed ahead of the 4 April return leg.

The 21-year-old has struggled to make an impact since leaving Barcelona for Serie A last summer, managing only four goals in 25 league appearances, but is still optimistic he will be in the picture to play in the upcoming Games.

"I have not lost hope of going to the Games in London," the striker said.

While he has not yet had the success he wanted with Roma, Bojan insisted he remains upbeat about his future in Italy.

"I still speak with my former (Barcelona) team-mates, but now my place is in Rome," he said.

"Here, I am still growing. I am 21 years old and have many things to learn. My feelings are still positive."

Cadena SER radio reported that the club has already paid $18.3 million of the total $73 million transfer fee to the 20-year-old's Brazilian club Santos.

"According to several reliable sources Barca have already paid a quarter of the 58 million euros to Santos to guarantee the transfer of the player," Cadena SER claimed, adding that the date for his transfer was after the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

The report added that the decision to seal the deal was taken by the player and his father against the wishes of his agent Wagner Ribeiro.

Neymar is considered the future star of Brazilian football and has been targeted by several European clubs, including Barcelona's rivals Real Madrid.

"The competition committee has decided to close the complaint of the referees' committee against Pique," an official at the Spanish Football Federation told AFP on Thursday.

"The statements made by Barcelona on behalf of its player have been taken into account."

The federation had already banned Pique for one match and fined him 600 euros ($785) after he made the accusation against the referee of a match against Sporting Gijon on March 3.

The committee representing referees lodged a complaint against Pique over his comments targeting referee Velasco Carballo.

Barcelona sent the federation a letter defending the player, denying he had insulted the referee in his comments.

Pique was sent off for a foul on Miguel De Las Cuevas in the 47th minute of Barca's 3-1 win over Sporting Gijon.

"At half-time, I asked the referee why he hadn't given a penalty for a foul on (Barcelona team-mate Seydou) Keita and he remembered it," said Pique after the match.

"I got the feeling that there was premeditation."

Athletic earned huge amounts of praise for its display in last week's UEFA Europa League last-16 first-leg encounter with Manchester United.

Most observers felt United was lucky to escape with just a 3-2 defeat that leaves it with an outside chance of turning the tie around on Thursday evening (Friday morning AEDT).

Yet Bielsa's team followed it by losing a crucial La Liga encounter with Osasuna, that leaves it in seventh place, an enormous 33 points adrift of leader Real Madrid.

"The difference in points and finance is there for everyone to see," said the former Chile and Argentina coach.

"But I also believe that on one night or in one match a team like Athletic can get very close to the level of opponents such as Real Madrid, Barcelona or Manchester United.

"However, to maintain that throughout an entire league season is extremely difficult."

Bielsa is playing a cagey game with his team selection, although he did reveal midfielder Oscar de Marcos, one of last week's goalscorers, was doubtful after being struck down by a flu virus.

For all the significance of the potential achievement Bilbao could complete, Bielsa is not getting carried away.

"There is no prestige to coaching a national side or beating Manchester United," he said, when asked whether victory would be the biggest moment of his career.

"Personal things like that do not concern me. They do not last very long.

"The evaluation of anything has to be done over the long term, not the short. And we still have another very important 90 minutes ahead of us."

Two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and one apiece from Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema were enough to see Real cruise through 5-2 on aggregate, but Mourinho was particularly pleased with the performance of Kaka as he set the tone in midfield.

He said, "I thought Kaka was fantastic, he spent the best years of his career in Italy but never has he worked so hard as he is doing just now.

"When you work as hard as he did it is normal that after 65 or 70 minutes you start to tire but I thought he was exceptional and the exchanges between he and (Mesut) Ozil were the best we produced in the first half."

The game could have panned out very differently had Seydou Doumbia taken an early chance for the visitor but Mourinho wasn't overly concerned with his side's start to the game and insisted that at this level every opponent has quality.

"We suffered just as much as I expected, not more. I knew it was going to be difficult when the first leg left the tie still open.

"I knew the rival and I knew that it wasn't going to be easy and that is why I liked the maturity shown by the team. Without doing anything otherworldly we dominated, played in their half with a lot of maturity and the only uneasy moment came with the reaction of the crowd when they scored to make it 3-1."

The only negative of the evening for Mourinho was a yellow card for Xabi Alonso that will see him miss the first leg of the quarter-final, but the former Chelsea boss is confident that Esteban Granero has the qualities to deputise for the Spanish international.

"Xabi is an important player for us but at the moment we have a great squad and there is no problem if Granero and (Sami) Khedira have to play together, we won't cry over losing one player."

CSKA coach Leonid Slutski meanwhile refused to blame Sergei Chepchugov for his side's defeat despite the goalkeeper making a glaring error that led to Real's second goal.

Chepchugov allowed Ronaldo's effort to slip through his grasp and into the net when the tie was still in the balance but Slutski believes his side committed too many errors all over the pitch to advance.

He said, "I don't like to blame Chepchugov because he had a good game other than that goal. Not only he but other players with more experience have made mistakes so I won't concentrate on one player.

"To obtain a result against a team like Real Madrid we had to play our best game, almost without any errors. Here they punish mistakes that on other days you get away with."

Seydou Doumbia missed a glorious chance to give the visitor the lead inside 10 minutes as he fired over when clean through, but Real slowly started to take control of the game and deservedly took the lead as Gonzalo Higuain slotted home from Kaka's pull-back.

A howler from Sergei Chepchugov allowed the host to double the advantage as he spilled Cristiano Ronaldo's long-range shot into his own net 10 minutes after half-time and Karim Benzema slotted home the third at the second attempt with 20 minutes remaining.

Zoran Tosic got a consolation for CSKA with a wonderful strike five minutes later, but Ronaldo sealed the 4-1 victory with a tap-in after an unselfish pass from Benzema in stoppage-time.

Jose Mourinho had opted against recalling Benzema to the starting 11 as he named the same side that had defeated Real Betis 3-2 at the weekend.

However it was the visitor which enjoyed brighter start and should have been rewarded with the opening goal as Doumbia was played through by Alan Dzagoev but the Ivorian blazed over with just Iker Casillas to beat.

Ronaldo then had Real's first effort on goal easily saved by Chepchugov before CSKA passed up another good opportunity to take the lead as Ahmed Musa escaped the attentions of Marcelo but Pepe showed great strength to ensure Doumbia couldn't get on the end of his cross.

Madrid though began to pin back the visitor with wave after wave of attack and the opening goal arrived on 26 minutes when Sami Khedira's chipped ball over the CSKA defence found Kaka and his cut-back was rolled into the empty net by Higuain.

The second period started as the first ended with Madrid on the front foot and Chepchugov had to be quick off his line to smother Ronaldo's effort after a wonderful throughball from Kaka.

The only negative of the evening for the home side was to come moments later however as Xabi Alonso saw a yellow card that will keep him out of the first leg of the quarter-final.

Ronaldo then made it two on 55 minutes with a long-range effort that Chepchugov should have handled comfortably but instead only succeeded in fumbling into his own net.

The Russian side nearly found a way back into the tie just after the hour as Dzagoev had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside call on substitute Sekou Oliseh, who had provided the cross and a minute later Doumbia passed up another clear chance as he rounded Casillas but his floated effort towards goal drifted wide.

Instead though it was Benzema who sealed the tie with 20 minutes remaining with only his second touch after replacing Higuain as he raced onto Mesut Ozil's pass and despite Chepchugov making a brave stop from his first effort, the rebound fell kindly for the Frenchman to slot home his fifth goal in Europe this season.

CSKA to its credit did not give in and got the goal its efforts deserved when Tosic turned inside Pepe and rocketed a shot in off the underside of the bar.

However, Ronaldo was to have the final say as Pepe fed Benzema inside the area and he squared for the former Manchester United man to score his second of the evening.

Madrid heads into Wednesday evening's (Thursday morning AEDT) last-16 second leg against CSKA Moscow as favourite after posting a 1-1 draw in the first match at Luzhniki Stadium on 21 February, although the Spanish side will feel it should already be ahead in the tie after spurning a host of chances that night.

On home soil, few would bet against the runaway Primera Division leader safely booking its passage to the quarter-finals, and the Portuguese talked up its chances of getting the job done.

"Our confidence is high and we fear nothing and no one," Mourinho told a press conference.

"It's always difficult in the Champions League because you face the best of each country, but we're not obsessed about anything and have no inferiority complexes of any sort."

Should Mourinho's troops have needed any reminding that there is no room for complacency in football, it arrived in the third minute of stoppage-time in the first leg when Pontus Wernbloom made them pay for their profligacy by netting an improbable equaliser.

"Football is treacherous in its nature and always has room for surprises," Mourinho continued.

"The best team doesn't always win and the 1-1 score of the first leg gives us every reason to think the match will be difficult.

"Russian teams are always strong and know how to defend. I have experience against them and am perfectly aware of the difficulties we'll face, so I try to make my men aware of them also.

"There are no miracles in football, but there are surprises. If CSKA win it will be because they played a very good game or because we played badly."

Cristiano Ronaldo's first-half strike handed Madrid the lead in the first leg and the Portugal winger has called on the Bernabeu faithful to play their part.

Despite his 40 goals in all competitions for the club this season, Ronaldo's lack of popularity with some sections of the Madrid fans remains a problem.

However, the former Manchester United player has reported an improvement in his treatment in recent weeks, and knows the backing of the supporters will be key as Madrid chases both domestic and European glory in the final weeks of the season.

"I've heard the crowd sing my name in the last few months and I'm happy for their affection," Ronaldo said.

"We notice when the atmosphere is good during a match. I would like to ask fans to keep supporting us so that we win something this year all together."

Ronaldo also played down speculation over the future of Mourinho, who has been linked with a return to Chelsea after the dismissal of Andre Villas-Boas.

"He is going to continue," Ronaldo said. "He is going to continue with us."

Madrid will be without the injured Angel di Maria and Fabio Coentrao, while there was no place in the matchday squad for Hamit Altintop, Ricardo Carvalho and Jose Callejon.

CSKA has been boosted by the return of talismanic goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev ahead of the match.

Akinfeev has been sidelined by a knee problem since August, and although the match is likely to come too soon for the 25-year-old, Russian media report that his return has come as a lift to the whole squad.

Back-up goalkeeper Sergey Chepchugov is likely to retain his place, and he admits to being relaxed about the task ahead, telling Sport-Express: "I am in a good mood and we are working hard."

CSKA coach Leonid Slutsky, who is sweating on the fitness of Japan international Keisuke Honda (thigh), admits that he side is a huge underdog ahead of the return.

"There's a low probability [of victory]," he told Sport-Express. "But sometimes miracles happen, and we hope that we will be able to produce a miracle like that."

The United Left party says figures provided by the government show an increase of nearly 150 million euros ($186.03 million) in unpaid taxes over the past four years, with top flight clubs making up nearly half a billion euros of the overall figure. At least six top division clubs are already in bankruptcy protection.

The numbers were released after the United Left, a communist party led coalition, submitted a written request to parliament for the information.

Barca had been understated but superior in the first leg in Germany, winning 3-1, and was expected to ease through in the return match.

However, it played with trademark hunger under Pep Guardiola as Messi became the first player to score five in a single Champions League game while substitute Cristian Tello added two in a performance of startling brilliance.

Karim Bellarabi managed a consolation in added time.

Leverkusen had travelled to Catalonia in confident mood after winning its third straight Bundesliga game at the weekend.

A 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich has boosted the club's chances of qualifying for the Champions League again next season, but despite being a heavy underdog to progress to the last eight, it had not fully given up on remaining in the competition a little longer this year.

But it was hanging on in the 10th minute as Barca suddenly burst forward. Messi's run into the box saw him meet Cesc Fabregas' sublime lofted ball and only a sharp reflex save by Bernd Leno stopped it opening the scoring, before Gonzalo Castro blocked Pedro's shot on the rebound.

Xavi tried his luck with a free-kick and Lars Bender had a shot at the other end which Victor Valdes saved relatively easily. Xavi's whipped-in 23rd minute free-kick was nearly nodded in by Gerard Pique but Leno made the left-handed save.

Barca took the lead in the 25th minute as Xavi teamed up with Messi delightfully, the midfielder chipping an inch-perfect ball over the halfway line which Messi collected before producing a cheeky lob over Leno's left shoulder.

Leverkusen midfielder Simon Rolfes had a shot blocked and the contest was essentially over as Messi scored a trademark second three minutes before the break, easily dancing his way inside after receiving Andres Iniesta's pass before producing a left-footed finish to make it 2-0 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate.

The second half began as the first ended. Fabregas produced a similar pass to Xavi's for the first goal, lofting the ball over perfectly to leave Leverkusen's high defensive line stranded as Messi took it on before chipping Leno once more in the 49th minute.

Striker Eren Derdiyok showed great strength to hold off Javier Mascherano inside the box only to see his delicate cross-shot come to nothing.

Substitute Tello then made it 4-0 in the 55th minute as he was put through on the left by Fabregas before slotting home right-footed.

Three minutes later the humiliation continued as Messi got his fourth, dinking the ball carefully in off the post.

Debutant Tello got his second just after the hour mark when Leverkusen afforded him a ludicrous amount of space and Dani Alves picked him out with a pinpoint cross to side-foot home.

Messi then made history with his fifth of the night five minutes from time, becoming the first player to score that many in a single game as he bent home a left-footed strike with alarming simplicity to make it 12 goals in seven European appearances this season.

So one-sided was the clash that Guardiola and counterpart Robin Dutt shared a celebratory cuddle when substitute Bellarabi took Rolfes' pass and curled it past Victor Valdes for a stylish consolation in the last minute.

Barca board spokesman Toni Freixa caused a stir at a press conference with his comments about the club's treatment at the hands of officials this season, while Gerard Pique fanned the flames by declaring his sending off against Sporting Gijon was 'pre-meditated'.

The issue has put Barca on collision course with the Spanish football federation (RFEF) but Busquets is clear about the fact that the players' thoughts must be solely on Bayer Leverkusen, which arrives at the Nou Camp with a 3-1 deficit from the first leg on Wednesday evening (Thursday morning AEDT).

"We want to stop talking about referees. Tomorrow is a very important game and what we want is to talk about football," Busquets said.

"If the club must speak out, we (players) are not the people. We are dedicated to play, nothing more. Discussions, debates...the press do them."

As for Pique, who has found himself at the eye of the refereeing storm, Busquets is confident he is able to put the row behind him.

"Gerard is well focused on the match tomorrow. What happened already happened, and many people have spoken about it. We just think of the Leverkusen game," he said.

Leverkusen travels to Barcelona in confident mood after winning its third straight Bundesliga game at the weekend.

A 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich has boosted the club's chances of qualifying for the Champions League again next season, but despite being a heavy underdog to progress to the last eight, it has not fully given up on remaining in the competition a little longer this year.

The Bundesliga club will be backed by 4,000 fans at the Nou Camp and coach Robin Dutt hopes they return to Germany happy.

"It is great that so many fans will be accompanying us," he said. "Barcelona is definitely worth the trip.

"We go there with self-confidence and will see what we can do with this scoreline."

Top clubs are unlikely to be keen on their star names playing two major tournaments in the northern summer, but Busquets would be happy to see his name in both squads.

"I can be in both lists, very much," he said.

"I want to play both and I can play both, but it depends on the selectors. My dream is to go but this depends on (Spain Olympic coach) Luis Milla.

"I will do everything possible to go. He knows I want to go."

The venue for the 25 May showpiece has turned into a hot topic with both clubs' preferred choice - the Santiago Bernabeu - ruled out after Real Madrid claimed it would be doing some renovation work at the time.

Barca then revealed its first choice was the Vicente Calderon, the home of Atletico, while Athletic indicated its preference for La Cartuja in Seville.

An agreement was finally reached, however, with an RFEF spokesman saying: "The RFEF board announces that the final of the Cup will be on 25 May at Estadio Vicente Calderon."

Messi was booked in last weeks 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid, his fifth yellow card of the campaign.

His absence will be a huge blow to Barcelona, which trails Real Madrid by 10 points in the title race, as his value was shown midweek when he smashed a hat-trick in Argentina's 3-1 friendly win in Switzerland.

Real Madrid, who faces Espanyol, also has its own worries with the club facing more speculation over the future of coach Jose Mourinho.

The colourful manager was spotted in London during the week, fuelling rumours of a return to the English Premier League next season.

Espanyol will provide another stern test of Madrid's dominance in La Liga.

Sitting eighth, just two points from a Champions League place, the Barcelona-based club has its own objectives.

"I won there with Seville and I think we can do it again. It was a nice feeling, very intense and difficult but I think we can repeat that if we stick to our game," said midfielder Koffi Romaric.

"We want the points for our own goals, not to do Barca a favour."

Portugal international Fabio Coentrao joined Madrid's injury list when he pulled up with a muscle problem in his country's friendly with Poland.

He will be out for three weeks and joins Angel Di Maria and Karim Benzema, both also out for similar periods with muscular injuries.

Although Madrid can welcome back Turkish stars Nuri Sahin and Hamit Altintop into its ranks, Real will have to do without the services of central defender Pepe who is suspended.

Barca's opponents Sporting Gijon is six points from safety in La Liga's penultimate position but has turned a corner since ex-Spanish manager Javier Clemente has taken over.

Two draws in two games under the new coach has halted a sequence of one win in seven for the north coast club.

With only 14 games to go, Barca can't afford to drop any more points in its pursuit of Madrid, with a home fixture to come against the leaders in late April.

One player who could be going to Euro 2012 is Valencia forward Roberto Soldado who grabbed a hat-trick in Spain's victory on his return for 'La Roja'.

His side sits third and visits Granada, while the battle behind for fourth position and a Champions League berth is hotting up.

Seven clubs are separated by three points with fourth-placed Levante entertaining Betis and Athletic Bilbao, currently fifth, facing a Basque derby against Real Sociedad.

Sevilla and Atletico Madrid are both three points behind Levante and meet on Saturday in a showdown neither team can afford to lose.

British campaign group Operation Black Vote complained to Spanish insurance firm Groupama Seguros that one advert from a series featuring Reina 'depicts black people in a jungle scenario as stupid, backward, animalistic homosexuals'.

The advert plays on Reina's surname, which means 'queen', and shows the Spain international being introduced to a tribal chief who chooses him as his partner.

OBV says the advert has been pulled from Spanish TV since its complaint.

Groupama, however, has also said it does not believe it 'contains either offensive nor any discriminatory content', according to the campaigners.

OBV director Simon Woolley said: "I'm shocked on so many levels.

"Firstly, how would the Spanish feel if the English stereotyped Spanish people as backward, stupid, and animalistic homosexuals?

"Secondly, what does this say about Pepe Reina?

"The Liverpool goalkeeper has lived and worked in the UK for nearly a decade, does he think it's okay characterise black people this way?

"Does he think his black team-mates will laugh at his joke?"

Reina, 29, joined Liverpool from Villarreal in 2005 and is one of its most important players.

Liverpool has already been involved in one race storm this season after striker Luis Suarez was banned for eight matches for abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.

United should get about 2,000 tickets for the last-16, second-leg contest at the San Mames Stadium on 15 March.

However, it has been stunned to discover Athletic intends to charge £77.50 ($114.29) for the tickets, a massive hike on its previous round triumph over Lokomotiv Moscow.

Although it is common practice in Spain for vast disparities in prices to exist for certain games, United feels the sums being charged are excessive.

It has already expressed its concerns to Athletic, but received little sympathy on the grounds that the La Liga outfit intends to charge home supporters exactly the same.

So, whilst it privately accepts there is little chance of the situation changing, Press Association Sport understands that United feels it must make its feelings known to UEFA too.

It will be the first time the Red Devils have visited the Basque stronghold of Spain since January 1957, when they lost 5-3 in a European Cup quarter-final, only to turn the tie round at Maine Road in the second leg.

World champion Spain's attack is in trouble only months before it defends its European championship title, leaving coach Vicente del Bosque with some tough decisions - starting with this week's squad announcement for an upcoming friendly against Venezuela.

Speculation over who can lead the attack has grown as Torres's form at Chelsea hasn't improved, although the striker could still play against Venezuela due to Villa's absence.

Torres was an unused substitute in Chelsea's 3-1 loss at Napoli in midweek, with his last goal for the English club coming in October. Torres, whose goal against Germany in the Euro 2008 final lifted Spain its first major title for 44 years, hasn't scored a competitive goal for his country since September 2010.

Villa, Spain's all-time leading goalscorer, fractured his left leg in December and is not expected back before May. Spain opens Group C play against Italy on June 10, with subsequent matches against Ireland and Croatia.

Like Iniesta, Pedro Rodriguez's season has been interrupted by injuries, while Xavi has played sparingly of late, starting only once in his last six matches. Defender Gerard Pique's form has also been less than steady at Barcelona.

"There's only four months to go until the European Championship and it's true there are players who aren't at their best right now, but we have time to evaluate and take decisions," Del Bosque said. "We have plenty of players and we'll find the right No. 9 - if not the ideal one, one who can play the position."

Fernando Llorente is a regular in the squad and could play a bigger role given the Athletic Bilbao striker's spectacular form of late, although the hulking striker offers different skills to the possession-based, touch football Spain thrives on.

Valencia's Roberto Soldado appears the leading candidate to make the squad with Sevilla pair Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas, who helped Spain win the World Cup in South Africa, enduring poor seasons.

Del Bosque could also adapt his tactics to suit one of his more offensive minded midfielders, with the likes of David Silva, Cesc Fabregas and Juan Mata all enjoying career seasons.

There is also an emerging crop of talented players emerging from the nation's youth categories pushing for places, with Bilbao's core of Iker Muniain, Andoni Iraiola and Ander Herrera all helping the Basque club to the Copa del Rey final. Adrian Lopez has also shown the capacity to play combination football with the Atletico Madrid striker helping the under-21 team become European champions last summer as the competition's leading scorer.

Still, Del Bosque is maintaining his characteristic cool demeanour before Wednesday's match in Malaga, which will be Spain's last before the former Real Madrid coach names his Euro 2012 squad in May.

Spain is looking to become the first World Cup winner to defend its European title at the tournament in Poland and Ukraine between June 8-July 1.

"We went into the World Cup with the experience of having won the Euro and the players held themselves together very well," Del Bosque said. "I think we're lucky that we can count on a group of players who know football well and whose competitive spirit remains intact."

Last week's 1-0 defeat in the first match at the Britannia Stadium left the Potters with a mountain to climb against a team steeped in European tradition.

And the estimated 4,000 fans who have travelled to Spain will surely feel their hopes of victory have not been improved by Pulis' decision to leave the likes of Ryan Shawcross, Matthew Etherington, Jon Walters and Peter Crouch at home.

The Welshman blamed a combination of injury and fatigue rather than a preference for this weekend's Premier League clash against Swansea City, where his side will look to arrest a run of four straight league defeats.

Pulis said: "We've left a few behind but the team I'll pick tomorrow is what I think is a very strong team. Every player that will start tomorrow will be a full international, there are three captains of their countries and we'll be giving it a go.

"We think Valencia are the best team we've played in Europe so far, no disrespect to (Dynamo) Kiev or Besiktas but we believe they're a level above them.

"We know it's going to be a difficult game against a side full of quality but we'll do our best and that's what we always do."

Pulis expects the atmosphere in the 55,000-capacity Mestalla to be raucous, and sent a message to the Stoke fans to concentrate on supporting their team and enjoying the experience.

"The ground is a fantastic old ground," added the Stoke boss. "The atmosphere will be brilliant. We just don't want there to be any trouble, just enjoy the game and enjoy the occasion.

"We haven't had this many times in our history. It was a fantastic night at the Britannia last week and the team I'll pick tomorrow I hope will do us proud."

Valencia boss Unai Emery will not be underestimating Stoke despite the absence of some of its big names, in particular Crouch, who caused problems for Los Che at the Britannia.

He said: "Crouch has certain characteristics, he is a very specific player and he is difficult to stop. Our preparation for the game is the same without him to contend with, but with the added factor that (Kenwyne) Jones is also a powerful striker. Their style is clearly defined."

Valencia is looking to bounce back after a 5-1 thumping by Barcelona in the Primera Liga at the weekend, and Emery warned his side it must match Stoke's attitude if it is to come through the last-32 tie.

"They are a difficult opponent, strong in every aspect and a team who we will have to peg back in order to impose our personality on the match," said Emery.

"They were aggressive in the first leg and played with a high intensity that I don't think we matched in terms of hard challenges."

Valencia will be without two key players for the clash, with talented midfielder Ever Banega out injured and Tino Costa suspended.

Mourinho's side will find itself playing in sub-zero temperatures in Tuesday afternoon's (Wednesday morning AEDT) match at the Stadion Luzhniki as it looks to continue its perfect record in this season's competition.

The Portuguese told www.realmadrid.com: "We'll have to be stronger than the adverse conditions we'll face.

"The grass and the temperature will be tough to deal with. These are new conditions for us, but mentality and ambition are stronger than all those factors."

And it will not only be the conditions standing in Madrid's way, with Mourinho wary of the threat posed by CSKA despite the host having not been in competitive action since the Russian Premier League started its winter break at the end of November.

"CSKA's squad have been together for a long time and that makes them very dangerous," said Mourinho, a Champions League winner with Porto and Inter Milan.

"They should be respected. We will not kid around against them and we will give our all in the match.

"CSKA have a similar team to the one I faced with Inter Milan. They've lost Vagner [Love], but they have [Seydou] Doumbia and [Ahmed] Musa. They are a strong side financially and a strong opponent."

Lassana Diarra remains sidelined for the visitor and Angel di Maria also misses out through injury, but Xabi Alonso, Kaka, Esteban Granero, Nuri Sahin and Sami Khedira have all travelled.

Madrid heads into the match boasting a 10-point lead over Barcelona at the top of the Primera Division standings, and Mourinho has not taken his eye off the prize in the Champions League either.

"This match is too important to make changes to the team or reserve players," he said. "We have a solid squad and changes are made according to the characteristics of a game rather than quality.

"I've chosen the men I think will do better tomorrow against a team that has good tactics and is used to playing in the cold.

"My men have a great psychological attitude in every championship. Their mentality is very good and professional, giving serious performances in every match.

"I'm sure we'll win an important title this season by working this way, but we have to focus on one game at a time."

CSKA coach Leonid Slutsky accepts his side's lack of recent competitive action could prove an advantage for Madrid, but took inspiration from Zenit St Petersburg's 3-2 victory over Benfica in the first leg of its last-16 tie last week.

Asked at his pre-match press conference whether the situation would benefit the Spanish side, he replied: "In theory, yes. It is clear that we will be playing our first game after the break, and that Real have been playing match after match and are full of confidence.

"On the other hand there is the example of Zenit, who met with an 'in season' team and appeared more functional. So that tells us that you can prepare for such matches with no official games.

"Hopefully, we can also compensate for the lack of match practice with our level of readiness."

After the German host sat deep to frustrate Barca in the first half, Alexis Sanchez's first Champions League goal, scored in the 41st minute, separated the teams at the break.

But Leverkusen came out with a much more positive outlook after the break, levelling through Michal Kadlec and then having several chances before Sanchez's second and a late Lionel Messi strike gave Barca victory.

Leverkusen, hit heavily by injury, set up to defend against a Barcelona side that was missing Xavi.

The result was a fairly drab opening, with a Dani Alves free-kick, sent comfortably over the bar, the sum total of the chances in the opening quarter-of-an-hour.

Daniel Schwaab made a fine intervention to prevent Messi nipping in for an easy close-range chance, before Adriano curled a shot well wide from the left channel with openings hard to come by.

Andre Schurrle fluffed Leverkusen's only half-chance of the first 45 minutes, totally miskicking when the ball sat up invitingly on the edge of the area.

Messi was doing his best to wriggle through the Leverkusen defence, but could not get enough power on a shot through Schwaab's legs from a difficult angle.

But the Argentinian was the provider for the opening goal, flicking a pass over the defence that had Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas scampering after it.

Sanchez won the debate between the two and slipped it through the legs of Bernd Leno and into the bottom corner.

With its containment strategy undone, Leverkusen looked much more positive to start the second half, with Manuel Friedrich having an early chance when Carles Puyol's header fell for him at the far post, but he could not stretch far enough to turn it goalwards.

It was level in the 52nd minute as Vedran Corluka was allowed the time to cross from a tight position, standing the ball up for Kadlec to head in.

But parity lasted only four minutes before Sanchez got his second, latching on to a wonderful threaded ball from Fabregas to round the goalkeeper and finish.

Moments later, a defensive mix-up gave Renato Augusto another chance for the host, but his shot was straight at Victor Valdes.

It had another chance to level in the 64th minute when Gonzalo Castro raced onto the ball and powered a low shot at goal, but Valdes used fingertips to push it onto the post.

Messi was the next to find the woodwork, racing in from the right wing and then dinking a shot over the onrushing Leno from a tight angle, only to see it come back off the upright.

Leverkusen introduced Stefan Kiessling from the bench and he almost had an immediate impact, stooping to head Castro's curling cross goalwards and forcing Valdes into a good save on the line.

Leno was then called on to make a fine save and deny Sanchez a hat-trick as he sent a diving header goalwards.

But Barca got what could be a killer third goal two minutes from time, with Messi the creator and finisher as he slipped Dani Alves through and the Brazilian selflessly squared for the Argentinian to find the net.

Both sides are having domestic troubles going into the meeting in Tuesday evening's (Wednesday morning AEDT) UEFA Champions League round-of-16 first-leg match, but it is arguably Barcelona which has more to prove.

A 3-2 loss at Osasuna, coupled with Real Madrid's 4-2 win over Levante, left the defending Spanish champion 10 points behind its bitter rival, which has dropped only eight points all season.

"We'll go to Europe to defend our title," Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said.

Leverkusen has problems of its own, having claimed only one win in its last seven games while the club is at odds with midfielder Michael Ballack.

The former Germany captain hasn't played for Leverkusen since managing director Wolfgang Holzhaeuser described his transfer back to the club as a 'failure'.

Leverkusen failed to win any of the three games in which Ballack remained an unused substitute, but any thoughts Leverkusen coach Robin Dutt may have had of giving the 35-year-old a final hurrah on the big stage were dashed on Sunday, when Ballack tore a calf muscle in training.

Ballack's injury is just the latest to affect Dutt's side. Winger Sidney Sam and Switzerland striker Eren Derdiyok were both ruled out with foot injuries, the latter after stepping on broken glass in his bathroom last week.

Leverkusen missed their attacking presence in the 1-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund on the weekend, when the side looked anything but inspired.

"On Tuesday, it could be a tick more difficult," Dutt said.

Leverkusen is currently sixth in the Bundesliga.

"We're not dreamers but realists," said Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller. "We want to make sure of the Europa League place and secure international football that way."

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol insisted that the Catalan side was focused on all competitions after enduring only its second loss of the season.

"We'll fight to the end in all three competitions, whoever thinks the opposite is wrong," he warned.

Puyol said the players were 'not machines' that could be connected one day and disconnected the next.

"We have to give everything every game, and we'll do this until the end of the season."

Guardiola spared Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez from Osasuna's frozen pitch with the Champions League game in mind.

Cesc Fabregas made only a late appearance from the bench meaning the visitor will have an almost fully fit squad, apart from the long-term absences of David Villa and Ibrahim Afellay.

Midfielder Sergio Busquets is the main doubt after missing two games but will travel with the team and could be available.

Guardiola has been using a number of reserve players recently, with wingers Isaac Cuenca and Cristian Tello making significant impacts, while midfielder Sergi Roberto started on the weekend alongside Thiago Alcantara.

But all signs point to the return of Xavi and Iniesta, which could help to spark a sub-par Lionel Messi to reach his own lofty heights.

"We've been looking forward to this game for weeks, for the fans and for our young players to play against the world's best team," Voller said. "Of course it's a dream."

Voller, a former Germany striker and coach, said his side would 'of course' attempt to get a positive result against Barcelona.

"But they aren't quite so bad. You look at them sometimes and say, 'Ah, how lovely they play.' For the players it's great to see at first hand how they do it and why they are so good."

Earlier, Odion Ighalo had put Granada ahead before Salomon Rondon equalised an entertaining and hard fought Andalusian derby which saw Malaga end the match with 10 men after Argentinian central defender Martin Demichelis was sent-off.

The defeat denied Malaga the chance to go sixth while Granada will welcome the points that lifts it to 14th spot, three points clear of the relegation zone.

Malaga had the better early exchanges as the game started at a fast and furious pace with first Enzo Maresca then Rondon shooting high and wide from good positions in the opening minutes.

Malaga's Argentine centre-half Demichelis then met a corner with a bullet header that had to be acrobatically saved by Julio Cesar in the Granada goal, before the home team started to create some danger of its own.

First Carlos Martins tried from long range on 36 minutes then again on 52 minutes with Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero quick to push both efforts wide.

Granada was now on top and on 57 minutes came the opening goal, man of the match Carlos Martins found Mikel Rico who crossed from the right for Ighalo to head home.

Malaga fought back and levelled 11 minutes later when Seba Fernandez played Nacho Monreal through with a delightful flick that allowed the overlapping full-back to cross for the waiting Rondon who had an easy finish for 1-1.

Demichelis headed just wide from a free-kick on 75 minutes and Malaga seemed the likely winner until Lopez's goal six minutes later.

Caballero could not hold a Guilhermo Siquiera shot and it was the centre-half Lopez who was the quickest to pounce on the rebound to the delight of the partisan home crowd.

Demichelis was sent-off for a wild challenge on Franco Jara before the final whistle to signal Granada's second consecutive win since the arrival of new coach Abel Resino.

On Saturday Real Madrid won 1-0 away at Getafe with a Sergio Ramos header to stay seven points above Barcelona at the top of La Liga. Barcelona also won 2-1 at home to Real Sociedad thanks to goals from Cristian Tello and Lionel Messi.

Uruguayan centre-half Diego Godin got the winner for Atletico on 40 minutes on Monday, stabbing the ball home from two yards out after a scramble in the box following a corner.

Atletico had goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, on loan from Chelsea, to thank for the three points after he made a number of fine saves, most notably an acrobatic block from Raul Garcia's header on 75 minutes.

The result means Atletico has taken 10 points from four games since ex-club legend Simeone took over during the Christmas break, without conceding a goal.

The three points moves the team from Madrid above Osasuna into seventh position, level on points with sixth placed Athletic Bilbao which currently holds the last place that guarantees qualification to next season's Europa League.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation named Pepe on its list of players sanctioned for dangerous play in the King's Cup quarter-finals, along with three other Real players and Gerard Pique of Barcelona.

Television images of the January 18 clash showed Pepe walking towards the referee, glancing down quickly at Messi, who was lying on the ground, and then stomping on his left hand.

The Portuguese defender apologised saying the contact was accidental, fuelling criticism in the press which considered the apology unconvincing.

Real lost the first-leg cup match 2-1 at home and travels to Barcelona on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT) for the second leg. It sits five points clear of Barcelona at the top of the Spanish league.

The other Madrid players cautioned by the federation for dangerous play in Monday's list were Fabio Coentrao, Jose Maria Callejon and Ricardo Carvalho.

The commemoration held in Belgrade City Hall was attended by representatives of FIFA, UEFA and a delegation from Real Madrid, led by former stars Burgeon and Samancor Amaro. Samancor was coached by Milan in Real Madrid.

Burgeon said Milan had meant a lot to Real Madrid and that the club was grateful for everything the late coach had done for both the club and the game in general, Tanjung news agency reported.

"He completely changed the concept of football. People in Spain adored him," Burgeon told the agency.

"That is why we are here, to express our deep condolences to the family and football community of Serbia, because this is the great loss for all," he said.

Football legends from throughout the former Yugoslavia who played in 1970s and 1980s and later made the national side like Safest Susic, Ivica Osim and Dragan Stojkovic also attended the commemoration and funeral at Belgrade's main cemetery.

Milan died last week at the age of 81.

After a brief career as a defender with Red Star Belgrade, Milan coached the team and won 10 national championships.

However, his greatest success was with Real, where he coached from 1974 to 1977. In the 1974-1975 season, he became the first foreigner to win both the national championship and the Spanish Cup in one season.

He also briefly coached Valencia for a season in 1982.

Milan was also the head coach of the former Yugoslavia's national team, leading them to the 1974 and 1982 World Cup finals.

European champion Barca said it had reached agreement with 32-year-old Abidal for an extra year meaning his new deal runs through to June 2013.

"The agreement includes an option to extend it through to 2015," Barca added on its website.

Abidal's original deal at the Nou Camp was until 2012 and he was initially offered a one-year extension, but based on appearances, whereas the player had asked for two years without any appearance strings attached.

Abidal - capped 60 times - has made 177 appearances in four years at the club, winning the Champions League twice and the Spanish title three times among other trophies, and won much admiration for overcoming surgery to remove a liver tumour last spring.

"I can't see anyone taking the trophy from them," said Ferguson, whose United team lost 3-1 to Barcelona in a memorable final last May.

Ferguson's comments ahead of FIFA's annual awards ceremony suggest he expected the Spanish giant to triumph even if his own team had remained in the competition.

"Sometimes in football you have to hold your hand up and say, yeah, they're better than us," said the veteran United boss.

Ferguson's tribute to the Spanish, European and Club World Cup champion was made while sitting alongside Barca coach Pep Guardiola at a news conference.

They were competing with Jose Mourinho of Real Madrid to be named the world's best coach in 2011.

Ferguson, whose team failed to advance from the Champions League group stage last month, said Madrid is now 'probably the nearest' to Barcelona.

Barcelona resumes its title defence away to Germany's Bayer Leverkusen in a round-of-16, first-leg match on 14 February. Real travels to Russia one week later to face CSKA Moscow.

During Ferguson's 25-year reign at Old Trafford, he guided United to two Champions League titles before meeting Barcelona in two finals within three seasons.

Both times, Lionel Messi scored and inspired the Catalan side to victory - 2-0 in Rome in 2009 and 3-1 at London's Wembley Stadium last season.

"We have experienced two years of it," Ferguson said of Barcelona's excellence. "It's not a crime and it's not a weakness in my belief in my own team.

"It's just plain facts that the Barcelona team just now, particularly with Lionel in their side, are just an extraordinary team."

Ferguson smiled at the suggestion that Guardiola would be a worthy successor when he steps down as planned in three years' time.

"Why would Pep want to leave Barcelona first of all?" he said. "If I was in his position, I would firmly stay where I was."

Guardiola, who won the league, the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup with Barca last year, previously won the award in 2009.

The former Spain midfielder finished above Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho - the winner in 2010 - and Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson in a poll reflecting the opinions of experts from 81 different countries.

Speaking to the press on Friday, Mourinho said that Guardiola's success was "fully deserved".

The IFFHS, which is based in Germany, has been issuing the award since 1996.

"I am very glad to be back," Simeone, 41, told reporters after touching down from Buenos Aires, to return to the club he helped to a league and cup double as a player in 1996.

"Now it is time to work, that is the most important thing. Words are no use - it's deeds that matter."

The former Argentina midfielder was named last week to replace Gregorio Manzano who was fired following a miserable run.

He was due to be officially presented as coach at the Vicente Calderon stadium on Tuesday (local time).

Simeone played for Argentina in the 1994, 1998 and 2002 World Cups.

He served two spells as a player for Atletico, forming part of the team that won the Spanish league and cup double in the 1995-1996 season.

Atletico currently sits 10th in the Spanish top flight with only 19 points from 16 games, 21 points behind neighbour and league leader Real Madrid.

Simeone retired as a player in 2006 after a spell with Racing Avellaneda, one of several Argentine teams he went on to coach.

Garrido, who was also promoted from the B team nearly two years ago, was sacked on after the club bowed out of the Copa del Rey competition to third-tier Mirandes by a 3-1 aggregate score.

Molina joined Villarreal in 2009-10, when he coached the C team. The former Spain goalkeeper enjoyed a 14-year playing career where he won a combined five titles with Atletico Madrid and Deportivo La Coruna. The 41-year-old also played for Valencia, Levante and Villarreal.

Villarreal said former Lyon coach Claude Puel was also considered before it decided to stay with an in-house coach.

Villarreal's season unravelled from its 5-0 opening round loss to Barcelona, with injuries to top strikers Giuseppe Rossi and Nilmar hampering its progress as it exited the Champions League after losing all six group games. "The Yellow Submarine" currently sits 17th in the league, hovering above the relegation zone only on goal difference.

Molina's first game in charge will be a Jan. 8 regional derby against Valencia at the club's El Madrigal stadium.

"The executive committee of Atletico Madrid, meeting this Thursday to analyse the sporting situation, unanimously decided to dismiss Gregorio Manzano as coach of the first team," the team said in a statement.

"This decision has been relayed to the coach, with whom an agreement has been reached to end his contract," it said.

Manzano had apologised to fans after Atletico lost 0-1 at home to second division Albacete in midweek, ushering his team ignominiously out of the King's Cup, describing it as a "real failure".

"We deserved all the whistles and all the reprovals of our fans," he told a news conference.

"There have to be people responsible and professionals. When things don't go well, undoubtedly you have to accept the criticism and I am the first to accept it," he said.

"I personally apologise because the truth is that our fans have been supporting the team even in adversity until they could see we were powerless to get back on the scoreboard."

Atletico, which lies 10th in the first division, said it thanked Manzano, who was hired in June for one season. A former Seville coach, Manzano had also previously coached Atletico before his return.

Former Argentine player Diego Simeone, who played for Atletico Madrid in the past, is widely seen as a favourite for the coaching job.

Villa is set to be sidelined for between four and five months with the injury he sustained during the first half of his side's FIFA Club World Cup semi-final victory over Al-Sadd in Japan.

According to Dr Ramon Cugat, who was one of the doctors who operated on Villa, Spain's all-time record scorer is unlikely to feature again during Barca's Primera Division and UEFA Champions League campaigns but hopes the forward will be fit for EURO 2012.

Cugat said: "The hope of him (Villa) and everyone will be that he can play at the European championships.

"The chances that Villa will play this season are small but you can't rule out anything."

The end of the Primera Division season is scheduled for the weekend of 12 May, with the Champions League final taking place in Munich on 19 May, while EURO 2012 begins on 8 June.

Cugat said: "The final in Munich is a little tight. I think he will be out for four or five months, but we have to wait and see how he progresses.

"If I set a (return) date, I would surely be wrong. He is keen to be able to play in the both the Champions League final and the European championships. He wants it all.

"In four or five months we hope to have him ready for the European championships."

He added: "The operation went perfectly, and 35 minutes after the player was sending messages to his team-mates and smiling."

Villa, who will spend the next few days recovering in hospital, was the tournament's top scorer as Spain won EURO 2008 with four goals while he was joint top-scorer with five goals as the Iberian nation won the World Cup in South Africa last year.

Earlier this year the 30-year-old broke Raul's national record of 44 goals.

Should Villa miss out on a place in Vicente del Bosque's EURO 2012 squad then it could be to the benefit of Valencia striker Roberto Soldado, who is one of the forwards fighting to be on the plane to Poland and Ukraine.

However, the former Real Madrid youngster put his personal ambitions aside in admitting he hopes Villa will be fit to feature next year.

He told radio station Cope: "Clearly I'm a bit closer (to a Spain spot), but from the heart I hope that he recovers as soon as possible. Spain needs him, every Spaniard wants him to be at the European championships and we're sure that he's going to get there."

Del Nido, a lawyer by profession, was among several people found guilty in the 'Minutas' case by a court in Malaga for their involvement in a corruption ring that diverted public funds from Marbella town hall.

The rulings can be appealed to Madrid's supreme court.

Del Nido, 54, became Sevilla president in 2002 and during his tenure the Andalusian club has won the both the UEFA Cup and Spanish Copa del Rey twice, as well as the UEFA Super Cup and the Spanish Super Cup.

Sevilla vice-president Jose Castro said on his club's website: "We want to give our president the best support possible. A tremendously unjust sentence isn't going to stop him being president of Sevilla, because it's not a definitive sentence, it can be appealed."

The European champion was far too strong for its South American counterpart, securing victory with a brace from Lionel Messi and further strikes from Cesc Fabregas and Xavi.

Under Guardiola, Barca has competed in 16 competitions, winning 13 of them.

"I'm delighted with the team's performance and especially with the standard of our play in the first half," Guardiola told www.fifa.com

"Winning the Champions League was no mean achievement and this is the perfect way to round the whole process off.

"We've got a core of very talented players and the secret of our success is simple. We study our opponents closely, use space well, keep control of the ball and move it around very quickly.

"My players are real competitors and I'm sure they're going to want to keep on going and win more trophies."

Santos boss Muricy Ramalho accepted it was no disgrace to lose to a Barcelona team regarded by many as the best club side of all-time.

He said: "I don't think there's any team out there today that can beat Barcelona, though maybe someone will find the secret in the future.

"They've changed the whole concept of attacking by playing without a genuine striker."

The match had been billed as Messi versus Neymar, Santos' young Brazil international. There was only one winner.

"Messi showed once again tonight that he's the number one but I think Neymar's time will come," said Ramalho.

"We shouldn't start doubting ourselves just because we've lost to Barcelona. There's no shame in that.

"The only thing we've got to do now is keep on working hard so we can come back next year and have another go at beating Barcelona or another side."

"Real Madrid has agreed to open the schools next year, although we don't know when exactly. We are very open to collaboration with European clubs," sports minister Andi Mallarangeng told AFP.

The project will be funded by the Real Madrid Foundation, as part of the club's corporate social responsibility programme, in collaboration with the International Social Sports Development Foundation.

Mallarangeng said he hoped the schools will create opportunities for Indonesians to play in European leagues, as in the case of local star Arthur Irawan, who plays for the Junior Espanyol league.

"This is like a transfer of technology, where we can learn more about the football training methods in Europe," Mallarangeng said.

Real Madrid will open schools in the capital Jakarta and other major cities, including Jayapura in the restive Papua region, from where several national players hail.

Other than AC Milan, Liverpool and Arsenal also run schools in Indonesia.

Indonesia co-hosted the 2007 Asian Cup, but its national team has a poor record on the world stage.

The Spanish side romped to a 3-1 win away at Real Madrid last weekend to leapfrog back to the top of La Liga, preventing its great rival from establishing a potentially decisive lead at the top of the table.

Switching its focus temporarily away from domestic challenges, Barcelona faces Asian champion Al Sadd in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup on Thursday and is hot favourite to progress.

Guardiola, who took the helm at the Catalan giant in 2008, said there was no great secret behind his sustained spell of success.

"There's nothing special about it really. First of all, I've tried to be faithful to the history of Barcelona, which is a great club in every respect," he said.

"And then it's just been a question of making good signings and blending them in with the homegrown players, handling them in the right way and not being scared to give the youngsters a chance when the time's right."

And he added in an interview with FIFA.com: "We're just trying to use our common sense. You wanted to know why we keep getting good results? That's the answer: common sense."

He used the example of letting players spend the night before a game with their families instead of staying in a hotel as an example of this approach.

"I judge my players on the work they do, not on their private lives. I'm not a policeman. I'm in bed at 10pm and I've got no urge to go and check up on my players," he said.

"That's why I'd rather have them at home and not cooped up in a hotel with nothing to do. We're just trying to use our common sense."

Guardiola said he would be giving his players time off to explore Tokyo and sample the local food, and said a more relaxed approach at times was crucial.

Referring to his team's highly-impressive 3-1 UEFA Champions League final win over Manchester United at Wembley in May, he said: "Our preparation for that game was crucial.

"We went to London a good few days before, made ourselves feel at home there and went into the match in really good shape. Things like that tend to get overlooked but they make the difference in big games," he added.

Guardiola, a former midfielder for the team he now coaches, said too much was made of tactics.

"People talk about tactics but when you look at it tactics are just players," he said.

"You change things so that the team can get the most out of the skills they have to offer, but you don't go any further than that."

Lionel Messi, Xavi and other stars presented Barcelona shirts to 11 Fukushima children before an evening training session at a football park owned by the J.League Yokohama Marinos.

They also paused for a group picture before the players got onto the pitch to practice ahead of the European champion's semi-final clash with Asian champion Al Sadd of Qatar in Yokohama on Thursday.

"I'm very happy. I cannot wash my hands after I shook hands with Messi," 17-year-old Hikari Niitsuma told reporters after he was handed a shirt by the Argentine superstar.

Central defender Gerard Pique said: "It was great that we could meet them. I'd be happy if they enjoy watching our training session as well as the shirts with our names on them."

Barcelona arrived in Tokyo late on Saturday, 14 hours after its 3-1 El Clasico victory away over Real Madrid.

Coach Pep Guardiola had given free time to his jet-lagged men for rest and relaxation after a brief midday training session on Monday. He said his men would go sightseeing in Tokyo and 'eat a variety of genuine Japanese dishes'.

Tens of thousands of people were evacuated from their homes after a massive earthquake and tsunami triggered a nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in March, and are still uncertain when they may be able to return.

The four-time European champion, starring Argentine Lionel Messi, arrived in Tokyo late on Sunday night, about 14 hours after its 3-1 El Clasico victory over Real Madrid.

The squad had just half a day's rest before hitting the pitch on Monday to train in Yokohama as it prepares for a semi-final clash against Asian champion Al Sadd of Qatar, with Barca aiming to capture the title for a second time.

Brazil's Santos are seeded in the tournament's other half against newly-crowned Japanese champion Kashiwa Reysol.

"I will give my players as much free time as possible," Barcelona's 40-year-old coach told reporters.

"Leo (Messi) isn't tired. He is all fit.

"(But) I want them to relieve their accumulated fatigue before the match by reading books or otherwise relaxing themselves. Then they will raise their concentration levels."

"I will take them to go sightseeing in Tokyo around noon tomorrow," he said on Monday.

"Especially, we want to eat a variety of genuine Japanese dishes."

The victory over Real Madrid, which put Barcelona at the top of La Liga, boosted Guardiola's men.

"We are here highly motivated and raring to go," said captain Carles Puyol.

"It is very important for us to win this tournament. We have come after beating Real and we can go out with full confidence."

But attacking defender Dani Alves said Barca won't look back at the triumph over Real as it heads into the semi-final.

"We are looking ahead as we always try to make history," said the 28-year-old.

"Our team have struggled really hard to qualify for this tournament so we will seize on this chance to climb to the top."

Barcelona lost to Brazil's Internacional 1-0 in the 2006 final of the Club World Cup, which was set in its current form in 2005 after the merger of the Intercontinental Cup, the annual clash between European and South American champion, and a FIFA world club championship.

Barca narrowly won the 2009 title in Abu Dhabi by beating Estudiantes of Argentina 2-1 in extra-time with Messi scoring the winner on 110 minutes.

Barcelona could be the only club to win the title twice if it comes through in Yokohama.

"We had a hard time in the final two years ago. We will show you a wonderful game and emerge as the winners this time," said Guardiola, who has a personal attachment to Qatar, home to semi-final opponent Al Sadd.

"We have played Al Sadd a number of times. In fact, I lived in Qatar with my family for about two years in the past.

"It's a very good country and I have respect for them. I'm happy to play them."

The remaining 30 minutes of the game was played behind closed doors, with the empty stands providing an eerie atmosphere in the Estadio Las Carmenes.

Granada went into the showdown with a 2-1 lead, thanks to goals from Siquiera and Carlos Martins.

Mallorca was given a disputed penalty after just five minutes of the restart when Granada defender Inigo Lopez was judged to have pulled down Israeli striker Tomer Hemed.

Hemed got up and calmly converted the penalty to make it 2-2.

Granada pushed forward for a winning goal towards the end but, without its fans to cheer them on, they lacked spirit and conviction.

The draw leaves Granada in 12th place, with 16 points from 14 games. Mallorca, for its part, are now 14th, with 15 points.

Baptista picked up the injury in August and, having struggled for fitness for three months, eventually decided on surgery.

"The Brazilian had a successful operation on his right foot this morning to remove a fragment of bone. Julio Baptista will be out for between six to eight weeks," said a club statement.

The Blues manager avoided an early UEFA Champions League exit thanks to a Didier Drogba-inspired win.

The 33-year-old broke the deadlock with a third-minute drive and, after Ramires prodded home at second, secured victory by neatly flicking in a Juan Mata throughball in the second half.

Victory confirms progression to the knockout stage as Group E winner, which Villas-Boas hopes will quieten the naysayers.

"It helps to score straight away in the game," Villas-Boas said. "It gave the team the right emotional stance for the rest of the game and gave a full boost in confidence.

"To get the second not long afterwards made the team even more confident on what was happening.

"In terms of the result and what happens in us finishing top, it's fantastic. It's against all odds.

"Nobody, or anybody here, would have bet on us finishing top, but it's happened and it is very, very gratifying for the team.

"The team were excellent. It is a win of human values, of team spirit, solidarity, responsibility, strength of character, ability to take criticism, resilience, and this is a great win for Chelsea players.

"They deserve a respect that they don't get.

"We've been continually chased by different kinds of people, but today we've given everybody (those critics) a slap in the face."

Villas-Boas has seen his squad selection, philosophy and position come under increasing scrutiny recently.

The Portuguese manager believes the column inches dedicated to Chelsea is part of a wider 'persecution' and called it 'out of this world'.

Asked whether he detected anger among players, Villas-Boas retorted: "No, I just think the reaction has been over the top.

"There's only one team in the country at the moment, and that's Man City.

"I hope they qualify sincerely, but the approach to them is if they qualify they qualify, and if they don't they don't.

"We don't get that margin from you guys. That's not the same as with us. I will never criticise your editorial choices, but it is the reality.

"People take perspectives that are out of this world, from criticising our players to criticising choices.

"We see a Manchester United defender (Gary Neville) today say in the preparations for the game and says things like 'I don't want to be one of the Chelsea players today', 'I couldn't play this game' and 'It is a difficult game for them'.

"This is out of this world for me, I don't believe this.

"It continues the persecution of Chelsea, continues aggression to one club.

"We have become your target, we have to accept it. Tomorrow, it's unfortunate for you guys because you'll have to report on a brilliant win for Chelsea and finishing first.

"Tomorrow is difficult for you guys. I'll never pick a fight with you guys."

While relieved to secure victory and stem the tide of negativity, Villas-Boas had to sacrifice his ideals for a place in the Champions League knockout phase.

Chelsea defended uncharacteristically deeply and invited the Spanish side on, hoping to grab goals on the counter-attack.

"I think there is a phrase that is interesting: the person that you are is a triumph in the person you want to be," Villas-Boas added.

"Today it was a win of personal values and human values.

"I think in the way we set out our philosophy, there are human values that you cannot put away.

"Today they showed themselves to an unbelievable expression.

"Yes, I think it is a different strategy, but the same philosophy in human values."

Counterpart Unai Emery was far more straightforward in his assessment of the game, admitting Valencia lost to a better side.

Los Che's defeat at Stamford Bridge also saw it end Group E in third place, which drops it into the UEFA Europa League.

"Apart from today, you could say we lost two valuable points at Genk," Emery said.

"But we mustn't really look back at where we lost, we must focus on the right way to do things.

"We have seen Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen deservedly qualify, with Chelsea proving very strong.

"But we must look ahead to the Europa League, where we can have a high objectives, and to the next league game against Betis."

The Catalan side's passing was as tight and crisp as ever as goals from 19-year-old Sergi Roberto, 20-year old Martin Montoya and two from Pedro, at 24 the third oldest player in the starting line-up, earned it a convincing win.

With his side already guaranteed top spot in Group H, and with one eye on this weekend's trip to the Bernabeu to face Primera Division leader Real Madrid, coach Pep Guardiola rested virtually his entire first XI.

But if BATE hoped the absence of the likes Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and David Villa would give it a chance of springing an upset and avoiding last place in the group, it was sorely mistaken.

The names may have been different, but the speed of movement and confidence on the ball was very familiar as Barcelona dominated from the first whistle.

Brazil-born Spaniard Rafinha almost put the host ahead in the second minute when he wriggled free in the area, but his shot was blocked by goalkeeper Aleksandr Gutor.

For all its high-tempo passing, Barcelona was struggling to find a way through the BATE backline.

Sergi Roberto had the clearest chance in the 34th minute when Montoya slid a low ball from the right across the face of goal which his team-mate, sliding in at the far post, directed just wide.

The 19-year-old scored just a minute later, though, side-footing the ball calmly first time into the bottom corner after it broke to him just inside the area.

The lively midfielder had another effort before the break but his snap-shot was straight at Gutor.

The one-way traffic continued in the second half as Sergi Roberto went clear only to be denied by good save from Gutor.

Pedro's clever lob was then clawed away by the keeper, who was beaten again in the 60th minute.

Montoya, up from right-back, ran on to Isaac Cuenca's perfectly-weighted throughball and, getting to the ball just ahead of Gutor, placed a shot high into the net.

It was 3-0 three minutes later when Cuenca cut the ball back for Pedro - whose status as a regular in the first-team squad the youngsters are looking to emulate - to score with a classy backheel through the keeper's legs at the near post.

Marti Riverola crashed a shot just wide as Barcelona kept on pressing and it won a penalty two minutes from time.

Cuenca was tripped in the area by Alexander Volodko and Pedro sent Gutor the wrong way to bring up his 50th goal for Barca.

With the Blues in danger of crashing out of Europe's premier club competition before Christmas for the first time, manager Villas-Boas abandoned the cavalier tactics that have been the hallmark of his reign in what was the club's final Group E game against Valencia.

The counter-attacking approach paid off spectacularly as Chelsea emerged from the brink of elimination to top the group thanks to a brace from the outstanding Didier Drogba, a goal from Ramires and Bayer Leverkusen's failure to win at Genk.

That meant the Blues avoided a last-16 clash with the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, although they would gladly have taken that ahead of a game Villas-Boas had repeatedly billed as 'life or death'.

The 34-year-old the previous night refused to countenance the prospect of failure, something he was nevertheless adamant would not cost him his job.

Seemingly backed to the hilt by billionaire owner Roman Abramovich, Villas-Boas flexed his muscles this week by banishing Nicolas Anelka and Alex from his first-team squad and he was ruthless again by axing Frank Lampard from his starting XI.

It was not the first time Lampard had been left out this season but the midfielder's omission was arguably the most significant of his entire Chelsea career.

It demonstrated the 33-year-old was no longer guaranteed to start the big games - and it did not get any bigger than this.

Chelsea went into its final group match in the unfamiliar position of needing to win to be certain of avoiding the humiliation of dropping into the UEFA Europa League, having thrown away victory in three of its previous five games.

So the fastest goal it had ever scored in the Champions League could hardly have been better timed as Drogba put it ahead inside three minutes.

Daniel Sturridge picked out Juan Mata at the far post and the Spaniard squared to Drogba, who was given an age to fire left-footed beyond Diego Alves.

The sense of relief around Stamford Bridge was palpable but the mood quickly changed as Valencia, which still only needed one goal to knock Chelsea out, assumed complete control.

It twice went close to levelling inside the opening 10 minutes when Jordi Alba crashed a shot against the outside of the post and Petr Cech clawed David Albelda's blockbuster away from the top corner.

Villas-Boas had promised Chelsea would go on the attack but it was playing with 11 men behind the ball at times as the Valencia onslaught continued.

Villas-Boas' much-maligned defence was hardly looking secure but the pressure was suddenly relieved midway through the half when Valencia produced an absolute howler in its own rearguard.

Drogba's pass looked too heavy for Ramires but the Brazilian brushed off the feeblest of challenges from Victor Ruiz before slotting underneath the stranded Alves.

The home side was now playing almost exclusively on the break, defending as deep as it ever had done under Villas-Boas, but it almost added a third when another surge saw Alves keep out Sturridge's near-post finish.

The pattern continued after half-time, with Sturridge going close again on the counter before Valencia brought on Aritz Aduriz and changed from a 4-5-1 to a 4-4-2 formation.

A goal for Valencia was all that was needed to set nerves jangling again and Cech got a crucial punch to Tino Costa's crossed free-kick before springing sideways to repel Sofiane Feghouli's goalbound drive.

Villas-Boas responded by sending on John Obi Mikel for Ramires, which yielded a mixed response from the home fans.

Drogba should have made the game safe with 18 minutes remaining when he left Adil Rami in a heap bursting onto Sturridge's ball over the top but dragged wide with the goal at his mercy.

The striker made amends four minutes later after being slid in by Mata and poking the ball past Alves with the outside of his right foot for his fourth goal in the last four games.

Cech produced another excellent reaction save to keep out Aduriz's header after Fernando Torres replaced Drogba.

With the final whistle looming, two of Chelsea's fans got carried away and invaded the pitch but they could be forgiven after what they had been put through this season.

Guardiola has had an astonishing run of success at the helm of Barcelona in his three-and-a-half years in charge which has seen the side dominate the European and Spanish game.

In the northern summer, victory in the European Super Cup over Porto saw Guardiola claim his 12th trophy and overtake the 11 won by Johan Cruyff in his eight years in charge from the late 1980s.

Barcelona, whose stars include Ballon D'Or nominees Xavi and Lionel Messi, the current holder, will join the competition in Japan at the semi-final stage, as will South American champion Santos of Brazil.

The Catalan side is aiming to repeat its achievement in 2009 when it came from behind in the final to beat Argentine side Estudiantes 2-1 in extra-time.

That win crowned an amazing year for Barcelona when it won the six cups that were on offer although it can't quite match that achievement this year, after being beaten by Real Madrid in the King's Cup final.

But it would still be a remarkable year and demonstrate the domination of a side which pundits are touting as among the best of all time.

The appointment of Guardiola in the northern summer of 2008 was considered a gamble by the then president Joan Laporta and his board, with the previous coach Frank Rijkaard having been sacked after losing control of the dressing room.

With opinion polls of his leadership rock bottom and having had to fight a vote of no-confidence, Laporta needed a popular choice and he chose Guardiola - a fans' favourite as part of Cruyff's 'Dream Team' in the 1990s.

Although inexperienced, Guardiola inherited the basis of a strong side even though it had petered out at the end of the 2007-2008 season and was beaten to the title by Real Madrid.

Crucially Guardiola introduced discipline and put his faith in young players who he knew well, having been coach of the youth side, while he judged that high-profile players like Ronaldinho and Deco had lost their way.

In his first full season, Guardiola won the treble and along with the established stars former youth product Gerard Pique, who returned to the club from Manchester United, became an assured figure at the back.

In attack, youngster Pedro Rodriguez emerged as a lethal finisher and by the end of 2009 he had become the first player to score in all six club competitions in a single year.

In the two years since that Club World Cup victory, Barcelona has continued playing its famous brand of quick, passing football.

And despite losing in the semi-finals of the 2010 UEFA Champions League to Inter Milan, it bounced back to hand Manchester United a footballing lesson in this year's final in London.

However, this season there have been more question marks over Guardiola's side as it has stuttered so far away from home. While Barcelona has marched on relentlessly at the Nou Camp, it has struggled on its travels such as in the 2-2 away to Athletic Bilbao and notably the 1-0 defeat against Getafe.

The emergence of a stronger Real Madrid, with coach Jose Mourinho in his second season, is also threatening Barca's dominance with its arch-rival currently leading La Liga by three points.

But Guardiola is unconcerned.

"I like to point out that this is a normal situation and in the 112 years of the club's history it has often happened that you don't lead all the way from the start," he said.

"I won three leagues in the last week of the season and having been behind all year. You don't always win just because you have been ahead from the very start, you just need though to be waiting for your chance."

Madrid heads to Sporting Gijon three points clear of rivals Barcelona with a game in hand.

With Barca having won the title in each of the last three seasons, it is a tantalising position for Madrid to find themselves in.

But Casillas sounded a note of caution when he told www.realmadrid.com: "We're doing a great job and must continue to do so.

"We have great objectives, but we must focus on short-term goals and on one game at a time."

Madrid, who should have Cristiano Ronaldo available after a minor injury scare earlier this week, has won its last nine matches in La Liga and it is hard to imagine that run will not continue against a Sporting side who are in the relegation zone and lost 4-0 to Levante last time out.

That would put the pressure firmly back on Barcelona, who beat Rayo Vallecano 4-0 in midweek but remain in Madrid's slipstream thanks to its defeat by Getafe last weekend.

Things do not get any easier for Barca as it faces high-flying Levante, who sits just five points behind the Catalan giants and will be aiming to do Madrid a favour.

Barcelona fans are not used to being second best, and Cesc Fabregas admits that is a pressure he and his team-mates must simply deal with.

"Barca always have to win," he told fifa.com.

"That's what people expect, and that is what we must do. That's what great teams and clubs do."

Third-placed Valencia also beat Rayo in its last match - 2-1 last weekend - and face another tough challenge against Espanyol.

Valencia may have to make do without in-form striker Roberto Soldado, who has a slight injury.

Defender Antonio Barragan told the club's website: "I don't think that he will miss out against Espanyol because of it, but if he does, then we won't collapse, because we have other players ready to step in."

Bottom club Racing Santander end a week of upheaval by hosting Villarreal.

Hector Cuper departed the club following last weekend's 2-1 loss at Real Mallorca, a result which left them rooted to the foot of the table, three points from safety..

A coaching team of Juan Jose Gonzalez, Fede Castanos and Pablo Pinillos will take charge for the game.

Atletico Madrid, who bounced back from yet another derby defeat at the hands of Real by beating Celtic in the Europa League in midweek, will attempt to extend Rayo's winless run to four.

Fifth-placed Malaga go to San Sebastian to face Real Sociedad, Osasuna host Real Betis, Mallorca entertain Athletic Bilbao and struggling Real Zaragoza head to Granada.

An Arda Turan strike in the 29th minute was enough to give Atletico Madrid the three points at Parkhead in its penultimate Group I fixture and secure the Spanish club's qualification.

The Hoops now have to beat the Italian club on 15 December to leapfrog it into second place but Celtic has won only once away from home in Europe in eight years - against Dinamo Moscow in 2009.

"It's a tall order," said Lennon. "Udinese are an excellent side and we haven't won away from home in a long while but we will give it everything we've got.

"I thought we matched them for most of the game if not better them.

"It was an excellent performance and I though we deserved better from it."

Asked if he would have accepted his situation at the start of the campaign, Lennon said: "Of course. Going into the group we probably have been the underdog out of the four teams.

"I have seen a gradual progression and improvement in all the performances and it is a great stage to play in for these players.

"They came up against an excellent side who defended and counter-attacked very well but I can only give credit to the players for having a good go at it.

"You have to be mindful of Udinese, I would imagine that they would be on the front foot from the off in Italy but we will go for it, as we did tonight."

Celtic had more than held its own until Turkey international Turan picked up a Daniel Majstorovic clearance from a Diego corner 20 yards from goal and fired back in past Fraser Forster.

Substitute Gary Hooper, an interval replacement for Victor Wanyama, had the ball in the net after the break only to see it chalked off with an Anthony Stokes handball apparently the reason, although amid some confusion there were also suggestions of offside.

The Celtic boss claimed the decision was 'unfortunate' and was also calm about the loss of the goal despite skipper Beram Kayal appearing to duck to avoid Turan's strike.

Lennon claimed the midfielder might have misjudged the flight of the ball and that goal keeper Forster did not see the ball until late.

Forster was not for blaming his team-mate either despite admitting the Israel international had ducked out of the way.

He said: "He has obviously ducked but there were plenty of other things that we could have done better leading up to that so as a team it is disappointing.

"Beram has been fantastic for us all season and he is a great player. There are probably about 10 things that should have been done differently.

"I got a decent touch and on another day that should stay out."

Once again Lennon was left counting the cost of injuries.

Joe Ledley, playing at left-back again, was carried off on a stretcher in the first half while midfielder Wanyama stayed inside at the interval and both are doubtful for the trip to Dundee United this weekend.

The former Celtic skipper said: "It is a twist on the ankle for Joe so he will be doubtful for Sunday.

"We will have to see how he is but I don't think it is anything too serious.

"Victor picked up a dead leg and he was struggling with it the last 10 or 15 minutes of the first half so again he could be doubtful for the weekend."

Lennon denied that Hooper, who scored a hat-trick in the 5-0 win over St Mirren at the weekend, was dropped with the United game in mind.

"No, we wanted to match them in midfield," he said.

"I was concerned that we would get outnumbered in that middle area where Diego might have been able to make use of the extra man so we decided to match them up and for the first half-hour, as I said, we were excellent."

Atletico boss Gregorio Manzano was pleased his side was not made to pay for its missed chances.

He said: "At the end of the day, the most important thing was winning and we won the game.

"It was difficult to come here and win but it if we could have scored more goals it might have been so anxious for us."

The Spanish side's Mestalla goal glut was enough to put it level on points with Chelsea and it will head to London next month knowing a draw will be enough to go through.

The home side needed just 10 minutes to open the scoring against the winless Belgian side, Brazilian Jonas applying his head to an Tino Costa free-kick to nod home from six yards.

Kevin De Bruyne had a rare shot blocked for Genk before Valencia went further ahead in the 13th minute, Soldado netting his first from 12 yards after Jonas threaded the ball in from the right channel.

Anxious to erase the memory of last weekend's La Liga loss to Real Madrid, the host continued pressing with Costa forcing Genk goalkeeper Laszlo Koteles to tip his 21st-minute effort round the post.

Koteles performed similar heroics to deny Mehmet Topal two minutes later, before Genk forced a rare shot on target in the 32nd minute when Thomas Buffel's 20 yard effort was held comfortably by Diego Alves.

Soldado grabbed his second and Valencia's third in the 37th minutes when Costa nudged his free-kick to the striker, who blasted the ball past a helpless Koteles from the edge of the box.

And it was 4-0 two minutes later after another rising strike from Soldado, who was played in on the edge of the six-yard box by a short pass from Pablo Hernandez.

Valencia continued to dominate in the second half with Koteles tipping over a drive from Topal and a 20-yard shot from Hernandez before the fifth arrived in the 68th minute, Hernandez sweeping home from a Jonas pass.

Two minutes later Aritz Aduriz made it six when he drilled home a left-foot shot from the right side of the six yard box after a ball in from Miguel on the right wing.

And after Aduriz and Jonas both came close, Genk's misery was complete 10 minutes from time when Costa followed up to poke home after Jonas' initial shot had been parried into his path by the hapless Koteles.

The Italian side equalised twice through Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Kevin-Prince Boateng after Barca had twice led through Mark van Bommel's own goal and Lionel Messi's 31st-minute penalty.

But Pep Guardiola's side wrapped up a commendable win through Xavi's finish just after the hour mark as Barca, which like Milan had already qualified for the last 16, ensured top spot with a game to spare.

Barca went in front after 14 minutes. A move featuring Thiago and Cesc Fabregas led to Seydou Keita busting into the box and when he sent in a low ball from the left, Van Bommel could only divert the ball into the far corner.

Robinho should have equalised in the 19th minute when, after superb work by Ibrahimovic and Boateng, he spooned his first-time effort over Victor Valdes' bar from close range.

The leveller did come moments later. Clarence Seedorf found himself with space on the left and when Ibrahimovic made the run, he found his team-mate with a cute short pass with the outside of his boot. Ibrahimovic made no mistake, nicking the ball under Valdes to put his side level.

Messi hit the bar in the 22nd minute when he beat his marker to Fabregas' low cross from the right but hit his shot off the top of the bar.

Barca was in front again soon after and in somewhat controversial circumstances. Fabregas' lovely ball put Xavi in on goal only for the midfielder to be bundled over by midfielder Alberto Aquilani with referee Wolfgang Stark awarding the spot-kick.

Messi converted the initial kick but was booked and made to take it again after a stuttering run-up foxed Christian Abbiati and he also scored at the second time of asking.

Boateng had a 38th-minute effort saved by Valdes when he volleyed Aquilani's diagonal ball at goal.

Carles Puyol joined a growing list of names in Stark's book as the fractured nature of the game continued.

Boateng put Milan level once more early in the second half, taking a loose ball in his stride majestically before blasting it past the bemused Valdes.

Barca took the lead for a third time in the 63rd minute as Messi dissected the Milan defence with knife-like precision to as Xavi timed his run perfectly to prod home.

Thiago's unorthodox free-kick had the Milan defence scrambling as substitute Alexis Sanchez twice failed to put the ball in from close range.

Franck Ribery and Mario Gomez netted in the opening 23 minutes to give Bayern a flying start and Ribery then wrapped up the scoring with his second after Villarreal had pulled a goal back through Jonathan De Guzman

With Manchester City losing 2-1 at Napoli, Bayern now holds an unassailable five-point lead at the top of the standings

Villarreal, whose cause was not helped by two bad defensive errors for both of Ribery's goals, are still searching for its first point of the group stage.

The German giant came into the match needing only a draw to seal a place in the last 16 but with pride wounded by a 1-0 home defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the league at the weekend - a loss that saw Bayern's lead at the summit cut to two points.

It took Jupp Heynckes' men just two minutes to begin to banish the memory of that loss though as Ribery put the host ahead with a dink over Diego Lopez after good work by Toni Kroos, who had intercepted a terrible pass by Carlos Marchena.

Anatoliy Tymoschuk, Philip Lahm, David Alaba and Ribery then tried their luck as Bayern laid siege to the visitor's goal in the opening stages, and the home side was rewarded with a second goal from Gomez.

Tymoschuk was unlucky not to score himself as his long-range drive came back off the post, but Gomez was in the right place to slot home the rebound to leave Bayern further in control.

Villarreal, which had netted just one goal in losing each of its opening four matches, was already out of contention for a top-two berth but it still had a UEFA Europa League lifeline and it refused to give in at the Allianz Arena.

Borja Valero twice drew good saves from Manuel Neuer before the break, while Hernan Perez also tested the home custodian before the Spanish side pulled a goal back just after half-time.

Left-back Joan Oriol made good progress forward before chipping a ball across the edge of the box which De Guzman dispatched into bottom corner of the net with a blistering volley.

The Yellow Submarine could not make any more inroads, though, and Bayern restored its two-goal lead through Ribery in the 69th minute, and with it secured the victory.

The goal came from another awful mistake by the Villarreal defence, with Bruno Soriano the guilty party this time as his sloppy pass inside his own half was intercepted and Bayern quickly fed the ball out to Ribery, who rounded Lopez before slotting home.

The Spanish giant stormed into a 3-0 lead over Dinamo Zagreb inside nine minutes with goals from Karim Benzema, Jose Callejon and Gonzalo Higuain, and Mesut Ozil made it four before 20 minutes were up.

Callejon and Benzema struck again after the interval and Madrid could have had even more goals, while late strikes from Dinamo's Fatos Beqiraj and Ivan Tomecak gave a merely cosmetic effect to the scoreline.

The opener came after just 83 seconds as Benzema tucked away Ozil's cut-back to round off a flowing team move.

The France striker then laid the ball off for Callejon to rifle home the second from the edge of the box and there were still only nine minutes on the clock when Higuain netted a delicious third.

Racing into the right side of the penalty area, the Argentinian flummoxed defender Leandro Cufre with a sharp turn before producing a deft finish over wrong-footed goalkeeper Ivan Kelava.

Higuain then fired Fabio Coentrao's cross over the bar before Luis Ibanez had shell-shocked Dinamo's first real effort, curling a free-kick over.

Benzema was off target from distance but Real's fourth was not long in coming, Ozil finishing calmly after Kelava parried Higuain's drive.

Kelava remained defiant in the face of the onslaught, saving with his feet to deny Coentrao and then tipping Benzema's shot over.

Dinamo sought to get itself on the scoresheet as half-time approached but Jorge Sammir fired over after Benzema only half-cleared Mehmed Alispahic's corner and Ibanez then shot straight at keeper Antonio Adan.

But, after making all three substitutions at half-time, Madrid quickly extended the lead as Callejon latched onto Raphael Varane's long ball and was allowed to finish too easily inside the near post.

Kelava was fighting a lone battle at times and did well to tip efforts from Higuain and Callejon around the post in quick succession.

But he was left helpless when Benzema took Higuain's pass, waltzed through two weak challenges and found the bottom corner of the net.

Beqiraj had one effort blocked by Raul Albiol but was not to be denied, heading home Ibanez's cross for his side's first goal of the tournament - and the first conceded by Jose Mourinho's side.

Benzema hit the bar and drew another sharp save from Kelava as he chased his hat-trick, and substitute Hamit Altintop had a shot blocked, but it was Dinamo which had the final word as Tomecak turned in Milan Badelj's cross.

The Sweden striker spent one bittersweet season at the Nou Camp after an expensive and high-profile transfer from Inter Milan in 2009 before heading back to Italy to join AC Milan after just a year.

Milan hosts Barca in Champions League action this week with Ibrahimovic set to come face to face with his old side and Puyol told Barca TV: "He will be highly motivated.

"But then again, who isn't against Barca? There's a lot to play for, and he'll give everything, but in any case, I don't think he can be any more motivated than we are."

Andres Iniesta will miss the match with a minor knock.

The Spanish champion said Iniesta will miss the Group H contest with a bruised left thigh and will not travel to the San Siro as a precaution.

"He's a very important player for us, he keeps our opponents off-balance," midfielder Sergio Busquets said. "But it's not a worrying injury."

Iniesta, who picked up the injury in his side's 4-0 win over Real Zaragoza, could return for Barcelona's league match at Getafe next weekend.

Barcelona, which is unbeaten through 20 matches this season, is also without fullback Adriano and the suspended Daniel Alves for a match that will likely decide who tops Group H. Both clubs have already clinched a place in the knockout stage.

Isaac Cuenca remains in the team as a result, while fellow reserve-team players Jonathan Dos Santos and Oier Olazabal also earned places ahead of the match that will see striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic face his former team for the first time since his acrimonious departure in 2010.

"I won't get into that," Busquets said. "We're playing against Milan, not just Ibra. We're focusing only on the game, not him."

Ibrahimovic missed the first match between the clubs, when Milan drew 2-2 at the Camp Nou.

The Sweden striker joined Barcelona from Inter Milan in a US$66 million ($67.08 million) transfer that involved Samuel Eto'o joining the Italian club as part of the deal.

"Cristiano Ronaldo did not train due to a strain in the adductor muscle of his left thigh, and neither did Arbeloa, who is suffering from a strain in his left hamstring," the club said in a statement on its website.

The club did not indicate whether the players were likely to miss the clash against Valencia.

Arbeloa who missed Real's Champions League match with Lyon earlier this month because of a left thigh injury played for Spain in their 1-0 loss to England and its 2-2 draw with Costa Rica.