Stam worry mars Milan win

PSV Eindhoven warmed up for their UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg in perfect fashion by clinching the Eredivisie title on Saturday night with a home win. Semi-final opponents AC Milan, together with Chelsea FC, took another step towards claiming the league titles in Italy and England respectively, although Milan's victory was somewhat overshadowed by injury concerns surrounding Dutch defender Jaap Stam, and Liverpool FC's hopes of securing a qualifying berth in next season's Champions League suffered a setback. uefa.com rounds up the news.

AC MILAN V PSV EINDHOVEN
Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti had a fully-fit squad for the Serie A meeting with Parma FC apart for playmaker Andrea Pirlo, who is still out with a knee injury but could recover in time for Tuesday's meeting with PSV, while fellow midfield player Gennaro Gattuso was suspended. Nevertheless, goals from Brazilian pair Kaká and Cafu either side of a Jon Dahl Tomasson strike earned a victory that temporarily moved Carlo Ancelotti's team three points above title rivals Juventus FC, who play on Sunday. Stam, however, lasted only 31 minutes before a hamstring injury forced him to make way for Cafu, and the Dutch defender will have a scan on Sunday to determine the extent of the problem. There was some good news for Ancelotti, however, as Filippo Inzaghi replaced Andriy Shevchenko with eleven minutes after a long-lay off with a succession of injury problems.

Semi-final opponents PSV will be in equally buoyant mood, having also recorded a 3-0 victory and wrapped up the Dutch title in the process. Guus Hiddink's side went into the match with SBV Vitesse knowing that three points would secure their fourth league championship in sixth seasons and 18th overall, and first-half goals from Ji-Sung Park and Mark van Bommel were added to by Gerald Sibon with three minutes remaining to complete the title-winning victory. PSV therefore remained in contention for a triple haul of trophies, having reached the Dutch Cup final in midweek with victory against Feyenoord, despite coach Guus Hiddink opting to rest a number of players, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Johann Vogel and Phillip Cocu missing both matches, the latter sitting out the Vitesse game through suspension. In addition, Alex, Lee Young-Pyo Lee and Wilfred Bouma did not appear on Saturday as Hiddink looked ahead to Tuesday's match.

CHELSEA FC v LIVERPOOL FC
Chelsea closed in on their first English league title for 50 years with a 3-1 victory against Fulham FC, Joe Cole opening the scoring only for Collins John to level shortly before half-time. Chelsea manager José Mourinho replaced William Gallas with Robert Huth in defence but withdrew the German international, along with goalscorer Cole, at half-time, with Jirí Jarošik and Arjen Robben coming on, the latter making his first club appearance since 19 March after suffering an ankle ligament injury on international duty with the Netherlands. Damien Duff dropped to left-back, and Mourinho's attacking approach paid dividends as second-half strikes from Frank Lampard – Chelsea's 100th goal of the season – and Eidur Gudjohnsen left the London side needing a maximum of two points to clinch the Premiership title.

Chelsea's opponents in the last four, Liverpool, meanwhile, made four changes from the side that won 2-1 at Portsmouth FC on Wednesday night. Captain Steven Gerrard returned to midfield while John Arne Riise, Igor Bišcan, Xabi Alonso and Luis García all dropped out, the latter with a thigh strain. Rafael Benítez's selection backfired, however, as Andy Johnson's first-half header gave Palace a win that left Liverpool four points behind Merseyside rivals Everton FC in the race for England's fourth and final Champions League qualifying berth. To add to Benítez's problems, Milan Baroš sustaining an injury in a tackle with Tony Popovic after only two minutes and, although the Czech striker was able to continue after a lengthy spell of treatment, he eventually limped off shortly before half-time, and according to Benítez is "doubtful" for Wednesday.