UEFA Champions League - News

UEFA.com French newsdesk:
David Beckham will be training alone at Paris Saint-Germain FC until 13 February, meaning he is certain to miss the UEFA Champions League round of 16 opener against Valencia CF, but general manager Leonardo insists that the Englishman will play a full role on the pitch in due course. "Beckham is the first person I called when I joined PSG,” the Brazilian said. "He is a role model as a person, and in his career management. He is a player who is very rigourous with himself. He is not here for fun but to win games. We don't buy players to sell shirts  but to win games and titles."

However, uncertainty remains as to where Beckham will play, with the 37-year-old tipped to be deployed either on the right or as a defensive midfielder - meaning extra competition for Blaise Matuidi, Thiago Motta and Marco Verratti. "If he deserves to play, he will do," said coach Carlo Ancelotti.

©AFP

Alex O'Henley in Glasgow (UEFAcomAlexO): 
Celtic FC manager Neil Lennon has welcomed the return of James Forrest and reckons the young winger could play a key role in the UEFA Champions League last-16 tie against Juventus. Forrest hasn't featured in the Celtic first team since Boxing Day due to a hamstring injury, but his decisive second goal in Sunday’s 3-0 Scottish FA Cup win over Raith Rovers FC means Lennon has another potent option available for the games against the Italian champions.

"James is a brilliant player; you can see what he brings to the team and he's dying to play," said Lennon, who also confirmed that goalkeeper Fraser Forster will return to full training this week following a neck injury. "We need to be careful with James and drip feed him in gently. We need to be careful and make sure there’s no reaction. He’s a wonderful talent, one of the best Scottish players the country has produced for a long time."

©Getty Images

Alex O'Henley in Glasgow (UEFAcomAlexO): 
New signings Rami Gershon and Tom Rogic have been left out of Celtic FC's 25-man squad for the UEFA Champions League last-16 tie against Juventus. Israeli international defender Gershon has been struggling to overcome a groin injury, while manager Neil Lennon feels the tie comes too soon for 20-year-old Rogic, who was only officially unveiled as a Celtic player last week. "Tom is not in the Champions League squad because it is too early for him," said Lennon. "He will have a reserve game tonight, but with a week to ten days preparation, he is not ready for Juventus just yet. I couldn't put Tom straight into the squad."

"Rami is not fit and hasn't been for the past two weeks. The game is a week tomorrow. I can only pick so many players and I want them all fit and ready to play. He has a groin problem, which he has had since he came back from Marbella. He has had an injection and we are hoping he will start training again this week." Meanwhile, defender Efe Ambrose faces a race against time to be back for the first leg a week tomorrow after Nigeria progressed to the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations on Sunday.

©Getty Images

UEFA.com Spanish newsdesk:
FC Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernández joined international team-mate Xabi Alonso in pulling out of Spain's squad for Wednesday's friendly against Uruguay after the 33-year-old suffered a knock to his right hamstring in Sunday's 1-1 draw at Valencia CF. Lionel Messi's 34th Liga goal of the campaign from the penalty spot cancelled out Éver Banega's opener in a game where David Villa came on against his former side to make his 100th appearance for Barça. "We're not looking for excuses; we weren't at our best today," said full-back Dani Alves after the encounter. "Valencia matched us with an intense game and [for that reason] we have to be happy with a point."

©Getty Images

UEFA.com Spanish newsdesk:
Arsenal FC full-back Nacho Monreal, who joined the Gunners last week, was an interested spectator as his former side, Málaga CF, were held 1-1 at home on Sunday by Real Zaragoza. Prior to joining up with the Spain squad for Wednesday's friendly against Uruguay, the 26-year-old gave one last press conference at the Costa del Sol club, who he insisted he would "follow from afar". "I will always hold Málaga in my heart and am leaving great friends here," he said. "I will miss the place in terms of the football and the life, and you can be sure that there will be one more Malaguista (Málaga fan) now living in London."
  

©AFP/Getty Images

UEFA.com German newsdesk:
FC Bayern München's Franck Ribéry is looking forward to Wednesday's friendly game between France and Germany in Paris. "We have been joking about it − Philipp [Lahm], Bastian [Schweinsteiger], Thomas [Müller] and the others," said the 29-year-old. "We have had a lot of laughs."

The winger, who has scored four goals in 15 Bundesliga matches this season, added: "Philipp and Thomas will probably be my direct opponents. It will be a nice duel against those two. Our friendship will be put on hold for 90 minutes. I know their game very well, but they know the way I play too. I am still a Frenchman, France is my home. But of course I have developed a different feeling for Germany now than for other countries. I speak German quite well, I know the German mentality. If Germany win, I am usually happy. But I wouldn’t be on Wednesday."

Ribéry also looked ahead to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 match against Arsenal FC, saying: "It will not be easy, even though Arsenal are lagging behind a little in the English league. We have to take the match seriously and be fully focused. If we think it will be easy, it will be bad for us." Meanwhile, he revealed that right after the draw in Nyon, Arsenal’s former Bayern striker Lukas Podolski texted him to say: "This will not be easy for you."

©Getty Images

UEFA.com German newsdesk:
FC Schalke 04 suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat by the Bundesliga's bottom club, SpVgg Greuther Fürth, on Saturday. Struggling Greuther Fürth had not won in 17 league games, a run dating back to 31 August. Schalke captain Benedikt Höwedes said of the defeat which leaves the Royal Blues in sixth: "Right now, the ball simply doesn't want to go in. We are getting big opportunities but not hitting the goal.

"Then we slept in defence. Something like this must not happen to a Champions League side. We are working hard and getting chances, but punishing ourselves. I am speechless. We did not defend well and unfortunately that has happened a lot in past weeks."

©Getty Images