Messi Magic in Milan Thriller

Barcelona will top Champions League Group H after defeating AC Milan 3-2 in a thrilling game at the San Siro.

With neither side concentrating on defence, the fans were treated to an end-to-end encounter with both sides creating lots of chances.

The Catalan giants had the best of the chances and could have won by a bigger margin if Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati had not been in such good form.

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.

Equaliser

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 were 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.

Oezil Ready for Another Lyon Battle

Mesut Ozil is not expecting an easy night against Lyon at Stade Gerland as Real Madrid look to book a place in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

Real are the only side still boasting a 100 per cent record at the midway point of the group stages and their 4-0 mauling of Lyon in the last round of matches left them five points clear of both the French side and Ajax at the top of Group D.

That means another victory would secure Real's place in the knockout stages with two games to spare, and the manner in which Jose Mourinho's men swept aside Lyon a fortnight ago bodes well for the nine-time European champions.

However, Ozil expects Lyon to provide a different challenge in front of their own fans, saying: "At home they are stronger and they play with more confidence in themselves. As well as that, they usually play in a more aggressive manner."

Real make the trip to France on the back of an eight-game winning streak in all competitions, during which they have scored 29 goals and conceded just three.

They have also yet to concede a goal in their three Champions League matches - the only side to boast such a record in the eight groups.

However, they must do without several players on Wednesday night with Kaka, Marcelo and Alvaro Arbeloa joining Ricardo Carvalho and Nuri Sahin on the touchlines due to injuries.

Lyon's defeat at the Bernabeu left them third in Group D, but level on points with second-placed Ajax and four clear of bottom club Dinamo Zagreb.

The French club, who have made it through to the knockout stage in each of the past eight seasons, also have their injury problems though and the likes of Lisandro, Remy Vercroutre, Anthony Lopes, Jeremy Pied, Michel Bastos, John Mensah, Aly Cissokho and Yannis Tafer may all be missing for Remi Garde's men.

Lyon striker Bafetimbi Gomis admits his side can have few complaints about the defeat at the Bernabeu, but hopes for better on home soil.

He told uefa.com: "I think they fully deserved it (win at Bernabeu) and the game wasn't even close, but I don't think the gulf is as wide as it seemed over there.

"So now it's up to us to show our pride and belief, and to start well because I don't think it was a decisive game, it hasn't jeopardised our chances of getting through but now we need to be competitive and get at least a point in order to keep on moving towards qualification."

Monaco Venue for Champions Draw

Holders FC Barcelona have drawn AC Milan, FC BATE Borisov and FC Viktoria Plzeň, with the group stage draw setting a stiff task for FC Bayern München, who host the final on 19 May 2012 - following the draw in Monaco.

The top seeds in Group H, Josep Guardiola's side are looking to become the first team to win the competition in successive seasons since Milan in 1989 and 1990, while FC Bayern München are targeting a place in the final at their home stadium, the Fußball Arena München, on Saturday 19 May 2012. 

If they are to reach the knockout phase, they must finish in the top two in Group A, which also features Villarreal CF, Manchester City FC and SSC Napoli.Before helping to conduct the draw, UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino reminded clubs of the importance of being "united in our fight against match-fixing". 

He added: "Unfortunately, we have witnessed all too clearly the destructive effect that corruption can have on our sport and recent events have shown that it can reach all levels."There is no other solution than a zero-tolerance policy in order to protect the integrity and the beauty of this wonderful competition. This is a fight that together we can and will win − all together."

He also heralded another innovation in the competition, saying: "This year also marks the beginning of the financial fair play regulations. Working hand-in-hand together with you, the clubs, we will apply these new rules strictly in order to guarantee the sustainability and future of our club game. Dear clubs, your support has been essential until now and will be paramount for the future.

"The group stage fixtures will be played on 13/14 September, 27/28 September, 18/19 October, 1/2 November, 22/23 November and 6/7 December – view the full schedule. The section winners and runners-up will progress to the round of 16 in the spring. Teams finishing third in each section will transfer to the UEFA Europa League round of 32.2011/12 UEFA Champions League group stage

Group A

FC Bayern München (GER)Villarreal CF (ESP)Manchester City FC (ENG)SSC Napoli (ITA)

Group B 

FC Internazionale Milano (ITA)PFC CSKA Moskva (RUS)LOSC Lille Métropole (FRA)Trabzonspor AŞ (TUR)

Group C

Manchester United FC (ENG)SL Benfica (POR)FC Basel 1893 (SUI)FC Oţelul Galaţi (ROU)

Group D

Real Madrid CF (ESP)Olympique Lyonnais (FRA)AFC Ajax (NED)GNK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)

Group E

Chelsea FC (ENG)Valencia CF (ESP)Bayer 04 Leverkusen (GER)KRC Genk (BEL)

Group F

Arsenal FC (ENG)Olympique de Marseille (FRA)Olympiacos FC (GRE)Borussia Dortmund (GER)

Group G

FC Porto (POR)FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)FC Zenit St Petersburg (RUS)APOEL FC (CYP)

Group H

FC Barcelona (ESP)AC Milan (ITA)FC BATE Borisov (BLR)FC Viktoria Plzeň (CZE)

Trabzonspor Replace Fenerbahce

Fenerbahce will be replaced by Trabzonspor in the group stage of the Champions League after being withdrawn from the competition by the Turkish Football Federation due to an ongoing match-fixing investigation.

The announcement comes on the eve of the Champions League group stage draw in Monaco on Thursday.

There had been speculation that a defeated play-off team could get Fenerbahce's spot and that Arsenal would be guaranteed a place in the group stage, regardless of the outcome of their tie against Udinese, because they have the best Uefa coefficient of the play-off clubs.

However a Uefa emergency panel, composed of the president, Michel Platini, and four members of the governing body's executive committee, chose to give the place to Trabzonspor. They were runners-up in the Turkish league last season.

Uefa's decision led to the cancellation of Trabzonspor's Europa League play-off second leg against Athletic Bilbao, which was scheduled for Thursday. The Spanish club will progress automatically.

According to a statement on the TFF website, Uefa wrote to the federation on Tuesday to demand Fenerbahce's withdrawal, threatening wider disciplinary action against the TFF should they fail to do so. The letter was forwarded to Fenerbahce, who declined to withdraw.

"In the face of this development, on 24 August an extraordinary meeting of the board of directors was held to discuss the threat of the Turkish Football Federation being exposed to severe disciplinary sanctions if Fenerbahce took part in the Uefa Champions League this season, and it was decided to bar them from participating," the statement said.

Commenting on the Uefa emergency panel decision, Uefa's general secretary, Gianni Infantino, said: "The panel considered that the Turkish Football Federation took the right decision to protect the game, fully in line with our zero-tolerance policy against match-fixing. The Turkish Football Federation has shown with this decision that it takes its full responsibility in the fight against corruption."

Fenerbahce were crowned league champions last season, beating Trabzonspor to the Super Lig title with a 4-3 win on the final day.

The final standings remain official but the Fenerbahce president, Aziz Yildirim, is one of more than 30 people held in custody pending trial on the matter.

Related articles

• Fenerbahce withdrawn from Europe (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Fenerbahce President Arrested in Turkey (optimum-sports.blogspot.com)
• Aziz Yildirim Remanded in Custody (optimum-sports.blogspot.com)