UEFA Champion League Result : semi final 2011

> Manchester United  [1:0]  Chelsea
> Barcelona  [5:1]  Shakhtak
> Inter  [2:5]  Shalks
> Real Madric  [4:0]  Tottenham

Rooney hit with two-match ban

Wayne Rooney will miss this month's FA Cup semi-final with Manchester City after he failed in an attempt to reduce the severity of a two-match ban imposed following his four-letter reaction to scoring a hat-trick at West Ham on Saturday.

The Football Association opted not to release the outcome of yesterday's disciplinary hearing immediately following a request by Manchester United, who did not wish to suffer any disruption to their preparation for last night's UEFA Champions League encounter with Chelsea.

Rooney scored the only goal at Stamford Bridge but has now learned he will miss Saturday's Premier League encounter with Fulham at Old Trafford, then the Wembley meeting with City on 16 April, with the FA merely confirming their original punishment.

"A Regulatory Commission has suspended Manchester United's Wayne Rooney for two matches," read a statement issued by the FA this morning. "Rooney had admitted a charge for the use of offensive, insulting and/or abusive language, but claimed that the automatic penalty of two games was clearly excessive.

"The Commission did not accept the claim and Rooney will begin the standard two-match suspension with immediate effect. The charge relates to an incident during his side's fixture with West Ham United at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 2 April 2011."

At least Rooney will be eligible to play in the return leg against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Tuesday. However, his absence is a blow to Ferguson, particularly for the City encounter given the 25-year-old's remarkable winner against them in February.

In a statement reacting to the decision, Rooney was clearly upset that he had failed in his appeal and would be missing the huge game with their local rivals. He said: "I am gutted to miss two matches, one of which is an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. "I am not the first player to have sworn on TV and I won't be the last.

"Unlike others who have been caught swearing on camera, I apologised immediately. And yet I am the only person banned for swearing. That doesn't seem right. Whatever, I have to accept that what's happened has happened and move on from here. That is what I intend to do."
Manchester United similarly expressed their "disappointment" at the ban shortly after it was confirmed. "Manchester United is clearly very disappointed with the decision," said a statement issued by the Old Trafford outfit.

"The club put forward a very strong case to have the punishment reduced, which was unsuccessful. Wayne apologised immediately after the match and the club now wishes to move to on to what hopefully will be a very exciting conclusion to the season."

Capello: Scudetto race is still open

England manager Fabio Capello believes the Scudetto race is wide open with seven rounds remaining.

AC Milan beat Inter 3-0 in Saturday's derby to go three points clear of Napoli at the Serie A summit. Inter dropped to third, five points adrift of their arch-rivals.

"There are still important games left to play," Capello told Gazzetta dello Sport. "The race is still open and everything has yet to be decided. Milan have a difficult calendar ahead, while there are other teams like Napoli that are doing really well."

"The race is still open and everything has yet to be decided. Milan have a difficult calendar ahead." ~ Fabio Capello on the battle to win the Serie A.

 Milan travel to Tuscany to face Fiorentina this weekend and will face Roma at the Stadio Olimpico next month. I Rossoneri end the campaign at Udinese, who are chasing a top-four finish in Serie A.

Inter, meanwhile, are still alive in all three competitions this season and host Schalke in tonight's UEFA Champions League quarter-final, first leg.

Capello believes I Nerazzurri could pay for their efforts in Europe.

"We will see what Inter do in their next games," he said. "We know that when you play on all fronts, it becomes very hard for everyone to remain competitive."

Ronaldo set for Real return

Real Madrid have been boosted by the return of Cristiano Ronaldo for tomorrow's UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg against Tottenham as the Spanish giants continue their quest for a record tenth European title.

Ronaldo had been a serious doubt for the clash after suffering a hamstring strain in the 19 March derby against Atletico, an injury which saw him miss two friendlies with Portugal and Saturday's league defeat to Sporting Gijon. Mourinho hinted after that match he might risk Ronaldo against Spurs and, after seeing him train without problems this afternoon, included the world's most expensive player in a 19-man squad.

There was further good news for Madrid with Marcelo, Angel Di Maria and Kaka also being available after injury doubts, while Gonzalo Higuain, who made his return against Sporting after over four months out, is also in the squad.

However, the nine-time European champions will be without in-form striker Karim Benzema. The Frenchman, who has scored 12 goals in his last 12 games and 21 in all competitions this season, suffered a hamstring injury on international duty and he sits the game out.

However, the return of Ronaldo - even though he might not be in perfect condition - is a timely fillip for Madrid as they look to bounce back from their shock loss to Sporting. That reverse ended Madrid's 25-match winning streak at the Bernabeu and was the first home league defeat Mourinho had suffered as coach in over nine years. It was also a potentially decisive result in Madrid's bid to wrest the Primera Division title off arch-rivals Barcelona, who are now eight points clear with just eight games to go.

Madrid cannot dwell on that match though, or the potential demise of their title dreams, as they prepare to play their first Champions League quarter-final since 2004, having fallen at the last 16 stage in each of the last six years.

"We can't think about Saturday's game, we need to think about the Champions League," said Mourinho. "It's a game many want to play in and not everyone can. It's been several years since Real Madrid have played in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. It's a game in the most important club competition in the world and there's no lack of motivation. It's a match that is too nice and too important to think about other things. I give the match a 10 (out of 10) for importance."