Liverpool ousted from Champions League

Liverpool's dream of retaining their European crown was ended with a frustrating defeat at home to Benfica.
The Merseysiders had early chances to overturn their 1-0 first-leg deficit, with Peter Crouch, Jamie Carragher and Luis Garcia not living up to expectation.

Ruud denies Milan link

Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has refused to discuss stories in the Italian press linking him with a summer move to Milan.
The Red Devils' top scorer was controversially left out of the side that won the Carling Cup final on Sunday, and was overlooked as a substitute despite United coasting to a comfortable 4-0 success.
Milan's Adriano Galliani has already played down rumours that the Rossoneri will sign a new centre forward, but much could depend on the future of Andrei Shevchenko, who continues to be touted as a likely target for Chelsea.
"So far, I haven't played a bad season personally," he told De Telegraaf.
"A form crisis or panic is absolute nonsense.
"I want to concentrate myself here on the Dutch national team. I want to go to the World Cup and I want to produce a good performance there.
culled from SKYsports

Is 'Real' really real ?

Florentino Perez was like an indulgent parent finally admitting he had spoilt his children when he announced his resignation as Real Madrid president on Monday.
"I don't regret bringing the best players in the world to this club," he said.
"But perhaps I wasn't able to make them understand the importance of their responsibilities. Maybe I educated them badly."
Perez had been responsible for the "Galactico" policy of signing the world's best attacking players during his six-year tenure at the Bernebeu.
Yet it was the behaviour of these superstars that ultimately led to his downfall.

REACTION TO PEREZ EXIT
I couldn't care less
Roberto Carlos

It's a sad day - Florentino was the only one who stood up for me at Real
Ronaldo

He has to be congratulated on bringing such great players to the club
David Beckham

A victim of his own stars
Marca newspaperRonaldo and Zinedine Zidane had looked tired and lacklustre as Real were beaten by Arsenal and Real Mallorca inside a week.
And the build-up to the Mallorca match had been tarnished by an embarrassing public spat between Ronaldo and Raul.
It took one of the side's youngest players, central defender Sergio Ramos, to tell the superstars how they should be behaving.
"Unity makes you stronger - it would be different if relations between players were warmer," he said.
Perez's policy had been hugely successful in the first few years of his reign.
He was elected president in 2000 on the back of a promise to bring Luis Figo to Madrid from Barcelona.
Perez was true to his word, landing the Portuguese winger for £37m and Madrid duly won their first league title in four years.
Zinedine Zidane then joined the club for £47m, which is still a world record, in the summer of 2001 and Ronaldo for £33m in 2002.
Real clinched the Champions League in 2002 and their 29th league title in 2003.