In theory, it's way too early on a Saturday morning to be typing, but a coughing son is wide awake and there's little convincing him that bed is a better option than dragging me downstairs. Perhaps he's just too excited about the Merseyside Derby cup match this morning to sleep? Not likely, as he's sitting on the main computer playing pbskids.

UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal Semifinal Draw Result 2011/2012 March 16 is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal Semifinal Draw Result 2011/2012 March 16 is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal/ Semifinal Draw 2011/2012 Where- Nyon, Switzerland- 10.

Lionel Messi Profile:
Name: Lionel Messi
Birthday: Jun 24, 1987
Birth Place: Rosario, Argentina
Height: 5 ft 6 in (1.69 m)
Primary Position: Forward
Current Team: Barcelona, Spain, Argentine National
Youth Team: Barcelona, Spain
Bio & Stats Sources:
FC Barcelona's Bio
Soccernet's Bio
Wikipedia Bio
Goal.

The Argentine coach, Sabella has selected 18 players for the friendly against Switzerland on Feb. 29th 2012 in Berne, Switzerland. The fresh & exciting name on this latest call-up list is that of Erik Lamela, the young up-start who proved himself in the national youth teams.
Di María, Ángel (Real Madrid-Spain)
Higuaín, Gonzalo (Real Madrid - Spain)
Messi, Lionel (Barcelona - Spain)
Agüero, Sergio (Manchester City - UK)
Mascherano, Javier (Barcelona - Spain)
Palacio, Rodrigo (Genoa - Italy)
Diaz, Daniel (Getafe - Spain)
Romero, Sergio (Sampdoria - Italy)
Campagnaro, Hugo (Nápoli - Italy)
Fernández, Federico (Nápoli - Italy)
Gago, Fernando (Rome - Italy)
Lamela, Erik (Rome - Italy)
Zabaleta, Pablo (Manchester City - UK)
Rodríguez, Maximiliano (Liverpool - UK)
Monzón, Luciano (Nice- France)
Garay, Ezequiel (Benfica - Portugal)
Rojo, Marcos (Spartak Moscow - Russia)
Sosa, José (Metalist - Ukraine)

how appropriate

Happy mad-libbing!

_______________ (Possession/4-3-3/Passing out of the back) like __________________ (F.C. Barcelona/Spain/Ajax) would never work for a __________________ (Mid-low table Premier League/Major League Soccer/NCAA Division I) team. The __________________ (British/American/American College) game is too ____________ (Fast/Physical/Aggressive) for a ________________ (British/MLS/College) team to play like that.

Benfica and FC Porto have done Portugal proud by ranking in the Top 10 of the club world rankings from IIHFS for 2011. Barcelona and Real Madrid were one/two as the two Spanish giants continue their battle on all fronts. Top 10 World Clubs: 1- Barcelona (Spain) 2- Real Madrid (Spain) 3- Velez Sarsfield (Argentina) 4- Manchester United (England) 5- Manchester City (England) 6- Santos (Brazil)

You'll find Guti in the Bad Week section. Like didn't already know. Image: Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images Europe.

Your favourite things this week included Frankie Sandford (style reasons), Olivier Giroud (nefarious reasons) and the ill-thought out and totally unlikely possibility of a Kickette Book Club (spiteful reasons).

Morocco will host both the 2013 and 2014 FIFA Club World Cups.
Iran, South Africa and the U.A.E. all withdrew their bids, leaving FIFA to bring the competition to Africa for the first time. The hosting is set to be rubber-stamped in Zurich in December.
The North African nation has a strong soccer tradition, and the national team memorably became the first African nation to win a group in the World Cup Finals, topping England, Portugal and Poland at Mexico '86, before losing to a late Lothar Matthaus goal from eventual finalists West Germany in the next round.

Not much else to say except 42 touches in opening goal (here at the always good Spanish Sports Blog). Seems almost unfair. Mental note to self: bet ranch on Barcelona Spain in Euro.

David Luiz always looks like he's on the verge of pulling the lamest pranks and really, he does the best ones but the Chelsea joker should be happy because he has been recalled to the Brazil squad next month! The selecao are scheduled to face Argentina, Costa Rica and Mexico.

PLAYERS AC Milan's Thiago Silva, left, reacts after scoring with his teammate Pato against FC Barcelona during a Champions league soccer match at the Nou Camp stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) MANAGERS AC Milan's coach Massimiliamo Allegri, right, looks on near to FC Barcelona's coach Pep Guardiola during a Champions league soccer.

David de Gea's girlfriend and singer Edurne during the presentation of the new season of "Grease" in Barcelona, Spain.

If you were David de Gea, you'd probably be wondering whothehell that fluffy dude in the purple t-shirt with his arms around your girlfriend is. Biologically speaking none of you readers actually are a multi-million pound professional keeper in the EPL, but don't fret neither are we.

David de Gea's girlfriend and singer Edurne during the presentation of the new season of "Grease" in Barcelona, Spain.

If you were David de Gea, you'd probably be wondering whothehell that fluffy dude in the purple t-shirt with his arms around your girlfriend is. Naturally you're not, and neither are we, but we do have a proven knack for figuring these things out.

The draw is set for the upcoming Champions League group stages, so let's take a look at the groups in which the Italian clubs will be playing.

GROUP A:

Bayern Munich (Germany)
Villarreal (Spain)
Manchester City (England)
Napoli (Italy)

GROUP B:

Inter Milan (Italy)
CSKA Moscow (Russia)
Lille (France)
Trabzonspor (Turkey)

GROUP H:

Barcelona (Spain)
AC Milan (Italy)
Bate (Belarus)
Plzen (Czech Republic)

It was always going to be difficult for Napoli in their first ever trip to the Champions League, but they certainly didn't get any favors with this draw.

There has been too much uncertainty surrounding the Cesc Fabregas saga for too long now. One day you have Sandra Rossell's menagerie proclaiming that their baby is powdered, dressed up and ready to serve at the hungry Camp Nou; and the next day you have the knights of North London tutting at Spain's lack of dignity and refusing any sort of contact between the two clubs at all.

Jere Longman of the New York Times offers a behind the scenes look at La Masia, the home of Barcelona's youth soccer academy.
BARCELONA, Spain — The stone farmhouse, built in the 18th century as a country estate, is now surrounded by modern stadiums, high-rise buildings and hotels in a leafy and upscale neighborhood here, but it continues to produce a bountiful harvest.

BARCELONA, Spain Barcelona defender Eric Abidal admits his recent battle against a liver tumour, when he feared he might never play football again, has left him with a different view about his priorities in life. Abidal underwent surgery in March following the discovery of the tumour, and it was not known when the France [.

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) Barcelona's directors were meeting Thursday to decide whether to report Jose Mourinho to UEFA after the Real Madrid coach hit out at the club and its coach, Pep Guardiola, following the Catalan club's 2-0 Champions League semifinal victory.

Barcelona's legal team was analyzing Mourinho's news conference from Wednesday night, when the Portuguese coach said Guardiola should feel "ashamed" if his club goes on to win the trophy.

Here is who I believe the best club teams and best players currently are in Europe at the moment.The Best Teams and Players in the World (As of April 2011)Club Teams:1. Barcelona (Spain)2. Real Madrid (Spain)3. Manchester United (England)4. AC Milan (Italy)5. Chelsea (England)6. Schalke 04 (Germany)7.

Champions League Draw - Quarter-finals
Real Madrid (Spain) v Tottenham Hotspur (England)
Chelsea (England) v Manchester United (England)
Barcelona (Spain) v Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)
Inter Milan (Italy) v Schalke 04 (Germany)
Champions League Draw - Semi-finals
Inter/Schalke v Chelsea/Man Utd
Real Madrid/Tottenham v Barcelona/Shakhtar
Quarter-finals: April 5, 6 and 12, 13
Semi-finals: April 26, 27 and May 3, 4
Final: (Wembley): May 28

BARCELONA, Spain — Argentine Lionel Messi scored a vital 77th-minute winner as Barcelona laboured to a 2-1 home win over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday to restore their five-point lead over Real Madrid at the Spanish first division summit. Barcelona looked set to drop two more points after Andoni Iraola's penalty had cancelled out David Villa's [.

BARCELONA, Spain — Real Madrid provisionally moved to within two points of league leader Barcelona by beating Levante 2-0 on Saturday. Karim Benzema scored Madrid's sixth-minute opener after a great individual effort from Angel Di Maria, and Ricardo Carvalho sealed the win four minutes before halftime.

The U.S. Soccer Development Academy will have four teams participating in the 2011 Dallas Cup XXXII Under-19 Super Group. The Dallas Texans, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo and Real Salt Lake AZ will be part of the 16 teams in the Super Group that includes Arsenal FC (England), FC Barcelona(Spain), SC Corinthians Paulista (Brazil), Coritiba FC (Brazil), Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany), Tigres (Mexico), Club Bolívar (Bolivia), LD Alajuelense (Costa Rica), CS Cartagines (Costa Rica), Chorrillo FC (Panama), Japan National Team U-18 and Vancouver Whitecaps(Canada).

The UEFA Champions League resumes this week with the first four matches of the Round of 16 stage to be played on Tuesday and Wednesday. The other four matches will see their first leg encounters kick off next week and we shall look at those games at the appropriate time. For now Stoppage Time International Football Blog weighs up this week's mouthwatering ties.

BARCELONA, Spain — Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola has agreed to stay with the Spanish champions until June 2012, the club said Tuesday. "The signing of the contract will take place in the next few days," the club said in a statement posted on its website. The 40-year-old, who spent most of his playing career at [.

The Premier League is said to be the best league in the world. I'm not convinced about that but I'd say the EPL is certainly the fastest league in the world. There is more end to end action in England than in any other country.

After watching games from various leagues over the last few years I've come to believe that in the Premiership the teams play as if they've to follow a basketball law – get a shot on goal within 30 seconds of getting possession.

BARCELONA, Spain — Barcelona earned a record 16th straight win in the Spanish league by beating Atletico Madrid 3-0 with a Lionel Messi hat-trick on Saturday. The historic win provisionally lifted Barcelona 10 points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table ahead of its fierce rival's match against Real Sociedad on Sunday.

BARCELONA, Spain It's not like it was a gigantic to surprise to any experts who bet on soccer or any soccer fans in general, but it's still worth noting: Barcelona has advanced to the Copa del Rey final. Barcelona already had an astounding 5-0 lead over Almeria after the first leg between the teams [.

BARCELONA, Spain — Karim Benzema led Real Madrid to a 1-0 win at Sevilla before Barcelona rolled over Almeria 5-0 in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday. Benzema, the much-questioned France striker, answered his critics with a valuable away goal in the 17th minute of the first-leg match at Sanchez Pizjuan stadium.

Manchester United are officially the best supported club in Europe according to Futebol Finance.

Futebol Finance based their analysis on attendances last season, and with an average Old Trafford attendance of 75,304 last season, United surpassed Real Madrid, the 2009-2009 winners.

What is surprising is the lack of Premier League sides on the list.

Manchester United are officially the best supported club in Europe according to Futebol Finance.

Futebol Finance based their analysis on attendances last season, and with an average Old Trafford attendance of 75,304 last season, United surpassed Real Madrid, the 2009-2009 winners.

What is surprising is the lack of Premier League sides on the list.

Helio Sousa has named his squad for the U19 tournament that will be held in Spain in February. Portugal get set to take on Slovakia, Norway and Sweden on the 7th, 9th and 11th.The squad is:Barcelona (Spain): Luis Gustavo.Belenenses: Adolfo Leite.Benfica: Francisco Junior, Luis Martins, Ruben Pinto.

BARCELONA, Spain Pedro Rodriquez scored twice as Barcelona made heavy weather of beating promoted Levante 2-1 to move five points clear at the top of La Liga on Sunday. The champions, with 46 points from 17 matches, pulled away from second-placed Real Madrid which visits local rivals Getafe on Monday.