Alessandro Del Piero scored a stunning goal as injury-ravaged Juventus defeated Real Madrid 2-1 in a gripping Champions League Group H clash at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin. The build-up to the most prestigious game in the 2008/09 Champions League group stages was completely overshadowed by the tragic death of two Juve fans who lost their lives earlier this afternoon after the bus they were travelling on from Switzerland crashed on its way to Turin, also leaving around 20 injured, some of them seriously. The game went ahead as planned although, as a sign of respect, there was a minute's silence prior to kick-off. Juventus came into the match in real crisis, having not won for five games, including successive Serie A defeats to Palermo and Genoa, which had seen them drop down to 12th in the Campionato, seven points off the pace. Coach Claudio Ranieri was on the brink of the sack and had a whole host of injuries to deal with, as Gigi Buffon, Mauro Camoranesi, Tiago, Cristiano Zanetti, Jonathan Zebina, David Trézéguet and Jorge Andrade were all out. However, Nicola Legrottaglie, Olof Mellberg and Vicenzo Iaquinta were all available again. Legrottaglie immediately returned to the line-up alongside Giorgio Chiellini in defence. Ranieri went for an experienced starting XI, with Alessandro Del Piero and Amauri in attack, and Sebastian Giovinco only on the bench again. Real Madrid, on the other hand, were in buoyant mood following their dramatic derby victory over Atletico at the weekend, sealed by Gonzalo Higuain's last gasp penalty. With Zenit St Petersburg only drawing at home against BATE earlier this evening, leaving both sides on one and two points respectively in Group H, Madrid, who were already on a maximum of six points, knew that a win here would as good as qualify them for the knockout stages. Coach Bernd Schuster was without the injured Mahamadou Diarrà, Guti and Miguel Torres though, while Míchel Salgado and Javier Saviola were overlooked for technical reasons. Arjen Robben returned from a hamstring problem and was on the bench, while Raul, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Higuain all played in an attacking 4-3-3 Madrid line-up. Italy national team captain and Calcio legend, Fabio Cannavaro, returned to play against his old team. Juventus had the first chance of the game as Amauri lost his man inside the area, but his header from a right wing cross was weak and straight at Iker Casillas. The Bianconeri were really fired up, and took the lead after just five minutes thanks to a stunning goal from Del Piero. A fine team move ended with Amauri playing the ball to Del Piero, and the 'Golden Boy' whipped a magnificent right footed curling effort into the top corner from 25 yards. Casillas did not move. Madrid had their first attempt of the game on 10 minutes as Rafael Van der Vaart let fly with a ferocious left-footed effort from 30 yards that finished a couple of yards over. It was a gripping match that you just could not take your eyes off. Del Piero almost threaded through for Pavel Nedved, while down the other end Van der Vaart forced Alex Manninger into his first save with a tame central effort. The Dutchman was Madrid's most dangerous player in the early stages, and he had his third shot of the game on 21 minutes linking up well with Van Nistelrooy before firing wide from the edge of the area. Another Oranje, Wesley Sneijder, also got in on the act, as he hashed the ball horribly over, while Amauri launched a counter-attack for Juve, but was cynically taken out by Sergio Ramos. Amauri then had a fine chance to make it two as he nipped in front of Pepe from Zdenek Grygera's cross, but headed wide. Madrid were starting to enjoy more and more possession though, and Sergio Ramos wasted a great opening when he miscontrolled a cross from the right, allowing Manninger to rush off his line and dive onto the ball. On 36 minutes Juventus received a big blow though as Claudio Marchisio was stretchered off the pitch in some distress after picking up an injury in the middle of the field. He was replaced by Hasan Salihamidzic, thus leaving Juve with a rather unfamiliar midfield line-up. However, they preserved their lead comfortably for the remainder of the half as Real Madrid went in at half time having failed to create a single decent chance. If Juve's injury problems couldn't get any worse, at half time they lost yet another player as Legrottaglie, only just returning, was forced off with a muscular problem, and was replaced by Olof Mellberg, who himself had just exited the infirmary. However, all these problems did not hold the Bianconeri back as they doubled their lead on 48 minutes as Nedved lifted the ball up to the back post, and Amauri rose high to head past Casillas, with the ball taking a deflection off Gabriel Heinze, who had turned his back. Madrid tried to find a way back into the game, but they were decidedly off the pace. Van der Vaart sliced well over, before Schuster made his first change of the game, introducing Robben for Higuain. On 55 minutes the Spaniards created their best chance of the match so far as Van der Vaart was left completely unmarked at the near post from Sneijder's left-field cross, but he headed disappointingly wide from six yards out. Robben then also had an excellent headed opportunity from a left-wing free kick, and he glanced the ball a yard wide, with Manninger rooted to his goal line. Madrid were really threatening now, and Manninger flung to his right to make a smart stop from Sneijder's 25-yard piledriver. Van Nistelrooy then saw a shot on the turn deflected weakly into the arms of the Austrian goalkeeper. Schuster's men were raining in shots at Manninger's goal, and just past the hour mark Sneijder crashed a shot against the outside of the post with a rocket from distance. On 65 minutes Van der Vaart forced another save out of Manninger from a free kick, but a Madrid goal was now inevitable. It arrived seconds later as Van Nistelorooy was left completely unmarked in the middle, and he headed clinically into the corner from Heinze's cross. Juventus had their first attempt since Amauri's goal, on 68 minutes, as Casillas comfortably smothered Del Piero's daisycutter of a free kick. Amauri then did some brilliant hold-up play, and he laid the ball off to Nedved, whose left footed shot did not trouble Casillas. Madrid continued to be on the front-foot, and Robben let fly from 35 yards, before Ranieri made his final substitution of the evening on 77 minutes, withdrawing Amauri for Iaquinta. Drenthe entered the fray for the visitors in place of Van der Vaart. Salihamidzic ran rings around Sergio Ramos down the left, and appeared to be held back inside the area, but the referee waved play on and Madrid escaped. The away side were no longer threatening now, and they barely looked like creating any problems in the last 15 minutes of the game. In injury time Sneijder had a free kick blocked, but Juve held on to win. Ranieri saved his job, and Juventus now move to the top of Group H with seven points from three games, above Madrid who have six. BATE are in third with two points, and Zenit St Petersburg bottom with just one point.

Pressure is mounting on coach Claudio Ranieri as his stumbling Juventus side host nine-times European champions Real Madrid in Turin in the standout clash of Tuesday’s Champions League ties. Real are top of Group H with maximum points and Juve are also well-placed with four points from two matches although defeat would leave them vulnerable. Two consecutive Serie A defeats have left Juventus stuck in mid-table and they are not helped by the absence of striker David Trezeguet and keeper Gianluigi Buffon with injuries. Elsewhere on Tuesday, defending champions Manchester United and Celtic meet at Old Trafford in Group E with the Scottish side looking to end a demoralising away run in the Champions League that reads 17 defeats and one draw in 18 trips. The top two meet in Group F when Bayern Munich host Fiorentina. Bayern hope to have Italian striker Luca Toni fit after suffering a rib injury. In Group G, leaders Arsenal travel to Istanbul to play Fenerbahce, their first meeting with Turkish opposition since 2000 when they were beaten by Galatasaray in the UEFA Cup final in Copenhagen.

The Spanish champions will go head to head with their fierce European nemesis on Tuesday and while there’s never any love lost between the two on the pitch, there’s never any shortage of respect and admiration off it.

Real Madrid captain and icon, Raúl González Blanco is the latest to heap praise on the Bianconeri, despite the club having to experience a nightmarish past few years due to the Calciopoli scandal and also having to endure a severe slump at present.

“First of all, it will be special because it’s the Champions League and because we are facing one of the greatest clubs in Europe and the world,” the ‘Number 7’ said during the pre-match interviews.

“I believe that it will be a great spectacle and both teams will be fighting it out for a win,” he added

The 31 year old forward does not believe that the Juve players will be affected much by their current crisis.

“They are not going through a good spell at the moment, but I believe in big games like these, everyone wants to play at their best."

“They have a great team and it will be very difficult to win here, but we enter the match

Gonzalo Higuain scored an injury-time penalty to earn Real Madrid a 2-1 away victory over Atletico Madrid in the city derby on Saturday. The Argentine buried a spot kick in the last minute, just after Portugal winger Simao Sabrosa had grabbed an 89th-minute equaliser for Atletico with a freekick. Atletico have not beaten their neighbours since June 1999 and were trailing after only 40 seconds when the Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy netted from distance. The home side had defender Luis Perea sent off, and Van Nistelrooy followed him for another red card before the break. With both sides reduced to 10 men, Atletico pressed hard and looked to have at least grabbed a point at the end, before John Heitinga tripped Royston Drenthe in the area for the penalty in the 97th minute. “We have proven many times that we are capable of scoring goals right up to the last minute,” said Real coach Bernd Schuster, who went on to criticise the referee. “Van Nistelrooy’s sending off was clearly a case of compensating the other side. It was because of the referee we didn’t win 5-1.” Real made it six unbeaten matches in the league, while Atletico have now slumped to three defeats in a row. In the late game, Villarreal were held to a 0-0 draw at Espanyol that put them one point clear at the top, ahead of Real and Valencia. Valencia host Numancia on Sunday when Barcelona visit Athletic Bilbao. At the Calderon, there appeared to be little on for Van Nistelrooy when he received the ball with his back to goal in the first minute, but he was given space to turn and surprised Leo Franco at his near post. Wesley Sneijder then hit the bar and Sergio Aguero replied for the home side hitting the post soon after. The game was thrown open when Perea was red-carded after he caught Sneijder in the face with a flailing arm. But Van Nistelrooy soon followed after the referee harshly showed him a red for clumsily upending Maniche. Atletico pressed on after the break but struggled to beat Iker Casillas until they won a freekick on the edge of the area at the end. Simao curled it over the wall to spark wild celebrations on the pitch and in the stands. But it only lasted a few minutes and there was a sense of inevitability as Atletico went on to concede the penalty deep into injury time. “Simao’s goal was just reward for our audacity after the break, but it is devastating to concede a goal in the first and 96th minutes,” said Atletico coach Javier Aguirre.

It’s the 143^rd edition of El Derbi Madrileño and very likely to be dubbed the Redemption Derby. It has been a testing week for the two Madrid clubs, and the city in general, as the issue over racism and crowd violence in the country spills into overdrive.

The Week That Was

What a tumultuous few weeks it has been for Atlético Madrid. Just a month ago, everything was rosy for the rojiblancos. They were charming fans and pundits all over the world with their delightful football, they were starting to look like genuine title contenders, their collection of star players were finally coming good and it seemed as though nothing could go wrong for them.

But it did… all in a space of around a fortnight.

On the pitch, they suffered their first real setback of the season when they slumped to a 0-2 home defeat to Sevilla three weeks ago. That was promptly followed by the 6-1 annihilation at Barcelona, a much-hyped and much-talked about encounter which they lost inside the opening eight minutes.   

If that wasn’t enough to send the club into a tail spin, they then had to face the scrutiny of the world when UEFA decided to not only ban the team from playing at the Vicente Calderón in their next three Champions League home games, but the European football governing body also suspended coach Javier Aguirre from taking the bench for the next two matches due to unsporting behaviour.

Although Atleti have since been allowed to host Liverpool at the Calderón this coming Wednesday in Europe’s blue-ribbon competition, all these distractions and bad publicity off the pitch cannot be good for the team’s morale as they attempt to recover from the horror show at the Camp Nou.

A Royal Pain

Ofcourse, Real Madrid were not completely immuned from their fair share of controversy over the past few days, although for once, the issue was instigated by someone else and club themselves played no part in it.

Earlier in the week, the English Football Association publicly announced that they will refuse an invitation for an international friendly against Spain if the game were to take place at Madrid’s own Santiago Bernabéu, citing the possibility of racial abuse on their players as the main reason.

Just goes to show that sometimes, trouble follows you wherever you go. But this is something that should not bother the men in white nor affect their performance on the pitch, although it has struck another blow to the club’s image and reputation following their infamous absurdities during the summer transfer window.

On the field, however, they did suffer a minor hiccup a fortnight ago. After putting together a phenomenal six game winning streak throughout the entire month of September, they stumbled to a 2-2 draw at home against Espanyol in a match where they had to come from behind twice to salvage a point.

The blip in the result and the performance is hardly a matter of life and death – or in Madrid’s case, emergency meetings – but it did put a dent on the momentum they had been hoping to carry forth into this clash.

Redemption

The derbi could serve as the perfect tonic for both teams to bounce back in style. And the best way to silence the critics is to let the football do the talking and by putting on a real exhibition on the field.

Both sides will be eager to get back on the winning trail as quickly as possible to prevent the leading pack from skipping any further ahead and to avoid their confidence sliding any further down. But more importantly, they need that extra injection of morale to take with them to their respective daunting Champions League excursions next week.

As the luck of the draw would have it, the two capital clubs have the most enthralling fixtures of Matchday Three. Los Colchoneros, ofcourse have that mouth-watering battle with a Fernando Torres-less Liverpool while Los Merengues will travel to Turin to take on one of their fiercest and oldest continental rivals, Juventus.

Those are the kind of match-ups that would normally distract any team from their domestic duties on any other week. But such is the significance of El Derbi, from a historical standpoint to the proverbial bragging rights on offer to the obvious three points at stake, that the build-up to those European midweek games has been shoved to the back seat.

But by the end of the 90 minutes at the Vicente Calderón on Saturday, there can be only one who will walk off the field with a true sense of redemption. Trouble is, both of them want that luxury.

The Real Madrid full-back faces a spell on the sidelines after suffering a slight fracture on his right thigh.

The 20 year old, who has only started one match for Los Merengues this season, was injured in Spain's under-21 match on Tuesday night and faces up to a month on the sidelines.

The versatile youngster is on the periphy of first-team action at the Santiago Bernabeu, but this setback has put a dent on his hopes of displacing Marcelo or Sergio Ramos from their defensive positions.

Spain had been competing in the Under-21 European Championship playoffs against Switzerland when Torres was injured chasing back to help his side. The doctors at Madrid have assessed the problem and in order to heal the injury correctly, the player will be out of contention until at least the home clash versus Recreativo on the 23rd of November.

Torres joins Arjen Robben and Fernando Gago on the treatment table, while Guti and Wesley Sneijder are fighting back to full fitness. Schuster played a part in Holland's victory over Norway in midweek, while Guti should also be in contention to at least take a place on the bench for the match versus Atletico Madrid on Saturday evening.

Bernd Schuster does not yet know who will be fit to play in the derby clash this weekend with Mahamadou Diarrá, Arjen Robben and Guti still doubts for the match.

Guti, Mahamadou Diarrá and Arjen Robben continued their battle to recover full fitness before the derby this weekend as they worked in the gym rather than with the rest of the team today.

The trio didn't step out onto the training ground but midfielder Fernando Gago did and it looks as though he will start the match against Atlético Madrid on Saturday.

The Argentine has been recovering from injury but he worked with the rest of the team today and all the signs point to him being in the starting XI.

His recovery will be good news for Bernd Schuster who, with Guti, Diarrá and Robben all potentially out injured, is looking a little short in the midfield department.

Real Madrid will welcome back their international players on Friday and they will train with the rest of the squad as they ready themselves for the match at the Vicente Calderón.

The leader of a group that want a change of regime at Real Madrid are going to call for Ramón Calderón to resign with dignity or they will push ahead with a plan to oust him.

Plataforma Blanca's Eugenio Martínez Bravo is preparing to make the demand at the club's next general assembly even though he is not hopeful that the club president will step down.

In much the same way that Joan Laporta led the Elefant Blau against Barça supremo Josep Lluis Nuñez in the 1990's, the Madrid opposition group are desperate for a change at the helm.

"In the assembly I will go in hard and put it forward that Calderón goes because his presence at the front of the club discredits Real Madrid," Martínez Bravo said.

"If he had any dignity and if had any affection for the club he would leave."

"The assembly will be a key moment because depending on how everything goes and what people that are present have to say we will gtive him the chance to go with dignity."

"The most likely thing though is that we will push forward a motion of censure."

Calderón has yet to name a date for the assembly and that has left Martínez Bravo frustrated in his efforts to start planning for it.

"We ask every day for a date when it will be, but nobody at the club knows anything. Not us or anyone inside," he continued.

"Our last thought was that it would be at some time in October, but the regulations state that he has until December 31."

After being drawn against Real Unión in the Copa Del Rey Real Madrid sports director, Pedja Mijatovic, has said his side are obliged to do well in the competition and are keen to go far.

Real Madrid might have their eyes on grander prizes than the Copa Del Rey this year but according to sports director of the club, Pedja Mijatovic, it is still a trophy they desire.

The capital based side have not won the competition for fifteen years years now and speaking today Mijatovic says that they are obliged to do well in it this time around.

"This year we are obliged to have a good run in the Copa Del Rey," he started, "We have gone a long time without winning the compeition and the last two years our exits have been early. We carry a lot of desire, perhaps the moment has arrived."

Real Madrid have been drawn against Real Unión who have never beaten Los Blancos in the league before but Mijatovic acknowledged that whilst they are a modest side they must be respected.

"Real Unión are a modest and small team but they have history and it must be respected. They are going to do everything possible to surprise us."

"These types of teams have nothing to lose and all to win; the prestige, the desire to have a great game against us and to eliminate us, that will be difficult but anything can happen in football," he mused.

The Copa Del Rey aside Real Madrid are also fighting for the Champions League and their third straight league title and Mijatovic said that they have 'an extensive and competitive squad to fight in all three competitions.'

Next up for the champions though is a trip across town to the Vicente Calderón where they take on arch rivals Atlético Madrid and despite the battering Barcelona gave to Atleti Mijatovic has nothing but praise for them.

"They have a great team and are showing it in a competition as difficult as the Champions League. One must not take note of the last result," he concluded.

Former Manchester United forward Ruud Van Nistelrooy has made the sensational claim that Cristiano Ronaldo is set to quit Old Trafford for the Bernabeu.

The saga involving Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid was one of the most enduring of the summer's transfer window. After seemingly endless weeks of speculations and cat-calls, the Portuguese winger decided to stay-put with the European champions and the rumours temporarily subsided.

A heart-to-heart with his manager Sir Alex Ferguson reportedly quenched the 23 year-old's desire to move on.

However, as Europe's top leagues break for international fixtures, Real Madrid's Dutch forward has cast the attention back to the furore by claiming that Ronaldo is definitely going to the Bernabeu in the near future.

After falling out with Sir Alex Ferguson at the end of the 2005/06 season, Van Nistelrooy followed another former United star David Beckham to Real Madrid and he has tipped Ronaldo to do the same in the next two years.

Speaking to Marca, the 32 year-old declared: "One day Ronaldo will join us. This could happen next summer, or the one after."

Real Madrid captain Raúl is sceptical about goalkeeper, Iker Casillas’ chances of winning the 2008 Ballon d’Or despite his candidacy gaining more and more support.

The race for France Football magazine’s European Player of the Year (Golden Ball) is hotting up as the announcement for the shortlist draws nearer.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who had a stunning campaign last term to help his club retain the La Liga throne before guiding Spain to Euro 08 glory, continues to be one of the hot favourites to at least finish amongst the top three best players of the year.

In Spain’s own award ceremony organized by Marca this past Monday, in which Casillas took home the Trofeo Zamora as La Liga’s best goalkeeper of 2007/08, numerous influential figures from writers to coaches to politicians to former players – including Di Stéfano, Butragueño and Buyo – all came out to throw their support behind the 27 year old, stating that it is about time a non-outfield player pick up the accolade.

However, current club skipper Raúl is pessimistic that the judging panel will feel the same way as he believes history is not on his deputy captain’s side.

“I hope Iker can win it because he was one of the best in the Eurocopa and he helped us win the league, but it’s always more difficult for a goalkeeper because their merits are not recognized,” he said in an interview with a local Madrid newspaper.

“The will also be a lot of other great candidates such as Torres, Xavi and Villa. The Golden Ball will have a very distinct Spanish flavour this year but it is Cristiano Ronaldo who is the favourite,” added Raúl.

Indeed, Casillas will have his work cut out for him as only one goalkeeper has ever previously won the award, Russia’s Black Spider, Lev Yashin in 1963.