Soccer Capsules - International: Barca holds off Madrid rally to reach cup semis
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona held off a spirited Real Madrid fightback to hang on for a 2-2 draw on Wednesday that was enough to edge its eternal rival once again, this time for a place in the Copa del Rey semifinals.
Barcelona looked headed for a comfortable victory when it went up 2-0 by halftime in the second leg of another feisty "clasico" matchup, but ended up narrowly escaping with a 4-3 aggregate victory after Madrid rallied in the second half.
Defending champion Madrid dominated much of the frantic, up-tempo game full of penalty appeals and physical play, but still had to watch as Barcelona took a commanding lead into halftime thanks to late first-half goals from substitute Pedro Rodriguez and Daniel Alves.
Having lost the first leg 2-1 at home and needing three goals to advance, Cristiano Ronaldo started the comeback with a 68th-minute goal before substitute Karim Benzema equalized from an individual effort in the 73rd.
But Madrid finished the game with 10 men after Sergio Ramos was sent off for a second booking the 88th, and Barcelona once again came out on top of the traditional matchup as Madrid coach Jose Mourinho left the Camp Nou winless in nine visits. It was a measure of revenge for last year's loss to Madrid in the cup final, although the scrappy match cost Barcelona Andres Iniesta and Alexis Sanchez to injury.
"We played a great team, this is a 'clasico' so you know right up to the end you're going to have to suffer and hold off your rival," said Alves, who scored one of the best goals of his career with a scorching shot to close the first half. "They caused us a lot of problems by pressuring high, but we knew how to respond."
Mourinho certainly didn't approach the return with the same defensive plan he used in the first leg, and opted to include Pepe in the lineup despite the defender — who was jeered loudly with every touch — drawing widespread criticism for stamping on Lionel Messi's hand in the first leg. Mourinho's future with the Spanish club had been questioned following the lackluster first leg loss.
"We played a good game, the players played a very good game," said Mourinho, who did not apologize for his first-leg tactics. "We came here looking to win. We knew we were behind, we were motivated, wanted to win."
Madrid was unlucky over the first half hour as Mesut Oezil hit the crossbar with a superb 30-meter effort, and Barcelona keeper Jose Manuel Pinto made a number of point-blank stops on Gonzalo Higuain.
Iniesta was taken off with a leg injury and replaced by Pedro after 30 minutes. Pedro ran wide on a counterattack as Messi drew three defenders before flicking a perfect pass over to the Spain international, who slotted past Iker Casillas for the 43rd-minute opener with Barcelona's first shot on goal.
Lassana Diarra escaped a second booking for tackling Messi's just before the break, but Barcelona scored from Xavi Hernandez's resulting free kick.
Xavi, celebrating his 32nd birthday, had his shot deflected into the path of Alves, who rifled an unstoppable first-time shot from just outside the area into the top far corner past the outstretched Casillas.
That left Madrid's players looking dejected as they went into halftime staring at another loss to Barcelona — with some apparently doubting whether it was even possible to beat the Catalan club.
"I heard that in my dressing room," said Mourinho, whose team has only won once in the last 14 games against Barcelona with the Portuguese coach again putting some blame on the referee. "But I didn't say that."
Mourinho took off Diarra, Kaka and Higuain in the second half for Esteban Granero, Jose Callejon and Benzema and the visitors attack prospered.
Ramos had a goal disallowed in the 54th for a foul, before Ronaldo managed to breathe life into the already highly charged match by running onto Oezil's through ball to round Pinto and score from a tight angle.
Benzema then juggled a loose ball over Carles Puyol inside the area and controlled it with his hip before volleying in the equalizer to put Madrid one goal away from advancing.
Both teams had a number of penalty appeals turned down throughout the match and Madrid could not find a winner as Barcelona continued its recent domination over its top rival.
"We were superior to Barca's team today," said Pepe.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said Madrid was able to disrupt Barcelona's normally fluid play with its physical play.
"When you go up against such a good team, these things happen," Guardiola said. "You have to get over these things and we did."
The Spanish and European champions will play either Valencia or Levante in the semifinals, with Valencia ahead 4-1 going into Thursday's return match.
Earlier Wednesday, Athletic Bilbao beat Mallorca 1-0 to reach the semifinals 3-0 on aggregate, where third-tier club Mirandes awaits.
Napoli beats Inter 2-0 in Cup quarterfinals
MILAN (AP) — Edinson Cavani scored twice to dump defending champion Inter Milan out of the Italian Cup on Wednesday as Napoli won 2-0 to progress to a semifinal against Siena.
Cavani converted a penalty in the 50th minute after being tripped by Thiago Motta in what could very well be the Brazilian's last game for Inter. The Uruguayan sealed the result in the stoppage time.
Inter had a decent penalty claim of its own turned down when Diego Milito was brought down by Christian Maggio. Inter, which won the competition the last two years, missed the semifinals for the first time since 2003.
Napoli will meet Siena after the Serie A struggler reached the semifinals for the first time by winning 1-0 at Chievo Verona despite having a player sent off.
Substitute striker Mattia Destro scored in the 54th minute. Paolo Grossi was dismissed six minutes later.
Napoli dominated the first half and should have taken the lead in the 15th minute. Walter Gargano found Maggio with a long ball and the Napoli midfielder controlled the ball with his right foot before unleashing a hard shot but Inter goalkeeper Luca Castellazzi did even better to tip it away to safety.
Gargano went close minutes later with a powerful free kick which went narrowly wide of the left hand post.
Salvatore Aronica could have put Napoli in front shortly before halftime after he was picked out by Marek Hamsik but his effort was too weak and central and Castellazzi saved comfortably.
Inter had not produced anything of note and coach Claudio Ranieri was forced to talk to Wesley Sneijder — who has only recently returned after a lengthy injury — following several nasty tackles, notably one on Gargano for which the Dutchman was lucky to escape a booking or even a straight red.
The Serie A giant looked a better side after the break but went behind five minutes after the restart.
Motta, whose agent said the Italy international could be playing his last game for Inter before a potential move to Paris Saint Germain, tripped up Cavani in the area and the Napoli striker fired his spot kick straight down the middle.
Inter could have had a penalty six minutes later when Maggio brought down Milito, but nothing was given and the Argentine was booked for his protests.
Sneijder almost scored with a 40-yard free kick on the hour mark but Napoli goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis did well to keep it out.
Ricardo Alvarez also went close to the equalizer but, under pressure from Juan Camilo Zuniga, he shot weakly straight at De Sanctis.
Both teams could have scored in a frantic finish. Inter had perhaps its best chance of the game three minutes from time as first Mauro Zarate and then Sneijder forced De Sanctis into a double save.
But Cavani sealed the result in the third minute of stoppage time, cutting inside past Andrea Ranocchia and rounding the onrushing Castellazzi before slotting home.
Earlier, Siena, which is four points above the relegation zone in 17th place in the Serie A standings, went through for the first time.
Destro was brought on seven minutes into the second half and the on-loan Genoa forward had an immediate impact. Alessandro Gazzi nodded on a corner to Destro, who was in an ideal position in the center of the six-yard box to head home.
Chievo was boosted on the hour mark when Grossi was sent off for bringing down Francesco Acerbi on the halfway line.
However, Siena was solid, despite the numerical disadvantage, and it was the visiting team which went closest to scoring when Destro miscontrolled a long ball with his head, allowing a relieved Christian Puggioni to rush out of his area and gather.
-- Daniella Matar
Liverpool reaches League Cup final with 2-2 draw
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Craig Bellamy's second-half equalizer against his former club sent Liverpool into the League Cup final Wednesday as the Reds rallied twice for a 2-2 draw against Manchester City to put them through on aggregate.
The result means Liverpool, which held a 1-0 lead from the first leg, will play a cup final at Wembley for the first time in 16 years when it takes on Cardiff next month after holding off the Premier League leader at Anfield.
"It's a great feeling, it's been a while," captain Steven Gerrard said.
Despite entering the second leg with a lead to protect, Liverpool came out attacking from the start — only to see City take the lead twice against the run of play.
Nigel de Jong put City ahead with a spectacular long-range strike in the 31st, but Gerrard equalized with a penalty nine minutes later.
After Joe Hart made a string of saves to keep City in the game, the visitors again went in front through Edin Dzeko's easy tap-in from close range in the 67th. But that lead was short-lived as well, as Bellamy's low shot from inside the area gave Liverpool the draw it needed to reach Wembley.
That means Bellamy, a Welshman who was one of Liverpool's most influential players throughout, will take on another of his former teams when Liverpool tries to end a trophy drought dating back to 2006.
"The omens were looking good going into tonight after I saw Cardiff go through," the striker said. "I was delighted for them and this couldn't be a better final for me.
"Cardiff means so much to me. It's funny how football can work out at times."
Liverpool could have secured a more comfortable scoreline had it not been for Hart's outstanding saves, although the hosts were fortunate to be given a penalty in the first half.
After Charlie Adam's low cross-shot was deflected straight out by Joleon Lescott, Daniel Agger's shot deflected off the outstretched leg of Micah Richards and onto the City defender's arm, and referee Phil Dowd whistled for a handball.
Gerrard stepped up to the spot and calmly slotted the ball into the left corner of the net.
That came after De Jong had netted a rare goal for City that looked like part luck, part masterpiece.
The midfielder received the ball well outside the area and took a few steps before seemingly slipping as he unleashed a shot, but still connected perfectly to send a curling effort past an outstretched Pepe Reina and inside the right post.
Hart's first key stop came in the fourth minute after Aleksandar Kolarov gifted Jose Enrique a chance from a sliced clearance back across goal, as the goalkeeper's outstretched foot blocked the left back's shot.
Bellamy also drew a save out of Hart after turning Savic on the edge of the box before having a goal disallowed for offside.
Liverpool had the first good chance of the second half as Gerrard whipped in a free kick from the left that Hart punched straight out to Martin Skrtel, who forced the goalkeeper to react quickly to tip his shot over with a one-handed save.
The England goalkeeper again kept the Reds at bay when he tipped over Stewart Downing's downward volley from Dirk Kuyt's cross.
Instead it was City who scored again, with just their second effort on target.
Kolarov whipped in a cross from the left that bounced across Liverpool's six-yard box and reached an unmarked Dzeko for a simple tap-in at the far post.
But Bellamy responded for Liverpool, taking a pass in the area for Kuyt and playing a quick one-two with Glen Johnson before curling a shot home with his left foot.
"Craig was the difference," Gerrard said. "His pace was always a threat and we know that if a chance falls to him he can finish. It's a big thanks to him."
Panathinaikos beats Levadiakos 3-0, stretches lead
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Panathinaikos stretched its lead to five points in the Greek League on Wednesday by beating Levadiakos 3-0 thanks to goals from Spaniards Josu Sarriegi and Toche.
Sarriegi headed in Sebastian Leto's corner in the 33rd minute to beat keeper Dimitris Kyriakidis, and Toche struck twice within four minutes in the second half.
Panathinaikos has 45 points from 18 games, five clear of main rival Olympiakos. Panathinaikos coach Jesualdo Ferreira said his players' hard work had paid off.
We're getting better every game and we're finding our stride," the Portuguese said. "We got three goals tonight — that's a good sign. We were in control thoughout the game, so credit to the players."
In Wednesday's other game, Drama beat Asteras 1-0 at home for its first win of the season.
African Cup
Eq. Guinea beats Senegal 2-1; Libya, Zambia draw
BATA, Equatorial Guinea (AP) — Equatorial Guinea produced one of its most memorable victories Wednesday by scoring late in stoppage time for a 2-1 win against Senegal that clinched a spot in the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations.
David Alvarez' long-range strike in the 94th minute sealed a surprising place in the knockout round for the unfancied co-host and eliminated a Senegal side rated among the pre-tournament favorites. The late winner sparked jubilation at the 37,500-capacity Estadio de Bata, where fans invaded the pitch to join in the celebrations until riot police restored order.
Earlier, Zambia rallied twice in a 2-2 draw with Libya and needs just a draw to progress also from Group A. The doubleheader was delayed for more than an hour following a tropical deluge that waterlogged the pitch.
Earlier during an eventful day at the African Cup, Morocco goalkeeper Issam Badda was diagnosed with a benign form of malaria and received a blood transfusion at a hospital in co-host Gabon. Team doctor Hefti Abderrazak said Badda was released from the Libreville hospital following the transfusion and was recovering at the team hotel.
Morocco striker Marouane Chamakh was also recovering after picking up a stomach illness, though the Arsenal forward's illness was not related to malaria, Morocco team media officer Dounia Lahrech told The Associated Press in an email.
The storm that preceded the Group A matches later in the evening left pools of standing water that hampered attacking play, but was a good omen for Equatorial Guinea — a team nicknamed Nzalang Nacional, or "National Lightning."
By the end of the evening it was Senegal's hopes that were washed out as the traditional African powerhouse was eliminated with a game to spare.
Coach Amara Traore made changes and dropped captain Mamadou Niang and Moussa Sow to the bench as he sought improvement from the opening 2-1 loss to Zambia.
Papiss Cisse and Dame N'Doye started in attack with Demba Ba, but Senegal could find no way through the well-drilled Equatorial Guinea defense in the first half despite a good opportunity that Ba dragged wide in the 22nd.
The Newcastle striker was withdrawn in the 58th, again unable to reproduce the form that has brought him 15 goals in the Premier League so far this season.
The co-host was relying on the counterattacking style that produced a late winner against Libya and the tactic looked to be working to perfection as Alvarez curled a center for Iban Iyanga to head in the opening goal in the 62nd minute.
Senegal's vaunted attack labored to create openings on the slippery surface and Traore brought on Niang and Sow to chase the game.
Sow looked to have snatched a point when he hooked the ball into the net following some indecisive defending at a free kick in the 89th minute.
Despite the equalizer, Equatorial Guinea was still in a happy position at that point, tied atop the group standings with Zambia on four points.
Five minutes later, the happiness turned to ecstasy.
Alvarez collected the ball and unleashed a drive that flew past Bouna Coundoul in the Senegal goal to seal a victory that guaranteed the Nzalang Nacional a spot in the quarterfinals at its debut appearance in the African Cup.
The game was the biggest mismatch on paper in this year's tournament, as Senegal is ranked 108 spots higher than the co-host.
Earlier, Zambia edged closer to clinching a berth in the knockout round after rallying twice to draw 2-2 with Libya.
Ahmed Osman scored at the beginning of each half for Libya, side-footing into the net in the fifth minute and adding another from close range in the 47th.
Emmanuel Mayuka volleyed an equalizer in the 29th and Christopher Katongo headed Zambia level for the second time in the 54th.
The final group fixtures will be played on Sunday, when Equatorial Guinea plays Zambia and Libya faces Senegal.
A draw would give Equatorial Guinea top spot in the group and also guarantee qualification for Zambia. Libya must beat Senegal and hope Equatorial Guinea wins against Zambia to have any chance of progressing.
Rafael cleared to play for Angola at African Cup
MALABO, Equatorial Guinea (AP) — Striker Nando Rafael has been cleared to play for Angola by FIFA a day after its opening match at the African Cup of Nations.
Angola said on Wednesday it was informed by FIFA in a letter that the former Germany Under-21 forward was eligible again for his country of birth from Monday — the day after Angola beat Burkina Faso 2-1 in Group B and two days after the tournament kicked off.
Rafael, 28, had taken up German citizenship after playing club football there.
Angola coach Lito Vidigal said Rafael would be considered for selection for Thursday's game against Sudan at Estadio de Malabo. Angola is joint top of Group B alongside tournament favorite Ivory Coast, which beat the Sudanese 1-0.
"Anybody has the possibility of playing," Vidigal said. "If Nando, or anyone else, is fit then depending on the conditions of the game then they might play."
The issue of player eligibility is developing into a controversial subject at this year's African showpiece after co-host Equatorial Guinea fielded a string of foreign-born players in its opening-day victory over Libya in Bata. Most of the co-host's squad was born outside the country.
The Confederation of African Football said all players at the African Cup had had their eligibility checked with FIFA by the competition organizers, although the world body said that "as a general rule" it was the responsibility of the national associations to ensure players on their teams met the criteria.
Angola's Group B opponent Burkina Faso was only recently cleared to play in the event after a decision by the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed its Cameroon-born defender Herve Zengue was a naturalized Bukinabe following eligibility doubts over him. Zengue eventually missed out on Burkina Faso's final squad.
Burkina Faso also has a number of Ivory Coast-born players at the tournament and left defender Stephane Agbre off its final squad after conceding there was a problem with his eligibility.
It is not the only team at the tournament with foreign-born players.
Morocco goalkeeper diagnosed with benign malaria
LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Morocco goalkeeper Issam Badda was diagnosed with a benign form of malaria at the African Cup of Nations on Wednesday and received a blood transfusion at a hospital.
Team doctor Hefti Abderrazak said Badda was released from the Libreville hospital following the transfusion. The reserve 'keeper was recovering at the team hotel and still receiving treatment for Type 3 malaria, Abderrazak said.
Abderrazak says the Moroccan players were all taking malaria medication for the tournament in the central African country, where the disease is prevalent.
Marouane Chamakh was also recovering after picking up a stomach illness. The Arsenal forward's illness was not related to malaria, Morocco team media officer Dounia Lahrech told The Associated Press in an email.
Lahrech said Chamakh had been seen by a doctor after complaining of stomach pains but it was "nothing serious."
Morocco coach Eric Gerets said Chamakh also had a slight fever which kept him out of training. It was unclear if both players would be well enough now for Morocco's must-win game against co-host Gabon on Friday.
Gerets' team fell to a surprise 2-1 loss to Tunisia in its opener on Monday at Libreville's Stade de l'Amitie, making the match against the home team critical to its chances of progressing to the quarterfinals.
Abderrazak said both players would likely return to training on Thursday but that appears to be optimistic — particularly for Badda. Morocco still has first-choice keeper Nadir Lamyaghri and Mohamed Amsif, however.
There are about 216 million cases of malaria worldwide each year, 81 percent of those in Africa. Gabon's sweltering temperatures and equatorial climate are part of the reason for the disease's presence.
Chamakh has fever, won't train with Morocco
LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Striker Marouane Chamakh won't train with the Morocco squad at the African Cup of Nations on Wednesday after picking up a slight fever.
Coach Eric Gerets told The Associated Press that the Arsenal forward won't travel to the training ground in the Gabonese capital Libreville and would be assessed again on Thursday .
Asked what the illness was, Gerets said he wasn't sure yet but suggested it was not serious — although Chamakh is still in doubt for Morocco's now-crucial second Group C game against tournament co-host Gabon on Friday.
"Yes, that's right, he had a bit of a fever," Gerets said at the team hotel. "He won't be training today and we'll see how he is tomorrow. It could be a lot of things. These things happen."
Chamakh started in Morocco's surprise 2-1 loss to Tunisia at Libreville's Stade de l'Amitie on Monday. That result made the game against home team Gabon — which impressively beat Niger 2-0 in its opener — a must-win match for Gerets' team.
Libya-Zambia match delayed by storm in African Cup
BATA, Equatorial Guinea (AP) — The match between Libya and Zambia in the African Nations Cup has started after a delay of more than an hour following a 25-minute tropical deluge that waterlogged the pitch at the 37,500-capacity Bata Stadium.
The kickoff was pushed back from 5 p.m. (1600 GMT) to 6:15 p.m. local time (1715 GMT) as stadium employees worked with brooms and planks of wood to push water off the pitch.
Puddles of water was still visible on the field as play started, and the ball had trouble bouncing on the sodden surface. The match is the first of a doubleheader at the stadium, with Equatorial Guinea playing Senegal in the later match.
Elsewhere
Europe's top soccer clubs face major debt issues
NYON, Switzerland (AP) — European governments are not the only ones with major debt problems: Top European soccer clubs lost more than €1.6 billion ($2 billion) in 2010 and their debts are still rising despite facing new sanctions soon for overspending.
With wealthy owners keen to buy success on the pitch by throwing millions at top players, accounts from 665 European clubs revealed Wednesday that 56 percent of them lost money in the 2010 financial year and their total debt was €8.4 billion ($10.9 billion).
Those losses came even as soccer revenues around the continent were rising substantially, in part due to television contracts.
Gianni Infantino, the general secretary for UEFA, the regulator for European soccer, said the numbers were "a last wakeup call" for the clubs.
"We must end this negative spiral and gamble for success," Infantino told reporters.
UEFA President Michel Platini, concerned that the staggering amount of debt being wracked up by the clubs could have an adverse impact on the game itself, has pushed through much stricter "financial fair play" monitoring rules for clubs, which began in July 2011.
However, many have questioned whether UEFA will have the moxy to enforce the plan's toughest penalty: Barring noncompliant clubs from the lucrative Champions League. UEFA's top lawyer insisted it would, saying the organization had invested "huge" political capital with European institutions to create the fair-play scheme.
"The system is not going to have much credibility if a club ... in serious breach of rules is not sanctioned in an effective way," UEFA legal director Alasdair Bell said.
UEFA's study showed the combined annual loss of top-tier clubs rose 36 percent, about €400 million ($520 million), compared to 2009.
The losses can be blamed largely on overspending on salaries, staff costs and transfers, as the overall revenue for European top-tier clubs has soared by 42 percent between 2006 and 2010.
That trend seems to have continued, as Germany's Bundesliga announced Wednesday that 36 clubs in two divisions shared record turnover of €2.23 billion ($2.89 billion) last season.
Germany's 18 top-tier clubs earned a combined €52.5 million ($68 million) in profits, after agreeing to cost-cutting measures in August 2010 that have reduced overall debt to €594 million ($769 million), the league's chief executive Christian Seifert said.
UEFA's research showed that the top five leagues — England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain — has two-thirds of the wealth. However, richer and more successful clubs were also more likely to lose money.
UEFA acknowledged that 13 clubs, including several from England, would have failed its break-even tests on their 2010 accounts. The clubs were not identified but likely included Manchester City and Chelsea, which are bankrolled by wealthy owners.
Of more than 200 clubs playing in UEFA's Champions League and Europa League competitions two years ago, 65 percent spent more than they earned.
Three out of every four clubs earning more than €50 million ($65 million) annually also recorded a loss.
"Clubs tend to spend more in order to obtain a competitive advantage," said Andrea Traverso, the head of UEFA's financial fair play project.
UEFA outlined a range of sanctions to punish clubs who overspend in an initial two-year monitoring period from 2011-13, or fail to pay wages, transfer fees or taxes. To punish those who transgress, UEFA could withhold Champions League and Europa League prize money, deduct group-stage points or prevent new players being registered in its club competitions.
Financial fair play rules allow clubs to make a total loss of €5 million ($6.5 million) in the first assessment period, or up to €45 million ($58 million) if a wealthy owner makes a one-time donation to wipe out losses.
UEFA will phase in tighter monitoring rules in future years.
A total of 31 soccer clubs, including four this season, have been refused entry to its two main club competitions since financial licensing was introduced in 2004. However, clubs barred this season were from the small-market leagues of Ireland, Kazakhstan, Lithuania and Romania.
Skepticism has grown over UEFA's willingness to take on big-spending clubs such as Premier League leader Manchester City, whose owners from Abu Dhabi funded a 194.9-million-pound (then $318 million) loss for 2010-11 before the monitoring took effect.
"I expect that, at the last moment, (big clubs) will respect the rules," Inter Milan chief executive Ernesto Paolillo said on the sidelines of the UEFA briefing. "I can't imagine they would not."
The big spenders include French league leader Paris Saint-Germain, which spent €82 million ($107 million) on players last offseason after being bought by Qatari owners.
UEFA's project was backed by Jean-Michel Aulas, the president of Lyon whose standing in France is threatened by PSG's revival.
Aulas described a "dichotomy" between clubs spending "easy money and money for investment."
"Tomorrow's paradigm (for clubs) must be built on building stadiums and building youth academies — tangible assets that can benefit (soccer) in general," Aulas said.
-- Graham Dunbar
UEFA hails progress in talks with European clubs
NYON, Switzerland (AP) — A threatened split between UEFA and a group representing Europe's top clubs appears to have been averted after talks to extend their working relationship beyond 2014.
UEFA hailed "positive and constructive" talks with European Club Association leaders on Monday over renewing a "Memo of Understanding" which commits clubs to field teams in the Champions League and release players for national team matches.
A failure in negotiations could lead to clubs creating a breakaway competition to rival UEFA's signature club competitions.
"We are confident we can come to a positive agreement," UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said Wednesday after a meeting of the executive committee.
The executive committee also agreed to continue monitoring Serbia and Croatia for six more months until security at matches improves.
The meeting between UEFA and the European Club Association came days after similar talks with FIFA, which has been less willing to meet their demands.
Infantino said talks included an insurance policy to cover the salaries of players injured on national team duty, the FIFA-approved calendar of international matches and governance of world football.
The "worst-case scenario" of a Champions League breakaway could not be ruled out before a final cooperation agreement was reached, Infantino said.
Still, "all the clubs agree the Champions League is the best competition for clubs in the world — and it will remain like this in future," he said.
Infantino reported progress on helping clubs pay the salary of players injured on international duty.
The issue was highlighted by Bayern Munich when it lost Netherlands winger Arjen Robben for six months after he returned injured from the 2010 World Cup.
"We will find a good solution with regards to insurance because we think it's the right thing to do," Infantino said.
The 200-member ECA has put relations with FIFA and UEFA at the top of its agenda at a Feb. 27-28 meeting in Warsaw, Poland.
After a series of violent incidents involving fans in Serbia and Croatia, UEFA President Michel Platini warned governments there last year that their national and club teams faced exclusion from competitions if they failed to crack down on hooliganism.
"In spite of some effort, more needs to be done," Infantino said Wednesday.
In other decisions, UEFA said bidding will open in April for its centrally controlled broadcasting rights to screen qualifying matches for the 2016 European Championship.
The Under-21 European Championship tournament will switch to even number years after 2015 to synchronize qualifying matches with senior team competitions. UEFA's 53 member federations had requested the change.
Also, the Under-17 tournament will increase to 16 teams from eight, UEFA said.
-- Graham Dunbar
Mourinho: No regrets over tactics after loss
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Coach Jose Mourinho showed no regret for defensive tactics after Real Madrid was knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Barcelona on Wednesday despite a 2-2 draw at the Camp Nou in the second leg.
Madrid came back from a 2-0 first-half deficit, but a poor performance in the 2-1 opening-leg defeat was enough to see the Catalans through.
Mourinho's future has come under scrutiny after he was jeered by his fans last week when reports emerged of strife within the squad over the first-leg gameplan.
Asked if he had erred with his opening-leg strategy, the Portuguese coach responded simply with "no."
"We played a good game, the players played a very good game," Mourinho said on Wednesday. "We came here looking to win. We knew we were behind, we were motivated, wanted to win."
Mourinho and his players again criticized the refereeing, with Madrid losing Sergio Ramos to a late red card. Both teams were lucky not to have more players booked in the physical game with Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra also escaping a first-half red card.
"In the locker room I heard (some players) say it was impossible to win," Mourinho said, "I heard that in my dressing room but I didn't say that."
Madrid captain Iker Casillas, whose yellow card for time wasting before Daniel Alves' goal seemed to keep Diarra from getting booked, was highly critical of the referees.
"(Referee) now you can go party with Barca," Casillas was quoted as saying by Spanish press.
"We were much better than Barcelona, we had a lot of opportunities but the referee lost it in the little details," Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa said. "We would have preferred if the cards had been more evenly distributed."
Both teams had penalty appeals refused, with eight Madrid players booked to Barcelona's one in a frantic, fast-paced match embellished by the Camp Nou stadium's cries against Madrid's players, especially Pepe after the Portugal defender stamped Lionel Messi's hand in the opening leg.
"The referee made mistakes in all senses, but he did the best he could," Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said. "Diarra's play was a clear sending-off."
Another rugged match went to script — Madrid's lone win in its past 14 matches against Barcelona was last year's cup final, which it cannot defend now.
But Madrid holds a five-point lead over Barcelona in the league, with Mourinho demonstrating he may have found the necessary recipe to stay ahead of Barcelona in the second half of the season.
"Today we managed to ditch our anxiety problems about being able to beat Barcelona," Arbeloa said.
-- Paul Logothetis
Tensions high as FA Cup games revive racism rows
LONDON (AP) — Two recent racism episodes will hang over the FA Cup fourth round this weekend, with tensions high as the clubs involved prepare to play each other again.
Manchester United will travel to Anfield on Saturday for the first time since defender Patrice Evra was repeatedly racially abused by Liverpool forward Luis Suarez in a league match in October.
Chelsea captain John Terry is set to feature at Queens Park Rangers just days before appearing in court, charged with racially abusing Anton Ferdinand in the last meeting of the west London clubs in October.
Terry's legal team will enter a not guilty plea on his behalf in a London court next week, with the defender not planning to attend the initial hearing.
Fears that any lingering animosity between the players or rival fans could cause trouble in the weekend matches have prompted statements appealing for calm from the four clubs and a strong police warning about abusive behavior.
Chelsea and QPR tried to quell any tensions by issuing a statement describing Saturday's fourth-round match as "a unique opportunity to show the world that hatred has no place in our game."
The comments from Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck and QPR counterpart Tony Fernandes came after talks between the clubs.
"Abuse and discrimination has no place in football or society," Buck and Fernandes said in the statement. "Both clubs enjoy fantastic support. However, we would remind fans that while we want to hear their passion, it's a fact that hatred and abuse is not what being a fan of Chelsea or QPR is about.
"The clubs will work together with the police to ensure that anyone using discriminatory or inflammatory language is identified and that the strongest possible action is taken against them."
The spotlight will be on Ferdinand and Terry before the match to see if they shake hands, as is customary.
While racial abuse between players was the problem in the October matches, alleged taunts at Anfield was the issue in the third round of the FA Cup earlier this month.
With Liverpool still reeling from Suarez's eight-game suspension for the verbal confrontation with Evra, its fans were accused of racially abusing an Oldham player at Anfield.
And police in Liverpool said Wednesday that a "firm, fair and friendly" approach will be adopted for Saturday's visit of United.
Many meetings between the northwest rivals have been fraught with drama,
"Your support is vital to the team and down the years that has been especially true at Anfield," United manager Alex Ferguson wrote to his team's fans. "But please put the emphasis on getting us into the next round and giving the sort of support you are famous for — positive, witty and loud."
Police warned that all allegations of offensive conduct will be thoroughly investigated.
"We cannot allow this type of behavior to affect the enjoyment of genuine fans, especially families with young children who attend the game," match commander chief superintendent Jon Ward said in a statement. "We will continue with our efforts to deal with the small number of individuals who commit offenses at football matches, in particular with the continued use of football-banning orders."
The racism cases prompted a British parliamentary committee to launch an investigation into whether enough is being done to combat the problem in soccer, with a hearing due to take place in March that could hear evidence from the accused and victims.
On Wednesday morning, nine men were arrested by police investigating suspected racist chanting by supporters of Charlton Athletic on a train back from their FA Cup match at London rival Fulham on Jan. 7.
"These recent arrests are saddening to all those who have worked so hard over many decades," Charlton chief executive Stephen Kavanagh said.
-- Rob Harris
English FA chief defends referee Webb's integrity
LONDON (AP) — The head of English football launched a rare public defense of a referee on Wednesday following criticism of Howard Webb's conduct by the agent of Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli.
Webb missed Balotelli appearing to stamp on Tottenham midfielder Scott Parker during Sunday's Premier League match, but the referee told The Football Association the following day that had he seen the incident the striker would have been sent off.
Balotelli accepted the charge of violent conduct and will serve a four-match ban, starting with Wednesday's League Cup semifinal against Liverpool.
But the Italian's agent, Mino Raiola, said Webb "should be disqualified for two lifetimes," claiming that "he lied, he saw (the incident)."
FA chairman David Bernstein responded by defending the 2010 World Cup final referee.
"Howard Webb is a fantastic referee and a great ambassador for the sport. His ability and integrity are beyond question," Bernstein said. "He has the utmost respect from within football in England and around the world.
"That could not have been demonstrated more clearly than in 2010, when he was chosen to referee the UEFA Champions League final and the FIFA World Cup final, and this summer he has been selected for UEFA Euro 2012."
Bernstein said that everyone in football has "a duty to respect our referees."
"To question their integrity or imply anything other than total impartiality is reckless and unfounded," the former Manchester City chairman said. "It harms the perception and treatment of referees at every level of football, and we must not allow that climate to exist."
City assistant manager David Platt pointed out that some incidents often look worse when they are replayed in slow motion.
"Referees have only one live opportunity to make a judgment call on those instances that they see in a fast-paced game," Bernstein said. "They do not have the benefit of numerous camera angles and replays, they make these decisions with honesty and integrity."
After avoiding being sent off on Sunday, Balotelli went on to earn and score a penalty kick to clinch a 3-2 victory for Premier League leader City over Tottenham.
City had until 1800 GMT Wednesday to respond to Balotelli's charge of violent conduct.
-- Rob Harris
Barcelona's Iniesta, Alexis out with injury
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona lost both midfielder Andres Iniesta and forward Alexis Sanchez to injury during Wednesday's cup game against Real Madrid, paying a heavy price for its passage to the Copa del Rey semifinals.
Iniesta limped off at the half-hour mark favoring his left leg. The club said he will undergo tests Thursday to determine the recovery time from a torn muscle.
Forward Pedro Rodriguez went on and scored Barcelona's opener in the 43rd before Dani Alves quickly doubled the lead. Real Madrid scored twice to force a draw on the night but Barcelona won 4-3 on aggregate.
Alexis, who was sidelined to start the season with a leg injury, was substituted by Javier Mascherano in the 79th after injuring his shoulder and is expected to miss one to two weeks.
Barcelona plays Villarreal on Saturday in the Spanish league. It will face either Valencia or Levante in the Copa del Rey semifinals in early February.
The Spanish champions are already missing striker David Villa, midfielder Ibrahim Afellay and defender Andreu Fontas to long-term injuries.
-- Joseph Wilson
Gomez: Bayern has to be more flexible
MUNICH (AP) — Striker Mario Gomez thinks Bayern Munich needs to be more flexible in the way it plays and that the team must adapt better to the situation on the field.
Bayern finds it difficult to come from behind to win as the team struggles when it can't dominate possession, Gomez told reporters Wednesday.
"Our game is based too much on possession," Gomez said, adding that it wasn't helpful when the team falls behind and the rival is mainly defending.
Bayern is coming off a 3-1 loss at Borussia Moenchengladbach. In all five losses this season, Bayern failed to come back after falling behind. The team has managed to rally for a win only once this season.
"That is no coincidence. We are stuck too much in our system. We have to be more flexible," Gomez said in what appeared to be a mild criticism of coach Jupp Heynckes.
The loss in Moenchengladbach dropped Bayern into a tie atop the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund and Schalke.
Wigan signs Chilean Beausejour from Birmingham
WIGAN, England (AP) — Wigan has signed Chile midfielder Jean Beausejour from Birmingham as the bottom-place club tries to stay in the Premier League. The 27-year-old former Club America player has joined Wigan on a 2½-year contract.
"Now Jean has 18 months of experience in the British game and his dynamism, technical ability and tactical concepts will bring a different dimension into our squad," Wigan manager Roberto Martinez said. "He is ready to bring his own experience and his energy into the fantastic challenge that as a football club we're facing in the next 16 games of the season."
Beausejour played 56 times for Birmingham, including the League Cup final victory over Arsenal last year before the club was relegated from the Premier League in May. Now Beausejour will try to avoid a second successive relegation.
"We have a really tough end of the season, but I am really looking forward to the challenge ahead," Beausejour said.
Mourinho includes Pepe in team for Barcelona game
MADRID (AP) — Jose Mourinho has included Pepe in his squad for Wednesday's Copa del Rey match at Barcelona, where the Real Madrid defender could receive a hostile reception after his stamp on Lionel Messi.
Pepe's inclusion for the second leg of the quarterfinals at the Camp Nou was uncertain after the Portugal defender missed Sunday's league win over Athletic Bilbao because of injury. But Mourinho included Pepe, who has apologized to Messi for "involuntarily" stamping on his left hand in Barcelona's 2-1 win last week in the first leg.
Mourinho also included Ricardo Carvalho in the 21-man list, while Angel di Maria and Sami Khedira are sidelined by injuries. Madrid has won only once in nine meetings against Barcelona since Mourinho's arrival in 2010.
English club Stevenage hires ex-Rapids coach Smith
STEVENAGE, England (AP) — Former Colorado coach Gary Smith has been hired to manage English third-tier club Stevenage, two months after being fired by the Rapids.
The 43-year-old Englishman joined the Rapids as an assistant coach in 2008 before taking charge of the Major League Soccer team later that season and winning the 2010 MLS Cup.
Stevenage chairman Phil Wallace says he took a "different approach" to replacing Graham Westley, who joined Preston earlier this month. Wallace says Smith "is young but he has already won silverware at the highest level possible in the U.S."
Smith joined the Rapids coaching staff in 2008 after leaving Arsenal, whose majority shareholder is Colorado owner Stan Kroenke.
Striker Mevlut Erding joins Rennes from PSG
RENNES, France (AP) — Striker Mevlut Erding has joined Rennes from Paris Saint-Germain on a 3 1/2 year deal.
Rennes announced the deal on its website Wednesday without giving financial details, but French reports estimated the transfer at about €7.5 million ($10.7 million).
The Turkey forward scored 30 goals in 110 games for PSG, which he joined from Sochaux two seasons ago, but found it hard to break into the side this season. The 24-year-old Erding said "I had no future" at PSG and "I am relieved to be here."
Premier League sides Fulham and Sunderland reportedly failed with bids to sign him.
Motta could play last game in Inter shirt
MILAN (AP) — Thiago Motta's agent says the midfielder could play his last game for Inter Milan on Wednesday before a move to Paris Saint-Germain. In an interview with Italian radio station Radio Crc, Motta's agent Dario Canovi says, "PSG asked if he would be interested and the lad said yes. Tonight could be Thiago Motta's last game in an Inter shirt."
Inter meets Napoli in the Italian Cup. Motta arrived at Inter in 2009 and was a key member of the treble-winning squad. However, the Brazilian who plays for Italy is thought to be unhappy that Inter has not yet renewed his contract, which expires in 2013.
Pastore out for a month due to a torn hamstring
PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Javier Pastore is facing up to a month out because of a torn hamstring. PSG says on its website on Wednesday that tests concluded Pastore needs a "minimum of three to four weeks of treatment."
The Argentina international limped off clutching his thigh during the first half of the French Cup match against amateur side Sable FC last Friday. PSG paid a French-record €42 million ($60 million) to sign Pastore from Palermo last August. He has scored 10 goals this season.
Love signs for Flamengo from CSKA Moscow
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Flamengo says it has signed star forward Vagner Love from CSKA Moscow. The 27-year-old Brazilian says in a statement on Flamengo's website that "I plan to stay for a long time and I want to help the team win all the tournaments possible."
There were no further details, but Rio de Janeiro's O Globo newspaper says Flamengo will pay CSKA $12.9 million over the next three years. Flamengo says Love will be presented to fans at a date to to be determined.
Werder Bremen signs Switzerland defender Affolter
BREMEN, Germany (AP) — Werder Bremen has signed Switzerland defender Francois Affolter from Young Boys Bern. The Bundesliga club says Affolter will be on loan until Dec. 31, when Werder can exercise an option to retain him on a full contract.
The 20-year-old defender arrives at a time when two of Werder's central defenders are out. Naldo is not playing because of a knee problem and Sebastian Proedl had surgery to repair a broken cheekbone.
Stuttgart signs striker Ibisevic from Hoffenheim
STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Stuttgart has signed striker Vedad Ibisevic from Bundesliga rival Hoffenheim. Stuttgart says the 27-year-old Bosnian received a 4½-year contract.
Ibisevic scored 18 goals in 17 games in Hoffenheim's debut Bundesliga season in 2008 before tearing knee ligaments. He has had a lower scoring average since his comeback and netted five goals in 10 games for Hoffenheim in the first half of this season while not always being first-choice under coach Holger Stanislawsk.
Bilyaletdinov set to join Spartak from Everton
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Everton says it has agreed to sell Russia winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov to Spartak Moscow.
Everton says Bilyaletdinov has agreed to personal terms and has been in Moscow to undergo a medical examination. Bilyaletdinov has made 77 appearances for Everton in 2-½ seasons since joining from Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow.
Kaiserslautern signs defender Anthar Yahia
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany (AP) — Kaiserslautern says it has signed defender Anthar Yahia, who last played for the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr Riyadh. Yahia signed for the next 3½ years. He was born in France but plays for Algeria.
Yahia already has Bundesliga experience, having played for Bochum for four seasons. Yahia's other clubs include Nice, Bastia, Inter Milan and Sochaux.
