Fixed: We Have Transformed …

Football Directa is pleased to announce that after a short, yet very successful era as a football blog the decision to transform FD into a professional, international football news website has been made.

This big step could not have been possible without the support and backing of our readers.

In the next few days the blog will be down until the transition phase is complete.

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Girondins de Bordeaux 2-1 Bayern Munich: Michael Ciani Scores At Both Ends As Marc Planus Wins It

Les Girondins have taken control of Group A from Die Roten in a remarkable encounter in France. Hans-Joerg Butt saved two penalties as Bayern ended with nine men as Thomas Mueller and Daniel Van Buyten were both dismissed.

Girondins de Bordeaux took a meaningful step towards the knockout stages of the Champions League by securing a 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich.

Laurent Blanc’s side had a nightmare start, with Michael Ciani putting the ball through his own net on Bayern’s first foray forward. However, the centre-back, who scored the winning goal against Maccabi Haifa three weeks ago, would produce a sublime near-post flick to level matters. A rash challenge from Thomas Mueller saw him pick up a second yellow card with only half an hour gone and Bordeaux took advantage before the break as Marc Planus became the local hero with a somewhat fortuitous strike.

Penalties were the talk of the second half, as les Girondins would miss two as their dominance continued. Hans-Joerg Butt would twice save, once from Yoann Gourcuff and once from Jussie, but it didn’t matter in the end.

Porto 2-1 APOEL: Incredible Hulk Powers Hosts To Victory

The Porto forward scored a goal in each half to give the home side a valuable win.

Hulk was the hero for Porto as he scored twice to see his team come from behind despite being reduced to ten men midway through the second half of this Champions League encounter.

The win takes the Portuguese giants to within touching distance of a place in the next phase of the competition as they moved onto six points, while APOEL remain with just one point along with Atletico Madrid.

In Jesualdo Ferreira’s 100th game in charge of the home team, he will be pleased with the spirit and determination that his side showed in what proved to be a hard-fought encounter that became even more difficult after Mariano Gonzalez was dismissed.

Having beaten Atletico Madrid in their previous home encounter Porto were confident of picking up further points against APOEL in order to remain tucked in behind Chelsea in Group D.

A bright start would have encouraged Ferreira but after Hulk and Meireles tested the keeper it appeared that Dionisios Chiotis would be the first to be beaten in the visitors goal.

It was not to be though as APOEL stunned their hosts by taking the lead in the 22nd minute when Alvaro Pereira helped the ball over his own line while trying to stop Konstantinos Charalambidis from meeting Chrysostomos Michail’s cross.

Real Madrid 2-3 AC Milan: Pato Double Helps Sink Blancos

There was more than a hint of a goalkeeping nightmare for both glovesmen during an exciting tie at the Bernabeu, which lived up to its billing.

Real Madrid went down to AC Milan in the Champions League group stage at the Bernabeu to leave the two clubs level on 6 points in Group C; a brace from Alexandre Pato and a stunning Andrea Pirlo strike were enough to sink the hosts, who registered goals through Raul and Royston Drenthe. 

Dida’s interventions on 19 minutes gifted the Blancos’ captain a 66th goal in the competition before Milan restored parity though Pirlo’s wonderful effort just after the hour. 

A defensive calamity, a combination of awfulness between Pepe, Raul Albiol and Iker Casillas, allowed a Massimo Ambrosini through-ball to run through to Pato a moment later; the Brazilian could not believe his luck and stroked the ball home with minimal fuss. 

Drenthe smashed a leveller with just over 10 minutes to play and Raul saw an offside effort chalked off before Thiago Silva thought he won it for the visitors. 

His compatriot, Pato, did in the 87th minute from Seedorf’s through pass as the Madrid defensive line was typically shoddy.

VfL Wolfsburg 0 – 0 Besiktas: Bore Draw In Germany As Grafite Sees Red

German champions held at home in a dull encounter notable for a slap from a frustrated Brazilian.

After Manchester United’s earlier win in Moscow VfL Wolfsburg and Besiktas came into the game knowing a win could put them in prime position for the coveted second spot in Group B. 

It was the home side who motored into early action in the Volkswagen Arena with prolific marksman Edin Dzekolooking particularly lively up front for the German champions.

The lanky Bosnian was a persistent threat in the opening 45 minutes and was the recipient of several fine crosses from Marcel Schafer making forays down the left hand channel.

Dzeko should have put Die Wolfe ahead in the ninth minute when he latched onto one such cross but although he was unmarked he blazed his header over the bar. 

In the battle of the Brazilian strikers, Grafite for VfL and Bobo for Besiktas, it was the latter who looked the more imposing in the first half. 
Bobo stood out for the Turks and went close on the half hour mark after a neat flick put him one one one with Benaglio only for the Swiss keeper to block bravely at his feet to keep the scores level. 

Chelsea 4-0 Atletico Madrid: Blues Bounce Back In Style

Saloman Kalou’s double helps Chelsea sink Atletico.

Chelsea made it three wins out of three in Group D, with a comfortable win over disappointing Spaniards Atletico Madrid.

It was Salomon Kalou who was the Chelsea hero with two goals either side of the break, plus a first goal in ten matches for Frank Lampard and an Atletico own goal, that erased some of the woe from Saturday’s defeat at Villa Park and sees Chelsea top of their group, with one foot firmly in the next round.

Chelsea made four changes from the side that lost to Aston Villa at the weekend, with Branislav Ivanovic, Juliano Belletti, Michael Ballack and Kalou coming in – Ricardo Carvalho, Florent Malouda, the injured Jose Bosingwa and the suspended Didier Drogba making way.

Former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan returned to the Atletico Madrid side after being rested for the 3-0 loss against Osasuna. Raul Garcia started his first game since the opening day of the season, while Jose Antonio Reyes, formerly of Arsenal, and Florent Sinama-Pongolle – once of Liverpool and Blackburn – were on the bench.

CSKA Moscow 0-1 Manchester United: Persistence Pays Off As Late Valencia Strike Seals Victory

Valencia’s late goal maintains Red devil’s perfect start.

An Antonio Valencia halfvolley five minutes from time was enough to secure a 1-0 victory for Mancester United at CSKA Moscow as they returned to the scene of their Champions League triumph back in 2008.

Nemanja Vidic looked shaky during the early stages of the match, and on five minutes his Sloppy play in the middle of United’s half presented Milos Krasic with an opportunity to attack.  The midfielder proceeded by dummying Rio Ferdinand, but unfortunately for CSKA his struck effort from the edge of the box lofted shot wildly over van der Sar’s goal.

Igor Akinfeev, relatively untroubled thus far in the half, demonstrated a moment of uncertainty on the quarter-hour mark as the Russian goalkeeper flapped unimpressively a deep cross from Fabio Da Silva.

Brazilian midfielder Anderson, under much scrutiny so far this season attempted to impress his manager a fans with a free kick on 25 minutes, but his tame effort made easy picking for Akinfeev.   

Moments later, veteran Paul Scholes hit a far more impressive effort.  Incorporating the much talked-about artificial surface, Scholes hit a strike from around thirty yards which bounced awkwardly in front of Akinfeev, and the goalkeeper could only parry away nervously.  

FC Zurich 0-1 Marseille: Gabriel Heinze Earns OM First Win

A rare right-foot volley from Gaby was enough to keep Marseille’s Champions League campaign alive.

Marseille remained in the hunt to progress to the Champions League group stage as they picked up their first points of the competition this campaign thanks to Gabriel Heinze’s right-footed volley in what was a sloppy encounter against FC Zurich.

The visitors had the ball in the back of the net as early as the third minute when Cheyrou’s freekick from 20 yards out was spilled by Leoni and Brandao bundled the rebound over the line, but the whistle had already gone after two players were adjudged to have been offside when the delivery came in.

The French side continued to dominate possession but their inability to find the killer ball in the final third meant that the Zurich goal was rarely threatened. The hosts gradually got into the game and after 22 minutes, they had their first look-in at the Marseille goal but Gajic’s left-footed drive flew well wide of Mandanda’s right post.

Cheyrou tried his luck again from distance just before the half hour mark after the Swiss side made a hash of a simple clearance, but the OM midfielder could only drag his shot wide.

Neither team were able to string any more than three meaningful passes together before giving the ball away. The lack of clear-cut chances infront of goal was evident and the frustration showed when Okonkwo rifled in a shot from all of 30 yards out which flew horribly high and wide. Lucho was next to hammer an off-target shot towards goal and moments later, Hilton came close for Marseille when he rose high to meet Valbuena’s flick on but he sent his header over the bar from six yard out.