Wily Shakhtar seek to hold Roma in check

Mircea Lucescu said FC Shakhtar Donetsk are "ready to fight" to defend their 3-2 UEFA Champions League round of 16 first-leg lead at home against AS Roma, but Vincenzo Montella believes his side have "the ambition and the ability" to prevail in his first European game as coach.

Mircea Lucescu, Shakhtar coach
The team are well prepared, we are ready to fight. The players gave their all in our latest training session and everyone is ready to play apart from Olexandr Kucher. The pitch is in excellent condition. In the past we had problems and had to play at the RSC Olimpiyskiy, but everything is very well now.

Since Vincenzo Montella's appointment Roma have changed their style. I have a feeling that the days of Luciano Spalletti are returning. We are familiar with their attacking style of play because we played against Roma five years ago in the Champions League group stage. The absence of Marco Cassetti and Jérémy Menez through suspension will not weaken Roma: they have enough top-class players to replace them.

It's very important for us to win tomorrow. Our opponents naturally want revenge, but Shakhtar have enough experience to get a proper result. We need to qualify and after that we will think about what comes next. It's too early to speak about it right now.

Vincenzo Montella, Roma coachWe have come to Donetsk with the ambition and the ability to win. Right now all of us are completely focused on Shakhtar. We will start our preparations for the derby match against [S.S.] Lazio after the Champions League game.

Shakhtar are a well-organised team. We have all had a chance to assess them from their performance in Rome. We have to make the game difficult for them. It is very important to not let them play the way they want to. I am very optimistic about our chances to win here. Roma have great potential, but we must all pull together if we are to win.

It is very important for me to achieve a unity of purpose in the team. I have a lot of enthusiasm and am trying to live up to this role. I have a good understanding with [captain] Francesco Totti. He listens to my advice and does everything I tell him to do.

Team news
• Shakhtar
Fernandinho is back in action after recovering from a broken leg, but Kucher is out with a knee problem. Dmytro Chygrinskiy, Olexiy Gay, Luiz Adriano and Răzvan Raţ are within a booking of a one-match ban.

• Roma
Menez and Marco Cassetti are serving one-match suspensions. Adriano has not played since dislocating his shoulder in January, while Simone Perrotta misses the next match if he receives a card in Donetsk.

Latest resultsThursday: FC Sevastopol 0-1 Shakhtar
(Luiz Adriano 90+6)
Lucescu's side prevailed in their first Ukrainian Premier League fixture since 28 November, and have now won their last 13 competitive matches, and 28 of their 31 fixtures this term. Shakhtar have won all 15 of their home games this season, and 18 in a row at home in all competitions.

Friday: US Lecce 1-2 Roma
(Giacomazzi 75; Vučinić 32, Pizarro 90pen)
David Pizarro's first goal since 14 March 2010 earned Roma's seventh win in 19 away games this season. Of the 39 Serie A goals the Giallorossi have conceded this season, 25 have come in the last half-hour of games.

Did you know?
Shakhtar have gone through on the five previous occasions they won the first leg of a European tie away from home, including in the 1997/98 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup first round when a 3-2 victory at Boavista FC was followed by a 1-1 draw in Ukraine.

Roma bring Adriano back to Italy

AS Roma have announced the signing of Brazil striker Adriano from CR Flamengo on a free transfer.

The former FC Internazionale Milano forward, 28, has signed a three-year deal with Roma. Nicknamed 'l'Imperatore' – the Emperor – Adriano arrived in Italy for the first time in 2001, signing for Inter and going on to score 48 goals in 123 Serie A appearances.

However, he spent much of his stint in Milan on loan to other clubs, including ACF Fiorentina, Parma FC and São Paulo FC, eventually returning to his first club Flamengo last year after ending his contract with the Nerazzurri by mutual consent. In his first season back in his homeland, he helped the Brazilian club win the national title with 19 goals in 32 games. He has also struck 27 times in 47 senior appearances for the Seleção, but is not in Dunga's FIFA World Cup squad in South Africa.

Roma captain Francesco Totti said: "I want to give the Emperor a warm welcome to Rome. We will do everything possible to help him feel at home. We have a few Brazilian players in the squad and I'm sure they will help Adriano adapt quickly. I'm sure he will show us all the qualities we know he has, and together we can achieve great results." Roma will play in the UEFA Champions League group stage next season after finishing second in Serie A.

Adriano and Roma part company

AS Roma have cancelled their contract with Brazilian striker Adriano by mutual consent with the 29-year-old having failed to score in five Serie A games this season.

Adriano joined Roma from CR Flamengo on a three-year contract last summer, and is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury. Nicknamed 'l'Imperatore' – the emperor – Adriano first came to Italy to join FC Internazionale Milano in 2001, and also had loan spells at ACF Fiorentina, Parma FC and São Paulo FC before returning to his first club, Flamengo, in 2009. Adriano has scored 27 goals in 47 senior appearances for Brazil.

Spain: Sevilla FC v FC Barcelona (Sunday, 21.00)

With Gregorio Manzano's eighth-placed outfit striving to push themselves back into European qualifying contention, the Andalusians will not want to lose to table-topping Barcelona. A daunting task, yet not an impossible one according to Sevilla midfielder Diego Perotti. "Barcelona are the best, but little by little other teams are beginning to understand them more," the 22-year-old Argentinian said. "They play a different style of football to everyone else but we have to be focused and stand up to them. Beating Barcelona would not save our season but it would feel great."

Austria: FK Austria Wien v SK Rapid Wien (Sunday, 16.00)

The 296th edition of the most celebrated Vienna derby finds 16-time champions Rapid sixth in the Bundesliga and eight points short of leaders Austria Wien. Midfielder Veli Kevlak is nursing a stress fracture of the kneecap and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink has torn a thigh muscle, leaving Rapid with two big pairs of boots to fill as they seek a repeat of their 1-0 success over Austria Wien at the Franz-Horr-Stadion earlier this term. However, their rivals expect a battle, regardless of who does or does not play. "Even if Rapid are a long way behind us, we have to give everything we've got in these matches," warned Austria Wien's right-back Florian Klein.

Italy: AS Roma v S.S. Lazio (Sunday, 15.00)

Eliminated by FC Shakthar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday, Roma must attempt to blaze a trail towards next season's competition when they play fourth-placed S.S. Lazio in the 'derby capitolino'. Five points and two positions behind their city rivals, the Giallorossi have taken seven points from three Serie A outings since Vincenzo Montella took over from Claudio Ranieri. "We have a chance to respond immediately to the Shakhtar defeat," said Roma defender Nicolás Burdisso. "This is the most important game of the season." Lazio striker Sergio Floccari concurred: "The derby is always the game for us but this one is particularly important because it could be crucial in the race for the Champions League."

Romania: FC Rapid Bucureşti v FC Dinamo Bucureşti (Saturday, 19.00)

The Bucharest duo sit level on points in fourth and fifth spots in Liga I but, having fallen 12 adrift of leaders FC Oţelul Galaţi, neither can afford to slip up as they scramble for European qualification. Rapid are without suspended defender Marius Constantin, with captain Costin Lazăr also a doubt amid wrangles over a contract extension. "I only want players who are totally focused," said coach Marius Șumudică, whose side last beat Dinamo in August 2008. Dinamo boss Ioan Andone "could not sleep" after last week's 2-2 home draw with struggling CS Pandurii Lignitul Târgu Jiu, yet may rest easier given a victory at Rapid. "We still believe we can win the title, but to get back into the race we have to win our next three matches," he said. "Against Rapid anything can happen."

Czech Republic: FC Viktoria Plzeň v AC Sparta Praha (Saturday, 17.20)

On a seven-game winning run, Sparta will look to go top in the Czech Republic for the first time this season as they meet First League frontrunners Viktoria Plzeň, who led them by 12 points during the autumn. Sparta coach Jozef Chovanec serves a touchline ban, but January signing Tomáš Pekhart – who scored 11 top-flight goals for FK Jablonec before the winter break – could make his league debut for the club. Plzeň have just one victory from their last four matches, and dropped two points with a missed penalty at 1. FC Slovácko on 5 March, yet Sparta cast-offs Pavel Horváth, Daniel Kolář and Jan Rezek have a point to prove. Coach Pabel Vrba said: "These players are at their best under pressure."

Germany: FC Bayern München v Hamburger SV (Saturday, 15.30)

Hamburg boss Armin Veh described this fixture as a game "between two stricken sides", with both clubs falling well short of expectations this season. Bayern, in fifth, have little hope of defending their Bundesliga title while Hamburg – two positions further back – are out of the all-important European places. This week it was also announced that Veh and Bayern coach Louis van Gaal would be leaving their posts at the season's end. Will that undermine their teams? "Only the future will tell," Veh said cryptically. "If you win, it works. If you lose, it might work eventually, but people start saying it doesn't." Bayern captain Philipp Lahm added: "The team have to respond now, every player has to do his duty."

Inside Real Madrid

Figo, Beckham, Zidane, Ronaldo... The best players in the world joined the Club and formed one of the most spectacular teams in history. The Santiago Bernabéu was expanded and the new Real Madrid City in Valdebebas was built. The crowning moment was the Club’s ninth European Cup title.

The Real Madrid Sports City rezoned
After the mandatory formalities, Real Madrid's Sports City was rezoned after a three-way agreement that was signed in the headquarters of Madrid's Autonomous Community Council on 7 May 2001. The three parties implicated were Florentino Pérez, José María Álvarez del Manzano and Alberto Ruiz Gallardón in representation of Real Madrid, the City Council and the Madrid Autonomous Community, respectively. The agreement accrued income worth ESP 80,000 million - EUR 480 million for the Club.

The King of Spain, Honourary Centenary President
In the prelude to the celebrations of the Real Madrid Centenary, Florentino Pérez and the Board of Directors unanimously agreed to offer His Majesty the King of Spain the Honourary Centenary President distinction. The monarch accepted the honorary presidency with his habitual modesty.

A Centenary riddled with successes
The Club Centennial took place in 2002 and attracted worldwide acclaim. From the sporting perspective, Madrid won their ninth European Cup after defeating Bayer Leverkusen in Glasgow 2-1; the first European Super Cup against Feyenoord with an identical result (2-1); and their third Intercontinental Cup beating Club Olimpia by 2-0 in Tokyo. One could not have wished for a better 100-year anniversary.

Florentino Pérez resigns
On 27 February 2006, Florentino Pérez irrevocably resigned his Presidential post. Fernando Martín became the acting President, followed by Luis Gómez Montejano, who in turn called last summer's Presidential elections.

Ramón Calderón elected President
The Real Madrid presidency was disputed by five candidates, Ramón Calderón, Juan Palacios, Juan Miguel Villar Mir, Lorenzo Sanz and Arturo Baldasano. Following the 2 July 2006 vote, Ramón Calderón was elected President after having won the in-person vote.

Capello's comeback
On 5 July 2006, Fabio Capello signed for Madrid for the second time in his life. The Italian manager asked for and got the signings of Cannavaro, Emerson, Diarra, Reyes and Van Nistelrooy. The winter transfer window saw three new players join the Whites: Marcelo, Higuaín and Gago.

Death of Puskas
Ferenc Puskas Biro died on 17 November 2006 from an illness he had been suffering from for a long time; he was 79 years old.

Honourary Club Member Joseph Blatter
FIFA President Joseph Blatter was awarded the Club’s Gold and Diamond Insignia by Honourary President Alfredo di Stéfano, whom Blatter considers to be the all-time greatest football player. Real Madrid also made the FIFA Premier an Honourary Club Member.

ULEB Cup
The first of the two titles won by the basketball section in 2007 was the ULEB Cup. Real Madrid were practically invincible throughout the competition and defeated Unics Kazan and Lietuvos Rytas in the semifinals and final, respectively.

League champions
The ‘Together we can, together we stand’ campaign worked wonders and got the fans and the team to stand together and eventually win the Club’s 30th football League title. The Whites won the title after an impressive comeback against Mallorca the last day of the competition (3-1). It was Ramón Calderón’s first football title as President.

ACB Champions
One week later, the Basketball team also won its 30th League title by defeating Barcelona in the playoffs at the Palau Blaugrana. Pamesa and Joventut also fell against them on their road to victory. Felipe Reyes earned MVP honours in the final.

March 6 2008
Real Madrid turns 106 today. Since its foundation, the Club has been extremely successful and has embodied the greatest of sports values: to always have a fighting spirit and respect your opponent.

Back to Back league titles
The 2007/08 season began with a new project under new head coach Bernd Schuster and several new faces in the lineup: Robben, Heinze, Sneijder, Drenthe, Saviola, and Metzelder. Real Madrid took hold atop the table in Matchday 2 with a 0-5 victory over Villarreal, a position they never abandoned throughout the year. The Whites ended the campaign as the highest scoring (84 goals) and the least scored upon (36) team. They also established a new La Liga record by notching 85 points, 18 more than third place Barcelona.

Eighth Spanish Super Copa
After winning their second consecutive league title, Real Madrid faced Valencia in the Spanish Super Cup prior to the start of the 2008/09 season. Valencia won the first leg 3-2, but despite falling behind in the return leg at the Bernabeu, the Whites mounted an incredible turn around to claim their eighth Spanish Super Cup.

Florentino Perez begins second term as President
Florentino Perez returned to the presidency of Real Madrid on 1 June 2009 during an election campaign in which he ran unopposed, perhaps due to the overwhelming support of members as evidenced by several polls taken by major media outlets. Under the slogan "Excitement Returns", the Florentino Perez candidacy brought about a sense of optimism that helped raise spirits after experiencing the dominance displayed by Barcelona. A new and exciting project backed by the legacy left by the same Board that ruled over the club for nearly six years is underway; six years during which Real Madrid lived some of its most memorable highlights ever.