German football legend Franz Beckenbauer says Bayern Munich can beat Real Madrid in Tuesday's Champions League semifinal first leg, if they learn from their mid-week German league defeat at Borussia Dortmund. Bayern lost 1-0 at the league leaders on Wednesday, with Dutch star Arjen Robben seeing a late penalty saved, and the defeat leaves second-placed Munich six points behind with four games left in the Bundesliga.

Real Madrid now stand between Bayern and a place in the Champions League final at Munich's Allianz Arena on May 19 and Beckenbauer says the hosts should aim for victory at home in Tuesday's first leg. "If they produce the same performance they showed in the second half (at Dortmund), then they certainly have a chance to turn over Madrid," said ex-Bayern president Beckenbauer, who captained and coached West Germany to World Cup titles.

History favours the Bavarians as Madrid have lost 10 of their 18 matches against Bayern and in four previous ties between the teams at this stage, the Germans have gone on to reach the final on three occasions. "We still have two competitions. These are the goals that we should focus on now," said captain Philipp Lahm.

Coach Jupp Heynckes has said Bayern need a win at the Allianz Arena against Mainz on Saturday in the league to boost confidence ahead of the visit of Madrid. "We need a positive mood for Madrid, so we need to focus on the next game and that is Mainz," he said.

Head coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi is upbeat despite his side’s loss to Egypt in an international friendly on Thursday.

Goals from Ahmed Tesmah, Mohammed Aboutreka and Hassan Mekky rendered strikes by Uche Kalu and Sunday Mba academic as the Pharoahs nicked a heated contest 3-2 at the Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai. Keshi refused to be saddened by the defeat praising his boys ‘for doing a good job despite the odds’.

“The boys did well despite the odds and there is nothing to feel sad about. To have played this well against such a top side gives cause to be satisfied,” the former Super Eagles captain told SuperSport.com. Keshi said there were positives to pick from the game; his first defeat since he took the reins of the national team on November 2, 2011.

“There were a lot of positives to draw from (Thursday’s) game. I am pleased with what I saw from the boys. The future is bright for Nigerian football,” he said.

RYAN GIGGS has one hand on a 13th title medal — and believes this could be the sweetest of the lot. Giggs, 38, admits the champions have been hit hard by injuries to the likes of Nemanja Vidic and Darren Fletcher for large parts of the season. They also waved goodbye to a wealth of experience in the summer — even though Paul Scholes was then lured out of retirement a few months later. And, of course, they have had to topple neighbours Manchester City who began the season in such inspired fashion but now find themselves eight points adrift.

It all adds up to a brilliant effort from the Red Devils according to the Premier League’s most decorated player. He said: “To win the title would be huge when you look at the spending power of Manchester City. “You had to give credit to City at the start of the season as they were playing well and scoring lots of goals. “Their key players were performing and they have a great squad, so even if they were going to get injuries or suspensions they were going to handle it. “We just had to hang in there. “But then there’s injuries we’ve had. We’ve not had the best luck this season — we’ve had injuries to key players such as Vidic and Fletcher. “So a lot of credit has to go to the lads who have stepped in.” In the early weeks of the campaign, it looked as though it could be a season of transition for Alex Ferguson’s champions. Giggs added: “There was also the experience we’ve lost. Scholesy for half the season, Edwin van der Sar, John O’Shea, Wes Brown.

“Then the challenge we faced in bringing in a new goalkeeper. “David de Gea came in for a lot of criticism early on but he’s worked hard and he’s showing terrific form at a key time. “Then there’s all the new talent we’ve blooded so winning it would be a massive achievement.” And Giggs said: “Scholesy coming back was a massive bonus for us at the time, having him on the pitch and around the place in training. He’s still the best trainer — you can’t get the ball off him. He does things other players can’t do.” Giggs has also been instrumental for United again — with his last-gasp winner at Norwich in February looking like one of the defining moments of the season.

He recalled: “You could see what it meant to us in the celebrations. It was pure emotion, pure relief. “It was massively important and it definitely gave everyone in the squad, as well as the fans, a lift. “You need those moments in a season if you are going to go on and win the league. Moments like that provide belief and boost confidence — just look at what Federico Macheda’s goal against Villa did for us a few years ago. “Who knows? That game at Norwich may turn out to be one of those days we look back on as being pivotal.” In this kind of form, United seem highly unlikely to take their eye off the ball and let their eight point lead slip. But Giggs insists his team-mates will not take anything for granted between now and the end of the season on May 13.

That run in starts against Wigan tomorrow night. And Giggs added: “You concentrate on doing your thing and looking after your own form personally and as a team. That is what we’ve done. “We are experienced enough to know that there are still plenty of points to be gained and lost. “Until it is mathematically impossible for us to be caught, we won’t be counting our chickens. We never do.” “The key word is momentum. We’ve chased down teams before and been chased down ourselves. “What you’re looking for is a bit of form at the right time and then feed off positive results and go on a roll. “I think we’re doing that at the moment.”

CHELSEA have sacked Andre Villas-Boas after a dismal run of results.
The Blues have struggled for consistency this season and are in danger of missing out on a top-four finish for the first time since Roman Abramovich bought the club.
Villas-Boas, 34, saw his side slump to a 1-0 defeat at West Brom yesterday and that result appears to have been the final straw for trigger-happy Abramovich. A statement on Chelsea's official website said: "Andres Villa-Boas has parted company with Chelsea Football Club today.

"The board would like to record our gratitude for his work and express our disappointment that the relationship has ended so early. "Unfortunately the results and performances of the team have not been good enough and were showing no signs of improving at a key time in the season. "The club is still competing in the latter stages of the Champions League and the FA Cup, as well as challenging for a top-four spot in the Premier League, and we aim to remain as competitive as possible on all fronts.

"With that in mind we felt our only option was to make a change at this time. "With immediate effect Roberto Di Matteo has been appointed first team coach on an interim basis until the end of the season." Chelsea travel to St Andrew's on Tuesday for an FA Cup fifth-round replay with Birmingham. Di Matteo must also lift his troops to overcome a 3-1 deficit when Napoli visit Stamford Bridge later this month.