Rank outsiders Skenderbeu and distant Astana will line-up alongside traditional powers such as Manchester United, Valencia and Bayer Leverkusen as the Champions League playoffs get under way with first legs this week.
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“De Vrij seemed all right and I was almost angry”, Pioli said.
In his first start for CSKA since returning to his former club on loan from Roma, Seydou Doumbia lacked sharpness early-on but displayed excellent fitness and technique to level the game at 1-1 on 40 minutes. They eventually limped in fifth in Serie A, well short of expectations and outside the Champions League places, and coach Rafael Benitez left the club at the end of the season, although subsequently landed on his feet when he was appointed by Real Madrid.
“When I hit the post my leg was a little extended, and at the next sprint I felt pain at the back of my thigh”.
“We need to work hard as a team and must improve further if we want a positive result in the second leg”.
Minutes after Hakan Calhanoglu was denied a goal with a brave – but controversial – offside decision, Lazio pounced against the run of play late in the second half via Keita’s pace and precision finish.
Lazio, though, finally broke the German rearguard when Keita sped clear of markers Jonathan Tah and Kyriakos Papadopoulos before slotting a low shot into the bottom corner past Etrit Berisha, before going over the running track to celebrate with the home supporters. He’s an extraordinary striker so we are warned by his qualities.
“The result can be good, but it’s not over”, Klose said.
“It’s not over yet, we still have another game to go”. Lazio though were terrific at times last season and with much the same team this year the Italians will be hoping that they can push through this tough fixture and make it to the Group Stages of the competition for the first time in eight years.
The 1-0 at the Stadio Olimpico was decided by Keita Balde Diao, who replaced Klose in the second half.
“Let us not forget we are enormously strong on home turf”.
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Leverkusen, which had won both its competitive matches this season, should have taken the lead in the 26th minute but an effort from Lars Bender crashed off the left upright from 20 yards (meters).
