Planet transfixed by Ronaldo v Messi

When two of the world's most famous clubs come together to contest the UEFA Champions League final on 27 May in Rome, so too will two of the planet's best players.
Match-winners
Such is the talent each side boasts, though, this statement could be applied to any number of the Manchester United FC and FC Barcelona squads: Xavi Hernández and Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney and Samuel Eto'o, Thierry Henry and Dimitar Berbatov. The head-to-head of Barça's Lionel Messi and United No7 Cristiano Ronaldo, however, is perhaps the most mouthwatering contest.
Goals galore
Two of the most marketable footballers on the planet, are also two of the most deadly − Ronaldo is the joint leading scorer in the Premier League with 18 goals, quite a feat for somebody considered a winger, while Messi is not far behind the Liga's Pichichi contenders with 23. The 21-year-old Argentinian averages exactly a goal every two league games in Spain (54 in 108 matches), while United's Portuguese international is almost as prolific, with 84 in 196 domestic league appearances.
Individual awards
When put to the vote, Ronaldo holds the edge; according to his peers and journalists anyway. The 24-year-old won the FIFA World Player of the Year and the Ballon d'Or in 2008, both times nudging Messi into second place. Last season was a similar story in the UEFA Champions League scoring stakes as the former Sporting Clube de Portugal player edged Barça's No10 into the runners-up spot with his eight goals, including one in the final, to Messi's six. This term, though, Messi tops the charts with eight, while Ronaldo has scored just four to date.

'From another planet'
Asked which of the two players was the best, Barcelona's Daniel Alves opted for his team-mate, saying: "He's from another planet because his ability is unbelievable; the way he can unbalance a match." He added of the impending meeting with Ronaldo: "I think it will be quite a duel and I hope that Messi will come out on top." Messi, meanwhile, refuted the suggestion that it would be a Messi v Ronaldo final. "No, it will be Barcelona v Manchester. These are the best teams in the world and this is a final that the people hoped for."




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Pakistan lifts Swat valley curfew

Pakistan's army has temporarily lifted a curfew in large parts of the Swat valley to allow civilians to flee the intense fighting against the Taleban.
The curfew is being suspended for eight hours during the day, officials say.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has vowed the army would successfully clear the valley of militants who have largely controlled the area for months.
The UN says more than 800,000 people are living in harsh conditions in camps for those displaced by the fighting.
Thousands arrived after the curfew was eased at the weekend.
A further influx is expected on Friday as it is lifted in parts of the Swat valley from 0600 to 1400 (0100-0900GMT).
See a map of the region
About 150,000 civilians are trapped in the main city, Mingora, with gas, electricity and food increasingly scarce, the BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says.
Residents told the AFP news agency that Taleban holding the city had mined roads and dug trenches around it.
Mountain retreat
Up to 15,000 troops have now been deployed in the Swat valley and neighbouring areas to take on up to 5,000 militants.
Military operations including artillery shelling of suspected militant hideouts in Swat and the neighbouring district of Lower Dir killed about 124 militants and left nine soldiers dead in the 24 hours before the curfew was relaxed, the army said.

An influx of more internal refugees is expected with the curfew's suspension
But a Taleban spokesman, Muslim Khan, says the militants have killed at least 37 soldiers in fighting since Wednesday, with just three of their fighters killed.
The BBC's M Ilyas Khan, in Karachi, says independent confirmation of these claims is difficult as the phone system across Swat is down and tens of thousands of mobile phones have gone dead because of a lack of electricity.
As the operation stepped up on Thursday, Pakistan's army chief Gen Ashfaq Kayani visited troops on the frontlines - reportedly for the first time since the bombardment began.
He is now due to brief MPs behind closed doors on the ongoing operation.
Analysts in Pakistan believe the Taleban have been losing public sympathy since a video emerged in March showing militants flog a girl in Swat.
Statements by Maulana Sufi Mohammad, who brokered the failed peace deal between the government and Swat militants, have also caused political alarm across the country.
Displaced 'overwhelming'
The fighting is Swat has escalated this after weeks of low-level conflict between troops and militants.
The army opened a new front earlier this week by airlifting troops to Peochar, which is about 65km (40 miles) north-west of Mingora.
The army says it has made advances in the Peochar area, but militants say they have been successfully resisting, inflicting heavy casualties on government troops.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres has warned that the plight of displaced people could spark further conflict.
"If you are not able to cope with the challenges posed by overwhelming displaced... this population will become a huge factor of de-stabilisation," Mr Guterres said after visiting a camp for people displaced by the fighting.
The UN has called for a massive and urgent injection of emergency humanitarian aid.
The Pakistani government began its offensive in the Swat valley in late April.
In February, it had signed a peace agreement with the Taleban there, allowing Sharia law to be enforced, in a move sharply criticised by Washington.
But the militants then expanded into neighbouring districts, prompting the government to abandon the peace deal.

Iniesta late show shatters Chelsea (UEFA Champions League semi-final

Chelsea Barcelona
1 - 1
Essien 9 Iniesta 90+ 3




FC Barcelona stole a remarkable UEFA Champions League semi-final win through Andrés Iniesta's goal three minutes into added time to earn a showdown with Manchester United FC in Rome on 27 May.

Drama
Chelsea FC thought they had done enough to earn a repeat of last season's final as they defended Michael Essien's breathtaking ninth-minute strike with great resilience only for Essien to then err in failing to clear his lines in the dying moments. Lionel Messi squared to Iniesta and he cut his shot skilfully away from Petr Čech to give the 2006 champions – playing with ten men after Eric Abidal's second-half dismissal – victory on away goals and the chance to reclaim their crown, although they will have to do it without the suspended Abidal and Daniel Alves.

Template
The visitors set a template for the entire contest by dominating possession in the early stages with Xavi Hernández prompting away, yet their confidence soon took a dent as Essien conjured a goal totally befitting this illustrious company. The move developed down Chelsea's left with Ashley Cole prominent and Frank Lampard finding a threatening position just outside the penalty area. The midfielder saw his attempted cross brush off Yaya Touré and as the ball ballooned up Essien was alive to the possibilities, taking two steps forward before unleashing a lacerating volley with his left foot that shook the underside of the bar before coming down over the line.

Living dangerously
It was a stunning blow and Chelsea looked to kill the tie off before the Spanish league leaders could recover, with Lampard shooting over and Didier Drogba just beaten to a through ball by the onrushing Víctor Valdés. When Florent Malouda was checked illegally on the edge of the Barcelona box, Drogba went for goal from the free-kick and was frustrated to see his effort fly to safety off the goalkeeper's knee. John Terry headed just wide from the ensuing corner and two minutes later Barcelona were living dangerously again as Drogba, charging on to Lampard's lofted pass, tumbled under Abidal's challenge but referee Tom Henning Øvrebø was unmoved.

Missed opportunities
Would Chelsea come to regret those missed chances? Another followed at the start of the second half as Nicolas Anelka played in Drogba with Barça badly exposed. The Ivorian checked back inside but his attempt to find the net was foiled by the foot of Valdés and Malouda blazed the follow-up into the side-netting. In the main it was the away team who were asking the questions now, with Iniesta becoming more of an influence down the left and Alves, his first-half yellow card having ruled him out of the final, looking to raid down the opposite flank at every opportunity. Messi was not quite firing at his best in the face of constant attention from three or four defenders.

Red card
Drogba was always in the thick of things when Chelsea responded at the other end. He had another shout for a penalty denied and with the Camp Nou side throwing more men forward they were increasingly vulnerable to the counter – when Anelka went to the ground just outside the area it led to Abidal's red card. The Frenchman's dismissal increased the scale of Barcelona's task but they kept pegging away, survived a number of scares at the back, and then took their late, golden chance – Iniesta's 93rd-minute strike their first shot on target of the entire match. It was a crushing blow for Chelsea who were left to reflect on a fourth semi-final defeat in six seasons.

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Shahrukh And The Latest IPL Controversy

Shah Rukh Khan goes wild for his IPL Team

Salmans support for Preity Zinta

Kareena Kapoor and Kajol in Karan Johars next

Has Viveik Oberoi patched up with Abhi Ash