UNITED CONNECT WITH AIRTEL

Bharti Airtel, Asia's leading integrated telecom services provider, today announced a five-year partnership with Manchester United.

This partnership will enable Airtel customers across India, Sri Lanka and the Seychelles will get exclusive access to rich and exclusive United content on their mobile phones.

In addition, Airtel users will get opportunities to participate in training sessions with Manchester United Soccer Schools coaches, to attend matches at Old Trafford and travel into Europe with United to UEFA Champions League games.

The announcement was made at Old Trafford by Sanjay Kapoor, Deputy CEO, Bharti Airtel in the presence of United's David Gill (CEO), Richard Arnold (Director of Commercial), Sir Alex Ferguson and players Darren Fletcher, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez.

“We are very excited to partner with Manchester United, a powerful global brand with huge following across the world and in India,” said Sanjay Kapoor, Deputy CEO, Bharti Airtel.

“Football is definitely seeing a growing interest amongst the young population in India. Therefore, we are making a pioneering effort to bring to them rich football content on their mobiles, a fantastic opportunity to be part of the world’s leading football club through participation in Soccer Schools, and also an opportunity to watch matches across Europe.”

David Gill said: “Manchester United is delighted to announce the partnership with Bharti Airtel, India’s largest telecommunications company and one of Asia’s emerging global brands. This partnership demonstrates the enduring strength of the Club internationally.

"We are very proud to have Bharti Airtel as the first Indian company to partner with United. This major partnership will bring the action and the passion of United directly to the millions of our fans across India and other Asian countries."

On whether the partnership could help develop Indian football, Sir Alex Ferguson said:

"Cricket may be India's number one at the moment but I think football is accelerating fast behind it as an emerging sport.

"I hope that maybe some day we will see a young Indian boy in the red strip at Old Trafford because one thing that’s always true of young people is that if you give them an opportunity, they surprise you. Hopefully more young players in India will now get the opportunity to become part of a strong sport.”

The rich and exclusive United content for Airtel customers will include video highlights of Barclays Premier League and UEFA Champions League matches, classic goal clips, match reports and editorial features plus a range of popular downloads including mobile games, ringtones, animations and wallpapers. 

Manchester United FC are one game away from becoming the first team to retain the UEFA Champions League after Cristiano Ronaldo led a devastating display at Arsenal FC that swept Sir Alex Ferguson's side into the final in Rome.

Early advantage
Leading 1-0 after last week's first leg, early goals from Ji-Sung Park (8) and Ronaldo (11) left Arsenal reeling and all but booked United's place at the Stadio Olimpico on 27 May. The visitors' effervescence was summed up by their third goal a minute past the hour as Ronaldo, Park and Rooney were all involved in a lightning counterattack that ended with the Portuguese finding the roof of the net. United's night ended on a sour note, however, as Darren Fletcher collected a late red card for a foul on Cesc Fàbregas, Robin van Persie converting the resulting penalty to give Arsenal the scantest of consolations. What made the difference for United over the two legs – and how keenly will Fletcher's absence be felt in the final?

Making history
AC Milan were the last side to win two successive European Champion Clubs' Cup finals, in 1989 and 1990, but no team has managed the feat since the UEFA Champions League era began in 1992. Indeed, Juventus were the last defending champions to reach the final the following year, but lost the 1997 showpiece to BV Borussia Dortmund, while Valencia CF were runners-up in 2000 and 2001. How good are this United team – and can they go on to make history? What have been the secrets of their success? And how does Sir Alex Ferguson go on producing sides that are in contention for the top prizes year after year?

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LA LIGA-Barcelona vs Getafe

Lionel Messi gave FC Barcelona a 1-0 win at Getafe CF on Saturday to maintan their six-point lead in the Liga over second-placed Real Madrid CF who triumphed 1-0 at RC Recreativo de Huelva.

Deflected winner
Messi struck his 20th league goal this season after 19 minutes in a dominant Barça display at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez to seal the UEFA Champions League semi-finalists' sixth straight victory in the Spanish top flight. The Argentina forward picked up Xavi Hernández's pass in the area, skipped around a group of defenders and struck a deflected shot that had enough power to beat goalkeeper Vladimir Stojković.

Capital gains
Brazilian defender Marcelo scored the only goal as Madrid accounted for relegation-threatened Recreativo, keeping Barcelona in range ahead of their meeting at the Santiago Bernabéu in two weeks' time. City rivals Club Atlético de Madrid won 3-0 at home to struggling Numancia and moved up to fourth place, above Valencia CF on goal difference, thanks to second-half strikes from midfielder Éver Banega, striker Diego Forlán and winger Simão.

Arsenal vs Chelsea F.A cup semi final

Didier Drogba's strike six minutes from time earned Chelsea FC a 2-1 victory against London rivals Arsenal FC in the first FA Cup semi-final at Wembley and ended the Gunners' hopes of a first domestic trophy since 2005.

Lively encounter
Having prevented Arsenal from falling behind early on when he raced back to clear Drogba's goal-bound header, Kieran Gibbs teed up the opener for Theo Walcott on 18 minutes, floating a ball to the far post for the England striker to place a side-foot volley across Petr Čech. Chelsea had played their part in an open contest, though, and equalised a quarter of an hour later when Florent Malouda collected Frank Lampard's raking crossfield pass, cut inside Emmanuel Eboué and beat Łukasz Fabiański at his near post. The pace was unrelenting and moments later Nicolas Anelka capitalised on Abou Diaby's hesitancy and curled a shot against the post.

Drogba goal
Despite both clubs being in UEFA Champions League action in midweek, winning quarter-final ties, the tempo remained high early in the second half and Walcott's low ball across the Chelsea area just evaded the sliding Robin van Persie, before Lampard volleyed Drogba's cross wide. However, just when the tie looked to be drifting towards extra time, Drogba raced on to Lampard's long ball, rounded the onrushing Fabiański and rolled the ball into the empty net to earn the Blues their first FA Cup victory over Arsenal since 1947 and their ninth final appearance. Everton FC tackle Manchester United FC in the second semi on Sunday, with the final to be played on 30 May – three days after the UEFA Champions League showpiece in Rome.

Facts about man u vs arsenal

Manchester United FC v Arsenal FC
Wednesday 29 April – Old Trafford
Tuesday 5 May – Arsenal Stadium

• Since meeting for the first time on 13 October 1894, the clubs have played 204 times. The Gunners have 77 wins to United's 82.

• Apart from last season's final, Manchester United have never met an English club in the UEFA Champions League.

• Arsenal have faced English opposition in Europe on two previous occasions, losing quarter-finals to Chelsea in 2003/04 and Liverpool last season.

• United's ten preceding semi-final appearances have brought just three victories, the most recent being last season when they eliminated Barcelona on their way to a final victory against Chelsea in Moscow.

• Arsenal have a 100 per cent record in UEFA Champions League semi-finals, having beaten Villarreal CF in their only previous appearance in 2005/06.

• The clubs are the only teams to win the English league and FA Cup double three times. United did it in 1994, 1996 and 1999; Arsenal in 1971, 1998 and 2002.
  

Facts about chelsea vs barcelona

FC Barcelona v Chelsea FC
Tuesday 28 April – Camp Nou
Wednesday 6 May – Stamford Bridge

• It is the third time the clubs have met in the latter stages. Barcelona won an epic quarter-final in 1999/00, 6-4 on aggregate after scoring twice in extra time, and also had the edge in the first knockout round in 2005/06 en route to winning a second European Champion Clubs' Cup. Twelve months earlier at the same stage John Terry headed a late winner to send the Blues through 5-4 on aggregate.

• Barcelona have won four of the nine previous semi-finals they have contested – those successes coming in 1960/61, 1985/86, 1993/94 and 2005/06 – in addition to advancing to the 1991/92 final as winners of their last-eight group.

• Barcelona's home record against English opposition is impressive, with 13 wins, nine draws and just two losses from 24 previous meetings. Both those defeats came against Liverpool: a 1-0 reverse in the 1975/76 UEFA Cup semi-final first leg, and then a 2-1 defeat in the 2006/07 first knockout round.

• Last season's semi-final defeat by Manchester United means the Spanish club have won seven and lost nine of 16 two-legged contests against English opponents.

• Chelsea are in the semi-finals for the fifth time in six seasons. Their victory against Liverpool last season followed two previous defeats by the Reds, while they also lost at this stage in 2003/04, succumbing 5-3 on aggregate against AS Monaco FC.

Drama in store in the last four

Victories for Manchester United FC and Arsenal FC last night guarantee an English presence in the UEFA Champions League showpiece in Rome on 27 May, while a second successive all-English final would be on the cards if Chelsea FC were to get the better of FC Barcelona in the other tie. uefa.com looks at the history behind the fixtures ahead of the eagerly awaited last-four ties.