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Fan admits breach of peace after Dida clash

The Celtic fan who slapped AC Milan goalkeeper Dida during his team's Champions League match at Parkhead admitted a breach of the peace on Friday.

Robert McHendry, 27, ran onto the pitch to celebrate Scott McDonald's last minute winner on Wednesday and taunted Dida before making contact with the Brazilian's face.

The goalkeeper started to chase after the supporter but then theatrically fell to the ground as if in pain and had to be stretchered off.

McHendry handed himself in to police the morning after the incident, which could lead to Celtic being hit with severe penalties after UEFA announced it had launched a disciplinary investigation.

He told Glasgow Sheriff Court that he had got "carried away" by the late goal.

"I was running over to celebrate with the team. As I was running by I tapped the keeper of AC Milan on the shoulder," McHendry said.

"I said 'Unlucky, Dida' and continued running towards the team."

McHendry, of Cambuslang, near Glasgow, will be sentenced next month after reports.



Bremen sweat on Almeida, welcome back Sanogo

Werder Bremen are sweating on the fitness of their Portuguese goal-scorer Hugo Almeida as they prepare to face Duisburg on Saturday.

The 23-year-old Portugal international has scored six goals already this season, five in the Bundesliga, but missed training on Friday after picking up a foot injury in his side's 3-1 Champions League defeat to Olympiakos in midweek.

"He took a heavy knock to the foot against Olympiakos, but we are hoping he will be fit to face Duisburg, we will have to wait and see," said Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf on Friday.

Almeida travelled with the squad to Duisburg, but Bremen have top-scorer Boubacar Sanogo - who has netted seven times this season with five of them in the Bundesliga - back from a hip injury.

Inter aiming to bounce back in Europe

High-flying Inter Milan will be aiming to repeat their impressive domestic form on the European stage when they host PSV Eindhoven in Champions League action on Tuesday.

Inter won 4-1 at Roma on Saturday in a victory which propelled them two points clear in the Italian championship after six matches. Their start to the European campaign has not been so good, however.

Inter, missing a number of key players including injured pair Marco Materazzi and Patrick Vieira, struggled under constant pressure from Fenerbahce, losing 1-0 in Istanbul in their opening Group G game two weeks ago.

Neither Materazzi nor Vieira played against Roma and coach Roberto Mancini, who has other injury worries, will be hoping he has better news on the injury front by Tuesday.

Mancini will also be deprived of Colombian defender Ivan Ramiro Cordoba and Argentine striker Julio Ricardo Cruz who are both disqualified for the tie.

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti was delighted the form his side are beginning to show ahead of their first European meeting with PSV, although that is tempered by the Italians' poor record against Dutch sides.

"This is a fundamental victory for us, for the players and for our morale in general, and for Mancini who showed he's a great coach," said Moratti after the Roma defeat.

"Too many things have been said about Inter in 1recent weeks. To be honest, we're used to these things. The only annoying thing is the injuries.

"Mancini did very well. He's a coach who knows exactly what to do."

PSV lead Group G, following their 2-1 victory over CSKA Moscow at the Philips Stadium thanks to two second-half goals from striker Danko Lazovic and midfielder Kenneth Perez, and a good result at Inter would set them up for qualification.

But the Dutch champions have had a turbulent few days.

They were kicked out of the Dutch Cup on Thursday for fielding an ineligible player and ended a bad week on Saturday by losing their top spot in the domestic league to rivals Ajax with a 1-1 draw at NAC Breda.

Ronald Koeman's side, who are on an unbroken run of eleven appearances in Europe's premier club competition, last year made it to the quarter-finals before losing in both legs to eventual finalists Liverpool.

They will be looking for their first victory on Italian soil on their eighth visit.



Hargreaves warns United to expect Roman revenge mission


Owen Hargreaves has warned Manchester United that Roma will be thirsting for revenge in Tuesday's potentially explosive Champions League tie at Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side thrashed the Italians 7-1 when they met in the quarter-finals of Europe's top club competition last season.

Only six months later, Roma have the chance to regain some pride at the scene of one of most humiliating defeats in their history.

United midfielder Hargreaves watched that game on television with his then Bayern Munich team-mates, but he will be in the firing line when Roma return to Manchester for the Group F fixture.

The England international is set to make his European debut for the Premier League champions after recovering from a thigh strain and is determined to ensure United guard against a backlash.

"There will be no repeat of the 7-1," Hargreaves said. "Those results possibly happen once every three or four years in the entire competition. It is just not going to happen again.

"We have put ourselves in a good position by winning in Lisbon. Now, we have three home games to play. If we win those we will be comfortably into the next round. Roma is the next stepping stone towards that.

"I am sure they will try to come and avenge what happened last season but I expect us to win the game."

Big European matches at Old Trafford have a special atmosphere, but there will be an added spice to the occasion after the crowd trouble that blighted both meetings between the clubs last season.

United fans were attacked by Roma hooligans and Italian police during the first leg in Rome and there were skirmishes outside Old Trafford before the return.

Security is certain to be high and both teams will need to keep their cool to avoid inflaming the situation.

Hargreaves's ability to cope with the biggest matches was one of the main reasons Ferguson was so determined to sign him and the Canadian-born star can't wait to sample the atmosphere.

"I have had a lot of experience at Bayern Munich and been successful in the Champions League, so I am very excited about playing in this competition with United," he said.

"I have heard the European nights at Old Trafford are very special, so I am looking forward to that. The atmosphere against Chelsea last week was exceptional and I look forward to a similar atmosphere, if not better, against Roma."

The principle threat to United's hopes of continuing their 100 percent start in Europe is Francesco Totti and the Italian striker will be motivated by a desire to erase the memory of the saddest night of his career.

Totti has been Roma's captain and talisman for over a decade, as well as helping Italy win last year's World Cup.

His dazzling reputation was further bolstered last season as he claimed 26 goals for Roma to earn the European Golden Boot, awarded to the continent's top scorer.

But the 31-year-old was completely anonymous as Roma slumped to that dismal defeat in Manchester.

Luciano Spalletti's side crumbled under the pressure of a overwhelming performance that Ferguson was moved to describe as United's best in Europe during his 21-year reign at Old Trafford.

Totti was devastated by the loss and would love nothing better than to exact a measure of revenge.

Roma endured a miserable preparation for what promised to be their toughest assignment in the group stage when they were thrashed 4-1 at home by Inter Milan on Saturday.

Despite Hargreaves's caution, Roma's run of three games without a win will only strengthen United's belief that they are the cream of the crop in Group F.


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