Warsaw  - UEFA president Michel Platini gave Poland the thumbs up Thursday after an inspection in Warsaw on the country's preparations for the Euro 2012 football championships.

Platini said he did not see any problems in Poland and was convinced Euro 2012, being co-hosted with Ukraine, would be a success.

The former France international said Poland would have beautiful stadiums, but more importantly football would develop in the former Soviet bloc.

London  - Roman Pavlyuchenko will seek talks with Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp after losing his first-team place at White Hart Lane, according to media reports on Thursday.

The Russia forward has not started a game since the first week of March, when he scored in the 4-0 win over Middlesbrough.

"The situation with Roman sitting on the bench is not good," said Pavlyuchenko's agent, Oleg Artemov. "It is my intention to talk to Harry Redknapp."

Madrid - Barcelona are keen to stay well on top of the Spanish Liga by winning away to modest Getafe on Saturday.

Barca are currently six points ahead of dogged pursuers Real Madrid, and will go to Getafe in good heart after Tuesday's creditable 1-1 draw away to Bayern Munich which put them in the European Champions League semi-finals.

Josep Guardiola's team picked up no injuries in Munich. They have a fully fit squad for the first time this season due to the return to fitness of Gabriel Milito, Eric Abidal and Yaya Toure.

Hamburg  - A Cristiano Ronaldo wonder goal from all of 40 metres helped Manchester United beat Porto 1-0 Wednesday to book their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

United will now meet fellow English Premier League side Arsenal after goals from Theo Walcott, Emmanuel Adebayor and a Robin van Persie penalty ensured a 3-0 win over Spanish side Villarreal for the Gunners, who progress to the last four 4-1 on aggregate.

London  - Arsenal powered their way into the semi-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday with a 3-0 thrashing of injury-hit Villareal.

The handsome win - with goals from Theo Walcott, Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin Van Persie - takes the Gunners into the semis on a 4-1 aggregate.

This is the second time in three years that Arsenal have eliminated Villarreal. In 2006 they edged the "Yellow Submarine" out of the semi-finals on a tight 1-0 aggregate - then lost the final 2-1 to Barcelona.

Porto, Portugal  - A stunning goal from Cristiano Ronaldo gave Manchester United a 1-0 victory over Porto on Wednesday, taking them into the Champions League semi-final by a 3-2 aggregate.

No English side had ever won in the Dragao Stadium, but then none perhaps have ever been able to call on a player to capable of the spectacular as Ronaldo.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had publicly criticised the Portugal winger's attitude in the build-up to the game, and he could hardly have responded more positively.