The world was watching on Wednesday night when Barcelona dominated Manchester United, 2-0, to win the European Champions League title, Europe’s most prestigious club soccer tournament.

“We are not the best team of history, but we have played the best season in history to win three titles and the way we won,” said Guardiola, 38, who has won a European championship both as a Barcelona player and coach.

In the end, though, Barcelona did win, primarily by getting the ball and refusing to give it back. “For us, we are a horrible team, a disaster team, when we don’t have the ball,” Guardiola said. “We need the ball. We got it.”

Cristiano Ronaldo beat out Lionel Messi, Xavi, Fernando Torres, and last year’s winner Kaka, to win the FIFA World Player of the Year Award with a total of 935 vote points. In second place was Barcelona star Lionel Messi with 678, and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres finished third with 203. AC Milan star Kaka was fourth with 183, and Barcelona’s Xavi fifth with 155.

Ronaldo had an incredible 2007/08 season, scoring 42 goals for Manchester United, and taking the Premier League, Champions League and European Golden Boot. He followed this up this term by lifting the Club World Cup in Japan.

Ronaldo also won the prestigious Ballon d’Or (European Footballer of the Year) at the end of 2008. The 23-year-old is the first English-based player to be named FIFA World Player of the Year.

Cristiano Ronaldo could soon be adding World Player of the Year award to the European Ballon d’Or to his resume after being named to FIFA’s five-man shortlist. Ronaldo’s incredible scoring rate has him set in a sweet position for the award.

The Manchester United winger was confirmed as Europe’s best last week for scoring 42 goals and helping his side to the Premier League and Champions League double. Ronaldo’s primary competition will be coming from Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.

Spain’s European Championship winners Fernando Torres and Xavi have also been shortlisted with last year’s winner Kaka. World governing body FIFA get coaches and captains of national teams from around the world to nominate for the annual award.

An autopsy by the state medical examiner’s office has confirmed that former Portland Trail Blazer Kevin Duckworth died last week of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with congestive heart failure. Cardiomyopathy is a primary disease of the heart that, along with Duckworth’s high blood pressure, resulted in enlargement of his heart, which had been failing for some time.

The former Blazers center and two-time NBA All-Star died last Monday night in Lincoln County.
The Depoe Bay Fire Department responded to a report about 10 p.m. that night of an unconscious man at Salishan Lodge. Paramedics worked on Duckworth for 30 minutes but he never regained consciousness. He appeared to have gone into cardiac arrest, officials said. He was pronounced dead at 10:23 p.m., said Lt. Dennis Knudson.

AC Milan will introduce their newest addition, Ronaldinho to the fans and the media at San Siro stadium.
The Brazil forward, 28, decided to join the Italian superteam from Barcelona, declining a move to Manchester City. He took a medical in Milan prior to signing a contract that will keep him at the Serie A club to the end of the 2010-11 season. The city had reportedly bid £25.5m for the player, but AC Milan are believed to have paid considerably less for him. Rossoneri fans quickly bought up 5,230 season tickets on Wedneday alone, following news of Ronaldinho’s imminent arrival.

Fernando Torres was the hero for Spain by firing them to Euro 2008 glory against Germany in Vienna - and ending 44 years of disappointment.

Torres struck in the 33rd minute at Ernst Happel Stadion and despite the efforts of Germany skipper Michael Ballack, they held on to their lead to spark wild celebrations in Austria’s capital.

Spain outshot Germany 14-4, with Spain showing more fluidity and creativity on the field than the efficient German team.

The Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to trade Yi Jianlian to the New Jersey Nets for Richard Jefferson. They are also are sending Bobby Simmons to the Nets. He has $20.5 million left on a contract that expires in the summer of 2010, when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh would become free agents.

This trade might be considered a sign that the Nets are looking to get involved in the LeBron sweepstakes, based in no small part on his close friendship with Nets minority owner Jay-Z. As a result of this trade, the Nets are no longer committed to paying Jefferson $15 million in 2010-11.

Yi’s camp was said to be thrilled about going to the re-structuring Nets and playing in a major market, which was one of the original concerns when he was drafted by the Bucks last year. Yi threatened to not sign with Milwaukee in hopes of forcing a trade to another team. The Bucks will keep their No. 8 pick in the draft to further spruce up their team. The Nets hold the No. 10 pick.

The Bucks, meanwhile, are providing new coach Scott Skiles with a veteran player who can help him win. Jefferson averaged 22.6 points a game last season.

A brave Turkish side depleted by injuries and suspensions were given a taste of their own medicine when Germany scored a last minute winner to reach the final of Euro 2008. Germany were fortunate not to get behind in the 13th minute when  Akman pulled the ball back from the byline for Kazim Richards to hit the crossbar from inside the area. In the 22nd minute Kazim Richards took a swipe at a low cross, sending the ball off the crossbar into the path of Ugur who knocked the ball past the unbalanced Lehmann from 6 yards out, but the Turkish lead lasted only 4 minutes as Podolski delivered a low cross into the box which Schweinsteiger spun into the back of the net with the outside of his right foot.

Germany took the lead in the 79th minute when Klose got to a cross before Rustu and headed the ball in, but with 4 minutes left Sabri’s low cross was toe-poked in at the near post by Semih for what looked like the goal that would take the match to extra time. However, a last minute goal from Philipp Lahm ended Turkey’s dream of Euro 2008 glory .

Russia won an unexpected place in the Euro 2008 semi-finals with a thoroughly deserved 3-1 extra-time win over the Dutch on Saturday.

Coached by Dutchman Guus Hiddink, the Russians finished off their tired opponents with late goals from substitute Dmitry Torbinsky and playmaker Andrei Arshavin after the teams had finished level at 1-1 by the end of regular time.

The Russians will face the winners of Sunday’s quarter-final between Italy and Spain for a place in the Vienna showpiece

Portugal became the first team to reach the quarterfinals of soccer’s European Championship as co- host Switzerland was beaten with an injury-time goal.

Portugal, seeking its first major title, beat the Czech Republic 3-1 in Geneva yesterday after Cristiano Ronaldo scored one goal and assisted on another. Deco, Ronaldo and Ricardo Quaresma scored for Portugal yesterday, with Libor Sionko getting one for the Czech Republic. Its qualification for the last eight was assured when Turan’s shot gave Turkey the victory over the Swiss in Basel.

Portugal, the runner-up four years ago, has six points from two matches. The Czech Republic and Turkey are three points behind and meet June 15 in the final group game. Switzerland has lost both its games and will not finish in the top two.