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"When I took on the job I didn't imagine a game like this, when you consider where we were and the progress that we have made," Lennon told The Guardian.

"What I did think at the start of the season was that if we could get through the qualifiers we could make inroads in the Champions League with the players that we had.

West Bromwich Albion withstood a dominant Liverpool and pounced late in a stunning 2-0 Premier league defeat of the Reds on Monday.

In a match dominated by Liverpool, who wasted a spate of opportunities in front of goal including a missed penalty from Steven Gerrard in the second half, West Brom netted twice in the final 10 minutes through Gareth McAuley and Romelu Lukaku to record their second consecutive win at Anfield. 

Luis Suarez was the first to threaten with a flashed volley that drifted wide of Ben Foster's right-hand post before Jonjo Shelvey stroked home a rebound only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.

Paris Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti has rubbished suggestions his side are favourites ahead of their clash with Valencia on Tuesday.

The Ligue 1 leaders go into their last-16 Champions League encounter without Thiago Motta and Thiago Silva and the Italian is expecting a difficult encounter against quality opposition.

"I do not think we are favorites for this game, we're playing against a team who are very well organised and have very good players," Ancelotti told reporters.

"Both teams are currently in good form. I think it will be an open game. I don't think it'll be a physical game, but tactical.

Rafael Nadal has maintained returning to action at the VTR Open in Chile was the right decision despite admitting his left knee still hurts.

Nadal made the final in both the singles and the doubles in Vina del Mar having not played since last year's Wimbledon grand slam tournament due to his left knee's patella tendon being partially torn.

The 26-year-old Spaniard revealed after the ATP 250 event in Chile that the troublesome knee is still causing him pain but he is confident he is on the right track.

"The knee is still bothering me but you have to face adversity with the best possible face and look forward to keep working and enjoy what I like the most, to play tennis," Nadal said on Sunday.

Barcelona's Gerard Pique hopes Manchester United will reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League at the expense of Real Madrid.

The Spain international played for United from 2004 until 2008, and he is hopeful his former team can beat Barca's arch-rivals in the round of 16, with the first leg of the tie scheduled to take place at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.

"I would like Manchester United to make it to the next round," Pique told reporters.

"I would like them to progress because of my time at the club. However, Madrid have been in good form in recent weeks. It promises to be an interesting tie."

Domingos Paciencia has left his post as Deportivo La Coruna coach by mutual consent after just six weeks in charge of the Galician outfit.

Deportivo sit at the bottom of La Liga, six points from safety, and Fernando Vazquez will oversee their bid to stay in the top flight after being appointed interim coach.

"Something has to change, and if that means me leaving, I will do what the club want," Paciencia told reporters after Saturday's 3-0 home loss to Granada.

"The situation is not easy, and I am worried about Depor."

Deportivo have lost their last four Liga mathces, and have won just once since the beginning of November.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson believes winning the Champions League is Real Madrid's priority this season.

The two sides are set to go head-to-head at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday.

And, with Real 16 points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona in Spain, Ferguson expects Jose Mourinho's men to be fully committed to progressing in Europe.

"I think their target is the European Cup," Ferguson told the club's official website. 

"They got a bad start in the league and were chasing their tail a bit because Barcelona's form has been incredible. I think Jose has set his targets firmly on the European Cup, no doubt about that.