TURIN, Italy, April 9 (Reuters) – Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has gone from bumbling pensioner to goalkeeping great in the eyes of Bayern Munich as the Bavarians attempt to make up for last week’s gaffe by honorary president Franz Beckenbauer.

Former West Germany captain and coach Beckenbauer, commenting on the match for German television, criticised 36-year-old Buffon last week over Bayern’s first goal in the last week’s Champions League quarter-final first leg.

BERNE (Reuters) – FC Basel and Fenerbahce are well-placed to reach a European semi-final for the first time in Thursday’s quarter-final second legs, with Benfica and European champions Chelsea poised to join them

Chelsea, Benfica and Fenerbahce all won by two goals at home in the first leg, a margin of victory which has generally proved sufficient in the competition’s recent past.

BERNE, April 9 (Reuters) – FC Basel and Fenerbahce are well-placed to reach a European semi-final for the first time in Thursday’s quarter-final second legs, with Benfica and European champions Chelsea poised to join them

Chelsea, Benfica and Fenerbahce all won by two goals at home in the first leg, a margin of victory which has generally proved sufficient in the competition’s recent past.

ZURICH (Reuters) – FIFA reformer Mark Pieth is perplexed by European opposition to a key part of his plan for wiping out corruption in soccer’s governing body.

He suggested that if reforms were not forthcoming at FIFA’s annual Congress in Mauritius in May, the Swiss government could hit FIFA where it hurts by making the organisation pay tax.

ZURICH, April 5 (Reuters) – FIFA reformer Mark Pieth is perplexed by European opposition to a key part of his plan for wiping out corruption in soccer’s governing body.

He suggested that if reforms were not forthcoming at FIFA’s annual Congress in Mauritius in May, the Swiss government could hit FIFA where it hurts by making the organisation pay tax.

ZURICH (Reuters) – FIFA president Sepp Blatter has expressed misgivings about the idea of relegation and points deductions as punishments for racism, suggesting it could encourage fans to deliberately try and get matches stopped.

In January, the 77-year-old Swiss proposed the possible introduction of such sanctions for teams whose fans were guilty of racism but appeared to back away from that stance during a speech at an event in Zurich on Friday.

ZURICH, April 5 (Reuters) – FIFA president Sepp Blatter has expressed misgivings about the idea of relegation and points deductions as punishments for racism, suggesting it could encourage fans to deliberately try and get matches stopped.

In January, the 77-year-old Swiss proposed the possible introduction of such sanctions for teams whose fans were guilty of racism but appeared to back away from that stance during a speech at an event in Zurich on Friday.

BERNE (Reuters) – The much-maligned Europa League threw up a bumper mix of goals, controversy and defensive blunders on Thursday as Chelsea, Benfica and Fenerbahce won by two-goal margins at home and Basel held Tottenham Hotspur.

Hosts Tottenham, the only former winners still in the competition, were at times outplayed by Switzerland’s Basel, the only domestic champions in the last eight, but scrambled a 2-2 draw in their quarter-final first leg where Gareth Bale went off injured.

BERNE, April 4 (Reuters) – The much-maligned Europa League threw up a bumper mix of goals, controversy and defensive blunders on Thursday as Chelsea, Benfica and Fenerbahce won by two-goal margins at home and Basel held Tottenham Hotspur.

Hosts Tottenham, the only former winners still in the competition, were at times outplayed by Switzerland’s Basel, the only domestic champions in the last eight, but scrambled a 2-2 draw in their quarter-final first leg where Gareth Bale went off injured.

MUNICH (Reuters) – Juventus arrived at Bayern Munich smiling and left looking downcast after being outclassed by the Bavarians in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.

Coach Antonio Conte, who has inspired an impressive revival at the club, could do little but admit that his side had been second best after a 2-0 defeat left them with a huge task in the return in Turin next Wednesday.