How To Get To The Champions League Final
So you want to go to the Champions League final do you? Well in short, good luck.
The first major hurdle for any English fan travelling to Moscow is obtaining a visa to get into Russia. Under normal circumstances, anyone wishing to get into Moscow would need to pay GBP 95 for a visitor's visa, which would require the applicant to have a hotel booking or to provide the full address of where you're staying if it's with a kindly Russian.
However, with at least 42,000 European football fans making the trip from Blighty to Russia, plans are afoot to speed things up a little. The mayor of Moscow mooted the possibility that one would require only a match ticket to gain entry, but after the Russian Ministry of the Interior (not the friendliest bunch at the best of times) told him to hush up and stop being a silly boy, it looks like that idea has gurgled down the toilet. UEFA spokesman William Gaillard (who can usually be trusted about as far as you can chuck him) told the BBC: "We are finalising an express way to get visas", which may or may not involve getting a private company in to fast-track applications. Nothing has been finalised on that score yet, and supporters have been advised to keep 'em peeled for updates on the Foreign Office website. There is a 'visa information hotline' to ring if you want. Dial 0208 242 4104.
Now for tickets to the game, but if you're reading this and haven't already got one, then it's the black market for you. Both Chelsea and United fans had to apply some time ago, and if you were successful then you'll already know about it by now. As for dodgy geezers, if you have deep pockets then you might be able to pick up a basic seat, but don't expect to get much change out of GBP 1,500. Not that we'd encourage that sort of thing. Especially given that you might be getting a napkin with 'European Soccer Cup' written on it for your money. If you've got your visa and your ticket, you'll now need to get there. You're probably a little late to make things quick and easy for yourself in terms of flights. At the time of writing you can get a return flight, leaving Heathrow on Tuesday May 20 and returning on Thursday May 22 for GBP 785, not the GBP 1,500 that is being quoted in some quarters.
The catch there is that it isn't a direct flight, you have to change in Warsaw on the way and Dusseldorf on the way back. Far from ideal. An alternative, and much cheaper option might be to fly to somewhere like Estonia or Latvia and make your way to Moscow over land. A direct flight from Stansted to Riga will currently set you back a mere GBP 115. However, it's a hefty jaunt of 500-odd miles from Riga to Moscow, and while there is apparently a train service, it takes 16 hours. Pack some Jaffa cakes for that one.
Probably the only option at the moment if you want a direct flight is official charter flights. If you do have a (legitimate) ticket then both clubs are running flights, but be bloody quick about getting in because they're selling fast. If you have a couple of days going spare then there is a cross-continent train from London to Moscow. That takes the scenic route via Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne, Berlin and Warsaw, and will take a shade under 48 hours.
Now you're there, you may want somewhere to stay. Again, prepare to fork out plenty. Moscow is pretty darn expensive at the best of times, and if you believe some of the scare stories then you'll end up forking out a pretty penny for the most remote, flea-infested hole you can imagine. And that's if you're lucky. A quick search of a few travel websites reveals exactly zero rooms free for the night of May 21, but don't despair. A good portion of those rooms will probably have been booked up by Liverpool fans and other people without tickets, so there may be cancellations aplenty.
If you make it through all of these barriers, then well done to you. Alternatively, you could spend exactly no pounds and follow it all here on Football365.
What? It'll be just like being there.
Copyright TEAMtalk Media Group 2008
'Shocking Display' Ends Bayern's Bid for 3 Trophies
May 2 (Bloomberg) Bayern Munich's bid for three titles ended in a 4-0 UEFA Cup semifinal defeat to Zenit St. Petersburg, the team's biggest losing margin in European soccer competition in 17 years.
"We turned in a shocking display and completely handed them the initiative,'' Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld told his team's Web site after last night's match in St. Petersburg. "In Europe, you'll never get away with the mistakes we made.''
Bayern goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, who has said he'll retire at the end of the season, picked the ball out of the net four times in his last appearance in European action. Pavel Pogrebnyak scored twice and Konstantin Zyrianov and Viktor Fayzulin got a goal each to secure Zenit's 5-1 victory over two matches and a final berth against Glasgow Rangers. It was Bayern's worst loss in Europe since a 6-2 defeat to FC Copenhagen in the 1991 UEFA Cup. Bayern lost by four goals on three other occasions in Europe.
"We're not used to losing 4-0," Bayern Chairman Karl- Heinz Rummenigge said. "We came up against opponents who played superbly. There was no way back after it was 2-0."
Bayern, which already won the German Cup and needs a single point from its remaining four games to clinch the Bundesliga title, had entered Europe's second-tier tournament as the bookmakers' favorite to win its second UEFA Cup title. Hitzfeld's team went into last night's game having scored a UEFA Cup-leading 32 goals only to be shut out for the first time in this season's tournament by a squad that had just two first- choice defenders available.
No Show
"We didn't turn up," Bayern striker Luca Toni told fcbayern.t-home.de. "It wasn't that we were unlucky, it was simply the worst I can ever remember us playing."
The loss extended Germany's run without a European club title to seven years. Bayern's 2001 Champions League victory was the country's last success. Pogrebnyak opened the scoring after 4 minutes with a free kick from about 25 yards. Zyrianov then made it 2-0 in the 39th minute when he ran onto a pass from Alejandro Dominguez and beat Khan with a shot to the far post. Fayzulin's header nine minutes into the second half increased the lead and Pogrebnyak closed the scoring in 73rd minute with his UEFA Cup-leading 11th goal. Pogrebnyak then picked up a yellow card for the second straight game three minutes later and will be suspended for the May 14 final in Manchester, England.
"I could not afford to substitute him even when the score was 2-0 in our favor," Zenit coach Dick Advocaat said in comments posted on UEFA's Web site. Zenit will try to become only the second Russian team to win a major European trophy after CSKA Moscow beat Sporting Lisbon in the 2005 UEFA Cup final.
"They are going to be favorites," said Hitzfeld, whose team visits Wolfsburg this weekend in the Bundesliga. "Any club who win 4-0 against Bayern have to be favorites."
Copyright 2008 Bloomberg L.P. All rights reserved.
Chelsea hosts Man United in Premier League soccer showdown
LONDON. The showdown Saturday between Chelsea and Manchester United could well decide who wins the Premier League title. It could also be a rehearsal for the Champions League final. United holds a three-point lead over the Blues in the league title race heading into Saturday's game (7:45 a.m. ET) with two more matches to follow. Even if Chelsea wins at Stamford Bridge, United will retain the lead because of a far better goal difference. But a victory for Avram Grant's team will set up a thrilling end to the season.
There's a good chance that the two teams will then meet in Moscow on May 21 for the right to call themselves champions of Europe. Chelsea held Liverpool to a 1-1 tie at Anfield in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals on Tuesday and Man United fought out a 0-0 draw with Barcelona in Spain on Wednesday. The second legs are next week and both Chelsea and United have home advantage.
"It is incredible to think what can be won and lost," said Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, who made three top-quality saves against Liverpool. "It is an exciting time for everyone."
Because of its superior goal difference - 54 to Chelsea's 36, United will effectively capture its second title in a row by winning at Stamford Bridge. But Sir Alex Ferguson has the luxury of being able to rest some of his front line stars to keep them fresh for next Tuesday's game against Barcelona in the Champions League. Central defender Nemanja Vidic, who has only just recovered from a knee injury, missed the game at Barcelona because of a stomach bug and Ferguson says he is doubtful for the match against Chelsea.
"Nemanja went 36 hours without eating," Ferguson said. "I don't think he'll be ready for Saturday. Before training (in Barcelona), he had very severe stomach pains, so we sent him off to a hospital."
The United manager may be tempted to give leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo a break. But the Portuguese star missed a third-minute penalty at Camp Nou and will want to face the Blues on Saturday to get back into his scoring routine. Ryan Giggs and Nani came on as late substitutes against Barcelona and may well start against Chelsea. With three points to make up, Grant can't afford to bench many of his stars even though his players have an extra day's rest ahead of their Champions League match against Liverpool on Wednesday. It's likely that midfielder Frank Lampard won't play after the death of his mother, Pat, from pneumonia Thursday. Lampard missed league games against Wigan and Everton to be at his mother's hospital bedside, although he played Tuesday. Liverpool has sent a message of condolence. Cech says he would like to see United make it to the European final and he expects a busy time at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
"United score the most goals in the league. They are an attacking threat," Cech said. "You know there will be work to do but it is great when you keep a clean sheet against such an attacking team. It would also be great to see them in Moscow, for many reasons. It is always an entertaining game and, in the final of the Champions League, with the passion of the English fans, it would be a great occasion."
Third-place Arsenal doesn't play until Monday when it faces Derby County (2 p.m.) and will be mathematically out of contention if United beats Chelsea. Last-place Derby is already sure of relegation. In other action Saturday, Birmingham faces Liverpool (11 a.m. ET); Manchester City plays Fulham; Sunderland is up against Middlesbrough; Tottenham battles Bolton; West Ham kicks off against Newcastle; and Wigan lines up against Reading.
On Sunday, it's Portsmouth versus Blackburn and Everton versus Aston Villa. Second-last Fulham will be relegated if it loses at Man City and the three teams above, Birmingham, Reading and Bolton, all win. League Championship leader West Bromwich Albion can clinch promotion without kicking a ball on Saturday. The Baggies don't play until Monday, when they host Southampton, but are five points ahead of third-place Hull. If the Tigers fail to beat sixth-place Crystal Palace on Saturday, West Brom, which lost to Derby in the playoff final last season, will regain the Premier League spot it lost two years ago. Stoke City, which last played in the top flight in 1985, also will go up on Saturday if it wins at already relegated Colchester and Hull fails to beat Palace.
Copyright 2008 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Inter Milan: What Must Be Done?
The team has conquered Italian soccer for a couple of years, and now Inter Milan must make some changes to bring out their true competitive behavior in Europe.
So what must be done? In the 2002-03 season, they faced a strong and stingy Valencia side in the quarter finals, which would see the Italian side go through to the next stage by means of a single away goal. They faced their rivals AC Milan, and Inter Milan would be denied a crucial away goal in the dying moments of the first leg, which would end all square. The second leg would see a strong beginning, but shots were not as plentiful as expected. A Shevchenko goal in extra time of the first half would certainly promise attacking football from Inter Milan in the second.
In the 84th, Inter finally found that goal. It would prove the game would break at 1-1, and see Milan progress to the final and win the trophy in dramatic fashion against Juventus on penalties. In the following year, Inter Milan would fail to qualify out of the group stages, making an early exit in the hands of Arsenal and Lokomotiv Moskva. They both proved to be worthy opponents for the Italians and saw them lose 3-0 at the Lokomotiv Stadium in front of 28,000 fans. In 2004-05 season, Liverpool lifted the trophy in an amazing match up in Istanbul. Inter rose out of the group stages to draw an opponent that was too familiar with AC Milan. Once again Milan proved to be too strong, winning the first leg, 2-0. Then in the second leg, after another Shevchenko goal, his second was the tie.
Crowd violence erupted, and the game was put on hold for 20 minutes. The game resumed, to only see objects fly onto to the pitch. The game was abandoned and finished prematurely. UEFA disciplined Inter, and the game was concluded as a 3-0 victory for Milan. That year, in the European soccer, Milan would face Liverpool in the final, only to lose by handing a 3-0 lead away, seeing Liverpool score three times in the second half and ending 3-2 on penalties to the English side. Inter would feature again in the quarter finals to face another strong Spanish side.
Villarreal proved to be strong opponents, after reversing a 2-1 defeat in Milan, to win 1-0 at the Estadio El Madriga. Inter showed strength in its defense, but their offense would not push hard enough. As of last year, Inter would face another Spanish opponent that they were familiar with from their 2002-03 run. Valencia showed beautiful pace and order as they scored in the final minutes of the first leg to bring home a 2-2 tie from Milan. The away goals proved costly, and with an even match up, a 0-0 game finished to give the Spanish side a place into the quarter finals.
Valencia would lose dramatically at home against Chelsea, 2-1, putting a stop to their run. Finally, we come to this year's competition as Inter came out on top of their group. After losing their first match against an inspired Fenerbahce side led by Roberto Carlos in Istanbul, we would see them win all of their following five matches within the group. They were matched up with Liverpool that started slowly in the group stage, but picked up their pace in the second half portion, winning their final three matches to finish second under FC Porto.
Inter did not look good, going down 2-0 at Anfield. Mancini called onto his side to take note of Inter's reverse of a 3-1 defeat at Anfield, to win 3-0 at home, in 1965. This would not be the case, as a young and quick Fernando Torres would prove the death of Inter in the 65th minute of the second leg. After going through the last five years of Inter's campaign of the top European competition, one can see that they have failed to mark their existence. They have proven to be champions within the league, but what must be done to raise their level of play to win on the road to the final after the group stages?
I believe the side has a strong starting XI, but when injuries and disciplinary actions through cards take place, the side takes a large hit, and proves to be no match against a side in the latter parts of the tournament. In my opinion, the team must work on strength conditioning to provide strength in the end portions of the match up. They also need to bring in young, worthy players in other leagues. These players will be the future for the team in the next few years, and with the extra energy, they can provide high level of play towards the ends of matches.
I would love to hear your part in what Inter must do to achieve the silverware that all teams strive for. They have brought the trophy home twice in two years, the 1963-64 and 1964-65 seasons. But the tournament has changed quite a bit from those times, as the level of play has risen in all countries, playing their trade in the Champions League
Copyright 2008 Bleacher Report, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Manchester United is impressive against AS Roma
Manchester United and Barcelona moved to within striking distance of the European Champions League semifinals on Tuesday with shutout victories on the road in Italy and Germany, respectively.
In Rome, a superb headed goal by Cristiano Ronaldo, an opportunistic strike by Wayne Rooney and a couple of breathtaking saves by Dutch goalkeeper Edwin VanDer Saar gave Manchester United a 2-0 victory over AS Roma. Afterward, Alex Ferguson, the team's manager, said he was confident his side could secure a place in the semifinals next week when the second leg of the quarterfinal series is played in England.
"It was a marvelous result," Ferguson said. "We showed discipline and composure on the ball. We can't take anything for granted, but we definitely feel like we can reach the semifinals."
If so, the opponent probably will be Barcelona, which got an early goal from 17-year-old Bojan Krkic off a pass by Thierry Henry and then held on to defeat Schalke 04, 1-0, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Krkic became the second-youngest player ever to score a goal in the European Champions League. The youngest was Peter Ofori-Quaye, who did so for Olympiakos of Greece in 1997, also at age 17 but a few months younger than Krkic. The teams will meet again in Spain next week, and Schalke 04 Coach MirkoSlomka said he believed his side is still in the hunt.
"If you saw the second half, we had plenty of chances," he said, "so you can't say there is no point in going to Barcelona. We know it will be difficult, but we're going to give it a shot."
The Galaxy's Carlos Ruiz was not the only Major League Soccer player lost to injury Tuesday. The New England Revolution suffered a double blow. Taylor Twellman, the team's all-time leading goal scorer, will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Wednesday after suffering a tear of his meniscus in training last week. Twellman missed the Revolution's 3-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Saturday and will be sidelined for at least six weeks.
Steve Ralston, the league's all-time leader in minutes played and assists, dislocated his left shoulder in the game against Houston and will have more tests performed Wednesday before it is known how long he will be out. The Galaxy will have a chance to avenge Saturday's 4-0 drubbing by the Colorado Rapids in Denver. The teams will play each other again in the qualifying round for the U.S. Open Cup on May 27 at the Home Depot Center.
Walter Zenga, the former Inter Milan and Italian national team goalkeeper, added another club to his coaching resume Tuesday when he was selected coach of Catania in Italy's Serie A. Zenga, who was on the Italian team that finished fourth at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and the team that finished third at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, has led teams in Italy, Romania, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates since launching his coaching career with the New England Revolution in MLS in 1998.
Defending German Bundesliga champion VfB Stuttgart has awarded the naming rights to its stadium to another car company and, starting on July 30 when Arsenal visits for a preseason friendly, the current Gottlieb Daimler Stadium will become the Mercedes Benz Arena.
The 55,000-seat stadium, which was renovated for the 2006 World Cup, will be torn down next year and replaced by a USD180-million, 60,000 stadium on the same site. There are probably a few fans in Los Angeles who remember Tommy Smith, even though the more than 600 games he played as a legendary defender for Liverpool in the 1970s far overshadowed the brief time he spent with the L.A. Aztecs of the old North American Soccer League.
Smith will turn 63 on Saturday. He recently had a book, "Tommy Smith, Anfield Iron, The Autobiography" published by Bantam Press in Britain. In it, the former hard man tells of the glory days at Liverpool, the club where he won four English championships, two F.A. Cups, one European Cup, two UEFA cups and one European Super Cup. Smith looked the part of an enforcer, what with the shaggy Beatle-style haircut, the pockmarked face, the ever-present scowl, and the hard-as-nails approach to tackling. He was a player opposing forwards tried to avoid whenever possible. On BBC Sport, Smith this week recalled a typical piece of intimidation.
"I did warn players," he said. "When Tottenham striker Jimmy Greaves came out at Anfield one time, I handed him a piece of paper. He said: 'What's this?' I said; 'Just open it.' It was a menu from the Liverpool Infirmary."
He might have been nicknamed "Anfield Iron," but Smith was best described by Liverpool's legendary coach Bill Shankly. "Tommy Smith wasn't born, he was quarried," Shankly said.
Copyright 2008 Los Angeles Times
Manchester United is impressive against AS Roma
Manchester United and Barcelona moved to within striking distance of the European Champions League semifinals on Tuesday with shutout victories on the road in Italy and Germany, respectively.
In Rome, a superb headed goal by Cristiano Ronaldo, an opportunistic strike by Wayne Rooney and a couple of breathtaking saves by Dutch goalkeeper Edwin VanDer Saar gave Manchester United a 2-0 victory over AS Roma. Afterward, Alex Ferguson, the team's manager, said he was confident his side could secure a place in the semifinals next week when the second leg of the quarterfinal series is played in England.
"It was a marvelous result," Ferguson said. "We showed discipline and composure on the ball. We can't take anything for granted, but we definitely feel like we can reach the semifinals."
If so, the opponent probably will be Barcelona, which got an early goal from 17-year-old Bojan Krkic off a pass by Thierry Henry and then held on to defeat Schalke 04, 1-0, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Krkic became the second-youngest player ever to score a goal in the Champions League. The youngest was Peter Ofori-Quaye, who did so for Olympiakos of Greece in 1997, also at age 17 but a few months younger than Krkic. The teams will meet again in Spain next week, and Schalke 04 Coach MirkoSlomka said he believed his side is still in the hunt.
"If you saw the second half, we had plenty of chances," he said, "so you can't say there is no point in going to Barcelona. We know it will be difficult, but we're going to give it a shot."
The Galaxy's Carlos Ruiz was not the only Major League Soccer player lost to injury Tuesday. The New England Revolution suffered a double blow. Taylor Twellman, the team's all-time leading goal scorer, will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Wednesday after suffering a tear of his meniscus in training last week. Twellman missed the Revolution's 3-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Saturday and will be sidelined for at least six weeks.
Steve Ralston, the league's all-time leader in minutes played and assists, dislocated his left shoulder in the game against Houston and will have more tests performed Wednesday before it is known how long he will be out. The Galaxy will have a chance to avenge Saturday's 4-0 drubbing by the Colorado Rapids in Denver. The teams will play each other again in the qualifying round for the U.S. Open Cup on May 27 at the Home Depot Center.
Walter Zenga, the former Inter Milan and Italian national team goalkeeper, added another club to his coaching resume Tuesday when he was selected coach of Catania in Italy's Serie A. Zenga, who was on the Italian team that finished fourth at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and the team that finished third at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, has led teams in Italy, Romania, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates since launching his coaching career with the New England Revolution in MLS in 1998.
Defending German Bundesliga champion VfB Stuttgart has awarded the naming rights to its stadium to another car company and, starting on July 30 when Arsenal visits for a preseason friendly, the current Gottlieb Daimler Stadium will become the Mercedes Benz Arena.
The 55,000-seat stadium, which was renovated for the 2006 World Cup, will be torn down next year and replaced by a USD180-million, 60,000 stadium on the same site. There are probably a few fans in Los Angeles who remember Tommy Smith, even though the more than 600 games he played as a legendary defender for Liverpool in the 1970s far overshadowed the brief time he spent with the L.A. Aztecs of the old North American Soccer League.
Smith will turn 63 on Saturday. He recently had a book, "Tommy Smith, Anfield Iron, The Autobiography" published by Bantam Press in Britain. In it, the former hard man tells of the glory days at Liverpool, the club where he won four English championships, two F.A. Cups, one European Cup, two UEFA cups and one European Super Cup. Smith looked the part of an enforcer, what with the shaggy Beatle-style haircut, the pockmarked face, the ever-present scowl, and the hard-as-nails approach to tackling. He was a player opposing forwards tried to avoid whenever possible. On BBC Sport, Smith this week recalled a typical piece of intimidation.
"I did warn players," he said. "When Tottenham striker Jimmy Greaves came out at Anfield one time, I handed him a piece of paper. He said: 'What's this?' I said; 'Just open it.' It was a menu from the Liverpool Infirmary."
He might have been nicknamed "Anfield Iron," but Smith was best described by Liverpool's legendary coach Bill Shankly. "Tommy Smith wasn't born, he was quarried," Shankly said.
Copyright 2008 Los Angeles Times
SOCCER: Real pin hopes on Robinho to silence Roma
Real Madrid are pinning their hopes of overturning a 2-1 first-leg defeat by AS Roma and reaching the Champions League quarter-finals on the return of Robinho and a flawless display in defence.
The Brazil forward had an instant impact when he reappeared after a two-week injury lay-off during Saturday's 3-2 win at Recreativo Huelva. He put Real ahead with almost his first touch after coming on as a substitute and then scored another with a classy finish. His return was particularly timely given that leading striker Ruud van Nistelrooy was out injured and remains a doubt for the Roma match, while pacy winger Arjen Robben suffered a serious ankle strain which will sideline him for several weeks.
"Robinho is a really important player for us and we need him," midfielder Guti told sports daily Marca ahead of Wednesday's match at the Bernabeu. When he's playing we can rest at ease. He can turn matches and score goals. He's a phenomenon."
Keep clean sheet
As well as having to unlock the Roma defence, the nine-times European soccer champions' chances of making the last eight for the first time in four seasons will depend largely on being able to keep a clean sheet against the free-scoring Italians.
"A 1-0 win will be enough, but we know we are up against a good team and that we cannot afford to make any mistakes," said Guti. "The key is not to let them score."
Real's back four have made some costly errors in defence in recent matches and they will be heartened by the return of Portugal centre-back Pepe after a month out injured, but influential right-back Sergio Ramos is suspended. Although they have a good home record against Italian clubs, Real will be aware that they have beaten Roma only once in three previous Champions League meetings in Madrid. Roma issued a clear warning of their attacking power by thrashing Parma 4-0 on Saturday to cut Inter Milan's lead at the top of Serie A to six points.
Cautious approach
They may be tempted, however, to take a more cautious approach against Real, recalling the 7-1 drubbing they suffered at Manchester United in the quarter-finals last season when they also had a 2-1 lead from the first leg. Striker Francesco Totti, who is returning to his best after a back problem and scored a fine strike against Parma, is taking heart from the memory of a goal that gave Roma a 1-0 group-stage win in the competition at the Bernabeu in October 2002.
"I have already scored an historic goal at the Bernabeu and I hope to score another," he told reporters. "Roma just need to play as they know how to. If we are concentrated we'll be able to have our say."
Full-back Marco Cassetti is out with a shoulder injury.
Nation Media Group all rights reserved 2007
|
