The build up to this World Cup has been as much about who may not be there as to who will be there. Players have been ruling themselves out of matches or getting serious injury scares. It seems that a high proportion of these players, often influential players, are based in England and play in the Premier League.
The champions league draw took place in Monaco. It has so far become one of the most important dates in the football calendar. A lush ceremony left most of the big clubs happy with their draw; especially the English clubs.
Manchester United and Barcelona will meet in the 2009 Champions League Final held in Rome this May – as both sides overcame London opposition to reach the 54th final. Manchester United are competing in their fourth final having won the trophy in all three final played previously whilst Barcelona will be competing in their sixth final – however only winning the competition twice in their history.
Real Madrid were thumped 6-2 by Barcelona at the Bernabeu last night – giving the Catalan club a seven point lead going into the remaining fixtures. Real Madrid were confident prior to the game that they would be able to shorten the gap to just three points, however that dream was quickly broken with Henry, Messi, Puyol and Pique running riot.
Michel Platini, star of the 1982 and 1986 World Cup finals, will not be too pleased with the potential of another all English final, as Arsenal, Chelsea and current European Champions Manchester United all progress to the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Steven Gerrard is out of Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Chelsea having failed to recover from a groin injury. Gerrard was rested against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, in which Liverpool won 4-0, and was expected to feature in the squad for the Champions League quarter final with Chelsea.
As the league season draws to an end the Arsenal skipper insists he and his team mates will fight till the end in pursuit of trophies.
Two members of Cristiano Ronaldo’s family, Godfather Fernao Sousa and cousin Luis Felipe, have urged the Portuguese International and Manchester United winger to join Real Madrid as he ‘needs a new team and challenge’.
UEFA have confirmed that Liverpool will not have to play a match on April 15, which will be the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, after their scheduled Champions League quarter-final second leg against Chelsea was for April 14, rather than the 15th.
European Champions Manchester United have been drawn with FC Porto in the quarter final of the Champions League. United lost their last tie with FC Porto 3-2 in 2004 after – with the Portuguese Champions eventually winning the tournament.
Arsenal will face Villarreal – a rematch of the 2006 semi-final, a game in which Arsenal won to go onto play Barcelona in the final. Barcelona will face Bayern Munich – with Bayern Munich full of confidence after their thrashing of Sporting Lisbon in the last round. However the tie of the round falls in England where Chelsea take on Liverpool, yet again.
You are currently browsing the archives for the Champions League category.
