New season Uefa Champions League

Happy for FC Barcelona, happy for Real's loss. Thinking that Chelsea and Milan will be again the teams to beat this year. And Bergkamp might finally be travelling abroad … by boat.

Bergkamp on Amsterdam ferry stand-by

September 15, 2005
LONDON (AFP) - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is thinking of asking Dennis Bergkamp to take the ferry to Amsterdam for their Champions League match with Ajax in two weeks.

The Holland striker, who hit a last-minute winner in Arsenal's 2-1 Champions League victory over FC Thun on Wednesday, misses most European away games due to his fear of flying.

But he could be needed against Ajax in two weeks after Robin Van Persie's red card in the first half at Highbury left Wenger with only Jose-Antonio Reyes as Arsenal's experienced striker.

"I will make the decision as late as possible. When you make a player travel that far you have to be sure that you will play him," said Wenger.

"Seven hours' travel is sometimes tricky if you want to make changes to your plans at the last second."

Bergkamp came off the bench to score a last-gasp winner against Swiss side Thun.

"The determination of Dennis was fantastic and a good example for our youngsters," said Wenger.

Thun, in their first Champions League campaign, had a numerical advantage for almost half the match after Van Persie's dismissal.

The Dutchman was shown a straight red after catching Alen Orman in the face with his boot as he jumped to control the ball.

"Ten versus 11 is difficult," added Wenger.

"I think it was the wrong decision, Van Persie did not want to make a foul and tried to play the ball. It was an accident.

"We scored a great goal first and then they scored - I don't know how they scored - I think the guy wanted to cross the ball.

"But that's part of football, you have to accept it - and we had to do it again."

Van Persie now faces a three-match Champions League ban which, coupled with Thierry Henry's absence with a groin injury, would leave Arsenal short on strikers for their next two games away to Ajax and Sparta Prague.

go villarreal! held their own against man u.

Originally posted by Venerable Bede:
go villarreal! held their own against a 10 player man u.

I'm sure their mother's are very proud! :roll:

Mankie, I think it is taking too much time for Manchester U. to realize that they need a big revolution in the team composition. Seriously, I think they are going to have problems to make it to the next phase. As for Barcelona, what can I say, we are enjoying football in Barcelona for the first time since the mid nineties.

Originally posted by Barcelona:
Mankie, I think it is taking too much time for Manchester U. to realize that they need a big revolution in the team composition. Seriously, I think they are going to have problems to make it to the next phase. As for Barcelona, what can I say, we are enjoying football in Barcelona for the first time since the mid nineties.

Lille 1-0 Manchester United

Champions League Scores

But thankfully, Arsenal have good form in Europe.

Arsenal may be taking uncertain steps in the Premiership but they are striding forward with purpose in the Champions League, with captain Thierry Henry leading their confident march into the knock-out stages as they brushed aside Sparta Prague 3-0.

But alaa, the Premiership. . .
Welcome back Theirry Henry!

Man Utd are a disgrace this year….I blame the stinking yanks that now own us! ;) (or is that loan us)

Seriously, the problem at United is there is no pride in wearing the shirt with this new generation of player….a similar problem is happening at Liverpool. They get their big fat paycheck, drive their Ferrari home and live the celebrity life, and that's all they want. With the influx of all these foreign players the history and tradition of both United and Liverpool are meaningless to them.

If you look at the success of Chelski recently, and look at the empty seats at Stamford Bridge, it speaks volumes….the reason is the Brits aren't really interested in watching a bunch of foreigners. There's just no connection with the players anymore.

But United do suck and will have a hard time even qualifying for Europe next season, which could be a blessing in disguise if the Glazers bail or go under and we get our team back under an ownership who actually gives a toss about what happens on the field rather than in the tills. Ferguson is a problem, he's been there too long, Queiroz is useless so they both need to move on at this point.

This weekend should be interesting, it will be like lambs to the slaughter for poor old United when Chelski arrive, unless a miracle happens between now and then.

what Mankie said!

Originally posted by Roadbike Mankie:
Man Utd are a disgrace this year….I blame the stinking yanks that now own us! ;) (or is that loan us)

Seriously, the problem at United is there is no pride in wearing the shirt with this new generation of player….a similar problem is happening at Liverpool. They get their big fat paycheck, drive their Ferrari home and live the celebrity life, and that's all they want. With the influx of all these foreign players the history and tradition of both United and Liverpool are meaningless to them.

If you look at the success of Chelski recently, and look at the empty seats at Stamford Bridge, it speaks volumes….the reason is the Brits aren't really interested in watching a bunch of foreigners. There's just no connection with the players anymore.

But United do suck and will have a hard time even qualifying for Europe next season, which could be a blessing in disguise if the Glazers bail or go under and we get our team back under an ownership who actually gives a toss about what happens on the field rather than in the tills. Ferguson is a problem, he's been there too long, Queiroz is useless so they both need to move on at this point.

This weekend should be interesting, it will be like lambs to the slaughter for poor old United when Chelski arrive, unless a miracle happens between now and then.

Mankie, Chelsea just lost 3-0 with Middlesbrough. Aren´t they as solid as last year? How do you see it for us given that we are not doing that well right now. Good luck against Portsmouth later today.

Originally posted by Barcelona:
Mankie, Chelsea just lost 3-0 with Middlesbrough. Aren´t they as solid as last year?

I didn't see the Middlesborough match yet, but the dozen or so games I've seen them play this year, I think they're better this year than last year. I hope this is a sign that they're getting tired. I still like Barca to go through.

Originally posted by vansmack:

Originally posted by Barcelona:
Mankie, Chelsea just lost 3-0 with Middlesbrough. Aren´t they as solid as last year?

I didn't see the Middlesborough match yet, but the dozen or so games I've seen them play this year, I think they're better this year than last year. I hope this is a sign that they're getting tired. I still like Barca to go through.

Barcelona is not doing well rigth now, although it is true that the injuries might have influenced the poor performance and next Tuesday we should have all the key players back except for Xavi. Let's see how it goes.

I was surprised to see yahoo.com soccer and see that they are already talking about the game as the main news, five days ahead of the game.

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylt=AkysFUGGgT0pGKB75Myqa0Amw7YF?slug=cnnsi-stokingtheflame&prov=cnnsi&type=lgns

Stoking the flames

Gabriele Marcotti, SI.com

It was the defining rivalry of the second half of last season, and it promises to be just as juicy this time around, as Champions League reaches its knockout stage. Like all good feuds, there is more than a touch of familiarity – the kind that breeds contempt – between Chelsea and Barcelona.

Blues boss Jose Mourinho spent several years as an assistant coach at the Camp Nou, and he himself has described it as one of the most formative experiences in his brief but ?ber-successful career.

Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o has been on Chelsea's wish list for several seasons (though perhaps more a fixation for owner Roman Abramovich than Mourinho himself). And the man who makes Chelsea's midfield tick, Frank Lampard, is a well-known closet Bar?a fan, whose wife is from Catalonia, and he may well end up there in a year or two.

Yet make no mistake about it: Despite the familiarity, these clubs are polar opposites in every way. Barcelona is part of the aristocracy of the game – it's a community club owned by 100,000-plus members, and it plays in the biggest stadium in Western Europe.

Chelsea, in footballing terms at least, is an upstart whose recent success is based on the fabulous wealth of Abramovich, the club's sole proprietor.

The contrast extends to the managers and their styles. Barça's Frank Rijkaard was a vastly successful midfielder and a winner of three European Cups whose tactical style reflects the attacking mantra of two of his biggest coaching influences, Arrigo Sacchi and Louis van Gaal. Coaching-wise, he started at the top, with the Dutch national team gig among his very first jobs.

Mourinho, on the other hand, never established himself as a professional footballer. Instead, he obsessively studied the game, working his way into the coaching staff of various clubs – first as an interpreter, then as a scout, then as an assistant – before finally getting his big break at Benfica six years ago. His approach is comparatively safety-first, based on organization and discipline.

Mourinho is also vastly popular with his players. In fact, that may be his greatest strength: There is no dissent in the camp, everyone buys into his system, and even those who get little playing time seem to genuinely embrace him as a manager. That trait is as rare as it is underestimated.

At Barcelona, the affable Rijkaard is popular, but there is a clear sense that even if someone else were in charge, the club would still excel. Joan Laporta, Barcelona's president, said as much last week when he declared that Rijkaard is "free to leave at any time," which, these days, is either a sign of extreme trust or confirmation that he is, in fact, expendable.

The bad blood extends to last season's clash, in which both legs were mired in controversy. After the first leg, Mourinho accused Barça officials of entering referee Anders Frisk's dressing room at halftime in an effort to influence his officiating. It was a claim UEFA deemed to be spurious, banning Mourinho for three games as a result. And in the return leg, Barça fans were incensed when referee Pierluigi Collina, for once not living up to his reputation, failed to disallow Ricardo Carvalho's decisive goal despite replays showing a likely foul.

It's already shades of last year, with Barcelona complaining about the state of Chelsea's Stamford Bridge pitch, which is about as bare as Michael Jordan's head. Barça argues that the bad playing surface favors Chelsea over its more technical players.

In truth, it's a bit of a silly argument – it's not as if Chelsea is just a bunch of long-ball merchants who benefit from a pitch that looks like a lunar landscape. But it does show that both sides are getting their licks early and there is no love lost.

In many ways, this is how it should be. There are five outstanding teams in Europe, each of whom is running away with the domestic title and each of whom has to be among the favorites for Champions League. The problem is that the other three sides РBayern, Juventus and Lyon Рhave not captured the imagination the way Chelsea and Bar̤a have.

What makes this clash special Рbeyond the bad blood and the history Рare the extreme contrasts, the whiff of incest and the ultimate showdown between the mind of Mourinho and the genius of Ronaldinho, Eto'o, Leo Messi and the rest of the Bar̤a crew.

Ultimately, despite the depth and quality of the Chelsea team, it's very difficult to frame this clash as anything other than the mind of Mourinho versus the genius of these talented, creative individuals. And that's why the world will be tuning in next week.

Mailbag

What individual players impressed you the most in the recent African Cup of Nations? And as important as that tournament has become, why the lack of coverage on Fox Soccer Channel, Gol TV and Sentanta Sports? The coverage is right out of the 1980s, when nobody respected African football. Your thoughts? – Steve Adams, New Hope, Minn.

The African Cup of Nations is one of my favorite tournaments, though I find it difficult to name an individual. I was impressed with Didier Drogba's determination and Eto'o's sheer genius, but that's nothing new. Among others I really liked Nigeria's Taye Taiwo and Ivory Coast's Didier Zokora, as well as Ahmed Hassan of Egypt (no surprise there).

In terms of the coverage, I agree that it was disappointing. I get so tired of hearing the same patronizing comments from Anglo-centric commentators who go on about Africans needing "to learn tactical discipline," African goalkeepers who "always lose concentration" and – believe it or not – how these players are "great physical specimens."

Those types of comments – along with the endless whining from European clubs about the timing of the tournament (as if they didn't know their players were African internationals when they signed them) – border on racism and condescension. I do think the coverage from the Western media is getting better, but we sure still have a very long way to go.

Real Madrid 0 - Arsenal 1.
Amazing Henry.

Getting ready for the game. Productivity tomorrow at work will be low, low, low.

Originally posted by Barcelona:
Real Madrid 0 - Arsenal 1.
Amazing Henry.

Arsenal were clearly the better squad and deserved the goal. They probably deserved more, but for the brilliance for Casillas. I thought Graveson also played well for Real - United would still be in this Champions with a player like him.

I felt there was a lack of class on both squads - probably because there was only one English player on the pitch for most of the match, and oddly, he wasn't even on the English squad. Too much diving, too much rolling around "in agony", and when Reyes came back on the field with his injury only to lie down…I nearly turned the match off.

Best of luck tomorrow. I will be forced to watch it when I get home from work, much like today's match.

Chelsea 1-2 Barcelona

Rangers 2 - 2 Villarreal
Werder Bremen 3-2 Juventus
Ajax Amsterdam 2 - 2 Inter Milan

I am still celebrating this result. But not qualified yet, one tough game left. Mourinho, whatever excuses you may want to give, it was a red card.

<img src="http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/afp/20060222/capt.sge.odd43.220206232858.photo00.photo.default-380x263.jpg?x=380&y=263&sig=ON2MVnCFWZRJtHkv.UW5bg--" alt=" - " />

Originally posted by Barcelona:
Mourinho, whatever excuses you may want to give, it was a red card.

A harsh red. Certainly a yellow, and I could see how it could be a red (my initial reaction was that he made no attempt at the ball and simply ran the player over).

Nonetheless, giving up two with a 1-0 is unforgivable, even with 10 men.

Congrats, but you're right, you're not through yet.

BTW, the Chelsea pitch was simply horrendous.

Originally posted by vansmack:

Originally posted by Barcelona:
Mourinho, whatever excuses you may want to give, it was a red card.

A harsh red. Certainly a yellow, and I could see how it could be a red (my initial reaction was that he made no attempt at the ball and simply ran the player over).

Nonetheless, giving up two with a 1-0 is unforgivable, even with 10 men.

Congrats, but you're right, you're not through yet.

BTW, the Chelsea pitch was simply horrendous.

There was a lot of talk about the pitch before the game with some newspapers claiming that Mourinho might have done it in purpose to make it difficult for Barcelona players to do what they do best, touch the ball forever until they reach the rival's goalie. I am not sure, Mourinho could have just put a new pitch a few weeks ago just as Barcelona did two weeks ago when the old one was in very poor conditions. I think it was a red card, but Mourinho shouldn't complain like this.

Barcelona has made too many times the error of thinking that we are already qualified after a first good game, let's hope this is not the case and we play the second game as if we had lost 2-1.

Good game in Bremen as well.

Originally posted by Barcelona:
Mourinho shouldn't complain like this.

The wheels are starting to come off at Stamford Bridge and this is Morihno's way of deflecting the oncoming criticism. To say, even thinking of mentioning the possibility of a "B team" for the Champions League knockout stage is ridiculous in order to focus on the FA Cup and a 12 point lead in March in the Premiership is just the start of his excuses for the remainder of the season.

Chelsea were beaten before they even stepped on the pitch yesterday, and rather than lose like men they made excuses before the match even started ("we'd be happy with a nil-nil draw"), altered the pitch, played with a sense of desperation and acted irrationally in the 37th minute. And the excuses will continue to pour in.