May 7th, 2008
Zenit St. Petersburg became the second Russia squad in the last four seasons to win football UEFA Cup, defeating Scotland’s Glasgow Rangers 2-0 in the final match at Old Trafford in Manchester, England.
Igor Denisov staked Zenit to a 1-0 lead in the 72nd minute and Konstantin Zyryanov completed the scoring in injury time.It marked the first UEFA Cup for Zenit coach David Advocaat, who, ironically, coached Rangers from 1998 to 2002. “I feel very happy winning the prize like this,” he said. “The way we played in this tournament, we really deserved this.”Glasgow Rangers has failed to win a European championship since capturing the now-defunct Cup Winners’ Cup in 1972.”Over the tournament, we have worked very hard to get to the final,” Rangers coach Walter Smith said. “There was not that much in it overall and we had a few chances ourselves. Zenit looked the more offensive team. But obviously, at this stage, I’m disappointed to have lost.”Zenit controlled the first half, but Rangers goalkeeper Neil Alexander kept it scoreless with saves on Anatoliy Tymoschuk, Radek Sirl, Zyryanov and Alexander Anyukov. Zenit attacked more and when they were successful against their opponent’s goal, it was quite clear that they will maintain this advantage. Anyway was Zenit who controlled all the match from the very beginning and everybody was convinced that finally Zenit would win.CSKA Moscow was the first Russian team to win the UEFA Cup in 2005.
May 6th, 2008
In all European countries the second important competition, after the National Leagues, is the Cup. This competition is not only closed to First Division clubs but it is open to clubs playing in Second and Third Division Leagues.
In three of the most important European Football countries – Spain, Germany and Holland – the final match of their respective National Cups have already been played and therefore they already have the winners of their Cup.
So let’s go to check what has already happened in the Cup competitions in Spain, German and Holland.
Spain – After winning in the semi-finals matches to FC Barcelona (4-3 aggregate) and to Racing Santander (4-2 aggregate) respectively, Valencia CF and Getafe CF played the final match in Madrid on 16th April where Valencia CF defeated Getafe CF (3-1). Therefore Valencia CF, that has been fighting this season to avoid relegation to Second Division, will play the UEFA Cup competition next season.
Germany – After winning in the semi-finals matches to Wfl Wolfsburg (2-0) and FC Carl Zeiss Jena, last in the 2.Bundesliga (3-0) respectively, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund played the final match in Berlin on 19th April where Bayern Munich defeated Borussia Dortmund (2-1). As winner of the 1.Bundesliga, Bayer Munich will play the Champions League next season whilst Borussia Dortmund – number 13 in the table – will play the UEFA Cup competition.
Holland – After winning in the semi-finals matches to NAC Breda (2-0) and Heracles Almelo (2-2 p) respectively, Feyenoord Rotterdam and Roda JC Kerkrade played the final match on 27th April. Feyenoord Rotterdam who defeated Roda JC Kerkrade (2-0) will play the UEFA Cup competition next season.
May 5th, 2008
When the European Football 2007/08 season is almost finishing, different things can be analysed to check how the season has developed and which have been the most relevant facts during the nine months of competition.One of the most important facts are the goals scored, both in the domestic leagues and in the Champions League. In this aspect there is a name leading both tables: Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United with a total of 37 goals scored followed by Fernando Torres from Liverpool with 29 goals scored. But let’s go to the tables to see all details of the goals scored: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) National LeaguesCristiano Ronaldo - Manchester United 30 3 88 38 33 20 3Daniel Güiza - Mallorca 24 0 115 38 34 18 1Emmanuel Adebayor - Arsenal 24 3 118 32 35 17 1Luis Fabiano - Sevilla 23 2 93 33 28 16 4Fernando Torres – Liverpool 23 0 106 35 32 17 4Luca Toni – Bayern Munich 21 0 117 34 29 15 3
Marco Borriello – Genoa 19 5 146 43 33 14 4
David Trezeguet – Juventus 19 1 152 27 34 14 2
Mario Gomez – Stuttgart 18 0 100 32 23 13 2
Alessandro del Piero – Juventus 18 2 143 26 35 13 3
Kevin Kuranyi – Schalke 04 15 0 171 28 30 10 1 Champions League Cristiano Ronaldo – Manchester United 7 1 128 36 10 6 3Steven Gerrard – Liverpool 6 2 182 20 12 6 0Didier Drogba – Chelsea 6 0 151 31 10 4 2
Fernando Torres – Liverpool 6 0 145 20 10 5 1
Lionel Messi – FC Barcelona 6 1 121 33 9 5 1
(1) Goals Scored
(2) Penalties
(3) Minutes per Goal
(4) % of Team Goals
(5) Appearances
(6) Games Scored
Crucial Goals
May 4th, 2008
Referees at Euro 2008 will come down hard on players who use excessive force or show dissent if they follow instructions they were given on Thursday. The 12 referees who will officiate at the June tournament in Austria and Switzerland were handed a six-point list of instructions at the end of a four-day workshop at their Euro 2008 base near Zurich. The instructions, compiled by European soccer’s governing body UEFA, order referees to ‘act firmly (red card) against challenges involving excessive force…including the illegal use of arms and elbows.’ UEFA said that players would also be expected to respect officials’ decisions. ‘Referees can accept a spontaneous expression of frustration from players,’ the instructions state, ‘but will firmly sanction players who show dissent to the referees by word or action.’ The referees have also been instructed to control holding or pushing in the penalty area prior to corners and free kicks and to punish ’simulation intended to deceive the referee’ with yellow cards. The list ends with a note to team coaches, advising them that they will be ‘left to do their jobs’ in the technical area immediately in front of the team bench provided they act responsibly. ‘If a coach openly criticises the referee, action will be taken to curb his behaviour,’ the instructions add. The list of the 12 Euro 2008 referees is the following: Konrad Plautz (Austria), Frank de Bleeckere (Belgium), Howard Webb (England), Herbert Fandel (Germany), Kyros Vassaras (Greece), Roberto Rosetti (Italy), Pieter Vink (Netherlands), Tom Henning Ovrebo (Norway), Lubos Michel (Slovakia),
Manuel Enrique Mejuto Gonzalez (Spain), Peter Frojdfeldt (Sweden) and
Massimo Busacca (Switzerland).
May 3rd, 2008
Directly upon his return from Shanghai to Barcelona, Jorge Lorenzo was taken to the Spanish city´s Institut Universitari Dexeus by ambulance for further inspection of the injuries suffered in Grand Prix of China last Friday in a huge highside crash.
The man in charge of the Fiat Yamaha rider´s medical issues, Dr. Xavier Mir, submitted Lorenzo to an examination of both his left and right ankles, and found a further fracture of the right astragalus and a broken ligament in the left ankle.
Lorenzo –who was last operated on by Dr. Mir for a compartmental syndrome in his arm after victory in Portugal- will not be required to go under the knife for his latest injury. However, he will be confined to a wheelchair in order to immobilise both ankles, with particular attention needed for the right hand side.After confirming that Lorenzo’s right ankle injury was more serious than previously though, Dr. Mir explained the next step in supervising the recovery process.During the next days Dr. Mir will carry out more tests, and make a more detailed evaluation of the injuries suffered on both sides. Whilst the MotoGP rookie was able to ride to fourth position in China race, the nature of his injuries means that participation in the Grand Prix of France on May 18 at Le Mans and in the Grand Prix of Italy on June 1 at Mugello are still in doubt.
But what is practically sure is that Jorge Lorenzo will be totally recovered to face the Grand Prix of Catalunya at Montmeló Circuit on June 8.
