After a long time, Europe's premier competition has thrown up a few surprises and plenty of excitement. At the time of the draw few, if any, would have expected United to bow out. Fewer still would have expected the Gunners to qualify from a tough group before the other three English clubs and with a game to spare.

No boss, I don't want to go to a press conference.

For all the talk of boring group stage, at least this season's one has been slightly different. It wasn't the walk in the park it was the previous few seasons. Praise is given where praise is merit. Olympiacos, Marseille and Borussia Dortmund provided stiff resistance but we've managed to come out on top.

We have qualified top of the group. Well done, lads.

Is this a reason to play a B team tonight? You bet it is.

Olympiakos would like to win this fixture and thus have the chance to progress, Marseilles would like us to win and allow them to go into the knockout rounds.

Santos Laguna and Tigres enter today's Mexican Apertura Final second leg with championship aspirations and 90 minutes to try and lift a trophy.

Tigres posted a 1-0 victory in Torreon in the first leg, and will be favored to hold that lead at home, but Santos Laguna does boast the firepower to reverse that scoreline.

Saturday EPL on Fox Soccer: Everton - Norwich at 9:30am, Wigan - Chelsea at 12pm, and Wolverhampton - Stoke at 5pm. On Fox Soccer Plus: Fulham - Bolton at 10am and Blackburn - WBA at 2pm. Championship on FS+: Cardiff - Middlesbrough at 4pm. Bundesliga on GolTV: Freiburg - Borussia Dortmund at 9:30am.

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

American soccer fans always love a chance to glimpse the future of the U.S. national team, and this weekend will offer at least a few looks at some exciting prospects who could one day play a role on the senior national team.

The U.S.

Will be one of those chipping in with a contribution in Greece

This midweek sees the final round of group fixtures for the Champions League to be played. Arsenal are of course already through and will finish top of the group regardless of what happens in the Olympiakos match tomorrow. It's another chance for the manager to rest some tired legs and make full use of the squad.

Sevilla vs Getafe 3-0 Highlights Score Video 2011 Goals Manu Kanoute is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Sevilla vs Getafe 3-0 Highlights Score Video 2011 Goals Manu Kanoute is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Sevilla vs Getafe 2011 ( Sevilla Getafe video below) Score and result:- Sevilla vs Getafe 3-0 ( Fazio, Manu, Kanoute) Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Sevilla- 5 December, 2011- La Liga Monday night's La [.

We have qualified top of the group. Well done, lads.

Is this a reason to play a B team tonight? You bet it is.

Olympiakos would like to win this fixture and thus have the chance to progress, Marseilles would like us to win and allow them to go into the knockout rounds.

Champions League Preview: Big clubs in fear of dropping to Europa League - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Nine teams are through from the group stage but 16 other sides can still dream of joining them this week. Here's a look at the the key deciding matches of today and tomorrow.

Seven places remain to be filled in the 16 December round of 16 draw.

It's do-or-die for Chelsea and manager Andres Villas-Boas, as the Premier League giants need to secure a result against Valencia in order to avoid an embarrassing early exit from the UEFA Champions League.

Even with that, Frank Lampard and Fernando Torres are starting the game on the bench, and Juan Mata gets the start against his former club, which played Chelsea to a 1-1 draw in their previous meeting.

Borussia Dortmund vs Marseille 2-3 Highlights Goals 2011 Champions League Video BVB OM is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Borussia Dortmund vs Marseille 2-3 Highlights Goals 2011 Champions League Video BVB OM is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Borussia Dortmund vs Marseille 2011 ( BVB L'OM video below) Final score and result:- Dortmund vs Marseille 2-3 ( B?

Borussia Dortmund vs Marseille 2-3 Highlights Goals 2011 Champions League Video BVB OM is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Borussia Dortmund vs Marseille 2-3 Highlights Goals 2011 Champions League Video BVB OM is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Borussia Dortmund vs Marseille 2011 ( BVB L'OM video below) Final score and result:- Dortmund vs Marseille 2-3 ( B?

It was an exciting end to Champions League qualification in Group F as Leaders Arsenal slumped to a shock 3-1 away defeat to Olympiakos while Marseille made it through to the last 16 with a 3-2 win over Dortmund.

Arsenal who had already qualified for the knock out stages prior to last night's match, played the match without its stars as Coach Arsene Wenger took the opportunity to test some of his players.

By Chris Wright

Looks like Borussia Dortmund went a little 'heavy artillery' against Marseille as the night wore on...

'INCOMING!'

'Dortmund One, be advised. We gotta direct hit!'

For the record, it didn't work. After finding themselves 2-0 down after half-an-hour, Marseille eventually came from behind to win 2-3 thanks to a supoib 87th-minute Mathieu Valbuena goal, thus booking the French side a spot in the last 16.

Goals by Sergi Roberto, Montoya and a double by Pedro saw a youthful Barcelona side crush BATE Borisov 4-0 at the Camp Nou as Saturday's 'El Clasico' against Real Madrid looms. The 4-0 rout also brought up some interesting statistics which were published on the official Barcelona website. • Pedro's double takes his all-time goal [.

STARTERS
Claire Newell & Paulo Kelso of the Telegraph report that the FBI is investigating suspicious activity around the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids and FIFA presidential election.
dN
Mexico has scheduled 2 friendlies early next year in the USA:
-Wed Jan 25
Mexico v Venezuela - in Houston
-Wed Feb 29
Mexico v Colombia - in Miami
DU NORD AT THE CONTROLS
du Nord at the Controls - Tue Dec 6, 2011 - Brand new music mix at Spotify
TEAM USA - EL EQUIPO DE TODOS
Steve Davis of Sports Illustrated looks at who may or may not get called in to the USA January camp.

After a long time, Europe's premier competition has thrown up a few surprises and plenty of excitement. At the time of the draw few, if any, would have expected United to bow out. Fewer still would have expected the Gunners to qualify from a tough group before the other three English clubs and with a game to spare.

Lukas ist ein außergewöhnlicher Spieler. Aber ich glaube, er wird in Köln so sehr gehyped, dass es schwer ist, regelmäßig Leistung abzurufen.

Jürgen Klopp, Trainer von Borussia Dortmund, spricht im Pay-TV-Sender Sky über den Kölner NationalspielerLukas Podolski.

It's nearly the end of 2011 (already!), which means its time for leagues and/or associations to bestow some shiny medal to a few of footy's fiercest faces and bodies. Personally, we can't say we have a storied past of winning things and thus, know how it feels since most of the plaques stored beneath our desks say "Dirty Tackle" on them, but we (like most girls) have practised our beauty queen waves all the same.

US U-23 head coach Caleb Porter added UCLA midfielder Kelyn Rowe and Borussia Dortmund forward Terrence Boyd to the roster for the upcoming camp in Florida

After winning the group which consisted of Marseille, Borussia Dortmund and Olympiakos, Arsenal will now be put into pot 1 in the Champions league draw. Here we would face one of the group runners up in the first knockout round of the Champions League. I shall now analyse every possible opponent we could face in [.

Borussia Dortmund and Polish striker Robert Lewandowski is back in the frame again with Liverpool his most likely destination. Liverpool have been linked with many strikers with the transfer period looming on the horizon as Dalglish looks to conquer his attacking headaches.
Liverpool haven't been clinical enough in front of goal this campaign notching up 18 goals in 15 Premier League games.

*CHICAGO (AP) -- Borussia Dortmund forward Terrence Boyd and UCLA midfielder Kelyn Rowe have been added to the U.S. under-23 roster for a training camp ahead of men's Olympic soccer qualifying. Thirty players will gather for the camp with new coach Caleb Porter. It will be held from Thursday through

We're back from vacation, so we're back with the weekend football schedule. Of course, the highest profile match of the weekend takes place in Japan when Messi and Barcelona take on Neymar and Santos in the final of the Club World Cup final on Sunday morning. With David Villa injured, maybe Santos has a chance.

Here is my (personal) list of the best football teams of the year 2011:10) Borussia Dortmund: The Germans won the 2010-11 Bundesliga title playing entertaining football and a very young team. They have nevertheless disappointed in the fall. 9) Manchester City: Proof that money can buy a team, they have nevertheless also worked hard under Roberto Mancini to become a new power in English football.

Real Madrid playmaker Mesut Ozil is remaining tight-lipped on reports linking him with a move to Liverpool, insisting that he is happy at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The 23-year-old has adapted well to life in La Liga since arriving from Werder Bremen in August 2010 but, despite being a first-team regular, he rarely plays 90 minutes under coach Jose Mourinho.

By FRANCO PANIZO

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Terrence Boyd should have been sent off on Thursday.

After delivering a clumsy and dangerous challenge on Zarek Valentin in the second half of the U.S. Under-23 men's national team's intrasquad scrimmage, Boyd was given a second yellow card.