Audit and financial advisory firm Deloite & Touche released it's football money league rich list
yesterday with La Liga club Real Madrid topping the list for a seventh successive year. Closing
following Madrid in second was fellow Spanish club Barcelona.
United came in third on the list, however, it is the dominance of English clubs in the top ten
that has got people really talking.
By Greg Evans
Ayew do you do guvnor?
After the entertaining, exciting, exuberant and down-right enthralling set of matches that the
2012 Africa Cup of Nations laid on for us in the group stages, surely it could only get better for
the last 8?
The Bundesliga title race keeps getting more interesting each week. Yesterday, the chasing pack
of Schalke and Borussia Mochengladbach who were just a point behind leaders Bayern heading into
this weekend's games were both held to draws that saw them lose ground in the title race.
However, the shock result of the weekend was Bayern's 1-1 home draw with Hamburg.
Barcelona have been the scourge of Manchester United in Europe over recent campaigns but now the
Spanish giants will not have the chance to scupper the Red Devils' chances of bring home silverware
from the continent.
United fans will be disappointed their side failed to make the knockout stages of the Champions
League but based on their performances in the group stage, the Premier League title holders did not
really deserve to get through.
There is a real possibility that we will see Jose Mourinho pacing the touchline in the Premier
League next season.
Despite being 7 points clear at the top of La Liga, and into the Champions League knockout
stages, Mourinho is growing tired of the snipping in Madrid and said on Tuesday that "I don't know
if I will be here next season.
Without a "Group of Death," and without 5 of the top 8 ranked African countries (Egypt, Algeria,
Nigeria, Cameroon and South Africa all failed to qualify), the opening stages of the African Cup of
Nations lacks a bit in the tasty fixtures department. For perspective, Tunisia, the participating
country with the fourth-highest FIFA ranking is still behind tiny Cape Verde Islands (who also did
not qualify).
Despite the importance of club football, Euro 2012 dominates the majority of the continent's
players' thoughts going into the second half of the season. Italian football has had it's share of
ups and downs over the last decade, with the elation of winning the World Cup in 2006 counteracted
by scandal in the domestic game; Italy need a strong performance in the tournament.
Liverpool are said to be monitoring Tottenham's interest in Marseille striker Loic Remy with a view
to pipping the North London side in the race to sign the French international.
The 25 year old striker has previously been linked with a move to the Merseyside club in the summer
but no bid was forthcoming but the eight match ban handed down to Uruguayan Luis Suarez and the
average form shown by Andy Carroll has led the Anfield side to re-ignite their interest in the
Stade Velodrome forward.
We'll see more Portland and Seattle in 2012 but less Houston and Dallas. (Getty Images)
I feel like I am back, at least for the most part. The last month or so I've taken a slight back
seat around here to enjoy the holidays, be with family, friends and others but most importantly to
take some time for myself.
Together at the summit of the Premier League table, the thought of the last 32 of Europa League,
rather than the glamorous knockout stages of the Champions League, provides the stark contrast by
which Manchester City and Manchester United must define their seasons.
After winning the FA Cup last season, and qualifying for the Champions League, sky looked to be
the limit for Roberto Mancini's side.
Going into the Champions League group stages, there were likely a great deal of football bets
placed on Premier League powerhouses Manchester United and Manchester City reaching the round of
16. But after flubbing a group that appeared to be a relative stroll, United are now looking ahead
to the Europa League, and their archrivals are doing the same.
Olympique Lyonnais vs. Evian TG FC,
Matchday 18, Ligue 1
Finally a Champions League Knockout stages draw that spelt relief for Lyon. In their 9th
consecutive appearance in the Round-of-16, they meet APOEL FC; the Cypriot side that managed to
finish ahead of Zenit St.
Arsenal will play AC Milan in the Champions League knockout stages after the draw was made in
Nyon this morning.
That is a toughie, Jeez.
Arsene Wenger's side finished top of Group F and were seeded and now face the prospect of a
mouth-watering tie. Prior to the draw for the last 16, AW said: "You cannot avoid anybody so the
wishes you have are useless anyway.
Arsenal will play AC Milan in the Champions League knockout stages after the draw was made in
Nyon this morning.
That is a toughie, Jeez.
Arsene Wenger's side finished top of Group F and were seeded and now face the prospect of a
mouth-watering tie. Prior to the draw for the last 16, AW said: "You cannot avoid anybody so the
wishes you have are useless anyway.
Arsenal will play AC Milan in the Champions League knockout stages after the draw was made in
Nyon this morning.
That is a toughie, Jeez.
Arsene Wenger's side finished top of Group F and were seeded and now face the prospect of a
mouth-watering tie. Prior to the draw for the last 16, AW said: "You cannot avoid anybody so the
wishes you have are useless anyway.
Arsenal will play AC Milan in the Champions League knockout stages after the draw was made in
Nyon this morning.
That is a toughie, Jeez.
Arsene Wenger's side finished top of Group F and were seeded and now face the prospect of a
mouth-watering tie. Prior to the draw for the last 16, AW said: "You cannot avoid anybody so the
wishes you have are useless anyway.
Does celebrating with the opposition goalkeeper and not your manager indicate problems in the
dressing room. We wouldn't like to speculate. Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images Europe.
Once upon a time, taking a team to the knockout stages of the Champions League as group winners
and beating the league leaders would be sufficient to cement a manager's credibility.
FC Barcelona will compete in this year's FIFA Club World Cup following a sensational UEFA
Champions League triumph in 2011. The Catalans must first face AFC Asian Champions League winners
Al Sadd before they can start dreaming of the possibility of winning the world crown for the second
time in three years.
Most likely, fans around the world who don't have any connection with Manchester either
football wise or any other wise, are sick and tired of all the talk and banter surrounding the
surprising exits of both Man Utd and Man City from the knockout stages of this year's UEFA
Champions League tournament.
Europa League ties to bring fixture chaos
Prem will become a Sunday league if all five English teams reach the Europa League's knockout
stages
View the full story here: The Mirror
A news article on 2011-12-08 21:30:23 from: The Mirror
This news item has been reproduced from today's media.
Last sixteen of the UEFA Champions League? Say word.
I reckon that's a Luis Suarez (a couple middle fingers) to all our detractors. Tell me you don't
agree. But, now that we've booked our place in the knockout stages of the competition, we need to
look ahead to our possible opposition in the opening round.
Good news for England fans today as UEFA has reduced Wayne Rooney's three match suspension has
been reduced to two matches after a successful appeal by the FA.
The reduction means that Rooney , 26,will now be available for England's third Group D game,
against Ukraine, but will miss the fixtures against France and Sweden.
There are moments of true magic in the beautiful game of football. This year, perhaps no one
knows this better than SSC Napoli in sizzling form in the Serie A, and now having sealed their spot
in the final sixteen of the Champions League! Napoli's debut in the Champions League has been
nothing less than a Cinderella story.
The Twittersphere was alive last night with the scoreline London 2-0 Manchester, as both City
and, more spectacularly, United failed to join Arsenal and Chelsea for the knockout stages of this
season's Champions League.
The response from dejected mancs has been that this scoreline is of little relevance; the red
and blue halves of Manchester still make up the top two in the Premier League, and the Londoners
don't really have a chance of conquering Europe anyway.
The Twittersphere was alive last night with the scoreline London 2-0 Manchester, as both City
and, more spectacularly, United failed to join Arsenal and Chelsea for the knockout stages of this
season's Champions League.
The response from dejected mancs has been that this scoreline is of little relevance; the red
and blue halves of Manchester still make up the top two in the Premier League, and the Londoners
don't really have a chance of conquering Europe anyway.
Image: jutarnji.hr.
We love taking nervous boys under our (pterodactyl-like) wings and er... offering consolation.
This is exactly what we were planning when we saw this photo of Yoann Gourcuff arriving in Croatia
for Lyon's crunch Champions League tie vs. Dinamo Zagreb. With the benefit of hindsight, we needn't
have bothered.
When the draw for the group stages of the Champions League was done a couple of months ago
everybody expected Group D to be a clear path to the next stage for Manchester United and Benfica.
The tables however turned last night when minnows Basel clinched the last qualification spot in
Group C.
A miracle. That's exactly what Lyon needed to go through to the knockout stages of the Champions
League after disappointing in the five first games and scoring only on two occasions. To qualify,
Les Gones not only needed Ajax to lose, but also had seven goals to catch up on the Dutch side.
On another night of drama in the Champions League Lyon, Basel and Napoli all moved onto the
round of 16, while last season's beaten finalist Manchester United was sent to the Europa
League.
The most unlikely team to progress to the knock stages was Lyon, who needed Ajax to lose at home
to Real Madrid while they beat Dinamo Zagreb and overturned a seven-goal
deficit.
Terrible night for Manchester United and City as both clubs crashed out of the Champions League
tonight.
The bigger shock was Man United losing 2-1 to Basel on a night that saw United captain Nemanja
Vidic carried off with a bad knee injury.
United only needed a draw to progress but went behind after only nine minutes when Marco
Streller fired home after Xherdan Shaqiri's cross was kicked out by David De Gea.
Terrible night for Manchester United and City as both clubs crashed out of the Champions League
tonight.
The bigger shock was Man United losing 2-1 to Basel on a night that saw United captain Nemanja
Vidic carried off with a bad knee injury.
United only needed a draw to progress but went behind after only nine minutes when Marco
Streller fired home after Xherdan Shaqiri's cross was kicked out by David De Gea.
Manchester United failed to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time
since the 2005-06 season, after losing 2-1 in Basel on a disappointing night. Last year's finalist
paid the price for making a mess of what was widely regarded to be the easiest group in the
competition and stumbled to [.
- Next time, rake the cleats, Rooney my boy.
And as Matchday 6 of the Champions League separated the wheat from the chaff, the next eight
into the Europa League knockouts are:
Valencia
Olympiakos
Porto
Victoria
Plzen
Manchester United
Manchester City
Lyon FC Basel
Trabzonspor
Manchester United failed to beat Basel, so MUFC goes to Europa while the Swiss progress to the
knockouts.
Andre Villas-Boas's radical thinking starting to pay dividends for Chelsea Telegraph.
Last night at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea cruised through to the knockout stages of the UEFA
Champions League with a convincing 3-0 win over top La Liga side Valencia. Following the pressure
laden last few weeks for Andre Villas Boas, this win came as a relief to him and the club but in
essence, it means much more than that.
Do or die time for Manchester teams in the Champions League - originally posted on
Soccerlens.com
Of the four English representatives in this season's UEFA Champions League, Arsenal and Chelsea
are assured of a passage through to the knockout stages; both Manchester clubs must perform in
their last group game to stand a chance of progression.
Do or die time for Manchester teams in the Champions League - originally posted on
Soccerlens.com
Of the four English representatives in this season's UEFA Champions League, Arsenal and Chelsea
are assured of a passage through to the knockout stages; both Manchester clubs must perform in
their last group game to stand a chance of progression.
Two goals from Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and a fine solo effort form Brazilian Ramires was
enough to send Chelsea through to the knockout stages of the Champions League for the 8th
consecutive season.
I must admit, i knew the win was important for Chelsea and Villas-Boas, but i never expected the
coach to react the way he did.
Thank heavens for Wojciech Szczesny.
Well, that was pleasant, wasn't it? A team full of reserves and youngsters faced off against a
determined, full-strength Olympiakos side determined to get the win, in any way possible. With a
ravenous home crowd egging them on, this game turned out to be a bit of an ugly affair, with studs
flying at different times and resulting in some nasty tackles and unsightly scenes.
Anxiety? Not needed.
A pulsating showcase, carefully imagined by Andre Villas-Boas and anchored by the irresistible
Didier Drogba, sees our beloved Chelsea into the knockout stages of the Champions League once
again. As group winners, too, no less. This, my friends, was a night to cherish.
Happiness is a warm brace
What to say, what to say.
It really is make or break for Chelsea tonight and I cannot emphasise enough just how important the
right result is for our season. We have come up against adversity in recent weeks and took a
massive step in the right direction
at Newcastle on Saturday.
I have to stress that it's important that we do not get carried away as there is plenty still to
do.
