Just a few weeks ago Inter were the talk of the Serie A, for all the right reasons. Seven consecutive wins on the back of solid defending and a return to form of striker Diego Milito saw the Nerazzurri shoot up the league table and become serious contenders for a Champions League place. There were even whisperings of Inter being a legitimate threat to Juventus and Milan for the Scudetto.

2012, after 2001?
Today is a crucial day as we'll know whether we continue our currently successful run in 4 competitions. Since the last victory against Dijon, OL players and staff didn't focus on the all important incoming clash at the Velodrome against Marseille, which could condition the path of the two clubs in L1.

It appears likely that Didier Drogba is set to move to Shanghai Shenua. It is not quite clear whether the move is scheduled to take place during the January transfer window or in the summer of 2012 but it has become quite clear that Didier Drogba is set to move away from Stamford Bridge and Chelsea.

The Agent of Marseille striker Loic Remy claimed last week that the France International still harboured a 'dream' of playing in the English Premier League. That may be true, but over the weekend, Remy rejected any possibility of a move during the January transfer window, and even hinted that he'd see out the remainder of his contractLiverpool tried to sign Remy last Summer, and during the

As expected Gary Cahill has completed his £7 million move to Chelsea from Bolton Wanderers, apparently being given a contract worth £23 million.
In another quite interesting piece of speculation, Tottenham Manager Harry Redknapp has denied that the club are willing to swap Luka Modric for Fernando Torres at Chelsea.

Marseille striker Loic Remy has been linked with Liverpool several times over the last year, and the player's agent has now revealed that France player still harbours a 'dream' of playing in the English Premier League.In July 2011, Remy's agent, Frederic Guerra, revealed the extent of Liverpool's interest in the player:"Liverpool are passing up a huge opportunity if they decide not to go with

Chasing the Big Leagues Clermont Foot (France Ligue 2) is a post from: Just Football

Introducing a new series on Just Football now Tales from Tier Two, in which we will be taking a look at how the season is unfolding for the promotion chasing teams around tier two of Europe's major leagues.

They've been pretty battered in the last couple of weeks, so it's no wonder that Man United brought their A Game and fans to the City of Light last night. Unfortunately, any game between City and United has been classified as 'Category C' which is the "highest security grade" by British police who put riot police on standby in the event of trouble.

Part 3 of the review, coming right at you.

Aaron Ramsey
Stats: 22 appearances (3 sub appearances), 6.71 average rating, 2 goals, 6 assists, 2 yellow cards.

On his first full season since coming back from the Shawcross Special, Ramsey found himself as our main playmaker with Wilshere's injury and Cesc's and Nasri's exits.

I hate fake transfer rumours. What I hate the most is how certain sites just brazenly and unashamedly lie and make up transfer 'stories' with the sole intention of conning people into reading them. Take today's daily transfer lie, for example: Sunderland's Stéphane Sessègnon.According to one London-based 'newspaper' Liverpool 'have joined Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille in the hunt' for

Serie A on Fox Soccer: Cagliari - Milan at 2:30pm. Ligue 1 on Fox Soccer Plus: Nancy - Marseille at 3pm. Copa del Rey on ESPN Deportes: Real Madrid - Ponferradina at 2pm and Sevilla - San Roque de Lepe at 4pm. All Times Eastern

There's not much in the way of significant news circulating in the immediate wake of our grossly disappointing 1-1 draw in Wigan on Saturday afternoon. What we do have, though, is a few interesting tidbits to touch on. Let's take a look shall we?

To Naples, not London

Vargas opts to join Napoli
Disappointing news out of Chile, with Eduardo Vargas confirming he'll be joining Napoli in the January transfer window.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LAST 16 DRAW

Olympique Lyonnais v APOEL Nicosia

Napoli v Chelsea

AC Milan v Arsenal

Basel v Bayern Munich

Bayer Leverkusen v Barcelona

CSKA Moscow v Real Madrid

Zenit St Petersburg v Benfica

Marseille v Internazionale

*The first legs will be played on Feb.

With AC Milan in the runner-up pot, the odds of a high-profile matchup in the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League were quite high. As it turns out, the draw did not disappoint.

Arsenal got paired with Milan during Friday's Champions League draw, setting the stage for an intriguing battle in the tournament's Round of 16.

The draw for the Champions League 2011-12 1/16th play-off took place today with the following pairings:AC Milan-ArsenalNapoli-ChelseaCSKA Moscow-Real MadridApoel Nicosia-Olympique LyonBasel-Bayern MunichBenfica-Zenit St. PetersburgFC Barcelona-Bayer LeverkusenOlympique Marseille-Inter MilanSome very interesting matches indeed!

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.

Soft penalties are an epidemic. Stephane Mbia's challenge/rearranging of Sebastian Kehl's face is not a soft penalty. This is earning every single bit of the penalty and then some, with Kehl being subbed off. (He's fine, though probably not remembering much of pi.)

Fair warning: not for the exceedingly squeamish.

It seems more and more likely that Roman Pavlyuchenko will be out of the door at Christmas after his agent suggested that a number of offers are on the table for the Russian.

Earlier in the week, Sovietsky Sport were claiming a done deal between Tottenham and Lokomotiv Moscow but the player's representative states otherwise.

This is extraordinary. Just extraordinary. It's entirely possible that, with a group comprised of Bayern, Napoli and Villarreal, Manchester City's first foray wouldn't go brilliantly. And it didn't, dropping down to the 3rd spot below the Germans and Italians. (Villarreal finishing with a big fat goose egg.

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.

On Saturday lunchtime, Mike Dean shamelessly distorted the hyperreality in Chelsea's aided 3-0 victory at Newcastle - an outcome only a surprise to those utterly outside the loop.
Last night Mr Dean was in Dortmund in a heavily and obviously rigged Champions League match against Marseille.
On the final rounds of matches in UEFA and FIFA competitions when qualification is dependent on the outcome of two separate matches, the authorities insist on coincident kick off times to ensure no team(s) possesses an advantage in time.

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?

Didier Drogba scored a brace either side of a first-half goal from Ramires to guide Chelsea to a 3-0 win over Valencia that sees them qualify for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.

After many question marks raised over his abilities in recent months, the 33-year old Drogba looked very much like his old self as he opened the scoring as early as the 3rd minute.

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.

Tarik Sektioui is not a name familiar to many football fans but the former FC Porto winger scored one of the UEFA Champions League's all-time great goals against Marseille in 2008. Needing to win to reignite a stuttering group stage campaign, FC Porto started slowly against a dogged OM side...that was until Moroccan winger Tarik [.

Despite it being a dead rubber for Rosenborg, and Ajax having the ability to win the group, it was the Norwegian side who took all three points with a 2-0 victory in Amsterdam tonight, leaving our own Young Lions at the top of the pile.

This means that we'll have the advantage of playing the single-legged quarter final at Villa Park, more than likely against Marseille.

French Ligue 1 side Olympique de Marseille have launched a new shirt which was created and chosen by fans. The winning shirt was created by Marseille fan Mathieu.

Exciting times for Andre-Pierre Gignac. According to this article in l'Equipe:

Gignac had a barny with Deschamps after not being picked for a recent Champions League game
Gignac threw a water bottle and was asked to apologise to the group
He refused. Deschamps then asked Gignac to cease using the "tu" (familiar) form of address, and to switch to the "vous".

Arsenal booked their place in the knock out stages with a 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates stadium. Once again Robin Van Persie was the hero for the Gunners as they secured their qualification to the knock out stage for the 12 consecutive season.

I must admit that it was a fine performance from Arsenal.

I must say I always enjoy it when a German club comes to town. They invariably bring loads of fans, make lots of noise and have a cracking time. Marseille and Arsenal might still be in the driving seats in this group, but Dortmund's win on Matchday 4* means they are very much back in it, and if that fact hasn't been drummed into the team throughout this week in training then I'm a goalscoring Dutchman.

Tonight Arsenal face a giant of a test when German club Borusssia Dortmund visit them at the Emirates in a winner takes all Group F Champions League clash. Any slip up tonight from either Arsenal, Marseille or Dortmund could effectively end their hopes of moving on to the knockout stage.

Arsenal lead Group F on 8 points and Wenger will be hoping that his star striker Robin Van Persie will carry on from Saturday and ensure the Gunners qualify with a game to spare.

After refusing to sign a new contract with Arsenal and casting doubt about his future with the club, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger reiterated his commitment to the club saying that he will only think about stepping down when he felt like it.

Arsenal were 2-1 winners over Norwich yesterday with their captain Robin Van Persie scoring both goals to ensure the Gunners kept pressure on the exclusive top 4 club.

The NextGen Series has announced the brackets for the quarter finals on their Twitter feed and it sets up a possible trip to Barcelona for our Young Lions. Due to domestic fixtures, the quarters finals will be played over just one leg with each of the group winners earning the advantage of playing at home:

QF1: Group 1 Winner vs Group 3 Runner-up QF2: Group 2 Winner vs Group 4 Runner-up QF3: Group 3 Winner vs Group 1 Runner-up QF4: Group 4 Winner vs Group 2 Runner-up

Group 2 has already been wrapped up with Sporting winning the group and Liverpool finishing in second place.

The NextGen Series has announced the brackets for the quarter finals on their Twitter feed and it sets up a possible trip to Barcelona for our Young Lions. Due to domestic fixtures, the quarters finals will be played over just one leg with each of the group winners earning the advantage of playing at home:

QF1: Group 1 Winner vs Group 3 Runner-up QF2: Group 2 Winner vs Group 4 Runner-up QF3: Group 3 Winner vs Group 1 Runner-up QF4: Group 4 Winner vs Group 2 Runner-up

Group 2 has already been wrapped up with Sporting winning the group and Liverpool finishing in second place.

The only fit first team fullback left

With everyone safe and sound back at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger conducted his pre match press conference today. The topics which he covered can be seen here. As with any presser, the more important topics usually covers who's out and who's back in the squad.

Fenerbahce recorded their first win in the NextGen Series with a 1-0 victory over visiting Rosenborg today, leaving our own U19s in a very strong position to qualify for the next round.

With just two Group 3 games remaining, the table now looks like this:

Team P W L D F A GD PTS Ajax 4 3 0 1 9 2 7 10 Aston Villa 5 3 2 0 12 7 5 9 Rosenborg 5 2 3 0 9 11 -2 6 Fenerbahce 6 1 4 1 5 15 -10 4

Ajax come to Villa Park on November 22nd before hosting Rosenborg themselves on November 29th.

Months after leaving Arsenal (for understandable reasons), Cesc Fabregas has for the first time spoken out on the club's disastrous start to the season and their recent improved form.

The Spanish midfielder who has suddenly become one of Barca's key goal scorers is now warning Arsenal against letting their top player Robin Van Persie go.

Friday again? How does this keep happening with such regularity? I don't quite know where this last year has gone. I just remembered this morning that it's just over a year since Arseblog came back under my total control, my despotic regime is progressing nicely with Commander Tom readying the technological weapons of war and .

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was delighted after the Gunners kept a clean sheet, on Tuesday night, against Olympique Marseille. Speaking to Arsenal Player after the game, the Poland International declared that Thomas Vermaelen and Per Mertesacker ...

Arsenal midfielder Theo Walcott was disappointed after the goalless draw against Olympique Marseille but also happy that the Gunners were very solid in the defensive department. Speaking after the game, the Englishman declared that the Gunners ...