With the Ballon d'Or nominations finally releasing this weekend, the headlines have mostly been devoted to the fact that world champions Italy have no representation whatsoever. But why blame the press for paying excessive attention to an irrelevant detail? After all, the award itself is destined to be heading Lionel Messi's way, which means very little is there to be talked about in terms of debating the winner, right?

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The trouble with nostalgia is that there's no future in it. I don't really do nostalgia, probably something to do with the onset of senility. I'm more interested in the prospects for the team on Saturday and the possibilities for the season. There's plenty of nostalgia about of course as befits the supporters of a team whose future has been largely in the past. Click to continue reading...

Beyond the nation's borders, Italian football has certainly faded into the background in recent years. A devastating match-fixing scandal in 2006 bitterly overshadowed the country's World Cup triumph that year while the domestic league has clearly become a one-horse race ever since. Reigning champions Inter Milan have shown no signs of a slip up in the Serie A for the last three seasons and that trend continued with their strong start to the current season as well.

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With the first quarter of football almost over in most leagues around Europe, now is a good time to measure the current progress of some of the giant clubs on the continent. Actually, analyzing the success or failure of clubs in general won't be nearly as exciting as identifying a more specific object of analysis.

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As the Olympiacos team bus got closer and closer to the Finsbury Park area, I am sure veteran goalkeeper Antonios Nikopolidis began to relive some of the greatest moments of his career at the highest level. From his invaluable contribution in Greece's historic Euro 2004 win to his consistency during his club's league triumph over the last three years, Nikopolidis is no stranger to success at a grand stage.

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There is no denying that Liverpool F.C. is the form team in the Barclays Premier League at the moment. Rafa's Reds have defied all odds to overcome a frustrating start to the campaign and surprisingly, the Steven Gerrard - Fernando Torres pairing isn't exclusively responsible for leading the revival.

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There is absolutely no doubt that Fulham's gritty displays of late are deserving of their newfound reputation as the people's club in the Premier League. The masses can relate to their mid-sized squad and down-to-earth players while tourists from all over the world simply cannot resist the amazing atmosphere at the conveniently located Craven Cottage.

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How long does he have left?

With Portugal on the verge of non-qualification for the World Cup in 2010, manager Carlos Queiroz is under extreme pressure and has the very real possibility of unemployment looming over him. Given this threat, and inevitability that this will occur, I ask you.

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Another week of Premiership action is now in the books, and Thursday means one thing: it's time for the Thursday Throwdown from A to Z. Here we go...

AÂ is for Anelka. Chelsea fans should be counting their lucky stars that both Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba are in spectacular form.

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This coming season promises to be the most exciting in years. Of course, every coming season promises to be the most exciting in years. This is one of the many truisms of English Football. Last season we gaped open mouthed as Manchester City clumsily wooed Global Franchise Entities with the promise of dreams and Ferrero Rocher.

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After what appears to have been a frustrating time in this summer's transfer market, Rafael Benitez may be forgiven for thinking that his past may be coming back to haunt him.

In August 2004, at the very beginning of his reign at the helm of the Anfield club, Rafa allowed England's number one striker to leave for Spanish giants Real Madrid.

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There have been many occasions in recent years where the genius of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been brought into question. After all, the trophy cabinet has been empty for four years and everyone, from skipper Cesc Fabregas to that little child in the upper tier at the Emirates, is becoming increasingly restless with the club's underachievements.

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On the 20th of June 2006 in Cologne, Germany, I was sat high behind the goal in the RheinEnergieStadion (then called simply 'The FIFA World Cup Stadium') when in the fourth minute, a figure crumpled to the ground. It was hard to see who it was from my unique vantage point, but the man sitting to my left immediately turned round and said 'any money it's Owen'.

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Here's an analogy for you to mull over:

An entrepreneur comes up with a product. It can be any product: a website, a toaster, a killer mutant robot, you name it, but he designs and develops it. He makes it successful. It's him who brings this product to the attention of the world... and it's a truly great product.

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So it's finally come to an end. The most protracted and annoying transfer saga in Manchester United history has ended with Cristiano Ronaldo finally getting his wish to look absolutely fabulous in all white whilst topping up his tan in the Spanish Sun.

Some will inevitably see the deal, and his request for it, as inconclusive proof of their belief he is an evil, diabolical, ungrateful little grasping greasy foreign **** who should be strung up and paddled for the sheer gall of wanting to play for anyone but Manchester United.

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With the Premier League over for another season. Here are some of the things I noticed from the 08/09 campaign:

Like a bat out of Hull

Hull City were everyone's favorite to go straight back down this season. They seemed like a sweet little feel good story, content to have their moment in the big leagues before quickly sinking back to lower level obscurity where they could be patronized by football and non-football people alike for sounding like a thoroughly dull and uninspiring place to live.

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On yet another pulsating night in European football, Shakhtar Donetsk became the first ever Ukrainian side to lift the UEFA Cup following a 2-1 win over the German Bundesliga's Werder Bremen. In the process, they also became the last team to ever win the competition as it will be reprised as the Europa League next season.

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Does anyone else get the feeling that things have been going too well for too long? The English Premier League has gone from European underachievers to world dominators in only a few years. Foreign investment and an influx of the world's best talent has made the Premiership the undisputed champion of Europe and of the world.

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Before you harp on me for being a United fan that hopes Manchester City does well, hear me out. The English Premier League is enjoying its most dominant spell in Europe at the moment. With three of the four Champions League semifinalists hailing from the land of fish and chips and Ali G, English clubs are the most revered and powerful clubs in the continent and in the world.

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Ten things I noticed from this week's Champions League semifinals:

1. The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth

Results lie. Sometimes. If not, then in the last 5 years I've been privileged enough to watch the great Greek team of 2004 justly claim their prize as the greatest international team in Europe.

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Manchester United's 3-1 second leg victory over Arsenal at the Emirates (and, on top of that, it was 4-1 on aggregate) showed the world many things about these two sides. While United deserve all of the accolades that they are getting following this match, few people are mentioning Arsenal's absolute embarrassment at home and their inability to win anything.

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Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger were for once united in the opinion that Cristiano Ronaldo had inspired Manchester United to an emphatic 3-1 Champions League semi-final second-leg victory against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

The Portugal international, used as a lone striker, turned in arguably his best performance on the big stage in United colours to hand the defending champions the opportunity to become the first club side in the modern era to successfully defend their European crown on May 27 in Rome against the winners of the Chelsea-Barcelona return leg.

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It may not be quite as bad as offering one's self to the devil, but if the reports are true then Nemanja Vidic has apparently offered his services to Barcelona. Vidic has been a subject of speculation in the past, with AC Milan among his list of suitors. On top of all of this, Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo also declares that Vidic has told Manchester United about his desire to leave Old Trafford and a move to Spain is imminent.

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The Real Madrid rumor mill is in full flight once again, although this time it's a Chelsea player that is at the center of the speculation. Eduardo Garcia, who is running for the Real Madrid presidency, has told the media that he has an agreement in place that will bring the Ivorian striker to Spain if he wins the election.

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With Aston Villa defeating Hull City 1-0 last night, Premier League fans had to settle once again for an ordinary season at the top of the table. While a few of the places are a bit different (Liverpool ahead of Chelsea?), once again the normal culprits have all locked up European spots.

Even as a United fan, the dullness and predictability of the top half of the table is a bit disheartening.

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Football FanCast columnist ‘The New Voice of Football' fully expects Cesc Fabregas returns to his beloved Barca, but doesn't feel that now is the right time.

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas will not leave the Emirates Stadium for the Nou Camp this summer.

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The Premier League has arrived in Italy. Well, not quite, but close to it. Yesterday's controversial headlines all discussed Serie A's decision to breakaway from the rest of the Italian league structure. Fans of the Premier League are no strangers to this situation, as England's very own top flight broke off from the Football League structure back in 1992.

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Given the somewhat weak performances from players around the Premier League this past weekend, I believe that now is the time to give credit where credit is due. Seventeen years after winning his second PFA Young Player of the Year, Ryan Giggs was voted as the PFA Player of the Year last week.

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With the anticipation building ahead of Arsenal's away trip to Manchester United in the Champions League, murmurs are coming out from both sides. Sir Alex Ferguson kicked off the mind games by stating how wary he is about the threat of an Arsenal away goal, while both Arsene Wenger and Emmanuel Adebayor have stated that an away goal would settle the tie.

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A statement issued by Nani showing remorse in response to his reaction at being hauled off at half-time on Saturday when Manchester United were trailing 2-0 to Tottenham may not be enough to cement his future at Old Trafford.

The official line is that the 22-year-old did not break the club's code of conduct, but the fact that he was already at home by the time the Premier League leaders decided to obey the football odds by completing a stirring 5-2 comeback hardly strengthens his relationship with an increasingly wary Old Trafford crowd.

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Having been a long-time fan of the Premier League, I completely understand that top-flight English football is synonymous with a rollercoaster ride. Not only do we see teams in and out of the driving seat in terms of controlling the title race, but each week we have new teams competing for European qualification, or quite simply, to avoid relegation.

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So, lets get straight to it. It's the question on everybody's lips. Did Sir Alex Ferguson disrespect the FA Cup by fielding the cast of Skins? There were rumblings as soon as I entered the stadium. Some people had seen it on TV in one of the many bars, some had been phoned by friends, some were just wildly speculating.

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With the Champions League quarterfinals a thing of the past, here are eight things I noticed from the last eight.

The Usual Suspects

So, here we are again. Three English teams and Barcelona square off for the Champions League semis for the second consecutive year. No doubt Michel Platini will have already dusted off his Panini stickers and erected a Barcelona shine in his 'salon.

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In what is being called, by many UEFA pundits, arguably the most thrilling Champions League quarterfinal in recent memory, Chelsea knocked Liverpool out 7-5 on aggregate. However, the aggregate score is certainly flattering for the Blues, who defended amateurish throughout the second leg at home tonight.

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In what is being called, by many UEFA pundits, arguably the most thrilling Champions League quarterfinal in recent memory, Chelsea knocked Liverpool out 7-5 on aggregate. However, the aggregate score is certainly flattering for the Blues, who defended amateurish throughout the second leg at home tonight.

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