<div style="float: right;margin-left: 5px"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/real-madrid-coach-jose/image/9801006?term=Jose+Mourinho" target="_blank"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright" style="border: 0px initial initial" src="http://view1.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9801006/real-madrid-coach-jose/real-madrid-coach-jose.jpg?size=500&amp;imageId=9801006" border="0" alt="Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho speaks during a news conference at the Valdebebas training grounds outside Madrid September 17, 2010. Mourinho will not accept an offer to take temporary charge of the struggling Portuguese national team for next month&apos;s Euro 2012 qualifiers, the Real Madrid coach said on Friday.REUTERS/Susana Vera (SPAIN - Tags: SPORT SOCCER)" width="240" height="171"></figure></div></a></div>
With the another matchday of the Champions/Europa League group stages coming up, I’ve decided to take &nbsp;a look at what could be the more interesting matches of the 40 which will be played in the two competitions. The way I’ve chosen these matches is by looking at the teams which are playing, how they’ve been doing recently, and whether it’s make or break time for them.
Tottenham Hotspur – Inter Milan
After the <a href="http://www.serieatalk.com/inter-milan-defeat-tottenham-4-3/3276">fantastic 4-3 match</a> which the two sides played out last matchday at the San Siro, I couldn’t not not include this return fixture which will take place at Tottenham’s stadium, White Hart Lane. But this match looks to be slightly different from the previous one, especially with Inter Milan probably missing Esteban Cambiasso, Dejan Stankovic, and their main keeper, Julio Cesar. But Tottenham have missing players as well, their main playmaker Rafael van der Vaart limped off holding his thigh on the weekend, so he might not be able to play against Inter. And Tottenham’s first choice keeper Gomes is suspended after the red card he received last game against Inter.
My prediction for this match is a 3-1 win for Inter Milan. I expect Rafa Benitez’s side to create and finish opportunities, especially with Samuel Eto’o up front, and I think that they’ll be a little more wary of Gareth Bale. Do you agree or disagree? Share your prediction below by commenting!
CSKA Moscow – Palermo
This match is a very interesting match, although Palermo have been playing some beautiful football in the Serie A, with their brilliantly talented playmaker Javier Pastore, they haven’t started well in the Europa League. The Italian side are second-last in the group with only three points, meanwhile CSKA Moscow are top of the table with nine points having won all three of their matches so far. But what I think makes this match very interesting is the fact that Palermo need to get a result, and they have the players to do it in style. So could we see a full-out attacking match by the Italian side which will be fighting for whatever it can get away from home? I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a big scoreline from this match.
AC Milan – Real Madrid
This is a strange match, and while at first it may look like a clash of giants, I think that the game will be very one-sided for the Spanish side. The two historic sides faced each other at the Santiago Bernabeu last matchday, and that match was dominated by the home side which <a href="http://www.serieatalk.com/ghost-of-jose-mourinho-haunts-milan/3268">comfortably won 2-0</a>. While you think that AC Milan will be able to pull something off at their home stadium in order to regain some pride, they just <a href="http://www.serieatalk.com/milan-lose-to-organized-juventus-2-1/3302">lost to Juventus 2-1</a> with the San Siro crowd booing the home side. As for Jose Mourinho’s side, Real Madrid are top of the La Liga table having scored 25 goals in just nine matches.
My prediction is a 2-1 win for Real Madrid. I think that Jose Mourinho is too meticulous and careful to detail to let this disorganized AC Milan side stop his team’s good run. And Cristiano Ronaldo looks sure to score considering that he has been playing wonderfully for Real. Agree or disagree with me? Well, make sure to share your thoughts on how this big match will go by commenting below!
FC Basel – Roma
This is a big match for Group E, with Bayern Munich in first with nine points, and the rest of the sides all tied up below the Germans with three, this could decide who goes through to the next round. Roma have been doing terribly in the Champions League, and having already faced FC Basel at their home stadium, the giallorossi were humiliated losing 3-1 in Rome. But Claudio Ranieri’s side has gained momentum, and after their latest 2-0 victory over Lecce, their were plenty of positive things which could be transferred in their away trip to Switzerland. So can Roma manage to win away against Basel to claim the second place in the group? We’ll have to wait and see until Wednesday before we get an answer.
If you have any thoughts or comments regarding matches in the Europa/Champions League, be sure to share them below by commenting!

Matches To Watch In The Champions/Europa League

Matches To Watch In The Champions/Europa League - World Soccer Talk

Serie A’s lone representative in the Champions League advanced to the semi-finals with a 2-0 aggregate win over a feisty CSKA Moscow club.&nbsp; Their reward: facing probably the best&nbsp;team in the world, a Barcelona club that obliterated Arsenal yesterday at Camp Nou.
Inter did what it needed to do to advance in the tournament – play conservatively and not make stupid mistakes.&nbsp; Wesley Sniejder’s goal in the sixth minute&nbsp;<a href="http://www.goal.com/en/news/1716/champions-league/2010/04/07/1867323/inters-early-goal-was-decisive-cska-moscow-winger-mark" target="_blank" rel="noopener">had Moscow under the gun very early</a>, putting them down 2-0 on aggregate and 1-0 down on away goals.&nbsp; Their quest to score two or more goals was further hindered by a&nbsp;second yellow&nbsp;card to <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/stats?id=86459&amp;cc=5901" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chidi Odiah</a>&nbsp;for a stupid foul early in the second half.&nbsp; Inter tightened their defense for a few fruitless home team attacks, and basically ran out the clock by dominating possession at the end of the match.&nbsp;
Now the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerazzurri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nerazzurri </a>will face a familiar foe.&nbsp; Barcelona and Inter shared the same qualifying group in the fall last year and their two matches were quite competitive.&nbsp; The clubs had a scoreless draw in the San Siro while Barcelona gained a 2-0 victory at the Camp Nou.&nbsp; Inter owner Massimo Moratti has already proclaimed the desire for “<a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=767380&amp;sec=uefachampionsleague&amp;cc=5901" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revenge</a>” for the loss, but one has to wonder if this is possible.&nbsp;
Barcelona seems to be hitting its stride in the Champions League.&nbsp; Their 4-1 defeat of Arsenal yesterday (or maybe more accurately, Lionel Messi’s 4-1 victory over Arsenal) was an utter domination.&nbsp; After Bendtner’s early notch, Arsenal never could pull together a legitimate threat.&nbsp; Legitimately, you can claim this was partly due to the decimated Arsenal backline, but Barca also dominated their 2-2 draw at Emirates.
April 20 at the San Siro cannot come soon enough.&nbsp; In the interim, share your thoughts in the poll and comments section.
<a href="http://answers.polldaddy.com/poll/3018675/">Who will win the Inter/Barcelona semi-final?</a>
(<a href="http://www.polldaddy.com">polls</a>)

Inter to Face Barca in Champions League

Inter to Face Barca in Champions League - World Soccer Talk

<a href="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/champions-league-logo.jpg"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4926" src="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/champions-league-logo.jpg" alt="" width="316" height="304"></figure></div></a>
The draw for the quarter-finals of the Champions League has been made, and there are some delightful matches drawn. Arsenal will play Barcelona – two of the most attractive to watch teams in the world. Manchester United will play Bayern Munich – as a repeat of that great 1999 Champions League Final. Lyon will play Bordeaux, which ensures that a French team will make it to the semi-final, and last but not least, Inter Milan will play CSKA Moscow.
In the semi-final, the winner of Arsenal versus Barcelona will play the winner of Inter Milan against CKSA Moscow. And the winner of Manchester United versus Bayern Munich will play the winner of Lyon against Bordeaux.
This means that if Manchester United wins both matches, Sir Alex Ferguson could face either Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan or a repeat of last year’s final with Barcelona. Or, of course, Arsenal or CSKA Moscow could make it to the final too if they can win both of their matches.
The quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League will be played over two legs on March 30-31 and April 6-7. The semi-finals of the Champions League will be played over two legs on April 20-21 and April 27-28.
What’s your reaction to the draw? Are you pleased with the opposition your team will be facing? If you’re a neutral, do you think the quarter-final draw will be exciting to watch? What storylines will you be interested in? Click the comments link below to share your opinion.

Draw for Champions League Quarter-Finals Revealed

Draw for Champions League Quarter-Finals Revealed - World Soccer Talk

<div id="attachment_2953" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2010/03/Manolo-Jimenez.jpg"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2953" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-2953" src="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2010/03/Manolo-Jimenez.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="333"></figure></div></a>A forlorn Manolo Jiménez rues his side&apos;s inability to capture the moment against CSKA Moskva.</div>
With the advantage of the away goal, Sevilla looked in prime position to advance to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League.&nbsp; Unfortunately, Manolo Jiménez’s team played as though they were already in the next round.&nbsp; A 0-0 score line would have sent Sevilla through, and even though Diego Perotti declared that they could not be confident in their advantage or rely on the fact that they were playing at home, there was little impetus from Los Nervionenses in their attack.
CSKA Moskva also played this cat-and-mouse game, knowing that they did not need to push forward and leave themselves open to a swift counter-attack.&nbsp; When Tomáš Necid scored in the 39th minute from a seemingly harmless throw-in deep in the Sevilla half, Sevilla woke up from their slumber and immediately responded with a goal of their own two minutes later.

The CSKA defense allowed a long ball from an Andrés Palop free kick to bounce near the penalty area, and Jesús Navas capitalized on this good fortune by gathering the ball and squaring the ball to Diego Perotti, who coolly finished with aplomb from seven yards to equalize at 1-1.
Jiménez substituted Diego Capel to start the second half in favor of Frédéric Kanouté to have another out-and-out striker with Luís Fabiano, but play reverted to the opening thirty-eight minutes of the match.&nbsp; Sevilla went into hibernation again, and it cost them in the 55th minute, when Palop palmed Keisuke Honda’s free kick into his own net.&nbsp; Although Honda fiercely struck the ball, Palop got himself into perfect position to catch it or deflect it away.&nbsp; Palop rightly decided to push the ball away instead of attempting to snatch it in the air, but he somehow managed to deflect it into his own goal in one of the worst blunders in this year’s Champions League.
Galvanization did not repeat itself after Sevilla fell behind a second time, and they timidly fell out of the competition 1-2 in the match and 2-3 on aggregate.&nbsp; The ineffective performances ran rampant across the Sevilla squad.&nbsp; Renato failed to muster any extended possession in midfield, Luís Fabiano became a ghost as he could not be seen through most of the match, and Andrés Palop made the mistake that forced Sevilla to score twice without conceding in the final thirty-five minutes.
It would be easy to say that without Palop’s error, the match would have gone into extra time, but with all of these “what if” scenarios, any single event in a football match is not mutually exclusive.&nbsp; Assuming that the rest of the match would have gone as it ended up without CSKA’s second goal would be fallacious.&nbsp; CSKA had the slight upper hand throughout the match, and they were the more likely team to score anyway, whether it occurred with a goalkeeping error or by CSKA’s own brilliant play.
Sevilla deserved to be knocked out of the Champions League, and they face a fight from multiple angles to qualify for the Champions League next year.&nbsp; Deportivo La Coruña, Mallorca, and Athletic Bilbao are all within three points of Sevilla for the fourth Champions League spot, and while these teams do not possess the talent and the European experience like Sevilla, the Andalucians cannot take for granted that they will finish in the top four.&nbsp; If they finish the La Liga season in the same nonchalant fashion and attitude as they played against CSKA, the Europa League beckons.
<div id="attachment_2959" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2010/03/Lionel-Messi.jpg"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2959" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-2959" src="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2010/03/Lionel-Messi.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="353"></figure></div></a>The "Best Player in the World" debate should be tabled for the time being.</div>
Someone forgot to tell Stuttgart that there was a crucial Champions League match this evening.&nbsp; As confident and daring as they were at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in the first leg, Die Roten were timid and meek at the Camp Nou.&nbsp; Obviously needing at least one goal in order to have any legitimate chance of brushing the defending champions away, they only had two shots all night, and neither of those shots were on target.
The match, however, told more about Barcelona’s dominance than Stuttgart’s quiescence.&nbsp; Pep Guardiola made the bold move of leaving Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the bench in favor of Thierry Henry, a man who has only scored three goals in La Liga and has found it difficult to break into the starting eleven.&nbsp; His revealing performance in the second half against Valencia on Sunday gave Guardiola the confidence to employ him as the central striker against Stuttgart.
A thigh injury ruled Xavi Hernández out of the Stuttgart match, and with Seydou Keita not fully fit to start, Touré Yaya became the choice for Guardiola, although there was little alternative.&nbsp; Mainly used as a defensive midfielder, he patrolled the left side of midfield as though he were a tricky winger.&nbsp; Numerous counter-attacks saw him bomb down the left flank with astonishing ease, and he directly contributed to Pedro Rodríguez’s opening goal with an unselfish squared ball across the penalty area that he could have easily shot himself.&nbsp; Another player that has been stuck on the substitutes’ bench for most of the year, Guardiola shows the ability to inspire even the most disgruntled of players.
Then there is that man again.&nbsp; Without waxing poetic to the point of veneration, Lionel Messi continues to befuddle the opposition while involving his teammates in many of the attacks in which he is involved.&nbsp; Lately, due to the inconsistencies of Ibrahimovic, Pedro, and Henry, Messi had to shoulder more of the scoring load, and he looks to take a crack at goal more often than at any other time in his career.
Messi always possessed the skill and the guile to be one of the best players in the world, but in the last couple of seasons and especially in the last few months, his clinical finishing ascended to world-class level.&nbsp; When Messi scored the first goal in the 14th minute, the Stuttgart defense decided to back off him instead of closing down his space in fear that he would make one move and slice them in half.&nbsp; With this clearing, Messi popped a top left corner laser that Jens Lehmann had no chance of saving, and the rout commenced.
On Barça’s second goal, Messi played the provider, as he floated a ball over the top of the Stuttgart defense to Touré Yaya, and he squared the ball to Pedro, who delivered it into the back of the net.&nbsp; Messi would score another goal in tandem with Dani Alves later in the match, but the damage was done, and Barcelona marched on into the quarterfinals, where no one would want to draw them on Friday afternoon, when the matchups for the rest of the competition will be sorted out.
Bordeaux’s talisman Yoann Gourcuff already declared that his team would like to face anyone but Barcelona in the quarterfinals, and every other team left might have this same request.&nbsp; Now that Olympique Lyonnais eliminated Real Madrid and CSKA Moskva bounced Sevilla from the Champions League, Barcelona represents the only Spanish team remaining in the competition, and they are peaking at the right time of the season.&nbsp; They wrote this script last campaign, and they won the treble.&nbsp; Why deviate now?
<div id="attachment_2963" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2010/03/DSC03475.jpg"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2963" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-2963" src="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2010/03/DSC03475.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="334"></figure></div></a>My nieces, in blue, combining to nullify the opposition attack.</div>
Apologies to those who expected the usual Monday column that recaps the latest round in La Liga.&nbsp; I did not watch a single La Liga match this past weekend because I attended my twin nieces’ soccer tournament.&nbsp; Although classified as U-9, their team played in the U-10 group, and they won the championship, proudly accepting the winners’ medals with an everlasting gleam in their wondrous eyes.
The older U-10 team that my nieces’ team faced held a 2-1 lead with seconds remaining, but a late equalizer forced extra time.&nbsp; After two scoreless periods in extra time, both of these teams would encounter the cruel ending that is penalty kicks for the first time in their lives.
My precocious nieces feel the nervousness when they perform penalties on FIFA 09, and now, they were selected to be two of the penalty takers in the shootout.&nbsp; They invoked the power of prayer as a vehicle for their jangling nerves while they watched their teammates take their penalties and awaited their own.&nbsp; They both made their penalties, but after each team took their five penalties, both teams were still tied.&nbsp; The sixth penalty proved pivotal as my nieces’ team converted their penalty and the opposition missed theirs.&nbsp; Even at such a young age, the famous Jim McKay line “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” felt appropriate because while my nieces’ team celebrated, their opposition could not hold back their tears.
The most telling difference between watching professionals in various European leagues and watching children in this U-10 tournament was the willingness of the children to adapt to their surroundings versus the paid football players.&nbsp; A torrent of rain surged through the city hosting this tournament the night before the competition started, and when my nieces’ first match kicked off at 12:30 PM the next day, they trudged through a mushy pitch that bore little grass with which to begin because the last vestiges of winter still reigned even though spring temperatures had sprung up sporadically.
Bad bounces, balls halting to a complete stop while dribbling, and frequent slips that these children endured would discourage many professionals.&nbsp; The chronic carping and lamenting of the surface would have been endless from the professionals, but the children continued to play their football as though the pitch compared to the old Wembley Stadium.
Covering professionals for a living can jade the most optimistic of journalists, but if they need a break from the constant petulance and complaining of grown men who earn millions of Euros, attend a match or competition involving young children.&nbsp; They just want to play.&nbsp; Although you get the occasional parent who goes overboard, the purity of the sport lies here in these children.

La Liga in the Champions League: Sevilla Stumbles While Barcelona Bedazzles

La Liga in the Champions League: Sevilla Stumbles While Barcelona Bedazzles - World Soccer Talk

<div id="attachment_2936" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2010/03/Las-Ventas-Bullfighting.jpg"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2936" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-2936" src="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2010/03/Las-Ventas-Bullfighting.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="337"></figure></div></a>La Plaza del Toros de Las Ventas in Madrid is the largest bullring in Spain, and it is considered the most prestigious bullring in the world.</div>
The thrilling race at the top of La Liga came to a head last weekend, when Barcelona dropped two points at surging Almería, and Real Madrid fought back from a 0-2 deficit to win against Sevilla in the second minute of stoppage time 3-2.&nbsp; Now the two exemplars of Spanish football are tied for the lead on sixty-two points, fifteen points of third-place Valencia, who could only manage a 0-0 draw at home against struggling Racing Santander on Monday night.
Barcelona will play with two minds, as they play in the glamor match of the weekend against Valencia on Sunday while worrying about their second leg in the Champions League against Stuttgart three days later.&nbsp; With Real Madrid only focusing on La Liga at this point, Barça cannot afford to drop points at this juncture of the season, even against a Valencia team that outplayed them in the 0-0 reverse fixture in October.
As for Real Madrid, the postmortem of their dismissal from the Champions League continues, as everyone has chimed in about Madrid’s performance against Olympique Lyonnais, from the players involved to the manager, the owner, and former players.&nbsp; The Madrid press labeled their loss as an embarrassment, while the Barcelona press echoed the same sentiments in a more gleeful manner.
Although Real has a right to blush about being knocked out in the first elimination round of the Champions League for the sixth consecutive year, the media and the team has completely belittled the stellar performance by Lyon and the second half adjustments by Claude Puel to seize the result in the Santiago Bernabéu.&nbsp; Of course no one will deny that Real should have scored twice more in the first half, especially Gonzalo Higuaín’s open-netter that hit the post, but a team that is worthy of winning Europe’s most prestigious competition converts those chances, and Real Madrid did not.
Los Blancos visit Real Valladolid in the late Sunday kickoff, and if Madrid is not careful, their Champions League hangover could filter into this match against a team fighting for top-flight survival.
The other two intriguing matches of the weekend include the late Saturday kickoff between Sevilla and Deportivo La Coruña, where they are two of the four teams fighting a battle royale for the fourth Champions League spot, and the traditional 5:00 PM Sunday kickoff between Almería and Málaga, two teams that have turned their seasons around from certain relegation to relative mid-table security.
The times listed are Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and include the pregame pleasantries, although sometimes the matches on the DirecTV La Liga specific channels may not go to match coverage until right before kickoff.
Extra note: the main ESPN channels will carry their first La Liga match in over a month with Barcelona against Valencia, so catch this important clash on ESPN2 in high definiton.
Extra extra note: the United States will go into daylight savings time on Sunday, but Europe will not go into daylight savings time until March 28, so for the next couple of weeks, the US times for these matches will be one hour later than normal.
Mar. 13
Getafe vs. Mallorca – 11:45 AM on DirecTV channel 456
Sporting Gijón vs. Athletic Bilbao – 1:55 PM on ESPN Deportes/ESPN 360
Sevilla vs. Deportivo La Coruña – 3:55 PM on Gol TV
Mar. 14
Almería vs. Málaga – 11:45 AM on DirecTV channel 456
Racing Santander vs. Real Zaragoza – 11:45 AM on DirecTV channel 457
Villarreal vs. Xerez – 11:55 AM on Gol TV
FC Barcelona vs. Valencia – 1:55 PM on ESPN2 HD/ESPN Deportes/ESPN 360
Real Valladolid vs. Real Madrid – 3:55 PM on Gol TV
Mar. 15
Atlético Madrid vs. Osasuna – 3:55 PM on ESPN Deportes/ESPN 360
Unfortunately, the Tenerife – Espanyol match at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López will not be shown on US TV.
UEFA Champions League
The ramifications from Real Madrid’s elimination are still being felt throughout Spain, but there are still two La Liga teams in the tournament that have a chance to carry the flag for Spain.&nbsp; Stuttgart bested Barcelona through many parts of the first leg, but despite that, Stuttgart conceded the away goal and face avoiding a negative result at the Camp Nou on Wednesday evening.&nbsp; Barcelona hopes this will be déjà vu all over again because last season in the first knockout round, they scrapped their way to a 1-1 draw at the Stade de Gerland against Lyon before convincingly ousting them in the second leg at home 5-2.&nbsp; Knowing that they have a legitimate shot to defend the trophy at the Bernabéu, the blaugrana will have all the motivation they need to succeed on Wednesday.
Sevilla will encounter a similar situation to Barcelona, as they play a crucial domestic league match against Deportivo La Coruña before battling CSKA Moskva on Tuesday.&nbsp; Los Nervionenses are the betting favorites to proceed to the quarterfinals, and the fitness of CSKA will be tested on Tuesday because they sent out their best eleven against FK Amkar Perm on Friday in their first Russian Premier League match of the season.&nbsp; CSKA midfielder Mark Gonzalez will be sure to get the rudest of ovations in the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán since he scored the equalizer in Moscow, but more pertinent to the Sevilla fans, he was a Real Betis player.
Mar. 16
Sevilla vs. CSKA Moskva – 3:30 PM on Fox Soccer Channel (Sevilla 1-1 CSKA Moskva after the first leg)
Mar. 17
FC Barcelona vs. Stuttgart – 3:30 PM on Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Español (FC Barcelona 1-1 Stuttgart after the first leg)
UEFA Europa League
Atlético Madrid and Sporting Clube de Portugal played to a drab 0-0 draw at the Vicente Calderón on Thursday, but there were a couple of flash points, as two Sporting defenders, Leandro Grimi and Tonel, received red cards and will not be available for Sporting in Lisbon next Thursday.
Los Colchoneros had a man-advantage for more than an hour and a two-man advantage for the final few minutes, but as they are wont to do this season, they do not perform well when circumstances fall their way.&nbsp; Now they face the cauldron that is the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon in the second leg, but Atleti can take comfort knowing that they were able to win at Galatasaray to advance to this round, one of the most fearsome teams to play at home in all of Europe.
Valencia’s match at the Mestalla vs. Werder Bremen had every ingredient of an enthralling match; beautiful, flowing football, offensive aggressiveness from both teams, controversial calls, multiple yellow cards, a red card, wonderful saves, and golden chances spurned.&nbsp; All of this equaled a 1-1 draw that gives the advantage to Werder Bremen as they return to the Weserstadion on Thursday.&nbsp; Juan Mata and David Villa uncharacteristically flubbed on significant opportunities, and just like Real Madrid did in the first half of their second leg against Lyon, those missed chances could come back to haunt Los Che by the end of this tie.
Mar. 18
Werder Bremen vs. Valencia – 1:45 PM on DirecTV channel 463 (463-1 for HD) (Werder Bremen 1-1 Valencia after the first leg)
Sporting CP vs. Atletico Madrid – 4:00 PM on Gol TV (Sporting CP 0-0 Atlético Madrid after the first leg)

La Liga Preview and US TV Listings for Jornada 26: Mar. 13 &#8211; Mar. 18

La Liga Preview and US TV Listings for Jornada 26: Mar. 13 - Mar. 18 - World Soccer Talk

La Liga Preview and US TV Listings for Jornada 26: Mar. 13 – Mar. 18

<div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="/files/2008/07/uefacup2.jpg" alt="uefacup2.jpg" align="right" height="200" width="300"></figure></div>UEFA held the draw for the UEFA Cup group stage today and some fascinating pairings emerged. Both Martin Jol and Steve McClaren will take their new clubs back to England as FC Twente will face Manchester City and Jol’s Hamburg will take on Aston Villa.
This year’s groups are looking really tough and the field contains eight former UEFA Cup winners, and six former European Champion Clubs’ Cup/UEFA Champions League winners.
The top three teams in each group qualify for the knockout stages, to be joined by the eight third-placed teams in the Champions League groups. Here are the groupings with my picks to advance. A couple of potential upsets are on the cards. I think Ajax might not make the Round of 32 with their form being so inconsistent. They’ve been drawn in with some very good teams and it’s going to be tight to see who goes on.
Potential for upset exists in Groups B and E as well where Olympiakos and Portsmouth might struggle. Portsmouth have had a poor start to the season and are looking shaky at the back. Olympiacos are simply in a tough group and may struggle to beat out Hertha Berlin, Benfica and Galatasaray (a team featuring ex-Liverpool attackers Harry Kewell and Milan Baros).
I’ve picked Rosenborg to advance as they are nearing the end of their season and should be in good form/shape and as they are not likely to win their domestic league, they will look to these games to give their season some positivity.
Group A: 
Schalke 04 (Germany) 
Paris St Germain (France) 
Manchester City (England) 
Racing Santander (Spain) 
FC Twente (Netherlands)
Group B: 
Benfica (Portugal) 
Hertha Berlin (Germany) 
Galatasaray (Turkey) 
Olympiacos (Greece) 
Metalist Kharkiv (Ukraine)
Group C: 
Sevilla (Spain) 
VfB Stuttgart (Germany) 
Sampdoria (Italy) 
Standard Liège (Belgium) 
Partizan Belgrade (Serbia)
Group D: 
Spartak Moscow (Russia) 
Udinese (Italy) 
Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) 
Tottenham Hotspur (England) 
NEC Nijmegen (Netherlands)
Group E: 
AC Milan (Italy) 
SC Braga (Portugal) 
Wolfsburg (Germany) 
Heerenveen (Netherlands) 
Portsmouth (England)
Group F: 
Hamburg (Germany) 
Aston Villa (England) 
Slavia Prague (Czech Republic) 
Ajax (Netherlands) 
MSK Zilina (Slovakia)
Group G: 
Valencia (Spain) 
FC Copenhagen (Denmark) 
Rosenborg (Norway) 
Club Brugge (Belgium) 
St Etienne (France)
Group H: 
CSKA Moscow (Russia) 
Deportivo La Coruna (Spain) 
Feyenoord (Netherlands) 
AS Nancy (France) 
Lech Poznan (Poland)

UEFA Cup Group Draw

UEFA Cup Group Draw - World Soccer Talk

<div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="/files/2008/07/alves-fcb.jpg" alt="alves-fcb.jpg" align="right" height="300" hspace="15" vspace="15" width="350"></figure></div>After a long wait FC Barcelona have finally made official the signing of right-back Dani Alves from Sevilla. Alves, who can play on the right of defence or midfield, joined Sevilla from Bahia for less than one million euros in 2003 and was an outstanding player as they won back-to-back UEFA Cups in 2006 and 2007. Sevilla also won a Copa Del Rey, a European Super Cup and a Spanish Super Cup in his five-and-a-half seasons with the club.
Alves is Barca’s fourth new signing of the close season, after midfielder Seydou Keita and defenders Martin Caceres and Gerard Pique, as they look to reconstruct the side under new coach Pep Guardiola. 
 
Barca coach Pep 			 	 Guardiola believes Alves could form a devastating partnership down the right flank with Barca’s Argentine winger Lionel Messi. Speaking to reporters at the press conference to unveil Alves, he said: “They are the two best players on the right flank and if they play well we’ll have the best right side. He’s a player that needs space. I hope to get the most out of him and we hope he feels good here.” <a href="http://101greatgoals.magnify.net/item/B6Z3DRGPGD8QX0F4">Video of the press conference</a> is available from 101greatgoals.com
Leaving the Nou Camp is Deco who has been sold to English Premier League side Chelsea. No fee has been confirmed but £8m (10m Euros) is the price being mentioned by many sources including the BBC. Deco, who had a contract with Barca until 2010, is said to have penned a new two-year deal at Stamford Bridge. Deco becomes the Blues’ first signing since Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was appointed manager earlier this month.
Deco won two league championships with the Catalan giants, and was part of the team that beat Arsenal in the Champions League final in Paris in 2006. He was deemed expendable after a series of injuries hampered him during this past season. Where Deco will play in a side already packed with central midfielders like Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Jon Mikel Obi and Claude Makelele is yet to be seen. The popular notion is that Deco’s arrival makes Lampard’s possible exit to Inter Milan even more likely. I’m not sold on that one. It’s possible Makelele will be moved on and Mikel Obi could be loaned out but beyond those two I don’t see anyone budging at the moment.
<div><figure class="external-image"><img src="/files/2008/07/jo-mcfc.jpg" alt="jo-mcfc.jpg" align="right" hspace="15" vspace="15"></figure></div>Meanwhile, UEFA Cup hopefuls Manchester City have made a big dive into the transfer market by signing CSKA Moscow forward Jo for a fee that is being reported as £18 million which would be a club record. Man City has admitted he was a club record signing but the exact figure has not been released. The Brazilian, unveiled yesterday by Manchester City, won two Russian Super Cups, the Russian Premier League and the Russian Cup with the Russian club.
Jo, full name Joao Alves de Assis Silva, is a tall (6ft 3in) skilful left-footed striker who joined several Brazilian compatriots at CSKA in 2006 when he moved from Corinthians. Jo, 21 years old, had scored 44 goals in 77 matches in all competitions for the Russian club before his transfer.
This was not a Mark Hughes signing as the Citizen’s pursuit of the Brazilian began before Sven-Goran Eriksson was sacked. Valencia and other clubs had competed for Jo’s signature but the presence of fellow Brazilian Elano likely aided City’s ability to sign him.
Mark Hughes also talked about the possibility of Jo’s compatriot Ronaldinho moving to Eastlands.
“Basically that’s a process that is ongoing,” Hughes told reporters at the press conference. “I don’t think the process has slowed or accelerated. He’s a huge world star and these things, if they are going to happen, are likely to take a bit of time. In the discussions he’s had with the club I think he’s been very positive about the idea of coming to the club.”

Transfer Deals: Barcelona Sign Alves, Deco Off To Chelsea

Transfer Deals: Barcelona Sign Alves, Deco Off To Chelsea - World Soccer Talk

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