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Showing posts with label Champions League. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Champions League. Show all posts
Well, according to theInternational Federation of Football History & Statistics he is, just ahead of Ferguson and Mourinho. I'm sure that the fluid attacking style he has defined at Arsenal are great for the entertainment of the crowd and of the persons watching football on the TV, but I find it a little strange that he is the winner without any important European success.
Molding so many talented young players into real world class players is one of his qualities, but is that enough? In my opinion, it is not in the pure sense of football, maybe just in the sense of achieving financial success but with glory still missing from the Emirates Stadium.
With Euro 2012 cluttering up the brain matter reserved for the not-so-fond-memories of most of us, and the Olympics just around the corner, things are slowly heating up in the build-up to the 2012/13 English Premier League. Champions and this season’s Premier League betting favourites Manchester City have had the purse-strings drawn tightly thus far, with Roberto Mancini maintaining he will not disrupt the team in any major way during this transfer window, but expect late action in the form of moves for RVP and at least two other big-name signings. He must clear some deadweight first, however.
Chelsea lead the way in the summer spending stakes so far, showing serious intent to build upon their epic Champions League success with some shrewd business in luring Eden Hazard, Marko Marin and Oscar to Stamford Bridge.
Last season’s narrowly-defeated big-guns, Manchester United aim to bolster their ageing midfield and have made some positive inroads with the signings of Shinji Kagawa and Nick Powell. A reliable defensive midfielder and perhaps another centre-half should see them mount another strong challenge this time ‘round.
Arsenal, with the imminent departure of RVP should have some spare cash in the kitty to strengthen their squad and have already signed a couple of impressive attacking replacements in the form of Podolski and Giroud.
Expect reformed challenges from Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool and Andres Vila Boas’ Spurs as both new gaffers attempt to introduce a new style of football to their respective clubs. It’ll be interesting to see how this particular head-to-head unfolds and it’ll be fascinating to see who prevails when it comes to challenging for the coveted Champions League spots come next May.
There’s still plenty of time remaining in this transfer window, with late drama sure to unfold, as always. If you’re having a flutter, online bookies Paddy Power are offering some great odds on a wide range of football markets.
Why not let us know your thoughts on how you think the world’s most exciting league will pan out over the next eight months? There’s bound to be highs, there’s bound to be lows and one other constant remains – The Big Football will be following every punt, kick and tackle along the way!
The European Cup is the most prestigious club tournament in world football and in the last few years, since its expansion into its current Champions League format, the tournament has become even more honoured (if that's even possible!) with teams battling away every season to become part of the rich history of the European Cup.
It is this history which makes the tournament so alluring to players and fans alike, with some of the world's greatest ever teams and players taking part over the years with certain clubs, through shear consistency, becoming synonymous with the tournament. Here are the most successful teams in the history of this great tournament...
Real Madrid
Madrid have won more European Cups than any other club and, with 9 trophies, will forever be inextricably linked to “the cup with the big ears”. The Spanish Giants won the first five European Cup titles with a team that included such giants as Alferdo di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas, and their win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 1960 final, a match that finished 7-3, is thought of as one off the greatest finals in history. Real's history in the last 20 years isn't so bad also, with the side winning the 1998, 2000 and 2002 tournaments as well, led by the mercurial talents of Pedrag Mijatovic, Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane respectively.
Milan
AC Milan are truly giants of the European game and with seven European Cups, they have a trophy cabinet to back this assertion up. Milan, with players such as Gianni Rivera in their side and legendary manager Nereo Rocco in control, won two trophies in the 1960s and Legendary skipper Paolo Maldini guided the Rossoneri to 5 more titles between 1989 and 2007.
Liverpool
England's most successful club are next on the list having won 5 titles. Bob Paisley wrapped up the first three of these titles in the late 1970s and early 80s in a period of English dominance in the competition, before Joe Fagan defeated Roma in the 1984 final. Their most famous victory probably came against Milan in the 2005 final when they came back from 3-0 down at half time to win on penalties.
Although there are many new faces in the Champions League this season, the same old faces are favourites for the title with teams like Madrid, Barcelona, Milan and Inter highly fancied to win the tournament. If you need to find out all the latest news and football betting tips once the Champions League kicks off again this season, try be win football betting, a one-stop football portal for all your footballing needs!
I know we are still in the first part of the football season but it seems to me that some changes might occur at the top of the football chain. Some teams that always have made a good impression are getting worse.
Some examples are Bayern Munchen and AC Milan. Both teams played in the UEFA Cup in recent years and this year they are having weak runs in the domestic leagues with Bayern in 6th position and Milan in 8th. The Germans are also having trouble in the Champions League with 3 points in 3 matches, a competition where Milan shoved they are still breathing after beating the high investors from Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu.
Another team that has problems and all the football blogs around the world are talking about is FC Liverpool. Rafa Benitez is a great manager, winning the UEFA Champions League in 2005 and reaching the final again in 2007, but now everyone is talking about him being sacked. I would not do it, maybe because I'm a fan of continuity. I know he bought most of the players the club has and who else could then know them better and get them out of the mess sooner than him?
Valencia, another team that always was between the big shoot is nowhere in sight now, and the money problems they have are still hurting them.
I guess the teams that will replace them are the ones bought by big investors like Manchester City, Chealsea and teams from the Eastern block like Shaktar and Dynamo Kiev from Ukraine and the Russian teams, who make transfer that could be envied by anyone.
Here is a short guide to help you buy the best and most expensive player in the world. I know some of the steps here will be a little hard to achieve for smaller clubs but hey, let's keep it on the funny side.
1. Be a big football club. I'm sure Manchester City or that club from Uzbekistan that wanted Eto'o and also have Rivaldo would have paid even more to have C. Ronaldo but the fame and the history also help. Maybe the player is a fan of your club, that would also greatly help.
2. Have Florentino Perez in your board. He made the most expensive transfer in the world back in the beginning of the decade, buying Figo and Zidane, and now he has done the same with Kaka and Ronaldo. I really can't think of another player he could spend more on at this time.
3. You should have major plans for the future. And Real Madrid really has, building a new Galacticos team, playing the best football around and winning everything there is to win, but most importantly the UEFA Champions League.
4. Pay the release clause for Ronaldo. I guess this is the first step and the sum is not really that big if you consider how many shirt you will sell with his name. Only £170.
5. Buy him from a club at which he lost his interest. I guess Madrid is more appealing to the Portuguese player than Manchester. Maybe he wants a new challenge, or just more sun.
This is a list with the top 10 football derbies in Europe, each with a little history and some graphical information. To make it clear a derby is a match between teams from the same city, so no, Barcelona - Real and such other very important and fascinating games will not be on the list. I will focus more on the rivalry and not really on international results.
1. Fenerbahce - Galatasaray, the derby of Istanbul, a city split up in two sides, one in Europe and one in Asia.
Always a very spectacular match as these two teams always go for the title, and if the game might get boring at times, the atmosphere in the stadium will not fail to impress you, the clip will say more than I can say in words.
2. AS Roma - Lazio Roma Il derby Capitolino, from the city of Rome is probably the most political derby on the list, left vs right.
Two teams that aren't really full of trophies but in a city as big as Rome there is adrenaline and lots of chaos before the start of the game. The political factor plays an important part in this one and that is maybe what makes this derby so intense.
3. Celtic FC - Rangers FC also named The Old Firm derby, from the city of Glasgow, one of the oldest in the world and all about religion, Catholics - Protestants.
A game full of hate mainly because of the religious history of the match, Celtic having Irish roots (hence the colors) and thus being Catholic and the conservative Rangers see themselves as more Scottish and protestant. I'm sure you know about all the religious problems in Ireland, well it seems that Glasgow has also been influenced, and in a strong way.
4. Olympiakos Piraeus - Panathinaikos Athens The Eternal Enemies, probably one of the most intense matches in the stands.
If you want great atmosphere and great football then this is a game that you should not miss. With a lot of investments made in football in recent history, Greek football is sure to catch up with the western part of Europe.
5. Red Star Belgrade - Partizan Belgrade the Veciti Derbi, always a very violent match in which wounded policemen is not something rare.
As I already mentioned this is probably the most violent match from this list, arrests, injured and even casualties every time the match is played.
6. Arsenal FC - Tottenham Hotspur the North London derby, probably the most important rivalry in England a country full of local derbies.
First match in 1887, I don't really have a reason why I consider this match the most important in English football but I love it, so much passion.
7. AC Milan - Internazionale Milano Derby Della Madonnina, the match in which the best teams from Milan fight for glory and prestige.
Maybe the most followed derby from the list around the world, 2 teams with great history and even greater prestige. It might not appeal to everyone because of all the tactics that Italian football teaches but nonetheless a match that I hope to see live in this lifetime.
8. Benfica - Sporting Lisbon the O Clássico, the derby of the capital city between teams with a lot of trophies.
Huge trophy rooms and huge support for the two teams from the capital city of Portugal. The stadiums will surely be full when these two teams go head to head and as EURO 2004 was held in Portugal they both have new and beautiful stadiums. Estadio da Luz for Benfica and Jose de Alvalade for Sporting.
9. Spartak Moscow - CSKA Moscow teams with a lot of support in Russia not only the capital.
Spartak has won about everything in Russia in the ninetees but recently CSKA has made up ground by winning the League in 2002 and 2006. There is a lot of money invested in Russian football and that is making them go further in Europe, like Zenit winning the UEFA Cup and the national side doing an impressive job at EURO 2008. Be sure to watch this one.
10. Dinamo Bucharest - Steaua Bucharest the Great Derby, a rivalry that started in the communist era and was basically the Police vs Army.
With both teams founded in the communist regime they always had the support of politicians and generals, basically all the good players were playing for them and the national side was a mix. This has made the derby quaite decesive for winning the League and most people from Romania picking one of them to support. With two romanian teams in the UEFA Champions League this year (CFR Cluj and Steaua) it seems that the quality of the football is on the rise and you also should follow the explosive fans in the stands.
1. All the favorites from the groups that play today are already qualified.
That means: Manchester United and Villareal from group E, Lyon and Bayern from group F, Arsenal and Porto from group G and Juventus and Real Madrid from group H. are already through so they might not want to push the note anymore tonight.
2. There isn't much to play for anymore (a place in the UEFA Cup and some money)
If you are one of the teams in 3rd or 4th place then tonight the most you can get out of the game is a place in the UEFA Cup and the money for winning the game, other than that, if you failed to impress until now then it is a little to late anyway, because not everyone will really be as excited about this game as they were at the start of the season. (Remember Shakhtar beating Barcelona yesterday? Yeah, no one does anymore.)
We might really see some dull games tonight so you might go on and bet on Celtic tonight as I really see them winning.
After winning 2-0 against Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu and qualifying to the next round of the Champions League this could be the return to the Big Football in Europe for Juventus Torino!
Only four poinst behind AC Milan in the Serie A and now through to the last 16 in the Champions League this is the return of a giant that was forgotten in the recent past. Although Real Madrid dominated the game with 13 corners against only 1 for Juve and with a ball possession of 60% they could not score against the heavy resistance put up by the Italians, instead Del Piero (33 years) managed to bag it in twice having now 4 goals in 4 matches in Europe.
This goes to prove football really is the only game in which you can win by defending!
