Speaks Scottish, apparently...

There’s nothing like a good loser…and Gennaro Gattuso is nothing like a good loser! Following his AC Milan side’s 1-0 ‘shock’ defeat to Tottenham Hotspur he had an altercation with Spurs coach Joe Jordan in which he appeared to attempt to headbutt the Scot.

Gattuso had previously clashed with Jordan during the second half when a horrific challenge from former Arsenal midfielder Flamini on Vedran Corluka resulted in just a yellow card. You’d think Gattuso would know he’d picked on the wrong guy after his time in Scotland, but no, he steamed right in. Take a look at the post-match incident:

Gattuso has since apologised for his actions, of course, with the rather amusing line:

I was nervous. We were both speaking Scottish, something that I learned when I played in his home city of Glasgow, but I can’t tell you what we said. I didn’t want to argue with players and I did it with him, but I was wrong to do what I have done. I will have to await what they decide.

Spurs recorded this famous win in the San Siro with an 80th minute winner from Peter Crouch, by the way. It sets them up nicely for the home leg at White Hart Lane and will go down as one of Redknapp’s best ever victories as a manager.

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For Chelsea and Manchester United fans, however, it’s a bit of a damp squib. Chelsea face FC Copenhagen, a match which many will view as a virtual bye. Will that prove to be the case given the London club’s recent Premier League form, however? There’s potential for a shock in there, perhaps.

Meanwhile, United face Marseille which is at least a new enough fixture, but another French team in what has been a long line of them since the Old Trafford outfit began their long love affair with the competition. It also sees Gabriel Heinze return to Manchester. Wonder what reception he will get? Sir Alex Ferguson will no doubt be pleased with the draw.

Arsene Wenger, however, will not. He’d have been hoping for a slightly easier tie than the current best team in Europe (according to some…most?), while Harry Redknapp and Spurs will just be glad they were in the draw and will, no doubt, be relishing the challenge of AC Milan.

Other notable ties are Lyon versus Real Madrid and Inter Milan versus Bayern Munich. Lyon knocked Real out of the competition at this stage last year and will be dying to do the same again. Current holders Inter Milan will be feeling a sense of déja vu when they face the German side as it is a repeat of last year’s final. The same result Jose Mourinho enjoyed will no doubt suit Rafa Bernitez.

Here’s the full Champions League Draw:

Roma v Shakhtar Donetsk
AC Milan v Tottenham Hotspur
Valencia v Schalke
Inter Milan v Bayern Munich
Lyon v Real Madrid
Arsenal v Barcelona
Marseille v Manchester United
FC Copenhagen v Chelsea

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That goal, his first for the club, clinched a vital victory and put United top of the group, ahead of Glasgow Rangers, themselves 1-0 winners, albeit against decidedly weaker opposition in Turkish side Bursaspor.

You cannot discount the impact that Rio Ferdinand’s return to the defence had, however. In the face of Valencia’s impressive attacking line up of Soldado and Mata United’s defence stood firm where they would, on recent evidence, have crumbled without the England defender.

United were more defensive than you would expect due to the loss of Scholes, Giggs, Rooney or Valencia. Sir Alex Ferguson chose to field a three-man central midfield of Fletcher, Carrick and Anderson in order to snuff out the attacking threat of the Spaniards and it worked.

Ferdinand’s return clearly boosted the confidence of Vidic as they reformed their partnership seemingly effortlessly, while the choice of Raphael at right back over O’Shea – who worries the hell out of me almost every time he plays – was clearly the right choice.

The solidity at the back allowed United’s weakened attack (no remember) to perform much better than might have been imagined. It wasn’t all Valencia and United did have attacks of their own.

Berbatov, playing alone up front, did struggle to make any real headway yet still worried Cesar in the Valencia goal with a long range effort that flashed just wide of the keeper’s left hand post.

It was the inclusion of first Hernandez and then Macheda that swung the tie in Manchester United’s favour though. It had been Valencia looking the most likely to snatch a victory but Hernandez collected from Macheda and hit home a left foot shot into the corner.

Ferguson described it thusly:

“The way he took his chance, it was like shelling peas. It was so natural to him.”

Interesting way to put it, I thought, but true nonetheless. More pleasing for me were his comments on Ferdinand:

“You’ve got to give us credit for the way we defended. They’re not top of the Spanish league for nothing. Rio needed a game like that. He has the experience, which was vital and the ability to keep the ball, which is important. His experienced helped us. There is no question about that. For his first real game in a long time we are very pleased with that. He has not played for five months. He had games against Rangers and Scunthorpe, but this was a real game.”

Spot on. Hernandez has the headlines, but he has the returning Rio to thank for them.

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Chelsea have it rather easier, with Marseille, Spartak Moscow and Zilina. They should qualify easily from that group, as should Arsenal, who face Shakhtar Donetsk, Braga and Partizan Belgrade.

For Manchester United there is a return to Valencia and, interestingly, Glasgow Rangers. I was at Old Trafford the last time Rangers came to visit and events after the game can be described only as “tasty”. For some reason, the Rangers supporters thought kicking off right on Sir Matt Busby Way was a good idea. Coins and bottles were thrown from the car park into the street and as I made my way up to the Metro station I had to dodge a fair few.

It wasn’t a scary experience at all. I can only think the Rangers fans were very drunk as their aim was appalling. If anyone was hit it would have been a total fluke, as one fan threw a coin at me from less than a yard away and missed me by a mile. The hatred on his face was disgusting and I didn’t understand where it came from. The police will be out in force for this one, I have no doubt.

Full Draw

Group A
Inter Milan, Werder Bremen, Tottenham, FC Twente

Group B
Lyon, Benfica, Schalke, Hapoel Tel-Aviv

Group C
Manchester United, Valencia, Rangers, Bursaspor

Group D
Barcelona, Panathinaikos, FC Copenhagen, Rubin Kazan

Group E
Bayern Munich, AS Roma, Basel, CFR Cluj

Group F
Chelsea, Marseille, Spartak Moscow, Zilina

Group G
AC Milan, Real Madrid, Ajax, Auxerre

Group H
Arsenal, Shakhtar Donetsk, Braga, Partizan Belgrade

Full Champions League Fixture List

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To whom the greater spoils?

Later on today two teams will face off in a final on which millions of pounds is available to the winner, as well as a place in history. Oh, and Inter Milan play Bayern Munich in the Champions League final…

It’s an interesting question – which team will feel the greatest achievement and benefit most, the winner of the Champions League or the winner of the Coca-Cola Championship play off final?

The Champions League winners will receive around £30m in prize money, topped up by TV revenue. It’s been estimated that promotion to the Premiership is worth around £90m – three times more.

£30m for Inter Milan or Bayern Munich would be welcome, of course, but not essential. £90m for the likes of Cardiff City or Blackpool, however, will be, as both managers have said, life-changing. Cardiff, especially, would welcome the money – they are in serious trouble with Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs over an unpaid tax bill.

Both Inter Milan and Bayern Munich have enjoyed success at home and in Europe in the recent past. It’s been 39 years since Blackpool were in the top flight of English football. For Cardiff it’s been 49 years.

Yes, the Champions League is the pinnacle of European club football and winning it gives you the right to say you’re the best team on the continent. Whoever wins will receive all the credit they deserve. The telling factor is that whoever loses will go on as normal. Being a losing finalist in the Champions League final does not damage your future. If anything, it strengthens it, albeit less than winning.

It’s clear what the benefits of promotion to the English Premier League are. An immediate cash injection the likes of which Blackpool and Cardiff have never seen, of course, but more than that. Continuous coverage in the media, a growing profile in the minds of the country’s football supporters, bigger gates, perhaps a new generation of supporters, the ability to attract a better class of player, TV revenue…the list is almost endless.

Losing the play off final is completely different to losing the Champions League final. Lose here and you run the very real risk of never having the opportunity to challenge for promotion again. This is especially true for the likes of Blackpool and Cardiff, neither can boast huge incomes. The likely outcome for these two clubs should they fail to win the play off final is, at best, a mid table finish next season. Blackpool, remember, were one of the favourites to get relegated this year.

The psychological blow to the players will also play a part in that. So close to the promised land, only to have it snatched away in the final 90 minutes? Devastating.

Whoever does win will give their manager a chance to keep them up. But such is the achievement in reaching the play off final for these two clubs that the losing manager may well be in demand. You couldn’t blame Holloway or Jones if, faced with another season in the Championship, they are tempted by an offer from a better positioned club or, perhaps, a Premiership team.

Prestige and pocket money await the winner of the Champions League. It wouldn’t be too dramatic to suggest the very future of Blackpool and Cardiff rests on the Championship play off final. We’re looking forward to both.

Predictions? We think Mourinho’s Inter will overcome van Gaal’s Munich – and it won’t be pretty. Back in England we’ve already said we’d love to see Blackpool in the Premiership, but in reality we think Cardiff City will be too strong.

What are your predictions for these two matches? And who do you think it will mean more to? Let us know in the comments.

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Crouch goal enough to beat Man City

Tottenham Hotspur, under Harry Redknapp, have looked a quality side this season and this is just reward for their – and his – hard work. At the risk of coming over all hypocritical following yesterday’s article lambasting clubs for targeting a fourth place finish, Sporting Fare is well pleased for Spurs and Harry. And at the bigger risk of angering Manchester City supporters, we’re equally pleased they didn’t qualify for the Champions League.

Let’s get the negatives out of the way. As we said in yesterday’s piece, the fact that a club with the amount of money City have aimed only for fourth grated on us. You aim low, you get low. City, as many Manchester United fans will take great joy in telling you, consistently find a way to fail, so it beggars belief that targeting anything but the title is deemed worth the risk.

Mark Hughes was sacked because the club’s billionaire owners felt he wouldn’t take the club up to fourth. Mancini was then presumably hired to deliver just that. He’s failed – will he get the boot too? Time will tell, though it would be harsh on the Italian. At the end of the day, the squad put together by Hughes wasn’t good enough and Mancini could only work with what he had. He certainly hasn’t had enough time or opportunity to put his own mark on it.

But stop for a moment. Was the appointment of a relatively green coach in Mancini all that ambitious in itself? Surely a club with the riches of Manchester City could have attracted a bigger, more successful and more experienced manager? It smacks of settling for second best.

Spurs, on the other hand, are aiming high. Their sights are now firmly set on grabbing third from bitter rivals Arsenal and you can bet next season Harry will have his men shooting for the stars – the Premier League title and the Champions League. So let’s leave Spurs to celebrate for now.

Where does this leave City? With no Champions League football they will be hard pressed to attract football’s biggest names. No matter how much money you offer, that fact will always be a consideration – except for the real mercenaries in the game, and they are unlikely to be the sort you want to sign to help you achieve your aims (see Robinho for example).

Spurs will now have the money – and the appeal – to strengthen their squad. Manchester United, Arsenal and without doubt Chelsea will all add players after the World Cup to increase their grip on the top three spots. City will find it difficult to match them in the transfer market.

Yes, they will no doubt spend big again in the summer but will the quality of players they are able to bring in be good enough to overhaul the likes of Tottenham et al? The evidence so far suggests not and they are going to find it more and more difficult each season.

Their Arab owners may begin to question the wisdom of their investment as well and if they decide to pull out City will find themselves sliding to the wrong end of the table.

Last night’s result was a bitter blow for a club aiming to become one of England and Europe’s best – but we can’t help feeling they didn’t aim high enough when it mattered. They will pay a heavy price for that lack of ambition. Around £200m so far and counting in fact. It may take another £200m based on what we’ve seen this season.

Back to Harry Redknapp. Sporting Fare are huge fans of his. It’s great to see an ‘old school’ manager doing well and Harry, at 62, has waited a long time to pit his not inconsiderable managerial skills against the best in Europe.  As he said himself:

“I know I’m good at my job. You don’t last 1,100 games in management if you’re a mug. People didn’t keep me just because the chairman liked me. Most of them actually probably didn’t like me.”

Thumbs up for Redknapp

Very true, and many don’t like him. But you can’t dismiss his achievements. We’re looking forward to seeing how he does in the Champions League.

Redknapp, along with Wenger, Ferguson and Hodgson, is a good example to young up and coming managers. Managers like Mancini for example. They would do well take note of how these managers go about their business, there’s a lot to learn.

Not least that if you don’t aim for the very top you’ll never reach it.

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Remember pretending to be your footballing hero and dreaming of lifting the FA Cup or the First Division title? Of course you do.

Remember thinking you weren’t quite good enough for that, but were happily consoled by the fact you’d probably finish fourth in the League and claim a lucrative place in the European Cup? Of course you don’t!

Aim higher or prepare to fail!

Yet as Manchester City prepare to face Tottenham Hotspur at home tonight in what is effectively a play off for that now coveted fourth spot the anticipation and excitement is palpable amongst both sets of fans. Sporting Fare sees that as the most telling sign that football has lost its way.

That a fourth place finish in the Premier League is a target for clubs is a horrible situation. That the only real reason for it is money is even more horrible. Sure, the supporters of whichever club finishes fourth will tell you there is pride in breaking the near decade long monopoly held by Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea, but that isn’t really true.

Everton did it most recently, for one brief season. They entered the Champions League qualifying round, earned a small fortune and, presumably, basked in the glory of it all briefly. But in the end, it hasn’t actually helped them progress. David Moyes has done a wonderful job at Goodison and long may he reign there, but surely the target has to be winning the League, not just qualifying for the Champions League and earning a mint?

The argument, we’re sure, will go that most clubs cannot compete with the financial might of Chelsea and to a lesser extent Manchester United and that is undoubtedly true. But that shouldn’t stop you trying! And if, at the end of a long hard season, you HAVE qualified for the Champions League and are set to earn a wedge that may help you compete better the following season then that’s the icing.

It shouldn’t be the cake.

Manchester City, of course, don’t need Champions League qualification for money. They are the richest club in the world and suffer in the transfer market only due to their lack of success over the last few decades. The ability to offer Champions League football next season will help them no end in that regard. Yet they have publicly stated that this was their aim from the start of the season. What, that’s it?

The richest club in the world is aiming to finish fourth in their league? What’s up with that? They, like everyone else, should be going for the title, even if it does appear out of reach.

We’re willing to bet that if you asked Harry Redknapp, who himself has done a fantastic job at White Hart Lane, if finishing fourth was his target he’d say no. He’d say winning the League was his target – but it’s a building job, and while he may not think it’s likely, it will be his aim, because you have to aim high to achieve.

Fourth place and July football in the Champions League is not, in our opinion, high. It’s adequate. The very reason that Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have been the top four for so long is that they all aim to win the League (and the Champions League). None of them would have been or are satisfied with fourth.

Except, of course, Liverpool recently. And look what’s happened to them.

So…as City and Spurs do battle tonight for that less than impressive achievement we hope they begin to realise that you need to aim higher to achieve real success. Settle for second best (or fourth best) and that is all you’re ever likely to get.

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Premier League Defining Weekend

Will Liverpool capitulate to Chelsea to prevent Manchester United winning an unprecedented four titles in a row and, perhaps more pertinently for the Anfield club, a record 19th title?

Or will they continue their unlikely quest for the final Champions League spot?

Will Steve Bruce do his old mentor a favour and tell his Sunderland players to ‘back off’ a bit and allow Manchester United to pick up three very necessary points?

The answers, we all hope and believe are “No”, “Yes” and “Of course not.”

It feel ever so wrong to suggest that a team would go out and try to lose, yet at this stage every year the same questions are asked, just with different protagonists. That says something about the cynicism of the media and the supporters perhaps, but Sporting Fare is sure that these questions never raise themselves in the actual players’ minds. Well, maybe not sure…fairly sure and certainly hopeful.

Personal pride should ensure that this sort of thing never happens, but you never know, do you? By the end of the weekend, despite the fact there is another one left to go, we will probably know the destination of this year’s title. The smart and logical money goes on Chelsea, of course. But Manchester United have been here so many times before and this season has been so unpredictable in terms of results that you just never know.

Relegation has already been sorted. We wave a fond farewell to the paupers Portsmouth, the battling Burnley and the hapless Hull. Usually we get final day drama at the wrong end of the table, but not this year.

So we focus on the top. And perhaps even more interesting than the battle for top spot is the one for fourth place – which in itself is a bit of a shame, to be honest. There is somethng wrong in football when fourth place is such an important target. Nevertheless, here we are, it is and we deal with it.

Liverpool, as we said, are in with a very faint shout. Spurs are in the driving seat and it’s theirs to lose. Manchester City can steal it and Villa also hold out hope.

City play Villa this weekend and Spurs next Wednesday. Two wins and they will join their bitter rivals Manchester United in the Champions League. You never know. In all likelihood it will come down to the Wednesday night game. Whoever wins that will likely claim the coveted spot.

Truth is, you can’t predict a damn thing – and we tried! – so it’s going to be one hell of a finish.

What are your predictions for the title and the final Champions League spot? Let us know in the comments.

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Jose Mourinho offers unrivalled off-pitch entertainment

The ever-entertaining Mourinho had a bust up in the tunnel with Barcelona’s Xavi, gave a brilliant post match interview during which he couldn’t resist taking a swipe at the Spanish side, bigging himself up further and looking, frankly, as smug as we have ever seen him!

Apparently, aggrieved at not receiving a penalty when Daniel Alves was taken out by Wesley Schneider, Xavi claimed bias from Portuguese referee Olegario Benquerenca towards his compatriot Mourinho. Mourinho fired right back at the Spaniard, reminding him that Barcelona only made the final last year when Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo turned down several penalty claims from his former club Chelsea.

We love half time and full time tunnel clashes and we only wish we could have been there in person. But “The Special One” excelled himself in the post match interview to make up for it.

“It’s a pity. A year ago Chelsea were crying and Barca were laughing with the referee. They laughed because he denied my Chelsea boys their rightful place.”

Indeed, Jose, though we shall refrain pointing out the number of times Chelsea were aided in the Premier League, FA Cup and Europe by generous decisions themselves. That’s football!

“It gives me great pride to say that we could go to Madrid to play the final or we will come home from Barcelona with our heads held high. We’ve beaten the best team in the world and now Inter are a great Champions League team. If we don’t win it this year, we’ll win it next year or in two years time. We’ll be in semi-finals and finals – we’ve changed.”

There is nothing too controversial in there – though his fortune telling skills have often proved to be wrong and Inter are not yet a great Champions League side at all, despite his preening – but his delivery…ah, his delivery is what has all the hacks sitting on the edge of their seats and last night was no different. Every word of that was said with smug satisfaction and dripped with self love.

Contrast with Pep Guardiola:

“This can happen, especially when you’re playing in the semi-final of the Champions League and against Inter Milan. Of course it’s not ideal losing like this but we can still do it. The result is not good, we gave away too many balls, we can do better. This wasn’t our best game and Inter don’t make it easy for you to play.

“I know the players are tired but I’m not a medical expert and I can’t say how much the journey affected them. In Barcelona we will attack. We will put water on the pitch so the ball moves quicker, which they didn’t do here. We’ll see a good game, hopefully.”

Magnanimous, disappointed but optimistic. Mourinho offers entertainment but to be honest, we prefer the honesty and class displayed by Guardiola. Long may Mourinho continue to deliver for the press – as long as there is a counterpoint in the likes of the Guardiola.

What’s your preference? The arrogance of a Jose or the quiet class of a Pep? Let us know in the comments.

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Hits

RUBIN KAZAN: The current Russian Champions have been a breath of fresh air this year. Combining a resolute defensive stability with the occasional creative foray they have already beaten Barcelona at the Camp Nou and held them to a 0-0 stalemate back in frozen Kazan just last night. Rubin won their first ever League title last year to qualify and now sit joint second with the Spanish giants in Group F, topped by Inter Milan. Unbeaten in four matches going back a month at home and in Europe, the Russian side could yet qualify for the knockout stages.

ARSENAL: Yes, Arsenal. Despite having the leanest squad in the Premiership Top Four, the English club boasts attacking talent so good that they are defying the odds and virtually secured their progression with a 4-1 hammering of AZ Alkmaar. Ok, the opposition isn’t all that but Arsenal’s style of play is a joy to watch in the domestic league and in Europe. They warrant a hit for that alone, but doing it with, in our opinion, a wafer thin squad and questionable defence (the wonderful Vermaelen aside) cements it.

CRISTIANO RONALDO: Despite being injured for the last few weeks he still tops the Champions League scoring charts with four goals, just ahead of Wolfsburg’s brilliantly named Grafite, and since his injury Real Madrid have suffered a dramatic dip in form and results. Losing to AC Milan 3-2 at the Santiago Bernabéu two weeks ago and then only managing a draw in Milan this week, Real are in danger of failing to qualify with Marseille closing fast in Group C. Sporting Fare puts this down to the continuing absence of Ronaldo, whose form pre-injury was the best in Europe by far. With the likes of Rooney, Messi and Gilardino in the competition it is testament to his quality that he remains top scorer.

Misses

RAFAEL BENITEZ: The Liverpool manager, who has proven on more than one occasion that he is capable of pulling his club’s proverbial fat out of the fire, has this time failed to do so. The reasons for this are many and cannot all be placed at his door. Gerrard’s absence, Torres’ injuries and Carragher’s loss of form are not his fault. But the sale of Alonso, the failure to have enough striking options in his squad and the failed signings he has made are definitely his fault. It seems that Rafa has lost the plot in his now overdue five year plan for Liverpool. Lyons’ last gasp equaliser last night, which virtually puts the English club out of the competition, may not be the final nail in the Spaniard’s coffin, but it will have Liverpool’s squabbling board thinking hard about his future. There is still a chance the escapologist could pull the club through – but Sporting Fare won’t be betting on it.

BAYERN MUNICH: This former European giant has not been having a good time of it lately. Third in Group A, four points off second placed Juventus and six off leaders Bordeaux – and with Juventus still to play in Turin – things look bleak for the German side. Yet a look at their squad suggests they should be qualifying from this group with ease. Butt, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Robben, Van Bommel, Toni, Klose – all big, big players. It only suggests the team is letting itself down and they are possibly the biggest miss so far in the Champions League.

BARCELONA: Managing only a point against Russian champions and big hits Rubin Kazan is one thing. Well, it’s the only thing really. But, like Bayern Munich, boasting a squad as talented as they do and failing to deliver on Europe’s biggest stage is criminal. We’re sure it’s as big a mystery to Josep Guardiola as it is to us. They are far from out of it and the group is a tight one, led by Inter who only recorded their first win in the competition in over a year this week yet a team of Barcelona’s quality should be gracing the Champions League with goals galore from the likes of Messi, Henry et al. Shape up, boys, it’s not good enough.

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