The Spoiler

Rioting in Manchester, money-spinning in Russia and Diarra’s inferiority complex


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Video: Motocross rider completely nails a cameraman
[Grid Crasher]

Money-spinner alert: Chelsea and Manchester Utd’s Champions League Final kits revealed
[Pies]

The University of Phoenix Stadium lost $2m by hosting this year’s Super Bowl
[Sports By Brooks]

Video: Fernando Torres’ 33 goals for Liverpool
[YouTube via 101 Great Goals]

Video: Last night’s UEFA Cup street riot
[The Times]

Lassana Diarra ‘didn’t feel good enough’ at Arsenal
[Caught Offside]

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Posted: May 15th, 2008 by Ryan Bailey

Chelsea stars celebrate victory with Jenna Jameson


Chinawhite gets a visit from porn queen and drinking King

Jenna Jameson and John Terry

What better way to secure a place in the Champions League final than to party the night away with the world’s most famous porn star? That’s exactly what Salomon Kalou, Michael Essien and John Terry got up to last night, when they shared London hotspot Chinawhite with bongo legend Jenna Jameson. JT looked quite bleary eyed as he exited the club - the thought of his first Champions League final has obviously left him feeling a little over-emotional.

And who is the ‘drinking King’ referred to in the title, you ask? Well, that’s Ledley King of course - who is summoned to any social function by the faintest whiff

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Posted: May 1st, 2008 by Ryan Bailey

Vote: Who will win the Champions League?


England’s two best teams travel 1600 miles in search of neutral venue

Champions League Final

Some facts about the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow: It holds nearly 85,000 people, it used to be called the ‘Central Lenin Stadium’ and it has hosted concerts by hair metal gods such as Skid Row, Mötley Crüe and Scorpions. On May 21, however, those lucky enough (read: ‘rich enough’) to acquire a visa will head to the world’s most expensive city, in order to see Manchester Utd and Chelsea compete for the most prestigious piece of silverware on the continent. The bookies put United ever-so-slightly ahead, but based on last week’s match, the Red Devils would probably rather face any other team in the world right now.

So who do you think will win it? Votes and comments below, please.

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Posted: May 1st, 2008 by Ryan Bailey

Video: Chelsea/ Liverpool highlights


Plenty of goals and Lampard tears on display at Stamford Bridge

Against all expectations, Chelsea and Liverpool managed to pull off a thrilling game last night, so lets just hope you followed our statistical advice a placed a few quid behind the Blues.

Roman Abramovich was conspicuous by his absence last night, but something tells me he won’t have a problem getting a visa for the Moscow final…

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Posted: May 1st, 2008 by Ryan Bailey

Thirteen reasons why Liverpool will lose tonight


UCL semi-final second leg, 7.45pm, Sky Sports 2, bet here

Chelsea/ Liverpool

I know, I know, suddenly the world of sport and betting seems empty after the tragic events Monday at Discovery Cove, Florida. In case you’ve only just drifted out of a coma and are unaware of the horror, the dolphins Sharky and Tyler were performing the “victory leap” finale of their routine, yet this time they collided head-on in mid-air and Sharky, a 30-year-old bottlenose, didn’t make it, although was said to have been smiling to the end. A glimpse at message boards suggests this is the animal kingdom’s Lady Di moment, and there will doubtless be a minute’s silence at aquariums around the planet.

Still, life goes on, and performing their own head-on mid-air collision tonight are Chelsea and Liverpool. Which will be Sharky and which will be Tyler? And more importantly, human race, when will we stop this cruel practice of pushing innocent men beyond their physical and emotional limits purely for our own entertainment?

The chickendinner Wager reckons Chelsea for the victory leap, Liverpool to breathe their last in the shallow end. Disagree? Then get your money on the reds and let the healing begin.

Thirteen reasons why tonight will be unlucky for Liverpool:

* Rafa Benitez has taken Liverpool to Stamford Bridge eight times, and they have never scored a goal.

* Chelsea have never lost at home to English opposition

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Posted: April 30th, 2008 by Ryan Bailey

Vote: Who will shine tonight - Drogba or Torres?


Which star striker will help keep their manager in a job?

Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba

Liverpool’s last five games have averaged 3.6 goals, while Chelsea’s home games this season have seen an average 2.61 goals a game. With any luck, this means that Liverpool will break their Stamford Bridge goal drought and we will see a high scoring match.

If it is to be a striker’s game, who will come out on top - Didier or Fernando? Votes and comments below, please.

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Posted: April 30th, 2008 by Ryan Bailey

Can Liverpool manage a goal tonight?


The best sports on the telebox

Recommended viewing

Given Manchester Utd’s recent record, it’s hard to imagine Alex Ferguson savouring the prospect of meeting Chelsea in Moscow. The Red Devils will undoubtedly be praying that Liverpool can score a goal at Stamford Bridge tonight, but this is something they haven’t managed since January 2004. The bookies are offering odds of 1/2 for Liverpool getting on the score sheet, and 17/10 to make the final. Chelsea are obvious favourites, but it’s never wise to bet against Rafa and co in Europe. Check out the best punts available tonight right here on the oddschicken.

Champions League semi-final second leg
Chelsea/ Liverpool (Sky Sports 2, 7.45pm)

Snooker

World Championship quarter-finals (BBC2, 7pm)

Copa Libertadores

San Lorenzo/ River Plate (Setanta Sports 2, 11.45pm)

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Posted: April 30th, 2008 by Ryan Bailey

Why it will be the end of the road for United tonight


Champions league semi-final second leg, 7.45pm, ITV1, bet hereCarles Puyol[Editor’s note: chickendinner sends out a free daily email every Monday to Friday packed with winning tips. Yesterday, for example, the Daily Wager tipped Adebayor to get a hat-trick against Derby at 16/1. Click here to sign up.]“Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose,” was the opinion of Kris Kristofferson in 1969, the year he wrote Me and Bobby McGee. Barcelona find themselves tonight meditating on how to best describe the sensation of being down to the felt, and freedom is probably not how they would put it. “Beyond depressing” might be a closer fit. Their season has been so abysmal that their best player has given up on the football in order to better focus on getting more out of his nightlife, and the club seems to have covered his tracks for him. It is as if Cristiano Ronaldo had taken a six-month sabbatical to work on his orgying with Ferguson’s blessing. Still, “nothing left to lose” sounds like a much more attractive recipe for success than “stretched tighter than a snare drum”, which is where United seem to be mentally. What state of mind do you have to be in to pick a fight with a group of security guards armed with lawn mowers? Whatever United have left to lose, it feels like they are already losing it. Barcelona to go through.The statistics* Manchester Utd have now gone five games in a row without beating Barcelona, and the Spaniards are unbeaten in their last seven Champions League away games.* Manchester Utd haven’t kept a clean

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Posted: April 29th, 2008 by Ryan Bailey

United still favourites to win Champions League


The best sports on the telebox tonight

Recommended viewing

Barcelona are trying their very best to play some Ferguson-style mind games in the press, claiming they are not as boring as United, and will expose their negative tactics. Despite the big talk from the under-fire Spaniards, the bookies believe Manchester Utd will rediscover their attacking flair tonight, and they are also 15/8 favourites to win the competition outright. My advice? Get on those odds here before they get any shorter.

Snooker

World Championship quarter-finals (BBC2, 7pm)

Champions league semi-final second leg

Manchester Utd/ Barcelona (ITV1, 7.45pm)

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Posted: April 29th, 2008 by Ryan Bailey

Avram Grant, Heikki Kovalainen and the Champions League drinking game


Also appearing on a computer near you…

chickendinner believe Arsenal will beat Derby 3-0 tonight
[chickendinner]

Video: Even though Nike’s new advert is directed by Guy Ritchie, it’s pretty good
[YouTube]

Avram Grant stars in Platoon
[Chelsea Pies]

Mike Tyson is fat now
[Daily Mail]

Video: Heikki Kovalainen’s Spanish GP crash
[Grid Crasher]

The Champions League semi-finals drinking game
[Champions League Offside]

China’s hosting of the Olympics continues to be a bad idea
[Fan IQ]

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Posted: April 28th, 2008 by Ryan Bailey