English clubs get the bitter taste of defeat in Europe…
Roma 2/ Fulham 1 Fulham lead the game for 50 mins after being put 1-0 up through a Diomansy Kamara penalty. John Arne Riise arrowed in a shot (deflected off of his younger brother, Bjorn Helge) to restore parity before Stefano Okaka Chuka completed the reversal 15 minutes from time. Fulham need to win both their remaining games (CSKA Sofia at home, FC Basel away) to stand a chance of getting through the knockout rounds.
Everton 0/ Benfica 2
The Toffees were once again well and truly served by Benfica, two weeks after their 5-0 humping in Portugal. Former massively-disappointing-Argentine Javier Saviola and the free scoring Oscar Cardozo racked up a goal a piece, leaving Everton second in Group I, three points behind the leaders. A win against AEK Athens next month will see Moyes’ men through comfortably.
Not many British centre-backs could do this. It was late, it was undeserved, but Marco Andreolli’s chest-volley combination was fitting of any occasion.
Heroin users regularly tell thespoiler, that following the intense euphoric rush as the drug first kicks in, comes a withdrawal period. Anxiety, depression, nausea and excessive yawning all follow in the next 24 hours. It’s easy to empathise on weeks like this.
The Champions League shows us a bit of leg on the Tuesday, even more on the Wednesday, but by Thursday, as the Europa League theme strikes up, the aforementioned symptoms are all too familiar.
At 6pm, two struggling sides meet on ITV4, as Lazio host Villareal, currently rock bottom of la Liga. At the same time on ESPN, Everton can continue their march towards the knock-out stages by taking care of former European giants Benfica.
At 8pm, three more matches to ignore in the competition that contains more groups than Simon Cowell’s record label. Martin Jol’s Ajax host Dinamo Zagreb, captained by former Liverpool scapegoat Igor Biscan. ITV4 are showing Celtic’s defeat at home to Hamburg whilst the match of the night is at the Cottage, where Roma come calling on Ch5. Feel free to insert your own Stan Collymore - Cottage related joke. Thespoiler never goes for the easy laugh.
For a better standard of football this evening, MUTV at 7 is the place to watch Manchester United Reserves tackle Blackburn’s second string
Last night’s round of Europa League games saw two unfamiliar blokes cutting rather lonely figures beside each goal. Making its trial debut as part of Michel Platini’s grand plan to cut out diving, ghost goals and general tomfoolery, was the ‘Additional Assistant Referees’ (AARs) system - basically plonking two flagless linos goalside.
Their biggest challenge, last night’s tie between Everton and AEK Athens, was a mixed bag. A contentious penalty shout was turned down, probably correctly, but Louis Saha was then sent off in the dying minutes for raising his hands, after having his legs used as kicking posts by AEK defender Juanfran.
Despite coasting to victory 4-0, David Moyes found time to moan about the new system:
‘It’s amazing - they see the small arm from Louis but not the big kick that was aimed at him beforehand, despite all those officials in and around the box now.
Apparently Champions League football is no longer a necessity
Aston Villa have taken the unusual step of confirming in a one-line story on their website that they have given captain Gareth Barry permission to speak with Manchester City.
A move would represent a big change in outlook for the England international, who said last summer:
“I’m desperate to play Champions League football and that’s why I have to leave Villa.”
Considering Manchester City failed to qualify for even the Europa League, it makes little sense for Barry to leave a top-four chasing club where he is one of
However, the same set of supporters who dismissed us in the summer chanted “you don’t know what you’re doing” at the Brazilian after today’s 0-0 home draw with Hull, who hadn’t kept a clean sheet in fifteen league games, saw them drop below Aston Villa to fourth.
Arsenal could move to within three points of them by beating Tottenham tomorrow and as Scolari’s side still have to visit the Emirates, it’s possible that Chelsea could miss out on Champions League football next season.
Let us know where you think Chelsea will be come May with a vote and comment below:
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