Manchester United vs Barcelona Live Streaming | UEFA Finals on May 28, 2011. This final match will be held at Wembley Stadium in London. Internazionale were the defending champions, but were eliminated by Schalke 04 in the quarter-finals. The winner earns a berth to the 2011 UEFA Super Cup and the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup.
Don't forget to watch Man United vs Barcelona Live Streaming on May 28.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Manchester United vs Barcelona on May 28
Manchester United vs Barcelona on May 28, 2011. Manchester United overcame their setback against Arsenal in the Premier League to ensure their progress to the Champions League final at Wembley.
Though this Manchester United team has been under-rated by many experts, Sir Alex Ferguson's team have shown immense competitiveness as they are on course for a double which would be a huge success for the 2010-11 season.
The Red Devils will meet Barcelona, who progressed to the final beating arch rivals Real Madrid 3-1 on aggregate. The Catalan club will be the favourites going into the final which would be a good thing for United, who will enjoy less pressure being the underdogs.
However, underestimating the capability of United to perform in crunch situations could prove to be fatal for Barcelona who will be cautious of Ferguson's men.
Though Manchester United were outplayed in the 2009 Champions League final against Barcelona, Ferguson would have prepared to counter the threat posed by their rivals for the final at Wembley, which will provide the home advantage to the Manchester club.
In recent games, the weaknesses of Barcelona and Manchester United have been on display in their games against Real Madrid and Arsenal respectively and both managers will know that they would have to be at their best to win the prestigious trophy.
Ferguson has the desire to place Manchester United among the greatest European clubs which includes the likes of AC Milan and Real Madrid.
In order to do that, here are five things for the manager to consider in order to beat the Blaugrana to emerge as winners of the tournament.
Though this Manchester United team has been under-rated by many experts, Sir Alex Ferguson's team have shown immense competitiveness as they are on course for a double which would be a huge success for the 2010-11 season.
The Red Devils will meet Barcelona, who progressed to the final beating arch rivals Real Madrid 3-1 on aggregate. The Catalan club will be the favourites going into the final which would be a good thing for United, who will enjoy less pressure being the underdogs.
However, underestimating the capability of United to perform in crunch situations could prove to be fatal for Barcelona who will be cautious of Ferguson's men.
Though Manchester United were outplayed in the 2009 Champions League final against Barcelona, Ferguson would have prepared to counter the threat posed by their rivals for the final at Wembley, which will provide the home advantage to the Manchester club.
In recent games, the weaknesses of Barcelona and Manchester United have been on display in their games against Real Madrid and Arsenal respectively and both managers will know that they would have to be at their best to win the prestigious trophy.
Ferguson has the desire to place Manchester United among the greatest European clubs which includes the likes of AC Milan and Real Madrid.
In order to do that, here are five things for the manager to consider in order to beat the Blaugrana to emerge as winners of the tournament.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League (usually referred to as simply the Champions League or historically as the European Cup) is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. The final of the competition is the most watched annual sporting event worldwide, drawing just over 100 million television viewers.Prior to 1992 the tournament was officially called the European Champion Clubs' Cup but was usually referred to as simply the European Cup or European Champions' Cup. The competition was initially a straight knockout competition open only to the champion club of each country. During the 1990s the tournament began to be expanded, incorporating a round-robin group phase and more teams. Europe's strongest national leagues now provide up to four teams each for the competition. The UEFA Champions League should not be confused with the UEFA Europa League, formerly known as the UEFA Cup.
The tournament consists of several stages. In the present format it begins in mid-July with three knockout qualifying rounds and a play-off round. The 10 surviving teams join 22 seeded teams in the group stage, in which there are eight groups consisting of four teams each. The eight group winners and eight runners-up enter the final knockout phase, which ends with the final match in May. Since the tournament changed name and structure in 1992, no club has managed consecutive wins, with Milan being the last club to successfully defend their title, in 1990. The winner of the UEFA Champions League qualifies for the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
The title has been won by 21 different clubs, 12 of which have won the title more than once. The all-time record-holders are Real Madrid, who have won the competition nine times, including the first five seasons it was contested. Spain's La Liga and Italy's Serie A are marginally the most successful leagues, having amassed 12 wins, between two and three clubs respectively. The English league has produced 11 winners from four clubs. English teams were controversially banned from the competition for five years following the events at Heysel in 1985. Internazionale are the current champions, having beaten Bayern Munich 2–0 in the 2010 final.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Valencia vs Schalke on February 15, 2011
The last time Valencia CF were involved in the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds they failed to win either of their home games so they will keen for a positive outcome when they entertain FC Schalke 04.Previous meetings
• The sides' two previous competitive matches at Mestalla both ended in draws. It finished 0-0 in the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League group stage and 1-1 ten years previously in a UEFA Cup quarter-final second leg. On that occasion Schalke's 2-0 home win sent them through while the 2007 Gelsenkirchen contest ended in a 1-0 victory for Valencia.
• The full lineups for the 28 November 2007 game at Mestalla were:
Valencia: Cañizares, Marchena, Caneira (Albiol 43), Helguera, Miguel, Albelda, Vicente (Silva 72), Joaquín, Edu, Villa, Morientes (Manuel Fernandes 35).
Schalke: Neuer, Westermann, Bordon, Rafinha, Krstajić, Ernst, Rakitić (Grossmüller 66), Jones (Bajramović 71), Özil, Halil Altıntop (Asamoah 80), Kuranyi.
• Valencia's last six home games against German visitors have produced five draws and a defeat. Their most recent victory came in October 1996 with a 3-0 success against FC Bayern München in a UEFA Cup first round tie. They have won just three of their ten home matches against German sides; their overall record is W4 D9 L8.
• Valencia have less happy memories from their meeting with Bayern in the 2001 UEFA Champions League final, losing a penalty shoot-out at San Siro after a 1-1 draw at the end of extra time.
• Schalke's record in eight competitive games away to other Spanish opponents includes two wins and a draw. In a total of 19 games their record is W6 D5 L8.
Match background
• Unai Emery's Valencia lost their first home game in Group C 1-0 to Manchester United FC but then posted impressive victories against Rangers FC (3-0) and Bursaspor (6-1). Away from home they drew 1-1 at Rangers and United and won 4-0 at Bursaspor.
• Schalke opened with 1-0 defeat at Olympique Lyonnais that proved their only reverse in Group B. Their other away games produced a 0-0 draw at Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC and a 2-1 victory against SL Benfica.
• When Valencia were last at this stage in 2006/07, they beat FC Internazionale Milano on away goals with a 2-2 draw in Italy and a goalless home tie. They then drew 1-1 at Chelsea FC in the quarter-final first leg but lost 2-1 at home.
• Schalke's only previous knockout appearance came in 2007/08 when they beat FC Porto 4-1 on penalties after both legs ended 1-0 to the home side. They lost both games of their quarter-final against FC Barcelona 1-0.
Team ties
• Ricardo Costa played for VfL Wolfsburg from 2007 to 2010, working under current Schalke coach Felix Magath until 2009. Costa twice faced Schalke, winning 2-1 in Gelsenkirchen in 2007/08 when Manuel Neuer was on the opposite side.
• The following season – which ended with Costa celebrating his side's championship triumph – the Gelsenkirchen fixture ended 2-2.
• In the semi-final of UEFA EURO 2008 Christoph Metzelder's Germany beat Mehmet Topal's Turkey 3-2 in Basel.
• José Manuel Jurado was part of the Club Atlético de Madrid side that overcame Valencia in last season's UEFA Europa League quarter-finals. He also previously played for RCD Mallorca (2008/09) and Real Madrid CF (2002 to 2006).
• Before joining the Gelsenkirchen club last summer, Rául González had spent his entire senior career with Real Madrid. He scored in their 3-0 defeat of Valencia in the UEFA Champions League final in May 2000 and in 24 league games against these opponents found the net 12 times, including five goals at Mestalla.
• Metzelder faced Valencia three times while at Real Madrid between 2007 and 2010, winning twice and losing once.
• Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Hedwiges Maduro have appeared together for the Netherlands national team.
Source: http://www.uefa.com/
Milan vs Tottenham on February 15
Milan vs Tottenham on February 15Game Details:
Referee: Stéphane Lannoy (FRA)
Assistant referees: Eric Dansault (FRA), Laurent Ugo (FRA)
Fourth official: Clément Turpin (FRA)
Additional assistant referees: Antony Gautier (FRA), Ruddy Buquet (FRA)
Background:
After waiting 38 years to get back to San Siro, Tottenham Hotspur FC return there for the second time in just four months to take on AC Milan in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie.
• Harry Redknapp's side got the better of Milan's city rivals, FC Internazionale Milano, in the group stage. Tottenham finished a point clear of Inter at the Group A summit thanks, in part, to a 3-1 home success against the Nerazzurri.
• Tottenham can also take heart from an impressive second-half showing when losing 4-3 to Inter at San Siro on 20 October. Gareth Bale hit a second-half hat-trick after his team, down to ten men, had trailed 4-0.
• Massimiliano Allegri's Milan qualified second in Group G behind Real Madrid CF and their goal now is to avoid a third round of 16 elimination by English opposition in four seasons after defeats by Manchester United FC last term and Arsenal FC in 2008. The Rossoneri have not been beyond this stage since their last European triumph in 2007.
Previous meetings
• Tottenham prevailed in the clubs' one previous two-legged encounter in the 1971/72 UEFA Cup semi-final. They won the first leg in north London 2-1 as Steve Perryman's double overturned Romeo Benetti's opener before a 1-1 draw in Milan, Alan Mullery's goal taking Spurs through despite Gianni Rivera's penalty equaliser. Keeping goal for Milan was Fabio Cudicini, father of Tottenham's reserve custodian Carlo.
Match background
• Seven-time winners Milan may have a greater pedigree in Europe's elite competition than a Tottenham side competing for only the second time, but the London club had the more impressive group stage statistics.
• Tottenham are the competition's joint-leading scorers after hitting 18 goals in Group A, including eight on their travels. Milan, by contrast, qualified with fewer points than any other team (eight) and were the joint lowest scorers (seven). At home they recorded one win, one draw and one defeat.
• Since overcoming Liverpool FC in the 2007 UEFA Champions League final, Milan have failed to win in five meetings with English teams. After a 2-0 aggregate loss to Arsenal in 2007/08, they drew at Portsmouth FC in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup group stage before a 7-2 aggregate defeat by United 12 months ago.
• Prior to their home reverses against Arsenal (0-2, 2007/08) and United (2-3, 2009/10), Milan had not lost to visitors from England; their record now reads W7 D4 L2.
• Besides facing Milan and Inter, Spurs' only other encounter with Serie A opposition was a 2-0 loss at Udinese Calcio in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup group stage.
• Milan lost the 2005 UEFA Champions League final to Liverpool on penalties but gained revenge with victory in a 2007 final in which Peter Crouch featured as a 78th-minute substitute for the English side.
Team ties
• Kevin-Prince Boateng joined Tottenham from Hertha BSC Berlin in July 2007 and made 14 league appearances before moving to Portsmouth in 2009. He scored a penalty in Portsmouth's 2-0 FA Cup semi-final defeat of Tottenham last April.
• Mathieu Flamini spent four seasons with Spurs' arch-rivals Arsenal and played in five north London derbies, winning two and drawing three.
• Robinho was at Manchester City FC from September 2008 to January 2010. He faced Tottenham twice and lost both times, a 2-1 home reverse in November 2008 in which he scored, and a 3-0 away loss in December 2009.
• Carlo Cudicini was born in Milan and came through the Rossoneri's youth system. He made two UEFA Champions League appearances in 1992/93 but never appeared in Serie A.
• William Gallas captained the Arsenal side that beat Milan in 2007/08.
• Heurelho Gomes was in the PSV Eindhoven team defeated on away goals by Milan in the 2004/05 semi-finals.
• Tottenham's January signing Steven Pienaar was in the AFC Ajax team that lost 3-2 on aggregate to Milan in the 2002/03 quarter-finals, scoring in the 3-2 second-leg defeat at San Siro. He also played in Ajax's 1-0 group-stage defeat in Milan the following season.
• Rafael van der Vaart played in the Netherlands side that were 4-1 winners against Zlatan Ibrahimović's Sweden in a UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier in October.
Source: http://www.uefa.com/
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Sponsorship: UEFA Champions League 2011
Like the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League is sponsored by a group of multinational corporations, in contrast to the single main sponsor of the Barclays Premier League, the Ligue 1 or Serie A TIM. When the Champions League was created in 1992, it was decided that a maximum of eight companies should be allowed to sponsor the event, with each corporation being allocated four advertising boards around the perimeter of the pitch, as well as logo placement at pre- and post-match interviews and a certain number of tickets to each match. This, combined with a deal to ensure tournament sponsors were given priority on television advertisements during matches, ensured that each of the tournament's main sponsors was given maximum exposure.
The advertising boards are a source of criticism, due to their larger size compared to those in other leagues such as the Premier League. Their larger size means that, at some grounds, such as Celtic Park, Old Trafford, Anfield and Stamford Bridge, the front rows of seating cannot be used as their views of the pitch are blocked by the extreme size of the boards; accordingly, some season ticket holders are not guaranteed tickets for games and have to sit in seats other than their usual ones for games. Additionally, some stadia use the flat area in front of the front rows of seating for wheelchairs and disabled seating, so the boards drastically reduce these grounds' disabled supporter capacity.
The Champions League logo is shown on the centre of the pitch before every game in the competition
The tournament's current main sponsors are:
* Ford
* Heineken (excluding Norway, Spain, France, Switzerland and Russia, where alcohol sponsorship is restricted. In Norway the Heineken adboard is replaced by a chalk art picture adboard, In Spain, France, and Switzerland the Heineken adboard is replaced by a "Star Experience" adboard and in Russia the Heineken adboard is replaced by a "No To Racism" adboard)
* MasterCard
* Sony Europe
o BRAVIA is the brand advertised.
* Sony Computer Entertainment Europe[10]
o PlayStation is the brand advertised.
* UniCredit[11]
Adidas is a secondary sponsor and supplies the official match ball, as they do for all other UEFA competitions. Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer is also a secondary sponsor as the official Champions League video game.
Individual clubs may wear jerseys with advertising, even if such sponsors conflict with those of the Champions League. However, only one sponsorship is permitted per jersey (plus that of the manufacturer), and if clubs play a match in a country where the relevant sponsorship category is restricted (such as the case of France, alcohol, and betting), then they must remove that logo from their jerseys.
[edit] Alcohol and betting websites sponsorship
Teams may be forced to remove alcohol or betting sponsorship logos from their kits if they travel to a country with sponsorship restrictions.
For example, when Liverpool played away to Lyon, Liverpool was forced to remove Carlsberg from their kits, as France, including state sponsors, restrict such sponsorships. Other cases occurred in Switzerland; when Milan and Real Madrid played away at Zürich, both teams were forced to remove bwin.com from their kits. There are similar restrictions in Norway and The Netherlands.
The advertising boards are a source of criticism, due to their larger size compared to those in other leagues such as the Premier League. Their larger size means that, at some grounds, such as Celtic Park, Old Trafford, Anfield and Stamford Bridge, the front rows of seating cannot be used as their views of the pitch are blocked by the extreme size of the boards; accordingly, some season ticket holders are not guaranteed tickets for games and have to sit in seats other than their usual ones for games. Additionally, some stadia use the flat area in front of the front rows of seating for wheelchairs and disabled seating, so the boards drastically reduce these grounds' disabled supporter capacity.
The Champions League logo is shown on the centre of the pitch before every game in the competition
The tournament's current main sponsors are:
* Ford
* Heineken (excluding Norway, Spain, France, Switzerland and Russia, where alcohol sponsorship is restricted. In Norway the Heineken adboard is replaced by a chalk art picture adboard, In Spain, France, and Switzerland the Heineken adboard is replaced by a "Star Experience" adboard and in Russia the Heineken adboard is replaced by a "No To Racism" adboard)
* MasterCard
* Sony Europe
o BRAVIA is the brand advertised.
* Sony Computer Entertainment Europe[10]
o PlayStation is the brand advertised.
* UniCredit[11]
Adidas is a secondary sponsor and supplies the official match ball, as they do for all other UEFA competitions. Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer is also a secondary sponsor as the official Champions League video game.
Individual clubs may wear jerseys with advertising, even if such sponsors conflict with those of the Champions League. However, only one sponsorship is permitted per jersey (plus that of the manufacturer), and if clubs play a match in a country where the relevant sponsorship category is restricted (such as the case of France, alcohol, and betting), then they must remove that logo from their jerseys.
[edit] Alcohol and betting websites sponsorship
Teams may be forced to remove alcohol or betting sponsorship logos from their kits if they travel to a country with sponsorship restrictions.
For example, when Liverpool played away to Lyon, Liverpool was forced to remove Carlsberg from their kits, as France, including state sponsors, restrict such sponsorships. Other cases occurred in Switzerland; when Milan and Real Madrid played away at Zürich, both teams were forced to remove bwin.com from their kits. There are similar restrictions in Norway and The Netherlands.
Prize money: UEFA Champions League 2011
As of 2010–11, UEFA awards €2.1 million to each team in the play-offs round. For reaching the group stage UEFA awards €3.9 million, plus €0.55 million per group match played. A win in the group is awarded €0.8 million and a draw is worth €0.4 million.
In addition, UEFA pay teams reaching the first knockout round €3.0 million, each quarter finalist €3.3 million, €4.2 million for each semi-finalist, €5.2 million for the runners-up and €9 million for the winners.
A large part of the distributed revenue from the UEFA Champions League is linked to the "market pool", the distribution of which is determined by the value of the television market in each country. For the 2008-09 season, both Manchester United and Bayern Munich, who reached the final and quarter-final respectively, earned more than Barcelona, who won the tournament
In addition, UEFA pay teams reaching the first knockout round €3.0 million, each quarter finalist €3.3 million, €4.2 million for each semi-finalist, €5.2 million for the runners-up and €9 million for the winners.
A large part of the distributed revenue from the UEFA Champions League is linked to the "market pool", the distribution of which is determined by the value of the television market in each country. For the 2008-09 season, both Manchester United and Bayern Munich, who reached the final and quarter-final respectively, earned more than Barcelona, who won the tournament
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