Chelsea vs Man United European cup final thread

Can't see United giving the neutral any reason to support them during the game so Chelsea are the choice by default. That can change, but Fergie's only intention is only on winning on the one stat that counts.

Rooney and Vidic learn from rafa's mistake


Vidic accuses Drogba over diving

Rooney and Vidic have criticised Drogba's antics
Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic has turned up the heat ahead of the Champions League final by accusing Chelsea's Didier Drogba of play-acting.

"Sometimes he goes in very strong, and sometimes he pretends he is very weak," Vidic said ahead of Wednesday's final.

"He plays with your mind and tries to make you think about the next tackle."

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez claimed he had a dossier on the Ivorian's "diving" before their semi-final last month.

It provoked Drogba into producing a match-winning performance in the Champions League semi-finals following Benitez's comments.

Sometimes he seems as if his head's not quite there

And while Vidic expressed his respect for Drogba's abilities, the centre-back warned that Wednesday's referee will need to pay close attention to his antics.

He told the Sunday Times: "He can pretend he fell down to win a penalty, but referees know that. The Champions League final is a big game and I'm sure the ref will know his job."

Striker Wayne Rooney also risked a Drogba backlash by calling his temperament into question.

"Sometimes he seems as if his head's not quite there," Rooney said.

"But when he's at his best, he's an unbelievable player. He's big, strong, he scores goals - left foot, right foot, headers - at times he is unplayable."

Vidic, meanwhile, refused to blame Drogba for an incident which saw him leave the field with concussion after the striker's knee hit him the head in the Premier League last month.

"I don't protect myself. I leave myself too open for players to kick me or hurt me.


"I'm not saying they want to - it just happens - but maybe I need to work on my protection. I want to win the ball and don't care how and maybe because of that I get hurt.

"Everyone puts me among the hardest players, and says forwards when they play me need to protect themselves, but that's not true.

"I don't try to hurt people and I don't want to go around saying I'm tough. I go in aggressive, yes, and try to win every ball, but I'm not anything special."

Rafa was right

Look where it got him.

Besides, it's funny hearing this from Rooney. Besides, if Drogba came out and spoke about Rooney's language to referees, do you think the press would print it?

Markus wrote:Rafa was right

Indeed he was

But it only resulted in the diving cheat actually staying on his feet and playing brilliantly

COTR wrote:
Striker Wayne Rooney also risked a Drogba backlash by calling his temperament into question.

"Sometimes he seems as if his head's not quite there," Rooney said.

"But when he's at his best, he's an unbelievable player. He's big, strong, he scores goals - left foot, right foot, headers - at times he is unplayable."

Rooney is calling out Drogba for bad temperament.

COTR wrote:

Markus wrote:Rafa was right

Indeed he was

But it only resulted in the diving cheat actually staying on his feet and playing brilliantly

If he needs these comments to motivate him, he seriously needs some help. It’s the final of the European Cup, enough motivation for him. I think you said something similar after his performance in the semi final. Let’s just hope there are no invisible snipers in Moscow ..

Super Madrid wrote:

COTR wrote:
Striker Wayne Rooney also risked a Drogba backlash by calling his temperament into question.

"Sometimes he seems as if his head's not quite there," Rooney said.

"But when he's at his best, he's an unbelievable player. He's big, strong, he scores goals - left foot, right foot, headers - at times he is unplayable."

Rooney is calling out Drogba for bad temperament.

I love the way the media have picked up on the first tiny bit and missed the gushing praise Rooney has given the man aftewards

Anyway

*BUMP* - this is the most important game now of the season before the summer starts

Time to nail your colours to the mast

Now Kalou is on the act, with the press making his comments sound worse than they are


Salomon Kalou feels that Chelsea need to target Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic during the Champions League final on Wednesday
The Blues striker believes recent injuries will have taken their toll on the United centre-half, and that Avram Grant's men should be testing him at any given opportunity.

Vidic suffered concussion during the Premier League meeting between the two sides at the end of April, an injury which kept him sidelined until the Red Devils' final game of the season at Wigan.

Despite forming a formidable partnership with England international Rio Ferdinand in a defence which conceded just 22 goals in the league all season, Kalou remains convinced that United's back four remains far from solid.

"We still believe that there is some weakness in their defence and that we can exploit that and score some goals," said the Ivory Coast international.

"They are like everyone, Ferdinand is a great defender, Vidic also.

"But Vidic has not played a lot because he has been injured, so that could be a weak point for them and it is up to us to play well and score a goal."


They've headlined this as - Kalou labels Vidic a weak link.

come on the chavs

Senor Woody wrote:
*BUMP* - this is the most important game now of the season before the summer starts

Time to nail your colours to the mast

I think it reflects the general apathy around Europe (and as a result many posters here) towards a CL final with teams from the same country. Everyone has already started looking forward to summer transfers and Euro 2008...most will probably watch the game, and there'll be some excitement on the day itself, but overall it'll be much less interesting than if two teams from different countries were involved.

Senor Woody wrote:

Super Madrid wrote:

COTR wrote:
Striker Wayne Rooney also risked a Drogba backlash by calling his temperament into question.

"Sometimes he seems as if his head's not quite there," Rooney said.

"But when he's at his best, he's an unbelievable player. He's big, strong, he scores goals - left foot, right foot, headers - at times he is unplayable."

Rooney is calling out Drogba for bad temperament.

I love the way the media have picked up on the first tiny bit and missed the gushing praise Rooney has given the man aftewards

Anyway

*BUMP* - this is the most important game now of the season before the summer starts

Time to nail your colours to the mast

whether or not he praised him its deeply hypocritical from Rooneys side.

Edwin Van der Sar thought he was giving up nights of European glory when he moved to England.
The veteran Dutchman could complete an amazing 13-year gap between Champions League wins when he faces Chelsea on Wednesday.
Now firmly established as Manchester United's number one, Van der Sar has put an end to talk about Sir Alex Ferguson's goalkeeping ills.
But the 37-year-old freely accepts that when he accepted the challenge of moving to Fulham from Juventus in 2001, there appeared little prospect he would ever appear on such a grand stage again.
"Yes, when I signed for Fulham I probably did think I would not be involved in matches like this," he admitted.
"I went to watch Chelsea in the Champions League a couple of times and on one occasion in particular, I looked at Oliver Kahn doing his warm-up and thought 'I used to be doing that'.
"Believing I would have the opportunity of experiencing it again was something that never went away but at Fulham, I knew it would be very difficult."
What Van der Sar did not realise was that Sir Alex Ferguson, having moved too late in 1999 to acquire him from Ajax as Peter Schmeichel's replacement, had still not resolved his own goalkeeping conundrum.
After various options had been exhausted and more European frustration endured, Ferguson eventually went back to Van der Sar, even though he was 34 by the time he arrived at Old Trafford.
"Getting a move always depends on the opportunity," he said.
"Is there a big team looking for a goalkeeper? Is your age a problem? Do they think you're not good enough any more?
"Someone has to make the decision for you and think that you are the perfect player for their side.
"That's why I am grateful to Sir Alex Ferguson for giving me the chance."
Ferguson's judgement has proved to be spot on and although Van der Sar may suffer more muscular injuries that he did before and England's Ben Foster is ready to provide a tougher challenge to his first-choice status next term, there was little doubt where the Scot's vote would be cast in the battle to be United's number one this week.
And, by turning out at the Luzhniki Stadium, Van der Sar's career will turn full circle, having appeared in a Champions League win for Ajax against AC Milan 13 years ago.
"Maybe in 1995 I felt I was going to get more opportunities," he reflected.
"Now I know my years are running out. I am going to play one or two more at the most, so I might as well take this chance."
How long Van der Sar remains part of Ferguson's new dynasty remains to be seen but he can certainly see parallels between what is happening at Old Trafford now with what happened in Amsterdam under Louis van Gaal all those years ago.
"Everyone was young. It was a great group of players coming together," he said.
"We also had a young manager but he got Frank Rijkaard to come back from Milan and take the pressure off us.
"It is a little like that at United now. When someone is not performing at their best, someone else takes over. That is what you want."
In making the long journey to Moscow, Van der Sar can reflect on a competition far tougher than the one Ajax were victorious in over a decade ago.
But while he accepts the achievement is so much greater, the veteran, who intends to quit the international scene at the end of Euro 2008, also feels something has been lost in widening it beyond the traditional entry of the champion team from each country on the continent.
"It is a different competition nowadays," he said.
"When I won it before only the champions could come in. Nowadays you get four from one country in the tournament and three in the semi-finals.
"That can be strange sometimes and maybe I liked it better when only the champions could enter.
"But I guess players want more money, so do the clubs, which is why the organisation is so well structured now.
"I am just really pleased to be in the final and have the chance of winning it again."

Edwin is a great of the game , probably not the legend of Man Utd (not yet if we win he will be IMO) but has become a Man Utd great definately in my eyes anyway.

DS wrote:Edwin is a great of the game , probably not the legend of Man Utd (not yet if we win he will be IMO) but has become a Man Utd great definately in my eyes anyway.

Juventus flop in my eyes.

2 league title more then I could have ask and if we win CL.

Park's haircut is phenomenal. For that alone, Im supporting Park's haircut in the final

Come on Park's haircut - Sir better let you out onto the pitch at some point

Chelsea and Manchester United have been
warned that the Luzhniki Stadium pitch is dangerous and not fit to host
the final of the Champions League.
Groundsmen are working around the clock to improve the playing
surface, which was slammed by former Liverpool midfielder Steve
McMahon.
The pitch has several bare patches and is very bumpy. Blocks of
frozen grass shipped in from Slovakia have not bedded down as hoped and
the state of the surface is giving real cause for concern.
Wednesday's match between Manchester United and Chelsea is at
the same stadium where England played their Euro 2008 qualifier against
Russia on an artificial pitch last year.
English head groundsman Matthew Frost said: "It is not like one of the better Premier League pitches, far from it.
"Unfortunately, things didn't work out. The ball may not travel
perfectly like it would on a pitch that has been in situ for some time.
There might be a bit of a bobble."
But McMahon was more scathing in his assessment of the pitch, claiming it would be "dangerous" for the players.
"It is awful and embarrassing," he said. "There are undulations
and, to be frank, it is very dangerous for the players if it stays the
way it is. The players won't be happy."

Why the f@ck is it hosting it , there already security concerns , accomodation concerns , visa concerns and now this and Uefa point at club how things should be run.

Never trust these Soviets ..

John Terry
hopes lifting the Champions League with Chelsea would be enough to
convince Fabio Capello to restore him to the England captaincy.
Terry lost the armband when Capello took charge of the national
team this year, with the Italian rotating his captains before settling
on a permanent skipper for the start of next season's World Cup
qualifiers.
So far, Steven Gerrard and Rio Ferdinand have led England under
Capello, with the latter set to captain Manchester United against
Chelsea in Moscow.
Terry said in The Sun: "I am disappointed with what has happened.
"I want the armband and my England place back. Maybe a
performance in this final would go a long way to getting those things
back.
"But Rio has been different class this year and particularly since he was made captain against France.
"We have seen a world-class player at the top of his game and, as a centre-half looking on, I would say he has been awesome.
"But I want to get out there and prove I am the right man for the England job."

UEFA have
admitted they are "slightly worried" about the appearance of the pitch
on which Wednesday night's Champions League final will be played - but
they do not believe it will hamper the all-English match.
The grass surface at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium - on which
Chelsea will play Manchester United - has come under scrutiny after
groundsman Matt Frost revealed it had not had time to bed down
following its laying just 15 days ago.
A second pitch was required after the initial one, placed on
top of the 'plastic' surface that is normally used at the stadium last
October, was deemed unacceptable.
UEFA officials are happy that the pitch will be playable, but
spokesman William Gaillard told BBC Sport: "We are slightly worried
about the look of it.
"In terms of the quality, we have made some tests in the last few days and it is perfectly fine.
"It may not look very, very green on television, but,
essentially, it is a good pitch to play football on. At this stage, we
are confident it will be fine."
Frost is relieved that he managed to talk stadium bosses into
spending £160,000 on a second grass surface, adding: "If I hadn't
persuaded them, they would have used the old one which would have been
a catastrophe."

DS wrote:UEFA have
admitted they are "slightly worried" about the appearance of the pitch
on which Wednesday night's Champions League final will be played - but
they do not believe it will hamper the all-English match.
The grass surface at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium - on which
Chelsea will play Manchester United - has come under scrutiny after
groundsman Matt Frost revealed it had not had time to bed down
following its laying just 15 days ago.
A second pitch was required after the initial one, placed on
top of the 'plastic' surface that is normally used at the stadium last
October, was deemed unacceptable.
UEFA officials are happy that the pitch will be playable, but
spokesman William Gaillard told BBC Sport: "We are slightly worried
about the look of it.
"In terms of the quality, we have made some tests in the last few days and it is perfectly fine.
"It may not look very, very green on television, but,
essentially, it is a good pitch to play football on. At this stage, we
are confident it will be fine."
Frost is relieved that he managed to talk stadium bosses into
spending £160,000 on a second grass surface, adding: "If I hadn't
persuaded them, they would have used the old one which would have been
a catastrophe."

Chelsea and Manchester United have been warned the Luzhniki Stadium pitch is dangerous and not fit to host the final of the Champions League.

Groundsmen are working around the clock to improve the playing surface before tomorrow's kick-off but the English head groundsman, Matthew Frost, said: "It is not like one of the better Premier League pitches, far from it. Unfortunately, things didn't work out. The ball may not travel perfectly like it would on a pitch that has been in situ for some time. There might be a bit of a bobble."

Blocks of frozen grass shipped in from Slovakia have not bedded down as hoped. The former Liverpool midfielder Steve McMahon said: "It is awful and embarrassing. To be frank, it is very dangerous for the players if it stays the way it is."

Would be amusing if they just cancelled the CL this season.

wouldn't really be amusing as there would be rioting in moscow

hopefully fifa will at least learn from this the next time they want to host the CL final in some place that is not really suitable.

I'm sorry but some of the criticism from English fans (who are the ones mostly commenting since it's 2 English clubs) for Moscow as a venue is well out of order.

Granted, they should have done better with the pitch, and having a plan for the visa issue in advance. But it's UEFA's responsibility to spread the finals across Europe, so eventually they have to pick somewhere in Eastern Europe, and it just happens to be that the most expensive city to travel to is the one that has the facilities (or most of them) to host the event.

Things like "they should have moved it to Wembley when 2 English teams made the final" etc. are just pure arrogance and close-mindedness. Sevilla and Espanyol didn't ask for their UEFA Cup final to be moved out of Hampden Park, and Milan-Juve didn't say "well screw Old Trafford, let's play our final in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome". The venue was decided well in advance, so just like Moscow should have prepared every small detail, the fans should have been prepared.

Even on the visa issue, I don't think the UK government allowed Zenit fans into the country without a visa, unlike Russia who are bending over backwards and making the ticket equal to your visa. The Zenit fans planned properly and dealt with it. It seems on this count the problems/criticism is arising because English clubs always have loads of fans who always want to travel to the host city, but not actually buy tickets in advance. If you really wanted to go to the final, you should plan ahead like every fan and take the chance that your team may not make it.

I know most of that is not really comprehensible, but anyway, rant over.

Who said move it to Wembley , atleast make sure there is a decent pitch , enough accomodations etc etc so people can go and watch the game and support their team and have a good CL final.