Posts Tagged ‘Champions League’

April 21st, 2013 Football Comments

English Premier League: The race for Champions League Football

Tottenham's Gareth Bale
English Premier League: The race for Champions League Football

English Premier League: The race for Champions League Football

Elson Kakaire: It was only one week ago that Tottenham Hotspurs’ pursuit of a top four finish looked as if it was going to end as they laboured to another disappointing result at home against Everton. With no Bale and no Defoe it seemed as if there was no hope for Spurs.

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Especially with Arsenal winning away at Craven Cottage meaning that by the time Spurs entertained Manchester City they could have been seven points adrift from their most fierce of rivals.

The midweek results went in Spurs’ favour however with Everton holding Arsenal to a goalless draw at the Emirates. Despite Chelsea winning in midweek, that draw at the Emirates gave Spurs some hope to keep the race for 4th alive if they could beat City.

Arsenal did their job against ten man Fulham and after 70 minutes at White Hart Lane with City holding a 1-0 advantage, it looked as if Spurs were to falter yet again. This was until Gareth Bale and Jermain Defoe returned for Tottenham after both being out injured and gave Spurs the lift that they needed. Bale assisted one and scored another while Defoe scored a trademark goal to keep the Spurs marching on.

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April 1st, 2013 Football Comments

Andre Villas-Boas: Champions League place takes priorty over Europa League success

Andre Villas-Boas

villasboas

By Sam James: Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has insisted that qualification for Champions League is more important than winning to Europa League.

Spurs ran out 2-1 winners at Swansea on Saturday, which put them in third place in the Premier League and with Chelsea losing to 2-1 at Southampton, this has put Spurs in a well-placed position to make the top four finish.

Tottenham face Basle on Thursday in their first leg of the Europa League quarter final, while winning silverware remain a huge part of the manager’s plans, he insists that the forthcoming games against Chelsea, Everton and Manchester City are very much on his mind too.

“You always get comfortable when you are further ahead from the pack but the other teams are so near,” he said.

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March 10th, 2013 Football Comments

AVB looking to sabotage Liverpool’s top four chances

AVB looking to sabotage Liverpool's top four chances

AVB looking to sabotage Liverpool’s top four chances

By Callum Pritchard: Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas is hoping to put a complete stop to Liverpool’s slim hopes of claiming a top four space today when his Spurs team face a much improved Liverpool team, and insists that Thursday’s demolition of Inter Milan will not have an effect on the team.

Prolific Red Luis Suarez has urged his team to put everything they have into this match, with three points potentially vital if they are to catch up to third placed Spurs to keep them in contention for a Champions League spot. If Liverpool, however, do not gain those precious points, Villas-Boas is confident that Liverpool’s chances will be dented beyond repair.

“They are 10 points off fourth place, will we end their chances if we beat them? You never really know but I think so, yes.”

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March 7th, 2013 Football Comments

Wayne Rooney’s Future With Man United In Doubt

Wayne Rooney reacts to a missed opportunity in United's 2-1 loss to Real Madrid on Tuesday.

Wayne Rooney reacts to a missed opportunity in United’s 2-1 loss to Real Madrid on Tuesday.

By Scott Macleod: Emboldened by comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney was in such a position of strength at Manchester United in 2010 that he took on manager Sir Alex Ferguson and won a lucrative new contract.

At that time, Rooney was at the peak of his powers, easily English football’s star player. He seemed to believe he was too good for United, that the club wasn’t matching his ambitions.

Less than three years later and the opposite may be true.

Ferguson’s decision to drop Rooney — now behind Robin van Persie in the pecking order — for Tuesday’s Champions League match against Real Madrid has left some to question the striker’s future at Old Trafford.

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