Ranieri roused by culture clash

Tuesday, 3 April 2007
by Paolo Menicuccifrom Milan
Claudio Ranieri will take a break from battling relegation in Italy with Parma FC to watch two former clubs cross swords in the UEFA Champions League. According to the Italian coach, the Chelsea FC-Valencia CF quarter-final will pit "individual skills against team organisation".
Contrasting styles"Valencia can count on great tactical organisation, while Chelsea have several great players but sometimes struggle to play as a team," the 55-year-old told uefa.com. "This season José Mourinho has had to work hard. Last season's 4-3-3 was very reliable and solid, while this term he has had to adapt the system to the great players who joined last summer. At this stage I think Valencia are more of a team, while Chelsea rely on individual skills and the great talent of their players.
'Chelsea are favourites'"However, both are great sides so it should be a very balanced tie," he continued. "Chelsea need to win because they were built to go all the way in the Champions League. Roman Abramovich has spent a lot of money and brought in great players. Chelsea are overall favourites to win the trophy. Valencia, though, are very solid. They are very difficult to beat as they defend well and can always score goals."
Valencia advantageRanieri, who lifted the Copa del Rey and UEFA Super Cup during two spells at Valencia, believes the Primera División outfit could take advantage of their underdog status, as against last-16 opponents FC Internazionale Milano. "The pressure will be on Chelsea, while Valencia have less to lose and will try to take another big scalp after beating Inter. I think it will be a beautiful match to watch, especially from a technical viewpoint."
Favourable drawAlso favouring Wednesday's visitors to Stamford Bridge, the coach argued, is the staging of the second leg in Spain on 10 April. "Having the return at the Mestalla is good for them because they will try to repeat the Inter tie. They will play with great determination and fighting spirit in London, never giving up while seeking a crucial away goal to build on at the Mestalla. When you are discussing the best eight sides in Europe, you don't have weak teams. Valencia and Chelsea are great sides and this game can be decided by small details."
Key absenteeOne such detail could be the absence through injury of Fernando Morientes. "This is a big blow for Valencia," Ranieri said. "He is a great player with vast international experience, which is very useful at this stage. I don't know who will take his place, maybe Miguel Ángel Angulo." The attacking onus may fall on the shoulders of 21-year-old Spanish international David Silva – whom Ranieri knows well. "I'm delighted for David. He was at Valencia when I was there. He was a kid but I could see he would be a great player and he is proving it now," said the trainer.
Culture clashRanieri, who joined Parma in February and presides over a team sitting second-bottom in Serie A, is relishing the midweek clash of two footballing cultures he learnt to love. "The way you play and watch football reflects your country's culture," he said. "Spanish people love the good life, love entertainment. Therefore Spanish teams try to offer beautiful football, with good technique and ball possession which is nice to watch. The English prefer a team fighting for 90 minutes, never giving up. They love players who are very committed, they love hard tackles but also fair play. Obviously globalisation has changed football, with plenty of foreign coaches, but the roots are always important. I'm sure we will see a fascinating duel between two very different sides."
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.

Del Horno glad to be back

Tuesday, 3 April 2007
by Trevor Haylettfrom London
Asier del Horno returns to UEFA Champions League action for the first time in over 13 months and fate has decreed that his comeback game should take him to the ground and the club that witnessed his last appearance in the competition.
Red cardDel Horno has recovered from the serious calf injury that delayed his UEFA Champions League debut for Valencia CF and seems certain to start their quarter-final first leg against Chelsea FC at Stamford Bridge. It was there that he last featured in Europe's premier club tournament, a first knockout round match against FC Barcelona in February 2006 which ended early and disappointingly for him with a red card after 37 minutes.
Enjoyable timeDel Horno insists he has nothing to prove as he revisits London. He is thankful for his time under José Mourinho but remains determined to help the Primera División team advance at the expense of his former employers. "I had a very good year and I enjoyed my time here, but I don't think I have to take any kind of exam tomorrow," said the Spanish international left-back. "I have been out for a long time and it's great to be playing again. I'm focused on the task ahead and it's important that Valencia put in a good performance."
'Difficult rivals'Del Horno's recent past might have made him a useful source of information for coach Quique Sánchez Flores, yet he says that at this stage of the competition no side retain any secrets from the opposition. "Everyone knows Chelsea very well. Whoever plays for them, we know they will be difficult rivals but we are not going to concentrate on them. We have to play our own game," continued the ex-Athletic Club Bilbao defender.
New systemHe does stress, though, the difficulties the 2000 and 2001 finalists face against opponents he believes are stronger than the team he left behind last summer. "Chelsea have changed their system a little bit and whereas before they liked to attack down the wings, now they play through the middle. But when you think that they have the likes of [Michael] Ballack and [Andriy] Shevchenko down the middle, they are a very strong side." Valencia will be happy with a draw at Stamford Bridge, continued Del Horno, and preferably a scoring one as they achieved en route to eliminating FC Internazionale Milano in the previous round. "It's very important that we score. It was vital in the away leg against Inter and we are hoping to do the same again."
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.

Mourinho's good vibe fills Chelsea

Tuesday, 3 April 2007
by Trevor Haylettfrom London
Chelsea FC return to the UEFA Champions League - the pinnacle of their quest to win an unprecedented four trophies this season - with José Mourinho insisting that even if they fall short in all three remaining competitions, he will still finish the campaign a contented manager.
'Good feeling'"We can win more things but even if we don't, it will be the kind of season where at the end of it I will only have good words for my players. And only a good feeling about my commitment, what I gave and what I did to try and help my team to success," said the Portuguese, who already has the English League Cup under lock and key, ahead of Wednesday's quarter-final first leg against Valencia CF. "In that respect we can all sleep soundly knowing we are giving everything. The problem comes when people think you could do more, or you've slept on what we did or achieved before, but that is not the case."
FavouritesChelsea are the only side in the last eight who have not appeared in a European Champion Clubs' Cup final, something which has not dissuaded the bookmakers from installing them as favourites to hold the prized silverware aloft in Athens on 23 May. That glamour date is still some way ahead and Mourinho does not expect an easy ride against the Spanish visitors at Stamford Bridge. "Valencia are a team that play very well and who like to play good football," he warned. "They have a lot of solutions and a lot of good attacking players. They have speed down the sides and experience at the back. Their midfield players are very strong defensively."
Robben outArjen Robben - who did so much to tilt the balance of the last-16 return match against FC Porto back in Chelsea's favour - has followed Michael Essien on to the absentee list after knee surgery. But Joe Cole is almost ready to return and could have a substitute's role in London. Neither team really impressed at the weekend. Chelsea, who are also in the FA Cup semi-finals, needed an injury-time goal to defeat bottom club Watford FC and remain six points behind Premiership leaders Manchester United FC. Valencia also endured some difficult moments before overcoming RCD Espanyol 3-2 to remain fourth in the Primera División.Two suspendedWith David Navarro and Carlos Marchena suspended and leading scorer Fernando Morientes joining Rubén Baraja and Edu among those missing out through injury, Quique Sánchez Flores's options are considerably reduced. The Valencia coach believes two sides of similar strengths and styles will be battling it out for a place in the semi-finals. "There is going to be a lot of play in the middle of the park, and when there are two similar teams like this they do tend to cancel each other out," Flores said. "Normally a game like this will be decided on one key incident or a couple of chances here or there. If we could score everyone on our bench would be delighted - it would be a major step forward for us in the tie."
Probable teams Chelsea: Petr Čech; Lassana Diarra, Ricardo Carvalho, John Terry, Ashley Cole; Claude Makelele, Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Shaun Wright-Phillips; Didier Drogba, Andriy Shevchenko. Valencia: Santiago Cañizares; Luis Miguel, Roberto Ayala, Emiliano Moretti, Asier del Horno; Miguel Ángel Angulo, Raúl Albiol, David Albeda, David Silva; Vicente Rodríguez; David Villa.
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.

Spalletti awaits his biggest test

Tuesday, 3 April 2007
by Matthew Spirofrom Rome
AS Roma coach Luciano Spalletti is relishing the opportunity to pit his wits against Sir Alex Ferguson as the Serie A side make their first appearance in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals against Manchester United FC.
'Amazing feeling'While Sir Alex has overseen more than 200 European matches, Spalletti, 48, possesses far less top-level experience having risen steadily through the echelons of Italian football. The former Udinese Calcio boss described Wednesday's game as his biggest yet but remains determined to savour the occasion. "Coaching Empoli FC in a promotion play-off was important but somehow I think playing United in a packed Stadio Olimpico beats that," Spalletti said with a smile. "It's an amazing feeling but I'll try to stay calm and enjoy the game."
'A wonderful coach'Spalletti's shrewd tactical choices helped Roma end Olympique Lyonnais' 18-match unbeaten home run in the previous round, and after getting the better of Gérard Houllier he now has the Scot in his sights. "Sir Alex is a wonderful coach but there's a difference between him and me: he's won 29 trophies, I've won one Serie C title," Spalletti pointed out. "I'll watch the way he approaches the game, as I always do when I'm up against great coaches, and I'll try to take some tips."
Lyon boostHe does not, however, want his team to show United too much respect, and is urging a positive approach: "I'd like us to attack more than we did against Lyon. I'm sure United will come at us but we're confident. The Lyon victory has boosted our self-belief." Sir Alex, meanwhile, had equally flattering words for Spalletti, praising him for "creating a system" by operating without a veritable centre-forward. "Big coaches make brave decisions and his decision to play this way was brave," said the United manager. Captain Francesco Totti will again be the furthest forward, supported by wingers Mancini and Taddei. Simone Perrotta, usually employed behind Totti, may drop deeper to cover for the suspended David Pizarro, offering a roving role to Christian Wilhelmsson, while Marco Cassetti deputises for injured full-back Max Tonetto.
Saha roleUnited have greater injury concerns after Nemanja Vidić (collarbone) and Park Ji Sung (knee) joined long-term absentees Mikaël Silvestre and Gary Neville on the sidelines. Louis Saha and Darren Fletcher have both travelled despite just recently returning to fitness, and Ferguson hinted the Frenchman may enter the fray in the second period. Ryan Giggs should partner Wayne Rooney in attack, freeing up a midfield berth for Kieran Richardson or Alan Smith.
Enormous potentialSir Alex, however, is reluctant to speak about injuries, saying: "Our squad is being tested but we've proved over the last few weeks that those coming in are capable of doing the business." The Premiership leaders hope to repeat their treble achievement of 1998/99 and while Ferguson conceded that the current team has room for improvement, he feels the potential is enormous. "They don't have the overall experience yet but they're young and they have their careers in front of them," he said. "They all want to win trophies and if they start doing it early that'd be fantastic."
Probable teamsRoma: Doni; Marco Cassetti, Cristian Chivu, Philippe Mexes, Christian Panucci; Simone Perrotta, Daniele De Rossi; Taddei, Christian Wilhelmsson, Mancini; Francesco Totti. United: Edwin van der Sar; Wes Brown, Rio Ferdinand, John O'Shea, Gabriel Heinze; Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Carrick, Paul Scholes, Kieran Richardson/Alan Smith; Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney.
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.

Italian anti-hooligan laws passed

Tuesday, 3 April 2007
Anti-hooligan legislation formulated after the death of a policeman during rioting at a Serie A match in February has been passed into Italian law following approval by the Italian Senate.
Landslide majorityMost of the measures contained in the new set of laws, which was voted for by a landslide majority of 244 to one, were part of the initial decree that was set down in the days following the death of police officer Filippo Raciti outside Calcio Catania's Angelo Massimino stadium on 2 February. These laws are already in force at Italian football matches but under Italian legislation, a decree must pass into law within 60 days to become permanent.
Tough measuresThe measures include a ban on the block sale of tickets to visiting fans; fines of between €20,000 and €100,000 for clubs found to have ties with organisations of hardcore supporters or 'ultras'; prison sentences for those who force games to be abandoned by throwing flares and firecrackers; and a ban on banners that incite violence.
Free ticketsThe legislation, however, made one significant addition to the decree by obliging clubs to give out free tickets to under 14s. The measure is aimed at stemming the steady exodus of families from Italy's football grounds. "It was important that the decree against football violence became law today, otherwise the fundamental rules of security for our sport and our police forces were at risk," said interior minister Giuliano Amato, who dedicated the new laws to the memory of Raciti.
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.

Sagnol blow sours Bayern draw

Tuesday, 3 April 2007
FC Bayern München full-back Willy Sagnol could be out for the rest of the season after injuring his right knee during Tuesday's UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg draw at AC Milan.
Hitzfeld concern"He's got a serious cartilage injury," said Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld. "In the next few days he will undergo an operation and in all probability he won't be able to play for us again this season." French international Sagnol, 30, was replaced after 68 minutes by Christian Lell when the score was 1-0 to Milan, although the match finished 2-2 thanks to Daniel Van Buyten's late leveller for Bayern. The tie concludes in Munich next Wednesday.
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.

Aurelio laid low by 'terrible injury'

Tuesday, 3 April 2007
Liverpool FC defender Fabio Aurelio is likely to miss the rest of the season after being stretchered off towards the end of the UEFA Champions League victory at PSV Eindhoven with a suspected rupture of his achilles tendon.
'Terrible injury'The 27-year-old Brazilian left-back was taken off with 15 minutes left of Liverpool's 3-0 quarter-final first-leg win at the PSV Stadium, and Rafael Benítez believes the injury is a serious one. "We played well, it was an organised and effective performance, but we are all more concerned about Fabio," said the Reds manager. "It was a terrible injury. We believe it is very serious although we will not be sure until after a scan when we get back to Liverpool."
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.