"I am Mourinho - period. I believe I am a great coach,"
So the former Chelsea manger is the "Great One" now?
"I need to start a new cycle after that of Mancini, who I consider a great coach, but I am a different tactician," said Mourinho.
"I am the same person I was before with the same mission and the same passion for my work. I want to change the football philosophy of the team, this is my challenge."
Sources close to Carlos Ancelotti have said that he does not want to leave Italy, according to Gabriel Marcotti, on BBC Radio 5 live.
Also in the last few minutes Chelsea have denied making an approach.
read between the lines, he is not going to Chelsea.
more if and when ...
With Sven Goran Erikson being sacked by Manchester City yesterday, the Eastlands, Manchester club have wasted no tim in appointing a replacement. Conraversial owner Thaksin Shinawatra sacked the Swedish former England manager, after just one season in charge.
Manchester City are said to have reached an agreement with Premier League rivals Blackburn Rovers for compensation, and it looks highly likely that Mark Hughes will be on his way to the City of Manchester Stadium.
Meanwhile, Sam Allardyce looks like the favourite for the Blackburn job, if so he will be returning to football after a disastrous short lived term at Newcastle United.
Chelsea have reportedly made their first move for Carlo Ancelotti and it is being widely reported that the London club have opened preliminary discussions with representatives of the AC Milan coach.
Image via WikipediaGoal.com - Player Ratings
England 2 United States 0
follow the link to see the ratingsEngland cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory over the United States at Wembley thanks to goals from John Terry and Steven Gerrard.
Goal.com looked at all the participants and awarded each of them marks out of ten.
"ITV4 - Manchester United: King of Clubs
22.05.2008 20:30-21:00
Club football has never been more powerful, with superstars, giant stadia, huge crowds, extraordinary budgets, and burning ambitions. This series explores some of the world's top teams, details their structure, and discovers why they are kings in their own countries.
"ITV4 - Chelsea: King of Clubs
22.05.2008 20:00-20:30
Club football has never been more powerful, with superstars, giant stadia,
huge crowds, extraordinary budgets, and burning ambitions...."
Manchester United 1 Chelsea 1
Goals
26 Ronaldo
45 Lampard
Full time 1-1
Extra time - first half highlights
Extra time - second half highlights
1-1 after extra time.
Manchester United win 6-5 on penalties
presentation of the Champions League Trophy
Watch the Manchester United v Chelsea F.C. Champions League Final 2008 Live from the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
Free live streaming online.
link here
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another live football stream
or try here
or here
Is the English Premier League the best league in the world? The debate continues, and I am sure that English Premier League fans will continue to say it is, the final of the Champions League is an all Premiership event so perhaps that gives weight to the argument?
Manchester United beat Barcelona on their way to the final The first leg in Catalonia had been a 0-0 draw, but in the return leg at Old Trafford Paul Scholes scored the winner in some style.
Chelsea had to get past Liverpool to reach the final. In the first leg of the semi final at Anfield Chelsea were 1-0 down until an own goal from John Arne Riise in injury time made it a draw at 1-1. The second leg went to Extra Time after it was all square at 1-1 after 90 minutes. A penalty from Frank Lampard and a goal from Didier Drogba saw the Stamford Bridge outfit make it through to the final in Moscow.
team news:
Nani is expected to be recalled for Manchester United to the squad after being suspended for the final day title decider in the league. Centre-back Nemanja Vidic sat out final training yesterday but staff at the club insist he is to fit to start. Ryan Giggs is expected to start the game amongst the substitutes so Ji-Sung Park is likely to start.
Paul Scholes, who missed the 1999 Champions League final is likely to start the match. Sir Alex Ferguson has a tactical decision to make, whether to play Owen Hargreaves in midfield or start with Carlos Tevez up front. Hargreaves may be used alongside Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes to counter Chelsea's midfield trio of Claude Makelele, Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack.
Defenders Ricardo Carvalho and John Terry are both expected to start the game for Chelsea, Ashley Cole got a late injury in training and is a doubt. The England International left-back hurt his ankle after a strong challenge from Claude Makelele and went off for treatment yesterday.
Manchester United squad: Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Heaton; Brown, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Neville, O'Shea, Pique, Silvestre, Anderson, Fletcher, Hargreaves, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Nani, Park, Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez, Saha, Welbeck.
Chelsea squad: Cech, Hilario, Cudicini, Belletti, Ferreira, Alex, Ben-Haim, Terry, Carvalho, A Cole, Bridge, Makelele, Essien, Lampard, Ballack, Kalou, Wright-Phillips, J Cole, Malouda, Drogba, Shevchenko, Anelka, Mikel.
Chelsea go to Moscow, hoping to be crowned champions of Europe for the first time in their history.
This is the first Champions League final to be contested between two clubs from England, and the third time clubs from the same country have featured in such a match.
In 2000, the final was an all-Spanish affair (Real Madrid beat Valencia 3-0), while clubs from Italy engaged in the 2003 final (AC Milan beat Juventus on penalties).
This final will produce England's 11th Champions Cup/Champions League winners, equalling the record amount of victories held by Spain and Italy.
England's previous 10 were Manchester United (1968), Liverpool (1977 and 1978), Nottingham Forest (1979 and 1980), Liverpool (1981), Aston Villa (1982), Liverpool (1984), Manchester United (1999) and Liverpool (2005).
Included this year's, England have provided 16 Champions Cup/Champions League finalists. Italy have provided the most (25).
England will also win their 29th European trophy (11 Champions League /Champions Cup, eight Cup Winners' Cups and 10 Fairs Cups/Uefa Cups). It will equal Spain's record total.
source: (BBC from Infostrada Sports.)
21.05.2008 17:00-17:30
Club football has never been more powerful, with superstars, giant stadia, huge crowds, extraordinary budgets, and burning ambitions
This series explores some of the world's top teams, details their structure, and discovers why they are kings in their own countries ...."
21.05.2008 17:30-18:00
Club football has never been more powerful, with superstars, giant stadia,
huge crowds, extraordinary budgets, and burning ambitions. This series explores some of the world's top teams, details their structure, and discovers why they are kings in their own countries...."
"ITV4 - Manchester United v Chelsea: The Game of Games
21 .05 .2008 18:00-19:00
Matt Smith introduces all the build-up to the UEFA Champions League final
between Manchester United and Chelsea FC at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
United have already won the trophy twice, while Chelsea have reached the final of this competition for the first time ...."
"ITV1 - UEFA Champions League Final: Manchester United v Chelsea
21 05 2008 19:00-22:00
Steve Rider introduces live coverage of the UEFA Champions League final
between Manchester United and Chelsea at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow...."
read more | digg story
Image details: Chelsea v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Semi Final served by picapp.com
Watch goals and highlights from the Chelsea - Liverpool Champions League 2008 Semifinal Game.
Chelsea 3 Liverpool 2. (after extra time)
European Champions League Semi Final second leg.
Chelsea won 4-3 on aggregate.
Goals from Didier Drogba (2), Frank Lampard, Ryan Babel, Fernando Torres.
Chelsea go on to play Manchester United in the final, May 21st in Moscow.
read more | digg story
UEFA Champions League - Semi Final Second leg
Liverpool FC v Chelsea FC
Liverpool have the chance to make another Champions League final tonight, but will they be the team to end Chelsea's amazing home record? Or will it be a Chelsea Man Utd showdown in the Premiership & Champions League?
read more | digg story
Tonights stormer of a game was between Man Utd & Barcelona, we will be providing the highlights from the 2nd leg of tonights champions league game after the match. Link.
read more | digg story
LONDON (AFP) — Michael Ballack's cool head caused Sir Alex Ferguson to lose his as Chelsea blew the English Premier League title race wide open.
On a day of high drama at both ends of the table, a 2-1 win over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge ensured Chelsea moved level on points with their rivals with two games left for both clubs.
United's vastly superior goal difference means they remain masters of their own destiny but Ballack's second goal of the afternoon, a nerveless spot-kick four minutes from time, ensured the champions' own nerve will be tested over the last two weeks of the campaign.
The Germany captain, who had given Chelsea the lead with a first-half header before Wayne Rooney equalised, claimed afterwards that the thought of missing the penalty had never entered his head.
"In the end you have to score," Ballack said. "For me it is no problem, I can handle the pressure."
Read More - AFP
Chelsea scored a last minute of injury time equaliser to keep give themselves a huge advantage going into the second leg of the Champions League Semi Finals against Liverpool. That crucial away goal was actually an own goal from Liverpool's John Arne Riise.
The Norwegian International left back looked absolutely devastated when he headed into his own net from a corner. Dirk Kuyt had put the home side ahead just before the end of the first half.
It had looked as if the match was theirs for the taking as they came out in the second half in an attacking mood.
Slowly Avram Grant's team got themselves back in it, and when the four minutes of injury time were almost up, Liverpool thought they would be home and dry with the advantage for the second leg.
Now they must go ahead and get at least a goal, if they have any hope of meeting the winners of the other semi final - Manchester United v Barcelona, in the final.
Liverpool have not scored at Stamford Bridge in 8 years. The size of the task will not be lost on their supporters, of which I am one.
to be continued.
