Yep!

Mo matter what he has done in the past, that shirt with Puerta on means I will always consider him as an exceptional person, and as for his football skills...they are pretty damned awesome.

One good does not a hundred bad make. What he did for Puerta was noteworthy. If only, it adds to his personality along with his good skills. But I'd just stop at that. Yes, there are far dirtier players out in world football; he's no saint. But I guess to each his own. Personally, I'd take a young Zanetti or Ayala over him any day at Milan.

Here are today's results from the first leg of the second qualifying round:

Brann - Ventspils 1-0
İnter Bakı - Partizan 1-1
Drogheda - Dynamo Kyiv 1-2
Rangers - Kaunas 0-0
Tampere United - Artmedia 1-3
Sheriff - Sparta 0-1
AaB - Modriča 5-0
Beitar Jerusalem - Wisła Kraków 2-1
Fenerbahçe - MTK 2-0
Göteborg - Basel 1-1
Anderlecht - BATE 1-2
Anorthosis - Rapid Wien 3-0
Panathinaikos - Dinamo Tbilisi 3-0
Domžale - Dinamo Zagreb 0-3

I always liked Dinamo Zagreb ... hmm they played with heart .. but havnt seen a game for them in a while now .. Guess it was because of the Boban fever

Zanetti is truly fantastic. shame he's the symbol of Inter. he could be the symbol of a more prestigious club...

Zanetti. (Sorry, he plays for the cugini.)

Yeah, I like to think of him as a good guy playing for a bad team. Pity he's Argentinian, and he plays for the merda. That makes him a double looser. No offense to any Argentinian friends, of course.

That kid Ninis is getting better and better. He has improved a lot physically compared to last season and Panathinaikos' new coach Henk ten Cate (yeah...) really believes in him. I think he'll get a transfer to one of the big clubs of Europe if he keeps improving!
And their new signing upfront, the Croat Ante Rukavina is impressive! I think he has the potential to become a very good player!


I don't think he's a truly great player. He's very good but he's not a great leader and he's such a loser when he plays for Argentina. I like the way he looks though, it's like you've pulled him out of a 60's picture!

I've always thought he looks exactly the same as that first guy who played Superman...

Yeah, Christopher Reeve. RIP They look awfully similar in a way.

I've always thought that Zanetti's looked like a heavily-gelled comb over.

That too. Most of the time he looks like a long-lost brother of Francesco Totti (when he has short hair). But I guess, Javier is a decent looking man. About as decent as they used to come.

Here's the 3rd round draw:

2008/09 UEFA Champions League
Third qualifying round draw
First leg: 12/13 August
Second leg: 26/27 August

Anorthosis Famagusta FC (CYP) / SK Rapid Wien (AUT) v Olympiacos CFP (GRE)

Vitória SC (POR) v IFK Göteborg (SWE) / FC Basel 1893 (SUI)

FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) v NK Domžale (SVN) / NK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)

FC Schalke 04 (GER) v Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP)

Aalborg BK (DEN) / FK Modriča (BIH) v Rangers FC (SCO) / FBK Kaunas (LTU)

FC Barcelona (ESP) v Beitar Jerusalem FC (ISR) / Wisla Kraków (POL)

PFC Levski Sofia (BUL) v RSC Anderlecht (BEL) / FC BATE Borisov (BLR)

R. Standard de Liège (BEL) v Liverpool FC (ENG)

FC İnter Bakı (AZE) / FK Partizan (SRB) v Fenerbahçe SK (TUR) / MTK Budapest (HUN)

FC Twente (NED) v Arsenal FC (ENG)

FC Spartak Moskva (RUS) v Drogheda United FC (IRL) / FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)

Juventus (ITA) v Tampere United (FIN) / FC Artmedia Petržalka (SVK)

SK Brann (NOR) / FK Ventspils (LVA) v Olympique de Marseille (FRA)

ACF Fiorentina (ITA) v SK Slavia Praha (CZE)

Galatasaray AS (TUR) v FC Steaua Bucureşti (ROU)

Panathinaikos FC (GRE) / FC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) v FC Sheriff (MDA) / AC Sparta Praha (CZE)

Pick of the round is Atletico v. Schalke.

Wow...that's a tough draw for Schalke...and for Athletico as well. Two teams that need to make the group stage and that claim a spot among Europes elite.

FC Spartak Moskva (RUS) v FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)

That was the biggest rivalry in the Soviet football back in the day: the best Ukrainian club vs the best Russian. Will be a very hot game and hope for Dynamo to crush them.

Twente vs Arsenal. McClaren vs Wenger.

Ventspils 1-0 Brann 25 mins played. First leg ended 1-0 to Brann.
Ventspils has one player sent off but they're still in control of the match. If Brann doesn't get through this one it will be one of the most humiliating moments in Norwegian club history.

2-0 to Ventspils. It's a disgrace.

2 minutes left, the score is 2-1 to the Latvians, if Brann doesn't concede they're through.

And it's over, Brann are through on away goals.

Are Ventspils that bad then, if it'd have been such a disgrace to lose?

I think theyr'e Latvians best team, and since Brann are currently Norwegian league winners they shouldn't have any problems against a team like this at all. Going through on away goals is patethic.

FT Kaunas 2 - 1 Rangers.

Kaunas goes through as the first leg at Ibrox was scoreless. Rangers are OUT of the CL.

(The green-and-white half of Glasgow must be laughing at this point).

A huge screw up. Good thing that I always prefered Celtic over them

I can bet my house they are. That's what Rangers get for playing so dirty and ultra-defense in the UEFA Cup semifinal against Fiorentina. Oh well, see them in the UEFA Cup, shall we? With us.

No, I don't think we will. They're out OUT. It's the 3d place teams from the group stage of the CL that come in -- and the CL is in the 2nd qualifying round right now.

Gotcha!

Yep. Karma caught up with them. While I consider Fiorentina a rival, it's still my view to this day the final should have been Fiorentina-Zenit... ever since that Zenit game the Rangers played they've been on the downhill ever since. Failing to win the domestic title in the SPL and now falling out of the CL quite early.

Not only that I never really did like their fans.

The only reason I followed them a bit is because of Gattuso. That and the fact that their derby matches with Celtic are one of the biggest around.

And another one bites the dust!

BATE Borisov of Belarus has eliminated Anderlecht (4-3 aggregate). Anderlecht, like the Huns, are out of Europe. Borisov play Levski Sofia in the next round.

The second qualifying round is over. Here's the complete 3d qualifying round draw:

2008/09 UEFA Champions League
Third qualifying round draw
First leg: 12/13 August
Second leg: 26/27 August

Anorthosis Famagusta FC (CYP) v Olympiacos CFP (GRE)

Vitória SC (POR) v FC Basel 1893 (SUI)

FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) v NK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)

FC Schalke 04 (GER) v Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP)

Aalborg BK (DEN) v FBK Kaunas (LTU)

FC Barcelona (ESP) v Wisla Kraków (POL)

PFC Levski Sofia (BUL) v FC BATE Borisov (BLR)

R. Standard de Liège (BEL) v Liverpool FC (ENG)

FK Partizan (SRB) v Fenerbahçe SK (TUR)

FC Twente (NED) v Arsenal FC (ENG)

FC Spartak Moskva (RUS) v FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)

Juventus (ITA) v FC Artmedia Petržalka (SVK)

SK Brann (NOR) v Olympique de Marseille (FRA)

ACF Fiorentina (ITA) v SK Slavia Praha (CZE)

Galatasaray AS (TUR) v FC Steaua Bucureşti (ROU)

Panathinaikos FC (GRE) v AC Sparta Praha (CZE)

Hey guys i have a question i have been watching replays of Milans goals in Champions league finals Athen 1994 and 2007 and im wondering why there is always blown up banana's in the crowd

Yeah, what's the connection with Milan and bananas? I mean, last weekend, even Kalac pretended to slip on a banana.

UEFA Champions League 2008/2009

12/08/08

Theres's only one match today

Fiorentina - Italy VS SK Slavia Prague - Czech Republic

Gila should be playing ill know closer to kick off i want to see how he performs it will be interesting under prandelli !

Here's the Viola lineup:

Frey
Zauri Kroldrup Dainelli Vargas
Donadel Felipe Melo Kuzmanovic
Santana Gilardino Mutu

Best wishes to them... though their defense is a bit... questionable still...

I think that's an understatement.

Gamberini's hurt, so Krodrup is playing in his place. It'll be interesting to see how Vargas comes along and how the team as a whole does without Montolivo (who's at the Olympics). They're not as dependent on him as Milan are on Pirlo, however.

Understatement? So you think it's worse than I stated?

Losing Ufjalusi was a mistake I think.

Hrm. Last minute change to the lineup: Gobbi in place of Donadel.

Did they have a choice with Ujfalusi, or did he leave on a free?

On a free.

They didn't wear viking helmets at the Franchi (unlike what some nutty claret-and-blue fans did elsewhere for their guy who left on a free), but Ujfalusi's departure wasn't surrounded by any sort of negative vibe. He was a popular player for the Viola and while they were sorry to lose him, they were grateful for his service and wished him well.

EDIT: Meanwhile....GOAL Fiorentina, Mutu in the 3d on a free kick.

Since they beat us to CL spot, Forza Viola!

HT Fiorentina 1 - 0 Slavia Prague.

An Irn Bru to the first person who guesses which Fiorentina player missed 3 good shots on goal.

frey?

No!

The fish doll is disappointed, Habitant! This shouldn't be a difficult question!

GILA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An Irn Bru to Rhy!

hehe i know i was just messing around

Jeez this guy is playing exactly the same as when he played for us hold the ball .....fall over .......cross comes in .....find your form !!!