Champions league:Matchday 2 - 29 September 2009
E ACF Fiorentina 20:45 Liverpool FC Liverpool FC manager Rafael Benítez has called on his free-scoring side to find the right balance between attack and defence as they travel to ACF Fiorentina looking for a second straight victory in Group E. The Reds have scored 16 times in their past four Premier League games but have also looked uncharacteristically vulnerable at the back, and Benítez would no doubt be delighted with the same 1-0 scoreline his side achieved against Debreceni VSC on Matchday 1 when they meet the Viola. After losing their first match at Olympique Lyonnais, Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli must now contend with an in-form Fernando Torres without his own star striker Alberto Gilardino, who is suspended. Quotes
E Debreceni VSC 20:45 Olympique Lyonnais Debreceni VSC may feel like footballing minnows when faced up to Olympique Lyonnais, but after kicking off their Group E campaign with a narrow 1-0 defeat at Liverpool FC, coach András Herczeg has a "wonderful feeling" about his side's first UEFA Champions League fixture at their adopted home of the Ferenc Puskás Stadium. QuotesAndrás Herczeg, Debrecen coachWe've waited a long time for this and now it's here it's a wonderful feeling. We know the huge difference between us and them in terms of financial turnover and of course their track record in the Champions League. We've tried to prepare as best we can but we realise it is already a great achievement to be here; we are a small club at European level. The absence of players who are injured will obviously have a negative effect but we have to cope. We've watched them and their players and we know how good they are; almost all of them have international experience. They are very fast so we must not give them space. We know that both Lyon and Fiorentina are strong teams and we have to play to our best to get something from these games. Claude Puel, Lyon coachThis is Debrecen's first time in the Champions League but I saw a DVD of the match against Liverpool and they are very well organised with good tactics. It will be very difficult because they are a dangerous team who defend and block very well so we know we might not get many opportunities in front of goal. We cannot say this is similar to any other game because all opponents are different. They are a real team with a great team spirit and without big stars. There will be a lot of fans here tomorrow, a full house, and we don't know what to expect in this stadium so it will not be easy, but it also won't be a problem for us. Lisandro is still injured and hasn't travelled with the squad.
F FC Barcelona 20:45 FC Dynamo Kyiv "Being humble" remains the key for Josep Guardiola as his FC Barcelona side look to make history by winning a second successive UEFA Champions League title, with FC Dynamo Kyiv their next guests on Tuesday. Dynamo come into the tie top of Group F having defeated FC Rubin Kazan 3-1 on Matchday 1, while Barcelona are looking for their first goal having been held to a 0-0 draw at FC Internazionale Milano. QuotesJosep Guardiola, Barcelona coachThierry Henry won't play. He has a left thigh injury which will keep him out for six or seven days. Iniesta will be in the team [after a thigh injury]. He's much better now and that's good news for us. If there is one team that isn't favourite to win the title, then it's us because no one has won the Champions League two years in a row. We have confidence after winning the competition last year, but we know we have to work hard for it again like we did last season. By being humble we were able to win, but you have to prove that every day, that's what football is about. I haven't spoken to [Barcelona's former FC Shakhtar Donetsk defender] Chygrynskiy yet about Dynamo. They are top of their domestic league and have very good players such as Shevchenko and Gusev. They are tactically astute under Gazzaev. Valeri Gazzaev, Dynamo coachWe had a day's rest to prepare for the match against FC Barcelona; we trained and saw how Barcelona play and we're ready now for the match. On Tuesday Andriy Shevchenko will be 33. He's doing fine and I hope he will be in the starting XI. He was here 12 years ago. It'll be interesting for him to play and interesting for the crowd to see him play here. Shevchenko is an extraordinary player; one of the best players in the UEFA Champions League. He has a lot of experience and we have a young enough team so that experience is vital. I don't know if Barcelona take Dynamo seriously, but tomorrow they will see how well we have prepared.
G FC Unirea Urziceni 20:45 VfB Stuttgart After losing their opening Group G match to Sevilla FC, FC Unirea Urziceni coach Dan Petrescu has warned that he expects an improved performance against VfB Stuttgart. The Romanian champions may be playing their home games at the Steaua Stadium instead of their own ground, but he believes they are capable of pulling off a surprise. "My players have to understand that they are not debutants anymore," he said. Petrescu's opposite number Marcus Babbel, meanwhile, has been buoyed by a positive weekend result against Eintracht Frankfurt and will be looking to improve on an opening 1-1 draw with Rangers FC.
Dan Petrescu, Unirea coachI have to admit we are delighted to be
here at the Steaua Stadium. I played here for so many years and I
am a little bit nostalgic, but as far as the match is concerned,
my players have to understand they are not debutants anymore. Of
course, VfB are favourites, but we have a chance as well and we
have to go for it. We didn't make fools of ourselves in Seville.
I hope we will be the first Romanian team to get a home UEFA
Champions League win [since 1996]. It is hard to surprise German
sides; their history – both at national team and club level –
proves this, but our players can surprise them with invention and
total commitment. Markus Babbel, Stuttgart coachWe are happy to
play our second group match against an opponent that is not so
well known. They have a problem not playing at their home ground
in Urziceni, but it's not our problem. We are totally focused on
the match, on showing the same skills as in our last Bundesliga
match on Saturday: aggression, running and commitment. They
showed their ability in Seville, despite losing the game. They
left very little space in defence and only conceded through
errors. Unirea also play a very good attacking game and score
plenty of goals. They are top in Romania so we will have to be
very careful. We know who we're playing and what to expect. We
have already played against a Romanian team this season [FC
Timişoara, who Stuttgart beat in the play-offs] and we know how
high the standard is. We had to give it our all to qualify.
G
Rangers FC 20:45 Sevilla FC
Rangers FC manager Walter Smith stressed the importance of
picking up points at home as the Scottish champions welcome
in-form
Sevilla FC to Ibrox looking to build on a creditable 1-1 draw
at VfB Stuttgart on Matchday 1. Sevilla kicked off their Group G
campaign with a 2-0 win at home to FC Unirea Urziceni and have
won four straight in the Liga, but coach Manuel Jiménez will not
be letting his side rest on their laurels. "Our form counts for
nothing," he said. "We won't go into the match overconfident."
Walter Smith, Rangers managerWe have a doubt over Saša Papac and
Steve Davis, but we're hopeful both will be OK. They both missed
our weekend game and that gives us an element of doubt about
whether they will make it. Pedro Mendes and Steve Davis are both
important players for us and it will be good to have them back.
Sevilla are a good side. The strength of Spanish football is high
and not just at the top; underneath them there are a lot of good
teams, Sevilla being one of them. They have a lot of good
players. When the draw was made I said I considered them to be
favourites. We are at home and if we have any thoughts of
progressing then we have to take advantage of our home games. We
are hopeful we can get a win. Manuel Jiménez, Sevilla coachWe
know all about Rangers. They are the biggest Scottish team in
Europe. They have a significant history and they have won more
trophies than anyone else in Scotland. This will not be an easy
task. They relate to their fans and Scottish, English or Irish
clubs always put so much effort in and it will be hard, but we
have to try and withstand the sort of onslaught we expect
tomorrow. No two games are the same. We are on a good run, but we
cannot relax for one minute. Our form counts for nothing and we
won't go into the match overconfident. I'm not thinking about
playing Real Madrid next weekend. For me they don't exist. As
soon as this challenge is over, I'll think about Real Madrid. I
respect Rangers' history, stadium and supporters, and most of all
I have got huge respect for Walter Smith.
H Arsenal FC 20:45 Olympiacos FC Much water has passed under
the bridge since Arsène Wenger and Zico first came up against
each other when coaching in Japan. With
Arsenal FC and Olympiacos
FC getting off to winning starts in this season's UEFA
Champions League, the two coaches meet again both aiming to take
control of Group H. Wenger's side battled back from 2-0 down to
kick off their campaign with a 3-2 win at R. Standard de Liège,
while Zico watched on from the stands as Olympiacos defeated AZ
Alkmaar 1-0 on the day he was appointed coach of the Greek
champions. Arsène Wenger, Arsenal manager:Olympiacos are a team
that have to be respected. They have good experience of the
Champions League. They played in it for ten consecutive years so
they have good inside knowledge of what it is all about. They are
a more robust team than you would perhaps expect of a side from
Greece. They have good height and a strong presence in the
penalty area. I know Zico because when I was in Japan, he was
there as well. After that he was the manager of the Japanese
national team and took them to the 2006 World Cup, and I still
had strong links with the Japanese game. [Goalkeeper] Vito
Mannone will start again tomorrow. He had a lot of attention
[after the 1-0 win v Fulham FC on Saturday]. His confidence is
higher now, but of course so are the expectations of him. Zico,
Olympiacos coach: I have joined a club where the supporters are
used not only to winning, but winning well. With the quality of
players I have here, I'm sure we can do that. We know of the
difficulties we face playing against Arsenal – especially in
their stadium. But we'll do all we can to get a good result. We
cannot be fearful, we must be brave. Our confidence is good and I
will field the same team as in the last game [against Panionios
GSS]. We are eleven players against eleven and we have to believe
that we are their equal. I remember Arsène Wenger very well from
our time in Japan. I like the way his teams play, with an
offensive mentality – it is a philosophy I share. I think he gets
the best out of the players he has, and this is the key to his
success. Arsenal have many players I admire – such as Fàbregas,
Van Persie and Eduardo. I'm very happy that Eduardo is back from
his injury – he spent three weeks recovering at my academy in
Brazil. But of course I hope he won't score a goal against
us!
H AZ Alkmaar 20:45 R. Standard de Liège
AZ Alkmaar coach Ronald Koeman said his side "are longing for
a victory" as the Dutch champions host
R. Standard de Liège looking for liftoff after a difficult
start to the season both in Europe and on the domestic front. AZ
are eight points off the lead in the Eredivisie and lost their
Group H opener at Olympiacos FC. Their Belgian rivals, meanwhile,
have won just four of their nine matches in defence of their
title, and after throwing away a 2-0 lead in defeat against
Arsenal FC on Matchday 1, coach László Bölöni is looking for an
immediate reply. "It is important we do not stand still for too
long after a setback," he said. QuotesRonald Koeman, AZ
coachStandard are a bit like AZ. They have had a difficult start
to the season after becoming champions last term. But they are a
real team, compact and good fast players up front. It will be
tough, they showed that already against Arsenal, but it is not an
impossible mission. We are still calm, which is also a
characteristic of the club. Obviously the atmosphere is
different, as good atmosphere often goes together with good
results. We are longing for a victory, and that has to be the
goal for the game. László Bölöni, Standard coachWe will do our
best to get better results. The team are starting to learn and
are getting more courage. We need some good results now. We
started well against Arsenal, but now we have to collect some
points. I expect my players to be enthusiastic and to be up for
it so our engine will run smoothly. It is important we do not
stand still for too long after a setback. Obviously the Champions
League is on a different level to our usual competition, so we
need that perseverance. I do not believe the loser of this match
will already be knocked out of the competition. PREDICTION E ACF
Fiorentina 20:45 Liverpool FC 1-2 E Debreceni VSC 20:45 Olympique
Lyonnais 1-3 F FC Rubin Kazan 18:30 FC Internazionale Milano 1-1 F
FC Barcelona 20:45 FC Dynamo Kyiv 4-0 G FC Unirea Urziceni 20:45
VfB Stuttgart 2-2 G Rangers FC 20:45 Sevilla FC 1-1 H Arsenal FC
20:45 Olympiacos FC 3-0 H AZ Alkmaar 20:45 R. Standard de Liège
2-2


Click here to sign up now.
0 Comments