兵工廠,瓦倫西亞和皇家馬德里的挑戰
新聞來源
http://www.espnstar.com/jsp/cda/football/chl/
aid=380375championsleague_newsdetail.html
Tough ties for Arsenal, Valencia and Real Madrid
By Mark Oakley
PARIS, (AFP) - Arsenal, Valencia and Real Madrid, on the verge of reaching
the second round, are all involved in tough, top-of-the-table ties in the
European Champions League on Wednesday. Reigning champions Real Madrid, twice
runners-up Valencia and English Premiership and FA Cup winners Arsenal all
had contrasting fortunes in the run-up to Wednesday's penultimate day of
first round matches.
At the weekend, Arsenal lost 2-1 at home to Blackburn in the Premiership, and
in Spain, Real Madrid could only draw 1-1 against Villarreal though Valencia
warmed up in style with a 5-1 thrashing of Athletic Bilbao.
A Group A draw for Arsenal at Borussia Dortmund would ensure their passage
into the next phase and Valencia also need just a point at Liverpool to
advance from Group B.
In Group C Real Madrid's galaxy of stars host AS Roma, recovering after
Sunday night's 2-2 draw in the Rome derby against Lazio, also knowing a draw
would put them into the last 16 group phase of Europe's top club competition.
Meanwhile Arsenal have been branded cheats by Dortmund coach Matthias Sammer,
according a report in the News of the World newspaper on Sunday.
Former Germany sweeper Sammer described the Arsenal players as arrogant and
accused them of diving repeatedly when his side went down 2-0 at Highbury in
the opening group A match last month.
"A lot of my players came away from Arsenal wanting to knock the arrogance
off the faces of some of the Arsenal players," Sammer was quoted as saying.
Arsenal's Dutch striker Dennis Bergkamp will not travel to Germany even
though he insists the trip would not be a major obstacle for him.
Arsenal, in desperate need of a morale boost after three straight defeats at
the hands of Everton, Auxerre and Blackburn, will not be using Bergamp
although he is fit after Achilles injury and came on as a substitute in
Saturday's defeat by Blackburn.
In the other Group A game, third-placed Dutch side PSV Eindhoven host French
league leaders Auxerre in a match between the also-rans of the group.
Liverpool host Valencia in the return match knowing that they were
comprehensively outplayed in their first fixture in Spain which they lost 2-0.
Should striker Michael Owen hold his nerve on Wednesday as he did at the
weekend it will certainly do the Merseysiders no harm.
Owen got over his penalty jinx to hit the winner in a 2-1 win over Tottenham
to extend their Premiership lead to four points on Saturday.
Owen, fouled by Stephen Carr, shrugged aside Danny Murphy's offer to take the
penalty and drilled home to secure the win.
The last time Owen was brought down in the box at Anfield, he missed the
penalty against West Brom. In all, Owen had missed six of his last 12 penalty
attempts before Saturday.
Valencia coach Rafael Benitez meanwhile was set to bring in Carlos Marchena
for Argentinian defender Roberto Ayala who was sent off in their last
Champions League match at Basel.
Meanwhile UEFA have postponed the other tie in Group B between Spartak Moscow
and Swiss club FC Basel by one week as a mark of respect for the victims of
the Moscow hostage drama. A UEFA spokesman said the match would now be played
on November 6.
In Group C, Real Madrid host AS Roma and AEK Athens entertain Belgian club
Genk.
Real coach Vicente Del Bosque has the chance to field his Golden Five of
Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Roberto Carlos and Raul together for the
first time.
Raul and Figo trained normally on Monday after muscular problems and Zidane,
who hurt his right knee against Villarreal, said: "I don't think it will
prevent me from playing."
A win for French champions Lyon over 1995 Champions League winners Ajax would
guarantee their place in the next phase and Inter Milan, who went top of the
league in Italy on Saturday, host Norway's Rosenborg in the other Group D
fixture.
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Sammer講話挺毒的說
Bergkamp不會去德國耶
希望Dortmund為自己也為德國球隊加加油多表現
主場打敗Arsenal...
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