The UEFA Cup (perhaps soon to be known as the Europa League as we covered a while back) is in some ways more interesting to me as the diversity of nations represented is much higher. If Michel Platini is successful with his reforms, we may see more diversity soon in the Champions League but for [...] Click to continue reading...

This is not a stellar time for the upcoming hosts of international soccer tournaments. While much of the focus has been on South Africa's struggles to put together a credible World Cup in 2010, major concerns have developed over Ukraine and Poland's ability to host Euro 2012. With Euro 2008 complete, the focus turns to the future hosts, who clearly have a ways to go. Click to continue reading...

The 2008/2009 Champions League third qualifying round draw has now been made, with winners of the sixteen ties set to advance through to the first round proper of the 2008/2009 Champions League. The draw is as follows: Anorthosis Famagusta/Rapid Vienna v Olympiakos Vitoria Guimaraes v IFK Gothenburg/Basel Shakhtar Donetsk v Domzale/Dinamo Zagreb Schalke 04 v Atletico Madrid Aalborg/Modrica v Click to continue reading...

Several interesting proposals are coming from Michel Platini, President of UEFA. Platini met last weekend with a group of European Union ministers to discuss several EU laws he feels are detrimental to football. One of the things he would like to implement is a salary cap on UEFA clubs. What Platini is proposing wouldn't be [. Click to continue reading...

LONDON (AFP) — Europe's top football clubs will be barred from snapping up the game's most talented teenagers if plans outlined in a leaked UEFA document go ahead, it was reported on Sunday. UEFA boss Michel Platini has handed over a confidential 10-page document to European Union ministers, urging Brussels to support the plan, the Sunday [. Click to continue reading...

United fans' heads are buzzing with the latest ludicrous comments to come from Sepp Blatter, likening Ronaldo's situation at United to that of a slave. Football today is in a far more grave state that we ever could imagine with men like him and Michel Platini in charge. However, before today, his most controversial argument had [. Click to continue reading...

There were cautious grounds for optimism when G14 broke up last year. The threat of a break-away European Super League had been put to bed. Everybody within UEFA was around the same table and hopefully pulling in the same direction under the watchful eye of Michel Platini, who had sent a warning shot across the [. Click to continue reading...

After reports during Euro 2008 that Poland and Ukraine may lose Euro 2012 Michel Platini's visits to both countries were treated as enormously important by organizers. Platini didn't say much while in Poland, which can be read as a good sign, whereas he criticised Ukraine severely when meeting local officials.

Click to continue reading...

In an attempt to get out of the shadow of their much smarter, more handsome and successful older brother, the Champions League, the UEFA Cup will overgo a minor appearance change to get some goddamn attention. So they're going to emulate the older brother and adopt the Champions League's group stage of 4 teams, each [. Click to continue reading...

Arconada
Originally uploaded by ratzia.areopago José Miguel Muñoz nació en Jerez el 7 de Julio de 1969. Desde pequeño mostró su gran admiración por su ídolo Luis Arconada. Comenzó su andadura en el mundo del periodismo en Onda Jerez Radio-TV.

Hasta el día de hoy que tiene un blog dedicado al portero Arconada. Click to continue reading...

The Prime Minister of Poland has said that construction projects needed to stage football's 2012 European Championship will be completed on time. The announcement comes after remarks from UEFA president, Michel Platini, on Saturday that the tournament could be abandoned if stadiums in Warsaw and Kiev were not ready on time. Click to continue reading...

Following a brilliant season for United, we scooped a sweet £33.9 million from Champions league television and merchandise alone, dwarfing the respective money clubs on the continent earned. Anti-English UEFA president, Michel Platini, who has already branded United "cheats" in the past month, was none too pleased. Click to continue reading...

Is Michel Platini for real? Or is this different from the rather good player that strolled the park many years ago? Yesterday he made a statement backing Real Madrid over the Ronaldo saga. Now, I don't have any problem with UEFA over not taking action against Real; there is hardly any substantial evidence to back [. Click to continue reading...

Sorry this is late. I couldn't find the TV channel for this at first.
"Andrea, why aren't you at the game?"
1. Gas is expensive.
2. I have no assignment to cover this match.
So TV running blog it is.
NY - Jon Conway, Kevin Goldthwaite, Hunter Freeman, Carlos Mendes, Seth Stammler, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Dave van den Bergh, John Wolyniec, Dane Richards, Andrew Boyens, Jeff Parke
Chivas USA: Brad Guzan (GK), Claudio Suarez, Jim Curtin, Francisco Mendoza, Ante Razov, Carey Talley, Jonathan Bornstein, Bobby Burling, Jesse Marsch, Sacha Kljestan, Justin Braun
15 - I love the matches in Spanish - the announcers usually sound much more serious about the game. Click to continue reading...

Taking a break from the Euros, Ronaldo, babes and bad refereeing decisions, we come back to one of our favourite topics, football and money. Long story short - UEFA president Michel Platini wants to establish a financial criteria which would qualify clubs and allow them to participate in the Champions League and UEFA Cup. Click to continue reading...

24 years ago, a Spanish team was headed to the European Championship final. But Luis Aragones' Spain side will not be looking to emulate that Euro 84 squad, with the likes of Jose Camacho and Francisco Javier. Instead they will be trying to repeat the accomplishment of the team that beat Spain in that final match, the only team to ever win all of the matches on the way to a Euro title.

Click to continue reading...

By JAMES CLARKSpain coach Luis Aragones is a doddering old fool who once criticized Thierry Henry based on his race; Italy manager Roberto Donadoni is an ex-MetroStar who lent his considerable cachet to America's relaunch of professional soccer in 1996. On Sunday, their paths crossed in a Euro 2008 quarterfinal that demanded to be placed up in lights: FIFA World Cup 2006 winners Italy vs. Click to continue reading...

It's almost as if Michel Platini was sitting in the stand with a remote control. "Honestly", he thought to himself as he recalled the one hundred and eighteen minutes of dirge that he had found himself sitting through, "if you leave them to do it for themselves, you'll always end up with one really duff match in the end". Click to continue reading...

It's almost as if Michel Platini was sitting in the stand with a remote control. "Honestly", he thought to himself as he recalled the one hundred and eighteen minutes of dirge that he had found himself sitting through, "if you leave them to do it for themselves, you'll always end up with one really duff [. Click to continue reading...

More Euro 2008-flavoured fiendishness 1. Career path GD Estoril-Praia, Vitória FC, Porto, Chelsea (current) 2. Multiple choice Michel Platini top-scored at Euro 1984, with how many goals? a) Six, b) Seven, c) Eight, d) Nine 3. Picture round Which Euro... Click to continue reading...

A tournament so good that Michel Platini describes it as "sizzling", Euro 2008 produced a multitude of terrific individual displays in the just-concluded group stage which deserve the formation of a Dream Team XI. Click to continue reading...

Il 17 di giugno

Italia e Francia s'incontreranno martedì 17 giugno.

Click to continue reading...

Hat-Trick Heros
The Only 8 Hat-Tricks Ever Scored At The European Championships

1. Dieter Muller (for West Germany v Yugoslavia, 1976)
2. Klaus Allofs (for West Germany v Netherlands, 1980)
3. Michel Platini (for France v Belgium, 1984)
4. Michel Platini (for France v Yugoslavia, 1984)
5. Click to continue reading...

And to be fair, he does have a point. Michel Platini was a great player in his day and he doesn't hold back when it comes to speaking out over the issues that are currently blighting the game of football. One of these happens to be certain English clubs who get themselves into a ridiculous [...] Click to continue reading...

UEFA chief Michel Platini has stated his intention to stop heavily debt laden clubs from competing in Europe. If the former European & World footballer of the year gets his way, in future all clubs will need to demonstrate that they are operating on a level playing field by balancing their books - failure to do so will mean that they will not be granted a license to play in European competitions. Click to continue reading...