Coming soon - 11×2.com - the next big football site  Watch the match LIVE here. Pre-register at the NEW football site 11×2 today Click to continue reading...

Note: When we do our searches for the ever-elusive game highlights, we have to take what we can get. (And we do it with much gratitude to the people who manage to evade the Video Police and host them.) But the ones we find are not always perfect. There's a good chance that [...] Click to continue reading...

I don't know about you guys, but I'm feeling cautiously optimistic about tomorrow's game. It's taken over three months, but Lyon are starting to play like the French champions they are. Players seem to be done screwing around, Claude Puel has finally found effective tactics, and even the injury list seems to be shortening by the day.

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I know I normally do a post match write up after CL matches, but I'm running short of time and won't be able to do the usual photo and video fest. Plus most of what needed to be said has already been posted in the comments of this thread. So here are some additional thoughts:

1. Lyon are taking the concept of "the best defense is a good offense" a little too far.

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Lyon:

Lloris
Reveillere - Cris - Boumsong - Grosso
Juninho - Toulalan - Makoun
Keita - Fred - Ederson

Bench: Vercoutre, Kallstrom, Fred, Pjanic, Mounier, Gassama, Faure

Steaua:

Zapata
Ogararu - Radoi - Goian - Marin
Petre - Lovin
Nicolita - Moreno - Semedo
Arthuro

Bench: Cernea, Golanski, Szekely, Toja, Ghionea, Gomes, Kapetanos

Feel free to post commentary, frustrations, and thoughts here during and after the game.

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Uefa Champions League: Watch the game LIVE here Pre-register at the NEW football site 11×2 today Don`t forget to sign up 11×2.com - the next big football site Click to continue reading...

Olympiacos beat an offensively weak AEK yesterday in the second main Athens Derby of the season. This was the first week in the Superleague where AEK did not gain a point (AEK had two draws and two wins up to this point). Fortunately for AEK, its still early in the season, and there is still time [.. Click to continue reading...

If you're looking for a place to find fantastically dramatic happenings and off-beat footballing stories, Romania, even Eastern Europe as a whole, is probably your place. If you're a coach looking for an owner who isn't an entire suit short of a full deck, it probably isn't. As is the case with small-ish Eastern European league, [. Click to continue reading...

Since Lyon have only one point so far - from a home game at that - it's crucial that they walk away with at least a point tomorrow evening in Munich. With Fiorentina taking on Steaua in Italy, it's likely the Italians will get three points, so unless Lyon want to hang out in the bottom of the group, a good performance tomorrow is a must.

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Welcome back!

Though Cristiano Ronaldo's return to the pitch was the only thing worth mentioning in the Group E match with Villareal.

The Portuguese winger's influence was obvious as United looked much stronger with him on the field.

But yeah, 0-0. Lame. On to the other matches. Click to continue reading...

Şampiyonlar Ligi'nin ilk haftası bitti. Cluj ve Anorthosis ilk gün maçlarından sonra en büyük sürprizleri yaptılar, ilk haftanın ikinci gününde büyük sürpriz olmadı. E Grubu'ndan gol sesi çıkmadı, ManU-Villareal, Celtic-Aalborg maçları golsüz. Steaua evinde Bayern Münih'e 1-0 mağlup oldu. Click to continue reading...

Fenerbahçe Porto deplasmanında olacak. Queresma'sız Porto'nun ne yapacağı kadar Fenerbahçe'nin nasıl oynayacağı da önemli. Semih yok, daha önemlisi geçen sene kendisini Şampiyonlar Ligi'nde gösteren Devied'in olmayışı bana göre. Ayrıca takımın moralsiz oluşu da cabası. Güiza'nın tek başına ne yapacağı sor işareti, ancak İber yarım adasından kral olarak gelen oyuncunun psikolojik üstünlük sağlayacağı kesin. Click to continue reading...

Victor Piţurcă named Romania's squad the starts World Cup qualifying this Saturday in Cluj against Lithuania. Injuries have hit the Tricolorii hard as they will be without Cristian Chivu, Adrian Mutu, Razvan Rat, Florentin Petre, who has been playing brilliantly for Terek Grozny in the Russian Premier League and Steaua Click to continue reading...

Group A: Chelsea, Roma, Bordeaux, CFR Cluj

I lol at everybody writing off Bordeaux. Fear Laurent Blanc, people. Fear him. This isn't as straight-forward as it looks.

Group B: Inter, Werder, Panathinaikos, Anorthosis

This I think is as straight-forward as it looks. Click to continue reading...

Marius Lăcătuş leads Steaua Bucureşti into the Champions League. In todays draw they were allocated to Group F which includes Fiorentina of Italy's Serie A, Bayern München of Germany's Bundesliga and Ligue One champion Olympique Lyonnais. Matchday One - Sep 17 Steaua Bucuresti - Bayern München Matchday Three - Oct 21 Steaua Bucuresti - Click to continue reading...

Champions League Group Stage Draw
Group A: CHELSEA, AS Roma, Bordeaux, Cluj
Group B: Inter, Werder, Panathinaikos, Anorthosis
Group C: Barcelona, Sporting, FC Basel, Shakhtar
Group D: LIVERPOOL, PSV, Marseille, Atletico
Group E: MAN UTD, Villarreal, CELTIC, Aalborg
Group F: Lyon, Bayern, Steaua, Fiorentina
Group G: ARSENAL, FC Porto, Fenerbahce, Dinamo Kiev
Group H: Real Madrid, Juventus, Zenit, Bate

Click to continue reading...

Group A

Chelsea

Roma

Bordeaux

CFR Cluj

Group B

Inter Milan

Werder Bremen

Panathanikos

Anorthorsis

Group C

Barcelona

Sporting Lisbon

Basel

Shakhtar Donetsk

Group D

Liverpool

PSV Eindhoven

Marseille

Atletico Madrid

Group E

Manchester United

Villarreal

Celtic

Aalborg

Group F

Lyon

Bayern Munich

Steaua Bucharest

Fiorentina

Group G

Arsenal

Porto

Fenerbahce

Dynamo Kiev

Group H

Real Madrid

Juventus

Zenit St Petersburg

BATE Borisov Click to continue reading...

80'li yılların eşleşmesi kadar önemliydi ve 80'li yıllardaki gibi Steaua Bükreş geçti turu. Yine 80'li yıllarda olduğu gibi Bükreş'teki maçta da hakem sonuca etki etti. Sayılmayan gol ve aleyhte verilen penaltı, dün akşamki ofsayt gol sonrası maç muhabetlerine konuk oldu.

Ancak neresinden bakarsan bak Romenler haketmişti. Click to continue reading...

Steaua Bucureşti advances in the Champions League after defeating Galatasaray 1-0 with Bănel Nicoliţă's 57th-minute winning strike. The Turkish powerhouse sent out a highly attacking unit with Harry Kewell, Shabani Nonda, Lincoln and Arda Turan pushing forward but could not break through the defensive wall. Click to continue reading...

RIPRESA LA PREPARAZIONE A TRIGORIA, C'ERA ANCHE CICINHO

Taddei col Palermo, Totti lavora a parte

Il brasiliano non ce la fa, il Capitano partirà dalla panchina
Prima punta, il favorito è Baptista, con Vucinic a sinistra

Di PIETRO TRIA
Taddei con il Napoli non ci sarà. Click to continue reading...

Stadionul Ghencea will be the site for tomorrows exciting second leg of Champions League qualifier between Steaua Bucureşti and Istanbul's legendary Galatasaray. The first leg at the Cimbom ended in a 2-2 draw after Dairo Moreno and Romanian International Bănel Nicoliţă each found the back of the net within the first Click to continue reading...

DOPO LA SUPERCOPPA, SI LAVORA PER LA SFIDA CON IL NAPOLI

Taddei da verificare
Cicinho si è pentito

Di PIETRO TRIA
Totti e Taddei. Sono questi i due giallorossi che, a una settimana
dall'esordio in campionato, dovranno essere tenuti
sotto osservazione dallo staff giallorosso. Click to continue reading...

PER SPALLETTI È IL MOMENTO DELLE SCELTE

Taddei a casa, Totti in panca

Rodrigo non ce la fa, pronte le alternative: Perrotta o Cassetti
Doni, in recupero, ci sarà. A sinistra ballottaggio Riise-Tonetto

Di PIETRO TRIA
Finalmente ci siamo. Domani, con la Supercoppa
Italiana, comincia ufficialmente la stagione
2008/09, un'annata calcistica che dovrà vedere la
Roma nuovamente protagonista. Click to continue reading...

The 3rd qualifying round usually goes unnoticed unless your team is participating simply because it usually shakes out how it should. The minnows go home and the teams deserving of a spot in the group stages somehow found their way. Couple of relatively surprising early exits this year came in the form of Rangers, well [. Click to continue reading...

FC Dallas confirmed on Friday afternoon that midfielder Juan Toja had successfully completed a transfer to Romanian club FC Steaua Bucuresti.

Toja, 23, has become one of the league's most promising stars since joining the Hoops from legendary Argentinean club River Plate before the start of last season. Click to continue reading...

Anorthosis Famagusta/Rapid Wien v OlympiakosVitoria de Guimarães v IFK Göteborg/FC BaselShakhtar Donetsk v NK Domale/Dinamo ZagrebFC Schalke 04 v Atlético MadridAaB Aalborg/FK Modrica v Rangers/FBK KaunasBarcelona v Beitar Jerusalem/Wisła KrakówLevski Sofia v Anderlecht/BATE BorisovStandard Liege v LiverpoolInter Baku/Partizan Belgrade v Fenerbahçe/MTK BudapestFC Twente v ArsenalSpartak Moscow v Drogheda United/Dynamo KievJuventus v Tampere United/Artmedia PetralkaBrann Bergen/Ventspils v MarseilleFiorentina v Slavia PragueGalatasaray v Steaua BucharestPanathinaikos/Dinamo Tbilisi v Sheriff Tiraspol/Sparta PragueMatches are August 12/13 and 26/27. Click to continue reading...

Dopo la bufera Mutu entrano nella fase calda
le operazioni della società, che cerca due pedine

Roma-Baptista stretta finale

Nonostante le smentite, il brasiliano del Real sarà ingaggiato
Ha rifiutato le altre offerte perché vuole diventare giallorosso

di Guido D'Ubaldo
ROMA - Probabilmente non sarà questa
la settimana per l'annuncio del nuovo attaccante,
ma intanto alcune situazioni dovrebbero
cominciare a delinearsi. Click to continue reading...

Debutto stagionale per la formazione giallorossa Occhi puntati sul norvegese, apparso già in forma

Roma alla scoperta di Riise

Ci saranno anche Montella e Totti, quest'ultimo in panchina (ma solo per contratto)

di Guido D'Ubaldo
ROMA - Per l'esordio stagionale la Roma vola oggi a
Bucarest con un charter di una compagnia romena. Click to continue reading...

IL DT A "CAN CAN"

CONTI: CONTATTI INTENSI

«Per Adrian c'è una trattativa importante
Finché il mercato è aperto tutto è possibile»

«E' vero. Abbiamo trattato intensamente
per Mutu e lo stiamo ancora
facendo. Fino a quando il mercato
non sarà chiuso sarà così». Click to continue reading...

Poodle's lackey John Reid is chairman, the largest shareholder and quasi-owner Dermot Desmond has business interests in casinos, bookmaking, investment and underwriting, banking, oil, healthcare and airports, chief executive Peter Lawwel comes from a big pharma, chemicals and mining background, and manager Gordon Strachan shows an inappropriate nationalistic and, some might say racist bias, in his team selection. Click to continue reading...

According to this site, Toja is gone.

The following comes courtesy of our friends at los-torros.com

Well, sports fans, it looks like it's over. From Wednesday's GSP.ro:

Conducere Stelei i-a rezervat ieri biletele de avion, iar sîmbătă seara, Toja va fi prezent în Ghencea ca jucător al vicecampioanei. Click to continue reading...

Pantelis Kapetanos, former AEK striker who did not get to see much playing time this season, largely due to injury, will continue his career in Romania with Steaua Bucharest. Click to continue reading...

It seems like Roy Keane never rests and is always looking for players to bring to Sunderland. Looks like he is ready to have his work payoff as Dorin Goian is ready to sign with the Black Cats. The Steaua... Click to continue reading...

As posted on the Austrian blog, Steaua Bucureşti is playing Red Bull Salzburg in a friendly tomorrow evening at EM Stadion (Red Bull Arena) in Salzburg, Austria. Steaua Bucureşti is heading into this season's Champions League and an integral part in the long-term development of Romanian talent. The squad is laden Click to continue reading...