Games 26 February

[MrsB]

UEFA Cup
AC Milan v Werder Bremen, (agg 1-1), Ro32, L2, 19:45
Ajax v Fiorentina, (agg 1-0), Ro32, L2, 19:45
CSKA Moscow v Aston Villa, (agg 1-1), Ro32, L2, 17:00
Deportivo La Coruna v AaB Aalborg, (agg 0-3), Ro32, L2, 20:00
FC Metalist Kharkiv v Sampdoria, (agg 1-0), Ro32, L2, 17:00
Twente Enschede v Marseille, (agg 1-0), Ro32, L2, 17:30
Galatasaray v Bordeaux, (agg 0-0), Ro32, L2, 18:30
Hamburg v NEC, (agg 3-0), Ro32, L2, 17:15
Man City v FC Copenhagen, (agg 2-2), Ro32, L2, 19:45
St Etienne v Olympiakos, (agg 3-1), Ro32, L2, 19:55
Standard Liege v Braga, (agg 0-3), Ro32, L2, 19:45
Tottenham v Shakhtar Donetsk, (agg 0-2), Ro32, L2, 20:00
Udinese v Lech Poznan, (agg 2-2), Ro32, L2, 19:45
Valencia v Dynamo Kiev, (agg 1-1), Ro32, L2, 20:30
VfB Stuttgart v Zenit St Petersburg, (agg 1-2), Ro32, L2, 19:45
Wolfsburg v PSG, (agg 0-2), Ro32, L2, 18:00

The FA Cup
Hull v Sheff Utd, R5R, 19:45

[MrsB]

"Aston Villa fans have been left fuming after paying more than £1000 to travel to Moscow for Villa's Uefa Cup second-leg game against CSKA Moscow, only for boss Martin O'Neill to take a reserve team to the Russian capital." (Daily Mirror)

[MrsB]

No footie for me tonight, celebrating my dad's birthday.

[dww]

While it is a pretty second rate competition it is a shame that none of the English teams seem interested in UEFA glory. You would think all those teams would want a bit of European silverware.

[MrsB]

Well, O'Neill says that he doesn't have enough players for the UEFA Cup and the League and that "chasing a top-four spot to get a Champions League place is everything". Understandable I think. Gareth Barry, Brad Friedel, Emile Heskey, James Milner, Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Carlos Cuellar and Stiliyan Petrov have all been left out of the squad for tonight's game.

[Kenneth]

Well, O'Neill says that he doesn't have enough players for the UEFA Cup and the League and that "chasing a top-four spot to get a Champions League place is everything". Understandable I think. Gareth Barry, Brad Friedel, Emile Heskey, James Milner, Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Carlos Cuellar and Stiliyan Petrov have all been left out of the squad for tonight's game.

He's right. Under normal circumstances they don't have enough proper players to challenge for a whole season, they've just been very lucky with injuries. A couple of month long injuries to any of the players left out tonight (except Carlos Cuellar) and I don't think they'd be 4th in the league.

[MrsB]

Mark Hughes on the other hand thinks his squad is big and strong enough. He said qualifying for the last 16 of the Uefa Cup is a priority for his team. Perhaps they can win it? They don't have to fight for a Champions League place.

[MrsB]

Spurs are not interested:

Robbie Keane, Vedran Corluka and Roman Pavlyuchenko are cup-tied, while Ledley King, Jonathan Woodgate and Luka Modric are unlikely to be risked. Woodgate suffered a head injury in the win at Hull on Monday, and will miss out as a precaution. Jamie O'Hara is back after a hip problem but keeper Carlo Cudicini has a knee injury and Heurelho Gomes returns. Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp admitted the Uefa Cup was not his top priority ahead of the match - with the Carling Cup final against Manchester United to come just three days afterwards. (BBC)

[-V-]

I totally understand Martin O'neils decision, he played a strong team at home and they failed to win so why bother. Finishing 4th is the most important thing for villa.

Its not that spurs aren't interested, they just know there crap. I guess we should be happy they are focusing on beating the scum.

Man City should be aiming to win the Uefa cup

[-V-]

Ac Milan have left out Kaka and Ronaldhino who are both unfit.

So i have taken a small treble on Cska, Man City and Udinese. About 3/1, hopefully should get paid.

Really not sure about Valencia, they should win but their form is strange so think i'll give them a miss

[-V-]

Wow 2.75 available for Cska to win by atleast 2 goals. Thats nice, c'mon the russians

[dww]

It's not that I don't understand it - I just think it is sad when teams think finishing 4th is more important than winning things. The advantages commercially and in terms of direct finance are obvious but given that the whole point of a UEFA cup seems slightly questionable.

[-V-]

It's not that I don't understand it - I just think it is sad when teams think finishing 4th is more important than winning things. The advantages commercially and in terms of direct finance are obvious but given that the whole point of a UEFA cup seems slightly questionable.

Ofcourse its questionable, even if you win it your still only winning the cup ahead of all the other second rate teams.

Today more than ever money dictates everything in football so getting into the champions league can give Aston Villa the platform to move up a level because they can then attract and afford the elite players. Its a no-brainer really, they can either win the reserve european cup and do the best they can as a 2nd rate club or go for the opportunity of stepping up a level and change their status

[-V-]

Wooooohooooooooo Vagner Love makes is 2-0 in injury time. Love it

[MrsB]

Blue haired c*nt