Sport category: Soccer Uefa Cup Preview A Touch Of Eastern Promise
Date: 30-03-2006 22:05
The four Uefa Cup quarter-finals, the first-legs of which are played on Thursdaty night, may lack the glamour of this week's Champions League encounters but they want for nothing in terms of interest. The stand-out pairing for many is the derby match in the Romanian capital Bucharest between Rapid and Steau. But an intriguing culture clash is in prospect when Sevilla meet Zenit st Petersburg. Swiss efficiency nd English grit come together in the shape of Basel's tie with Middlesbrough. And the quartet of matches is completed by the encounter between Schalke - remarkably, Germany's sole surviving representative in either of Europe's top club competitions - and Levski Sofia.
In a balance of power not yet evident in the Champions League, Eastern Europe is strongly represented in the Uefa Cup, supplying half of the last eight.
Anticipation is running high in Bucharest, where the city's two best supported clubs go head to head. Special ticketing arrangements have been put in place to detect any forgeries, such is the level of demand. And Romania's president, Traian Basescu, invited both teams to his palace in recognition of their having got this far in the competition.
Steaua - a club that beat Barcelona on penalties to lift the old-style Champions Cup in 1986 - are six points and two places better off than their Romanian First Division rivals Rapid at the moment. But Rapid are at home in Thursday's first-leg, and they've already won eight out of eight Uefa Cup matches on their own ground this season, scoring 16 and conceding none in the process.
Middlesbrough and Basel had contrasting weekends in preparation for their meeting in Switzerland. Basel's Swiss League match against Neuchâtel Xamax was postponed because of snow, while Boro were engaged an a seven-goal thriller in unexpected Spring sunshine against Bolton on Sunday. The game finished 4-3 in favour of Steve McClaren's side.
Schalke 04 may carry the whole of Germany's hopes on their shoulders but they do have the distinction of being previous winners of the Uefa Cup, having beaten Inter Milan in a penalty shoot-out at the end of the two-legged 1997 final. Their opponents Levski Sofia are expected to leave their leading Uefa Cup scorer, Emil Angelov (four goals), out of Thursday's home leg in favour of in-form Valeri Domovchiyski. Midfielder Richard Eromoigbe is suspended. Levski warmed up for their quarter-final by beating PFC Pirin 1922 3-0 on Sunday in the Bulgarian League.
Sevilla have a key derby against Real Betis looming in La Primera Liga this weekend, so will need to be filly focused on their Uefa Cup task against Zenit St Petersburg if they are to porogress. Sevila lie fifth in the the Spanish table and could go fourth - into next season's Champions League qualification contention - by beating Betis.
*We would appreciate if you can give to us more information about:
Sammy Miller biography or more Sammy Miller pictures, Sammy Miller wallpapers, Sammy Miller video and career details.Contact
The four Uefa Cup quarter-finals, the first-legs of which are played on Thursdaty night, may lack the glamour of this week's Champions League encounters but they want for nothing in terms of interest. The stand-out pairing for many is the derby match in the Romanian capital Bucharest between Rapid and Steau. But an intriguing culture clash is in prospect when Sevilla meet Zenit st Petersburg. Swiss efficiency nd English grit come together in the shape of Basel's tie with Middlesbrough. And the quartet of matches is completed by the encounter between Schalke - remarkably, Germany's sole surviving representative in either of Europe's top club competitions - and Levski Sofia.