03.02.2014
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SUAREZ STRIKES AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN Liverpools main striker Luis Suarez is on top form this season scoring goal after goal. See how he compares to Manchester United striker Robin Van Persie as we put them up against each other in our head to head this issue.
Goal
Each Game of the Season so far
TEAM OF THE WEEK MATCH REPORTS TRANSFER NEWS LS VS RVP ROONEY OR BECKS LOB
MOYES IS FADING FAST WORLD CUP LASTEST ACROSS THE POND
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# Champions2014 Who will win the Premier League?
TEAM OF THE WEEK
J. Speroni - Crystal Palace Eagles goalkeeper Julian Speroni produced a number of stunning saves. The scoreline would have been far uglier without him.
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TEAM OF THE WEEK The weekend was supposed to belong to Arsene Wenger. Quite simply, it didn’t. Chelsea ruined his 1000th match - while Manchester City and Liverpool also racked up cricket scores, meaning a few heavyweights are in our Team.
L. Suarez - Liverpool And rounding off our team is Liverpool’s Suarez. The Uruguayan scored a sublime hat-trick to guide his side to a 6-3 win.
P. Zabaleta - Manchester City Zabaleta spent the majority of City’s 5-0 win in the Fulham’s half. He tormented the defence and delivered a number of crosses.
W. Rooney - Manchester United M. Demichelis - Manchester City
The Manchester United striker, shot having seen Adrian off his line. The ball looped over the Spaniard and into the net.
Demichelis hit back at his critics, he remained solid throughout and rounded off the with a late tap-in.
A. Schurrle - Chelsea The Chelsea winger delivered an electric display, as he created Samuel Eto’o’s opener before scoring one himself.
C. Davis - Hull City Our three-man defence is rounded off by Curtis Davies, who kept his composure throughout and made a number of key tackles.
C. Eriksen - Tottenham Another diminutive midfielder, Eriksen, he inspired a stunning Tottenham comeback on Sunday.
J. Milner - Manchester City Oscar - Chelsea
Continuing the City flavour, Milner performed brilliantly in the Etihad thumping. He played a key role in all of the goals.
And to Chelsea. Oscar was at the centre of the destruction, as he bagged two goals. The Gunners simply couldn’t deal with him.
G. Toure - Manchester City Toure hit the back of the net and that earns him a spot in our midfield. A powerhouse, he was simply unplayable on Saturday.
4 MATCH REPORTS
MATCH REPORTS
HOME TEAM
AWAY TEAM
hand and still have to play them at Anfield. He is right, strictly speaking , to cite Chelsea and Manchester City as more likely champions but Liverpool have confidence and momentum. The fans are also getting excited.
“We’re going to win the league,” their supporters were singing. Tactically superior, Rodgers had set up his team with a midfield diamond, with Raheem Sterling operating at its tip, just behind Suarez and Daniel. Sturridge, because the Liverpool manger had noticed West Ham’s centre-halves “tend to drop off”, leaving space to run at them. That front three wreaked havoc and the astonishing thing is Liverpool might actually have had four penalties given that would have finished West Ham.
Who were this weeks winners and losers?
3-0 Liverpool vs West Ham United
West Ham, were once again, were abysmal, completely outdone by a Liverpool side that passed the ball with speed and intelligence and could easily have made it a more harrowing ordeal for their opponents. Steven Gerrard struck the right-hand post when he had the chance to make it a hat-trick of penalties and a game Kevin Nolan later described as a “nightmare” can be accurately gauged. Brendan Rodgers was certainly not exaggerating when he said Liverpool’s dominance deserved more than just
one other goal, clipped in by Luis Suarez after Nemanja Vidic’s red card had left West Ham in even more disarray. There is now a 43-point swing in Liverpool’s favour between these sides over the last year and,
on this evidence, nobody should assume their title challenge will simply melt away. Rodgers’ team are four points behind Chelsea, with a game in
MATCH REPORTS
2-2
3-0
2-1
Newcastle United vs Swansea
Chelsea vs Hull
Manchester City vs Everton
It was not a commanding performance by either side. Newcastle were only saved by a last minute goal, giving both sides a much needed point.
For the second time in the space of six days, Demba Ba came to Chelsea’s rescue, with three stunning goals. Chelsea prove they are here to keep their hopes of winning the title alive.
0-0
0-2
2-1
Tottenham vs Fulham
Sunderland vs Cardiff
Stoke City vs Manchester United
Tim Sherwood may be drowning rather than waving, as he witnessed the best and worst of his erratic team. Neither team could take advantage of the others mistakes.
Perhaps this should have been billed as the game of the gamblers, with both clubs fighting for survival. Cardiff came out all guns blazing and left Sunderland on the floor.
When it really mattered, when the heat of the battle was dangerously close to intolerable, City found something extra just as it seemed everything was threatening to unravel.
The Stoke manager is aiming to finish top of the bottom pile, in 10th. This comprehensive victory over struggling side Manchester United has given them every chance.
5-1
2-2
3-1
Arsenal vs Norwich
West Bromwich Albion vs Crystal Palace
Southampton vs Aston Villa
After Arsenal’s recent bad form there was great jubilation after the late goals from Olivier Giroud had washed away any lingering nerves, and the race for a top four finish is on.
Tony Pulis witnessed the best and worst of his erratic team as they went two goals behind before staging a storming comeback that merited at least the point salvaged.
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With Roy Hodgson in the stands the first half was less than impressive. But in the space of 40 seconds, Lambert produced a stellar display to propel Southampton to a win.
6 LATEST NEWS - JANUARY TRANSFER WINDOW
F
ootball is in the air! Like all great team sports, football inspires its fans to identify with their favourite team’s players, and sometimes even with a specific city or country. Each football team has its own visual identity, and the appearance of their logos and jerseys are one of the most exciting areas of graphic
design. And it is no surprise that fonts play a strong role! Below are images of just a few of the jerseys known and loved by fans around the globe. Can you guess which fonts have been used? Many of the fonts that help build. Loan In _ _ _ _ _ _ Loan Out _ _____ Player In _ Player Out _ _ Swap _ _ _ _ Release _ _ _ _
MILLION
130
LATEST NEWS - JANUARY TRANSFER WINDOW
7
WINNERS
Manchester United Quality not quantity Juan Mata £37m from Chelsea. Players In
Players Out
Crystal Palace Tony Pulis has revived Crystal Palace, especially in those hectic final hours.
INS AND OUTS
T
ransfer spending by Premier League clubs has set a new record of £760m this season, industry experts say. Club spending in the 2013-14 season included £130m in January’s transfer window, which closed at 23:00 GMT. That surpasses spending in last year’s window of £120m, but is less than the £225m record set in 2011. Dan Jones of the sport business group at Deloitte said spending was supported by record level of revenues driven primarily by new broadcast agreements. “This gives Premier League clubs the ability to continue to invest significantly in their playing talent,” he added. Manchester United and Chelsea accounted for more than 60% of the league’s total spending this month. “Spending has again been driven by a minority of clubs,” said Mr Jones. “Around half of Premier League clubs chose not to spend this month.” Match packages Manchester United’s £37.1m signing of Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata was the biggest domestic deal this month. January deals. Biggest domestic deadline-day deal: Kurt Zouma joining Chelsea from St Etienne for £12m Busiest Premier League club on deadline day: Crystal Palace and Fulham signed five players Biggest domestic deal: Manchester United’s £37.1m signing of Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata Transfer deadline day The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA. “Transfer window” is the unofficial term commonly used by the media for the concept of “registration period” as described in the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of. According to the rules, each National football association decides on the time (such as the dates) of the ‘window’ but it may not exceed 12 weeks. The second registration period occurs during the season and may not exceed four
of the Premier League January transfer window
weeks. The transfer window of a given football association governs only international transfers into that football association. International transfers out of an association are always possible to those associations that have an open window. The transfer window of the association that the player is leaving does not have to be open. It opens at 1 pm and closes at 5 pm. The window was introduced in response to negotiations with the European Commission. The system has been used in many European leagues before being brought into compulsory effect by FIFA during the 2002–03 season. English football was initially behind the plans when they were proposed in the early 1990s, in the hope that it would improve teams’ stability and prevent agents from searching for deals all year around, but by the time it was eventually introduced they had to be persuaded that it would work. However, the exact regulations and possible exceptions are established by each competition’s governing body rather than by the national football association. FIFA regulates in general that there shall be two windows, a longer one (max. twelve weeks) in the break between two seasons and shorter one (max. one month) in the middle of a season. The specific periods depend on the league’s season cycle and are determined by the national football authorities. Most major European leagues commence in the second half of the year (e.g. August or September) and stretch over two calendar years to the first half of the next year (e.g. May), resulting in a close season window in the Summer ending in August, and a mid-season window in January. The periods are different when a league runs throughout a single calendar year, as in most Nordic countries due to weather constraints, or as the traditional season in the Southern Hemisphere. The first window generally opens from 1 March until midnight of 30 April, followed by the in-season window from 1 to 31 August.
Chelsea completed a £12m move for St Etienne centre-back Kurt Zouma on Friday following their purchase of Egypt midfielder Mohamed Salah from Swiss champions Basel for a fee in the region of £11m, and the £21m signing of Benfica midfielder Nemanja Matic. Fulham bought Greece international striker Konstantinos Mitroglou from Olympiakos for about £11m, one of five players signed on Friday. Crystal Palace signed five players including Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey for £3m, and Blackpool winger Tom Ince. Cardiff and West Ham have both also been busy in the transfer market, bringing in a number of players.
Germain, £23m, Jonas Gutierrez Norwich loan, Curtis Good Dundee United, loan. Hull City signed five players including Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey for £3m, and Blackpool winger Tom Ince. Cardiff and West Ham have both also been busy in the transfer market, bringing in a number of players. Norwich bought Greece international striker Konstantinos Mitroglou from Olympiakos for about £11m, one of five players signed on Friday.
Manchester United only bought one player in the January transfer window. They spent £37.1m on Juan Mata from Chelsea.
Liverpool completed a £12m move for St Etienne centre-back Kurt Zouma on Friday following their purchase of Egypt midfielder Mohamed Salah from Swiss champions Basel for a fee in the region of £11m, and the £21m signing of Benfica midfielder Nemanja Matic.
Newcastle United in, Luuk de Jong Borussia Monchengladbach, loan. Out Yohan Cabaye Paris-Saint
Manchester City only bought one player in the January transfer window. They spent £37.1m on.
15M.
Fulham This was a big window for Fulham and new boss Rene Meulensteen.
LOSERS Players Out
Players In
Arsenal Arsene Wenger decided against making a big January signing.
19M.
Newcastle United The biggest losers of all in the transfer window - with a lack of activity.
£
Liverpool Liverpool and Rodgers return empty handed from the transfer window with no new signings
HISTORY OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE TRANFER WINDOW
LS RVP 8 PLAYER HEAD TO HEAD - SUAREZ VS VAN PERSIE
Interceptions 14
Passes 1203
Fouls Won 61
Blocks 4
Chances Created 90
Hit Woodwork 6
Aerials 46
Shots on Target 72
Tackles 24
Total Shots 143
Offsides 39
Assists 5
Goals (right-footed) 15
Goals (inside box) 18
Goals (headed) 3
Goals (outside box) 5
Total Shots 118
Goals 23
Goals (left-footed) 5
Goals (outside box) 3
Goals (penalties) 0
Assists 9
Goals (right-footed) 6
Games Played 33
Goals (headed) 2
Chances Created 70
Goals (inside box) 23
is Lu
r ua
ez
S
in ob
R
an V
er P
Goals (left-footed) 18
e si
Games Played 38
Goals 26
Goals (penalties) 3
PLAYER HEAD TO HEAD - SUAREZ VS VAN PERSIE Clean Sheets 8 Fouls Conceded 48
Key Player with the highest stat
Cards, Yellow 6
9
Was simply finding the optimum position before driving the ball (via a deflection off Joey O’Brien) past Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Player with the lowest stat
Fouls Conceded 37
Clean Sheets 11
Fouls Won 54
Cards, Yellow 10
Blocks 3
Tackles 42 Interceptions 18
LS
Passes 1022 Aerials 106
Full name Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz Date of birth 24 January 1987 Height
Offsides 46
5 ft 11 in Playing positition Second striker Current club Liverpool Number 7 National team Uruguay
Hit Woodwork 7
RVP Full name Robin van Persie Date of birth 6 August 1983 Height
Shots on Target 65
6 ft 2 in Playing positition Striker Current club Manchester United Number 20 National team Netherlands
PLAYER HEAD-TO-HEAD
N
ext Monday, April 21, marks the anniversary of Luis Suárez sinking his teeth into Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic at Anfield. The Liverpool striker didn’t draw blood, fortunately, but he did draw widespread disgust for the vile bite. What a difference a year makes. This Sunday, April 27, the most acclaimed forward in the Premier League starts against Ivanovic and Chelsea at Anfield and then jets south to the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane in London where he is 1-16 favourite to be named PFA Player of the Year. After the banquet, Suárez will be expected to say a few polite words, thanking his peers, team-mates and manager. It’s all sound-bites now; the nibbles are different. Vilified a year ago by some players, many of whom had not forgotten his racist remark to Patrice Evra, Suárez is now the toast of dressing-room circles. Evra has revealed he voted for the 27-year-old. At the final whistle of Liverpool’s narrow win at Carrow Road on Sunday, Michael Turner was the first of the vanquished Norwich City players to walk over to shake Suárez’s hand. On Sunday’s match: Others followed, willingly acknowledging the class of their nemesis. Next Monday, April 28, the day after the PFA dinner, voting opens online for the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year, the oldest award, dating back to Stanley Matthews’
Brede Hangeland and then the unerring finish against Fulham. He dominates headlines for the right reasons. On Suarez’s qualities: Suárez has voiced a distaste of the English media but he should examine Eric Cantona’s journey to the 1995-96 Footballer of the Year honours to realise that no grudges are held, that redemption and respect comes to those who work hard. Cantona was banned by the FA in 1995 for that kung-fu kick on a stroppy Palace fan; he was slated on the front pages, the op-ed pages, let alone the back-pages. The Frenchman returned from exile to score some beautiful goals, help Manchester United to the Double and was presented with the Footballer of the Year award at the FWA dinner (where the temptation to put sardines on the menu was resisted). Like Cantona, Suárez came back from suspension at Old Trafford in a United-Liverpool game. Like Cantona, his football has been lauded widely. Like Cantona, he had been given another chance and taken it. On United signing Van Persie: There is an eye-catching sequence late on in the December game against West Ham. Suárez wins the ball firmly off Mark Noble and then creates a pathway to goal, throwing Noble off-balance first by dragging the ball one way with his right foot, then another way with his left and shaping to shoot. Jordan Henderson takes evasive action believing a shot is coming. Suárez
CONTENDERS FOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR There is admiration for Suárez’s success in 1948. Some reporters will doubtless plump for Steven Gerrard, whose hunger for the title has helped define the season. Some will want to salute Adam Lallana, an English feel good story and testament to Southampton’s verve and player-development. On Van Persie’s qualities: Chelsea’s John Terry and Eden Hazard have their backers. Ditto Yaya Toure and David Silva of Manchester City. Some could be “ABS” – Anyone But Suárez – because they still feel he fails one of the criteria for Footballer of the Year, behaving by “precept and example”. This observer’s vote will be cast in Suárez’s favour exactly because he has strived to tame his on-field demons and, primarily, because he is undeniably the most significant, watchable footballer in the land. Suárez sends fans hurrying into grounds, wanting to see him warm up, let alone play. He wins games and, in all likelihood, titles. He has scored 30 goals in the league so far. Related Articles Sterling tells Mourinho to forget mind games 21 it is the quality, range and relentlessness of the goals that sets Suarez apart. It is the remarkable athleticism and accuracy to score when falling on the floor against Crystal Palace. It is the creation of space, the dropped shoulder to elude.
10 PARTICIPATION IN FOOTBALL
Women in Football
Men in Football
BEST LOBS IN HISTORY 11
ROONEY OR BECKHAM’S LOB?
Manchester United Opposition
Becks Yards Out
Becks Power
Becks Accuracy
Becks Skill
Rooney Yards Out
Rooney Power
Rooney Accuracy
Rooney Skill
WHO’S IN LOB HISTORY Zlatan Ibrahimovic The scorer of many stunning goals but perhaps none more so than his fantastic overhead lob against England in November 2012. With the game against Sweden entering the closing stages, goalkeeper Joe Hart headed away a long ball on the edge of his own area. Nayim Few goals will be both as decisive as Nayim’s for Real Zaragoza against Arsenal in the final of the 1995 European Cup Winners’ Cup. With the score 1-1 and the game drifting into the final stages of extra time, Nayim, 45 yards from goal
and out on the right touchline, hit a swirling, looped effort that. Xabi Alonso With Luton trailing 4-3 in an FA Cup tie and with their goalkeeper in Liverpool’s half, Xabi Alonso took the ball past the keeper and shot from 65 yards, inside his own half.
Matthew Taylor Struck a first-time volley high over Everton keeper Tim Howard from 45 yards at Fratton Park. The ball sat up perfectly for Taylor, but no-one expected a left-foot volley from near the halfway.
Becks Placement
A
Rooney Placement
fter scoring a sensational goal on Saturday that had pundits struggling to find enough superlatives, Wayne Rooney’s modest response was simply: “I wouldn’t say it’s my favourite.” Hull boss Steve Bruce The England striker’s lob from just inside West Ham’s half was reminiscent of a similar goal scored by David Beckham for Manchester United against Wimbledon back in 1996. But when asked if his was better than Beckham’s, Rooney quipped: “Of course.” On a day when 30 goals had already been scored in the Premier League, it might have been easy to believe that the late game between West Ham and Manchester United would be a case of after the Lord Mayor’s show. Evidently, Wayne Rooney had other ideas. Barely 10 minutes into the game, the England striker outmuscled James Tomkins on the halfway line and let the ball bounce in front of him before launching a pin-point lob from well over 40 yards into the back of the net. Hammers keeper Adrian, who had strayed off his line, was left scrambling back in vain, his face sporting a look of stunned disbelief. Cue photographers pointing their cameras up to the boxes where a watching David Beckham smiled. In United’s opening match of the 1996-97 season at Selhurst Park, Beckham spotted goalkeeper Neil Sullivan off his line to score a famous goal in United’s 3-0 victory. His response was to raise both hands in the air and understandably, smile smugly. It was a goal that would instantly turn the young, floppy-haired midfielder into a household name. What they said: “He just picked it up and hit it. I just realised it was going beyond me and it dropped under the crossbar and that was it. The whole Manchester United team at the time were special but but I didn’t expect anything like that. I made that boy, but I still think he would have done all right without me!” - former Wimbledon goalkeeper Sullivan. What they said: “What a goal by Wayne Rooney!!! Everyone in the stadium was looking at each other in disbelief!! How...what the...no way....wow!!!” - Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand. Hull manager Steve Bruce was conducting his post-match media conference when he saw the goal on a monitor: “What a goal. You’ve gotta see that. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. You’re never gonna see anything like it again.
12 LATEST NEWS - MOYES IS FADING AND FAST Participation in Football > For every one woman taking part in football there are 12 men.
MOYES IS FADING AND FAST Will the final straw come for Moyes and his band of not so merry men?
D
avid Moyes has been accused of “ignoring the advice” of more experienced Manchester United staff and making a series of fundamental mistakes because he did not realise that leaving Everton to replace Sir Alex Ferguson was like “going from a yacht to a cruise liner”. René Meulensteen, one of the coaches who left after Moyes took over, said Ferguson’s successor had only himself to blame for being sacked because he had “under-estimated” the size of the job at Old Trafford.
the style, the identity. And I think he underestimated that. It’s always easy in hindsight but unfortunately it’s cost him his position.” Meulensteen believes Moyes’s first mistake was to bring in so many coaching staff from Everton, a decision that eventually persuaded the Dutchman to leave the club. “It became very evident to me after a few meetings with David Moyes that he wanted to bring in his own people and do it his own way,” he continued. “I felt very strongly that things would change. Dramatically for myself and the position I held so I didn’t feel there
“Manchester United just fell out of love with David Moyes” Meulensteen described it as “too crazy for words” that Moyes had left United seventh in the Premier League, 23 points off the top, and blamed it on Ferguson’s successor trying to make too many changes too quickly. “You have to look at Manchester United and the job that David Moyes took on,” he said. “United were a very successful team, with many successful years behind them. The strategies in place worked. But David ignored the advice that was given to him by many of the staff in place at the time. “He opted to put his own plans in place, which he was perfectly entitled to do, but I think it backfired on him. I always strongly believe the performances and the results are a reflection of what is actually happening behind the door and that wasn’t good enough, as simple as that. “Don’t forget David was a respected manager in the Premier League who worked for 11 years at Everton in a very good way. But I did warn him: ‘Do you realise, after everything at Everton, you’re going from a yacht to a cruise liner? That’s how big the difference will be.’ It’s not just necessarily the work on the pitch. It’s everything that surrounds Manchester United, the players, the performances, the pressure,
was a good foundation to carry on.” He added: “It’s too crazy for words. I’ve been part of Manchester United’s backroom staff for the last five years for Sir Alex Ferguson and the last five years have been proven to be the most successful in the history of Manchester United. Now they’ve had a poor season, they have dropped to seventh, out of the Champions League and suddenly, after so many years of constant success, we’re now asking whether Manchester United are good enough to get in the top four. To me, there should be nothing else and that’s probably why the decision has been made because they want to be back [in the Champions League] and next year they want to be challenging for the league title. Meulensteen, speaking on SiriusXM FC, backed Ryan Giggs’s appointment as interim manager but believes there will have to be an extensive rebuilding process in the summer. “Five, six, seven players [have to be changed] and that’s too much … that is the challenge the club are facing in the summer but I still think United have a fantastic squad and with the right additions can be a force very quickly.” David Moyes has been accused of “ignoring the advice” of more experienced Manchester United staff
and making a series of fundamental mistakes because he did not realise that leaving Everton to replace Sir Alex Ferguson was like “going from a yacht to a cruise liner”. René Meulensteen, one of the coaches who left after Moyes took over, said Ferguson’s successor had only himself to blame for being sacked because he had “under-estimated” the size of the job at Old Trafford. Meulensteen described it as “too crazy for words” that Moyes had left United seventh in the Premier League, 23 points off the top, and blamed it on Ferguson’s successor trying to make too many changes too quickly. “You have to look at Manchester United and the job that David Moyes took on,” he said. “United were a very successful team, with many successful years behind them. The strategies in place worked. But David ignored the advice that was given to him by many of the staff in place at the time. “He opted to put his own plans in place, which he was perfectly entitled to do, but I think it backfired on him. I always strongly believe the performances and the results are a reflection of what is actually happening behind the door and that wasn’t good enough, as simple as that. Champions League and suddenly, after so many years of constant success, we’re now asking whether Manchester United.
Sir Alex Ferguson 9835 days David Moyes 295 days
PARTICIPATION IN FOOTBALL 13
14 WORLD CUP PREDICTIONS
WORLD CUP 2014 Our Predictions for the Brazilian 2014 World Cup
O
pinions are varied on who will lift the world’s most recognised footballing trophy on 13th July this year. While host nation Brazil are the favourites with most bookies, arguments can be made for numerous countries to emerge victorious. The weather, injuries, nerves and history will all play a role when the action gets underway, but with only 59 days to go, we’ve taken a stab at predicting the final eight and beyond.
GROUP A Brazil Cameroon Mexico Croatia
3/1 750/1 150/1 200/1
GROUP B Australia Chile Spain Netherlands
750/1 40/1 7/1 28/1
GROUP C Ivory Coast Columbia Greece Japan
150/1 22/1 250/1 125/1
WORLD CUP PREDICTIONS 15 GROUP D Costa Rica England Italy Uruguay
Have your say #Myworldcupwinneris
2500/1 33/1 25/1 28/1
GROUP E Ecuador France Honduras Switzerland
150/1 20/1 2500/1 100/1
GROUP F Argentina Bosnia-Herzegovina Iran Nigeria
9/1 150/1 750/1 250/1
GROUP G Germany Ghana Portugal United States
11/1 200/1 33/1 150/1
GROUP H Algeria Belgium Korea Republic Russia
1000/1 14/1 250/1 66/1
16 ACROSS THE POND - FOOTBALL NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD In Next Weeks Issue: Exclusive interview with Ross Barkley on his World Cup hopes.
Match Reports Its derby day, Manchester United vs Manchester City!
The Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica will stage the 2014 UEFA Champions League final on Saturday 24 May. Known across the world as the Estádio da Luz (stadium of light), the home of SL Benfica was formally inaugurated in 2003 in time to host several matches – including the final – of UEFA EURO 2004. The arena stands on the site of the original Estádio da Luz, which opened in 1954 and held the final of the 1992 European Cup Winners’ Cup, where SV Werder Bremen beat AS Monaco FC 2-0. The Portuguese capital has witnessed just one previous European Champion Clubs’ Cup final, back in 1967 when Celtic FC’s
The Results Are In We reveal the results from your #Champions2014 vote.
Stay In The Loop Get involved, we want to hear about your favourite match of all time.
ACROSS THE POND
Words by Guy Field
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS
Exclusive Interview Roberto Martinez talks about his first year as Everton manager.
‘Lisbon Lions’ overcame FC Internazionale Milano 2-1 at the Estádio Nacional. Meanwhile, the Estádio José Alvalade, home of Benfica’s local rivals Sporting Clube de Portugal, staged the 2004/05 UEFA Cup final, with the host team losing 3-1 to PFC CSKA Moskva. Benfica will hope to have the chance of competing in the 2014 final at their own ground, with the club boasting an impressive European pedigree. Founded in 1904, they have won a record 32 Portuguese titles and 24 Portuguese Cups, and lifted the Champion Clubs’ Cup in successive seasons, 1960/61 and 1961/62. They have also finished runners-up in UEFA’s top club competition five times. The Estádio do Sport Lisboa e
Benfica will stage the 2014 UEFA Champions League final on Saturday 24 May. Known across the world as the Estádio da Luz (stadium of light), the home of SL Benfica was formally inaugurated in 2003 in time to host several matches – including the final – of UEFA EURO 2004. The arena stands on the site of the original Estádio da Luz, which opened in 1954 and held the final of the 1992 European Cup Winners’ Cup, where SV Werder Bremen beat AS Monaco FC 2-0. The Portuguese capital has witnessed just one previous European Champion Clubs’ Cup final, back in 1967 when Celtic FC’s ‘Lisbon Lions’ overcame FC Internazionale Milano 2-1 at the Estádio Nacional. Meanwhile, the Estádio José Alvalade.
Champions League Final At the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica on
24 May 2014
ORIGAMI CORNER SLIPPERS
An origami football (or soccer ball) by Mark Leonard. It’s made from 20 white pieces and 12 black pieces. Unfortunately it’s not very sturdy because of the pentagons having 2 flaps and 3 pockets for every module, this leaves some gaps in the model. Other than that it’s great and looks like a traditional football. I made the white hexagons from A6 format paper (that is an A4 cut in half twice). The black pentagons were a bit more difficult, 10.5cm in height (half an A4 in length) and 6.8cm in width, this is to make sure the hexagons’ and pentagons’ sides match. In my model I used a thicker paper for the pentagons, this might be why it’s not very sturdy. Either way don’t try to kick it. While assembling you’ll have to rotate a module sometimes to make others fit in, there are no extra flaps. An origami football (or soccer ball) by Mark Leonard. It’s made from 20 white pieces and 12 black pieces. Unfortunately it’s not very sturdy because of the pentagons having 2 flaps and 3 pockets for every module, this leaves some gaps in the model. Other than that it’s great and looks like a traditional football. I made the white hexagons from A6 format paper (that is an A4 cut in half twice). The black pentagons were a bit more difficult, 10.5cm in height (half an A4 in length) and 6.8cm in width, this is to make sure the hexagons’ and pentagons’ sides match. In my model I used a thicker paper for the pentagons, this might be why it’s not very sturdy. Either way don’t try to kick it. While assembling you’ll have to rotate a module sometimes to make others fit in, there are no extra flaps. An origami football (or soccer ball) by Mark Leonard.
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