Any Porto In A Storm
‘MANCHESTER United never lose. They are always victims of the referee, the watch and the speed of the earths rotation. Never do Alex Fergusons team lose to the better outfit.
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| Gary Neville wipes away a tear |
And today things are just as they always are as the Mail says how United were ambushed by Porto and the linesman who incorrectly disallowed a Paul Scholes goal.
But there was nothing wrong with Costinhas goal other than that is went against United and nature which gave the Porto team a 1-1 draw on the night and a 3-2 victory over the two legs.
And while Fergie counts the Costinha (Express) and
mulls over Uniteds departure from the Champions League, elsewhere in the paper we learn that Ken Bates is suing Chelsea for £2m.
The bearded one has issued a writ against his former club for breach of contract after he left Stamford Bridge before his contact was up.
The sum is, of course, small change to the new man at the Chelsea helm, one Roman Abramovich, someone who has splashed out millions on such things as a Joe Cole and a Juan Veron.
In light of those purchases, a couple of million quid to keep Bates happy – and away from Stamford Bridge – looks like a bargain.
Abramovich could perhaps dip into the cash pot that Chelsea reaped from progressing to the last eight of the Champions League, a route than took them past German side VFB Stuttgart.
This was success without soul, says the Telegraphs man on the spot, a display of straight-jacket football.
In reaching the quarter-finals without scoring a goal (Chelseas winning strike was an own goal), the Blues did little to suggest that they will win the most prized pot in European football.
But they are there, United are not, and hoping to join Chelsea in the latter stages are Arsenal, who, as the Star says, are planning to emulate the Ajax side of the 1970s.
I like my teams to play well and give the same kind of enjoyment, but we are a long way from that Ajax side because we have not won the European Cup once, says manager Arsene Wenger.
Hes right, but a good performance against Celta Vigo tonight should see the Gunners inch one step closer to their goal.’
Posted: 10th, March 2004 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
