UEFA Champions League 2010/2011

[vitomins]

Believe it or not, our title defense begins today! The first qualifying round for the 2010/11 Champions League starts today.

 

[vitomins]

Football - Champions League
UEFA cancels Santa Coloma-Birkirkara
'Pitch not conducive for the health and safety of players'
Valhmor Camilleri

The Estadi Comunal pitch was deemed unfit by UEFA to host the Santa Coloma-Birkirkara match yesterday.

The 2010-11 Champions League got off to a controversial start yesterday when the first match of the competition, a first qualifying round first leg between Andorra champions Santa Coloma and Birkirkara, was cancelled as UEFA ruled the pitch in La Vella unsafe.

The venue, Estadi Comunal, is the only football ground in Andorra available for this kind of competition. It is owned by the country's football federation.

The hosts had a deadline to beat yesterday after UEFA had warned that the match could not be played on the abject surface following a complaint lodged by Birkirkara. The Maltese team said they were unable to conduct a proper training session 24 hours prior to kick-off.

Birkirkara FC vice-president John Borg told The Times that UEFA had given the Santa Coloma officials until 3 p.m. yesterday to finish works at the ground. However, the hosts failed to meet the deadline.
"We couldn't conduct our training on that pitch," Borg said.

"The surface was in a horrible state and there were sizeable patches that had no turf at all. No-one expected this to happen but we were also not ready to risk our players' health. We were only allowed 30 minutes to practise which is unacceptable.

"I have sympathy for Santa Coloma because they had no fault in all this as they were let down by their federation."

UEFA informed Santa Coloma that the match could not be played in those conditions and ordered the host club to remedy the situation.

Some works were undertaken but when UEFA delegate Trygve Borno, of Norway, inspected the pitch, along with the match officials yesterday afternoon, the Estadi Comunal surface did not pass the test and the match was called off.

"There was no other option left as it was unthinkable to play in that ground," Borg said.
"Now, we wait for UEFA's decision but normally in such circumstances the hosts are penalised heavily and a walkover awarded to the visiting team."

The UEFA website said the match in La Vella was cancelled as the playing surface was not conducive for the health and safety of the players.

The Times understands that a UEFA Disciplinary Commission decision will be made in the next 48 hours.
The Estadi Comunal is supposed to host a second match this week.

On Thursday, UE Santa Coloma are due to host Mogren in the first qualifying round of the Europa League. However, the first leg is also in the balance as it looks unlikely that works to patch the pitch will be completed in time.

Meanwhile, Birkirkara will be returning home this evening on a flight from Barcelona. The second leg will be played at the Centenary Stadium as scheduled on Wednesday at 5.30 p.m.

Playing today:
First qualifying round (first leg): Tre Fiori (San Marino) vs Rudar (Montenegro).

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100630/sport/uefa-cancels-santa-coloma-birkirkara

 

[Sassuolu]

I actually support Birkirkara as my local club let's hope they don't get their asses kicked and get the money needed to pass the round.

 

[Dylan]

Come on Bohs

 

[Jnr]

Im curious how my homeland capital club Levadia can manage Debrecen VSC again..Last season they beat us 1-0 in both legs and then Levski Sofia to get into UCL group stage..Yesterday, hungarians fought out a lucky draw, equalizer came on the 90th minute..It will be a real coup if we can pass into the next round..

 

[rsz85]

Im curious how my homeland capital club Levadia can manage Debrecen VSC again..Last season they beat us 1-0 in both legs and then Levski Sofia to get into UCL group stage..Yesterday, hungarians fought out a lucky draw, equalizer came on the 90th minute..It will be a real coup if we can pass into the next round..

I saw about 5 minutes from this match...

Debrecen was MUCH better that time, Levadia didnt managed to come out from their half....

 

[Jnr]

I saw about 5 minutes from this match...

Debrecen was MUCH better that time, Levadia didnt managed to come out from their half....

Overall pretty even game imho..Both clubs had chances and both managed to hit the post, Szakaly and Nahk..Goals were class, but its regrettable to let in a goal in the last minute..Now we need to score and it will be very difficult..Anyway u played in the CL, for us it will be a dream , for u utter disappointment if u fail next game..Lets see

 

[Sassuolu]

Birkirkara won their first leg of the second round against Zilina or whatever their name is It's amazing considering that we're ranked much lower than them.

 

[Jnr]

Thats what Im talking about rsz85! 3rd minute and Konstantin Nahk with a great free kick and Levadia 1-0 up against last year Champions League group players!

e: penalty for VSC, Kaalma saves it, but Couly still headed home..1-1, now its 2-1 fuck it..Horrible , childish mistakes by Levadia, no wonder they fail every year..

 

[rsz85]

Thats what Im talking about rsz85! 3rd minute and Konstantin Nahk with a great free kick and Levadia 1-0 up against last year Champions League group players!

e: penalty for VSC, Kaalma saves it, but Couly still headed home..1-1, now its 2-1 fuck it..Horrible , childish mistakes by Levadia, no wonder they fail every year..

This Debrecen is no way the team of last year. Debrecen's BEST player Rudolf has signed to Genoa (i hope he will play a lot) and lots of players has changed.

Now they have lost against FC Basel 0-2, but played quite good, they had much more chances as the Swiss had but failed all the chances

 

[Inter Siamo Noi]

Hapoel Tel Aviv against Salzburg. Forza Hapoel, go to UCL and I wanna see Inter at Israel!

 

[cantopiero]

I am just saddened by the fact that Werder Bremen has been paired with Sampdoria, those two were my favourite dark horses to cause some upsets in the group stagess.

 

[rockball]

Again Germany vs Inter. Why is no one saying its rigged?

Hope Sampdoria wins this.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Tough draw for Sampdoria, Werder is a good team that the last few years has done very well in Europe, but i hope Samp will win it.

Also nice to see a couple of Dutch teams in CL and UC, but i don't think Ajax will go through, Dinamo Kiev was the worst they could get.

 

[shaikhshake]

Man, the early stages of the champs league are a bit confusing. how does it exactly work? whats this playoff round?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

This is the fourth qualifying round, i.e. who wins this will be in the group phase of CL.

 

[Stunbel]

Man, the early stages of the champs league are a bit confusing. how does it exactly work? whats this playoff round?

Had a good laugh after reading this

You know, for some people (like us) Champions League only consists of early stages lol, we could only reach Quarter Finals twice, thats it..

 

[cantopiero]

Again Germany vs Inter. Why is no one saying its rigged?

Hope Sampdoria wins this.

I was thinking Germany vrs Italy

 

[Campione]

FORZA SAMPDORIA!

Hope they can rape the german bastards.

 

[Bes]

Well I got sad when I saw that Samp will face Bremen, cause they are quite a hard team. Hopefully they'll rape them tho.