Topic: UEFA Champions League Final in Athens

[|BUG| ttjoum]

Lets talk about football(soccer for some).

The biggest match of the season will take place in May 23 in Athens with Liverpool(England) vs Milan(Italy) two of the most historic teams in the world.

I am a big fan of the Mighty Reds(Liverpool) so my guess is that the big ears(second name for the cup) is coming again at the Anfield after the 2005 great victory in penalty shootout.

Come on Reds!!!

Some Info
Liverpool - Official - Wiki

Milan - Official - Wiki

UEFA Champions League - Official - Wiki

[|BUG| Seven]

Liverpool supporter here as well.
However Milan did a great job this year and they also deserve the cup.

I will try to remember to take pictures tomorrow from the Olympic Stadium  where the final will take place. It's quite near our company location.


I would love to be in the game, singing "you never walk alone" with the thousands of the Liverpool supporters. I am not a fanatic but when I listen to the Reds singing their anthem it always makes me shiver.

We expect at least 40000 Italians and English fans the next 2 days. More than 5000 will come without having ticketfor the game.

The Italian team and their supporters will stay in the south suburbs (by the sea) in this hotel


the English team in the north suburbs (near the Stadium) in this hotel.

The English team chose better, this hotel has one of the best european restorants.


It's estimated that the next day of the final the airport will have so much traffic...1 plane will take off every 75 seconds!!!
This is 20% more than the traffic the day after the Athens Olympics ended.You see most of the fans will make a one day trip to see the final and back.

Hopefully we won't have any riots and fights. I have to say english fans are not the best ladds, they drink way to much and they behave quite nasty.

oh and the latest price of the final tickets in the black market? 6000 Euros...or 8000 Dollars! Yes soccer fans are nuts!

and here is a video in english about the preperations in Athens.


Seven (who apparently is utterly bored at work  )

[|BUG| Shamu]

Being from the States I am one who fails to see the interest in soccer.

I have tried watching, understand some of the rules, but just cannot get an appreciation of the game.

Now major league soccer in the US is making another attempt at popularity. They have changed their team budget rules so each team can sign a major star and be allowed to go over budget on one player.

I think their team budget was 2 Million per team. Now they can signe one player at any cost and have him count as only 200,000.00 against their cap. Example is Beckham, now with LA.

Of course Beckham is most likely washed up, best years behind him.

The good players still leave here for Europe, the kid Freddy Adu is probably next.

Don't know if soccer will ever take hold here, just a little too boring.

BTW.....is this match for the Europa Cup? I had co-workers who once played for Porto, a Portugese team.

 

[|BUG| Seven]

its like your Superbawl Shamu, all the champions of european countries take part and the winner is the European Championship, so in the other words the most important soccer championship in Europe for club teams.


S.

[|BUG| Shamu]

From talking to my Portugese friends I even had the impression that this cup was more important to them than the World Cup.

They called it the Europa Cup and placed great value on winning it.

[|BUG| Didit_1]

Well...After coaching 2 of my daughters...I have found a love for the game...we even go to see a Chicago Fire (MLS) once a year.....

My grand father was from the Naples area...my father from Bari...my pick is Milan!

Tell those Liverpool boys to pack their fish&chips straight up their tea and crumpet butts!
 Italia all the way!

[|BUG| Shamu]

I have been attending my Grandson's soccer games on recent Saturdays.

He is not yet 5 so the league is more about having fun and learning the basics of the game.

First time out he scored 3 goals and was quite pleased with himself and deservedly so.

Second time out worked hard but had no goals and got smoked by a pretty decent team.

Third game I missed.

Fourth time out he was more interested in entertaining a blond girl on his team rather than pursuing the ball.

Not sure where this is headed. (No soccer pun intended)

Right now it's a 1-1 tie between soccer and the blond.

[|BUG| ttjoum]

Right now it's a 1-1 tie between soccer and the blond.

No sport or activity has any chance against a blond i think 

Well definitely Champions League is far more serious than World Cup, more teams, more stars, the duration is 9 months every year, more games and is played all across Europe.

31 hours left 

[|BUG| Shamu]

Well, I watched for a bit but promptly fell asleep.

I did notice a player named Kaka

Needless to say with a little Italian play on words he must receive some grief with that name.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=caca

I still fail to see the excitement in the game.

[|BUG| ttjoum]

LOL you are right Shamou, Kaka in greek means sh*t.

Well the game was just horrible, semifinals were much better and excited.
Milan managed to win and they deserved it as many Liverpool players were just physical on the field, but it just do not feel right for me to win the biggest trophy a team who is involved in every football scandal in Italy.

Well we support the team all the way and i hope next season i will be able to attend a game in Anfield.

[|BUG| Seven]

I've seen worse CL finals but some very much better. The final back in 2005 between the same opponents was the best ever.

Anyway in my opinion they werent any great team in Europe this year. It was a rather mediocre year as average were the 2 finalists and their final. But usually this is how it is after a Mundial year, cause all the big stars are really exhausted from the world championship.

Milan is owned by Berlouskoni, one of the richest men in the world who was Italy's priminister till recently. Milan was involved in the big italian soccer scandal and was supposed to play in B' league and certainly not in the European Championship this year. But Milan boss has the means and voila, they are now european champions.

However the Milan of 80's/90's played some of the best soccer out there.

As Kaka, he has a sh*ty name but he is a very good player and the girls love him

S.

p.s. The most akward name for a player...was one of a Spanish player playing for Real Madrid.. Mounitis. It was quite embarassing for the greek sportcasters to say it...you see "mounitis" in greek means "her pu**y"     

[|BUG| Shamu]

 
Language is an amazing thing

BTW......Liverpool is owned by "Americans".

Note the quote marks and figure it out.

[|BUG| ttjoum]

BTW......Liverpool is owned by "Americans".

Note the quote marks and figure it out.

Yes you are right they bought the team this year(or this season) as i remember, they are 2 men and they also have some american teams(not soccer).

They also said the team will transer very good players thos summer, let's see.

Did someone else saw the final?

[|BUG| Hutler]

Well man, i just had to get my say on this one...

I never understood the American take on sports. 

I had this conversation many times in good fun with many a friend from across the pond.

You may think it's boring over there, but for around 80/90 % of the world if not more, it is the most popular played and watched sport. The fact that th US decided to give their sport the name 'football' and try and re-name the ancient true sport of football as 'soccer' never ceases to amaze me 
Forms of football were played by American Indians in the 1600's and the forerunner to the modern games was invented in England in the late 1800's.

American 'Football' which is so popular over there, is only 'really' popular over there. Yeah sure, people watch it around the globe with satellite TV, but not that many countries play it. Let's face it... Rugby is a far faster game, with more ball handling skills required, not just being able to throw the ball far and catch it!!! no way, Rugby involves using you brain and muscle together and we don't need any padding or crash helmets. 

Then you got the 'World Seies' !?!??!  which teams in the world actually take part. Baseball is another game that is really popular in the States and not really anywhere else. The World Cup in football involves every country.

I totally agree, that every person is etitled to like or dislike anything they choose, but I really don't understand why you have to try and re-name a sport which has been played in a fashion since around 2000 BC !! 


Beckham is by far from washed up, but some fool in America offered him a several million pound deal !! lmao.. what's a guy to do .

Oh and my team tried an American 'star' last season. I guess he was like you Shamu, he didn't understand the rules either 

Anyhoos, thought I'd throw my thought's in here to stir up some more debate.

No offence intended to anyone, but with American Football and Baseball as the biggest sports, i don't get how Footy can be boring. Those games last for hours, with a commercial break every 7 minutes 

Bring it on, from a true fan of 'The Beautiful Game'   


Your friend in England

Hut


 

[|BUG| Seven]

ok I have to ask, why Americans call it Football? I mean..it mostly played with hands...and the ball...it's not even a ball.
So we call something football that you don't play only with foot and you don't use a ball.

I am officially confused, please help me here!

Soccer, as you like to call it seems more than the true football, you only play with feet and the ball..is a ball.

S.