Catch Them If You Can! 20-22 Aug. 2010

The European leagues and the CONCACAF Champions league group stages are getting underway.  The UEFA Champions and Europa Leagues are wrapping up their qualification processes and the Copa Libertadores just crowned a new champion, Internacional of Brazil (more on that later).  Also, in the Americas, there are plenty of competitions in full swing.

How is a footy fan supposed to keep up with all that?  Well, the caring and nurturing staff at WFC is here to help, bringing you a new feature, in which several of our writers list the matches they think are can’t miss, from the weekend fixtures.  Pick and choose or Tivo them all, for enjoyment throughout the week.  Just do whatever it takes to catch them, if you can!

Geoff Edwards

Geoff Edwards

Bayern Munich v Wolfsburg, Bundesliga Friday evening .

Steve McClaren will make history as the 1st English coach to take charge of a team in the Bundesliga, when his Wolfsburg outfit come up against last season’s champions.

Simon Kjaer and Arne Friedrich could debut for Wolfsburg, and it will be interesting to see how Bayern’s stars have recovered from their World Cup exertions.

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Tapesh Patel

Tapesh Patel

Paris Saint-Germain v Bordeaux, Ligue 1 Sunday

A clash of fallen giants.

PSG will look to build upon a solid start to the season, having beaten Saint-Etienne on the opening day, and impressively managing an away draw against title hopefuls Lille.  Bordeaux, meanwhile, are looking to make the tough climb back up the slope, from a descent that began last spring.   Losing Laurent Blanc and Marouane Chamakh over the summer, will make their ascent much more of a challenge.

Blanc’s replacement, Jean Tigana, has voiced concern about the fragile mentality displayed by his players, thus far. Expected to step up to the challenge will be Fernando Cavenaghi, needed to replace Chamakh’s goal threat.   If he can reproduce his form of the 2007-8 and 2008-9 seasons (when he scored 15 and 13 league goals respectively), Tigana will be well pleased. The former title-chasers have lost both of their matches, this season, and will be setting out to put things right, after their chairman expressed his disappointment at the latest loss.

Both defences could be shaky and so this should be a good game for the neutral. Don’t miss out!

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Matt Dalton

Matt Dalton

Arsenal v Blackpool, EPL Saturday

When you think of Blackpool, you could be forgiven for thinking of sand, stag parties and strip bars. Having celebrated 100 years in league football, Blackpool is firmly back on the map for its football for the first time in 39 years.  Building upon their unexpectedly magical ending to last season, under the guidance of a very cast-against-type  fairy godmother, in Ian Holloway, they have started off well.  A resounding 4-0 victory against Wigan, whom they will likely be scrapping with, come the end of the season, has them in a very positive frame of mind.

If Arsenal find their groove it could end up quite one sided, yet they were sluggish at Anfield, surviving only after being granted a wish of their own, when Pepe Reina gifted them a late equaliser.  Being at home, at the Emirates Stadium, may be a comforting thought for the Gunners, until they remember that Blackpool did their damage, last weekend, on the road.

With Arsenal’s very open way of playing and Blackpool’s confidence and enthusiasm, we may well be treated to an early season humdinger.  Whatever happens, there are sure to be goals. I, for one, will be watching!

Chris Mann

Chris Mann

Leeds United v Millwall, The Championship Saturday

The over-zealous (to put it diplomatically) nature of both clubs’ supporters gives this clash an unfortunate extra edge, but these are both teams that played some excellent football during their successful League One campaigns last season and the game should be an attractive spectacle on the field, if not off it.
Wigan Athletic v Chelsea, Premier League Also Saturday

What’s not to love about the league’s worst defence being pitted against its best attack? It could be carnage at the DW Stadium. Wigan fans look away now.

Martin Palazzotto

Martin Palazzotto

Toronto FC v New York Red Bull, MLS Saturday

The Canadian side are coming off a stunning home upset of Mexican power, Cruz Azul, in the CONCACAF Champions League.  Mista, the Spanish mid season signing, under the DPR rule, paid early dividends with his first goal for the club, in a 2-1 victory.

That match was the first hurdle in a do or die stretch, on two fronts, late in their season.  On the outside, looking in at the Eastern Conference playoff picture, the Reds now face a beefed up Red Bull side featuring the three headed monster of Thierry Henry, Juan Pablo Angel and Rafa Marquez.  Then mid-week it’s a long jaunt, from the shores of Lake Ontario to the mouth of the Panama Canal, to face Arabe Unido in their second CCL match.  After that encounter, they must jump back on the plane and return home to face defending MLS champs, Real Salt Lake.

TFC’s coach, Preki, has obviously taken the league commissioner’s directive to take the continental championship seriously, and will have his best players fighting on two fronts.  With the fantastic support from the home crowd, at windy BMO Field, boosting the adrenaline already flowing through their veins, from their victory over los Cementeros, Toronto will be ready and waiting for the Red Bulls.

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Fabricio Presilli

Fabricio Presilli

Santos v Atlético Mineiro, Brasileirao Sunday

This game marks the return of Vanderlei Luxemburgo to his former team ground. He left some enemies in Vila Belmiro, so expect the Santos’ boys to work extra hard in order to keep Atlético in the relegation zone.  The hotly sought after Neymar is likely to hear it from the home crowd, in a much more loving fashion, after turning down a truckload of cash to move to Chelsea.

Vasco v Fluminense, Brasilierao Sunday

The Rio derby will be further fueled by Fluminenses’ lead of the tournament. Maybe Deco can debut for the tricolor, giving them another option in an already good midfield.

River v Independiente, Argentine Apertura Sunday

Can River keep up the good form of their previous two games and get a third win? They are desperately battling relegation this year, from their low point average, accumulated in their previous tournaments.

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As a final note, we bring you some footage of that Copa Libertadores final between Chivas and Internacional, and the aftermath.

Carrying on in the grand tradition of this year’s World Cup, the two sides were less concerned with attractive football than guerilla warfare.  This was the last year that Mexican sides will be invited to the South American competition, as CONCACAF has expressed concern about a very congested international schedule.  The Goats, after going down 2-1 in the home leg, made a match of it, equalising early in Porto Alegre, but eventually were defeated 5-3, on aggregate.  As like as not, the Central Americans won’t be missed after their farewell performance degenerated into general thuggery.  Take special note of the series of rabbit punches delivered to one Inter player, about a minute into the highlight package.

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httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcAoGC8P3ns&feature=player

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After the match, the fans joined in on the fun.  Internacional supporters are famous for pitch invasion but the traveling Goats contingent got in on the act, as well.  Apparently, it all started before the opening whistle, when the home crowd jeered the Mexican National anthem and events gradually descended into chaos from there, until an impromptu summit of nations was held on the field after the match finally ground to a halt.

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httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q5-D-mGYOM&feature=player

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Editor’s note:  A previous version of this report referred to newly signed Toronto FC player, Mista, as being Brazilian, due to an inaccurate source.  He is, in fact, Spanish.  Apologies for the error.