When the draw for this season’s Champions League group phase took place, I was on an adventure holiday, somewhere in wilderness that is Canada’s Yukon Territory. In a province that is home to more bears than people (a claim my visit served to substantiate), communication with the outside world, particularly that separated by oceanic waters, is often problematic. Consequently, I had to wait until the road I was travelling on brought me to Fairbanks, and the relative centre of civilisation that is Alaska, before I could get an internet connection and discover who Liverpool had been drawn against. By that time however, most flights connecting anywhere near Liverpool with anywhere near any of the clubs we had been drawn against, on any date near the respective match days, were either full or stupidly overpriced. To further complicate matters, there was no way of getting in touch with any of the old folks back home, to inquire of itineraries selected by my fellow Liverpool fans. With time at a premium, I made the decision on that ridiculously bright Alaskan night, to book a flight and a hired car, and travel alone to this season’s first competitive European away fixture. This year’s continental campaign was to begin at Marseille, a team Liverpool are starting to get to know well. This would be my third trip to watch the Reds play at the Stad Velodrome in six seasons. I opted to fly to Barcelona on the morning of the game, and after a quick scan at the other passengers, it appeared I was the only Liverpool fan on board. So I buried my head in Jamie Carragher’s autobiography , and hardly looked up from take off to landing. I was half was through the third chapter when we landed, and was in the middle of a story about Jan Molby running rings around Everton centre halves, when I looked to my left and realised I had been sitting next to the great Dane himself. I was almost disappointed, as I had missed the opportunity to quiz the best passer of a ball I have ever seen about his career. I’m sure Jan was quite relieved. He signed my book and posed for a photograph, after which I inquired as to whether he needed a lift to Marseille. But of course, he was being met and was to be escorted on the 300-mile trip up the Mediterranean coast. It would have been a little far fetched to do a European away trip with one of your boyhood heroes anyway. For now at least, it appeared I was destined for solitude. I arrived in the French port six hours later, by which time I should have been painfully aware that after a energy-sapping night watching Liverpool beat Marseille once again, I was faced with the same journey home, followed immediately by a full day at the office back in Liverpool. But as my old mate little Danny always said, ‘sleeping’s cheating’. It had been six months since my last European adventure, and the pain of losing to Chelsea in last season’s Champions League semi-final was now consigned to history. Buoyed by our victory over Man United over the weekend, I was looking forward to seeing another Liverpool triumph. The remaining details of the itinerary were from that moment discarded, particularly after I had met up with the few reds who had bothered to make the rip. The match in Marseille proved remarkably similar to our outing the previous weekend, particularly the opening exchanges. We faced a bright and adventurous Marseille team, who looked destined to threaten the Liverpool defence. That threat was realised on twenty-three minutes, when Cana put the home side ahead and sent the home fans into fits of hysteria. The French side remain one of the best supported in world football, and they must have thought their chances of securing a second victory over Liverpool in two seasons was on the cards. Thankfully, Liverpool’s increasingly resilient side had other plans. Captain marvel Steven Gerrard in particular, was in no mood to open the European campaign with a defeat. He scored twice in quick succession to give Liverpool an ultimately decisive lead. His first was a brilliantly taken goal three minutes after the opening strike. His second came from the penalty spot five minutes later, and sent a message to Europe that Liverpool will no longer be reduced to salvaging qualification in the latter phases of the group stage. It might be early days, but Rafa Benitez’s side look set to have qualification for the Super Sixteen round of the competition sewn up before travelling to Eindhoven for our final group game. PSV are unlikely to halt Liverpool’s progress in either meeting between the two clubs. New boys Atletico Madrid, who won 4-0 in Holland on match day one, are likely to represent our most serious threat to winning the group. Our next away fixture in the competition is against the Spanish club in five weeks time, a meeting that could decide the order of the top two in Group D. After that, all roads lead to Rome.

ADVANCE INFORMATION SHEET Title : Champions of Europe Subtitle : The Road to Moscow ISBN: 978-1-84547-213-9 Price : £12.99 Publisher : At Heart Ltd Publication date : July 2008 Author : Stuart Mathieson (MUFC correspondent for the Manchester Evening News) Foreword : Sir Bobby Charlton Specifications : PB, 144 (TBC) pages Size : 246 x 189 mm Full colour throughout. Pre-order : 24hr freephone 0808 180 2008, or www.atheart.co.uk/manu Description : Celebrate United’s double triumph with this fantastic new book chronicling one of the Reds’ most amazing seasons. Packed with over 150 full-colour photos, some of which are previously unseen, this indispensible guide follows United at every step of their sensational journey. Relive glorious victories over Lyon and Dynamo Kiev. Recall heart-stopping matches against Roma and Barcelona as Fergie’s boys battled for glory. Who could forget the night a nation held its breath as the team finally triumphed at the Luzhniki Stadium! Each page of Champions of Europe: The Road to Moscow is packed with match reports, pitch-side accounts, interviews and a collection of incredible full-colour team and action shots of United’s best moments in this most memorable of seasons. Publicity : -Pre- and post-publication within the Manchester Evening News and regional and national newspapers across the United Kingdom and Eire -Reviews and competitions within the major football and sporting press and affiliated websites -Stocking and point-of-sale within bookshops, newsagents, gift shops, libraries, tourist information centers, airports and hospitals throughout the UK -Book-signings with players and ex-players at major bookshops throughout Greater Manchester -Extensive TV and radio coverage -Promotion on MUFC supporters clubs throughout the UK and international markets (eg Australia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, The Netherlands, Scandinavia, South Africa) Distributor : Vine House, Mullany Business Park. Deanland Road, East Sussex, BN27 3RP. Publisher : At Heart Ltd, 32 Stamford Road, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 1EY

Russia will allow traveling fans in possession of a valid ticket for the 2008 Champions League Final in Moscow to enter Russian territory without a visa between 19 and 23 May. Over 40,000 Chelsea and Manchester United fans are estimated to travel to attend the match at the Luzhniki Stadium on 21 May. The final will be the first ever all-English Champions League final and has attracted enormous interest in the UK with tickets changing hands at up to 10,000 USD. Russia's decision to waive normal visa procedures came after a direct appeal by UEFA president Michel Platini and is a slight thaw in the current icy relations between the UK and President Putin's Russia. Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football Champions League Moscow

Two top coaches in the English capital crashed this week and are recovering from their injuries. The first victim was a French national, Monsieur Arsene Wenger, whose vehicle 'Arsenal' (named after him), took the wrong turning from off a successful road to a league and European double, smashing into Liverpool in the Champions League, before being hit again by Manchester United in the Premier League. Arsenal have for my money played the sexiest football around this season, but once more were outwitted by cannier clubs when it counted, teams who exploited the Gunners' perennial inexperience and lack of grit when under pressure. A wonder goal such as that conjured up at Anfield by the irrepressible Theo Walcott and lethal Emmanuel Adebayor deserved to win any game, but only seconds later, Arsenal were outmuscled and shocked by an English-style counter and Liverpool scored via a questionable penalty. United exploited their home advantage and experience to dismiss the Gunners from the title race the following Sunday, sending Wenger into new depths of madness, as he bleated about referees having a conspiracy against his club. The gleaming new Emirates Stadium is thanks largely to that man, who has transformed London's top club into regular European contenders for the first spell in their long history. But Wenger, for all his tactical and inspirational genius, shames himself by his frequently one-sided post-match rants. It ill-behoves a coach of his talent to claim refs are out to get his team, when replays prove the Gunners benefit from at least as many 50-50 calls as anyone else. Equally, can there be anything more ridiculous than the comical 'I didn't see it' defence he trots out whenever the press needles him on such calls in Arsenal's favour? The second victim is Chelsea's Avram Grant, who under withering pressure from success-bloated 'fans', reported player dissatisfaction and above all the tabloids, 'lost it' with the press on Thursday evening. Grant answered in almost monosyllables alone to the press after his team won 1-0 at Goodison Park against Everton. It was terrific entertainment and I say Bravo, Avram! Managers should repay the contempt the press lob at them. Memories are extremely short at Stamford Bridge. Jose Mourinho was too combustible a personality for people to work with for much longer, and was fired because the results were poor at the start of the season. Grant has done a fine job in taking over from such a legend and keeping Chelsea in contention for both the league title and Champions League. Anti-semitism has reared its ugly head this season amid the Chelsea-haters, but the Israeli coach may yet have the last laugh. Another coach trying to keep the wheels on the road is Rafael Benitez at Liverpool. It seems crazy that the two American owners, who have fallen out incidentally, were gunning to replace the Spaniard with the untested Jurgen Klinsmann. Benitez works miracles in the Champions League and like, Wenger, revitalised a big club which seemed to be running out of steam. All three of the above managers, whose clubs are in the top four in the league and all reached the Champions League quarter-finals, have had their names mentioned in the UK press this week as possible summer axings. That any of Benitez, Grant and Wenger should be facing dismissal is ridiculous, but also a telling comment on the insatiable and utterly unrealistic demands of the new breed of soccer investor-operators, who have no feel or real understanding for the game. Only Sir Alex, high in his Old Trafford castle after 22 years of fortification, seems safe. (c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

The draw for the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Champions League has been announced. There is one all-English tie with Arsenal to face Liverpool. The final will be held at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. Champions League quarter-final draw Matches to be played April 2, April 8 & 9. Arsenal v Liverpool AS Roma v Man Utd Fenerbahce v Chelsea Schalke 04 v FC Barcelona Champions League semi-final draw Arsenal or Liverpool v Fenerbahce or Chelsea Schalke or Barcelona v AS Roma or Man Utd Latest betting has Barcelona installed as favorites followed by Manchester United. Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football Champions League Betting

Matches scheduled to be played February 19/20 and March 4/5 Arsenal v AC Milan Celtic v Barcelona Fenerbahce v Sevilla Liverpool v Inter Milan Lyon v Manchester United Olympiakos v Chelsea Roma v Real Madrid Schalke v Porto Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football Champions-League Betting

"There are not many candidates because it looks a bit like a crocodile that opens the mouth and says: 'Jump into that.' Once he's in there, he's eaten. And once you have eaten four, five says: 'No, maybe I don't jump in there.'" So went the words of Arsene Wenger, the best coach working in England at present. In the old days, before the savaging of Bobby Robson and Graham Taylor by the tabloids and the realization that the real money and chances of success were to be found in the Premier League and not the international game, the nation’s best coach would have leapt at the chance of managing England.

Group A *Liverpool Besiktas Marseille Porto Group B *Chelsea Schalke 04 Rosenborg Valencia Group C *Real Madrid Lazio Olympiakos Werder Bremen Group D *AC Milan Benfica Celtic Shakhtar Donetsk Group E *Barcelona Glasgow Rangers Lyon Stuttgart Group F *Manchester United Dynamo Kiev Roma Sporting Lisbon Group G

A Pippo Inzaghi brace handed Milan their seventh European crown as the Rossoneri defeated Liverpool 2-1 in the Champions League final in Athens' Olympic Stadium. Inzaghi deflected Andrea Pirlo's free kick seconds before half time and latched on to Kaka's delightful through-ball eight minutes before the final whistle. Dirk Kuyt headed a consolation for the Reds a minute from time. Milan gained revenge for throwing away a three-goal lead against the same opponents in the 2005 final and completed a remarkable season which began with a 15-point penalty for their role in the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal, later reduced to eight points on appeal, and a fourth-place finish in Serie A, which city rivals Inter won by a huge 22 points.

Whether Sydney FC have the stamina to outlast their Group E colleagues remains a question for debate after their pulsating 2-2 draw with J-League champions Urawa Reds. But the inaugural A-League champions have already banished the memory of an uninspiring domestic campaign under sacked coach Terry Butcher and made a real statement of intent for this year's Asian Champions League. "Pleased and disappointed," was interim coach Branko Culina's balanced reaction after only his second match in charge of the club. "Pleased that we played well in the first half and pleased with the result.