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| spread, soccer betting ratings for english premiership and championship football matches |
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| We are one of eight former European winners competing in next season's UEFA Cup - here's the provisional line-up for the competition. Twice UEFA Cup winners in 1972 and 1984 and Cup Winners’ Cup winners in 1963, we are joined by the likes of Lazio, Paris SG, Eintracht Frankfurt, FC Schalke O4, Feyenoord and Rangers in next season’s event. We are entered into the first round of the competition with West Ham, Blackburn, holders Seville, Espanyol, Celta Vigo (Spain), AS Roma, Lazio, Chievo (Italy), Paris SG, RC Lens, Nancy-Lorraine (France), Eintracht Frankfurt, FC Shalke O4, Bayer Leverkusen (Germany), Vitoria, SC Braga, CD Nacional (Portugal), FC Groningen, AZ Alkmaar, Feyenoord, Heerenveen (Holland), Panathinaikos, Iraklis, Xanthi, PAOK (Greece), KSV Waregem (Belgium), Gretna (Scotland), Besiktas (Turkey), Sparta Prague/FC Brno/FC Banik/Ostrava/Hradec Kralove (tba, Czech), Lokomotiv Moskva (Russia). There are 132 teams entered in total with the first qualifying round set to start in July. | ||
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| Serbian midfielder Goran Lovre signed a 3-years deal at Dutch club FC Groningen . The 24-year old Lovre played since his 16th year at the Belgian giant Anderlecht where his contract would have been expired this summer. Therefore he was able to move on a free transfer status to The Netherlands. The former youth player of Partizan Beograd was offered a new three years deal by Anderlecht general manager Roger vanden Stock as well. Lovre explained why he didn’t extend his contract: “Yes, it’s true that Mr. Vanden Stock offered me a new 3-years offer, but the coach didn’t agree with it. Well, at that moment I knew enough. I need to play games instead of sitting on the bench like I did too many times this season. A new club would give me some new opportunities.” Lovre played only two league matches for Anderlecht this season. During the last five seasons he appeared at 43 games in which the right footed midfielder scored 5 goals. Lovre: “Maybe I stayed too long in Belgium; during an eight year stay I never was able to show my real qualities. I will start a new period of my career in The Netherlands. FC Groningen is a great club, with a lot of passionate fans. They are playing at the sub top of Holland and are qualified for next years’ UEFA Cup. Definitely a step forward for me!” | ||
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| Ajax moved themselves in an excellent position to win a spot in the preliminary round of the Champions League. FC Groningen was beaten 2-0 in Amsterdam on an emotional night, in the first match of the playoff finals. Ajax have to finish the job next Wednesday in the Euroborg stadium in Groningen. ,,This 2-0 brings us in an excellent position for the away match'', said coach Danny Blind. ,,Although with this result, it can still go both ways. We played a good second half and I am proud of my team. But I am disappointed that we did not score the 3-0 or even 4-0. Then we would have decided this series already.'' The coach, passionately cheered by the supporters and involved by his players in the celebrations after the goals, is not enjoying his happiest days as the Ajax boss. Despite the recent successes, his future is uncertain and that makes his job not the easiest at the moment. ,,I asked the players to play the match of their lives. For Ajax, the fans and themselves.'' | ||
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The UEFA Cup is handed over to the Dutch city of It was on 9 May 1978 that local side PSV Eindhoven established themselves as a major force in European football as they beat SC Bastia 3-0 at the Philips stadium - the venue for this season's final - to win the UEFA Cup, following a goalless draw in the first leg in By that time, PSV had already broken the cast-iron grip that the big clubs from the west of the Netherlands - Feyenoord and AFC Ajax - held on the Dutch title by winning the Eredivisie in 1974/75 and 1975/76, but in taking the UEFA Cup, they announced their presence to the whole continent. With the final being contested over two legs in those days, PSV had not enjoyed an easy time in the opening fixture against With Feyenoord and Ajax both having won major European competitions in the early 1970s, PSV were the third Dutch club to triumph in UEFA competition, and added to their trophy cabinet by winning the European Champion Clubs' Cup in 1987/88 before reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2004/05. The memories of that first success back in 1978 will be celebrated as 2004/05 UEFA Cup, against all the Sportsbooks odds. Winners of last year’s cup PFC CSKA Moskva hand the trophy to Deijkers' story was an odd one. He had played as a defender in previous seasons but coach Kees Rijvers - who will also be at the handover - decided to hand him a chance to become a striker as PSV were having attacking problems in 1977/78. He went on to score 18 league goals and six in the UEFA Cup that season. While Deijkers will be missed at the ceremony at the Evoluon building in | ||
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FC Groningen boss Ron Jans was on cloud nine after his Gang Green booked a ticket to the Champions League playoff despite drawing at FC Twente. The northerners have never been to the European Cup, and the last of their five UEFA Cup appearances came in 1992. “I have completed a good season, with the possibility of a fantastic season,” he told reporters. “We did not have it in our own hands today.” “We thought that we had to win (to make the playoff),” said Jans. “Sometimes it is good in football that logic does not exist because everyone thought that Utrecht were going to win against Willem II.”
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| All parties involved responded positively to a request made by PSV to postpone the home fixture against FC Groningen from Saturday 8 April to Sunday 9 April. PSV may very well win the Dutch title that weekend. PSV handed in their request ten days ago. The Royal Dutch Football Association, the Eredivisie CV and the broadcasting corporation Talpa have meanwhile agreed to the request. The game on Sunday 9 April will be kicked off at 14.30 pm. PSV may clinch the nineteenth title in history already next weekend. If PSV beat RBC in Roosendaal on Saturday night and AZ drop points, at home against NAC Breda on Sunday afternoon, or if PSV drew and AZ suffer defeat one day later, PSV will be Eredivisie champions. The celebrations are scheduled for Sunday 9 April and will take place in Eindhoven. | ||
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| 12 games on the record since the year 2000 with Ajax winning in 11 and only 1 draw. Some may think Ajax are not what they used to be, but I say that's also history. Ajax certainly have corrected their path that was not so good at the 1st half of the season, and are now 6 unbeaten with 5 wins and a 0-0 draw to non other than PSV Eindhoven, so they are back! Groningen may have a superb home record that read 10-3-1 that includes a win over PSV and draws against AZ & Feyenoord, but that only proves they may not lose to big names, and not necessarily that they can win. They usually apply a very strict defensive attitude at home and build on it, and that's why they produce so good results, yet they are 19-5 in terms of goals at home. With Ajax scoring 18 goals in ther last 6 games I think it could very well end in their favour this one, but I'll there's always the possibility of a draw, and the 0.25 difference in odds between taking them on -1/4 and on -1/2 is not worth risking half of my stake over it. | ||
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| Ajax and FC Groningen have reached agreement about the transfer of Rasmus Lindgren. The transfer will take place on 1 July 2006. Lindgren currently plays for Groningen on loan. The Swedish youth international came to Amsterdam in 2003. His contract with Ajax ran to 30 June 2007. Lindgren made his debut in Ajax 1 in the away match against NAC Breda (2-1 to Ajax) on 13 February 2005. He played five matches in Ajax's first team. Lindgren has become a mainstay for FC Groningen this season. He has played 24 league matches and has scored two goals for coach Ron Jans' team. | ||
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| Ajax and FC Groningen have reached agreement about the transfer of
Rasmus Lindgren. The transfer will take place on 1 July 2006. Lindgren
currently plays for Groningen on loan. The Swedish youth international came to Amsterdam in 2003. His contract with Ajax ran to 30 June 2007. Lindgren made his debut in Ajax 1 in the away match against NAC Breda (2-1 to Ajax) on 13 February 2005. He played five matches in Ajax's first team. Lindgren has become a mainstay for FC Groningen this season. He has played 24 league matches and has scored two goals for coach Ron Jans' team. | ||
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