Spring Break
All soccer eyes on England for month of May
Manchester United faces Chelsea in UEFA Champions League final
Kellen Holtzman
Issue date: 5/21/08 Section: Sports
Chelsea does not quite possess the same mystique as United, but have earned a reputation as a more than formidable opponent in recent years.
The Blues have stars of their own, led by midfielders Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack. Lampard led Chelsea in goals during the regular season but Ivorian forward Didier Drogba has six Champions League goals thus far. Drogba, however, is listed as questionable for the match due to injury.
Chelsea knocked off fellow Londoners, Arsenal in its semi-final matchup.
The two teams' recent history is making the grand stage even more compelling. Chelsea had a chance to complete a remarkable comeback and win the league on the final day after trailing United in the standings for most of the season. Instead, Chelsea failed to defeat a lowly Bolton side while United triumphed against Wigan to finish with a narrow two-point edge on the Blues.
Unfortunately, owners play a much bigger role in European football than they should. The New York Yankees comparison fits even better in this regard than on the playing field.
Like the Yankees, Manchester United and Chelsea spend their way to championships. In American sports, it isn't uncommon for low-payroll teams to win championships (a la the Florida Marlins circa 1997, 2003).
No such parody exists in English football; the most prestigious teams will win nearly every season.
Americans may be familiar with the ownership on Manchester United's side. American Malcolm Glazer, owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, took over controlling interest in 2005. Glazer's team has been successful on the pitch, but financial woes have supporters calling for a takeover.
Russian billionaire, Roman Abramovich, guides Chelsea. When Abramovich sees a player he wants, he gets him. Money is no object in west London. It is no coincidence than in 2005, Abramovich brought Chelsea its first domestic title since 1955.
After dueling it out on the field in Moscow, a number of United and Chelsea players will set their differences aside and suit up for England in a friendly against the United States. The U.S. MNT is entering a brutal stretch of games to prepare for World Cup qualifying this summer. The other two dates include matches with Spain and the world's number one ranked team, Argentina.
The Blues have stars of their own, led by midfielders Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack. Lampard led Chelsea in goals during the regular season but Ivorian forward Didier Drogba has six Champions League goals thus far. Drogba, however, is listed as questionable for the match due to injury.
Chelsea knocked off fellow Londoners, Arsenal in its semi-final matchup.
The two teams' recent history is making the grand stage even more compelling. Chelsea had a chance to complete a remarkable comeback and win the league on the final day after trailing United in the standings for most of the season. Instead, Chelsea failed to defeat a lowly Bolton side while United triumphed against Wigan to finish with a narrow two-point edge on the Blues.
Unfortunately, owners play a much bigger role in European football than they should. The New York Yankees comparison fits even better in this regard than on the playing field.
Like the Yankees, Manchester United and Chelsea spend their way to championships. In American sports, it isn't uncommon for low-payroll teams to win championships (a la the Florida Marlins circa 1997, 2003).
No such parody exists in English football; the most prestigious teams will win nearly every season.
Americans may be familiar with the ownership on Manchester United's side. American Malcolm Glazer, owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, took over controlling interest in 2005. Glazer's team has been successful on the pitch, but financial woes have supporters calling for a takeover.
Russian billionaire, Roman Abramovich, guides Chelsea. When Abramovich sees a player he wants, he gets him. Money is no object in west London. It is no coincidence than in 2005, Abramovich brought Chelsea its first domestic title since 1955.
After dueling it out on the field in Moscow, a number of United and Chelsea players will set their differences aside and suit up for England in a friendly against the United States. The U.S. MNT is entering a brutal stretch of games to prepare for World Cup qualifying this summer. The other two dates include matches with Spain and the world's number one ranked team, Argentina.
Be the first to comment on this story