19
May

Champions League + Europa League spots sealed

The Barclays Premier League has come to an end and the Champions League positions are set. The Premier League will be sending the same representatives as last year but will be hoping for a much better result as none of them made it through to the Quarterfinals in this year’s competition.

There will be a different look for the Europa League representatives this season.

Tottenham will be returning to the Europa League for the second consecutive season and will be joined by Swansea and a relegated Wigan club.

Swansea has secured their birth thanks to a 5-0 victory over Bradford in the League Cup final. Despite the impending relegation, Wigan will be heading to the Europa League group stage courtesy of a 1-0 defeat of Manchester City in the FA Cup Final.

18
May

Mancini takes out full-page ad to thank City fans

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While Manchester City manager Roberto Manicini did not even make it to the end of the season, he took the high road and put out this classy ad in the Manchester Evening News.

Mancini is pictured with the 2011 FA Cup, 2012 Community Shield, and 2012 Premier League trophy, thanking the fans for three unforgettable years.

He was not a popular man among players and club officials, but fans have still held him in a high regard and he should receive plenty of support for a new position sooner than later.

Image via @Danmcfcjones

14
May

Poor Carlos Tevez.

First, the Argentinian striker was subbed out during the FA Cup final despite being perhaps City’s best player at the time. Then he had to take a long walk up the Wembley steps to receive the runners-up medal (never fun, and never easy to do in cleats). And then, to cap off a truly horrible day, Tevez took an ugly spill walking back down those harrowing steps of doom (scroll to 1:30 mark).

Had Tevez only seen the match official take a similar slip just a minute earlier, maybe he would have saved himself from a bruised behind.

12
May

Cup final defeat final straw for Mancini

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In today’s Paper Chase, Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City future hangs in the balance after the side’s embarrassing loss to underdogs Wigan in the FA Cup final.

Ben Watson’s late header powered Wigan to a 1-0 victory against overwhelming favourites City on Saturday, and concerns are now growing in the blue half of Manchester as to whether Mancini is capable of overseeing the creation of a European juggernaut.

Also, Wayne Rooney could be headed to London next season, while Christian Benteke has earned himself many potential suitors. Read more in today’s Paper Chase.

3
May

Trecker’s Travels, Day Two: Hello Wembley!

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Photo: Jamie Trecker / FOX Soccer

By Jamie Trecker

LONDON, ENGLAND

Wembley Stadium will turn seven later on this year. For a toddler, it’s getting quite a workout. Over the next several weeks, London’s iconic stadium will host the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League finals and then the Football League promotion playoffs – the richest game in all of soccer.

On Thursday, we were invited to an FA program shoot (you’ll see it on May 25) that will show off some of the stadium’s history and legacy. One of the most surprising things about it is how vibrant a venue it is outside of game days. During our taping, Wembley was crawling with tours, so many that the guides had to call in reinforcements and extend hours. It should come as no surprise that many of these visitors spoke German.

One thing that those visitors got to see – and did not know it – was the Champions League trophy itself. It’s kept in a silver gig crate up in the FA’s office on the fourth floor, and two young men carry it down to you. As we had the trophy outside, next to Bobby Moore’s statue, for security purposes we asked the tour group leaders to tell the visitors it was a replica. But, I can tell you now, that if you were a visitor between 2:30 and 3:30 on Thursday, you saw the real thing. Special congratulations to the enterprising little boy who went up and touched it.

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1
May

Trecker’s Travels, Day One: Driven by Mad Heat

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Photo: Jamie Trecker / FOX Soccer

By Jamie Trecker

LONDON, ENGLAND

The problem with London is getting there. In my case, that means a 12-hour trip, all told, and it’s invariably filled with screaming children. It could be worse – my grandparents did this on boats, after all – but sleep deprivation leads one to see things that cannot possibly be there. Like sunshine. In May. In England.

This promises to be the first May bank holiday in recent memory that isn’t wretched. Spring in England is a bit like summer in Scotland: cold, damp and unforgiving. Spring in England teases you with green things coming up in the garden and then dashes the hopes of a nice day out on your bike with a gale. I packed a parka and rain gear only to find that people are out in shorts in the capital today. It’s 55ºF today. It’s going to be 70º here on Saturday. This is a full-scale heat wave for England.

This means we’re actually going to see soccer in the sunshine, and four pretty meaningful games to boot. Spurs host Southampton in a should-win while QPR play Arsenal in a game that the Gunners must-win. The latter’s a London derby, however, so make no bets. Newcastle have a tricky fixture at Boleyn Ground against West Ham while Sunday, we get to see if Chelsea can keep up with the newly-crowned Premier League champions Manchester United at Old Trafford.

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