Ahead of the Game: Champions League Final special

Wednesday, May 21. 1600 BST
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The news in 60 seconds

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LIVE COMMENTARY FROM 1945BST
Stuck at the office or couldn’t afford to remortgage the house to fly to Moscow? Don’t miss a moment of the action with our informed live text commentary. You can also receive our rolling report on your mobile phone by texting Times to 86626.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/sports_commentary/football/index.html

DROGBA PLAYS DOWN MOURINHO LINK
The sulky Ivorian claims that he’s not twiddling his thumbs waiting to discover where the Special One has pitched up before deciding on a summer move and that he’s perfectly happy with life under Avram Grant, thank you very much.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/chelsea/article3978015.ece

CHELSEA FANS STRANDED AT GATWICK
Hundreds of Chelsea supporters will miss tonight's Champions League final after their chartered flight to Moscow was cancelled. An evening in with Clive Tyldesley may not seem much of a consolation.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article3978648.ece

WENGER: FINAL COULD BE DECIDED BY REF
The Arsenal manager says he thinks that controversial official Lubos Michel could have the final say in Moscow tonight. No sign of sour grapes there then, Arsene?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3976573.ece

BENITEZ: WE WILL BE HUNGRIER NEXT SEASON
Liverpool’s manager claims that his side won’t be making the same mistake of losing to Manchester United again next season. And he could be sending Xabi Alonso off to Juventus in the summer too.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/liverpool/article3977059.ece

FLAMINI LOOKING FORWARD TO ITALIAN ADVENTURE
AC Milan’s latest recruit says he has no problem with playing in the Uefa Cup for the Italian giants next season after his somewhat acrimonious departure from Arsenal. His reported £3.2million salary at the San Siro might just soften that blow.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/arsenal/article3977621.ece

KIRKLAND SIGNS NEW FOUR YEAR WIGAN DEAL
The previously oft-injured goalkeeper miraculously rose from the treatment room long enough to play a major role in keeping Wigan in the Premier League last season and has been rewarded with four more years at the JJB.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/wigan/article3976923.ece

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If you've got another couple of minutes

Our European football expert Gabriele Marcotti presents his five keys for Champions League success, including the aerial threat of both strike forces and the e-factor that is Michael Essien. Hnd he even stands up for under-fire ref Lubos Michel.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/gabriele-marcot.html

Martin Samuel thinks tonight’s game will be settled either by the attacking flair of Manchester United or the cunning physicality of Chelsea. But is it simply a battle between beauty and brutality or something more complex? Let us know your thoughts.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/age-v-experienc.html

Will Fergie get his tactics right this time? Matt Dickinson suggests that United may have to pass their way around Chelsea to avoid a continuation of their dismal recent record against the Blues.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3973078.ece

With Chelsea and Manchester United fans massing in Moscow, our rival Fanzine Fanzone editors have been duking it out in cyberspace. Read their (not at all biased) match previews here.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/fanzine_fanzone

As Frank Lampard is tipped to depart Stamford Bridge for a lucrative four year deal at Inter Milan, we ask: Can the club cope without him and who can replace him?
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/who-could-repla.html

Roving reporter Oliver Kay isn’t impressed with the pre-match hullabaloo, goes looking for evidencethat there really is a Champions League final happening in Moscow tonight and wonders when he’s going to get to bed.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article3976096.ece

Bill Edgar has unearthed the ten greatest English moments in European Cup finals, including Bayern Munich’s Sammy Kuffour thumping the ground in despair after Manchester United’s smash-and-grab raid in Barcelona and Peter Shilton’s vital save against Hamburg.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/the-ten-greates.html

Tony Halpin sets the scene in the Russian capital as a handful of mindless Chelsea fans sour the pre-match atmosphere.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article3978301.ece

Did you miss our informative and entertaining Champions League supplement? Don’t worry it’s all here.
http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/pdfs/cl.pdf

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>>>>>THE TABLOID TALE<<<<<
Gladiators are ready – Daily Mail

Manchester United have been keeping on British time since they arrived in Moscow, choosing to ignore the three-hour time difference. Let’s hope someone knows when kick-off is.

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A quickie before you go, sir?

While Cristiano Ronaldo’s ball skills have dazzled many this season, he’s put firmly in the shade by football freestyler Billy Wingrove in this classic clip in which the young Englishman, who has played semi-professionally with Hertford Town, performs acrobatic keepy-up stunts to make your eyes water. Wonder if Avram Grant should sign him up before tonight?

http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/video-ronaldo-i.html

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0

The number of games lost by Manchester United in the run-up to the final. In comparison, Chelsea’s only defeat was a 2-1 reverse at Fenerbahce in the first leg of their quarter-final in Istanbul. United also remained unbeaten on the way to the 1999 triumph over Bayern Munich in Barcelona.
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In TheGame

Martin Samuel’s view that Michel Platini’s tenure as Uefa president has been hugely disappointing has elicited a massive amount of responses from you so far. Have your say on the fumbling Frenchman.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/will-platini-pl.html

Martin Tyler, one of the broadcasting masters, offers his lowdown on what to expect at the Luzhniki Stadium and gives some insight into the perils of the commentator abroad.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/qa-martin-tyler.html

Tony Cascarino picks five things to watch out for on Wednesday evening, including Edwin Van der Sar’s sometimes erratic kicking and Wayne Rooney’s even more wayward temperament.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/tony-cascarin-4.html

Bill Edgar, our fiendish quizmaster has a Champions League question to keep your brain sharp before tonight’s game: Which two clubs have each reached the last eight of the European Cup/Champions League nine times yet never played in a final? Come back just before kick-off for the answer.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/bill-edgars-cha.html

On TheGame Podcast , Manchester United legend Mark Hughes make the shock admission that he supported Chelsea as a boy and predicts a tight match in Moscow between his two former sides, along with our regular hosts Guillem Balague and Gabriele Marcotti.
.http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/audio_video/podcasts/thegame/

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>>>>>THE RIVALS<<<<<
Fergie – Win it for the Babes - The Sun
Come on England - Daily Mirror
It’s United artistry versus Chelsea muscle - The Daily Telegraph
Cole and Vidic injuries add to the intrigue - The Independent
Ashley Cole injury scare for Chelsea - The Guardian
Ballack can be Euro star at last - Daily Express
Mad Mak - Daily Mail
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Joe Bloggs' Soapbox

Surely there must be plenty of overweight, lazy, shoot on sight central midfielders across Europe. Tomas Brolin?
Alex Kelsey seems remarkably unimpressed with Frank Lampard’s attitude even if one our other readers suggested Ronald McDonald as a possible alternative.

This match is a massive opportunity to make money by betting on Chelsea to win. Why? Because the Man United manager has an awful European record. He loses semi finals and fluked the Bayern final (Bayern tore them apart that night), he panics and will mess things up again on Wednesday evening. With my winnings I will place a chunk of cash on Hull to win on Saturday.
Cliff will be desperately hoping that Gary Johnson is not a very happy man at the weekend

The reality is that Chelsea have been the better side against United CONSISTENTLY for the last 8-9 years home and away. Referees have helped to reduce the embarrassing statistics for United. but Chelsea are perhaps the only team that Fergie fears.
As Sir Alex’s record against Chelsea is two wins in the past 14 matches, Dan just might have a point

Of course Chelski are an inferior team. As much as I dislike the Manchester Red Sox I have to admit Ferguson's got a proper formation and a vision of how he wants the team to play. Chelski just throw large amounts of someone else's money around and muscle the other team off the pitch. It's the ugliest football imaginable.
Owen is hoping that beauty slays the beast at the Luzhniki

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Tomorrow's news today

- Don’t miss our 16-page Champions League supplement with full match report, details on how the game was won, a view on the mood in Moscow and much more.

And expect...

At least five goal-line clearances in tonight’s game all expertly spotted by Lubos Michel.