History will be kind to me because I intend to write it

WE ARE NOT SCARED OF VILLA - ZHIRKOV

Yuri Zhirkov, CSKA Moscow's coveted playmaker, has claimed the Russian side are not afraid of Premier League high-fliers Aston Villa, who many are backing to win the UEFA Cup.

Left-footer Zhirkov, who was wanted by Juventus in the recent transfer window, believes that if CSKA are going to win the UEFA Cup then it makes little difference whether they face Villa now, in the last 32, or later.

The 25-year-old Russian international, whose club became the first Russian side to win a European trophy when they took home the UEFA Cup in 2005, said: "Aston Villa are a good team with strong players - I know almost all of them, since they are so well-known.

"Why should we be afraid of them? If you are frightened, you lose the match far before the first whistle.

"I don't care at all which team are our opponents in the UEFA Cup. CSKA set the highest goals in all competitions, which means we must be ready to fight any team.

"If we have been pitted against one of the UEFA Cup favourites now, it means that we should defeat them now. I am sure that we will try our hardest to knock out Aston Villa."

For CSKA, Wednesday's clash at Villa Park will be their first competitive game since their domestic season ended before the winter - something that Zhirkov is relieved about.

He said: "I am looking forward to the first official match of the season, because it will mark the end of our pre-season preparations. This year I was tired of our training since the first day, because I couldn't spend any time with my wife and my little son.

"But I am professional and I feel that we have a good team that is capable of achieving great success."

Labels: Aston Villa, CSKA Moscow, UEFA Cup, Yuri Zuirkov

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 1:23 pm | Permalink | Comments

VAGNER FEELING THE LOVE FOR VILLA

CSKA Moscow striker Vagner Love says Aston Villa have been a "revelation" this season as he prepares to face Martin O'Neill's men in the UEFA Cup on Wednesday.

The Brazilian striker hopes CSKA can emulate rivals Zenit St Petersburg, who won the UEFA Cup last year.

But he admits that Villa's form so far this season makes them a difficult proposition in the last 32 clash.

"The match against Aston Villa is not easy," said Love, who has won 21 caps for Brazil. "They are the revelation of this season's Premier League.

"This round of the UEFA Cup will be hard for us against Villa, but I am optimistic and believe that the second leg in Moscow will be very important for us.

"We have a great team at CSKA and we dream of winning the UEFA Cup this year - that is our goal."

CSKA are about to start their domestic season after a long winter break. But Love believes that they will be sharp and ready for their game against Villa, who are third in the Premier League.

"I do not think the break in the winter affect us too much," he continued. "This team is very professional and has responded positively when we have had to play early in the season in previous years.

"The key for us is to score at least one goal in Birmingham."

And Love, who almost moved to Tottenham in the January transfer window, has said that he in not interested in putting himself in the shop window for the summer by playing well against Premier League opposition.

He added: "I have nothing to prove in this round. It is true that there have been rumours about English clubs being interested in me, but I am in Moscow at the moment."

Labels: Aston Villa, CSKA Moscow, UEFA Cup, Vagner Love

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 1:22 pm | Permalink | Comments

RAFINHA WARY OF CITY'S BRAZILIAN THREAT

Schalke 04's right-back Rafinha has warned his team-mates that Manchester City's Brazilian trio could rip them apart in the UEFA Cup.

The 23-year-old is wary of his countrymen Robinho, Elano and Jo Alves - players he knew from his days in Brazil.

And having watched Mark Hughes's side stun Arsenal by 3-0 in the Premier League at the weekend, Rafinha knows Schalke face a tough test in Gelsenkirchen.

"Manchester City have a great team and our players do not understand how they are not fighting for the top positions in the table," said Rafinha.

"We've seen the video of the Premier League game against Arsenal and they won by being very practical and accurate in attack.

"This is a warning for Schalke - we must not give them options and space in front in our area."

Rafinha believes that Schalke must play special attention to Robinho - the ex-Real Madrid forward who has scored eight goals in 11 games since his British record £32.5m move in September.

"Robinho is brilliant," continued Rafinha. "For me he is the most devastating forward in world football at the moment. He has sublime skill, pace and finishing.

"I also know how Elano and Jo Alves play. And if I were the coach of City I would give them more minutes and prominence on the field. But if they don't play against Schalke we will be very grateful!

"The game is going to be very open and I think there will be many goals. This match is very important to us.

"We want to win because our challenge is to be the champions of the group. If we win, we will have virtually qualified for the next round of the UEFA Cup and we will have fulfilled one of our first goals of the season."

Labels: Manchester City, Mark Hughes, Rafinha, Robinho, Schalke 04, UEFA Cup

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 12:03 pm | Permalink | Comments

ROBINSON HAPPY TO BE BACK IN SPURS TEAM

England goalkeeper Paul Robinson was pleased to be back in the Spurs starting XI and proved his worth with two excellent saves in his club's 1-1 draw with Slavia Prague at White Hart Lane. Robinson had been dropped by manager Juande Ramos in January after a handful of bloopers had cost his team goals.

But the stopper, recently overlooked by new England manager Fabio Capello in his first game in charge of the country against Switzerland, when asked whether he was happy to be back in the fold, said: "I just had to answer myself - I know the way that I have been playing; or not playing as the case may be.

"I just want to get back on track and get back in the team. I am delighted to be back in a team that is doing well."

Robinson was disappointed that his team did not add to their one goal in the first half. But he was pleased for young goal-scorer Jamie O'Hara, and continued: "We knew it was going to be a tough game and we couldn't take it lightly.

"We wanted to score a couple of goals in the first half so we could take it a little easier. But I think our second half performance was disappointing - we scored the first goal and then seemed to rest on our laurels a little bit. We should give them credit, though - they played well.

"[Jamie] has been doing well for us and the manager has brought him into the team. He was used only for a little bit at the start but he has been playing a lot more and starting games now and it was a delight for him to get his goal tonight." Robinson also added that he wishes to play in the Carling Cup final at Wembley on Sunday against Chelsea. "I would like to think that I will be playing at Wembley - I hope so," he said.

Labels: Carling Cup, England, Juande Ramos, Paul Robinson, Tottenham, UEFA Cup

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 12:44 pm | Permalink | Comments

O'HARA HOPING FOR WEMBLEY STARTING BERTH

Tottenham's young midfielder Jamie O'Hara was over the moon to net his first European goal for his club, in only his second appearance in the UEFA Cup. The 21-year-old opened the scoring against Slavia Prague, but his team played badly in the second half and the Czech side fired an equalizer in the second half to put the skids under Spurs.

But Juande Ramos' side held on for a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane and advanced to the last 16 of the UEFA Cup, going through 3-2 on aggregate.

And goal hero O'Hara said: "It was brilliant to score - a great moment in my career.

"I think we are just happy to get through in the end because we were disappointing in the second half. We sat back on the game when we should have gone forward and got two or three [goals]. But that is the way it goes sometimes and we are happy to go through."

Spurs take on Chelsea in the final of the Carling Cup in Sunday, and the youngster wants to be involved and hopes he has done enough to convince his manager that he should be afforded a starting berth.

He added: "I definitely hope to be involved on Sunday - it would be a dream come true [to play]. If I can be involved it would be great. Stepping out at Wembley is a dream for any Englishman - I can't wait."

Labels: Carling Cup, Chelsea, Jamie O'Hara, Juande Ramos, Tottenham, UEFA Cup

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 12:40 pm | Permalink | Comments