Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By DAN KARELL
Paris Saint-Germain manager Laurent Blanc has made the Coupe de la Ligue a priority.
The former French national team boss selected a squad featuring the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, and Marco Verratti among others as PSG travels to face FC Nantes in the French League Cup semifinals. Blanc, it seems, learned his lesson from Jan. 22 when his weakened PSG side lost at home to Montpellier, knocking the team out of the Coupe de France.
Though a match against Ligue 1 second-place side AS Monaco is around the corner, Blanc has decided to play his big guns in a bid to advance to the League Cup final. The last time these two teams met, PSG ran out 5-0 winners, with Ibrahimovic scoring twice.
In London, Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen is reportedly in danger of losing his job and needs his side to defeat League One club Sheffield United in an FA Cup replay at Craven Cottage. American forward Clint Dempsey will starts up top alongside Colombia’s Hugo Rodallega.
Finally, the evening sees the Copa Libertadores return with Nacional hosting Oriente Petrolero and Santa Fe hosting Morelia of Mexico.
If you will be watching today’s action, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions, and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action. (Today’s TV schedule is after the jump):
2:45pm – Fulham vs. Sheffield United – Fox Sports 2
3pm – Udinese vs. Fiorentina – beIN Sports en Español
3pm – Nantes vs. Paris Saint-Germain – beIN Sports USA
3:55pm – Cruz Azul Hidalgo vs. Monterrey – Univision Deportes
6pm – Nacional vs. Oriente Petrolero – Fox Deportes
7:50pm – Querétaro vs. Necaxa – ESPN3
7:55pm – Chivas de Guadalajara vs. Estudiantes Tecos – Univision Deportes
8:30pm – Santa Fe vs. Morelia – Fox Deportes
9:55pm – Universidad de Guadalajara vs. Dorados – Univision Deportes
Not sure what to make of Dempsey at this point.
looking like a bad decision to skip Camp Cupcake and preseason with his team in Seattle to go on this 2 month stint to a very bad team
I don’t agree. Playing in meaningful games, especially at a high level, is always better than a camp.
we disagree then. that was miserable soccer out there, not high level in the remotest definition of the word, and to be kind, Fulham have performed poorly during his time there, not a rip on Clint but on that situation he’s in to fine tune himself…yuck
Well, David M, in general that would be true and we can hope that Clint benefits from it. But the psychology of the Fulham mess right now is simply awful and that is coming after a hard time in Seattle and in my mind this has the potential to be a heavy burden when Clint comes back to Seattle with the burden of it on his shoulders. A few goals would probably help and got my fingers crossed he can get a few.
well, I got attacked back when it was announced by simply saying it seemed like a needless risk for Clint. I watched a few minutes in the first half and the Fulham players were lifeless and the coach looked like he was ready to have a nervous breakdown. And, man, 24 more days to go. time would have been better spent at Camp Cupcake. But if really felt Klinsmann wanted him in England he should have never gone back home to Fuhalm.
Yeah well what from I ‘ve seen of Mitroglou he is really good. Hopefully he can spark some life into the team. Clint still looked good on the ball and seemed to combine well I guess we’ll see.
poor Fulham…wow.
mercy
Poyet had some extremely complimentary things to say about Jozy today.
Poyet with big praise for Jozy:
“Sunderland’s Jozy Altidore doesn’t need to score to impress me beams Gus Poyet after Newcastle win”
“USA international praised for unselfishly terrorising the Magpies and setting up vital goal when other strikers in similar drought would shoot from anywhere”
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/sunderlands-jozy-altidore-doesnt-need-3108654#ixzz2sOPO6mh0
Cool. but this was somewhat questionable if he wants to encourage the kid: “Somehow, we need to try to get him a goal. Maybe we need to beat the keeper and give it to him to tap in.” Like he’s a charity case.
i didn’t take it that way. to me, sounds like he wants the team to give Jozy a tap in if possible just to snap the cold streak. how many times have we seen his teammates ignore him when he could just tap it in? unfortunately, multiple times. either way, i doubt Jozy is taking that comment negatively given this:
“”But I said to him in the dressing room, ‘Now you know how important you are, and you can feel it’. If we keep winning, his goal is going to come. But his performance was one of the biggest and most important points for us.”
You’re kidding me, right? THAT’S what you took away from it? He called Jozy magnificent, important, one of the biggest performers. It’s clear that he thinks an easy goal or two will get Jozy’s confidence up and the goals will come. He even said as much in other interviews.
No, I got what he said. But he doesnt need to be “given” a tap in. Dont kill me or my family. I did say “Cool” right. It’s just a funny comment that I could see a coach of 6 year old girls make about giving the poor kid a charity goal. I get what Poyet said. I read the article and comprehended it.
no one is killing you, but your post went to the negative right away, even with your apologia to start it, and now comparing to a 6 year old, etc.
No big deal, but own your spin it at least, or don’t I guess
Part of me is excited there is extra time for Fulham and Deuce to score….yet the soccer fan in me wants to rip my eyes out at the idea, because watching Fulham is so dreadful!!
Fulham out of ideas. Hoping to just outlast SHFC.
The uk yahoo commentary for the game is not kind. A few samples:
“The second-half of extra-time gets underway. Surely nobody actually wants this to happen.”
“The people who watched this game will form a support group one day.”
“Baxter gets so far underneath the free-kick that it was virtually vertical. The Harrier jet of shots.”
hilarious! and true. horrible match
They are as bad right now as Sunderland were earlier in the year. Their last EPL game was maybe worse. Their defense gave up 3 to Southampton at home and they are decidedly dreadful.
So Aron limped off or just had a knock?
He went to the coaches rubbing his quad just before half-time.
Johann off injured at halftime. No idea how serious.
dammmmiiiit! i hope he is ok
AJ is a ninja. Wow.
Is Bedoya hurt?
he came off injured in the last match, so yeah, i’m assuming that’s why he’s out.
This is why Aron must be in the starting 11 at the WC. We need his creativity. The guy is playing lights out right now.
Aron just showed Jozy how to put the ball in when it is just you and the keeper — I hope he was watching.
It was well taken but some of the defending in the Eredivisie is bad. The centerbacks just took each other out.
I agree with you. I was just being a funny man. But, honestly, I think you you put Aron and Jozy on the field at the same time I think great things could happen. I think the problem there is width. You would have to have two players on the outsides playing both ways (offense and defense) and are able to keep the width without tucking in too much. Donovan could do it, I think, on one side. But, I don’t think Dempsey is a good fit for that. Maybe Bedoya? I just think Aron has to be in there up top, not out wide.
Aron still had alot of work to make that chip so not taking anything away from him. It was a great goal.
Some of the defending in every league is bad.
Perhaps but after that own goal to start with
Johannsson with a nice chip over Velthuizen after a mix-up between the centerbacks. 2-0 in the 43rd.
0 + 0 in the 40 min between USA and Spain in the U-18 match
Stream ?
Nope.. following on twitter
https://twitter.com/mdelasanta
How on earth did you find this?
Johannsson’s pull back directly responsible for AZ’s first goal. 1-0 in the 30th.
Deflection off van Aanholt for an own goal.
Bedoya not in the 18 for the match vs PSG. AZ alkmaar are playing now too, AJ is starting.
bedoya came off injured in the last match.