And then there were 32.
The third round of the UEFA Cup is ready to kick off today with several quality match-ups. The home-and-home series begin with 10 matches on Wednesday and six more on Thursday.
Hoping to catch some of the action? Setanta Sports will be showing matches, included the Everton-SK Brann tilt today. Some of the more intriguing match-ups of this round include: Galatasaray-Bayer Leverkusen, Anderlecht-Bordeaux and PSV-Helsingborg. I would have added Atletico Madrid-Bolton to that group if Bolton hadn’t sold Nicolas Anelka.
Not a big fan of UEFA Cup? You should be. It isn’t quite the Champions League but it still offers great match-ups and top-notch talent like Sergio Aguero, Luca Toni and Diego. The tournament also still has two Americans competing in Everton’s Tim Howard and Benfica’s Freddy Adu. Now if only GolTV or Fox Soccer Channel would show more of these games.
Here is the full slate of this week’s third-round UEFA Cup matches:
WEDNESDAY
- Zenit St. Petersberg vs. Villarreal
- Galatasaray vs. Bayer Leverkusen
- Anderlecht vs. Bordeaux
- Werder Bremen vs. Braga
- PSV Eindhoven vs. Helsingborg
- SK Brann vs. Everton
- Marseille vs. Spartak Moscow
- AEK Athens vs. Getafe
- Rangers vs. Panathanaikos
- Sporting Lisbon vs. FC Basle
THURSDAY
- Aberdeen vs. Bayern Munich
- Slavia Prague vs. Tottenham
- FC Zurich vs. Hamburg
- Bolton vs. Atletico Madrid
- Rosenborg vs. Fiorentina
- Benfica vs. Nurnberg
Where’s the best place to follow these matches? Why UEFA.com of course.
What match-up do you like the most out of these? Which match would you watch if you could have your pick? Share your thoughts on the UEFA Cup below.
COME ON YOU SPURS!
Saw the Werder Bremen game since I am stuying in Germany this semester. Let me tell you, Time Wiese (Werders keeper) is for real! Stopping 2 penalty kicks (one completely underserved) is sick. Time to replace Lehmann on the german nat’l team i think.
Got to agree with MLW and Adam…Glory, Glory Tottenham Hotspur!
Galatasaray ALL THE WAY!
Don’t forget Rossi plays for Villareal!!(sorry)
I’ll try to find a torrent to download to see Everton v Brann.
I really want to see my boys at Hamburg take on (and win against) Zurich.
Everton needs to nab a couple away goals then return to Goodison next week and finish the job. No Arteta or Peanuts, but the Toffees should still prevail. Forgive the Yak and he will score!
Definitely watching Spurs vs. Slavia Praha. Even taking time off of work to do so. Should be interesting since they met last year in the UEFA cup, plus, Ramos already beat Praha in the Champions League earlier this year with his Spanish side… COYS
Headed to the Spurs return leg next week. Pumped up as it is my first European action in person
Atletico v. Bolton, offense v. defense.
Kun Aguero is going to destroy them.
If I could I’d be watching the Rosenborg v Fiorentina match because Fiorentina are my team. Rosenborg are one of the teams that dropped down from the CL too (from the group with Chelsea I think, and got a rep for being a tough team to beat in the group stage). Hope we make it through.
The Benfica game is probably the most interesting because Adu is involved…It’s a shame Corrales is out of Brann, and that Beaz is injured, however. Also, any chance Zimmerman makes a senior team appearance for Hamburg any time soon? No such chance for Johann Smith, unfortunately…