by Khilen Mehta

Sir Alex Ferguson had made it his priority this year to take the Champions League trophy back to Manchester this season in memory of those who did not survive the Munich disaster. As United won Europe´s elite trophy for a third time, the triumph was made more poignant as it came fifty years on from the air crash.

The opening moments of the game were predictably tense. Neither side was willing to give the other an inch and there was plenty of possesion but little to mention in terms of clear opportunities. The game sparked into life however in the 20th minute when an aerial collision between Scholes and Makelele left both players with a yellow card and bloody faces.

This was the spark that United needed and for the rest of the first half it was all them. Ronaldo had been terrorising Essien on the left wing all game and when a pin point Wes Brown cross found its way to the back post, predictably there was Ronaldo, to steal ahead of Essien and send United into the lead. Chelsea rode their luck from then on in but they were partly saved by poor finishing. Carlos Tevez and Michael Carrick both should have done better with their chances and the game should have been all over by half time. But as is football, Chelsea were back in the game by half time. Essien, driving forward from the back in order to make up for this mistake, had a shot deflected away. No United player followed up the ball, and there was Frank Lampard to equalise for Chelsea. Such a fitting tribute for a player who is playing so recently after the loss of his mother.

From then on, it was all Chelsea. They came out for the second half with their tails up and played United off the park. Twice Chelsea hit the woodwork, twice they were denied by the heroics of Van der Sar. But at the other end, John Terry somehow stopped United from retaking the lead with a incredible goal line clearance. Neither side could break the deadlock and so after 30 minutes of gruelling extra time, severe cramp and some childish behaviour by Drogba that earnt him a red card, there came the chance to be a hero in the penalty shootout.

Tevez and Carrick were on target for United as the shoot-out started, with Ballack and Juliano Belletti following up for Chelsea. Then up stepped Ronaldo, so often the saviour for United, but this time his arrogance almost cost him as his kick was saved by Cech. And so with defeat staring United in the face, Terry stepped up. However the weather had been treacherous and he slipped, sending his kick against the upright and giving United another lifeline. Anderson and Kalou were both successful before Giggs threw all the responsibility on Anelka as the shoot-out reached sudden death. However it proved too much for the striker, who saw his penalty palmed away by Van der Sar. United were crowned kings of European football once again.

By Khilen Mehta

So if you’re like me, you are probably thinking what you can do this summer now that your domestic football season has drawn to a close. Your teams fate has been decided, you’ve shed your tears and you promise yourself that next season you will listen to your partner when they say, “it’s only a game, love!”

But is it really worth all the drama? Is it worth losing your beloved fingernails? Is it worth your wife or girlfriend threatening to leave you? Too damn right it is! And that’s why, even though England aren’t in it this time round, all football fans eyes will  be peeled on the European Championships this summer.

You can never get enough of football. Even if your team isn’t in it, there is always some member of your team playing, and you even get an early opportunity to scout some of the targets your manager is after. Seriously, what more could you want? So let’s get the lads round, crack the beers open and read my guide to the top three countries this coming summer.

1)     Spain- The Perennial Under-achievers

Every tournament pundits say the same. This is their best chance. They have the players and they have the support but every tournament they fall away at the quarter-final stage. So why should this year be different I hear you shouting? Because this time, Spain are coming into the tournament on a great run of form. 14 games without defeat including games against England and Italy. Fernando Torres will lead the line, Cesc will be tougher after a hard season and Ramos oozes class at the back. Could this year actually be their year?

Key Player: Fernando Torres to continue to knock the goals in

2)     Italy- The reigning world champions

So can the best team in the world, become the best team in Europe? Arguably the best passing team around, Italy’s only problem has been their lack of pace in going forward. However with a new fluid front three, they have a new attacking dimension that could catch teams out. They have the experience and they have the players. A definite threat.

Key Player: Andrea Pirlo will hold the team together and provide a set piece threat

3)     France- Last chance for the golden age?

Raymond Domenech has been bold in his squad selection. He has left out David Trezeguet and in his place fans will be itching to catch a glimpse of the countrys new gems, Karim Benzema and Hatem Ben Arfa. They have a solid, experienced spine with the likes of Thierry Henry, Claude Makelele and William Gallas all itching to make amends for their World Cup  misery.

Key Player: Thierry Henry to make up for his Barcelona misery

Call me biased, but I actually believe this could be Spain´s year. I´ve probably just jinxed them…

By Khilen Mehta

On Sunday night CSKA Moscow wrote yet another chapter in their illustrious history by defeating Maccabi Tel Aviv 77-91 to claim their sixth continental championship crown and second in the past three years. CSKA’s victory over Maccabi at the Community of Madrid Sports Palace moves the Russian powerhouse into second place on the all-time list and they are now only two victories behind Real Madrid’s haul of 8 crowns.

Trajan Langdon was named Final Four MVP after scoring 21 points on 4-of-5 three-point shooting and 7 rebounds to outscore six fellow CSKA teammates who also managed double figures in the victory. J.R. Holden added 14 points, Matjaz Smodis, David Andersen and freshly crowned Euroleague MVP Ramunas Siskauskas scored 13 points apiece.

Moscow coach Ettore Messina paid credit to both teams for providing such a great spectacle for the fans but believed his teams character was the main reason for their triumph. He described it as ” a continual challenge to match up with them while maintaining our team character.”

The victory gave  the Russian champs another title to add to their trophies from 1961, 1963, 1969, 1971 and 2006, with the 2006 victory also coming against Maccabi. Alas, this time for the Israelis, they fought hard but there was to be no sweet revenge…

Las Fallas is undoubtedly one of the most unique and crazy festivals in Spain (a country known for unique and crazy festivals). What started as a feast day for St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters, has evolved into a 5-day, multifaceted celebration of fire. Valencia is usually a quiet city with a population of a half-million, but the town swells to an estimated three million flame-loving revellers during Las Fallas.

Las Fallas literally means “the fires” in Valencian. The focus of the fiesta is the creation and destruction of ninots–huge cardboard, wood and plaster statues–that are placed at over 350 key intersections and parks around the city today. The ninots are extremely lifelike and usually depict bawdy, satirical scenes and current events (lampooning corrupt politicians and Spanish celebrities is particularly popular). They are crafted by neighbourhood organizations and take about six months to construct (and often cost upwards of US$75,000). Many ninots are several stories tall and need to be moved into position with cranes.

The ninots remain in place until March 19th, the day known as “La Crema.” Starting in the early evening, young men with axes chop holes in the statues and stuff them with fireworks. The crowds start to chant, the streetlights are turned off, and all of the ninots are set on fire at exactly the stroke of midnight. Over the years, the local firemen, called “bomberos,” have devised unique ways to protect the town’s buildings from torching along with the ninots, such as by neatly covering storefronts with fireproof tarps. And each year, one of the ninots is spared from destruction by popular vote and exhibited in the local Museum of the Ninot along with the other favourites from years past.
Each neighbourhood of the city has an organized group of people, the Casal faller, that works all year long holding fundraising parties and dinners, usually featuring the famous speciality paella. Each casal faller produces a construction known as a falla which is eventually burnt. A casal faller is also known as a comisión fallera.
Formerly, much time would also be spent at the Casal Faller preparing the ninots (Valencian for puppets or dolls). During the week leading up to 19 March, each group takes its ninot out for a grand parade, and then mounts it, each on its own elaborate firecracker-filled cardboard and papier-mâché artistic monument in a street of the given neighborhood. This whole assembly is a falla.
The ninots and their falles are developed according to an agreed upon theme that was, and continues to be a satirical jab at anything or anyone unlucky enough to draw the attention of the critical eyes of the fallers - the celebrants themselves. In modern times, the whole two week long
festival has spawned a huge local industry, to the point that an entire suburban area has been designated the City of Falles - Ciutat fallera. Here, crews of artists and artisans, sculptors, painters, and many others all spend months producing elaborate constructions, richly absurd paper and wax, wood and styrofoam tableaux towering up to five stories, composed of fanciful figures in outrageous poses arranged in gravity-defying architecture, each produced at the direction of the many individual neighbourhood Casals faller who view with each to attract the best artists, and then to create the most outrageous monument to their target. There are more than 500 different falles in Valencia, including those of other towns in the region of Valencia.
During Falles, many people from their casal faller dress in the regional costumes from different eras of Valencia’s history - the fife a flute and drum are frequently heard, as most of the different casals fallers have their own traditional bands.
Although the Falles are a very traditional event and many participants dress in medieval clothing, the ninots for 2005 included such modern characters as Shrek and George W. Bush.
The origin of Las Fallas is a bit murky, but most credit the fires as an evolution of pagan rituals that celebrated the onset of spring and the planting season. In the sixteenth century, Valencia used streetlights only during the longer nights of winter. The street lamps were hung on wooden structures, called parots, and as the days became longer the now-unneeded parots were ceremoniously burned on St. Joseph’s Day. Even today the fiesta has retained its satirical and working-class roots, and the well-to-do and faint-of-heart of Valencia often ditch out of town for Las Fallas.

Besides the burning of the ninots, there is a myriad of other activities during the fiesta. During the day, you can check out the extensive roster of bullfights, parades, paella contests and beauty pageants around the city. Spontaneous fireworks displays occur everywhere during the days leading up to “La Crema”, but another highlight is the daily mascletá the pyrotechnics spectacle which occurs in the Plaza Anyuntamiento at exactly 2pm. When the huge pile of firecrackers is ignited, the ground literally shakes for the next ten minutes.

Experience Las Falles in Valencia with European Vibe on Wednesday 19th March

This is a fantastic opportunity to take in the wonder that is Las Falles (La Fallas) in Valencia. Our trip gets you to Valencia by private coach before being taken to the best place to see all the action then head back to Madrid after “la Crema”

DAY & EVENING TRIP For only 39 Euros (tax incl.) per person

TRIP INCLUDES:

RETURN PRIVATE COACH JOURNEY
ESCORTED GUIDE
TOURIST INSURANCE

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