Courtesy: UEFA.com


Stiff challenge for Kairat

Thursday 18 November 2010

Group C kicks off the elite round with three-time semi-finalists Kairat Almaty welcoming stalwarts Iberia Star Tbilisi and Slov-Matic Bratislava as well as newcomers Akademia FC Pniewy.

Kairat Almaty (KAZ)
Champions of Kazakhstan seven years running, and looking good for an eighth success, Kairat are a major European force with three semi-finals to their name, though were pipped to the last four at Araz Naxçivan last season. This time they are at home and have added former MFK Dinamo Moskva players Leonardo Santana Da Silva and Micky De Oliveira as well as Aslan Smakov, a relative of Kairat captain Samat Smakov, to a strong squad including evergreen Kelson and the prolific Katata. "There are no weak teams in the UEFA Futsal Cup," said coach João Carlos Barbosa. "We are working hard to perform as well as possible. We hope the fans get behind us. We want to see a full house."

Main round: bye
Key players: Kelson, Katata, Micky De Oliveira


Iberia Star Tbilisi (GEO)
The only team to have played in all ten editions, Georgia's Iberia reached the elite round for the first time last season and did so again in some style in September. They warmed up for this mini-tournament with two friendlies against Neftçi İSM, runners-up to Araz in Azerbaijan last season, losing 4-3 but then winning 5-1. "Even though we started the domestic league with a huge victory [16-1 against Adjara Batumi], it will not be easy for us in the elite round, not only against Kairat Almaty but also the other clubs," Iberia's Ukrainian coach Oleg Solodovnik said. "Still our goal is to reach the final tournament. Vassora's recovery will help us to achieve this feat."

Main round: Győri ETO FC 5-5, FC Mapid Minsk 6-4, FK EP Chrudim 5-0 (Group 4 winners)

Key players: Betinho, Fumasa, George Altunashvili


Akademia FC Pniewy (POL)
Knocking out former champions Action 21 Charleroi in the main round on their European debut showed Akademia's ability. "Our victory over such a famous and respected team as Charleroi especially means a lot to me," coach Klaudiusz Hirsch told UEFA.com. However, they are facing three more teams with real pedigrees. "Only one team will qualify and definitely we are not favourites," Hirsch added. "If we manage to go through, it would be a huge surprise, but why not? The Almaty and Tbilisi teams are full of Brazilian players, and that makes them very strong, but regardless of the outcome, it is great experience for us."

Main round: KMF Ekonomac Kragujevac 1-3, Action 21 Charleroi 6-2, Kremlin Bicêtre United 4-0 (Group 6 runners-up)
Key players: Nicolae Neagu, Jan Janovsky, Dariusz Pieczyński, Frane Despotović


Slov-Matic Bratislava (SVK)
Bratislava were out of Europe last season but have resumed usual service, reaching the elite round as they did in 2007/08 and 2008/09. They have already stormed clear in Slovakia but coach Jan Janík knows that counts for little in Europe. "The other Slovak league teams don't show up our weaknesses," he said. "For me, the favourites are Iberia Star Tbilisi with their Ukrainian coach, six Brazilians in the squad and great ability. We would like to cause an upset, but I can promise nothing." Gabriel Bartošek and Zdeněk Sláma are doubtful with ankle injuries.

Main round: FC Kobarid 2-1, KMF Železarec Skopje 4-1, Sporting Clube de Portugal 1-2 (Group 1 runners-up)
Key players: Vojtech Várady, Peter Haľko, Zdeněk Sláma, Ladislav Mikita

Reporters: Mikhail Kozachkov, Vakhtang Bzikadze, Piotr Koźmiński & Rastislav Hribik




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Sporting home in on Murcia challenge

Friday 19 November 2010

Sporting Clube de Portugal hope to emulate SL Benfica's victory last term and are on home soil in elite round Group D against ElPozo Murcia FS, FK EP Chrudim and City'Us Targu Mures.

ElPozo Murcia FS (ESP)
Despite a stuttering start to the defence of their Liga title with an opening defeat by Lobelle de Santiago FS, Duda's side were soon back on track and have been scoring at an average of six goals a game. Recent signings such as Rafa, Thiago de Bail, Jaison and Dani Salgado have helped to strengthen last season's treble-winners and their coach knows they need to be in peak physical condition as they attempt to reach the finals for the third time in four attempts – having bowed out at this stage last season at the hands of Luparense Calcio A5. "We're looking at three games in just five days in this tournament and we know we can't afford any slip-ups as this is one of our main objectives of the season," Duda said.

Main round: bye
Key players: Rafa, Vinicius, Saúl, Jaison, Dani Salgado


Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR)
With former Portugal coach Orlando Duarte returning in the summer to the club he left in 2000 for a successful decade with the national team, expectations are high at Sporting, who ended a four-year wait for a ninth league title last summer with victory against UEFA Futsal Cup winners SL Benfica. "Our main goal will be to win all four competitions we are involved in," said the 53-year-old coach when he was unveiled and his side soon had the first of those trophies in the bag with a 5-2 defeat of CF Os Belenenses to lift the Super Cup in early September. As for the UEFA Futsal Cup, Duarte said: "We want to win," while Alex, a winner with Action 21 Charleroi in 2005, added: "Everything is in place to beat ElPozo. We have to go through as hosts."

Main round: KMF Zelezarec Skopje 5-1, FC Kobarid 2-1, Slov-Matic Bratislava 2-1 (Group 1 winners)
Key players: João Benedito, Pedro Cary, Deo, Leitão, Fernando Cardinal


FK EP Chrudim (CZE)
Chrudim, aiming to reach the finals for the first time, have won the last four league titles and have been unstoppable so far this season. Cacau, 38, was appointed player-coach in the summer and his Brazilian compatriot Dentinho de Lima has made a free-scoring start to life in the Czech Republic. Although they suffered a 5-0 reverse against Iberia Star Tbilisi at the end of their main round campaign, they were already through by then to their fourth elite round slot in a row.

Main round: Mapid Minsk 6-2, Györi ETO FC 5-3, Iberia Star Tbilisi 0-5 (Group 4 runners-up)
Key players: Dentinho de Lima, Douglas da Silva, Radek Mikan, Michal Mareš, Tomáš Meller


City'Us Targu Mures (ROU)
European debutants City'Us did the Romanian double last year and already look on course to repeat the trick. Coach Sito Rivera, who also leads the national team, has seven of that squad in his club side along with three Brazilians and two Portuguese – and showed his ability in this competition last year in charge of semi-finalists Luparense. City'Us will be hard-pressed to match that and Rivera said: "Our mission in the elite round is almost a mission impossible. Two of our opponents are among the favourites and one of them, ElPozo Murcia, can be considered as the best club team in the world. One player from Murcia would cost as much as our whole squad, including the reserves. However, in sport two plus two does not always equal four, so we will try to spring a surprise."

Main round: FK Nikars Riga 7-1, Sporting Fingal FC 8-2, Araz Naxçivan 1-3 (Group 3 runners-up)
Key players: Carlao Fereirra, Robert Lupu, Robert Matei, Cosmin Gherman

Reporters: Paul Bryan, Hugo Pietra, Ladislav Josef & Paul-Daniel Zaharia


Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com