Courtesy: UEFA.com

Third time lucky for Boomerang?

Wednesday, 8 November 2006

by Lucy Turner

from Barcelona

With the Elite round of the UEFA Futsal Cup to take place from 4 December, uefa.com will over the coming four weeks take a closer look at each of the 16 sides involved. Today, we call in on Boomerang Interviú, the defending champions who are bidding to make it an unprecedented hat-trick of titles in Europe's premier club futsal competition when they enter in Group A.

Patience needed
Boomerang have been waiting patiently to get their title defence under way this season as the holders were given a bye to this stage, along with three other teams. With 40 clubs now whittled down to 16, it is time for the Spanish side to show their worth although they find themselves in a mini-tournament staged by the impressive Italian outfit Arzignano Grifo C/5 and also boasting regular contenders MNK Split and the Czech challengers CC LKW Jistebnik.

Favourites
While Boomerang are not the reigning champions in Spain, that honour goes to El Pozo Murcia FS, they are still most people’s bet to go all the way once again in the UEFA Futsal Cup. The oldest club on the Spanish scene, having been founded in 1977, Boomerang have won the domestic title 16 times and the main cup competition on eight separate occasions. Originally known as HORA XXV, the club then changed their name to Interviú Lloyd’s and during that period took a record eight consecutive league titles between 1983/84 and 1990/91.

First taste
It was not until 1991/92 that the club adopted the name Boomerang Interviú, coinciding with joining the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Sala (LNFS). More silverware followed and a couple of other name changes – first Airtel Boomerang and then Antena 3 Boomerang - before reverting back to Boomerang Interviú in 2002. The club’s first taste of the UEFA Futsal Cup came in 2002/03 only for a forfeited match because of an ineligible player to cost them a place in the final.

European experience
They bounced back in the following campaign and marched all the way to the final before defeating SL Benfica 7-5 on aggregate. They failed to hang on to the trophy in 2004/05, with a 2-2 second qualifying round draw against Action 21 Charleroi costing them dear, but were back again last time around. In the 2005/06 UEFA Futsal Cup showpiece, MFK Dinamo Moskva were beaten 9-7 after a thrilling two-legged encounter.

Candelas class
The Green Machine owe much of their success to the experience of Jesús Candelas. The 49 year-old Madrid-born coach arrived at the club in 1998 and has overseen the club’s emergence as Europe’s pre-eminent futsal force. Not one to rest on his laurels, he continues to improve his team despite a solid base of Spanish stars Luis Amado, Julio and Daniel, along with the twin hot-shots Andreu and Joan, and the Brazilian brilliance of Schumacher and Marquinho.

Bertoni arrival
One of the new faces is Edgar Rocha Bertoni, the Italian international whose experience of Serie A1 may prove a useful addition considering the threat posed by Arzignano in the Elite round. Bertoni has moved to Spanish futsal from Luparense C/5, along with the diminutive but highly skilled Rogerio. The new faces could be key if Boomerang are to dislodge Murcia in the Spanish league, although they currently have a slight edge.

Experience
Remaining competitive in Europe's strongest domestic league while sustaining a continental challenge is something that motivates rather than frightens Boomerang. Ahead of their Elite round trip to Italy, captain Julio said: "It’s the toughest group we could have had but to be champions we have to beat all our rivals. Also, we have lots of experience of tough pitches and we just have to perform."



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