Courtesy: UEFA.com

Draw not kind to Spanish rivals

Monday, 12 March 2007

by Paul Saffer

from Murcia

The coaches of Spanish rivals El Pozo Murcia FS and Boomerang Interviú would rather have avoided each other in Saturday's UEFA Futsal Cup semi-final draw - but MFK Dinamo Moskva are not displeased to be up against Action 21 Charleroi.

Spanish draw
Murcia, hosting the new one-venue final four competition, play holders Boomerang on 26 April after Charleroi meet the team they beat in the 2004/05 final, Dinamo. Boomerang coach Jesús Candelas is hoping to lead his club to an unprecedented third domestic championship, but speaking after a thrilling 3-3 Spanish league result against Murcia at the Palacio de los Deportes which preceded the European draw, he said: "For Europe it is good for the Spanish teams to play. I would have preferred to play Dinamo or Charleroi, but this is the draw."

Murcia aim
His opposite number Duda concurred: "These are the worst possible semi-final opponents, but the best in terms of us winning the tournament if we get past them and reach the final. In theory it is easier to beat Boomerang in the semi-finals than the final."

Dinamo happy
Dinamo and Charleroi will kick-off the final four event, and Dinamo director Galina Russkova said avoiding a Boomerang team who pipped them to the crown last year was just what the team wanted: "This is wonderful. Before leaving Moscow, my players told me if we draw Boomerang, don't bother coming back as we had a bad experience against Boomerang! But the draw doesn't matter as these should be the best four teams in Europe."

No revenge mission
As for the previous season's epic final, when Dinamo lost 10-9 to Charleroi on aggregate after extra time, Russkova added: "We are not thinking about 2005, we will fight and try to win and that's it." There was also praise for the Spanish venue. "It's the best place to have the UEFA finals," she said. "This is the best facility we have seen on our travels. And with us coming from Moscow, the best weather!"

Charleroi surprise
Charleroi may be the only club to have played in three of the five UEFA Futsal Cup finals, but lost much of their squad this summer due to financial problems and now have far less of a Brazilian influence. Club secretary Salvatore Di Marco said: "It is a surprise to be here; we are the weakest team of the four. Still, we'll keep our ambitions high. We've already played Moscow and Boomerang but have never met Murcia. We will prepare for the finals based on our knowledge of these teams in the past. We now only have five Brazilians, and are counting a lot on our young, promising players."




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