Courtesy: UEFA.com


Futsal finals live on uefa.com

Thursday 15 November 2007

uefa.com will have live coverage of every ball kicked and free highlights from all 16 games in the UEFA European Futsal Championship which runs from 16-25 November in the Porto region.

Contenders
Holders Spain, hosts Portugal, past winners Russia and Italy plus hopefuls Ukraine, Serbia, the Czech Republic and Romania will be competing for the title in a sport which promises fast action and plenty of goals. Alongside extensive television coverage of the competition provided by Eurosport and other UEFA broadcast partners, uefa.com will be streaming the matches online for the first time.

Live coverage
Live streaming will be available on a free-to-view basis in some territories, including the United States, Canada, Central and South America (Brazil excepted) and Asia, while elsewhere live coverage will be available on a pay-per-view basis. Full subscribers to uefa.com's premium video service (uefa.com/video) will also be able to access extensive delayed coverage including in-match event clips, full match re-runs and ten-minute highlights from every game.

Free video
From midnight CET on each matchday, non-subscribers will be able to access two-minute highlights from every game, a special feature on the Man of the Match presented by Carlsberg in each fixture, daily features including player profiles, interviews and a guide to futsal plus the regular uefa.com Friday vodcast, which will have features from Porto.




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Last chance for futsal tickets

Thursday 15 November 2007

Tickets are almost sold out for the first three days of the UEFA European Futsal Championship – with only one source left for those who wish to attend.

Combined deals
Six Fan Buses will run from the central car park on Avenida da República in Gaia, near Câmara metro station, on every matchday during the tournament. And the combined €3 travel-and-ticket packages are the only way for anyone wanting to see the opening fixtures for all eight teams on Friday and Saturday, plus the second encounters in Group A with hosts Portugal meeting the Czech Republic and former winners Italy up against Romania on Sunday. Fan Bus tickets are also available for the remainder of the tournament, with the cost €5 for the semi-finals and €7.50 for the final day.

Details
Fan Bus details can be found by clicking here or emailing futsal@cunhavaz.com. Details for buying match tickets can be found be clicking here or calling (+351) 21 325 27 89 or (+351) 21 325 27 00.


Courtesy: UEFA.com

Key men fit for Azzurri challenge

Thursday 15 November 2007

by Paul Saffer from Porto

Italy trio Sandro Zanetti, Vinicius Bacaro and Carlos Mantovanelli have passed fitness tests to make the 14-man squad for the UEFA European Futsal Championship finals which begin tomorrow in Porto.

Nora out
Zanetti, Bacaro and Mantovanelli had been doubtful with thigh, knee and groin problems respectively, but all have been included after the final cut from 18 men made by Italy coach Alessandro Nuccorini. However, Patrick Nora misses out with a thigh injury. The Azzurri will take part in the opening game on Friday against hosts Portugal in Group A.

Italy squad
Goalkeepers: Alexander Feller (Luparense Calcio A5), Caio Farina (ElPozo Murcia FS).

Outfield players: Assad Fabiano (Gestesa Guadalajara FS), Anderson Pellegrini (Xota Pamplona FS), Marcio Forte (Montesilvano Calcio A5), Fernando Grana (Luparense Calcio A5), Jocimar Jubanski (Luparense Calcio A5), Carlos Montovanelli (Luparense Calcio A5), Edgar Bertoni (Interviú Fadesa), Saad Assis (PSG Móstoles), Vinicius Bacaro (ElPozo Murcia FS), Adriano Foglia (Montesilvano Calcio A5), Carlos Morgado (Montesilvano Calcio A5), Sandro Zanetti (PSG Móstoles).


Courtesy: UEFA.com


Romania ready for finals debut

Thursday 15 November 2007

by Paul Saffer from Porto

The moment has arrived for Romania as they take on the Czech Republic in their first-ever UEFA European Futsal Championship finals match.

New faces
It is not an easy start for Romania, as the Czechs reached the 2003 semi-finals and were hosts two years ago, and it does not get any better with hosts Portugal and former champions Italy also in Group A. But coach Zoltán Jakab has been in charge of Romania for almost all of their four-year existence as a futsal nation, and is happy his side have their chance. "We are very young in terms of futsal as we only started to play at this level in 2003," Jakab said. "We hope to play well against these three brilliant teams. We want to impress in Portugal."

Important test
But can Romania upset the odds and progress to the last four? This game holds the key, the coach believes. "The first match is always the most important one," said Jakab, who also coaches most of his players at national champions CIP Deva. "Romania and the Czech Republic are two teams of roughly the same standard. It is important for us to win, as it will give us hope against Portugal and Italy. If we do not win, it will be difficult."

Filinger suspended
Czech Republic coach Tomáš Neumann has picked a young squad but will have only 13 players from which to choose his dozen to face Romania – David Filinger has been included in his selection despite being suspended for all three group fixtures. Still, brothers Roman and Michal Mareš provide experience and Neumann, in his first major tournament at the helm, is optimistic.

Good result 'vital'
"I believe we have what it takes to advance from the group stage and if that happens, I will be very happy," he said. "I hope it will be an exciting tournament and that a lot of people will come and see the matches. In this kind of event the first match is always the most important – it's vital to start with a good result. However, Romania have a great squad and it will be a very difficult match for us."


Courtesy: UEFA.com


Futsal rivals set for 'great spectacle'

Thursday 15 November 2007

by Paul Saffer from Porto

Hosts Portugal and 2003 winners Italy have the honour of launching the 2007 UEFA European Futsal Championship finals on Friday in Porto and home coach Orlando Duarte declared: "If we show our quality, we will be the team to beat."

Italian challenge
With debutants Romania and 2005 hosts the Czech Republic also in Group A, it will be important for Portugal not to repeat their 8-3 reverse against Italy at this stage two years ago, and they be urged on by a likely sell-out crowd at the Multiusos Gondomar Coração de Ouro. "Italy have a great squad and both Romania and the Czech Republic are teams on the rise," Duarte said. "Each game will be given our full concentration."

Not decisive
Still, defeat against the Azzurri would not be fatal for Portugal's hopes, Duarte emphasised. "Our championship begins on 16 November; it doesn't end there. The match against Italy will be a clash between two very strong teams and I hope it will be a great spectacle with a sold-out venue. To play home or away has always been the same for me in the past 20 years, so I don't think that will decide our fate."

Trio fit
Italy coach Alessandro Nuccorini, who masterminded their 2003 triumph on home territory, has a pre-game boost with key trio Sandro Zanetti, Vinicius Bacaro and Carlos Mantovanelli being passed fit for the tournament – the Azzurri squad was only cut to the maximum 14 on Thursday's deadline. Nuccorini is typically ebullient. "I truly believe this is going to be a spectacular tournament," he said. "All eight teams are very strong and in recent times we have seen an improvement in how the competition is organised. The venues are outstanding and I'm sure there will be a lot of emotion in every single game."

'Perfect' opener
Nuccorini is more than happy to be opening against the hosts. "Portugal have a great side and all they lack is a famous victory," he said. "The match against them is not going to be decisive so there's no great pressure. I think it's the perfect way to start our campaign." Portuguese will be the lingua franca on the pitch as Italy boast a number of Brazilian-born players, something Nuccorini has always encouraged. "It's very good to coach so many players born in Brazil," he added. "I've learned a lot about futsal from them because they have a lot of quality and experience."



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