Sombre Mood Ahead Of Champions League Qualifier
Aug 28th, 2007 by 'holic
It is a strange evening to be looking ahead twenty-four hours to a Champions League qualifier against Sparta Prague. I cannot pretend that the result isn’t extremely important to me, and probably most of you as well. Some semblance of perspective is imposed by the news of the death of Antonio Puerta following the Sevilla match with Getafe at the weekend.
The death of a twenty-two year old is painful under any circumstance. The pointless loss of a young life to a heart attack in a profession where fitness is everything is almost beyond comprehension. The football family worldwide tonight extends its sympathy to the family of a young man just five weeks from fatherhood himself.
Sevilla themselves were due to face AEK Athens in a Champions League qualifier tonight but this has been understandably postponed to next Monday.
With that in mind I trust that any bad feeling from the first leg of the Sparta versus Arsenal tie is firmly banished prior to kick-off at the Grove. I may possibly be hoping for too much. These are, after all, professional sportsmen, and the rewards on offer are huge.
With a two goal advantage from a good nights work in Prague you would be forgiven for thinking Arsenal could afford to make wholesale changes and rest key players. I’m not so sure. Although I have no doubt we will will progress on the night I am equally convinced a professional opening hour will be necessary.
Again there are defensive absentees for the hosts. Eboue, Gallas, and Sagna are definitely injured, whilst Lehmann appears possibly to be suffering from a strained attitude. Thankfully Senderos is fit to return and should line-up alongside Toure, Clichy, and either Flamini or Hoyte.
‘Le Boss’ must have given at least half a thought in recent hours to starting with Denilson and Gilberto in the centre of midfield. Fabregas could clearly be a target for the attentions of the allegedly fit-again Repka. The scorer of the winner against Manchester City is probably the one player who could be sensibly rested for the contest.
I hope, and expect, to be reporting tomorrow on a comfortable passage into the Thursday draw for the group stage of the competition. At least some of my thoughts, however, will be with fans in Seville and Athens. How difficult it must be for them.
One Response to “Sombre Mood Ahead Of Champions League Qualifier”
I certainly don’t like having death mixed with football. A young athlete dying of a heart attack is a curious one – I try not to think about it.
I’m much more interested in this idea of giving Cesc a rest – he’s earned it.