Chelsea could walk to Champions League final
Soccer Betting Lines
08/26/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chelsea is just a few miles from its first Champions League title. Getting there, even after receiving an easy group play draw Thursday, remains the elusive last step in the club's incredible journey.
Since billionaire Roman Abramovich purchased Chelsea in the summer of 2003, it has quickly ascended through the ranks to join Europe's elite clubs. Now, with Wembley Stadium in London - less than 10 miles from Chelsea's home at Stamford Bridge - hosting the Champions League final, the lure has never been stronger.
Chelsea has advanced to the semifinals in five of the last seven years, with a penalty kick loss to Manchester United in 2008 its lone finals appearance. The two years Chelsea failed to make at least the semifinals, it was eliminated by the eventual champion.
With its third English Premier League title in the last six years last season, and a pair of 6-0 victories over West Bromwich and Wigan to kick off 2010-11, Chelsea is displaying the form necessary to reach the last summit.
Chelsea has a clear path through the group stage, as Marseille, Spartak Moscow and Zilina were drawn into Group F along with the English champions. Marseille could pose a bit of a problem, but not enough to derail the Blues.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti has almost the same exact club that last season produced 103 goals in just 38 EPL games, and a healthy Michael Essien will turn midfield into an even stronger area.
Of course Abramovich tossed around a little cash this season, adding Brazilian midfielder Ramires from Benfica and Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun from EPL rival Liverpool. And the transfer window remains open - billionaires can never spend enough - so do not rule out a late addition or two.
English clubs have won the Champions League final in London (United in 1967-68 and Liverpool in 1977-78 at the old Wembley Stadium), but never has a club from the city lifted the title.
Arsenal and Tottenham join Chelsea in the chase this season, but the Blues are the team most likely to raise their first trophy at Wembley in May.
With Chelsea a lock to escape the group stage, here's a look at all the groups, as well as some prediction on which teams will advance:
GROUP A - Inter Milan (Italy), Werder Bremen (Germany), Tottenham (England), Twente (Netherlands).
Winner: Inter Milan
Inter won the treble last season by capturing the Champions League, Italy's Serie A and the Coppa Italia, and despite the loss to coach Jose Mourinho to Real Madrid, remains a major factor this season.
Runner-up: Tottenham
Tottenham survived a scare in the playoff round of the Champions League when it lost the first leg to Young Boys of Switzerland, but scored the final six goals of the series to secure a group berth.
GROUP B - Lyon (France), Benfica (Portugal), Schalke (Germany), Hapoel Tel Aviv (Israel)
Winner: Lyon
Lyon quietly extended its streak of reaching the knockout stage to seven straight seasons last year and, although the French club is overlooked at this point, remember it advanced to the semifinals last season.
Runner-up: Schalke
Schalke pushed Champions League runner-up Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title last season and couldn't have asked for a better draw. Although Benfica or Hapoel Tel Aviv could easily grab this spot, Schalke should do enough.
GROUP C - Manchester United (England), Valencia (Spain), Rangers (Scotland), Bursaspor (Turkey).
Winner: Manchester United
United had its streak of three straight semifinal appearances ended last year, but after a quarterfinal exit don't be surprised if Sir Alex Ferguson's men are back in the final four this season.
Runner-up: Rangers
The Scottish Premier League has not been represented in knockout play in the last two tournaments, but Rangers has just enough talent to edge Valencia and surprise Turkish champions Bursaspor.
GROUP D - Barcelona (Spain), Panathinaikos (Greece), FC Copenhagen (Denmark), Rubin (Russia).
Winner: Barcelona
The rich got richer with the addition of Spain striker David Villa, and Barca will again challenge for the title. Barca has reached the semifinals in four of the last five events, including titles in 2006 and 2009.
Runner-up: Rubin
Rubin stunned Barca in the group stage last year with 2-1 win at the Camp Nou and tied the second meeting in Russia but failed to advance. This time, Rubin will not get points against Barca, but will advance.
GROUP E - Bayern Munich (Germany), Roma (Italy), Basel (Switzerland), CFR Cluj (Romania).
Winner: Bayern Munich
Bayern squeezed into the knockout stage last year, then used away-goals wins to get past Fiorentina and Manchester United. Inter spoiled Bayern's run with a 2-0 win in the final, but the Germans are even better this season.
Runner-up: Roma
Roma went an incredible 21-1-6 over its final 28 games, including a win and a tie against Inter, to challenge for the Serie A title. Roma finished first in a group with Chelsea in its last CL appearance two seasons ago.
GROUP F - Chelsea (England), Marseille (France), Spartak Moscow (Russia), Zilina (Slovakia).
Winner: Chelsea
Chelsea has lost just five of its 42 group-stage matches in the last seven tournaments and should have no trouble again this season, despite trips to Russia and Slovakia.
Runner-up: Marseille
Former Chelsea midfielder Didier Deschamps is Marseille's manager, and with a confidence-boosting Ligue 1 title and the recent addition of strikers Loic Remy and Andre-Pierre Gignac, the group stage is attainable.
GROUP G - Real Madrid (Spain), AC Milan (Italy), Ajax (Netherlands), Auxerre (France).
Winner: Real Madrid
Mourinho is a good coach (the best even?), but he hasn't exactly taken over any struggling teams. Real has reached the knockout stage 13 times in a row, but has been eliminated in the round of 16 six straight years.
Runner-up: AC Milan
AC Milan trails only Real for all-time titles with seven compared to nine for the Spanish side, and should have no problem returning to the knockout stage for the seventh time in the last eight events.
GROUP H - Arsenal (England), Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine), Braga (Portugal), Partizan (Serbia).
Winner: Arsenal
Arsenal has reached at least the quarterfinals in five of the last seven years and manager Arsene Wenger always finds a way to have the Gunners prepared for the big stage.
Runner-up: Shakhtar Donetsk
Shakhtar won the UEFA Cup two years ago and advanced to the round of 32 last season before losing to eventual runner-up Fulham. Shakhtar will meet the same fate in the knockout round, only this time in the Champions League.
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Problem with Bears?
Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.
"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."
Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.
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