The group winners from the last stage will play the runners-up, other than teams from their own pool or nation.
United and Liverpool will hope to avoid Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
Arsenal and Chelsea, who came second in their groups, could face the likes of Barcelona or Juventus, and will also play the second leg away from home.
Last season, three of the English teams made it through to the semi-finals.
United won last season's competition, beating Chelsea 6-5 on penalties in Moscow after the pair had been locked at 1-1 after extra-time.
The Red Devils have made strong progress again this season, and manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes his side are better placed to retain the trophy than they were after their previous triumph in 1999
Friday, December 19, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
LADAN BOSSO INVITES MAN UTD YOUNGSTER ON RESCUE MISSION
Embattled Nigerian Flying Eagles coach Ladan Bosso has turned to unknown Nigerian-born Manchester United Academy youngster Nicky Ajose to rescue his team as he made public a list of 46 players invited for the African Youth Championship billed for Rwanda next month.
Born in Bury, 17-year-old Ajose who had been capped by England at the U-16 level tops the list of 21 foreign-based players invited by the Flying Eagles handler in what he referred to as his first set of invitees, a list that left out his top foreign-based players who prosecuted the AYC qualifiers.
CAF Champions League top scorer Steven Worgu led the 25 home-based players listed in the list as some of the players who featured in the dismal WAFU Cup outing were also given a second chance.
Midfielder Ajose who was born on 7th October 1991 is expected to prove himself when Bosso releases his second list of established players including Lukman Haruna, Rabiu Ibrahim, Chrisantus Macauley, Ganiyu Oseni and Kabiru Akinsola.
The tournament takes place in Kigali from January 18 to February 1.The players are expected to report to the Brifina Hotel camp in Abuja from December 15 for the domestic players and December 28 for the foreign-based players.
The squad:Foreign-based playersChima Daniel (Charlton Athletic FC), Kayode Fagbola (Saint Patrick, Ireland), Innocent Nkasiobi Emeghara (FC Zurich), Azeez O. Balogun (Belenenses, Portugal), Frank Temile (Dynamo Kiev), Jason K. Oladele (Dublin, Ireland), Robert Collins (AC Pro Sesto Calico, Italy), Adeola Runsewe (FC Midtjylland, Denmark),Kingsley Umunegbu, Nnamdi Oduamadi, Harmony Ikande (AC Milan, Italy), Gabriel Baba (Lusitano, Switzerland), Daniel Adejo (Reggina, Italy), Nicky Ajose (Manchester United), Jamil Adams (Barnsley FC, England).
Home-based playersSteven Worgu, Okoro O. Moses, Salami F. Gbolahan, Uchebo M. Okechukwu, Kennedy Eriba, Okafor Uche, Dele Ajiboye, Theophilus A, Steven Joseph, Obum Ogbe, Joshua Daniel, Edet Ibok, Alex Nkume, Vincent Atabo, Ambrose Peter, Edile Origoya, Samuel Tswanya, Obiora Nwankwo, Abe Sunday, Egbeta U. Michael, Igiebo Emmanuel, Otekpa Eneji, Timothy Idogbe, Peter Abraham, Ayo Saka.
Born in Bury, 17-year-old Ajose who had been capped by England at the U-16 level tops the list of 21 foreign-based players invited by the Flying Eagles handler in what he referred to as his first set of invitees, a list that left out his top foreign-based players who prosecuted the AYC qualifiers.
CAF Champions League top scorer Steven Worgu led the 25 home-based players listed in the list as some of the players who featured in the dismal WAFU Cup outing were also given a second chance.
Midfielder Ajose who was born on 7th October 1991 is expected to prove himself when Bosso releases his second list of established players including Lukman Haruna, Rabiu Ibrahim, Chrisantus Macauley, Ganiyu Oseni and Kabiru Akinsola.
The tournament takes place in Kigali from January 18 to February 1.The players are expected to report to the Brifina Hotel camp in Abuja from December 15 for the domestic players and December 28 for the foreign-based players.
The squad:Foreign-based playersChima Daniel (Charlton Athletic FC), Kayode Fagbola (Saint Patrick, Ireland), Innocent Nkasiobi Emeghara (FC Zurich), Azeez O. Balogun (Belenenses, Portugal), Frank Temile (Dynamo Kiev), Jason K. Oladele (Dublin, Ireland), Robert Collins (AC Pro Sesto Calico, Italy), Adeola Runsewe (FC Midtjylland, Denmark),Kingsley Umunegbu, Nnamdi Oduamadi, Harmony Ikande (AC Milan, Italy), Gabriel Baba (Lusitano, Switzerland), Daniel Adejo (Reggina, Italy), Nicky Ajose (Manchester United), Jamil Adams (Barnsley FC, England).
Home-based playersSteven Worgu, Okoro O. Moses, Salami F. Gbolahan, Uchebo M. Okechukwu, Kennedy Eriba, Okafor Uche, Dele Ajiboye, Theophilus A, Steven Joseph, Obum Ogbe, Joshua Daniel, Edet Ibok, Alex Nkume, Vincent Atabo, Ambrose Peter, Edile Origoya, Samuel Tswanya, Obiora Nwankwo, Abe Sunday, Egbeta U. Michael, Igiebo Emmanuel, Otekpa Eneji, Timothy Idogbe, Peter Abraham, Ayo Saka.
OBASI HUNGARY FOR WINTER GLORY IN GERMANY
Super Eagles striker Chinedu Obasi will be expected to play a key role when his Bundesliga side, Hoffenheim file out against Schalke in the last game of the first round of the German league season.
The former Lyn Oslo of Norway player who returned to active football last week after recovering from an ankle injury he picked in Hoffenheim’s 3-2 defeat of Wolfsburg last month will be the cynosure of all eyes at the Carl Benz Stadion when both clubs clash in the encounter.
And the Olympic silver medalist who has scored 6 goals in the Bundesliga is already hungry for goals as he hopes to increase his tally in the league and also help his team to maintain their leadership position in the German League.
Obasi who spoke to Complete Sports at the weekend, said he was back for real though he could not score for the ‘Village Club’ when he played his first game after he returned from injury penultimate Friday.
“I will be glad to go into the winter break with a victory over Schalke because we want to maintain the top and everybody is ready to do his best in the match. The match is very important for us and we are going to do our best to make sure we win,” the Super Eagles striker said.
The Nigerian international is one of the strikers coach Shauiabu Amodu is looking forward to help Nigeria qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The former Lyn Oslo of Norway player who returned to active football last week after recovering from an ankle injury he picked in Hoffenheim’s 3-2 defeat of Wolfsburg last month will be the cynosure of all eyes at the Carl Benz Stadion when both clubs clash in the encounter.
And the Olympic silver medalist who has scored 6 goals in the Bundesliga is already hungry for goals as he hopes to increase his tally in the league and also help his team to maintain their leadership position in the German League.
Obasi who spoke to Complete Sports at the weekend, said he was back for real though he could not score for the ‘Village Club’ when he played his first game after he returned from injury penultimate Friday.
“I will be glad to go into the winter break with a victory over Schalke because we want to maintain the top and everybody is ready to do his best in the match. The match is very important for us and we are going to do our best to make sure we win,” the Super Eagles striker said.
The Nigerian international is one of the strikers coach Shauiabu Amodu is looking forward to help Nigeria qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
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