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Europa Draw

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First game vs Sporting Lisbon at 17:45hrs kick-off at Goodison!!! on Tuesday Feb 16th to leave the 8pm Thursday slot to Liverpool who play Uni from Bucharest — preference time to team that finished higher up in the Premier League — Uefa rule.

If we beat Sporting (Moutinho et al) we then play the winners of Athletico Madrid or Galatasry, we are away in the first leg.

Could have been worse — at least it's not a cold country


Mike Oates, South Coast     Posted 18/12/2009 at 09:41:38

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Malcolm Evans
1   Posted 18/12/2009 at 17:48:12

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I think we stand a really good chance of getting through to the last 16 here. Sporting are currently 7th in the Portuguese league, not as low as us but not as much competition either. Also come Feb we should, fingers crossed no further setbacks, have the majority of our boys back from injury.
I definitely think it will be a different story than our last trip to Portugal anyway.
Roberto Birquet
2   Posted 18/12/2009 at 17:50:33

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It’s Atletico, not Athletico (it’s Spanish, not Spanglish).

And we can take Sporting. But what is wrong with Uefa? They claim to seek a higher profile for the old Uefa Cup, and create a 17-game a season tournament with not a quarter of the riches of the CL, and then demand that teams in the second half of the competition play before fans get to the ground. Utterly pathetic.
Trevor Williams
3   Posted 18/12/2009 at 18:37:05

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Could have been worse..UEFA wanted 5pm kick off...Taking into account the rush hour and everything the police will probably put the game back anyway on the night...Lets see UEFA stop them :)
Matteo Rosingana
4   Posted 18/12/2009 at 19:28:15

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Good point Trevor. I recall a few evening matches getting put back by 15 or 30 minutes for safety reasons, I can see it happening again. Gives everyone a little longer to make it.
David Hallwood
5   Posted 18/12/2009 at 19:51:05

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Why have UEFA insisted that we play at this time?
Martin Cutler
6   Posted 18/12/2009 at 20:42:53

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Playing on the Tuesday makes sense but the actual kick-off time is ridiculous!
Keith Glazzard
7   Posted 18/12/2009 at 20:42:42

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Why this ridiculous kick-off time is very well explained at evertonfc.com -

"And Everton must kick off the home leg at 5.45pm because of an unfortunate clash with Liverpool’s game in the same competition - click here for more." (Be sure to click ’here’.)

Very interesting point Trevor. Would they prevent the game from starting? fine us? disqualify us? Can we get another half hour with a floodlight failure? Its their can of worms and I’d love to see it opened.

Y Roberto, a veces es un poco dificil. After all, Milan are called Milan, not Milano, and some argue that FC Barcelona should be called FC Crosby - but we can save that for the close season.

Alan Clarke
8   Posted 18/12/2009 at 21:03:41

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How long do they think the game is going to last for if a 5.45pm kick off on a Tuesday is going to clash with an 8pm kick off on Thursday?
Karl Masters
9   Posted 18/12/2009 at 22:09:36

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It’ll clash with the Champions League that night, Alan.

It’s all about money. Some people still haven’t realised that!

There’s a new central UEFA managed TV deal for this competition this season. It explains why all our away games are on ESPN and the general idea is that Clubs get more money out of a run in the competition ( remember we only made £400k profit out of all those games 2 years ago ) .

Of course, EFC now have even less say in things, and fans are only scenery for TV ( some people have not realised that one either ) but that’s what you get when you pray in the House of The Devils so to speak.

Ironically, our only hope on this one is the Police. Never thought you’d think that I’m sure.....
Gareth Atkinson
10   Posted 18/12/2009 at 22:41:08

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I’m just wondering when the second leg will be as well, as the same problem will occur in Lisbon for the second leg as Benfica are at home for the second leg as well, so i’m presuming last seasons league place will be taken into account for this as well, who finished higher out of Sporting and Benfica?
Karl Masters
11   Posted 18/12/2009 at 22:46:59

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Benfica came higher I think.

But will the time matter on an away day abroad? Nothing wrong with a Tuesday either.

Good spot though, Gareth.
Gareth Atkinson
12   Posted 18/12/2009 at 23:30:19

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Of course time and date won’t matter, i’m just thinking of the ones who might of jumped straight in today and booked trips for the thursday.
Roberto Birquet
13   Posted 19/12/2009 at 02:09:24

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Ah, but Keith, Milan was set up by Englishmen, and they took the English name. As did Genoa. Hitching towards Genoa one day my host told me that il Duce had the club’s name changed to the Italian, Genova. After his death the club deleted his heretical V, and went back to Genoa.

The English seem to get confused with Atletico, as another team is called Athletic (of Bilbao). But that would seem to be the politics of the anti-Castillian Basques.

I don’t know anything of this Crosby, you name.
Pero, el Atléti es el Atléti, digo Atlético. Upa!
Alan Clarke
14   Posted 19/12/2009 at 05:24:39

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Cheers Karl, I get it now. I may have to pull a sickie to get to this one.
Iain Love
15   Posted 19/12/2009 at 09:22:55

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I think we are due to play Man Utd on the Saturday after the Europe game, so playing Tuesday would be better for us, surely?
Chris Powell
16   Posted 19/12/2009 at 09:32:02

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Sporting finished higher than Benfica. Our second leg is on Thursday 25th (Benfica play on Tuesday 23rd).
Adam Doyle
17   Posted 19/12/2009 at 19:59:43

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Speaking of the draw, is Heitinga no longer ineligible?

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