By Michael Samson

Barca face d-day

Manchester United travels to Scotland for the "battle of Britain" to take on Celtic while defending champions Barcelona visits Sofia Levisk for a tricky return leg on Wednesday.

The Red Devils, who are in their best form this season, lead the group on nine points while Celtic stand second on six and Benefica follow on four points. If Man United slip to a defeat to Celtic and Benfica manage to beat FC Copenhagen, then United will be under heavy pressure as they take on Benfica in the group's final game.

Reigning European champions Barcelona seem to be cornered as they take on Sofia Leviski, without the services of star strikers Samuel Eto'o, Lionel Messi and Javier Saviola. Barcelana will take on the Bulgarian side with just Eidur Gudjonson as the only out and out striker, meaning that he and Ronahldinho will be taking on the scoring responsibilities squarely on their shoulders.

Chelsea, who have already made it to the next phase of the tournament, take on German Bundeliga leaders Werder Bremen at Stamford Bridge . If Chelsea lose to Bremen and Barcelona fail to beat Levisnski, then Barca could kiss their dreams of defending their title goodbye.

Last season's champions league runners up Arsenal are flirting with danger as they host FC Porto at Ashton Groove. Surprise package CSKA Moscow - who lead the tbale on eight points - travel to Germany to take on Hamburg , (already crashed out) to consolidate first place. Though Arsenal are still favorites to go through as they lie second on seven points, the game against Porto could be tricky. The only side with a 100% record so far are French champions Lyon who travel to Romania to take over Steau Bacharest while nine times European champions Real Madird will be led by Fabio Capello to Dynamo Kiev.

Roma, second in their group host Ukrain's Shakatar Donetsk for a crucial three points to make sure they follow Valencia closely, who entertain Greek side Olympiacos.

Liverpool and PSV Eindhoven have already made it to the next stage, but both travel to Galatasary and Bordeaux respectively. The reds lead the table on 10 points while PSV follow with nine points and the fight for first place will definitely go on as both teams would want to avoid clashes with first placed teams of other groups. AC Milan travel to France to visit Lile while second place AEK Athens travel to Belgium to take on Anderlecht . Milan top the table on 10 points and could consider themselves through to the next stage. With ten points keeping them on top of the table, four times European champions Bayern Munich entertain Spartak Moscow while Inter Milan - second on the table - entertain Sporting Lisbon at the San Siro.

Garziato at the helm yet again

Two unimpressive 2008 African Cup of Nation's qualification matches and a literally nonexistant preparation for the 30th CECAFA tournament has led the EFF to appoint Frenchman Diego Garziatto as coach of the Ethiopian National team.

Popular among Ethiopian football fans for steering the national youth squad to its first ever world youth championship final, Garziatto was unveiled last Sunday for his second stint with the country.

Garziato was victim to a typical Ethiopian conspiracy during his stay at a time when Ethiopians believed that he would change the face of soccer in the country. The Frenchman was held out to dry by his then assistant Getahun G/Gorgies and was discredited by EFF experts and was forced to leave the team six years ago, only to come back as a senior team coach.

The EFF had promised to bring in a foreign coach, and though the promise was late, President of the EFF Ashebir Woldegiorgis made good on his promise by collaborating with Shiek Mohammed Al Amoudin in bringing in the coach. The 56 year old coach in his brief statement with ETV stated that it was too late to get his team ready for the CECAFA campaign but would do his best to help Ethiopia qualify for the 2008 CAN final.

Asked whether he remebered any of his old players, Garziato said, "I remember Ashenafi Girma, Dawit Meberatu, Yordanos Abay and Yonas GebreMichael,"

The players had been stars of the Ethiopian national youth squad that took part in the 13th world youth cup final in Argentina . The EFF also announced Swiss born Raul Savoy has been appointed as Garzitto's assitant.

Raul Savoy, who was in the beginning going to be head coach of the Ethiopian team saw a twist of fate put him in the assistants position. Savoy had been with the Moroccan and Cameroon national teams and understands the African game.

Though Garziato's salary and benefits are still being covered up, it is understood that Savory signed a two year deal that will see him earn a 5,000 Euro monthly salary in addition to benefits.Garzitto signed a contract to stay until the 2008 CAN to be held in Ghana .

CECAFA warms up to kickoff

The 30th CECAFA - Al Amoudi senior challenge cup tournament is scheduled to kick-off in two weeks time with 12 East and Central African nations leveled in three groups. Ethiopia , under the guidance of Diego Garziato and his assistant Raul Savoy, is expecting the arrival of the other teams starting tomorrow.

The 30th edition of the CECAFA competition has brought back Zambia and Malawi into the tournament after the two clubs abandoned it for the past 18 years. Their arrival has garnered an additional 100,000 USD prize money to the already existing 600,000 birr.

This is the third and final year for Al- Amoudi to sponsor the tournament, but rumors are going around that the business tycoon is not yet ready to give up his partnership with CECAFA.

The new rule added to this tournament is that if Zambia or Malawi win the championship, they will only take the money allocated to the title winner and not the trophy.

The 12 East and Central African nations (with FIFA yet to decide if Kenya will play or not) are leveled into three groups. Hosts and hot favorite to win the titile for the third consecutive title are leveled in group one alongside Malawi , Djibouti and Tanzania .

Zambia , considered a strong contender, is expected to top group two where Kenya is also a likely challenge. Seven times CECAFA champions Uganda seem poised to dominate group three.

Ethiopia , under hard working coach Garziato are preparing for the tournament though the time allocated for preparation is very short, especially for a coach who hasn't seen any of his players in action more than once. Ethiopia has won the tournament four times already and a win for the fifth time would edge the hosts to within one more win to take the trophy home for the second time.

Awasa suffer first loss of season

Awasa Kenema were brought back down to earth as their perfect start of the season came to an end last Sunday while new comers Shashemene Kenema collected their first ever premier league three points.

Four days after the surprise 5-1 home win over Nyala FC, league leaders Awasa Kenema surrendered a 2-0 away defeat at the hands of regional rivals Muger Cement FC. Though Awasa conceded both goals in the first half, head coach Jemal Ahmed's squad failed to launch a comeback in the second half.

The season's fifth week fixtures provided just one draw, with last season's runners up Coffee recording the biggest victory of the week as they trumped Nyala 4-0.

In the match where young Semere - who was first poised to join Electric but was swooped by Coffee, was named as man of the match - Coffee's supremacy showed that the permier league team was in a class of its own. Had it not been for the goalkeeper's fantastic saves, Nyala would have conceded at least half a dozen goals with the traffic headed in just one direction. Tafesse and Semere each scored twice to sink Nyala. Nyala have conceded nine goals in two matches, a wake up call to revamp the teams's defence.

Gebermdehin Haile's first encounter against former side Ethiopia Banks ended in a draw as Trans took the away lead early in the first half through Aradom, but Bereket grabbed the equalizer for the home team before the break. The game kicked off at 2:00 pm in the scorching sun, and near empty stadium suggested no future matches should start at such a time. Under Protugese coach Pinto, defending premier league champions Saint George traveled to Methara to beat the home side 2-1.

With the game breaking at one all, the home team seemed relaxed as they sensed a Draw at hand. But the Saints mounted a late attacking spree and won all three points, catapulting them to second place behind Awasa Kenema FC.

Insurance traveled to Debrezeit to take on Air Force FC where they beat the hosts 2-1. Insurance had many of their star players sidelined, but Behabtu W/Mariam fielded an able team that beat a well organized team.

Electric surprisingly lost 1-0 to Adama Kenema in Nazareth . Though Electric is headed by English coach Norton and players like Ashenafi Girma at its disposal and the team was expected to launch a serious assault on the title, the team seems to be faltering from the start.

Awasa Kenema lead the table on 12 points followed by Ethiopian Coffee and Saint George both on eleven points but on goal difference. In the mean time, the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) has announced that the premier leaguer would be interrupted for a months as the CECAFA cup final is set to begin two weeks from now.

Meseret receives special award

Olympic 5,000 meter gold medalist Mesert Defar was crowned as the season's best performer by the IAAF. But the real award of the athlete of the season for 2006 went to US bron sprinter Sanya Richards.

Mesert Defar who set two new records and recorded a string of wins in the season was among the three finalists for the female of the athelte of the season award along with the eventual winner Sanya Richards and Jamaican born sprinter Sharon Simpson.

Assafa Powell, the fastest man on Earth at the moment equalled his record 9:77 finishing time twice this season to add to his perfect season at the IAAF Golden League, recording seven wins in all the seven European venues. This record helped him win the male athlete of the season award.

The IAAf, prior to revealing the winner had released the names of the three finalists for the athelte of the season - sprinter Assafa Powell, hurdler Lui Xiang and thrower Virgilis Alekan. Except die hard Chinese fans, everyone in the world knew that Powell would win the accolade.

Winners of the athlete of the season accolade were awarded a 100,000 USD prize money.

Winning all seven of the races in the IAAF Golden League jackpot, Richards was top of the IAAF table for the past two months and however strong Meseret came on, she just couldn't upheave the American sprinter. The two athletes finished the season as number one and two on the IAAF table with just a point's difference between them.

Last season's winners Kenenisa Bekele and Jelena Isinbayeva were not even in the three finalists for the accolade.

Legendary coach Dr. Woldemeskel Kostre received his best coach of the season accolade at the occasion held in Monaco .

Mourinho is not as great

Thanks to Roman Abramorich's blank check, Jose Mourinho canjust call to his service any soccer star in the world. This season three world class players - German international Michael Ballack, Ukraine international Andrei Schevchenko and world number one full back Ashley Cole were Mourinho's latest aqcuisitions. Ballak, Schevichenko and Cole so far have one thing in common since signing for Chelsea ; a shocking performance decline and a very bright future for a regular place on the bench.

At Chelsea, there is only one king and that is Mourinho and when a player comes to Mourinho, star or no star, he falls into 'just a player' category and if he doesn't like that he could go back out minus his stardom. Shaun Wright Philips and Damien Duff are examples to those who were applauded by Mourinho, but later on relegated to nobodies.

Mourinho rose to stardom during his time at Porto where he won the Portugese premier league, UEFA Cup and of course the biggest honor of all, the champion's league. It is in the last battle field that Mourinho has proved his valor.

Of course Porto beat Monaco in the champion's league final, but Monaco coach Didier Dechamps was kicked out of the team a season later while Mourinho has enjoyed victory after victory. Many could say that Monaco and Porto meeting in the champion's league final was pure luck.

How ever no one denies Mourinho was captain of Porto 's ship that tormented some of the world's greatest clubs to win the champion's league.

But Mourinho has faced some crtisism as Chelsea have failed to stamp their authority in Europe and his style of play has bored the life out of many soccer lovers.

He can sign any player that money can buy to strengthen his team, but that didn't help him build a team that is feared by all. Mourinho can even sign any player he wants just to make sure that Manchester United, Arsenal, Barcelona or others potential contenders can't buy those players. Wright Philips, Solomon Kalou and Obi Michael are victims of his negative strategies. He twice won the premier league titles with a 1-0 narrow win over most of the clubs. Mourinho's supporters along with his enemies have voiced concern over the team's uninteresting games. To add to this, Mourinho has yet to conquer the European game.

If Mourinho is as tactically intelligent as his advocats then why doesn't he come up with a well orchestrated, fully dominating, fearsome side than what we are forced to watch every weekend? Why such ecastic diving for a draw against less quality squad Barcelona ?

Why is he always making knee jerking moves when facing tactically better individuals like Alex Ferguson, Rafael Benitez and Frank Rijkaard? No one can argue that Chelsea has one of the best players in the world, yet his achievement doesn't tell the true story for everyone is fed up with his 1-0 hardly earned wins.

Most of Chelsea 's victories come not from team plays which bare the manager's stamp, rather it comes from moments of individual brilliance like Drogba's goal against Liverpool or Lampard's goal from very difficalt angle against Barcelona .

I think Ballack, Schevchenko and Cole came to Stamford Bridge not to be part of Jose's tactical plan, but because they used to be their former sides best players. If these players can't make it in Mourinho' team in just a few games, then they are not able to play under Mourinho.

Though it couldbe hard to fathom, I believe that Mourinho is tactically illiterate and will be sacked by Chelsea at the end of the season and will not be signed by any other team.