3 fans arrested after Italian Cup final; questions raised over Champions League safety

May 20th, 2009 LONDON - Manchester United fans should steer clear of certain Rome hotspots when they visit the city for the Champions League final, the British Foreign Office has warned. Thousands of fans are expected to travel without tickets According to Sky News, over 30,000 Manchester United supporters are expected to arrive in Rome in time for the showdown with Barcelona on May 27.

May 15th, 2009 LONDON - Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney wants to ram the title taunts of Arsenal fans back down their throats by clinching a hat-trick of English Premier League championships at Old Trafford. The Gunners' followers have never stopped reminding Manchester United that they wrapped up the 2001-02 title with a 1-0 win at Old Trafford courtesy of Sylvain Wiltord's goal, The Daily Express reported.

May 13th, 2009 LONDON - British football fans will be hit by a booze ban during the Champions League final. According to the Daily Star, Manchester United supporters will not be able to buy alcohol near the Olympic stadium in a bid to stop crowd trouble.

May 11th, 2009 VALENCIA - Barcelona are in sight of their first of three trophies Wednesday, in the final of the Spanish King's Cup against unfancied Athletic Bilbao. On Sunday Barca were just three minutes away from clinching the league title, but were finally held to a 3-3 draw by Villarreal.

May 7th, 2009 LONDON - Ace striker Cristiano Ronaldo marked his sensational double strike against Arsenal by telling Manchester United fans that he is going to stay at Old Trafford, despite rumours persistently linking him with a move to Real Madrid. "I am staying at Old Trafford," Ronaldo told fans after he led United to the Champions League final with two breathtaking goals.

May 4th, 2009 LONDON - Former Arsenal favourite Kanu is of the view that coach Arsene Wenger's whole managerial reputation rests on whether he can guide his team to Champions League success this season. The pressure is firmly on Wenger to beat Manchester United in tomorrow night's semi-final return, and then go on to overcome either Chelsea or Barcelona in the final.

May 2nd, 2009 LONDON - Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia launched a bitter attack on Champions League rivals Chelsea last night, branding their game as 'boring' and Blues fans as 'ghosts'. He also made it clear he would rather play Chelsea in the Euro final in Rome on May 27, as they would be much easier to beat than Barcelona.

May 1st, 2009 LONDON - Portuguese and Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo has said that he is already dreaming of Rome after his club beat Arsenal one nil in the Champions League semi-final first leg at Old Trafford on Wednesday. Ronaldo is convinced the Reds will finish off the job at The Emirates next Tuesday.

May 1st, 2009 LONDON - Defender Rio Ferdinand is likely to miss the return leg of Manchester United's Champions League semi-final after spending Wednesday night in hospital for examination of a rib injury. Ferdinand went off near the end of Wednesday's 1-0 win over Arsenal.

April 29th, 2009 LONDON - Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal will at last be crowned the football kings of Europe. "This is the moment we have all been waiting for.

April 28th, 2009 LONDON - Arsenal striker and captain Cesc Fabregas has urged the team's players to seize the day and become Champions League History Boys ahead of their first European encounter at Manchester United tomorrow. According to the Daily Express, Fabregas is one of three survivors from Arsenal's starting line-up who lost the 2006 final to Barcelona.

April 27th, 2009 LONDON - Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson has said that he will warn his players about the skill of Arsenal forward Emmanuel Adebayor when Arsenal ahead of their clash at Old Trafford on Wednesday. Ferguson - who says retaining the Champions League trophy would bring him more pleasure than a third consecutive Premier League title - insisted: "Right now Arsenal are the form team - just one defeat in 24 is a good run.

April 22nd, 2009 LONDON - Chelsea coach Guss Hiddink has targeted a treble, which he admits was unthinkable when he took over as manager in February. Qualification for next season's Champions League was the priority when he succeeded Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari, but Hiddink has been forced to rethink his aims.

April 21st, 2009 ROME - A disappointed Juventus look to overcome a 2-1 deficit when they host gritty Lazio Wednesday in a second-leg semi- final of the Italian Cup. In Thursday's other semi-final, the task will be harder for Serie A leaders Inter Milan, who welcome Sampdoria after a 3-0 defeat in the first leg.

April 15th, 2009 LONDON - Arsene Wenger, the manager of Arsenal FC, is confident his side can finish off Villarreal tonight to make the Champions League semi-finals. "This team is ahead of schedule.