Conference trucks::football;1

    
    Does anybody know whether it's being broadcast in Germany. If so, then
    which channel is it on ???
    
    Keith.

    
    ARD methinks. A 'public' one it is, as far as I remember.	
    Could be they're only showing the highlights at 10 or so.
    
    Heiko
    

    In the US, Univision will televise the game at 11pm.
    
    Joe

    
    What about in France ? Not Canal + I hope .....
    
    Adam.

    In France it will be either FR3 or A2. I am not sure. One thing is
    sure, it will not be showed by Canal +.
    It starts at 20.15 h
    
    Bart
    

    Barcelona 1 Sampdoria 0 
    (aet)
    
    No other details as the radio reception is pretty poor
    
    Regards,
    
    Andrew.D.Wicks

    
    	Let me expand on what Andrew said in the previous note.
    
    	Ronald Koeman scored from a freekick in the second period of extra
    time. The freekick itself was awarded for dubious reasons. The referee
    blew because a Sampdoria player on the ground held onto the ball with
    his feet as a Barcelona player tried to take it away from him (does
    this make sense ?). Anyway, the kick was indirect. It was touched by
    one/two players before Koeman blasted it in from just outside the 18
    yard box. Quite a poke !
    	In the preceding 90 minutes, both teams were pretty much even with
    Stoichkov of Barcelona hitting the post, IMO. The ref, I thought, had a
    poor game.
    
    
    Regards,
    
    Kumar

    I wonder if I was the only one that thought he was watching the
    Dutch national side playing last night, the orange kit didn't help!
    
    A great 0-0 draw at full time, Barcelona should have scored near the
    begining of the second half but let the Italians off the hook. They
    then came very close to scoring. For me 'man of the match' was
    Lambardo (the Terry Mancini look a like) he was every where and gave
    100%.
    
    They deserved to win in the end and Keomans kick went like a bullet...
    
    -Dom

    
    re. the Barcelona kit.
    
    Anyone know why they were playing in orange? Seems to me that red and
    blue stripes would not have clashed with Sampdoria's kit.
    
    As for the match, a much better game than last year, with Bar�elona
    deserving to win. Just a pity that the goal couldn't have come earlier,
    say in the first half of normal time; it would have been an even better
    game then. At least it saved us from the dreaded penalty shoot-out.
    
    jeff

    Koeman was my Man of the Match as well. Great goal and soild in defence
    all the game. Makes you wonder what Holland going to be like in the Euro
    championships.
    
    Nigel
    

    re. Barcelona kit.
    
    I thought it was an awful kit, but it was even worse when they put
    their 'home' shirts on, on top of those orange shorts to recieve the
    trophy.
    
    Ian. 

    
    When you consider the normal tentative, defensive dross that gets
    served up in most European finals, last night's game can only be
    described as excellent. OK, it's a pity nobody scored earlier on which
    would have made it even better in my opinion, but that's just the way
    it goes. At least it wasn't for lack of trying - Barcelona seeing a lot
    of the ball and looking quite comfortable in possession, Sampdoria
    breaking from defence with lightning speed and accuracy at times
    (Lambardo was superb, but Vialli should be shot !). I must admit that
    had I been refereeing, I'd have got the yellow card out earlier and
    perhaps a few more times - I can't stand all this backchat that the
    continental players give the ref - but I don't think that the ref had a
    bad game overall.
    
    And as for you lot - after a game like that, all you can talk about is
    the kits. Is this a footy conference or a mothers' meeting ?  ;-)
    
    Adam.

    Barcelona played with these orange shirts because of superstition.
    Cruijf never lost a game in Wembley with orange shirts. He beated England
    2 times playing for Holland and also a Cup Final with Barcelona (also
    orange shirts). In that final Cruijf scored two beautiful goals, both
    assisted by Jan Peters. Those were the good old days.
    
    - Robert.
    

    
    I noticed the diving was up to the usual standard....
    
    Ian.
    

Being a Newcastle fan, I don't get to Wembley very often, so this was too good 
a chance to miss. What a great event. The atmosphere was fabulous. Barcelona 
had the 'Tunnel' end, Sampdoria the other and everywhere else was mixed. I was 
next to a crowd of English yuppies (thought they were extinct?) who were next 
to a small confused-looking Sampdoria enclave in a mostly-Bar�a section. Got 
that?

The Bar�a support was magnificent. They started singing, chanting and cheering 
when the teams came out for the warm-up and didn't stop. Did they show the 
crowd as the teams came out? Both ends had vast designs arranged. The Barcelona 
fans had all been issued with a coloured sheet of card to hold up. I THINK it 
spelled Forca Barca (does that make sense?) and other bits were the Catalan 
flag. The Doria fans unfurled huge flags and pictures over the entire end. A 
brilliant sight - how do they organise this stuff?

The match was gripping - I can't remember a game passing so quickly. The 
tension of having no idea what was going to happen next. Both teams were so 
adept at giving away the ball, anyone could have scored. Except that Koeman 
turned out to be the only one of 24 who could shoot. Great goal, but it's a 
pity the ref allowed himself to be conned one time too many.

The Sampdoria fans were much quieter than the Spaniards (especially after the 
game!) - they only really came alive when their keeper encouraged them at the 
start of extra-time. And then the noise consisted of a piercing whistle as 
Barcelona tried to pick a way through their defence. Interesting how the 
nergative tactics of the crowd at this point matched that of their team.

And, of course, a massive police and stewarding presence - not a sign of any 
trouble. Come back soon, UEFA.

grahame

    Was I the only one who couldn't work out why Andy Townsend was playing
    in goal for Sampdoria?
    
    Mike M

    Superstition: also because the previous two times when Barcelona played
    in Euro Champions Cup they lost with their usual shirt. 
    
    Diving: Sto�chkov principally. The guy is a joke.
    
    Game: Excellent, lots of chances. pity no goals though.
    
    Vialli: Blew up Samp's chances too often.
    
    Lombardo: Local nickname is "Popeye".
    
    Samp's keeper: Brilliant saves, but never blocks!
    
    Koeman: Sheer class.
    
    The best team won.
    
    Thank you Johan Cruyff.
    
    �JF?

    
    Did anyone notice have often both goal-keepers kept palming/punching
    the ball away rather than having to catch it... seems a bit strange,
    more by the Samp goalie than Zuba...
    
    Quite an entertaining game, end to end stuff, but it was the same thing
    everytime one team tried to attack, only in extra-time did Barcelona
    try to move into the box, rather than punt it up to the forwards all
    the time, and Samp did the opposite, tried to walk the ball in. 
    
    That's international footy for you. Koeman was excellent as was
    Lambada:). Vialla was a let down, and Schtikov(sp?) gets 9 out of 10
    for artistical merit for some wonderfull dives:) 
    
    mac
    
    What happened to Wales!!!??!? 5-0 down at half time to Romania, all excellent
    goals, scraped one back in the second half, but with a strike force of
    Rush, Saunders and Hughes you would have expected better. 

    
    re .16 
    
    Interesting point, Mike. And that Lombardo gets around a bit - last
    week he was playing for Leicester against Cambridge.
    
    re .12 (Adam)
    
    Are you calling my note a poof?
    
    jeff