Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas believes the Europa League will be given the respect it deserves when his side face Lyon in the last 32 of the competition.

The life of a great football team is brief: as the great Hungarian coach Bela Guttmann observed, “the third season is fatal”.

To listen to Mircea Lucescu, you’d think everything in Ukrainian football is stacked against him and his Shakhtar Donetsk side.

It’s half-time at the Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb and Croatia are halfway to disaster.

THE last meeting between the sides has been playing on the mind of the Croatia coach, Slaven Bilic. That was in the quarter-final of Euro 2008. Turkey, having gone behind to Ivan Klasnic’s header in the final minute of extra-time, levelled through Semih Senturk in injury-time, a goal that seemed to shatter Croatia.

The Examiner’s football correspondent Liam Mackey likes a good argument when he hears it, and he’s got strong views of his own. Today, and every Tuesday, he will be acting as referee on your opinions on the Premiership. Let him know what you think and he’ll argue the toss with you. We’ll be offering a free sports prize to the star contribution each week.

OLEG BLOKHIN found the perfect remedy for his team’s poor performance against Spain in their World Cup opener, and it paid off handsomely as Ukraine comfortably defeated Saudi Arabia 4-0 to rekindle their hopes of a place in the second round.

Juventus coach Marcello Lippi was impressed by Newcastle despite the fact Bobby Robson’s men have still to score a goal in the Champions League.

Newcastle boss Sir Bobby Robson once again left Turin having seen his side trudge off the pitch empty-handed despite a courageous display.

Eircom League champions Shelbourne must travel to Malta to play Hibernians following the Champions League first round qualifying draw in Geneva today.

Champions League half-times:

Champions League Half-Times: