If you can’t get yourself up for a match like this, then you shouldn’t be playing football, writes Liam Mackey

Arsenal fell to a narrow defeat at Cologne tonight but will still progress into the knockout stages of the Europa League as Group H winners.

Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal require a “global plan” which includes heavy squad rotation if the club are to be successful this season.

Olivier Giroud scored a stunning winner as a much-changed Arsenal side saw off 10-man Red Star Belgrade in their Europa League clash last night.

Olivier Giroud scored a stunning winner as a much-changed Arsenal side saw off 10-man Red Star Belgrade in their Europa League clash.

It’s a long, straight motorway, cutting through endless fields of corn, which takes you from the centre of Belgrade to Stara Pazova where, tucked away at the back of a small industrial park, resides the modern home of Serbian football, a state of the art training complex opened in 2011.

Stephen Kenny will be in Poland tomorrow to watch Legia Warsaw host Piast Gliwice as Dundalk accelerate preparations for their huge Champions League play-off games against the Polish champions at Aviva Stadium on August 17 and in Warsaw on August 23.

All set for the big one tomorrow? The Super Sunday to beat them all?

Thirteen points separate Paris Saint-Germain from the rest of Ligue 1, and it might as well be 130, given the chance of any of their rivals making a sustained challenge this season.

Can there possibly be a more mouth-watering prospect in the whole of the 2015 football calendar than Barcelona v Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou tonight?

NATO planes pounded Muammar Gaddafi’s forces attacking the rebel-held city of Misrata, destroying armour advancing on the port that is the besieged city’s sole lifeline.

GARY MEGSON is beginning to run out of friends at Bolton Wanderers.

Wolves have signed Ecuador midfielder Segundo Castillo on a season-long loan from Red Star Belgrade.

GARY MEGSON paid the price for fielding an under-strength side as Bolton followed Everton and Spurs out of this season’s UEFA Cup at the last-16 stage.

Sporting Lisbon 1 Bolton 0 (Agg: 2-1)

David Meek was the Manchester United correspondent for the Manchester Evening News from 1958 to 1995. He describes how the story of Munich came through to change a city forever.

BOLTON’S passage to the UEFA Cup last 32 was confirmed last night after the unlikely combination of results needed to eliminate them failed to materialise.

Bolton manager Gary Megson faces a selection headache on Sunday when they face fellow strugglers Wigan at the Reebok Stadium.

GAVIN McCANN’S first goal for Bolton saw them round off their UEFA Cup group games in fine style with a commendable win against Red Star Belgrade last night.

Red Star Belgrade 0 Bolton 1

Bolton manager Gary Megson believes he has no option but to field a team full of fringe players in their UEFA Cup clash with Red Star Belgrade tonight.

BOLTON are causing shock waves again because they have gone back to their roots, according to Gary Speed.

Bolton manager Gary Megson will have increased options tomorrow when his side face Red Star in the UEFA Cup.

Bolton manager Gary Megson is quietly confident his side can progress in the UEFA Cup next week when they face Red Star in Belgrade.

Bolton 1 Aris 1

AN OUTSTANDING defensive display from Rangers in Belgrade carried Walter Smith’s side into the group stages of the Champions League.

Red Star Belgrade 0 Rangers 0

Walter Smith admits Rangers face a venture into the unknown tomorrow night when they host a Red Star Belgrade side who have suffered internal turmoil in recent days.

Rangers will face Red Star Belgrade in the final round of Champions League qualifying after the Serbian side scraped past Levadia Tallinn.

Rangers match-winner DaMarcus Beasley insists UEFA and FIFA must take a hard line stance against racism after he was targeted by FK Zeta fans making monkey noises during last night’s Champions League tie.

Hearts 1 AEK Athens 2

AC Milan 1 Red Star Belgrade 0

DAMIEN RICHARDSON felt after last night’s comprehensive defeat at the hands of Red Star Belgrade that there had been two key moments over the course of the two legs which had decided the tie.

Red Star Belgrade 3 Cork City 0 (Red Star win 4-0 on aggregate)

THE atmosphere in the Serbian capital towards the Cork City team and followers ahead of tonight’s second round, second leg Champions League qualifier has been nothing but courteous and friendly.

CORK CITY’S Bosnian midfielder Admir Softic is expected to be the target of much attention from the Serbian supporters of Red Star.

Cork City boss Damien Richardson has no qualms about using the AC Milan carrot to motivate and inspire his players ahead of tomorrow’s Champions’ League return with Red Star here in Belgrade (8.15pm local time).

CORK CITY arrived in the Serbian capital late last night without controversial midfielder George O’Callaghan ahead of the critical Champions League second leg qualifier against Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday.

AC MILAN general director Ariedo Braida insists key men Andrea Pirlo and Alessandro Nesta will be at the club when the new season gets under way.

Cork City will face five-times Champions League winners AC Milan if they can see off Red Star Belgrade.

Cork City 0 Red Star Belgrade 1

Cork City boss Damien Richardson has promised his side will be ruthless when it comes to converting their goal chances in tonight’s Champions League match against Red Star Belgrade (kick off 7.45pm).