You could call this a breakthrough season for Austrian football, but it is a breakthrough with a catch, writes David Shonfield.

Both come from old port cities beside the Mediterranean, but the two men arrived at the top of their profession by completely different routes, writes David Shonfield.

There are men with a foot in both camps for tonight’s Europa League final. Daley Blind is one, another is Wesley Sneijder.

Tonight’s Champions League encounter between Juventus and Barcelona was always bound to be tasty and it has been given extra spice by the scandal that has erupted over the past week about alleged Italian involvement in matchfixing in Spain, writes David Shonfield.

There was a moment during the last World Cup finals when it seemed the Dutch might be about to write a new chapter in their glorious football history, writes David Shonfield

Ryan McBride wasn't a household name across Europe, but now his passing is being marked, much like those of footballers who have died in similarly inexplicable circumstances, writes David Shonfield

Seen from above, the man in the golden shirt is caught in mid-flight, high in the air, as if vaulting some invisible obstacle, writes David Shonfield

Fate has a way of setting up enticing Champions League encounters and Chelsea’s showdown against Porto tomorrow is up there with the best, writes David Shonfield.

This week’s Champions League matches have the feel of accidents waiting to happen, writes David Shonfield.

Football managers are either wizards or muggles.

Lionel Messi or Carlos Tevez, surely there is no comparison?

There is enough intrigue as well as quality in the Champions League semi-finals this week to have any football fan salivating, writes David Shonfield.

All friendly matches are equal but some are more equal than others, writes David Shonfield.

English clubs are becoming so cushioned financially that they may be a softer touch in Europe, writes David Shonfield.

Paris Saint-Germain believe they can beat Chelsea in the Champions League tomorrow night, writes David Shonfield.

Fifa is facing a serious revolt within the ranks against its ban on third party ownership (TPO) of players which was imposed in December, writes David Shonfield.

In a week that sees Barcelona in Manchester, Juventus taking on Dortmund and Liverpool’s return to Istanbul, tomorrow night’s match between Monaco and Arsenal might seem like a sideshow, writes David Shonfield.

How can a team go unbeaten for four months, conceding only four goals, and then manage to let in four in 69 minutes? writes David Shonfield

Forget the London clubs. Forget Manchester. Forget Paris, Monaco and Rome. The most significant foreign investment in European football came last week and it’s not Russian, Arab or American but Chinese, writes David Shonfield.

Turkish football has a turbulent history but no-one could anticipate the crisis unravelling this season, writes David Shonfield

Football sometimes seems like politics in disguise but in Greece, the opposite is also true, writes David Shonfield.

German football is like the German economy. Both are normally so strong that an upset can be magnified into a potential crisis, writes David Shonfield.

“Six years ago we were the predators, now we are the prey,” said Portuguese paper Publico yesterday, of a match where the Danes can afford to wait to catch their opponents on the break, whereas Portugal have to score.

Ian Macintosh and David Shonfield argue both sides of the debate

Miguel Delaney and David Shonfield argue both sides of the debate

There are real differences between German and Spanish football, above all when it comes to finance and development, writes David Shonfield

Lionel Messi and company were amongst those affected by this week’s air traffic chaos. But Barcelona had a luxurious back-up plan for their trip to Milan. David Shonfield reports

HAVING paid the ultimate penalty in Moscow last year, John Terry might beg to differ with the conventional football wisdom which holds that the penultimate carries more pressure.

AP: What’s your biggest fear for the forthcoming season for your club?

The Chelsea striker has a lot to look forward to in 2006 - including a World Cup with war-torn Ivory Coast. David Shonfield reports.