Over 1 million pilgrims benefit from golf cart service at Grand Mosque during Ramadan    Visitors welcomed with Eid initiative at Thee Ain Heritage Village in Al-Baha    Tebuk emir reviews rain response in Tayma    Saudi Arabia considers rent cap as part of major real estate reforms    Messi's bodyguard banned from touchline at Inter Miami games    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Le Pen vows to appeal political ban, calls verdict a 'denial of democracy'    Death toll from Myanmar earthquake rises to 2,719 as rescue efforts continue    Russia, Ukraine trade blame over new energy strikes    Putin orders Russia's largest military call-up in over a decade    Albania hosts MWL chief for Eid sermon at largest mosque in the Balkans    Haramain High-Speed Railway transports over 1.2 million passengers during Ramadan    Saudi Transport Authority says passengers can ride for free if taxi meters are off    Ministry of Education forms 425 community partnerships with SR653 million impact    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Saudi creatives shine at Jeddah's Fawanees Nights with art, fashion, and storytelling    T1 CEO confirms Gumayusi's return for LCK Spring after lineup shakeup    100 Thieves claim Marvel Rivals Invitational NA crown as 2025 scene heats up    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Saudi Arabia hold Japan to goalless draw in Saitama to stay in World Cup hunt    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Ajax and Juventus meet again in Europa League
By Graham Dunbar
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 19 - 12 - 2009

Ajax and Juventus were drawn together in the next round of the Europa League Friday for a rerun of the 1996 Champions League final.
Ajax will host the first leg of the round-of-32 match on Feb. 18 before traveling to Turin for the return a week later.
Juventus beat Ajax in a shootout following a 1-1 draw in the 1996 Champions League final but the teams' fortunes have since waned.
The Italian side is in the Europa League after being eliminated from the Champions League, while Ajax was exposed to the toughest possible opponent by finishing second in its first-round group.
The winner over two games will meet Fulham or Shakhtar Donetsk in the next round. Fulham is in its first ever season of European football but its Ukrainian opponent is the de facto defending champion after winning last season's UEFA Cup before it was revamped as the Europa League.
Five-time European champion Liverpool and Unirea Urziceni, who were both eliminated from the Champions League, were paired in the round of 32, while AS Roma will meet Panathinaikos.
“We would rather be in the Champions League but we're not,” Liverpool club ambassador Kenny Dalglish said. “We are where we are and we have just got to deal with it.
“We will give it as good a go to try to win it as if it was the Champions League. I think the boys will not let anyone down.” Red Bull Salzburg, the only team to gain the maximum 18 points from its six Europa League group matches, plays Standard Liege next.
“Standard has a very good team, especially in attack,” Salzburg coach Huub Stevens said. “They have great supporters, it can get real hot there. This opponent is difficult, but we could've got more difficult.”
Salzburg was one of the 12 group winners to be favored in the draw by playing its home match last in the round of 32.
It gets no such protection should it advance.
Unirea also has the perceived advantage of playing second but general manager Mihai Stoica is not convinced that will be enough against an opponent that won its fifth Champions League title in 2005 and reached the final two years later.
Also, Marseille meets FC Copenhagen, Atletico Madrid meets Galatasaray, Valencia plays FC Brugge, Everton plays Sporting Lisbon and Hamburg is up against PSV Eindhoven.
Dutch league leader FC Twente plays Werder Bremen, Athletic Bilbao meets Anderlecht, Rubin Kazan plays Hapoel Tel Aviv, Villarreal plays Wolfsburg, Lille meets Fenerbahce, and Hertha Berlin plays Benfica.
Draw for round of 32: Rubin Kazan (ENG) vs. Hapoel Tel-Aviv (ISR); Atletico Bilbao (ESP) vs. Anderlecht (BEL); FC Copenhagen (DEN) vs. Marseille (FRA); Panathinaikos (GRE) vs. AS Roma (ITA); Atletico Madrid (ESP) vs. Galatasaray (TUR); Ajax (NED) vs. Juventus (ITA); FC Bruges (BEL) vs. FC Valencia (ESP); Fulham (ENG) vs. Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR); Liverpool (ENG) vs. Unirea Urziceni (ROM); Hamburg (GER) vs. PSV Eindhoven (NED); Villareal (ESP) vs. Wolfsburg (GER); Standard Liege (BEL) vs. Salzburg (AUT); FC Twente (NED) vs. Werder Bremen (GER); Lille (FRA) vs. Fenerbahce (TUR); Everton (ENG) vs. Sporting Lisbon (POR); Hertha Berlin (GER) vs. Benfica (POR). __


Clic here to read the story from its source.