Why football fans are saying Auf Wiedersehen to the Premier League

Disgruntled former Chelsea fan John Peters, 46, explains: "I had been going to Chelsea on and off for about 10 years when a friend recommended that a few of us flew out to the Bundesliga. The experience was like going back in time to the terraces of the 70s. You are allowed to stand up and smoke fags, and a bloke with a beer siphon attached to his back will happily refill your glass for £1 a pint."




The man in front of you at your next Bundesliga match...

The Joy of Six: Football's Hard Men

From Dave Mackay to Claudio Gentile, the Guardian picks half a dozen of football's toughest characters.

The Mill + ++

Monday's Rumours


+


++

Tim Vickery in South America

Last Wednesday Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito became the first club from Ecuador to win the Copa Libertadores, South America's Champions League, in the 49-year history of the competition.

Ronaldo has ankle surgery

He could be out for up to six weeks and may miss the start of the new season.







No comment...

The Spanish lads celebrate their Euro win

...and David Villa gets cozy with the announcer. Alert: multiple dancing men in Speedos

Guzan Looks To Euro Jump

Now that Jozy Altidore is on his way to Europe, there may be no MLS player with more interest from teams overseas than ChivasUSA keeper Brad Guzan. He talks with Soccer365's Lars Lifrak about his current team, his prospects for making the jump to Europe and where he thinks he fits in on the US National Team.

Gareth Barry - Demise Of The One-Club Wonder

Peter Staunton explains why Gareth Barry's move to Liverpool may in fact denegrate his reputation as a player by comparing him to many of football's great one-club men...



Barry exiled by Villa

The Mill +

Thursday's Rumours



+

Van der Vaart Fart

Copa Libertadores: LDU make history to win thriller

Fluminense midfielder Thiago Nieves scored a hat-trick as the tie finished 5-5 on aggregate but his efforts were in vain as LDU won the shootout 3-1 to stun the 86,000 crowd at the Maracana.

Look Alikes of the Week: Alice Cooper & Gianluigi Buffon

Alice and Gianluigi

Fun in the Sun: Bye Bye to Euro Babes

But the football wasn't the only thing to admire in Austria and Switzerland!

The babes have been just as good to watch — so impressive that we've decided to do a best of the best slideshow of all those gorgeous female footie fans from across the continent.

Romania...

The Mill + ++

Wednesday's Rumours


+


++

Sid Lowe in Spain

A month ago, there were calls for the head of Luis Aragonés. Now he leaves the selección as their most successful ever manager. Here's how he did it.

The definitive story of how Aragonés led Spain to Euro 2008 glory

Boca furious as 20-year-old leaves after one match

Boca Juniors midfielder Sebastian Nayar’s decision to leave after playing only one game to negotiate a deal with a European club has provoked an angry reaction from the Argentine club.

Spain gives everyone hope – except England

Martin Rogers: ...Spain’s win doesn’t mean England’s time is coming. England doesn’t deserve success just because it’s England. That time may never come again unless the arrogance and superstition and nonsense is swept away and replaced by a dose of realism.

Copa Libertadores: Fluminense believe Libertadores final a formality

Brazil’s Fluminense believe overturning a two-goal deficit against Ecuadorean champions LDU in the second leg of the Libertadores Cup final on Wednesday is little more than a formality.

Valdano Warns Eriksson Of Cultural Differences

Former Argentine star Jorge Valdano has insisted Mexico manager Sven-Goran Eriksson will be in for a culture shock when his side resume their World Cup qualifying campaign in Central America…

Quotes of the Week

"Thirty per cent of the black players in the Premier League are black."
Paul Elliott on Radio 5Live.

All the Fun

(a lot of tennis this week -- sorry)

The Mill +

Tuesday's Rumours


+

Ronaldinho On Chelsea, The Olympics And Nightlife

Ronaldinho has hinted that if Chelsea made an offer to sign him then he would jump at the chance to work under Luiz Felipe Scolari again and team up with Deco once more.

Savour 2008 because greed will be party-pooper

Kevin McCarra:
It was the charm of Euro 2008 that everyone looked beatable, including Spain.

Major League Soccer: Some Stuff

Now that the tournament is over, we'll try and catch up with the league that is currently in action here in the States.

The Monday MLS Breakdown

Steve Davis:
Ten things to note from MLS Week 14

Uli Hesse-Lichtenberger in Germany

I hope this doesn't always become apparent, but normally I labour quite a bit when writing these columns. Coming up with something worthwhile to say (yeah, yeah - keep that quip to yourself) and then saying it in what is not my native language is not always as easy as, well, as it is today.

Wolff agrees to four-year contract with Wizards

Wolff left the Wizards in December 2006 to sign with 1860 Munich in the German second division, and scored two goals in 34 games with the German club.

Phil Ball in Spain

The best team won (for a change)

Deco aiming to put Chelsea back on top

Deco arrived at Chelsea from Barcelona, for a fee of around £7million, on Monday night and instantly declared that he can help the Blues become the best team in the Premier League and in Europe.




Pick a possible caption...