Zurich will defy an ogre called AC Milan in the UEFA CUP

In Zurich’s greatest game since the 1974 semifinal against Liverpool, Challandes’ men will defy AC Milan for a spot in the UEFA CUP group stage.

The task appears to be impossible at first yet Milan is undergoing a crisis with two defeats in two games in the start of the Italian Championship and an evident weak physical condition. Add to that many important injuries and the aging of some old glories like Maldini, the task becomes less impossible for the Swiss side.

Yet Challandes is wary: “I don’t like what’s going on in Milan. When they were selected as our opponents I could have hoped that they would have underestimated us. Yet now it’s a must-win game for them, the president will be there – the coach will be under great pressure”.

Milan can choose from three Golden Ball winners (Ronaldinho, Kaka and Shevchenko) and quite a few World Champions – they certainly do not lack the experience.
Zurich will count on 3500 fans in San Siro who might also witness Senderos’ first official match for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
Following the Swiss League win over Vaduz, Challandes will ask his men to close the spaces and prevent Milan from playing they want to. Abdi, temporary top-scorer in the League, also says that Zurich will feel like Luxembourg before Switzerland-Luxembourg and will also hope to manage a great result.

AC Bellinzona face an ever harder task. The 2 Million Euro budget team from Ticino will receive Turkish giants Galatasaray who have made a habit of thrashing Swiss teams in recent years. Coach Schallibaum is aware that the chances of passing the round are very low and that Bellinzona will have nothing to lose.

Young Boys seems to have the easiest task on paper since they will play against Club Bruges. An experienced team in the Champions’ League the Belgians will have a slight advantage over the Swiss team before tomorrow’s game featuring a formidable duo upfront Sonck-Akpala. This is Young Boys first game in a higher round of a European Cup since 1993.

Chances are very high that there will be no Swiss teams left in the UEFA Cup after this round.