Hamburg aren’t counting their chickens before they hatch as they prepare to host Bundesliga rivals, Werder Bremen, in the deciding fixture of the 2009 UEFA Europa League semifinals.

Hamburg remain cautious about their prospects against Bremen despite holding a 1 goal advantage going into a home fixture. That this goal is an away goal is unlikely to influence proceedings, as a single goal from Bremen this evening would negate this advantage.

Tonight’s meeting is the third of four fixtures scheduled between the two clubs that will end with a critical Bundesliga clash on Sunday. Hamburg lost the first match between the two sides a fortnight ago, going down to Bremen in the German cup semifinals.

However, the Hamburgers avenged their defeat in the first UEFA Europa League semifinal last week. The narrow margin of victory in both matches suggests that there is little to choose between the clubs, despite the fact that Hamburg is ranked well ahead of Bremen in the Bundesliga.

“For us, it’s the match of the year,” Hamburg striker Ivica Olic said of tonight’s fixture.

 
Round of 32 - 26/02/2009
19:45 AC Milan v Werder Bremen
19:45 Ajax v Fiorentina
17:00 CSKA Moscow v Aston Villa
20:00 Deportivo La Coruna v AaB
17:00 FC Metalist Kharkiv v Sampdoria
17:30 FC Twente v Marseille
18:30 Galatasaray v Bordeaux
17:15 Hamburg v NEC
19:45 Man City v FC Copenhagen
19:55 St Etienne v Olympiacos
19:45 Standard Liege v Braga
20:00 Tottenham v Shakhtar Donetsk
19:45 Udinese v Lech Poznan
20:30 Valencia v Dynamo Kiev
19:45 VfB Stuttgart v Zenit St Petersburg
18:00 Wolfsburg v PSG

Round of 32 First Leg - 18/19 February 2009
Dynamo Kiev 1-1 Valencia
Zenit 2-1 Stuttgart
Olympiacos 1-3 St Etienne
Aston Villa 1-1 CSKA Moskva
Bremen 1-1 Milan
Sampdoria 0-1 Metalist
NEC 0-3 Hamburg
PSG 2-0 Wolfsburg
Bordeaux 0-0 Galatasaray 
AaB 3-0 Deportivo
Braga 3-0 Standard
Lech 2-2 Udinese
Shakhtar 2-0 Tottenham
København 2-2 Man. City
Marseille 0-1 Twente
Fiorentina 0-1 Ajax

European football clubs are bracing themselves for a series of financial reforms which UEFA is considering enforcing across the region.

The changes will begin a crackdown on transfers in youth markets, and will initially look to remedy the financial disparities between European clubs.

However European Clubs are resisting UEFA on several issues, including the implementation of salary caps.

“Do we want to see financial responsibility, do we want to see… clubs healthy - of course we do,” said Liverpool chief executive Fred Parry. “What we can’t want to see in England is a dumbing down, we don’t want to be penalised for the success of the Premier League.”

English clubs are currently amongst the worst offenders in Europe when it comes to overspending, with debt in the Premier League exceeding 3 billion pounds, with much of this debt held by the so called ‘big four’.

The culture of debt amongst big clubs effectively penalises smaller clubs who use their financial resources more conservatively, as they are unable to compete for top players in the transfer markets.

“We all agree there is a problem, but there are no simple solutions,” said Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, chairman of the European Clubs Association.

Cristiano Ronaldo achieved a treble of football awards on Monday, when FIFA named him their World Player of the Year, adding this title to his European Player of the Year and FIFPro Player of the Year awards.

Ronaldo was acknowledged for the central role he played in helping his club, Manchester United, win the English Premier League, Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.

“It’s another overwhelming moment in my career,” Ronaldo said after accepting the award from Brazilian football legend Pele. “It’s a tremendously emotional moment and a dream come true. I’d like to dedicate this to my family.”

Ronaldo beat some of the finest players in his generation to take the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year title. The likes of Lionel Messi, Fernando Torres and 2007 winner Kaka had also been nominated for the award.

“This is the climax of a fantastic era for me. I’m happy and proud about what has been done by my team and what we have won,” Ronaldo continued. “I am lucky to to be part of the history of a club like Manchester United.”