Three English teams draw German opponents
One of the fiercest international rivalries in football will play out three times in the last 16 of the Champions League when a trio of English teams take on German opposition.
Five-time European champions Liverpool and Bayern Munich were drawn yesterday to face each other, Manchester City were paired with Schalke and Tottenham will play Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund.
Also, three-time defending champions Real Madrid will first play at Ajax, while Barcelona were drawn with Lyon.
In other matches, Manchester United face French leaders Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus take on Atletico Madrid and Porto play Roma.
The draw included nine former champions with a combined 40 of the 63 Champions League or European Cup titles since the competition began in 1955. Real Madrid and Ajax have 17 of those titles, though those two storied clubs have never met in a final. It could be a long road back for Katrina Rore.
Not ‘‘consistent’’ enough to gain selection in New Zealand’s squad for the upcoming Quad Series against Australia, England and South Africa, the 31-year-old defender might struggle to ever make it back.
A Silver Fern since 2008, and veteran of 125 tests, Rore was the 2018 ANZ Premiership player of the year. If nothing else that suggests she’s played up to quite a high level over quite a long time. Consistently well, in other words.
And yet, in explaining Rore’s omission from the team, Silver Ferns coach Noeline Taurua said: ‘‘I need people who can perform and consistently perform and the ones who have been selected performed over this week.’’
Fair enough, too. She’s the coach and it’s her head on the block if the team doesn’t start improving.
Rore’s response to missing out has come via Instagram. She politely declined Stuff’s interview request, suggesting the post said it all.
Pledging to improve her ‘‘consistency’’ Rore talked about being a grinder, who had to rely on hard work rather than talent. Rore won’t want to burn any bridges here, but it was clear she didn’t share Taurua’s view about not being consistent enough to warrant selection.
Anna Harrison ranks among the most clever and combative defenders to wear the black dress. A veteran of 88 tests and winner of a Netball World Cup and two Commonwealth Games gold medals, she was a Silver Fern as recently as 2017, playing under Rore’s captaincy.
‘‘It is hard to make a comment about Katrina’s non-selection because you just don’t know how trials went, the style they want to play, what combinations complemented each other and the general internal workings,’’ Harrison told Stuff. ‘‘But I hope she received clear and constructive feedback as to why, because I do know
The potential first-time winners include Paris SaintGermain, who topped the toughest group ahead of Liverpool and Napoli with a tournament-high 17 goals in this year’s group stage.
Manchester City, also seeking their first title, arguably got the weakest opponents on current form. Schalke are 13th in the Bundesliga.
Months after leaving Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo will return to the city with Juventus for the first leg against Atletico. The final on June 1 will also be that has been an issue in the past.’’
So back into the defensive quartet comes former captain Casey Kopua, who you imagine will start alongside Jane Watson.
Watson was weirdly surplus to requirements under previous coach Janine Southby, but did well for Taurua at the Southern Steel and has been excellent for the Silver Ferns since her recall.
Kopua may yet become skipper again. But if that honour remains with Laura Langman, you have a tried-and-true Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic triumvirate of Kopua, Langman and Taurua that won the trans-Tasman league together.
Then there’s Erena Mikaere, who is a bit of pet project for Taurua, and Rore’s Central Pulse team-mate Karin Burger. An athletic and versatile circle defender, Burger can also push out to wing defence.
Taurua has tried midcourters Langman and Sam Sinclair at wing defence since becoming national coach, with Burger having the potential to add a bigger, more physical presence there.
Throw it all in the pot and Rore’s hopes of a swift return might not be that good.
‘‘I do hope she received clear and constructive feedback as to why.’’ Anna Harrison, above, on the dumping of Katrina Rore from the Silver Ferns
played at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid.
The first legs will be played from February 12-20, with the second legs scheduled between March 5-13.
Meanwhile, five-time champion Sevilla have been drawn to face Lazio in the last 32 of the Europa League.
Sevilla, who have won all five of their titles since 2006, are in second place in Spain and Lazio are fifth in Serie A.
Arsenal landed another long trip and will play BATE Borisov in the first leg in Belarus after group matches in Azerbaijan and Ukraine.
Napoli and Inter Milan will only have to cross the Italian border into neighbouring countries for games against Zurich and Rapid Vienna, respectively.
Chelsea, the 2013 champions, are at Malmo and Celtic will host Valencia in the first leg.
The first legs will be played from February 12-14, with return games scheduled from February 20-21.
The final is set for May 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.