Udinese boss Guidolin bemoans international friendlies ahead of new season

Udinese boss Guidolin bemoans international friendlies ahead of the new season

Aug 14, 2012 4:17:00 PM

The former Parma and Palermo coach is also unhappy at his side having to play three times in a week, and gave his opinion on the match-fixing scandal

Udinese boss Francesco Guidolin has bemoaned nine of his players leaving for international duty ahead of the start to the new domestic football season.

The former Genoa and Monaco boss is currently gearing up for his third Serie A campaign in charge at Stadio Friuli, after finishing fourth and third in the league in his first two years with the club.

However, he must first try and ensure Udinese beat Braga over two legs to qualify for the Champions League group stage, the first match of which is on August 22.

"I think we are working well," the 56-year-old coach told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “We have enhanced the technical staff and are beginning to see the results.

“Unfortunately we will be back to play three games in six days, because August 25 is the [start of the] championship. It is absurd and hurts the sport.

“They want to promote TV? Okay, but it is not good for the sport.

"And what about the friendlies in mid-August? One week from the [Braga] game, like that, [they] take away nine players and I need to train my team.

“Though, for heaven's sake, I am delighted that [Diego] Fabbrini has been called [up] by Prandelli.”

Guidolin admitted that the betting scandal that has seen Juventus boss Antonio Conte partially banned for 10 months has left a bitter taste in his mouth, but he is glad that Italian football is trying to clean up its act.

“The betting scandal is a horrible chapter, hopefully we will not fall for it again,” he added. “I do not dwell on it, but crime must be eliminated from our environment.

“As for Conte, I am sorry because he is a colleague.”

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Champions League final - LIVE!

German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will battle it out at Wembley for European glory. Get involved by sending us your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook! Hosted by Mark Doyle.

6:40 PM BST

And now the Bayern line-up! The only small surprise here is that Jerome Boateng has been preferred to Daniel van Buyten alongside Dante at the heart of the defence. As expected, Mario Mandzukic has got the nod up front ahead of Mario Gomez.

Bayern Munich: Neuer; Lahm, Dante, Boateng, Alaba; Martinez, Schweinsteiger; Robben, Muller, Ribery; Mandzukic.

6:36 PM BST

Borussia Dortmund have announced their starting line-up for tonight's Champions League final!! And it's as we predicted, with Kevin Grosskreutz starting on the left-hand side and Marco Reus moving infield to fill the void left by the injured Mario Gotze.

Dortmund XI v Bayern: Weidenfeller; Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer; Gundogan, Bender; Blaszczykowski, Reus, Grosskreutz; Lewandowski.

6:31 PM BST

Questions rolling in for our own Carlo Garganese over on Twitter, the most left-field of which comes 'I'm Moeg, Sien jy! ‏@MurGyver 34s', who writes:

"Is it true that players can't wear underwear in the final?"

Surely you have to log on now for no other reason than to find out the answer to that cracking enquiry?!

6:26 PM BST

Bayern have arrived at Wembley! The legendary Lothar Mattheus will obviously be cheering on die Roten this evening, but he is just hoping that Fussball is the winner tonight:

"The whole world will watch the game," the World Cup winner told Sky Sport Germany. "It electrifies the masses. Never before there was so much talk about a Champions League final than this time.

"Both groups of fans know the whole world is watching. We have to present ourselves similar to the way we did at WC 2006 because it brings a lot of sympathy. Today we have another chance to present Germany in a positive way."

Unfortunately, there were reports of some clashes between rival sets of fans earlier in the day, but, happily, the atmosphere at the ground is wonderfully good-natured.

6:18 PM BST

Former Dortmund goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was present at the Champions League festival earlier and he is tipping his former side for the title: "I think Bayern are a little stronger but if I was to have a bet, I would bet on Dortmund because that would win me more money!"

However, our tipster Hugh Wilson reckons that the value is a punt on both sides scoring in the first half ...

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