Maritimo

By: Cesar | September 17th, 2008

I never knew how hard it would be to keep this up for 30 straight days!
Alas, I’ve made my readers a promise, so on I chug.

Today’s big news is … umm … there’s really not much to say.

We all know about Silva’s operation. Godspeed.
We have word that Valencia haven’t elected a team captain yet. Ok …
Fernando is working on getting young, cheap strikers from Africa, Eastern Europe, Brazil. There’s a wealth of talent in these areas, so I’m sure something will come up …

So what’s the biggest news of the day?

Tomorrow’s UEFA Cup matchup against Portuguese side C.S. Maritimo.

If there’s one thing the ragged tag team of Ronald Koeman and Juan Soler did last season, it’s lead the club to the Copa Del Rey title and a spot in this season’s UEFA Cup.

There’ll be some tough competition in this season’s edition, what with the addition of European super powers such as AC Milan, Olympiacos, Aston Villa, Schalke 04, Manchester City, Sevilla, Stuttgart … you get my drift. It’s not going to be a cakewalk.

Still, it’s not like the hair on the back of my neck creeps up when I think of this competition. Sure, it’s Europe. Sure, it’s a fun diversion. But again, it’s no Champions League.

Ok, enough whining.

So what’s in store in our opening tie, a two-legged affair against Maritimo to advance to the UEFA Cup group stage? (Two qualifying rounds produce a first round of 80 teams who play over two legs to find the 40 clubs that make up the group stage – where we are at now. This phase comprises eight groups of five, with each side playing four games, two at home and two away. The winners, runners-up and third-placed teams from each section advance to the last 32 where they are joined by the eight third-placed clubs from the UEFA Champions League. Here, the traditional two-match knockout format resumes, until the final.)

According to Wikipedia (what? You expected me to go to Portugal and do the actual reporting?),

Their most recent foray into European competition came in 2004-05, when Gustavo Manduca’s calm finish gave them a 1-0 lead after the first leg of the UEFA Cup first-round tie against Rangers F.C. They went out on penalties after a tense second leg, but still maintain a formidable home record against European opposition, drawing with Juventus and beating the heavyweights Leeds United, whilst both clubs were in their heyday. Marítimo have also qualified for the UEFA Cup next season following a 5th placed finish in the BWINLIGA in 2007-08.

Marítimo are now regarded as an important club in Portugal, and are widely known throughout the Portuguese speaking world, in countries such as Brazil, Angola and Mozambique. The club’s reserve team, C.S. Marítimo B, compete in the Portuguese Second Division.

As far as rivalries …

Marítimo’s main local rivals are C.D. Nacional, although there is also plenty of ill-felling towards minnows C.F. União, who are effectively the ‘third club of Madeira’ after the aforementioned. The Madeira derby between Marítimo and Nacional is often associated with the clubs followers’ differing culture and way of life. The fans of Nacional, being of a higher socio-economic status than those of Marítimo, are mainly lobbyists for the commercial expansion of Madeira, but the working class Marítimo followers are keen to preserve Madeira. This only exacerbates the ill-feeling between the clubs, which is made even more tense by the fact that controversial regional governor Alberto João Jardim is a self-confessed fan of Marítimo.

The rivalry heightened in the mid-1990s when Jardim proposed a plan to unite Madeira’s three main clubs, who at the time were all competing in the top division. Nacional and União both pledged their support for the scheme, in a bid for Madeira to realistically contend with the “Big Three” for the league title, however Marítimo’s fans rejected the idea in mass numbers, stamping their superiority on Madeira’s footballing scene.

A lesser rivalry is also enjoyed between Marítimo, and indeed Madeira’s other main clubs, and Santa Clara, who hail from the Azores archipelago. The “derby of the islands” is rarely contended, yet there is usually plenty of competitiveness in the battle to come out as the ‘top island’.

So like … there.

Their last Portuguese championship? 1926.

Star player? Talented winger Paulo Jorge played a key role with 32 appearances as Malaga gained promotion to La Liga last season. The 27 year old made the move to Maritimo in the summer, and has enjoyed spells with Boavista and Benfica.

So what exactly does this all mean?

I don’t know. Being this isn’t last year and we have an actual coach instead of a muppet at the helm, I’m thinking this should be a cakewalk. 2-0, 3-0, what have you.

But you can never tell with these teams. These plucky little clubs can cause some damage, like a gnat biting you on the leg. They’re pesky. They have nothing to lose.

Still, I’m expecting our boys to do the damage. There’s no reason we can’t go far in this competition, maybe even win it for the first time since 2004 under Rafa Benitez.

The final will be played at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, home ground of Fenerbahçe, in Istanbul, Turkey on May 20, 2009. Should we book tickets now?

I’m thinking this is a good opportunity to give players like Villa some rest. Let some of the rear guard play, like Zigic, Del Horno, even Timo. They need the minutes and the playing time.

3-0, with the starters hopefully getting some much needed rest.

Could be the start of a fun European campaign.