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Volcano Sparks Long, Long Journeys…

Published by Ian John on April 20, 2010

Iceland has a fair few Volcanoes and they are usually none-too-shy about bursting into life and giving the local population a fright or two. Some older readers may remember the island of Surtsey boiling into life in the 1970′s, the latest in a chain of islands just South of Iceland that make up the Westmann Islands. So it wasn’t too surprising when the small Volcano Eyjafjallajökull roared into life in March and then again in April. However we didn’t foresee the chain of events that the eruption would instigate.

As this relatively small Volcanic eruption continued to spew ash high up into the atmosphere, the winds at upper levels began to blow the ash towards Europe. Soon Scandinavia and the UK was under an ash cloud. Planes were grounded across the region. As the volcano continued, the ash cloud grew in size so more European skies became silent, save for the chittering of birds, wondering where the aeroplanes had gone. Hundreds of thousands of holiday makers left stranded, Airline companies on the brink of collapse… and still the volcano continues.

So in response to this, UEFA’s response was, typically, to do absolutely nothing, other than confirm that this weeks European Champions League and Europa League Semi Final first leg matches would go ahead. The upshot of which means, Lyon face a fourteen hour round trip (roads permitting) to play their semi final in Munich this week against Bayern. Fulham face a similarly long haul to reach Hamburg either by coach and train, or coach and ferry. Liverpool and Barcelona however both face two day trips to Madrid and Milan respectively to tackle Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan for their first legs.

That UEFA did nothing was hardly surprising. Given the amount of money in television revenue alone that postponing each of these games, not to mention the logistical problems of finding a suitable date to play them, especially with the volcano showing no sign of slowing down just yet, meant that UEFA were never going to sanction a postponement of the game for the time being. So, primarily because of finance and organisation, we are forcing the elite teams in European soccer, who have reached this stage of the competition thanks to their footballing abilities, to travel for one or two days to play a game, in conditions hardly suited to the travelling players arriving at their destination in peak condition to perform.

As such this makes the semi final clashes coming up this week all the more likely to throw up an upset or two in my view.

The first of these could come in just a few hours time when Barcelona, by far and away the favourites to lift the Champions League again, will face Inter at the San Siro. A 0-0 draw at the weekend with Espanol showed some unusual frailty and lack of imagination in the Barcelona team and Inter boss Jose Mourinho will have no doubt noted this. Inter will know that a Barcelona team, that has spent the best part of two days on a coach, will hardly be in ideal physical condition for the tie and I fancy Inter to make them pay and take a slender lead back with them to the Nou Camp for the second leg.

If Barcelona’s task looks difficult, Lyon’s looks like mission impossible. Bayern Munich have been in superb form of late, and thumped seven past Hanover at the weekend. Arjen Robben is looking to be one of the best buys of the season and is in the form of his life and Lyon, after their seven hour trip, may be forced to face the in form Germans without star striker Lisandro Lopez, who was hurt during the weekend’s 2-2 draw with Bordeaux. It looks a tough call on the French team who I think may struggle against the in form Bayern at the Allianz Arena.

In the Europa Cup, both English teams face an uphill task. Fulham travel to Hamburg to take on HSV. Roy Hodgson’s men have been imperious at times in the Europa League this season, but the travel problems, combined with the fact Hamburg are at home (and will play the final at home if they qualify) means that they will do well to return to England with any sort of chance for the second leg. The same can be said for Liverpool whose two day sojourn to Madrid will be made without Fernando Torres who, once again, misses out on the chance to play against his former club, Atletico, through injury. Without him, the reds chances of progress were hampered and their arduous trek will not have improved those chances any. Like Fulham, to return to Anfield for the second leg with any sort of chance of progress would be a decent result for Rafa Benitez men, especially given their away form this season.

So it’s big advantage to all the home teams in this weeks European action, our Icelandic volcano has seen to that.

Image Courtesy of ***Nasa Goddard Photo and Video*** on Flickr.com

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