Real Madrid, Arsenal, Inter Milan all contenders for the Treble in 2008
Bernd Schuster is going for it. Jose Mourinho almost had it. Only four men in the history of the game have done it but Gerard Houllier thought he’d got it - only it turned out to be plastic.
The Treble: European Cup (or Champions League) in the same season as the domestic double of league and cup. Jock Stein (Celtic, 1967), Stefan Kovacs (Ajax, 1972), Guus Hiddink (PSV Eindhoven, 1988) and Alex Ferguson (Manchester United, 1999) form the elite – and there’s three new candidates vying for approval to the exclusive club.
Arsene Wenger presides over arguably his most talented squad at Arsenal, Roberto Mancini has an embarrassment of riches available in Inter Milan while Real Madrid have made their best start in over 20 years under Schuster.
Last week Marca reported that Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon is ready to offer his players bonus payments of 900,000 euros apiece in a bid to write an even more glorious chapter in their glittering history.
As if they need the extra motivation. The champions of Spain are desperate to sweep the board this season and Schuster, who won the domestic double as a Real Madrid player in 1989, is ready to field full-strength line-ups in the Copa del Rey to boost their chances of a triple trophy haul.
Barcelona stand seven points off the pace in La Liga, but remain most bookmakers’ favourites for the Champions League. However, Frank Rijkaard’s side have pulled a very tricky opponent in the Copa’s last 16 – Sevilla - and may be the first of 2008’s serious contenders to fall.
With the Champions League on hold until late February, the upcoming Copa, Coppa and Cup rounds could hold the key to which club emerges in the best shape to clinch the first treble of the 21st century.
Mourinho’s Porto came agonisingly close in 2004, his last season at the helm, when only an extra-time golden goal from Nuno Gomes denied them the hat-trick in the Portuguese Cup final.
The Dragons are on course again this year, but many would favour the claims of Internazionale – who have the squad to land Italy’s first treble. They go into their last 16 second leg Coppa Italia tie with Reggina 4-1 from the first leg.
Arsenal have the young, hungry squad that reminds many of the youthful Manchester United side which did it in the most dramatic fashion almost nine years ago. Wenger’s cubs could even land an unprecedented quadruple if they can go one better than last season in the Carling (Football League) Cup.
And what of Manchester United ? Is the scent of a treble in the noses of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and the returning Gary Neville ? As course and distance winners they demand respect.
Key fixtures:
Copa Del Rey last 16 (1st legs)
Barcelona v Sevilla
Real Mallorca v Real Madrid
FA Cup last 32
Arsenal v Newcastle or Stoke
Manchester United v Tottenham or Reading
Coppa Italia last 16 (2nd legs)
Internazionale (4) v Reggina (1)
Written by Simon Barlow, a professional sports writer who blogs about football betting at Betfair.
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According to ‘Lord of the Ferg’, Manchester United will definitely win the ‘Historic Treble’ once again!!!!!!!!
Ooopssss,or do I mean Quadruple???
Dudek & Saviola in the team for Copa Del Rey … so much for treating the tournament seriously
Inter Milan won’t be able to win the Champions League, they could do the double but no way the treble as they squad reeally does lack depth - Arsenal (hopfully) will!
will obviously comment after jan//
cauz bye bye toure,song
goto ur medical room sendros,johon…
so like u(gooners) hae just gallas at CB..
so we’ll wait and see
As much as it pains me to say it I worry what the coming 6 weeks will bring - African cup of Nations and injuries mean we look threadbare at the back. With the impressive financial figures released last year we can afford to go out and buy this January. Even some experienced defenders in on loan would be good to see. I can’t see it though I’m afraid, with Wenger’s policy of sticking with the kids.
If Justin Hoyte’s performance against Spurs was any indication, we dont need a new CB. Anyway I dont think Arsenal will win the treble this season, maybe one or two years from now. For now one trophy will do.
And wanker, your team also could have gone for the quadruple, but oops, they lost to some team I’ve never heard of before in my whole life…….and that too with your precious new players assembled internationally, and I think they lost at the ‘theatre of dreams’ itself………
@iqnadir shah
lost to some team you’ve never heard of before?????
either ur illiterate or deaf
Performance???? spurs???? yo bro u just managed a draw…yeah what a performance!!!!
and for your kind info we have’nt lost at the TOD…and we wont….and unlike ur team we wont jump around and orgasm in joy when we draw at home
@lukey gunner
atleast there is one person seeing through the mist
Well Inter Milan wont go far since they’ve drawn the 2008 champions in the first round
Hehe liverpool fan.fight for 4th!wigan hahaha
manutd fan. It’s funny how u call iqnadir shah illiterate when u do not seem to be able to read his comment properly. He merely pointed out that Hoyte performed well and wasn’t referring to the whole team. Even as a gooner I thought we played badly against spurs. But u must be ignorant to not realize that while we fielded a second string side with only a few regular, we managed a draw against a rejuvenated spurs team at nearly full strength. So yeah I would say that a draw was not a bad result. At the very least Arsenal are still in the Carling cup having fielded youngsters while man utd are not.
Having said that I do not think Arsenal would win the treble this season. As some have mentioned earlier, we do not have the depth in the squad to achieve such. But i back them to bring home one trophy at the least. The treble can come in a few years when the squad have matured. Agree with lukeyGooner. It can be frustrating at times when Wenger chooses not to spend despite seemingly dire circumstances. Guess we’ll have to wait for the end of the season to c how it goes.
We’ll see Liverpool_Fan!!!! We’ll fucking see!
manutd fan
Just who did Man uts lose to in the Carling Cup? I forget the name. Get your facts right before you pour forth your ignorance……….
As for hoyte’s performance, DID YOU WATCH THE GAME ?
As for us jumping around after we’ve drawn at home, all I can say is you idiots still get pissed off after conceding an injury time leveller against us. If you still are in this shape, i suggest you get some therapy………and fast………
Regarding the title(the glorious treble) I think it is the holy grail for the european clubs. There are a lot of teams within sight of this and there will be fewer teams competing for it after the first round of the CL playoffs. Arguably, Man U are the favourites this season simply because they did it in the most recent past with the same manager. And it is quite evident in the way they play that Man U are going for the CL with more gusto than the Premier League(simply because they are the current EPL champs) and Arsenal are more focused on the EPL. Will either of the managers’ well thought out plans work? All bets are on…….
Can Inter win the CL? Perhaps, but I doubt it. Can Arsenal? Doubt it just as much. Real? Better chance than Inter or Arsenal, and definitely a much better chance than Milan / Liverpool
I say United for the treble! United hasn’t even hit full form yet like they had in the 1st half of last season and also have so many key players injured like captain neville, scholes, park, and saha hasn’t got full fitness yet..but I do think that in this 2nd half of the season Man United will get their injuries back to full fitness and hit full form which will see them effectively push for the treble..but if Man United do repeat the famous treble of FA Cup, Champions League and the EPL, would the Community sheild that they won come into play? Quadruple?
Don’t count us out! Yes, we’ve been shite in the CL since after the 02-03 season, but we’re getting better. Last year’s CL campaign was a disaster from the start.
And absolutely no need for all that disrespect Ahmed and Kyle!
Man u are currently firing all cylinders … They have the best squad rite now …So no doubt that they will/ can win this season treble …. Last season they came very close - loosing to AC Milan and Chelsea in UEFA and FA cup … this year fregie is quite clever and he brings in all talented star players in his squad and guess what Manu are going for treble unnoticingly…Ronaldo is at top of the game , only injury can stop him and nothing else … hatrick against Newcastle tells u all… I am a Gunner Fan but its very difficult to accpet the truth..Arsenal needs to work on its strength to finish off things ,,, we need to win more than draws…But frankly speaking no one expected us to coem to top in the pre season discussion ..now see where we are .. so pat onn back for Wenger…
Bye … Gunner forever
I think Liverpool should be favourites IF we beat Inter