Ukraine coach Blokhin takes charge at Dynamo

Ukraine coach Oleh Blokhin has been appointed to the helm of the club where he made his name, FC Dynamo Kyiv, and has promised to return them "to their former glory".

Oleh Blokhin has returned to the club where he made his name, FC Dynamo Kyiv, after being appointed as their new coach but will remain in charge of Ukraine for next month’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Montenegro.

Kyiv-born Blokhin, 59, has signed a four-year contract to replace Yuri Semin, who was dismissed along with his coaching team on Monday following a 4-1 Ukrainian Cup exit to FC Shakhtar Donetsk. According to Dynamo's agreement with the Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU), Blokhin will only give up his national team role after facing Moldova on 12 October and Montenegro four days later, having drawn their opening Group H qualifier 1-1 in England.

"Last night I had almost no sleep," said Blokhin, who will be assisted by Oleksiy Mykhailychenko, previously the club's sporting director, Serhiy Rebrov and Andrei Bal. "Dynamo's president gave me quite a late call, and I had to think about everything. This is a huge responsibility. I know what is to work with the club. It's not a national team, you have to be at the training base every day, sometimes even for 24 hours, trying to return Dynamo to their former glory."

Dynamo, who lost their UEFA Champions League Group A opener 4-1 at Paris Saint-Germain FC last week, welcome GNK Dinamo Zagreb on 3 October and lie third in the Ukrainian Premier League, six points behind Shakhtar. They last won the national title in 2008/09.

Blokhin, who starred as a striker at Dynamo in the 1970s and 1980s, said: "We have tough matches ahead of us: against Zorya Luhansk, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and Metalist Kharkiv in the league, as well as home tie versus Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Champions League. The team has to wake up. We can't just suffer one 4-1 defeat after another – it's too much for our club."

A privileged peek behind the scenes

UEFA.com's Steffen Potter discusses his job as a UEFA Champions League Venue Data Coordinator, which allows him access behind the scenes at some prestigious fixtures.

When you are lucky enough to work as a football reporter, you come into close contact with many of the stars of the world and European game. After a match in the mixed zone you get to ask the players questions and, sometimes, even chat to them off the record; it is many fans' dream.

I also work as a VDC (Venue Data Coordinator) for UEFA, a role which allows me to get a little bit closer to events on the pitch and behind the scenes. It all starts with an access-all-areas accreditation tag, which permits me to go wherever I am needed within the confines of the stadium.

On the day before the game, the first thing I do is meet all the UEFA staff on site at the stadium. They hand out the accreditations for all the UEFA.com personnel and, if I have not been to a stadium before, they will show me around. Then it is time for the first highlight of the week – the press conferences. I write down the coaches' and players' most interesting answers and occasionally ask a question myself, before I send them to the UEFA.com editorial team.

Besides being responsible for the accreditation and internet access of our UEFA.com team on site, the main task of a VDC is the collection of data before, during, and after the match. In most UEFA competitions, the teams have to hand over their lineups 75 minutes before kick-off. When they do so, it is the VDC's duty to enter these, as well as the tactical formations, into our system as quickly as possible – after which they appear on UEFA.com and often on your television screens.

A VDC is usually seated on the commentary gantry. Not only does this provide a fine view of proceedings, it often also involves rubbing shoulders with a number of notable former players who are performing television and radio duties nearby.

©Getty Images

Steffen Potter was VDC at Dortmund last week

During the match, we collate the game's data (goals, cards, shots on goal, etc). At the same time, our collection serves as an official statistical commentary for UEFA.com. After the match is over, we validate the key events with the referee's team. Who scored? Who was given a caution and why? Are there any incidents to be reported?

It is this time I like most during a VDC assignment as you can see the raw emotions of the players and officials right after a match. It is just great to be so close to the action despite the responsibility it brings. The best thing of all is that I now have first-hand experience of the emotion created by football, whether it be in Europe's premier club competition or at grassroots level where I coach in my spare time.

Knee injury rules Vidić out for two months

Manchester United FC defender Nemanja Vidić has suffered another injury setback and will be sidelined for around two months following an operation on his right knee.

Manchester United FC defender Nemanja Vidić faces another spell on the sidelines after being ruled out for two months following a meniscus operation on his right knee.

The 30-year-old centre-back, who picked up a calf injury in August, now looks likely to be unavailable for most of United's Group H campaign, which concludes at home to CFR 1907 Cluj on 5 December. "Sir Alex [Ferguson], as a precautionary measure, rested Vidić at the weekend after he complained of tightness in his knee. However, further medical investigation revealed the underlying problem," read a statement on the club's website. "The central defender was operated on this week and will be sidelined for about eight weeks."

Vidić played 90 minutes of United's opening day victory against Galatasaray AŞ but will have to watch from the sidelines when his team-mates take on CFR in Romania on 2 October.

Trophy tour takes to Turin

"The Champions League trophy is the most beautiful trophy there is," said Gianluca Vialli as he recalled lifting it with Juventus in 1996 during the trophy tour's latest stop in Turin.

Italy is warming to the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour, presented by UniCredit. Following a splendid kick-off in Milan, the prized silverware made its way to another football fortress, Turin, where it was welcomed with open arms by football fans – 20,250 visitors came to the Piazza Vittorio Veneto.

The stars were also out in force to greet the trophy that today's top footballers want to win. UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour ambassador Christian Karembeu, who won the UEFA Champions League twice with Real Madrid CF in 1998 and 2000, was joined by UniCredit ambassadors Gianluca Vialli and Francesco Graziani to mingle with the fans. No less than 4,659 photos were taken of the trophy.

FIFA World Cup winner Karembeu said of the trophy tour: "I think it's an amazing idea that was created by UEFA and UniCredit to make a dream come true for the fans; they can touch the trophy and have their picture taken with it."

"The UEFA Champions League is the most beautiful club competition there is," said Vialli, who won the competition with Juventus in 1996. "It's the competition where the best players play, where there is the best organisation, where there is fair play. The atmosphere in the stadiums is fantastic, there are very good referees, and great coaches."

"There couldn't be any more beautiful occasion for all fans who are passionate about football than to see the Champions League trophy from such a short distance," added Graziani, a World Cup winner with Italy in 1982. "It's the most prestigious trophy there is at club level. You have the chance to touch it, to have a picture taken with it, and to experience it personally."

Grassroots football is also on the trophy tour agenda in Italy. The UniCredit Cup, a youth football tournament, is taking place on Sundays at the tour's main venues. The tournament involves 32 teams of children born in 2000/01, and belonging to sides associated with the Centro Sportivo Italiano, which trains youngsters in different sports. The tournament is being played in accordance with UEFA-supported principles such as Respect and fair play.

Bologna, Palermo and Naples are the next stops on the trophy tour's route to its final destination in Rome, where it will be from 19–22 October. A free exhibition is available to fans, who will be able to take a photograph with the trophy and receive autographs from the ambassadors. Smaller stops, with trophy photo opportunities, will be held in Venice and Florence. The tour also comprises media events, with UEFA and UniCredit representatives joining football celebrities to talk about the European club football's premier competition.

In Bologna, Palermo, Naples and Rome, visitors will be able to visit the huge UniCredit Arena, a large pop-up stadium. Complete with entrance tunnel, the arena offers fans computer-simulated shots on goal – giving them an enthralling taste of playing in a UEFA Champions League match. A video cube, consisting of four giant TV screens, will add to the atmosphere. In addition, a memorabilia exhibition includes players' boots, jerseys and a changing room with kits from all 13 UEFA Champions League-winning clubs.

Remaining dates and venues for 2012 tour25–26 September: Venice (Piazza San Marco)
28–30 September: Bologna (Piazza XX Settembre)
2 October: Florence (Piazza della Repubblica)
5–7 October: Palermo
12–14 October: Naples (Piazza del Plebiscito)
19–22 October: Rome (Piazza del Popolo)

Porto meeting stirs 2004 memories for PSG

FC Porto and Paris Saint-Germain FC meet for the first time since the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League with both eager to build on a positive start to Group A.

When Paris Saint-Germain FC last took part in the UEFA Champions League group stage FC Porto were also in their section and eight years on, the teams renew acquaintance on matchday two.

• Both sides made victorious starts to Group A, Porto triumphing 2-0 at GNK Dinamo Zagreb while PSG were 4-1 winners at home to FC Dynamo Kyiv.

Previous meetings
• Those 2004/05 matches are the teams' only competitive contests. PSG won 2-0 in Paris thanks to goals from Charles-Édouard Coridon and Pauleta, with the reverse fixture remaining goalless.

• The teams for the 0-0 draw in Porto on 2 November 2004 were:
Porto: Baía, Jorge Costa, Pedro Emanuel, Ricardo Costa, Bosingwa, Seitaridis, Quaresma (Postiga 78), Maniche, Diego (Carlos Alberto 65), Derlei, McCarthy (Almeida 65).
PSG: Letizi, Pichot, Pierre-Fanfan, Yepes, Armand, Cana, Coridon (Mendy 74), Cissé (Bošković 86), M'Bami, Pancrate, Pauleta (Ljuboja 89).

• In 2003/04, Porto got the better of three French teams on the way to the UEFA Champions League winners' podium. They first beat Olympique de Marseille 3-2 away and 1-0 at home in the group stage and then got the better of Olympique Lyonnais in the quarter-finals, drawing 2-2 in France after running out 2-0 winners at the Estádio do Dragão. They then overcame AS Monaco FC 3-0 in the Gelsenkirchen final.

• The previous year Porto had lifted the UEFA Cup, a run that included a third round success against RC Lens which was achieved through a 3-0 first-leg win at home. They lost 1-0 in France.

• French visitors have got the better of Porto on home soil only once, FC Nantes winning 2-0 in the 1971/72 UEFA Cup first round to set up a 3-1 aggregate success. The other eight encounters have produced six Porto wins and two draws.

• Apart from that 2004 visit to Porto, PSG's other four matches in Portugal have come in the UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League. They have one victory to their name, beating SC Braga 1-0 in a round of 16 encounter on 19 March 2009 to go through by the same aggregate score.

• Their other three visits ended in defeat, most recently 2-1 at SL Benfica in the 2010/11 UEFA Europa League round of 16. Their record against Portuguese teams home and away is W4 D3 L3. Porto's record against French teams is W9 D6 L4.

Match background
• Porto are in the group stage for the 17th time, and opened their home campaign last season with a 2-1 defeat of FC Shakhtar Donetsk before a 1-1 draw against APOEL. One goal in the matchday six home game against FC Zenit St Petersburg would have taken Porto into the knockout stages but instead the 0-0 draw consigned them to third place in Group G.

• Runners-up in Ligue 1 last season, PSG are in the UEFA Champions League for the fifth time. In their last campaign, in 2004/05, they drew 0-0 at Porto and Chelsea FC, losing 2-0 at PFC CSKA Moskva and finishing fourth in their group.

• In last season's UEFA Europa League group stage PSG also failed to score an away goal, going down 2-0 at both Athletic Club and FC Salzburg and drawing 0-0 at ŠK Slovan Bratislava. They ended third in Group F.

Team ties
• Thiago Silva joined Porto in 2004 but only played in the reserve team before leaving for FC Dinamo Moskva the following year.

• Alex Sandro and Danilo play for Brazil alongside Thiago Silva, the trio helping their country to the men's Olympic silver medal in London in August. They lost the final 2-1 against Mexico.

• Lucho González scored Olympique de Marseille's goal in a 2-1 Ligue 1 defeat at PSG on 7 November 2010. The midfielder also found the net in Marseille's 3-0 win in Paris the previous season and finished on the victorious side in four of his six meetings with PSG while at OM, losing only that 2010 fixture.

• Helton was part of the UD Leiria team that lost 2-0 to Mathieu Bodmer's LOSC Lille in the 2004 UEFA Intertoto Cup finals.