2012/13 UEFA Europa League: Quarterfinal draw out

The draw for the Quarterfinals for the 2012/13 UEFA Europa League was carried out yesterday in Nyon, Switzerland. And there are some mouth watering clashes coming.

There are some interesting match-ups in the quarterfinals with three English Premier League clubs involved. The top pick is surely between Chelsea FC and Russian side Rubin Kazan with other interesting ties between Tottenham Hotspur FC - FC Basel 1893, Fenerbahçe SK - SS Lazio Roma and SL Benfica Lisboa - Newcastle United FC.

The quarterfinal matches will be played on April 4 and 11, while the semifinal games are scheduled to take place on April 25 and May 2 with the final on May 15 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.


Quarterfinals
Chelsea FC - FC Rubin Kazan
Tottenham Hotspur FC - FC Basel 1893
Fenerbahçe SK - SS Lazio Roma
SL Benfica Lisboa - Newcastle United FC

VIDEO: Snow falls through the Amsterdam ArenA roof!

At the moment the winter is quite harsh in Europe and here is a clip on what happened Sunday at the Amsterdam ArenA during the Ajax Amsterdam vs Feyenoord Rotterdam Eredivisie match, when through a hole in the closed roof snow feel through onto the reserve benches and seats around.

Amsterdam in a Tuk Tuk

Some might ask the question what is a Tuk Tuk? Well, it is the Thai version of our Indian auto rickshaw. And why am I talking about it while in Amsterdam? Well I found one yesterday evening while looking for a location to watch the Germany vs Uruguay match. And there she was, a beauty in Orange with flags, garlands, in Dutch colours. I directly had an idea. I need to do a "price to camera" once again using an auto rickshaw as a backdrop while being in Europe.

I quickly did but a heavy thunder shower with lightening and rains was on the way, so suddenly the owner of the Tuk Tuk turned up to put it back into the garage. And he was more then happy for us to shoot his vehicle. His friends also turned up and they told us about their club of friends which was situated behind the house where the Tuk Tuk stood. And there was this small club house in which these people meet-up on Friday's and enjoy their time. Normally over the autumn, winter and spring; but during the World Cup they have met for the matches of the Netherlands.

During our conversation we get the offer if we want to tour Amsterdam in the Tuk Tuk the next morning. And it is an offer too good to turn down, so at 8.45 am the next morning we are back at the club, have a cup of coffee and then we are off to visit the hotspots of Amsterdam to shoot with the Tuk Tuk and interview people ahead of tonight's game. It is an enjoyable ride as it isn't a typical Asian vehicle as the owner has tuned in up a little over the years and surely could have taken part in the MTV series "Pimp My Ride".

We first went to the Museum Plein, the main square for public viewing in Amsterdam where tonight over 70,000 people are expected to view the game. Construction was at the time still on in full swing and I got the chance to interview locals, tourists from Spain and the USA plus media colleagues. Thereafter we drove through the small lanes of Amsterdam along the water and our rickshaw was an attraction for all, who hadn't seen something like this before we ended our morning at a major square with further interviews and reactions before the game. One could feel the buzz in the city ahead of the game. And also the Tuk Tuk ride ended for us...

Football Weekend in Amsterdam

I have been send for the final 2010 FIFA World Cup weekend to Amsterdam to cover how the Dutch celebrate their team ahead, during and after the final match against Spain in Johannesburg, South Africa. A football weekend in Amsterdam which I really look forward to...

I am really curious to see if the Dutch celebrate like what I have seen from the Germans over the last few weeks or if it is somehow different. The first impression of Amsterdam after my arrival is that there aren't too many flags hanging out of building and houses plus the Dutch don't really sport their blue-white-red flag or Oranje colours on their cars like the Germans do with the black-red-gold. But you see loads of people in Orange T-Shirts across town.

On going across to the main public viewing area, the Museum Plein, where over 70,000 people are expected to watch the game one wouldn't believe that so many people would be there to watch football tomorrow evening. The Museum Plein is normally a public park and it was looking like one today. People playing sports, people sun bathing, some reading books and others just sitting under the shade of the trees; while work on the public viewing area is going on in the background.

I had hopes that the weather wouldn't be as warm as it was in Remscheid and it is a couple of degrees cooler, but 32°/33°C is just too hot for central Europe. And you realise that it is too hot as the city is full of tourists with few locals around and all looking for options under the shade. Especially the Cafés along the water front are full of people enjoying the weather with an ice or cold drink.