Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) with 31 goals scored (62 points) during season 2007/08 in the Premiership (England) is the new winner of the European Golden Boot, the prestigious trophy awarding the top scorer of European National Leagues. Cristiano Ronaldo is also maximum favourite to obtain the ‘Golden Ball’ and ‘FIFA World Player’ of this season. After Cristiano Ronaldo, in the Top Scorers list in Europe this season, other important players have been qualified: Dani Güiza (Mallorca) with 27 goals scored (54 points), Klass-Jan Huntelar (Ajax) with 33 goals scored (but only 49,5 points because the league in Holland has a lower coefficient) and Adebayor (Arsenal), Luis Fabiano (Sevilla) and Luca Toni (Bayern Munich) all with 24 goals scored (48 points).But let’s go also to see the statistics of this trophy only referred to the Premiership in England since season 1994/95. 1994/95 A. Shearer (Blackburn), 34 goals scored; 1995/96 A. Shearer (Blackburn), 31 goals scored; 1996/97 A. Shearer (Newcastle), 25 goals scored; 1997/98 D. Dublin (Coventry), M. Owen (Liverpool) and C. Suttun (Blackpool), all with 18 goals scored; 1998/99 D. Yorke (Manchester United), M. Owen (Liverpool) and J. F. Hasselbaink (Leeds), all with 18 goals scored; 1999/00 K. Phillips (Sunderland) 30 goals scored; 2000/01 J. F. Hasselbaink (Chelsea), 23 goals scored. 2001/02 T. Henry (Arsenal), 24 goals scored; 2002/03 R. v. Nistelrooy (Manchester United), 25 goals scored; 2003/04 T. Henry (Arsenal), 30 goals scored; 2004/05 T. Henry (Arsenal), 25 goals scored; 2005/06 T. Henry (Arsenal), 27 goals scored; 2006/07 D. Drogba (Chelsea), 21 goals scored.

After the matches played last Tuesday and Wednesday, Barcelona, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Rome, Ferenbahçe and Schalke 04 are already qualified for last-eight games of Champions League 2007/08. Internazionale and Liverpool will play on March 11 to decide the last team to be qualified for this phase which corresponding matches (as well as possible semi-finals) will be draw on Friday March 14 in Nyon.
But one of the important facts is that Lionel Messi will miss both legs of FC Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie after being ruled out for six weeks with a torn thigh muscle. The 22-year-old Argentinean was forced to leave the pitch 38 minutes into Tuesday night’s 1-0 win against Celtic FC, which completed a 4-2 aggregate victory for Frank Rijkaard’s side. Suffering the damage during a sprint, Messi left the field in distress having also torn muscle in his left thigh in a league game against Valencia CF in December, an injury which resulted in a one-month absence from the first team.
Club doctors have ruled Messi out for six weeks, meaning he will miss a crucial period with Barça still in the running for three trophies. He is expected to miss six Liga First Division games, both legs of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals and he will also stop his career to obtain the tittle of maximum scorer where he is now on top together with Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United with 6 goals each. He will also miss the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Valencia and also the final on April 16, should Barça make it.

The performances against Manchester United last week have proved that the team from Juande Ramos can compete with the best. Tottenham played against Manchester United twice in a week with a 3-1 defeat in the FA Cup on January 27 followed by United snatching a 1-1 draw in injury time in the Premiership on Saturday. The team from White Hart Lane was certainly deserved more than the 3-1 loss in the FA Cup tie as it took the lead and missed key chances at 1-1. However, the game changed with Michael Dawson’s dismissal and subsequent penalty converted by Cristiano Ronaldo, but the 10 men still managed to strike the woodwork with five minutes left.
Tottenham was even more unfortunate at the Lane as Berbatov’s 21st minute goal was contested by Carlos Tevez goal in the fourth minute of added time and where was only time to restart before the final whistle. According Juande to play against Manchester United, who is second of the league table, is very difficult.
Tottenham has lost five games out of 24 since Juande took charge of his first game against Blackpool on October 31, moved from 18th up to 11th in the league, made it to the Carling Cup Final and progressed to the Round of 32 in the UEFA Cup. Therefore Hotspur supporters are now very exciting and expect even a better performance during last months of the season.