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Learning English - Words in the News
21 May, 2008 - Published 12:09 GMT
Champions League Moscow final
Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium is getting ready for the final

Thousands of English football fans are in Moscow for the first all-English Champions League final. Manchester United and Chelsea will do battle for the most prestigious prize in club football. Here is our Sports news reporter Alex Capstick:

Listen to the story

For the past two seasons England has provided three of the four semi-finalists in the Champions League. The richest domestic league in the world, fuelled by huge television deals, has attracted and kept the best players, with the top four - Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool - taking the cream.

The high tempo English game and the superior skills of the foreign imports have been developed into a potent mix. The money, the dominance of English clubs in Europe and the worldwide appeal of the Premier League will continue to grab the attention of top international footballers.

Envious eyes, from Spain and Italy in particular, will be watching the Champions League final in Moscow. The big clubs, like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Milan, aren't exactly poor, but they're being outshone by their English opponents. They'll be hoping their decline is temporary, but the Premier League isn't resting on its laurels. Its chief executive Richard Scudamore said recently, "it can only get better". The rest of Europe has been warned.

Alex Capstick, BBC

Listen to the words

fuelled by huge television deals
getting very large sums of money from the contracts with TV stations for the right to show matches with the participation of its teams

taking the cream
attracting and keeping the best players and so, getting the best results

high tempo
fast

imports
here, international football players

a potent mix
here, strong teams that perform well in competition

to grab the attention of top international footballers
to make the world's best football players notice it and want to join it without delay

Envious eyes
here, teams that, like Manchester United and Chelsea, wanted to play in the final but, unlike those two, didn't get the chance to

they're being outshone by
they have less money and are performing worse than

their decline is temporary
they will start to get more money and play better soon

isn't resting on its laurels
isn't prepared to become satisfied with its past success and do nothing to improve on it



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