We're Back!

Apologies to my loyal readers for a slight hiatus in the blog. Soccer has such a short "off-season," particularly in years when major tournaments take place in the Summer, so we had to use July as a bit of a break. But we're back, and ready to kick off the European seasons in the next few weeks, and of course we are looking especially forward to the '08/'09 EPL campaign (it is the most popoular league in the world for a reason).

We'll have a comprehensive preview of the English Premier League season prior to the Aug 16 season kickoff. We'll also take a look at the other big European leagues, the Champions League, UEFA Cup, and World Cup qualifiers. We'll also examine MLS a little more closely this year, as the league tries to continue its (albeit, small) upward swing in popularity.

So get ready for another exciting, riveting, engaging season of global football, and hopefully you'll tune in to TGF regularly and continue to post your comments and add to the discussion.

Ronaldinho to AC Milan

SI.com reports that Ronaldinho will be joining AC Milan today, ending months of speculation surrounding the Brazilian megastar's future. It was clear he was departing Barcelona, and by extension, La Liga altogether, but the mystery was whether he would end up in England or Italy.

Now we have our answer, and Milan suddenly looks a lot brighter for the '08/'09 season with Alexander Hleb and Ronaldinho joining Kaka in the Rossoneri midfield.

One thing is certain: Ronaldinho will be wearing the red and black of Milan next season, and will look pretty cool in his new kit.

The Reign of Spain

Congratulations to Spain!

Espana ended their 44 year interational drought by knocking off perennial finalists and juggernaut Germany, 1-0 in Vienna in front of record television audiences around the world. Fernando Torres scored the game's only goal in the 33rd minute in spectacular fashion, and Spain built from there and pressed the Germans for the remainder of the time. Germany were never in it, and Spain should really have had two or three goals, their best chance coming when Marcos Senna failed to touch in a beautiful headed cross into an open net inthe 80th.

Spain are deserving champions, and deserve to finally eliminate their reputations as international underachievers. The Spanish have long been among the more individually talented sides in the world, and it was more a matter of time than a matter of underachievement that explained their lack of big tournament results in the past four and a half decades.

Luis Aragones, often maligned and sometimes deservedly so, particularly for his racial epithets flung at the likes of Thierry Henry and others, retires from international duty in perfect fashion, earning his figurative ride off into the sunset by adeptly preparing and adroitly managing the most impressive team at the Euros.

One of the best effects this title will have on the nation of Spain will be its uniting force. Spain has long been a fractious country, whose footballing loyalties have been divided among regions at the expense of national unity and pride. No more. Everyone from Madrid to Granada, Salamanca to Sevilla, Valencia to Barcelona will revel equally in this joyous feat for Spain. One of the truly beautiful aspects of international football is its ability to glavanize entire populations, and to captivate national audiences as their own countries pursue global glory. It is a rare and difficult accomplishment, but when it happens, there is nothing better for the people.

The Beautiful Game is also the People's Game, for that reason.

Euro Semifinals Preview

We've arrived at the semifinals of Euro '08, and four nations cling to the hope of glory and continental superiority for the next two years.

The mighty Germans, perennial semifinal participants in major international tournaments, succeeded once again in playing efficient and strong football good enough to see them through to the last four. Turkey awaits, the "cinderella" of Euro '08, bruised and battered and with barely eleven players to field for the match. So, Turkey will likely employ the Italian strategy of sitting back and defending in numbers for 90 minutes, hoping to force Germany to strain themselves in the attack and leave themselves vulnerable to the counter as a result. Look for the Germans to keep the bulk of possession and to have some gild-edge chances, one or two of which will find its way through in route to a 2-0 Germany win. Turkey would have to have its unit at full strength to haror hopes of advancing to its first international final, and it's a shame they don't, because they have been without a doubt the story of the tournament. Who knows, maybe they'll defy logic one more time and score on a counter early and force the Germans into a panic....

Our second semifinal carries a higher level of intrigue, in part because it is a rematch of a game already played earlier in the group stage. Spain trounced Russia 4-1 in their opening match of Euro 2008, stamping themselves early on as an in-form team and a team with real aspirations for this tournament. However, closer examination of that game reveals a tighter affair than the 4-1 score would suggest. Russia had some golden opportunites to level the scoring at 1-1 and to cut te 2-0 deficit in half later on. Had those chances been taken, the game would have adopted a different identity, and the Russians could have given a better account of themselves. As it turns out, that first game beatdown was merely a mirage for the Russians, who went on to prove that they are a quality side with lots of potent weapons in attack. Convincing victories over Greece, Sweden, and the Netherlands have propelled the Russians into the semifinal, where, unlike Turkey, they have a healthy arsenal of talent ready to give the Spanish everything they want. Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko have been particularly illuminating in this tournament, and there is lots of talk about Arshavin moving from UEFA Cup champs Zenit St. Petersburg to the English Premier League this summer. The Russians will enter the game extremely confident, while Spain will enter with more of an air of relief, as they must feel exalted and exhausted for finally beating Italy and reaching the semis of a major competition. Spain are technically superior to Russia, but Russia showed against the Netherlands that they are capable of standing up to any established opposition. Russia wins 2-1.

Germany v. Russia in the final...

Turkey is Amazing!

Without a doubt, the Turks are the team of the tournament.

Impossible comebacks are becoming almost second-nature to this insanely resilient side who just never quit until the final whistle.

First, they came back against Switzerland in a driving rainstorm and won 2-1 after going a goal down.

Then, with quarterfinal qualification at stake, they shocked the Czech Republic by storming back from a 2-0 deficit through 74 minutes and scoring three goals in 15 minutes to win in unbelievably heroic fashion, 3-2.

Tonight, in Vienna, an entertaining and even match with Croatia suddenly became an instant classic when, after 119 minutes of scoreless football, it appeared the Croats had finally broken Turkish hearts by scoring a header off a somewhat broken play caused by keeper error. With only seconds remaining and Croatia surely through to the semis, Rustu, the second string goalie playing in Demirol's absence and attempting to make up for his gaffe, bombed a desperation free kick the length of the pitch, perfectly placing it just outside the six yard box where a lucky bounce was possible. And a lucky bounce is what they got as it fell to Semih who volleyed it perfectly and with power through a crease of Croatian defenders and the ball ended up in the back of the net.

Turkey is amazing, and their miracle run continues on to the semifinal; their first such appearance in Euro Championship history. With injuries, fatigue and suspensions (Arda Turan, Tuncay, Demirol, and Emre will all miss the semifinal) apparently plaguing their chances against the mighty Germans, it would seem time to finally bet against the Turks in their next game. But would you do it? I wouldn't...

Euro 2008 Quarterfinals Preview

Today the last eight of Euro '08 kicks off with the first of four crucial games over the next four days set to determine the semifinal matchups. One of the best aspects of major tournaments like the Euro championships and the World Cup is the constant action. There are virtually no breaks or days off between matches, and the ability to go from a group stage game one day to a knockout stage game the next is a luxury that affords diehard football fans no let-up in excitement. These next four days ought to lift the excitement level exponentially from what we had in the group stage (which itself was very compelling and fun to watch), with four games between eight European powerhouses who each can make a persuasive claim it can win it all.

The Quarterfinals:

Portugal (1A) v. Germany (2B)

Croatia (1B) v. Turkey (2A)

Netherlands (1C) v. Russia (2D)

Spain (1D) v. Italy (2C)


A knee-jerk response to a quick glance at the quarterfinalists would say that either Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, or Italy will win the title, as they are the biggest names. And one of them probably will win it. My pre-tournament pick Spain is looking good, but I may have to adjust my pick and say that the Netherlands will win Euro '08 after the performances they turned in in the group stage. However, as strong as the perennial powers are, any of the other three "lesser" names in the knockout round - Croatia, Turkey, or Russia - could definitely win the whole thing, especially considering that Greece won it four years ago and you'd be hard pressed to convince anyone that Greece is better than either Croatia, Turkey, or Russia.

The Croats quietly rang up 9 points in the group stage, while Turkey possessed the magic and the merit of being the only team to win a match after falling behind - and they did so twice. Russia, meanwhile, after a first match thumping at the hands of Spain, rebounded to win their next two games in incredibly convincing fashion, exhibiting an attacking flair that has heads turning towards the Russians as a possible sleeper pick in the next round.

Every game looks appetizing and nearly impossible to predict. So difficult to pick in fact, that I will refrain from issuing score guesses and will instead only guess the winners.

(winners in bold)

Portugal v. Germany

Croatia v. Turkey

Netherlands v. Russia

Spain v. Italy

Match reviews and analysis coming at the weekend...

Enjoy the games.

Euro '08 Best Major Tournament in 22 Years?

....so says Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/grant_wahl/06/17/euros/index.html

I tend to agree, though I would argue the '98 and '06 World Cups carried as much intrigue and excitement as this Euro 2008, with perhaps not as much attacking flair. Wahl (a great U.S. soccer writer) argues that tis '08 tournament brings a refreshing return to attacking football and dramatic endings that are so often absent from widely-viewed (and thus widely scrutinized) major soccer events. With every match being televised on cable in the U.S. for the first time ever during the European Championships, scores of curious and skeptical American soccer viewers are being treated to some legitimately compelling sports spectacle, something that will only help grow the game's popularity in America.

Euro '08 Intrigue

Portugal progressed through to the quarterfinals with a convincing 3-1 win over Czech Republic on Monday, while Turkey broke the hearts of the Swiss with two second half goals to eclipse Switzerland 2-1 and eliminate the co-hosts after just two games in the group stage. Portugal clinches top spot in Group A. Czech Republic and Turkey will meet on Sunday with a spot in the quarterfinals up for grabs.

Croatia stunned Germany by going up 2-0 on the tournament favorites, and held on after a Lukas Podolski goal 10 minutes from time halved the deficit. With the win, Croatia wins Group B and will await the runner-up from Group A. Austria earned a last second penalty to shock Poland with a miracle 1-1 draw, giving the co-hosts hope of progressing when they meet Germany next Monday. Poland too has an outside shot of qualifying if they beat Croatia and get some help from a Germany-Austria draw.

Holland continued their impressive run through the Group of Death by dismantling France 4-1, while Italy stayed alive by drawing with Romania, who now find themselves in great shape of advancing if they win against a Dutch 'B' team or draw and see the Italians and French draw too. The Italy-France game Tuesday carries a ton of intrigue, as the two finalists from the '06 World Cup meet in the group stage with the knowledge that one or both will not be playing on in the knockout rounds of a major tournament. You couldn't pay me to predict the game between two underachieving powers at Euro 2008. But I'll go with France anyway, since they seem more poised to explode with two or three goals than do the Italians.

Spain is in control of Group D, and has qualified for the quarterfinals, if not yet clinched the group outright. Russia's victory over Greece set up an enticing game with Sweden, where similar to the Czech-Turkey contest, winner advances, loser goes home. Conventional wisdom suggests Sweden have the upper hand, but that same wisdom also urges to never count out a Guus Hiddink-led side. The Russians looked innovative and assured going forward against Greece, who just don't have the same magic in '08 that they had in '04. The Greeks still look like a capable side defensively, but just lack the imagination necessary to produce goals in this major tournament. I expect Russia to play Sweden to the wire and ultimately join Spain in the next round.

Euro 2008 Match 1 Reviews

Let's examine the first four days of UEFA Euro 2008 and discuss each team's performance after their first matches...

Group A

To no one's surprise, Portugal and Czech Republic won their opening matches versus Turkey and Switzerland, respectively, however both had considerable difficulty breaking down the defenses of the lesser sides. The Czechs, particularly, had trouble with co-host Switzerland and have to be considered fortunate to garner three points with their 1-0 win. Portugal were able to wear down Turkey in the 2nd half, and scored an injury time goal at the death to pad their performance and take a comfortable 2-0 victory. Wednesday's matches between the pairs of winners and losers figure to determine Group A's fate. A victory for either Czech Republic or Portugal virtually ensures progression through to the knockout stages. Likewise, a loss for either Turkey or Switzerland means no hope of continuing on beyond the group stage. Much is at stake in both Group A matches tomorrow. Look for Portugal and Czech Republic to play to a 1-1 draw, keeping the group suspenseful, while Turkey kills the dream for the hosts, defeating Switzerland 2-0, who will be sorely missing Alexander Frei.

Group B

Germany thoroughly dismantled Poland, leaving the Poles still without a win ever over their rivals to the west. The 2-0 score could have been 5-0, and as a result Germany look like clear favorites to sail through to the quarterfinals. Croatia scored an early penalty against co-hosts Austria and had to play the final 86 minutes on the back foot in holding on for a tight 1-0 win. Austria deserved an equalizer, and it was encouraging to see the team picked by most as the worst participant at Euro 2008 play with such purpose and imagination in attack. The Austrians pushed forward the entire game, and even had some great chances in the final third that they were just unable (and unlucky not) to convert. Now Austria and Poland play in a game with similar meaning as the Switzerand-Turkey game, with the loser being done and the winner holding a slim, albeit unlikely hope for going through. Germany figures to handle Croatia with ease, as their superior height and technical prowess should prove decisive. I forecast a 1-0 win for Austria and a 3-1 win for Germany. However, Croatia will handle Poland in the third match and finish second in the group.

Group C

The Group of Death. Every major tournament has one. Euro 2008 is no exception, with Group C pitting France, Italy and the Netherlands all in the same group. And, not to be outdone, Romania played tenacious football in their opener and held France to a 0-0 draw, the only draw thus far in the tournament's first four days. Romania kept it tight and forced France to get ultra-creative in order to gain a breakthrough, and though the French created chances, they were unable to penetrate the yellow jerseys at the back and paid the price with a share of the spoils. Meanwhile, the eye-opener of the tournament so far came in the second game, where Holland trounced the world champions 3-0. Italy were never in the game against the flowing and confident Dutch, who played with verve and flair in running end to end and hitting the Italians on two beautiful counter attacks. Now the Italians must rebound against the pesky Romanians, while the confident Dutch meet the droopy but adept French. This group is still very much up for grabs, though it is not a stretch to say that the Netherlands look the most impressive of all the teams in Euro 2008 after one match. I see the French bouncing back and drawing with Holland, 1-1, while I see Italy rebounding with a tough 1-0 victory over Romania. This scenario would set up a riveting third match day with France and Italy meeting in a World Cup final rematch with nothing less than progression to the quarterfinal at stake. A juicy scenario that would be indeed....

Group D

If the Dutch look the most impressive after one match, the Spanish are not far behind. Spain opened their Euro '08 campaign with an authoritative stomping of Guus Hiddink-led Russia (never an easy feat), 4-1. Capped by a David Villa hat trick and constant pressure going forward, even in a driving Austrian rain, Spain exhibited the flair and form they are so capable of but so often lacking in major tournaments. The Russians are not hopeless of advancing to the quarters, but they must shore up their defense if they are to settle down in their remaining to matches. Sweden also looked confident and capable in downing the defening European champions 2-0. The Greeks, so known for their pesky defense, finally succumbed to persistent Swedish pressure in the 67th minute to a Zlatan Ibrahimovic strike that is certainly the goal of the tournament thus far. Linking up for a beautiful one-two with Henrik Larrson before lasering a strike home from 22 yards, Ibrahimovic in one moment lifted the Swedes and showcased his stellar ability that has become so popular at the San Siro for Inter Milan. Now the Swedes are in prime position to hold serve in two more matches and make it through to the knockout round. Spain-Sweden on Saturday will be a candidate for best match of the group stage, as two powerful and potent sides meet for an edge in Group D. The Greece-Russia match will once again present a situation where a loser looks done and a winner still has life, and that match is tough to predict. I see the Russians as barely having an edge, and see them gaining a crucial three points that cripples the Greeks and leaves their Euro title defense DOA in the group stage. Spain will defeat Sweden, but not in the same fashion as they did the Russians, and their 2-1 victory will ensure their passage into the quarters.

Euro 2008 Kickoff

Euro 2008 kicks of today with two intriguing matches: Czech Republic vs. co-host Switzerland followed by Portugal vs. Turkey. Certainly the Czechs and Portuguese both have high hopes for this tournament, although the absence of Tomas Rosicky will really hurt the Czech's overall chances. Portugal plan on redeeming their Euro '04 disappointment by returning to the Final, only this time winning it. They're not the hosts like i '04, but the Portuguese certainly have the weapons in attack and thecreativity to score a lot of goals and advance far in this tournament.

Switzerland will try to use the momentum of the home crowds to move through to the knockout stages and get to the semifinals, something a host country has done in theEuropean championships in every tournament since 1980. But getting through a tough group would be considered a winning achievement for the Swiss, who just don't have enough firepower to move deep into the latter weeks of the tournament. Finally, the Turks, world cup semifinalists in 2002, will try to surprise some of the bigger name European powers and advance out of their group. They are somewhat of an enigma, as they do not regularly rank high on the list of dominant European nations, but they undoubtedly possess enough talent and technical ability to make some noise in Austri-Switzerland '08.

Euro 2008 gets underway tonight, and the next three weeks promise to be very exciting and probably unpredictable. I look for the favorites to do well, starting with comfortable victories today for Czech Republic and Portugal.

My pick to win it all?

Portugal defeats Germany in the first semifinal.
Spain defeats Holland in the second semifinal.

Spain defeats Portugal in the all-Iberia peninsula final.

Jose Mourinho to Inter Milan

Jose Mourinho will take over at Inter Milan next season, in a move by the Nerazzuri ringing of desperation for European glory.  After three straight domestic titles without accompanying Champions League silverware, Roberto Mancini was shown the door in favor of "The Special One."  

One Week Until Euro 2008!

Euro 2008 kicks off on Saturday, June 7th. After co-hosts Austria and Switzerland, every team is believed to have a shot at winning the title. With Greece's triumph in 2004, countries such as Romania, Poland, Turkey and Croatia will genuinely believe that they can make deep runs through the tournament. Of course, the real favorites are Germany, Italy, France, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands. Even with all the injuries though, expect the level of play to be high, and the competition to be intense. It will certainly be riveting television, as there's nothing in sports quite like the spectacle of country versus country on the soccer pitch. Much of the world (and certainly all of Europe) will tune in to winess which country will earn spectacular pride from accomplishing the grand feat.

Previews of my favorites and predictions coming on Friday...

England - USA preview

Tomorrow night's fixture between England and the United States at New Wembley in London promises to be a riveting spectacle, regardless of which country you follow. The friendly has all kinds of storylines, the prevailing one still being the scrutiny of the Fabio Capello era, which enters it's 3rd match tomorrow. The England skipper, who gave his first news conference in (a much improved) English yesterday, named John Terry captain for the match, which will take place exactly a week after his Champions League failure from the penalty spot.

For the Americans, this match represents a giant opportunity to further announce their presence on the global stage. Though England failed to qualify for Euro 2008, they are still a world power, and still clear favorites to win at Wembley. The United States though, in the midst of a three match away winning streak, knows that a win over soccer's oldest power at soccer's most famous venue would rattle lots of cages and force much of the European and English press to reevaluate the Americans' merit as an international side. World Cup '06 was a huge disappointment for the US, but they have since won the Gold Cup with a brilliant win over archrival Mexico, as well as gained valuable experience by competing in last summer's Copa America in Venezuela. Recent wins over Switzerland and Poland away, have the US brimming with confidence under Bob Bradley, who appears to have concocted an effective mixture of young talent and savvy veterans (but mostly young talent).

For England, the game carries a strange risk, in that they are certainly expected to win, but further they are expected to win in style. The British press will be salivating for a dominating Capello performance, after the March 26 defeat to France in Paris. They will not take the Americans lightly, and shouldn't, but its almost as England will be playing both the US and themselves tomorrow night, as they strive to show their country how they've improved under their new boss. Steven Gerrard should be more rested than his midfield teammates Frank Lampard and Joe Cole, who just last week were fighting tooth and nail in the Moscow final. He will look to provide service up front to Wayne Rooney and likely Peter Crouch, who should be able to get in deep and cause problems for the US defense.

Demarcus Beasley, Landon Donovan, Michael Bradley, and Ricardo Clark will have to play at their best for the US, if they hope to contain England in the midfield (a srategy that has worked in recent international fixtures) and funnel the opposition's attack into tough circumstances. Donovan, who has been dinged up as of late, will undoubtedly see the field so he can accrue his 100th interational cap, a great achievement for the 26 yr old American icon. He'll also be playing against his LA Galaxy teammte and recent inductee into the 100 cap echelon, David Beckham.

So there is lots of intrigue, lots of stories, and lots of reasons to tune into the England - USA friendly tomorrow night at historic Wembley. And as far as a prediction? How about 3-2 England.

Congrats to Manchester United!

Manchester United won the Champions League, 6-5 on penalties over Chelsea after playing to a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. FAlex Ferguson wins his second Champions League title at the helm of United, and first since 1999. Chelsea remain without their owner's coveted European crown, and watching Roman Abramovich on television during penalty kicks, it's a safe bet to assume that he got really, REALLY drunk on some expensive Russian vodka last night after the crushing defeat.

And it was a crushing defeat for Chelsea. After conceding the opening goal and being on the back foot for the first 40 minutes of the first half, Chelsea were gifted an equalizer on a fortuitous deflection of an Essien shot that fell right to a rushing Lampard in stride, and suddenly the contest was level at 1-1 and Chelsea had confidence going into the locker room that they could play better in the 2nd half. They didn't just play better in the 2nd half, they dominated, but their touch in the final third still eluded them, and twice in the final 75 minutes the Blues hit the woodwork. They controlled possession in midfield, and completely denied any United chances save for one created by a stellar Patrice Evra run that led to Giggs' chance being heroically headed from goal by John Terry. Once 120 minutes were up, I felt that Chelsea had missed a golden opportunity to win, as they were the better team in the 2nd half. Still, once Cristiano Ronaldo duffed his penalty it looked as if Chelsea would waltz to the winners platform by virtue of a 5-4 spot kicks winning margin. But the Chelsea captain lost his footing on the game winner and sent his would-be winner into the post and out, giving United a new life.

And you can't grant a team like Manchester United new life, even on something as arbitrary and unpredictable as penalty kicks. Once Terry missed, there couldn't have been much doubt among the millions of spectators watching around the world that United woul prevail. Each of Alex Ferguson's three subs - Nani, Anderson, and Giggs - made their spot kicks, whereas one of Avram Grant's late subs - Nicolas Anelka - missed the clincher. And that was that. Manchester United are champions of the UEFA Champions League, and can proudly claim the coveted "double" for the '07/'08 season as winners of Europe as well as of England's top flight league.


Congratulations to Manchester United.

Champions League Final Preview

The Champions League/European Cup Winners' Cup has never seen an all-English final until now. Italy and Spain have each had two representatives square off in the championship game, but never has England, with all its proud history and illustrious clubs, been able to say that the two top clubs in Europe hail from its shores. Tomorrow in Moscow, two of the EPL's juggernauts will vie for the Champions League trophy on a less-than-stellar pitch a long distance from home.

Fans of both teams have made the trip in large numbers, joining an already existing base of both United and Chelsea fans in Russia. Surely there will be more Muscovite Chelsea supporters, given the clubs Russian ownership, but early televised news reports suggest there are plenty of Russian Manchester United fans hanging out in Red Square this week. Manchester United is, after all, the largest club in the world in terms of global support (perhaps Real Madrid has an argument there). The atmosphere promises to be electric and positive, with plenty of police presence to prevent against any incidents. After last week's UEFA Cup, organizers are taking no chances, having installed upwards of 5,000 additional police for this game.

Speaking of the game itself, what to expect? Conventional wisdom favors Manchester Utd, but take a look closer and you might start to believe in Chelsea's chances. I believe Chelsea will win this game because of the stingy way in which they defend. This is not to say that United are not excellent at the back, because they are, but Chelsea seem to play a more dogged, impenetrable style in their ultra important contests. So it then comes down to a question of which team breaks through? Well, sadly, I see this as a 0-0 game after 90 minutes, and quite likely after extra time as well. And then I just think Chelsea have more big name penalty takers, and that will be that.

BUT WAIT A MINUTE! I can't be so lame as to predict a 0-0 draw that goes to penalties, can I? No, I cannot. So... let me go out on a gigantically frail limb and predict that Chelsea win 2-0, with goals from Joe Cole and Michael Ballack. Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo will each be denied great chances by Petr Cech, and Michael Carrick will even have a headed goal disallowed on a set piece for interference. There. How's that for bold?

It's going to be a compelling atmosphere, and an intriguing match tactically and strategically at the start. Then it will be dodgy and cagey until half time, with Joe Cole breaking through in the 55th minute, followed by a Ballack clincher in the 86th. Chelsea will frustrate Rooney and Ronaldo, and Evra will be sent off for a second yellow near the 70 minute mark. Tevez will look liveliest for United, but will never quite be able to take his chances, and Drogba and Vidic will most likely get in three to eight altercations. Avram Grant will go into convulsions after Ballack's goal, and will kiss the pitch at midfield at the final whistle, and then point into the owner's box at Roman Abramovich, who will have already made up his mind to sack him anyway because Chelsea still play such unattractive football. And that's that!

No Champions League for Milan

AC Milan will miss out on next season's UEFA Champions League, after finishing 5th in Serie A, two points behind 4th place Fiorentina. The Italian giants will not be deprived of European football altogether, as they will be like Bayern Munich this year and compete in the UEFA Cup as a small consolation. But what a travesty for the club with the second most European triumphs only to Real Madrid, and a club who won the trophy last season! While they watch their city and stadium cotenants Inter hoist the league trophy for a 3rd consecutive year, Milan are now forced to look inward, and to reevaluate their direction. Will Ancelotti be shown the door? Do they need to take a similar cue as Barcelona, and build around their youth and dismiss some of the aging, though legendary names? Kaka and Pato are clearly the future, and who knows if Ronaldinho will be arriving? Getting Flamini from Arsenal was a boon for Milan and a blow to Arsenal, to be sure, but what of the other, older players? Milan will be an incredibly interesting team to follow next season, and I half-suspect they will do what Bayern Munich did this year, and take out their European frustrations on the rest of their league, and Milan could wrest the scudetto back from Inter next season.

One thing is certain: the '08/'09 Champions League just won't feel the same without AC Milan. Kudos to Fiorentina though, for breaking through.

FA Cup Final

Portsmouth v. Cardiff City, in what should be an epic FA Cup Final....

Well, ok, maybe it won't be epic, but still, the drama alone of having an FA Cup final without the presence of Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea or Liverpool is story enough. And then when you add a lower division team (from Wales, no less!), who is having to petition FIFA for potential inclusion in next season's UEFA Cup should they win, due to their current status as not being part of England's FA, you have enough storylines to influence even the most casual football fan to tune into this one. The oldest competition in the history of global football (it started in 1882), is expected to go the way of Pompey, but don't count out the Cardiff Giant (points for those who identify the reference here), a resiliant and feisty bunch who have not been daunted by their opposition in this historic run to Wembley. I am not going to be so bold as to predict a Cardiff City victory, but I do suspect it will be a hotly contested affair for an hour, with Portsmouth ultimately pulling away late with a crushing 2nd goal for a 2-0 win.

UEFA Cup Final

Zenit St. Petersburg v. Glasgow Rangers

Unfortunately, the bigger story emerging from the UEFA Cup Final is the fan violence by Rangers supporters on local police in Manchester, instead of the amazing and unlikely success story of Zenit, who grabbed the UEFA Cup crown against all odds. For Zenit to beat Rangers is not the eye-turner, for that one must look to the semifinals, where Zenit thoroughly dismantled Bayern Munich in two legs to announce clearly their intentions in this competition. Congrats to them, but wags of the finger towards the Glaswegians responsible for perputrating violence on Manchester's finest.

League Champions

Manchester United - England

Real Madrid - Spain

Inter Milan - Italy

Olympique Lyonnais - France

PSV Eindhoven - Netherlands

Bayern Munich - Germany

FC Porto - Portugal

Premiership and Clausura Review

United and Chelsea both won, setting up an exciting finish with both clubs level on 84 points with one game remaining. Man U have the edge on goal difference, and therefore know that a win will clinch the title for a second year in a row.

The smart money has to be on Man U, but credit to Chelsea for taking this to the wire and making United sweat. A month ago all the focus was on the Arsenal-United race, and with Arsenal's fade has come Chelsea's rise, and they're now in striking distance of of a historic title theft from the holders.


....



In the superclasico in Argentina, Boca Juniors defeated archrival River Plate, 1-0 at La Bombonera in La Boca, Buenos Aires. The two giants of Argentine football are locked in a close race with emerging giant Estudiantes La Plata for the '08 Clausura title. Any time both Boca and River are in contention for a crown, the Argentine domestic league is all the more compelling. And traditionally, this is always the case, but in recent years we've witnessed the rise of other challengers to the Boca-River stranglehold on AFA dominance. Estudiantes, Lanus, and San Lorenzo have each claimed championships more recently than either Boca or River. Now that the two glamour clubs seem to back in great form though, the race for the Clausura will be all the more interesting and dramatic to follow.

Champions League Semifinals Review

The 2008 UEFA Champions League Final is set: Manchester United v. Chelsea.

Manchester United earned an expected win over Barcelona, in front of the home fans at Old Trafford. The goal from Paul Scholes midway through the first half proved too much for the Catalonian side to overcome. It came at a crucial juncture though, as Barcelona were clearly the more aggressive and dangerous side in the opening quarter-hour, so when Scholes scored against the run of play, it provided a much needed boost of confidence for United and allowed them to settle in and sit back in stingy defense for the remainder of the game.

Barcelona simply need more creative support for Messi in the final third, as they maintain possession better than anyone (except maybe Arsenal), but often fail to create legitimate chances. Messi, for my money, is still the best attacker in the world, a player who on every touch has you literally holding your breath anticipating something fantastic. Cristiano Ronaldo may be a more complete player, but it's Messi for me. At the end of the day though, Barca need to get their house in order this offseason, by shipping Ronaldinho, re-signing Rijkaard, and building towards the future around Messi, Bojan, Deco, Iniesta, et. al. Their nucleus is still strong, if not overly youthful, but they need a fresh confidence about them if they're to unseat Real Madrid in la Liga next year.

Meanwhile, United are poised for a historic Double, as they await Chelsea in the Champions League Final, and must fend off the same West London rivals down the stretch in the EPL.

In the Chelsea-Liverpool second leg, the result was not shocking, after Riise did all he could to oust Liverpool at the end of the first leg with his calamitous own-goal. (Liverpool were owed some bad luck, after all the good luck they enjoyed against Arsenal....) However, the manner in which the result arrived was shocking, with five goals scored in the second leg. Chelsea won on aggregate 4-3, and you could watch six or seven matches between these two clubs normally and not see seven goals. And in the end, the fortress that is Stamford Bridge refused to yield a poor result and the Blues moved one step closer to the Roman Abramovic dream of European glory (and how fitting that his chance to win the Champions League will be in Moscow).

Wednesday, May 21 will be an exciting evening of European football played by two English powerhouses for the ultimate club competition trophy.

Chelsea - Liverpool

Chelsea are very tough to beat at Stamford Bridge, if not impossible. Liverpool seemingly never lose in Europe before the Champions League Final. Something has to give tonight. Chelsea, with all their resources and focus on success in Europe, should finally break through at home.

It will be Chelsea - Manchester United in the first all-England UEFA Champions League Final.

Chelsea goes through on 0-0 draw.

Manchester United v. Barcelona

The Champions League Final will be set in the next two days, d will we have an all-England final game, or an enticing matchup between two great giants of the EPL and La Liga? Tonight's second leg semifinal at Old Trafford looms as the more intriguing of the two semifinals, if not least because the winner will likely be the punters' favorite to win the European crown in Moscow.

Man U have to be considered slight favorites tonight, entering the Theatre of Dreams on level terms with Barcelona, 0-0, and poised to let their rabid fans witness their passage into a Champions League Final for the first time in nine years. Even without Vidic and possibly without Wayne Rooney, United will play like a different side tonight at home than the boxed-in eleven we saw at Nou Camp. Expect the United midfield to want to play end to end, and to see Ronaldo take some chances from outside the area, as well as make aggressive runs from all over the pitch. If Rooney is absent, Carlos Tevez could be key up front, and I could see him outshining his more notable countrymen on the other side, if he's able to find the ball at his feet with room to work near the area.

Eto'o and Messi are rested and fit for Barcelona, and will certainly be the focal points in attack, as Deco, Iniesta, Xavi and Abidal will look to provide service for their potent strikers. Messi particularly, should benefit from not seeing any game action at the weekend, and could just cause United fans some heart attacks early if he's able to make runs at United from the right side. Cristiano Ronaldo may be world footballer of the year, but for my money there is not a more dangerous attacker in the world with the ball at his feet than Leonel Messi.

It should be a riveting affair, and I believe it's a fool's task to try and pick a score. But if you said I must predict an outcome because life depended on it, I would say 2-1 Manchester United. Barcelona dominated possession in the first leg, but probably won't as the away team, thus United will grow in confidence early, and will be able to take advantage of a somewhat suspect Barca defence, and find two goals. My guess is Barca may even score first, or if not will have the score level at 1-1 and have the Old Trafford sweating, only to see a period of extended pressure result in the decixive goal at about the 70th minute. There, a real prediction! But don't bet your life on it.

FSC World Club Rankings

Fox Soccer has published their club world rankings ...



http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/3412562/Fox-Soccer-Rankings

The top five:

1. Manchester United
2. Inter Milan
3. Real Madrid
4. Chelsea
5. Bayern Munich

As you can tell from the top five, Fox is using current standing in domestic leagues as barometer for club success, instead of current form with all competitions considered. It's obviously an extremely subjective enterprise to rank clubs around the world, so one measure is as good as another, but I would probably argue for international cup competition standing (UCL) to be factored in with as much weight as domestic league standing. In that vein, I would list my top five right now as:

1. Manchester United
2. Chelsea
3. Barcelona
4. Real Madrid
5. Roma

Despite Real's thorough domination of La Liga, I have Barcelona ahead of them for getting to the UCL semifinals, and similarly in Italy, I have Roma ahead of Inter based on performance in Champions League. That said, domestic performance still matters, as evidenced by my placing Real Madrid ahead of Roma, who beat them in the Champions League.

EPL presence in Champions League

For the second straight year, three of the four semifinalists in Europe's most prestigious intercontinental club competition, the UEFA Champions League, are from England's Premiere League. Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United are on the doorstep of the big stage again, and according to Yahoo Sports' Martin Rogers, it's a situation the rest of the world may have to accept as an inevitability in the future.

Champions League Semifinals

Before I get to forecasting tonight's main attraction at the Nou Camp, a few thoughts on last night's Liverpool-Chelsea first leg.

- Liverpool were the better team after the first half hour, following a familiar pattern of allowing the visitors to take the game to them early at Anfield, only to absorb the onslaught and turn the possession and momentum in their favor.  Then they got their customary fortunate bounce on Javier Mascherano's whiffed attempt on goal that landed perfectly poised for the ever-opportunistic Dirk Kuyt to capitalize on.  The 2nd half was all Liverpool, as Chelsea struggled to gain any fluid build-up and the home side does what they do at Anfield with a lead: play confident football.  The only suspense seemed to be whether Liverpool would carry a one or two goal advantage to Stamford Bridge.

- Chelsea deserve credit for not conceding a 2nd goal, something Liverpool were pushing hard for, but was never allowed thanks to the stingy goalkeeping of Petr Cech.  

- Riise's blunder was the ultimate calamity.  1-1 headed back to London, with the Chelsea supporters just able to taste a first appearance in the Champions League final.  They must believe that they can grind out  scoreless draw or victory at "the fortress," where they haven't lost in nearly four years.  But a score draw and lookout Chelsea, the Liverpool mystique in Europe could bounce up and bite you again on penalties if you're not careful.

- Finally, just as it looked like Liverpool were once again leading the charmed European life, the shocking own goal occurred in the 95th minute.  This never happens to Liverpool, let alone in Champions League play, let alone at Anfield.  I can't help but think that the bad karma of Hicks's presence on the grounds had something to do with the unprecedented Riise event.

Barcelona v. Manchester United

If Arsenal - Milan was a glamour matchup in the first knockout stage, this matchup is ultra-glamorous, as it comes in the semifinals and is between two similar giants of European football.  The first leg is tonight in Spain, where thousands of Mancunians have traveled with sturdy belief that they will be able to produce a result or a score draw.  Either way, United have to feel confident going into this tie, simply because they are in form and Barcelona are not.  And, having the second leg at Old Trafford is the ultimate confidence booster.  But, with all the signs and trends pointing to a Manchester United spot in Moscow, there is reason for belief out of the Nou Camp.  Messi returns, for one, which could be a huge boost for Barca, who are without Ronaldinho and seem to be losing the mercurial Brazilian next season.  While the league is all but conceded to Real Madrid domestically, Barcelona are just two good games away from appearing in Moscow and having a real chance at another Champions League trophy- their 2nd in three years.  Messi is said to have no chance of making a real impact, due to his lengthy injury absence, but he is such a dynamic player and wizard with the ball in attack, that I believe he could really break down United at the back, both at home and at Old Trafford.  Barca need Deco and Eto'o and Iniesta and perhaps Henry to compliment Messi's spirit and flare if they are to bounce United out of the tournament.  Conversely, United need steady performances from Rio Ferdinand, Scholes, Nani, Anderson, and of course Ronaldo.  But Wayne Rooney appears to bear the brunt of the burden for Manchester United's success in this semifinal.  

Aggregate Prediction:  4-3 Barcelona

Manchester United - Arsenal

Tonight is Arsenal's last chance to salvage their season, with Champions League hopes dashed and Premier League chances hanging by a thread. A win at Old Trafford would bring the Gunners within three points of United with four to play, and would set up a dramatic finish between United, Chelsea and Arsenal.

As much as this scenario would be thrilling from an observer's view, it is unlikely to materialize, as Arsenal will probably not be able to go into Old Trafford and steal three points this evening. Flamini is out injured, though so too is Vidic for Man Utd. Both teams will look to exploit the other's weakened defense with two of the most potent and dangerous attacks in the world, but Arsenal's defense is more of a liability at the moment and thus look poised to conced at least one goal, if not two or three this evening. Playing on the road, Arsenal's only hopes for victory are in 1-0 or possibly 2-1 scorelines, but forecasting only once concession to the flying Uniteds would be a dicey proposition. Arsenal's back four have been inconsistent all season, but were sorely responsible for their gutting defeat at Anfield in Champions League last Tuesday. It all falls on Senderos, Toure, Gallas and Clichy again tonight, to keep United out of the net and to save Arsenal's season.

Don't hold your breath.

Arsenal - Liverpool

Gutted. That is the only word to describe how the Gunners must be feeling after suffering defeat at Anfield in the cruelest fashion. A riveting game that saw momentum change sides numerous times, the final shift looked to have occurred seven minutes from time, when Arsenal super-sub (I think it's safe to call him that) Theo Walcott bolted on an end-to-end run unlike any I've seen all year, and set up the game-tying, quarterfinal clinching goal for Emmanuel Adebayor. The beautiful bit of brilliance that made the game 2-2 and 3-3 on aggregate, with Arsenal poised to advance on away goals, seemingly came out of nowhere, and had the Anfield crowd stunned in shocked silence.... for all of 50 seconds. Because no sooner had Arsenal trotted back to their side of the pitch had Liverpool advanced the ball forward and found Ryan Babel in space, bringing teh ball wrecklessly and desperately into the area when, inexplicably, Kolo Toure put an outstretched arm to Babel, and the ref took the subsequent bait when Babel went down in the box, awarding Liverpool a penalty. Arsenal were done and dusted even before Steven Gerrard punched home the decisive penalty, and I can only imagine the swings of emotion that occurred for both sides in those sudden moments near the end of the game.

Of course it shouldn't have been a penalty, especially when you consider the penalty that wasn't awarded on Alexander Hleb in the first leg in London. But still, what was Toure grabbing at Babel when Gallas was waiting calmly to eschew the threat. And how did Arsenal even allow Babel to advance into such a position so quickly after kicking off? Had even one minute elapsed after the Adebayor equalizer, Liverpool would certainly have succumbed to the pressure that would have hovered over the Anfield pitch like a silent storm in the final minutes. But Arsenal's defense, suspect all season, unfathomably allowed Liverpool to counterstrike immediately. And now Liverpool, soldiers of fortune, soldier on to the semifinal, where undoubtedly more breaks and luck await them.

Height of Rivalry?

There are countless club rivalries across the globe, and the debate for which derby between rivals of the same city is a futile exercise, as rarely do fans concede that another rivalry is more compelling than their own. Of the fiercest rivalries that include Celtic-Rangers, Milan-Inter, Tottenham-Arsenal, Roma-Lazio, Liverpool-Everton, one stands out in my eyes as the fiercest and most compelling of all: Boca Juniors-River Plate. The Buenos Aires rivals, separated by mere miles, are unquestionably the two biggest clubs in Argentina, and though the sprawling populace have other clubs to support in the capital (Independiente, San Lorenzo, Racing, Velez, etc), Boca and River command the majority of the love from portenos. The rivalry is intense each and every year, but it reaches an even higher pitch in seasons when both clubs are contending for the title. More than half way through this year's Clausura, Boca and River are both undefeated, and within three points of each other at the top of the table. Recent champions Estudiantes La Plata and San Lorenzo are also contending for the title, making this run for the Clausura a riveting race between the country's top four clubs. But the rivalry between Boca and River, with each without a loss, is the story, and must be followed closely. The rivals meet in two weeks time, and you can bet there will be a ton of anticipation to the superclasico. This derby of all derbys, possibly the best rivalry in club football anywhere in the world, wcould reach its height in the coming weeks. We'll be back in a few days with more thoughts and anticipation.

Champions League Quarterfinals

I was unable to provide a preview for yesterday's quarterfinal first leg matches, which saw Barcelona win at Schalke 04 1-0 and Manchester United score a tie-clinching 2-0 away victory in Rome. So a quick review of those matches before we preview today's other two first legs.

Schalke 04 v. Barcelona (0 - 1 first leg)
Barcelona limped into this Champions League fixture against Schalke, with manager Frank Rijkaard coming under fire for the team's recent form. It is hard to place all the blame on Rijkaard, with injured Lionel Messi (their most important player in this blog's opinion) out the last several weeks, but then again, it's hard not to blame a coach when a team of this much talent fails to live up to its promise. So the day began with Barca supporters mired in frustration, and ended with a bit of a reprieve for Rijkaard, as wunderkind (and future Messi, perhaps) Bojan Krkic scored a vital away goal to all but ensure Barcelona's passage to the semifinals, as they return home to the Nou Camp with a 1-0 lead over the German side. All is still not well for Barca, but a dream semifinal against Manchester United will surely envigorate the populace and have people believing in this side's potential once again.

Roma v. Manchester United (0 -2 first leg)
Anyone who glanced at this result without seeing the game might come away saying "Manchester United are really dominant right now, they are the favorites to win it all," and he wouldn't be far off. However, as impressive a result as this is (and make no mistake, winniing 2-0 over Roma at the Stadio Olimpico in front of a rabid fan base is no small feat to accomplish), it would be better to characterize United as "opportunistic" rather than "dominant." Roma, playing without their maestro Totti, actually were more threatening, and seemed to carry over confidence from their impressive besting of Real Madrid. But the chances just weren't ending in finishes, and Totti's absence likely caused a lack of killer instinct in the final third, as well as a lack of imagination. On the other end, one moment of brilliance in the 39th minute by Cristiano Ronaldo (and Paul Scholes with the assist) produced a backbreaking goal against the run of play, and you could just sense the air being sucked out of the stadium, even without the id of high-definition. The second half saw more chances for Roma, some great goalkeeping by Van der Saar, and a cheap goal for Rooney that again came against the run of play. But, it must be said, United did deserve the win, as they were stern and stingy in defense, and very opportunistic in attack, and the end result was a beautiful reward of a 2-0 away goals lead for the return trip to Old Trafford. United are not without their vulnerabilities, but they are definitely the deepest and most in form team in both England and Europe at the moment. Their biggest asset is just how hard they are to beat, specifically in a two-legged tie. They resemble Liverpool's European form of recent years in that regard. Many are already dreaming of a Man Utd v. Liverpool Champions League final. I wouldn't rule it out, as much as it pains me to say.

Now, with Tuesday's results briefly recounted, let's preview today's first leg fixtures.

Fenerbahce v. Chelsea
I severely underestimated teh Turkish side in the round of 16 against Sevilla, and they proved me wrong by winning in fantastic fashion, on penalties after a 5-5 aggregate through two legs. They get to play host to Chelsea today, and will hope for a similarly bright start to the tie as they got versus Sevilla, when they won at home 3-2. Of course, they would prefer to give up zero away goals to the Blues, as scoring in Stamford Bridge will be a tougher proposition than scoring at the Mestalla. Chelsea have to be the favorites, just because of their impenetrable form at home. They will likely play it close to the vest today, and look for a 0-0 draw, or possibly look to catch Fenerbahce on the counter. Still, Fenerhbahce have proved so dangerous going forward with Lugano, Alex, Kezman and leading goalscorer, Deivid, that I do see them breaking through in front of the home crowd...unfortunately, I also see Drogba hitting them once on the counter and the first leg ending in a 1-1 draw.

Arsenal v. Liverpool
Everyone's favorite quarterfinal matchup kicks off today at the Emirates. Liverpool have the advantage clearly, because they play the return leg at Anfield, and because this is, after all, the Champions League, where they have been in two finals in the past three years, winning once. Rafa Benitez just knows how to win in Champions League, and it would be unwise to pick against his side in this matchup, especially because Arsenal are so young. There are very few players left over from the team that played in the Champions League final two years ago - this Gunners side is much younger. They are also more vibrant, and arguably play a more attractive style of football than did the Henry-led team of two years back. Still, pundits and analysts all contend that Arsenal peaked several weeks ago, and they are probably correct. The fact is, Arsenal are razor thin, and even now are forced to start a still-not-100% Robin van Persie up front. They are still in sore need of Tomas Rosicky's presence out right, as the platoon of Eboue, Walcott, and Diaby just has not been as potent or as imaginitive in attack as the Czech international. Adebayor's goal scoring flair has gone missing, and the horrific injury to Eduardo still haunts them. Hleb, Febregas, and Flamini are all still wondrous, but have got to be exhausted from all the minutes played. Stalwart left back Sagna is out injured, and suddenly there are chinks in the armor at back with Gallas and Toure. This is a wounded Arsenal team, and Liverpool, as mediocre as they are in the Premiership, look poised to pounce all over them in this Champions League quarterfinal. Fernando Torres would be player of the year in England if not for Ronaldo at United, and Benitez seems to have suddenly figured out his rotation policy, with Babel getting consistent starts up front, and Mascherano thriving as CDM (despite his outbursts at Old Trafford). Gerrard and Kuyt are playing relaxed and stylish, and overall this team appears rested. Benitez hears all season long about his rotation depriving the team of rhythm or consistent play (a fair charge), but no one can deny that this policy allows his side to be more rested and more fit at the end of the campaign, specifically at the end of the Champions League.
It's a fascinating matchup between two English giants who have never before met in the Champions League, if you can believe that, but one that I see going against the Gunners, unfortunately. Liverpool wins both legs, and possibly three in a row, over the sagging, hurting Arsenal. 4-1 aggregate.

So I see a Manchester United v. Barcelona and Chelsea v. Liverpool semifinals of the '08 Champions League.

Keep watching!

International Wednesday

There was a massive slate of international friendlies contested this past Wednesday, and some intriguing matchups produced some intriguing results. There were also some World Cup qualifiers played between smaller countries, who will likely not be ultimately competing for places in South Africa 2010.

Some notable results from Wednesday's friedlies:

France 1 - 0 England
Spain 1 - 0 Italy
Poland 0 - 3 United States
Egypt 0 - 2 Argentina
Scotland 1 - 1 Croatia
Ghana 1 - 2 Mexico
Sweden 0 - 1 Brazil
Denmark 1 - 1 Czech Republic
Switzerland 0 - 4 Germany
Austria 3 - 4 Netherlands

There were many other friendlies on the day, but these serve as the most noteworthy, due to stature and significance of the nations involved. Obviously Beckham's 100th cap was the big story in Paris, where a sold-out Stade de France looked on as France won a boring affair that marked the uber-icon's 100th apperance for England. Austria appear to be gaining confidence as they prepare to co-host Euro 2008 this summer, and in scoring 3 goals against Holland aim to present themselves as more than the tournament laughingstock. The South American juggernauts won with clean sheets away to formidable sides, while the USA might have scored the biggest win of the day, on the road, 3-0 over Poland. The Poles sometimes seem predisposed to losing friendly matches to the U.S., but any win over a European side on European soil is always a positive step forward for the Americans.

Grand Slam Sunday

Manchester United 3 - 0 Liverpool

Chelsea 2 - 1 Arsenal

Two big results from the weekends matchups between the "Big Four" in England. Javier Mascherano made headlines, in the wrong way, when he garnered two first half yellow cards at Old Trafford, and earned a send-off that sent a shockwave effect through the title race. First, obviously, it helped United increase their somewhat tenuous 1-0 lead to 3-0 by allowing them to play with a man advantage for the entire 2nd half. Second, it hurt Liverpool by prohibiting Mascherano from playing in this weekend's Merseyside derby against Everton, which is a vital game in the two teams' race for fourth in the EPL. Third, it effected Chelsea and Arsenal adversely, as a Liverpool result (1-1 would have been possible, if not probable, were Macherano to have stayed on the pitch) would have given the title-chasers great hope in catching United. Now, conventional wisdom says the race is all but over and won for Man U.

And, it needs to be said, deservedly so. United have been the best and most consistent English club the last two seasons, and will rightfully repeat as champions, barring any unforeseen collapses or miracles from the London contenders. Cristiano Ronaldo has established himself as the best footballer in the world, scoring 33 goals this season in all competitions, an outrageous number. Wayne Rooney is consistently dangerous and threatening, and newcomers Nani and Anderson pack a powerful youth punch in complementing veterans Scholes, Giggs and Carrick in midfielfd. And at the back, United are the best in the Prem, conceding a staggeringly low number of only 15 goals in the league. Chelsea, with their John Terry-led defense, have conceded 23. By all accounts, Manchester United are the best team in England this year, and deserve to win the trophy.

But will they?

(to be continued)

Home Stretch

We're in the home stretch of most European domestic seasons, with roughly eight or so matches remaining for teams in powerful leagues in England, Spain, Italy, Germany, France and Holland.

Bayern Munich, and PSV Eindhoven have five and four point leads, respectively, but are expected to comfortably cruise to titles in Germany in Holland. Lyon have an insurmountable lead in France, as do apparently Inter in Seri A, though Roma are still technically in striking distance only six points back, but Inter appear to have fegained their form and should also cruise to a second consecutive scudetto. Real Madrid are also comfortable atop La Liga with a seven point cushion ahead of Barcelona, who without Leonel Messi show no signs of mounting a late surge.

So really, the league I love to focus on, the English Premiership, is the only one with any real suspense surrounding it. Currently both Chelsea and Manchester United have games in hand over Arsenal, but both clubs play tonight, which will round at the fixtures at 30 apiece. Assuming both win (Chelsea are at White Hart Lane, so no guarantees there), United will move three points clear of both Arsenal and Chelsea. Arsenal, having suffered four consecutive draws in league play, will be astonished to see their London rivals equal on points heading into their derby match on Sunday if Chelsea do in fact win tonight. So now we can officially state that the title is a three-horse race, though United have certainly emerged as clear favorites with Arsenal's recent stumbles. It's still up for grabs though, and these three clubs all still play each other, so there's a lot of points to be had either way. Don't miss the big four square off against each other this Sunday. No way Liverpool walks in to Old Trafford and walks out with a result, right?

Rambling Recap

A rambling recap of the past week...

First, in Champions League play, we now know our eight quaterfinalists, with the pairings to be determined this Friday, and no one should be unaware of the fact that 50% of the participants are from the English Premier League. Yes, the "big four" made history in Europe, making England the first country to have four quarterfinal representatives in European Cup history. And while Chelsea and Manchester United reached the last eight smoothly and in line with projections, Liverpool and Arsenal faced daunting opponents from the city of Milan, two Italian giants with 2nd legs looming in the same daunting San Siro. Arsenal won in spectacular fashion against AC Milan, by way of a magical strike from Cesc Fabregas in the dying embers of the 2nd half of the 2nd leg at Milan. Liverpool were more fortunate in their triumph over Inter, benefiting from definitely dubious double-yellow send-offs to Inter players in BOTH games. With suspect bookings going against them in both affairs, Inter never had a chance against Liverpool, and one has to wonder what the results would have been had the two teams been allowed to face each other at equal strength for the whole of the tie.

EPL sides each have a 40% chance of facing a familiar domestic partner in the next round, which could really spark a fever of interest among fans of the most popular league in the world.

And the Champions League was certainly not the only cup competition generating headlines in England in the past week, as the FA Cup saw a weekend of historic upsets produce a semifinals with all of ONE top flight team poised among THREE championship sides. Portsmouth will face high scoring West Brom, and FA Cup miracle darlings Barnsley will go against Welsh side (and FA controversy-embroiled) Cardiff. Portsmouth arrived in the semifinals by beating Man U at Old Trafford, in a game that left grumpy Alex Ferguson chastising the referees and demanding investigations by the FA. Barnsley continued their dream run by beating Chelsea at home just one round after shocking Liverpool at Anfield. West Brom can't stop scroing goals at the moment, and Cardiff are being told that even an FA Cup triumph would not be enough to see them compete in Europe next season, due to FA technicalities and incongruencies between England and Wales. Nevertheless, a non-Premier League team will compete in the FA Cup final, possibly against a fellow lower leaguer. Amazing stuff.

Inter v. Liverpool, 2nd leg

A long overdue weekend review piece is on its way later today or tomorrow, with coverage and thoughts on last week's Champions League results, weekend Premiership and Clausura action, as well as FA Cup talk.

But first, a last preview capsule on the last of the 2nd leg fixtures in the first knockout round of Champions League.

Inter v. Liverpool (aggregate 0-2)
Liverpool carry a massive 2 goal lead into the San Siro and hope to become the 2nd English side in two weeks to oust a Milano giant at their home stadium. Liverpool face an easier task, one would assume, than did Arsenal when they arrived here last week to face AC Milan in a 0-0 aggregate. The Reds arrive to face Serie A leaders and season-long Italian dominators Inter Milan, with Rafa Benitez' made-for-Europe side protecting a 2 goal lead. Conventional wisdom, which reveals a stellar Champions League pedigree in Liverpool and a perennial underachiever on the European stage in Inter, would suggest an easy go of things for the Merseysiders this evening. Rumors of infighting and dissatisfaction are circulating in the corridors of the Inter establishment, and one would think they would need to have all the confidence and belief in tact in order to reverse the 0-2 aggregate deficit. Inter will undoubtedly start the game in attack mode, something they failed to do at Anfield when they instead allowed Liverpool to bring the game to them from the outset. Inter will take some confidence knowing they will be playing 11 on 11 today, and will trust that there are no more silly decisions goinggainst them such as the red card against Materrazi in the first leg's opening minutes. The question really will be whether Inter's attackers, particularly Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Julio Cruz can make the most of the chances they get and score goals. Liverpool will be tough to break down, and are always danger on the counter, particularly in Champions League, where Benitez simply knows how to inspire results. Inter will score twice, but will be undone by a critical mistake that allows the crucial away goal. 2-1 Inter, 3-2 Liverpool on aggregate.

The big, rambling recap is on its way later today or tomorrow. I will have much reaction on the Champions League quarterfinal draw, which is announced Friday.

Champions League, Rd of 16, 2nd legs (part II)

Before we dissect Tuesday's Champions League results, we must briefly look at the three 2nd leg knockout round fixtures on tap for today. Once these matches are completed, we can look back at our results from the round of 16 (save for Inter - Liverpool, which will be concluded next week) and forecast each team's chances moving forward. The quarterfinal draw is on Friday, and we will have lots to talk about then once the matchups are set.

Chelsea v. Olimpiacos (aggregate 0-0)
Chelsea are everyone's favorite to advance from this tie, but not scoring an away goal in Athens could prove to be their undoing if they see their way to conceding tonight at Stamford Bridge. It will be interesting to watch how the Greek side approaches this match, knowing an away goal would do wonders for their chances, but also knowing that they could sit back and defend and try to advance on penalties. If they open themselves up in attack, Chelsea could show that lethal counterattacking prowess and demolish them. Avram Grant, meanwhile, is feeling the pressure at the Bridge, but will be buoyed by the recent result earned by starting Cole and Ballack (genius!). He should be able to pick the "right" eleven today and Chelsea are more than capable of breaking down Olimpiacos if they play to potential. Look for Drogba, Essien, Ballack, and Cole to have big moments, even if not all four start. I predicted 2-0 Chelsea at the outset, and I feel pretty confident about that scoreline occurring still. But what do I know, really?

Real Madrid v. Roma (aggregate 1-2)
This is a fascinating 2nd leg between two enigmatic powerhouses. Conventional wisdom should favor Real Madrid tonight, but Roma are still very capable of scoring away goals, and I also feel strongly about my 3-3 aggregate prediction holding up here, though Roma would not go through on away goals as I predicted should that scoreline come about. I predicted Roma, and must stick by it, but though they enter tonight's match protecting a lead, I don't feel any firm conviction in their prospects. I think it's a toss-up. Real are more than capable of humbling Roma and not even making this affair last into extra time, but we shall have to wait and see. My gut feeling for man-of-the-match is Fernando Gago of Real. Take it to the bank!

FC Porto v. Schalke '04 (aggregate 0-1)
Besides the debacle of a prediction in the Sevilla - Fenerbahce tie (which, it needs to be said, was the result of the tournament so far...kudos to the Turkish side for reaching their first ever CL quarterfinal), it seems I may have been most wrong about this fixture, as I evidently drastically underestimated Schalke. Though the aggregate stands at only 0-1, and Porto are more than capable of overturning that result (and even arriving at a 3-1 aggregate victory like I predicted), Schalke proved they were the better side in the first leg in Gelsenkirchen. They could have scored two or three more times, and exhibited total dominance in limiting the fierce attack of Porto. So, with Schalke holding dominant form at home, will Porto return the favor on their home pitch? And if so, will that home form amount to more than a one goal victory? They better be careful of conceding a crushing away goal as they push forward early to level the aggregate. Should be compelling stuff....

Full recap of first knockout phase results tomorrow, and examination of the quarterfinal draw on Friday.

Argentina considers USA and Mexico friendlies

Good news for the two Concacaf superpowers: CONMEBOL superpower and world # 1 Argentina is considering playing friendlies against both Mexico and the United States in early June.

Argentina would then return home to play host to Ecuador and at Brazil in further World Cup qualifiers at the latter end of the month. This would be a busy month for Alfio Basile's national team, but likely won't affect them adversely, as they are the deepest team on the planet.

It would be great news for Mexico and USA, as any chance to improve form against a global giant such as Argentina is always a welcome proposition.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/soccer/03/04/bc.soc.argentina.us.ap/index.html

Champions League, Rd of 16, 2nd legs

Today four clubs will advance to the Champions League quarterfinal round, with four more joining them tomorrow, as 2nd legs conclude. There is much intrigue going into today's matches concerning how it will all play out, so let's talk about it...

AC Milan v. Arsenal (aggregate 0-0)
I predicted Arsenal going through on away goals (2-2 seems unlikely, but it could happen), and if the Gunners are to oust the Cup holders, that is likely how it will have to transipre, as I just don't see them winning at the San Siro tonight. They will need to defend much better than they have done of late, and will have to find a way to finish one or two of the rare chances they're likely to see against the stout Milan home defence. Kaka is fit to play, as is Pato, though Clarence Seedorf is a gametime decision, which looms large for the Rossoneri. Manchester United ran into a buzz saw in this stadium in last season's Champions League semifinal, so Arsenal are up against it in needing a result tonight against the defending chamipions. Arsene Wenger may very well gamble on Robin van Persie tonight, as he travelled to Italy and is included in the rotation. But will he start? Emanuel Eboue is also clear to play, and could make a big impact on the right in midfield. Kolo Toure and Tomas Rosicky are still not match fit, and did not make the trip, and each provides a still-gaping void in Arsenal's lineup. All in all, the two sides are clear-headed about their objectives, and confident in their chances. It will be a rollicking atmosphere, and one you don't want to miss.

Barcelona v. Celtic (aggregate 3-2)
Barcelona regained their luminous form in Glasgow a fortnight ago, flowing and attacking and looking boldly like the best club in the world. Granted, they did concede two goals on only about four goal efforts by Celtic, which was a credit to the opportunism of the Scottish side, but the game was thoroughly dominated by Barcelona, and with Messi, Ronaldinho, Henry and even Eto'o all gleaming in top form, Barcelona suddenly look like favorites to hoist the European Cup title for the second time in three years. I predicted a 4-2 aggregate win for Barca, which may have been generous to Celtic, as this could get out of hand in favor of the home side tonight at the Nou Camp.

Sevilla v. Fenerbahce (aggregate 2-3)
My most errant prediction of all the first legs, I underestimated the guile of the Turkish side at home, though Sevilla have to be feeling good about their chances to win this tie after garnering two crucial away goals in Turkey. Needing only a 1-0 victory, the Spanish club should go through, though I won't make the same mistake as predicting as much, as I've now learned not to look past Fenerbahce. Still, while it won't be by a 5-0 aggregate as predicted, if I was betting on the result (which I'm not), I'd go with Sevilla going through.

Manchester United v. Lyon (aggregate 1-1)
The miracle-maker Carlos Tevez emerged in the dying minutes for United yet again in the 1st leg at Lyon, scoring a vital away goal for the Mancunians and resuing a draw in the process. Many expected a United victory in the first leg, and were thus bearing witness to a minor upset when it appeared for most of the match that the French giants would head to Old Trafford with a lead (and more importantly, without conceding an away goal), until Tevez did what he has often done this season for United, score late. Now it feels a safe bet that Man U. will go through, as no French club has ever beaten them at Old Trafford, and with Vidic and Ferdinand healthy and determined in the back, it will be a tall order for Lyon to find the back of the net, something they HAVE to do if they want to advance to the next stage of the competition. My prediction was a 4-1 United aggregate triumph, and that may well come to pass if Rooney and Ronaldo play to their expected levels. Lyon have an enormous challenge laid out before them, but no one can say they don't have a squad capable of shocking the football world....

Should be an enticing, theatrical, vibrant evening of top-class club football. Everyone should tune in and make their opinions heard.

To check out my earlier aggregate predictions and previews of these ties, go here:
http://trueglobalfootball.blogspot.com/2008/02/champions-league-preview-part-2.html

Saturday Recap

An eventful day in the EPL....

Arsenal's lead atop the Premeirship is now one point, and it's a small miracle that it is still in fact a lead at all. With Manchester United thumping hapless Fulham at Craven Cottage 3-0, Arsenal were in need of points to keep their lead in the league, and a miracle 93rd minute goal by Nicklas Bendtner salvaged a 1-1 draw for the Gunners, who were at home to Aston Villa. Arsenal were clearly still hungover from their tumultuous past weekend and played uninspired football, particularly in the attack, although it could be said that Phillipe Senderos played as bad of a defensive game as is possible, consistently getting abused by Gabriel Agbonlahor and Marlon Harewood. Cesc Fabregas, Emanuel Adebayor, Mathieu Flamini, et. al played very sub par, and it's never been more clear now that Eduardo is missing, that Arsenal are sorely missing the services of Tomas Rosicky and Robin van Persie. Villa for their part, must feel bitterly disappointed not to come away with all three points after soundly outplaying Arsenal. A win at the Emirates would have put them level with Everton for the moment in 4th place and only whetted their appetites for Champions League qualification for next season. As it is, they can head back to the Midlands feeling good about their form, but disappointed that they didn't enhance their position as much as they could have.

United will go approach their last ten games with the swagger and the confidence and the belief that they are indeed the best side in England, and will surely feel optimisitic about catching and then fending off Arsenal (and perhaps Chelsea still) in route to defending their Premeir League crown.

As much as we love to focus on the glamour clubs at the top of the table, the real theatre this year is occurring in the bottom half, where after today, teams placed 12 through 18 are separated by a mere 4 points, meaning any one of SEVEN clubs will be joining Fulham and Derby in relegation by season's end. Reading and Birmingham both scored crucial wins, while Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Bolton suffered defeats. Wigan and Sunderland drew, and it's anybody's guess who will be relegated as we enter the last phase of the schedule.

Wenger asks for Player Protection

Arsene Wenger has come out and publicly asked for EPL referees to provide some measure of protection for his players in the face of increasingly rough and aggressive challenges by their oppositon.

'If one team is making three times more foul tackles than the others then they need to be punished,' Wenger told reporters on Friday.
'I am not asking for special treatment. The referees have to find an answer. I don't want to go into what is right and wrong.'

Wenger's comments come on the heels of Arsenal's bitter reaction to and forced acceptance of Martin Taylor's punishing tackle that ended Eduardo's season. Those in the Arsenal camp who deem Taylor's three match ban as too lenient are finding themselves to be in the minority in the court of public opinion, so Wenger is saying what he can to try and spread some awareness as to the crisis of reckless challenges that he sees as dangerous to the Premier League's product.

It's a tough topic, as physicality is indeed part of football, and no one wants to institute rules that would discourage fullbacks from playing aggressive, hard-nosed defense. Yet, fans of fluid, attractive attack will most likely agree with Wenger in hopes of sustaining an Arsenal-esque approach to the game and will likely call for more protection of players so the beautiful game can cease to be clogged up by bullish backs. Somewhere, there is a happy medium, and tranquility will be restored.

For now, Arsene would be best served to focus on his difficult tasks at hand: winning the Premeirship and overcoming AC Milan in Champions League.

Eduardo Update

Good news out of London today: Eduardo is expected to recover relatively quickly and be able to be up and running within six months, with a possible clearance of playing football again in nine months. After looking at the injury in closer detail, I am thrilled to hear that the Croatian international could be playing again in 2008. I did not foresee that possibility after looking at still photos and slowed down footage on YouTube. But today, Arsenal and Croatia fans may breathe a little easier and hold on to positive hopes for Eduardo's future.

And now hopefully the death threats on Birmingham's Martin Taylor will cease.

Though I deem it ridiculous and criminal for anyone to threaten the man's life, I do not find myself in the increasingly vocal majority of pundits and fans who feel the tackle was not malicious, and I take particular umbrage with those ex-players and commentators who have suggested the challenge did not even merit a yellow card. Malicious intent or not, it is painfully obvious that Taylor's attempted tackle was reckless, and reckless challenges are, by their very nature, condemnable and subject to guaranteed sending offs. And when reckless challenges result in career-threatening injuries? There is no doubt that the guilty player should come under review and be considered for serious suspension. I do not agree with Arsene Wenger's initial reaction that Taylor should "not be allowed to play football" ever again, but I do see a year suspension being warranted. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly clear that Wenger's constant suspicion about teams' approach to Arsenal well-founded and accurate. EPL squads appear intentionally out to "kick Arsenal;" to knock them out of their free-flowing rhythm by playing doggedly physical, in an effort to neutralize the Gunners' stylish approach. While I don't believe this approach should be prohibited by any stretch (it is basic sport to look for ways to neutralize opponents, and getting physical with your opponent is a heady tactic that transcends most sports), I do believe that Arsenal opponents should take heed to this latest injury, and be wary of commiting reckless fouls in the course of this strategy. I believe Taylor's case should be made an example of, to some extent, and that the FA should reaffirm the position that reckless and dangerous challenges on any player of any team will not be tolerated. Perhaps a year is too harsh, but a three game ban is surely too lenient, with respect to Taylor's tackle on poor Eduardo.

The Croation media are understandably irate over this development, as Eduardo figured to be a key component in Croatia's summer campaign in Euro '08. However, they are being overzealous and extreme, as evidenced by several of their journalists stopping Martin Taylor's car on the road and attempting to get in for what one assumes would have been a sort of "hijack-interview."

Weekend Review

First off, congratulations to Tottenham Hotspur for winning the Carling Cup over Chelsea at Wembley. Their first trophy in nine years, Spurs went a goal down in the first half before equalizing through a fortunate penalty award in the second half, when Wayne bridge handled the ball in the box. Dmitar Berbatov was cool as ever in leveling the match, and Tottenham capitalized in extra time on their overall superiority in attack when Jonathan Woodgate scored the winner from a set piece. Tottenham were deserved winners on the day, and Chelsea appeared to be off their form, possibly due to Avram Grant's questionable decision to not start Joe Cole and to play Anelka up top alongside Drogba. Chelsea never flowed in the attack, and were not their usual fortified selves in defence, conceding two goals to the new League Cup champions.

Premiership action over the weekend saw Manchester United close the gap on Arsenal to three points, with 11 games remaining. The title chase is squarely up for grabs after United took advantage of Arsenal's 2-2 draw at Birmingham by drubbing Newcastle 5-1 at St. James Park. Ronaldo and Rooney were in stellar form and United were back to their dynamic, deadly ways after a disappointing defeat to Manchester City two weeks ago in their last league fixture. Arsenal, on the other hand, endured a devastating day that saw a 2-1 lead squandered in the 94th minute to a dubious penalty decision but also (and more improtantly) witnessed a season-ending injury to Eduardo. The Brazilian born, Croatian international, who had been in great form of late and was proving one of Arsene Wenger's most delightful surprises of the year, suffered a vicious lower leg break that will cause him to miss the rest of the season, and possibly beyond. Let's hope he is able to come back at the start of the '08-'09 campaign. The loss of Eduardo means Arsenal are desperate to have Robin van Persie return to match fitness asap, or else they will redefine the term "thin" at the striker role.

Liverpool enjoyed a hat trick from Spanish superstar Fernando Torres in their comeback win over Middlesbrough at Anfield, a vital result for the Reds as they were able to move ahead of their Merseyside rivals Everton in pursuit of England's fourth Champions League slot. Aston Villa and Portsmouth both gained crucial wins as they too remained in staunch contention for a top four finish, with Villa notbaly staying level on points at 47 with both Liverpool and Everton. The race for the last Champions League spot is looking to be as compelling as the race for the title.

Sadly for American soccer fans, it looks as if the majority of the Americans playing Premier League football abroad will be playing in the Coca Cola Championship next season, as Reading, Fulham and (surely) Derby County all looked destined for relegation. Fulham boast a whopping four American outfield players in McBride, Dempsey, Bocanegra, and Johnson. Reading's Marcus Hahnemann and Bobby Convey look likely to join their international teammates in relegation despair, alongside Benny Feilhaber, who's Derby side is 100% assured of its fate. It's a shame for the Americans, as conventional wisdom suggests that the American national team can only rise to the level of global contender if a majority of its stars are competing in top flight leagues overseas. Americans have largely acquitted themselves well in the EPL, so to see seven of them relegated in one season would feel disastrous. Proponents of MLS (particularly the loquacious Alexi Lalas) would argue that the domestic league is just as qualified at preparing national team stars (a la Landon Donovan) as any overseas competition, but those in the "know" can see that this is fallacy. The U.S. national team can only benefit from having its stars cut their teeth among the world's best in the best overseas leagues, and it's been a credit to the rising American talent that so many have emerged as key figures for teams not just in the EPL, but also the top flights in Germany, Holland, Belgium, and Scotland. Continued American progression up the ladder of international achievement depends on its players becoming the best they can, and to this end, MLS is certainly not the answer.

Copa Libertadores

All the global focus is on Champions League in Europe right now, and rightfully so, but let's not forget that the "other" champions' league, the Copa Libertadores, is getting underway with its group stages this month. While it doesn't carry the mystique or glamour clubs of the UEFA version, the Libertadores is a fine tournament, with very good teams with emerging talent destined for the brighter shores of Europe.

Here is a link to the eight group pairings, courtesy of ESPN Soccernet:
http://soccernet-akamai.espn.go.com/league?id=conmebol.libertadores&cc=5901

I will dive deeper into this tournament as it progresses through the group stages. So far, the only noteworthy result was River Plate losing to Peruvian club Universidad San Martin. That was a shocker.

Champions League Preview (Part 2)

Continuing on with our Champions League preview for round of 16 ties, we look at the matchups beginning on Wednesday...

AC Milan v. Arsenal
This has to be the glamour matchup of this round, with the defending champions squaring off against the runners-up of two years ago. Arsenal have arguably (along with Inter and Manchester United) looked the most attractive and dangerous of European clubs so far this year, but they stumbled slightly in the group stage and ended up finishing 2nd to Sevilla, a penalty that caused them to face 1st seed Milan. Six weeks ago, Arsenal would be tghe odds-on favorites here, as Milan were floundering in Serie A and looked in danger of losing out on next year's Champions League by not finishing in the top four spots of the Italian league. But they have recently found their form, and are threatening to re-enter the top four in Serie A, and more importantly are regaining their identity just in time for Champions League knockout stages, where they thrive. So Arsenal have their work cut out for them, and I see this tie hinging on the Arsenal array of talented midfielders and how they deal with Kaka's attack and Gattuso's defense. Milan are loaded with other threats as well, including newcomer Alexandre Pato, but the midfield matchups are scintillating. My gut prediction says Tomas Rosicky is the MVP of this round for the Gunners.
Aggregate Preditcion: 2-2 Arsenal (on away goals)

Barcelona v. Celtic
To say this Barca side is an enigma would be understatement. They have to be the most talented team in Europe, top to bottom, with apologies to Man Utd, Real Madrid, Inter, et. al., and with word released that Eto'o is fit and ready to go, conventional wisdom suggests Barcelona will ride their big names (Eto'o Ronaldinho, Messi, Henry, Deco, etc) to easy passage into the quarterfinal. But Celtic are no pushovers, and are experienced in Champions League knockout football. Last year at this stage they acquitted themselves extremely well against eventual winners Milan, pushing the Rossoneri to the brink before succumbing to an injury-time winner in the 2nd leg at the San Siro. The Glaswegian side knows how to defend, and will look to frustrate Barcelona by impeding their flow, and disrupting their flair. But at home in the first leg, Celtic must score, and for that they must look to Dutch name-for-the-ages Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Scott McDonald, and Shinsuke Nakamura.
Aggregate Prediction: 4-2 Barcelona

FC Sevilla v. Fenerbahce
I have to be honest and admit I don't know a lot about the Turkish side, other than they are perennial entrants into Champions League, if not always the knockout fixtures. I do know they have international talent mixed in among some rough and tumble countrymen who help make Turkey such a dangerous international opponent (and World Cup semifinalist in 2002). Sevilla have navigated their way through to the final of the UEFA Cup each of the last two years, winning and then losing in an attempt to repeat last year. But this is where Sevilla feel they ought to be competing: in Champions League late rounds. Their wunderkind striker Fredy Kanoute was just named African footballer of the year (perhaps a dubious win when considering the 2007 Didier Drogba had), and he partners with the very in form Luis Fabiano up front to form a very dangerous attacking Spanish side. Sevilla are struggling currently in 6th place in La Liga which means they better make the most of their time here and now on the big stage, lest they not qualify for next year's show. You have to believe then that they got the draw they wanted.
Aggregate Prediction: 5-0 Sevilla

Manchester United v. Lyon
Lyon are very good, but not good enough to defeat United. Sir Alex's charges are brimming with confidence after drubbing Arsenal 4-0 in the FA Cup at the weekend, and will not be denied in this round. Juninho will need to be big for Lyon, and they will have to score first so they can sit back and frustrate United. Unfortunately for Olympique, Rooney or Ronaldo will create too many chances and will head back to Old Trafford with a lead.
Aggregate Prediction: 4-1 Manchester United


Poor Inter... I though Marco Materrazi's sending off was horrific, and quite possibly gifted Liverpool passage into the next round. Will Inter be able to rebound in three weeks and score a 2-0 or 3-0 victory? Real Madrid have their work cut out for them after succumbing to Roma at the Estadio Olimpico after going 1-0 up early through Raul. Now they return to the Bernebeu with a 2-1 deficit. Porto too, return home needing to overcome a deficit, and Chelsea should have no trouble winning at Stamford Bridge after playing to a 0-0 draw in Athens.

Interesting stuff played out today, with more to come tomorrow, and fascinating possibilities wait in two weeks as we prepare to welcome our final eight teams to the Champions League.

Champions League Preview (Part 1)

After a long lapse between final group stage games and the start of knockout fixtures, the Champions League is ready to resume this week, with the round of 16 knockout phase taking place Tuesday and Wednesday. There are great matchups across the board. The last 16 clubs remaining in Europe's ultimate club competition all carry compelling storylines into this phase. Let's try to label them into three categories (with license to alter and edit later) and then look at the actual matchups individually and try to make some predictions.



The Favorites
Real Madrid
Manchester United
AC Milan
Liverpool
Barcelona

The Next in Line
Inter Milan
Arsenal
Lyon
Chelsea
Roma
Sevilla

The Underdogs
Porto
Celtic
Schalke 04
Olympiacos
Fenerbahce

Now, before we get onto the matchups, a qualification: the above tiers may raise some eyebrows, particularly the exlusion of teams such as Inter, Arsenal, and Chelsea. Well, in order to be considered a favorite in this exercise, I decided that you must be a past winner of Champions League. And with apologies to Porto, the five favorites listed are all previous holders of the trophy and thus deserve to be considered favorites, based on experience alone (that and the fact they are all very powerful sides this year). That said, you can make the argument for ANY of the six teams in the second tier winning the title this year. And in fact, I believe either Inter or Arsenal are the real favorites at this stage. The underdogs are all poised to make a lot of noise in the form of dramatic upsets and deep runs into the semi-final or perhaps farther. They are all to be taken seriously.

So with that, it's safe to say each of the last 16 are dangerous and talented, so let's examine the ties:

FC Porto v. Schalke 04
Schalke, who are 5th in the Bundesliga, have to be the underdogs against a very in-form Porto, led by Argentines Lisandro Lopez and Luis Gonzales, and Portuguese sensation Ricardo Quaresma. But Kevin Kuranyi and Schalke will try to score goals first and keep the dangerous Porto side from getting in rhythm. Schalke may be able to get a result at home, but most likely will hope for a draw, and I see Porto going through on aggregate.
Aggregate Prediction: 3-1 Porto

Chelsea v. Olympiacos
Chelsea are overwhelming favorites to advance to the quarterfinal, but Olympiacos may very well provide a scare. It is up to Chelsea's African stars to regain their stellar form they maintained prior to leaving for the African Cup of Nations. If they do, they will win in a walk. If not, Chelsea may be forced to earn their passage in a prickly home leg at Stamford Bridge.
Aggregate Prediction: 2-0 Chelsea

Real Madrid v. RomaThis is an intriguing matchup between powerhouse clubs, but most will argue Real Madrid is the clear favorite to go through. They are still top of La Liga, and are playing well, if not erratic at times. They are clearly the deeper and more talented side, but Roma are dangerous in attack, particularly with Totti and Perotta working interplay off each other. I am going with an upset here.
Aggregate Prediction: 3-3 Roma (on away goals)

Inter Milan v. Liverpool
In any other year, this matchup would be the best of the round of 16, but this year it's not even the best matchup between Italian and English clubs (that honor goes to Milan v. Arsenal). Inter have been the best club in the world this season, utterly dominating Serie A and looking nearly invincible with their depth of talent, most of which is culled from outside Italy. But Liverpool and Rafa Benitez are never to be underestimated in European play (just ask last year's favorites Barca), and will no doubt put all their energies into Champions League success as a way of slavaging an otherwise disappointing season so far. Liverpool play a style of football more suited for Europe, and will be very tough at Anfield in tomorrow's first leg. Still, if Inter are ever to break through on the European stage, this has to be their year.
Aggregate Prediction: 3-1 Inter



Part 2 tomorrow, as well as reaction to these first leg results.