FantAntonio’s Exclusion

Antonio Cassano’s recent exclusion from the Italian National team has sparked controversy in the calcio world. Though the exclusion is nothing permanent, Cassano’s presence is something that would definitely be beneficial to the Italians in the two vital upcoming World Cup Qualifiers in Montenegro and versus the Irish.

 

 Cassano brings something to the Azzurri that has been sorely absent in recent years, and that is an attacker that can beat his man off the dribble and provide a playmaking triple threat so to speak. In the recent friendly against Brazil the only player who showed this key ability was youngster Giuseppi Rossi.

 

Antonio is in top form and proving it weekly in Serie A with Sampdoria. Yes, he may have a history of a bad temper and critical mistakes and breakdowns in the spotlight, but it looks as if he has matured a bit from these meltdowns. Cassano has made it a mission of his to prove that he has overcame his past, and I feel that he has proven himself and that he has separated from his past mishaps. There were no complaints from any Azzurri teammates from his Euro 2008 campaign and even though that squad never seemed to gel, Cassano was the very least of their problems. But that was when a different manager was leading Italia, and with Marcello Lippi back on the bench running the ship many things have changed. So this is what has sparked the controversy. Are Azzurri supporters supposed to just sit back and respect and trust the World Champion manager or should they fight for Cassano’s inclusion in the squad? Is Antonio’s exclusion solely because of what lacks in a personal relationship with Lippi? At the local café the Italians seem to be taking Cassano’s side. The common response seems that Cassano’s skill is too valuable to overlook and this is a well-made point.

 

Lippi’s frontmen of choice when leaving Cassano out were Vincenzo Iaquinta, Antonio Di Natale, Fabio Quagliarella, Giuseppi Rossi, and Giampaolo Pazzini. Pazzini playing his club futbol at Sampdoria with Cassano has benefited from the playmaker from Bari, and it has to give a little extra sting to Cassano that his other half of the Samp duo will be representing Italia without him. Cassano is obviously happy for Pazzini, but it is evident that this duo is eager to show off their connection and chemistry on a higher level.

 

Could there really have been a better opportunity for Lippi to include Cassano in the squad with all the current injuries hobbling the Azzurri? With Toni, Gilardino, and Del Piero all not being on the squad and a supple amount of youngsters rising through the Italian ranks, is this a clear-cut sign that Cassano will never make Lippi’s cut?

 

When all is said and done don’t be surprised if Italia escapes the upcoming week of qualifying with the full six points or four at minimum, but when the elite squads are the opposition and the World Cup comes around next summer this will not be Italia’s roster, as it surely wouldn’t cut it.

 

The Best Ever!!

Martin Brodeur has made NHL history, as he has collected the 552nd win of his spectacular career last night. After kicking away a final effort by his opposition and the sound of the horn, Marty hopped off the ice in excitement as he has added yet another tremendous accomplishment to his long resume. This elite goaltender has been poised for greatness since his rookie year. Marty’s best known for his unique style and knack for making spectacular; crucial saves in the clutch. His remarkable glove reflects and headstrong personality combine with his ultimate conistency of greatness make him the best goaltender in NHL history. Brodeur has been the backbone to this New Jersey Devils franchise in the last 16 or so years. Marty has been the last line of defense and led the Devils to being one of the most successful teams in all of sports during his tenure. Three Stanley Cup Championships and plethora of division championships have solidified the Devils as a constant Championship contender. Marty clearly has a trophy case of wonders that includes his three Stanley Cup Championships and 4 Vezina Trophys. Brodeur also has a 2002 Olympic Gold Medal leading Canada to the promise land. He basically has his own record book filled with various feats from his newly achieved regular season wins record, to record for wins in one season (48), to most 40 win seasons (7), to the most consecutive 30 (12) and 35 (11) win seasons, and most shutouts in regular season and playoffs combined. When comparing Martin Brodeur with the former record holder Patrick Roy the numbers seem to already favor Marty Brodeur in most categories. As for the playoff stats, it just seems like a matter of time till Brodeur rules them too. The only record that is sure to favor Roy at the end of it all is Conn Smythe Trophy wins as he currently leads 3-0 over Marty, as Brodeur was robbed of this achievement in 2003 when he shut the Ducks out three times in the Stanley Cup finals. Roy also leads Brodeur in Stanley Cup Championships 4-3.

Reg Season         Games          Wins         GAA        SO

Brodeur                  987             552           2.20    100

Roy                         1029              551         2.54        66

Playoffs                Games      Wins            GAA         SO

Brodeur                   169             95            1.96         22

Roy                          247               151          2.30         23

Lost in this mix was yet another incredible achievement. New Jersey Devils, Patrik Elias became the franchise’s all-time leader in points surpassing John MacLean with 702 points. Elias has had a great career and is known for his excellent puck control and superb stick skills. He has won two Stanley Cups with the Devils and showed his loyalty in staying with the franchise despite higher contract offers from big name teams across the league. Elias is also the player who has been on the winning side with Brodeur the most times (398). On top of that the Devils have inched even closer to the Boston Bruins at the top of the conference, as they now only trail the Bruins by four points with two games in hand and an upcoming battle against each other on Sunday.

NBA Back In Business For Metropolitan Area

There is a sudden energy flowing back into the New York/ New Jersey area and it’s the unexpected reemerging NBA franchises in the metropolitan area. The Knicks and Nets have all of a sudden stopped being the overlooked teams of and just outside the city, and have become teams of relevance again.

 

            The New York Knicks have been in the gutter and made headlines for all of the wrong reasons for basically the entire decade. The Knicks haven’t finished a season over .500 since the 00-01 season and have been dragged through the mud with constant negative storylines like Isiah Thomas and Stephon Marbury. But all of a sudden there is a light at the end of the tunnel for the New York Knicks. With the tremendous coaching job done thus far from newly appointed head coach Mike D’Antoni and the opening of some major cap space after the 09-10 season, the “Quest” has built a lot of momentum. Yes, 2010 is a while away, but D’Antoni has proved that he can produce a team that cannot only entertain but win some basketball games in the mean time. Though the playoffs are still an option, it seems like it will just be too much of a hill to climb for the Knicks this season. But after another good draft pick and a year under D’Antoni’s system, the Knicks are likely to see the playoffs next season right before they make the headlines for a big spending spree in the summer of 2010.

 

            The face of the Knicks has to be the head coach Mike D’Antoni at the moment, but multiple players have really stepped up this season and proven their worth. Lets start with the dynamic duo of Nate Robinson and David Lee. Nate Robinson has become a well-known commodity across the league because of his electricity and show stopping ability. He’s a fixture on all highlight shows and has proven that he is not afraid to take on any moment, shot, or player in the league. David Lee has quietly solidified himself as the double-double king of the NBA. He is a hustler and a player who can be relied on to give 110% throughout his time on the court. Unfortunately for the Knicks both of these guys are free agents at the end of the season, and rumor has it that only one of these two fan favorites will be able to stay with the budget management in preparation for the 2010 off season. The other three main contributors for the Knicks have been Al Harrington, Wilson Chandler, and Chris Duhon. Al Harrington brings the constant 3-point shooting threat, Chandler the versatility to get to the rim, and Duhon the court leader and playmaker that runs the masters offense. And then there is the young draft pick, Danilo Gallinari. The potential of this youngster excites the crowd, as he is a spectacular shooter who will be a key piece to the rise of the Knicks franchise back to its prominence in the near future.

 

            The New Jersey Nets obviously don’t get the same spotlight and attention as the nearby Knicks, but it has become no secret that their youth movement and recent front office moves have been nothing but successful for the franchise. Led by Devin Harris and Vince Carter the Nets have brought solid promising youngsters into the mix, that are sure to brighten the franchise’s future, wherever it may call home. Yi Jianlian, Ryan Anderson, and Chris Douglas-Roberts are the youth additions to this franchise that the Nets are hoping to provide the surroundings to Devin Harris and Brooks Lopez. Harris has established himself as a top five, point guard in the league and looks like he is still improving. And Lopez has shown the promise the Nets were looking for when they drafted him, and is almost certain to be a legit star amongst big men across the league. The Nets are also clearly on the way up thanks to the bright front office that seems to always get the best of their acquisitions.

 

            Yes, many NBA fans in cities like Los Angeles and Boston might laugh at this current optimism, but it cant be ignored that all metropolitan area sport fans are starting to find it necessary to flip through the Knicks and Nets games every night in recent times. It seems you can always count on an exciting game and finish even if they come up on the losing end. Despite the fact that both of these squads are under .500 they are both currently in the hunt for a playoff berth with the Nets only 2 games out of the 8^th seed and the Knicks only 1.5 games out.

 

            So it may seem a bit optimistic, but one thing is for certain the Metropolitan area has definitely taken a big step forward in their NBA progression and it looks that soon both of these franchises will be back to being East contenders, where they belong.

Juventus- Chelsea Leg 2 Recap

The return leg between Juventus and Chelsea brought an exciting finish to the fixture. Despite the lack of true goal scoring opportunities throughout the first half, the final 20 minutes brought an intense finish that left fans on the edge of their seats.

 

            The match didn’t start the way Juventus was hoping for, as the obstacles began early on. Squad veteran Pavel Nedved received consecutive early knocks that forced him off the pitch in an early substitution in the 13^th minute.

 

 Chelsea almost broke the deadlock in the 16^th minute when Nicolas Anelka was played in on Buffon, but was unfairly ruled offside, as he continued to lash the ball wide anyway.

 

            Juventus struck first evening up the aggregate early on, on a spectacularly produced goal from Vincenzo Iaquinta. Iaquinta received a ball with his back to goal from about 35 yards out and preceded to backheal to fellow frontman David Trezeguet who promptly chested and sent a perfect ball into space for the running Iaquinta who made no mistake in smashing home the opener.

 

            In the 45^th minute Chelsea almost struck back when they were awarded a free kick and a premier scoring opportunity on a bogus handball decision on Tiago (who clearly played the ball off his chest). Drogba stepped up and cracked one, that sent Buffon sprawling to get his big paws on it smothering it against the post and just keeping a piece of the ball on the goal line to prevent a Chelsea goal. Replays showed the ball may have just crossed the line, but the fact that this was an awful free kick decision justifies the no goal ruling.

 

 Two minutes later just before the half Chelsea wouldn’t be denied. Frank Lampard decided to give it a go from around 30 yards out and it took a sharp deflection that sent Buffon retreating to just keep this looper out of the net, but after Buffon was just able to touch this ball onto the bar Michael Essien was able to hustle to be the first one to greet the rebound slipping it under the helpless Buffon. Essien’s hustle was obviously welcomed back to the squad in decisive fashion.

 

            In the second half Juventus pulled the goal scorer Iaquinta to make way for the young Italian star Sebastian Giovinco. Iaquinta gave a good 60 minutes of complete effort.

 

A serious blunder from the referee came up in the 70^th minute when Giorgio Chiellini made an aggressive clean; ball winning tackle from Chelsea frontman Didier Drogba, but the ref decided to not only whistle for a foul, but he also pulled out a yellow card. This led to the expulsion of the Juve central defender, as he was already booked for an earlier offence.

 

Two minutes later hope raised again for Juve as a Del Piero free kick was clearly handed by the Chelsea substitute Belletti in the penalty area. The Juventus captain showed an enormous amount of composure, as he smoothly soft footed the penalty home to give Juve the 2-1 lead.

 

But despite the Juve pressure and full effort going forward Chelsea managed to hit on the second away goal to ice the fixture and their advancement into the quarterfinals. Ballack slid the ball outside to the substitute Belletti who made up for his previous mistake with a perfect ball and assist to Didier Drogba, who finished easily from just outside the six-yard box.

 

 

            Chelsea advances to the quarterfinals and look to have revived their squad from their early season struggles and obstacles. With Drogba back to top form, Chelsea will prove to be a tough out for any club. The Michael Essien return might have been the difference in this fixture.

 

            Juventus didn’t seem to catch a break in their first year back to the Champions League. In this deciding leg they had some major injury issues missing almost half of their starters including Legrotaglie, Camoranesi, Marchionni, Sissoko, and an early exit to Nedved, yet they still proved they could take a top class Premier League squad to the limit. Lets not forget they also were dealt with the obstacle of a bogus red card to their best defender with the tie still yet to be decided.

 

 

Player Ratings

 

 

Juventus

 

 

Gianluigi Buffon-   7.0    Unfortunate deflection led to the crucial away goal late in the first half. Was helpless on the clincher by Drogba. Otherwise on his game and made a huge save on dangerous free kick.

 

Christian Molinaro-   7.5    Was constantly up the wing reeking havoc with the Chelsea defense. Ran the pitch the entire match and gave his complete effort throughout.

 

Giorgio Chiellini-   7.0    Was unjustly red carded for a clean ball winning tackle at a crucial time in the match. Aggressive as usual and did his fair share of tackling and bullying strikers.

 

Olof Mellberg-   6.5   Quiet; yet solid performance in the middle replacing Legrotaglie.

 

Zdenek Grygera-   6.5   Crucial energy up the wing in attack and was solid at the back.

 

Claudio Marchisio-   6.5   Played a solid match and met the majorities’ expectations. Worked extremely hard and was constantly fighting for possession.

 

Tiago-   7.0     Much improved second leg for the midfielder. Had an excellent first half winning balls in the midfield and distributing well and with purpose.              

 

Pavel Nedved-     Was subbed out in the 13^th minute after receiving consecutive knocks. Shame this was most likely his last European match. Juve missed him dearly and he could have been the difference in this one.

 

Vincenzo Iaquinta-   7.5    Took full advantage of his start by menacing the Chelsea defense with his constant hustling and will. Scored a marvelous goal that started with a skillful heal flick to Trez that he received back in stride where he preceded to mash in the net scoring the opener. Was subbed out in the 60^th minute.

 

David Trezeguet-   6.5    A spectacular backpass to Iaquinta to assist on the first strike, and a threatening header that forced the best out of Cech. Other then that not really much involved in the attack.

 

Alessandro Del Piero-   6.5    The captain didn’t have one of his magical performances, but fought hard and distributed the ball well from his different position. Scored from the spot with ease and comfort.

 

 

 

Substitutes

 

Hasan Salihamidzic-   5.5    Not much positive production from the early substitute.

 

Sebastian Giovinco-   7.25    Brought exactly the energy and attacking his side was in search for. Brilliant skill from the youngster, as he is sure to play a more prominent role in Juve’s run at the trophy next season.

 

Amauri-  

 

 

 

Chelsea

 

 

Petr Cech-   6.5       Wasn’t at fault for either goal, but still managed to look sloppy at moments overrunning a high ball and using his hands outside the box.

 

Ashley Cole-   6.0    Was barely effective on the wing on both ends of the pitch.

 

Alex-   7.0     Much stronger second leg from the Brazilian. Was focused and organized in defense, clearing and anticipating on multiple occasions.

 

John Terry-   6.5    Strong and held his ground in the back.

 

Jose Bosingwa-   6.0   Not much positive production from the wing defenseman. Molinaro got the best of him.

 

John Mikel Obi-   6.5   Did his job well. Won balls and made the simple passes throughout the match.

 

Michael Essien-   6.5   Returned to the pitch and was well involved throughout. Managed to hustle to poke the first Chelsea goal in. Non-stop effort and clearly a difference maker for his side.

 

Frank Lampard-   6.0   Not Lampard’s best performance as he was barely a force or a threat in attack. His deflected effort led to Chelsea’s crucial away goal though.

 

Michael Ballack-   6.0   Improved second leg from the German. Found Belletti on the Drogba goal.

 

Nicolas Anelka-   5.5   Rubbish from the Frenchman. Wasted several opportunities and countable possessions.

 

Didier Drogba-   7.5    Is back to his top form as he proved he is always a threat to score against anyone. Hit the clincher late in the match.

 

 

 

Substitutes

 

Juliano Belletti-   6.0     Played a big role in his 25 minutes on the pitch. Made an awful mistake committing an unforgivable obvious handball in the box, resulting in a Juve penalty, but made up for it with the picture perfect ball to assist Drogba on the clincher.

 

Ricardo Carvalho-

 

 

 

 

Man of The Match-     Didier Drogba

Manchester United- Inter Leg 2 Recap

The second leg between Manchester United and Inter Milan was sure not to disappoint after a 0-0 draw in the first leg at the San Siro. There were a few changes for both sides as Manchester returned key central defender Nemanja Vidic and placed Wayne Rooney back into the starting 11. Inter manager, Jose Mourinho decided on Samuel and Cordoba to partner up in central defense and gave surprise starts to veteran midfielder Patrick Viera and young striker Mario Balotelli.

 

            Manchester United got right to it, as they opened the scoring up in the 4^th minute off a Ryan Giggs corner kick. Vidic managed to spin Viera around on a fake, losing him in the process and heading home a strong effort to give Manchester the 1-0 lead.

           

            Zlatan Ibrahimovic almost responded in the 29^th minute when he bounced a header from an impressive free kick delivered by Maicon off of the crossbar. In the 37^th minute Ibra once again left his mark by executing a perfect backheal to give Stankovic an opportunity which he lashed with the outside of his boot sending the ball curling just inches wide of the post with the help of a Van der Sar tip.

 

The action pressed on to the other side of the pitch immediately after, when Giggs played to Rooney who then one touched O’Shea through on net, but only to be denied by an aggressive sliding out save by Inter keeper Julio Cesar. Inter continued the action a minute later on the other end when Ibra lifted another ball to Stankovic on the back post where he knocked it over the target.

 

 The last major scoring chance of the half came in the 40^th minute when Balotelli sent a perfect through ball behind the defense for Ibrahimovic, who promptly sent it just wide of the far post.

 

            The second half started the same way as the first, as Manchester managed to once again find the net within 5 minutes. This time it was Cristiano Ronaldo doing the finishing. A patient Giggs hold up and a perfect Rooney chip pass into space created this 49th minute header for Ronaldo, who raced away from the defenders to meet the ball soundly.

 

 In an attempt to get more of an attack going in desperate times, Mourinho subbed in Adriano in the 60^th minute and this was almost an instant success as Adriano found himself a recipient to a precise Cambiasso pass in the scoring area. Adriano did a tremendous job to put a lunging left boot onto it, beating Van der Sar but striking the inside of the post in agonizing fashion. This result pretty much explained the Inter match as a whole, as they ran out of gas and motivation after this unlucky incident, and proceeded to be eliminated after a 2-0 loss to Manchester United in Old Trafford.

 

The play of these sides was rather equal in this fixture with a slight edge to Man U. Manchester United got the better of play in the first leg in Milan, but it wasn’t able to produce an away goal, getting the draw. The second leg was pretty much a 50-50 match from my viewpoint, but the key difference was Manchester finished their scoring opportunities. Inter didn’t have fortune on their side striking woodwork twice. An inch either way and Inter might have advanced, but that’s the beauty of futbol, and Manchester was the more deserving side in this one.

 

            Manchester United advances to the quarters again in their attempt to repeat as Champions League titleholders. Sir Alex is surely a bit more pleased with the victory due to the fact it was against rival manager Jose Mourinho, but the job is far from done for United. Many say this Manchester is a better squad then last year, and this may be so on paper, but I just don’t see this squad repeating.

 

            Inter-Milan once again has failed in Europe as they find themselves home before the quarterfinals. The Zlatan critics will come out in full force, but he is far from the problem in my eyes. Inter will now focus on their Scudetto goal, as they have a pretty comfortable lead, but off season turnover is sure to follow as Europe has been known to be their top priority in the upcoming years.

 

 

 

Player Ratings

 

 

Manchester United

 

Edwin Van Der Sar-    6.5    Kept the clean sheet, but didn’t have to make any impressive saves. Was helped by the woodwork on two occasions. Luck was on his side.

 

Patrice Evra-     7.0        Solid as usual in defense, making a key deflection on a cross that was sure to end up in a goal with Ibrahimovic on the back post. Also provided effective passes to launch valuable attacks.

 

Nemanja Vidic-   8.0        Made his early goal look routine on a sharp header. Also stood his ground in the central defense keeping his side organized.

 

Rio Ferdinand-   6.0         Quiet game for the Englishman. Was effective early but his performance became worse as the match went on losing Ibra numerous times.

 

John O’Shea-   5.0     Just clumsy and a hack for basically the entire match. Foul after Foul and deserved to be cautioned.

 

Paul Scholes-    5.0     Basically a ghost for his entire stay on the pitch.

 

Michael Carrick-    6.0     Average match for the middleman. Didn’t take hold of the match, but didn’t make any mistakes either.

 

Ryan Giggs-   8.0    Was in his best form in years for the first 60 minutes of the match. Was responsible for almost all of Manchester’s attacks and was the heart of the squad and the major reason why they will progress.

 

Cristiano Ronaldo-   7.0    An overall quiet match for the Portuguese superstar, until he latched onto the second goal for Manchester United with a nice run and header to finish a perfect Rooney pass.

 

Dimitar Berbatov-   6.0    Not much activity for Berbatov in this match, but he demanded defensive attention and always had his mind in the game, as he was properly positioned throughout.

 

Wayne Rooney-   7.0      Not as much effective attack as expected, but came through with a tremendous ball to assist Ronaldo for the second goal with basically clinched advancement. Served a few more effective balls that led to opportunities.

 

 

Substitutes-

 

Anderson-   6.0

 

Ji-Sung Park-

 

 

 

Inter-Milan

 

Julio Cesar-    7.0     Was basically left stranded on the two goals, but still made some vital saves throughout to make sure this leg was always in reach for his side.

 

Davide Santon-    6.75    Another impressive showing in the wing defense of Ronaldo. Inexperience led to confusion on a switch that led to the O’Shea scoring chance, and still looks awkward in attack, but did his job and exceeded expectations.

 

Walter Samuel-   6.5    Stepped in and played a solid match in the central defense for his side. Showed he deserves to be on the pitch a lot more for this Inter side.

 

Ivan Cordoba-   6.5    Consistent and solid as usual in the center defense.

 

Maicon-   6.5    Was effective in his bursting attacks, but a lot of Giggs’ success came from his side and he was absent in defense on numerous occasions.

 

Esteban Cambiasso-    6.5     Solid match for the Argentine. Did his job as usual, but just didn’t have the opportunities to put himself to use a little more.

 

Patrick Viera-   4.5      Was an absolute mess on the pitch for his brief 45-minute stay. Solely at fault for the first Manchester goal, and is no longer capable of playing on such a grand stage.

 

Javier Zanetti-   6.0     Quiet match for the captain. Never stopped the effort but was barely in the picture, which is unheard of.

 

Dejan Stankovic-   6.0    Had moments of daylight as he sent van der sar stretching for one of his efforts, but was subbed out early.

 

Mario Balotelli-   6.0    This cocky youngster did a good job showing O’Shea couldn’t dream about marking him, but did nothing productive with this mismatch except being fouled constantly. His free kicks and services were useless except for one through ball to Ibra.

 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic-    6.0     Very slow start for the Swede, but he recovered with some magical touches to develop opportunities for his teammates. Under achieved overall though, scuffing and wasting too many balls for his liking. But his lack of luck continued as he hit the bar with a bouncing header in the first half.

 

 

Substitutes-

 

Sulley Muntari-   5.5      Brought nothing productive to the pitch.

 

Adriano-    6.0     Came out like a lion and only the post could deny him the breakthrough goal for Inter, but soon after that became his deflated self for the rest of the match.

 

Luis Figo-    5.0     Wasted numerous service opportunities.

 

 

Man of the Match-   Ryan Giggs

 

 

 

 

 

Liverpool- Real Madrid Leg 2 Recap

As if the second leg between Liverpool and Real Madrid needed any extra storylines besides the match itself, how about Liverpool’s Spanish manager Rafa Benitez continuously being rumored to move onto Madrid next season. This rumor only spicened the venue, but the match itself wasn’t much of a competition as Liverpool proved to be the more organized classier squad by far.

            Real Madrid’s first visit to Anfield Park ever did not start smooth at all. Early on in the 4^th minute of play Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard lost his defender and sent a ball into Fernando Torres who preceded to execute a phenomenal move, with a no look back heal ahead to himself through Madrid’s central defender Fabio Cannavaro. Once in on Real Madrid’s keeper Iker Casillas Torres tried to side foot drag it near post but the keeper cut the angle off and just barely made a kick save to deflect the ball just wide of the near post. Absolutely magical move from Torres, as it is not easy to beat a defender like Cannavaro in the penalty area. Seconds later on the ensuing corner kick Javier Mascherano almost opened the scoring up for the English side when he latched onto an attempted clearance sending a left footed drive on net for Iker Casillas to tip off the bar, making another top notch save early on. An absolutely roaring start for Liverpool looked as if it was going to pay off with a goal at any minute. Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres looked especially in form and wired to go. In the 16^th minute Liverpool finally hit the expected opener as a long high targetless ball was sent forward into the attacking end where it was misjudged by a lunging Fabio Cannavaro, who got caught in an unlucky position when the ball came down on the bounce. Fellow central defender Pepe then attempted to scramble to clear the ball as he was under immediate pressure from the Liverpool attack, but in his attempt to reach a boot out Fernando Torres gave him a brief but effective tug at his shoulder forcing him to botch the clearance, which sent Liverpool in on Casillas with three open attackers. They made sure not to waste such an opportunity as Dirk Kuyt gathered the ball and slid it perfectly in stride to Fernando Torres to tip in the opener from the 6-yard box with ease giving the Madrid keeper no chance. This was a foul from my view as the obvious tug from behind by Torres was the catalyst to the whole opportunity, unlucky for Pepe and Madrid.

            The goal did anything but settle the Real Madrid nerves as Liverpool kept the pace, style, and control of the match at full force.  In the 22^nd a driven ball off of a free kick served Martin Skrtel at the edge of the area where he managed to head on net, but Casillas was in position to gobble up this well produced effort. In the 24^th minute a nice sliding ball from Xabi Alonso sent Torres into space in the area where he slipped yet still managed to regain his footing and easily lose his defender in time to send a ball to the open Gerrard just wide of the penalty spot, where he preceded to latch onto a sliding volley that was stopped by the well positioned Casillas. Liverpool doubled the lead in the 27^th minute on another controversial moment. Gerrard’s long switch of field to Alvaro Arbeloa was chested in the area off of Madrid defender Gabriel Heinze’s shoulder. A gasp from the crowd later and the linesman’s flag went up and the whistle was blown, producing a penalty for Liverpool. The captain properly banged home the finish from the spot extending the Liverpool lead to 2-0. This was another extremely harsh decision from the linesman and the referee, as the replays clearly showed it was not a handball. The flared, raised arm from Heinze could have given off the impression of a handball, but this was yet another unfortunate call for Madrid as they were now in a hole. Madrid’s Wesley Sneijder tried to answer back in the 30^th minute, but his rocket free kick from distance was just tipped wide by the stretching Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina. In the 42^nd minute Arjen Robben was finally able to get involved in a scoring attack, as he held the ball up near the penalty area and led Heinze on an overlapping run where he delivered a nice ball to Sneijder who drove an effort on net that was directly at the properly positioned Reina.

            The first half was completely dominated by Liverpool at Anfield. They not only seemed to be the hungrier side, but the more talented one to boot. But despite the dominance by Liverpool they still needed two controversial moments and decisions from the referee to take advantage of their play and to lead Madrid 2-0 in the match and 3-0 on the aggregate.

            The second half didn’t provide the Madrid supporters with much hope as Gerrard capped off the victory almost immediately when Ryan Babel sent a ball in the path of the incoming captain where he preceded to hit the ball right after its bounce, ripping it by the helpless Casillas extending the lead to 3-0 in the 47^th minute.

Madrid tried to get one back in the 51^st minute when Sergio Ramos sent in a cross that was just tipped over the bar by a stretched out Raul boot. In the 54^th minute Gerrard almost got the hat trick after a Pepe turnover and some nifty passing by his teammates, but Casillas was once again up to the challenge, with yet another reaching save.

 Gago almost hit on a moment of brilliance for Madrid when he one touched a side footed shot that just didn’t bend quite enough as it headed for the top corner in the 55^th minute. Real Madrid kept the effort up more then I expected throughout the rest of the 2^nd half, but that was barely a consolation for the European giants. Substitute Andrea Dossena put the cherry on top in the 88^th minute when he finished the counterattack with a one touched side footed finish from a Mascherano cross.

            Liverpool advances to the Quarters in style with a rout of one of the weaker Madrid sides and showings in a while. Liverpool was clearly head and shoulders better then Real Madrid in basically every aspect of the game. They were well organized in the back, strong in the midfield, and put some tremendous ball movement on display in the attack. The refs may have helped it become a rout, but that doesn’t take away from what may have been one of the best Champions League performances of the season.

            Real Madrid on the other hand has gone out of the Champions League early once again and now turns their attention back to La Liga. They will try to raise hope of catching Barcelona, but it will most likely end in disappointment also. There is a good chance we will see some bold overhauling changes for the Spanish club in the off-season.

 

 

Player Ratings

 

Liverpool

 

Pepe Reina-    6.75     Not really challenged often but got the cleansheet with a nice stretching save on a Sneijder free kick.

Fabio Aurelio-   6.0      Average game for the defender. Was beaten by Sergio Ramos one to many times in the second half.

Martin Skrtel-   7.5     Kept Raul under wraps and still managed to get forward and provide a threat in the opposition’s penalty area.

Jamie Carragher- 6.5    Helped solidify the Liverpool central defense by controlling the few threats applied.

Alvaro Arbeloa-   6.0     Average game for the defender. Was shaky at times, but was barely challenged.

Javier Mascherano-   7.0   Was a strong presence in the midfield as usual, and even produced some attack with an assist and a strong effort on goal. Was cautioned though and will be suspended for the first leg of the quarters.   

Xabi Alonso-   7.0       Solid performance in the middle. Controlled a lot of the activity and provided a good link up.

Ryan Babel-     6.0     Provided the nice assist to Gerrard for Liverpool’s 3^rd goal. Besides that not much of a factor from the winger.

Dirk Kuyt-        6.5    Solid match for the scrappy role player. Won several balls and made the simple passes throughout his time on the pitch. Hustled as always and it paid off when he ran down the botched clearance to set up Torres for the first goal.

Steven Gerrard-     8.50    The captain was in great form, pinging productive balls all over the pitch. Was always a part of the Liverpool attack and was constantly a threat on goal. Scored 2 goals. His first was from the spot on a penalty and his second a classy one-touch finish off the bounce to end any Madrid hopes early in the second half.

Fernando Torres-    8.25     Brilliant skill and creativity in attack. Had the Madrid defenders at his mercy multiple times with some sharp moves. Properly touched home the first Liverpool goal and even hustled back to win a few balls on the defensive end. A great overall performance from the Spaniard.

 

Substitutes

Lucas-    5.0      Brought nothing positive to the pitch.

Jay Spearing-    6.0     

Andrea Dossena-    6.5     Entered the match with under 10 minutes to play and still managed to get booked and hit Liverpool’s 4^th goal.

 

 

 

Real Madrid

 

Iker Casillas-   7.5     The final score does not display Casillas’ performance. Made numerous spectacular saves that kept this game close early. Could only really be expected to save the 4^th goal if that. Couldn’t help to feel bad for the keeper in this one.

Gabriel Heinze-   5.5    Was unfairly penalized and booked for a bogus handball in the box. Made an occasional contribution to the attack but was slow and beaten on defense a hand full of times.

Fabio Cannavaro-   5.5     Tough match for the Italian. Was left on an island way too many times by his defensive partners and was exploited because of it.

Pepe-    4.5    Was fouled on the goal that was directly put to his blame, but was constantly on nerve and clumsy throughout the match. Seemed to be reckless and caught out of position the majority of the time and it cost the Madrid defense dearly.

Sergio Ramos-   6.5    Brought positive attacking production down the wing and gave his complete effort throughout the 90 minutes. The same can’t be said for his defense, but he still was a positive producer.

Fernando Gago-   5.0   Besides his one bending effort just wide of the target was completely ineffective. Was beaten in the middle of the pitch way too many times, and looked completely out of place.

Lassana Diarra-    5.0        Started very nervy and clumsy. Struggled to win balls and looked well out of place. Recovered from nerves as time went on but still was well outplayed in the midfield.

Wesley Sneijder-   6.5   Was the only constant positive force for Madrid in attack. Forced two saves from Reina and was always ready to give it a lash, even if better options were available.

Arjen Robben-    5.0    An absolute ghost for his 45 minutes on the pitch. Was completely cancelled out except for his one hold up, up front that lead to one of Madrid’s very few shots on net for the match.

Gonzalo Higuain-   5.0    Was barely on the ball or given any opportunities throughout the match.

Raul-   5.5    The experienced captain was invisible early on, but just couldn’t take advantage of the few opportunities he was presented with.

 

Substitutes

Marcelo-    6.0

Rafael Van der Vaart-   6.5

Guti-

 

 

Man of The Match- Steven Gerrard

Brodeur Returns In Style

The highly anticipated return of arguably the best goaltender in NHL history did anything but disappoint Thursday night as Martin Brodeur returned to the ice in style leading the New Jersey Devils to a 4-0 shutout victory.

 

            Brodeur looked sharp as usual as he turned aside all 24 Colorado Avalanche shots sent his way. He barely showed any rust as he was quick from post to post, handled the puck as good as ever, and was mentally sharp as well. Marty might not have had to make any remarkable breathtaking saves, but it was great to see him back there as the last line of defense making it look easy. Brodeur’s 545 career wins are 6 short of Patrick Roy’s record of 551 wins, and Marty’s 99th regular season shutout is just 4 short of Terry Sawchuk’s record of 103 regular season shutouts. Two huge milestones that Marty definitely has his sights set on and that he is extremely close to eclipsing.

 

            The Devils were obviously sparked by Marty’s return, as they had some extra motivation to make this comeback a complete success. The captain Jaime Langenbrunner scored early to give the Devils the lead, and the Devs never looked back from that point on. It was nice to see Jay Pandolfo back on the ice, as he was working as hard as ever, as New Jersey was skating hard and hustling to every loose puck. Patrick Elias doubled the lead to 2-0 midway through the 2^nd period on the power play. This finally ended the recent power play struggles and unorganized man advantage play that was being displayed by the Devils that night. Zach Parise put the game out of reach midway through the 3^rd period with a highlight reel goal, giving him 36 on the year. He outskated the defender and bodied him off beautifully as he was able to roof his shot skillfully. Travis Zajac added goal number four with three minutes to play on a nice rebound. But the icing wasn’t completely on the cake till the shutout was complete, and Martin Brodeur came out to acknowledge the crowd’s appreciation as the number 1 star of the night.

 

            But with the good news comes some disappointing news too. Scott Clemmenson was sent down to the minors because of Brodeur’s return and the front office’s decision to keep Kevin Weekes as the backup. This news though expected still hurts, as you have to feel for Clemmer who did a tremendous job at filling in for Marty while he was injured. Clemmenson will get what he is due at seasons end, as he is sure to be a highly coveted goaltender during free agency.

 

            Martin Brodeur looks to continue his winning ways this weekend when the Devils invite the Florida panthers and hated rival Philadelphia Flyers to The Prudential Center. It will be interesting to see if Marty gets the start in both of these contests, as it is almost certain he will play Sunday vs. the division rival Flyers. New Jersey currently sits at 3^rd in the Eastern Conference and 1st in the division with 81 points.

 

           

Chelsea-Juventus Leg 1 Recap

The Blues got the start they were looking for at Stamford Bridge, as they downed Italian side Juventus 1-0 behind a Didier Drogba strike. Chelsea got the better of Juve for most of the match, as the home side seemed much more comfortable.

 

The match started in Chelsea’s favor, as Juventus seemed to lack organization at the back early on. The first opportunity came in the 8^th minute when Chelsea rightback Bosingwa ripped a cross near post where the aggressive striker Didier Drogba split a duo of defenders to send a sharp header just over the goal from close range. The continued pressure from The Blues paid off in the 12^th minute as they broke through for an early goal. A high 50-50 ball at the corner of the box started this opportunity as Michael Ballack forearmed Mauro Camoranesi in the back, in what could easily have been called a foul, but instead led to a Camoranesi botched clearance which was gathered in the midfield by Kalou, who spotted and brilliantly sent Drogba through to slot in the opener as the Juve defenders looked for an offside flag. Drogba was proved to be onside in the replay as Giorgio Chiellini held him on by about 2 feet. Chiellini had a chance to redeem himself in the 23^rd minute when captain Alessandro Del Piero swerved a corner in that was headed on by Amauri, but Chiellini couldn’t latch onto it as it skimmed off his boot at the far post.

 

In the 59^th minute, Del Piero swung another dangerous spot kick into the area which Chelsea keeper Petr Cech sloppily dropped in his attempted gathering, but recovered to knock the ball out of Amauri’s possession, as Chelsea fans held their respective breathe. Chelsea almost extended their lead when Nicolas Anelka gave it a go in the 87^th minute from about 30 yards out, skimming a laser shot just wide of the far post. The last opportunity of the match came right at the gun when Pavel Nedved had a go, ripping a strong left footed shot from outside the 18 that was deflected inches wide of the target, as Chelsea held onto the first leg 1-0.

 

Chelsea got just the result they wanted from the first leg, as they got the victory and prevented an away goal from being scored. Drogba proved that he could still compete at the highest of levels despite many doubters out there. But can Chelsea bring this type of performance on the road with them?

 

Juventus could not convert the big away goal, but they are in no way finished with the second leg being at home in Turin. Expect the Italian side to perform much better at home and this fixture to go right down to the last minute. It’s going to be very interesting to see if Tiago gets the start next leg, or if Camoranesi is even available to play. Marchionni will probably see the field for a longer period of time, and many will hope for young star Giovinco to be released on this big stage. Vincenzo Iaquinta/ David Trezeguet will also be likely to join Amauri and Del Piero in attack at some point of the second leg if a goal becomes a desperate need.

 

 

 

 

Player Ratings

 

Chelsea

 

Petr Cech- 6.5    A nice early save on Del Piero, but still lacked confidence and appeared clumsy when coming out to gather crosses. Still Claimed the Clean Sheet.

Ashley Cole- 6.5   Produced nicely up the wing in the 1^st half and continued his energy throughout the rest of the match.

John Terry-6.5    Solid game from the captain, as he put an end to a few Amauri possessions.

Alex-5.5    An off game from the Brazilian back. Lacked organization and was left scrambling on multiple occasions.

Jose Bosingwa- 7.0   Was dangerous on the wing in attack, and controlled the right side.

John Mikel Obi-6.0    Kept it simple and had an average game.

Michael Ballack-5.0    Sub-par performance from the German. Numerous miss touches and giveaways, and contributed nothing to the attack.

Frank Lampard-6.5      Standard match for Lampard. Lacked his normal creativity and offensive involvement, but worked hard as usual.

Nicolas Anelka-6.0     Was barely involved in the attack or flow of the match, but did just miss on a tremendous attempt late in the match.

Saloman Kalou- 7.0    His tremendous vision and executed pass lead to the lone goal of the match.

Didier Drogba- 8.0     The striker scored the match’s only goal, with a skipping side netted shot from inside the box. Was always a threat when Chelsea was on attack.

 

Substitutions-

Florent Malouda

Michael Mancienne

 

 

Juventus

 

Gianluigi Buffon-6.5   The Italian keeper wasn’t given much of a shot at Drogba’s goal but managed to gather every other ball within his reach on the night.

Christian Molinaro-6.0   Clumsy and careless at times, but  his energy and constant effort and involvement sort of made up for it.

Giorgio Chiellini-6.5     Was responsible for keeping Drogba onside on the goal, but helped Juve recover from their frantic defense start and became the rock he has been accustomed to being for the remainder of the match.

Nicola Legrottaglie-6.5   Solid defensive performance from the Juve centerback. Teamed up well with Chiellini after unorganized start.

Olof Mellberg-6.0     Average game for the defender. No crucial mistakes, yet not much of a positive influence.

Mohammad Sissoko- 5.5   A Poor performance by the midfielder from Mali. Lost way too many balls in the middle, and his careless aggressiveness put the Juve defense at risk numerous times.

Tiago- 5.0    Absolutely no positive production from the Portuguese midfielder. Did nothing when in possession of the ball and provided no link up to the Juve strikers, besides one through pass to the captain.

Mauro Camoranesi- 6.0     The energetic midfielder had an average match before being taken out early in the second half with a knock. Lost numerous possessions, but was constantly challenging an opponent.

Pavel Nedved-6.5     Full of energy as usual. Ran the pitch and was constantly involved in play.

Amauri-6.5    After a slow start managed to create a few half chances, but was never a major threat on goal.

Alessandro Del Piero-6.5    The captain was able to spray a few shots on the night, but no real great threats from ADP. A couple spot kicks created some half chances but a standard match overall.

 

Subs-

Marco Marchionni-7.0    The substitute contributed immediately with multiple dangerous crosses, and Juve’s best shot of the night that went just inches high of the bar. Brought great energy and might earn the start in the second leg.

Claudio Marchisio

David Trezeguet

 

 

Man of The Match-           Didier Drogba

 

 

 

Inter-Manchester United Leg 1 Recap

In one of the most highly anticipated matches of the Futbol season thus far, Manchester United and Inter Milan ended deadlocked at zero. This match didn’t live up to all the hype and expectations, but at the same time it was far from a snoozer. It has also set up a tremendous deciding second leg at Old Trafford in two weeks.

 

            Manchester United controlled the bulk of the first half. Cristiano Ronaldo had multiple opportunities with the first coming in the 5th minute off of a Giggs corner. Ronaldo connected on a bullet header that Julio Cesar was up to the task for, as he made an impressive reaching save to deny the Manchester star. Not too much later Ronaldo was once again the threat as he ripped a free kick that glanced off the post and wide. In the 24^th minute, Ryan Giggs had what many might have seen as the best opportunity of the half, but he dribbled himself into an awful shooting angle where Julio Cesar was able to get his body in the way of the effort.

           

            Inter managed to rejuvenate their game and its flow late in the first half and for the start of the second half. A great scoring opportunity arose from this change in momentum when Cambiasso sent a nice ground ball dangerously into the penalty area in the 48^th minute. Ibrahimovic dummied the ball with class only for Adriano to scuff it sending it high and wide of the target on a miss hit. Adriano found himself again in scoring territory not much later when a cross sent his way was just a bit too high for the Brazilian who was barely tugged by Man U defender Rio Ferdinand  In the 67^th minute, Cristiano Ronaldo produced another scoring opportunity for United, when he sent a dangerous ball from the right wing rolling through the goalmouth where no one was there to capitalize, as Inter captain Javier Zanetti booted it out of play. In the 82^nd minute, Inter gave Man U a big scare off a late corner. Ibrahimovic managed to get a flick on the corner with his head sending it to the far post where Cambiasso was caught in an unfortunate position, as all he could get on the ball was a weak chested effort. It was only right that the final scoring effort of the night involved the two best players of the match. In the 94^th minute Ronaldo sent a knuckling free kick that Julio Cesar was once again able to keep his body in front of to secure his clean sheet and a 0-0 draw.

 

So Manchester United is definitely disappointed that they weren’t able to get the crucial away goal, but at the same time they have to be confident of the way the match presented itself. Getting Vidic back and having the second leg on their home pitch seems to put it in United’s hands, but one moment of brilliance or luck can easily send the defending champs home. Sir Alex must get Rooney on the pitch for much longer in the second leg.

 

            Inter prevented an away goal from the Manchester United side and will go into the second leg with their heads high, confident to upset the Red Devils. Mourinho will hopefully look to Cordoba to replace Rivas in the starting 11, and a much better performance from Adriano will be necessary up front, as there was barely any help for the brilliant Ibrahimovic up front.

 

 

 

Player Ratings

 

Inter

 

Julio Cesar- 8.5    Made numerous crucial saves throughout the match denying Man U an away goal. Was clearly at the top of his game, and performances like this clearly show he is a Top 4 goalkeeper in the world.

Davide Santon- 7.25   Did a thumbs up job at containing Ronaldo on the wing. This Italian youngster may have looked nervous and anxious with the ball on his feet, but his composure in dealing with Ronaldo was impressive. Bright future ahead.

Nelson Rivas- 4.0   Was an absolute mess in the back. Outsmarted and outworked for basically his whole time on the pitch. Deserved to be subbed much earlier then he actually was, as he was directly at fault for numerous Man U attacks.

Cristian Chivu- 6.5    The Romanian had an average match.  He was able to make up for Rivas’ ineffectiveness, but was lucky Ronaldo just missed on a dangerous header where he was out jumped early in the first half.

Maicon- 6.25      The Right back didn’t stand out, and failed to produce any attack up the wing, but he was able to prevent any success for Man U up the left side.

Javier Zanetti- 7.0   The captain worked hard as usual. Brought energy and awareness to the pitch for the Inter side. Made some sharp tackles and provided the link up in the midfield.

Esteban Cambiasso- 6.5    The Argentine was right in the middle of Inter’s two best scoring opportunities of the match. Had a solid match and was probably the only helper Ibrahimovic had in attack.

Dejan Stankovic- 6.0     Not much effectiveness from Stankovic in this match. Was barely involved in the action, but at the same time didn’t make any impactful mistakes.

Sulley Muntari- 5.0     Was either absent or in effective throughout his entire time on the pitch. Had awful first touches and looked out of his league throughout the match.

Adriano- 6.0       Found the ball at his foot in many times of opportunity but did absolutely nothing with all of them. Was stiff and had some awful touches with his lack of movement.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic- 7.5    The Swede showcased supreme skill in his great collection of passes sent his way, he elegantly was able to hold up the attack and produce great layoffs, but was isolated much of the match with no signs of help. Did tend to drift out of the area on some attacking moments, but lack of assistance was the key.

 

Substitutes

Ivan Cordoba- 6.75     The solid centerback was obviously much more qualified for the start then teammate Rivas. Made a crucial block on a dangerous scoring opportunity in the box.

Julio Cruz

Mario Balotelli

 

Manchester United

 

Edwin van der Sar- 6.0   Got the clean sheet, but was barely a participator in this match as Inter struggled to get a shot on target.

Patrice Evra- 7.0   Was the most active man in defense for Man U. Shut down his wing of defense for the most part and was constantly involved in the play, mostly in a postive manner.

Rio Ferdinand- 6.0   Nothing disastrous or spectacular from the Englishman. Didn’t bring his A game, but really didn’t need it.

John O’Shea- 6.0    Displayed some nerves early on, but recovered to have an average match.

Jonny Evans- 7.0    Put a halt to any attempt of attack from Inter striker Adriano.

Darren Fletcher- 6.5   Held his ground in the deep midfield position. Had a strong underrated first half.

Michael Carrick- 6.5    An average performance for Carrick, did well to disrupt Inter’s attack in the midfield, and successfully completed the simple passes.

Ji-Sung Park- 6.0    Ran the pitch as usual throughout his match time, and succeeded at canceling any attack from Maicon.

Ryan Giggs- 6.0   Failed on the best scoring opportunity of the night, when he dribbled himself into an awful shooting angle. Was involved in many threatening attacks but couldn’t be the finisher.

Cristiano Ronaldo- 8.0   Was clearly the class and number one threat for Manchester United all night. He menaced the Inter defense on numerous occasions, but just couldn’t find the back of the net due to a tremendous performance from Julio Cesar. Had some prolific headers and free kicks to go with some dangerous crosses.

Dimitar Berbatov- 6.5   Average match for the Bulgarian. Wasn’t presented with any great opportunities, but didn’t make much of what he was offered at the same time.

 

Subs-

Wayne Rooney- 6.5   Brought immediate energy to the pitch despite his extremely late entrance. Was questionably cautioned for an aggressive tackle in his brief time in the match, but also was able to force an aggressive stop from Julio Cesar in a direct scoring opportunity. Needs to be in the starting lineup for the second leg.

 

Man of the Match-    Julio Cesar GK   Inter

 

 

Champions League Round of 16 Predictions

The CHAMPPPPPPPPPPPPP IONNNNNNNNNNNNS. Tuesday and Wednesday, the famous UEFA Champions League anthem will be music to Futbol fan’s ears around the world as the traditional class display of Futbol will be back in full effect. This prestigious tournament provides us with some of the best Futbol to be desired. Making the headlines in this Round of 16 Draw is the fact that there are three English-Italian fixtures. These match ups are bound to entertain, as will the other five fixtures that are sure please Futbol fanatics worldwide. Athletico Madrid vs FC Porto Two of the most underrated sides left in the Champions League square off for a spot in the quarters. Athletico may have more talent on paper, but FC Porto didn’t get to the quarters by accident as proven in a Matchday 6 victory over Arsenal. Athletico’s league struggles will provide some doubt in the side, but expect them to power through. Prediction: Expect Porto to match whatever performance Athletico Madrid puts on at home in the first leg. This match up will go down to the wire, as both sides are hungry to out due the other. Athletico Madrid by away goals or maybe even Penalties. Lyon vs Barcelona The tournament favorites Barcelona drew top French squad Lyon. Lyon doesn’t have the strength in defense to hold off the Barcelona attack. Benzema is going to have to play at the top of his game and take full advantage of every opportunity on net for Lyon to provide any type of scare to Barcelona. Xavi and Lionel Messi will provide the playmaking and Puyol’s physicality will neutralize Benzema. Fabio Grosso will provide some spark up the wing for the French side, but the lack of organization in back will prove costly. Prediction: Barca just has too much offensive firepower for a Lyon defense that has conceded too many goals in Europe so far this tournament. Barcelona will be able to get a crucial score or two on the road in Leg 1 and will advance to the Quarters as expected. Barcelona 2-1,2-1 Arsenal vs Roma Two popular clubs known for their attractive styles of Futbol go head to head in what has the potential to be the most entertaining fixture of the round. Both clubs have failed to live up to expectations so far in their respective leagues, so expect both to try to make up for their shortcomings in the Champions League. The health of Francesco Totti is a necessity for Roma’s survival in the tournament, as with his presence there is always hope for the Romans to beat any side on any given night. Robin Van Persie must be fed the ball consistently for Arsenal to penetrate the Roman defense. Prediction: Don’t be surprised to see Arsenal play one of their best games in a while Tuesday as they will be hungry to eliminate another Italian side. But missing Cesc Fabregas and not being able to use the newly acquired Andrei Arshavin will cost Arsenal in their fixture. De Rossi will control the middle of the field in the deciding leg in Italy and the playmaking of “Il Capitano” Francesco Totti will lead to the finishing of Mirko Vucinic. Roma on Away Goals. Internazionale vs Manchester United The Serie A reigning champions and current run away leaders vs. The Premier League and Champions League reigning champs and Premier League leaders. Jose Mourinho vs Sir Alex. These managers certainly have a history and “The Special One” has gotten the best of Sir Alex. Mourinho has had great success against United in his managing career. Not only did he knock Man U out with Porto on route to a Champions League crown, but also he also only lost once in ten matches against United while at Chelsea. There is no shortage of headlines in this tie; lets just hope the on field action is just as entertaining. The production of Cambiasso and Maicon are key for the Inter side. Prediction: Expect Manchester United to take advantage of defensive lapses from an Inter Milan side. Ronaldo, Rooney, and Berbatov will provide the finishing and Sir Alex will be able to eliminate Mourinho crushing Inter’s Champions League dream. Manchester United 1-1, 4-2 Real Madrid vs Liverpool The Reds success in Europe in recent years cannot be ignored. They have the experience and always seem to handle their business in the early knockout stages. Real Madrid on the other hand has found these stages difficult in the past years, but have been extremely strong rebounding to start 2009. Fabio Cannavaro will control Fernando Torres man to man, but the lack of organization and structure in Real Madrid’s back four will bite them and it will cost them dearly. Prediction: Liverpool will prove their organization and recent European success and experience to be the difference in this tie. Liverpool by Away Goals. Chelsea vs Juventus The Blues vs. The Bianconeri. Juve manager Claudio Ranieri against his former English squad Chelsea, yet another spectacle in this Round of 16 Champions League Draw. Italian side Juventus is the better overall squad in this match up. Look for Giorgio Chiellini to lock down whomever they line up, up front preferably Drogba (for Chelsea’s sake). Will Sissoko be able to enforce his presence in the deep midfield or will he commit the sloppy tackles that can lead to an expulsion? Juve’s strength in the middle of the defense and a tremendous safety valve with the best goalkeeper in the world, Buffon, will hold down the Blues. Prediction: A huge away goal in the first leg will provide Juve with the comfort and confidence for the deciding leg in Turin. Alessandro Del Piero will surely hit a clutch goal for Juve and Chelsea’s rough roller coaster ride of a season will continue. Juventus 1-1, 1-0 Villareal vs Panathinaikos Panathinaikos has had absolutely no success when traveling to Spain as they have lost nine straight there in UEFA competitions since 1999. Their inconsistency is scary and against a strong squad from La Liga it will prove costly as their Champions League survival is highly in question. Rising star Giuseppi Rossi will provide the highlights and Marcos Senna will control the physicality in the midfield. Prediction: Villareal will take advantage of a comfortable lead that they will produce in the first leg to advance to the Quarters. Villareal 3-1, 2-2 Sporting Lisbon vs Bayern Munich This match up has upset alert written all over it. History doesn’t agree with this thought though as Sporting has never defeated a German side in UEFA competition. Bayern Munich has a tremendous squad on paper, but they have not played to their ability for most of the season. Jurgen Klinsmann should provide the motivation and proper selections for this tie and he won’t allow for the German side to be bounced from the tournament this early. Expect Bastian Schweinsteiger to put on a strong performance, and playmaker Frank Ribery to show he is clearly the best player on the pitch. Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose will gel to get the finishing done to squeak through the round. Prediction: Despite Bayern’s inconsistency and failure to perform to potential lately, still expect them to perform just enough to live on to the Quarters. Bayern Munich 1-1, 2-1.