Knock….Knock….Knocking On Heaven’s Doors
By: Adam | February 17th, 2008
Expect the emotions. Feel the nerves. Get ready for both cheers and jeers. Grab the anxiety. Surmount the pressure. Give a passage to tears. Relish the joy. Bask in the glory. Big Daddy of European football returns this week. It’s a champions league and we are about to savor the mouth-watering part of this spicy competition with knock out rounds knocking the heavens doors.
16 teams are fighting the battle of Moscow. And by the end of next fortnight only 8 will be there. Following 8 matches are going to be played this time:
Olypiakos vs. Chelsea
Roma vs. Real Madrid
Liverpool vs. Inter Milan
Arsenal vs. AC Milan
Barcelona vs. Celtic
Lyon vs. Man Utd
Schalke 04 vs. Porto
Fenerbahce vs. Sevilla
Favorites to reach last 8:
Chelsea
Real Madrid
Inter Milan
AC Milan
Barcelona
Man Utd
Porto
Sevilla
Giant Killers
These teams can pull a major upset in this year.
Arsenal
Lyon
Roma
Matches to look for
Though every match is exciting there are few matches which deserve the special entry in your calendars for these matches.
Arsenal vs. AC Milan
League leaders of English premier league against the holders of big ears. Kids versus veterans. Wenger (with his full pomposity) had remarked when gunners came second (in their group) that “it doesn’t matter if you are first or second in the group when you have qualified”. Now the little difference between 1st and 2nd is AC Milan and Fenerbahce. Comments apart, this match I think is the pick of the round. It should be tagged as “must watch”. And just for fun, AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini has started his European Cup/Champions League career even before some of the Arsenal players (like Walcott) birth.
Roma vs. Real Madrid
Both have been underachievers for last couple of years given quality of their squads. Both the teams are playing excellent brand of football in their respective leagues. And we can expect the same in champions league too. One more match that should be tagged as “must watch”.
What do you think?
Category: Champions League
Subscribe
|
Print
|
Share
      |
Comments
-
I think you should revise your ‘champions of english football’ statement. Last time i checked the premier league trophy sat in old trafford’s trophy cabinet. Arsenal may be top at the moment, but they certainly are not champions.
Posted from
United Kingdom
-
I’m of course crossing my fingers for Olympiakos to pull a red-and-white-striped rabbit out of their collective hat (hey, they’re pretty tough to crack at the Karaiskakis! no, really!), and I agree with the suspicion that Roma may be able to see off Real as well. (Arsenal and AC Milan are, I think, a little more evenly matched than all that, but I am very sad indeed that I won’t be able to even follow, let alone see, the match as it happens. Must-see indeed.)
Posted from
United States -
Good point, Errrr. Arsenal haven’t won anything in England in a while now, and now that they’ve dropped out of both domestic cups, the league and the champions league are the only two chances they have left. Much as I hate to admit it, Man U are the champions of English football, at least for another few months.
Posted from
United States -
I would not call Arsenal and Roma “giant” killers.
They are for sure, giants themselves. At this point, there aren’t many who aren’t in the competition.Posted from
United States -
honestly the match i want to see the most is schalke v. porto. i smell a goal fest.
Posted from
United States -
While the Bhoys certainly don’t have the firepower of Barca, I think with Naka and Aiden McGeady, we can hopefully nick a goal on a quick counter attack! I feel like Barca will be in full out attack mode on Wednesday at Parkhead, and with Puyol probably out and Barca struggling as a whole, I’m predicting the Bhoys to steal it at Parkhead 1-0! It will also help that Celtic Park is a fucking fortress on European nights!
Posted from
United States -
Matt, I’m interested in that one, too. Any idea how to see it? (I’m in the USA) Totally unrelated question to Matt or anyone else. How do you get the nation posted from tag at the bottom?
Posted from
United States -
@Errr, Ian
My bad. It should have been league leaders.Agreed.@Erinti,
Arsenal are a good team but experience generally counts in such matches. Still its an open tie. Last year I never thought Milan will win the CL but they still managed it. Milan are the masters of CL.@Mele419
Yeah both Arsenal and Roma are big teams but when it comes to Europe, Madrid and Milan are Goliaths.@matt,
I doubt it. Both the teams are conservative in their approach.@Matt, Mike..
Home ground is certainly fortress for Celtic. But it will be very hard for you guys to break Barca’s defense. And they are dangerous on counter attack too. I smell a draw in Scotland. Barca will eventually beat you at Nou Camp. But it won’t be walkover for them. IMHO.Posted from
India -
@Mike-It will be shown at 245 on ESPN Deportes or at 530 on ESPN Classic. There are less *ahem* legal ways of seeing it as well…
@Adam- Well hopefully their defense will suffer with Puyol being sidelined. Celtic will probably be defensive in their approach, but with Naka back in form and Aiden McGeady in great form, I am hoping a quick counter attack can get Celtic a goal and then play back for the rest of the game!
Posted from
United States -
The most interesting battle is Arsenal – Milan, as for me. Young talents against very experienced players + Kaka! Who will go to the quarterfinal? I think this depends on managers mostly. If Arsen Wenger can overcome Karlo Anchelotti in tactics and the whole strategy on two matches, then Gunners will break through to the next round. And vice versa
Posted from
Ukraine
Comments are closed
Home 
