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Only 7 of this year’s final 16 have won the tournament before, with huge teams like Arsenal, Roma and Lyon still seeking their first European titles.

1956: Real Madrid
1957: Real Madrid
1958: Real Madrid
1959: Real Madrid
1960: Real Madrid
1961: Benfica
1962: Benfica
1963: AC Milan
1964: Internazionale
1965: Internazionale
1966: Real Madrid
1967: Celtic
1968: Manchester United
1969: AC Milan
1970: Feyenoord
1971: Ajax
1972: Ajax
1973: Ajax
1974: Bayern Munich
1975: Bayern Munich
1976: Bayern Munich
1977: Liverpool
1978: Liverpool
1979: Nottingham Forest
1980: Nottingham Forest
1981: Liverpool
1982: Aston Villa
1983: Hamburg
1984: Liverpool
1985: Juventus
1986: Steaua Bucharest
1987: Porto
1988: PSV
1989: AC Milan
1990: AC Milan
1991: Red Star Belgrade
1992: Barcelona
1993: Marseille
1994: AC Milan
1995: Ajax
1996: Juventus
1997: Borussia Dortmund
1998: Real Madrid
1999: Manchester United
2000: Real Madrid
2001: Bayern Munich
2002: Real Madrid
2003: AC Milan
2004: Porto
2005: Liverpool
2006: Barcelona
2007: AC Milan
2008: Manchester United
2009: Barcelona
2010: Internazionale

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(Updated 16 February 2011)

1st (7 goals)
Samuel Eto’o (Inter)

2nd (Tied three ways, 6 goals each)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich)
Roberto Soldado (Valencia)

5th (Tied two ways, 5 goals each)
Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)

6th (Tied six ways, 4 goals each)
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Marco Borriello (Roma)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Gareth Bale (Tottenham)
Peter Crouch (Tottenham)

12th (Tied eight ways, 3 goals each)
Marouane Chamakh (Arsenal)
Andre-Pierre Gignac (Marseille)
Eduardo (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
Pedro (Barcelona)
David Villa (Barcelona)
Andrei Arshavin (Arsenal)
Luiz Adriano (Shakhtar Donetsk)

A couple of thoughts on the defending champions and their group. Primarily I was under the impression that this group would be a toss up between Bremen and Tottenham for second place, while Inter would likely cruise to an easy group win. Based on the events of match day one, I stand corrected. New comers Twente look to be the real deal. Not only did the Dutch side match the European Champions toe to toe, but the game was actually exciting… something which sincerely lacked during the Mourinho era.

Group B
Lyon 1-0 Schalke
Benfica 2-0 H. Tel-Aviv

Group B seems to be going according to script. Although I do expect a better showing from Schalke on Match Day 2, Lyon should be easy shoe ins for the group win, while it’s a toss up between the Benfica and Schalke – I’m siding with Schalke to overcome a match day one defeat and redeem second place in the group.

Group C
Manchester United 0-0 Rangers
Bursapor 0-4 Valencia

The Scottish titans looked impressive in the first bout against Manchester, while, Valencia make Bursapor aware that their Champions League endeavours will only last until the end of November. Seems straight forward no? Unlikely, although I expect Ferguson and the Reds to carry forward into the next round, Rangers may throw a wrench into the gears of the Spanish Armada. Although, perhaps it is United who could be surprised by Valencia and the Scotts, by heading for the showers even before 2011 gets underway.

Group D
Barcelona 5-1 Panathinaikos
Kobenhavn 1-0 Rubin

What did you expect? Even the manager of Panathinaikos expected Barcelona to come out with some staggering pace on match day one. That being said, Barcelona needed to redeem their weekend La Liga fallout. The surprise here, at least for me, was that Rubin couldn’t beat the Danish team, I expected more, but got less…. Thoughts?

Group E
Bayern Munich 2-0 Roma
CFR Cluj 2-1 Basel

So, we finally arrive at a match I saw, to say I expected more from Roma is an understatement. The 2010 Champions League runners-up toyed with an overly defensive Roma. Totti’s reaction to the coaches tactics were well administered following the match. That being said, I fully expect Munich and Roma to advance from this group. Although, Cluj may have something else to say and can take the fight to Roma in their tie.

Group F
Marseille 0-1 Spartak Moskva
Zilina 1-4 Chelsea

The fact that the Russian league is well underway may have some barring on why Spartak was able to defeat Marseille at the Vellodrome on match day one. Either way, for me, this is the surprise of the week. Chelsea’s defeat of Zilina was routine and Ancellotti may be positioning himself for a run at ol’big ears.

Group G
Real Madrid 2-0 Ajax
Milan 2-0 Auxerre

Mourinho makes his debut with Madrid, but Ibra scores two great goals for Milan. This group is just getting underway.

Group H
Arsenal 6-0 Braga
Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 Partizan

In what might be the most obvious group of the tournament thus far, Wenger doesn’t have his work cut out for him. Although I don’t condone putting down other teams, this group does seem pretty straight forward.

So we’re off. The Champions League 2010/2011 season is now officially underway… I will return in a couple of days with an introduction and preview to match day 2… in the meantime, please feel free to sit down and discuss below some of the key moments of Match day One.

Below I’ve outlined the next number of matches to be taking place in the Champions League preliminary stage. As you can see there are some key matches which will commence the Champions League season. Three matches in particular I’d be keen to watch: Ajax v Dynamo Kyiv, Zenit v Auxerre and particularly Sampdoria v Werder Bremen.

2010/11 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
6th August 2010 Draw Results

Champions Route: August 17th
Rosenborg BK (NOR) – FC København (DEN)
AC Sparta Praha (CZE) – MŠK Žilina (SVK)

League Route: August 17th
BSC Young Boys (SUI) – Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG)
FC Zenit St. Petersburg (RUS) – AJ Auxerre (FRA)
FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) – AFC Ajax (NED)

Champions Route: August 18th
FC Salzburg (AUT) – Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC (ISR)
FC Basel 1893 (SUI) – FC Sheriff (MDA)
FK Partizan (SRB) – RSC Anderlecht (BEL)

League Route: August 18th
SC Braga (POR) – Sevilla FC (ESP)
SV Werder Bremen (GER) – UC Sampdoria (ITA)

Champions Route: August 24th
Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC (ISR) – FC Salzburg (AUT)
FC Sheriff (MDA) – FC Basel 1893 (SUI)
RSC Anderlecht (BEL) – FK Partizan (SRB)

League Route: August 24th
Sevilla FC (ESP) – SC Braga (POR)
UC Sampdoria (ITA) – SV Werder Bremen (GER)

Champions Route: August 25th
FC København (DEN) – Rosenborg BK (NOR)
MŠK Žilina (SVK) – AC Sparta Praha (CZE)

League Route: August 25th
Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG) – BSC Young Boys (SUI)
AJ Auxerre (FRA) – FC Zenit St. Petersburg (RUS)
AFC Ajax (NED) – FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)

Over the next couple of weeks we will be running a recap on the 2009/10 Champions League season and look forward to this seasons Champions League. What surprises we have in store remain to be seen, but, it’ll be fun to speculate in the meantime!

Onto the match tomorrow. What can we expect and how can we expect it to unfold? Between me, you and the person eavesdropping from the other room, I have to admit, I didn’t expect to see these two teams this deep into the tournament. Bayern have always seemed like German titans, yet, you always had the feeling they’d fizzle out somewhere down the line. A superior team would evidently show up in the evening hours of a quarter final or semi final and dispose of the German champions. Yet, it hasn’t happened. They’ve behaved like nothing less than a dedicated championship contender, they’ve squeaked through the group stages against the likes of Bordeaux and Juventus, stabbed the very hearts of the florentines, basked in glory under the lights of Old Trafford, and punished the Lions of France with masterclass precision.

Their strengths lie in two parts. Part I: Their manager Van Gaal has been to the dance before. He knows the routine, he knows what he needs to do to get it done. The odd thing is, he’s made it a very pleasant experience thus far. Bayern have looked every bit the part, they’ve played enticing football with the grittiness necessary of hoisting ol’ big ears. Part II: Arjen Robben – relegated to the nether regions of the Madrid bench, he has been resurgent in Germany. He’s looked impressive, tactically aware of his surroundings, and has been the ’special’ ingredient that has otherwise been missing from the Bayern mid over the last couple of seasons. Sure they’ll be without the swift speed of Ribery gliding down the wings and floating balls into the box. But from what I’ve witnessed this may be more of a plus rather than a minus.

Enter stage left, Internazionale. Italian pride and a Champions League seed lay at the very feet of a team that will likely not be featuring a single Italian in their starting 11 tomorrow. We’ve already discussed the antics of Jose Mourinho to a significant extent, but, I cannot stress enough, the genius behind the tactic. He’s shifted responsibility from the players to himself. The buck does stop with him. He is Inter’s most potent weapon, but then again, Inter is a well oiled machine who has played in sync. Each piece working as a cohesive unit, accomplishing it’s objective. Like an engine, each part works in unison. The suspension of T. Motta, albeit, exceptionally harsh in the second leg of the Barca semi-final, may actually help Inter in this match. For me, Motta has looked like a risky liability since the Chelsea draw.

And Here…We…Go… The Stage is set at the Bernabéu in Madrid. Inter v. Bayern Munich. Two European superpowers set to do battle for 90 minutes plus. Not only is national pride at stake, but an extra seed in Europe’s Premier football championship is also on the line. Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben return to the Bernabéu to prove a point, while the ‘chosen’ one may give a glimpse as to what Real Madrid may be missing on the bench.

Seeing Red A Week Ago in Munich

Whatever the case is, today will surely see one of these teams book their ticket for Madrid.

Bayern Munich: Van Gaal will likely not have the services of defenders Demichelis, Van Buyten and Contento. While Ribery is out due to suspension for this leg. Van Bommel does return from suspension for this leg and will be a welcomed addition to a team looking just a tad thin. Their 1-0 aggregate lead will need to be defended in earnest, one can bet, even with some of the players their missing, Bayern is more than capable through the speed and creativity of Robben to add goals in this away leg.

Lyon: There will be at least one change to the starting 11 for Puel, as Toulalon is suspended for this leg. Furthermore, Cris, may be a likely return for this leg and partnered with Boumsong.

Finally, time and layoff are on the side of OL who have had their weekend league match against Monaco postponed. 6 days off could prove a refreshing anecdote for Puel’s men, or, they could come out of the tunnel this evening, a little too rested.

Prediction: Let’s just say I believe this is going to be a great game! Lots of attacking, lots of speed, desperation from Lyon in front of the home fans, but as ever they’ll be well composed.

This coming week promises to be one of the most exciting and ‘fresh’ Champions League Semi Finals in quite some time. For starters it’s the first time since Milan hoisted the cup against Juventus that a squad from England has not featured in a Champions League Semi Final. Secondly, this is the first time since the 2003-04 CL that a team from France as had such a shot at Champions League glory. You’ll remember that year it was AS Monaco who beat the odds and made it to the finals only to be defeated by eventual champions FC Porto at Gelsenkirchen.

These semi-finals, regardless of the outcome, do mark the return to European prominence for Bayern Munich, Olympique Lyonnais and Internazionale. The three teams have defied all odds to make it this deep in the competition. Before either of them can lift the Cup at the Bernabéu in May, they’ll likely have to go up against the awesome powers of reigning champions – Barcelona.

Inter v Barcelona
Stadium: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan
April 20th 2010
This is likely the premiere matchup of the semifinal round. Mourinho v Guardiola. It was apparent during the group stage that the vigor, speed and determination was too much for Mourinho’s stagnant Inter to handle. At the Nou Camp during the group stage, Barcelona, made Inter look – like they have done to most teams – average at best. Inter were slow and unable to rise to the occasion despite the fact they were playing a Messi’less’ Barcelona. Based on recent form however, I can only expect a much closer contest. While Inter have looked to be on poor form in Serie A, their Champions League demeanor exudes confidence and they have looked every bit like potential threats to the Barcelona crown.
Barcelona on the other hand, can be summed up with the maniacal assault they – through the magic of one Lionel Messi – laid on Arsenal in the second leg of their Quarterfinal draw. The 5 ft 7 in striker used his low centre of gravity to his advantage as he weaved in and out of the flat footed Arsenal defence, much like a tailor on steroids, pummeling the Gunners with goal after goal.

Here I’ve included the merciless Pedro Goal from the 2-0 Barcelona victory during the group stage. You can see, how Barcelona, unlike Chelsea was able to spread the Inter defence apart through the speed and movement of the ball. I can say with certainty, Inter will not allow such a free flowing form of football to take place on this occasion. They’ll likely clamp down, like they did against Chelsea and CSKA Moscow. Whether that is enough remains to break the Barcelona cycle remains to be seen.

Regardless of what the empirical evidence has proven to us thus far, I do expect this draw to be much closer then what some pundits have been saying. Inter have gained some swagger since defeating Chelsea at home and abroad and that mojo should be expected to carry over to this round. I reckon that Mourinho should resort to the young ‘Super’ Mario Balotelli during this draw. His size, ability on the ball, speed and skill will help Inter close the technical gap to Barcelona. His presence should come in the place of Pandev.

One thing is certain, this is the Semifinal tie to watch.
Players to Watch:
Barcelona: Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Carles Puyol
Internazionale: Samuel Eto’o, Lucio, Mario Balotelli
Prediction: This draw will depend entirely on Jose Mourinho. I don’t think a Balotelli’less’ Inter will be able to compete with the rhythm of Guardiola’s Barcelona. However, if you inject the 19 year old into the line up from the start of the match things can turn around quickly. I believe this draw will end with Penalty kicks following extra time at the Nou Camp.

Bayern Munich v Olympique Lyonnais
Venue:Fußball Arena München, Munich
21 April 2010
Warning: ‘objects in mirror my be deceiving’ – perhaps this is the slogan that best defines the Champions League run Lyon is currently on, albeit, this probably comes as little of a surprise for the followers of Ligue 1. Lyon has dominated the French league attaining 7 consecutive championships since 2001-2002 season. It would only be a matter of time that this dominant French team would make an impact on the continental stage. 2010 has brought about that challenge.

Lyon began the Round of 16 as serious underdogs against a far more offensively potent Real Madrid. It was through sheer determination, defensive organization and grit that Lyon was able to hold off Madrid and carry forward to the next round where they faced French rivals Bordeaux, a team that won their group stage against Bayern Munich and a struggling Juventus. Despite beating Lyon in the second leg, it was the 3-1 Lyon victory in the first leg of the Quarter Final that saw the French outfit through.

Bayern Munich’s arrival to the Semi Finals has been marred with some interesting scenarios along the way. Beginning in the Round of 16 where they faced a very potent threat in Prandelli’s Fiorentina. While the first leg was marred in controversy – I still maintain that Fiorentina was robbed in this round – the second leg Bayern was ultimately defeated in Florence, however, due to the fact that Bayern scored a single goal more than Fiorentina away from home, Bayern slid through on aggregate.

In the Quarter finals they would go up against Manchester United. The English titans, would fail in the first leg at Munich, but in the second leg they managed to defeat Bayern… However, the German’s were again able to slide through to the Semi’s on aggregate. Coincidently in both the Round of 16 and the Quarters, Bayern Munich looked the weaker of the sides, yet they’ve managed to do enough to continue their progression to Madrid in May. Can history repeat itself again?

Let’s look at this tie a little analytically for a second. Bayern has conceded 13 goals in this tournament. Out of the 13 goals, 8 were conceded in the last four games to Manchester United and Fiorentina respectively. In the meantime, Lyon has managed to score 17 goals in this tournament, not a small feet by any means. Those goals came against the likes of Real Madrid, Bordeaux, Fiorentina, Liverpool and Debrecen, aside from the latter this list of teams isn’t anything to laugh about.

When you compare the make up of Bayern Munich, you can’t help but draw parallels to Real Madrid. They carry a swift, potent attack, but their back line seems suspect. Arjen Robben, Ribery and Ivica Olić have been consistent enough to see them through some close calls along the way. But has the German team’s luck run out? Lyon’s stingy defence by comparison has only conceded 6 goals in this tournament by comparison. While in Ligue 1, they’ve been beaten a very respectable 35 times, while scoring a third best 54 goals. In the Bundesliga, Munich have conceded only 28 times (a league best) and have scored 65 times this season. While the margin in league competitions favours Bayern – in the Champions League it’s been a different story.

Players to Watch:
Bayern Munich: Franck Ribéry, Arjen Robben, Ivica Olić
Olympique Lyonnais: Sidney Govou, Jérémy Toulalan, Hugo Lloris and Lisandro Lopez
Prediction: If Bayern can exert themselves in attack and break down the stingy Lyon defence then they’ll have half a chance at advancing. The second half of the opportunity will lie at the feet of their defence, clumsy plays have affected them at various points in the previous rounds. Lyon, have already beaten Madrid and disposed of a team that caused a difficult ride for Munich – Bordeaux. Look to Puel’s men to hold tough against the speedy Germans. 3-2 Lyons

As a giant cloud of ash blankets much of Western Europe I begin my new tenure as writer of the Champions League Blog here at theoffside. Having been a long time reader and contributor to various blogs around this site, I’ve decided to throw my hat into the ring and offer some of the readers a little of my insight into Europe’s Premier Club Tournament.

My objective with this blog will be to drum up insightful debates on the game we love. Colourful and critical acclaim/criticism will be welcome as long as we keep the discussion Football oriented.

To start things off, I will have an article up in the next day or so with a brief introduction to what we can expect this week as the Champions League Semi Final get rolling.
If you’ve been under a rock over the last couple of weeks, allow me to bring you up to speed.

1. Barcelona may be better then we remember. A little guy named Messi is proving week in and week out in all competitions why he is currently regarded as the best talent in the world. I reckon Arsenal won’t soon forget what this guys all about.

2. While Mourinho’s INTER has been usurped by Roma for the hotly contested Serie A lead, in Europe Inter look confident behind the fortified wall propped up by Lucio and Samuel.

3. Bayern Munich seem to be on a high following their defeat of Manchester United in the Quarters, albeit, I reckon their defence looks a little suspect, the speed and creativity of Robben has propelled them thus far, and I don’t see a reason it can’t carry them further along the road to Madrid.

4. Les Gones have continuously surprised. It was first the beating of ‘Favorites’ Real Madrid that shook the foundation of this competition, but they then followed that victory up with another convincing performance against fellow countrymen Bordeaux. This team is not to be under estimated.

5. For the first time in the last number of years an English team does not feature in a Champions League Semi Final. This alone, adds a breath of fresh air to these fixtures.

Finally people will ask whether some of these teams have a legitimate claim to be featured in the Semi Finals of this year’s Champions League. Those questions and more will be answered, as ever, by the product produced on the pitch beginning this week.

Stay tuned for a brief look at the two fixtures and what to expect.

*This just in, UEFA has deemed that this week’s draws will take place as planned*

Defending Champions Barcelona take on Stuttgart, while Bayern Munich play host to Fiorentina.

Lyon are perhaps the unluckiest club, drawing Real Madrid in this years knockouts – they always seem to get one of the really big clubs.

Full draw after the jump.

VfB Stuttgart (GER) v FC Barcelona (ESP)
Olympiacos FC (GRE) v FC Girondins de Bordeaux (FRA)
FC Internazionale Milano (ITA) v Chelsea FC (ENG)
FC Bayern München (GER) v ACF Fiorentina (ITA)
PFC CSKA Moskva (RUS) v Sevilla FC (ESP)
Olympique Lyonnais (FRA) v Real Madrid CF (ESP)
FC Porto (POR) v Arsenal FC (ENG)
AC Milan (ITA) v Manchester United FC (ENG)

Predictions for who will be through?

Group A

Prediction: Juve to win the group, Bayern second, Bordeaux to be stuck in the UEFA Cup spot.

Oh dear. Well, I got Bayern second. Juventus meanwhile did not win the group and will be playing in the UEFA Cup, while I massively underestimated Bordeaux, who won the group seemingly out of nowhere.

What we Learned: French Football is in much better shape than I thought. Allez!

Group B

Prediction: Man United to win it, from Wolfsburg and then a close battle for third, which Besiktas will nick.

Oh dear. Man United did take the group, but CSKA who I predicted would be bottom of the group are also in the Knockouts, while Wolfsburg join the UEFA Cup mob.

What We Learned: Never Underestimate Russian Football.

Group C

Prediction: Real to win it from Milan and Marseille in third. Zurich might not get any points at all.

More like it – Real won it from Milan with Marseille in third, though it didn’t always look that clearcut. Zurich did get some points – all from Milan.

What We Learned: CR9 is just as good as CR7 – Real looked unconvincing when he wasn’t in the side, but he is still this seasons CL top scorer.

Group D

Prediction: Chelsea to take the group, from Atlético with Porto consigned to the UEFA Cup.

Yeah I didn’t see Atleti’s disasterous season coming either. Porto made second behind Chelsea while Atlético Madrid just made it to the UEFA Cup.

What We Learned: Sometimes even having an amazing front pair cannot get you through.

Group E

Prediction: This is one of the toughest groups to call, and caused a bit of an argument on the liveblog.
Liverpool’s European experience should see them through despite their current form, which leaves Lyon and Fiorentina to battle it out as last year. I’ll back Fiorentina to make it this time. Lyon for the UEFA Cup.

I got a bit of stick for backing Fiorentina here, but they proved me right, winning the group. Liverpool’s experience counted for absolutely nothing when they played as dreadfully as they did though, and Lyon are through to the Knockouts once again.

What We Learned: Experience counts for absolutely nothing.

Group F

Prediction: Tough to see past Barca, then Inter, and then one of the other two for the UEFA Cup. Will say Dynamo Kiev.

It was never as clearcut as that, but It was Barca then Inter, though Rubin Kazan nicked in third place ahead of Kiev.

What We Learned: Barca look fallable again. Last year they looked unbeatable, but they didn’t waltz through an admittedly difficult group.

Group G
Prediction: Another really tough one to call. I’m gonna go nuts and predict Stuttgart and Rangers to advance.

Yeah, least said about this the better. I was assuming there would be an upset somewhere, and that this would be it. But no, Sevilla got through obviously, and were just about followed through but Stuttgart. Rangers didn’t even make the UEFA CUp

What we Learned: Predicted Upsets is Hard.

Prediction: Arsenal to waltz through, and then Olympiacos second.

YEAH!

What We Learned: Sometimes I can get it right.

Preview to the Knockouts on its way before the draw next week.