The midweek games in the Champions League highlighted the influence the Premiership now has on European football. Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool have the competition at their mercy, and each club will be confident of glory in May.
Arsenal’s elimination was the only blow to the English game and PSV Eindhoven’s progression can be attributed to a profligate Arsenal attack. The Gunners have struggled recently without talismanic captain Thierry Henry but the future looks bright for Arsene Wenger’s young Gunners.
The astute Frenchman has focussed on attracting the best young talent in Europe. If he can keep the current crop of emerging stars at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal will be challenging for major honours next season.
Bayern Munich didn’t need to be at their best to beat a Real Madrid side in disarray. Fabio Capello’s side requires massive surgery and speculation over his future continues unabated. The remaining galacticos have entered the veteran ranks and Raul and Robert Carlos aren’t the force of old. The future looks very bleak at the Bernabau.
Porto made a great start to their last-16 encounter with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge but the Blues response was impressive. Mourinho seems to have returned to his old abrasive self after recent adversity. He instils a siege mentality in his side, and Frank Lampard, Michael Essien and Didier Drogba have risen to the challenges he has set. Drogba’s performances this season have been outstanding and if the Ivory Coast international isn’t the best striker in the Premiership, he’s certainly the most improved.
The Valencia v Inter Milan clash at the Mestalla on Tuesday night hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. UEFA are certain to impose sanctions on the players involves in the fracas and the clubs could also face substantial fines. I can’t see Valencia being ejected from the competition or being made play behind closed doors.
Thankfully, the violence at pitch-level didn’t spill over to the stands. Financially penalties look the order of the day.
The Champions League quarter-final draw has pitted Liverpool against PSV. The Reds will be confident of progressing to the semis after drawing in the Netherlands and beating the Dutch side 2-0 at Anfield during the group stages.
Having deposed last season’s champions, many pundits have tipped Liverpool to win the competition for the second time in three years. They should advance to the semis but I don’t see them going all the way. Barcelona’s form has taken a dip in recent months and they were always a risky bet against a battle-hardened side like Liverpool.
Rafa Benitez’s side are in the top four in the Premiership, which effectively means they are in the top four in Europe. The top clubs on the continent all seem to be in crisis mode for one reason or another.
Manchester United have drawn Roma, a game that may look easy on paper. But make no mistake, Roma have a decent chance of causing an upset. Alex Ferguson’s charges struggled against an industrious, honest, but ultimately limited Lille side. Roma are a very different proposition.
United have been fortunate on the injury-front this season, but their look has started to turn. Silvestre, Saha and Solskjaer have picked up injuries recently and the side could find goals difficult to come by against the ruthless Italians. The evergreen Henrik Larsson made a huge impact at Old Trafford, and his return to Sweden could signal a difficult end to a hitherto successful season. United may just prevail over two legs.
Chelsea’s clash with Valencia looks like being a real dogfight. Both sides are strong defensively, both sides have returned to form after mini-slumps and both sides boast in-form strikers in the form of David Villa and Didier Drogba. Much will depend on whether or not John Terry can return to full fitness. Whoever wins this quarter-final should go all the way. Chelsea should just shade it.
AC Milan and Bayern Munich boast fantastic European pedigrees, but reputation counts for little in this game. Look at the mighty Real Madrid. Bar a few special players – Kaka, Maldini, Lahm and Podolski – these are two teams very much on the wane. Bayern may be better equipped to make the semi-finals.
In the FA Cup, Boro look poised to cause an upset against a depleted Manchester United. Chelsea are a confident pick against a resurgent Spurs side who have won five games on the trot, Blackburn can overcome a Manchester City side in freefall and Watford should edge out Plymouth in the glamour tie of the round!
