Ross Jackson

 

The runners and riders of the UEFA Cup have been named and placed as they enter into the last 16 of the tournament, more commonly known as the “business section”.

The group stages, and indeed the previous round, have been greeted by the big boys as more of a chore than a reward for the previous season’s domestic exploits.

With the exception of Atletico Madrid, surprisingly dumped out by a stubborn Bolton Wanderers, the top dogs have finally made it to the latter stages where there are no massive mis-matches in terms of quality.

Thankfully for the neutral armchair fan, the road to Manchester 2008 has pitted European giant against European giant in a few ties.

However, on paper, there is only one winner; Bayern Munich.

They wobbled alarmingly at home to Bolton earlier in the competition, drawing 2-2. That can be explained simply by the fact they withdrew the inspirational Franck Ribery.

Manager Ottmar Hitzfeld mistakenly thought the game was won but he did not count on the ‘never-say-die’ attitude of English football.

If Ribery stayed on the pitch, Bolton would have come back from the Allianz Arena on the wrong side of a heavy beating.

As it was they earned a credible draw and experts began to wonder whether the Bavarian super club were as good as their Champions League record would suggest.

Listing their attacking options is reason enough to suggest they will win the cup at a canter; Toni, Ribery, Klose and Schweinsteiger to name but a few.

Mark Van Bommel is a quality addition to midfield, the former Barcelona and PSV man taking on the anchorman role in a star studded, attack-minded team.

Lucio is one of the few Brazilian defenders to actually know what true defending is all about.

Throw in German full back Phillip Lahm, who has come back from his loan at Stuttgart looking the complete player his potential promised, and the evergreen Oliver Kahn and the team has the appropriate blend of youth and experience to win a major European trophy.

They have been unable to prove their true worth, playing against mediocre teams, up until now.

Anderlecht lie in wait for the Germans but it should be nothing to concern Mr Hitzfeld and his side.

The real threats to their potential night of glory in Manchester include Tottenham, Everton, Hamburg and Fiorentina.

Obviously either Everton or Fiorentina will not be in contention come the quarter finals, as they play each other in the last 16, but both are capable of beating anyone on their day.

Everton are consistency personified, with a 100% record in the UEFA Cup while proving to their critics in the Premier League that they are in for the long haul in terms of chasing a top four finish.

The two strikers have started scoring for fun again and it will be a welcome boost to boss David Moyes to see Andrew Johnson back amongst the goals.

The centre of midfield is of huge significance as Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta are a dynamic duo, tenacious in the tackle but eager to load the gun for the front two.

The biggest improvement comes in the defence where Joleon Lescott has emerged a natural leader willing to stand up to the toughest physical challenges that European strikers can pose.

Leighton Baines is an England international of the future and provides an over lap on the left hand side which is vital to giving the front men an alternative supply line.

This could prove crucial when playing against a team of Fiorentina’s calibre who will be organised and disciplined, as any Italian side should, providing the impression they will only concede from moments of individual or team brilliance.

They find themselves in the upper echelons of Serie A which is by no means a fluke. Everton are fortunate they are missing a revitalised Adrian Mutu who picked up a knee ligament injury at the weekend and will be out for four weeks.

Spurs are another side in with a decent shout. Manager Juande Ramos is a master of winning this competition having lifted the trophy twice with Seville in consecutive years before leaving for North London.

He knows what it takes to get the job done and, having won the Carling Cup recently, he has all the ingredients to suggest he could make it a hat-trick in Europe.

The main strength of Spurs is their attacking line-up. There are few partnerships in European football as exhilarating as Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane.

Berbatov is hot property at the moment and is under the envious gaze of the big guns of the Premier League who drool over his strength, quick feet, sharp football brain and finishing skills which cannot be bettered.

The midfield is suspect but there is still sufficient quality to carry them to the latter stages of the knockout section.

Defensively Spurs have been poor all season but the signing of Jonathan Woodgate, if he remains fit, is a shrewd one.

World class on his day, no striker left in this tournament will get past the imperious England international.

However every player has to be on top of their game for Spurs to get to the final, a feat which may just be possible after the morale boosting victory over Chelsea in the Carling Cup final.

Of the continental sides, who seem a poor quality collection of second string European teams, Hamburg stick out as a superior force.

Bayern will know all about their Bundesliga rivals after recently playing out a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena.

Rafael Van Der Vaart appears to carry this team single handed. He is a cut above his team-mates and the attacking focal point of the whole team.

Without him, they would simply be another average German team, similar to the impression delivered by Bayer Leverkusen on first glance.

Maybe there might be a shock or two along the way to re-ignite the passion for a competition regarded as the second prize in Europe. The fact of the matter is if all goes according to plan in terms of team quality and pedigree then Bayern Munich will destroy all who stand in their way.

Atletico Madrid were the closest in terms of quality to matching them but they were sucker punched by Bolton, leaving Bayern looking a very good bet.

Of course no-one at Munich will be taking a blasé view to this competition but they will be quietly confident of, at the very least, making the final.
 

If one of the English sides does not win it then Bayern Munich will as they are far and away the best side left in the business section of the UEFA Cup.