Anthony Evgenidis
Inter Milan vs Manchester United
This matchup fittingly can be summed up by the phrase “the Special One”. Mourinho vs. Ferguson, “The Special One” vs. “Fergie”, defence vs. attack and the list goes on and on. This two legged battle will rightly have all of Europe’s attention and intrigue. For starters, it would be wise to look beyond past results between Mourinho and Ferguson. These teams are not the same Porto, Chelsea or Man Utd of previous years.
Inter Milan are not the scrappy defensive juggernaut that Chelsea were under Mourinho, but they have the benefit of sitting comfortably atop Serie A. A nine point lead is quite a cushion and that could help Inter have players fresh for the clash. Let’s be honest, Mourinho was not brought in to retain Serie A, he came for the Champions League and he got his wish. Inter are not in great form if you consider their inconsistent form of the last six games. However, they will have all the motivation in the world to gear up for the defending champions, underestimating the drive of Mourinho and his squad would be a mistake. This is their great opportunity to make a statement.
Manchester United are on a eight game Premier League winning streak, and have not conceded a goal in that time. They also sit atop of their league; however the Premier League is a different animal and will go down to the wire. United and Barcelona are the favourites to reach the final in May and rightfully so with their firepower. United will have the tougher task of balancing its squad for the two legs against Inter and their domestic opposition. Wayne Rooney will be back in the fold just in time for the two legs, but with the successful Tevez – Berbatov partnership it will be interesting to see which tandem features.
Players to Watch:
Inter Milan – Zlatan Ibrahimovic is going to have to carry his team if they are to advance. He can cause trouble for any defence and certainly he will be a big part of Mourinho’s strategy. He is their barometer and it will be a great battle with Vidic and Ferdinand.
Manchester United – Fairly straight forward, Cristiano Ronaldo is the attention getter. This does not mean he is going to be the key; however he is the straw that stirs the drink for Man Utd’s attacking play. The midfield will be the key area, Carrick, Fletcher and Scholes will play a role in alleviating the pressure on the defence.
Sporting CP vs Bayern Munich
This is one of the biggest mismatches from the Round of 16 draw. On one hand you have a team in Sporting that is more than happy to advance past the group stages, and on the other you have Bayern Munich who are eager to continue advancing following a year away from this tournament.
Sporting are tied for third place in the Portuguese league and realistically are going to focus on qualifying for the Champions League again next season. The draw with Bayern will be a good opportunity for some of their players i.e. Veloso and Moutinho to raise their price tags and exposure. This is more of an icing on the cake for a Sporting side that is trying to consistently feature in the Champions League.
Bayern are only two points behind first place in the Bundesliga, and will look to make a deep run in the Champions League to mark their return to European prominence. The last time we saw Bayern in this late stage of the Champions League they were being knocked out by AC Milan two years ago. A lot has changed since then in terms of players and manager so this is not the experienced Bayern team of old under Hitzfeld.
Players to Watch:
Sporting CP – Joao Moutinho plays the role of Ribery for his side, he is the maestro and facilitator in the midfield. His ability to involve the other players as well as move the ball forward will be key if Sporting are to put up a fight.
Bayern Munich – Frank Ribery is the midfield playmaker that drives Bayern forward. His creativity and presence are a positive influence on his team. Luca Toni will be important upfront in the penalty area to occupy the defence.
Villarreal vs Panathinaikos
We have a staring contrast of styles in this matchup with Villarreal known for their attacking agility, and Panathinaikos for the defensive wall in their midfield. Villarreal likes to put the pedal to the medal and score goals; Panathinaikos likes to play on the counter attack.
Villarreal have to build pressure from their midfield if they are to get beyond the stacked Panathinaikos midfield. Marco Senna in particular will have to hold down the fort to eliminate the threat of counter-attacks. The game is going to be won and lost in the midfield, and if Villarreal can dominate ball control using their flanks Panathinaikos will be put in a tough position. Scoring early and pressuring Panathinaikos will lead Villarreal into the next stage of the Champions League.
Panathinaikos are going to sit back and wait patiently for the right time to attack Villarreal, and corners and free kicks are going to be great opportunities to move players up into the Yellow Submarine penalty area. The Bryce Moon-Gilberto Silva partnership is strength of this team and they will be called on to protect the defence. Patience is the key for Panathinaikos; in the event that an early goal is scored it will be imperative not to deviate from the game plan. The longer the game goes on without a goal the greater the confidence will grow for the Panathinaikos psyche.
Players to Watch:
Villarreal – Giuseppe Ross is going to put major pressure on the suspect backline of Panathinaikos, his ability to create opportunities will dictate the level of counter-attacks Panathinaikos have at their disposal.
Panathinaikos – Giorgos Karagounis is the one guy for Panathinaikos who has a free role to roam around the midfield. His free-kicks and corners are dangerous for a Villarreal side that is not known for its defensive prowess. Duplicating his performances against Werder Bremen will be crucial on the counter-attack.
Chelsea vs Juventus
This has to be without a doubt a battle of attrition and the team left standing will have earned tremendous confidence. If you like goals, fancy tricks, fast paced attack or even flair this is not the matchup for you. This is for the “big boys” as some would like to say, tough grinding and marking in the midfield will dictate the level of opportunities in attack.
Chelsea having changed managers recently and have had little time to build confidence going into this matchup. The good news is that this change is a wakeup call to the team that the players will be next out the door. Guus Hiddink is as experienced a manager as they come and he will have a few games to find the proper formula to build on. This is more of a mental challenge for Chelsea because overall player for player they are the better side. If Hiddink can “rally the troops” and forget about the league performances Chelsea will be difficult to beat.
Juventus like Bayern are back in the big show and have an opportunity to rediscover the European outfit that we have come to know. No matter what anybody says this is a personal issue for manager Claudio Ranieri, he was fired by Roman Abramovich and then Chelsea flourished under Mourinho. This can serve as a great opportunity to prove to the Chelsea owner that he chose wrong that fateful summer. The payers will unite around Ranieri who has come under a bit of fire for inconsistent performances in the Serie A. Juventus sit in second place nine points behind Inter and realistically this will be a great opportunity to return to prominence.
Players to Watch:
Chelsea – Normally you would see John Terry or Frank Lampard in this section; however the most important “player” has to be the manager. Guus Hiddink has to be the difference maker if Chelsea are to advance because it is going to take a collective team effort for the Blues to make the quarter-finals. Essien’s absence in the midfield will be greatly felt.
Juventus – Alessandro Del Piero is the unquestioned captain, leader and soul of Juventus. He may not have the legs he once had but his presence and performance will lead Juventus in this matchup. It is no coincidence that when Juventus handily defeated Real Madrid in back to back games, Del Piero was on his game and he will have to duplicate that kind of feat for his team to progress.
Real Madrid vs Liverpool 
This headline reads like something out of Greek mythology, 14 time European Champions spar in this epic battle of titans. You will be hard pressed to find a more prestigious pair of teams (insert AC Milan) and they will both look to add to their rich trophy case. The Spanish influence is undeniable in this managerial matchup between familiar foes.
Real Madrid have slowly but surely returned to their winning ways in La Liga, but with Barcelona way ahead in first place the Champions League is their only chance at silverware this season. In order to achieve that Real will have to seriously improve their midfield play. Madrid have playmakers galore but no European success in recent years to show for it. Ramos will have to get his players mentally and physically ready to battle the tournament specialists Liverpool. Look for Real to attack on set-pieces with Sneijder and Robben on the wings as well. Real will have the benefit of starting fresh in this tournament which can prove to be significant.
Liverpool in Europe is a different team and plays with a winning mentality that grinds out results. This year is no different in that regard; however with a light front line the Reds will have to hope Fernando Torres stays healthy if they are to advance. The midfield will of course be the muscle that will be flexed, and the leadership of Steven Gerrard will be pivotal. Staying injury free is going to be vital for a side that is going to have a stockpile of games and young players on standby. Liverpool currently lie in second place two points behind Manchester United. Expect that title race to go down to the wire and there will be a few dilemmas to deal with for Rafa’s men.
Players to Watch:
Real Madrid – Wesley Sneijder is the man for Real, he is going to have to show his lethal touch on set-pieces. He sets the tone in the midfield and his creativity will be targeted by Liverpool. If he can get his teammates, namely Guti, Robben and Raul involved Real will be formidable.
Liverpool – Torres upfront will be crucial for Liverpool but everyone knows Gerrard is the heart and soul of Liverpool and if he loses his race against fitness for the first leg it could be crucial. Should he play he will be called upon to guide the team through this tough draw with his fiery shots and leadership. He may not score but his presence can be felt all over the pitch.
Arsenal vs AS Roma
This is the draw of the underachievers of 2009 as neither side has been convincing this year. Both sides are struggling to meet their pre-season expectations of challenging for a title and spot in the Champions League. Both sides are not who they were last year and that is showing in their domestic campaigns. This is the third installment of the Anglo-Italian battles and the team that gets an early lead will be favoured to advance. There will be immense pressure on both teams because of the financial implications of not qualifying next year.
Arsenal will be anxiously awaiting the return of skipper Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott for this clash. The Gunners are on the outside looking in for the final Champions League spot in the Premier League, and this may very well be their last taste of this competition for the next two years. There is a tremendous sense of urgency to qualify for this prestigious competition, as well as making a deep run to show face for their disappointed fans.
Roma is in a difficult position coming in because they do not have the best of experiences visiting England at this late stage of the Champions League. Had the first game been played in Rome the dynamic would be so so different. Both teams play significantly better at home and if Roma can escape their London trip with little to no damage they will be confident down the stretch.
Players to Watch:
Arsenal – Cesc Fabregas is expected to make a much needed return to an ailing Arsenal side against Roma. He is the skipper but more importantly he is the best player Arsenal have and how he goes so does Arsenal. It will be interesting to see how quickly he gets back into the fold, because after all we are talking about playing at another level with regards to the knockout round.
AS Roma – Say it with me, Totti – Totti – Totti. No surprise here really, Totti is unequivocally the badge, leader and best chance Roma has if they are to advance. There is no other team in the Champions League that is so dependant on a single player and with good reason. If Totti makes his presence felt and we can see his imprints on the pitch Roma have a chance to get passed a finesse laden Arsenal side.
Lyon vs Barcelona
Barcelona come into this matchup as prohibitive favourites to advance and the pressure will be on them to do so in style. Over the last seven years we have come to know Lyon as a very formidable European side, however this year they feature one of their weakest teams. There will be little if any expectation on Lyon to progress and that outlook can only encourage a team with seemingly nothing to lose.
Barcelona on the other hand are flying on auto-pilot and merely going through the motions at this point in the competition. They must continue to attack and press Lyon at every opportunity and the result will take care of itself in the end. Barcelona have an astounding 10 point lead at the top of La Liga, and have every reason to be more than ready to advance to the next round. The most important thing for Guardiola’s men is to avoid taking Lyon for granted because complacency has a way of humbling even the best of teams. With that said, there is little chance of any team overlooking an opponent at this stage of the competition.
Quick quiz, can you name the current Lyon manager? As you can tell this is not a no brainer considering Lyon consistently change managers, and that certainly has not helped in their European campaigns the last few years. The midfield for Lyon is going to have to step up and make it difficult for Barcelona to penetrate their defence. Lyon are going up against probably the hottest and most lethal team in all of Europe. There are very few people who think they can advance, for that to happen they will have to be creative from set plays and push forward with the likes of Karim Benzema.
Players to Watch:
Lyon – Do you pick Toulalan or Juninho in the midfield for this role? They are both crucial in Lyon’s plans for progressing. The player to keep an eye on is Karim Benzema, he is likely in the last year of his Lyon career and there is no better venue to showcase his talent than in front of the elite of Europe.
Barcelona – In this particular matchup no player in particular is needed to take Barcelona over the top, however Lionel Messi is the man that guides Barcelona. He is the ultimate threat for Lyon, and if he performs at his usual level the games could get out of hand quickly.
Atlético Madrid vs FC Porto
These two teams are not too far apart in their overall ability and expectations. Both would have settled for advancing to the Round of 16 happily, and so this matchup provides both teams the chance of an unforeseen trip to the quarter-finals. This will be a difficult tie because both managers and players alike will want to capitalise on their luck of the draw.
Aguero paired with Forlan will be responsible for creating opportunities in the Porto defence. The rest of the Atletico squad feeds off of that energy upfront and it will be up to them to get on the score-sheet. If Atletico do not score in their game at home they will have to ensure they do not concede either, that will almost certainly doom them in the end.
Porto are a team that have proven they can win games on the road in hostile environments, just ask Fenerbahce and Dynamo Kyiv. The mentality going into Atletico’s lair will be to avoid conceding a goal at all costs, but more importantly to score a priceless away goal. The counter-attacks will be vital in this evenly matched game.
Players to Watch:
Atletico Madrid – Sergio Aguero is the wonderkid who will have to attack the Porto backline. He has the ability to weave through the defence and be a thorn in their tactics. He will have to pick and choose his spots to unsettle the Porto’s backline. If he is active Atletico’s chances increase dramatically.
Porto – Their midfield “general” Lucho Gonzalez will have to lead his team in the pits of the field. He is the driving force behind a confident Porto squad and he will have to limit Atletico Madrid’s attacking repertoire. If you want to know where to find Lucho on the field just look for the ball, and you can count on that.
Napoli 86/87 Away Maradona Boca Juniors 08/09 Away Shirt
