UEFA Champions League Roundtable - Round of 16

Posted by  on 02.24.2009

Ronaldo v Ibrahimovic, Higuain v Torres, Drogba v Amauri, Benzema v Messi, De Rossi v err....Song, plus more. They're all part of the Champions League's return and the staff roundtable is one click away.

We're finally here.

After months of waiting, the Champions League is back and ready to blow us away. Some of these ties are just ridiculous, and this really is the clearest indication yet that UEFA should split the games up so that people can watch every second of every contest.

Highlights aren't enough when there's an array of games like this.

Joining me to talk about these games is Matt Snelling, who's producing some really good copy about football on 411 right now, so make sure you check that out.

There's also Ian Wright, who is still dancing about architecture after all these years, while trying to work out if he loves Arsenal more than live music. I don't think that's possible, but still. Here he is.

Let's get going...



ARSENAL v ROMA

O'Sullivan: There's something seriously missing at the Arsenal right now, and as much as people can say it's bad luck and injuries, the Champions League knockout stages takes no prisoners. It has no conscience and cares little about unfortunate circumstances.

Roma are still missing a couple of vital ingredients required to win a trophy like this, as they've shown in the last two seasons, but aside from the 3-0 capitulation at Atalanta they genuinely are one of the most impressive units in Europe right now. Philippe Mexes finally seems to be showing his quality on a more consistent basis and Mirko Vucinic is one of the smartest strikers around, but their trump card in this tie is their clear supremacy in midfield. Totti, Perrotta, Taddei, Brighi and the ever-improving Daniele De Rossi are at a different level to that of Arsenal's assumed starting quartet. It's a big night for Denilson and Song this Tuesday. They have the chance to prove all the critics wrong, but they could find it impossible to stop Roma's players crowding them out.

Unless Theo Walcott returns to save the day in the second leg, I see The Gunners struggling here.

Prediction:Roma to win 4-2 on aggregate


Matt Snelling:The first of what is sure to be some titanic struggles between the dominance of the Premier League and the recently ailing force of Serie A. As I will argue later, all those who think Italian sides are there just to be rolled over are heavily underestimating the quality that Serie A still has and I think of all the English teams that Arsenal look the most vulnerable.

Roma have been rejuvenated since Christmas and have managed to charge up the Italian table after a disastrous start. Meanwhile Arsenal have been struggling in recent weeks. Yes they have been managing to grind out results but all the creativity seems to have drained out of the side following Cesc Fabregas injury. They have also seen Aston Villa emerge as a real, genuine threat to their future Champions League participation.

Big new signing Andrei Arshavin is cup tied after playing in the group stages with Zenit and Roma have their talisman Francesco Totti back who adds such a psychological boost to the Romans when he is on the pitch. This tie could be decided in the midfield, and right now I'm not sure that either Denilson, Song or Diaby will be able to get near Daniele De Rossi who has been in outstanding form in recent months.

Prediction: Roma to win 3-2 on aggregate


Ian Wright: If there's a pair of potentially top sides in Europe that frustrate their fans more than this pair I'm hard pressed to think who they are. Both teams, when they click, can play some of the most attractive football in the world but when they don't, it's not pretty at all. Arsenal are misfiring at the moment but the opening period of Saturday's draw with Sunderland hinted that in new signing Arshavin Wenger may have found someone to add a little bit more spark to the team when going forward.

As for Roma, well they've proven more than capable of beating English sides when at the Stadio Olmpico but when it comes to the away matches it's hard to shake the memory of their capitulation at Old Trafford a couple of years ago. A draw or a single away goal loss on Tuesday and it'll be on like Donkey Kong in Rome for the second leg. But it could be all over by then.

Prediction: Roma to win 3-2 on aggregate



ATLETICO MADRID v PORTO

O'Sullivan: I accidentally stumbled across Porto v Benfica on TV a couple of weeks back and the standard really was quite poor. Add that to the fact that Atletico have been shocking in 2009 and we're left with a tie that's hard to get excited about.

There are a few good things about this, though:

- They both lack enough discipline to enhance the chances of a good, fun and open contest.
- Sergio Aguero is amazing when he cares.
- Porto have a striker called HULK! Atletico defenders won't want to make him angry, I'm guessing.

Prediction:Atletico Madrid to win 3-2 on aggregate


Matt Snelling: Atletico are the very definition of a Jekyll and Hyde side, devastating one week, abysmal the next. Going forward they can be superb and their front 5 or 6 will trouble any side out there. Maxi Rodriguez, Simao, Diego Forlan and the sensational Sergio Aguero can tear apart any side when on form, however as is frequently the case the men behind them constantly let them down.

Defensively the side can be all over the place and they tend to fold rather quickly when put under any sort of real pressure. Their 6-1 hammering at the Nou Camp shows just how fragile the side can be, but thus far in the Champions League they have generally been pretty consistent and by all rights should have had a win at Anfield on their CV until Saint Stevie decided he'd been hit by a bazooka fired from the crowd.

Porto have a strong recent pedigree in this tournament and are always tricky opponents but this time round is not a strong vintage. Lucho Gonzalez pulls the strings in midfield but there has been no real replacement for the flair and creativity that Ricardo Quaresma offered before his departure. Atletico will concede but then they will also score, so the Spaniards to go through after a suitably high scoring tie.

Prediction: Atletico Madrid to win 5-3 on aggregate


Ian Wright: If you look at the names of the players in Atletico's squad there shouldn't be much question about who is going through here as on paper they've assembled an impressive collection of players. The one caveat to that though is that alongside the likes of Aguero, who seems to be destined for bigger and better things one day, many of the side have had spells at bigger clubs which ultimately ended in failure and that habit of failing to live up to their talent may cost them. But probably not.

Prediction: Atletico Madrid to win 3-1 on aggregate



INTER MILAN v MAN. UNITED

O'Sullivan: I had this down as a clear Man. United win before Saturday's injuries, but as I write this it's reported that Michael Carrick could be used as an emergency centre-back. Adriano and Zlat could have a field day if that rumour comes to fruition.

Having said that, the defence should be back to full-strength in the second leg and a nervy little 1-0 could sneak them through on away goals, if they score and only avoid defeat by one on Tuesday.

I do see Inter winning the first leg, but I can't see where the creativity will come from at Old Trafford when they need a bit of inspiration from a deeper position than the strikers. Maicon and Santon are superb full-backs, who can be Jose's wildcards in attack, but they'll need more than that if they are going to be a genuine threat in the second leg. We've seen United swamp so many teams at Old Trafford. Inter will need to act like Real Madrid did during their visits at the start of the decade.

Ibrahimovic and Adriano certainly have the ability to cause United some major problems, and there's that bizarre yet fascinating stat of the last four Champions League winners going out in the second round the season after they win it, but I still fancy someone like Tevez nicking an away goal at the San Siro before Vidic comes back to shut everyone out at Old Trafford to send the reigning champs through.

Prediction: 2-2 on aggregate. Man. United to win on away goals


Matt Snelling: This in my mind is the big one of the round, and could potentially be one of those classic titanic struggles that the Champions League has brought us in recent years. That's not to say that I think it will necessarily be a ‘classic' in terms of entertainment and free flowing attacking football but more it will be an absolute battle over the two legs.

This is Inter Milan, Jose Mourinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic's chance to really step up to the plate and show that they are the real deal. For Inter this is the chance to show that they are a real force on the European scene and that their dominance of Serie A in recent seasons is not just down to the fallout from the match fixing scandal of 3 years ago. For Mourinho is the chance to show that he truly is the special one, as once again knocking Manchester United out of the Champions League like he did at Porto will enhance his already impressive reputation. For Ibrahimovic, this is the chance to show a lot of the naysayers in the British media that he can be one of the world's best players.

There's not much else to say about Manchester United, other than to confirm their position as favourites in pretty much every competition they are currently in for. Indeed an unprecedented quadruple doesn't look like a fantasy at all. A potential problem however could be that the very confidence that appears to be running through the squad. All over right now, people are asking ‘is this the best Man Utd team in history?' Well maybe, maybe not, but let's just forget claims like that can only be made at the end of the season and we see exactly what they have won...

Prediction: Man. United to win 2-1 on aggregate


Ian Wright: Ohhhhhhhh. ohhhhhhhh. oohhhh. Fergie vs. Jose. ohhhhhhh. Big glamour tie of the round. ohhhhhh. Probably 2 really boring games. ohhhhhh. Inter to go through.

Prediction: Inter to win 3-1 on aggregate



LYON v BARCELONA

O'Sullivan: This tie is about one million times more interesting than it was before Barcelona's shock 2-1 home defeat to Espanyol on Saturday evening.

Like everyone else on the planet, I still fancy Barcelona to qualify, but they looked so vulnerable and jaded on Saturday. It has made things interesting. Messi, Henry and Eto'o are fit and ready to fly, but injuries and fatigue have started to mount elsewhere. Victor Valdes still looks like a shit fish in a big pond, Abidal's injury has left them without a left-back, Iniesta's absence will leave a huge void, and Karim Benzema could really rip Gerard Pique a new one.

I found odds of 7/2 for Lyon to win this first leg and I've taken them. What happens two weeks later at Camp Nou is another matter, but don't be surprised if you see Benzema's bald little head dominating the European sports newspapers on Wednesday morning.

Prediction: Barcelona to win 5-4 on aggregate


Matt Snelling: I guess if you'd have asked me a week or two ago there would only be one answer here, Barcelona all the way. Now, after a few defensive slips, a few indifferent performances and a shock derby defeat at home to bottom of the table local rivals Espanyol I'm going to say...Barcelona.

For a good side does not become bad overnight, and let's get this straight Barcelona are a very good side. Indeed, recent slips look even more magnified, simply because of the impeccable standards they have been setting for themselves for the rest of the season so far. Going forward this team is incredible and they have been blowing all goal scoring records away. Henry and Eto'o seem revitalised and Xavi has continued on the great form we saw at Euro 2008. And then there's Lionel Messi. Right now, this season, no other player can touch this man. On current form, this is the world's best player.

Lyon, as ever, are currently top of Ligue 1, but unlike recent years they appear far from the dominant machine we have come to know and ...erm... love. Benzema is an exceptional talent but you just feel that unless we see serious squad overhaul that Lyon's real chance at the Champions League came when they lost out to PSV in the quarter finals on penalties a few years back. Right now they don't really appear to stand much of a chance against the might of Barca.

Prediction: Barcelona to win 4-1 on aggregate


Ian Wright: I think this could well be the best tie of the round. Two sides that try to play football each featuring one of the world's most exciting young players.

Of course, Leo Messi has already established himself as one of the best players on earth, while Karim Benzema merely looks like he's on the verge of it. Only thing though is that Benzema is about all Lyon has, Barcelona on the other hand are jammed to the gills with quality.

Prediction: Barcelona to win 5-1 on aggregate



CHELSEA v JUVENTUS

O'Sullivan: Aaaaaaaaaargh, yet another tie for which the weekends fixtures changed everything. I really fancied Juventus for this one, but I've started to believe the Hiddink-hype after Saturday's impressive win at Villa (what a goal, by the way).

It's definitely worth remembering how many big results Juve have produced at home this season - especially when they get that advantage in the decisive leg. Like Raul, Del Piero is still producing gold and as long as Mauro Camoranesi doesn't replicate his disgusting Highbury performance in 2006 (stop clapping, you twat!) he can still be a dangerous impact player, too. But for me, the one to watch is Amauri. Similar to Luca Toni, he's stepped into the spotlight late in his career, but he's an animal given the right supply. John Terry won't know what's hit him.

As easy as it is to fall in love with Hiddink, his endearingly awkward celebrations and his astounding international record, it's still the same Chelsea squad. If Drogba doesn't re-ignite the magic like he did in last season's semi final, second leg against Liverpool (one of the greatest striker performances in recent years), I don't see them troubling Chiellini, Buffon and co. when it comes to the crunch in the second leg.

Prediction: Juventus to win 3-2 on aggregate


Matt Snelling: If you're looking for thrills, spills and plenty of goals then this may not be the tie to set the pluses racing, but there are a number of fascinating subplots nonetheless. Since the turn of the year the Londoners have seemingly seen their Premiership title challenge fade away, meaning that the Champions League takes on added importance. The departure of Big Phil' Scolari, to me, only papers over a number of cracks that run deeper at the club for why they have performed so disappointingly in recent months. Make no mistake however that this is a squad that has the talent to go all the way to Rome this year.

Guus Hiddink is also a wily old character, who does have a European Cup on his CV (with PSV in 1988) and also knows the European game inside out, compared with the recently sacked Brazilian. One man who also knows just how ruthless the club's owner, Roman Abramovich can be is the man who will take his place on the opposing dugout with Juventus; Claudio Ranieri. Dispensed with to make way for Jose Mourinho, Ranieri has done a solid if unspectacular job at in Turin but has done well to help them on their journey back to being the force they once were in the past.

In fact, ‘solid if unspectacular' is a good way to describe Juventus. They don't especially flow, but have a spine with Buffon, Chiellini and the evergreen Alessandro Del Piero that provides the squad with a powerful nucleus of inner belief. The squad right now is probably not strong enough yet to mount a concerted assault on the big trophy but they are moving in the right direction. As with a number of the Italian sides you do fear that there is a somewhat over reliance on names that are perhaps in the twilight of their careers.

Perhaps not a classic then, but to me it will be a fascinating, almost chess like encounter. Chelsea to make it through, but it should be tight mind.

Prediction: Chelsea to win 1-0 on aggregate


Ian Wright: Even after Abramovich bought Chelsea and started putting together the squad that, under Mourihno, would dominate English football for a couple of seasons I don't think the loathing that many fans feel for Chelsea fully kicked in until the arrival of "the special one". In part that was because Claudio Ranieri seems like a thoroughly decent fella and his broken English post-match interviews were always good for a giggle. So for that reason I'm hoping that the grand old lady goes through here but really, Chelsea should have enough to go through here, especially if Hiddink can again get the side to gel in their second match under his stewardship like he did in his first at the weekend.

Prediction: Chelsea to win 3-2 on aggregate



REAL MADRID v LIVERPOOL

O'Sullivan: I don't want to sound like the proverbial broken record of doom, but yes, this is yet another tie for which my mind has turned after the weekend.

Madrid looked vintage against a Real Betis side that looked rejuvenated the week before, while Liverpool stumbled to a fortunate draw at home to the shockingly inadequate Man. City. It's hard to ignore form as current as that.

People get lazy when they assess football, myself included. But sometimes you need to evaluate every individual situation. I'm rambling. My belated point is the fact that I've heard countless people simply saying that "Liverpool will probably scrape through after an away goal and a rugged 1-0 at Anfield", and that's merely because of history telling us that. What the media fail to bring up during discussions about this is the fact that lowly Benfica owned Anfield in 2006 and Barcelona were incredibly unlucky to go out there in 2007. Then there's the famous ghost goal. The "Famous Anfield Night" thing is not a total myth, but it's not far off.

10/10 performances from Gerrard, Carra, Torres and Mascherano will undoubtedly help Liverpool qualify, but there seems enough missing to question whether or not that will happen. Real can't remember what it's like to lose, and they have a lot going for them. Higuain is class, Raul continues to defy the birth certificate and Robben is unreal in spells. Then there's a couple of strong defensive midfielders, Sneijder creating, the best keeper in the world, a solid defence, and Van der Vaart on the bench.

It's so easy to pick Liverpool, but I'm not going to.

Prediction: Real Madrid to win 3-2 on aggregate


Matt Snelling: Along with AC Milan, these two clubs represent the history and legacy of the European Cup. Between them, they boast 14 European Cup triumphs but despite this, the clash between the 9 times winners from Madrid and the 5 times winners from Merseyside is in fact a rare one. This should make this one an extra special occasion.

As is apparent when you look at many of these ties, what you may have thought at the time of the draw might now well have changed once we find the ties upon us. At the time of the draw, Madrid looked a club once again in full crisis mode, hogging all the press and for all the wrong reasons. Back then they were being left behind by arch rivals Barcelona, had lost their manager Bernd Schuster and on the pitch were all over the place. Now though, the appointment of former Sevilla and Tottenham coach Juande Ramos has brought a relative oasis of calm to what is usually an environment of Chaos. He is made them harder to beat, sorted out a proper formation, signed an effective holding midfield player (Lassana Diarra) but is it enough to beat Liverpool?

I bet you if you asked many of the managers all over Europe, which club they would do everything to avoid I reckon a sizeable majority might well say Rafa Benitez's side. This is because when it has come to the Champions League in recent seasons, few clubs have been able to suffocate and grind their opponents into submission as Liverpool has done. They are the very personification of solid and the spine of the team (Reina, Carragher, Mascherano, Gerrard, Torres) is arguably as strong as anything out there. Their key strength has also been Benitez's ability to micromanage a game and come out on top in one off set piece battles. This may in fact perhaps also be a reason why (so far) he has been unable to win out over a 38 game league season.

Madrid has substantially improved since their pre-Christmas shambles but will it be enough to see off Liverpool? I have my doubts. Bottom line, no other team can strangle the life out of a tie when they want to and Liverpool at this point still look a step too far for a club looking to reach that magical figure of 10 titles.

Prediction: 1-1 on aggregate. Liverpool to win on away goals


Ian Wright: If the Inter/Man United tie is the glamour pairing of the round this is the one that should get the fans with a sense of history salivating as this tie pairs two of the three most successful sides in CL/European Cup history against each other. Liverpool's focus is on their ever-fading hopes of winning the league, while Real must know that nothing will stop Barcelona winning the title this season. So, the two sides' respective priorities might just come into play here.

Prediction: Real Madrid to win 2-0 on aggregate



SPORTING LISBON v BAYERN MUNICH

O'Sullivan: I'm all worn out after that Liverpool write-up, so I'll briefly say that both teams will rely on their individual impact players due to mediocre collective team ability. Sporting, because they're way out of their depth, and Bayern, because they're in a horrible run of form.

Either way, I just want to see Franck.

Prediction: Bayern Munich to win 4-2 on aggregate


Matt Snelling:Before Germany's substantial winter break, Jurgen Klinsmann looked like he had now been able to get his team round to the adventurous, progressive vision he had set out for them upon his arrival. Fuelled by the return to goal scoring form of Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni and inspired by the return from injury of the mercurial Franck Ribery they looked handily placed in the Bundesliga, leaving them the time to concentrate on returning to the position amongst Europe's top clubs that they feel is where they belong.

Defensive frailties continue to haunt the club however and it's clear that goalkeeper Michael Rensing is struggling to fill the immense gloves of predecessor Oliver Kahn. There is also the suspicion that when faced with some of the stronger tacticians of European football that Klinsmann may be somewhat out of his depth. The Champions League is what Klinsmann was brought into deliver however, and the club will not be happy at failing to once again have a significant tilt for the trophy.

Unlike the immense pressure heaped in their opponents, Sporting appear to have nothing to lose. A young and talented side, the club in recent seasons have been known more for their exports and coaching of exceptional talents, notably flying tricky wingers in the Ronaldo, Quaresma, Nani and Simao mould. This is really uncharted waters however for the Portuguese and in the end, Bayern will in all likelihood be just too strong and powerful for them.

Prediction: Bayern Munich to win 3-1 on aggregate


Ian Wright: Bayern quite simply have too much going for them here.

Prediction: Bayern Munich to win 5-1 on aggregate



VILLARREAL v PANATHINAIKOS

O'Sullivan: We have some unreal ties in this round – seriously the best I've ever seen at this stage of the competition – but in return it was obvious we would get a tie like this.

I watched a bit of Panathaniakos in the group stage, and although they have some incredible vocal support at their place, the lack of quality is evident – especially at the back. How they won that group I'll never know. The lad Mantzios looks decent and Villarreal aren't charismatic enough to destroy anyone, but I still envisage The Yellow Submarine qualifying here.

Prediction: Villarreal to win 2-1 on aggregate


Matt Snelling: Well no guesses which tie that Sky will dedicate a whole 2 minutes of coverage to at the end of a lengthy propaganda broadcast on how good the Premier League is compared to all other forms of football. I digress, but it is perhaps fair to say that this is not the tie that will get many of the neutrals excited.

If you'd have asked me after the group stages had finished and told me that this would be a tie then I would have said that this was great draw for a really strong potential dark horse for the title in Villarreal. However now, following months of the wheels seemingly falling of the Yellow Submarine's season and the tie can look a lot different. I still feel that Villarreal are favourites and will do enough to get through but as for them being dark horses to win out overall? well maybe not.

Their previously rock solid defence has inexplicably fallen to pieces and they have missed the goals of the talented Turk Nihat who is now almost permanently injured. Panathinaikos on paper are not especially anything special but going to Greece is never an easy prospect and they got good results in the groups stages against both Inter Milan and Werder Bremen to qualify. They are also coached by ex-Chelsea assistant boss Henk Ten Cate who does know about winning the Champions League when he performed the same role for Barcelona in 2006. However, with the goals of Giuseppe Rossi, Joseba Llorente and the nous of veteran Robert Pires the team from Spain should have just enough to go through.

Prediction: Villarreal to win 2-0 on aggregate


Ian Wright: AKA the tie that no one in particular aside from the fans of the respective clubs gives a toss about. Villarreal to win by a couple of goals in the first leg before overcoming the hostile Greek atmosphere in the second leg to go through.

Prediction:Villarreal to win 2-1 on aggregate


Thanks again to the fellas.

Enjoy the games.

O'Sullivan