UEFA Champions League: The Knockout Stages

[The_Ladies_Man]

The draw for the round of 16 has been made. A repeat between Barca and Chelsea from last year's competition should be a good one, and Arsenal get to face Real Madrid for the first time. Take your picks.

Chelsea v Barcelona

Real Madrid v Arsenal

Werder Bremen v Juventus

Bayern Munich v AC Milan

PSV Eindhoven v Lyon

Ajax Amsterdam v Inter Milan

Benfica v Liverpool

Rangers v Villarreal

 

[superquad1968]

That's the luck of the draw. Of the 16 teams left, Chelsea v. Barca would make the best final.

 

[the_big_E]

I think Barcelona gets the better of Chelsea this time around, only because I hate Chelsea.

I'm saying that Arsenal will win because I want to them to succeed for once, both defences are sketchy so that one can easily go either way.

Right now I'd have to say Juventus is probably the best team in Europe...I'd have to say they are the favourites.

And a reminder Arsenal vs Chelsea on Sunday @11AM, cant wait!

 

[Big Michael]

Here are my picks:

Chelsea v Barcelona -- Barca

Real Madrid v Arsenal --Arsenal (I am a huge Arsenal fan)

Werder Bremen v Juventus --Juventus

Bayern Munich v AC Milan -- AC Milan

PSV Eindhoven v Lyon -- Lyon

Ajax Amsterdam v Inter Milan --Inter

Benfica v Liverpool --Liverpool

Rangers v Villarreal -- Villareal

 

[40plus]

my picks

This time I think Barca will pull thorugh, especially with Ronaldinho in rampant form.
Real over Arsenal
Juventus beats Bremen handily
Bayern sneaks by AC on way goals
Lyon continues on its way
Inter knocks off Ajax easily
Liverpool beats Benfica
VIllareal takes care of the Huns aka Rankers (no Celtic bias here )

 

[luckyjackson]

I understand, and to a large degree concur, with those who expect Barca to come out on top this time around. One thing - or rather man - gives me pause though.

Mourinho is the biggest factor in the contest, bigger than Ronaldinho who is at the height of his powers right now. If Ronaldinho's influence can be weakened, Mourinho is the guy to figure out how. If Chelsea had ANY other coach, I'd say Barca takes it. With Jose there, I'm expecting Chelsea to once again pull through...with a healthy dose of some kind of controversy that has Mourinho at the root of it.

Arsenal, Juventus, Lyon, Inter, Villareal, and A.C. to proceed.

Benfica and Pool. Obviously, the English team is heavily favoured. They deserved to be champs. But Benfica put on a startling performance against Man United. Missing FIVE of their starting players they went out there and whipped a team they really had no business being on the same field with. IF Benfica can duplicate that effort...well they are the wild card of the bunch....and I will not make any predictions. I'm looking forward to February.

 

[goodtime]

Here are my picks:

Chelsea v Barcelona -- Barca
Real Madrid v Arsenal --Arsenal (I am a huge Arsenal fan)
Werder Bremen v Juventus --Juventus
Bayern Munich v AC Milan -- AC Milan
PSV Eindhoven v Lyon -- Lyon
Ajax Amsterdam v Inter Milan --Inter
Benfica v Liverpool --Liverpool
Rangers v Villarreal -- Villareal

Ditto. Except don't know anything about Rangers vs. Villarreal. Just started paying attention to Euro FB this year.

 

[the_big_E]

its the first time Villareal has ever been in the Champions League and its also the first time ever a Scottish team has made it out of the group stage. I'm thinking Villareal can win this, Rangers havent been very good this year...

 

[donotgetset]

Do they do another draw after they get pass this stage, or is the winner of the Braca/chelsea will play the winner of real/arsenal and so on?

 

[the_big_E]

There is another draw after this round.

 

[crazyhorse33]

There seems to be a lot of good match ups in this stage, ones that most would not expect to see for another round or two, but I guess that is what happens when you have alot of big teams not winning their groups. The barca - Chelsea is easily a game that could have been the final and I am sure it will be a classic couple games between two great teams.

 

[the_big_E]

Well that was disappointing. Chelsea deserved the win, but that Van Persie goal should have been allowed, which probably would have changed the end result perhaps....Arsenal is now 20 pts behind Chelsea

Times are a changin' at Highbury

 

[The_Ladies_Man]

Well that was disappointing. Chelsea deserved the win, but that Van Persie goal should have been allowed, which probably would have changed the end result perhaps....Arsenal is now 20 pts behind Chelsea

Times are a changin' at Highbury

Arsenal have never lost 3 games in a row with Wenger in charge. This has to be one of their worst seasons in recent memory. The title race is literally over for them ... it would take a miracle for Chelsea to slip that many points. Now, the Gunners just have to work hard and try to finish in the top 3.

It is their final season at Highbury before they move over to the new stadium next year. Being a huge Arsenal fan, it would have been great seeing them enter the new location as EPL Champions.

 

[the_big_E]

Today was a lot of firsts under Wenger, first time they have lost 3 in a row, first time they havent scored in like 5 games, first time Chelsea did the double on them...I loathe Chelsea, dont you just want to throttle Mourinho? I cannot stand that guy!

 

[The_Ladies_Man]

I loathe Chelsea, dont you just want to throttle Mourinho? I cannot stand that guy!

You read my mind, the_big_E.

 

[crazyhorse33]

Mourinho

I respect the man as a coach, he has shown that he can produce the results bothe with Porto and Chelsea, but the way he carries himself and his actions towards other coaches, such as taking off down the tunnel after todays game without acknowledging Wenger, makes me join the growing list of those that can't stand him

 

[luckyjackson]

I loathe Chelsea, dont you just want to throttle Mourinho? I cannot stand that guy!

Hehehe....the world is his fiddle.

I'll confess, though I'm from Mourinho's home town, and I understand the feelings he engenders, I don't loathe him as you guys do. Don't get me wrong, I felt the same way about him when he was with Porto, but I just didn't understand him then.

Much of the persona he puts on, is just that. A persona. An act. He does it to deflect attention and criticism from the players onto himself, and more importantly, he does it to distract. Opponents and the media are so focused on what an asshole he seems to be, that they forget to fight fire with fire and use his own tactics against him. Mourinho is first and foremost a guy who believes in details and results. Very unusual in this sport, and almost unheard of in Portugal. At Porto he took mostly discarded players and forged them into an unbeatable team. He walked away from the biggest coaching job in the country, (Benfica) when he was a nobody, because they wouldn't let him run the team his way. Say what you like, but that takes balls and character.

As little as four months ago he was saying in the Portuguese press that he believed the Porto team that won the CL could whip today's Chelsea, and I believe he's right. If Wenger and Ferguson, (not to mention know nothing fans), believe Mourinho's present success is due to Abramovich's millions, then they've totally missed the point and are condemning themselves to several more years of being distant seconds and thirds in the Mourinho Premiership.

He's the guy you love to hate...till he coaches YOUR team.

 

[the_big_E]

He's a good coach obviously.

He is just one dickweed though, his mannerisms, his arrogance, everything about him.

And Abramovich does have a small role to play. If those funds arent available to buy the bulk of his team, Chelsea wouldnt be this dominant.

Since the Abramovich era, he has bought: Cech, Essien, Carvalho, Ferriera, Del Horno, Makelele, Cole, Duff, Geremi, Crespo, Drogba, Robben, and Wright-Phillips. I know Ranieri bought some of these players but if Mourinho could lead a team like Portsmouth, then I'd be more impressed.

 

[luckyjackson]

If those funds arent available to buy the bulk of his team, Chelsea wouldnt be this dominant.

Obviously the money makes his job easier. But I disagree with your conclusion. Odds are, we will never again have the opportunity to see Mourinho coach a smaller poorer team, (unless he makes good on his promise to coach the Portuguese NT ), but he has in fact coached the equivalent of Portsmouth to two consecutive European championships and concurrent league championships, (the latter which he won practically without competion, as he's doing in England now.) But the real proof is this. Take any other coach and put him at Chelsea with the $$$, and the dominance will go "poof".

 

[the_big_E]

so, you are calling Porto a smaller team? They are one of the top teams in Portugal...