What We Already Knew is Now Done

All four of the quarterfinals went pretty much as we all thought they would. Here are some quick thoughts on the least compelling second leg set of matches in a while: United v Chelsea- Nicholas Anelka lacked the sharpness he has/had at his peak. Could easily have had two goals. Chelsea, as a team, got caught in bad positions defensively. On both goals for sure but 3 or 4 other times. Barcelona v Shaktar- Watch them play and it feels like every player is a superstar, and in a way that's true. Watching the two games in a guy that really shone was Dani Alves. He still has his moments of concern defensively, but he really is the best attacking fullback in the world. Schalke v Inter- It was a great ride. I saw my team become champions of Europe and then be only the second team to ever come back from losing the first leg at home. Going out to Schalke hurts but I can't complain. Spurs v Real Madrid- It is tough to not be disappointed when being knocked out of a competition but Tottenham have a lot to be proud of. They've been on a great run the last two seasons. Eyes on el primer clasico: I was interested to see how the two Spanish teams would approach their return legs, given that their first show down is this Saturday. With Barcelona 8 points clear at the moment anything but a Real Madrid victory will essentially crown Barsa champions. Barcelona traveled much further to play in the Ukraine than Madrid did to London, but they also have an extra day to recover, so I think the hangover factor is about equal. I was a bit surprised to see neither team rested too many of its regulars. Messi got the full 90 as did a lot of other starters. Real Madrid had a lot of players on the brink of suspension and Ricardo Carvalho got burned. His yellow at White Hart Lane will result in his absence in the first leg of the semi-final. We'll have two head to head games to judge these sides on by the time the semi-final kicks off, but as of now I like Barcelona to go through. A draw in Madrid and a win in Barcelona.

Only Game In Town

I don't remember the last time only 1 of the 4 quarter finals merited a watch in its second leg. Miracles of varying degree would be necessary for Inter, Spurs, or Shaktar to make it interesting tomorrow and Wednesday. The only match with any appeal is Chelsea's visit to Old Trafford, and even here I have a strong suspicion United will make the 1-0 away win from last week stand up without much of a threat. Obviously a lead gives a team an edge going into the return leg, an away goal even more so. But beyond that I feel Chelsea's attack lacks the cohesion necessary to unlock a defense that knows it wins by drawing. With the names on the team sheet scoring shouldn't be a problem but for some reason Torres has gone dead cold and I feel like trying to shoe-horn all the top talent onto the field at the same time is working against the Blues. United's back four isn't impregnable but they are more than adequate. Add to that the very credible threat on the counter with Rooney/Hernandez/Berbatov and it looks like United will be back in the semi-finals. A non-Champs League related note: Valencia crushed table rivals Villarreal over the weekend 5-0. This game was a battle between roughly equal teams in the sub-elite region of the Spanish table and the victory put los che 6 points up on the yellow subs for the last automatic Champions League spot with only 7 games remaining. I have been very impressed with Valencia all season and I thought yesterday's win was symbolic of the team they've become. Economic realities forced the sale of David Villa and David Silva before the season, unquestionably their two best players, and being starters on the Spanish national team they would be amongst the best players at any club. Instead of throwing their hands up and accepting a rebuilding process they brought in modestly priced players like Miguel Soldado and Aritz Aduriz and found a way to make it work.

Four Clasicos It Is...

Wednesday's batch of quarter-final matches were more predictable than the first two. A pretty close affair at the Bridge saw United score a road win by the minimum margin and Barcelona mauled Shaktar at the Camp Nou. I got to see the Barcelona game and although I predicted a 3-0 win I wasn't surprised by the 5-1 scoreline in the least. Going in the two biggest questions were 1, will Shaktar abandon their attacking philosophy in favor of a pragmatic approach and 2, if/when they concede the first goal will they open it up and chase the equalizer or try to lose 1-0? Barcelona struck early going up within five minutes and to their credit and/or detriment the Ukrainians did try to go forward and make something happen. The game was 2-0 at the half and when they the visitors got on the board to make it 3-1 there was almost a full minute where it seemed like the return leg held out some hope but then Messi made a great run and laid it off for Keita to blast into the upper corner and restore the margin. Xavi added one more to put the nail in the coffin. Barcelona were clearly going to win this game but I get the feeling Shaktar made it easy by chasing the game. It is tough to tell a team that has gotten this far that it should forego its game but reality is reality. If you go into the Camp Nou to spread men around the field and mount a flowing attack, you are going to be shredded to pieces. The return leg is now just a formality.

Whoa

I (thankfully) wasn't able to get out of work early to watch today's Champions League games. I kept tabs on both games and was dismayed to see Inter blow two leads and then totally collapse and all but say goodbye to the idea of defending their crown. I don't even want to watch the highlights let alone the replay. 5-2 is a monstrous deficit to overturn. They would need at least 4 goals in the second leg to go through. Boo. I'd thought Real Madrid would win comfortably but in a blow out. They got out to an early lead and essentially put this one away in the first leg. 4-0 and from all I read they absolutely dominated. I saw still shots of both Crouch yellows and they seemed justified. That Harry Redknapp came out and said he deserved to be sent off cements it for me. The margin in this one may allow Mou to rest some key players when they go the White Hart Lane, something crucial since they have a grueling end of the season coming up. Tomorrow: Chelsea vs. Manchester United- I know Chelsea won their most recent league meeting but these two clubs feel worlds apart to me. When I look at Chelsea I see a collection of well paid superstars with a median age dangerously close to retirement. Yes they win a lot of games and on any given day can beat nearly any opponent. But they have turned in disapointing performances with shocking frequency. And then there is United, a side with markedly less star-power than it has had in recent years yet they continue to plug ahead and tally win after win after win. Currently alive on three fronts and in the driver's seat to claim a record 19th first division English title. I see a draw at Stamford Bridge tomorrow and then Manchester United winning in the return leg to go through to the semi-final. 1-1. Barcelona vs. Shaktar Donetsk- Despite Pep Guardiola's unconvincing press conference in which he said for the first time he didn't like what he saw and that he had a bad feeling about this I think the Spanish champions will be back in the CL semi-final for the third consecutive year. Shaktar is a team that play good football, use their fullbacks, and move the ball up the park with skilled passing. This has enabled them to be a force in the Ukraine and reach the final 8 in Europe. But against Barcelona, particularly at the Camp Nou, they have a critical choice to make. When the big fish is out of the little pond and fighting for it's life will it stick to its guns, or acknowledge reality and hunker down in a defensive posture? I know what I would do. As much as it might wound egos if Shaktar attempt to move the ball up the pitch from the back tomorrow Barcelona will pick them off and end the tie within a half hour. The one ray of hope for the Ukrainians is that Pep's Barsa have never won a knock-out stage Champions League game away from Cataluna. This should be even more incentive to park the bus, hang on for dear life, and live to fight another day back home. That said, I see Barcelona 3-0 winners tomorrow.

The Quarters are Upon Us

The Champions League has returned quickly and the first batch of Quarter Final matches are tomorrow. The last eight teams are a collection of super-powers featuring the last three champions plus Chelsea and Real Madrid. Although it may seem like the a consolidation of the powerful there will be good matches and interesting storylines. Here is my opinion on what we will see tomorrow: Real Madrid vs. Tottenham Hotspur- Whoever they play Real Madrid will always be a big story and with Jose Mourinho at the helm that is even more true. This particular match-up features the return of Rafael van der Vaart and (surprisingly) Jonathon Woodgate to the place they once called home. If there is a possible "right time" to catch Real Madrid in Europe this may well be it for Spurs. A team loaded with internationals is coming off a FIFA break which may have disrupted their training schedule, they lost their first home game of the season over the weekend to the humble Sporting Gijon, and injuries will keep Benzema out of the game and make Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo game time decisions. That said all signs still point to Real Madrid taking a win in the first leg. They have better players with more experience at this stage, a coach who is safely better than his counterpart, they are playing at home, and most importantly when comparing the strengths and weaknesses of both clubs Madrid come out on top. The Spurs central defense is not very mobile and although I believe Basong and Dawson can probably neutralize the Madrid target man (most likely Higuain) the diversity of options Madrid have in attack will be too much to handle. CR7 and Di Maria will exploit the space created by Higuain. Real Madrid's 4-2-3-1 formation will allow them to defend against Spurs' two biggest strengths: creativity in the attacking midfield and Gareth Bale's run up the flank. The two holding midfielders should be enough of a shield to prevent van der Vaart and the Croats from creating the kind of opportunities they have against most teams. Having two players in there will also permit one to drift out and support Sergio Ramos when Bale comes tearing up the field. Of course Spurs could come in and shock the Bernabeu but looking at tomorrow's game I see a 2-0 win for los blancos. Inter Milan vs. Schalke 04- In some ways this looks like a huge mismatch, the defending champion against a team mired in the middle of the German table. But given how much turmoil both of these teams have gone through this season maybe that doesn't matter. I will admit I've only seen Schalke play a handful of times and don't have a great grasp of their identity. With a coach who has only been in charge for a week and a half I would venture to say not many people know what we will see when the Germans take the field at the San Siro tomorrow. To this point they have been a modest team that works hard in the midfield and has some individuals up front who can make magic. Raul and Jefferson Farfan can change a game in an instant. Inter are coming of a derby loss but made clear in the last round that they have championship pedigree requisite for big moments on the big stage. Diego Milito looks to be a last minute decision and I suspect he will start on the bench. With Pazzini cup-tied this is likely to leave Eto'o with a lot to shoulder up front. I think this will result in Schalke being comfortable in sitting back and making Inter take the game to them. At first glance that might look promising for the visitors, but if it plays out that way Inter have a lot of weapons in the midfield that can be dangerous if they are given space to come forward. Sneijder is well known for his attacking abilities but he will not be alone. I think Inter will win a not-too-exciting first leg 1-0.

Clash at the Camp Nou

It feels like forever ago that Arsenal won the first leg in London, but it was really just three weeks. What once seemed like a formality has the possibility of being an instant classic when they play the return leg in Barcelona. Going into Camp Nou with a lead is a dramatic improvement over Arsenal's position when they visited last year and need to either win or draw at more than two to survive. Yes Barcelona has an away goal, but the onus is fully on the Spanish champions this time.

Another thing the Gunners have going for them is what appears to be a series of fortunate breaks on the injury front. Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas, and Jack Wilshire all are rumored to be match fit, something that seemed out of the question only a week ago. Of these, Cesc is particularly valuable because he has a steady foot in possession and an ability, perhaps singular on this squad, to spot the kill pass scenario. The not so good news on in this regard is that Alex Song, probably their best ballwinning midfielder, is not in the squad list. Neither is Theo Walcott.

Barcelona have injury problems of their own as their starting central defense tandem will miss the game and Pep is a question mark on the sideline due to a herniated disc.

I believe the game will be a great one but it is likely to unfold in a predictable way. Arsenal will stick one man high and aim to deny the opponent of scoring opportunities. A lot of bodies around the ball and probably not too far back against their own goal. Barcelona will dominate possession of the ball as they always do and take advantage of the cautious Arsenal gameplan, at times overloading the flanks.

The outcome is far from set but I still believe Barcelona will advance.

The Roma Shaktar match that was never interesting to begin with is all but decided so...

No Upsets Here

Today's two games hinted that two of Europe's biggest clubs, Chelsea and Real Madrid, will be in the quarterfinal stage of the Champions League. Le Sulk notched a brace to put struggling Chelsea in excellent position to move forward. To blow a two away goal lead at Stamford Bridge would be a monumental collapse.

The Lyon-Real Madrid match was a bit more interesting. I was surprised the French club had more shots and won more corners, despite losing the possession battle 59-41. They conceded first and had to chase the equalizer, something they probably did not want to do. But they got it and they go to Madrid with a real, if dim, hope of advancing. I thought this would be a nil draw and Real Madrid would take care of business at home, but getting an away goal was big. That Cristiano Ronaldo stayed out of the referee's book was enormous because he is teetering on the brink of suspension via accumulation. Mou's teams are exceptional at home and the Benzema's away goal puts the onus on Lyon to attack when they would clearly prefer to absorb and counter at the Bernabeu.

I am very excited for the Inter-Bayner Munich game tomorrow. It is a rematch of last year's final but it that feels so far away. Inter suffered through the brief Benitez era since that day in Spain and although Bayern have most of the squad (minus MVB) that lost that day in tact it feels like a different club. They have been good away in Italy in recent years but Inter have improved dramatically since Leonardo took over. Their methods of attack will be very different from what they employed at the Bernabeu, and having Pazzini cup-tied may complicate things, but I see a narrow victory for the champions setting up a classic in the second leg.

The Marseille-Manchester United tie might be the least interesting of this round. Draw in France win at Old Trafford. A fairly unremarkable version of the English superpower safely advance to the final eight, where they belong. Yawn.

More Round of 16

Twice last week I picked against an English club and both times I was wrong. With Chelsea traveling to Copenhagen tomorrow I will not make the same mistake. As lacklustre as the Blues have looked recently they just have too much talent to lose to a team that is essentially just happy to be here at this state of the competition. Chelsea are humiliated and frustrated to be out of the F.A. Cup and out of striking distance from the top of the table, but there may be a slight silver lining here in that it liberates them from other committments and allows them to focus on the Champions League. It would be a shock if they were to return to London trailing after the first leg. It would also likely mean Carlo Ancelotti's sacking.

The other match-up is far more interesting. Real Madrid travel to France for the first leg of their rematch against Lyon. The French club upset Madrid at this same stage last year and success here is a high priority for Mou's team. They are clearly the favorite in this tie but if there was one team they could have drawn who has a chance to knock them off I think Lyon is the one. As they showed last time the clubs met Lyon are a very good defensive team. They are disciplined, well organized, understand positional needs, good tacklers, and perhaps most importantly for a team that is resigned to play a counter-attacking style over two legs have the ability to surprise and players that can make the most of the rare chance they may get. In this regard there is good and bad news for Lyon. Bad: Licha Lopez, their most lethal striker, has been ruled out for tomorrow's game. The Good: Michel Bastos who plays in a variety of defensive positions can make surprising and deadly runs forward, the kind that are nearly impossible to predict and difficult to stop. I still think Real Madrid will make it to the quarter final for the first time in a half dozen years, but Lyon have more than a puncher's chance.

Spurs Stunner and Manana

So I was wrong about the Milan Spurs game. Tottenham got an immensely valuable away win in the first leg, 1-0. I only saw highlights but it looks like they deserved the victory from Peter Crouch's goal. Also, Reno Gattuso, wtf bro... bad move. Next time you do that, don't do that.

Raul scored on his return to Spain to salvage a 1-1 draw for Schalke. This gives them a pretty good scenario going back to Germany. If Valencia had a little more experience in the squad they might have a shot at turning it around because an away goal might be all they need, but I kind of get the sense this is as far as they will get. Considering they offloaded their two best players in the summer it is not bad at all.

Tomorrow we will see the first of the rematch ties, Arsenal versus Barcelona. It has been said over and over: these teams play similar styles. Barcelona got the best of the Gunners in last year's 1/4finals, and I believe the same will happen this time. It is true the these teams' games mirror each other, but Barcelona are better in every aspect and probably every position. Both teams thrive in possession but Barcelona are far superior in pressure and recovery. What will Arsenal do when they don't have the ball for long stretches at a time? And how will they get it back without conceding dangerous free kicks? All things being equal I would say a nil draw at the Emirates and a multi goal margin in the Camp Nou, but with Samir Nasri likely to miss the first leg, the sting of the 1-1 in Gijon at the weekend, and the memories of last spring at play I think Barcelona might win in London.

The Roma-Shaktar tie is intriguing. Mostly because Roma are wildly unpredictable and Shaktar are virtually unknown to me. When Roma are on their game they can hold their own with the elite clubs in Europe, but they are not on their game consistently enough to be considered one of those clubs. Shaktar won their group and have a difficult ground for foreigners to win at. I suspect a result away will be even more of an advantage than usual in this one.

Round of 16 is here!

The lay-off between the group stage and the knock-out rounds of the Champions League is so long sometimes I almost forget about the competition. But the wait is over, two first legs tomorrow and another two follow on Wednesday.

One of the match-ups I've been looking forward to since the draw is AC Milan vs Tottenham. I find this interesting because of the conflicting styles, AC Milan are a solid defensive team with a group of attack players that can make the most of their chances while Tottenham always seem happy to roll the dice and go for goals. But beyond that the different places these teams are coming from adds some spice to it. AC Milan have won the title multiple times and are a familiar site in the late stages of the Champions League. Spurs on the other hand have not even been in the competition since before it was re-tooled as the CL. As one might expect experience is heavily lopsided in favor of the Italians.

The first leg is being played in Milan which might suggest a slightly more cautious approach from Spurs to begin with, and the news that Gareth Bale will miss the game and RvdV might as well makes me think we will see a different Spurs than the last time they were at the San Siro. This could actually play in their favor because a less aggressive game plan will limit the counters they expose their defense to. I firmly believe if tomorrow's game produces a winner that team will go through to the quarter finals. I want Spurs to win for multiple reasons but I am pretty sure AC Milan will score a victory tomorrow. The current Milan squad is the best it has been since they won the Champions League back in 2007 and clearly deserves its position at the top of the Italian table. If there is one vulnerability in Milan's game it is their fullbacks, but without Bale's dangerous wide play to expose it, they should be able to deal. I also think Ibrahimovic versus Gallas and/or Dawson is a head to head that favors the home team.

Thoughts on Tomorrow's Manchester Derby

City-United means City divided, the Manchester derby always has its share of appeal, but tomorrow's edition has is particularly intriguing. It is the first time in decades the two teams are this close this late in the season. Only five points separate table toppers United from third place City. There are other storylines like Tevez versus his old team and the sense that new-money City may be on the brink of becoming more than the noisy neighbor. Going in two things stand out to me: City are well set to trouble United, and the Premiership title could be decided in this game.

For a club with a seemingly unlimited supply of transfer funds Manchester City have placed a surprising focus on defense. Solid, stingy play in their end kept them afloat through some lean times offensively. But they are much more than a defend and counter team. Yes the spine of the team is rock solid from Joe Hart in goal to the center halves to the De Jong-Barry-Toure holding midfield corps. But they an array of attacking options. The Tevez-Dzeko partnership up front is lethal. Adam Johnson and David Silva are among the very best widemen in the Prem and Silva can also be used as a creative force more closely behind the strikers. And they do have the ability to attack from the fullback positions with Zabaleta and Boateng. This matters because given their ability to close space in the middle of the park United will be forced to look for creative ways to generate opportunities, likely committing men forward, and there will be chances for City to strike.

As awkward as it feels to write this sentence, for having been undefeated into February United aren't that good a team. They are a very good team, but the fact they pulled off that feat and are only four points clear of Arsenal and five of City says a lot. What they are is professional and efficient. United take the points they should and that may be enough to reclaim the crown. But there is a lot at stake tomorrow. If they are unable to rebound from the odd debacle at Wolves last week and one loss turns to two, they would find themselves with two clubs breathing down their necks and within two points. Although they would remain in the driver's seat for the time being I am convinced the lighter calender will give City an advantage. They are free to concentrate fully on the league and while Chelsea and even Arsenal can rotate players and remain reasonably competitive the United squad, particularly in midfield and the middle of the defense, is worryingly thin. At the same time a United victory may solidify their lead.

This will be a fascinating game to watch and no outcome would shock me, but I am going to say Manchester City win by a goal.

Liverpool Start Post-Torres Era Strong

Although the first game after El Nino's departure was the 2-0 midweek win the battle at the Bridge had everyone's attention. Torres's performance was nearly anonymous. He lasted just over an hour without ever seriously threatening Pepe Reina's net. The lone goal came from Raul Meierels who partnered Dirk Kuyt up front. I know everyone has been saying the "off the leash" approach Dalglish has taken to R.M. has transformed Liverpool, but because it is so true and so important, I will say it too. He looks like a different player from earlier in the season and the club are better off for it.

What I really took away from this game was that Carlo Ancelotti did not give his men the best chance to win. While Liverpool came out in a very flexible (nominal) 3-5-2 he opted for a 4-3-3 that allowed him to play the new signing along with Anelka and Drogba. While I understand the temptation to force all the talent onto the pitch this created a numbers game in favor of Liverpool in the middle of the field. Add to this the fact that none of those three are players who track back and labor when out of possession it seemed from the start that Chelsea were putting themselves at a disadvantage. To be fair I wouldn't say the Chelsea midfield were over run, but their inability to flow play toward their dangermen up front was evident.

And then the substitutions... this game reminded me of the loss to Arsenal over the holidays when Carlo blew his 3 changes on like for like moves that didn't impact the game. He brought Torres off which was probably the right call but slotted Kalou in his place. A drop in quality without really changing the dynamic. Next he took off Jon Obi Mikel in favor of Florent Malouda, presumably to chase the game. This makes sense because Malouda has been very dangerous this season but if you are in a 4-3-3 this either burden's him with defensive responsibilities that nullify his attacking play or it is begging to get countered and double the deficit. Finally the introduction of David Luiz for Jose Bosingwa seemed more an excuse to show off another new big money signing than anything else. He doesn't add an attacking dimension and if anything the Brazilian looked a little wobbly.

To further underline the triumph for Liverpool they pulled off the away win without the use of either of their new strikers. Meanwhile the Blues spent what they had and it wasn't enough. A 50 million pound signing is made with the long term in mind and given that he may be at his most usefulthis season in the CL I won't say it was a flop. But the first round clearly went to Liverpool.

A Tale of Two Tynes

Whoa. Just watched the Newcastle-Arsenal game and I am stunned. Not only one of the biggest come-backs ever but what a completely bifurcated game. Arsenal was up three goals in the first ten minutes and took a 4-0 lead into the locker-room at the half then coughed it up in the second. There is plenty to talk about with this one, especially as it relates to Arsenal's title chances. Diaby's red will keep him off the pitch for a few games, the two dropped points as they wait for United to play Wolves, and perhaps most importantly the mental impact it has on a team that is seen as fragile to begin with.

But what is most noteworthy to me is how both halves of this game, in completely different ways, seems to have validated Newcastle's surprising decision to sell Andy Carroll in the dying moments of last month's transfer market. It seemed to catch people off guard and the fact that they didn't have time to bring in a replacement made it look kind of awkward. But when you think about what a club can do with 35 million pounds in the coming summer market you have to admit the final judgment on this one has to wait.

The first half hinted at how Newcastle should spend the bulk of the bounty: shoring up the defense. Williamson and Coloccini were absolutely awful and as bad as it sounds they were lucky to concede as few goals as they did. In pace, placement, and technique they looked like they didn't belong in the Prem. The fullback positions were spared that kind of embarrassment simply because they weren't targeted as much. And although it is a lesser priority I do think Newcastle would benefit from another man to run down balls in the midfield. Trading a few extra goals that would come from Carroll in order to fortify the defense may well be the way to go.

In the second half the club proved it could score without the departed striker. Yes two of them were penalties but Newcastle's work in the attacking end produced them, along with a few other chances that came close. The squad is not full of glamour names but the midfield with Nolan and Barton can create offense and Jonas provides a great cross and gives them a bit of balance on the wing. I will admit the strike corp is a bit thin but when looking at the big picture; how they can get offensive contributions from other places and how weak they are in the back, summer priorities should be clear.

Copa Lib Play-In

Just caught the second half of the Deportes Tolima vs Corinthians Copa Libertadores play-in. The first leg was a nil draw in Brazil so the Colombian squad secured their place in the group stage with the 2-0 win. Two things stood out. First, there are a lot of very, very good players on the Tolima squad. Wilder Medina is a name I'd heard before and vaguely remember seeing him in previous international tournaments. Also Danny Santoya impressed me with his runs and the finish on the first goal. I forget his name but the right midfielder had some really good moments. And Silva, the goalkeeper, was the man of the match and although this is the only time I've seen him play he seems like a very complete GK.

The second thing I noticed was... .Ronaldo! Yes, Ronaldo "Ate All The Pies" was in action. I knew he was at Corinthians but seeing him lumber around a pitch is one of those sights that takes a moment to process and acknowledge is really happening. One of the broadcasters called him "el gordo" then quickly added "with full respect" which was nice of him. Then his partner chimed in, "of course, after all he is one of the biggest of all time". But all kidding aside on technique he can still put some fear into opponents.

A little tidbit I picked up listening to the broadcasters: This is the first time a Brazilian team has been eliminated from the Copa Libertadores in the play-in stage.

Copa Del Rey Final Set

The silver lining to being buried under, or more accurately frozen under, a severe winter storm is that work is canceled and if you get the cleaning up out of the way you can watch some midweek games you would otherwise miss. Unless it is a game I really, really have to see I don't watch games on tape delay or Tivo so I didn't think I was going to see either of the Copa semis. But I did! And a few minutes of the Liverpool - Stoke City Prem match. The Cannibal of Amsterdam got off on the right foot with a nice finish for the second goal in a 2-0 win.

But the big story- Real Madrid vs Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey Final on April 20th. Real won a fairly comfortable 3-0 aggregate victory over a good Sevilla team while Barcelona's mostly reserve line-up put another 3 on Almeria for an 8-0 aggregate stomping. Any time these two teams get together there is a certain magic about it. Add in that silverware is on the line in a winner take all and it gets better. Take into account the massive egos involved and it goes up another notch. Factor in the best player in the world versus the second best and it is even sicker. And then on top of all this consider that less than a week earlier, on April 17th, they will meet in a league clash at the Bernabeu that may well decide this season's Spanish Champions. Of course with Madrid trailing by more than 3 points there is a chance Barcelona will actually claim the title on their rival's home ground. That could make for a truly epic battle for the Copa Del Rey.

I think you are starting to see some signs of unrest in Mou's Madrid. The friction with players that are seen as Real insiders, the more or less public spat with Valdano, the sniping at the way the organization has been run in the recent past, more visible frustration than we are use to seeing from the Special One... I am not saying his days at the Bernabeu are numbered or that he has to win major silverware but I do think this game could be a key moment in his tenure at Los Merengues.

Interesting note: unless something cataclysmic happens next summer's Spanish Super Cup will feature these two teams. Could make a very ho-hum two-legged trophy very exciting.

Fernando Torres to the Bridge

As rumors of Fernando Torres moving to Chelsea intensified over the weekend and people debated whether Luis Suarez was brought to Anfield to partner or replace El Nino I had one of those "whoa" moments. I realized that for the first time I can remember one of the elite or so called "big 4" was considering selling a superstar to another of the English super clubs.

I left for work yesterday after reading a report in the Spanish press that assured the deal was done. At lunch I saw the deal went through. And when I got home I was surprised to learn Liverpool spent about 35 of the 50 million they got for Torres on Newcastle striker Andy Carroll.

The notion of someone like Fernando Torres being sold to Chelsea was awkward at first but in a cold analysis it made sense. Liverpool are not title contenders, in all likelihood will not be in the Champions League next year, see genuine but limited interest in the Europa League, and had an elite player who's value will never likely be higher. It might hurt to see him in a rival's colors, but their was logic to the move.

BUT... they managed to bungle the move. Luis Suarez, who they bought for a reasonable price off Ajax, is a proven striker who averaged nearly a goal a game during time in Amsterdam. For the immediate future he should be enough to round out the Liverpool attack. The acquisition of Andy Carroll was a squandering of a historic transfer fee. When added together the two strikers cost more than Fernando Torres did. It can be argued that 2 is better than 1 and Torres has certainly been injury prone but as a neutral observer Liverpool look clumsy and rudderless.

Andy Carroll now becomes the most expensive English player of all time (!) and has scored a grand total of 11 Premiership goals. He has one cap with the Three Lions. He has never won any major silverware (unless you count the Championship last season). It may sound like I am writing him off. I am not, Andy Carroll is an extremely talented striker with phenomenal instincts and at 22 he is likely to improve. But 35 million pounds is too much for him, particularly at a time when his addition to the squad has such a limited ceiling. Liverpool currently sit 7th, 9 points out of a CL spot. Even with Carroll a finish above fifth seems like a fantasy. And the buy came at a time when there were legitimate concerns at leftback and a need to beef up the midfield. Both needs could have been addressed for half what they paid Newcastle.