Champions!!!!! Quarters!!!!!!!

The quarters kick off tomorrow and I am super stoked. Here is what I think will happen in the first legs:

THE FRENCH QUARTER!!!!!!!
I see this being a tight one in both legs. Tomorrow's match is in Lyon and I think it will be a score draw, probably 1-1.


99 Part II
By any objective measure Manchester United are a better team today than Bayern Munich. Add to that the fact that Arjen Robben, a true difference maker for the Bavarians, will not play tomorrow and the possibility of them winning the home leg looks even more slim. To make things worse Martin Demichelis looks like he will play only 4 weeks after having his face rearranged by M. Ballack in a friendly but can not possibly be expected to perform as an elite center half with that mask on his face. I don't think it is a blowout, but I do see United netting multiple away goals and setting themselves up for a victory lap at Old Trafford. 2-1.


Barsa Arsenal (it ryhmes)
This is the best match up of the round. Two elite clubs that are routinely in the latter stages of the competition. Similar brands(*) of attractive football. A rematch of the 2006 Champions League final. For all of this I doubt it will be very close. They may play similar styles but Barcelona are in a class far above Arsenal. There is not a single position on the field in which Arsenal have an edge. This Barcelona team under Pep has made a habit of playing big in big games, something that can not be said of Arsenal in the last 5 years or so. What I think will surprise many people is the possession advantage Barsa will have, even tomorrow at the Emirates. Their ability to win and keep the ball is truly amazing. The way they will badger and pester Arsenal and force turnovers will be a key factor in deciding the game. The absence of Andres Iniesta will hurt, but I still see Barcelona winning the first leg 2-0.


Inter vs. CSKA Moscow
This one appears lopsided but any team that has made it this far belongs here. There is a slight danger of a let down for Inter after the multiple storylines of their epic triumph at Stamford Bridge. I don't read too much into their mediocre league form since that game. The goal at Inter this season is the Champions League. Mourinho's Inter are much, much, much better organized than Jimenez's Sevilla were and I don't see the kind of breakdowns that allowed CSKA to win in Andalucia happening at the San Siro. At the same time I think there are holes to exploit in the Russian back-line, particularly if two agile strikers like Eto'o and Milito have close support from an attacking midfield player. A tough game but Inter 2-0.