Champs League is Coming

Tomorrow! And Wednesday! But before that was Monday! And Wigan took a bite out of Liverpool's hopes of being in the knockout rounds this time next year with a 1-0 win. I am not sure what the exact situation was but I recall them beating Chelsea 1-0 roughly around this time 2 seasons ago and the Blues went on to lose the league to United by the narrowest of margins. Spoilers. I still can't believe Liverpool worked their way back into a European place and gave away three points.

Tomorrow

Arsenal vs Porto-
I think Arsenal are going out, and my pick is a 1-1 draw that puts Porto through 3-2 on aggregate. Without Fabregas to run play Arsenal are going to have to use a more straight forward attack in search of a goal and despite not being the team they were in years past, Porto will be able to snuff out the danger. Radamel Falcao is one of the players I picked to be a surprise in the Champs League and he has been awesome, I wouldn't be surprised to see him on the scoresheet tomorrow.

Fiorentina vs Bayern Munich-
The first leg pitted two teams flying in completely opposite directions against each other and not much has changed in the couple of weeks since. The injury to Martin Demichelis is inconvenient but not a real threat to Bayern. With the comfort of a lead built up at home they can dictate the play in Florence to an extent. If Fiorentina aren't on the board by the fifteenth minute I think it is safe to say this one is over.


Wednesday
United vs AC Milan
It would take a real jaw dropping turn of events to see Milan through and I just don't think it is in the cards. Although they only trail by one on aggregate they conceded THREE away goals in the first leg. As presently constituted Milan do not look like the kind of side that can easily rack up goals at Old Trafford. But for the sake or argument let's say they do, it is impossible to imagine that kind of attack not exposing what is a pretty wobbly defense to counterattacks. I actually think United wins this game outright, probably 2-1. For all the story lines this one is kind of anti-climatic.

Real Madrid vs Lyon
If Madrid were going to lose the first leg, having only the minimal deficit to turn around at the Bernabeu doesn't seem like too big a hill to climb. It is not, but it is also not a given. Lyon did not stumble into the win at home, they were disciplined, organized, and lethal. There is no reason to think they can not do this again with the comfort of starting the match with a lead. Many people have suggested this game is a custom made big stage for the Greasy One to announce to the world he is Real Madrid now. That can go either way. The pressure and scrutiny and bigness of the moment might be enough to charge up and he overruns Lyon in a virtuoso performance. Or he takes the team on his shoulders and charges ahead but is picked off by a rigid and prepared team and they get an early goal on the counter. I am probably in the minority on this but I see a 1-1 draw, with Lyon going through on aggregate.