UEFA Champions League: Knockout Round Preview

For the first time since we talked about the FIFA World Cup back in the summer of 2006, the BSD blog is back at it, giving you a preview of the 2007-2008 UEFA Champions League Knockout Round!

This column is borne out of a) my growing interest in European soccer (hat tip to my Greek cousin Jake on that one) and b) my disenfranchisement from Major League Baseball. In any event, this is my first soccer column – one of many as these teams make a run at the Champions League title – and I hope you enjoy it. And if you don’t, well, I’ll let you know where I live so you can come over to kiss my ass.

Background:

32 teams split among eight groups kicked off this year’s tournament back in mid-September. Playing six games each over the span of three months, the top two teams from each group survived and qualified for the Knockout Round. Now, each team will play a home-and-home series against their opponent. Winners in this round advance to the quarterfinals, played later next month.

Matchups:

Porto @ Schalke

Porto is Portugal’s top club team and a favorite in this matchup. They’re cruising at home and traditionally one of the hardest teams to beat in European tournaments. Schalke is currently ranked fifth in Germany’s Bundesliga and the only German team to survive group play. More on that in a moment...

Real Madrid @ Roma

Real Madrid, Spain’s top club team and currently ranked first in the Primera standings, is favored against the second-ranked Serie A team, Roma. Real Madrid is having a great season this year.

Chelsea @ Olympiakos

Chelsea is currently ranked third in the English Premier League, is a perennial international powerhouse, and a heavy favorite to beat Greece’s only entrant into this year’s Championship. Olympiakos, Greece’s most successful club, is ranked second in its national Super League, and pulled off a stunning coup in group play to make it out in a first-place tie with the aforementioned Real Madrid. Olympiakos’s surprise finish in group play led to the ouster of Bremen, Germany’s second-best team, and leaves the German faithful with only one team to root for. Although it seems quite likely that Chelsea will handle Olympiakos, the Greek squad will need outstanding efforts and lots of scoring from forwards Darko Kovacevic and Lomana LuaLua.

Inter. Milan @ Liverpool

Liverpool was last year’s Champions League runner-up and is facing Italy’s top-ranked Inter. Milan squad. Although Inter is a slight favorite in this matchup (on the basis of how well they’re playing this year) people are not discounting Liverpool, even though they are a struggling sixth-place team in the Premiership. As anyone who follows the Reds knows, they consistently struggle at home and yet somehow shine in European matches.

Barcelona @ Celtic

Celtic is currently in second place in the Scottish Premier League and is Scotland’s only participant in the Knockout Round, as the first-place Rangers lost out to Barcelona in group play. However, a chance at Scottish-style vengeance seems out of the question as Barcelona (second place in Spanish Primera) will be too tough a test. Barcelona is heavily favored based on their reputation, quality of team, and experience in European play.

Manchester United @ Lyon

Most Americans are familiar with Manchester United. ManU is, after all, the most well-known sports team in the world, with the broadest global reach. Although they suffered a humiliating home loss to intra-city rival Manchester City in Premiership play yesterday, they are still in second place. Lyon is the top team in France’s Ligue 1 Championnat but they are a team on the downswing. ManU should handle this foe easily.

Sevilla @ Fenerbahçe

Sevilla was Europe’s top club last season but is struggling to match last year’s success. Consequently, they’re only in seventh place in the Primera. Nevertheless, they’re still a contender against the Turkish Süper Lig second place team, Fenerbahçe (pronounced “Fen-Ner-Bah-Chay”). Sevilla is expected to handle Turkey’s best shot.

AC Milan @ Arsenal

This is the most significant set of games in the Knockout Round. AC Milan might only be in fifth place in Serie A but they are the defending Champions League champions. They are favored in this contest, credited for last year’s run to the title, as well as the fact that they have last year’s footballer of the year, Brazilian superstar Kaká. Notwithstanding Arsenal’s first place ranking in the Premiership, this knockdown, drag-out fight will most likely reveal Milan’s strength in European match play. Should be a doozy!

Links:

In case reading this preview got you curious to learn more about the tournament, the teams, or their national competitions, click on these links below.

UEFA Champions League, England – Premier League Standings, France – Ligue 1 Standings, Germany – Bundesliga Standings, Greece – Super League Standings, Italy – Serie A Standings, Portugal – Liga Standings, Scotland – Premier League Standings, Spain – Primera División Standings, Turkey – Süper Lig Standings