It's a Double Date!

Fascinating matches around Europe this week as we learned the finalists of both the Champions League and the Europa League. In the first competition, Atletico Madrid were victorious over Chelsea by a 3-1 margin despite a 0-0 home fixture! It was a tense second leg with Fernando Torres putting the home side up in the 36th minute. Adrian Lopez equalized for the Spaniards just before the half time interval, while teammates Diego Costa and Arda Turan slotted home in the 60th and 72nd minutes respectively to decisively eliminate the English side from contention in the Final. In the other semi-final, Real Madrid had a 1-0 lead after the first leg at home and were traveling to Germany to face Bayern Munich in what had the opportunity to be a massive battle. Instead, the performance was anticlimactic as Bayern crumbled in the first half. Sergio Ramos struck twice within five minutes - in the 16th and 20th minutes - to put the Germans on the ropes. Cristiano Ronaldo then struck a third in the 34th minute to make it a 4-0 aggregate scoreline. It was clear that Bayern didn't have much to add to the conversation going into the second half, pressing forward somewhat better though never convincingly. Ronaldo's second strike, in the 90th minute, sealed the defending champions' fate: Bayern were out in humiliating fashion and an all-Spanish Final was set for the Champions League. Interestingly, both sides that lost had majorities of possession; Bayern more so with almost 65% of the ball. Just goes to show that it is more important to know what to do with the ball than to sit around holding it!

As for the Europa League, one of the semi-finals lived up to the billing while the other ended with a whimper. Juventus-Benfica was a harsh slog with a 1-2 scoreline from the first leg. The fact that the Italians had almost five times as many opportunities on goal than the Portuguese did not help Juve. Neither did the lion's share of possession, 63% going to the second leg hosts. In fact, by the end nerves were showing and tempers flared with three red cards coming in the last 23 minutes - two of those coming in the 89th minute. There were no goals in Italy, despite Juve's best efforts. Hopefully that is not a foretaste of what is to come in the Final! Turning to the Spanish semi-final now, Sevilla were outplayed in Valencia up until literally the final minute of the match. Sofiane Feghouli scored in the 14th minute for Valencia followed by an own goal by Sevilla's keeper Beto in the 26th minute. Matters were not helped by Jeremy Mathieu's 69th minute strike that gave the hosts an aggregate lead of 3-2. Against the run of play, though, Stephane Mbia headed home in the 4th minute of stoppage time of the second half to make it 3-3 on aggregate, Sevilla going through on away goals.

Just to recap then, the Champions League Final in Lisbon, Portugal will pit Real Madrid against Atletico Madrid while the Europa League will see its conclusion in Turin, Italy with Benfica and Sevilla facing off for glory. Expect a blog post in the near future to examine the respective team's chances. I would love to see Atletico and Benfica winning the respective competitions, but more later! Hope you enjoyed the matches!

Champions League Semi-Final 4/23/2014 Part II

And I'm back! The match between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich was a lopsided affair with an awkward conclusion. Prior to the play where Karim Benzema slotted home in the 19th minute, and in the subsequent game, Bayern were the team in ascent. They dominated possession - with 64% of the ball - and had almost double the number of chances as their Spanish counterparts. On the bright side for the Germans, they will be playing at home and should have an almost complete roster so long as goalkeeper Neuer is able to maintain his fitness levels. Alcantara and Shaqiri will likely remain out for the second leg, but Bayern definitely have the quality to drown Madrid in goals - so long as they can actually put a few in the back of the net! On the Madrid side, Alvaro Arbeloa will likely remain absent for the second leg. If Sami Khedira, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Gareth Bale can maintain their health, Madrid may actually look better than they did in their home fixture! As far as my predictions go, after the respective first legs, I still think that Atletico Madrid may have too much under the hood for Chelsea to handle. The English side will obviously have a boost being at home, but I could imagine things going south for the hosts if Atletico get the first goal. On the other hand, Real Madrid are sitting in a more comfortable position against Bayern Munich, there is no doubt about it. However, the Germans remain an incredibly talented side, and with 11 chances on target in Madrid, I would expect them to make at least one at home.

Champions League Semi-Final 4/23/2014

Alright then! What a pair of games we had this week as Atletico Madrid were held to a 0-0 draw at home in Spain against English giants Chelsea and Real Madrid took an early 1-0 lead against a dominant Bayern Munich side in Madrid. In the first match-up, Atletico had a majority of the opportunities though they were unable to get through the Chelsea defense. Having said that, all is not lost for the Spaniards. While it will certainly be no easy task, Chelsea remained goalless in the first leg as well. Adding to the woes of the English side, goalkeeper Peter Cech and John Terry may miss the second leg while Frank Lampard and John Obi Mikel received bookings that disqualify them from competing in the next match. The dubious status of Eden Hazard and Samuel Eto'o does not help matters. I will admit that I would love to see Atletico in the Final. If Thibaut Courtois and company can keep things together, the Spaniards will have at least one representative in the Champions League Final. More later, gotta run!

Champions League and Europa League Update! 4/11/2014

One step closer to the Final now, with both the Champions League and the Europa League entering their Semi-Final stages. In the former, Atletico Madrid will face Chelsea while Real Madrid take on holders Bayern Munich for the right to compete in the showpiece event in Lisbon. In the face-off between England's remaining representative Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, the sheer depth of the Madrid bench may out-perform the London side. If the Blues can get the likes of Samuel Eto'o, Andre Schurrle, and Marco Van Ginkel back into the side, they will arguably look much the better team. Atletico meanwhile will be set on getting Diego Costa and Arda Turan back into their side ahead of their first leg encounter in Madrid. Much will depend on Atletico's home performance as Chelsea have consistently under-performed away from home. As far as the defenses are concerned, Chelsea's Peter Cech obviously has the most experience at this level of competition between the two - though I would conjecture that Thibaut Courtois may have the better put together defensive front. If Diego Costa isn't at 100% fitness, I would predict Chelsea getting through by the skin of their teeth. Turning now to the Real Madrid-Bayern Munich match-up, it is curious that the Germans have no back-ups for Manuel Neuer since Tom Starke and Lukas Raeder are both out through injury. All the same, the Germans would be my pick to go through if Cristiano Ronaldo is less than 100% fit and the likes of Sami Khedira, Alvaro Arbeloa, and Marcelo are out. Bayern will doubtless continue to miss the talents of Thiago Alcantara and Xherdan Shaqiri though I think Mario Mandzukic, Arjen Robben, and Thomas Muller alone could get the Germans past the Spaniards. Gareth Bale will remain a menacing option for Real; and Karim Benzema, Angel Di Maria, or Isco may have a burst of form. Having said that, the defensive stalwarts for Bayern such as Philipp Lahm, Rafinha, Jerome Boateng, and Dante should keep the heat off of Neuer. I'm actually not sure which way the opener in Madrid will go. Bayern have traveled well in the tournament thus far, though Real have been in terrifying home form so they may well earn themselves a hard-fought lead. That'll just mean the second leg will leave everything to play for!

As for the Europa League, we have a mix of Iberian and Southern European contestants this year with Benfica paired with Juventus and Sevilla poised to take on domestic opponents Valencia. I'll start with the all-Spanish bout with Sevilla the team that I am not-so-secretly rooting for. For one thing, they have the depth of bench to let them compete at this level despite injuries to (arguably nonessential) midfielders Denis Cheryshev and Sebastian Cristoforo. Otherwise, Javier Varas has been as fit as a fiddle with Beto a more than adequate stand-in if circumstances require. As for scoring talent, Kevin Gameiro is an obvious target man for the Valencia defense though Carlos Bacca and Vitolo have proved deadly. Unless Sevilla cement at least a two goal lead (for best results, without allowing any away goals) when they greet Valencia in the series opener, I think Valencia's Paco Alcacer and Fede Cartabia may be enough to push them through. Now for bad news on Valencia: Diego Alves, their top keeper, will likely be out due to injury for at least the first game in Sevilla. Vicente Guaita has been a decent stand-in, I do not expect he will have as easy a time as he did against Basel in the second leg. Rather, Sevilla should be disciplined and I wouldn't be surprised to see a scoreline similar to the one we saw in Basel: 3-0 for Sevilla? Let's see if it happens! Between Juve and Benfica, I have mixed emotions. These are two teams that I have greatly enjoyed watching. Defensively, the two sides have opposite problems. Whereas the Portuguese may be missing their goalkeeper Artur for the first leg, the Italians are without three - yes three! - significant defending talents: Andrea Barzagli, Federico Peluso, and Angelo Ogbonna. Having said that, Bonucci, Caceres, and Chiellini are in as is Gianluigi Buffon. Rubin Amorim is also doubtful for Benfica, though Rodrigo and Lima are the great attacking prongs of the Portuguese side. Oscar Cardozo is always a danger man, while Eduardo Salvio, Lazar Markovic, and Nicolas Gaitan may hit a run of form to propel their team into the Final. As well as being fabulous defenders, Luisao and Ezequiel Garay may surprise by adding to their respective goal tallies as well. Over on the Italian side, the incentive to perform is certainly evident as Juve would be playing at home in Turin if they get through the Portuguese. Pablo Osvaldo will probably be shut down by Benfica, though with names such as Sebastian Giovinco, Carlos Tevez, Fernando Llorente, Arturo Vidal, Andrea Pirlo, and even Paul Pogba on the roster, the Old Ladies can never be written off. With both sides having a phenomenal record thus far in the Europa League, it is honestly a crap-shoot. I might favor Juve to make some magic, but don't expect Benfica to take anything lying down. Jan Oblak has performed admirably in the Eagles' goal, and if he is called to represent the club again, I would expect a performance similar to Benfica's matches against Tottenham Hotspur. Enjoy the games!

Champions League Update: 4/3/2014

After the first round of games, you could be forgiven for being underwhelmed by the teams left at this stage. Barcelona and Atletico Madrid finished level 1-1 as did Manchester United and Bayern Munich. However, they were well-played matches all around with serious implications for the respective second legs. In the first match-up, despite having more than four times as many opportunities as their opponents from Madrid, Barca only scored through Neymar in the 71st minute - trailing for a good fifteen minutes after Diego struck Atletico ahead early on in the first half. Despite the number of yellow cards, Atletico may well feel optimistic about welcoming the Catalan side on April 9th as their home performance against AC Milan in the last round demonstrated: a 4-1 victory over anyone at this level of competition should raise some eyebrows. At the same time, Barcelona have traveled decently in the competition, winning 0-2 away at Manchester City. In the other pairing, United will be happy about salvaging a draw though they really should have scored at least a second. Bayern meanwhile were not on their game at Old Trafford, but still managed to draw even through Bastian Schweinsteiger in the 67th minute after Nemanja Vidic gave the English a lead in the 58th minute. The loss of Schweinsteiger will be hard felt in the German camp after he was sent off, but they are the kind of quality side that can persevere through such obstacles.

Yesterday we saw another kind of game. Paris Saint-Germain trounced Chelsea, though PSG may rue conceding the 27th penalty which Eden Hazard converted. Zlatan Ibrahimovic's injury may prove problematic, however Ezequiel Lavezzi and Javier Pastore should prove enough to counter anything the Blues throw at the French side. David Luiz's own goal in the 61st minute surely helped the French side, suffering from a lack of confidence as Chelsea's counter-attacking style proved deadly. Hopefully Salvatore Sirigu can continue his good form in goal and his defense stays strong against a talented Chelsea side. In Spain, Real Madrid were dominant to no one's surprise as Borussia Dortmund were without significant players and clearly unable to cope. Gareth Bale got the ball rolling for the Spaniards, striking in the 3rd minute to shatter the Germans' concentration. Midfielder Isco performed admirably, tacking on a second goal in the 27th minute to put Madrid in a great mood going into the break. If Dortmund had perhaps focused more on goal scoring and less on card collection, they may have performed better with 42 % of possession and a decent 14 attempts against Iker Casillas. Cristiano Ronaldo struck in the 57th minute to make it 3-0 and essentially hammer in the final nail of the Dortmund coffin. I don't expect the Spanish to surrender their lead, even if Dortmund get all of their players at 100% fitness. Have a great weekend and expect a Europa League update in the near future!

Next Round of the Champions League! 3/21/2014.

With the quality sides in at this stage of the competition, there were always going to be some mouth-watering match-ups! This year did not disappoint as we will see Barcelona versus Atletico Madrid, and Real Madrid against Borussia Dortmund. Of these two ties, I would think Barca and Madrid would be the two sides making it into the Semi Finals. In the latter, I think that injuries alone will cause the Germans to rue what could have been. As for the showdown between Barca and Atletico, it will undoubtedly be much closer. While I would tip the Catalan side to claim victory, that isn't to say that Atletico will just roll over. In the same way as Juventus' match-ups in the Europa League with Fiorentina were a heated contest, only decided by an Andrea Pirlo free kick, I believe Barca will edge their domestic rivals. Moving on now, Paris Saint-Germain will be taking on Chelsea while Bayern Munich will face Manchester United. In the first game, I would love to see Chelsea lose to their French opponents and I think it is possible. If PSG can explode out of the gates in their opening home match, I think they have the goal-scoring talent and defensive consistency to show the Blues the way out. Having said that, if the team from London - the last English representatives at this stage of the tournament - can get the likes of Ashley Cole and David Luiz, and perhaps even Marco Van Ginkel, back into the squad, it will be a very tight affair. Bayern's match with Manchester United will depend heavily on whether or not United can make some magic at home in the first leg. If they perform with the same spirit they showed coming back from a 2-0 deficit in the first leg to win 3-0 over Olympiacos, they may very well head to Germany with their heads held high. I think Bayern might just have too much for the Red Devils though; particularly with the injury to Robin van Persie. Make sure to check back for updates on the matches!

Champions League Performances from Today - 2/26/2014

A tale of two cities this week as Galatasaray met Chelsea on the field of battle while Schalke cowered against the awesome might of Real Madrid. In the first match-up, Fernando Torres put the Blues ahead in the 9th minute of the first half. While both sides had about the same number of opportunities, the Turkish side had slightly more of possession. Aurelien Chedjou's 65th minute strike was well-deserved and the fact that Chelsea tallied a total of four yellow cards to Galatasaray's one illustrates that the English side did not have a good game. Nevertheless, a 1-1 scoreline is relatively good for Chelsea, meaning Turkey's last surviving representative in the Champion's League will have to give it their all in the away fixture. I wouldn't put their chances too high but with the likes of Muslera (and replacement Eray Iscan) in goal, Sneijder, Drogba, and Umut Bulut - well - you can't quite count them out just yet. Injuries may prove to be an issue for the Turks.
Over in Gelsenkirchen, the first ten minutes of the game could have gone either way. In truth, that was the last time Schalke looked like much of a team though. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar's goal in the 91st minute of stoppage time was a consolation goal after Benzema, Bale, and Ronaldo each struck twice to make it a 1-6 game. The French and Welshmen were the only scorers of a tense first half though the second half witnessed an explosion of goals. Not the kind of start that the Germans would have wanted to their Round of 16! With that kind of scoreline, I wouldn't be surprised if the return leg in Madrid was just a formality because the chances of Schalke turning this around are next to zero. Having said that, it'd mean there will be nothing holding either side back so it may just be another goal fest. Look for a Europa League update in the next couple days!

Champions League 11/5/2013

Some delightful matches taking place today as Plzen host Bayern Munich; Juventus v.s. Real Madrid; Kobenhavn take on Galatasaray; Paris St. Germain against Anderlecht; Shakhtar Donetsk face-off against Bayer Leverkusen; Olympiacos greet Benfica; Real Sociedad invite Manchester United to Spain; and Manchester City welcome CSKA Moskva to Northern England. I predict that Bayern will seize victory in the Czech Republic while Juve may meet their match in Real Madrid - it'll be a close game but the Spaniards might just have too much fire-power. Kobenhavn - Galatasaray will likely be a tight affair though the Turkish side should claim victory despite the home field advantage of the Danish hosts. PSG v.s. Anderlecht should be a straightforward match with the French side outgunning and outmaneuvering their guests. Shakhtar Donetsk's game with Bayer Leverkusen will be close, I could see the two sides ending level though there should be at least one goal. As Olympiacos face Portuguese side Benfica, they will likely miss the presence of Michael Olaitan up top though their defensive stalwarts remain in place to squeak out a tense draw with the visiting Portuguese club. The fact that Olympiacos is the make-or-break point on Benfica's title hopes was not lost on their players - the two sides are level on 4 points with PSG well clear in the group. The game-changer will arguably be Kostas Mitroglou: if he can add to his goal tally, the Greeks may very well pull clear. On the other hand, if the Portuguese can shut him down and get their strikers in order, it may be a feeding frenzy. Manchester United should secure an additional three points in their game at Real Sociedad despite the long list of injuries for the Red Devils. Last but certainly not least, Manchester City's game against CSKA Moskva should be another instance in which a Manchester side delivers the three points. The number of injuries on both sides suggest that the team with the greater depth will move forward. At the same time, I would love to see Rasmus Elm turn-on for the Russian side. Enjoy the games!

Champions League Semi-Final Part II

Well color me impressed! While I knew that the home crowd support and attacking prowess of hosts Dortmund would be a challenge for Real Madrid, I certainly did not expect them to blow the Spaniards out in a similar fashion as Barcelona were destroyed in their 1st leg encounter with Bayern Munich. Robert Lewandowski's 8th minute strike for the Germans was obviously the best way the game could have started for Dortmund but as Cristiano Ronaldo equalized in the 43rd minute, one could be forgiven for thinking Real Madrid would start making back ground in the 2nd half. They would clearly be wrong though as Dortmund's 1st half possession dominance continued into the 2nd half, culminating in three more goals for Lewandowski before the game had run its course. How was this possible? Defensively, Madrid just had some lapses as they could not hold onto the rampant German opposition. The 2nd leg encounter will have to be something special on the part of the Spaniards as they will have to stop the scoring as well as make a handful of their own! Though Dortmund technically remain undefeated in their away encounters - another draw on their record would do just fine in this situation - Madrid's home performances allow for some hope on the part of Ronaldo, Ozil and company. Madrid will have to put in a double shift, but I would not put it past them. At the same time, how exhilarating would a Bayern - Dortmund Champions League Final be? Hope you enjoy the games! Do not forget to catch the Fenerbahce v.s. Benfica Europa League match today as well as Basel against Chelsea! I will report on those tomorrow.

Champions League Semi-Final Part I

Many things in life are fleeting. Happiness, success, life itself. Up until today, I would have thought success over Barcelona was one of those fleeting situations in life. I was wrong. While it is true that the referee of the show-down between Bayern Munich and Barcelona was garbage, Barca's defensive deficiencies were painstakingly obvious, and Bayern's home field advantage was tremendously helpful, a 4-0 result was beyond my expectations. Yes, I might have predicted Bayern to win at home, but the manner in which they put Barcelona out of the game was almost laughable. Despite the fact that the Catalan side had over 60% of possession, they only had 4 real chances. While it is true that the Spaniards suffered almost 20 fouls through-out the match (compared to 10 for the Germans) the Bavarians only collected 3 yellows to Barcelona's 4. The blame lies with the visitors though as it was obvious where Barcelona failed most defending corners of which they gave Bayern 11! Despite a rather spiteful dying minutes, Thomas Muller's 25th minute shot opening the scoring got the game off to an exciting pace. When Mario Gomez scored 4 minutes into the 2nd half, Barca's keeper Victor Valdes earned a healthy plate of criticism. It is true, he wasn't helped by his defenders (particularly Jordi Alba who looked out-classed for most of the game in comparison to Muller) but some of the goals he allowed were approaching comical. In the 73rd minute, Arjen Robben's strike was utterly farcical. Utilizing a hybrid basketball-American football move, Robben's marker Jordi Alba was left in the dust by a fellow Bavarian attacked granting the Dutch player a golden opportunity which he took with great relish. Last but certainly not least, Thomas Muller's goal in the 82nd minute was the last cry of a dying side as Barcelona's defense fell completely apart allowing the striker to punch in his second on the night. While Bayern deserve a lot of credit for the way that they conducted the match - specifically the 1st half - there were a number of calls that favored them shall we say. If Barca let this result get to their head, expect a replay of this match in the 2nd leg. While I don't think they will overturn the result, they will at least present more of a threat at home giving the aggregate score a somewhat decent image. That will only be possible, though, if their defensive players actually show up and Valdes actually makes some saves.

As for tomorrow's match between Dortmund and Real Madrid, I cannot see the German side dominate as their compatriots did today. While being at home will certainly help them and the addition to the side of Robert Lewandowski, Sebastian Kehl, and Sven Bender only bodes well for the Germans, not even their recent home record gives them enough of an edge against the giants of Madrid. Having said that, if Michael Essien, Fabio Coentrao, Alvaro Arbeloa, Luka Modric, Angel Di Maria, and Marcelo are all gone, Madrid may just be stretched too far. I think Madrid may have enough to edge the Germans but I could also see the match ending in a draw. If Dortmund are particularly on form on the night though, Madrid may not be able to keep up. Away goals, however, will spell doom for the German side in the end. Hope you are enjoying the matches!

What has happened in the Champions League and what will be taking place in the Europa League

I'd like to start with the Champions League where Dortmund were able to edge Malaga in a white-knuckle thriller that had us all guessing until the final whistle. Despite the fact that the Spanish side were able to get themselves into a strong position for much of the 1st half following Joaquin's 25th minute goal and a strong showing through-out the pitch; the half ended 1-1 following Robert Lewandowski's equalizer in the 45th minute. While many may have thought that Dortmund would then go to work as the 2nd half began, the reality was that Malaga continued to dominate the game for all intents and purposes though failing to convert. Finally, Eliseu slotted home for Malaga in the 82nd minute - providing them with a lead that would have been golden against just about any other team. Not Dortmund though. Not only did Marco Reus level the score at 2-2 in the 1st minute of extra time but Felipe Santana struck a beauty in the 3rd minute that wrapped things up for the Germans as the full-time whistle blew only moments later.

Over in Turkey Real Madrid were able to make things work by the skin of their teeth against a Galatasaray side that for a few minutes looked like they might be able to overturn a crushing deficit. Though Cristiano Ronaldo got things off to a great start in the 7th minute, the game settled into a lull with the Spaniards defending with sporadic forays up the field. It was in the 2nd half when things really turned on for the Turkish side as Emmanuel Eboue brought Galatasary level on the night in the 57th minute. Then, in the 70th and 72nd minutes respectively Wesley Sneijder and Didier Drogba gave the Spaniards both barrels with a goal apiece. Unfortunately, Madrid managed the game until Ronaldo scored his second in the 2nd minute of extra time in the 2nd half. Though it was 3-2 on the night the aggregate score was a 5-3 affair!

Yesterday, Barcelona and PSG faced off in what was really an enthralling fixture as the visiting French side grabbed the lead early in the 2nd half through Javier Pastore. While this prompted Lionel Messi's introduction to the game, it should be noted that the Catalans peppered the PSG goal for much of the game without success. Then, in the 71st minute, magic happened. While the finishing shot came from the foot of Pedro Rodriquez, the play began as Messi surgically incised himself into the PSG defense. Laying off to David Villa, the striker passed to Pedro who punished the PSG players with a left-footed effort into the back of the net. Thanks to the 2-2 result in the previous leg, Barca went on to advance by the away goals rule.

As for the last of the Champions League games of the Quarter-Final round, Juventus greeted Bayern Munich in Turin to a match that was remarkably similar to the 1st leg. While both goals came in the 2nd half, Bayern held a significant amount of possession in addition to a modest advantage in chances. Of crucial importance was the fact that they converted their opportunities as Juve actually had a comparable chance tally. Of course, when Mario Mandzukic dove for his header in the 64th minute, the tie may well have been decided. Though Juventus goalie Gianluigi Buffon made a great first save, the ensuing goal sums up the story of his game: he played to the best of his ability but defensive deficiencies in front of him left him vulnerable to Bayern's lethal strikers.

Turning now to the Europa League, Rubin Kazan will host Chelsea in a 2nd leg that comes off of a 3-1 victory for the English side. While the Russians should do better at home, I cannot see them undoing the London side's lead. Their only chance will be if goal-tender Sergei Ryzhikov plays an unbelievable game and the likes of Jose Rondon, Vladimir Dyadyun, and Gokdeniz Karadeniz score at least one each. Otherwise, I anticipate a victory for Chelsea.

Up in England, Newcastle v.s. Benfica will be the game I will be watching as the English side hope to make right a 3-1 deficit. While the home field advantage will certainly assist the Magpies, the important thing will be whether they can score a lot of goals. Papiss Cisse and Shola Ameobi will be the go-to figures for those requirements. My prediction would be that defensive failings on the side of the home team will make it too easy for Benfica to score - putting the game out of the grasp of Newcastle.

As for the Swiss encounter between Basel and Tottenham, if the home side can get even a goal against the English opposition then the odds will increase exponentially in their favor. A great deal of stress will be placed on the Basel defense as a break-out performance by Tann Sommer will translate to attacking efforts from talent such as Marco Streller, Valentin Stocker, and Fabian Schar. Of course, there is also the view that the team from Switzerland gave their best in England and will go down to Spurs having played all of their tricks. This will obviously rely on Hugo Lloris (or Brad Friedel) standing tall in goal - a completely viable option. Then, it will be the responsibility of characters such as Gareth Bale, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Emmanuel Adebayor, and Jermain Defoe to score and keep doing so until the game ends.

Last but not least, Lazio v.s. Fenerbahce will demonstrate whether or not Lazio are just terrible travelers or legitimately poor. In Turkey, down to 10 men, it was understandable that the Italians get hit at some point or another. Having said that, Lazio know where the goal is and in front of a home crowd they should have the nerve to at least challenge the Turkish side. The pedigree of the Lazio side up to this point should not be discounted as they had not lost in Europe until the 10 man debacle. Additionally, they do remain undefeated at home. Fenerbahce's form also shouldn't be discounted, though, as the Turks have proved themselves formidable adversaries away from home. I'd give my vote to Fenerbahce but that is with the understanding that the Turkish side will give it their all and not take their feet off of the gas. Otherwise, giving Lazio the room to develop will spell disaster for the visitors. Hope you enjoy the games!

The Latest from the Champions League

Well, we've already had half of the first legs with the second half coming later today. With PSG tying Barcelona in literally the dying seconds of their fixture in Paris, I was correct in suggesting Barca would tie abroad though I honestly did not expect such a close encounter. For the early portions of the game, PSG actually looked dominant. While many were not surprised by both Messi and Ibrahimovic converting, the goals from Xavi Hernandez and Blaise Matuidi were both special. Before coming off at the half due to what should be a minor injury, Messi ran onto a beautiful chip from Daniel Alves and struck it home low in the 39th. 40 minutes later, Zlatan Ibrahimovic put away an easy shot after Thiago Silva's header bounced back into play. While some might question whether or not he was off-sides, it appeared as though Ibrahimovic was on as the play developed and simply positioned himself correctly as the ball deflected off the crossbar. Following PSG's keeper taking Alexis Sanchez's legs out from under him, Xavi Hernandez converted his penalty opportunity in the 89th minute - seemingly winning the game for Barca. However, Blaise Matuidi took a strike that some would have considered to have no chance. Though Barecelona's keeper Valdes followed the initial trajectory well, the shot took a deflection off of Marc Bartra leaving the Catalans wrong-footed and level as they await the return leg in Spain. Though PSG are rightly on a high after this result, I would predict that Barcelona come out in Spain strong once more with Messi leading the charge.

As for the fixture between Bayern and Juventus, the 1st minute goal from David Alaba really set the tone for the remainder of the match as Bayern finally showed their home form in a 2-0 victory. While possession may have been considered even, the Bavarians simply dominated the opportunities count. Thomas Muller's 63rd minute goal was really icing on the cake as the team mentality was on full display with Mario Mandzukic giving Muller one of the easiest shots in the tournament this year. While Juve will undoubtedly fare better at home in Turin, the chances of them overturning this deficit if Bayern bring the same form is remarkably low. If Toni Kroos is absent for the 2nd leg, Bayern will miss him but do have replacements as Arjen Robben convincingly reminded us with no goals but great plays.

As for today's action, Malaga's encounter with Borussia Dortmund returns the spotlight to the celebrated Spanish giant-slayers. Though both sides are missing valuable players, everyone involved is building up what should be a promising game. The deciding factor will arguably be whether or not Malaga's defense can hold Dortmund vicious assault. Away goals are a critical aspect of the tournament at this stage and Malaga cannot afford to run their match-up with Dortmund as closely as they did against Porto. Starting at home may be a plus for the Spaniards but the Germans have proven themselves worthy opponents both at home and away. Final verdict? Dortmund may just be the straw that breaks the camel's back here. Even if Jakub Blaszczykowski is out, the German side have the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Marco Reus, and Mario Gotze who have performed well this year. Malaga's reliance on midfield goalscoring may be undone as Isco, Eliseu, Joaquin, and Duda may be worn thin.

Last but not least, Real Madrid will greet Turkish side Galatasaray at home in Spain for what many are predicting will be a one-sided affair. While it is true that Madrid have tended to have double the opportunities than their opponents, the scoring between the two sides has been quite close - 18 for the Spaniards and 11 for the Turks. If Raphael Varane, Fabio Coentrao, and Iker Casillas all miss out on the squad, Madrid's defense looks significantly weaker. At the same time, two midfield blows in missing Aydin Yilmaz and Engin Baytar shouldn't be that big of a deal for Galatasaray as the talents of Hamit Altintop, Wesley Sneijder, Johan Elmander, Didier Drogba, Burak Yilmaz, and Umut Bulut are all accounted for. While the Bernabeu will give Madrid the edge here, I would not say that Galatasaray are going to just roll over. They definitely have everything to play for in the 2nd leg if they can hold on here.
 Enjoy the games!