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The Champions League’s knockout stage continues with the second leg games
on March 4th.
There is a lot at stake for some of the most powerful teams in Europe, some of which will try to make amends on home grounds.
AC Milan-Arsenal (March 4th): Defending champions AC Milan are going to the San Siro looking for a win in front of their home crowd after leaving London with a goalless draw. Both coaches seem pleased with their teams performance in the first leg and add that the game is still wide open despite Milan’s home turf advantage.
Head-to-head history: It is the first occasion these two European powerhouses have met on the Europe’s greatest club stage.
Competition record:
AC Milan: Champions in 1963, 1969, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007;
Runners-up: 1958, 1993, 1995, 2005;
Arsenal: Runners-up in the 2005/2006 season
Manchester United-Lyon (March 4th): The French champions looked on track for a first win against an English opposition in 40 years in the first leg in Lyon, but Carlos Tevez’s equalizer just 4 minutes from time secured a draw and a slight advantage for Manchester.
Head-to-head history: The two teams last met in the group stage of the 2004/2005 season and it was a 2-2 tie at the Stade de Gerland, followed by a 2-1 home win for United.
Competition record:
Manchester United: Champions in 1968, 1999;
Lyon’s best record: Quarter-finals
Barcelona-Celtic (March 4th): Barcelona came back on two occasions to beat Celtic in one of the most exciting of the first leg games in the knockout stage. Now they are welcoming Celtic as clear favorites to claim a place in the last 8 for the second time in three seasons.
Head-to-head history: The last time the two sides have met was in the 2004/05 season when Barcelona pulled off a 3-1 win in Glasgow, and held on to a 1-1 tie at the
Camp Nou.
Competition record:
Barcelona: Champions in 1992, 2006;
Celtic: Champions in 1967
Runners-up:1970
Sevilla-Fenerbahce (March 4th): Semih Senturk’s late goal gave Fenerbahce a 3-2 win over Sevilla in the first leg in Istanbul, the debut appearance for both teams in the knockout stage of the Champions League. Now they move to Seville, where the home team is hoping for a win that will take them to their best ever record in the competition.
Real Madrid-Roma(March 5th): Roma are going to Madrid for the second leg with a 2-1 lead from their first encounter in Rome, but Real will be hoping to make the most of the away goal they scored last time around.
A 1-0 win will be enough to see Real through in the competition in their quest for a 10th European title.
Head-to-head history: In their last encounter in Madrid, Real beat Roma in the group stage of the 2004/2005 season. Roma won in Madrid in the 2002/2003 group stage, while their match the year before finished as a tie.
Competition record:
Real Madrid Champions in 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002;
Runners-up: 1962, 1964, 1981
Roma: Runners-up in the 1984 season
Porto-Schalke (March 5th): Schalke 04 tarnished Porto’s fond memories of Gelsenkirchen where they won the competition in 2004. Now, Porto is welcoming Schalke 04 at the Estadio do Dragao hoping to overcome the German’s 1-0 lead from the first leg.
“Of course this situation is difficult now. But we have been in even more difficult situations before. So I am still confident for the second match and I still believe that we can make it to the next round,” says Porto’s coach Jesualdo Ferreira.
Competition record:
Porto: Champions in 1987, 2004;
Schalke’s best record: Reaching the knockout stage this season.
Chelsea-Olympiacos: Chelsea seem ready to return to a more attacking style when they face Olympiacos in the second leg in London.
They stumbled to a goalless draw in a game of few chances in the first leg and coach Avram Grant says it was the worst display in Europe since he took over from deposed Jose Mourinho.
Competition record:
Chelsea’s best record: Semi-finals
Olympiacos best record: Quarter-finals
Inter-Liverpool (March 11th): Current Serie A leaders and champions Internazionale suffered the first defeat in five months in the first leg and are left with a tough task at the Giuseppe Meazza.
Liverpool have done their job at home, but don’t count out one of the biggest favorites in this year’s competition just yet, for as Inter’s coach Roberto Mancini says: “Coming back from two goals down has been done plenty of times in the past and it’s not something I feel is out of our reach.”
But two goals down is not the only problem for Inter. They have serious defensive problems, with Materazzi suspended, Ivan Cordoba injured and Walter Samuel already out for the season.
Head-to-head history: The February 19th match was the first one since the semi-finals of 1964-65 when Liverpool won 3-1 at home, but their advantage was overturned with a 3-0 victory in Milan.
Competition record:
Inter: Champions in 1964, 1965;
Runners-up: 1967, 1972;
Liverpool: Champions in 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005;
Runners-up: 1985, 2007;
Top scorers this season:
1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona): 6 goals
2. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool): 5 goals
3. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Internazionale): 5 goals
4. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United): 5 goals
Sources: www.uefa.com, www.manutd.com, www.acmilan.com, www.realmadrid.com, www.fcbarcelona.com, www.liverpoolfc.tv, www.inter.it, www.chelseafc.com, www.celticfc.net, www.fenerbahce.org, www.fcporto.pt, |
