Champions League Draw - Inter Milan v CSKA Moscow

As I stated in an earlier post, CSKA are no pushovers, and Inter Milan will certainly be challenged in this tie, but it will be absolutely shocking if the Italian side does not go through.

The first leg of the tie is at the San Siro, which I think is an advantage for Inter. Maybe CSKA will be confident after their impressive away win to knock out Sevilla, but Inter are an entirely different kettle of fish. Inter's only concern in the first leg will be preventing an away goal for the Russians. And they have just the manager to do it.

Jose Mourinho is a master at frustrating and eventually beating teams that rely on the counter attack. This describes CSKA, who like to get forward with pace, especially after the other side has committed too many bodies to attack. But Inter won't do that. As Mourinho has shown in the past, when he plays a team that likes to counter attack, his side just doesn't attack. With no attack, there can be no counter attack.

As a spectacle, this match will be dire, 180 minutes (possibly 210 minutes) of sheer tactical boredom. The players themselves will be all but irrelevant and the talk will be only of zonal marking and formations. Rafa Benitez should enjoy it immensely, but even the most ardent of fans risks falling asleep should he or she attempt to sit through both legs.

So, it may be dramatic, it won't be entertaining, but Inter will be through to face the winner of Arsenal v Barcelona, a mouth watering tie that I will break down in (much) more detail at a later date.

UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals

The teams are set. Who plays who will be determined Friday morning.

CSKA Moscow are probably the team everybody wants to play, the least known and the least respected, a midget amongst the giants of European football. I suspect they will give whomever they face a real scare, but will lack enough to go through in the end.

Bordeux are also not expected to pose any real threat, but I think against the right team (Bayern Munich or Manchester United?) they could pull of a shocker. Gourcuff is capable of unlocking any defense, and their defending in Europe has been superb.

Lyon are also not fancied (The French clubs never are), but they seem to have a certain look about them. It would be ironic if the least talented Lyon side of the last decade advances the furthest in the Champions League. Arsenal or Barcelona would tear them apart, but if I were Bayern or Inter Milan I would not want to face them.

Bayern Munich are an attacking force on paper. Schweinsteiger, Olic, Gomez, Mueller, and/or Klose through the middle with Ribery and Robben on either wing should lead to a goal bonanza most weeks. But it doesn't. Frankly, they shouldn't even be here. Fiorentina were the better side over two legs, and the German club only advanced because a blatantly offside goal was allowed in Munich.

Inter Milan have all the talent in the world (as usual) but still play the dreadfully boring Jose Mourinho style of football. They have not played well in quite a while. I can't see them winning the tournament, but they should get to a semi-final unless they draw one of the clubs below.

Manchester United are not very good. I watch them almost every week, and they seem to always be outplayed. But somehow Wayne Rooney pops up with another goal, or a ball ricochets into the net off Paul Scholes' ass or an opponents knee. As I said, they are not that good, but they may be the luckiest side I have ever seen. I think they are through if they draw anyone besides Barcelona. The French teams could cause them trouble, but the French striker will get sent off and Fletcher will mis-hit a ball off 6 defenders and into goal to put them through.

Arsenal are my pick to win the competition. I just think they are the most talented team overall. Their downfall could be that Almunia is a bit shaky in goal, but when it comes to attacking talent, they are second to none, and I think their defense is a lot more reliable than Bayern Munich's or even Barcelona's.

Barcelona are the consensus favorite to retain their title, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if they did so, but this year's squad seems to be lacking something. It reminds me a bit of Chelsea the last two seasons. The talent is there, strength and depth at every position, a good manager, but I just don't trust them.

We will have a better idea of each club's chances very soon, when the draw is completed.