Champions League: England in ecstasy as Milan and Real fall

Ozren Podnar

It looks like three English teams will make it to the semifinals of the Champions League, just like they did last season. Arsenal or Liverpool are sure to be there while Manchester United and specially Chelsea are favourites against Roma and Fenerbahce, respectively. We may well see a repetition of last year's semifinals setup with Liverpool, United and Chelsea, with Barcelona instead of Milan this time.

Well, last year Milan defeated Manchester United 5-3 on aggregate in the semis and Liverpool by 2-1 in the finals, but Milan is out, after being well defeated by Arsenal in the previous round.

Milan: End of an era

The Gunners cut short Milan's magnificent European run since the 2001/02 season. In the last six campaigns, the Red and Blacks made it at least to the quarterfinals, in fact playing five times in the semifinals. Such balance made the Italians the most successful European side over the period.

Since 2002, when they were stopped in the UEFA Cup semis by Borussia Dortmund until last season's grand finale in Athens against Liverpool, Milan failed to make the last four just once in 2003/04. On that occasion it took a magnificent performance by Deportivo to kick Silvio Berlusconi's boys out of the competition.

Apart from that defeat, Milan won the Champions League in 2003 and 2007, got narrowly beaten by Liverpool in 2005 and were only eliminated in the 2006 semis by eventual winners Barcelona.

Arsenal have thus made history as the team that ended the latest era of Milan's continental domination, but making it past Liverpool will take an extra effort. The Champions League is Rafael Benítez's lucky ground and the Reds in Europe regularly look quite a different side, significantly superior to the one seen in the Premiership.

Prediction: Liverpool to progress

Manchester United last year demolished Roma 7-1, the heaviest defeat in the Italian club's European history. This season in the group stage the Red Devils won by a mere 1-0, salvaging a draw in Rome. Francesco Totti and the rest of the team may be closing on United, but they are not matching them yet.

Prediction: Manchester United by a narrower margin this time

Of all the English sides, Chelsea should have the easiest task against the ferocious Turks from Fenerbahce. The Canaries from Istanbul boast a reported army of 20 million fans, but Roman Abramovich's invested millions will count far more on the pitch.

Prediction: Chelsea will go through

In the remaining tie, the mighty Barcelona squad face Schalke, theoretically the weakest side left in the competition. The Germans are struggling even in the Bundesliga, where they have practically surrendered all chances of winning the title (the fans are accustomed to them doing that). But, this is a spirited, fighting German team which will engage the Barca stars in a pitched battle with some, not many, hopes of pulling off a stunning upset.

Prediction: Barcelona are so much more talented

Round of 16 1st 2nd

Schalke 04 vs Porto 1-0 0-1 (4-1 pen)
Arsenal vs Milan 0-0 2-0
Roma vs Real Madrid 2-1 2-1
Liverpool vs Inter 2-0 0-1
Olympiacos vs Chelsea 0-0 0-3
Celtic vs Barcelona 2-3 0-1
Fenerbahce vs Sevilla 3-2 2-3 (3-2 pen)
Lyon vs Manchester Utd. 1-1 0-1

Quarterfinals (1/2nd and 8/9th April)

Arsenal vs Liverpool
Roma vs Manchester Utd.
Schalke 04 vs Barcelona
Fenerbahce vs Chelsea

Ozren Podnar

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