Reaching its dénouement, the UEFA Champions League has rounded into a splendid, if nostalgic, form. Of the current quarterfinal contestants, only Manchester United and Roma have failed to reach this stage in the preceding three years. The return of the competition, and with it the promise of frenetic, emotion-fuelled action, has brought the spotlight onto Europe once more.
Chelsea vs. Valencia
The visit of Valencia to Stamford Bridge represents arguably the most intriguing fixture of the round. Valencia will be the surprise sole representatives of La Liga following the elimination of stalwarts Barcelona and Real Madrid, two of the competitions stalwarts. However, observers need not worry too much: of the three Spanish representatives of the group stages, Valencia have consistently shown themselves to be pragmatic, preferring a more patient, organized approach than the na’ve and cavalier displays of their more illustrious counterparts.
Valencia’s success owes as much to the defensive experience of Roberto Ayala, Carlos Marchena, and David Albelda as to the goal-scoring exploits of David Villa and Fernando Morientes. However, therein lies the problem for Valencia. Seventeen-goal-striker Morientes will be out with a dislocated shoulder, and Marchena is serving a ban for his earlier involvement in the infamous brawl with Inter Milan. Miguel Angulo will prove an able deputy for Morientes. As for replacing Marchena, picking the defensive backup will be critical, especially when Valencia approaches the game having won just four of their last ten matches, their defence recording just two shutouts.
Chelsea, meanwhile, presents a vivid picture of a soccer dynasty. The rich Chelsea squad needs little introduction. Their progress in the competition will rely upon such household names as Makelele, Lampard, Terry, Essien and Drogba. Conspicuously absent from that lineup is beleaguered striker Andrei Shevchenko, whose 12 goals pale in comparison to Drogba’s deific tally of 29. However, one need only look at the quality of the goals scored by Shevchenko to realize that he may be the decisive factor in the tie.
Chelsea have conceded just 34 goals in their 51 games in all competitions, and they remain unbeaten at home since February 2006. As such, Valencia will have to post a decisive win to emerge victorious.
Roma vs. Manchester United
The meeting between Roma and Manchester United represents the first time that either team has reached the Champions League quarterfinals since 2003. It could scarcely come at a better time for either team.
The ease with which Roma dispatched Lyon, hitherto the only unbeaten team in the competition, came as a bombshell to most bystanders. Yet Roma has been one of the best-conditioned teams this year. Having kept clean sheets in five out of their seven games in the competition, and not concededing a goal in their last four, Roma should not be discounted from the semi-finals.
Manchester United, meanwhile, are quickly emerging as the most complete team in world soccer. They exude a dynamic plethora of pace, flair, creativity, organization and reliability. Their success will depend upon good offensive organization, as Roma has relied on sound tactical defence. However, Roma’s attack has also been innovative. Sir Alex Ferguson has already expressed his concerns over a formation which allows Francesco Totti to maraud across the park, while Taddei, Perotta, and the outstanding Mancini provide support from the back.
Nonetheless, while Totti’s 21-goal haul will furrow United brows, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s explosive trickery may take the limelight, the overlooked key player will be Paul Scholes. From the ashes of Zidane’s retirement and Riquelme’s apparent banishment to Argentina, Scholes has emerged as a midfielder who can dictate the score. It is no accident that he appears to stroll though games, using space on the pitch long before the ball even reaches him.
Roma may well have some sleepless nights, fretting over the fact that United have scored an average of 2.26 goals per game in both the Premiership and Champions Leagues. In recent play, they have conceded an average of less than one goal per game, and have failed to win just four of their previous twenty games, losing only one.
Take note of the fact that United’s buccaneering fullback Gary Neville and dominant centre-half Nemanja Vidic will both be out due to injury.
AC Milan vs. Bayern Munich
These two teams meet with the intention of reddressing a season that has been seen as underwhelming for both teams. Domestically, both are out of contention for their respective league titles.
But the Champions League has provided something of a respite for Bayern. They were one of just two teams to remain undefeated in the group stages, and have been beaten just once, on the away leg of their knockout tie against Real Madrid. In any case, they have gained much confidence from eliminating Madrid, particularly when they scored four times against a defence marshaled by Sergio Ramos and FIFA World Player of the Year Fabio Cannavaro.
Despite having reached the quarterfinals in two straight years, Milan have been criticized for a lack of innovation. The problem for Milan has been their lack of a definitive goal-scorer. Kaka-a midfielder-is the club’s top scorer, with 11 goals. The squad has won just one of their last four games in the competition. Indeed, their winning goal against Glasgow Celtic was their first in 363 minutes of Champions League action.
However, with the experience of the insurmountable Maldini, the majesty of Pirlo, and the remarkable stamina of Gennaro Gattuso, Milan is a team that rarely gets flustered. At all times, they perform as a unit supremely confident of its eventual victory.
With Kaka in midfield, such belief is not unfounded. His suberb ability brings the potential of a win to almost any game. Not only does he rarely lose the ball, but almost every pass he makes leads to a goal-scoring opportunity. His main asset is his speed, not only physical, but mental as well. Akin to Ronaldo at his irrepressible best, his pace over the first few yards allows him to rocket past opponents before they can react.
Milan will be deserved favourites, having suffered defeat just once since losing to Lille in the last game of the group stages. Ironically, that loss was to AC city rivals, Inter Milan, back in September 2006.
PSV Eindhoven vs. Liverpool
PSV and Liverpool are arguably the surprise packages of the quarterfinals, as few would have expected them to triumph respectively over last season’s finalists, Arsenal and Barcelona.
But to anyone familiar with Liverpool’s roster, the team’s victory over Barcelona can come as no surprise. However, Liverpool chronically fails to achieve consistency in the Premiership, and PSV will take solace in the fact that Liverpool has lost seven of their 15 domestic games away from home.
Nonetheless, Liverpool’s Champions League form is excellent. They have lost just one of their four away matches so far, and deserve respect for their victory over Barcelona.
PSV meanwhile managed a shocking upset in the previous round, tying against Arsenal. They have been criticized for what some deemed too defensive-mindedness in that tie. However, in manager Ronald Koeman they have a coach who has consistently engineered dramatic results with limited resources. Koeman has assembled a rich diversity of experience and pace in such players as Phillip Cocu, Jefferson Farfan, Arouna Kone and Edison Mendez.
However, he will find his resources stretched this week with the injury suffered by prize-defender Alex, who now faces a race against time for the second leg. In addition, the injury to Mexican defender Carlos Salcides means that PSV will being trying to defeat Liverpool with a makeshift back-line.
Indeed, Alex’s presence has been felt by his teammates, as they have failed to win in the four games since his injury, which included a humiliating 5-1 defeat at home to rivals Ajax.
This fixture presents a unique situation, as Liverpool and PSV are the only remaining teams to have already faced each other in this year’s competition. Ominously, those matches ended in goalless draws at the Phillips Stadion, while Liverpool prevailed 2-0 at Anfield.
With Peter Crouch set to be deployed to capitalize upon the height lost by Alex’ unavailability, and the reliability of Jamie Carragher in the Liverpool defense, PSV are promised a torrid evening if Gerrard and Alonso can win the midfield battle.
