UEFA Champions League Round of 16 recap

Into the second leg of the Round of 16, and the Spanish domination in Europe has already been put to the test by Manchester United and Milan, respectively. The game at the Bernabeu was of a massive significance for Real Madrid, with a special mention for the ‘Special One’ himself, as Mourinho found himself in troubled waters for a poor domestic season, coupled with frequent altercations with key players in the squad, putting him under the scrutiny of the press, which he considers quite inimical anyway.

But as things stand for both the coach and the team, all is not lost. Though Manchester United might have the crucial away goal, it is not beyond Mourinho’s men to hit the Red Devils on the counter and exploit the possible frailties that they have at the back. The game is poised on a knife edge, and one slip could hurt the teams severely.

Elsewhere, at the San Siro, an exhibition of discipline and intelligent play helped Milan secure a huge result against the Catalunian giants Barcelona. It was a major setback, with two former Portsmouth players finding the back of the net in a tie that was considered by many to be a dead rubber. Though some voices suggest that the poor pitch affected the potency of Barcelona’s “Tiki-Taka” play, it was quite evident from their recent games that Barcelona had been leaking goals at the back. It is at Camp Nou now that the fate of the tie lies. Barcelona are expected to be a different proposition on home turf , but Milan will look to stifle them and play on the counter.

Strong contenders Bayern Munchen strolled past Arsenal, with the second leg shaping up to be a mere formality. Arsenal’s solitary hope of silverware took a huge blow, as they were overpowered by the Bundesliga leaders. Other German teams Schalke and Dortmund narrowed in on quarterfinal spots as well. Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Porto look firm favourites to contest in the quarterfinals.