Wednesday 20 February 2008

Champions League - Last 16 (Leg 1)

Arsenal London - AC Milan 0:0
Celtic Glasgow - FC Barcelona 2:3
Fenerbahce Istanbul - FC Sevilla 3:2
Olympique Lyonnais - Manchester United 1:1
FC Schalke 04 - FC Porto 1:0
Liverpool FC - Internazionale 2:0
AS Roma - Real Madrid 2:1
Olympiakos Piraeus - Chelsea FC 0:0

The knock out stages in the European Champions League started this week and while Tuesday's matches were rather boring Wednesday saw somthing completely different. Arsenal vs Milan was labeled as the clash between the young and the old. The high speed one-touch machine of Arsenal with their exciting youngsters against the routine and the experience of Milan. Perhaps the embodiment of Milan, Paolo Maldini, played his 1.000th professional match for Milan last weekend and he again showed all his class in this one. It was a draw, yes, but the 2nd half was very exciting with an everflowing stream of Arsenal attacks and a very firm Milan defense.
Elsewhere Celtic lost to Barcelona after leading twice, both goals scored wonderfully. But Barca is a great team and one was able to see this when they scored. Messi did it twice and his 2nd one was brilliant. That match was also very intensive and exciting although Barcelona was in control most of the time. Still Celtic was fighting back with all they had. And their goalkeeper Artur Boruc made some great saves. If I remember it correctly he was in the goal for Poland when they played Germany in the group stages of the 2006 World Cup. In that match he was extraordinary as well.
That said I think the only team which will go through safely will be Barcelona. All the other ties are way too close.

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