C
Chris Maduewesi
Guest
As the popular mantra goes: "the Champions League" is back. Not just back,but at the stage where everybody is intrigued to watch the elite European football competition.
After being on a brief hiatus for the past two months the entertaining competition has entered into the knock-stages,which if you say is the exclusive preserve of the big guns; you will not be wrong.
Sixteen teams are now left in the Champions League,all in with an outside chance but there are really a few top clubs,who can be sieved from the rest as real contenders to win the title.
There are eight fixtures in this round,but only two of the ties stands tall among the lots of games on parade.
Manchester City vs Barcelona,Arsenal vs Bayern Munich are games that in prospect would make fans rise or cling tightly to their seats to savour every moment of an epic battle.
City vs Barcelona:
A game seen as one of maybe an established musician and an upcoming art performing on the same stage.
Barcelona in the last five years have been a mainstay in the Champions League,and they have gone into all the previous competitions as firm favourites to win.
City backed with the millions of their wealthy owners have brought in quality players to revitalize the squad. For the first time in three years,they have now gone from crashing out in the group stages to qualifying for the knock-out stages.
Not many think City can pull off this contest from Barca,even the biggest optimists have some doubts. Manuel Pellegrini and his players believe they stand a chance,and rightly so they do.
They have the personnel to hurt Barca,but there's no denying that a huge role has been left in the absence of Kun Aguero. Pellegrini confirmed that the Argentine won't be available for selection in this game,which would have been a massive boost if he were to be.
However the return of Fernandinho should help their course,bringing some stability in their midfield and Yaya Toure would have some freedom to roam up and down the lines;especially as they have complemented each other nicely this season.
But City's greatest undoing would be how Pellegrini sets them up against Barcelona,would he go just one top in attack on gamble with two strikers,opening a window for Yaya and Fernandiho to be overrun in the middle of the park?
Surely adding an extra body in the middle would stand them toe to toe with Barcelona.
But we are talking about Barcelona here. Lionel Messi seems to have been back to his 'overbearing best' and Neymar has just returned from an injury,in tandem they dismantled Rayo Vallecano 6-0 at the Camp Nou on Saturday.
The whole world knows that this duo can wreck havoc on an opposition,and at full performance they are like an unstoppable machine. Even Javier Mascherano said that Messi would have more than a point to prove against City,and if the Argentine steps down a gear he will sure be motoring.
Expect City to exploit Barcelona from the wings through any opening that Dani Alves and Jordi Alba would leave when they attack.
Surely we have a game on our hands,and whoever gets his tactics right takes the day.
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich:
Seems like the newest fad for Arsenal in recent years,is to get past Bayern Munich if they are to stand a chance of winning the Champions League.
It used to be Barcelona,not any longer as they have now come up against Munich in two successive years.
The defending champions are the most dreaded now in the competition,with people now saying "you have to beat them to it to win it."
How they see out oppositions leaves much to be desired,they are making bold statements with the results,taking teams apart as if they are no match.
Coming at the backdrop of five trophies in one year,everybody wants to avoid playing them,at least for now.
But poor Arsenal will have to scale this hurdle,if they are to win this elusive trophy in their cabinent.
Bayern are stronger and have even gone on an entirely different level,since Pep Guardiola started steering the wheel for Die Roten.
Everybody expects Arsenal to be blown away,like when a nuclear weapon is deployed somewhere. But this is football,it has an uncanny way of throwing up surprises that you never saw coming.
Arsenal will draw inspiration from the fact that they defeated this same Bayern team 2-0 last year at the Allianz Arena in front of their home fans. So it is doable,not something that can't be done.
However Arsenal would be deceiving themselves if they don't think this is not as herculean a task as it can.
Arsene Wenger had the luxury of making several changes on Sunday from the team that lost the previous weekend to Liverpool. So he should have some fresh players to call on.
Meanwhile Guardiola seems to have managed his selection headache very well. Arguably Bayern has the best bench,and every player who steps in to replace another,fills in the gap perfectly.
Would Guardiola go with Mario Goetze as the 'false nine' or select the sulking Mario Mandzukic to lead the lines?
What is certain is the irregular movements upfront would occupy both Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker. How they cope is left to be seen.
These contests is not really a straightforward call to make. What football fans are assured of is an enthralling game,whichever way the pendulum swings,then surely it must have been the right way.
Barcelona and Bayern are overwhelmingly considered favourites to qualify for the last eight,but Manchester City and Arsenal will not just turn up to be slaughtered;they would be looking to take their own scalp.
Fixtures on Tuesday and Wednesday
Bayer Leverkusen vs Paris Saint Germain
Manchester City vs Barcelona
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
AC Milan vs Atlético Madrid
After being on a brief hiatus for the past two months the entertaining competition has entered into the knock-stages,which if you say is the exclusive preserve of the big guns; you will not be wrong.
Sixteen teams are now left in the Champions League,all in with an outside chance but there are really a few top clubs,who can be sieved from the rest as real contenders to win the title.
There are eight fixtures in this round,but only two of the ties stands tall among the lots of games on parade.
Manchester City vs Barcelona,Arsenal vs Bayern Munich are games that in prospect would make fans rise or cling tightly to their seats to savour every moment of an epic battle.
City vs Barcelona:
A game seen as one of maybe an established musician and an upcoming art performing on the same stage.
Barcelona in the last five years have been a mainstay in the Champions League,and they have gone into all the previous competitions as firm favourites to win.
City backed with the millions of their wealthy owners have brought in quality players to revitalize the squad. For the first time in three years,they have now gone from crashing out in the group stages to qualifying for the knock-out stages.
Not many think City can pull off this contest from Barca,even the biggest optimists have some doubts. Manuel Pellegrini and his players believe they stand a chance,and rightly so they do.
They have the personnel to hurt Barca,but there's no denying that a huge role has been left in the absence of Kun Aguero. Pellegrini confirmed that the Argentine won't be available for selection in this game,which would have been a massive boost if he were to be.
However the return of Fernandinho should help their course,bringing some stability in their midfield and Yaya Toure would have some freedom to roam up and down the lines;especially as they have complemented each other nicely this season.
But City's greatest undoing would be how Pellegrini sets them up against Barcelona,would he go just one top in attack on gamble with two strikers,opening a window for Yaya and Fernandiho to be overrun in the middle of the park?
Surely adding an extra body in the middle would stand them toe to toe with Barcelona.
But we are talking about Barcelona here. Lionel Messi seems to have been back to his 'overbearing best' and Neymar has just returned from an injury,in tandem they dismantled Rayo Vallecano 6-0 at the Camp Nou on Saturday.
The whole world knows that this duo can wreck havoc on an opposition,and at full performance they are like an unstoppable machine. Even Javier Mascherano said that Messi would have more than a point to prove against City,and if the Argentine steps down a gear he will sure be motoring.
Expect City to exploit Barcelona from the wings through any opening that Dani Alves and Jordi Alba would leave when they attack.
Surely we have a game on our hands,and whoever gets his tactics right takes the day.
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich:
Seems like the newest fad for Arsenal in recent years,is to get past Bayern Munich if they are to stand a chance of winning the Champions League.
It used to be Barcelona,not any longer as they have now come up against Munich in two successive years.
The defending champions are the most dreaded now in the competition,with people now saying "you have to beat them to it to win it."
How they see out oppositions leaves much to be desired,they are making bold statements with the results,taking teams apart as if they are no match.
Coming at the backdrop of five trophies in one year,everybody wants to avoid playing them,at least for now.
But poor Arsenal will have to scale this hurdle,if they are to win this elusive trophy in their cabinent.
Bayern are stronger and have even gone on an entirely different level,since Pep Guardiola started steering the wheel for Die Roten.
Everybody expects Arsenal to be blown away,like when a nuclear weapon is deployed somewhere. But this is football,it has an uncanny way of throwing up surprises that you never saw coming.
Arsenal will draw inspiration from the fact that they defeated this same Bayern team 2-0 last year at the Allianz Arena in front of their home fans. So it is doable,not something that can't be done.
However Arsenal would be deceiving themselves if they don't think this is not as herculean a task as it can.
Arsene Wenger had the luxury of making several changes on Sunday from the team that lost the previous weekend to Liverpool. So he should have some fresh players to call on.
Meanwhile Guardiola seems to have managed his selection headache very well. Arguably Bayern has the best bench,and every player who steps in to replace another,fills in the gap perfectly.
Would Guardiola go with Mario Goetze as the 'false nine' or select the sulking Mario Mandzukic to lead the lines?
What is certain is the irregular movements upfront would occupy both Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker. How they cope is left to be seen.
These contests is not really a straightforward call to make. What football fans are assured of is an enthralling game,whichever way the pendulum swings,then surely it must have been the right way.
Barcelona and Bayern are overwhelmingly considered favourites to qualify for the last eight,but Manchester City and Arsenal will not just turn up to be slaughtered;they would be looking to take their own scalp.
Fixtures on Tuesday and Wednesday
Bayer Leverkusen vs Paris Saint Germain
Manchester City vs Barcelona
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
AC Milan vs Atlético Madrid
