Things are hotting up now... (The Big Match)

Member Name: angry chris

Product:	The Big Match
Date:	27/11/02 (134 review reads)
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The second phase of the Champions League has a familiar look about it. As the weaker teams are thanked very much for taking part before being shown the door, the top 16 club sides in Europe prepare to do battle for the biggest prize in European Club football.

To say that the first stage had a few surprises would be an understatement. Most notible by their absence are the thrice champions Liverpool, who were bundled out in the group stage by Swiss no-hopers FC Basle. To rub salt in the wound, Basel are managed by the man laughed out of White Hart Lane, Christian Gross. One can only imagine how much he enjoyed that.

While Liverpool have the consolation of the UEFA cup to soften the blow somewhat, another major player failed to manage even that. 2001 Champions and perennial contenders Bayern Munich were dumped out even more unceremoniously by AC Milan and Deporivo la Coruna, finishing bottom of their group, winless and pride-less. 2 points was their shock return from 6 games.

Slightly less of a shock, but one all the same given the increasing prosperity of the national game, was the exit of Turkish Champions, Galatassary. No place in the UEFA cup for them, either.

Olymipakos were probably the unluckiest team in the first round. Despite remaining unbeaten in 6 games, 6 draws and 6 points were only good enough for 3rd place and out.

On the bright side, Matchday 6 saw one of the most dramatic finales ever seen in the Champions League as Newcastle, Dynamo Kiev and Feyennord battled it out for the last remaining qualification place behind Juventus in Group E. Kiev failed to beat an understrength Juve and watched in horror as Craig Bellamy scored a last gasp winner to send Newcastle into the second phase. It was the first time that any team had lost their first 3 games, then won their next three to qualify. Kiev got the UEFA Cup. Feyennord, reigning UEFA Cup champions, got shown the exit door.

So, as we begin
Phase 2, the line up looks something like this:

Group A
Barcelona
Inter Milan
Bayer Leverkusen
Newcastle United

Group B
Valencia
Arsenal
Roma
Ajax Amsterdam

Group C
Real Madrid
AC Milan
Borussia Dortmund
Lokomotiv Moscow

Group D
Manchester United
Juventus
Deportivo la Coruna
FC Basle

GROUP A

Barcelona are the seeded team and came through the qualifying group completely unscathed, winning all 6 games. However, they are tenth in their domestic league, which indicates that they are not invincible. Kluivert is certainly one to watch.
Inter look a much better bet, topping their first group and sitting pretty on top of Serie A. They also have the top scorer in the competition in Herman Crespo, who notched 8 in group stage 1. No Italian team reached the last 8 last year, but it would take a brave person to bet against them this year.
Leverkusen may be last years runners-up, but they have been mortally wounded by the sale of Ballack and Ze Roberto to Bayern Munich, and they are struggling in the Bundersliga. May struggle.
Newcastle are still on cloud 9 after somehow getting this far after a woeful start, and they know their chances depend on a variety of things. Firstly, they must avoid a repeat of the shambolic defending which cost them 5 goals at Old Trafford on Saturday. Craig Bellamy must remain fit and playing. Alan Shearer must start scoring in the Chapions league. Newcastle have to win their home games. And they have to hit the ground running-they can't afford a repeat of the start to the first group stage. If they can manage all these, then they have a chance.

GROUP B

Valencia, available at 16/1 at the start of the season for the Champions League,
have been backed down to 7/2 joint favourites after outclassing Liverpool home and away in the first stage. The double runners up(2000,2001) and Spanish Champions look very strong indeed.
Arsenal, English double winners, started like a train and then suddenly fell apart, though they still qualified. In full flight, the Gunners have every chance of going all the way, and are surely the best chance England has of finding a winner. They must get the defence sorted out, and get the best from Viera and Henry if they expect to have a real chance.
Roma are a typical Italian outfit-strong at the back and useful going forward, but they are surely the weakest Italian team left in the contest. Will have to be at their best to progress.
Ajax, most noted for their brilliant young side of the mid 90's, are no longer the force they were. They are inexperienced and although will be difficult to beat, especially at the Amsterdam Arena, they will be looking to next year, perhaps.

GROUP C
Real Madrid are the defending champions, of course, and have a starting 11 which read like the "Who's who" of world football: Ronaldo, Zidane, Figo, Raul, Roberto Carlos, McManaman(?) to name but a few. However, there is a general feeling that they are more a group of great individuals than a great team. However, it would be a real shock if they failed to progress.
AC Milan are another symbol of the re-emergance of Italian football in this competition. Teams will be wary of the prolific Andrei Shevchenko and his new partner up-front, former Newcastle mis-fit John Dahl Tomasson. A danger to anyone, especially at the San Siro.
Borussia Dortmund, reigning German champions, are the most fancied of those German sides left in the competition. They looke poor against Arsenal at Highbury, but they took Arsenal apart in the return leg. Basketball reject Jan Koller is one to keep an eye on.
Lokomotiv Moscow, newly crowned champions of Russia for
the first time, have been a real surprise package, and will fancy themselves against anyone in sub-zero temperatures in Moscow.

GROUP D
Manchester United, famously winning in great drama in 1999, have yet to return to those heights, although they really should not have been beaten on away goals in last season's semi-final against Bayer Leverkusen. On paper, they have the best midfield in Europe, but they are struggling for form a touch, and are not the team they once were.
Juventus were mightily impressive in winning their group ahead of Newcastle, losing only once in the process. Indeed, that loss at St James remains their only defeat this season, and they still haven't forgiven Man Utd for beating them in the San Siro in 1999. Very strong.
Deportivo la Coruna were highly fancied last season when they were the Spanish Champions, but they were awful at the Riazor when beaten by Manchester United in the 1/4 finals, and have gone slightly backward since. In Diego Tristan, however, they have a real matchwinner, and cannot be discounted.
FC Basle created a bigger shock than Newcastle, when they knocked out a heavily fancied Liverpool in the fisrt stage. They are strong at home, beating Celtic in the qualifying rounds, but abject away, and this is surely where the fairytale ends.

The cream has risen to the top, as always, and if all goes as it should, the knockout stages should be as good as ever. The last eight, in my humble(and biased) opinion, will be:

Inter Milan, Newcastle,Valencia, Arsenal, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus and Deportivo la Coruna.

What a great competition this is turning out to be, huh?

For what it's worth, I predicted Arsenal at the start of the season to win it, and I won't change my mind: Gunners for me, I'm afraid.

Thank you for reading and commenting on this opinion.

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