Post by Salem6 on Feb 24, 2004 11:28:16 GMT
If Ally McCoist and Terry Venables are donning their ITV tie pins, it must
be time for the return of the Champions League and our analysis of the final
16
Guardian Unlimited staff
Monday February 23, 2004
football.guardian.co.uk/championsleague/story/0,13885,1154258,00.html
CELTA VIGO v ARSENAL
February 24 Estadio Balaídos
March 10 Highbury
Celta Vigo
How they got there
By way of a "minor miracle", according to defender Eduardo Berizzo. Celta
salvaged just two points from their opening three games in Group H but then
beat Ajax and turned over an insouciant, already-qualified Milan at the San
Siro to qualify in second place. Arsene Wenger won't be sweating behind
those spectacles, though.
Form guide
David Pleat's favourite son, Raddy Antic, hauled Celta out of an
embarrassingly poor first half to the season, but they're still flirting
with relegation from Spain's La Liga. With opponents Arsenal galloping away
in the Premiership, further progress looks unlikely.
Star player
Savo Milosevic may have been dumped by Aston Villa decades ago, but the
fop-haired forward has netted the bulk of Celta's goals this season. An
on-form Alexander Mostovoi makes a big difference too, despite the
encroachments of age.
European record
This is Celta's first foray into the Champions League, so just making the
knock-out stages is a boon.
Latest odds 66-1
Arsenal
How they got there
After a characteristically calamitous opening to their European campaign, in
which they were thumped at home 3-0 by Internazionale and drew against
Lokomotiv Moscow, Arsene Wenger's French colony returned three straight wins
to top their group - including that 5-1 display at the San Siro.
Form Guide
On the plus side, they're the best team in the Premiership, Thierry Henry
looks superhuman, and their multi-lingual manager is taking nightclasses in
Swahili. On the negative side, Ray Parlour.
Star Player
Henry. We hate it as much as you, but who else were we going to pick?
European Record
George Graham bought the 1994 European Cup Winners' Cup in a Happy Eater
near the M4, but the Gooners still haven't stumped up a brown envelope fat
enough for the big one.
Latest odds 11-2
BAYERN MUNICH v REAL MADRID
February 24 Olympiastadion
March 10 Santiago Bernabéu
Bayern Munich
How they got there
Without much conviction. After coming back from behind against Celtic,
several shaky draws and defeat against Lyon followed, and it took a nervous
1-0 win against Anderlecht to drag them into the knockout rounds. But that
won't stop them chasing the Real scalp with a rather large knife on Tuesday.
Form guide
Ottmar Hitzfeld must be wondering how his side are stumbling along seven
points off the pace in the Bundesliga - let alone out of the Cup thanks to
Second Division side Aachen. But old sage Oliver Kahn proferred this gem of
wisdom: "A good horse jumps highest when it needs to". Knowing the bristling
hostility between these two, we're not going to disagree.
Star player
Roy Makaay seems determined to slip on the European Golden boot for the
second season running, scoring four of his team's six goals in the
competition so far and showing no signs of stopping for Real's shaky young
defence. The return of Michael Ballack on the bench won't hurt either.
European record
Bayern won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1967 and have got their name on the
Intercontinental Cup twice. And they're no strangers to Europe's grandest
club prize - they won the European Cup three years on the bounce between
1974 and 1976, and claimed it again in 2001 with a penalty shootout that
filled Milan's hospitals with Germans clutching their chests.
Latest odds 20-1
Real Madrid
How they got there
Disappointingly. Roberto Carlos travelled on his own to Serbia and was
criticised for returning with a 0-0 draw against Partizan Belgrade, while
Ronaldo allowed Porto to escape with a draw in Madrid. Luckily, David
Beckham singlehandedly demolished Marseille to send his underperforming pals
through.
Form guide
Boss Carlos Queiroz has instilled defensive discipline into Real, (well,
he's persuaded goalkeeper Iker Casillas to stay in his own half and renamed
a few of the nine strikers as midfielders). Expect a highly charged meeting
- there's no love lost between these two sides.
Star player
Erm... can't think of one.
European record
Not bad. They have nine European Cups from 12 final appearances and have
dominated the Champions League since its inception. But where are those
Intertoto Cup wins, eh?
Latest odds 4-1 favourites
SPARTA PRAGUE v AC MILAN
February 24 Toyota Arena
March 10 Giuseppe Meazza
Sparta Prague
How they got there
By the skin of their teeth. They won, drew and lost the same number of games
(two) and conceded the same number of goals as they scored (five). But a 1-0
win over Lazio in the last qualifying game, via a 93rd-minute winner,
clinched second spot behind Chelsea.
Form Guide
No league games at present so it's hard to say. Defensively, though, they
are notoriously hard to break down and the fact that they came through one
of the toughest qualifying groups speaks volumes for their tenacity - but
they will have to be far more adventurous to progress further.
Star Player
Karel Poborsky may be 31 but the Czech international winger has resurrected
his career since those lost months at Manchester United.
European Record
The first year of the Champions League in 1991-92 also marked Sparta's best
European performance to date, narrowly missing out on the final after
finishing second in their group in the old-style format.
Latest odds 150-1
AC Milan
How they got there
By dragging things out. The holders bored Club Brugge and Ajax into 1-0
defeats, netted a paltry four goals in six group games, and failed to
impress anyone who cared to watch. All of which means they'll probably win
the damn thing all over again.
Form guide
After a lacklustre first term, the Rossoneri earned their Christmas bonus
with seven straight Serie A wins in the new year. However, they've since
been dumped out of the Italian Cup and drawn against long-term losers,
Lecce. Time to trim those tresses, lads.
Star player
Although Andriy Shevchenko scored just once in Group H, he has netted 17 in
the Italian league, four more than his nearest rival Francesco Totti. With a
ten-man defence, Milan now need him to perk up in Europe.
European record
Six European Cups, which isn't bad. Most memorably, they reached five finals
between 1988 and 1994.
Latest odds 6-1
LOKOMOTIV MOSCOW v MONACO
February 24 Lokomotiv Stadium
March 10 Stade Louis II
Lokomotiv Moscow
How they got there
Unrated outsiders, they did well to finish two points behind Arsenal and put
out Internazionale. Their crucial game was the 1-1 draw in Milan in October
which, combined with an earlier 3-0 win over the Italians, allowed them to
squeeze through to the knockout stage.
Form Guide
After a frustrating series of runners-up spots in domestic football in the
1990s, Lokomotiv seized a first Russian championship in 2002 and silenced
the accusations of nearly men. Hard to know how good they will be now,
though, as they haven't played any domestic football since the Russian
season ended in November.
Star player
Captain and attacking midfielder Dmitri Loskov and goalkeeper Sergei
Ovchinnikov are the players to watch.
European Record
Twice semi-finalists of the old Cup Winners' Cup.
Latest odds 80-1
Monaco
How they got there
Emphatically. One defeat in six games took them to the top of Group C above
both Deportivo La Coruna, whom they thrashed 8-3 to set a Champions League
record, and PSV Eindhoven. Much of their success is down to coach Didier
Deschamps, the fetcher and carrier who captained France to the 1998 World
Cup and 2000 European Championship and has created an indomitable team
spirit.
Form Guide
One of the form teams of Ligue 1, they look certain to clinch their eighth
French title even though they rarely attract more than 7,000 fans to the
Stade Louis II stadium. But Monaco are no longer a wealthy team - they built
up massive debts last season - and may not get beyond the quarter-finals in
this competition.
Star Player
Fernando Morientes, an English-style centre-forward with a good head and
goals in his blood. On loan from Real Madrid until the end of the season as
a replacement for long-term injury victim Shabani Nonda, he was wanted by
several English clubs but opted for the Mediterranean. Skipper Ludovic
Giuly, out with a foot injury, could be sorely missed.
European Record
Cup Winners' Cup semi-finalists in 1990, they reached their first European
final in the same competition two years later, losing to Werder Bremen.
Latest odds 28-1
be time for the return of the Champions League and our analysis of the final
16
Guardian Unlimited staff
Monday February 23, 2004
football.guardian.co.uk/championsleague/story/0,13885,1154258,00.html
CELTA VIGO v ARSENAL
February 24 Estadio Balaídos
March 10 Highbury
Celta Vigo
How they got there
By way of a "minor miracle", according to defender Eduardo Berizzo. Celta
salvaged just two points from their opening three games in Group H but then
beat Ajax and turned over an insouciant, already-qualified Milan at the San
Siro to qualify in second place. Arsene Wenger won't be sweating behind
those spectacles, though.
Form guide
David Pleat's favourite son, Raddy Antic, hauled Celta out of an
embarrassingly poor first half to the season, but they're still flirting
with relegation from Spain's La Liga. With opponents Arsenal galloping away
in the Premiership, further progress looks unlikely.
Star player
Savo Milosevic may have been dumped by Aston Villa decades ago, but the
fop-haired forward has netted the bulk of Celta's goals this season. An
on-form Alexander Mostovoi makes a big difference too, despite the
encroachments of age.
European record
This is Celta's first foray into the Champions League, so just making the
knock-out stages is a boon.
Latest odds 66-1
Arsenal
How they got there
After a characteristically calamitous opening to their European campaign, in
which they were thumped at home 3-0 by Internazionale and drew against
Lokomotiv Moscow, Arsene Wenger's French colony returned three straight wins
to top their group - including that 5-1 display at the San Siro.
Form Guide
On the plus side, they're the best team in the Premiership, Thierry Henry
looks superhuman, and their multi-lingual manager is taking nightclasses in
Swahili. On the negative side, Ray Parlour.
Star Player
Henry. We hate it as much as you, but who else were we going to pick?
European Record
George Graham bought the 1994 European Cup Winners' Cup in a Happy Eater
near the M4, but the Gooners still haven't stumped up a brown envelope fat
enough for the big one.
Latest odds 11-2
BAYERN MUNICH v REAL MADRID
February 24 Olympiastadion
March 10 Santiago Bernabéu
Bayern Munich
How they got there
Without much conviction. After coming back from behind against Celtic,
several shaky draws and defeat against Lyon followed, and it took a nervous
1-0 win against Anderlecht to drag them into the knockout rounds. But that
won't stop them chasing the Real scalp with a rather large knife on Tuesday.
Form guide
Ottmar Hitzfeld must be wondering how his side are stumbling along seven
points off the pace in the Bundesliga - let alone out of the Cup thanks to
Second Division side Aachen. But old sage Oliver Kahn proferred this gem of
wisdom: "A good horse jumps highest when it needs to". Knowing the bristling
hostility between these two, we're not going to disagree.
Star player
Roy Makaay seems determined to slip on the European Golden boot for the
second season running, scoring four of his team's six goals in the
competition so far and showing no signs of stopping for Real's shaky young
defence. The return of Michael Ballack on the bench won't hurt either.
European record
Bayern won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1967 and have got their name on the
Intercontinental Cup twice. And they're no strangers to Europe's grandest
club prize - they won the European Cup three years on the bounce between
1974 and 1976, and claimed it again in 2001 with a penalty shootout that
filled Milan's hospitals with Germans clutching their chests.
Latest odds 20-1
Real Madrid
How they got there
Disappointingly. Roberto Carlos travelled on his own to Serbia and was
criticised for returning with a 0-0 draw against Partizan Belgrade, while
Ronaldo allowed Porto to escape with a draw in Madrid. Luckily, David
Beckham singlehandedly demolished Marseille to send his underperforming pals
through.
Form guide
Boss Carlos Queiroz has instilled defensive discipline into Real, (well,
he's persuaded goalkeeper Iker Casillas to stay in his own half and renamed
a few of the nine strikers as midfielders). Expect a highly charged meeting
- there's no love lost between these two sides.
Star player
Erm... can't think of one.
European record
Not bad. They have nine European Cups from 12 final appearances and have
dominated the Champions League since its inception. But where are those
Intertoto Cup wins, eh?
Latest odds 4-1 favourites
SPARTA PRAGUE v AC MILAN
February 24 Toyota Arena
March 10 Giuseppe Meazza
Sparta Prague
How they got there
By the skin of their teeth. They won, drew and lost the same number of games
(two) and conceded the same number of goals as they scored (five). But a 1-0
win over Lazio in the last qualifying game, via a 93rd-minute winner,
clinched second spot behind Chelsea.
Form Guide
No league games at present so it's hard to say. Defensively, though, they
are notoriously hard to break down and the fact that they came through one
of the toughest qualifying groups speaks volumes for their tenacity - but
they will have to be far more adventurous to progress further.
Star Player
Karel Poborsky may be 31 but the Czech international winger has resurrected
his career since those lost months at Manchester United.
European Record
The first year of the Champions League in 1991-92 also marked Sparta's best
European performance to date, narrowly missing out on the final after
finishing second in their group in the old-style format.
Latest odds 150-1
AC Milan
How they got there
By dragging things out. The holders bored Club Brugge and Ajax into 1-0
defeats, netted a paltry four goals in six group games, and failed to
impress anyone who cared to watch. All of which means they'll probably win
the damn thing all over again.
Form guide
After a lacklustre first term, the Rossoneri earned their Christmas bonus
with seven straight Serie A wins in the new year. However, they've since
been dumped out of the Italian Cup and drawn against long-term losers,
Lecce. Time to trim those tresses, lads.
Star player
Although Andriy Shevchenko scored just once in Group H, he has netted 17 in
the Italian league, four more than his nearest rival Francesco Totti. With a
ten-man defence, Milan now need him to perk up in Europe.
European record
Six European Cups, which isn't bad. Most memorably, they reached five finals
between 1988 and 1994.
Latest odds 6-1
LOKOMOTIV MOSCOW v MONACO
February 24 Lokomotiv Stadium
March 10 Stade Louis II
Lokomotiv Moscow
How they got there
Unrated outsiders, they did well to finish two points behind Arsenal and put
out Internazionale. Their crucial game was the 1-1 draw in Milan in October
which, combined with an earlier 3-0 win over the Italians, allowed them to
squeeze through to the knockout stage.
Form Guide
After a frustrating series of runners-up spots in domestic football in the
1990s, Lokomotiv seized a first Russian championship in 2002 and silenced
the accusations of nearly men. Hard to know how good they will be now,
though, as they haven't played any domestic football since the Russian
season ended in November.
Star player
Captain and attacking midfielder Dmitri Loskov and goalkeeper Sergei
Ovchinnikov are the players to watch.
European Record
Twice semi-finalists of the old Cup Winners' Cup.
Latest odds 80-1
Monaco
How they got there
Emphatically. One defeat in six games took them to the top of Group C above
both Deportivo La Coruna, whom they thrashed 8-3 to set a Champions League
record, and PSV Eindhoven. Much of their success is down to coach Didier
Deschamps, the fetcher and carrier who captained France to the 1998 World
Cup and 2000 European Championship and has created an indomitable team
spirit.
Form Guide
One of the form teams of Ligue 1, they look certain to clinch their eighth
French title even though they rarely attract more than 7,000 fans to the
Stade Louis II stadium. But Monaco are no longer a wealthy team - they built
up massive debts last season - and may not get beyond the quarter-finals in
this competition.
Star Player
Fernando Morientes, an English-style centre-forward with a good head and
goals in his blood. On loan from Real Madrid until the end of the season as
a replacement for long-term injury victim Shabani Nonda, he was wanted by
several English clubs but opted for the Mediterranean. Skipper Ludovic
Giuly, out with a foot injury, could be sorely missed.
European Record
Cup Winners' Cup semi-finalists in 1990, they reached their first European
final in the same competition two years later, losing to Werder Bremen.
Latest odds 28-1