17 February & 11 March Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) v Chelsea FC (ENG) FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) v FC Bayern München (GER) 18 February & 10 March FC Schalke 04 (GER) v Real Madrid CF (ESP) FC Basel 1893 (SUI) v FC Porto (POR) 24 February & 18 March Manchester City FC (ENG) v FC Barcelona (ESP) Juventus (ITA) v Borussia Dortmund (GER) 25 February & 17 March Bayer 04 Leverkusen (GER) v Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP) Arsenal FC (ENG) v AS Monaco FC (FRA)
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Chelsea 17 February
Jose Mourinho said on Saturday that he wanted a Parisian draw for ease of travel and access. And, although he didn't say this, perhaps ease of challenge. Chelsea certainly don't look like they're going to have as tough a time as last season, when they needed a brilliant late salvo to narrowly eliminate PSG. Too much has changed since then. Mourinho's side have made almost a quantum leap in evolution of their play, while Laurent Blanc's outfit have just looked more and more laboured, reflecting the limitations of their manager. Blanc's potential sacking could change things, but probably not enough to change the outcome: Chelsea going through.
Verdict: Chelsea
Manchester City vs. Barcelona 24 February
The tie of the round for the second year in a row, but one that also has turned a bit since last season. City did not initially kick on in Europe given the early struggles of their group, but the gritty way in which they ultimately got through -- with the entire spine of stars missing -- could represent a transformative moment. By contrast, Barca still look in transition, and more a collection of stars rather than cohesive unit that has made them the competition's touchstone side over the past half-decade. Now, they're all too reliant on their forward line.
It may still be asking a lot but if City have their own stars in, they have a big chance to reach the quarterfinals for the first time ever. That fact alone seems so out of place with a tie that is genuinely 50-50. This is set to be tight, and be decided by those players who can maximise the smallest of margins. Barca need Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar to click. City need Yaya Toure on top form and Sergio Aguero at full fitness.
Verdict: Manchester City
One of last season's glamour ties, Manchester City vs. Barcelona could reverse on last term's results.
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Atletico Madrid
One of the most refreshing ties of the round, and not just because it is the first time the competition has seen this pairing. There is also the contrast in styles, and the upwardly mobile nature of both sides, who are managed by two of the brightest young coaches in the game: Diego Simeone and Roger Schmidt. The one big difference is that Simeone already has blazed far brighter, having reached the final last season and won the Spanish league in what seemed such an unlikely fashion. That pedigree and tournament experience should stand to them. On the other side, Leverkusen, for all their fine football, also illustrated their flaws by allowing first place in the group to slip. They shouldn't even be in this tie. It will mean they probably go out.
Verdict: Atletico Madrid
Juventus vs. Borussia Dortmund 18 March
Perhaps the most engaging tie after City-Barca, and the one that might just be the most difficult to predict. It is a pairing that comes at a particularly curious time for both teams, not least given what this competition has come to mean for them -- a prospect only deepened by the fact it represents a repeat of the epic 1997 Champions League final.
That spell should really have seen Juventus win more European Cups than they did, having won only one out of three finals between 1996 and 1998, and it still colours so much of what they do -- especially given how the stock of Serie A has fallen. The trophy has become their obsession, and is the real big remaining challenge for the club as they continue to dominate Italy. A problem has been that they have come nowhere near replicating their domestic form.
The same can be said for Dortmund, but in a very different way. The Champions League has come to be their one source of solace in what has been an atrocious campaign. While they now look in real danger of a genuine relegation battle, they have usually been sparkling in Europe. The wonder is what will give, what will have the bigger say. Juventus, however, won't have a better opportunity against one of the notional best sides.
Verdict: Juventus
Real Madrid coolly discarded Schalke last spring, and there's little to suggest anything will change this season.
Schalke vs. Real Madrid 18 February
Real Madrid official Emilio Butragueno was caught by cameras basically trying to suppress a smile when this draw was made, and it's not hard to see why. Real Madrid have made a habit of racking up hugely impressive knockout wins against lesser sides -- including a 9-2 aggregate win over Schalke at this very stage last season -- and, with the form they're on and the forwards they've got, this is likely to be along the same lines.
Verdict: Real Madrid
Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Bayern Munich
No real challenge for the super-favourites at Bayern, which cannot be said about Shakhtar's campaign. It seems trivial to discuss the situation in Ukraine in the context of football, but there's no denying that it has made Shakhtar's challenges so much harder this season, especially because they don't have the advantage of being able to play at home. They've done well to get this far, and with some fine football on the way. It's still, however, where their European season is likely to end. Bayern are just too good.
Verdict: Bayern Munich
Arsenal vs. Monaco
Wenger finally gets the break he so badly wanted from a sequence of severely tough knockout draws, but he does get a return to somewhere he knows even better than a last-16 exit. The Arsenal manager returns to the club where he spent seven years between 1987 and 1994. His stint at Monaco did see Wenger reach this competition's semifinals for the first of just three times, and this draw may at least see him return to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2010. The fact Monaco got through despite the fewest goals scored for a qualified team in history reflects their lack of firepower, as well as their reduced activity in the transfer market. This is not the new force that seemed to be rising last season.
Verdict: Arsenal
Basel vs. Porto
Not the most glamorous occasion, but potentially one of the feistiest and hardest to call. These are two upwardly mobile teams who have made a habit of defying resources over the past few seasons, and offering big surprises. It makes this very hard to predict, although Porto's higher quality should just be enough.
1. Van Persie wins a tactical battle
The first-ever Premier League meeting between two Dutch managers was
inevitably an interesting tactical battle, with Louis van Gaal desperate
to outwit Ronald Koeman, who had served beneath him at both Barcelona
and Ajax. It was another Dutchman, however, who had the last laugh.
Van Gaal reverted to a three-man defence, with Marcos Rojo and Paddy
McNair flanking Chris Smalling, who lasted only 18 minutes before
departing through (yet another Manchester United defensive) injury,
replaced by Jonny Evans.
Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young pushed on as wing-backs, but the
two Southampton wide forwards, Sadio Mane and Shane Long, showed no
interest in tracking them, and stayed in narrower, more advanced
positions where they could counter-attack.
It made for an open game: United's wing-backs were in oceans of space
when they had the ball, but Southampton were in a good position to
start breaks. Another difference was in terms of pressing, a concept
practically invented by the Dutch. United made little effort to close
down high up the pitch, letting Southampton play out while the hosts got
tight in midfield, with Victor Wanyama and Steven Davis trying winning
the ball quickly and capitalising on stray passes.
It's difficult to remember much Van Persie did aside from scoring two goals -- United only had three shots
in total -- but that's the mark of a clinical striker. United went
ahead through a terrible defensive mistake: Jose Fonte's backpass was
badly underhit, although Fraser Forster probably could have read the
situation quicker and time stood still as he dallied as Van Persie raced
onto the ball.
Forster wouldn't have been able to intercept the accidental
through-ball but he could have narrowed the angle better. Either way,
the Dutchman's finish was extremely cool.
His second was better; again, extremely simple, but majestically
taken. Wayne Rooney's whipped, inswinging free-kick found him at the far
post and he prodded the ball confidently between Forster's legs with
the outside of his trusty left foot, to give United a somewhat
surprising victory.
Van Persie's goals were reminiscent of his double strike in a 2-1
victory at Liverpool in his final season at Arsenal. That day, Arsene
Wenger's side were battered throughout but his brilliance snatched a
victory that barely seemed deserved considering the balance of play.
He did that frequently in his final campaign at the Emirates to haul
an otherwise unimpressive side into third place and, despite poor recent
form, that's his task for this season, too. 2. More defensive issues for United
United's first-half performance was reminiscent of their recent
display in the 2-1 victory at the Emirates, where they were outplayed
for the opening 25 minutes, relied on David De Gea to remain in the game
and then counter-attacked well in the second half following a switch to
a four-man backline.
At St. Mary's, with a back three, they again looked completely
uncomfortable. Problems with injury persist and Van Gaal continues to be
unable to count upon reliable partnerships at the back.
Losing Smalling was a big blow, and Van Gaal's subsequent decision to
remove McNair just before half-time was understandable after the
youngster endured a difficult game, which culminated with him hooking
the ball to Shane Long in a dangerous goalscoring position.
Amazingly, the players appeared to have no idea what this
substitution meant, with Michael Carrick frantically screaming at
Herrera and the bench with his arms outstretched, asking whether he was
supposed to continue in midfield, or at the back.
It turned out to be the latter -- United kept the 3-1-4-2 shape --
but it's amazing that such poor communication can happen at this level
and summarises their all-round problems with Van Gaal's approach. United
are still completely unable to defend in a variety of situations, and
the three-man defence doesn't seem to be solving anything.
Theoretically the alignment provides spare men at centre-back, yet
the players showed no understanding of their positional
responsibilities. Graziano Pelle bullied with his strength, while Dusan
Tadic was able to peel off Carrick and race in behind, completely
exposing the flat backline with one simple run.
United's defence is still very much a work in progress, and things
haven't improved much at the back since the start of the season. 3. Brave Saints lack cutting edge
United aren't the only ones suffering from significant injury
problems. Southampton were troubled in midfield without Morgan
Schneiderlin and Jack Cork, plus Toby Alderweireld, who moved into that
position against both Manchester City and Arsenal. Jay Rodriguez,
meanwhile, is a long-term absentee.
The midfield shortage forced Koeman to change his system slightly.
Usually he likes to play with three standard central midfielders and
three forwards, an approach that changed in the recent 1-1 draw against
Aston Villa, when two midfielders played behind a front four.
Koeman admitted that was a tactic to expose a makeshift Villa
defence, but it didn't work and there was no link between midfield and
attack with Shane Long as a second striker. The Saints manager changed
that in the second half against Villa, instead putting Tadic centrally.
It was better, and that's how Southampton started here.
Tadic was responsible for much of his side's good play in that No. 10
role, floating between the lines and then charging in behind
dangerously. His dribbling is less obvious in central positions but his
clever, floated balls into the box caused plenty of problems.
It was his shot that deflected through to Pelle for the equaliser and
in the second half he really took command. His floated cross to the far
post found Long, who should have done better than heading straight at
De Gea, then his ball into Pelle prompted an overhead kick for the
Italian, and a half-hearted shout for handball.
Tadic's substitution with 20 minutes remaining was a real surprise
and Southampton lost their creative spark. They had the chances to win
this game, but lacked a clinical edge.
Last season they were outplayed by top teams. This campaign they
compete well but find themselves unable to capitalise upon their best
periods. It's more encouraging for Saints fans, but also more
frustrating.
CARSON, Calif. — Just as former teammate David Beckham did, Landon Donovan closed out his Major League Soccer career with a trophy in his hands.
“I’m
in a little bit of a daze, to be honest,” said the man who’s almost
universally regarded as the best American player of all time. “There’s a
lot of excitement, some sadness. There’s uncertainty and just pure joy
for this team and what we did.”
For the 32-year-old Donovan, who made his final appearance in a US
jersey against Ecuador this autumn, this was his sixth MLS Cup — the two
that he won with San Jose (2001, ’03) plus three others with the Galaxy
(2005, ’11, and ’12).
“Landon has done the real [expletive] in the game,” observed LA coach Bruce Arena, who also directed Donovan in two World Cups. “He’s done it all. He’s got very little left to give.
“I’m
so happy that he’s made this decision. He’s able to go out a winner.
Wouldn’t we all wish to be able to leave what we do the way Landon left
today, as a winner?”
Nearly as exciting for Donovan as the Tiffany’s trophy was knowing that he’ll never have to pull on a practice jersey again.
“I
don’t have to do any of the no-fun parts of the job now,” he said.
“Along with that, I don’t get experiences like today, either.”
Donovan,
who played the full 120 minutes, was employed in three positions — in
the midfield, up front (to give the attack some zip), and back in the
midfield to help sew things up.
And after being given a
questionable caution during added time in the first half, Donovan played
the final 75 minutes knowing that another yellow card would have
resulted in his expulsion and left LA playing with 10 men. Robbie Keane, who scored the winner, also was given a yellow two minutes into overtime.
Full marks for grit
The Galaxy, which kicked the Revs halfway to Tijuana when they met here in July, awarded them full marks for their grit.
“I
give New England a lot of credit,” said Arena. “They battled. They were
very disciplined. They knew what they had to do. They did a good job.
They pushed us as hard as we could be pushed.”
Fatigue a factor
It may have been a combination of a transcontinental flight
Thursday and Sunday’s warmth (temperatures were in the mid-70s), but the
Revolution lost their legs as the second half wore on.
“As the minutes went on, guys were starting to feel it,” said striker Charlie Davies, who came off for Patrick Mullins in the 72d. “It hurt us.”
By the start of overtime New England already had used its three substitutions with Daigo Kobayashi replacing Scott Caldwell in the 58th and Andy Dorman coming in for the cramping Lee Nguyen in the 91st.
The Galaxy didn’t go to their bench until the 90th minute when Alan Gordon and Dan Gargan came in for Stefan Ishizaki and Robbie Rogers.
Had the match gone to a penalty-kick shootout, as it did in 2006
against Houston, the Revolution would have been without their top
scorers in both the regular season (Nguyen) and playoffs (Davies).
CARSON, Calif. — Just as former teammate David Beckham did, Landon Donovan closed out his Major League Soccer career with a trophy in his hands.