The Sporting calendar

Man Utd and Arsenal booked their places in the last four of the 2009 champions league competition tonight, with wins over Porto and Villarreal respectively.

For Utd, a Ronaldo thunderbolt in the 6th minute saw them win, an impressive feat, against a Porto side that are very strong at home. Despite a very nervy last 10 minutes, Utd held on to keep a clean sheet, something they have struggled to do of late and close out the match.
Their opponents in the semis will be the impressive Arsenal!
They beat Villarreal 3-0 at the Emirates stadium, all the more impressive as they had lost most of their defenders for the game, they are quietly creeping up, on a long unbeaten run in both league and cups.
My tip for the FA Cup this year are beginning to assert themselves on opponents, and with Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd all still to play them in the league, they can cause a few worries.

Chelsea will play Barcelona in the other semi final, after an epic 4-4 draw with Liverpool at Stamford bridge.
Puzzling for me, as the pool took off Torres and Mascharano, just as they were getting back into the game, two of the players most likely to turn the game!
As good a fight as pool put up, the damage was clearly done in the first leg, Chelsea winning 3-1 at Anfield.
The one disappointment for me was the amount of times Drogba fell to the ground as if he’d been shot, only to jog away fine once the free kick had been given.
There is no place for this in English football, something needs to be done about it, once or twice, 50-50 challenges fair enough, but look at the free kicks he won last night, clearly he is playing on it.

The man of the match for me, was once again, Frank Lampard, his ability to pop up in the box late in the attack and his natural ability to hit the target is not being used to its maximum on the international scene. Like his dad, he is a quality player.

Barcelona make up the last four, after an easy win against Bayern Munich, a big win in the first leg made last nights game a formality.
As so often happens, the one odd team in the last four, normally goes on to win it.
Three English teams in the last four again, it wouldn’t surprise me if the only non English team wins it!

Once again, Liverpool will meet Chelsea in the next round.
The winners of this tie will face the winner of Barcelona v Bayern Munich in the semi finals.

On the otherside of the draw, Man Utd will play FC Porto, the winners of this tie will play the winner of Arsenal v Villarreal at the semi final stage.

Ties will be played 7/8 April with return legs played on 14/15 April.

There are no easy ties at this stage of the competition, but with Barcelona and Bayern Munich having impressive wins in the last round, the English clubs will be relieved they are playing each other and not them!
If three English teams reach the semis, I’ll be putting a few earth pounds on the one non English team left, as is often the case, the one team not expected to win, often does.

The European Champions league final (or as us oldies know it – the European cup) came a step closer for all the English clubs this week, with a quite outstanding performance in their respective second legs.

Liverpool:
Despite looking strong and playing well against Real Madrid, I cannot see them progressing past the semi-final stages (sadly for me) – Benitez has been earning his living from the European cup for far too long – the league is our “bread and butter.”

Man Utd:
Yes despite the historic rivalry, without playing especially well against Inter Milan, they deserved to go through to the quarter finals. I watched half their game in the first leg, they should have made the tie safe there. As much as I’d like to see them go out at the semi final stages, I think they’ll at least reach the final. If they do, then I hope Wellback, Carrick and the like get a look in as they are playing well.

Chelsea:
Can they hold their nerve this time around?
They scraped through to the final by the skin of their teeth last time against the pool, heart breaking for a pool fan, especially the way they got there (own goal by riise) but they did break the jinx that Liverpool had over them in semi finals.
Although Juventus are not the force they once were, any result in Italy against an Italian team, is a good result. Has Hiddink come just in time to save their season?
They deserve their place, possible finalists I think.

Arsenal:
Their win over Roma was the best news of the round for me. I can take or leave Arsenal, they don’t really bother me either way, but when I watched the text updates on BBC live text, saying their tie was going to a penalty shoot-out, I worried for them.
Penalties are a complete lottery, so when the first kick was saved, I feared the worst for them.
I remember watching them in the final and losing out, they didn’t do themselves justice at all, love them or hate them, they always try to play attacking, flowing football.
In Arsene Wenger, they have one of the most knowledgable managers in the Premier League. If the doubters got their way and he left the club, then Arsenal would really be in trouble.
Semi finalist this year I think, but well worth their place there – hopefully!