UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER FINAL LEG 2 PREVIEWS
ARSENAL FC (2) FC PORTO (1): Arsenal’s double salvo in Portugal – courtesy of captain and living Gunners legend Thierry Henry (ST) sets them up as favorites to oust plucky, domestic league-leading Porto at the Emirates. That said, they’ve lost a whopping 4times at home in the league this season, and are coming off back-to-back league losses, and the Portuguese side will have to fancy their chances of causing an upset, especially given as they’re no strangers to banging in goals on Arsenal’s (old) turf.
INTER MILAN (1) FC BARCELONA (2): Barca looked to be cruising after beind 2-goals up inside 20mins, but slack marking allowed Marco Materazzi (SW, D C) to head Inter back into the tie. Now, at the San Siro, where Inter have been impressive all season, they’ll have to be considered favorites unless Barca can release the handbreak and hit the net as reliably – and often – as they have at times in this campaign.
MAN UTD (1) CHELSEA FC (2): The 2nd of the behemoth battles to be finely balanced heading into the 2nd leg. West African duo Didier Drogba (ST) and Michael Essien (D C, M C) gave the Blues a 2-goal lead that was critically halved by a Paul Scholes penalty, and that away goal gives the Red Devils a way back into the tie. Interestingly enough both sides lost their talismanic hitmen to injury – Drogba is now out for up to 2weeks, while Ruud van Nistlerooy (ST) will be out for less but shall be sitting this one out regardless. Chelsea’s travel plans are further hampered by the fact that William Gallas (D LC) and Frank Lampard (AM C) are suspended, while Arjen Robben hasn’t overcome an injury picked up on international duty. This one could really go either way, and depends on how badly Man Utd want it, because it looks like archnemeses Chelsea could be there for the taking.
REAL MADRID (0) REAL BETIS (0): Los Blancos were unceremoniously blanked in the 1st leg, meaning they’ve got no away goals to fall back on. To win this outright, they’ll have to beat a determined and resilient Betis side that has thus far astounded all critics in still being alive at this stage of the competition.
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