That Bloke In The Big Smoke

Ronaldo missed a 2nd minute penalty and Barcelona maintained the vast majority of possession. That pretty much sums up the match. Barcelona and Chelski will go into the 2nd leg with the advantage, but the 1st leg results were so tight that both Liverpool and Manchester will fancy their chances of nicking an only goal to send them through. A lotta people expected a goal-fest at Camp Nou tonight but it was not to be. Chelski and Manchester play each other on Saturday which is good for Liverpool because they'll hope their North-Western bitter rivals will run the London team ragged for the return leg. Chelski on the other hand haven't lost a domestic competition game at home since going out on penalties in the 2005 League Cup to Crystal Palace. In European competition however, Liverpool can take heart from Barcelona's victory at Stamford Bridge two years ago. There's still a lot to play for next week. Will the Red(s) (Devils) set up an all-English final?!

Later tonight, Liverpool take on Chelsea for the third time in four years at this stage of the world's greatest club football competition. In 2005, Luis Garcia's "phantom goal" took Liverpool to the final and last year, Liverpool destroyed Chelsea in the penalty shoot-out after the two legs ended one-all. This year's duel will be significantly different. Instead of playing at home in Anfield in the 2nd leg, Liverpool will play at home first. It might throw a spanner into Rafa Benitez's preparations but let's hope it doesn't. I'm not really sure how we're gonna approach tonight's match. We definitely don't want to concede an away goal so there will be at least five to six defensive players on the pitch. Will Rafa continue with the 4-2-3-1 formation that has brought us much success this year, or will he change things like he did against Arsenal a couple weeks ago to go all-out for victory? Either way, it's gonna be a boring game that'll probably result in a stalemate. The best news is that Gerrard is going to play. Can we make it three times lucky? Tune in at 1845 GMT to find out. COME ON YOU REDS!!

Glasgow Rangers are the only British team to qualify for the semis of Europe's other cup competition. Congratulations! I grew up supporting Heart of Midlothian (not passionately, but just as my Scottish representatives) but then when I began playing Championship Manager in the mid-90s, I gained much success as the boss of the Gers. Ever since then I have celebrated their every success. Tonight they proved their European credentials and moved one step closer to an audacious quad of trophies this season. Go get it Teddy Bears!!

Three matches, three draws. What more could you have predicted for the fourth encounter between Liverpool and Arsenal this season? Another stalemate of course and after 68 minutes of absorbing football, it looked like we were heading for a fourth consecutive draw and a penalty shootout. But then cometh the hour, cometh the man, step up Fernando Torres. A moment of magic. Back to goal, the Spaniard turned with the ball and without even looking up to pick his spot, he swung the ball into the top right corner of the Kop, sending every Liverpudlian fan into a frenzy. We were now 3-2 up on aggregate and just 20 minutes away from yet another European Cup S/F.

But that's the beauty of football. Just when you think you've seen it all, something new and exciting takes place. What followed were 20 minutes of tension-filled suspense and absolute chaos. El Niño's rocket forced Arsenal Wenger into a panic and he sacrificed two defenders as he went hook, line and Theo Walcott for a match-winning equaliser. Liverpool responded by bringing on their own young winger, Dutchman Ryan Babel. It would be a massive understatement to say the two youngsters changed the game. They re-wrote the destinies of two of England's most famous football clubs. Two pairs of fresh legs twisted a game that had already lived up to its star-studded billing.

On 83 minutes, an hour since Arsenal had truly dominated the game, Theo Walcott produced the greatest run across a pitch since Maradona in '86 and Saeed Owairan in '94. The 19-year-old Englishman didn't score, but his inch perfect pass set-up Adebayor to easily slot in his 25th goal of the season. Arsenal had not only equalised but were seven minutes away from a place in the S/F on the away-goals rule. Surely we couldn't recover from this? That we did has already become the stuff of legend, but it wasn't without controversy.

Did Toure do enough to deserve a penalty? It didn't matter. The referee booked Kolo; and Steven Gerrard, the soul of the Liverpool team, stepped up to take the most pressure-soaked penalty of his decade-long career. That he scored with such ease and composure will also become the stuff of legend - and don't forget, it was in front of the Kop. Every Liverpudlian toddler grows up dreaming of playing in front of the Kop and scoring a match-winning goal on a night like this. Gerrard makes such dreams come true like nobody's business.

It wasn't over yet. Liverpool had four minutes of regular play, three minutes of injury time and consecutive waves of Arsenal assaults to withstand and secure a third European Cup S/F meeting with Chelsea in four years. The final score belied the real difference between the two teams. Once Liverpool secured a lead, Arsenal had no choice but to throw all hands on deck. Kuyt hacked the ball away in the dying seconds of the game and Babel did the rest. A tired Fab-who-regas just couldn't keep pace with Babel and the rest is history. Some Arsenal fans may cringe and cry conspiracy but the fact remains: in the last 12 games each club has played this season, we have won 9, drawn 2 and lost only 1 (to MUFC in the League). Arsenal on the other hand have won only 2, drawn 7 and lost 3, including a 4-nil thrashing at the hands of Manchester United in the FA Cup. Double-trophy credentials? You gotta be kidding me. After an awe-inspiring start to their season, Arsenal's title-aspirations have been completely derailed. The sooner they realize this and rectify the situation, the better.

So there we are. Yet another trophyless season for Arsene's babes, and yet another European Cup S/F for the Rafalución's Class of Benitez. Watching both legs in a bar filled to capacity (ie, 600 people) dominated by Red supporters is an experience I'll never forget. Mixed together with my first ever Liverpool match LIVE at the Emirates on the weekend caps it off as one of the greatest weeks in my life. It didn't matter who won at the end (well it did) but what was important was that two clubs illustrated why the English Premier League is on its way to European invincibility. The level of football on display was of the top drawer. Congratulations to Arsenal for putting up a performance worthy of a final. A fitting finale to three matches that left little to separate between the two teams. A fitting spectacle for the world to see just why football is the globe's most favourite sport. Chelski FC, here we come! YNWA!

( Other notes )

Scarfed up at work today for the match later this evening.

Liverpool & Arsenal have played each other 4 times this season & each time the score has ended 1-1. But tonight, even if the score is 1-1 after full-time, the match will go into extra-time and if there is still a deadlock, the match will go to penalties. One thing's for sure, there will be a winner tonight and there will be heartbreak for the loser. Let's just hope England's most successful club in Europe prove their Continental credentials once again. It's yet another special European night at Anfield. I'll be back at the Barracuda to cheer the Reds. YNWA!

Will it be greatness or disaster? (The Times)

"The myth about LFC's success in Europe is that it is a fluke. Certain aspects, maybe. To go three goals down to AC Milan in a Champions League final playing as badly as Liverpool did in Istanbul before coming back to draw 3-3 - while still not playing particularly well, just with better shape and self-belief - will never be repeated without influence from the Almighty. Yet the rest of it, the deserved victories over Inter Milan, Juventus, Chelsea and Barcelona, the capacity to find reserves of resolve in the tightest corners, happens too frequently to be merely the work of the Fates. If it was that easy for a failing team to raise their game in the Champions League, they would all do it."

BBC Goalflashes and Major Incidents
--BBC Text Commentary

Well, it was obvious who was gonna score innit? But just when you thought he'd displayed everything out of the Book of Ronaldo Specials, came the sorta goal that Centre Forwards are famous for. Barely seconds before the goal was scored, Ronaldo was a couple dozen yards behind the box waiting to see what Rooney had in mind and shore up the midfield. But the moment Scholes got the ball and prepared to pass the ball into the box, Ronaldo darted forward and in one swooping movement headed the loooping ball into the net and produced an oh-so-crucial away goal for the Red Devils, as Manchester United moved just that much closer to yet another European Cup semifinal.

UPDATE:
Manchester United moved another step closer to Moscow as they defeated Roma 2-nil. Though their 2nd away goal came totally against the run-of-play, nobody could deny that they were the better team overall. The Ronaldo-Rooney combination is just too good, not just in England but even against Europe's best. It looks nigh impossible for the Italians to get back from this. Meanwhile, Barcelona managed to hold on to their away goal advantage despite a late assault by German-club Schalke 04. It looks like the dream S/F between the English and Spanish giants is well on the cards. Now, if only Chelski and Liverpool can match today's performance in tomorrow's games.

PS The atmosphere provided by the Roman fans has been simply electric. I've only heard better once earlier this season when we went to Istanbul to play Besiktas. Their home fans were so loud I was feeling nervous all the way in London, even though I was just watching it on a large screen. I shudder to think how I would've felt if I'd been in the stadium itself! No wonder we lost that match!

PPS Barcelona are 1-nil up against Schalke 04 and also have a crucial away goal.

Everything this guy touches turns into gold. What audacity to score a cheeky goal like that. And to think he's only 23?! I may not be a Man Utd fan but on evidence of the way they played today, it was impossible not to admire the Brazilian-style class and flair with which they dismantled European hopefuls Aston Villa. At this rate I'd find it hard to bet against a United double.

Man Utd couldn't win. Arsenal couldn't win. Even Chelski couldn't win. But Liverpool, yes the same team that struggles against England's weakest teams, not only pulled off a victory but defeated arguably the form team in Europe. At the end of the 1st Leg Pre-Quarterfinals there were also victories for Roma, Barcelona, Schalke and Fenerbahce. Both Roma and Barcelona came back from behind to win their respective matches, with the Catalan giants recovering from falling behind twice. Though Roma and Fenerbahce won and Lyon drew their matches respectively, they will be concerned that Real, Sevilla and Man Utd picked up crucial away goals. Celtic too have an uphill task ahead of them with Barcelona picking up 3 away goals. So as it stands my picks for the Quarterfinals are: Milan, Barcelona, Sevilla, Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelski, Real and Schalke. 3 English clubs, 3 Spanish, 1 Italian and 1 German club. Game On!

Rafa Benitez moved one game closer to his Anfield exit as The Reds were sucker-punched out of the world's oldest club competition by Yorkshire's Barnsley FC. In a game many predicted the Merseysiders to cruise through it was a tragic ending as Tykes captain 25 year-old Brian Howard produced a last minute injury-time winner in front of the Kop. Most of the credit for their shock victory though should go to 24 year-old goalie Luke Steele, on loan from West Brom and making his Barnsley debut! He made not one, two or three great saves but at least a dozen crucial saves that kept Barnsley in the game even when they went behind. It's matches like these that add to the glory that is the FA Cup and the Yorkshire club could not have scripted a more beautiful win. Their fans will no doubt remember this match with fond memories for the rest of their lives and it is worth noting that Dickie Bird, the world's most famous cricket umpire and lifelong Barnsley supporter, was also in the crowd. Liverpool meanwhile will once again wonder just how much worse this season can get and with Inter Milan to play in just three days time, their American owners may be just one game away from bringing the Rafalución to an abrupt end. That would be a cruel blow. SO COME ON YOU REDS (Liverpool, that is), GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER!!!