Following the drama of this weeks Champions League 1st leg ties there are a lot more mouthwatering matches next week.
Kyle Hulme
AC Milan v Barcelona
On the face of things, Milan and Barcelona have had completely contrasting seasons; Barcelona saw their greatest ever start to a league campaign, whereas Milan got off to a horrendous start following the exodus of several of their key players. Given these reasons, a Barcelona win appears to be very much on the cards.
But football is rarely that simple. AC Milan are enjoying an impressive run of form – in fact, had Serie A started 15 games ago, they’d be sitting at the top of the pile. This is thanks in no small part to “El Faraone” Stephan El Shaarawy. The forward has netted 15 times already in the league and is part of a devastatingly ruthless attacking three, alongside M’Baye Niang and explosive (pun definitely intended) striker Mario Balotelli. Add to this the exploits of young defender Mattia De Sciglio – one of the best defenders in Serie A at the moment – and Milan definitely have a chance of an upset at the San Siro, and a chance to salvage their season.
That said, Barcelona aren’t lauded as the greatest team of all time for no reason. Lionel Messi has the chance this weekend to score his 300th goal and comes into the Milan game of the back of his usual breath-taking form, as will partner in crime Andres Iniesta. Sergio Busquets will also be a key player in this fixture, shielding the back four and making himself available in what will undoubtedly be a hostile atmosphere.
Whilst the chance of Barcelona progressing is obviously high, it would be unwise to rule out Milan at home, as they look to play for pride and to give their fans something to smile about this season.
David Grant
Galatasaray v Shalke
Christmas is an indulgent time for us all but Galatasaray fans were treated to some big spending this winter as Didier Drogba arrived from his unsettled experience at Shanghai Shenhua on a free transfer and Dutch maestro Wesley Sneijder crossed the Bosporus after leaving Inter Milan amid vast speculation which had seem him linked with Manchester Unted.
Santa may have bypassed Gelsenkirchen this year as Schalke 04 received merely more than a sack of coal from their market exploits. The club is undoubtedly weakened from sales made over Christmas. Key asset Jose Manuel Jurado was offloaded to Spartak Moscow whilst other members of Schalke’s attack, including Edu, Lewis Holtby and Raul all departed in the New Year. The German outfit must hope that loan signings Michel Bastos and Ibrahim Afellay don’t make Schalke look depleted.
Turkey is regarded as one of the most intimidating places to visit, with Galatasaray enjoying vociferous support in Istanbul. Their defence, based on the acquisition of Emannuel Eboue and the impressive Uruguayan stopper Fernando Muslera may prove too stubborn for a Schalke attack which, (despite the brilliance of Jefferson Farfan) may be missing the focus of their goal scoring exploits, Klaas Jan Huntelaar. Talented defender Atsuto Uchida has already been ruled out injured, which could be pivotal against the rejuvenated Galatasaray strike force which is bolstered by Hamit Altintop and former Bolton forward Johan Elmander.
Despite Schalke’s recent success in Europe, where they reached the Semi-Finals in 2011, the home advantage and vast previous experience in the Champions League for Galastasaray should be too strong for their German opposition.
Stephen Topping
Porto v Malaga
This Iberian contest shapes up as an intriguing Champions League fixture. Reigning Primeira Liga champions FC Porto remain a potent force in Europe, despite losing key players Radamel Falcao and Hulk in recent years, whilst their opponents Malaga CF remarkably topped Group C and finished unbeaten.
The home side are currently top of their domestic division, and look set to win their third successive title. This has been no doubt helped by the presence of João Moutinho, one of the finest playmakers around today, whilst winger Silvestre Varela adds flair to the side.
Unfortunately, coveted attacker James Rodríguez is likely to miss out through injury – a major blow for the Portuguese team. Malaga are debutants in the Champions League, following their fourth-place finish in last season’s La Liga table. This was made possible by their Qatari owners, who signed quality players such as Jérémy Toulalan, Joaquín and Martín Demichelis. However, the money has since dried up, and the side have seen many key players leave – such as Nacho Monreal, who joined Arsenal last month.
Despite this, the side excelled themselves in the group stages, picking up victories against AC Milan, Zenit St Petersburg and RSC Anderlecht – all teams with larger reputations in Europe than Malaga. The side will also have been boosted by their retention of midfielder Isco – one of Spain’s brightest young talents – and despite their recent setbacks they sit fourth in their domestic league again.
On paper the two sides are evenly matched, and both teams possess enough quality to provide fans with an entertaining battle on Tuesday night.
Jack Fairs
Arsenal v Bayern Munich
Excluding Mario Balotelli, Bayern Munich manager Jupp Heynckes must feel like the most hard done-by man in football at the moment. He takes a Bayern side to the Emirates on Tuesday that sits 15 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga, with a goal difference of 48, yet still the 67 year old German will find himself out of a job in the summer. Apparently Heynckes’s imperious Bayern team is in need of a radical shake up, with ex-Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola about to come in to the reported sweetener of a £242 million transfer budget.
You don’t have to look far beyond these statistics to realise that Arsenal will have their hands full with the visiting German side in this knockout tie. They go into the match in promising form, with 3 wins from their last 4 games. Unfortunately Bayern have maintained a similarly successful run all season long. They have not lost in the league since October and have won their last 4, scoring 11 and conceding none.
While Arsenal have frequently scored their way out of their defensive troubles this season, doing so against this frugal Bayern Munich defence may prove a step too far. Lukas Podolski will be keen to uphold this trend by netting against one of his former clubs, after top-scoring for the Gunners in the group stage.
Arsenal’s defence will face an intense examination from skilful wide-men Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, with the power of Mario Gomez through the middle. With an all-round threat and a ruthless consistency it is difficult to see anything other than the Germans taking a First-Leg lead back to the Allianz Arena.