The draw for the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Champions League will be made tomorrow at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
The eight winners of the Champions League first knockout round ties will go into the quarter–finals, with the pairings determined by an open draw. At this stage of the tournament, no teams are seeded and clubs from the same national association can be drawn against each other. The quarter-finals are played on a home-and–away basis, with the first legs scheduled for Tuesday 30 and Wednesday 31 March and the return matches the following week, on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 April.
The four victorious teams will, at this point, know their semi-final opponent, as these pairings will also be decided during the 19 March draw ceremony. The first legs of the semi-finals will be contested two weeks after the quarter-finals, on Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 April, with the second legs staged on Tuesday 27 April and Wednesday 28 April.
I rank the eight teams left in the tournament this way:
- Barcelona
- Manchester United
- Inter Milan
- Arsenal
- Bayern Munich
- CSKA Moscow
- Lyon
- Bordeaux
The two best teams left in the draw are Barcelona and Manchester United and if they are kept apart in tomorrow’s draw, I would expect them to meet in the final on 22 May at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Barcelona are simply the best team in Europe and United have beaten Arsenal twice this season, so they have to be ranked higher than Arsenal.
Inter were really impressive in beating Chelsea and a Jose Mourinho side is always hard to beat. Inter’s form has been up and down this season, but based on the Chelsea performance I have then ranked as the 3rd best team left in the tournament.
Inter would be a really tough match for Arsenal because of their style of play. They pressure a lot, are physical and can counter-attack really quickly. These are all things that Arsenal have struggled with this season.
Behind Inter comes Arsenal, Bayern and CSKA Moscow.
Arsenal were really impressive in beating Porto and their success in the tournament depends on who they play. While Inter would be a tough match-up for the points mentioned above, Barcelona would be an easier game than Inter, simply because of Barca‘s style of play. They would let Arsenal play and the two games would be great to watch.
If Arsenal are drawn against Bordeaux, Lyon, Bayern or CSKA Moscow, then I fancy Arsenal’s chances of progressing in the Champions League.
Bayern’s never say die attitude against Fiorentina in the last round was impressive. Several times Bayern fell behind, but they were able to pull out a victory due to the magic of Robben and Ribery. I don’t think their defence is strong enough to beat the top teams, but they will not be an easy team to beat.
CSKA Moscow was impressive in beating Seville. They are undefeated in their last five Champions League games and a dark horse team, that neither Barca, Man United or Inter will want to play.
The two French sides are the two weakest teams in the draw and who ever gets them will be looking at a semi-final place. A perfect draw for Arsenal then would be Bordeaux in the quarter-finals and then they get the winner of Lyon and Bayern Munich in the semi-finals.
Thoughts on my rankings and the draw tomorrow?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Yes think your rankings are spot on would make a great final Arsenal V Barcalona two teams who like to play football the way its supposed to be played this would be a great advert for the game world wide in a one off game against Barcalona Arsenal would have a chance if they where at there best
The rankings are perfectly in order, am worried if Arsenal is drawn against Barca, Man U or Inter they might not stand a chance.these are teams that are physically superior and rarely let in goals…only Arsenal among the top four in your ranking lacks a goal scoring machine, that might prove the difference between progression and derailment into the semi. we need RVP back.
Please…. Don’t underestimate Bordeaux… Please, don’t even think about that team is weak… Perhaps they are an unknown club, but they are the most excellent team in the Champions League qualifying round, having no loss at all… They ranked first in the French league, and even the Lyon team that have beaten Real Madrid is ranked at 5!!! They have beaten both Juventus and Bayern Munich in this competiton, so why you have overlooked all these things???!!! I just really cant take the truth that you said Bordeaux is the weakest team remained in this knock-out stage… For me, it maybe Bordeaux might mount the biggest challenge at current stage… And for your information, that Maruone Chamakh is a deadly dangerous striker (who will join Arsenal this summer) is the top scorer for French League 1 last season and top Bordeaux scorer this season. They have Cedric Carrasso, top 5 goalkeeper in Castrol Football ranking!!! So I say it again, DO NOT EVER UNDERESTIMATE BORDEAUX AGAIN!!!
I agree with the ratings but I’d put Inter ahead of Man Utd. Simply because Utd are very similar to Chelsea in their play they try to dominate midfield physically and have a talismanic frontman that if kept quiet can be frustrated, Inter can cope easily with the midfield battle.
I disagree with your opinion that Arsenal v Barcelona would be a beautiful game to watch I get the feeling that it would be tentative affair with both teams trying to stop each other playing, because as we know if you allow either of those teams too much time on the ball on you will get punished. I’d say it would be a scrappy midfield battle of interceptions, fouls and a very stop start game with few real chances. I know that goes against both teams style of play but this is the quarter finals of the Champions league if you cast your mind back to when Barcelona played Chelsea at stamford bridge last year, that was a thoroughly ugly match.
I’m not afraid of united, they were lucky to catch us in a couple of weeks where our left back was woefully off form, so were Eboué, Bendtner and Walcott who were introduced when we were 3-0 down anyway. Now Clichy is returning to form and the above mentioned 3 are also starting to make a difference, we’re a completely different team from that 3-1 loss at the emirates where in the space of four minutes and two mistakes from clichy we were beat. We didn’t have Diaby nor Vela at that time either. That is 6 very important players that were pretty much unavailable to us at that time who are now starting to make their mark for us especially Bendtner who now has a better sense of positioning than he ever has.
I think that list is a bit deceptive because there no teams there that will be easier than the others to beat, but there also no teams there that we would not be able to beat especially with our current squads belief and the new determination they seem to have to fight until the last second.
Ye i agree wit the ranking, but 2 me i dont think we need baca or MU, if we are 2 get 2 semi we need this italian team give me inter, remember thay play baca,bot the home and away they seems not 2 no the game, the style, i think wat chease die rong was that they rush the game, so wen we play inter we dont need 2 rush them, well who so ever thay bring is going 2 be strong but i prever inter.
IF WE WANT TO WIN THIS BIG TITLE WE MUST FEAR NO ONE.IF WE CAN ‘T BEAT BARCA , M.U OR INTER THEN LETS DON’T WIN ANYTHING.
Anyway, CYPROUS is always supporting ARSENAL, so πανω τους ρεεε κανονιερηδες GUNNERS!!!!
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