Top quality centre-forwards can get you a long way in Europe, but if you want to win the Champions League you’d better have a bunch of goalscoring defenders and midfielders.

In an era of suffocating formations and giant defences, the quarter-final first legs showed the value of players getting forward from deep.

As noted by Soccerblog, Daniel van Buyten got both Bayern Munich goals in the 2-2 draw with AC Milan, while John Arne Riise scored for Liverpool against PSV Eindhoven. Riise, after being threatened by a golfclub-wielding team mate, had also scored against Barcelona, while Arsenal were being knocked out by PSV defender Alex.

They might also have mentioned that Lucio, another Brazilian centre-back, scored in both legs of Bayern’s victory over Real Madrid, while the winner in last season’s final came from Barcelona full-back Juliano Belletti. Liverpool’s win over Milan in 2005 came in spite of their forwards rather than because of them, while the midfielder Deco was the inspiration in Porto’s triumphant run in 2004.

You have to go back to 2000 for the last time centre-forwards led a team to the European Cup, with Nicolas Anelka scoring twice in the semi-finals to get Real to Paris and Fernando Morientes and Raul finding the net in the final against Valencia.

So what about this year? Kaka is the leading goalscorer with seven but unless more Milan players weigh in they may struggle to reach a third final in five years.

Bayern are not the most skilful side and their three forwards have managed just seven goals between them but the combination of goals from deep and great team spirit has worked wonders before. Just think of Liverpool in 2005.