Reuters Soccer Blog

from Left field:

And Porto will play…..Europa League draw provides some stardust

There was the usual hushed silence and then sudden intake of breath heard in Nyon on Friday, though not for the Champions League Round of 16 draw but the first two ties of the Europa League Round of 32.

Holders Porto will play mega-rich Manchester City, they were the first two names out of the little plastic balls when UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino was finally able to open the second after Davor Suker had tried and failed, and Ajax Amsterdam will take on Manchester United.

So what about the Champions League draw? Well, here it is in full:

Olympique Lyon v APOEL Nicosia

Napoli v Chelsea

AC Milan v Arsenal

Basel v Bayern Munich

Soccer Break Friday – R.I.P FA Cup?

When I was in a French campsite in the 1990s a Dutchman caught wind of the fact I was English and immediately asked “Do you know the scores in the FA Cup semi-finals?”

Ask most football fans about what day in the season they looked forward to the most in the past and the FA Cup would have often topped the list, but the grand old competition is on the wane.

This year, four Premier League fixtures will be played before the trophy-starved Manchester City and Stoke City take to the Wembley turf for a shot at glory, the irony being Manchester United could clinch the league title about 20 minutes before their bitter city rivals try to win their first piece of silverware since 1976.

Is this farcical and disrespectful to the FA Cup or a sign the times-are-a-changin’? Money rather than trophies seems to rule modern football, so it’s no surprise to see the lucrative Champions League taking over as the ‘must win’ competition.

Off the pitch the red half of Manchester had a pleasing day after announcing their revenue was up by 30 per cent. The Red Devils roll on.

Over to the ongoing FIFA corruption scandal, and president Sepp Blatter has written a letter to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport about his re-election bid on June 1. 

The talk in Africa is that one of the executive members embroiled in the affair, Issa Hayatou, should step down from his role as one of African football’s most influential figures. Agree?

Soccer Break Thursday

So Real Madrid finally broke their last 16 jinx and made the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2004 with a solid home performance against Olympique Lyon. Can’t imagine anyone left in the draw would like to face Jose Mourinho’s men when the last eight and semi-final draws are announced on Friday.

Which team would you want? Managerless Schalke 04? Real are divided on that given they would then face former striker Raul. Or Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk? Tottenham Hotspur would appear to be another one of the weaker teams left but at this stage of the competition any side is a threat.

To focus on Real, there are many talking points. Marcelo’s opening goal clearly settled the home support while there is no doubting Mourinho’s effortless ability to succeed.

In Wednesday’s other match Chelsea coasted through against FC Copenhagen, little surprise there. However Fernando Torres was again left waiting for his opening goal at the London club after coming on as a substitute in the 68th minute.

While English teams lead the way in the Champions League with three representatives, in the Europa League Liverpool and Manchester City have an uphill battle to make the quarter-finals. Scotland’s Rangers are also in with a chance but must beware the away goals rule.

Elsewhere in the Europa League, former winners (of the UEFA Cup before it became Europa League) Porto take a 1-0 away leg win to Portugal while Zenit St Petersburg must try and overturn a 3-0 defeat at Twente Enschede.

Ajax Amsterdam and Paris St Germain must also make up for first leg defeats against Spartak Moscow and Benfica respectively.

Soccer Break Thursday

Breathe in. Breathe out. The Champions League is over for this week after a tense two days of last 16 drama. And now for Europa League action on Thursday with yet more top sides in action.

First of all however let’s dissect the Champions League from Wednesday where underdogs Tottenham Hotspur and Schalke 04 progressed past their more fancied rivals, AC Milan and Valencia respectively.

The fact Spurs, who lie fifth in the Premier League compared to Serie A leaders Milan, and Schalke sit 10th in the Bundesliga as opposed to their La Liga third-placed victims, can overcome such stiff tests is yet more testament to how unpredictable and ultimately fascinating a competition the Champions League is.

This blog argues AC Milan are becoming the new Real Madrid by their constant failure in the world’s biggest club competition. Agree?

Anyway, bring on next week. What excites you more, the Champions League business end or your national league?

Arsenal’s defeat to Barcelona on Tuesday continued to fill the pages on Wednesday, small wonder after manager Arsene Wenger and midfielder Samir Nasri were charged for improper conduct after the match.

The Europa League perhaps gets a little forgotten after the thrills and spills of its big brother, but not here. Some of Europe’s most decorated sides, Liverpool, Ajax Amsterdam and Porto will be in action later on Thursday. Only first legs mind, but any predictions out there?

Champions League podcast – 4

Kevin Fylan is joined by Owen Wyatt, Mark Meadows, Jon Bramley and Martyn Herman for a look at the week’s Champions League matches. Will Real Madrid be too much for AC Milan? Our panel seems to think so.

Listen!