Champions League Matchday 10: It all Comes Down to This

Here’s what happens after today: Two happy teams go on, and two heartbroken teams go home to pull the covers over their heads and lick their wounds and think nasty thoughts about all of their teammates who made mistakes.

And then tomorrow we get to turn around and do it all over again.

Kickoff time is 20h45 GMT, which if I’m not mistaken translates to 11:45 Pacific and 2:45 Eastern.

Our Champions League Offside blog will be providing lots of coverage on both days, and from what I’m told this will include links to audio coverage and “minute by minute.” And they wanted me to point you toward these links:

BBC Radio 5 Live (Liverpool v Arsenal from Anfield, UK only) -and-

The Guardian
Liverpool v Arsenal and Fenerbahce v Chelsea, live text

Again, these come to you via research from Champions League Offside, so be sure to stop by there to get actual depth.

Because me? I just do shallow.

And now, shallowly speaking, what are we looking at for today?

Liverpool vs. Arsenal

The only all-EPL matchup this time around. The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw, with Liverpool getting an important away goal. This means Arsenal needs to pull out all the stops — something they’ve been having a hard time with lately. But hope springs eternal, and Arsene Wenger absolutely swears that they can still win the double. What do you think?

Liverpool has been doing well domestically after struggling earlier in the season, and there are now not nearly as many people calling for Rafa Benitez’s head. But that could change if they get knocked out tonight.

Could be a great game. Or it could be butt-numbingly boring. You never know with these two teams.

I didn’t get to see this game last week — I was out with my family enjoying a night on the town in Dublin. I kept sending them on so I could watch the game through the windows at the bars. (I’m not kidding. I think I left nose prints.)

Today, though? I wouldn’t miss it. Unless I decide to watch…

Chelsea vs. Fenerbahce

Of the four games, this is probably the one I’m looking forward to the most. I love a Cinderella story, and Fenerbahce moving onto the semis over Chelsea would be huge. They’re currently leading 2-1 on aggregate after a shock home win last week. (And even the Chelsea goal was a Fenerbahce own-goal, so Chelsea hasn’t technically scored yet.) But that own-goal gave Chelsea an all-important away goal, and today they’re playing at Stamford Bridge. And Fenerbahce tends to play much better at home than away.

My loyalties are torn here. On the one hand…Cinderella. Underdog. Fenerbahce. What’s not to like? On the other, I’m a huge Anelka fan. When I was crossing my fingers back in January and hoping he’d finally get a move to a big team, I was thinking Champions League. So it would be kind of hard for me to root against him now.

But still… Cinderella. How can you root against Cinderella?

I guess I’ll root for Chelsea. Unless Anelka’s not playing, in which case all bets are off.

Enjoy the games!

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Category: Champions League