Cesc Comes Home in April

Today's midday draw for the quarter finals of the Champions League has seen current Champions Barcelona draw Arsenal in the quarters (a repeat of the final in 2006), and then the winner of either Inter or CSKA in the semis, making it look all the more possible a repeat of last year's final against Manchester United, who have Bayern Munich and then either Bordeaux or Lyon.



Barcelona made easy work of Stuttgart in the end, despite me thinking it wouldn't be a walkover, and that man Messi was of course at the forefront of...well, almost everything. Obvious comparisons have been drawn in the press with Manchester United's current genius, Wayne Rooney. Rooney is on one more goal than Messi as of today for the season, and apparently Ferguson has challanged Rooney to see if he can beat Cristiano Ronaldo's total of 42 the season before he left.

The Quarters are obviously tinged with those little in-game dramas like Thierry Henry facing his old club after his move here in 2007. And then gunners captain Cesc Fabregas returning "home" to play in the Camp Nou. If you'd have told me that draw 2 months ago, I would have had no doubt that Barça would beat them, maybe even whup them but now I'm not so sure. I think Barcelona will edge it but it won't be as easy as many will think. Wenger has already come out and said he thinks they won't be favourites, but to not focus on themselves rather the game. Ties are played last Tuesday and Wednesday of this month, with the Barcelona home tie on the 6th April. Anyone esle have predictions they'd like to share? Please leave comments below.

Fancy coming to the second leg in April? Check out some deals on these Barcelona apartments and for a quick look at the city sights, see this short guide to Barcelona.