Last 16 Champions League Just Announced

With both Manchester clubs crashing out of the groups stages of the Champions League fairly surprisingly this month, and neither Arsenal or Chelsea exactly running away with it as far as English football is concerned, one would think that those in the Barcelona camp would be pretty confident of defending the glory of being current champs - despite David Villa's cringe-worthy leg break yesterday in Yokahama. OK, there have been some pretty fantastic results in the qualifyers (Lyon anyone?), but you just can't help thinking that if they can avoid a...ahem.... "top" team bnefore the winter break, then they have all the more chance of progressing with time for people to come back from injury, etc.

So, we've just had the draw for the last 16 for the Champions as well as the Europa, and it's looking as follows:

Lyon v APOEL 

Napoli v Chelsea 

AC Milan v Arsenal 

Basel v Bayern Munich

Bayer Leverkusen v Barcelona

CSKA Moscow v Real Madrid

Zenit St Petersburg v Benfica

Marseille v Inter Milan

So, looking at that, it could have been worse, right? As always, my opnions here are just that - another football bloke giving his 2 pence against coming results and although I've been accused of having a crystal ball in the past, I'm thinking...

No probs for Lyon. Chelsea will scrape through in a dramatic fashion. Arsenal go through but VanPersie injured and their season then goes down pan. Bayern no worries. Barcelona few nerves, but too much for Leyverkusen. Mou to complain about plastic pitch no end but Real go through. Zenit go through cos Benfica players have never felt so cold they just curl up inside themselves. Which leaves Marseille and Inter. Possibly the most entertaining of matches on paper (although you watch now it'll be dull as dishwater!) but I'll got Inter. 

These are the Valentine's weekend fixtures, remember, to be repeated in March in the away legs, so those Leverkusen fans might get a bit of spring sunshine in the fan parks, too!

Anyone else like to chip in with predections?! Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong below!! 

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Arrests & Disturbance After Final Pass

It seems that Football reared its ugly head off the pitch as well as on the pitch with the culmination of the Barcelona victory and ticket into the final of the Champions League at Wembley. In what is seemingly becoming normal procedure, a small minority began throwing flares at the press who were camped in the Hotel Lloret on las ramblas to film the celebrations. Bottles and cans were thrown and the riot police duly charged and dispersed the crowds to avoid any serious damage being done as in previous years.



Latest reports a show almost 30 people injured (including police) and more than 20 arrests. I know that it's often not even the real football fans that cause these kind of problems, rather the anti-system anarchists and those people just joining in the crowds to use an excuse to vandalize, although there were a fair few news reports with the Boix Nois heavily featured, so you just never know. Good job they won!!

Either way, congratulations to Barcelona, and let's hope for a much better final in Wembley on 28th, and that Canaletes and Las Ramblas braces itself once more for the riot police skirmish!

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Copa del Rey Big Screen Or Not?

This evening sees the second of four encounters of FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid - the first being a 1-1 draw in the league on 16th April. Jose Mourinho has been heavily criticised for the way he went about the game, but has responded by being "not bothered" in typical style.



Tonight's game is the final of the King's Cup and obviously cannot end in a draw. The game is being played at Valencia's Mestalla stadium and tickets have been sold out for a long time. Barça are perhaps favourites with their record in the cup (25 wins) and their all-round football this season plus their slender lead in La Liga too.

I was alerted this week for plans of a Big Screen to broadcast the match at Plaça Catalunya, so imagine my surprise when the big screen today is displaying the note of "The match will not be broadcast" ?! Now, I don't know if that's because it was TV3 and the match is not going to be broadcast on TV3 or if the powers that be have really decided not to put the match on at all.

Unfortunately, FC Barcelona fans have a poor record of public behaviour (whether they win or not) and given the date co-incides with a huge influx of tourists due to it being Easter Week, maybe the authorities have decided against people being caught in the crossfire? There was no-one around to ask and check, so I'm unsure!!?

Let's hope for a great match this evening, much more open as points are not at stake, and another great dress rehearsal for the up-coming semi-finals of the Champions League featuring the two teams again.

Anyone shed any light on the big screen? Is it or isn't it? Seems a waste to set the whole thing up, then not show the match, right?!

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Barcelona Football Riots

Spanish press and in particular the Barcelona news reporters (both printed and Televsion) are quick to point the finger at foreign football fans as the cause of the biggest problems. However, recent events in the city have caused a great deal of problems, too. Those of which the root is much closer to home.

Last weekend FC Barcelona had a home game against Villareal, a game which had Barcelona won would have seen them clinch the Spanish league title against near rivals and arch enemies Real Madrid in second place. This was also the Sunday of the Formula 1 Grand Prix and an expectant city had giant screens in Plaça Catalunya - the city's main square. In an enthralling match, with another red card (as in the Chelsea match), Barcelona threw away the lead to draw 3-3. Title celebrations would have to wait.

This did nothing however, to stop what has been seen to be a typical celebration in the city since the 2006 Champions League victory in Paris, and an onslaught in the city centre ensued with violence, damage to public property and public bins burned, etc. The city's subsidised bike hire - Bicing - suffered damage to the value of a massive 400,000 Euros. Local Police - the Mossos de Esquadra - have vowed to ensure that Bicing stations will be emptied for further possible disturbances during sporting events.



And so arrives last Wednesday night, Final of the Copa del Rey - FC Barcelona vs Atletic de Bilbao in Valencia's Mestalla stadium. Barcelona are victorious, beating the Basuqe rivals 4-1, and again the city sees disturbances until the early hours of the morning, including 50 arrests, and 1 man falling into a river and dying (outside of Barcelona in nearby Girona). Again, bottles were thrown, public property destroyed and bins were burned. Rubber bullets were used, and 33 Police officers needed treatment.

This weekend Barcelona play Mallorca away from home on Sunday, but victory could be theirs on Saturday if Real Madrid lose to Villereal - a possibility given the current form of both teams. Even if Barcelona don't win tomorrow, there are still some games left, too, making the league title almost a foregone conclusion. If this is the case, the city will again brace itself for some inevitable damage, with the worst yet to come.

On the 27th May in Rome, Barcelona and Manchester Utd will contest the final of this year's Champion's league final - assuming Barcelona win the league and after winning the Copa del Rey, they would be on course for an unprecedented triple - something no Spanish team has ever done before.

Comments welcome as always guys - Were you around this week during the disturbances? Anthing to report? Please feel free to leave a comment.

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