I’d love to look knowing and say that the Villareal-Panathinaikos matchup is more interesting than it appears, but my first reaction is that these matches are appealing more or less in ascending order of obviousness. My longed-for “virus derby” between Manchester United and Real Madrid didn’t materialize, but Madrid-Liverpool is almost as good, and it will be fun to watch Mourinho take on Alex Ferguson again. (Obviousness, but then I warned you.) Chelsea-Juventus has some overtones, since you could argue that Juventus is the club Abramovich is slowly transforming Chelsea into. Plus there’s the whole Ranieri-back-to-the-Bridge story: obviousness!
I was secretly sort of hoping that Chelsea would draw Roma and go through on a last-second own-goal from Riise. But you know. It’s never too late.
Read More: Champions League
by Brian Phillips · December 19, 2008
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I think the best of this lot will be Roma Arsenal. Spalleti next to Wenger is like Punch and Judy for grownups…
“EPL VS Serie A” is almost too obvious.
This is going to be a great deal of fun.