The Premiership's big four would have harboured two secret
wishes as they waited for the Champions League draw - keep away
from Barcelona and hope to meet Lille.
So it will have been with decidedly mixed feelings that the
hierarchy of Liverpool and Manchester United left Nyon after the
pairings for the last 16. Liverpool landed holders Barcelona, who
were lurking dangerously in the other half of the draw after
finishing second to Chelsea in the group stage. Manchester United,
in contrast, got the draw they would have picked themselves when
they landed rank outsiders Lille.
Any Old Trafford complacency, however, will be wiped away by the
memories of miserable performances against Lille last season that
shaped their embarrassing exit at the group stage. Arsenal and
Chelsea will be firm favourites to get past PSV Eindhoven and Porto
respectively - but it is the meeting of the last two winners of the
Champions League that captures the imagination.
Liverpool fans' hearts may have sank as their ball was pulled out
to face Barca, but there are sound reasons to suggest they may be
the team to stop Frank Rijkaard's hugely-gifted side retaining the
trophy. And the tactical acumen of manager Rafael Benitez, as he
prepares to return to Spain, will give Liverpool their main cause
for optimism.
Benitez has proved himself a master of the two-legged European tie,
most crucially in the Champions League triumph of 2005. He will go
back to his homeland armed with the knowledge that it was his
superbly-drilled Valencia side that broke the cartel of Barca and
Real Madrid that carved up La Liga before Benitez's departure for
Liverpool.
Benitez knows what it takes to win at the Nou Camp, and will
prepare Liverpool accordingly. The Spanish coach's previous success
will aid him in the psychological warfare that almost inevitably
takes place before any big game at the Nou Camp. Benitez will hope
to keep Barcelona in range for the second leg, before relying on
Anfield's unique atmosphere to potentially push his players over
the line.
Barcelona have the brilliance of Ronaldinho, Deco, Lionel Messi and
the likely return of Samuel Eto'o. They will be firm favourites and
rightly so, but to write Liverpool off would be foolish. The
occasion will be made for Steven Gerrard, and the enigmatic Luis
Garcia - a former Barcelona player - has a happy knack of scoring
crucial Champions League goals.
Goalkeeper Pepe Reina is another Barca old boy, while Xabi Alonso
is another member of Liverpool's Spanish contingent with a huge
incentive to impress. The smart money is on Barca, but the smart
money was also on Juventus, Chelsea and AC Milan when Liverpool
last lifted the trophy against all odds.
Barcelona will be wary of the wily Benitez and the local knowledge
he is sure to utilise to the full.
Another manager returning home is Chelsea's Jose Mourinho, who goes
to back to Porto having achieved legendary status when he won the
Champions League with the club in 2004. He will be confident of
progress, and there is the possibility that Premiership could make
up half of the quarter-final draw.
