The recently announced World Football Challenge was said to have a different look and feel to the one that came in 2009. Major League Soccer clubs would participate in it for the first time and most thought it would be the usual LA or New York sides playing in it.

Well, we were wrong on that note. This morning the league announced who would be playing in the 2011 WFC and much to our surprise (some sarcasm in that) the Chicago Fire and New England Revolution will field the four team round robin event against Manchester United and FC Barcelona.

Manchester United was already announced for the All-Star game yesterday and they’ll add a game with Chicago, New England and Barcelona to that list. Apparently they’ll also go to Seattle and play the Sounders.

Manchester United and the New England Revolution will clash in the WFC on Wednesday, July 13, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. The Chicago Fire will then host the Red Devils on Saturday, July 23, at Soldier Field. Manchester United concludes their participation in the event on Saturday, July 30, against FC Barcelona at FedExField in Landover, MD.  These matches mark the Revolution and Fire’s only matches in the WFC.

Apparently more teams will be announced for this event later on. This is just the start. The rest of FC Barcelona’s participation in the challenge will be announced soon.

Interesting that the Fire and Revs only get a single match in this tournament but it is still cool that MLS clubs are in this tournament for a change. I kind of doubt any others will be part of this though I wouldn’t sleep on them adding one or two more at the end of things.

Are you excited for another ManU and Barcelona tour this summer? It sure sounds like there are going to be lots of entertaining friendlies this summer.

By Geoff Reid

Finally, the best club tournament in the world is back for us all to enjoy. While the World Cup is the most popular sporting event on the planet, and the four year buildup is wonderful anticipation, right behind that comes the UEFA Champions League. Watching the draw in full from Monaco, it is obvious that the format has to be changed. Not the tournament itself, but the whole draw and having the awards being handed out during the draw. There should simply be an awards ceremony separate to the draw earlier in the summer or almost after the club season ends. Keeping the draw on the same weekend as the European Super Cup clash is still a good idea to open up the new season for both the Champions League, and Europa League.

The draw itself raised a few eyebrows, and some other giants on the continent have been drawn into the same group yet again which was not really a massive surprise. Tuesday starts us off with the opening matches from Groups A through D so lets take a closer look at the match-ups on match day one:

Group A:
FC Twente vs Inter Milan from FC Twente Stadion, Enschede.
This should be a decent test for the defending champions under new manager Rafael Benitez. The former Liverpool manager has his work cut out for him trying to fill the void vacated by Jose Mourinho, but it is comforting that the Spaniard does not have to do a complete overhaul and rebuilding process like he did when he took the Anfield job six years previously. Even Mourinho took over a three time defending Serie A champion when he took the job so players like Javier Zanetti have been the nucleus of the side for many years. For Twente, the start of their first ever campaign in Europe’s top competition couldn’t be any more difficult. The Dutch club have gotten used to upsetting the odds in recent years and will go into this tie with no fear.

Werder Bremen vs Tottenham from the Weserstadion, Bremen
One very interesting match up here from Germany has a club who have been in and out of the tournament in the last few years against another club that has qualified for the first time. The Germans can count themselves a little fortunate in the third qualifying round by getting past Sampdoria when the Italian club looked to have booked their place in the group stage had it not been for last minute heroics from midfielder Markus Rosenberg. With experienced players such as Claudio Pizzaro and Torsten Frings on the club’s books should give them the right leadership in this season’s competition. For Spurs, plenty of talent on offer for Harry Redknapp although losing Jermaine Defoe to injury is a blow. What will be interesting to watch this season is how Spurs cope while playing on two fronts for the first time.

Group B:
Lyon vs Schalke from the Stade de Gerland, Lyon
Lyon are a club that always seem to have a chip on their shoulder when it comes to this competition. Once again, last season they came so far to only to get knocked out in the semi finals by Bayern Munich. That run should give them confidence though, especially after knocking out a star studded Real Madrid side. Schalke should be an interesting bunch to watch because they have not had a good start to the Bundesliga season domestically. Can Felix Magath’s side put behind their league form and start well in Europe? With the addition of Real Madrid legend Raul who has done it all in this competition will be key to get out of this tight group.

Benfica vs H. Tel Aviv from Estadio do SL Benifca, Lisbon
The Portuguese giants will have their work cut out for them in this very difficult group, and if they expect to get into the knockout rounds of the competition, this is where they need to pick up three points: at home, and against the Israeli champions. That will not necessarily be an easy task, but Benfica should be expected to pick up three points in this encounter.

Group C
Manchester United vs Rangers from Old Trafford, Manchester
At one time this match would have been massively anticipated as another version of the battle of Britain. However, over the last 10 years or so the demise of Scottish football has seen what was once titanic clashes amongst clubs either side of the Anglo/Scottish border turn into a bore. This match will ultimately mean more to the Rangers fans because the Ibrox club get to test themselves against one of the world’s best teams and they just so happen to be English. The added incentive is that Sir Alex Ferguson was always a Rangers fan growing up, and fans were upset when he left Aberdeen to take the reins at United in 1986 instead of heading to Ibrox. This one should be a nice three points for the red devils.

Bursaspor vs Valencia from Ataturk Stadyumu, Bursa
The Turkish champions will be making their Champions League debut against the Spanish outfit in what should be a fantastic atmosphere. Fans in Turkey know how to get behind their sides and are some of the most passionate around. Valencia are experienced enough having been in this competition plenty of times over recent years under several different managers, and have players who have competed in the tournament. If the Spanish club come away with a point, they should be happy.

Group D
Barcelona vs Panathinaikos from Camp Nou, Barcelona
The Catalan giants come into this match the firm favorites, but the Greeks will be no pushovers, and after this past weekend, Herclues showed us that a newly promoted side can beat Pep Guardiola’s men in Camp Nou. With that result however, Barcelona will have a chip on their shoulder because Guardiola will remind them of it. Players like Lionel Messi, David Villa, Bojan Krkic and company don’t need reminding of how to finish in front of goal, but it sure looked that way on the weekend. We fully expect the Catalans to get off to a winning start in this year’s competition.

Kobenhavn vs Rubin from Parken Stadion, Copenhagen
A tie that won’t get the headlines in this group, but should be all the more intriguing nonetheless. The Danish champions are ready for another crack at the competition determined to go further and reach the knockout rounds, while last season Rubin Kazan showed they should never be underestimated in this competition which will give them confidence of proving the doubters wrong once again. After Barcelona, the other three clubs look at their chances favorably to advance. Watch this space.

By Geoff Reid

Today we see the who will face Bayern Munich in the final in Madrid next month as Jose Mourinho’s Inter squad look to hold a two goal aggregate lead over the defending champions Barcelona.

Barcelona vs Inter Milan From The Camp Nou, Barcelona (Inter Milan lead 3-1 on agg.)
In what was a result that raised a few eyebrows in the first leg, Inter boss Jose Mourinho may have just shown the world how you can beat Barcelona and shut them down, although Inter did not get off to a good start after falling a goal behind early. Mourinho must get credit for the half time team talk he made because his players seemed inspired during the second half. One can also argue that Inter’s third goal should not have stood because it was offside, and Barcelona’s 12 hour bus trip due to the European airspace being closed temporarily in the event of the volcanic eruption in Iceland. Pep Guardoila wasn’t making any excuses though, and he realized his team wasn’t passing and moving off the ball like they usually do. We all know that Barcelona are a different animal at home and being two goals down on aggregate, we all will expect the Catalan giants to attack from the opening whistle. Inter to try and soak up as much pressure as possible while looking to hit Barcelona on the break and get that vital away goal which could potentially put the nail in the coffin for the defending champions.

Barcelona have Andres Iniesta (right thigh) and Eric Abidal (groin tear) both ruled out due to injury. Club captain Carles Puyol is suspended which will be a massive blow, and will probably mean Xavi Hernandez will wear the armband. Daniel Alves, and Gerard Pique have to be careful because they both will miss the final if they pick up yellow cards should they advance. Since Abidal did not pass the fitness test, it’s expected Maxwell will start in his place, and Gabriel Milito could replace Puyol in the back to face his elder brother Diego. There’s no doubt Inter are the best team Barcelona have faced so far this season and maybe even in the last two years, so this will be Guardoila’s biggest test as a manager and his side know how to score goals better then anyone.

Inter have Davide Santon (knee), and reserve goalkeeper Francesco Toldo (leg) both ruled out due to injury, while Goran Pandev (thigh) is listed as doubtful and will be a game time decision. Serbian Dejan Stankovic is suspended for this match. Should Samuel Eto’o, Maicon, Walter Samuel, and Javier Zanetti pick up bookings, they will not take part in the final should they win the tie. The issue concerning Mourinho is the fitness of Wesley Sneijder after he picked up a hamstring problem over the weekend. The Inter boss said his Dutch playmaker will play, he’s just not sure if he can go 90 minutes. With Messi being important to Barcelona, Sneijder is just as important to Inter.

Prediction: Barcelona 4-1 Inter Milan. This would mean Barcelona would win 5-4 on aggregate. The home side has to attack and everyone knows that while being their most dangerous in this situation. This tie should be on a knife’s edge until the final whistle, but I see Barcelona just barely edging Inter Milan in this one having the second leg at home.

Editor’s Note: Geoff Reid appears on WVHooligan each week. Feel free to leave him your thoughts and comments below on today’s game.

By Geoff Reid

The first of both semi final first legs kicks off this afternoon with Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan side host Pep Guardiola and the best club side in the world from Catalonia.

Inter Milan vs Barcelona From The San Siro, Milan
This game alone is what I live for. By far the most important match of the season so far for both sides with so many smaller subplots while both clubs will be trying to set up a nice advantage for the second leg in the Camp Nou. Barcelona without question are the best club side in the world and while Messi dominates the headlines, Barcelona have many other fantastic attacking weapons at their disposal. Many have said Mourinho is the best prepared coach in world football, and while I would not go that far, this tie will be a perfect case for him to prove that if true. Inter’s form has been lacking in recent weeks in league play and have been overtaken by Roma in the Serie A standings, so you can argue Inter have always had one eye on this match tonight. One thing that may be an advantage for the home side today would be the fact that Barcelona had to travel by bus for 14 hours from Spain, all the way through the Mediterranean coast of southern France and into northern Italy to Milan because of the delay of flights over Europe due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland. Guardiola said he was just glad that Inter beat CSKA Moscow in the last round so they wouldn’t have had to take a trip to the Russian capital by bus!

The only injuries for Inter is Davide Santon (knee) and Francesco Toldo (leg) but he’s only the backup keeper these days anyway. The one concerning issue for Mourinho is if Walter Samuel, Maicon, Javier Zanetti and Dejan Stankovic all pick up a yellow card they will miss the second leg in Barcelona due to accumulation. Mourinho knows his team, it’s tried and trusted and has always been a coach that believes in his players so we should see no real surprises in his lineup. As always, the attacking should flow through Dutchman Wesley Sneijder who deserves to be the same conversation with Lionel Messi as the best player in the world. Protecting Sneijder will be his defensive midfield partner Esteban Cambiasso while being flanked by Stankovic and Goran Pandev to give the side some width. Up front as ever will be former Barcelona and Real Madrid striker Samiel Eto’o and Argentinean Diego Milito.

Barcelona only have Andres Iniesta (right thigh) ruled out while club captain Carles Puyol will miss the second leg due to suspension if he picks up a yellow card. Former Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned this past weekend in their scoreless draw against Espanyol while Eric Abidal also recovered from a groin tear. While Iniesta will be a big loss, Guardiola has many other options in attack that will revolve around Messi. Expect Dani Alves to join in the attack whenever possible to provide width from the flank, Xavi Hernandez to hold the midfield together and pull the strings in the middle. With Iniesta out, expect Sergio Busquets to take his place alongside Xavi with Ibrahimovic up front with Messi. Youngsters Bojan Krkic and Pedro Rodriguez may also get the nod at some point. Frenchman Theirry Henry is also an option from the bench.

Prediction: Inter Milan 1-1 Barcelona. Mourinho’s been known to be a conservative coach, especially in first legs and I expect the Black and Blue to be cautious in this first leg even at home. Guardiola’s style is almost opposite in that he wants Barcelona to play open, attractive football anywhere they go and they have snatched away goals all through the knockout phase so far so this should be no different. The second leg should be set up very nicely after this match.

Editor’s Note: Geoff Reid appears on WVHooligan each week. Feel free to leave him your thoughts and comments below.

By Geoff Reid

The next two days should provide us all with some of the most exciting football of the year. Some cracking matches on paper, and some possible upsets in the making.

CSKA Moscow vs Inter Milan From The Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow (Inter Milan lead 1-0 on agg.)
This match will kick off earlier then usual because of the time difference from Russia. With the aggregate score being only 1-0, CSKA should play without any fear in front of their own fans. I think that the first half should be a cagy affair because of the close score line and nobody will want to make mistake. The second half should be much more open, especially if the score is still 0-0 and 1-0 on aggregate to Inter. The Nerazzuri will be favorites, but make no mistake, CSKA have the guns to beat the reigning Italian champions and could very well cause the shock of the round.

The only player ruled out through injury for CSKA is Uros Cosic (left leg), while Evgeni Aldonin, and Milos Krasic are suspended. Manager Leonid Slutsky did not mention in the last press conference who would replace Aldonin and Krasic, however if reports are to be believed it will be Elvir Rahimic and Alan Dzagoev. We all know that the main weapons the Russian club have is Japanese international Keisuke Honda and Chilean international winger Mark Gonzalez.

Davide Santon (knee) is ruled out for Jose Mourinho’s men, while Dutchman Wesley Sneijder is a doubt (ankle). Inter will need Sneijder to play to have the best chance to advance and Mourinho knows this. Sneijder is one of those players who deserves to be mentioned in the conversation of best player in the world and will be key for the Milan club to keep possession in what should be a hostile environment. Of course Inter have key players one yellow card away from suspension: Walter Samuel, Maicon, and Javier Zanetti. One player who could also prove very important if given the chance is Serbian midfielder Dejan Stankovic.

Prediction: CSKA Moscow 1-2 Inter Milan. I was almost prepared to give the Russians the upset in this one, but then Inter have way too many match winners available and they don’t match up. But we could be wrong.

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Barcelona vs Arsenal From The Camp Nou, Barcelona (2-2 on agg.)
If today’s second leg is going to be anything like the first, then we all will in for one special treat. Last week at the Emirates Stadium, we saw one of the finest performances in recent memory of any football team anywhere. Even someone like myself who appreciates defensive tactics was blown away with Barcelona’s play in the first half. To be quite frank, the Catalans should have put the tie to bed in the opening twenty minutes, but give Arsene Wenger’s boys some credit for fighting back the way they did to give themselves a chance. With some key players missing however, their chances of qualifying look slim, but Pep Guardoila has a number of players also missing this match so Arsenal have every chance of winning this tie if they’re smart.

Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is definitely ruled out (calf) which is a big blow. The players listed as doubtful for Barcelona are Jeffren (calf), Yaya Toure (bruised ankle), and Andres Iniesta (thigh). The big problem for Guardiola is that club captain and icon Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique are both suspended for this one which will mean a big chunk of their defense will be missing. The boss has said they have to approach this tie to attack for the off and to win the game in hand, just as they did in the last round against Stuttgart. You wouldn’t expect Barcelona to play any other way. When Ibrahimovic went off during the weekend, his replacement was Bojan Krkic and the young Spanish sensation getting on the score sheet with a brace in a 4-1 win over Athletic Club . His most likely replacement will be former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry although he’s been plagued with his calf for a little while. Either way, there is plenty of strength in depth if you add in the other Spanish youngster Pedro into the mix.

Arsenal have quite a few injury troubles and have their best player suspended. Aaron Ramsey (broken leg) is done for the season, Robin van Persie (ankle ligaments) has been out for months, Kieran Gibbs (broken metatarsal), Johan Djourou (knee), Cesc Fabregas (leg), William Gallas (calf), Andrey Arshavin (calf), and Alex Song (right knee) are all ruled out. Veteran Sol Campbell is a doubt (hamstring) and club captain Febregas would have been suspended but he’s injured anyway. If Campbell isn’t good to go, veteran French defender Mikael Silvestre may have to start at center back. With Fabregas and Arshavin missing, much of the responsibility will fall on the shoulders of English winger Theo Walcott who is expected to cause Guardiola problems and has admitted as much with his pace. Wenger believes the gunners can make history tonight. We can’t wait to see what happens.

Prediction: Barcelona 3-2 Arsenal. With both sides believing in attacking football, and holes in both clubs back lines, this should be a real match for entertainment purposes. Don’t expect a lot of defending to be done, and good defending at that. The man of the match might actually come down to either one of the goalkeepers. This tie so far has been an example of how to sell the sport to people who don’t know much about it and this second leg will be no different.

Editor’s Note: Geoff Reid appears on WVHooligan each week. Feel free to leave him your thoughts and predictions below.

By Geoff Reid

Big games today in the UEFA Champions League, Barca and Arsenal square off in London while CSKA Moscow hopes to continue their run in Milan.

Arsenal vs Barcelona From The Emirates Stadium, London
For all the football purists out there, this tie should be for you, at least on paper However, we all know that on paper is completely different from reality. In saying that though, we all should be in for one cracking tie. In the previous round, Arsenal walked all over FC Porto breezing them aside with ease, while Barcelona basically did the same against Stuttgart. The Catalan giants will be the favorites for this one, and the big side story here is the return of Thiery Henry to north London. How will be react playing against his former club? What state of mind will he be in? Other questions that will have to be answered is ultimately what Arsenal team will show up here? The one who shows the never say die attitude in the Premiership, or the inconsistent side that dropped points in league play like this past weekend?

Arsenal just has the usual suspects out due to injury: Aaron Ramsey (broken leg), Robin van Persie (ankle), Kieran Gibbs (broken metatarsal), and Johan Djourou (knee). The big concern will be captain Cesc Fabregas (knee) and will be a game time decision for Arsene Wenger. Besides Fabregas, Gael Clichy is one yellow card away from missing the second leg if he gets booked. Arsenal have a lot to prove in this tie, especially at home and no greater challenge more then playing the defending champions on your own turf. The gunners defense has been a question mark all season, as well as the goalkeeping situation. Arsenal will go out and attack right from the first whistle and try and gain as much of an advantage as possible. Arsenal must test Victor Valdes as much as possible early on.

Barcelona have a major blow in that Andres Iniesta (thigh tear) will miss the first leg,as well as Eric Abidal (groin tear). Former Manchester United player Gerard Pique (knee) is questionable for Pep Guardoila’s men tonight. Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored for the third match in a row this past weekend in their 1-0 win against Mallorca and expect him to cause the Arsenal defense all kinds of problems along with Lionel Messi and company. We all know Barcelona are capable of scoring plenty of goals, but they are also well organized at the other end.

Prediction: Arsenal 1-2 Barcelona. We saw in the first leg against Stuttgart that Barcelona will not pour men forward in the first leg, let alone away from home so expect a patient style from Guardiola to set up the return leg at Camp Nou nicely for the Catalans.
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Inter Milan vs CSKA Moscow From The San Siro, Milan
This tie will not get the headlines pre match as much as the Arsenal vs Barcelona or Bayern Munich vs Manchester United ties, but when a certain Jose Mourinho is involved you are always guaranteed some drama, even if he has to get all the attention on himself. The sense in the air here is that this tie could be the upset of the round. Inter aren’t in the best of form domestically, although that’s probably because one eye was on this game and this challenge, while the Russian club played very well and upset Sevilla in the last round. Of course what’s even more interesting is Mourinho, again in the headlines, has said he’s not happy in Italy which fuels the speculation that a return to England is imminent. This can not be good for the Inter squad in the dressing room.

The only absentee for Inter is Davide Santon (knee) through injury, but Lucio and Thiago Motta will both be suspended for this one due to yellow card accumulation. Walter Samuel, Maicon, and Javier Zanetti will also miss the second leg if they each pick up a yellow tonight. The good news is playmaker and former Ajax man Wesley Sneijder has returned from a thigh injury this past weekend in their loss to Roma. The attack should flow through Sneijder, while getting help out wide from both fullbacks to feed the ammunition to Samuel Eto’o and Diego Milito. While Sneijder is playing the provider, behind him doing the dirty work is Argentine Esteban Cambiasso.

CSKA don’t have anybody officially ruled out, but Chilean winger Mark Gonzalez (muscle), and Japanese midfielder Keisuke Honda (ankle) are both listed as doubtful but should play. Honda may only make the bench at best, but he has shown in the last round how important he is to this team. He scored his third goal since moving to the Russian capital from a direct free kick, so look for Russians to be dangerous from set pieces. This is also the farthest the Russian club have gone in the European Cup so just like the last round against Sevilla, they should show no fear over the Italian giants in this one.

Prediction: Inter Milan 2-1 CSKA Moscow. The Milan club should pick up the win here, but it should set up the second leg on a knife edge. This could possibly be the upset of the round.

Editor’s Note: Geoff Reid appears on WVHooligan each week. Feel free to leave him your thoughts and comments below on today’s games.

By Geoff Reid

Bordeaux vs Olympiakos From The Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux (Bordeaux leads 1-0 on agg.)
This tie is still on a knife’s edge and while Bordeaux should be favorites to go through ultimately with their 1-0 lead on aggregate, an away goal in the bag, and playing at home against a side that has just five wins in 13 matches. This however doesn’t mean the French champions will be expecting a cakewalk with Olympiakos having some very dangerous players in the final third. A prize of being in the top eight teams left in Europe is on the line, and Laurent Blanc has called on his squad to recapture the spirit of 2009 which brought them domestic glory in France to see them through, while Bozidar Bandovic believes cohesion mixed in with a little bit of luck can be enough to see the Greek’s through.

The only injury news for Bordeaux is Marc Planus (knee) is definitely ruled out. Key man Alou Diarra was recently troubled with a hamstring injury but played 45 minutes versus Auxerre last Wednesday, and then followed that up with a 90 minute performance versus Monaco on the weekend. Having Diarra fit is a big boost for Blanc’s men and he should compliment French international Yoann Gourcuff who is tabbed to be the next Zinedine Zidane. The question here will be should Blanc go for the killer second goal early and attack or sit back and try and soak up any pressure the Greek’s throw at them while playing counter attack? If anything, it’s about finding the balance and picking the moments when to go forward, and breaking quickly. If the French side gets that second aggregate goal, it will make things that much tougher for Olympiakos.

On top of being a goal down on aggregate, Olympiakos have Diogo (torn hamstring), Dudu (right foot), and Didier Domi (foot) all ruled out with injury. They do however have some experienced players to be called upon starting with goalkeeper and Greece international Antonis Nikopolidis. Former Aston Villa and Juventus defender Olof Mellberg should lead the back four and both players experience will be needed in this second leg. The Greek side also have former Newcastle United striker Lomana LuaLua up front who has never been the most prolific of goal scorers, but is also capable of the unpredictable. It’s pretty obvious that Olympiakos have no choice but to go forward and look for that crucial first goal. The question will be, are Bandovic’s men going to be patient like Lyon did against Real Madrid? Or will they attack from the start? Since they’re only a goal down on aggregate it would be smarter to play the patience tactic here.

Prediction: Bordeaux 1-0 Olympiakos. I fully expect Bordeaux to be very well organized and Blanc has proven to be very good tactically. Overall, the French champions have more quality in the side then Olympiakos, but with all these predictions leaving me with egg on my face so far you just never know.
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Barcelona vs Stuttgart From The Camp Nou, Barcelona (1-1 on agg.)
Not only will this tie be very intriguing for the level of talent on both sides, but Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola has said he will set his side out to attack the German club even though a 0-0 draw would send the Catalans through on the away goals rule. He firmly believes if they sit back and defend that that will be the end to their title defense. That right there just shows how much he respects the Bundesliga outfit and rightly so who have some very fine players. Christian Gross knows that Stuttgart have to play a lot more intelligently and disciplined then in the first leg. The most important thing for Gross is that he installs his players to play without fear and enjoy the experience of playing in one of the world’s most amazing stadiums.

Barcelona do have two key players out injured for this one with Eric Abidal (groin strain) and Xavi Hernandez (calf) and will be big blows for the Catalan giants. Xavi suffered a right calf tear in training on Tuesday. Club captain Carles Puyol (back) is listed as doubtful right now, but will go through a late fitness test. That alone should give Stuttgart an optimistic outlook. Seydou Keita has been passed fit after recovering from the right hamstring tear that has ruled him out for the past month. Regardless if Barcelona have a few injuries at the back, their attack is still lights out with players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Thierry Henry and young guns Bojan Krkic and Pedro Rodriguez is frightful for any defense.

Stuttgart to have some injuries with Martin Lanig (cruciate knee ligament), Arthur Boka (dislocated shoulder) and Sven Ulreich (knee) are all ruled out although Lanig has been training this past month after being out since August. Ulreich who is Jens Lehmann’s understudy has been ruled out for six weeks. Gross believes the former Arsenal shot stopper’s experience will be key in Camp Nou although he has never looked totally convincing in all of his career, and especially lately with goalkeepers the standard has gone down it seems this season in Europe. If Stuttgart can manage to keep the ball and find in form striker Cacau on top of the injuries to Barcelona’s defensive part of the side, the German side will be in with a real shout of getting something from this tie. The big x factor could be Belarus midfielder Aleksandr Hleb who is on loan to Stuttgart from Barcelona. You have to think that he has a lot to prove to Guardiola and Barcelona and what’s more perfect then doing that in Camp Nou in the second leg of a Champions League last 16 tie with the score tightly balanced at 1-1?

Prediction: Barcelona 2-1 Stuttgart. You just can’t bet against Barcelona at home with the attacking players they have available. However, do not be surprised if Stuttgart can pull this one off because we’ve seen some upsets so far in the last 16 these last two weeks with Real Madrid and Sevilla getting knocked out. It’s up to Barcelona to carry the flag now for Spain.

Editor’s Note: Geoff Reid appears on WVHooligan each week. Feel free to leave him your thoughts and comments below.

By Geoff Reid

Stuttgart vs Barcelona from the VFB Arena, Stuttgart

This tie will have the defending champions as overwhelming favorites, especially with the difficult season the Stuttgart have had. The Germans changed managers replacing former national team full back Markus Babbel with Swiss boss Christian Gross. Gross, knows all too well he has a tough job on his hands, but understands that if his team can be compact and smart, then they can certainly give the world club champions a run for their money. The goalkeeper, German international Jens Lehmann, was on the losing side of the 2006 final against Barcelona when he minded the net for Arsenal. Also, Belorussian midfielder Aliaksandr Hleb is on loan to Stuttgart from Barcelona, and at this point we’re not sure if the loan agreement will allow him to take part against the Catalans.

Lehmann will anchor the back line, and Gross will be counting on all his experience to lead the younger players against the best of the best. Ivorian defender  Arthur Boka will be missing due to an injury he picked up in training before the club’s 5-1 win away to FC  Cologne. This will mean Dutch defender Khalid Boulahrouz and Mexican full back Ricardo Osorio will play vital parts against Barcelona’s lethal attack. Stuttgart’s main weapon in attack is Romanian striker Ciprian Marica. He should be partnered up front by Brazilian born German striker Cacau who scored four goals in the 5-1 victory at Cologne. The German side are in form at the moment winning six out of their last seven games, however keeping one clean sheet in nine outings. Confidence is what will be needed and they got plenty of it currently.

The giants from Catalonia just continue to be on another planet after thumping Real Racing Club 4-0 on the weekend. The previous week however, they suffered their first defeat of the season in La Liga by Atletico Madrid, and only manager Pep Guardiola’s 10th defeat overall as boss having played 101 matches. For Barcelona, Seydou Keita (right hamstring tear) and Eric Abidal (groin strain) are definitely both out, while Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic (ankle), midfield anchor Xavi Hernandez (right thigh) and full back Danny Alves (right calf) all look doubtful. These players being out of the lineup should give Stuttgart a chance, but there is far too much cover for the Spanish champions. In goal will be the ever present Victor Valdes, while captain Carles Puyol will anchor the back line next to Gerard Pique and Rafa Marquez. With Xavi being doubtful, look for Sergio Busquets or Yaya Toure to slide in next to Andres Iniesta in the center of midfield. Out wide and up front will be Argentinean wonder kid Lionel Messi and Frenchman Thierry Henry. Depending on Ibrahimovic’s status, Guardiola could go with one of two Spanish young sensations in Bojan Krkic or Pedro Rodriguez.

Prediction: 2-0 Barcelona. It would be foolish to bet against the Catalans here, even with several injuries to top players. If Stuttgart can hold them to no goals then anything can happen.

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Olympiakos vs Bordeaux from Georgios Karaiskaskis Stadium, Athens

This tie won’t be on the neutral’s radar, but will be one of the most evenly contested on the last 16. Both sides will fancy their chances at progressing to the quarter finals, especially Bordeaux because the second leg will take place in France. Olympiakos boss Bozidar Bandovic is relying on “passion and the will to win” to be the key to his side progressing which tells us he thinks his squad hasn’t got enough talent to win on talent alone.  Bordeaux on the other hand are managed by former national team center back Laurent Blanc who seems to be one of the top up and coming managers in world football.

The Greek’s will be anchored by veteran goalkeeper and captain Antonios Nikopolidis. The back line for the Athenian club will consist of Frenchman Didier Domi, Spaniard and former Real Madrid man Raul Bravo, and Swedish international center back and former Aston Villa defender Olof Mellberg. The Brazilian pair of Diogo (torn hamstring) and Dodo (right foot) are out for this one. The midfield will run through Argentinean Luciano Galletti and Spaniard Oscar. With Diogo out injured for this one, this should give Englishman Matt Derbyshire his chance to prove his worth up front.

Lorient Blanc will be without club captain and French international Alou Diarra (hamstring) and Jaroslav Plasil (ankle) is doubtful. Cedric Carrasso is expected to take up his position in goal with Michael Ciani and Carlos Henrique leading the defense. The midfield will be built around Yoann Gourcuff who has drawn comparisons to none other then Zinedine Zidane and can play either as a withdrawn striker or playmaking midfielder. Argentinean international Fernando Cavenaghi will lead the line with possibly former Sunderland and Manchester United striker David Bellion as his partner depending on whether Blanc prefers one striker or two up top in this away tie.

Prediction: 1-1. Not much separates these sides on paper, and with what’s on the line expect a cagy first leg in the Greek capital. Most of the attacking will come from Olympiakos. If Bordeaux can snatch an away goal, that’ll be just what they asked for as Laurent Blanc has usually had his teams well organized and hard to beat.

Editor’s Note: Geoff Reid appears on WVHooligan each week. Feel free to leave Geoff your thoughts/comments/and score predictions below.

Landon Donovan possible going to France? (Getty Images)

I have a couple items for discussion tonight, all Major League Soccer based. I could have separated each out into their own posts but for lack of time today I was unable to do so.

First up is a little transfer rumor surrounding Landon Donovan.

According to the French soccer website 10sport, Donovan is�on the verge of a move to�Paris St. Germain� after the current MLS season. Reports suggest that an official announcement is coming shortly. The move would be a full transfer, and not a loan.

You read that correct, a full transfer, meaning he’d be in Europe like he wanted all along.

Donovan would join fellow U.S. national team players Carlos Bocanegra and Charlie Davies in Ligue 1.

From the looks of it this would be a good move for Landon. I think the French league is pretty underrated in terms of quality and in all reality he doesn’t have to go to a big time league like in Spain or England to do well. He just needs to be himself and play anywhere really.

I do worry that he could be a bit gassed by another winter move that by the time the World Cup runs around next summer he will be too tired to be at his best.

Barcelona Interested In Buying New York Red Bulls

Link and Link

A very interesting development if it turns out to be true. FC Barcelona wants to be in the US that much we know, hell we’ve known that for three or four years now. They didn’t pony up the cash for Miami but you gotta believe they would do so for a club in New York. Apparently they wanted an expansion bid in New York a few years back.

Now they look to possibly buy the Red Bulls away from the energy drink giants in Austria. More than likely they’d be Barca New York or something lame like that.

Still you have to wonder if this would be a good move for the club and the league. The league knows how important a quality club in New York means to the image and the growth of the league. A successful club in New York goes a long way in getting more butts in seats and more cash in pockets of owners.

Do I think this is a good move? I honestly don’t know. The Red Bull owners currently don’t seem to give a damn about this bunch even with the new stadium on the way. My best if they did sell the club the stadium wouldn’t be in the package, thus meaning Barca would be renting it out.

San Jose Response To Recent Talk

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Even if it was a lame post on Big Soccer by some exec over at the Quakes, you do have to give them a little bit of credit for at least trying to sound like they are doing something here. Still this group has to get something going here real soon before more folks start calling for another Quakes team to be moved. Its really put up or shut up time in San Jose.

Editor’s Note: Geoff Reid appears on WVHooligan.com every Monday with his take on the game. He returns today to preview the second leg of Champions League matches this week. As always feel free to leave Geoff your comments below.

FC Bayern Munich (GER) vs FC Barcelona (ESP) at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday, FC Barcelona leads 4-0 on aggregate

I think it�s fair to say my prediction for this tie is completely out the window because it�s now anything but tight and the Catalans have a more then comfortable lead. Kilinsmann, who will be out of a job by the summer recently said its important to play for pride. Inside the dressing room he will be reminding his players about the AC Milan and Deportivo La Coruna tie earlier this decade at the same stage of the tournament when the Italians beat the northern Spaniards 4-1 at the San Siro only for Deportivo to win the second leg 4-0 at the Riazor and win 5-4 on aggregate. I can�t see that happening again and although I think Bayern will get some goals, it ultimately won�t be enough and Barcelona just simply have too much quality throughout and they proved that at the Camp Nou last week. The Bavarians defense got exposed too often last week and at least that part of my prediction was correct!

Chelsea FC (ENG) vs Liverpool FC (ENG) at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, Chelsea FC leads 3-1 on aggregate

I was lost for words when my beloved Reds got beat at what�s become our European fortress in L4 and conceding three goals at home is unheard of these days. I did predict Chelsea would win the tie because they had the advantage of hosting the second leg and obviously the first leg result has not changed that.

I am an optimist but also a realist and I put those two words into theory when thinking about this match. The Merseysiders needs to score three away goals at least. Tough job. However, after seeing Bolton do it this past weekend gives me hope and with the Londoners having captain John Terry suspended gives me even more hope. As a Liverpool fan I am officially in the same mindset I was in at half time of the 2005 final vs AC Milan: just go out and give it your best shot and don�t get embarrassed or get back into it quickly and see what happens. Still though Chelsea will get through and meet the Catalan giants in the semi-finals and the club should do whatever they can to keep Guus Hiddink because is a winner.

On a personal note UEFA should be congratulated for making sure this tie is not played on the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster on April 15th, 1989. I didn�t know any of the 96 that lost their lives on that tragic day, but as a fellow red and ultimately more importantly fellow fan and human being it�s important we pay the utmost respect to the families that lost loved ones and UEFA made that possible.

Arsenal FC (ENG) vs Villarreal CF (ESP) at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, teams level 1-1 on aggregate

After the draw in the Mediterranean coast this one is still tight to call. To add to the Gunners hosting the second leg, Marcos Senna is now not available due to an injury sustained at the weekend which makes things 10 times harder for Pellegrini�s men. As mentioned before the first leg, Adebayor is back in full form and even though I like and admire Villarreal as a team and a club they have ultimately run their course this season and should now concentrate on getting into next seasons competition. Arsenal have all but secured their spot in next seasons tournament, so they will now be fully focused on winning this years tournament.

FC Porto (POR) vs Manchester United FC (ENG) at the Estadio Do Drago on Wednesday, teams level 2-2 on aggregate

All of a sudden, this tie has become the most interesting one as far as neutrals are concerned. Porto did themselves a huge favor by getting two away goals in the first leg and if you�re a Porto fan you have to somewhat fancy your chances in this tie.

I still like United to get through because they are very experienced, been through this sort of thing before and come good. They can score goals anywhere even though their former invincible defense now has big holes that have been exposed in recent weeks. You also just have a feeling Cristiano Ronaldo will be up for this one after Sir Alex Ferguson gave him a talking to and coming back to Portugal he�ll want to do well.

So my picks are still the same: Arsenal vs Manchester United and Barcelona vs Chelsea. It remains to be seen whether they will still be correct and of course I hold out hope that one of my picks will be wrong. Keep an eye on the Porto/United tie folks, this one will be interesting.

Coming back to this side of the Atlantic, the Puerto Rico Islanders lost a heartbreaker in Mexico City last week. How was it that the away goals rule doesn�t count in extra time in CONCACAF? It does count in UEFA competition and that should be the same since the CONCACAF version is based off of the UEFA version.