Happy reunions may favour English sides

With Real Madrid and Bayern Munich currently playing football from a different universe, few people expect an English side to triumph in this season’s UEFA Champions League. However, in the wake of yesterday’s last 16 draw, TODAY columnist Adrian Clarke (sports [at] mediacorp.com.sg) quietly fancies all three of England’s survivors to plot a route into the last eight.

PSG v Chelsea

Renewing acquaintances with David “Sideshow Bob” Luiz is the only reason Chelsea might smile at the prospect of facing dangerous Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16. Yes, the likeable Brazilian was a popular figure in the Blues dressing room, but cynically I also suspect they’re licking their lips at the chance for Diego Costa to test his fragile defensive skills too. He’s a weak link they can exploit.

Laurent Blanc’s outfit possess star quality, but they are a moody side. In midfield, Motta, Matuidi and Verratti can mix it with anyone on the continent, and up front the Ibrahimovic-Moura-Cavani triumvirate boasts enough talent to blow opponents away at any given moment.

To progress, they might just have to do that in the first leg at the Parc des Princes.

A 3-1 lead wasn’t enough to hang on to at Stamford Bridge (when Chelsea won on away goals) in last season’s quarter-final, and given their improved fortitude this term it’s unlikely the Blues would allow the gifted, but brittle French champions such an advantage again. Psychologically, they hold the upper hand.

Racing down the touchline like a whippet chasing a hare, Jose Mourinho was ecstatic at the 87th-minute Demba Ba goal that put his men through in April. This year, I don’t foresee the need for as much drama.

Prediction: Chelsea to go through by at least one goal

Man City v Barcelona

UEFA’s last 16 draw threw up another glamorous repeat from a year ago, but it was less welcome at the Etihad than a visit from Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney.

In truth Barcelona strolled past City the last time they came face-to-face, outmanoeuvring them with the kind of fluid, rat-a-tat-tat football that’s tied most of Europe in knots in recent years. Manuel Pellegrini’s side were defensively naive, and the 4-1 aggregate score was a fair reflection, even if they spent periods in both matches reduced to ten men.

City’s stout, tactically astute performance in their must-win group stage encounter with Roma MUST act as a blueprint for the defending Premier League champions.

Shorn of four key players, they organised themselves to be solid and hardworking in the Italian capital — and with that platform in place they gradually wore the home side down. If that thoughtful victory is to be a genuine watershed Champions League moment, they should play both legs against the Catalan giants in similar fashion. Man City aren’t good enough to beat Barca playing them at their own game. They have to be compact and disciplined.

Prediction: City to shock the world with a low-scoring two-legged success

Arsenal v Monaco

Neatly following the pattern of reunions, Arsene Wenger will be bouncing at the prospect of returning to the French principality where he famously cut his teeth in football management between 1987 and 1994.

Having drawn Bayern Munich (twice), Barcelona and AC Milan at this stage in each of their last four European campaigns, the Gunners were desperate for a slice of luck in Nyon — and they got it, landing a side that miraculously topped their group despite scoring just four goals in six qualification matches.

Defensively, Monaco’s record is tremendous (they’ve conceded just once in the competition so far) but with Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud, Danny Welbeck and Co hungry to guide their side to the latter stages in front of an expectant Emirates Stadium crowd, they can expect a torrid 90 minutes in north London on Feb 25.

The Arsenal boss joked that he’d spend the weekend at church praying for a favourable draw, and it seems his wishes were granted. It’s hard to imagine his side failing to grab the welcome opportunity they’ve just been handed.

Prediction: A solid and comfortable progression for Arsenal