The final berths in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 will be decided today and Wednesday as Europe's best look to move a step closer to a shot at the Champions League title.
Today's schedule of matches features several do-or-die encounters, including Juventus-Bayern Munich and Marseille-Real Madrid, two match-ups that will send one team into the knockout round and the other to the Europa League.
Here is today's schedule of Champions League matches:
2:15pm- Setanta USA- Juventus vs. Bayern Munich
2:45pm- FSC- Wolfsburg vs. Manchester United
2:45pm- FSE- Marseille vs. Real Madrid
2:45pm- Fox West- FC Zurich vs. AC Milan
2:45pm- DirecTV- Maccabi Haifa vs. Bordeaux
2:45pm- DirecTV- Chelsea vs. APOEL Nicosia
2:45pm- DirecTV- Atletico Madrid vs. FC Porto
2:45pm- DirecTV- Besiktas vs. CSKA Moscow
If you will be watching today's matches, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action.
rooting for cska heavy picked them as a sleeper before this whole thing got started. love their team and it’d be a treat to see them in the knockout phase, i really think they could make a lot of noise.
100% off topic, but is anyone else watching the big break at Waimea? I believe Ching may be there spectating, to bring it back to soccer.
St. Louis just had their press conference. They are called AC St. Louis and have a pretty impressive coaching staff. Their coach is Claude Anelka. Yes, that is Nicolas Anelka’s older brother. Their director of player development is Francisco Filho, former Manchester United Academy director. Worked with most of France’s National team and also Christiano Ronaldo at Man United. Had a bunch of big soccer names there like Harry Keough, US National Team assistant coach Mike Sorber, 1950 teammate of Keough Frank Borghi, and Houston Dynamo Brad Davis to name a few.
Well, hopefully this starts the road to an MLS franchise. We’ve missed out the last few rounds, and it’s possible not having any type of pro team (even USL/A-Leauge/etc.) was a negative in the bid package.
I really think the NASL is just going to be a staging point for teams jumping to MLS. Once one goes, possibly find another to bring to NASL a year or two later. It will be interesting to see what kind of turnout ACSTL draws…I think many fans here were jaded to the whole thing after the leader of the MLS bid essentially promised a team due to “great” financial backing, and then it fell through.
As for CL…I’d LOVE to see Real in the Europa league. Would be hilarious.
United’s backline:
Park–Carrick–Fletcher–Evra
United:
Kuszazck
Evra
Park-Anderson-Gibson-Scholes-Carrick-Fletcher-Nani
Welbeck Owen
the first ever 1-7-2!!!!
damn. not even 10 minutes in and chelski are already down to the cypriot giants!! you’d think they were starting 7 midfielders or something.
Anelka as the head coach? Is he buying his way into coaching again, the last time he was a head coach I don’t think things could have gone worse for him or the club. On the other hand, having Filho heading up the player development is a very impressive hire.
Marseille has some extremely fast outside backs and mids. They’re making Real Madrid’s back line look like they’re running in sand.
Juv 1 Bay 0 Trez volley unmarked at 18
what is up with this shoddy wolfsburg pitch? did they have a monster truck rally on that thing this weekend?
please explain how the hiring of anelka is a good thing.
Yea, I don’t get the Anelka move. I mean I know they wanted a “big name”..but let’s be honest, how many would actually know who he was? Or even know who is brother is? Not every fan is going to be a die-hard, will likely be a lot of soccer family people with no idea who Nicolas Anelka is.
Olic dives for PK. Butt Gk makes PK 1-1
Can someone tell me United’s lineup and formation? Like give me a visual aid here because I’m having a tough time with it.
Not saying that it is. But give the guy a chance at least. I met him and Filho and they were both genuinely into putting together as good a team as possible. I am thinking that with Filho’s help that Anelka could have a better go of it this time around.
anybody who had butt as their keeper in CL fantasy just wet themselves. a pk by the keeper … that has to be tons of fantasy points!!!
i think they are playing a 3-5-2? with fletcher/carrick/evra as the stay at home defenders. park/nani as wingbacks. scholes/gibson/anderson in the midfield with owen welbeck up top? i am not really sure tho. could be owen up top by himself with anderson behind? who can really tell. i am calling it the 1-7-2 myself.
JUV RB who gave up PK is poor, Bayern should get many more chances down their left.
Did they talk about where they were going to pull players from? I can’t imagine the salaries will be astronomical…mostly StL connected guys? Or midwest I would think.
the towering michael owen. aerial prowess!!!
GOAL! UNITED! Michael Owen sneaks in unmarked and pounces on a cross from Nani.
Was about to say Nani’s time in Manchester is about over when he has a nice cross on the Owen goal.
Mueller looks like a bit of a hot-head, jawing with opponents. 1-1 at half, Bayern the better side.
As soon as you saw the run being made and realized who was making you knew that one was going in. Wolfsburg will feel worse knowing that they had some pretty clear cut chances of their own, and EVEN worse knowing CSKA have taken the lead in their match. Halftim with United leading 1-0.
halftime of CL match day 6. 18 teams in action and only 5 clean sheets so far … and one of them is Man Utd playing their soon to be trademark 1-7-2 formation!!!
It really shouldn’t have taken that cross to keep you from saying something like that. Nani hasn’t been as impactful as we would have thought but I don’t think there is much chance Ferguson will sell him, especially with United still looking for a winger in Ronaldo’s mold.
Yea he said they were gonna work with st. louis coaches to scout for players around here and were also heading to Europe in the next few weeks to scout for players there…. said they had players in mind but didn’t mention names
Anyone watching the chelsea game – would like to know what Kakuta looks like. Havent got a chance to see him play, but heard he is pretty legit.
As scores stand now Milan is out on GD to Mar?
GOAL! WOLFSBERG! Dzeko nods in a near post cross, towering over Carrick. It’s not surprise that Carrick was the one who was beaten, as he’s barely a defensive midfielder. Then again, this whole Manchester United back line, save for Evra, is makeshift.
It seems that the further we go into this game, the worse United’s passing gets. That could prove to be a pretty big problem considering this 3-man backline. I’ll give credit to Park, however, as he’s filled the model of a 3-5-2 winger. Covering the ground going back and forward, although, to be fair, there hasn’t been much ground to cover going forward.
Speaking of wingers, Nani has been taken off with a slight ankle problem. He’s fine and back on now. Wonder if Ferguson was thinking ” Oh come on, not again.”
they just tied
No.
PS – Josh Wicks sucks
Ronaldinho pass to seedorf was beautiful…. at the beggining of the season he would have tried to take on his ma
doesn’t uefa have rules about pitches and such. this wolfsburg pitch is a bleedin disgrace.
Nice, I bet there will be a good amount of SLU kids that get a chance… only problem is they’ll need another job likely to be able to survive.
Who has scored the goals for real Madrid?
I was thinking the same thing…. Don’t know how much money this club will really be able to dish out to these players…
P.S. that is me with Anelka and Filho
ronaldo who? what a sweet sweet move by obertan!
Nice. Well finding any players in Europe seems pretty ambitious to me, unless they’re scouting 3rd/4th divisions.
GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED! Obertan COMPLETELY outclasses two defenders, dribbling right through them and finding Michael Owen at the back post. 2-1 and Wolfsberg are sweating bullets now.
I think it’s ACTUALLY bleeding…..if it isn’t my eyes will from staring at it for 90 minutes or so.
Ronaldo and Albiol
owen freackin succckkksss……y is he even on this team?
FA CUP: Leeds 1 Kettering Town 1 70:00
if leeds tie kettering again do they replay a 3rd time or does it to to extra time?
you mean the brace scoring michael owen?
That was by far the best play Obertan has made for United in his short time with them. Owen will surely appreciate the service he’s gotten from that left hand side as well, and Capello might just give the old man a look.
CSKA’s opponents( who’s name escapes me at the moment) have equalized, meaning Wolfsberg still have a chance at the knockout round.
sorry. i mean the HAT TRICK scoring michael own? that guy sucks?
yea don’t think a player would come to United States, especially considering its 2nd division, for very little money. Maybe, we can get a steal at the lower levels? Would have to be one hell of a find though.
However, glad to see local soccer players getting the chance to work under Filho. Hopefully, this will allow all the wasted talent around here to flourish.
Thanks!
GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED! JUST as Wolfsberg find an excellent chance on the other side that Riether’s foot misses, Owen finishes on a breakaway chance.
and now has a hat trick but this is an unimpressive hat trick. nothing like the owen of old really.
And Ronaldo once more
Yea, there are a bunch of undersized guys that came through SLU that have bounced around MLS and down to USL now…maybe this will be their landing spot.
Any mentions of sponsorships? Any additional help from A-B/InBev would be huge. Don’t like the color scheme either..should have gone with red/white or blue/white
Well the only thing that might just steal Michael Owens thunder is the fact that two CSKA players have just been found positive for dope testing, and could leave their team’s participation in this tournament in question, meaning that Wolfsberg could make it through by default. WOW. Crazy events here on matchday 6.
is there really any such thing as an ‘unimpressive’ hat trick? really? come on, the guy is 30 and was FREE!!! i will take a hat trick from a freebie any day.
He’s done exactly what a target striker is supposed to do: take the chances, easy or difficult, that come to him. He’s done so very well, especially his third goal. He knew what the goalkeeper would do before he did it. THAT is goalscoring prowess.
I know, all that guy is good for is scoring goals when you need them. Why does he even play? He should have been benched…
Well Juventus laid quite an egg at home, wonder if this could cost fierra his job. Also out of the first 8 booked into the knock out rounds there are 7 leagues represented.. very nice!
nice choke job by chelsea. nearly a full strenght squad and at home and cannot beat a team from cyprus? really?
True. A midseason choke by Chelsea may be the only thing that gets Manchester United a title this season though. Don’t underestimate the Cypriat team.
All I can say is Wolfsburg got OWEN’D!!!
they are from freakin CYPRUS!! cyprus dude, there is no spinning that …. C-Y-P-U-S! that is just pathetic … it would have been pathetic if they had rolled out the kiddies and not beaten Apoel Nicosia but this is just downright absurd. meanwhile in Germany United fields 7 midfielders and half B teamers and beats Wolfsburg in a bowl of mud. Football is a weird game.
All I really remember is that Cooper thanked A-B/InBev in the press conference. Other than that I am not sure.
ok that would have worked better if i hadn’t been typing so fast … C-Y-P-R-U-S! yeah. ok so anyway.
Eddie Johnson scores agian for the Fulham reserves against Arsenal on a penalty. (though it was a very weak and young Arsenal side since most of the reserves are off to play in the Champions League tomorrow)… If you are counting that is 5 goals for the reserves in 5 matches (he missed two matches while with the 1st team)…
I guess he is doing everything he can…really seems to need a move to a Championship side where he can play some…Reading seem to be struggling to score goals…
I bet that little team from Cyprus would do a number on most MLS sides
benched. he should be shot … scoring goals like that … the nerve!
Eddie Johnson has the problem that currently Fulham’s first choice strikers are scoring. All he can do is buy his time, play well in training and the reserves and take his chance when it comes.
Probably just for the field. Thanks for the updates, local news is pretty slow to report any developments.
well leeds could apparently use Eddie Johnson. they have outshot kettering 40 – 6 and have only managed to take the game to extra time 1 – 1?!?!
maybe a loan move for eddie in Jan?
Yeah. Eddie would go.
As a fan of the U.S. National Team, you should be used to upsets of bigger teams. Chelsea choked, yes, but it won’t mean much.
Mike Grella on for Leeds @ the 105th minute. can he pull leed’s bacon out of this FA Cup fire?
MIKE GRELLA SCORES!!! The American’s strike from inside the box puts Leeds in the lead 2 – 1 in the 108th minute of extra time in their FA Cup replay versus Kettering Town.
MIKE GRELLA SCORES AGAIN!!!!! Grella tucks a beauty in the upper left corner from the far right corner of the box to put Leeds up 4 – 1 in extra time versus Kettering. After managing only 1 goal on 40+ shots in the first 105 minutes Leeds explodes for 3 goals in the second period of extra time. Two goals in 15 minutes by the American Mike Grella … is Bob watching?
and a Mike Grella run down the right channel and cross into the box creates Leeds 5th goal for Jermaine Beckford. Grella on FIRE!!!
If Leeds hold on and get promoted and Grella continues to get minutes and play well in the Championship…well then he’ll be in the running for 2014. But no way he or any other American in League One is going to South Africa.
Mike Grella scores a second goal. a beauty from the right side. Grella for US MNT- Cap him!
i know. but it is pretty exciting to see his entrance into the game pretty much turn around a moribund Leeds side. he had a hand in 3 of the 4 goals in 15 minutes. that is pretty good in my book, even if it is versus Kettering. Good to see we might have some good youngsters scattered about tho.
why not. leeds is surely better than any MLS team so I don’t see the “he’s only in League One” argument holding a lot of water … either way good to see he made such a huge impact on the game … he created that Beckford goal too.
Grella is RAMPANT!, 2 goals and almost 2 assists in 15 minutes of a game that was deadlocked for 115 minutes.
Forget it! Make Grella this year’s Honda Player of the Year, and retroactively apply the title to him as well for the past 5 years!!
League one is not better than MLS.
Certainly it’s excellent to see Grella progressing for Leeds, but I think it’s a bit much to be recommending him to even a January camp. It’s best to simply let him develop in England as we did with Charlie Davies and give him caps here and there until he’s ready for a serious first team look, and then map out a plan for his national team career from there.
There are also too many other players that deserve a look before Grella. Findley, Cunningham, and Cooper are all players that Bradley, and many others, will probably consider ahead of Mike.
Exciting prospect though, somebody definitely ought to put up some video of those goals as soon as humanly possible.
The best part about this little tear he’s gone on is that it will most likely lead to a whole lot of time for our little Italian American.
i don’t know. leeds is better than any team in MLS … probably Charlton too.
Juventus looked awful, they need some new players in the transfer window………Landon Donovan anyone?
they could of gotten a younger forward who is as good as owen right now. the average premier league player can score the goals he made today. Unimpressive hat trick there is such a thing just not in the eyes of the team and coach becuz all they want is the W.
(SBI-They could have gotten a younger forward as good as Owen for free? Doubt it.)
Did, Mike Grella score for Leeds?
Having actually watched a game in Cyprus, in person, I can attest that it is solid, entertaining football.
I know it’s hard for some people to believe, but there are actually some good players and leagues outside of the big three leagues.
That second goal was pure drive and instinct.
Ronaldo makes Madrid an incredibly good team. Without him, well, they can lose to Alcorcon.
yes. France. Russia. Netherlands. Greece. Face it. Cyprus is probably a nice place to vacation. And I am sure its league isn’t as bad as the Uzbekistan first division. But it is still freaking Cyprus. Which puts it somewhere outside the top 20 leagues in Europe.
As a matter of fact it ranks 34th in total player value per transfermrkt.co.uk
and for a more direct comparison:
Total Player Value:
Chelsea – 382M Pounds (16M AVERAGE!!!)
Apoel Nicosia – 12.5M Pounds
Uh. So the average player at Chelski is has a higher valuation then the entire Apoel squad.
Puh-thet-ICK!
With all due respect, Ronaldo would make my pub league team pretty darn good. Messi deserved the ballon d’or this year, but in a global draft, CR is my top pick…
Yea. Very exciting. Now let’s remember that this game was against Kettering Town, a fourth division side, just promoted from the fifth division. If we’re seriously looking at guys who’s claim to fame is a brace, however impressive, against Kettering, we’re screwed….
(SBI-The calls for a national team look are a tad premature, but the fact remains he entered a tied cup match in overtime and delivered the goods. That’s a great development for a young American prospect. and will hopefully lead to more time and more opportunities.)
Bayern looked ferocious. Juve didn’t play well but Bayern put the pressure on all nite.