Champions League: Round of 16 (Your running commentary)

 

The fates of several of Europe's biggest clubs will be determined on Tuesday as the likes of Arsenal, AC Milan, Manchester United and Barcelona have their Champions League lives at stake.

Today's Round of 16 clashes offer plenty of intrigue. You have the young Gunners against the aging champions from Milan, you have Man U trying to hold off a confident Lyon, Barcelona trying to shred Celtic with an unstoppable attack and, finally, Sevilla trying to knock off the fiesty Turks.

Here is a breakdown of today's Champions League Round of 16 matches. Feel free to share your thoughts on the match action below:

ARSENAL at AC MILAN

• On the Air: ESPN2, 2:30 p.m.
• First game: Tied 0-0
• Key points: Robin van Persie is back for Arsenal but Kolo Toure and Tomas Rosicky are out. AC Milan welcomes Alexandre Pato back but Clarence Seedorf's availability is in question.
• Outcome: Arsenal received a boost from its comeback tie over the weekend, but winning on the road in Milan is something altogether different. Arsenal did a good job of containing Kaka in the first match but doing so twice will prove to be too tough. AC Milan wins a tough 1-0 decision.

LYON at MANCHESTER UNITED

• On the Air: ESPN Deportes, 4:30 p.m.
• First game: Tied 1-1
• Key points: Lyon captain Cris is back after a lengthy injury rehab and goalkeeper Greg Coupet is ready to play. Man U is mostly healthy, with only Ryan Giggs unlikely to play.
• Outcome: Lyon boasts several top attacking threats, with Karim Benzema posing a difficult challenge, but the return of Nemanja Vidic should help Man U deal with Benzema while the Red Devils attack goes wild at home. Manchester United rolls to a 2-0 victory.

CELTIC at BARCELONA

• On the Air: ESPN Deportes and ESPN360.com (in Spanish), 2:30 p.m., ESPN Classic, 5pm
• First game: Barcelona won 3-2
• Key points: Barcelona enters with all of its weapons, which basically means Celtic is in serious trouble. How much trouble? Well, the Hoops have yet to win a road match in the Champions League.
• Outcome: Barcelona is coming off a weekend league loss to Atletico Madrid, but playing at home and having beaten Celtic in the first leg is a major advantage that will prove too much for the Scots. Barcelona 3, Celtic 0.

FENERBAHCE at SEVILLA

• On the Air: ESPN Deportes, 2am (replay)
• First game: Fenerbahce won 3-2
• Key points: Roberto Carlos will miss the match after being injured in the first leg. Fenerbahce has yet to win a road game in this year's Champions League.
• Outcome: Sevilla's defense was embarrassed in the first leg but playing at home should help an attack that thrives at the Sanchez Pizchuan. Freddy Kanoute proves too much for the Turks in a 2-1 Sevilla victory that sends the home team through on away goals.

Where will you be watching today's action? More importantly, how do you see today's games playing out? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

[Dannyc58]

Ives, you have a nice pub lined up there in Salzburg to watch the games at?

Holy Crap I'm jealous. Leaving for Madrid tonight thought, going to the Real Madrid vs Espanyol game--can't wait!

[adam.]

Lyon at ManU is also live on Setanta, with the Sevilla v. Fenerbahce game delayed at 500pm cst as well.

[SJQuakesfan81]

I'll be watching Celtic-Barcelona at 5pm. Go Celtic!

[Al]

Ives,
What do you mean with Milan welcoming back Pato? He's been back for a couple of games for Milan already.

[Spencer]

Just in the fact I believe Pato didn't play in the last champions league game. I think thats what he means AL.

[ben]

Why isn't Man U-Lyon on ESPN2? Why does ESPN always seem to have Liverpool and Arsenal on CL broadcasts, but United, who have a larger followoing than both never seems to make it? We saw Arsenal/Milan last leg and that proved to be a big ball of excitement, can't they switch it up?

[Evan]

I am pretty sure Pato got injured in Milan's last league game. That's why he was in doubt for the Arsenal game.

[Original Aaron]

does the game actually start at 2:30? or is that just when the coverage on ESPN2 starts?

[Al]

Evan :
Pato took a knock on Saturday against Lazio but played the full 90

Original Aaron:
The match will start at 8.45 PM at San Siro stadium. So, 2:45 EST. Coverage starts at 2:30.

[Original Aaron]

Thanks Al

[Evan]

Thanks for the correction Al. Some good games on today, should be interesting.

[HE from NJ]

Stuck in the office (Warren, NJ)...
Thank God for ESPN-360!!

Arsenal's luck ran out in leg-1. Milan should win, even tho they looked awful last saturday. i hope Kaka has recuperated from his injury, Pato looked fine the last couple of games in Serie-A.

You gotta root for the Hoops, but Barca might be too much for them. hope the underdog pulls it off.

[Dominghosa]

Barca 1-0. Ronaldinho no-looked a through pass near the end line to Sylvinho, who sent a cross into the box. Xavi Hernandez stuck out his foot as the ball hit the side of Hernandez's right foot and looped over Boruc for the goal.
I believe it was around the fifth minute, if not sooner.

[Dominghosa]

AC Milan with a great chance.
18th minute. Kaka on the counterattack. Takes the ball downfield 80 yards, speeding through Arsenal's light defense.
After reaching the top left corner of the box, he sends the ball to a wide open Pato, who is waiting for it on the other side of the goal.
Pato takes a touch nine yards outs and sends it on goal but goes straight to Almunia's hands.

[Phillip]

lol

Ives, your Sevilla-Fenerbahce prediction is going to have to hold up for another 70'.

[Travis]

Senderos should not be a starting defender for any team at this level. If Milan get through, it's likely because of him.

[ManicMessiah]

This referee in the Arsenal-Milan game is having a horrible game. A rediculous yellow for diving was given.

[nick]

It looks like the Rossoneri lined the zebras pockets with some green before the game. Hleb earned a kick, not a card.

[dwbpnm]

Wow that was about as clear as a foul can be and Hleb got a yellow. Arsenal is wiping the floor with Milan right now.

[Dominghosa]

Da*n, Messi aggravates prior injury. Henry in. 35th min.

[Steven]

Is it just me or is Arsenal playing against twelve men, this referee is having a shocker. (Note: I am NOT an Arsenal fan) Even with out the taking the bogus Hleb card into consideration it seemed that A.C. Milan was getting a lot of little calls Arsenal wasn't. I will say things seemed to get a little better as the half went on but so did Arsenal's play.

[Chase]

I agree the referee is shocking, but its going both ways. In addition to the things that have gone against the Arse, Eboue has got away with an awful lot and should have been carded way before that atrocious tackle he put on Maldini, not too mention his blatant dive in the box a few seconds ago. Same goes for Senderos who almost broke Pato's leg earlier.

And ManUre is getting pretty lucky, Lyon has blown quite a few chances in the last 10 minutes...

[Matt]

This is just the second time Arsenal have been on ESPN's coverage of CL. None of their groups games even made coverage.

I writing a paper for school but every time I look up the ref is blowing his whistle on bad calls and all the players are slipping. Is the pitch at the San Siro in that bad of shape?

[ManicMessiah]

1-0 Arsenal, Fabregas from distance.

[Alejandro Ruiz]

And......Nick Hornby is dancing in the streets of London right now!!!

[ManicMessiah]

2-0 Arsenal, and if the game wasn't over before, it is now. Adebayor scores it.

[nico]

Milan looked terrible. I wonder how many times in the broadcast the phrase "moment of brilliance" was used. Tommy Smyth needs to read some books and pick up a few new phrases.

[RK]

Fenerbahce over Sevilla on penalties...

[Dave]

what an end to the Fenerbache match, their keeper looked great there

[MetroTard]

Ives, please find out why your colleagues at ESPN Deportes decided to show the Man U final score on the ticker TWO MINUTES INTO THE REPLAY OF THE VERY SAME GAME? It's a little aggrivating.

[MetroTard]

Ives, please find out why your colleagues at ESPN Deportes decided to show the Man U final score on the ticker TWO MINUTES INTO THE REPLAY OF THE VERY SAME GAME? It's a little aggrivating.

[Phillip]

Because the ticker is an automatic feed.

[eric]

What an amazing Arse - Milan match! The first half was exhibit A on how a 0 - 0 game can be exciting. Good for the Gunners, nice to see them respond when conventional wisdom said the longer the match went on, the more likely Milan would steal it.

I'm not usually a ref complainer, but he was terrible, both ways, every way. Nothing was consistent. Thank god he didn't factor into a deciding goal.

Once again, Adebayor was a monster, this is his year. Given that a prospect by definition hasn't filled their potential yet, but I swear I can't stop thinking that that could be Altidore in 5 years.

And for what it's worth, I thought Diaby was a mess out there for Arsenal.

[Tavis]

Arsenal, Man U, Barca... yawn. At least Fenerbahce won.

Ambrosini looked terrible, the least he could've done is break Fabregas' leg.

[Sean H.]

Ronaldinho was execellent tonight. Perhaps he's finally regaining his 2006 form.

[Justin O]

One of the things I hate about soccer is the way that referees can play fast and loose with the rules. In Sevilla-Fenerbahce, the referee got treatment for at least a minute during extra time, and then blew the whistle at precisely minute 120'. If there needs to be extra time, and the referee just decides against it, he should be punished in my opinion.

[YankatOxford]

Fenerbahce-Sevilla was the best match of the fixtures, hands down. Sevilla push out to a 3-1 lead behind Kanoute/Alves and some shocking goal keeping from Volkan Demirel.

However,bahce' stuck with it and Deivid scored his second to cut the lead to 3-2 and equalize on aggregate 5-5. 36 total shots in the match meant something was always happening.

During penalties, Demirel redeemed himself by stopping Three straight ; including Daniel Alves to secure the win. Sevilla crash out, and Kanoute, who scored five times in the CL this year, including a cracking volley in this match, plus the shootout opener, looks crushed at the final result.

Turks go on and Sevilla crash out. Best match of the campaign to this point.