Champions League: Quarter Final Roundup 07/08

Is it the reverse of the 1990's, is it a call to arms that now...drum roll please...yes now, ladies and gentleman, after all this time of being the richest league in all the land of football, the almighty, the all encompassing, the foreign green zone that is the English Premier League is coming good on their pounds and pence, ready to conquer all that lies before them?

Well at least in the last round of the competition that was the case, but the cry from those poorer souls on the continent—What took them so long?

C Ronaldo, kept up his great form, scoring the first goal with an amazing header, showing fantastic awareness to arrive at the right time and score with great intent. Now he's never far away from a great sulk, and he may have a very hard to look at adams apple, but boy can this guy play, he was not in the game at all and then bang bang Roma's dead, he is a killer, the mark of a truly gifted footballer.

The only negative for United, Vidic got injured and is now out for up to three long weeks. Will it be softened by the return of Gary I Miss You Becks' Neville? Nah, he won't lift his head again in public, not after the whole nation saw in the press this week pictures of inside his brother Phil's house.

So yes he has the money, but that does not in anyway account for taste, all very footballers wifes, and both brothers, were only now, just getting over the public knowing their dad is in fact called, Neville Neville.

So United to hold strong at home, but watch out with an early Roma goal in the first 30 minutes and a 32.6 percent fit Totti on the pitch all hell could break loose, but yes United to go through after a very solid Italian like performance on foreign soil.

Shalke 04—FC Barcelona 

A win is a win, but it was awful, Barcelona were lucky to hang on in the second half.

No matter, Barcelona got a much needed victory and away from home to, but only for the fact Shalke 04 are a poor side and couldn't finish, in what would have been yet another game where Barca take the lead just to watch it slip away.

The weakness of Barcelona was on show once more for all to see, when the opposition in this case Shalke 04 got aggressive and put the ball in the air, Barcelona couldn't deal with it, they cannot deal with balls being put into the box.

Gabriel Milito coming back will help with such problems, but this was no great return to form.

The young whiz kid, Bojan Krkic, got the vital away goal, in doing so becoming the second youngest scorer in Champions League history. Bojan has now unfortunately, for a 17-year old kid, being handed the title, the great saviour of Barcelona.

In the political world that is FC Barcelona, there is a realisation by all, that Krkic is the guy you have to grab on to, if in fact, you want to continue being onside with the current regime. It is astonishing the amount of interviews by Barca's big star players, and the extent to which they will go, in order to prove that they are in fact Bojan's best friend and mentor.

Thierry Henry had another nothing game, it was telling during the celebration of Bojan Krkic's goal, that Henry's body language made clear he thought it was his goal to celebrate. Now his play may not be the same as it was when he dazzled at Arsenal (fantastic piece of business by Arsenal), but his French ways and pomp are still very much intact, shame they two aren't hand in hand. 

At Camp Nou, Barca will be strong, Shalke 04 will have to actually score this time around, or they could simply, just put crosses in the box, and watch the mighty Barca squirm as only they can and try their luck.

Barcelona to go through...

Alby Jnr.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?