Champions League: Stock Up or Down for Each Remaining Starting XI

The first Knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League is fast approaching and with the latest period of time for teams to strengthen, there could be a shift in the fortunes of those remaining.

With the winter transfer window now closed for the majority of the nations involving the last sixteen standing, it is interesting to see what the new additions, losses or both will add or take away from the starting XI's.

Not all clubs were truly active but there have been changes none the less and as the first round of 16 matches are on the horizon it is make or break time for the European Champion hopeful's.

Arsenal

Arsenal did little work in the transfer market that will have a major impact on their UEFA Champions League aspirations.

The return of Thierry Henry on loan will likely not be enough to give them a major advantage over AC Milan.

Also the arrival of young German Thomas Eisfeld is only going to make their long term look more like it has the last five years, lots of potential talent, not enough realized talent to win a trophy.

Chelsea

Chelsea had a resounding transfer window, no not really.

Gary Cahill was brought in but is yet to even see the pitch, even with John Terry injured.

Kevin de Bruyne was purchased from Racing Genk and then loaned right back to them while Nicolas Anelka and Alex both were sold on.

Young Josh McEachran was also loaned out to Swansea leaving the Blues about the same place as before, a mess under Andre Villas-Boas.

FC Basel

Switzerland based FC Basel only did one bit of business in the window shipping off 19-year-old midfielder Sandro Wieser to TSG Hoffenheim for an undisclosed fee.

Their best bit of work in the window was to hold on to rising midfield star Xherdan Shaqiri for the rest of the season.

He is sure to draw much interest in the summer. And with Manchester United and a host of other clubs looking at signing him it could net the club a good profit in the summer.

AC Milan

AC Milan's major pieces of business were the arrival of Maxi Lopez from Catania and Sulley Ali Muntari on loan from Inter Milan.

Lopez and Muntari can both play in the clubs Champions League fixtures as neither are cup tied giving the Rossoneri a few more players at their disposal raising their depth.

Napoli

Napoli added strike power by securing a move for Chilean attacker Eduardo Vargas from Universidad de Chile for €14 million.

They also held on to all of their key players that have gotten them to where they are now and should have a decent run at it.

The loan addition of Soma Novothny is not likely to have a major impact but adds depth.

Real Madrid

Real Madrid neither added, gained or loaned in the window.

Despite no movement in or out, Los Bloncos are perhaps the most talented team in La Liga, but Barcelona have a way of out-"team"-playing them many of the times they play, making them seem second best.

Barcelona

FC Barcelona did little in the window. They locked up Eric Abidal with an extended contract, keeping the full back at the Nou Camp.

Other than they they offloaded fringe players Jonathan to Red Bull Salzburg and Maxwell to Paris Saint Germain.

Olympique Lyon

Olympique Lyon were another major club that did little to increase their depth or improve their quality as the only incoming player was former Al Wahda defender Hamdan Al Kamali.

Nothing major means it is sticking with the current side to face surprise Al Nicosia, but holding on to Aly Cissokho for the time is a plus for his versatility.

Al Nicosia

Cyprus club APOEL Al Nicosia lost two of their main squad players over the transfer window on free transfers.

Young 24-year-old Tijani Belaid left the club for German side Union Berlin. Belaid made eight appearances in England with Hull City in the 2010-11 season before moving to Cyprus.

The other departure was 30-year-old defender Sanel Jahic who had joined the club from AEK Athens 18 months ago. He has joined Kardemir Karabukspor in Turkey.

Bayer Leverkusen

Leverkusen shored up their defense with a late loan deal for Tottenham's Vedran Corluka. The player is possibly eligible for the next round if the club seek to have him allowed by UEFA as he has already played in the UEFA Europa League this season.

The side also allowed Hanno Balitsch to leave on a free transfer and loaned out Nicolai Jörgensen to Kaiserslautern.

Zenit St. Petersburg

Zenit Saint Petersburg have been rising to the summit of Russia's elite since the arrival of former AS Roma manager Luciano Spalletti. 

Sebastian Puygrenier was offloaded after spending all but about nine games of his four year contract with Zenit on loan. One of those loans was short term move to Bolton Wanderers in 2009 and the rest of his loan time at Monaco in France. He has returned to his home country with AS Nancy.

Also leaving the club is 22-year-old Russian midfielder Aleksei Ionov who moved to Kuban Krasnodar and looks to grow his career after he made 26 appearances scoring three goals this past season.

Lastly 24-year-old Denmark defender Michael Lumb, who was the 2008 U21 Denmark Defender of the Year, will make his third loan move from the club this year going to FC Freiburg after previously having spent time with Feyenoord and AaB Fodbold.

However, the core of the 2011 Russian Premier League Champions remains intact to take on Benfica in the round of 16.

Benfica

Portugal based club Benfica currently sit at the top of the Portuguese Liga table with FC Porto. However, Benfica are the last remaining side from their nation in the UEFA Champions League as Porto was dumbed out to the UEFA Europa League.

Benfica did mostly fringe player work over the transfer window. Their best move by far was making sure not to lose star midfielder Nicolas Gaitán who has been attracting a lot of interest abroad.

Five players went out on loan; Rodrigo Mora, Jose Luis Fernandes, Ruben Amorim, Niklas Barkroth and Fabio Faria. Barkroth just joined the club for an undisclosed fee from Swedish club IFK Goteborg.

Yannick Djalo also joined the club on a free transfer from Sporting Lisbon. Djalo was the Portuguese young player of the year in 2007 and scored 23 goals in 98 league games for Sporting.

CSKA Moscow

Russian Premier League side CSKA Moscow managed to keep Keisuke Honda after his move to SS Lazio of Italy fell through at the last minute.

However, attacker Vagner Love has parted ways joining Brazilian club Flamengo.

CSKA will have a less potent attack when they face off against Real Madrid and are pretty much done for this season unless a miracle in Moscow happens to take place.

Bayern Munich

Bayern made a "Huge," signing.

Their Fans!!! Yay!!!

Don't worry you are not the only one that got fooled.

As crickets chirp and Franck Ribery goes off at his club for not strengthening, it would appear that Bayern definitely dropped their stock.

Olympique Marseille

French side Olympique Marseille did nothing to improve their stock.

As it would be they allowed once Arsenal target Lucho Gonzalez to exit the club on a free transfer to FC Porto.

Inter Milan

Inter Milan did a good bit of fringe business as well this transfer window.

The clubs only signings were Angelo Palombo from Sampdoria for 1.5 million and 20-year-old Juan from Brazilian side Internacional for an undisclosed fee who they then sent him on loan to Novara.

A further seven loan moves were made as Inter shipped out Sulley Muntari to rivals AC Milan, Felice Natalino to Crotone, Coutinho to Espanyol, Luca Caldirola to Brescia and both Lorenzo Crisetig and Jonathan to Parma FC.

McDonald Mariga returned from a loan to Real Sociedad and Sebastian Carlsen came back from Helsingborgs IF in Spain while Fredy Guarin was loaned in from FC Porto.

The Nerazzuri lost Thiago Motta to Paris Saint Germain for an undisclosed fee, but it is uncertain how big of an effect this will take on the side in the long run. They also sold 26-year-old goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano to Palermo for €5 million.

Conclusion

Napoli and AC Milan stand out for making positive moves with the signings of Vargas and Lopez while the majority of the rest of the squads remained silent.

Chelsea have added Gary Cahill but he is yet to get on the pitch for them while they signed a great young talent in Kevin de Bruyne but loaned him right out.

In the short of it the majority of the moves made by the last sixteen there is little that should change their approach as most were moves involving fringe players that are expected to have little if any significance on their Champions League fixtures.

CSKA Moscow and Olympique Marseille are perhaps the biggest losers with the loss of Vagner Love and Lucho Gonzalez.

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