Champions League Predictions: How Will the Best Fare?

With both domestic and European league competitions starting to heat up, we now have a fair idea of how each team is performing both at home and abroad.

With the upcoming Champions League fixtures set to pit England's best against the champions of Europe, how will the Premier League's "Big Four" fare against Serie A and La Liga's best in the Round of 16?

Arsenal v AS Roma


Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009, Emirates Stadium

Kickoff: 19:45

Arsenal

Arsenal lost 2-0 against FC Porto away in their last Champions League match, ending a run of seven matches unbeaten in this season’s competition (including preliminary rounds).

Arsenal have won five (three out of four at home), drawn two (one at home), and lost one of their eight matches on route to the first round knockout stage.

The Gunners have found the back of the net 17 times (nine at home), have been breached on five occasions (none at home), and have finished as runners-up to FC Porto in Group G.

Arsenal will have to do without Eduardo (hamstring) after he suffered an injury on his comeback, captain Cesc Fabregas (hamstring), and Thomas Rosicky (hamstring), while Emmanuel Adebayor (hamstring) is a doubt and Abou Diaby (thigh), Micheal Silvestre (thigh), and Theo Walcott (shoulder) could be fit.



A.S. Roma

A.S. Roma won 2-0 against Bordeaux at home in their last Champions League match, making a run of three consecutive wins since losing 0-1 away against Chelsea in Group A.

They have won four (two out of three away from home) and lost two (one away) of their six matches on their way to qualifying from their group. Roma have scored 12 goals (six on their travels) and conceded six goals (three away from home) in this season’s competition and finished as winners of their group.

Roma could be without Alberto Aquilani, Christian Panucci, Max Tonetto, Jeremy Menez, and Marco Casetti due to injury.


Prediction

Roma have improved their domestic form since the Champions League break, before which they were horrible in Serie A, but ominously for Arsenal they were still performing in Europe. Now, with improved form, they could take another English scalp this season after beating Chelsea.

Arsenal’s domestic form has stabilised somewhat since the break, before which they were much more susceptible to defeat. However, ending their Champions League group with defeat leaves some concerns as to how they will return, not to mention their recent Premier League form, with four successive draws in their last four matches against sides inferior to them on paper.

The absence and possible absence of captain Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott, respectively, could make taking home advantage that much more difficult for The Gunners, not to mention Arsenal’s top scorer in the competition, Emmanuel Adebayor, who has four goals so far.

However, the possible absence of Alberto Aquilani in particular for Roma and a number of others could increase that advantage again for Arsenal, who have typically found something extra in the bigger games this season.

Roma’s stronger finish to their group and rare, yet successful preference for not using out and out strikers are the main notable differences between these two teams with otherwise similar stories this season.

Arsenal will go into this match as the bookmakers' favourites, but a likely strong away performance by the Italians could prove difficult for the Gunners and make for an even match in this first leg encounter.

Inter Milan v Manchester United


Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro)

Kickoff: 19:45


Inter Milan

Inter Milan lost 2-1 against Werder Bremen away in their last Champions League match, their second successive defeat in Group B.

They have won two (one at home), drawn two (one at home), and lost two (one at home) of their six matches en route to the first round knockout stage.

Inter Milan have found the back of the net eight times (two at home) and conceded seven goals (two at home) in this season’s competition and finished as runners-up to Panathinaikos in their group.

Internazionale Milano could be without Christian Chivu and Marco Materazzi due to injury.




Manchester United

Manchester United drew 2-2 with Aalborg at home in their last Champions League match, their third successive draw, making a run of six games unbeaten in Group E.

Man Utd have won two (one away from home) and drawn four (two away from home) of their six matches on their way to qualifying from their group.

They have scored nine times (four away from home) and been breached three times (once away from home) in this season’s competition and finished as winners of their group.

Manchester United will have to do without Owen Hargreaves (knee), Anderson (ankle), Jonny Evans (ankle), whilst Gary Neville and Wes Brown are also looking doubtful, but John O'Shea is hopeful. Man United will also be without Nemanja Vidic, who serves a one-match suspension.



Prediction

Inter Milan have continued their unrelenting domestic form since the break from Champions League football, sitting nine points clear in the lead in Serie A over second placed Juventus. Also, in manager Jose Mourinho, they have someone very familiar with Manchester United from his time as Chelsea coach, with the "Special One" undoubtedly determined to replicate his win over the Red Devils that he achieved as manager of FC Porto.

Inter Milan’s two defeats at the end of their group campaign raise concerns over their European form, while Manchester United’s (albeit not 100 percent) form in the competition prior shows no real alarms. The defending Champions League champions are also on rampaging form domestically and will resume European football in good health, at least performance-wise.

Inter Milan’s main threat is Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with 17 goals from all competitions, although with only one in the Champions League, he tells the story of Inter Milan’s European no shows so far. Manchester United’s biggest Champions League performer has been Dimitar Berbatov with four goals so far (12 in all competitions).

The home advantage will need to finally bring the best out of Inter Milan in Europe this season, as the possible absence of two key Inter defenders could make the task of avoiding a damaging goal against just that more difficult.

However, the absence of Nemanja Vidic, and a great number of Manchester United's defenders, will be equally as much of a blow for the Red Devils, setting this first leg up to be a closely contested encounter with Inter Milan as only very marginal favourites.

Read more Champions League previews with betting odds, including Chelsea v Juventus and Real Madrid v Liverpool at the Sports Betting Review site now.