UEFA Champions League Draw: The Tougher Half of the Season

The Champions League draw has been made and the eight European teams picked will go head-to-head next month.

There is probably no team happier than Manchester United at the moment, as their fans cannot think of any reason why the team will not make it to the Champions League final for two consecutive seasons.

Manchester United has a relatively easier draw. Teams like Porto, Villarreal, and Arsenal do not look like they can stop the defending European champion.

It would be stupid to rule out the three teams as anything can happen in a knockout competition. But as long as Manchester United plays at their best, there should not be any problems for them to play in Rome come May.

However, the other half of the quarterfinals is not so predictable. Chelsea, Liverpool, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich have to play against one another to book a place in Rome.

Barcelona can definitely boast about their attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto'o, and Thierry Henry. The Catalan giants have an average of three goals per game in La Liga at the moment, making them the highest scoring team in Europe.

Besides, Dani Alves, Charles Puyol, Xavi, and Andres Iniesta have all been doing consistently well this season.

Therefore, Barcelona could spoil the English team’s chances of up another all-English final. And if they were to play Arsenal in the final, Thierry Henry will have to play against his former team, one he led to the Champions League final in 2006, only to be beaten by his current side.

Although many think Bayern Munich's chances are very slim having drawn against Barcelona, their 12-1 aggregate romp past Sporting Lisbon proved that they are not easy to beat at all.

Should Bayern Munich manage to overcome Barcelona and knock Liverpool or Chelsea out of the competition, the Germans could see them getting a chance at revenge against Manchester United for their defeat to the Red Devils in 1999.

A Liverpool versus Chelsea encounter is not an unfamiliar clash. Both teams have gone head to head the past five seasons.

Luis Garcia scored the only goal in both legs to send Liverpool to the Champions League final in 2005, where Liverpool eventually won in Istanbul.

In the following seasons, both teams were drawn in the same group and both matches ended goalless.

In 2007, they met again in the semifinal. Both sides won 1-0 at home and Liverpool won on penalties thanks to Pepe Reina's heroics.

Last season, they had to play against one another for a spot in the final as well. Both legs ended 1-1, and Chelsea scored a couple goals in extra time to win the tight encounter.

This time around, both teams are looking good after overcoming Real Madrid and Juventus, respectively, in the previous round.

Liverpool has beaten Chelsea twice in the league, but can they do the same next month? This really is a match that can go either way.

Should Liverpool go all the way to the final and have to play against Manchester United in Rome, fans across the globe will experience the fiercest rivalry in English football.

And if Chelsea has to play Manchester United in Rome, it will be a replay of last season's Champions League final in Moscow where Manchester United won on penalties.

This is why Champions League is always interesting. You never know who will win and what will happen.

The tougher half of this season's Champions League is probably the fiercest of the past few seasons.

Liverpool has won it five times. Bayern Munich has won it four times.

2006 champions Barcelona have arguably the best attacking talents. Chelsea has not won the Champions League but they have made it through to the semifinals four times out of their last five seasons.

Which of these four teams will make it through to the Champions League final in Rome?