Unlike last season, all four English clubs have made it into the last 16 of Europe’s premier club competition, and unlike last season it seems all four have a chance to be triumphant in Wembley on Saturday May 28 2011.
With three Barcelona players making up the shortlist for Fifa’s world player of the year, it seems the Premier League’s finest have been living in the Spanish shadow in recent months. And they have.
Spain were triumphant at the World Cup and Barcelona continue to set tongues wagging with their fluid football and ‘Mes que en Club’ vision. The three managers up for manager of the season all ply their trade in Spain too – Mourinho, Guardiola and Del Bosque.
So there is a temptation to think the Premier League’s four contenders are vying for role of losers in next May’s final at Wembley – especially as Barca have just rewritten the rules with their 5-0 win over Real Madrid. Until then no side had stopped Jose Mourinho doing what he does best, which is stopping the opposition, if you can unravel the double negative.
There were a few shocks last night in the Champions League but none of the big guns missed out on a place in the last 16 of the competition apart from Ajax Amsterdam.
But they did not stand a chance going into match day 6 and had already been eliminated before their match against AC Milan started.
Chelsea made it through to the last 16 of the Champions League despite suffering a defeat at the hands of Olympique Marseille.
Chelsea lost 1-0 last night in France but still made it through as group winners with the French side joining them as the second best team from the group.
Brandao scored in the 81st minute at the Stade Velodrome last night to inflict their first defeat on Chelsea in this season’s Champions League.
It was a very timid performance by the English Champions and never in the match did they look like coming away with a win but still the manager feels that the London Blues have what it takes to go all the way and win the Champions League.
Arsenal also survived a late scare in their game against Partizan Belgrade and finally qualified for the last 16 with a 3-1 victory last night but they had to be content with the runners-up position in the group after Shakhtar Donetsk defeated Braga 2-0, to become the only side from Ukraine to ever reach the knock out stages of the Champions League.
Robin Van Persie opened the scoring on the night for Arsenal from the penalty spot but in the 52nd minute matters were brought back to level terms when Cleo put the ball into Arsenal’s net.
But two goals from Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri spared Arsenal blushes as the scraped to safety in the competition.
Arsenal also had Bacary Sagna sent off in the match for a reckless tackle on Aleksandar Lazevski.
Also securing their qualification to the next round as group runners up were AS Roma of Italy, who drew 1-1 on the night with CFR Cluj in Romania but with Bayern beating FC Basel the result was enough for the Giallarossis to go through.
Roma only needed a point from this game to through and secured that point through Marco Borriello’s goal.
The Romanian side equalized through Lacina Traore late in the game but could not find the winning goal that would have sealed their progress.
In the same group Bayern maintained their impressive start to the campaign with their fifth win of the season.
Two goals from Franck Ribery and one from Tymoschuk helped FC Hollywood beat FC Basel of Switzerland 3-0.
In Arsenal’s group Shakhtar Donetsk’ Luiz Adriano and Razvan Rat scored two goals in five minutes to make sure that the Ukrainian side was not missing out on a chance to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League as group winners.
Going into the match Braga also had a chance to make it to the last 16 but their hopes vanished in 5 second half minutes when Razvan and Adriano scored for the Ukrainians.
Ajax Amsterdam also bowed out of the competition in style as they beat AC Milan 2-0 on the night to make sure they qualify for the Europa League.
Goals from Danny Zeeuw and Alderweireld were enough for the Dutch side to see off the Rosseneris.
In the same group a hat trick by Karim Benzema and a solitary Ronaldo strike were enough to help Real Madrid ease past Auxerre and qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League as group winners.
While Arsenal spared their blushes after an early scare from Partizan, they will go into the last 16 anxious to find their opponents as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are all possible hurdles to overcome.
Manchester United failed to hold onto their clean-sheet record but also managed to top their group by coming from behind to draw 1-1 with Valencia.
It’s too early to predict who will be holding ‘old big ears’ aloft come May, but don’t rule out the English clubs just yet.