And now, the one we’ve all been waiting for…
PFC CSKA MOSCOW
(If you can read the above line, you don’t need glasses…)
vs. Sevilla
Overview: Did you have to double-check that this was UEFA Champions League match? No? Ummm… neither did I…
In all honesty, this is the sort of match in the Champions League that I absolutely love because it is a clash between two broad storylines in the organizational order of European football. In this case, the story lines are the rise of Russia and the depth of La Liga.
The Russian Premier League doesn’t start for another two and a half weeks, will that effect CSKA? Meanwhile, Sevilla sit firmly in 4th in La Liga. The game features four of my favorite Championship Manager acquisitions: Frederico Fazio and Luis Fabiano of Sevilla and Igor Akinfeev and Sergey Ignashevic of CSKA. I don’t know what that means for tomorrow, but I thought I’d throw it out there for those struggling to take a mid-table side to glory in CM.
The question of which league is best in the world usually boils down to a Premiership/La Liga discussion. Sevilla will give those who argue for the Premiership without, you know, watching any La Liga matches as comparison, a case for the Spanish Primera.
Potential Mitigating Factors: Napolean. The Axis. Steve McClaren. They all will tell you the same thing: going into Russia as favorites is a dicey proposition.
Key Player: Igor Akinfeev. This guy is incredible in goal, and it seems like he has been playing for CSKA since he was 17… oh wait, he was! While Russia shockingly missed out on the World Cup, the national team players who have moved to more traditional European powers have generally made good. The best Russian players are definitely legit on the big stage. One day this guy is going to be sold for a MASSIVE transfer fee. Mark my words…
Wait, Aren’t Your Predictions Always Wrong? No!…. [hangs head]… yes.
Key Matchup: Adriano vs. Honda. No, not Adriano Leite Ribeiro. No, not the Honda Civic. Honda is CSKA’s new option in the attacking area of the midfield (welcome to your new club, now play a critical Champions League game. Don’t worry, it’s just like playing in Holland, except that the defenses don’t hemorrhage goals as part of their league’s identity). Adriano is a tough, two footed, defensive minded midfielder who can play anywhere. In fact, when can we start calling him “the good Adriano”? I vote now. Advantage Adriano.
Best Chance for Funny:
- Obviously if Honda picks up a slight knock, we could be treated to a wire bulletin entitled “Honda Fit” for the second leg. By the way, can someone snap up Yohei Toyoda out the J-League Second Division for some timely jokes? Imagine if he went to MLS and made a late challenge. One can see the unthinking American commentator right now, “ooh, bad challenge, that’s just Toyoda failing to put on the breaks.” In the words of Bill Simmons, make this happen.
- It’s a big game for CSKA, it’s supposed to be Zero Degrees Celsius at kickoff… sounds like the defenders could use some Sudafed… (wink, wink)
Final Answer: I picked Russia as my World Cup Finals spoiler last summer. I owe Moscow an anti-curse. Sevilla to win.
Internazionale FC vs. Chelsea FC
Overview: José is really great at the pre-match wind up. He’ll do anything to try and tilt things the slightest bit in favor of his side. He instills belief from his players and he sows destruction in the opposition’s camp. I’d really love to see him meddle in the other matches during the week, just because he can. I’d like to wake up in the morning to “Mourinho hopes Sevilla knocks ‘plastic pitch’ out of competition.” Why not? If he said it, people would print it.
However, he’s in over his head this time. Ancelotti’s Chelsea are unflappable (just checked with UEFA, I’ve used up my allotted Tom Henning Ovrebo jokes for the month). The whole matchup reminds me of a boxing match I once saw between Prince Naseem Hamed and Marco Antonio Barrera. Hamed was undefeated, indefatigable, and a brilliant wind-up artist. Hamed danced around, wound-up the crowd, and tried everything he could to get in Barrera’s head. Barerra just stayed in his stance and pummeled him with brutal technical proficiency.
Potential Mitigating Factor: John Terry. Call it God. Call it Karma. I can’t believe one penalty miss is punishment enough for mocking Americans after September 11th.
Key Player: Frank Lampard. With Essien looking doubtful for the tie, Lampard is going to have to assert himself in the midfield. If he can hold the ball a little and take the air out of José’s possession tactics and have a chance to flip those brilliant balls into the edge of the box, Inter should come undone. Chelsea’s athleticism is unparalleled in world club football, and it’s Lampard’s quality that more often than not unleashes it on defenses with passes that warp the organization of even the most disciplined defenders.
Key Matchup: Muntari vs. Lampard. Not to be redundant, but Inter want to hold the ball. If Muntari can keep the lid on Lampard, it gives Inter the chance to hold the ball and keep Chelsea chasing. No Essien and no Ashley Cole ought to create a better chance for Inter to play a possession game, but it is really going to come down to whether Lampard can be controlled.
Best Chance for Funny: Is there any way that Mourinho is not going to act like a child desperately in need of Ritalin for the next two weeks?
Final Answer: I think this is going to be Chelsea all the way. We are going to get lots of “consternation shots” of Mourinho on the sideline.
Steven Maloney is a contributing writer for Glorious Football and a Professor of Political Science at the University of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He can be reached for comment at steven.maloney@gmail.com.
Written By Steven
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