The group stage has been done and dusted for months. The final 16 are in place. The Champions League returns today (finally!), and if you're looking for the kind of romance the FA Cup has delivered in recent weeks, look elsewhere. This competition will be a true clash of titans.How do you know? People are talking about Premier League leaders Arsenal as a darkhorse in this competition. The young Gunners face defending champs A.C. Milan, who might find themselves playing two 18-year-olds at forward in Alexandre Pato and Alberto Paloschi.
Meanwhile, embattled Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez continues to rattle his saber after his club got bounced out of the FA Cup by second-tier side Barnsley. Can they rebound from that loss and put one on Italian champs Inter Milan? The prospects don't look good, but Liverpool tends to emphasize the Champions League more than most clubs, so they could surprise today.
In other first-leg matches today, Real Madrid take on Roma, Chelsea visit Greek champs Olympiakos, and FC Porto take on Schalke 04. Arsenal and Milan square off tomorrow, while Manchester United take on Lyon, Barcelona battle Celtic and Sevilla faces Turkish upstarts Fenerbache. For more previews, check out our pals at The Offside and Soccer by Ives.
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