You can call the second day of UEFA Champions League Round of 16 action the day of reunions.
In one corner of Europe you have Claudio Ranieri leading his Juventus side against his former club, Chelsea. In another corner you have Liverpool manager and Madrid native Rafa Benitez returning to his hometown to face the club he once worked for as a reserve team coach, Real Madrid.
Even the Panathanaikos-Villarreal match-up today offers a reunion, with former Arsenal standouts Robert Pires (Villarreal) and Gilberto Silva (Panathanaikos) potentially doing battle.
Here is today's schedule of Champions League matches:
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Juventus at Chelsea (2:30pm, ESPN2)
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Liverpool at Real Madrid (2:30pm, Setanta USA and ESPN Deportes, 5pm, ESPN Classic)
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Bayern Munich at Sporting Lisbon (9pm, ESPN Deportes, 11pm, Setanta USA)
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Panathinaikos at Villarreal (5:45pm, Setanta USA)
If you will be watching today's matches, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below. I will be watching the action, and posting some observations in the comments section so keep an eye out for those.
Enjoy the action.
Let me start by admitting I’m no fan of english football. That said, what a disappointing performance by Madrid. Benitez definitely had their number – a crowded defence that snuffed out any attempt by Real. They really did not get a sniff of goal.
Btw, what’s up with Juande sitting out Schneider, Huntelaar and Van der vaart. Guti for Mercelo was an awful sub. Ramos had such a poor game.
I need a beer!
ESPN2 needs to stop airing Chelsea games. They are boring as hell. That match put me to sleep.
Bayern looked good. Inter vs. Man U is gonna be an intense 2nd leg
great result for panathinaikos. 1-1 away is HUGE. i trust them in Athens for the second leg. Panathinaikos 2-1 prediction!!!
Call it a lucky guess, but I am positive Bayern will move into the next round.
Bavarians 5 !!!!! – Sporting Clube de “albergue gatos” 0
WoW!
Benayoun is class. Just somewhat inconsistent.
Anyone else think Benayoun is highly underrated?
Hard to say Liverpool was the better team, but they get the 1-0 away win, Madrid with a lot of work to do.
Stade d’Olympique is expecting over 50,000 for the CCL game tonight. Should be a crazy atmosphere!!
And that sound is me eating my words…..1-0 Liverpool.
Heinze pulls down someone for no apparent reason with the ball in the air, it results in a free kick, which results in a Benayoun goal.
1-0 in the 82nd
80th in Madrid, its picking up, but with Liverpool bunkering, nothing is happening
Sigh — Javi Venta in for Llorente. Jozy could’ve been playing.
Juve are pushing. Creating some chances, but their corners still suck
Robben with a nasty knuckler from 25 out in the 71st barely knocked over
Like Liverpool/Real Madrid was destined to be anything other than a 0-0 draw. Liverpool’s specialty.
bad news for the Yellow Submarine giving up the away goal. not much of an effort from Sporting, either.
Rossi PK Goal!
Yellow for Mascherano for a challenge on Gago, Madrid look better now. 65th
Poor communication by Juve. They just can’t get anything going. Put on the Real-Liverpool match ESPN2!
Babel on for Torres in the 62nd