3. April 2010 03:55
Where there weren't big teams, there were certainly big hopes in the matches on the second day of the first round of UEFA Champions League quarter finals. Arsa and Barca have drawn even, and Inter Milan and CSKA Moskva are not too far away from each other. Anything could happen for these teams next week … but today we are concentrating on what happened in the previous round of matchups!
Arsenal vs Barcelona 2-2
Despite drawing even in the only stat that really matters - goals scored - Barcelona dominated Arsenal throughout the statistics. They had 62% possession, and 11 shots on target (6 wide) compared to Arsenal's 3 on target and 3 wide. Arsenal also committed more fouls than Barcelona, and this was a home match. It seems that Barcelona's reputation as 'the team to beat' is well deserved, even when coming up against the big guns.
On a side note, Cesc Fabregas has been confirmed to have a season-ending injury - a cracked fibula. The medical opinion is that though he was cleared to play against Barcelona, the knock to the knee he took in an earlier match against Liverpool contributed to the break. Andrei Arshavin will be out for two-three weeks also, with a torn calf muscle. Arsenal drew … but at what cost?!
Inter Milan vs CSKA Moskva 1-0
Jose Mourinho has said that the team's victory over CSKA Moskva has given them a needed confidence boost and removed a mental block. Considering that they managed to get to the quarter finals with that block, it will be interesting to see what the team can do now they have been freed! Stats were relatively even - 56% possession to Inter Milan, who also got 9 shots on target and 8 wide compared to Moskva's 4 on target and 5 wide. Nonetheless, an amazing performance from Moskva!
The League of Tweeters
More than the stats, more than the carefully prepared statements, even more than the gossip. Twitter tells us what people really think about the recent and upcoming UEFA matches!
- donny_cross the uefa champions game on fsn west right now between lyons & bdx is pretty much the most entertaining game ive seen in a while
- lordlangley73 @TWMarkChamber I follow football when UK clubs are in Europe! Apart from Euros, UEFA, Champions League and World Cup I don't follow a team.
- hargel411 Everyone's A Winner in the UEFA Champions League - Tonic: In 2006, FC Barcelona signed an agreement with UNICEF th... http://bit.ly/de18wk