Amid a torrid run of form, player backlash and the famed “backing” of a trigger happy owner, the following month could be make or break for Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas

Every manager goes through it. A run of important fixtures that can ultimately decide a team’s season. It’s around this time of the year too. Games of all sorts, league, cup clashes and European endeavours start to creep its way in the calendar. Chelsea’s period starts now and it has all the problems, issues and pressures the size of an iceberg. And it could be a very important period for one man — manager Andre Villas-Boas.

This is no exaggeration. Villas-Boas is under intense pressure to lift the Blues, who have fallen on very hard times. They sit fifth on the table, behind Arsenal on goals scored, in the chase of the Champions League final spot. It’s not that the Blues are out of the hunt, far from it, but it’s their recent form that has brought this unwanted pressure on the team. Two wins from their last 10 league games says it’s all. And that’s not even near the tip of the iceberg.

The rumour mill has started to swirl with talk that former Chelsea maestro manager Jose Mourinho could make a sensational return to Premier League next season; with the destination being Stamford Bridge. It might just be the gossip and talk, but it’s an unwanted cloud hanging over Villas-Boas’ head. The rumours instil an uncertainty in the works of Villas-Boas who is having trouble to implement his own style, a high pressuring, possession based game, in an very Mourinho moulded team. Added to the fact that FC Porto President Da Pinto points out that “there are players who exchange text messages with Mourinho”, and more worrying that “Abramovich knows this”, which surely undermines the Chelsea’s managers work in constructing his own team. And that’s not even the tip of the iceberg.

After Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Everton, Villas-Boas was confronted by senior players in a heated exchanged the day after the game. The players expressed their doubts about Villas-Boas’ ability and skill to take the club forward. Villas-Boas even admitted that “They [the players] don’t have to back my project”. Difficult enough to implement and construct a team with a blend of both old players tied to old ways and new signings. More difficult if those players don’t believe in the project themselves. Villas-Boas has had problems to instil his new style, forcing himself to slowly go back in the Mourinho mode (defending deep and countering) at times during the season, but there’s always been that effort to change the formula. If the players don’t believe it, it’s more of a problem. And that still isn’t the tip of the iceberg.

Villas-Boas’ respond to his players’ outburst was that, “My authority is total because it’s the owner’s authority” and “It’s the owner who backs my project”. This is the same owner who fired Mourinho for playing too “pragmatic”; who sacked Avram Grant despite him leading the club to final of Champions League after the departure of the ‘special one’; the same owner who sacked Carlo Ancelottli,even though he lead the team to ‘double’ in his first season. So what’s the chance of Abramovich keeping Villas-Boas around if he can’t satisfy the owner’s needs of a trophy and European competition? Villas-Boas has said that “It is a relationship that is perfect at the moment”. How many times have we heard that before? Tip of the iceberg?

No, that’s not the tip of the large iceberg. All those problems and pressures that Villas-Boas is facing is merely the ground work leading to the tip of the iceberg: the “make or break” period that is steering straight at Villas-Boas. Over the course of the next few weeks, Chelsea have an important FA Cup replay; their Champions League ties against Napoli and a host of Premier League teams fighting against relegation in Bolton, West Brom, Stoke then an double header of Manchester City and Tottenham.

A couple of bad results in the League and could struggled to get fourth place in what is turning out be a four-way battle including Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle. Failure to continue in the FA Cup might results in more disastrous outcomes; not to mention if they fail to beat Napoli. This on top of backing of a trigger happy owner, a revolting group of players and persisted rumours of replacement. Villas-Boas has never been in a more intense situation before in his short managerial career. Best bet to get those results and fast.

Going into the Champions League group stages, there were likely a great deal of football bets placed on Premier League powerhouses Manchester United and Manchester City reaching the round of 16. But after flubbing a group that appeared to be a relative stroll, United are now looking ahead to the Europa League, and their archrivals are doing the same.

While United on Thursday nights is an unfamiliar sight, there will also be some new faces when the Champions League resumes in February, as APOEL Nicosia, FC Basel, Napoli, and Zenit St. Petersburg are all in the last 16. Will any of those upstarts advance to the quarters, or will the big boys all take care of business?

APOEL Nicosia v. Lyon

The little Cypriots that could not only shocked their way into the round of 16, they did it as group winners, as they finished top of a Group H that included three quality sides in FC Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Zenit St. Petersburg.

But after becoming the first Cypriot side to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League, can they go one step further and reach the quarterfinals? Unfortunately, this is where the story is likely to end.

Lyon only qualified thanks to two perfect results on the final matchday, but their six-goal second half in their crucial 7-1 win at Dinamo Zagreb shows just what they’re capable of when they’re at their best, and it’s easy to understand why they’d be favored to win this tie, even with the potential disadvantage of a second leg away from home.

However, picking against APOEL is a risky endeavor. They defied the odds throughout the group stage on the way to doing what no one expected, so there’s no doubt that they’ll be confident about their chances to shock the football world once again.

Arsenal v. AC Milan

This is the most difficult draw that Arsenal could have been given, but the Gunners will fancy their chances to take down the Italian champions.

AC Milan started the group stage with an impressive 2-2 draw at Barcelona, but they weren’t particularly impressive the rest of the way and ultimately finished seven points back of Barca. But they’re an extremely talented team and are capable of sending Arsenal packing, especially if Zlatan Ibrahimovic can come up big.

But the Gunners have had a lot of success against Italian opposition recently, knocking out Juventus in the quarterfinals in 2006, Milan in the round of 16 in 2008, and Roma in the round of 16 in 2009. It will likely be a tight encounter, but Arsenal should go through, especially with the second leg at home.

Barcelona v. Bayer Leverkusen

Will the reigning European champions be seriously threatened in the round of 16? It’s entirely possible, but it’s hard to see anything other than a Barcelona win.

The first leg could be troublesome, however, given that Leverkusen did defeat Chelsea and Valencia at home in the group stage. But even if the Bundesliga side take an advantage into the second leg, it’d take a Herculean performance to withstand the onslaught that’d come at the Nou Camp.

Bayern Munich v. FC Basel

FC Basel bested Manchester United in the group stage; can they pull another momentous upset in the first knockout round appearance?

Experienced Basel strikers Alexander Frei and Marco Streller both played in the Bundesliga and will be relishing this showdown, and both could cause some real problems, along with rising star Xherdan Shaqiri.

But Bayern will have a fit Bastian Schweinsteiger by the time this tie rolls around, and his presence will be key to their progression. Bayern would still be favored to advance even if Schweini wasn’t available, but given the form he was in prior to fracturing his clavicle against Napoli in November, his return will make Bayern even harder to beat.

Benfica v. Zenit St. Petersburg

Benfica finished top of the group that included Manchester United, and they’ll be glad to have avoided AC Milan, Napoli, or even perhaps Lyon in the round of 16 draw.

However, they haven’t been spared a tough draw in the least, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see Zenit triumph in this tie. Zenit may be new to this stage, but they have all the ingredients to get it done. The Russian side won’t be easy to dispatch at home, and they aren’t short on quality, led by the Portuguese duo of Danny and Bruno Alves and star forwards Alexander Kerzhakov and Danko Lazovic.

But Zenit’s league campaign doesn’t resume until days before the second leg of this tie, and that could mean that they may not be at peak sharpness, and for that reason, the edge in this matchup lies with Benfica.

Chelsea v. Napoli

Chelsea managed to miss AC Milan, but they landed perhaps the second toughest draw in Napoli, who beat out Manchester City for second place in a tough Group A.

With the likes of Edinson Cavani, Marek Hamsik, and Ezequiel Lavezzi, who could all be in the Premier League at some point in the near future, Napoli will really test Chelsea’s defense, and their own back line, while prone to some bad spells, did hold prolific City to only two goals in 180 minutes.

But Chelsea’s vast experience at this stage is a valuable asset to have, and it’s hard to bet against them. The Blues have had some uncharacteristic struggles at Stamford Bridge this season, but there are still few places in Europe that are as tough or tougher, and if Chelsea are on top of their game, they‘ll take full advantage of Napoli’s European inexperience.

Inter Milan v. Marseille

There’s no telling what kind of shape Inter will be in come February, but they appear to be surging at the moment. That means they could be in top gear when they face Marseille, and if they are, the French side could be in for a world of hurt.

For all the talent that Marseille have, with the Ayew brothers, Lucho Gonzalez, Loic Remy, and Mathieu Valbuena, it’s tough to see them springing a surprise. But their dramatic comeback against Dortmund, which sealed their qualification ahead of Olympiakos, could spur them on, and remember what unheralded Schalke did to Inter in the quarterfinals last season?

But it might be safe to say that Inter won’t have forgotten last year’s embarrassment against Schalke and thusly won’t be overconfident heading into this tie, and if they are indeed in top gear, Marseille could be dispatched with relative ease.

Real Madrid v. CSKA Moscow

Real should join rivals Barcelona in the Champions League quarterfinals, but it might take a lot more work than many might expect.

CSKA, who finished second in Group B behind Inter Milan, are not to be taken lightly. Real’s attacking prowess is anything but a secret, but CSKA have the firepower to make things very interesting. Striker Seydou Doumbia has been scoring for fun, and while he still appears to be a little under the radar, good performances against Real could be a springboard for a big move. And along with a few well-known names in Brazilian striker Vagner Love and midfielders Keisuke Honda and Zoran Tosic, CSKA have a highly, highly promising playmaker in midfielder Alan Dzagoev. But for all of the attacking talent they possess, they also possess one of the world’s top shot-stoppers in Igor Akinfeev, and he’ll have to contend with a flurry of shots in both legs.

But CSKA could suffer from the same lack of sharpness that Zenit could, so even if they’re able to push Real for a while, Ronaldo and co. will prove much too strong in the end.

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1. Manchester City will benefit from this experience

Regardless of the wealth spent on this team, this is City’s first outing in the Champions League. Only a handful of players in the squad have participated before in Europe’s elite competition. This season’s failure to make it past the group stage is all but a learning experience for the blue side of Manchester.

David Silva, Sergio Agüero, Joe Hart, Yaya Touré, Vincent Kompany and Mario Balotelli just to name a few will learn from this experience in which they have to hit the Group Stage hard and full of running. The slight mistake can result in the dropped points, unlike the Premier League with inferior opposition; the standard is obviously higher in Europe and you will be punished. They will all gain valuable lesson after this failed adventure.

2. United are a club in transition

Hard to say it, after United’s ‘raging bull’ start to the season, but last season’s Premier League Champions have shown over the course of the last two months that they are team going through the motions of transition. Alex Ferguson has thrown youth into the squad with little or no European experience and this in the long term has cost them. Injuries have played their part no doubt, that’s just football and Ferguson knows what happens during the long course of the season.

The center of midfield is where United need someone with extra bite and the back four needs consistency. Ferguson will need time to marshal the troops to form a formidable unit, but a United team in transition is still a dangerous prospect and shouldn’t be underestimated.

3. David Silva is what makes City click

There is no questioning Silva worth to City. He’s been the stand out player this season: setting up goals, providing that devastating link from the midfield to the front line and even getting the ball in the back of the net himself. However, it seems that there is a question of how valuable Silva really is for City. When he’s played, City has been unstoppable. He scored a sublime goal against Bayern and was instrumental in all their build up play. Obviously, it hasn’t been the first time he’s done this season. Mancini might have bought Samir Nasri to help cover for the Spaniard, but if they want to go all the way to the title, Silva has to be their man.

4. Manchester United need a world class central midfielder

If United had signed Wesley Sneijder from Inter Milan, like the tabloids had been reporting for over a year, you would have put your money on United making it through a relatively easy Group C. But he didn’t. This is where United have lost their bite and bark and it’s been quite clear to see that they aren’t the same as they were last season. Yes, Paul Scholes played less and less, but his experience, his leadership would of helped United in a situation like this. The young players would have learned from the man who’s been United’s pin in the center for over a decade.

The fact that Ferguson has to rely on 36 year old Ryan Giggs and youngster Tom Cleverly shows United are lacking personnel. Anderson doesn’t offer anything in terms of spark or creativity; Darren Fletcher is more suited to doing the grunt work; Phil Jones isn’t a central midfielder by nature and Michael Carrick has been off form for a while now. Signing a world class midfielder in January might be difficult, but its clear Ferguson will need to strengthen for next season.

Only two more rounds of the group stage of the Champions League remain, and for quite a few teams, that means the margin for error is slim to none.

Over the final two match days, there are a number of important games that will determine how things shake out. Several of Europe’s elite, like Barcelona and Bayern Munich, who boast the tournament’s leading scorers in Lionel Messi and Mario Gomez, are in favorable positions heading into their last two matches, but there are also a couple of notable few who still have some work to do to keep alive their quest to be the best. Champions League betting odds will favor the big names, without a doubt, but don’t discount the possibility of an upset or two… or more.

Group A

Bayern Munich are in the driver’s seat in Group A, and if things go according to form (and theirs has been very, very good this season), they’ll clinch at least a place in the round of 16 with a home win over disappointing Villarreal in their next match.

While Napoli are still mathematically in the hunt to win the group, Manchester City are the only real challenger to Bayern’s place at the top. However, City’s place in the final 16 is far from assured, because while they hold the edge over Napoli, that could change next week when the Premier League leaders visit the San Paolo.

Napoli notched an impressive 1-1 draw in Manchester, and not only would they end City’s hopes of winning the group if they go one better at home, but they would be favored to finish second. Napoli finish away to Villarreal, who won’t be playing for anything more than a spoiler role, while City host Bayern, who won’t be in the business of doing any favors even if they’ve got top spot all wrapped up already.

Group B

Inter may still barely have their heads above water in Serie A after digging themselves an early hole, but they’ve rounded into form in Europe and are set to go through to the round of 16 as group winners.

It’s only fitting that they could and should wrap up the group in their penultimate match away to Trabzonspor to show just how removed they are from September’s shock home defeat to the Turkish side, even if their domestic form is still lagging.

Trabzonspor may have picked up only two points since their stunning success at the San Siro, but they still have a chance to qualify for the round of 16. However, CSKA Moscow have a definite edge as of now, and a home win over bottom side Lille, combined with an Inter win in Turkey, will render the Russian’s side final match in Milan meaningless.

However, even if those results occur, Lille’s home tie against Trabzonspor on the final matchday would still be of great importance, as Lille, as surprisingly underwhelming as they’ve been in the group stage, would claim the Europa League consolation prize with a win. And if the reigning French champions can manage a positive result in Moscow, which won’t be easy, a win over Trabzonspor could put them in line for something more, if the result in Milan is in their favor.

Group C

Despite not looking particularly convincing thus far in the group stage, Manchester United find themselves in a familiar position as group favourites going into crunch time, which is usually when we see them at their best.

A win and a draw will do the trick, and you’d have to fancy them to do at least that, if not win both matches, but the road could be tricky. Next Tuesday, they host Benfica, who have yet to lose in any competition this season (19 matches, to date). Then United finish up with a trip to Basel, who stunningly overturned a 2-0 halftime deficit in a 3-3 draw at Old Trafford in September.

If Basel can win in Romania against Otelul Galati next week, they’ll go into their rematch with United still with a chance to win the group, so United won’t be able to sleepwalk through that one.

While Basel could go into that match with a chance to reach the round of 16 and reach it as group winners, Benfica are well-placed to advance even if they lose at Old Trafford. Their last match is in Lisbon against Otelul, who could well end up without a point to show for all of the toughness they’ve displayed to this point.

Considering how difficult they have been to put away, Basel will be making a monumental mistake if they go into next week’s tie with the resilient Romanians already looking ahead to their showdown with United.

Group D

Real Madrid, with four wins in four matches, have already secured a place in the round of 16, and Jose Mourinho’s side will seal top spot in Group D with a win next week at the Santiago Bernabeu against Dinamo Zagreb, who haven’t scored a goal yet, much less picked up a point.

But it looks likely that second spot will come down to the final match-day, and even though Ajax have the edge right now, it might not be a stretch to say that Lyon should be considered favourites to join Real in the knock-outs.

Lyon host Ajax next week, and with their impressive run of eight straight knock-out round appearances on the line, you’d have to favor the likelihood of them taking care of business in this crucial clash, especially when you also consider how formidable they are at home in Europe. In fact, since making their Champions League debut in the 2000/01 season, Lyon are 22-8-8 in group stage play, with five of those defeats coming in their first three appearances.

In the final round of matches, Ajax host Real, who will be eyeing the rare feat of a perfect group stage record, while Lyon will be away to Dinamo Zagreb, which won’t be an easy tie but is a markedly more favorable one than the one Ajax have to deal with.

Group E

Like Real Madrid and Lyon, Chelsea haven’t failed to make the Champions League round of 16 since the format changed in 2003. That looks almost certain to continue, but will the Blues go through as group winners as they’re accustomed to?

That’s not a certainty, as they face a testy trip to Bayer Leverkusen before finishing up at Stamford Bridge against Valencia, who, provided they take care of business at home against Genk next week, will head to London still with a chance to reach the last 16.

As of now, Leverkusen are the favorites to join Chelsea in moving on, but could they be made to rue being unable to close out positive results in away matches against Chelsea (0-0 until the 67th minute) and Valencia (1-0 Leverkusen until the 65th)?

Leverkusen have been pretty up and down this season, but if the right Leverkusen side shows up against Chelsea next week, they’ll head into a very winnable finale away to Genk poised to take top spot. To nab it wouldn’t be a small feat, even if Chelsea are still trying to find their feet under Andre Villas-Boas.

Group F

Unless both sides absolutely fall flat in their last two matches, Arsenal and Marseille will be on their way to the round of 16, likely with the Gunners as group winners and the French side in second.

Arsene Wenger was made to rue starting Robin van Persie from the bench in their goalless home draw with Marseille last time out, with RVP not coming on until the 62nd in that match. But it’s highly unlikely Wenger will leave his best player – and one of the hottest scorers in the game right now – in either of Arsenal’s last two matches, a visit from Dortmund and an away tie against Olympiakos.

The Dortmund tie will be a real tests, since the reigning German champions are playing very well as of late and will be doing everything they can to maintain their slim round of 16 hopes, with Marseille coming to Signal Iduna Park in their group finale. A Dortmund win in that one is a good bet, with how strong – and I mean strong – Dortmund are at home.

But Dortmund will need to win at the Emirates next week for something more than a Europa League place to be on the line when Marseille come to town next month.

As for Olympiakos, they still technically have a chance to win the group, but the best they’re going to do, barring a miracle, is third. If it happens to come down to a head-to-head tiebreaker, the Greek champions would have the edge, though Dortmund certainly aren’t resigning themselves to a place in the Europa League just yet.

Group G

Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Arsenal, APOEL Nicosia, Barcelona. Which one of these is not like the rest?

The favorites are sitting atop every group except for Group G, where an unfancied side from Cyprus has well and truly upset the applecart thus far with a surprising and unexpected unbeaten run.

But can they seal the deal and join the best of the best in the last 16? Zenit might be poised to take top spot from them, as they host the group leaders next week, but even with a defeat in Russia, APOEL will have reason to feel confident about their chances to win the group, as they host Shakhtar in the final round of matches, whereas Zenit are away to Porto.

For what it’s worth, don’t sleep on Porto, as disappointing as they’ve been to this point. They’re still a very talented bunch, and an away win against Shakhtar could turn the tide in their favor. It looks like two wins are a must for Porto, which won’t be easy, but if they can produce two quality performances, those two wins – and perhaps a group win – could be on the cards.

Amazingly enough though, Shakhtar can’t be dismissed as a threat either. If they beat Porto, they’ll be in a position where they could wind up second with a win over APOEL… who could end up dropping into the Europa League if they lose both remaining matches.

But unlike most of the other groups, it’s absolutely impossible to predict what will happen in Group G, due to the several surprising results we’ve seen to this point.

Group H

It’s already been confirmed that Barcelona and AC Milan will be the top two from this group, but what will the final order be?

Milan allowed a second-half equalizer in a 1-1 draw against BATE Borisov in their last group match, which means that they’ll need to beat Barcelona at the San Siro next week in order to have a chance to win the group.

That’s certainly possible, since they did draw 2-2 in Nou Camp after all, but if the best they can manage is a draw, they’ll not only need to defeat Viktoria Plzen in their final match, they’ll need to hope that BATE miraculously pulls off a win at Barca. So, in other words, AC Milan need to win next week.

Wouldn’t it be fitting if Zlatan Ibrahimovic, lover of all things Barcelona, scored the winning goal for AC Milan?

As for third and the Europa League spot that comes with it, BATE will definitely claim it if they beat Viktoria Plzen next week in Minsk, but avoiding defeat will all but wrap it up, unless the Czech side somehow pulled the upset and defeated AC Milan in their group finale in Prague. Anything can happen, but…

The Golden ball has released their shortlist of players of which one will be chosen as the undisputed best player for this past year. Yet, as it’s been the case for a couple of years now, the shortlist raised more questions than provided answers.

The list, which is chosen by France Football Magazine, has always had its critics although as of late, it has attracted more widespread criticism than ever before. Many people believed that last year’s edition should’ve been awarded to Wesley Sneijder who not only won the Champions League, but also made it to the World Cup final being the competition’s top scorer with five goals, only to miss out on this glorious feat by Andreas Iniesta’s goal.

To make things a bit worse, not only was he not included in the 23-list, he was not beaten to this award by one of his Spanish counterparts. Rather, it was Lionel Messi who –arguably- undeservedly won that award. For a player who didn’t win a major silverware in that particular season – La Liga apart- it came as an eyebrow-raising shock to see him among the final three nominees for the award, let alone ending up as the sole winner.

In a World Cup year, the tradition has been to award this trophy to a player who dazzled fans and opponents in that particular tournament as it’s considered the biggest stages of all. We’ve seen players like Ronaldinho in the past – who won all he could on a club level in 2006 – being beaten by a Fabio Cannavaro who did nothing but step it up on the biggest stages of all; the World Cup.

Well, that’s all in the past now. But one thing France Football could’ve done this year to redeem itself was launch the 23 player list based on merit, and once again, it failed miserably.

There seems to be some kind of a bias towards La Liga and in its players. No one argues against Messi deserving this year’s award –leading his Barcelona team to Champions League glory- or Spain’s players being the best in the world having been crowned with almost all silverware available for them, collectively at least. Individually, it’s been a completely different case however.

Starting with Cesc Fabregas who not only was injured for the most part of this year, but couldn’t lead his arsenal team to a simple Carling Cup victory has questioned the credibility of this award, raising questions on the basis for which players are selected. Players like Xabi Alonso, Karim Benzema, and Sergio Aguero, who have not had any silverware attached to their names, have arguably taken the place of other winners that simply can’t but wonder what more could they do to get selected. Ibrahimovic has aided his Milan team to their first league title since 2004 in his first year in black and red, while Falcão led his Porto team to Europa League glory beating the record of most goals scored in a single season -since Klinsmann held the honor- scoring 17 goals on his way to glory.

Edison Cavani and the under-rated Toto Di Natale have both –unexpectedly- fired their teams in the Champions League, ripping Italy’s nets consistently only for their efforts to go unnoticed. Bundesliga winners Borussia Dortmund haven’t been represented by a single player, while household names like Ribery and Robben –although expectedly- didn’t find space either. Mario Gomez’s consistency both with Germany and Bayern Munich have also been overlooked, along with the 16 goals he’s banged this season.

Turning our attention to the EPL, two players in the form of Tevez and Van Persie have undeservedly missed out. The former who topped the scoring charts in league action with 20 goals, also led his Manchester City team to their first silverware in 35 years, in the form of the FA Cup. Van Persie on the other hand, has scored 28 goals in his last 27 League matches to lift his Arsenal side among all the darkness that surrounded his club in the aftermath of selling Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri.

One could argue that the list can’t be compromised of attackers alone, yet when we fully analyze the list we find that defenders like Tiago Silva – Serie A’s best defender of late- and Vincent Kompany who has steadied Man City’s backline have been ignored in favor of Dani Alvez and Eric Abidal; two players who have added very little to a team composed of champions like Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta.

Whichever way you look at it, France Football and Fifa have a lot of justifying to do. Having overlooked players time and time again, it’s time for them to clarify the basis on which their lists are chosen or the Golden Ball continues its decline and its incredibility in the eyes of the football world as a whole.

The UEFA Champions League resumes tomorrow night as the fourth matchday of the group stage gets underway, and there are several teams that could clinch a place in the round of 16 if results go their way this week. It should be no surprise that the top three teams in Champions League statistics in regards to goals scored are all in that bunch, in Barcelona (9), Real Madrid (8), and Chelsea (8).

At the same time, there are some teams in potentially perilous positions at the halfway point of the group stage, and they go into this week needing a win and nothing less to improve their hopes of reaching the first knockout round.

Tuesday

Groups E-H take the stage tonight, and Chelsea, Arsenal, AC Milan, and Barcelona could all qualify for the last 16 with victories.

In Group E, Chelsea lead the group with seven points, with Bayer Leverkusen not far behind on six, Valencia struggling on two, and Genk, as expected, bringing up the rear, with only a single point to their name after three matches.

Valencia host Bayer Leverkusen knowing that nothing less than a win will fully maintain their hopes of reaching the round of 16 for the second straight year. If they can only manage a draw, Chelsea will secure qualification with a win at Genk, and after their 5-0 pasting of the Belgian champions a fortnight ago and how fired up they likely will be after letting in five at home against Arsenal on Saturday, you have to expect them to do their part. And if Leverkusen can go into the Mestalla and notch their third consecutive group win, they’ll assure themselves of a place in the round of 16, and will do the same for the Blues if they do as expected and win in Belgium.

In Group F, Arsenal, who lead the group with seven points following their dramatic 1-0 win at Marseille, will qualify if they top Marseille at home and Borussia Dortmund pick up a necessary three points at home against Olympiakos. Arsenal striker Robin van Persie is in unbelievable form at the moment, with five goals in his last two matches and seven in his last four, and he’ll be key to Arsenal getting the three points they need to move on.

If results in Group F go as they should, that will still leave Marseille, who are second with six points, in a favorable position to advance, considering that they host Olympiakos in the next round before finishing up with a trip to Dortmund. Dortmund have one of the best defensive records in the attack-friendly Bundesliga, but they have one of the worst in the Champions League, with seven goals shipped in three matches. Still, even though they’re four points back of Marseille, they’re still not out of the qualification equation, with two home games in their final three matches and a team that’s fully capable of turning it on at any moment.

In Group G, everyone still has a chance to qualify for the round of 16, but it’s APOEL Nicosia who surprisingly top the group at the halfway point, by a point over Zenit St. Petersburg and Porto, with Shakhtar Donetsk sitting bottom but only three points back of the leaders.

Things could take quite a turn tomorrow night, with Porto going to Cyprus and Shakhtar. Porto might be the best team in the group, but APOEL are the only unbeaten team, which certainly can’t be dismissed. They’ve impressively ground out results thus far, coming back late to beat Zenit at home and impressively drawing at Shakhtar and Porto, so if they wind up qualifying or even winning this group, it shouldn’t be considered a surprise as it would’ve been initially.

Last but not least, in Group H, Barcelona and AC Milan, who both have seven points, will both qualify for the round of 16 with away wins over Viktoria Plzen and BATE Borisov respectively.

Wednesday

The two Manchester rivals are going to be in action on Wednesday, and both face must-win matches of differing difficulty.

While City are off to a real flyer in the Premier League, the same can’t be said for their first experience in the Champions League. At the halfway point, they sit third in Group A, three points behind leaders Bayern Munich and one behind second-placed Napoli. For all of their prolific scoring in the Premier League, they haven’t been able to replicate it in Europe, with only three goals in three matches.

The top two in the group face off in Munich on Wednesday, while Manchester City visit a severely injury-hit Villarreal side. Villarreal gave it all they had in Manchester two weeks ago, with City escaping with a 2-1 win thanks to Sergio Aguero’s last-gasp winner, so City can’t go in expecting an easy ride, even if Villarreal are as hobbled as they are.

If they fail to win in Spain, City will be up against it to qualify, even if Bayern extend their group lead by beating Napoli at home. City finish up with a visit to Napoli and a visit from Bayern, and getting even four points from those two matches will be a tough task.

In Group B, leaders Inter Milan will be after a third straight group win as they host Lille, while Trabzonspor and CSKA Moscow, who are both two points behind Inter, face off in Turkey. Inter are still barely treading water in Serie A, but they’ve gotten it right in Europe after being shocked at home by Trabzonspor in their opener, and they should move within touching distance of the last 16.

Despite being two points behind Benfica, Manchester United are still well-positioned to win Group C. United host Otelul Galati on Wednesday before finishing up with Benfica at home and Basel away, and if United play up to their capability and not down to the level of their competition as they sometimes appear to.

However, Benfica have to fancy their chances as well, as they have home ties against Basel and Otelul Galati sandwiched around their trip to Old Trafford. Will United’s home draw against Basel come back to bite them?

In Group D, it’s looking like a runaway win for Real Madrid, who are on nine points, with Ajax and Lyon, the two candidates for second, both on four. Real will book a place in the last 16 with a win at Lyon on Wednesday, and considering their 4-0 pasting of the French side at the Bernabeu and their current scintillating form, you’d have to favor that outcome.

However, if Lyon could top Real, they‘d be positioned to at least leave top spot up for grabs going into the final round of matches, since they finish up with Ajax at home and Dinamo Zagreb away. But even if Lyon lose and Ajax win this week, Lyon still can’t be counted out. Ajax finish up with a home tie against Real after their visit to the Stade Gerland, and their road to three points is a lot more difficult than Lyon’s road to the six points that would see them grab second.

All in all, it stands to be a very exciting round of matches in the biggest and best club competition in football.

For match previews, analysis, and statistics from all of this week’s Champions League matches, check out WhoScored.com.

As the race for spots in the knock-out round intensifies, we take a look at the crucial fixtures which are likely to decide who will be advancing and who will be exiting Europe’s premier club competition.

Highly-flying Manchester City will be looking to book their advancement to the next stage when they travel to Italy on 22nd November. They will take on Napoli as the winner of that match looks set to be the team who will be joining Bayern Munich out of Group A. Manchester United will be hoping to put their recent troubles behind them as their home fixture on the same night as the City match against Benfica will probably decides who tops Group C.

Ryan Giggs will be hoping he can re-capture his heroic actions

Lyon host Ajax on 22nd November as the fallen giants will be fighting it out to join favourites to emerge from the group, Real Madrid, in the knockout stages of the tournament. Valencia welcome Bayer Leverkusen to the Mestalla on 1st November as the Spaniards will try to come back into contention for a top two spot with a win against the Bundesliga club.

Arsenal and Marseille seem to be slugging it out for top spot in Group F. They will square up to each other on 1st November at the Emirates Stadium as Borussia Dortmund’s hopes of qualifying look to be all but gone at this stage.

Before you go watch the giants of European football take each other on in the Champions League, watch Clarence Seedorf, Gianluigi Buffon, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Patrick Viera recreate some of the historic moments of the competition:

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Ryan Giggs rightly is held in the highest regard by all true fans of the game, yet the question remains whether he is past his sell by date. Certainly if one were to look at the facts and see he has already scored two goals this season than the argument may seem ludicrous. However, his performances this season have been marked with a sense of sluggishness and downright complacency. His display at Anfield last Saturday left a lot to be desired and not just for clanger in the lead up to Gerrard’s opener. As an experienced player, to give away the ball so frequently was just unbelievable. One must wonder whether loyalty to a player who was a true star in his time, may now be undermining United’s season, if Giggs continues to play how certain are we that he will not make any more gaffes.

United with a wealth of talent from Nani to Young and lest we not forget Valencia and Park, there is no obvious need to include Giggs in their side. Some may hail his experience as fundamental to United’s success, but in reality if Barcelona, Real Madrid or even Manchester City were still playing a thirty seven year old in the middle of their team than they would be slaughtered. Another example of Giggs’s fragility was his performance in last season’s champion’s league final. His performance was just abysmal in a game where he was needed to shine. That performance has seemed to seep into his form this season with his continuing pondering on the ball and general lack of concentration. His stunning goal against Benfica covered up a woeful performance by him during that game where he contrived to continually give the ball away time after time after time! His talent was striking when he was in his prime but, his day is long gone. Last season Garry Neville called it quits after shambolic display away to West Brom, when will Ryan decide enough is enough and stop chasing after appearances to put him into the record books.

Football today is a young man’s game; all the global superstars of the game are young and exciting. Today players need to be young and agile to succeed at the highest level. Gotze at Dortmund is only nineteen and is the future of European football. For every Gotze, see Ramsey, Wilshere or even McCarthy in the premier league. Simply put from a personal perspective football today is no longer a place for old men such as Giggs. To hear him last week come out and say he thought he would continue playing next season made me laugh. While we have all loved and enjoyed the beauty and joy Giggs has brought to the game, if we’re honest enough we must admit his time is now nearing its end. For a man who’s had such a terrific career it would be a shame for him to bow out making mistakes like last Saturday or just letting games pass him by. So for the sake of everyone let this season be Giggs’s last. He should enjoy it and perhaps by the season’s end Giggs will have played a blinder and make me eat my words. Hopefully that will be the case, and wouldn’t it be fitting for Giggs to end his career at the top where he has played his whole life and not the shadow of his former self that he is in danger of becoming if he doesn’t improve his performances.

European action takes center stage next week, as next week will mark the halfway point of the group stage of the Champions League.

While there is much to be decided between now and the last round of group stage fixtures in early December, several teams, including a couple of Europeís elite, are already facing matches that they can ill afford to lose or even draw if their ambitions are to stay intact.

Group A: Manchester City v. Villarreal

Manchester City havenít had the start to life among the best of the best in Europe as many expected they would. City have opened Champions League play with a home draw against Napoli and a defeat at Bayern Munich, and coming into Tuesday nightís meeting with Villarreal, they sit third in the Group A table, five points behind Bayern, three behind Napoli, and level on points with next weekës opposition.

Itís fair to say that this is a must-win match for both sides with respect to their round of 16 hopes, especially if Napoli happen to beat Bayern. Of course, the pressureís much more on City than on Villarreal, given that theyíre at home and considering the sky-high expectations facing them this season. Failing to make the round of 16 would be considered a serious disappointment for Roberto Manciniís side, even with Group A being the toughest group in the competition, but a win against Villarreal will throw them right back into the thick of things.

If you support City or Villarreal, you wonít want to miss this match, and Manchester City v. Villarreal tickets are available at TicketBis from £130.81.

Group B: Lille v. Inter Milan

Inter also havenít had the start that they were expected to domestically and continentally, but thereís plenty of time left to right the ship domestically, and they still look a good bet to make the Champions League round of 16 yet again.

However, if they want to win the group, a win at Lille next Tuesday night would be ideal, as it would likely move Claudio Ranieriís side into top spot in Group B, as current group leaders Trabzonspor, who scored a shock win at the San Siro last month, are away to CSKA Moscow.

But if Lille can hold serve at home, it would be a big boost to their hopes of making the round of 16 in the Champions League, as they currently sit in third on two points, two behind Trabzonspor and one behind Inter. To do that though, theyíll have to do a far better job of holding a lead than they did in their first two matches, as they surrendered a two-goal lead in the final 20 minutes in a home draw against CSKA Moscow and allowed a late equalizer in a 1-1 draw at Trabzonspor.

Group F: Marseille v. Arsenal

Finishing second in their group last season landed Arsenal a tie against eventual champions Barcelona in the round of 16, and the Gunners will be keen to avoid putting themselves in position to face such a tough matchup this season if they reach the knockout stage.

If they can put their away demons behind them and pick up a win at Marseille next Wednesday, theyíll move ahead of Marseille into top spot in Group F. Currently, Marseille top the group with maximum points from two matches, while Arsenal are second on four.

It looks like those two will nab the top two spots in the group, though Borussia Dortmund will move back into the mix if they make the most of two winnable matches against Olympiakos. With that potential threat in mind, along with the desire to avoid say, Barcelona or Real Madrid in the round of 16, a win at Marseille would be an ideal result for Arsenal. At the same time, if Marseille can make it three wins from three, theyíll head into next monthís rematch at the Emirates knowing that a positive result could all but seal top spot.

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September 15 was the kick-off for the group stage of the Europa League. The Europa League isn’t the most popular competition for some in the Premier League. Harry Redknapp isn’t thrilled to be in the Europa League. I think it’s very fair to say he doesn’t like it since he thinks it will interfere with his quest to achieve Champions League football next season. I am going to have to disagree with Harry on this one. I think the Europa League is a fine and competitive tournament and shouldn’t be brushed aside because it’s not the Champions League. I believe Tottenham should put every effort into the matches and win the trophy. I think you can do both. It’s not like there isn’t money in the Europa League. Work towards the Champions League and still make a solid effort to win the Europa League.

I like Harry as a manager. I am not remotely interested in his personal life or legal problems. I am only interested in his ability to coach the team. I like his style of play his accessibility with the press. I am glad he was hired as the manager in 2008. He was what the club needed and he saved them from regulation. He has been a successful manager with a few small bumps along the way. We can’t always get what we want. I am fine with that. But I feel and sense I am not getting a full commitment from Harry in the Europa League. The same was true with the League Cup and I think the same will perhaps be true with the FA Cup. I love the idea of playing in Europe at any level and I would think the team would feel the same way.

I understand the injury problems at the club. I understand the scheduling issues. I understand the desire to get back into the Champions League since that is where the fame and more importantly the money is located. For the moment we are dealing with the now and not what can or will be, unless you can forecast the future. The focus should be placed on the game in front of you. Dwelling on the future takes your attention from what is going on at the moment. Not to say you shouldn’t make plans for the future but I believe in doing your best and working with your best to get the job done in the present is more important. Players are employees are paid to do a job. If the club felt they had injury concerns they could and should have addressed that during the transfer window. I thought the defense warranted more attention but nothing was done except a failed attempt to get Gary Cahill. Perhaps an argument could be made that Jenas and Bentley should have not been loaned out or Hutton sold. I do support the use of young players and some of them are really looking good. Wonderful news since they are the future. I think relying on them too much without the assistance of good veteran support could be a mistake.

I watched the recent Spurs and PAOK match. I thought players did a fairly good job in holding their own. They were playing away from home and at a very hostile stadium with solid fan support. I thought Harry Kane and Tom Carroll had a good performance. Yago Falgue got his Spurs debut. Carlo Cudicini made some fantastic saves and got lucky with the penalty. Spurs lost out on a penalty. Maybe it’s me or the fact he doesn’t play much but I have never been impressed with Giovani dos Santos. I have seen him play well for Mexico but not for Spurs. Maybe the two aren’t a good match. Spurs had a few chances to take the lead but I think PAOK put a lot of pressure on the young side. The Greek side controlled most of the second half. To be honest I think Spur were lucky to get the draw. At the end of the group stage I believe Spurs will advance. Rubin Kazan gave a strong performance against Shamrock Rovers. I view Spurs and Kazan as the strongest of the four. With that in mind Harry will have to adjust to meet those demands and he will be forced to field a stronger side with more veteran players.

I know the counter argument. Tottenham should focus solely on the league to ensure a stronger chance of securing the top four. Minimize the risk of injury by ignoring cup and Europa matches. In principle I think that isn’t a bad idea and I certainly want Spurs in the top four at the end of the season. On other side of the agreement I would like to see the club win more silverware. In the last ten plus years just two League Cups, I would like more. The main focus of the argument most fans put forth is base on the “what if.” The only way to find out if that strategy works will be the end of the season and nothing else. Players get injured all the time. Michael Dawson will miss two months from an injury he acquired during practice. To be truthful a player can get injured at any given moment of the day. My philosophy is play in the moment because that is all that matters because what will or what can happen in three or four months isn’t here, it’s irrelative. Why worry about something that isn’t even here. Thinking too much or over analyzing can be a bad thing. Athletics perform better when they aren’t thinking so much.

I want Spurs in the Champions League but we are in the Europa League. Since we are in the Europa League we should make every effort to win the trophy and face the winner of the Champions League in the Super Cup. I have heard Tottenham supporters who want us to fail in the Europa League, League Cup and even the FA Cup. I don’t agree with that. It’s based solely on the idea if the focus is on the Premier League we will make the top four. That might happen and it might not. Play the hand you are dealt and not the one you would prefer. I always taught no matter what the job or assignment you always do your best. I tell my students history may not be your major but you should always put every effort to do your best. Like my father used to say, “never half ass a job.” It’s a reflection on who you are as person and a testament to your character.