Barca send Chelsea Packing

Some people call it revenge, some call it the best team won but whatever it is, I - for one - am not feeling sorry for Chelsea. They are undoubtedly a great team with a great manager, but they needed to be brought down to earth and Rijkaard's men did just that. Ronaldinho scored the opening goal though a fantastic strike and by the time Chelsea made the scores 1-1 through a 90th minute Lampard penalty, all was lost. All the hype and media attention surrounding the game was fully justified as the game ended in a 1-1 draw but Barca go through having won the first leg 2-1 at Stamford Bridge. Last season, Barca saw the Quarter finals on the TV and this year, Chelsea have to do that. 25 minutes into the game, the home side got a scare as Messi limped off with a hamstring injury, but the other stars were not to let that disturb their gameplay and carried on with their job until it was completed.

Barca are on course for the Cup. That gives me quite a scare now. Last season, the team that defeated Chelsea won the cup....Will it be the same this year...? Barca do have the fire power and who can stop them now? Liverpool? Real? Or the giants Milan....I hope Milan win the cup, even if it means getting the better of Barcelona. With Ronaldinho, Deco, Eto'O, Messi and their skipper Puyol, Barca have all they need to get them past anybody...But if it happens, can they get the better of Pirlo, Gattuso, Kaka, Gilardino and the enigmatic Shevchenko? Only time and a suitable tie will tell. That would be an amazing game to watch and who do you think I will be rooting for? Milan! Obviously!

The other teams which made it through were Juventus, who scraped through after a dramatic late error by the W.Bremen custodian - Wiese - gifted them the goal that they needed. Juve were on the verge of a shock exit, when Wiese dropped the ball at Emerson's feet and he coolly slotted it home. It was ironic how Wiese became the villain after how had kept Bremen in the game by single handedly keeping the continuous onslaught of Nedved, del Piero, Mutu, Ibrahimovic and Trezeguet at bay. Earlier Micoud had scored the opener and Trezeguet had equalised to bring Juve a ray of hope...until Emerson's winner!

Villareal made it through on the away goals rule after a 1-1 tie with Rangers in Villareal but Rangers exit the champions league with their heads held high being the first Scottish team to make it this far. They could have won it after taloing the lead through Lovenkrands put the 1-0, but a Arruabarrena strike immediately after the restart shows Rangers the door.

Tonight's games see Milan against Bayern after a 1-1 tie in Germany, Liverpool trying to avenge their 1-0 first leg loss to Benfica, and they can very well do it at Anfield - which is an intimidating place for any away team!, Arsenal hoping to maintain their fine 1-0 win in the first leg against Real and Lyon taking on PSV with Lyon having the advantage after the 1-0 win in Holland.