Four of these clubs (Half of those left) are from England. This means that the spending power of the Premiership is far greater than the other European leagues and not as some journalists would have you believe because English clubs are simply better.

As the draw is being made on the day of pending this article I am going to be brave and predict that two of the English clubs will draw each other, the reason for this is because UEFA are unhappy at the recent dominance by English clubs. Funny that as they didn’t moan when Spanish and Italian clubs used to have the same dominance.

I will go through each club and rate their chances:-

1. Arsenal

Lucky to get through to the last round against Roma despite being much the better side in the first leg at home when they should have won by more than the one goal. Their second leg performance summed up their season. Brilliant one game and crap the next. This inconsistency will cost them this season in both the FA Cup and Champions league. Can’t see them getting any further. A shame as on their day they can destroy any team. Witness their 5-2 away victory to Fenerbahce of Turkey or the 4-0 home victory over Porto.

2. Barcelona

Just about the only side left in the completion that has a chance of upsetting the English bandwagon. They are playing some lovely stuff in the Spanish league and look like they are going to win “La Liga“. They were unlucky to lose to Manchester United in last years semis but this year I expect them to go one further and reach the final.

3. Bayern Munich

The Germans gave poor Sporting of Portugal a right thumping in the previous round which says more about the state of Portuguese domestic football than Germany’s. Bayern are second at the time of writing in the “Bundesliga” behind Hertha Berlin (Four points). It is interesting to note that there are two German clubs left in the UEFA cup as well (Hamburg & Bremen). Could this be the season that German clubs start to reassert themselves in Europe by winning a trophy for the first time in some years. Despite the obvious improvement in Germany’s standing at both international & to a degree at club level my answer is no.

4. Chelsea

Chelsea have improved since the appointment of Guus Hiddink and their impressive victory over Juventus was a just reward for their play over the two legs. They team seem to have found their confidence again and just at the right time of the season thou sadly I fear too late for the Premiership. I predict that they will again reach the final but please UEFA can you not fix it that they play Liverpool again as it is getting really bloody boring watching them both play each other. Could be the last chance for the likes of Lampard and co to win the Champions League (European cup).

5. Liverpool

The fact that Liverpool keep on doing so well in the champions league (Two finals in four years) makes a mockery of the whole completion as they have not won their domestic league since 1990. Their form in Europe over the last four years has been excellent thou & who can ever forget their amazing win over AC Milan in 2005. The fact that that same team beat them two years latter but should never have even been in the competition in the first place should not detract from their feat of getting to the final again. The way they destroyed Real Madrid in the last round was very impressive even thou Madrid are having a difficult season. Probably missing Victoria Beckhams massive personality in the stands…?

I think they will get to the semis and no further which coupled with their title challenge going wrong (Five points clear and now seven behind & down to third) will mean the end of Benitez. He will leave saying that it is everybody’s fault bar his own as to why they haven’t won the Premiership during his spell as manager & that is the very reason why he has to go. Arrogance will always be your downfall & Mr Benitez has it in bucket loads..

6. Manchester United

Are playing well at the moment as they usually do at this time of the season. They will win the Premiership with points to spare but I fear that they will fall at the semi final stage of this years champions league. This will bring immense disappointment to the legions of their supporters who only support them to make them selves feel like one of life’s winners. Stop it Doug…you are being bitchy…

7. Porto

Have done well to reach this stage of the Competition but alas I feel they will go no further. Their glory days for now have past since they won the competition under Mourinho. Like AC Milan a few years back they should not be in this years competition because of their admitted guilt in corruption charges in last years domestic league. They were deducted points but they had such a lead that it still didn’t alter the outcome. That’s what I like about UEFA, always keen to see corruption kicked out of the game.

8. Villarreal

The dark horse of the remaining clubs. In an ideal world they would win the competition as the underdogs but football has changed since the days of Nottingham Forest winning the trophy twice as rank outsiders. The days of Spanish clubs (even the small ones) doing very well in Europe have ended. The strength of the English pound has seen to that im afraid. So it’s goodbye to Villarreal..

I predict that Chelsea @ 5/1 with bet365 will beat Barcelona in the final

Doug Martin

March 2009