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These words will ring true to teams like Real Madrid and Liverpool, who will be clinging to dear life to stay in the hunt for the Champion’s League Trophy, as the next round match ups, in this almost unequalled tournament, has just been released.

We are down to the final 16 teams in Europe and surely all the big boys are here. To my knowledge the only master squad missing from this tournament is the German speed freaks of Werder Bremen. They unfortunately were dispatched on the last day in a group that touted Chelsea and Barcelona.

So, if you want to see how the big boys come out and play with ice in their veins and blood on the field, tune into the knock-out phase. Yes, the stage where every team emerged from was a group stage, where two out of the four teams rise to the next level.

This stage though, has two teams playing a home and away leg to see who can score more. It will definitely be a feeling of stomp on your opponents today because there probably won’t be a tomorrow.

Just ask the French newcomers Lille, who have drawn Manchester United. Their best story after their second game will be, “At least I kicked Saha twice, before Ole Gunner Solskier finished the goal.” Sorry those faint of heart, but at this level even that is cherished because it doesn’t get much bigger.

A good Karma match up for the round will be Chelsea Coach Jose Mourinho going up against his old team in F.C. Porto. The shock team he took all the way to win the big dance in 2004.

Some might hate me for saying this, but I think it is time for Jose to win another Champions League. His only stumbling block is that he has not coordinated his dynamic playing group into the performing stage. They are still struggling to find their team’s personality. This stumbling, frothing one that has emerged, I fear will have to be taken out back and be given the Old Yeller treatment.

One move will bring harmony back to the Blues of two and last year: sell Ballack to Wigan! As a player coming into a new side, he has done nothing, a lot less then Shevchenko, who can use an Arian Robin starting and providing quick attacks unlike the slow off-balanced 10 yard link passes that Ballack provides. Heck, Makallele can and does that already. You mean to tell me you need two guys making 10 yard simple passes in the midfield. I’ll choose Makallele’s defense over Ballack’s shooting, How about you?

Well, with the dismissal of Ballack, the Blues should see a new trophy in their case. It is difficult to say who will be their opponents on the final day, because after each round they have a new draw. If I was pushed though to give a hint, I would have to say Inter Milan in the finals, only because Barca got knocked out in the Semis by Chelsea. Samuel Eto’o could not regain his form in time.

Let us know what you think about who will be the winners of the Champions League.

This best club in the world will be decided this Sunday in Japan when Barcelona of Spain faces off against Internacional of Brazil. Barcelona managed their semi-final much better than Internacional as the Spanish club thrashed Mexico’s America (4-0) and look certain to win one back for the European contigent (as Sao Paulo defeated Liverpool last year).

Internacional just edged out Al Ahlay Cairo of Egypt (2-1); however, this Brazilian side, who placed 2nd in this year’s Futebol Brasileiro tournament behind Sao Paulo, is capable of scoring goals and playing with the same type of class that savages recognize in Barcelona.

Both teams have never won a World Club title and are looking to join the 26 other elite clubs that have claimed the World’s best honors: 5 of which go to Brazilian clubs and only 2 to Spain. Hold out Madristas everywhere! Barcelona will be up there with you now too.  

While there is so much at stake in the finals, it is actually the 3rd place game that holds the most interest for understanding World Football. When America takes on Al Ahlay Cairo the culture clash and league development of Mexico and Egypt will be measured out.

Hopefully, MLS executives will be watching this one especially, to get a bird’s eye view of the quality and high standards in leagues that are not really considered to be world class.   

Pachuca became the first Mexican club to win a major South American trophy, defeating Colo Colo of Chile (2-1) in the 2nd Leg in Chile.

Having managed a (1-1) tie on the road in Mexico, Cola Cola went home with a chance to pull off the big time. In Mexico, Pachuca went ahead in the 2nd half after a nice offensive build-up ended with a cross from the left that was headed in at the back post by a white-ninja, Pachuca striker.

Colo Colo, however, bullrushed back to life with a powerful dribble that lead in the bald-headed striker, Suazo to fire home from close range. Late in the game, Pachuca showed life again, producing a corner and then went postal from about 30 meters.

With everthing to play for in Chile, Colo Colo came out and took the lead in the 1st half through Suazo, who struck again for the home side. Yet, Colo Colo could not undo the white-ninjas of Pachuca as the Mexican club made history when Caballero and Gimenez did the honors for the modest Mexicans and brought the trophy home. 

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1. La Liga
2. Bundesliga
3. Serie A
4. Mexican Football
5. World Club Championship
6. Argentina  
7. Copa Sudamerica
8. EPL
9. Worst & Best of the Week

Estudiantes did the ultimate on Wednesday when they dethroned repeat holders, Boca Juniors (2-1) to take themselves to the heights of Argentina’s 2006 Apertura. With a chance to take the Gold away from La Volpe and Boca Juniors, Diego Simeoni and Veron and Co. made sure that the La Plata steel would see them through (winning off or drawing many of their last games in dramatic fashion). 

Maradona’s boys failed to pull even a point in the last two games, losing to Belgrano and Lanus in the dying days of Argentine football. Questions and frustrations of what should have been will plague La Volpe and the Buenas Aires club in the interm, before the Clausura tournament begins after the short break in Argentina.

Boca actually went ahead first in the playoff in the 5th min. behind striker, Martin Palermo’s strike, but in the 2nd half, Estudiantes stormed back and leveled the score with a direct free kick that curled over the wall and into the right corner, beating the Boca keeper.

Estudiantes striker, Pabone then performed man-of-the-match heroics as it was his superb hussle play, nipping in to pull a jack-knife sombrero (in between a boca defender and the keeper) over the keeper and heading home with a head-but finish, that claimed the throne. 

The celebrations that then ensued were incredulous as the young Estudiantes players ran ecstatically about in there skimmies while Veron and Simeoni waxed philosophical around the grounds to the faithfulls who rained down tears.

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I will not bore anyone with a long recap of Klinsmann declining the U.S. coaching job and Bob Bradley ready to do a Steve McClaren for England.

I like Steve McClaren as a club coach; he brings in the right level. To bad we are not talking about club level. I remember seeing Steve McClaren fully satisfied with second in the Uefa Cup last year when they got lucky from the quarterfinals on.

By then he had already landed the England job, so smooth sailing was ahead. That was last May. Since then, England has been almost blown to smithereens by being in real jeopardy of not making the European Championships 2008.

Am I comparing a 2006 Steve McClaren to a 2007 Bob Bradley? You bet. The good thing on the U.S.’s part is that the word “interim” is the safe guard.

To be honest, it is a good move by the MLS, I mean U.S. soccer (I really can’t tell the difference anymore). They get more time to land the one big dog that will take us to the next level of soccer existence, and they have a quick hire and fire clause for good old Bobby.

For Bobby, even though the circumstances are not ideal, being a stop gap measure and all. But beggars aren’t choosers, so grab it and do your best. You could be the biggest surprise in our nation’s short soccer history.

For me though, gauge when Steve McClaren goes and add an extra 6 months.

Sunday provides the first test for Mourinho and Chelsea in their endeavor to become EPL three-peat champions. If Man. U defeats Man. City in the Manchester derby on Saturday, the Red Devils will push their lead to 9 pts., albeit having played two extra games, for the time being.

If this is the case, Chelsea will find themselves in a situation they haven’t been in before in the past few years—a possibility of dropping points, and with Arsenal coming to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, the possibility is as real as it is ever going to be.

Of course, Arsenal comes into the match having played very poorly in a fixtured-pack string of games whereas Chelsea, very interestingly, was given a rest last weekend when their game against Newcastle was postponed.

Arsene Wenger not only has his water-Gunners to worry about, but the fact that Chelsea is more rested will be giving Wenger nightmares over the next couple of days. Having just witnessed one of the worst performances in recent Gunner history, Wenger’s justifications for the inconsistent form of his “young” and developing side are beginning to lose flavor and merit.

It will be hard for the Gunners to regain their confidence in such a short amount of time, and with the hunger of “The Drogba” to be English Striker Number One, it just might be one of those games where the Arsenal find themselves the butt end of a one-sided score line.

They were punished by Anelka and Bolton a few games ago, lost to Fulham, and were lucky in the mid-week to hang on for a draw against FC Porto in the Champions League. At the moment, it’s a team in disarray and with identity problems: everything you don’t want when you go up against the strength of the talented man mountains of Stamford Bridge.

While Chelsea is not winning any style points for their pure footballing performances, their outfit is built on strength, power, and efficiency unmatched in the English game. This spells trouble for the meek midfielders of Arsenal, who have struggled under the strong challenges of other hard, but very average, English teams.

The opening group stage of the Champions League is over, and now we’re on to the sweet 16!

Send us in your observations about and predictions for the knock out rounds of the Champions League!

Hear the top comments on our Heads Up Podcast! And Tune in as we air out the talk from our fellow Savages!