Kaká wary of Nakamura.

AC Milan may have breathed a sigh of relief when they missed FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League draw, but in his latest diary entry for uefa.com Kaká warns not to underestimate Celtic FC when the two sides meet next month.
Kaká, 5 January 2005

Concentration
Last time I said nobody was willing to draw Barcelona in the next round of the UEFAChampions League, but it doesn’t mean AC Milan should feel lucky to have avoided them. At this point of the competition there are no easy ties. Ties that might look simple can end up being very tough and complex. Sometimes it's better to draw a team with more tradition in order to keep everybody on their toes, especially in terms of concentration.

Nakamura threat
There are no easy sides in the UEFA Champions League, which has been proven time and again in recent years. Any slump can prove fatal. Celtic certainly aren’t just hoping to enjoy qualifying for the knockout stages for the first time. I played them a couple of seasons ago with Milan and we had to work hard to win 3-1 at home and draw in Glasgow. Although Celtic have changed managers and some key players, I don't really think there have been major alterations to their playing philosophy. I remember Celtic as a team are very strong physically and look to use dead-ball situations to their advantage. This is certainly a very interesting ace up their sleeve now they have [Shunsuke] Nakamura and his free-kicks.

Ups and downs
The fact Celtic kept a clean sheet against us in Glasgow a couple of seasons ago is strong evidence that the Scots will be looking to cause another upset, just like they did against Manchester United last year. People ask me if Milan's highs and lows in form can give Celtic some belief, but I prefer to think about our good European pedigree which always demands respect, even when we have been fluctuating between good and bad moments. We have a good chance to get things going in Serie A from next week and then build up for the UEFA Champions League ties against Celtic. Naturally, however, they will be looking to cause us all sorts of problems. But I don't see them behaving like the sides we face in Serie A. Teams in the UEFA Champions League are big clubs used to going forward and getting results.

Scoring rival
A Brazilian journalist has taunted me by saying that Nakamura's free-kick against United will make people scratch their heads when trying to decide the best goal of the UEFA Champions League so far. Before then there was that strike of mine against Anderlecht. I saw Nakamura's goal and was really impressed by how he hit the ball so well, let alone that the goal was so important for Celtic's campaign. Having said that, I'd love to score the most beautiful goal of this year's competition.

New generation
Unfortunately, even our winter break did not allow me to stay in Brazil for long. I only spent a few days there and just had time to see my relatives and some close friends. The Brazilian footballing season had already finished so I couldn't see in person how our football is doing. But I regularly follow the games on TV when I'm in Italy and have seen that a lot of new players have come through, as they usually do [in Brazil]. This year will be important for us because the South American qualifiers for the World Cup begin and we've got a new generation of players.

Cannavaro achievement
One of my mates, Ronaldinho, had another chance to be voted the best player in the world, but Fabio Cannavaro had the last laugh. He was one of last season's best players and although there are always a few others who deserve to be called the best in the world, Cannavaro was a very good choice, and the first defender to win it. After all, he represents Italy, the world champions. It was a well-earned accolade for him.

Training hard
As for AC Milan, we still have a lot of work to do before even thinking of Celtic. We have been training hard in Malta ahead of the second half of the season and I'm sure this will be good for us to patch up a few things and get ready for a very hard campaign. Not only do we have the UEFA Champions League to focus on, but we're in a complicated position in Serie A and need to guarantee a place in next year's UEFA Champions League, which is why nobody can be talking about prioritising one or another competition. The first half of the season was hard on the domestic front because of the punishment handed to the club, but we can't look back now.

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So... predictions for tomorrow?

Celtic 0-0 Milan (or 1-1)
PSV 0-0 Arsenal
Lille 0-1 ManUtd
Real 1-0 Bayern

Hmm... Only two goals?

It's the CL knock-out round. Usually you don't see many goals.

CL is a bit different from the Dutch League.

What happens in the Dutch league? I don't know what you're getting at...

Lot of goals?

Celtic 1-2 Milan
PSV 0-0 Arsenal
Lille 0-3 ManUtd
Real 1-1 Bayern

PSV 0-2 Arsenal
Lille 0-1 ManUtd
Real 1-1 Bayern

Celtic - Milan (no comment)
PSV 1-0 Arsenal
Lille 2-2 ManUtd
Real 0-1 Bayern

Arsenal can be toothless at times and if PSV plan to be agressive with them and close their space they won't score.

Man U aren't so hot in Europe and I can see them drawing this one, if not, they will scrape it by a goal

And we thought we where having a scoring crises in the beginning of the season Real are just horrible, saw them against Betis in the weeken and they have no clue what to do, all I saw was long balls out from the defence that are aimed at RVN. And now with rumors that Cappello has just resigned it will be harder for them. Bayern aren't so hot at the moment either, infact they are pretty bad, firing Magath in the middle of the season just because they wheren't running away with the league was a big mistake imo

Celtic FC vs. AC Milan - 1-1
PSV vs. Arsenal - 0-0
OSC Lille vs. Man Utd - 0-3
Real Madrid vs. Bayern - 0-1

celtic vs milan 1-1
psv vs arsenal 2-1
lille vs manure 1-1
real madrid vs bayern munich 1-0

Celtic 0-1 Milan (Kakà)

ManUre!!

Celtic 1-1 Milan
PSV 0-0 Arsenal
Lille 0-2 ManUtd
Real 0-1 Bayern

Arsenal wins 2-1.
Rosicky scores first, then PSV gets a goal 3 minutes before full time.
Then Henry seems them off in injury time with a marvelous run.



Sadly I think this years winner will be Man U, Chelsea or maybe Barca.
Being so plagued by injuries and a incredibe ability to miss in front of open goals, , I can't see Arsenal book a place in the final.

As of Milan...If Nesta or Maldini is out Celtic will thrash us badly.
Unless Ronaldo or Kaka scores a hatrick each.

Nesta is out until March, and Ronaldo can't play in the CL.

Speaking of which... when is Robin van Persie expected to return ?

When he was injured, they said it could take over two months, my guess is hel'l be back in a 7-8 weeks time.

PSV 1-0 Arsenal.
Disappointing...oh so very disappointing...

But I guess wel'l get the at Emirates.

Great goal by Mendez. But Arsenal will win by 2 or 3 goals in the Emirates.

Real 3-2 Bayern (I think Madrid will go trough)

Lille 0-1 ManUtd, stupid goal by Giggs putting United in the quarter-finals.

That was an unsporting move by Giggs

Gilardino looses his balance and its a dive, when a british player does that "technical brilliance"

exactly the reason why i dislike the english teams, but to be fair, not too many english playing for the top four of england

Predictions for tomorrow:

Roma 0-1 Lyon
Barcelona 0-0 Liverpool
Porto 1-1 Chelsea
Internazionale 2-1 Valencia

''? Gila certainly didnt loose balance...

And it is technically allowed....

When can a free-kick be taken quickly?

Graham Poll
Premiership referee

First you have to deal with the principle of a free-kick.
If the attacking team are fouled then it is they who hold the advantage.
With a free-kick around the penalty area, we always ask the players whether they want it quick or slow.
This is their window of opportunity to surprise the defence.
If they want it quick, then they have given up the right to re-take it, no matter if it hits a defender who's three yards away.

The same goes if they kick it over the bar. They only get one chance.

The flip side is if they want it slow, they can't then take it while I count out the ten yards for the wall.

They must wait for my whistle.

There is nothing in the laws of the game that say we have to indicate for the free-kick to be taken.

It's just like when someone wants to take a free-kick anywhere else on the field.

As long as the ball is stationary and in the right place then the attacking team can take it as quickly as they like.

Giggs' goal was totally legal but it was shameless and disgusting. It's no surprise it's never been done before in the CL! If that's a red devil then what's a red pu$$7!??

Predictions on who will go through: United, Arsenal, Bayern.

As for tomorrow;

Barcelona vs Liverpool 2-0
Roma vs Lione 0-1
Porto vs Chelsea 1-3
Inter vs Valencia 1-1

It's the famous English fair-play.

Goin' through: Scum, Arsenal and Madrid (they usually play better away then in Bernabeu and Diarra/Ramos both will probably be back for that match).

Oh and of course Lille coach's decision to ask his players to come out of the field was ludicrously puerile! This is the CL not some ad lib backyard contest, kicking the ball would have been enough!

Henry has done it twice in the EPL

Tomorrow:

Roma 2-1 Lyon
Barcelona 2-1 Liverpool
Porto 0-3 Chelsea
Inter 2-2 Valencia

Roma vs Lyon
1: 2
Lyon will step up!

Barcelona vs Liverpool
3:1
Barca is too awesome =P

Inter Milan vs Valencia
2:2
*sighs* I wish Valencia would kick Inter's asses, but they look really good

Porto vs Chelsea
0:2
Chelsea has drogba LMAO

Yes and actually I remember he tried it too last season against Juventus.

Predictions for today:

Roma - Lyon 0:2

Hype - Liverfool 1:0

Inter - Valencia 1:1 (Hopefully...)

Porto - Chelski 1:2

Valencia and Roma .. Those r the two I'll be rooting for tonight. But I know one thing, that the Bara - Liver match will be the most entertaining

Roma - Lyon 2-1

Barcelona - Liverpool 2-0

Inter - Valencia 2-1

Porto - Chelsea 2-2

And it would be fare to see manchester out of european cups this season after what happened last night in Lens

Feyenoord knows why

GO VALENCIA!

MERDA 2 Valencia 2

inter valencia 2 2. Inter again shows it's loser character

HAHAHAHAAHAH

if 2-2 is on my prediction was goood

Roma 0 - 0 Lyon

Barcelona 1 - 2 Liverpool

Porto 1 - 1 Chelsea

Inter 2 - 2 Valencia

AAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HYPE 1-2 LIVERPOOL

BYE BYE INTER! BYE BYE BARCELONA!

Barcelona 1-2 Liverpool.
Goals by Deco, Kuyt and Riise.
Barcelonas defence...WTF???

Roma 0-0 Lyon.
11 YELLOW CARDS!!!

Great evening

Riise scored WITH THE RIGHT-FOOT! AHAHAHAAH

BARCELONA HUMILIATED IN CAMP NOU!

Barca were awfulll.

Eto was already crying, pooor guy, looooooooool,

Inter deserved it, they are already too hyped

Playing = Diving for them.

Always trying to dive for Deco's/Ronaldinho's FK. Shitty team.

Rijkaard... I am a better manager than him...

Go Valencia!

The Barca defence was just TERRIBLE. and that goalkeeper of their's...

Rijkaard was just stupid, taking off all the midfielders that can help the defence out and replacing them with forwards left Barca totally exposed.

2 soft goals to Liverpool, Bye bye Barca.

Inter again show that while they are currently dominating a seriously weakened Serie A effertlessly they still are losers when it counts the most, in Europe. They seemingly had one of the easiest ties among the other clubs (us excluded ofcourse) and they let 2 away goals. Now they have to win in Valencia or it's bye bye Inter from the CL which still remains funny as hell year after year.

Didn't watch much of the Chelsea match but from what I saw it was poor, Sheva scored... and didn't do much else.

I didn't even look at the Roma - Lyon game though

Villa > Inter.

Inter are not helped by the officials in the CL. That's what.

Exactly

oh, no,

Valencia isn't the worst, he is very powerful today.

Also Valencia is playing kinda Seria A style football, and Inter didn't understand it, and lost just as they were losing before