I’m baaaack!

Sorry for the brief hiatus. I had finals over the past two weeks, and between studying and sleeping I really didn’t have time for anything else. My grades should be in soon, so hopefully all the hard work was worth it. I’m home now, which means time to relax, hang out, and post.

The big news today is the Champions League draw. It’s basically Italy+Real Madrid vs. England:

Juve-Chelsea

It’s going to be tough for Juve but let’s look at the facts:

• Chelsea are winning at home less often than Nintendo releases a good Wii game.
• Juve’s defense is pretty solid, so Chelsea’s away form will be tested.
• Juve have Buffon. Who Anelka will have to beat to score. Which he won’t.

If Roma can thump Chelsea 3-1 at home and lose by only 1-0 away, why not Juve?

Roma-Arsenal

As a Roma fan, I’m ok with this. Arsenal are a tough team but this year they’re looking pretty weak. I mean, they already lost to wonderful, strong teams like Hull in the EPL. Roma seems to be going from strength to strength, on the other hand. I do respect Arsenal, but I think Roma could win as long as they don’t waltz into the game expecting to.

Inter-Man U

Mourinho wanted a tough draw, and he got the toughest. Inter are paired with the reigning champs and this’ll be a doozy. Mourinho claims we’ll see the real Inter by Feb, but considering how they played in the group stages, it’s hard to see them beating Man U. But it’s Mourinho, who wrote the book on the CL, so I’ll give him the B.O.T.D.- for now.

Real-Liverpool

No preview here. Just threw this one up so you guys could see that England and Italy got tough draws.

What’s that? You want a preview? 27-5 for the first leg (El Nino with a triple hattrick). Second leg- both teams get an outbreak of herpes which originated in the Real locker room, banishing Gerrard from ever playing soccer again. We all win.

First games are on the 24th of February.

I fully expect to see this trophy in Italy come May. In Roma’s trophy cabinet.

Here’s a couple other things I missed in my week’s hiatus of blogging:

• The Amauri Debate (and thanks again to Jeff for writing that for me): No. He’s a great striker but he’s nary an ounce of Italian blood in him. Sorry, but imo, he shouldn’t be called up. I think he will be called by Lippi if Dunga doesn’t call him first, but I don’t think he should be.
• UEFA Cup Action: Samp, Udinese, and Milan through, with Fior joining them from the CL Rejects category. Match ups next round: UC Sampdoria (ITA) v FC Metalist Kharkiv (UKR), KKS Lech Poznań (POL) v Udinese Calcio (ITA), ACF Fiorentina (ITA) v AFC Ajax (NED),  Werder Bremen (GER) v AC Milan (ITA). These games take place on the 12th and 18/19th of March. No, I don’t know why UEFA makes the matchdays for the UEFA Cup so weird.
• New FIFA rankings put Italy down at 4th. Spain, Germany, and the Dutch are ahead of us, while we’re still better than Argentina and Brazil. Wonderful and meaningless. Some people get wrapped up over this stuff, but it’s always been kinda pointless to me. The only reason it even matters is that it’ll count come time for WC seeding in 2010, but I’m pretty sure we’ll be in the first pot because we’re the current holders and all.
• Never ending transfer rumors. I predict that Drogba, Chiellini, Brighi and Buffon are going nowhere.
• I noticed that Rossi hasn’t been playing in the last few Villareal games. Does anyone know what happened? Is he injured?

Finally, here’s your Azzurri Injury News Update:

Buffon is back in the new year and should regain his starting spot on both Juve and Italy. Amelia/De Sanctis and Manninger have filled in admirably, but there’s only one Gigi.

Pirlo’s back for Milan and has been in dreadful form, but I don’t know if that’s because he was injured for so long, there’s too many midis at Milan, or he’s short on confidence. Regardless, I want him back in top form. He’s still the heartbeat of the Azzurri as long as the formation stays the way it is, and I don’t see Lippi changing it anytime soon.

Aqui should be back in the new year, but he seems to be constantly injured. Lippi seems to like him though, so he’ll probably be called up.

Finally, Gattuso is out for 6 months-ish. No Brazil for him.

Ah, it feels good to be back.