Champions League Draw

We now know who will match up in the Champions League, as well as the UEFA cup....

Here is the Champions League Draw:

FC Porto (Portugal) vs. Chelsea (England)

Celtic (Scotland) vs. AC Milan (Italy)

PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) vs. Arsenal (England)

Lille (France) vs. Manchester United (England)

AS Roma (Italy) vs. Lyon (France)

FC Barcelona (Spain) vs. Liverpool (England)

Real Madrid (Spain) vs. Bayern Munich (Germany)

Inter Milan (Italy) vs. Valencia (Spain)

We get our Porto - Chelsea match up. I will be very interested in seeing what reception Mourinho will get coming home. I think the Portugese team will find extra motivation to defeat their prior manager. A couple of thoughts:

• Manchester United fans should not be salivating at playing the minnows - Lille. Last year in the Champions League these two clubs were matched up in the group stages, the aggragate score was 1-0 in favor of the northern french team. Unlike the victory Lille enjoyed over a second squad Milan this year, these matches last season were in the middle of the group stages when clubs were fighting for their knock out lives. I cannot envisage Lille upsetting Manchester United but it will be much more difficult than pundits would think.
• Lyon has a good draw, Roma is a quality team but they at least avoided Barca. Lyon should emerge victorious but it will be a tough test.
  
• Arsenal received a decent draw, although PSV is never a push over. If Henry comes back, the Gunners should find themselves in the second round.
• Barca - Liverpool....no surprise but this is the match up of the first round of knock out. A match up of the last two European Champions. Both teams have had their struggles, Barca during the group stages and Liverpool in domestic run. This match up, I believe, will see two cautious teams, someone will emerge with a 1-0 aggragate win.

Some early predictions:
Porto upsets Chelesea: 2-1 aggragate
Milan beats Celtic: 4-2
Arsenal beats PSV: 1-1 on away goal
Manchester United beats Lille: 2-1
Lyon beats Roma: 5-2
Barca beats Liverpool: 1-0
Bayern beats Real: 2-0
Valencia beats Inter: 4-3