Champions League conducts draw

Published 12:17 am Tuesday, December 17, 2013

From 32 to 16, after Tuesday and Wednesday’s final group stage matches and Monday’s draw, the UEFA Champions League round of 16 is now set.

Barcelona vs. Manchester City and Bayern Munich vs. Arsenal highlight the matchups that will be played in February and March.

Manchester City and Arsenal finished with 15 and 12 points, respectively, and yet neither won their Champions League group. However both English sides have only themselves to blame for finishing second and facing two of the top teams in the world.

City had a chance to pip defending champion Bayern Munich to win Group D but for some interesting coaching decisions. City boss Manuel Pellegrini inexplicably thought his team had to win by three goals instead of the two needed and did not push as hard for a fourth goal in a come-from-behind 3-2 victory at the Allianz Arena.

Had Pellegrini opted to bring on a striker of Sergio Aguero’s quality from off the bench, the Citizens might have avoided Lionel Messi’s Barca in the first knockout stage. As it stood, Bayern finished top on virtue of goal difference thanks to a 3-1 win in Manchester, though the Germans weren’t exactly greatly rewarded for their efforts.

Arsenal needed merely a draw away at Napoli to ensure a first-place finish in Group F, the Group of Death.

The Gunner stood firm in the first half but grew weary in the second, particularly after Lorenzo Insigne came in, allowing Jose Callejon to pull the strings in the middle of the pitch.

Gonzalo Higuain gave the Italians a 1-0 lead after 73 minutes and shortly after Mikel Arteta was sent off for his second yellow — also his second foul. However Napoli didn’t press for its needed 3-0 victory to ensure progression because at the time Borussia Dortmund was being held 1-1 to 10-man Marseille.

Had those results held, last year’s runners-up would have been knocked out. Instead, the Germans nicked a late goal through Kevin Grosskreutz, sending panic through Napoli, which suddenly needed two goals in the final seven minutes.

Though Callejon eventually made it 2-0 in stoppage time, it proved to be the final kick of the match and Arsenal, Napoli and Dortmund all finished on 12 points, the latter winning the group based on goal differential among the top three sides.

Arsenal clearly played for a draw, despite the fact that a goal was more valuable than allowing two in this scenario. By leaving speedster Theo Walcott on the bench, a player skilled at breaking away on counterattacks, Arsene Wenger’s side could be on their way to yet another elimination in the round of 16.

The Gunners were eliminated by Bayern in this same round last year on away goals. Both teams have improved since then, with Arsenal adding Mesut Ozil and Bayern playing serenely under new coach Pep Guardiola.

Other Champions League matches:

n Olympiacos vs. Manchester United — The Red Devils again receive a fortunate draw after an easy group stage.

n AC Milan vs. Atletico Madrid — Given the form of the Spanish side, Italy could be without a team in the round of eight.

n Bayer Leverkusen vs. Paris Saint-Germain — Big-money Paris team will fancy its chance to move on.

n Galatasaray vs. Chelsea — Didier Drogba returns to face the club he led to Champions League glory in 2012.

n Schalke vs. Real Madrid — American Jermaine Jones gets an early look at Cristiano Ronaldo before they face off in the World Cup.

n Zenit St. Petersburg vs. Borussia Dortmund — Two of the best home-field advantages left in the tournament.

SOCCER SNIPPETS:

SHOULD HE STAY OR SHOULD HE GO? It would make sense for Dom Dwyer to want to go back across the Atlantic and try to make a career for himself close to home. The former Tyler Junior College striker, who helped lead Sporting KC to the MLS Cup last week, has expressed interest in such a move recently.

However, given that Dwyer has only scored twice in 17 appearances with Kansas City over the last two years, it would seem he could use more time in Major League Soccer to hone his craft.

Though the Englishman lit it up with third-tier Orlando City (13 goals in 15 games), he’s yet to make consistent contributions at the MLS level, not even making the Sporting KC squad out of training camp last spring (hence his Orlando City loan).

Meanwhile, reports indicate Clint Dempsey could return to Fulham for a loan deal. Though the Nacogdoches native left the London club on poor terms on his way to Tottenham, it would be a good story if he came back and helped Fulham escape relegation, just as he did when he first arrived in England after starting in the MLS.