Neal Collins soccer
Europe looms. Months ago, the only thing we footie freaks talked about was the Champions League. You remember those heady days in early December: Leeds beating Lazio, Arsenal getting stuffed by Spartak Moscow and boring Manchester United winning both of their second phase games so far. Seems like years ago, doesn’t it? But the great European games are back, and not before time, given that the Premiership has been decided for some weeks now. Leeds, whose 1-0 win over Lazio on December 5 might still be regarded as the result of the millennium (okay, it’s only 2001, but it was some victory), face Anderlecht at Elland Road on Tuesday. Since that win, Alan Smith, who scored the only goal in Rome and put Sven Goran Eriksson on the road to ruin, has found his path to glory blocked by Robbie Keane, the Inter Milan reject. Keane’s six goals in 10 games since arriving on loan have apparently rekindled Inter’s interest in the Irishman there are rumblings that he may be wanted back by the Serie A strugglers. Smith will no doubt be quite happy to hear it, but coach David O’Leary must regard Keane as vital to his personal resurrection. His young team, torn apart by the Lee Bowyer/Jonathan Woodgate court case and an alarming loss of form, are only barely in the top half of the Premiership and, after being unceremoniously bundled out of both domestic cups, they must know a Champions League quarterfinal is a minimum requirement. With Real Madrid top of their Group D, Anderlecht have to be beaten to ensure Leeds finish ahead of the Belgians and Italians. Arsenal, held 2-2 at home by Bayern Munich and beaten 4-1 at Spartak Moscow, face a win-or-bust situation at Lyon on Tuesday given their away form of late (I saw them struggle to win 1-0 at Coventry last week; the Sky Blues are hardly Champions League-strength opposition) I don’t rate their chance of winning in France. Manchester United go to Valencia on Wednesday. With the scalps of Group A rivals Panathinaikos and Sturm Graz already tucked under Sir Alex Ferguson’s considerable belt, the La Liga hopefuls, who reached the final last year, are suffering a potentially devastating loss of form in Spain. Game of the week though has to be Liverpool’s Uefa Cup visit to Serie A leaders Roma, where false passports and injury threaten to tilt the balance Gerard Houllier’s way. But first, of course, we have a full round of Premiership fixtures, games that could prove crucial in confidence terms for next week.