Heavyweights limber up

By John May

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From now on there are no second chances in the Champions League.

After the cagey antics of the group stages, this week Europe's premier club competition switches to a winner-takes-all knockout format.

And there are bound to be some high-profile casualties.

The biggest tie of the round pits two giants of the European game together, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Spain's Los Galacticos look unstoppable en route to another final, but if anyone can knock them off the road, it is Bayern.

German teams should never be written off - particularly when they have a coach like Ottmar Hitzfeld, who will have planned to the minutest detail the ways in which to organise his team to dim the lights of Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, David Beckham and Raul.

Real tend not to worry about defence, but if the likes of Sebastian Deisler, Jens Jeremies and Torsten Fink can get a grip in midfield, Bayern have the front players in Michael Ballack and Roy Makaay to punish them.

Of England's three hopes, Manchester United appear to face the toughest task against Porto, who top the Portuguese league.

THIS WEEK'S FIXTURES Celta Vigo v Arsenal Bayern Munich v Real Madrid Sparta Prague v AC Milan Dep La Coruna v Juventus Stuttgart v Chelsea Porto v Man Utd Real Sociedad v Lyon Lokomotiv Moscow v Monaco

United should have too much all-round strength to cope over two legs - but without Rio Ferdinand their defence looks vulnerable.

The art of Deco, the cunning of Dmitri Alenichev and the aerial threat of Lithuanian Edgaras Jankauskas, will ask questions of the United rearguard.

Chelsea realistically have only the Champions League left to play for and will fancy their chances of beating a Stuttgart team who finished runners-up to United in Group E.

Arsenal's tie against Celta Vigo sets up a reunion with Highbury old boy Silvinho, who scored twice in 16 Champions League appearances over two seasons for the Gunners.

Celta have endured a nightmare domestic season and only a recent mini-revival under coach Raddy Antic has hauled them out of La Primera Liga's bottom four.

The fact they are still in the competition shows the strength of Spanish club football, but after the disappointment of previous seasons and their unconvincing qualifying group, Arsenal now feel they have cracked this European lark.

Holders AC Milan have quietly and efficiently gone about the business of defending their title.

Sparta Prague cannot be written off, especially in a chilly Letna stadium but Milan are a street savvy team and if anything look more threatening than last season.

Italy's other representatives Juventus face a tough task in keeping their season alive against Deportivo La Coruna.

Like Chelsea, Juve can put all their eggs in the Champions League basket, and for a few of the Old Lady's old men it will be the last chance.

Juve's notoriously mean defence is creaking with old age, with Ciro Ferrara at 37, Paolo Montero 33, Gianluca Pessotto 33 and Lilian Thuram 32.

There's a distinct lack of pace about Juve's back line and Deportivo strikers Walter Pandiani, Diego Tristan and Pedro Amavisca will be relishing the chance to exploit it.

But you can never discount a team containing Alessandro del Piero and Pavel Nedved, arguably the world's best box-to-box midfielder.

French fancy

What price on a French club upsetting the apple cart and lifting the trophy for only the second time?

Both Olympique Lyonnais and Monaco have draws which will have them fancying their chances of getting into the last eight.

Lyon will pit a strike force full of pace and potency against the durable Real Sociedad.

OUR TIPS FOR THE LAST EIGHT Arsenal Bayern Munich AC Milan AS Monaco Manchester United Chelsea Olympique Lyonnais Deportivo La Coruna

Giovane Elber has rediscovered his appetite since moving from Bayern Munich, and Sidney Govou and Peguy Luyindula are a handful for any defence.

Lyon have arguably the strongest and most talented squad in French football but France's best hope probably lies with a Monaco side who continue to prove a great vehicle for Didier Deschamps to showcase his coaching credentials.

World Cup-winner Deschamps has worked wonders with a squad containing few household names outside the Principality.

Monaco comfortably topped Group C ahead of Deportivo, and the absence of defender Sebastien Squillaci should not hamper them too much against Lokomotiv Moscow - not when they have strikers like Shabani Nonda, Ludo Giuly, Dado Prso and Fernando Morientes banging the goals in at the other end.

So in the home of the world's most famous casino, there might just be a few shirts stuck on the long-shot of Monaco.