CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RESULTS, Tue Nov 3: AC Milan 1-1 Real Madrid, Apoel Nicosia 0-1 FC Porto, Atletico Madrid 2-2 Chelsea, Bayern Munich 0-2 Bordeaux, Besiktas 0-3 Wolfsburg, Maccabi Haifa 0-1 Juventus, Manchester United 3-3 CSKA Moscow, Marseille 6 (six) -1 FC Zurich
AtléticoâÂÂs bittersweet 2-2 Champions League draw with Chelsea not only put the rojiblancos out of the competition with two group games to play, but also bombarded the brains of the owners of the Calderon club with dollar signs.
Kun AgüeroâÂÂs rather handy cameo appearance and brace against AbramovichâÂÂs boys was pretty much the first time that the Argentinian striker has done anything of note so far this season.
But KunâÂÂs timing was perfect, considering the club currently have a squirrelâÂÂs suitcase of a chance of qualifying for next seasonâÂÂs competition and the fantastic funds it would bring in - funds needed to pay for the cost of a new training centre and stadium.
And his delightful double can only have attracted even more interest from the already flirtatious London club (transfer ban notwithstanding), with Carlo Ancelotti (still being in charge next summer notwithstanding) admitting that he would not be averse to the idea of putting him into bed with Didier Drogba, metaphorically speaking.
âÂÂAbramovich may have a lot of money, but he doesnâÂÂt have Kun,â taunted F.J. DÃÂaz, perhaps speaking about six months too soon.
AtletiâÂÂs performance was very sprightly indeed. After it, La Liga Loca desperately tried probing Chelsea players to see what changes they'd spotted from Abel ResinoâÂÂs rabble that was squashed 4-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Sadly, the blog drew a blank from by Frank and got a "no" from Joe (although he also said sorry. But that doesnâÂÂt rhyme).
But it did discover that Michael Ballack is frackinâ enormous and has vowed to only say good things about the brilliant, charismatic and some would say boundary-breaking German midfielder, who will go down in the history books as one of the true greats of the game.
MadridâÂÂs other big side, Rayo, werenâÂÂt in action, but Real were with a 1-1 draw against AC Milan.
La Liga Loca will have to take the morning paper's word for it, but the first half was apparently the best that the Castle Greyskull club has played this season.
Though that's not saying a great deal.
âÂÂA good performance, but for little reward,â shrugs AS.
âÂÂA good performance, but for little reward,â say Marca, too, before going on to hail the first 45 minutes as magnificent.
For some time now, Karim Benzema has been complaining that he cannot play properly with Raúl slotting himself into his favourite holes, as it were.
And it seems that the Frenchman was quite right after another decent performance without the club captain blocking his passages â a performance which produced MadridâÂÂs first goal at Milan since 1956.
âÂÂAway from Raúl, Benzema is another player,â notes Alfredo Relaño in WednesdayâÂÂs AS editorial.
ItâÂÂs BarcelonaâÂÂs turn to make amends after a home defeat in the Champions League with a visit to face Rubin Kazan, and all the talk is of the sub-zero, nipple-raising temperatures that will face PepâÂÂs Dream Boys in Ruskieland.
Not that Guardiola will be using it as an excuse, mind.
âÂÂChampions should be able to play in the cold or at 40 degrees,â Cantona-d the Barça boss.
And nor will the Catalan press. For the moment.
âÂÂNeither the freezing temperatures" â itâÂÂs only about -8, for PeteâÂÂs sake â "nor the bad state of the pitch should be an excuse,â says Sport's Josep Maria Casanovas, setting himself up for using the freezing temperatures and the bad state of the pitch as an excuse in case of a bad result on Wednesday night.
The paper reports that the side will be ready for action as the club have brought the all-important consignment of ham plus coats, hats and gloves - the four things any Spaniard cannot be without as soon as the temperature drops below 18 degrees.
Mundo Deportivo have also picked up on the frost-tinged theme of the nightâÂÂs action with WednesdayâÂÂs headline predicting âÂÂBarça on iceâ (in English).
It seems a shame to leave Sevilla until last, considering how magnificent they have been in the competition with their 100 percent record. But thatâÂÂs just tough titties.
However, a win against struggling Stuttgart (and a failure to pick up points by Unirea) will see the Andalusian side as winners of their group with two rounds still to play.
Which is evidently a little bit better than the rest of their counterparts in la Liga.
* Public Service Announcement - La Liga Loca is already promising LIVE Tweeting from the Madrid derby on Saturday night. But the blog is heading to Getafe vs Depor just a few hours before.
If, letâÂÂs say, five people add âÂÂyes, pleaseâ into the comments section then La Liga Loca may, just may, tweet from what is sure to be a thrilling encounter in the Coliseum as a side with all the spine of roadkill jellyfish take on the dullest team in the galaxy.
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