While everyone was focused on the big match at The Bridge on Tuesday Reading FC won again with a 1-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers. Yet another goal from their Icelandic teenager, Sigurdsson (85), this one from the spot, was the margin of victory for the Royals. Reading, now 14th in the table, also has two games in hand and maximum points there could see them rise to challenge for a playoff position.

On the weekend Reading's visit to Boro ended in a 1-1 draw. Reading's recent run of good form has seen them lose only once in the last ten.

The big one, with Mourinho returning to Stamford Bridge with his Inter side to face his former team took center stage on Tuesday. Inter held a 2-1 advantage but Chelsea believed their away goal from the first leg would prove significant in the outcome. It didn't. Like a heavyweight fight Inter punched and jabbed, rolled and absorbed the pressure and a Samuel Eto'o goal (78) on the counter sealed the win (0-1, 1-3agg) to advance to the quarterfinal round.

Frankly, Chelsea's recent form in the league has not been up to their standard and this match, as big as it was, was another example. Chelsea seemed unprepared for Mourinho's starting 3 forwards and again were intent on forcing the ball up the middle instead of wide play on the attack to spread the defense. Both teams have been fading in the domestic league's with Inter having lost a big lead but still holding top spot by a single point. Chelsea has fallen from their hold on the top of the table with their recent slump in form and this match suggests that we may be seeing the end of this club's challenge for primacy. Two titles then two second place finishes and last year's third has had the Blues in the thick of the fight in the world's best pro league but since the holiday period their performance suggests that may be changing.

However, we should be reminded that Chelsea have lost Ashley Cole and Caravalho. Perhaps the bigger loss being Michael Essien so this really is not the full strength Blues that ran to the top of the table earlier in the season. It is also not just a coincidence that the slump began when it did: Essien last played for Chelsea in early December (the 8th to be exact) in a Champions League tie with Apoel Nicosia.

Sevilla hosted CSKA Moscow in Spain with the tie at 1-1 where Sevilla's away goal was almost certain to be pivotal. It wasn't here either as CSKA wins the day 1-2 (2-3agg). Neither club had ever advanced past this stage of the Champions League so the honors of reaching the final 8 was a big goal for both.

Tuesday was a surprising day in the Champions League where both home sides lost and failed to advance. Would the action on Wednesday be as big?

Barca thumped Stuttgart 4-0 (5-1agg) on two more from Messi and Bordeaux was 2-1 victors (3-1agg) over a stubborn and competitive Olympiacos. No big surprise here like yesterday's results produced.

With the success of both Messi and Rooney leading their clubs to the final 8 in the back of everyone's mind is the hope that we'll see Barca v Man United in the near future. The dream match would be to see them face off in the final. And the draw has that match a very real possibility. Some might say probability.

The quarterfinal round match ups are: Arsenal – Barcelona, Man United – Bayern Munich, Bordeaux – Lyon and Inter – CSKA Moscow. Quarter finals March 30 & 31 and April 6 & 7. The way they've set the semi's there is a very good chance we'll see the United/Barca match up in the final on May 22. The semi's look like this: Bayern/United v Lyon/Bordeaux and Inter/CSKA v Arsenal/Barca.

In Europa League Liverpool welcomed Lille to Anfield needing to overcome a one goal deficit from the first leg. Coming off the dominant win over Portsmouth on the weekend The Reds needed a solid performance. Ahead of the match Rafa suspended Albert Riera for his blast in the Spanish press about his sour relationship with the Liverpool boss. On this one Rafa is right for keeping this guy on the sidelines. Riera has been one of his worst signings. The Reds paid well over $10 million for his clod if you can believe that (even worse than the money wasted on Dossena). The return on that investment has been nil with Riera scoring only 3 goals for The Reds and now he's worried he has little chance of making the Spanish World Cup side. On that concern he's right, but it has nothing to do with not getting enough time on the pitch at Liverpool.

The day started well as Liverpool pressed the defense and the pressure resulted in Lucas being tripped in the area and Gerrard converted the penalty (9). The half ended that way but the Reds could have had a few more as well as Lille's Hazard (the goal scorer in the first leg) spurned a glorious chance in the 32nd minute, Lille's only shot on goal in the opening half.

Babel's hopeful long ball out of the back put Torres in on goal in the 49th and the Spaniard didn't miss. The tie wasn't over at this stage as an away goal from Lille could still win it. It stayed that way until the 89th minute when a Gerrard shot was saved and the rebound fell to Torres who poked it in for the 3-0 final. Liverpool overturns the deficit from the first leg to win it 3-1 on aggregate.

And Fulham, with their backs to the wall and a mountain to climb trailing Juventus (3-1agg) ahead of the match showed fellow London side Chelsea how to go out and win a game. And not only win the game, they sent Juventus home to Turin having lost the tie.

Excuse me? Yep, they did it, but not before it got even worse with an early goal from Trezequet (2) and now they needed to score four. And they did it! Zamora leveled on the day with his 9th minute strike and two from Gera (39 & 49) made it possible after Cannavaro was sent off for a straight red (last defender, 27).

With the aggregate score locked at 4 Hodgson decided to bring on Dempsey to liven up his attack in the 71st minute. And what a substitution it turned out to be. Dempsey nearly won it with a powerful header that was only kept out of the net by a top notch save. Then, minutes later Dempsey produced a stunning lob of the keeper (82) to the back post side netting to win the tie 5-4 on aggregate. The defender whose slack defending allowed Dempsey space to set up the lob, Zebina, was sent off in stoppage time for his hacking challenge to Duff reducing Juve to 9 ahead of the final whistle.

Credit to Dempsey for his candor after the match when asked about his stunning lob that won the tie. He called it a “gamble” as it's the kind of shot that you only manage to hit once out ten tries and today was his lucky day. Check out the video that includes all the goals:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBOg7P90FXg

The round of 8 match ups are: Fulham – Wolfsburg, Hamburg – Standard Liege, Valencia – Atletico and Benfica – Liverpool. Quarterfinals will kick off on April 1 with the 2nd leg one week later.

In EPL mid-week action Aston Villa faced Wigan in one of their games in hand needing to take the points to get back in touch with their rivals for 4th. Would Villa take advantage and rise above their two consecutive 6th placed finishes in the EPL?

Wigan rallied on their newly laid pitch recovering from their weekend thrashing at Bolton to produce a stern challenge for O'Neill's guys. In the end a James Milner strike (63) settled the issue for the 1-2 victory moving Villa back into contention for 4th. Villa opened the scoring with an OG in the 25th and Gary Caldwell got the Latics back on level terms just 3 minutes later ahead of Milner's match winner. Villa stays 7th in the table but now just a single point behind Man City. An interesting twist to this one: it marks the first victory for Martin O'Neill in the EPL in the month of March for ten years. Since he took over at Villa they had lost 7 and drawn 6 in March.

Villa also kicked off the weekend action hosting neighbors Wolves, ran to the lead on a John Carew goal (16) that should have been ruled out as Carew was clearly offside on the play, then watched Wolves rally for two of their own before halftime. Wolves leveled via Jody Craddock (23) then took the lead on a James Milner own goal (38) that wrong footed Friedel. Here we have the paradox of the lowest scoring team in the league leading the team that has conceded the fewest. Carew hit again in the 82nd for the 2-2 draw to steal a point for Villa.

For many fans the headline match of the weekend was Liverpool's visit to Old Trafford. United had a score to settle in this one as the Reds have beaten them in the last three meetings in the league. The corresponding fixture last season saw Liverpool thrash United at Old Trafford 1-4 and they shutout United back in October at Anfield.

Ahead of the match SAF blasted the FA for failing to sanction Steven Gerrard for the second time in as many weeks and on this one he's right. Apparently it will take Gerrard actually purposely hurting someone on the pitch before he suffers any real punishment at the hands of the disciplinary committee while others have been dealt with quickly with multiple match bans and even punished with additional penalties for simply appealing the initial rulings (Ferdinand).

In the last two league games Gerrard has been shown deference where a player of lesser status would have been severely punished. Gerrard's two-footed, studs up, very aggressive attempt at a tackle did draw a yellow. But then Gerrard's mocking gesture to the official was overlooked where other players might have been dismissed right then and there. In the next match he throws an elbow to the face of a defender and doesn't even draw a foul where others might have been shown a red. On this occasion, Benitez, knowing Gerrard was headed for trouble, quickly took him off for a sub as if to acknowledge the situation.

Over the years we've seen SAF running up and down the sideline, red-faced, gesturing and screaming obscenities at the officials and the FA does nothing. Then, other managers are subjected to heavy monetary rebuke for a strictly managerial decision such as player selection of all things (McCarthy earlier this season). A few managers in the league can do outrageous things and get away with it (SAF and Wenger in particular) while others are punished for managing their team. It really is pretty absurd when you get right down to it and SAF pointing out the incredulous acts of the FA being beyond the pale is right on the mark. When justice becomes arbitrary it is more accurate to call it tyranny.

That is part of what is behind SAF's outrage but his mindset does include Ferdinand being given a three match ban and then have another added just for his appeal which the FA judged frivolous. In this case credit to SAF for speaking out even if he is using it as a pyschological weapon ahead of the match. Some things need to be said and this is one of them. Maybe, just maybe it will stop another player getting a broken leg or the mindless acts of the FA inserting themselves into matters such as selecting a game day squad will be curtailed to the benefit of the game.

While many would be inclined to scoff at SAF for his crying foul on this one he is correct. It just seems a little absurd for him to be speaking out about Gerrard getting a pass. He, who has frequently gotten away with really ugly and obnoxious behavior on the sideline and verbal attacks in the media with little action by the FA. The thing to watch for during this match is whether or not he or his players gain any advantage and perhaps even win the game as a result. His outbursts are intended to intimidate the match officials and he knows it's a great weapon so he uses it knowing he's not likely to be reined in for doing so. It wouldn't be the first time and surely won't be the last. That said, it is much different than Gerrard's purposeful dangerous physical play that has gone without sanction. In the first Gerrard was incensed that he'd been dispossessed, in the second a defender legally prevented him from getting to the ball and on both occasions he retaliated physically. A different, very different act than SAF's outspoken and often brash statements.

Liverpool's Torres opened the scoring (5) with a terrific header off a cross from Kuyt and sure as the sun will come up tomorrow United did, in fact, seemed to get the benefit from SAF's bluster when a penalty was given for a Mascherano takedown of Valencia. It appeared to be outside the area. We often see a free kick given just outside the area in such cases but this time a penalty is awarded. Rooney took the penalty which was brilliantly saved by Reina but the rebound came right back to Rooney who tapped it in (12). When you're hot, you're hot. Then, in the second stanza Torres flubbed his chances twice while Ji Sung Park did not, scoring with a wonderful diving header on the end of a terrific cross from Fletcher for the match winner. United go back to the top and ensure the Benitez 'guarantee' of a 4th placed finish is more unlikely than ever. The loss leaves the Reds 4 points down to 4th placed Spurs who also have a game in hand and they fall to 6th with Man City's win at Fulham.

Arsenal got a lift ahead of the match with West Ham expecting their captain Cesc Fabregas to be available for their chance to go back to the top of the table. An early goal from Denilson (5) would have been enough for the Gunners despite having Vermaelen sent off in the 44th minute for pulling down Franco. Almunia saved the Diamanti penalty to preserve the lead and a Fabregas conversion (83) closed the book putting Arsenal on top, at least for the moment.

Eidur Gudjohnsen hit his first for Spurs (46) and an Etherington penalty leveled for Stoke ahead of Kranjcar's 77th minute match winner set up by a Gudjohnsen dummy.

Would Blackburn get to face a downtrodden Chelsea at Ewood Park after the Blues were well beaten by Inter? Or would the Blues show their guile and recover their swagger with a big time performance? The recent dip in form for the Blues has seen them give up the top spot in the table as they've managed to win only 10 of the last 18 points available including damaging losses at Stamford Bridge which had been their fortress. Not terrible, but surely not championship form either. And certainly not up to the standard expected of Chelsea. The Blues needed a big performance but they didn't get it. It started as if it would be just what the Dr ordered with an early goal from Drogba (6). Rovers did just enough to keep the Blues off their game and an El Hadj Diouf header leveled (70) for the 1-1 draw. Chelsea are now 4 points off the pace of United with a game in hand.

Fulham, bolstered by their big win over Juve, entertained Man City in West London looking to improve their league form at the expense of City. The danger for Roy Hodgson is that his club could still be celebrating their stunning comeback to defeat Juventus. How does he get their feet back on terra firma ahead of this match? City ran out to a 0-2 lead before a penalty was awarded for a Barry handball which was converted by Danny Murphy for the 1-2 final scoreline. Fulham barely got off the launching pad.

Everton, sans Donovan, welcomed a resurgent Bolton to Goodison. Speaking of Donovan, doesn't it seem strange that his loan was not extended? At any rate goals from Arteta (72) on a brilliant free kick and Pienaar (89) earned the 2-0 win for the Toffees.

A Darren Bent brace led Sunderland to a 3-1 win over Birmingham and Wigan saved it for stoppage time where a Hugo Rodallega strike handed Burnley a 1-0 loss, their 15th in the last 16 on the road.

Portsmouth fresh off their 9 point penalty which ensures relegation welcomed Hull and their new interim manager Ian Dowie to Fratton Park. Late goals from O'Hara (88) and Kanu (89) meant a 3-2 victory for Pompey denying the Tigers and their new boss victory in his debut match giving the home fans something to cheer about with the spirited comeback in their season of despair. Caleb Folan's double had staked Hull to what very nearly was a precious 3 points before the late heroics from Pompey.

Just what would the FA do if the club evaporated into the nether world? Think about it for a minute. If they did disappear how would the FA ensure the Championship had a full compliment of teams next season? They would have to promote a 4th team from League One, and then another from League Two and so on. I guess they have a plan to deal with such things but I've wondered just how that would play out. Just how would they determine the 4th side to be promoted?

It could get pretty messy IF Portsmouth Football Club does evaporate?

Look for several of the games in hand to be played off in the mid-week with City at home to Everton, Villa entertaining Sunderland and Chelsea going to Portsmouth.