The Independent has an article about Jose Mourinho not being particularly effusive about Mario Balotelli's scintillating performance against Rubin Kazan. He has had his share of run ins with the mercurial striker regarding his lazy attitude and diva like behaviour. So he held off on the praise.

Supporters call Balotelli a target of racial ignorance and fear in an insular country, while critics say that the real fault lies in his grandstanding attitude on the pitch that rubs people off the wrong way.

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Mario Balotelli's nifty cutback sets up Samuel Eto'o's goal after Javier Zanetti's excellent wingplay broke down Rubin Kazan's defense. He then went on to hit a blistering free kick that swerved late past Sergei Ryzhikov's hands for Inter's second goal.

Another David against Goliath story in the making as Romanian side Unirea could join Sevilla in the Champions League knockout stage. They meet VfB Stuttgart today.

VfB are under a new coach having fired Markus Babbel. Plus, they have several key players missing through injury.

Christian Gross faces a huge baptism under fire and he has challenged his players to perform:

"We have to appeal to the players' consciences.

This CL has seen the path to the knockout stage strewn with the shards of the shattered dreams of the all mighty. Liverpool, Juventus, and Wolfsburg.

Today it is Rubin Kazan's turn to inflict similar pain against Inter and send Mourinho into a tailspin. We can relish the prospect.

Kazan have to do it without their star striker Aleksandr Bukharov who had to undergo wrist surgery last week.

As per UEFA last night, any punishment will be confined to Sergei Ignashevich and Alexei Berezutsky using pseudo-ephedrine.

The team itself will not be banned as the players used a substance not in WADA's prohibited list.

That was quick. It should settle down CSKA Moscow for the next phase but they would like to have these two key players back.

Michael Owen's hat trick against Wolfsburg sank the German team in the CL but the player who impressed most was Gabriel Obertan whose introduction in the 74th minute broke open the game. Now the calls for Fabio Capello to include Owen in the England squad are gaining momentum.

Edin Dzeko was not spectacular but there are promising signs.

Should have known better?

Wolfsburg may still get through to the playoff stage even after finishing third in their group losing to Man Utd and CSKA Moscow winning their match against Turkish side, Besiktas.

That is because two players from CSKA, Sergei Ignashevich and Alexei Berezutsky were suspended for the Besiktas match following tests that proved positive for doping following the club's match against Man Utd on 3rd November.

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Juve crashed out of the CL as they were beaten soundly at home by Bayern. The Italian giants looked enervated after their memorable match against Inter over the weekend.

Ciro Ferrara's side were seemingly in the drivers seat with David Trezeguet's goal in the 19th minute against the run of play.

Fernando and Marouane Chamakh make Juventus pay. Bordeaux's impressive display gives them as much claim to the CL title as anyone.

How in blazes did Diego miss that sure shot equalizer a few yards out of goal in the 64th minute? In fact, his deflection took the ball out of Amauri's reach as both players breached the Bordeaux defense to arrive at the same time to receive Del Piero's cross. Cedric Carrasco was at both their mercy.

Its getting tres tiresome. Noun, verb, referee's fault.

Ben Foster won't be the one to say, "I tello so." Besiktas continued the theme of the underdog shocking the top dog as Man Utd were undone at home for the first time in eight years at Old Trafford in CL competition in the group stage. The last team to do so was Deportivo La Coruna in 2001.

A shockingly early CL exit. Today, Liverpool won against Debrecen, a victory that became moot because Fiorentina beat Lyon, 1-0.

They now enter the Europa Cup.

Except this is Liverpool. Four years ago, they were on top of the world. Rafa was invincible.

It has all gone horribly wrong.

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Arsenal won against Standard Liege, 2-0 but at tremendous cost. Kieran Gibbs is out with a fracture of the first metatarsal which means he is out for the next three months. His injury came in the dying minutes of the match, a cruel blow once again.

" Mmmmmmm. Where is my Rolodex? "

With Franck Ribery out, Bayern has been struggling without his creativity. They lost to Bordeaux, 0-2 in the CL and are almost out of contention to make the round of sixteen.

In the Bundesliga, Bayern are in sixth place with 19 points after five wins, four draws, and two losses.

Arsenal came into its own with crisp, free flowing football. Cesc with a brace, Nasri with a very welcome contribution on his return, and Diaby rounded up the scoring. But Arshavin was the source having a hand in three of the goals. And Wenger singled him out.

Wenger highlighted Andrey Arshavin - who had a hand in three of the goals - for special praise, saying: "He was outstanding.

Band news for Clichy. A suspected stress fracture of the back will keep him out of the AZ Alkmaar return leg at the Emirates tomorrow and league fixtures against Wolves, Sunderland, and Chelsea.

Clichy's injury leaves Kieran Gibbs as the starting left back.

Nicklas Bendtner is also out for a month with a groin strain.

It seemed the CL was full of petulant players slapping one another. This time it was Grafite slapping Kas in the Wolfsburg vs Besiktas match. It got him the red card.

Without Cristiano Ronaldo, the Merengues lacked creativity and an attacking spark.

Karim Benzema and Kaka both had an unmemorable outing. It was the supporting cast of Granero, Marcelo and Raul that provided the threat and in the second half Royston Drenthe had his moments.

Pellegrini turned defensive with Lass and Alonso creating redundancy in the holding midfielder positions, with Alonso a bit more adventurous.

At the back of the head. That is a highlight, yes sirree!

Lights! Camera! Action! The second half had it all. Saves, goals, a melee, and a win for beleaguered AC Milan.

Clarence Seedorf showed an exquisite touch chipping the ball to Alexandre Pato who volleyed home the match winner past Iker Casillas. Seedorf was peripatetic, playing with a vigour that put some of the younger players to shame.

Minus Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Darren Fletcher, Ji Sung Park, and Patrice Evra. All key players. Which should bolster CSKA's chances.

But the one adage after all these years - you count out Man Utd at your own peril. And Juande Ramos will do well to heed this advice. By the way, Ramos has been busy with extracurricular activities, including writing a non-fiction piece aimed at business executives.

Pep Guardiola downplays the defeat and says "it is hardly a clarion call."

Guardiola insisted his team played "well" and that Barça "had done everything to win", but stressed the accuracy of the Russians, a "home run in the opening minutes" and a counterattack, eventually gave victory to Rubin.

I have no idea why Yossi Benayoun was substituted by Andriy Voronin. This has been Rafa's blind spot this season - the easy dismissal of the one player who gives Liverpool its best chance at crafting goals in the absence of Torres and Gerrard.

Also, the equalizer by Maxime Gonalons was achieved with 9 Liverpool players in the box who milled around clueless as Reina fell third time unlucky.

I have to say that the Gunners looked like they took their foot of the accelerator most of the second half. In total they possessed the ball just 47% of the time, a statistic that is unlike them. Fabregas did not look sharp and Song looked lackadaisical. The team was missing its characteristic fluid passing style.

Interesting factoid.

AZ Alkmaar inaugurated their new DSB stadium on August 4, 2006 with a 0-3 loss to the Gunners. Gilberto Silva, Emmanuel Adebayor and RVP scored goals. You can watch the goals >>1-0, 2-0, 3-0.

For the record: AZ were undefeated in all 32 of their home matches in European competitions, a sequence which ran from 1977 until 20 December 2007, when they finally lost to Everton of England, by a score of 2-3.

AZ Alkmaar v Arsenal
UEFA Champions League
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 2:45 PM (ET)

Walcott's injury woes continue.

His medial collateral ligament has been damaged and will sideline him for four weeks. The team left for their AZ Alkmaar fixture without him.

Those fighting qualities which seemed to have disappeared during the City and Man Utd games resurfaced yesterday against Standard Liege.

Yes, it was Liege doing the siege in the first three minutes with Arsenal's self inflicted wounds as Eduardo errant back heel found Elaquim Mangala who blasted his shot into the left corner of goal.

Standard Liege v Arsenal
UEFA Champions League
Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 19:45

Arsene Wenger prefaces the match with some comments on the Eduardo case. He believed it was the media news cycle which led the UEFA disciplinary panel to jump the gun.

"Sometimes they choose somebody and they say 'let's do him' and everybody jumps on the wagon.

Brilliant goalkeeping by Gianluigi Buffon. Juve gets a fortuitous lead when Cedric Carraso fails to stop Vincezo Iaqunita. Fifteen minutes before end Jaroslav Plaisil sneaks in to tap the ball home for the equalizer after the defense goes to sleep.

The highlight of the match was Wayne Rooney's reaction to being substituted by Michael Owen. There was also a laser used by a fan which targeted Jonny Evans. Otherwise it was a humdrum match with Man Utd being bottled up quite well by Besiktas till the Paul Scholes goal.