Well, you can't judge the benefit of playing away first from the last 16 of the CL, as the groupwinners all played away first. So you could expect more teams that first played away to qualify.
Romania vs Romania . I would have prefered Middlesbrough, Sevilla or Schalke or any other team. Even though you wont see the suporters of Rapid or Steaua causing trouble in any game against foreign teams, I'm pretty sure they will unleash now because the suporters of the two teams are bitter rivals.
A Bucharest derby. I wonder what interest that will attract. It would be interesting if Romania gets an automatic spot in the CL. I don't think they have played in the CL since the 1996-97 season, when Steaua was in the same group as Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid and Widzew Lodz. I reckon it will be a Schalke vs Middlesborough Final however I think that one of the Bucharest clubs and Seville have good claims.
The Bucuresti derbies are always something special, because the big three: Steaua, Dinamo and Rapid always fight for the title or the cup. Winners in the last 10 years: Season - League winner - Cup winner Code: 1995/1996 Steaua Steaua 1996/1997 Steaua Steaua 1997/1998 Steaua Rapid 1998/1999 Rapid Steaua 1999/2000 Dinamo Dinamo 2000/2001 Steaua Dinamo 2001/2002 Dinamo Rapid 2002/2003 Rapid Dinamo 2003/2004 Dinamo Dinamo 2004/2005 Steaua Dinamo As you can see, it's always one of them, so the rivalry is fierce.
I have had Steaua as small favorite all the way, they was pretty strong last year and I have seldom seen Rosenborg been so outplayed as they was in Bucuresti in the CL qualify. And they have continue the good play most of the matches especially at home and seldom do poor matches, lock like a solid team. I think from what Ive seen that Steaua is a better team than Rapid and should go trough from the derby, but never easy to predict in such local matches. Zenit have two very strong strikers who can terrorise any defence, and have a decent defence but from what Ive seen lack a bit in midfield so have have hard do dominate/control matches. But with such strikers may they do well with hard defensive work. Middlesbrouh started the season very bad but after got rid of some injuries do they seam to have improve much and this is their only chance to win something this season, so they sould be hungry and may be hard to beat. Basel have not impressed me much in the matches Ive seen, a bit lucky even to advance from the groupe stage IMO. But are among the final 8 so they do definitly have quality in the team and at their top preformense are they hard to beat. Levski is the team I know less about as I dont have sean a single match from them this year. But I have have hard to belive thay can go all the way and win the trophy. Sevilla and Schalke is probably the strongest team on the paper, but that not all that count. I belive especially that Sevilla is strong with good players all over the field, more uncaertein about Schalke as I think German teams have droped in quality last seasons. All in all is Stauea my favorite in front of Sevilla. But both Rapid, Middlesbrough, Zenit, Schalke are all hot teams that may go all the way. While have have a bit harder to se either Levski or Basel win. Predriction: --------------- Sevilla - Zenit Basel - Middlesbrough Rapid - Steaua Levski - Schalke --------------- Schalke - Sevilla Steaua - Middlesbrough --------------- Steaua - Sevilla
Zenit has proven to be resilient, I expect them to make it to the final. Steaua is my other pick for finalist.