When is the last time you can remember Jose Mourinho brought down to his knees, succumbed to the gravitas of the occasion? Yet there he was, at the Santiago Bernabeu, kneeling pitchside as Sergio Ramos was about to take his penalty kick in extra time. Real Madrid had missed its first two attempts -- more on that in a bit -- and yet Bayern Munich had then also missed two of their own. But Ramos stuttered in the buildup, and his kick flew about 10 yards over the crossbar -- a shot that made even John Terry's famous miss, or even Roberto Baggio's in the 1994 World Cup, pale in comparison. (And at least Terry had a soggy pitch to blame.)

A few moments later, Bastian Schweinsteiger sealed Madrid's fate: Bayern Munich went through 3-1 on penalties after tying 3-3 on aggregate to reach the Champions League final.

It was a thrilling match, one of many differing rhythms; full-out attack in the first half, followed by a more conservative second half and an exhaustive extra-time period in which both sides looked weary in mind and body. Now, we wait as Bayern gets to host the final in Munich against Chelsea on May 19 in the hopes of winning its fifth European Cup (the side last won the competition in 2001), while Real Madrid will have to be content with winning La Liga over its bitter rival Barcelona -- and that's about it. Los Blancos have been eliminated from Europe's premier competition in 2006, '08, '09, '10, '11 and '12 after a first-leg defeat. When does a pattern become a curse? Madridistas must be asking themselves that question.

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Christof Stache/AFP/Getty ImagesBastian Schweinsteiger and Bayern Munich celebrate an epic win over Real Madrid.

Tale of two halves

The first half was brilliant stuff, with both sides going all out. Mourniho said prematch that Bayern would attack, and it did, adding to the spectacle. Real Madrid had two early chances and took both of them. In the fifth minute, Marcelo -- who, it must be said, had a more than commendable game in winning balls, getting forward and being one of the few players who had enough gas left in the tank in extra time -- hit a cross-field ball to Angel di Maria, whose volley struck David Alaba on the hand. It didn't look intentional and it was at close range to boot. But referee Viktor Kassai, perhaps swayed by Di Maria's and the crowd's partisan reaction, awarded a dubious penalty, which Ronaldo slotted home.

Even more dubious was Bayern's back line when, in the 14th minute, Mesut Ozil played in Ronaldo between Philipp Lahm (who was on a walkabout) and Luis Gustavo Dias for an easy score.

Two chances, two goals. Bayern, meanwhile, didn't take full advantage of their chances: Arjen Robben had an awful miss in front of goal; Mario Gomez, maybe thinking he was offside, didn't put enough mustard on a close-range shot that was saved by Iker Casillas; and Franck Ribery saw his attempt blocked by a scrambling Sami Khedira. It wasn't until the 27th minute that the German side got back into the match when Pepe was penalized in the box for pushing Gomez. Was it a harsh call? Let's just say it'll be filed under the category of "soft penalty," though Madrid supporters may have more creative ways to describe it. The penalty, taken by Robben, came moments after Karim Benzema failed to take advantage of more poor Bayern defending with what should have been a routine poke home from a Ronaldo cross.

At halftime, you can only imagine that Mourinho and Jupp Heynckes reminded their players what, exactly, was at stake. Because, from then on, as the prospect of the Champions League final became more palpable and fatigue set in, the match started to gradually grind to a safety-first approach. There were chances, of course, including one by Gomez late in the second half, but the sense of a penalty shootout loomed large -- as did the inevitability of the German side's superiority in such a contest. In the end, Madrid, which had to play the Clasico this past Saturday, seemed to wear down a bit more while Bayern was able to rest players over the weekend. That showed torward the end, with Bayern creating more chances and deservedly going through.

UEFA's rules need addressing

FIFA changed its rules so that players who accrue yellow cards in the semifinals aren't suspended for the big show. It's time UEFA does the same. The Champions League final is the crown jewel of club football, so why deprive fans of the chance to watch each team's best players. We will be without Chelsea's John Terry, Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles. And Bayern, which had six players on the precipice in Wednesday's match, will be without Holger Badstuber, David Alaba and Luis Gustavo

Don't underestimate motivation

Heading into the semifinals, most people had already penciled in another Clasico. But Chelsea rode its luck and showed great heart to knock off the defending champion. And Bayern? It could have easily been rattled after giving up two quick goals at Madrid -- especially after the handball call -- but it remained composed, maybe got a bit of luck of its own, tightened up its defense by closing down spaces behind the full backs and saw the match through. Hosting a Champions League final is a special moment, something Heynckes' side never lost sight of.

Heartbreak for C-Ron and Special One

United fans will remember Ronaldo's missed penalty in the shootout against Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final. And he missed another one on this day, a rather poor attempt low to the left. Manuel Neuer made a good save, but for someone who had converted his last 25 from the spot, Ronaldo should have done better. Oddly, though, the next Real penalty taker, Kaka, hit the ball in almost the exact spot, with the exact same result. And even though Toni Kroos and Lahm then missed Bayern's next two attempts, both of which were also sub-par, Ronaldo's miss will be the one most people remember. He didn't play well in the first leg, then rebounded to net the winner in the Clasico. But against Bayern, he missed when it mattered most. Then again, Lionel Messi came up short on the spot yesterday, surprising for the game's two best players in such quick succession.

It was also heartbreak for Mourinho, who vanished almost immediately after the final whistle. In the buildup to the clash, he had talked about how his team has had bad luck, about the off-side not given in the first leg and all his usual mind games. Yet, again, we'll remember him on his knees, trying to will the ball into the net when Ramos addressed it. For as good a tactician and motivator the Special One undoubtedly is, the luck and fortune of a penalty shoot-out is the one element of the game he simply can't control.

Will the season be regarded as a success for Mourinho? Winning the league over a Barcelona side that lacked depth and motivation for the fight -- especially on the road this season -- is an achievement given Barca's recent dominance, but it's the European Cup that Mourinho was ultimately brought on board to win, and he has come up short yet again in the final four. He has pledged his future to the Madridistas, and vice versa, but in this fickle world of football, the Special One will have to wait another season to try to become the first manager to win the Champions League with three different clubs.

Meanwhile Heynckes, who won a European title with Real Madrid in 1997-98, now gets a chance for his second.

AP Photo/Tom HeveziAndy Carroll's 87th-minute header earned Liverpool a 2-1 win -- and an FA Cup final berth -- at rival Everton's expense.

Heading into this weekend's fixtures, Arsene Wenger was doing what all managers are required to do -- the painful process of addressing the press. In Wenger's case, he was holding court about how the Gunners would rebound next season without diverging from their financially prudent transfer policy. When asked if he was resigned to the fact that at least two clubs (City and United) would outspend him, he said "of course," and then reminded his audience that there are only two trophies -- "real trophies that are a sign of the quality of the team," in his words -- worth winning, the Premier League and the Champions League.

FA Cup? Not on the list for Wenger, not worth caring about, not a "real" trophy. But tell that to Liverpool and Everton as they clashed in the cup semifinals at Wembley, where plenty of emotion was on display: Everton manager David Moyes pumping his fists with vigor after the Toffees went ahead; Reds gaffer Kenny Dalglish jumping in the air after his side replied with two second-half goals; Andy Carroll going from agony, head buried in embarrassment in his shirt, to rapture after scoring the winning goal; and 87,231 fans who experienced each and every one of the fervent highs and lows of being a football fan.

In this, a Merseyside derby in London, Liverpool edged its archrival Everton 2-1 to reach the final, where it has a chance to pull off a cup double, having won the league cup in February. It's been a bizarre season for the Reds -- they could potentially win two cups and yet finish in the bottom half of the Prem for the first time since the 1950s -- and while this victory was hardly a masterpiece, it'll gloss over those shortcomings (at least for a time) for Dalglish & Co.

The first two goals of the game could have been written into the script for the new "Three Stooges" movie. In the 25th minute, Everton keeper Tim Howard hoofed a long ball that bounced off Tim Cahill's back, falling between Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger. At that point, the two defenders both balked at clearing the danger -- it's yours! No, you take it! No, you take it! -- before Carragher finally kicked the ball right at Cahill. The ball broke for Nikica Jelavic, who slotted it past Liverpool third-string keeper Brad Jones.

Why Carragher was in the side is the first question. With Jose Enrique available on the bench, Dalglish could have played his stronger center back pairing of Agger and Martin Skrtel with Enrique out left. Instead, you sense that the manager was giving Carragher one of those for-old-time's-sake run-outs. Nice gesture, but it cost Liverpool.

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Press Association/AP ImagesLuis Suarez, along with Carroll, helped lead Liverpool to victory.

You also wondered if it was going to be one of those days for Dalglish's team when at the start of the game Steven Gerrard tried to play Luis Suarez into the box, only to smash referee Howard Webb in the head with the ball. Another comedic moment came when Stewart Downing literally outran a ball that he should have crossed.

To be fair, Everton came out the better side in the first half, looking brighter in attack and more organized in defense. And you can only presume Dalglish lit a fire under his players during the halftime (let's call it) talk, because they came out much stronger. Yet, it was another gaffe of epic proportions that allowed the Reds back into the match in the 62nd minute. Carroll won a header, pushing the ball out wide. Sylvain Distin raced in front of Suarez and could have kicked the ball up field, out of play or back to his keeper. The defender chose the last option, but his back pass had all the pace of a turtle, and Suarez was able to run onto the ball and toward goal. John Heitinga hurried across to try to stop him, but Suarez, using the outside of his right foot, cooly slotted the ball home.

While Distin should hang his head in shame (after the match, the crestfallen center back walked over to Everton supporters to apologize), Suarez deserves credit -- it was not an easy finish, he only made it look so. What's more, he has now scored in all three of his appearances in the FA Cup for Liverpool, unlike the profligacy in front of goal we've seen from him at other times.

Moyes tried to make adjustments, moving Cahill into the middle of the field and Marouane Fellaini forward to help out Jelavic, who seemed to lose steam and also lacked much endeavor to run onto long balls. Leighton Baines wasn't his usual dangerous self going forward, either. Overall, Everton lost their way for much of the second half and didn't have an answer as Liverpool continued to pressure.

And what of Liverpool's Carroll? The man in the ponytail has been pilloried for months for not living up to his 35 million pound price tag, which has hung around his neck like an albatross. And the striker missed some gilt-edge chances in this match, too. In the 47th minute, Downing -- who after his switch to the left side of midfield actually hit two, count 'em, two, decent crosses -- flung the ball into the box. At the far post, Carroll jumped up on a free header four yards from goal yet somehow contrived to miss wide. The camera panned to former Liverpool striker Ian Rush, as if to say, He wouldn't have missed that.

Two other attempts in the second half -- shots at Carroll's feet -- also missed the target.

At the same time, Carroll was Liverpool's most threatening player in the first half and continued to play well in the second. His work rate was excellent, he tracked back, won balls both on the ground and in the air. Of course, strikers aren't remembered (or necessarily paid) for these sorts of things. It's those nanoseconds in front of goal -- success or failure -- that are indelibly burned into the harddrive of our minds. And after winning the game against Blackburn in stoppage time with a header mid-week, Carroll again came through. On a free kick outside the box, the always chirpy Craig Bellamy (on for Downing, who put in a reasonable shift) put up a sublime curving ball from the left into the box, where Carroll outjumped Jelavic to head home. Fellaini, who had been marking Carroll for most of the match, was on the wrong side of the ball and didn't even bother to jump and challenge.

"It's a great feeling," Carroll told reporters. "I've had some criticism but I've just kept on going. I get the winner here and it's a great feeling. I believe in myself every day."

Added Jones about his teammate: "The media knock him but … he works hard, does extra training and deserved this goal at Wembley."

That's two matches now where Carroll has come up big. I'm reminded of the night of Dec. 30, when Liverpool took on Newcastle. It was supposed to be a big match for Carroll against his former club, as he was starting up top for the suspended Suarez. On a free kick in the 67th minute, Bellamy shot from about 25 yards from goal, and Carroll ran toward the near post. In a flash, the ball had gone into the back of the net and for a split second it appeared that Carroll had helped it along. He ran toward his teammates with a sheepish, almost apologetic smile. Was he taking credit? He knew, of course, that he had ultimately had nothing to do with the shot -- it was all Bellamy, and a rather strange and awkward moment for Carroll. In the end, the press predictably pounced on him for another failed outing.

The same could have been said of him at Wembley, the pitch half bathed in sun and half in shadow. For all his effort, if not for his goal, Carroll would have been cast in the dark half, with the focus being on his missed chances. And, indeed, the striker still has a long, long way to go before he's living up to his multimillion pound billing. But for now, with Liverpool in the FA Cup final, Carroll can smile -- and this time mean it.

Getty ImagesPop quiz: Which players would make your best starting XI in Europe? Before you answer, here's a caveat -- you can pick only one player per team to avoid a Barca/Real love-fest.

From the sublime to the ridiculous -- which is to say, from Lionel Messi to Mario Balotelli -- we've been mightily entertained this European season as it winds down across the continent. So what better time to engage in that time-honored (and, if you're at work, time-wasting) tradition of picking your best starting XI?

But let's not take the path of least resistance and select anyone we want. Do that, and most of us will end up with a mutant hybrid of Barcelona and Real Madrid, perhaps with a token player from further afield -- best get your boots on and join us, Peter Crouch, for your wonder goal this season.

Instead, taking a look at the best or most promising players throughout Europe, pick your dream team with the caveat that you're allowed only one player per team. It's an exercise that sends your mind into paroxysms of paranoia. Because the moment you decide on, say, Messi, you immediately rule out Xavi, Andres Iniesta and any other Barca player you covet. The dominoes fall and you begin to wonder, Wait, was this the right choice? Should I start by picking the best midfielder, and go from there? Work from the back?

You're at war with yourself, leaving you to lament that the Bad Brains never recorded "I Against I … the Football Edition."

In the end, as any devotee of Football Manager will know, concessions must be made, and some positions won't necessarily be filled with your first-choice player. It's all about taking calculated risks based on your preferred system, stats, observations and a good old hunch to put together a group of players who could be the ultimate world beaters.

So who are you going with? (Aside: If anyone knows how to code the formations more accurately, please let me know.)

If you go the tried-and-true 4-4-2 route, try this XI for size:

                      Gianluigi Buffon
Philipp Lahm    Vincent Kompany  Javi Martinez    Taye Taiwo
Antonio Valencia   Scott Parker    Xavi    Cristiano Ronaldo 
                    Edinson Cavani      Robin van Persie 

Up top: The man who all but ended Manchester City's dreams of reaching the knockout stage of the Champions League this season by scoring a brace, Cavani has been the most dynamic player of Napoli's three-headed attack. He terrorizes defenses with his movement and finishing ability, and as the City match demonstrated, he can raise his game for the big occasion. "Cavani is a good player, a good striker, he scores goals and works for the team," Roberto Mancini said after that fateful match. El Matador has 19 goals and three assists in the league so far this season, and will be one of the most coveted transfer targets this summer.

Slightly behind him is Robin van Persie. The best striker in England, RvP -- 27 goals and 10 assists in the Prem so far -- is the main reason Arsenal is in contention for a Champions League spot next season (the Gunners can even dare to dream of third place) and is not imploding amid fans baying for Arsene Wenger's blood.

Together, Cavani and RvP could wreak havoc up top, executing runs off the ball and finishing from all angles to leave defenses in a befuddled heap.

In the midfield, it has to be Xavi. Yes, that means no Messi, but with the Spaniard, you're talking about the most creative force in world football. Xavi pulls off passes that mere mortals can't execute in "FIFA Soccer 12," his head always moving left and right like a mechanical turret searching for its target (you half expect it to unscrew and fly away).

Whom do you pair him with? Given that this is an attacking lineup, safety first should be the policy -- a player who cleans up the messes others leave behind. Bayern's Bastian Schweinsteiger would be a welcome addition to any midfield, but knowing the right-back position will be Lahm, another solution is needed. His name: Scott Parker. He's not going to turn heads or create many goal-scoring chances, but you won't find a more prolific tackler or someone more willing to put his body on the line for the cause.

On either side of Xavi and Parker you've got the out-and-out winger Valencia, arguably Manchester United's most important player of the season, and Real's Ronaldo, who takes a backseat to only one player on this planet and who, it might be added, has netted 40 goals and 11 assists of his own in La Liga so far. His performances have been so outrageously good that Jose Mourinho has said that wherever he goes next, he wants Ronaldo to come with him.

Anchoring the center of defense is Kompany, one of City's most consistent and consistently superb players who has competed with his head held high while others have divided the dressing room. Last season, he was on the PFA Premier League Team of the Year, and should be on it again. From tackling and heading to knowing when to play the ball out of the back versus controlling with his feet, Kompany is money. Joining him is Bilbao's Martinez. He's a defensive midfielder with excellent ball skills, and some may argue that long-term he's wasted at the back, but mad scientist Marcelo Bielsa converted him from defensive mid to center back this season with great fanfare -- and great results. So for now, Martinez stays at the back on this team.

At right back is Lahm, Bayern's versatile fullback who can play on either flank. Possessed of excellent pace in the attack and ball-controlling skills for passing and clearing, Lahm is one of those constants when the lineup is made. And, at 28 years old, he possesses a wealth of experience for both club and country.

The clamors for Ashley Cole at left back will no doubt be loud from EPL fans, but the Chelsea player has had a down season. Leighton Baines is perhaps one of the most underrated in the position with his ability to get forward and send in the crosses, though his positional awareness (as we saw even this past weekend) continues to be suspect. Lyon's Aly Cissokho is tempting -- he's been a reported target for both Liverpool and Arsenal -- but having not seen enough of him, the choice is the powerful Taiwo. He was having trouble getting regular starts at AC Milan, but the talented defender is finding his groove on loan at QPR, where he's netted one goal and two assists in 10 league matches.

Between the sticks: An oldie, Buffon, where at a resurgent Juve this season he has made 76 saves and kept 17 clean sheets in 30 league matches.

So there you go, a dream starting XI.

But if you want to throw a wrinkle into the equation, let's go with a more attacking formation -- 4-1-3-2. We can keep many of the same players, with some tweaks.

                    Gianluigi Buffon
Maxi Pereira    Vincent Kompnay  Javi Martinez    Taye Taiwo
                      Bastian Schweinsteiger  
    Luka Modric    Xavi    Cristiano Ronaldo 
                    Edinson Cavani      Robin van Persie 

Here, due to the lack of natural width, any attacks would be routed primarily through the center of the pitch. Therefore, the addition of Benfica wing back Pereira on the right would provide some attacking skills from deep to keep defenses honest, while Bayern's midfield general Schweinsteiger would provide steel and skill in an otherwise stacked side, allowing Modric and Xavi to be the principal playmakers.

Ah, but no Messi. So far, Xavi has been the choice from Barcelona. That said, if we want to include the Wee One, let's go with a 4-1-2-3, a system Messi can thrive in (OK, he'd probably be the world's best in a 9-0-1). Bringing in Messi means adios to Xavi. We'd also take out one Bilbao player, Martinez, and bring in an even more dynamic one, Iker Muniain, who has excelled on the left wing of a front three this season. In the middle: City's David Silva and Real Madrid's "Avatar Eyes" Mesut Ozil controlling the game's pace and unlocking defenses. Joining them would be Andrea Pirlo, the deep-lying midfielder who has proved (along with Paul Scholes) to be one of the smartest signings of the season, in his case for Juve.

To accommodate this world-class defensive midfielder, we'd have to lose Buffon and in his place would be Bayern's Neuer. At 25, he's already the best keeper in Germany, and this season he has 54 saves and 16 clean sheets in 30 league games. Beyond the stats, he's handled his move to his new club this season with aplomb.

                              Manuel Neuer
Maxi Pereira    Thiago Silva  Neven Subotic    Gareth Bale
                               Andrea Pirlo
                      David Silva        Mesut Ozil      
       Lionel Messi     Robin van Persie      Iker Muniain 

At the back, Pereira would be joined by AC Milan's Thiago Silva. He's currently out with an injury to his right thigh, and hasn't been helped this season playing in so many different pairings -- including Alessandro Nesta, Daniele Bonera, old man Mario Yepes and Philippe Mexes -- but the Brazilian, who is sought by Barcelona, would be a terrific defensive anchor on any team. Joining him? Why not a bit of youth, and quite possibly the game's next Nemanja Vidic (out for the season), Serbia defender Neven Subotic. The 6-foot-3, 23-year-old Borussia Dortmund center back shows the kind of body-on-the-line defending that has made him a favorite of, among others, Sir Alex Ferguson.

At left back, to spice things up, let's go with Gareth Bale at the position where he started his career at Southampton. But, in practice, he'd be more of a wing back here -- think the Dani Alves of the left -- who'd rush down the flanks to link up with Messi.

Three options, and yet plenty of great players left out (to all you Arjen Robben fans), and making those highly subjective decisions the stuff of, well, dreams.

Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty ImagesIt was unimpressive in parts, but Chelsea rose to the European occasion, winning 2-1 (3-1 on aggregate) to move past Benfica and book a spot in the Champions League semis against Barca.

Do you think Lionel Messi is quaking in his boots right now? Or Xavi, Andres Iniesta or Cesc Fabregas? Perhaps, if they're about to get onto one of those mechanical bulls, but the prospect of facing Chelsea in the Champions League semifinals will no doubt give the Catalans a boost of confidence, certainly after watching the Blues defeat Benfica at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night 2-1 and go through on aggregate, 3-1. It'll be a rematch of the 2009 Champions League semifinal, one that ended in controversy and a certain Didier Drogba yelling "It's a @@#$#@ disgrace" into the camera after a controversial ending.

Mercifully, there were no disgraces on the field against Benfica on Wednesday. For the most maligned topflight club in English football, Chelsea has exceeded expectations. It's the Blues -- not City, not United, not Arsenal, not Spurs -- who reached the Champions League semifinals. You wouldn't have seen that coming a few months ago, and it's only European glory that owner Roman Abramovich cares about, if we're to believe what we read. They played brilliantly in the second leg against Napoli, a gut-check moment if there ever was one, and while there was nothing flashy about Wednesday's win, it was a win. Credit Roberto Di Matteo -- who loves to dole out the hugs to his veteran players, who apparently still need the emotional reinforcements -- for applying the defibrillators to a so-called "aging" squad.

Then again, if this is the best England has to offer right now, well …

As for the performance against Benfica, you could be charitable and say it was workmanlike. But, more like it, Chelsea's display was rather poor, with a score line that flattered to deceive. For the first 40 minutes, the Portuguese side essentially passed the Blues off the pitch, particularly in the midfield. Whether it was Chelsea's plan to concede the bulk of possession and play on the counter or it wasn't good enough to grab hold of the match is perhaps the biggest question about Chelsea's performance.

Yet, it was against the run of play in the 20th minute that John Terry hit a lofted, chipped long ball down the left-hand side to Ashley Cole. Javi Garcia, filling in at center back given that Benfica were without several potential starting defenders before the game (the likes of Ezequiel Garay, Jardel and Miguel Vitor), was caught on the wrong side of the Chelsea left back for what was a clear penalty (unlike the rather soft second penalty given against Milan in Tuesday's match). Frank Lampard slotted in the penalty to become the highest-scoring Englishman in the Champions League knockout stages, passing Wayne Rooney to put the Blues in control.

But Benfica continued to look the more threatening side -- a set piece in the 30th minute saw an Axel Witsel header set up Oscar Cardozo, and if not for Terry positioned behind Petr Cech, Benfica would have tied up the match right then and there. The Chelsea captain had a dependable game before being subbed off in the second half, too, seeing away danger on more than one occasion -- in particular, stopping a pinball-esque sequence between Pablo Aimar and Bruno Cesar. If anything, Benfica were sometimes too clever for their own good, though the side's slick passing and skill were much more aesthetically pleasing than the long balls and bombs into the box in the first leg last week.

But everyone, from the commentators to the Twitter-sphere, was announcing that the match was done and dusted in the 40th minute. Not because of any brilliance on Chelsea's part, mind, but because of an act of stupidity by Maxi Pereira. He lost control of the ball, and instead of leaving well enough alone, he couldn't help but slide into John Mikel Obi for a second yellow.

The match fizzled out from there, no doubt about that, yet Benfica fought gamely to keep creating more of the chances down the stretch despite being a man down. What will irritate Di Matteo most was the profligacy of his own side in the second half -- Salomon Kalou was more useless than a re-release of "Titanic," Ramires missed a gilt-edge chance at the far post, and poor, poor old Fernando Torres was off the mark, not syncing up with his teammates' passes and snatching at balls. The shot that he topped over in the 45th minute was especially painful to watch, but credit Chelsea fans: They deserve some sort of collective medal for sticking with the Spaniard. Even when Torres made a nifty turn at the D in the 53rd minute, he didn't so much strike the ball as push it.

In the 85th minute, on a corner, Garcia blew by a ball-watching David Luiz and headed the ball home, while Cech remained rooted to his spot like a spring tulip. The remaining nervy minutes were decided when Aimar got cold feet in the face of a high-boot challenge by Raul Meireles in the 79th minute. Aimar backed out, and Meireles was off to the races, burying his chance against a stretched Benfica defense. The former Porto man was triumphant -- and surely thrilled to stick one to an old rival -- in sealing what was otherwise a puzzling Chelsea performance.

On current form, will Chelsea be good enough to test Barca? Or was it simply dependable, doing just the right amount of work to see the side through against a 10-man Benfica before being sent to the slaughter? No doubt the Blues will have to significantly improve before facing the defending champs.

As it stands, the Blues can embellish some of their stats. They have now qualified for the semifinals of the Champions League in six of the past nine seasons, and Wednesday's win made them five-for-five at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League this season. Also, the Blues have lost just two of their previous 40 home European ties against non-English teams, and have won all nine European ties when they won the away leg first. They've also conceded more than one goal in only one of their past 14 Champions League home games.

All of that looks good on paper. But much of Chelsea's performance on the pitch did not correlate against Benfica. Further cause for concern at Stamford Bridge is that Chelsea is also preparing for the upcoming FA Cup semifinal against Spurs, and is rank outsider to finish in the top four in the league and secure Champions League for next season. So Abramovich might want to savor these European nights while they last, before his team faces Barcelona.

Still, the Blues have a chance, small as it may seem, and that's more than any other Prem side can still boast.

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AP Photo/Press Association In an era when we celebrate the versatility of players, let's revel in Antonio Valencia's singularity of purpose with United.

If you had to create an all-European team, and you could only select one player per team, whom would you pick? It's a cherished conceit among football fans, and one in which I'll write about at some point during the Champions League run-in. In the meantime, though, watching Manchester United versus Blackburn at Ewood Park on Monday (you can watch the replay here), the topic was in the forefront of the mind again. If you had to select one star, and only one, from a team, there's only one choice at Manchester United this season -- Antonio Valencia.

The Ecuador winger has been a one-trick pony for the Red Devils this season, but what an amazing ability he has. When United struggle to unlock a defense, as was the case for 81 minutes against an inspiring Rovers defense, Wayne Rooney & Co. have one mission -- get the ball to the former Wigan player, and allow him to terrorize defenders down the right hand side.

Width, in other words, is never an issue for the Red Devils. On this night, Rooney started on the left-hand side of midfield -- indeed, before the match, there was a fun bit of conjecture online as to the actual shape of United's system -- with Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick anchoring the center of the pitch. It didn't matter how you figured the formation, though, because most attacks came from Valencia, and he almost got the game's first assist in the 11th minute when he whizzed a ball along the pitch to a charging Javier Hernandez, who bolted ahead of his marker, only for keeper Paul Robinson to grab the ball in the end.

In recent weeks, Valencia has certainly shown more of a willingness to abandon his touchline-hugging runs and charge into the box to create space, find teammates and take shots on goal. Against Wolves on March 18, for example, the winger got on the end of a Rooney pass, raced into the box against a hapless defense and drilled a shot past Wayne Hennessey into the far corner. This time around, against Blackburn, the breakthrough didn't come until the 81st minute. As he moved toward the box, Valencia cut his boot into the ball, which flew past Robinson at the near post into the side netting at the far corner. As Macca and Ian Darke asked during the telecast, Valencia probably shouldn't have scored from there, but take nothing away from the strike -- the perfect way for the winger to celebrate his 100th appearance for United.

Valencia is one of the league's few true out-and-out wingers. Unlike, say, his teammate Nani, Valencia doesn't have much time for trickery on the ball -- it's all run and gun. And unlike, say, City's Adam Johnson, one of that team's few (if only) options out wide, Valencia doesn't naturally come in; he'll do it when there's space to exploit or when he's being marked by two defenders out wide -- a bit of smart and welcomed variety. All in all, it makes him an absolute nightmare to defend.

In an era when we celebrate the versatility of players, let's revel in Valencia's singularity of purpose.

Take nothing away, however, from Blackburn's yeoman effort. Playing a defense-first strategy, as if Steve Kean's players were the away side, Rovers defended with gusto. Yes, United dominated possession, but as the clock ticked away in the second half you did start to wonder whether Roberto Mancini's prediction would come true. The City manager, as you may know, said the contest would end in a tie, and Rovers did their very best to make that happen, with standout performances from the likes of Scott Dann, Grant Hanley, Martin Olsson and Bradley Orr. Crosses would be flung into the box, at which point you'd hear defenders yelling "Away!"

Other notable plays: In the 28th minute, Hanley made a superb tackle on Valencia, and in the 52nd minute Dann had a superb header to see away danger.

Anyone who's watched Blackburn of late wouldn't be surprised by the scenes unfolding at Ewood Park. Kean has his players believing they'll survive relegation -- the manager even claims to have received some apologies from fans who previously wanted to see the club's gaffer on permanent gardening leave, as they say -- and the form table confirms Rovers' push during the run-in. In the past six matches coming into this tilt, Blackburn had three wins, a draw and two losses (including one against Bolton after Fabrice Muamba fell ill). Unfortunatley for Rovers, the loss to United sees them back in the relegation zone, at No. 18, on goal difference.

But then again, fans might also have been surprised that Blackburn failed to put up a goal against United. After all, Rovers have scored more goals than any EPL side outside the top six, while defensively they've leaked goals and have the fewest clean sheets, two, of any Premier League side. Yet against United, on the few counters led by the likes of Yakubu, David Hoilett and Morten Gamst Pedersen, they looked likely to find the back of the net.

For United fans, their thanks should be directed to the keeper who has been written off many times now, but who keeps growing into his role with each match. Right at the close of the first half, David de Gea made two tremendous stops in the span of 60 seconds, first Marcus Olsson's left-footed volley from 18 years out, then Hanley's header from a corner that De Gea palmed over the crossbar. The Spaniard, once maligned, has the best saves-to-shots rate (79 percent) of any keeper in the Prem with at least 10 appearances.

United's efforts all came back to Valencia, though, both with his goal and then his assist on Ashley Young's goal in the 86th minute, a terrific shot at the D that snuck past Robinson. Now Valencia shares the league lead with 12 assists this season, tied with City's David Silva. Valencia has played 20 EPL games; Silva has played in 30.

It wasn't just Valencia, though. As an interesting aside, according to Opta, there were 37 passes in the move for Young's goal, the longest sequence of any Premier League tally this season.

In the end, it was hardly vintage United -- not a ton of creativity down the middle, and questions should be asked of whether Rooney really is at his best out wide on the left. He worked hard, sure, but left Chicharito stranded up top, and when Danny Welbeck came on in the 61st minute for the Mexican he didn't create any new ideas, either. If anything, he earned Alex Ferguson's ire when he sent a wayward ball past Young, leaving the United manager in a bit of an apoplectic rage -- if only for a second or two -- on the touchline. It's the mark of a man who after all these years has yet to lose his passion for perfection, a man who knows how to handle the pressures of a title run-in, as he took his squad on a golfing retreat to St Andrews for training and some R&R this past weekend.

Meanwhile, his counterpart across town has made the proclamation that if United win against Blackburn (check) and against QPR at home this weekend, the title race is over. Usually, managers play mind games to mess with the opposition, but you can't figure statements like that are going to do a City side low on confidence any favors. As of now, it's five points between the two teams, and City must face Arsenal at the Emirates this weekend.

No, in the end the attack kept going through that one-trick pony, and it finally paid off. It does say something, perhaps, that Blackburn knew exactly where the threat was coming from, often put two men on Valencia and still ultimately was burned. Then again, this is Blackburn. Not Bilbao. Or Newcastle for that matter. (Take your pick.) But those are all debating points for another day. For now, if you're creating your all-European team, with Lionel Messi up top, say, Mesut Ozil in the hole, perhaps, maybe Yaya Toure as one of the holding mids, is there any question who's anchoring your attack down the right wing?

Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty ImagesLiverpool has been inconsistent in the league, but could still end the season with two trophies. We chatted with one of the club's stalwarts, Jamie Carragher, about the campaign.

Transition has been the key word at Liverpool the past couple of seasons, during which time 22 players have come into the squad (not counting loans). Many new faces, many of whom have been pilloried for their lack of performance on the pitch. Recent league performances, in particular, have tried the patience of supporters. It's never easy to reshape a side, and such has been the case at Anfield where, dare we use that en vogue word, the club is in the middle of at least a three-year "project." One, Liverpool fans hope, will work out better for Kenny Dalglish than Chelsea's ex, Andre Villas-Boas.

There have been signs of promise, including Liverpool winning the Carling Cup, its first trophy in six seasons, in February. The Reds are also scheduled to face archrival Everton on April 14 at Wembley, a cup tie that should (fingers crossed) offer a bit more fire and brimstone than the wet noodle of a league match between the two teams on March 13, which was really only notable for Steven Gerrard's hat trick and Everton's lackluster team selection. The Old Firm it wasn't. April's faceoff will be the first time the two sides compete at Wembley since the 1989 FA Cup final, so the tackles should be flying.

Building confidence on the back of a cup run will help boost morale, but equally, it won't be enough to gloss over Liverpool's shortcomings in the Premier League. After 30 games played, it trails No. 1 Manchester United by 31 points; at the same juncture in the season last year, the Reds were 18 points behind league leader United.

You can point to all sorts of issues. Dalglish & Co. have especially struggled at Anfield, where they've drawn eight (a killer in a points race), won five and lost two. There's been some profligacy in front of goal -- with 13.1 shots per goal this season, compared to 13.3 for Wigan, 12.1 with QPR and 11.9 with Everton. (United is tops at 6.3 shots per goal). And the woodwork has been as much an enemy to the Kop as anyone from the blue of Merseyside: Liverpool leads the league with most shots, 17, that have hit the woodwork and not gone in, ahead of 15 for Man City, 13 for QPR, 12 for both Chelsea and Fulham. Beyond analytics, you can analyze all sorts of issues with player performances (a story for another time).

Of course, it's all how you slice and dice the definition of success. Liverpool could end up with two trophies this season; and we know one of the two Manchester clubs will finish with nothing in their cabinet.

To discuss Liverpool's season, we chatted with one of its iconic players, central defender Jamie Carragher, who has been with the club since he joined the youth team in 1990 and played his first senior ball in 1996. While he has logged a ton of miles for the cause, Carragher, 34, still bleeds Liverpool red with the passion of any supporter.

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Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC/Getty ImagesSteven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher celebrate Liverpool's Carling Cup victory, the club's first trophy in six years.

Hi, Jamie, it's a pleasure to chat with you. First question: What has Kenny Dalglish brought to Liverpool FC since taking over the reins as manager?

Jamie Carragher: Well, I think, obviously, he's been here now just over 12 months. He's increased the presence of the club, that's what he has about him because of who he is and what he's achieved in football as a player and as a manager. When Kenny arrived, with the club in a very difficult position, he gave everyone a lift, not just in terms of his presence but also with performances and results on the pitch at the end of last season. You know, this season there's been a lot of change in the playing staff, with a lot of new players coming in, you know, for the better. You could see that with us getting our first trophy in six years. That was a massive achievement for everyone at the club, and we're set up nicely in the FA Cup. We're probably a little bit short in the league where we'd like to be -- we'd like to be closer to the top four -- but hopefully we can close that gap between now and the end of the season.

You guys play Everton in the FA Cup on April 14. The last derby was a bit of a letdown, intensity-wise. Can we expect a right old cup tie this time around?

JC: Oh, of course, I'm sure it'll be a lot closer than the last league game was, since we normally don't get results like that in a derby, where it's normally very tight with one goal into them. It's a massive game, of course, we can't deny that. It's something [Everton versus Liverpool in the FA Cup] we've not really had much of in the past. The former players had cup finals against each other -- I think there were two cup finals [in 1989 and 1986] -- and big games in cup ties, but it hasn't really happened much for me self as a player in the last 10, 15 years. So it's something for the whole city to look forward to. I'm just hoping as a city we represent ourselves well, the supporters going down to the game together like it was in the past. Hopefully we'll get the result, but I'm sure that's what the Everton side will say as well.

It certainly feels like the magic of the FA Cup is back, at least for this tie. But the league has been a different story for Liverpool, as you're 31 points behind league leader Manchester United. Jose Enrique recently came out and said that fans shouldn't blame the manager but point the finger at the players. What's your take?

JC: There's been a lot of change, hasn't there, with players coming in and out, so we've got a lot of new players learning to play the Liverpool way and what it means to play for Liverpool. And I hope they progress again next season as well. The competition in the league has never been stronger, especially with Man City coming in with the title money they've got, and the job Harry Redknapp has done with Tottenham … Whereas our manager has only just come in and tried to build a side up. But if you actually look [closely], we don't have as many players in our squad who've won a title, or certainly not a Premier League title, but you look at the manager, he's got four [titles], so I don't think [our struggles] have to do with our manager. As a group of players, we need to improve. Maybe we need a couple new players next season to push us on, and you're hoping the players we bought this season will then go on to another level after a year's experience playing for the club.

You talk a lot about the "Liverpool way" when discussing the new players on board. What do you mean by that?

JC: It's not just them, it's all of us, as I've said -- in the games we haven't done that well. You can see it by our home form, a lot of draws, that is what I'm saying, playing the Liverpool way. When you play home games you have the pressure of your own crowd -- it's a demanding, and great crowd -- but at Liverpool we expect results and to win every week that we play at home. So there's that aspect of it. And also the way the opposition play. Every team comes to Anfied to defend, really, so it's different in that sense. Also the media pressure of playing for Liverpool is always strong -- it's one of the biggest and best clubs around. Learning to be a Liverpool player comes with experience. You know, me self and Steven Gerrard have been here a long time and know how it works. I'm sure next season and toward the end of this season, with the first trophy in the bag, the new players will go on to another level.

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Mark Thompson /Allsport Loyal servant: Carragher during his days for the England U-21 team in 1997.

What's your sense of the Premier League this season? City and United are battling for the top spot, there's a tussle for third and fourth, and English teams haven't fared well in Europe.

JC: I think it's fair to say that from the performances in Europe, that English teams, we're not at the level we probably were three or four years ago. I mean, you look at Real Madrid come and take Ronaldo away from the league, and we lost [Xabi] Alonso. I think invariably the best players always end up with them or Barcelona. I think La Liga is the top league now. Look at Athletic Bilbao's performance against Man United, everyone was talking about how well they played, and that's the fifth, sixth team in Spain, really, against the [Premier League defending] champions and maybe the best team in the country. It was a well-deserved defeat, if you like.

But I think football goes in cycles as well. Three or four years ago, I think it was right to say that we had the best league in Europe and some of the best teams. We always had two or three teams in the [Champions League] semifinals and a team in the final. But now I think it has change, you're getting the Spanish clubs playing well, the way AC Milan is doing in the Champions League, Napoli's performance as well against Man City. They all may be coming back, but football is all about cycles, and I'm sure we'll be back on top soon enough.

When you finally hang up your boots, what's next? You've talked about possibly coaching.

JC: To be honest, I think about a few things that I'd like to do, but you have to be offered a job you like to do. It's not set in stone that it'll be a coach or manager. If something comes up that I like to do, I'd do it. But there's no set plan, if you like, in place for me. I will just keep playing as long as I can and the club sees fit, and then whatever happens after that, I'll make a decision on what type of stuff I get offered. Obviously, a lot will have to do with me family as well. I'm open to anything at the moment. It's interesting -- it's something I've never had as a player, really, I've only always wanted to play for Liverpool and hadn't had to make decisions about different clubs, thankfully.

You are quite the throwback, playing your entire career with one club. What has that meant to you?

JC: It's been a privilege for me, really, to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world, an iconic club, an institution. The club have been great to me, and I hope to finish my career here. That, for me, would be a great achievement.

AP Photo/Getty Images/AP PhotoLiverpool fell to Wigan (yes, Wigan) and Spurs couldn't break a scoreless tie against Chelsea, while the Gunners dazzled against Villa.

Saturday's Premier League schedule promised plenty of action and intrigue … then Spurs and Chelsea happened. What's the cliché? Ah, yes, it wasn't the greatest advert for the league (or any league, for that matter). And how would Arsenal, Spurs' archrival, respond? Here are some thoughts from both matches, as well as James Tyler's take on Liverpool's forgettable loss to Wigan. Yes, Wigan, as Roberto Martinez can finally be genuinely happy in the postmatch press conference after … a win. (And on top of all that, Man City drew with Stoke, a blow to the Sky Blues' title aspirations.)

90 minutes you won't get back

Do you ever feel cheated? That was the question some 40,000 people must have been asking themselves after a dire first half and an only marginally better second half at Stamford Bridge, a clash that ended in a scoreless draw between Chelsea and Spurs.

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Ed Perlstein/Getty ImagesQuestion of the day for Spurs and Chelsea supporters: Have you ever felt cheated?

When the first-half whistle blew, more out of mercy for the fans than any football rule, you could be forgiven for conjuring up images of the Sex Pistols' final, famously foul gig in January 1978 at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. There would be only one song for the encore, Johnny Rotten told the crowd, because he couldn't be bothered. After plodding through the Stooges' "No Fun," he mockingly asked the crowd, "Ah, ha, ha, ever get the feeling you've been cheated? Good night."

Thankfully, sort of, Chelsea and Tottenham's encore, the second half, offered up a bit more.

Overall, Spurs clearly played for the point; there were times when Harry Redknapp's players simply refused to get up the pitch with any intensity. In the 31st minute, for example, Rafael van der Vaart broke, but he and Emmanuel Adebayor were the only players busting a lung down the field. By the time support arrived, Chelsea had plenty of men behind the ball.

Chelsea had a few half-chances here and there. Didier Drogba chested balls down and showed his usual strength with his back to goal, but failed to delivered any end product, including a meek effort in the 78th minute. There were some long balls and chips that occasionally caught Spurs' defense sleeping, but again, nothing to show for it. Juan Mata was unlucky in the 72nd minute when he hit the post on a set piece that completely fooled Brad Friedel (that, or Friedel was wondering what Kyle Walker was doing, breaking away from the wall and presumably trying to get to the near post for added cover).

Spurs, on the other hand, had the best opportunity in the first half, in stoppage time, when Van der Vaart missed not once, but twice at close range, with Petr Cech making the first stop and Ashley Cole the second. Gareth Bale -- who failed, or was told not, to provide any burst of energy down the left for most of the game -- headed a ball that rattled the crossbar on a corner in the 79th minute. Adebayor also saw one of his efforts cleared off the line by Gary Cahill. And Scott Parker did what Scott Parker does, breaking up plays all over the pitch.

But there were so many wayward passes and so much that went wrong that you could have slipped on Bolton and Blackburn jerseys over the players and it wouldn't have looked out of place. Nah, that might be unfair to those two teams, who produced three goals among them -- Bolton won 2-1, a key result in the relegation battle.

In the end, Chelsea will feel this was two points dropped. Yes, there was danger in being too adventurous, with the potential of a six-point swing: a loss and the Blues would be eight points adrift, a win would see them two points behind fourth place. As it stands, they remain five off the pace for Champions League football. And they must worry about Benfica this week (perhaps that was on their minds too much Saturday).

Spurs, on the other hand, may feel that the point is what they need after a string of poor results. Fact is, Redknapp's side has now earned two points in the league since Feb. 11 -- not the kind of form you need at this juncture of the season. (Of note: Spurs have now failed to win at the Bridge in the league since 1990.)

"It's a step in the right direction after the results that we've been having," Kyle Walker told Sky Sports. "I thought we were organized, and as a defensive back five with Scott Parker in there, I'm pleased with the point."

So, no doubt, was Arsenal.

Stroll in the park

Whether it was nerves or the unusually warm spring conditions in London -- apparently, 65 degrees was enough to see much of the Chelsea bench pull clothing over their heads -- that seemed to sap Spurs of endeavor, the Gunners came out full of enterprise against Aston Villa. On a beautifully groomed pitch, Arsene Wenger's men poked and prodded and passed with vigor. There was more entertainment and attacking flair in the first 15 minutes than in all of the previous match. What's more, the first goal came a minute later from the unlikeliest of sources, Kieran Gibbs. After some nice buildup play from Gervinho down the left, he slid the ball to Gibbs in the box, who beat the usually dependable Shay Given at the near post. Could the keeper have done better? Perhaps, but it wasn't the simplest of saves given how close Gibbs was. It was the left back's first Premier League goal.

In the 20th minute, Thomas Vermaelen hit one of the best cross-field balls you'll ever see, a 60-some-yard effort that Theo Walcott exquisitely brought down with his right foot for instant control, but Carlos Cuellar made a perfectly timed tackle. Unfortunately for him, in the 25th minute Cuellar was complicit on an Alex Song long ball over the top that caught him sleeping. But Walcott was perfectly alert, again showing terrific control in bringing down the ball before slotting it home with his second touch. If not for a Stephen Warnock header -- an effort described by the commentator as resembling a "flying pig" -- Robin van Persie would have been on the scoresheet after a superb pull-back left both Given and Alan Hutton embarrassingly in his wake.

It was all academic for Arsenal after that. Gibbs and Walcott's goals marked the first time since 1997 that two English players had scored for the Gunners. In the second half there was a bit of perhaps well-earned showboating -- RvP's little chip in front of Hutton, as an example -- but the result was never in doubt. Arsenal capped the match with one of the best free kicks of the season from Mikel Arteta. From about 30 yards out on the left-hand side, the Spaniard let it rip, catching the ball flush as it flew into the upper right corner.

That made it a seventh consecutive Premier League win for the Gunners -- the first time they've done that since 2007. After their worst start to the season in 58 years, they are looking to finish strong. Three of Arsenal's next four opponents are QPR, Wolves and Wigan. Then again, they also must host Man City and Chelsea and travel to Stoke.

On the plus side for Spurs -- they don't play any team above them in the table for their remaining games -- So there's still plenty of time to see if Redknapp's safety-first approach was the right one.

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Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC/Getty ImagesLiverpool have scraped together just eight league points since the start of 2012.

Summer comes early for Liverpool

ESPN.com's James Tyler now weighs in on the Liverpool-Wigan tilt, won 2-1 by the Lactics.

The dreaded "Anfield Summers" is a fairly well-known phenomenon. Given that most seasons in Merseyside meander to a pallid conclusion, it's impossible for the Reds to avoid using the last few league fixtures as a gentle segue into an offseason of cocktails, quality time at home with the WAGs or, in some cases, clandestine meetings with agents to engineer a transfer.

Last season, Liverpool jogged through defeats to Tottenham and Aston Villa before jetting off to friendlier climes; in 2009-10, a home loss to Chelsea precluded a turgid away draw at relegated Hull. When there's little to play for, the act of actually playing appears to be little more than a physical reflex.

Alarmingly for Reds fans, this season's ennui has settled in much, much sooner. Having come to terms with the fact that fourth place is about as realistic as Lindsay Lohan winning an Oscar, the comfort of knowing a Carling Cup already sits proudly in the trophy cabinet has completely drained the Merseysiders of any purpose.

Saturday saw the continuation of that confounding trend: Wigan limped in with little hope, but sustained profligacy by the home side buoyed Roberto Martinez & Co. to push for a result, one they comfortably earned in the final analysis.

Taking the lead 1-0 on a first-half penalty after Martin "Usually Reliable" Skrtel thought it wise to plant a high boot in Victor Moses' face (the Wigan striker would be substituted not long thereafter), the Latics were rarely as troubled as one might think a bottom-three team should be inside Anfield. They rode their luck at times -- Ali Al-Habsi made some brave saves, and the work of Maynor Figueroa and James McCarthy was equally heroic. But as usual with Liverpool FC, it was its own biggest enemy, continually failing to convert possession and pressure into viable scoring chances. Having the worst shots-to-goals conversion rate in the EPL is one thing; but to see one of the other least-threatening teams convert its handful of chances only served to exacerbate the problem.

But before I'm accused of being too negative, there was a spell after halftime in which Liverpool looked like a functional soccer team; Luis Suarez nudged home an equalizer following fine support work and awareness by Steven "Shadow of His Former Self" Gerrard, and the Uruguayan then had a goal disallowed, adjudged to have shoved Gary Caldwell off the ball as a Skrtel header drifted toward the goal line.

It didn't last, as the frustration of the retracted strike sent the team into a dispirited sulk. The fog over Anfield drew in closer when the unlikeliest of assassins -- defender Caldwell -- coolly scuffed home a game winner following more typically sleepy defending by Liverpool's defense. Not even the inclusion of Raheem Sterling, a speedy, highly promising young winger, could inspire Liverpool to assert themselves or discover an equalizer, and the chorus of confusion at full-time deepened the malaise.

Since winning the Carling Cup on Feb. 26, King Kenny's side has lost four of its past five league fixtures, but to stretch it even further, his side has scraped together just eight league points since the start of 2012. That's bad enough for any club, but surely unforgivable at Anfield. And yet, what is likely to change? Dalglish? New players?

Forget it -- let's all head to the beach as well.

It's been a strange season, all right.

Look at Blackburn Rovers. Here's a side that was not only left for dead, but ridiculed beyond belief. A side purchased by owners who, supposedly, didn't know about relegation. A side run by a manager, Steve Kean, who required personal security to protect him from his own supporters because results were going so pear shaped. And now? Rovers would be favored to stay out of the relegation drop -- you only had to watch Tuesday's game versus Sunderland to see why. The players were competing for their manager, there was belief, and while the stop-and-start, sloppy execution was nothing to behold, Blackburn bagged all three points.

Martin Olsson's sliding tackle in front of Nicklas Bendtner -- on the one play where the Dane actually sprinted -- summed it up: This was a group of players who have been mired in the battle at the bottom for so long that they intuitively know how to handle the pressure and grind out results. With Wolves and Wigan seemingly destined for the championship with each passing match, and QPR facing a frightening run-in (though the Hoops did come back to beat Liverpool 3-2 on Wednesday), Kean's crew should stay up. Then again, you never know.

A similar dynamic was playing out in the rarefied air atop the table on Wednesday when Chelsea traveled to Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City. The Blues had been written off many times under Andre Villas-Boas, but since AVB was sacked after a 1-0 loss to West Brom, the Blues looked revitalized -- four straight wins, including that magic night against Napoli in the Champions League. Fernando Torres even scored twice against Leicester City this past weekend (though, to be fair, it was Leicester City, a fact too often ignored in the hype). City, meanwhile, was coming off some tough results, having been bounced out of the Europa League and humiliated in the league away to Swansea City 1-0.

For most of the season, City had been league leader; yet the Sky Blues came into the tilt with Chelsea four points behind Manchester United. Did Roberto Mancini's men have the stomach for the fight? Like Blackburn at the bottom, would they gut out the wins? And could Chelsea continue its unbeaten run under interim head coach Roberto Di Matteo?

We received some answers, at least for a pleasant night in Manchester, after City came from behind to defeat Chelsea 2-1 and pull within a point of United. In so doing, Mancini's side set a Premier League record for the most successive home wins, 20, in the Premier League, surpassing United's record of 19 set last season. Oh, and Carlos Tevez made his return, too.

But before we get to that surreal substitution, what was there to talk about? Not much in the first half. The first 10 minutes were lively, with a couple of real chances: Samir Nasri chested down a lovely long ball over the top of the defense by Yaya Toure before smacking the crossbar, Petr Cech totally beaten; and Torres, looking in the mood, bobbed and weaved toward the defense before dishing to Juan Mata, whose effort drifted off the mark.

Soon after that, the match transmogrified into a nerve-rattling, anxious affair. For Chelsea, Torres looked strong and worked hard (likely to be his epitaph with the Blues), Ramires created a bit of havoc, and the entire team took a page of out the Martin O'Neill playbook -- lose possession and get behind the ball as quickly as possible. For City, the pace was slow, not unusual as Mancini's squad typically builds up from a more stately pace. Nigel de Jong was all but invisible, but Mancini's men -- playing without the preferred starting center back pairing of Joleon Lescott and Vincent Kompany -- ended the first 45 with a clean sheet.

Mario Balotelli should have scored when he intercepted a wayward Frank Lampard pass and had a one-on-one with the keeper, but his shot went wide. And, indeed, the final couple of breaks by both teams ended in rather sad affair, first with Ramires failing to pick up Torres in the box and giving away possession, then Nasri's through ball failing to find Pablo Zabaleta. Total wash.

In the second half, Nasri continued his man of the match performance, jinking Jose Bosingwa (on for the injured Branislav Ivanovic in the first half) before finessing a shot that Cech pushed onto his own crossbar, after which Lampard made a neat defensive play to keep David Silva from scoring. In the 60th minute, on a corner earned by Ramires, Mata fired the ball into the box. Yaya Toure headed it away and after what looked to be a clear handball by Gareth Barry (on at the start of the half for a sub-par Balotelli), it fell to Gary Cahill. The former Bolton defender took his shot, which deflected off of Yaya Toure, and the Blues were up 1-0.

It seemed to be all going Chelsea's way, preserving its unbeaten streak under manager John Terry -- sorry, Di Matteo -- with the side's organization spot on. Even David Luiz was turning in a disciplined performance at the back, heading away danger and sticking to his spot for most of the time. But the worm turned, as they say, after a few substitutions. Tevez came on for De Jong in the 66th minute and Torres, muttering in disgust, was taken off for Didier Drogba in the 73rd. Chelsea might not have gotten a goal from El Nino on the night, but in return the Blues relied on Drogba, a target man who looked off the pace and didn't put in near the effort.

And so it was that in the 78th minute, Michael Essien was rightly called for handball in the box. Off a corner, which was headed away by Lampard, Zabaleta fired a ball toward Essien, who had his hand up in the air. Clear penalty, which was cooly taken not by Tevez, but the Argentinean who has replaced him as Big Man on Campus, Sergio Aguero. Finally, after almost 80 minutes, a rather moribund, anxious sounding Eastlands came to life, the crowd trying to will on the players.

In the 85th minute, the players returned the favor. Nasri picked the ball up 30 yards from goal and charged forward down the inside-left channel. He passed to Tevez at the top of the box, who controlled the ball and immediately slipped in Nasri, who draws check off his line before scoring into the bottom-right corner. Etihad Stadium was delirious.

Of course, the moment Tevez came onto the pitch, you had to wonder: Would the player who refused to warm up for Mancini be the one to score? Could it be possible for the player who hadn't suited up for his club team for six months to the day -- 37 matches during that time -- do in Chelsea? After all, Tevez had scored six times against the Blues in the league: once for West Ham, once for United and four times for City. Well, he ended up not scoring but smartly, elegantly setting up the winning goal, the one that well could keep City in the title race and prove that despite a bit of wobbles of late, Mancini's men do have the stomach for the fight. Except, maybe, for Balotelli. The jury is still out on him. But before United play again, on Monday against Fulham, City could be two points ahead if it gets a win at Stoke. Won't be easy, but neither was this match.

Cynics will scoff at Tevez's inclusion to begin with, and one of the endearing images of the match will be after the second goal when a City fan held up a T-shirt that featured a mockup of the famous billboard: "Welcome to Manchester," with a picture of Tevez. It was yet another reminder that in football, as with most other things, pragmatism trumps principle. And City fans couldn't be happier about it.

One of our contributing writers, Michael Cox, wrote a thought-provoking story about defining success in modern-day football. He touches on how you can spin failure as success, or success as failure. This dynamic is perhaps most noticeable in the Europa League, the unceremonious competition of also-rans that attracts more ridicule than revelry. The only time most fans even bother to pay attention is when their club happens to be in it -- and with both Manchester teams heading into second-leg round of 16 ties on Thursday, the Europa League has been the beneficiary of some extra attention thanks to those clubs' massive fan bases.

But City and United never wanted to be in the Europa League, especially Sir Alex Ferguson's side, given the success it has had in the Champions League over the past many years. So the equation has been quite clear: Win the Premier League and crash out of the Europa League and the season will be considered a smashing success. Find your players celebrating in Bucharest on May 9, but watching your cross-town rival finish first in the Premier League and the past nine months or so will look like time well spent by only those with the most rose-tinted glasses. At least that's probably how most United fans feel; City fans, who are still searching to add to what has been an all-too-barren trophy cabinet, might see this as yet another building year to add to their FA Cup from last season.

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Michael Regan/Getty ImagesFernando Llorente celebrated after scoring a wonder goal against United.

But the Prem was always going to be the priority. You only had to know that when Roberto Mancini publically hoped that United defeated Athletic Bilbao at San Mames so the Red Devils would have to continue to struggle with what, according to most managers, is the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest: the dreaded Thursday/Sunday fixture schedule.

Hope you win, and keep up the good work.

Ah, the power of positive (but really negative) thinking: Both Manchester clubs lost in the Europa League on Thursday -- United 5-3 on aggregate and City on away goals with a 3-3 aggregate score to Sporting Lisbon. All the more surprising, no doubt, to the hype machine that had already penciled in City and United in the final -- two sides that would easily crush any supposedly second-tier European competition.

United's adventure at the San Mames started much like its match ended at Old Trafford -- at the mercy of an Athletic Bilbao side that no doubt has opened the eyes of many English football fans who rarely bother to look beyond their tribal loyalties to other leagues, and especially a side that is seventh in La Liga at the moment.

Bilbao struck first on a brilliant piece of football in the 23rd minute. Aurtenetxe delivered a ridiculously perfect long ball of about 50 yards over the top, and one of Spanish football's stars in the marking, Fernando Llorente, volleyed it past David de Gea in the far corner. Rio Ferdinand, perhaps like most of us expecting Llorente to trap and control the ball, stood clueless as Llorente's execution was every bit as impressive as Robin van Persie's two scoring volleys we've seen in the Prem this year.

This goal came after Muniain had hit the woodwork and Oscar De Marcos skied the rebound. In the 65th minute, De Marcos finally took his chance. A cross from Susaeta was miscued by Gaizka Toquero (on for Llorente in the 40th minute), and De Marcos bashed the ball -- which took a deflection off Rafael -- into the back of the net.

In all, the Basque side checked every box: work-rate, skill on the ball, passing, technique and, most importantly, goals. United looked flat at times, and was outplayed again. Only Wayne Rooney was able to get anything out of the game, an extraordinary hit from distance in the 80th minute. It was at that point that Ferguson and his players received the ultimate backhanded compliment: polite applause for Rooney's strike, a "courtesy" typically only extended by fans of a far superior side. And that's exactly what Bilbao was. It pressed, attacked and took United out of its comfort zone. The scoreline could have been worse, as Susaeta and Toquero could have added to the tally (in the latter's case, Gol TV's Ray Hudson perfectly summed up the botched header as "toilet-bowl finishing").

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Matthew Peters/Man Utd/Getty ImagesWayne Rooney was one of the few bright spots for United.

United failed to get behind the Bilbao high line, and only brought on the pacy Danny Welbeck in the second half when time was running out. And Chicharito -- who loves to play off the shoulder of the last defender -- remained on the bench. The arrival of Paul Pogba, who made a hash of a tackle to earn a yellow card, in the 63rd minute signaled that the Red Devils' focus was squarely focused on Wolves this weekend.

City, on the other hand, had us believing that it could turn the improbable into the possible, much the way Arsenal had its supporters dreaming of an amazing comeback against AC Milan in the Champions League.

Going into the match, Mancini had said he wanted to win both the Europa League and the Premier League -- and with such a payroll and depth of squad at his disposal, that seemed reasonable -- but any hopes of a double seemed to evaporate by the end of the first half. With City missing Joleon Lescott and Vincent Kompany, Mancini had to make do with Kolo Toure and Stefan Savic (who's having a torrid time in his first season at the club). And it all started to go downhill in the 33rd minute, when Mario Balotelli chased after Emiliano Insua and needlessly fouled him. Matias Fernandez's ensuing free kick was a thing of beauty, curling past the wall into the upper right corner.

Sporting struck again in the 40th minute, thanks to more atrocious defending by City. Bruno Pereirinha blew by Aleksandar Kolarov, David Silva failed to help out, and both Savic and Kolo Toure lost their way before Pereirinha passed the ball across the face of goal for the easiest of finishes for Ricky van Wolfswinkel.

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Shaun Botterill/Getty ImagesSergio Aguero was a major catalyst to City's attempted comeback, scoring twice and earning a penalty.

But it was the show of emotion and effort on the part of City that this game will be remembered for. Mancini made three substitiutions in the second half -- Nigel de Jong for Adam Johnson in the 46th minute, Edin Dzeko for David Pizarro in the 55th and Samir Nasri for Silva, who was off the pace on the night, in the 66th minute -- and all of the moves had the cummulative effect of helping City regain its mojo, with Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero and Nasri especially brilliant at times.

In the 60th minute, Yaya Toure played in Aguero, and with Anderson Polga ball watching, the Argentinian scored City's first goal. He also was responsible for creating the next one in the 75th minute when he charged into the box and Renato Neto slid in with the tackle. There didn't appear to be much contact, but referee Tom Harald Hagen pointed to the spot. From there, Balotelli cooly slotted the ball home.

The Sky Blues continued to press and close down space, as Sporting appeared to engage in a series of time-wasting "injuries" -- Pereirinha clutching his arm in the 78th minute, with De Jong comically trying to pick him up, only for Pereirinha to be cured almost immediately after he finally came off the pitch to receive treatment.

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Shaun Botterill/Getty ImagesJoe Hart's attempted header almost saved City at the death against Sporting.

Then, amazingly, City pulled back yet one more goal, in the 82nd minute when Aguero got on the end of Dzeko's headed ball from a corner. Soon after, Sporting keeper Rui Patricio went down with an "injury." There would be more time wasting, though the yellow card Balotelli earned for protesting the theatrics in stoppage time were mistimed, as that incident was caused by Micah Richards' boot hitting Xandao on the head. Overall, though, Sporting was a bit disgraceful in its behavior, and Balotelli -- while he should have remained cool -- was understandably boiling over.

The match ended on a surreal sight: City keeper Joe Hart almost saving the day, as he got on the end of a De Jong long ball, only to head his shot wide of the mark.

In the face of tremendous pressure, Sporting almost collapsed -- and if the match had gone on for a few more minutes, it very well could have lost. This was a dramatic conclusion to both Manchester teams' Europa League adventures. But while one team went meekly into the night against a better and stronger opponent, another fought admirably for at least 45-plus minutes. Unfortunately for Mancini & Co., with Sporting scoring two unanswered goals in the first half, time was always going to be their worst enemy.

Now City will have all the time in the world -- along with United -- to focus on the Premier League title race. Maybe Mancini really didn't care about the Europa League, or maybe he did. Based on what we saw at the Etihad, his players answered that question.

Jasper Juinen/Getty ImagesJose Mourinho was Mr. Intensity in Real's thrilling 3-2 win over Betis -- the Special One's 100th game in charge of the club.

Sometimes you never know which game to watch. On Saturday, for example, you had some relegation-worthy matches, such as Bolton versus QPR -- a fixture that once again made the sport look woefully out of touch for not having goal-line technology as a clear QPR goal was punched away behind the line without being given. (Really, how much longer do we have to wait until the powers that be get up to speed on this? The difference between zero points, a point, or three could eventually mean the difference between a team like QPR staying up or being relegated, and based on Mark Hughes' upcoming tough fixtures, Rangers need every point they can get.) You also had Spurs versus Everton. That one suggested that Harry Redknapp's troops are fading to the point that finishing third or even fourth for a Champions League qualifying birth is anything but a forgone conclusion. You had Liverpool, which continues to lose the plot the moment it enters the final third, while Chelsea ground out a workmanlike 1-0 win under interim manager Roberto Di Matteo to keep the pressure on Arsenal and Spurs.

There was excitement among the two Manchester clubs on Sunday, as United defeated West Brom while City succumbed to Swansea City at Liberty Stadium to see the Red Devils go atop the Premier League table. There will be plenty to watch, and write about, during this seesaw struggle in the season's run-in as United's extensive title-winning experience may begin to tell.

Who would have thought, though, that the most thrilling game would turn out to be Real Madrid at Betis. If you have access to Watch ESPN, I highly recommend watching the replay -- for 90-plus minutes, the Estadio Benito Villamarin was rocking with some 55,000 home supporters in what turned out to be an end-to-end thriller that Real Madrid won 3-2. Los Blancos were lucky -- something Jose Mourinho suggested after the match -- as Xabi Alonso got away with a clear handball in the 65th minute, and there was a hint of a handball by Sergio Ramos in the box in stoppage time. Many times, Real's defense was at sixes and sevens. The first Betis goal was brilliant, as Ruben Castro's first touch allowed him to take Sergio Ramos out of the equation, and with Marcelo failing to get back quickly enough, he got the ball to Jorge Molina, who scored his first league goal of the season. Too often Real lacked any organizational shape as Betis attacked and tore its opponent apart, demonstrating how difficult some away grounds in La Liga can be. (Manchester United will get a taste of this when it heads to San Mames to face Athletic Bilbao in the return match in the Europa League on Thursday.)

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Cristina Quicler/Getty ImagesCristiano Ronaldo scored a brace against Betis despite suffering from the flu.

Cliché or not, this was precisely the type of match that wins titles. Cristiano Ronaldo, who was suffering with the flu, scored twice and Gonzalo Higuain -- a talented striker on his day who is rumored as a target for PSG -- beat Betis keeper at the near post when Fabricio had to cheat a bit to his right because of Ronaldo looming. Iker Casillas made fine saves in the second half to deny Ruben Castro and Jefferson Montero.

Thrilling stuff, Real Madrid's 10th consecutive road win, a league record.

It was also a landmark match for the Special One, as it was his 100th game in charge of Real Madrid. The last manager to reach that milestone was Vicente del Bosque, the current manager of Spain.

It's been an amazing season for Mourinho, whose side is as well-oiled a machine as any in football. The win on Saturday put Real Madrid 13 points clear of second-place Barcelona before its match on Sunday. In truth, the league title has been in the bag for some time now. Regardless of what happens in the return league Clasico at Camp Nou in April, Mourinho seems destined to bring Los Blancos their first La Liga title since 2008.

But his accomplishments don't end there. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Madrid is on pace to score 129 league goals and shatter the record of 107 goals. It is the first team to score 85 league goals in the first 25 games of the season. Mourinho's side is also on pace to earn 102 points to set the record for most points in a season -- Barcelona holds the record of 99 points from the 2009-10 season, and Real's second-best record tally of 96 points was also in the 2009-10 season, but Real's side just keeps winning. Some may argue that Barcelona -- with a thin squad and perhaps a lack of motivation week in, week out -- has conceded the league more than Real has been winning it, but nothing should be taken away from what Mourinho's men are doing right now.

Let's also consider this: Heading into yesterday's match against Betis, Ronaldo had scored 30 goals in 25 matches, more than 12 other teams in La Liga. And so much for the flu -- he added two more to the tally, putting him on pace for 46 league goals, which would break the record of 40 he set last season.

What's more, Mourinho's Real is on pace to once again put up numbers that rival or surpass the Galacticos era when Zinedine Zidane was with the club from 2001-02 to 2005-06. The highest points tally for Zidane's Real was 80 in 2004-05; and the most goals were 86 in 2002-03 -- numbers that Mourinho & Co. already have left in the dust. Defensively, on the other hand, Mourinho's Real has been suspect at times. His side is on pace to end with 34 goals against this season, still quite good indeed, though not up to the standard Zidane's 2004-05 side set by allowing just 32.

We've marveled during much of this season at Real's balanced attack -- from the "avatar eyes" of Mesut Ozil, as Ray Hudson would say, to the goal-scoring machine that is Ronaldo. Higuain, meanwhile, has netted 17 league goals, and Karim Benzema is having his best season with Los Blancos since leaving Lyon in 2009. Kaka has shown flashes of regaining his former brilliance in what has otherwise been a frustratingly inconsistent season.

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Jean-Philippe/Getty ImagesAngel di Maria's ability to create goals is one of Real's greatest strengths.

And what about Angel di Maria, maybe the most underappreciated player on the team? The Argentinian is tied with Ozil in the league with 13 assists, but di Maria has played in 15 league matches to Ozil's 25. The next best in assists in La Liga is Barcelona's Dani Alves and Lionel Messi, both with eight assists in 23 and 24 league matches played, respectively. According to this excellent piece's calculations, di Maria averages 1.2 goals created per match, a better rate than Higuain, Benzema, Kaka, Ozil, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas and anyone else other than Ronaldo and Messi.

So, as things stand now, the Real Madrid juggernaut continues to lay to waste league opposition. Mission accomplished for Mourinho, right? The Special One says he's set to sign a new contract and support Real's "project." Despite some tetchy moments with Real's management and against Barcelona during his tenure, the Special One has been quoted as saying he'd do it all over again, leaving Inter to join one of the most storied clubs in football.

But what about that "project" -- therein Real still has some heavy lifting to do. The league may be in the bag by most accounts, but Mourinho was also brought to the Santiago Bernabeu to bring back the European Cup, which the club hasn't won since the 2001-02 season. Last year ended in failure with a semifinal loss to Barcelona. On Wednesday, Real hosts CSKA Moscow with an aggregate 1-1 score line after Pontus Wernbloom scored in stoppage time. Still, Real will be the favorite to go through to the quarterfinals.

There is a doomsday scenario, one that has no doubt crossed the minds of some Barca supporters -- and maybe a few Madridistas. Imagine if Real ends up crashing out of the Champions League. Worst, Los Blancos lose in Europe to Barcelona again, and also get a thumping in an otherwise meaningless Clasico in the league. Barcelona ends up winning the Champions League and Copa del Rey, while Mourinho's players are left with the league title. How, then, would the Special One's season be regarded? Still a success, of course, but the "project" will be far from finished.

Not saying the above scenario will happen -- Real Madrid offers so much quality and depth that it should be able to continue to make a strong charge in Europe, though it will need to tighten up its defense as we get to the tournament's shorter strokes. At the same time, Mourinho must make sure his side maintains its ruthless streak and continue to win whether the players are firing on all cylinders or, like on Saturday, demonstrate ill form yet find a way to eke out victory.

It's all to play for in the next couple of months, and history beckons for Mourinho and the Merengues … with their archrival ready to put all its emphasis into Europe to try to stop Real from achieving its ultimate goal, the holy grail of club competition.