Ask and you shall receive

Being a guy, I was obviously going to write something about sports, more precisely, football.

So since today was the day of the Champions League last 16 draw, I thought I might comment on a tiny observation I've been making in recent years.

Barely a couple of days ago, if not less, a certain David Beckham retorted his wish to face Manchester United in the Last 16 of the prestigious competition. Then suddenly its noon on Friday 18^th December (barely four and a half hours ago) and AC Milan (the team Beckham will be joining on loan in January, though I'm sure everyone already knew that) are drawn up against United (incidentally the team I've supported since before I could walk, talk, and do other trivial things.

Anyone who has been paying attention in recent years will have spotted a pattern. This time last year Jose Mourinho expressed his desire to face Fergie's English, European and (at that time, soon to be...) World Champions. UEFA heeded Jose's request, and amazingly Inter were drawn against United. Mind you the pattern works both ways. In the 2004/05 season Fergie himself announced that he would like to face AC Milan in the knockout stages, and we went on to get knocked out, losing 1-0 in both legs, both Hernan Crespo goals, both headers...bastard.

Argentine twats aside, I couldn't help but notice this persistent pattern of someone from a particular club, be it the manager, or a player, announces the wish to face a different club, and miraculously gets his wish when the supposedly random draws are announced.

Don't get me wrong, the draw is enticing to say the least, but this is probably the reason why things like this happen.

All of last season the one thing me and my friends would always agree upon was this quote:

"Can you imagine the final being Barca vs. United!?"

Sure the final ended up being as enjoyable to watch as a persistent kick to the balls by a dude wearing steel-toed shoes... but that's probably coz I'm a United fan. I mean come on we folded like Phil Ivey on an off day (Texas Hold'em reference here, Phil Ivey is one of the best poker players around)!! Still the game overall was dull to say the least.

I can just imagine Michel Platini going around asking people "So, what do you sink ze most int-heresting match in ze Shampions League could be monsignor?"

Anyway, looking at the other draws, there are a few cracking games in store for February/March 2010. As a neutral, Bayern Munich vs. Fiorentina and Lyon vs. Real Madrid promise to be epic... hopefully. Not to mention Inter vs. Chelsea, with Mourinho returning to Stamford Bridge to face the team he lifted into the upper tier of Europe's elite. Let's face it, everyone wanted to see Mourinho take a team to London, and hopefully have his ass unceremoniously handed to him by Ancellotti's rejuvenated Chelsea team! And presto! We all got our wish, how shocking!

Anyway here's to hoping United finally eliminate Milan from Europe on the fourth (i think) time of asking, and to getting 8 fully entertaining matches.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to whoever wasted a portion of their lives to read this!