Knockout, Knocked Out, Knocked...

Knockout...as in Champions League Knockout Stage. 
The coveted Round of 16 is drawing closer and a few teams have already booked their places in the next round.  Manchester United, Chelsea, Bordeaux, FC Porto, Lyon, and Sevilla are safely through, with Arsenal a mathematical shoe-in.

Bordeaux striker, Marouane Chamakh, scores against Bayern Munich

Michael Owen scores (Charleston-style...haha) against CSKA Moscow

Several Groups are still a toss-up, with some surprising teams still fighting for life.
In Group C: Real Madrid, AC Milan, Olympique Marseilles, and FC Zurich all have a mathematical chance of advancing.  The former two have 7 points, Marseilles has 6, and Zurich has 3.  With two matches left to play, two wins by any team would give them a top-two spot and advancement.
In Group F: Inter, Barcelona, FC Rubin Kazan, and Dynamo Kiev are locked in the tightest battle.  Inter is sitting at 6 points, Barca and Rubin Kazan have 5, and Dynamo Kiev has 4.  Each team only has one win in four matches!!  The goal differential is just as close.  Inter and Barca are +1, while RK and DK are -1.  Barcelona are the defending Champions, beating United last May in Rome.  Crashing out in the group stage would be an embarrassment to a team that boasts world-class talent. 

Knocked Out
In Group E:  Liverpool sits in third place behind Ligue 1 runners-up Lyon (10 points), followed by Italian side Fiorentina (9 points).  The Reds are languishing with only 4 points in 4 matches (1 win, 1 draw, 2 losses).  Points-wise they could still overtake Fiorentina if they lose their last two matches, but Liverpool's goal differential may be the stake in the heart.  Lyon is +6, Fiorentina is +5, and Liverpool is -2.  With their recent dip in form, it is highly improbable that they will overtake Fiorentina.  Their Premier League play has been just as spotty and manager Rafa Benitez has been under extreme pressure for his side's pathetic showing.  An early exit in the group stage of the Champions League might be the final nail in the coffin for the "Spanish Waiter."

Liverpool's season has gone from bad to worse

It should be noted that none of the teams are sitting on 12 points (4 wins).  The teams already qualified for the next round are all sitting at 10 points, with one draw for each.
The next matches are scheduled for November 24 and 25.

Knocked
More bad news today for struggling Real Madrid.  Their prized bull, Cristiano Ronaldo, received the news that his MRI showed no improvement in his injured ankle.  The bone edema is not healing, which has prompted the La Liga side to send Ronaldo to see an orthopaedic specialist in Amsterdam.  Dr. van Dijk fixed Ronny's ailing ankle in June, 2008.  After playing with a floater for almost five months (and playing the best he ever has), he elected to have surgery to fix the problem after United won the Champions League Final against in Chelsea in May, 2008.  The RM doctors have been unable to make any progress on his current injury so it was decided that he should see the "doctor milagro" (miracle doctor).  Wizards casting spells, miracle doctors...the next thing you know he'll be seeing a witch doctor. 
With all of RM's summer signings, why should CR not playing be an issue?  Because with him they won, without him they have only won 2 out of their 7 matches.  Their tactic has been to outscore their opponents.  The problem is they don't have a defense.  And without their star striker (Kaka and Benzema have flopped so far), the goals just aren't coming.  Obviously they've never heard the adage: Defense equals championships.

CR's knock heard 'round the world

A special shoutout to Wayne and Coleen Rooney.  The Manchester United forward and his wife are the proud parents of a son, Kai Wayne Rooney, born Monday in Liverpool.  Kai weighed in at an even 8 pounds and punters in England have started taking odds on the youngest Rooney playing Premier League footy and striking for the England NT like Dad.