Manchester United v PORTO

Tuesday, Old Trafford, 7.45

Live, RTÉ Two, UTV, 7.30

It's difficult to escape the feeling that Alex Ferguson is seriously underestimating the Portuguese side in the build-up to Tuesday's game. In turning down the opportunity to play today's game against Aston Villa 24 hours earlier, he has given his squad precisely 49-and-half hours rest from the time they walk off at Old Trafford today until they're back there kicking off again in the Champions League. Sure, there may be some small logic in his decision in terms of getting his players back after international week but in effectively deciding which team, a stuttering Villa or Porto, he feared most, Ferguson chose the English side.

If Manuel Jesualdo Ferreira hasn't picked up on the snub, he's missing a trick but motivational issues to one side, the visitors are more than capable of coming out on Tuesday and scoring an away goal. Porto are unbeaten in all competitions since 1 November – including a 15-match unbeaten run in the Portuguese league – and came through a tricky group containing Arsenal, Fenerbache and Dynamo Kiev before beating Atletico Madrid in the last round on away goals. That proves they're capable of scoring away from home, and if they take any lessons from Liverpool's victory at Old Trafford, they shouldn't be overly cautious on Tuesday.

As for United, they'll be without Dimitar Berbatov through injury which is quite a blow considering the £30million striker has performed far better in Europe than in domestic competition.

In essence, though, this first-leg will show us the real depth in United's squad. Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic and Paul Scholes will be fresh after serving suspensions this afternoon but Ferguson may well have to depend on the likes of Anderson and Nani, maybe even Darron Gibson and Danny Welbeck, to get his side through this one. If those players are up to the task this week, then the second leg will be a formality. If not, United could be in trouble.

Verdict score draw

Villarreal v Arsenal

Tuesday, El Madrigal, 7.45

Live, Setanta Ireland, 7.00

It's fitting really that Arsenal come across Villarreal again because circumstances could well be falling to allow their best Champions League run since beating the Spanish side to make the final in 2006. That of course represents the high point in Arsene Wenger's rather meagre record in the competition, the counterpoint to all the praise he receives. In 10 seasons of Champions League football since Wenger's Arsenal first qualified for the competition in 1998, they have only gotten past the quarter-finals that one time.

And looking to prevent that passage again is another ghost of 2006. On learning the draw, a bitter Robert Pires remarked: "My biggest disappointment was playing only 18 minutes in the Champions League final. Wenger killed me when he took me off. For that reason, I moved to Villarreal... the only thing in my head is to knock them out."

Sentiments of course shared by a formidable team including Marcos Senna and Giuseppe Rossi. The sort of players that prove that, although Villarreal are far from favourites, they are a much better team than English teams' wishes before the draw gave them credit for. Manchester United couldn't break them down and, like Arsenal, they are capable of some of the slickest passing in the competition even if it doesn't always bring the quantity of goals it should.

Arsenal themselves however aren't giving up much at the back right now and have unearthed a grit we haven't really seen in any form since the Patrick Vieira-Emmanuel Petit days. Although they still haven't come out of this interminable injury crisis – Theo Walcott falling again – an all-important away goal and result should be theirs.

Verdict score draw

Barcelona v
Bayern Munich

Wednesday, Camp Nou, 7.45

Live, Setanta Ireland, 7.15; Sky Sports 3, 7.30

There will be goals. Even if Liverpool and Chelsea promises to be a livelier affair than other years, this is the game you should be watching. Just take a look at the numbers: both are the only sides that average three goals a game, with 24 in eight games each. Both are also the only sides left who have scored more than two goals a game in their domestic league, Barca hitting the magic three there again.

Then take a look at the names: Leo Messi, Samuel Eto'o, an in-form Thierry Henry, Xavi, Dani Alves, Franck Ribery… we could go on.

The difference between the sides, however, isn't just the greater glamour of Barcelona, it's how Josep Guardiola organises them. His is creativity within a more controlled system. Jurgen Klinsmann pays only lip service to defensive discipline. In short, Barcelona should just be capable of scoring far more. For once a 5-2 here might be a reasonable bet.

Verdict home win