Group Runners-up I - Barcelona, Inter, PSV, Roma.

Group Runners-up I - Barcelona, Inter, PSV, Roma.
Strengths and weaknesses of the Champions' League clubs in the round of 16.

BARCELONA
Weaknesses
Attacking corps is mercurial this year:
Ronaldinho is still lethal and capable of sheer brilliance on occasion but he is still mostly start stop. Deco can follow a brilliant game with 2 lacklustre ones, while Giuly is not the same as he was at this stage last year. Larsson ? Oh yeah - he's at Man Utd via Helsingborgs.
No finisher:
Which leads me to the main point about Barcelona's attack - Eto'o is injured. They have no one to put the ball in the back off the net.
Not cynical enough:
There's a lot to be said about the cynical foul in midfield 45 yards from goal - Bayern, Inter, Manchester United and Real have all made it into an art form. Barcelona seem to have lost it. Potential attacks often become probable goals as a result.
Strengths
Depth:
Another one of the deepest squads in Europe - helped inevitably by Juventus' firesale. One of the most skilled and talented teams in the competition. Mourinho must be secretly envious.
Experience:
They won last year... and then added Zambrotta and Thuram. Many of the senior players have been around for ages both at Barcelona or in the latter stages of European competition. Rijkaard is an old hand at all this.
Explosive attack when on fire:
If Barcelona are in the mood - expect fireworks. They will light up any defence for some scorching scores in an exhilarating display of attacking intent. The question is - does this attitude help as much in the latter stages of a 2 legged tie ?


INTER
Weaknesses
Belief:
Perenially bridesmaids when it comes to the bigger competitions, their lack of killer instinct stems as much from a lack of belief as from a lack of ability. If they are to triumph they must go about exorcising demons as much as make tackles in the opposing half.
Concentration:
Inextricably, they can all fall asleep - letting a team they have dominated for most of the match back into it. Mancini must work on keeping this group motivated, focussed and on the ball - in more ways than one.
Strengths
Stankovic:
You read it here first - Europe's most underrated midfielder this season. No one else has played as well for as long as he has this season. A bit of an underdog, you'll never hear him being mentioned in the 'Best midfielder in Europe' discussions - but this season he has really come to life. The former Yugoslavia has featured many players who have played crucial parts in winning the Champions' League - Milan's Savicevic in '94, Juventus' Jugovic in '96, Real's Mijatovic in '99, the whole flippin Red Star Belgrade side in '91. A good bet for Inter's Stankovic in '07 to join that list.
Balance:
Inter are equally blessed with finishers, playmakers, stoppers, wide men, wingbacks, centre halfs, tacklers, set piece specialists as well as cynical goaders who can annoy the bejesus out of opposing stars - Materazzi.
Depth:
If required, Inter's second string can handily beat most sides. Alvaro Recoba and Solari don't even make it to the bench most days - remember them?


PSV
Weaknesses
Shaky backfield:
As solid as Alex is at anchoring the backline, PSV are a little weak in other places. Addo and Da Costa are not quite the imposing centre half, Reiziger is a spent force and Kromkamp, though adept, is not quite continental material. In front of them, PSV lack a true, shielding defensive midefielder like Makalele and Vieira.
Attack is still thin:
True, both Kone and Farfan score often but are both a bit like ex-player Kezman - good against rubbish teams but rubbish against good teams. Kluivert is on lifesupport and Tardelli not in the same class. Their attack is competent but not proficient.
Strengths
Balance:
In a perverse thumb in the face of the big chequebook cowboys of Europe, PSV has quietly assembled a squad with decent balance. No one is a true world beater - not anymore, anyway - but everyone is within a level or two of each other. Whereas some of the bigger teams drop noticeably when several first teamers are out, PSV seem to have a whole raft of made-to-order middling talents ready to plug the gaps without a depreciable change.
Equally deadly off setpieces and open play:
PSV has had to develop it's gameplan to suit every eventuality. They can hurt you off deadballs as well as prove quite proficient at sticking the ball in from open play. Very well organised, their movement and teamwork is fundamental to their gameplan.


ROMA
Weaknesses
Inconsistent:
Maddeningly mercurial at times, they can beat table toppers on one day and then promptly drop points to basement dwellers the next. Coach Luciano Spaletti has to work on keeping this team from switching off.
Inexperience:
Panucci has won it all a couple of times before while Totti, De Rossi and Perotta won the World Cup with Italy this summer. The knockout stages of the Champions' League however is a different ball game. Their team has never been required to play 7 ties against the best in Europe over 3 months before. Other than Totti and Panucci, few even know how to.
Strengths
Discipline:
No red cards so far, one of the fewest yellow card tallies, this Roma team keeps things clean for the most part. For a team that features De Rossi and several young midfielders who like to get stuck in, this is very impressive indeed.
Totti:
Seemingly better with every passing season - he's lead scorer in the Italian league. Absolutely deadly from attacking positions, he seems to find new ways to score every week. If inspiration is required - Roma look to him.
Deep midfield:
Lots of up and coming stars mixed with some established internationals - Roma's midfield features loads of players who can tackle, pass well and score - some like Taddei and Mancini, spectacularly so. Leeds United once made it to the semifinals with an army of enthusiastic midfielders - perhaps Roma can bond around the old heads of Totti, Tonetto and Panucci and do the same.