In contrast, Inter stumbled through to the last 16 in
wholly unconvincing fashion, suggesting the coach with the Midas touch was
right to bet the Italians would not be able to repeat the highs of last
season's glorious treble.
However, the Portuguese, whose only blot was a one-game
ban for ordering two of his team to pick up deliberate yellow cards thus ruling
them out of the final group stage game, knows the Champions League is never won
in December.
Real have failed to progress to the quarter-finals in
each of the last six seasons despite reaching the first knockout round every
time, so former Porto and Chelsea boss Mourinho has work to do to become the
first coach to win the trophy with three clubs.
Finishing as the best group stage team with 16 points and
battering Auxerre 4-0 on Wednesday when already through bode well, but threats
in the knockout rounds lurk.
"We are prepared, in good form and focused on the
Champions League," Real's Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored one against
Auxerre as Karim Benzema hit a hat trick, told reporters.
"We know all our opponents are tough." Bitter
rivals Barcelona had two draws in Group D but the magic of Lionel Messi, Xavi
and company should sparkle even more when the really big games come.
Inter were the only unit able to stop Pep Guardiola's
side last season but their chances of similar success this term look doomed.
Certainly their fans will say they can play no worse.
Rafael Benitez is clinging to his job after Tuesday's 3-0
loss at Werder Bremen, albeit in a dead game, and he must hope the club's top
scorer last season, Diego Milito, can prosper after injury and boost their
European and domestic hopes.
City rivals AC Milan lurched through and the 2-0 home
defeat by eliminated Ajax Amsterdam on Wednesday, where Zlatan Ibrahimovic was
rested for an hour, confirmed the view that the seven-times winners are
toothless without the Swede.
Ronaldinho's glory years are also now just a distant
memory.
"I am calm about staying at Milan, I only want to do
my best to help the team," the 30-year-old Brazilian, no longer a regular
at the Serie A leaders, told Milan Channel after speculation of a Janaury move.
"I feel the affection and love of the fans even when
I don't play. It's an important year." The three big English sides,
Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, are not in top form and must improve
while Tottenham Hotspur are the competition's joint-top scorers, but their
shaky defense will be severely tested in the knockout format.
Last term's runners-up Bayern Munich have again quietly
made it through and Wednesday's 3-0 win over Basel when already qualified shows
their Champions League hunger remains despite domestic woes.
Olympique Marseille and AS Roma did well to progress and
could pose opponents problems in February, even if hopes of reaching the final
look remote, similarly Schalke 04, Olympique Lyon and Valencia.
FC Copenhagen and Shakhtar Donetsk punched above their
weight in the group stage, both making the first knockout round for the first
time.
Their entrance into the upper echelons of the competition
adds much-needed freshness and the pair will be eagerly awaiting the draw on
Dec. 17 with some juicy last 16 ties possible.
