Latinos in Champions League

The Champions League is about to start. For those who prefer Latin football, here is a glance at CL's squads through the Latin filter.

Liverpool: Fabio Aurelio (Brazil), Gabriel Paletta (Argentina), Javier Mascherano (Argentina), Sebastian Leto (Argetnina), Lucas Leiva (Brazil)
Olympic Marseille – no Latin Americans
Besiktas: Ricardinho (Brazil), Rodrigo Tello (Chile), Matias Delgado (Argentina), Marcio Nobre (Brazil), Bobo (Brazil)
Porto: Helton (Brazil), Jorge Fucile (Uruguay), Paulo Assuncao (Brazil), Lucho Gonzalez (Argentina), Mariano Gonzalez (Argentina), Mario Ariel Bolatti (Argentina), Leandro Lima (Brazil), Lisandro Lopez (Argentina), Ernesto Farias (Argentina), Adriano (Brazil), Edgar (Brazil)
Although Paletta has been inscribed to play in CL, he has already returned home to play for Boca Juniors. Mascherano and Lucas will be competing for the same position. Sebastian Leto is most likely to stay on bench. The squad of Porto as always is looking very Latin. Ex-partners in Racing Mariano Gonzalez and Lisandro Lopez re-united here, as well as ex-Riverers Lucho Gonzalez and Ernesto Farias. Besides, bright Leandro Lima of Brazilian sub-20 is fresh and full of Brazilian energy. Besiktas will be lead by extremely sophisticated and skillful Ricardinho. Marseille turned out not to need Latins.

Valencia: Edu Gaspar (Brazil)
Chelsea: Alex (Brazil), Juliano Belletti (Brazil), Claudio Pizarro (Peru)
Rosenborg: Alejandro Lago (Uruguay)
Schalke-04: Marcelo Bordon (Brazil), Dario Rodriguez (Uruguay), Rafinha (Brazil), Gustavo Varela (Uruguay), Carlos Grossmuller (Uruguay)
Strange enough, but Valencia decided to have only Edu (the one from Arsenal), Rosenborg also has only one Latin American - once member of Uruguayan National Team Alejandro Lago. The choice of Latins in Chelsea, as always, is little apprehensible. While the Latin community in Schalke looks impressive, especially their Uruguayan playmaker Grossmuller, who has not yet got contaminated by European football.

Lazio: Lionel Scaloni (Argentina), Emilson Cribari (Brazil), Cristian Daniel Ledesma (Argentina)
Real: Pepe (Brazil), Gabriel Heinze (Argentina), Fernando Gago (Argentina), Julio Baptista (Brazil), Robinho (Brazil), Javier Saviola (Argentina), Gonzalo Higuain (Argentina)
Werder: Naldo (Brazil), Carlos Alberto (Brazil), Diego (Brazil)
Olympiakos: Julio Cesar (Brazil), Rodrigo Archubi (Argentina), Cristian Raul Ledesma (Argentina), Luciano Galletti (Argentina), Lionel Nunez (Argentina)
Lazio has only one realy threatening Latin trump, but weighty though - Ledesma. The guarantee for Real's successfull performance could be a striking combination of Robinho-Saviola-Higuain, but it's not likely that Schuster will be able to make such a clever move. Werder will be pulled ahead by a solid Brazilian tandem in the midfield. But what looks the most promising here is strongly argentinized Olympiakos.

Celtic - no Latin Americans
Milan: Dida (Brazil), Cafu (Brazil), Serginho (Brazil), Emerson (Brazil), Kaka (Brazil), Ronaldo (Brazil)
Benfica: Luisao (Brazil), Leo (Brazil), David Luiz (Brazil), Oscar Cardozo (Paraguay), Gonzalo Bergessio (Argentina), Angel di Maria (Argentina), Andres Diaz (Argentina)
Shakhtar: Ilsinho (Brazil), Nery Castillo (Mexico), Jadson (Brazil), Fernandinho (Brazil), Brandao (Brazil), Luiz Adriano (Brazil), Willlian (Brazil)
Celtic neither needs Latinos (which can be understood). Milan has nothing new. Alexandro Pato, who could be a very bright spot on this League, was not inscribed to play for Milan. Benfica's squad looks extremely impressive with two great freshers Cardozo and di Maria. The Brazilian midfield of Shakhtar is very promising too, especially when crowned by a diamond named Nery Castillo.

Olympic Lyon: Cris (Brazil), Anderson (Brazil), Juninho Pernambucano (Brazil), Fabio Santos (Brazil), Fred (Brazil)
Glasgow Rangers - no Latin Americans
Stuttgart: Ricardo Osorio (Mexico), Gledson (Brazil), Pavel Pardo (Mexico), Antonio da Silva (Brazil), Ewerthon (Brazil), Cacau (Brazil)
Barcelona: Rafael Marquez (Mexico), Gabriel Milito (Argentina), Edmilson (Brazil), Silvinho (Brazil), Deco (Brazil), Ronaldinho (Brazil), Giovani Dos Santos (Mexico), Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Nothing new in Lyon either, where all the faces are known to everyone. In Stuttgart too. The Scotts look as they decided to boycott Latin America. Finally, one of League's main questions will be if Reijkaard is going to have enough courage to send in in one squad Ronaldinho, Messi and dos Santos.

MU: Anderson (Brazil), Carlos Tevez (Argentina)
Roma: Doni (Brazil), Cicinho (Brazil), Juan (Brazil), David Pizarro (Chile), Rodrigo Taddei (Brazil), Mancini (Brazil)
Dinamo Kiyv: Carlos Correa (Brazil), Rodrigo (Brazil), Diogo Rincon (Brazil), Kleber (Brazil), Michael (Brazil)
Sporting: Anderson Polga (Brazil), Ronny (Brazil), Gladstone (Brazil), Carlos Paredes (Paraguay), Leandro Romagnoli (Argentina), Celsinho (Brazil), Derlei (Brazil), Liedson (Brazil)
MU has only two Latins, but each of them is able to win the League alone. Roma may play very well too if the game is conducted by David Pizarro, supported by a great recent acquisition in person of Cicinho. Dinamo has good chances too since they have in midfield a wonderful tandem of ex-Plameiras Correa and Michael. Finally, Sporting, as two other Portuguese clubs, is overwhelmed with Latin stars. The brightest are Argentinean Romagnoli and Brazilians Celsinho and Liedson.

Inter: Julio Cesar (Brazil), Ivan Cordoba (Colombia), Javier Zanetti (Argentina), Maxwell (Brazil), Maicon (Brazil), Nicolas Burdisso (Argentina), Walter Samuel (Argentina), Esteban Cambiasso (Argentina), Luis Antonio Jimenez (Chile), Nelson Rivas (Colombia), Santiago Solari (Argentina), Julio Ricardo Cruz (Argentina), Hernan Crespo (Argentina), David Suazo (Honduras)
PSV: Heurelho Gomes (Brazil), Cassio (Brazil), Alcides (Brazil), Fagner (Brazil), Carlos Salcido (Mexico), Edison Mendez (Ecuador), Jefferson Farfan (Peru), Jonathan Reis (Brazil)
CSKA: Ramon (Brazil), Daniel Carvalho (Brazil), Dudu (Brazil), Eduardo (Brazil), Vagner Love (Brazil), Jo (Brazil)
Fenerbahce: Roberto Carlos (Brazil), Edu Dracena (Brazil), Diego Lugano (Uruguay), Alex (Brazil), Marco Aurelio (Brazil), Deivid (Brazil)
The most Latin group where the leader is Inter with 14 latinos. Let's try to make a team out of them: Julio Cesar - Zanetti, Cordoba, Samuel, Burdisso - Maxwell, Cambiasso, Solari, Jimenez - Cruz, Crespo. Great team. PSV is not likely to surprise since their main star Farfan seems to have stalled. CSKA has very good Brazilians, but everything will depend upon their playmaker Carvalho. Great Alex has finally reached CL and is ready to lead Fenerbahce in search of title, supported by Lugano, Dracena and Robertos Carlos from behind, and strong Deivid ahead. If Alex has enough of inspiration, the titel could be won.

Steaua: Robinson Zapata (Colombia)
Arsenal: Gilberto Silva (Brazil), Denilson (Brazil), Eduardo da Silva (Brazil)
Sevilla: Dani Alves (Brazil), Aquivaldo Mosquera (Colombia), Federico Fazio (Argentina), Duda (Brazil), Adriano (Brazil), Renato (Brazil), Luis Fabiano (Brazil)
Slavia: Michel Fernando Costa (Brazil), Rogerio Botelho (Brazil)
The Romanian league has finally opened for the Latins too. Arsenal's da Silva is capable of anything. While Sevilla does not seem as a doubtless favorite anymore, since Dani Alves feels offended by team's chiefs who did not let him go to Chelsea. He is not likely to play that brilliantly again. The Brazilians of Czech Slavia are absolutely unknown as they came from the second Brazilian league, but that does not mean anything.