"WHAT a fantastic game. Real Madrid and Manchester United's second leg Champions League match at Old Trafford was a joy to watch. Even though United won 4-3 they are out of the Champions League. That's what happens when you give up those goals at home. Although I am not a United fan, I do feel a little sorry for them. They really played well and put a lot of effort in.

What I cannot understand is United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson leaving David Beckham on the bench - after all Paul Scholes was suspended from playing due to yellow cards. I think Ferguson has made a big boo boo there. He also made another mistake calling Raul the best player in the world. I am sure Ronaldo read that! And Ronaldo made Ferguson pay for those words with a fantastic hat-trick. If Ronaldo he hadn't been taken off midway through the second half, he might have gone on to score a couple of more goals!

I think something must be going on behind the scenes at Old Trafford for Ferguson to leave out Beckham. I don't understand it. But Beckham made his point when he came on in the second half and scored a beautiful free kick and then managed to scramble a second goal.

A number of players showed what they were made of in this match - especially Zidane. What he can do with a ball is amazing. He has so much class. And United's Ruud van Nistelrooy worked so hard - he is typical of the Dutch players where strikers often work as hard as the midfield players.

So now it is Real Madrid facing Juventus and AC Milan against Inter Milan in the semifinals - semifinals which will really show off the Champions League.

Juventus, who knocked out Barcelona on Tuesday, have a good chance against Real Madrid. It looks like they will win the Italian League and they will be very tough. They do not give up that many goals and that is the name of the game in the Champions League. Just look at Inter's quarterfinal on Tuesday against Valencia - Valencia won but Inter went through on away goals.

And AC were lucky against Ajax on Wednesday night. They won 3-2 - but just! Only an injury time goal saw them through to the semis because if it had stayed 2-2 Ajax would have gone through on away goals.

Inter against AC in the semis will be a great derby - and they both play at the same ground.

The Champions League is definitely living up to its name.

Fans in Italy also must be very happy to have three out of the four teams in the semifinals. They have suffered a bit over the last few years in the Champions League but this year they have made a very strong comeback.

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ROEDER

I was saddened to see that West Ham's manager Glenn Roeder was rushed to hospital earlier this week. He is a very nice man. I have met him before and the last time I was talking to him he was telling me he remembered watching me playing for West Ham in the 70s! I hope he is OK. It is times like these when you remember that there are more important things to life than football - namely your health.

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PREMIER RACE

Well it is still on - Manchester United and Arsenal both won last weekend to keep it extremely tight at the top of the Premier League. Arsenal have to play Bolton this weekend and United have to take on Spurs - I think United's job will be harder. We will just have to see how United respond to being knocked out of the Champions League. And don't forget United's last game of the season is against Chelsea so I think they have the toughest job of the two leaders.

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SPAIN

Like the Premier League, the Spanish first division is also very tight at the top with Deportivo and Real Sociedad both breathing down the neck of Real Madrid.

Real had a tough 1-1 draw with Barcelona last weekend while Deportivo beat Sevilla 3-1 and Sociedad had a 5-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano. Now there is only one point separating Real from Deportivo and Sociedad.

And that is how it should be. Fans love it when it is tight at the top with the season coming to an end. It makes it so much more exciting and after all it is the fans who are paying ther money.

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PFA AWARDS

I can realistically only see two players as the favourites for the PFA Player of the Year Award which will be announced soon. And they are Arsenal's Thierry Henry and Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelrooy - they have been the best players in England this year although everyone should recognise what James Beattie has done with Southampton. But it will be between van Nistelrooy and Henry.