Big-spending Anzhi may well be left heartbroken
Money can't buy you happiness or love, so they say, but it can get you Samuel Eto'o and Yuri Zhirkov. I'm not sure if Eto'o and Zhirkov are like-for-like replacements for happiness and love but big-spending Anzhi Makhachkala will be pretty excited if they can lead them to Europa League glory this season.
However, there's an unlikely obstacle in Anzhi's way in the form of Newcastle. The Magpies needed a late winner from Papiss Cisse to see off out-of-sorts Stoke last weekend but they've had a cracking run in Europe and I reckon they can knock Anzhi out tonight.
Newcastle should be safe from relegation this season, unless Reading suddenly appoint Jose Mourinho and bring in Cristiano Ronaldo on an emergency loan. They earned a decent 0-0 draw in the first leg in Russia despite resting a few big players. I'm guessing the squad-members who were left at home in Newcastle were gutted that they missed out on the trip to Moscow because they fancied a bit of (comparatively) warm-weather training.
Newcastle look a strong side nowadays, with Yohan Cabaye, Moussa Sissoko, Cheik Tiote and Hatem Ben Arfa in midfield and Cisse up front and I think they can put Anzhi in their place.
After all, if you offered Alan Pardew happiness, love and Samuel Eto'o I bet he still wouldn't part with Shola Ameobi.