We're down to the final eight in the 2010-11 UEFA Champions League, and three of the teams still competing could be labelled as surprises for lasting this long.
Tottenham, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Schalke 04 are all sides that would not have been expected to reach the quarterfinal, and yet it's hard to argue that any of those sides are undeserving of it.
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The three relative newcomers to Champions League knockout football have stood tall at times in this competition, all having taken down supposedly superior opposition along the way.
Now, these three clubs are breathing the same rarefied air as European royalty like Inter, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, and fellow newboys (at least a few years ago) Chelsea. The new blood should make for some interesting football, at least in terms of keeping things fresh.
A look at today's matches:
Real Madrid v. Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs will face their sternest test yet, travelling to the Bernabeu to stare down the winningest club in the tournament's history.
After having dispatched Inter and AC Milan at the San Siro earlier in the competition, Tottenham must surely be riding a high of confidence that they can compete with anyone on the European stage.
Being at home in front of a raucous crowd of 80,000-plus, Real should be favoured to take this leg (if not both), but it's become a fool's game to count out the Londoners, even away from the comfortable confines of White Hart Lane.
Prediction: Real takes this leg, but not without a fight from the plucky EPL side. 3-1 Real.
Inter v. Schalke 04
Schalke actually comes into this match as the group winner, as Inter was edged out by Tottenham in Group A.
That said, the Italian side definitely holds the experience card in this matchup, not to mention the luxury of opening the two-legged affair at home. The San Siro hasn't exactly been a fortress for the Nerazzurri lately, but one could argue that the emotional momentum could be on their side simply due to the dramatic way they escaped the Round of 16 (an 88th minute winner at Bayern Munich put Inter through on away goals).
Prediction: This one will be decided by a goal, at most. 1-0 Inter.
Who do you have winning these matches? Will Tottenham's Cinderella run add another chapter today, or will Madrid prove too strong at home? Does Schalke have a chance of stealing a victory at the San Siro, like Bayern did a few weeks ago?