Italians break out of their shell to weave a new spell

It has never been easier to keep tabs on the leading European club sides. Thanks to British Eurosport stepping in where Channel 4 were too mean to tread, Arsenal supporters rushing home from yesterday's FA Cup tie against Chelsea – or setting the video – were able to catch Tuesday's Champions' League opponents Roma playing live in their own passionate local derby, against Lazio.

Tonight there is a chance to see Milan – possible quarter-final opponents – on the same channel. Last Sunday, Newcastle fans keen for an update on Internazionale, whom their team visit on Tuesday, could have watched them going down to a 3-0 defeat in a fascinating Serie A game with Manchester United's group rivals Juventus. Meanwhile, Sky Sports, keen to show everything that moves on a football pitch, have continued screening two Spanish League games each weekend in direct opposition to the Italian job.

The rivalry of the two channels mirrors that of the two leading continental leagues, the most recent evidence from which suggests that Italy, without a Champions' League semi-finalist for three seasons, are regaining the upper hand. If the current positions were to remain unchanged over the final two rounds of matches, Serie A would be represented by three clubs in the quarter-finals (Inter, Milan and Juventus) to La Liga's two (Barcelona and Real Madrid).

England's Premiership has Manchester United already through as group winners and Arsenal in position to make it, but Germany's Bundesliga, which has supplied a semi-finalist for the past three campaigns, now risks being eclipsed altogether.

But apart from United and Milan's qualification, and Bayer Leverkusen's elimination, nothing is written in stone, and much could change after this week's penultimate clutch of games, in which two Italian clubs take on English opposition and the other two go head-to-head with their closest group rivals, from Spain.

Among those observers particularly impressed by the Italian renaissance is a man required to study their teams in greater detail than anyone. Brian Hamilton, the former Northern Ireland midfielder and manager, is British Eurosport's summariser at the Serie A matches, where his enthusiasm and knowledge shine through in equally handsome measure.

As well as the technical quality of the players, he has been particularly impressed with their willingness to cast aside the cliché of catenaccio so thoroughly that last weekend's nine games brought 30 goals (as opposed to 16 in England). "We used to look upon Italian football as well organised and defensively minded," he said. "Now there seems to be a change of mentality, that the game and the entertainment value and scoring goals are all-important. That's been very evident in the games I've seen.

"Inter are fantastic, they've got so many attacking players. They're interesting in that they have people like Javier Zanetti, who's really a midfield player playing at right-back, so comfortable on the ball and wanting to get forward at every opportunity. Pasquale is a terrific young left-back who didn't play against Juventus but could come back in against Newcastle. They have talent throughout the side, and although Bobby Robson's done a fantastic job at Newcastle, his team have a really tough job on."

Yet injuries and suspensions are hitting Inter hard and have contributed to successive 3-0 defeats, by Barcelona and Juventus. Men like Hernan Crespo, Matias Almeyda, Stéphane Dalmat, Gabriel Batistuta and Alvaro Recoba will all be missing in the San Siro. Newcastle, on the other hand, will have Craig Bellamy back for the first time in Europe since his sending-off after only six minutes of the first match between the teams, in which Inter cantered home 4-1. Confident of beating Leverkusen in their final game, the Italians know that a draw on Tuesday would probably suffice.

On the same night, Arsenal will expect to complete a double at home to Roma, who were beaten by Thierry Henry's outstanding hat-trick in the Olympic Stadium four months ago. But Arsène Wenger's side have found European defences more obdurate at Highbury than those of most Premiership teams, and consequently have not won any of their last four home games in the competition.

Stuck in the middle of Serie A, Roma have only the Champions' League to play for. They kept their hopes alive, just, with a remarkable 3-0 win away to Valencia last week, when Francesco Totti was outstanding. Arsenal, like Newcastle or Inter, will be firm favourites to qualify if they can win.

Milan have already sewn up Group C, in the style of Old Arsenal, winning every game so far 1-0. Hamilton does not believe those minimalist scorelines do them justice: "Milan are exciting, I love them. Last weekend they were 3-0 down at home to Atalanta and came back to draw; I saw them recently against Lazio, who are a very good side and went 2-0 ahead, but Milan in the second half were magnificent in coming back to 2-2 and could have won.

"Paolo Maldini is getting older but is still a marvellous player, Shevchenko and Inzaghi are both talented; even Rivaldo doesn't get in the team every week." Real Madrid, the stuttering holders, will be in danger if they fail to beat Milan on Wednesday.

Juventus, shocked by an untypical defensive collapse at home to Manchester United, can effectively ensure qualification by beating their closest rivals, Deportivo La Coruña, on Tuesday, assuming United do not slip up at home to Christian Gross's Basle at Old Trafford. They ought not to, and, for all Arsenal's domestic superiority, the bookmakers have Sir Alex Ferg- uson's team joint favourites to win the trophy in their own backyard on 28 May.

Champions' League odds: 4-1 Manchester Utd, Real Madrid; 9-2 Milan; 13-2 Arsenal; 8 Barcelona; 9 Internazionale, Valencia; 12 Juventus; 20 Ajax, Deportivo; 40 Newcastle.