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Sven Goran Eriksson v Luis 'Felipe' Scolari

Or as British tabloid The Sun has dubbed it — Mr. Burns v Gene Hackman.

Eriksson, like the scheming Mr Burns from the Simpsons, is quiet and calculating in his approach, whereas you could easily see the fiery fist-pumping Scolari, played by Hackman in a movie on his life.

The trouble with all such comparisons is that they never tell the whole story.

Sure Scolari is passionate and demonstrative on the touch-line but he is also an astute tactician, who has transformed Portugal from a talented collection of individuals to a cohesive unit ready to challenge for major honours.

And while Sven may have the look and reputation of an 'intellectual,' some of his decisions have been more Homer Simpson than Mr. Burns. Taking only two fit strikers to the World Cup? Doh!

This is the third successive time they have met at the quarter-final stage of a major competition. So far it's 2-0 Scolari.

His Brazil side put England out of World Cup '02 and his Portugal side shaded Eriksson's England on penalties in Euro 2004.

Sven says it's not about revenge but he will surely want to prove a point.

For Scolari the motivation is more simple. Become the first manager ever to win two World Cups with different countries.

No wonder the English FA tried (and failed) to line-up Scolari as Sven's replacement. This clash has been dubbed the 'battle of the dug-out'. But it is a good job, for England fans, that the outcomes of such games are not entirely decided by the men on the bench.[[In-content Ad]]

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