The Champions League is right down to the ultimate eight and right here’s the place the competitors actually heats up. However which aspect appears to be like likeliest to raise the trophy come Might?
The Spherical of 16 noticed 4 of six Premier League golf equipment, together with Manchester Metropolis and Chelsea, eradicated. The overwhelming majority of the quarter-finalists are historic powerhouses who’ve made it to this stage loads of occasions earlier than.
Right here’s how we’ve ranked the eight groups remaining within the Champions League.
8. Sporting
The Portuguese champions’ fairytale-stomping fightback towards Bodo/Glimt places the Estadio Jose Alvalade firmly within the ‘powerful place to go’ class. The ambiance sounded unimaginable of their spectacular 5-0 victory over the Norwegians.
Arsenal know that every one too effectively, having been dumped out of the Europa League by (Ruben Amorim’s!) Sporting again in 2022-23.
However the Gunners swept Sporting apart with a brutal 5-1 victory on their final go to to Lisbon in final season’s league part, and one thing related might be on the playing cards right here. This can be a completely different Arsenal, and we’d be amazed in the event that they fold like Bodo/Glimt, given the gaps in high quality, assets and expertise.
If Sporting can produce their greatest soccer at residence within the first leg, they might make a fist of it. However eliminating Arsenal could be an all-timer of an upset, whereas going all the way in which would eclipse even Jose Mourinho’s Porto so far as Champions League miracles go.
7. Atletico Madrid
Flashbacks of a decade in the past. Diego Simeone’s males reached two finals in three years by dispatching Barcelona within the quarter-finals. And their metropolis rivals are on the opposite aspect of the draw – may one other Madrid derby last be within the offing?
You by no means know. Atletico not too long ago beat Barca over two legs, reserving their place within the Copa del Rey last after an outstanding 4-0 victory on residence soil earlier than (nearly) stopping a full remontada within the second leg.
However we additionally have a look at their unconvincing league part outcomes – losses to Liverpool, Arsenal and even Bodo/Glimt – earlier than their downright dodgy away shows towards relative minnows Membership Brugge and relegation-battling Tottenham, and we’re not so positive.
Throw out your long-held preconceptions about Simeone’s Atleti. That is not a horrible, grizzled set of b*stards (even able to?) grinding out clear sheets and slim wins.
A correct Jekyll & Hyde workforce residence and away, an enormous efficiency within the second leg on the Metropolitano will likely be crucial. And that’s earlier than we take into account (absolutely) Arsenal within the semis.
Atletico do have the appreciable benefit of having the ability to put all their eggs on this basket, at the very least. They’re out of the La Liga title race however have a top-four end sewn up. Full steam forward to Budapest.
6. Liverpool
There’s very Liverpool about Arne Slot’s aspect that appear like European champions in ready to us. Did you see them towards Spurs?
However there’s a precedent for rubbish-looking groups someway wanting good when all is claimed and performed. Return to this stage of the season and have a look at Liverpool in 2005. Chelsea in 2012 and 2021. And principally each Madrid aspect who have gotten their fingers on the trophy.
The Reds have been largely garbage in large video games this season, however taking 4 factors and two clear sheets from Arsenal reveals the pedigree of Virgil van Dijk et al would possibly nonetheless rely for one thing. And so they finally made brief work of Galatasaray.
We’d have given them a puncher’s likelihood on the opposite aspect of the draw, however beating PSG, after which Bayern or Madrid, and then successful a last? That will be a spectacular turnaround.
5. Barcelona
In all honesty, Barcelona have been second-best for 3 quarters of the tie towards Newcastle. Actually fortunate to flee St. James’ with a draw, whereas not particularly spectacular earlier than the break on the Camp Nou.
That second half, although? Newcastle misplaced their heads and utterly collapsed, positive, however the likes of Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Pedri confirmed how immensely devastating they are often if given time and house.
We completely love watching this workforce once they’re in full circulation. Final season’s run to the semis was joyful and on paper they need to do it once more, with simply an excessive amount of for Atletico.
However Arsenal do Newcastle’s bodily recreation significantly higher, and we simply envisage their sturdy strategy being kryptonite for the technical tiki-taka recreation favoured by the lads out of La Masia.
4. Actual Madrid
May we be on for a basic Actual Madrid Champions League marketing campaign? With gamers like Federico Valverde, Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe, you possibly can by no means write them off.
The character of their victory over Manchester Metropolis actually urged as a lot. They have been seldom dominant towards Pep Guardiola’s males, however that mattered little once they timed their moments so lethally. The hallmark of so many Madrid sides who’ve lifted the trophy in years passed by.
The factor is, we’d have mentioned the identical final season. They beat Metropolis within the play-off spherical earlier than a typical heartbreaker penalty shootout win over Atletico. Identify on the trophy… Till it wasn’t.
In the end, Madrid look a way off the three groups on the high of this listing, and – as with final season’s elimination to Arsenal – now we have to consider meaning one thing. Overlook the omens and hoodoos.
3. Bayern Munich
Ten objectives over two legs towards Atalanta? Gulp.
Bayern look on one other degree proper now. Simply their greatest aspect since Hansi Flick’s treble-winners of 2019-20. Harry Kane, Luis Diaz and Michael Olise are producing prime Messi-Neymar-Suarez numbers.
The one query is whether or not it’s all been a bit too straightforward for them. They’ll quickly have the prospect to show themselves, with Madrid up subsequent after which both PSG or Liverpool within the semis.
Like Atletico, Bayern are additionally within the soft place of having the ability to put their full concentrate on this competitors.
Having one more Bundesliga title wrapped up so early may give them a bonus over their elite-level opponents, who all nonetheless have home issues to expend power on.
QUIZ: Are you able to title each footballer with 50+ Champions League objectives?
2. PSG
The previous eight months have felt like one lengthy hangover to the Membership World Cup last loss to Chelsea.
Elimination to noisy neighbours Paris FC within the French Cup. Someway locked in a Ligue 1 title race with Lens. Failing to make the highest eight within the league part after failing to beat Sporting, Athletic Bilbao and Newcastle. The Parisiens have seemed a shadow of the aspect that gained final season’s treble.
Getting their revenge on Chelsea with an 8-2 mixture mauling (much more emphatic than the three Premier League sides they confronted final season) would possibly simply be the glass of Berocca and greasy sandwich they wanted to recover from mentioned hangover and begin to really feel themselves once more.
PSG have confirmed themselves one of the best workforce in Europe. And so they would possibly simply be peaking on the good time once more. Be afraid, Liverpool.
1. Arsenal
We’d have swapped Arsenal and Bayern round right here had they been placed on one another’s sides of the bracket. And it was a 50/50 likelihood.
Name it cosmic justice for the Gunners beating Bayern within the league part, topping the desk with an imperious 100% document. Having all of the second legs at residence one other welcome reward for his or her laborious work within the first half of the marketing campaign.
Whereas Bayern have Actual Madrid and PSG or Liverpool to cope with, Arsenal have a relative gimme in Sporting earlier than both Atletico (who they’ve already convincingly overwhelmed 4-0 this season) or Barcelona (who, in idea, they need to be well-equipped to take aside).
Every part is arising Arsenal. From the draw opening as much as their latest kind; their nous in grinding out slim wins, to the emergence of Max Dowman, to Eberechi Eze flourishing like a spring flower.
It’d be a coin flip towards whichever high aspect from the opposite aspect of the bracket, however Arsenal actually must be making all of it the way in which to Budapest. You’ll be able to’t say that for every other workforce.
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TRY A QUIZ: Are you able to title each membership to seem in a Champions League quarter-final?
