Champions League Quarter Finals: Matchup and Predictions
The round of sixteen of the Champions League recently concluded, and it was an intense one. With sixteen games played and only 8 teams proceeding to the quarter finals, this next round is pivotal. The teams moving forward are Bayern, Benfica, Chelsea, Internationale, Manchester City, Milan, Napoli, and Real Madrid. With mostly UCL winners, the matchups upcoming are nothing short of promising.
The first matchup is Real Madrid vs. Chelsea. This will be a rematch of the 2020-2021 semi-finals and the 2021-2022 quarter finals. Chelsea moved on after knocking out the Borussia Dortmund, by an aggregate score of 2x1. Since they have not been having the best season, winning the Champions League is probably the one way that the Blues will be able to guarantee a spot in next year’s competition. Not only would a win guarantee them a spot in next year’s competition, but also in any international competition, as they are 10th place in the Premier League and moving up does not seem like a possibility. Therefore, it would not be a shock if Chelsea plays like they have yet to play during this season. Real Madrid on the other hand, are in a much better place. Although being 12 points behind Barcelona in La Liga, the Spanish team is one of the favorites to win the UCL this year, with players such as Vinicius Jr and Valverde having their best season yet. Not only that, but Madrid also beat the giant Liverpool with a score of 8-2. This is promised to be one of the best face offs of the round, with a higher probability of Real Madrid making it through the semi finals.
Benfica and Internationale are the next matchup. Although neither teams have done great in the UCL during recent seasons, they cannot be ignored. Benfica is having an amazing season in the Portuguese First League, where they lead by 10 points over Porto who holds second place. Not only that, but the Portuguese made an amazing group stage in the UCL, guaranteeing first place in group H over PSG and Juventus. In the round of sixteen, Benfica beat Club Brugge by an aggregate score of 7x1. Inter is also not having a bad season, although it could be better. They made it through to the quarter finals by a mere 1x0 score over Porto, and although they are 3rd place in the Serie A and are most likely making it to next season’s UCL, their chances of winning their national competition are extremely narrow. This will most likely be a balanced face off, although Benfica seems to have a slight advantage over the Italians. If Inter made it through, it would not necessarily be a surprise.
The leaders of the Serie A, Napoli, will face their national rival, Milan. This Italian Derby is probably the least promising when it comes to an exciting and even match, however, it is the one with the most rivalry involved. Napoli are 19 points clear of Lazio and are having the best season in all of Europe, only having lost 2 games in total. With Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia leading the team to 23 wins and 2 draws, the team can be considered the surprise of this year’s UCL. Milan, on the other hand, are having an unstable season, especially when compared to the 2021-2022 one where they were crowned Italian champions. Napoli seems to have a great advantage over their local enemies, however, anything can happen in 180 minutes.
The most promising match is Manchester City against Bayern Munich. Only these names carry such a weight that promises an extraordinary match. Man City is having an amazing season, just nipping at Arsenal’s heels in the Premier League. With Haaland on their team, the English are one of the biggest threats in Europe in recent years. City made it through the round of sixteen by beating RB Leipzig by 7x0 on the second leg, with the Norwegian scoring five goals. Instead of gaining a goalscorer, Bayern lost their best one, Lewandowski, to Barcelona. With the arrival of Sadio Mane and players like Musiala and Choupo Moting rising up to the challenge, they are thriving and are at the top of the scoreboard in the Bundesliga. Not only is this matchup completely unpredictable, but this is also a face off between two of the best managers of recent times, with Pep Guardiola on one side, and Julian Nagelsmann on the other. With City going for their main goal ever, winning a Champions League, and Bayern wanting to prove that they are still the same powerful force after losing their top scorer.
With eight teams, 180 minutes to be played and 35 UEFA Champions League titles on the pitch, this round is nothing but promising. Anything can come out of these matchups. Add in some of the best players in the world, and this really shows why the UCL is the biggest club soccer competition in the world.