Only eight clubs are left in the Champions League, and last week they faced each other in the first leg of the quarterfinals. The matches were exciting, surprising, and in some cases, controversial. In the end, some teams managed to put themselves in promising positions, while others are set to face an uphill battle in the upcoming games.
The first of the two quarterfinals took place on Tuesday, one in Spain and the other in Portugal. The former was a meeting between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. The German team came into the evening as the favourites to win, and they fulfilled the prophecy by defeating their opponents 1:2. Little action happened in the first half, save for Luis Díaz’s late goal, which put Bayern in the lead. They increased their advantage right after returning to the field post-break, thanks to the efforts of Harry Kane. Although Kylian Mbappé did score in the 71st minute, the goal was not enough to give Real the push they needed for the game to end in a draw.
The second game saw Sporting and Arsenal come head-to-head. Having finished the group stage with eight wins in eight matches played and currently leading the Premier League, the English team was widely predicted to win. They did manage to do so, although not quite to the extent that some fans may have hoped for. Only one goal was scored in the match, and even that only in the added time. Without Kai Havertz’s late action, the match would have ended with a 0:0 draw.
After Tuesday’s excitement, the quarterfinals returned a day later, still in Spain, but exchanging Portugal for France. Not for the first time this season, FC Barcelona faced Atlético Madrid. Despite their recent wins against the madrileans, they couldn’t find their rhythm when it mattered most. Towards the end of an uneventful first half, Pau Cubarsí was shown the red card after an incident involving Giuliano Simeone. This left the Catalan team with one less player and led to a free kick that gave Julián Alvarez the perfect opportunity to open the score. In the 70th minute, Alexander Sørloth made it 0:2 for the guests. Hard as they may have tried, Barcelona could not find an answer.
Finally, Paris Saint-Germain faced Liverpool. The French team dominated from the very start, with Désiré Doué scoring only 11 minutes after the first whistle. No other goals were added to the tally in the first half, but the score did change after the break. Twenty minutes into the second half, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made it 2:0 for the hosts. This would end up being the final score.
With the stories of the first leg of the quarterfinals now written, the question of who will make it through to the next stage becomes more pressing than ever. If I were to choose the teams that I believe we will see in the semifinals, I would have to go for Bayern, Arsenal, PSG, and… Barcelona.
The first three are pretty straightforward. Both Bayern and Arsenal wins were away games, which means that they get to play the second leg in front of their home crowds. This, together with the one-goal advantage they’re bringing into their respective games, should be enough for them not to finish their seasons in the quarterfinals. PSG are going to play their upcoming match away, but they are two goals ahead of Liverpool. While I’m sure that the Reds are going to put up a fight, I don’t see their efforts being enough.
Then there is Barcelona. I can’t claim that I am entirely unbiased in my belief that they will crawl out of the hole they have found themselves in, but I do believe that their fight is not yet over. Wednesday’s game wasn’t their best by any means, but it only truly crumbled after Cubarsí was removed from the field, following a VAR check. Later on, the Catalan team was refused a VAR intervention that could have resulted in a penalty after Atlético’s controversial handball.
All that is to say that the team didn’t lose only because of what they were lacking on the field. It’s also due to the chaos and raised tempers that tormented the field. With those factors removed, and knowing their history of playing better when they are in unfavourable positions, I do believe they have a real chance of beating Atlético. Of course, doing so will require a lot of work, given the two-goal difference, playing at Madrid, and their opponents’ general form.
As entertaining as the predictions may be, at the end of the day, anything can happen during the second leg of the quarterfinals. Thankfully, the fans won’t have to wait long before finding out, as the matches will take place on the 14th and 15th of April.
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
