UCL: Quarter Final draw

Liverpool pair Real Madrid; Bayern Munich to locks horns with Paris SG yet again... 

The House of European football in Nyon, Switzerland hosted the UCL 2020/21 Quarterfinal draw on March 19 with the R-16 ties coming to an end this week.

There is going to be a replay of last year's final showdown early in the Quarters. Bayern conquered but Les Parisiens get another chance to redeem themselves. 

Liverpool face 13-time champions, Real Madrid in what could also be a repeat of the final in 2018. Klopp will look to write all the wrongs in those books when Los Blancos come around. 

Manchester City come up against Dortmund while Chelsea and Porto face off in a grueling encounter.

The first week in April (6 & 7) gets marked on our calendars for these nightcap ties.

The Quarter Final draw as below:

• Bayern Munich vs Paris SG
• Manchester vs Dortmund
• Real Madrid vs Liverpool
• FC Porto vs Chelsea

Semi Final

The path spells out a road for the semi-finals when Bayern Munich/PSG could meet Pep's Manchester City/Dortmund.

The same for the other path will see either Real Madrid/Liverpool or Porto/Chelsea square off.

Final

The Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey will host the UCL 2020/21 final on a possible May 29 date. 

Did you get your dream pair and path?

The last bite: 2nd Leg-R-16(17/03/21)

Who goes through? A clean sheet, and the job is done for Chelsea; Momentum Building for Bayern Munich. 

The round of 16 concludes this night. The London Blues gets perked up in Europe when they host the Rojiblancos; and a golden opportunity for Bayern as Lazio could neither fathom nor catch Bayern’s cruise. 

Hold the door!

A backward clearance provided a moment of magic when Giroud hit a beautiful overhead kick in the previous encounter to bring to bear the disparity coming on to the second leg. Atletico cannot seem to get a hold on their season. The grip on the La Liga is not lost yet but a series of contrasting results will get Barcelona and Real Madrid bucked up. 

Diego Simeone says he comes to the Stamford Bridge with one aim and that is to win. A win is the expectation; any other result and things turn sour for the Rojiblancos. Suarez has not scored an away goal in the UCL since 2015. Coming to win at the Stamford Bridge will require going all out and not playing the all-defensive approach we are used to seeing. They did good but failing to create many chances gave the edge to Chelsea who took the half chance that came.

Thomas Lemar and Joao Felix were their only threat at taking something from that game, but Carrasco and Marcos Llorente can provide the needed impetus to help Luis Suarez upfront in this tie as Lemar is a doubt for tonight. 

Chelsea edge this narrowly and no Ls for Thomas Tuchel yet. The defense has stood out on many fronts and the start to life in West London has been impressive. Mount and Jorginho will be absent for this but Kovacic and Kante can be relied on to hold the door. Repeating the same performance in Bucharest will enable the Blues go through. Giroud gets the nod up top and will be supported by Werner and Kai Havertz. A clean sheet, and the job is done for Chelsea. 

Herculean but enjoy it. 

With the 4-1 aggregate score, Bayern is already laying cones to prepare for their quarter final encounter. Hansi Flick made certain their qualification after Lewandowski, Leroy Sane and teenage sensation, Jamal Musiala banged in the goals in the first half. An own goal from Acerbi was only cancelled out by Joaquin Correa who could only give a snippet of hope to Lazio. 

Hansi Flick is looking to build his team’s confidence by putting the icing on the cake – a win seals that deal. Leroy Sane dazzled with speed and skill to help Bayern in the first leg. 

Simone Inzaghi states that, their aim was to reach the KOs – that was successful after not being in the CL for twenty years. He may have thrown in the towel after happenings in the previous encounter but will like his charges to enjoy the game tonight. 

Italian sides have lost their last four visits to Bayern and since Hansi Flick took over he has won all his six home matches played in the Champions league. This task is herculean for Lazio, but they can only come and enjoy it. 

It all comes to an end tonight. 

Leave your possible matchups in the comments section and let us get interactive. See y’all in the quarter finals. 

 

UCL Preview: R-16 Second Leg(16/03/21)

 

Sergio Ramos and Karim The Benz return for Real Madrid at home, and Pep keeps his eye on the silver-plated trophy.

The last phase in the tournament gets to be decided in the next two days and hopes linger for a possible break out into the quarters.

An Atalanta Suprise?

Ferland Mendy’s right foot shot was bang on late in the game to hold this 1-0 advantage heading into the second leg. A great hit from outside the box made light work of Atalanta’s defense on the night. They did great though but failing to get a tight on that ball gave Los blancos a deserved win after many times of knocking on the door. Remo Freuler missed majority of the game after being sent off early on.

Estadio Alfredo di Stefano has served as home ground for all Real Madrid’s games since football’s return after the lockdown and will well host the tie for tonight. Atalanta’s trip is just their second to a Spanish opponent – Valencia the other. It is just a slender defeat and it can be overturned.

“Real Madrid were favorites before [the first leg]; now even more so” – Gasperini but he believes Atalanta is still capable. They have a very good run away from home in the Champions League having won five on the bounce, scoring 14 goals and keeping 4 clean sheets in the process. They have done it against Ajax and Liverpool this season. Gasperini can draw a perfect game plan to see off a not so consistent Real Madrid team. Zapata and Muriel could lead the line tonight in a well-known 3-5-2 set up for the Italian side.

Zidane is not labeling this done and dusted but wants to start from the scratch. He will not be taking complacency from his side. Hazard has not kicked a ball yet this season in the UCL, but the likes of Ramos, Valverde and Benzema make it in time to feature for Zidane. The advances of Rodrygo and Asensio is one Atalanta must be wary of. A good game on our hands, can Atalanta make it through?

The Only Goal

Pep Guardiola heavily rotated his side at the weekend and still managed to put three goals past Fulham. His focus turns to Europe and the depth in the squad marvels many. Cancelo run the game from left back in the first leg – Pep had Silva but needed Jesus to safely get City past the German storm.

Monchengladbach has had nothing going for them recently. They have lost 6 games in a row and it is not a good starter against Pep. Marco Rose after announcing he would be head coach of Dortmund next season has not been on the brighter side of things. Their season is coming apart at the seams after a good start. He is promising to change things and put in a better performance. Hannes Wolf missed a glorious chance in the first leg and Marco Rose would implore his men to be more clinical and be better with the final balls when City play their high line.

Pep says his only target is tonight’s game, but his sight is surely on the UEFA Champions league trophy. He says this current side need to win something to prove they are as good as his previous teams. An indication that he wants that silver-plated trophy. Qualification looks certain but he will field a strong side to give surety to the task. Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne could start today after their spell on the bench at the weekend.

The performances need to get better as the competition is keener. You only get there when you are smarter and better in your approaches. Let us enjoy good football tonight.

All games 20:00 GMT.

UCL PREVIEW: 2nd LEG(10/3/2021)

Time for the Catalonians to dream and despite Liverpool’s woes; they still get to have a feel of the famous star ball.

It was very much `The Mbappe show’ in the first leg when his chicanery could not be matched by the giants in Catalonia while two costly in-game errors gave Liverpool a two-goal advantage away from a supposed Leipzig home ground in Budapest.

`Nothing Is Impossible’ as a matter of fact for Ronald Koeman as he believes his charges can go out there and pull a surprise. He is being wise not to compare the comeback against Sevilla to a potential happening tonight but what a happy man he will be when Messi has hit a belter from 35 yards to make 4-0 in the 93^rd minute of the game and qualification is sealed – the dream though.

Paris SG was ruthless at the Camp Nou and was unfazed as Messi’s early spot kick went past Navas. Mbappe grabbed the bull by the horns and had a dance of his own but there is tonight to seal the deal. Pochettino has said he would expect his side to respect Barcelona yet do the necessary to make it to the last 8.

Neymar would have wished to participate in this one but he together with Bernat and Kean will be absent. Koeman has never had his full squad all season and has Gerard Pique, Phillipe Coutinho, Ansu Fati and Sergi Roberto in the treatment room.

The game plan would be simple for Koeman; go out there and get the goals and not concede. It becomes easier as well for Poch but defending will need the likes of Kimpembe and Marquinhos to stay alert all game to the runs of Griezmann, Messi and Dembele. Mbappe run riot the last time and the back line of Barcelona must look to curtail his progress. He scores tonight, he becomes the youngest player in UEFA Champions League to reach 25 goals, aged 22 years and 80 days.

 

A downturn in Klopp’s fortunes has been predicted mostly based on happenings in his final years at Borussia Dortmund and Mainz. It has left many wondering if this is it for him. A much younger coach in Julian Nagelsmann has pulled up to great strides in his coaching career and his job at RB Leipzig has been superb. He lost the first tie but can rear on to give this Leipzig team the required boost to knock Liverpool out. Sabitzer returns from injury and could move straight into midfield; Nagelsmann could set up a three-man defensive wall. Angelino is out until after the international break and Alexandre Sorloth has been a massive utility player for RB Leipzig mainly operating from either flank or is very much an aerial threat.

Liverpool can only catch some respite when they have a feel of the famous star ball on these European nights. They look worn out domestically. Matthew Howarth – a Liverpool reporter does not think the Reds have entirely lost their appetite rather he sees how difficult it is to sustain success in a domain as dementedly competitive as the premier league – a stare from the blue side of Manchester.

Salah and Mane got the goals in the first leg. Bobby Firmino may sit this one out, but Jota can slot in to give the forward line the considered impetus. Gini Wijnaldum believes winning the UCL can rescue their season. Is it the end of the road for Leipzig or can Klopp make Gini's statement stay in accord?

All Games 20:00 GMT

 

 

 

 

2nd LEG: UCL Preview

 

One for Edin Terzic’s records or Pirlo turns doubters to believers.

A now or never picture the most apparent to be painted as Sevilla and Juventus must counter-approach the advances of their opponents to make it to the last 8.

Sevilla tried clawing back late in the game but the power-push early in the first leg saw Dortmund cross the line. It is more daunting on Lopetegui to try find something extra to beat this Dortmund side as the away goal cushions Dortmund a little further into the quarters.

Sevilla have had difficult spells since their drop down against Dortmund. Domestically, they have been edgy and off the boil. Lopetegui has held this fort well and rimming this past Edin Terzic will be a big one for him. Luuk De Jong and Suso got the goals over at the Sanchez Pizjuan for Sevilla. Papu Gomez has not been his imposing best since joining on from Atalanta. Kounde and Diego Carlos are the defensive pair that could halt the progress of Dortmund’s forward line.

Dortmund on the one hand, at the weekend were not strong enough to hold off Bayern Munich despite Haaland’s brace in the early minutes of the game. Edin Terzic does not get to continue as head coach for the next season but going further in the UCL enriches his resume. Haaland got clipped by Jerome Boateng at the weekend and might be in contention for this one as his withdrawal was more of a precaution Terzic said but, Dahoud together with Bellingham have been a revelation lately. Marco Reus and Thorgan Hazard - as Sancho misses out because of a muscle problem, are also live wires Dortmund can rely on to seal their qualification. A good game on our hands and it sure will be enthralling.

Andre Pirlo has not convinced many with his performances and the grapevine of quality sustaining him rather than his expertise is a worry. A 2-1 loss in the first leg was disappointing to watch. Two goals in the first minutes of either half pushed the Portuguese side a little closer. Chiesa halved the deficit, but Juventus needs more arsenal in their armory in the return leg to go through.

The Portuguese outfit was resilient in the approach in the first leg. Technically and tactically drawing Ronaldo out in the game. The midfield battle is key in the game, and the personnel either manager puts up for this encounter will determine who goes through. Despite being boxed out in the first leg, Ronaldo remains a threat for the Bianconeri. Morata and Chiesa can also seal the deal for Pirlo as well. Cuadrado will be back for this one as he missed out in the previous encounter.

Sergio Oliveira is a juggernaut for Sergio Conceicao in the middle of the park. Moussa Marega and Jesus Corona can help inflict further pain on the old ladies. Five out of six times, Juventus have not made it out of the KO’s when losing in the first leg.

Does that become six of seven? Let us wait to find out later tonight.

All games 20:00 GMT