The UEFA Champions League Quarter Finals are set. The first round of games kickoff at 3:00 p.m. EST on April 9. Arsenal will host Bayern Munich, while Manchester City host Real Madrid. The following day, (April 10) Paris Saint Germain will host FC Barcelona at 3:00 p.m. EST, while Atlético de Madrid host Borussia Dortmund.
Arsenal vs. Bayern
Arsenal struggled against Porto to get to this point in the UCL. Over two games and 210 minutes, they only managed to produce three shots on target. Their form in the Premier League has been much better, given that they have scored 12 goals in their three games there.
Arsenal will look to translate that scintillating form into the UCL, especially against a tough side like Bayern, which features an old familiar foe.
Harry Kane
Harry Kane made 19 appearances for his former club, Tottenham Hotspur, against North London rivals Arsenal. In these games, he scored 14 goals and produced three assists, proving himself to be a perpetual thorn in the side of the Gunners.
At the time of writing, Kane is nursing an ankle injury, although he is still traveling with his National Team (England) for their friendlies against Brazil and Belgium on the 23rd and 26th of March. Updates on his status will be provided in this article as they become available.
Manchester City vs. Real Madrid
City and Madrid are the last two champions of the UCL. Furthermore, they have a colorful recent history in this competition, having faced off in the semi-finals the previous two years.
Two years ago, Madrid had a remontada (comeback) for the ages, scoring twice in three minutes to send the second leg of the semi-final into extra time. Karim Benzema’s precise penalty in extra time won the series, and Madrid would become champions.
Last year, City exacted revenge on Los Blancos in a 4-0 win at the Etihad en route to their own UCL crown. One of these two sides will likely take the title this season, but City have an important advantage.
Manchester City are remarkably healthy at this point in the season. Only winger Jack Grealish and defender Joško Gvardiol are injured, and they are both expected to be healthy by the end of March.
On the other hand, Madrid is without star goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and stout defender Eder Militao, both with knee injuries. Courtois tore the meniscus in his right knee on March 19th, just as he was looking to return to first-team action in the next few weeks. As for Militao, Madrid Coach Carlo Ancelotti said in a press conference on March 15th that he thinks he will be ready to play by March 31st when Los Blancos face Athletic Bilbao in the league. Militao could return to the starting eleven against City in April, depending on his recovery.
Paris Saint Germain vs. FC Barcelona
Kylian Mbappé has never won the UCL, and Barcelona has not won the competition since 2015. Both of these teams will be eager to punch their ticket to the semi-finals and have the talent to do so. PSG are, as ever, led by mercurial French forward Mbappé, who is having a stellar season. Mbappé has scored 38 goals and provided eight assists in 37 competitive games this season.
Beyond this, PSG has a very talented squad, from stellar goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to technically gifted midfielder Vitinha. Donnarumma has kept 10 clean sheets in 22 Ligue 1 games this season and three clean sheets in 8 UCL games. Vitinha, on the other hand, has scored six goals and provided three assists in 24 Ligue 1 games. Furthermore, these three players above lead the team in minutes played this season, highlighting their importance.
On the other hand, Barcelona is being catapulted this season by a trio of eager young players: winger Lamine Yamal, center-back Pau Cubarsí, and midfielder Fermín López. 16-year-old Yamal is courageous in one-on-one situations with his dribbling, allowing him to score four goals and provide six assists in 1,501 minutes played in La Liga. Cubarsi demonstrates poise on the ball and excels in finding his teammates, even when being pressed. Finally, Lopez has excellent positional awareness, finding gaps in the opposition midfield and defense to move the ball and create chances.
Atlético de Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund.
Atlético and Dortmund clawed their way to the quarter-finals, with Atléti scraping through on penalties, while Dortmund held off a PSV onslaught in the second half of their second leg to advance in the knockouts.
Los Colchoneros are an enigmatic team, given the discrepancy in their home and away record. This season, they have won 19 competitive games at home while only tying twice and losing once. Comparatively, they have only won six games away from home while tying five and losing 10.
If they get a decent result in Germany, critical players like forwards Antoine Griezmann and Memphis Depay, along with goalkeeper Jan Oblak, must lead Atléti to the semi-finals.
Griezmann has been prolific in UCL, scoring six goals in eight games. His work rate off the ball and his positional intelligence make him a fundamental piece in Atléti’s attack. However, his impact may be limited as he is recovering from an ankle injury at the time of writing.
Depay provides an essential spark for Los Colchoneros off the bench, with his ability to link play and make quick decisions in the final third. In the second leg against Inter, he scored the goal to send the game into extra-time after coming off the bench, highlighting his impact as a “super sub.”
Finally, Oblak is one of the best shot-stoppers in the world, who will have the responsibility of limiting Dortmund’s talented forwards, especially in Germany, given Atléti’s struggles away from home.
Dortmund’s Attack
Dortmund on the other hand, have a talented squad capable of breaking down disciplined defenses like Atlético’s. Dormtund’s most prolific goalscorers, Donyell Malen, Niclas Füllkrug, and Julian Brandt will be responsible for this defensive breakdown.
Malen leads the team in scoring, with 13 goals in 33 games this season. He is a quick, technically gifted player who excels at spinning off defenders to create space for shots.
Füllkrug is a more traditional striker who scores through intelligent positioning and excellent finishing. His height and strength also make him a threat from crosses, scoring headers.
Brandt does his damage from midfield just behind Malen and Füllkrug, often assisting the forwards mentioned above. Brandt is an excellent passer and dribbler who can run at defenses and exploit the spaces they leave open to score himself or set up his teammates.
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