The UEFA Champions League reaches the important stages this week, as eight teams compete for four semi-final spots. But, which of the elite clubs at this stage of the competition will have what it takes to compete for a place in the final of the Champions League?
Atalanta vs Paris Saint-Germain
Atalanta have defied all expectations this season to reach the quarterfinal stage of the Champions League. Neutral fans have certainly fallen in love with the Italian side, as they are one of the best attacking teams in world football. They scored 98 goals in 38 Serie A matches this season, and they certainly have the attacking talent that can cause serious issues for PSG this week.
The Italian side needed to overcome a run of bad results in the group stages, as they lost all three of their first games. However, since then, they have found their confidence in the Champions League as they have won four of their previous five. Their performance in the previous round of the competition was a stunning display, as they beat Valencia 8-4 on aggregate. The second leg of that tie was exhilarating, as Atalanta won 4-3, thanks to four goals from Josip Illcic. However, this will be a much sterner test for them.
There are questions surrounding the condition of PSG ahead of this tie, as they have played just two competitive matches since March. Those two games came in the finals of the two domestic cup competitions. PSG won the most recent of those in a penalty shootout against Lyon. This is the first time in four years that PSG have reached this stage of the competition, and they worked incredibly hard to overcome a 2-1 disadvantage against Borussia Dortmund in the previous round. Juan Bernat and Neymar scored the goals in the second leg, which saw PSG progress. Their record against Italian sides isn’t great, but PSG should have enough to get through this quarterfinal.
RB Leipzig vs Atletico Madrid
This tie could have been so different if RB Leipzig would have been able to call on Timo Werner. They have lost their top scorer this summer, as he moved to Chelsea and will no longer be involved in this tie for Leipzig. The void that will be left by the German is huge, and that ensures that they go into this fixture with a distinct disadvantage.
Leipzig were excellent in the last round against Tottenham Hotspur, as they won 4-0 on aggregate against last season’s runners up. Marcel Sabitzer scored a brace in the second leg, and there will be huge pressure on the captain to produce the goods in this fixture. They will certainly have a chance, but they will need to hope that Atletico plays the worst that they have since play resumed.
The Spanish side have been unbeaten since play resumed in Europe, and that run of form helped them to finish third in La Liga despite having a tough run of form throughout the season. They have saved their best performances of the season for the Champions League, and that was evident in their win in the last round against Liverpool. Marcos Llorente scored a brace in that victory to stun the Reds, while Alvaro Morata also found the net. Atletico were excellent on the counter-attack in that fixture, and that could be the case once again against Leipzig.
Barcelona vs Bayern Munich
There is no doubting what the tie of the round in the quarterfinals of the Champions League is, as two previous winners of the competition go head-to-head on Friday evening. There is a sense that things haven’t been right at Barcelona throughout the season, but success in the Champions League would be the perfect remedy.
However, they will be coming up against the most in-form side in Europe against Bayern Munich, as the Bavarian giants have won all but one of their fixtures in 2020 so far. They will be looking to complete the treble this season, as they have already won the Bundesliga title and domestic cup competition. The bookmakers certainly make them the favourites to achieve that, and in Robert Lewandowski, they have one of the best players in the world on current form.
But, Barcelona can’t be completely written off, as they boast arguably the best player to ever step foot on a football pitch. Lionel Messi was excellent once again in their last fixture, as Barcelona secured a 3-1 victory that booked their place in the quarterfinals of the competition this season. The Argentine scored once, while Luis Suarez and Clement Lenglet also found the net.
Bayern Munich famously beat Barcelona 7-0 on aggregate in the 2012-13 semi-finals of this competition, and the preference for these soccer predictions would be for another comfortable Bayern win against Barcelona.
Manchester City vs Lyon
Lyon defied all expectations in the previous round, as they beat Juventus over two legs to reach the quarterfinal stage. Their reward for achieving that will be a fixture against Manchester City. Lyon have never lost against City, as they won once and drew once during their meetings last season in the group stages of this competition.
Memphis Depay scored the all important goal in the French side’s 2-1 defeat against Juventus in the second leg, with the penalty being the vital away goal that ensured their place in this stage of the competition. However, Manchester City will present a much sterner test than the Old Lady did.
City have been in excellent form throughout the Champions League this season, and it would now appear that they are using their recently overturned UEFA ban as ammunition for success in this year’s competition. City were brilliant in their last fixture against Real Madrid, as they controlled the game from start to finish. Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus scored the goals in the victory, and this will likely be another routine victory for the Cityzens as they reach the final four of the Champions League.
