Really excited to be previewing the Champions League Quarter-Finals; some very, very big teams that we expected got through, but also some surprises – Villarreal and Benfica.
BENFICA VS LIVERPOOL
All of the English teams seem to have avoided each other, but it’s Liverpool who have probably got the pick of the bunch with Benfica going through after beating Ajax. I think Liverpool also play away from home first. It’s great to bring a team back to Anfield in the second leg regardless of the score in the first; you always feel Liverpool playing the second leg at home is a massive advantage for them, and they should get through that tie, no problem.
Benfica narrowly beat Ajax over two legs. Ajax will have felt very disappointed to have gone out after putting in a really good performance in both legs. Still, they’re out, and Benfica get the opportunity to play Liverpool in that quarter-final.
I don’t think Liverpool are going to mess us. I think on paper, it’s the easiest draw. Benfica will give a good account of themselves – they’ll give it everything they’ve got, but Liverpool have just got too much quality, too much nouse at this end of the competition quarter-final stage.
I’m going to go for a Liverpool win in both legs and Liverpool to go through.
- Liverpool to win this Tuesday is available at 3/8 (1.38).
- Liverpool to qualify is available at 1/15 (1.07).
CHELSEA VS REAL MADRID
wow, what a game this is!
I think they actually played each other last season, and Chelsea got through.
Madrid, you just don’t know. You just don’t know what they’re going to do. They had a short spell of really good football against Paris Saint-Germain over the two legs, which got them through. Paris capitulated, and Real Madrid weaved their magic. Karim Benzema on fire that night and sending them through.
But with that ageing midfield, Casemiro, Kroos and Modric, you just think that Chelsea might have enough in that area of the pitch. They are clinical as well; Lukaku, although he’s not firing, he’s still a threat and will be up for the big game.
Over two legs, it’s going to be a difficult one to call, but I’m going to go with Chelsea to get the job done at the Bridge and get a draw away. I’m going to go with Chelsea to narrowly go through against Real Madrid.
- Chelsea to beat Real Madrid this Wednesday is available at 21/20 (2.05).
- Chelsea to qualify is available at 5/7 (1.72).
MANCHESTER CITY VS ATLETICO MADRID
Well, it was easy for Manchester City at Sporting Lisbon – it was easy for them to go through. They’ve now got a tough time at Atletico.
Diego Simeone has changed somewhat this season. He’s conceded more goals than he ever has with this team; maybe that’s on the back of trying to be a little more expansive, trying to get away from the spoiler tactics that he plays. These tactics were quite evident and on show against Manchester United in the last round; we saw a stat that showed that the ball was in play for only 11 minutes of the final 30 at Old Trafford. Simeone working the dark arts, certainly knows how to get a result across the line in big games and shut up shop as he’s been known to do for years and years.
I’m going to go…
This is a tight one. Manchester City could blow them out of the water as they did in their last round, or Simeone could weave his magic and spoil it. City like to flow, don’t they? They like to find a bit of rhythm when they play, but this Simeone team know how to stifle that.
I’m going to go for a shock.
I’m going to go with Atletico Madrid to go through this tie against Manchester City.
- Atletico Madrid to qualify is available at 3/1 (4.00).
VILLARREAL VS BAYERN MUNICH
That was a surprise! Villarreal getting through against the mighty Juventus over two legs, but they find themselves really up against it now, against a seasoned quarterfinalist, Bayern Munich.
I can’t see Bayern Munich slipping up at this stage of the season. Lewandowski has got around 31 goals in the Bundesliga this season, and they’re six points clear, which sometimes has been a hindrance to Bayern Munich around this stage of the season. They sometimes switch off, and a bit of complacency creeps in because they’ve wrapped up the league so early, but I think this year they’re going well.
Nagelsmann has changed things about. He’s got an excellent track record in Europe – and this time, he’s navigated his way into the Champions League Quarter-Finals, and his reward for that is a draw against Villarreal – who we know can cause problems.
I think over two legs Bayern are going to go through. I think they’ll win both legs – they’ll win at home comfortably.
I’m going to go for Bayern Munich to go through against Villarreal.
- Bayern Munich to beat Villarreal this Wednesday is available at 3/5 (1.60).
- Bayern Munich to qualify is available at 1/9 (1.11).
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