PREVIEW: Let The Quarter Finals Begin
Reuters / Albert Gea
The UEFA Champions League is back this week, and it’s now crunch time in the competition, as it marks the beginning of the battle between the top 8 sides left in it so far. The quarter finals will be played over two legs in the coming two weeks, and with the draws that came out, the spectators are in for a treat of some scintillating high quality football in Europe’s most elite club tournament that exists.
Here is a preview of the four matches to be played in the competition:
Borussia Dortmund vs Monaco
A match between two sides known to attack with all guns blazing while playing the game in a free flowing manner, creating room for skills, chances and goals. As Dortmund provide a certain sense of inconsistency in form this season, the French club, on the other hand, are strong and domestically well placed.
The German side might be in for a competition too hot to handle as they face a team in form, while missing quite a few players through injuries. Mbappe vs Aubameyang will be a battle to watch out for, as the two strikers will be looking to get their names on the scoresheet, a hobby they fancy keeping up with week in week out.
Date: April 12th, 00:15 am IST.
Atletico Madrid vs Leicester City
Another chance for the reigning champions of England to keep their fairy tale dream alive and progress in a competition they might not play again in for a while to come.
Leicester are fresh from knocking over La Liga opposition Sevilla in the Round of 16 in the competition, but they know they are in for a match much greater in level of difficulty when they face Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid. The Spanish side have been two time finalists over the past three years, and have lost both to Real Madrid, a stat they will be eagerly itching to change this season and go one step better by finally getting their hands on the trophy.
Leicester are a rejuvenated side under new manager Shakespeare, and despite playing the first leg in the fortress of their opposition, they will come with all their force and every single ounce of fight in them.
The team from England will be without captain Wes Morgan, but being the underdogs, they might just spring a surprise worthy of being written down in the history of their club. The real test, however, will be handling Antoine Griezmann, a man who eats goals for dinner.
Date, April 13th, 00:15 am IST.
Juventus vs Barcelona
A replay of the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final will be exciting in all prospects, as the Italian Giants will be looking for revenge over Barcelona – the team that beat them 3-1 two years ago to claim the ultimate glory.
With two of the mega teams in Europe involved in this one, there will be no shortage of quality filled players, goals, defensive strategies, and beautiful football out on the pitch for a duration of at least 180 minutes over the two legs to be played.
The first match will be played at the home of the Old lady, but there is no taking Barcelona for granted, as they proved so with probably the best comeback in football against PSG after being beaten 4-0 away in the first leg in the round of 16 this year.
Juventus have won the competition two times, but have no recent memory of it, while Barcelona are fresh from winning it most recently in 2015. With no major injuries and players missing, it will be a match one would not want to miss out on.
Date, April 12th, 00:15 am IST
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid
The match of the round. The two strongest teams so far will be going hammer and tongs at each other, and with a recent history between the two which saw Real Madrid humiliate Bayern 4-0 in the Allianz Arena in 2014, this affair will be that much better than what it already promises to be.
With names like Ronaldo, Robben, Neuer, Ribery, Lewandowski, Boateng, and Ramos, among countless others, it is the match that defines the glory of the Champions League, and the brilliance it brings with it.
Real Madrid are currently chasing history, trying to become the first team to win two consecutive UCL titles,and who better than Ancelotti would wish to stop them, a man who led them to their La Decima in 2014. This match will see former friends and foes up against each other on the pitch, as Xabi Alonso will play against his former side, which is also a similar case for Toni Kroos. It is the clash of the titans and it will be one to remember.
Date, April 13th, 00:15 IST.
