The Round of 16 was unmatched in entertainment! Juventus, Manchester United, Porto, and Ajax all battled back from a loss in their first match to advance to the quarter-finals, while many traditionally powerful European squads were sent home early. Premature exits included Paris Saint-Germain and their Herculean attack, 2013 UCL champions Bayern Munich, and three-time defending champions Real Madrid (sorry bandwagon soccer fans). This week we will look at all of the quarter-final matches, what each team brings to the table, and who will advance to the semi-finals.
Tottenham vs. Manchester City
Unfortunately, this is a domestic pairing from the English Premier League, nevertheless, it will prove to be a great matchup. Tottenham is coming off a victory over one of Germany's top club, Borussia Dortmund, with a 4-0 aggregate thrashing. After a strong 3-0 win in the first match at home in England, Tottenham travelled to Germany and won 1-0 on the back of captain Harry Kane. When coming up against Manchester City, do not expect to see Spurs midfielders Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen possessing the ball very much. Spurs will look for counters and quick breaks to break their opposition's high-line defense.
via TALKsport
Manchester City is coming off an absolute dismantling of another German side in Schalke with a 10-2 aggregate score. Manager Pep Guardiola is the best manager in Europe and ensures his teams always have the favor in possession percentage. Pep has managed to keep his team not only potent in scoring in Champions League play, but also league play where they hold the best goal differential of +58 through their 30 games played. Not to mention they have the best midfielder in the EPL, Kevin De Bruyne. The man is a two-footed maestro who dictates how Manchester City play. Look for Raheem Sterling to have a big showing against Spurs as no one on the opposition can keep pace with him (or anyone in Europe for that matter).
Prediction: The last time these two teams met in the EPL was October 29, 2018. Manchester City went on to win 1-0 and outshoot Tottenham 13-4, despite a near 50/50 possession split. The quarter-finals will carry a similar result. Expect Manchester City to play strong and win at home, and at worst come out with a tie on the away at Wembley Stadium. Manchester City and Pep Guardiola advance to the semi-finals on an aggregate of 3-1.
Liverpool vs. Porto
via TEAMtalk
How on earth did Porto end up in the quarter-finals? Their Round of 16 opponent, Roma, blew a convincing 2-0 lead at home in the first leg after they gifted Porto a half-volley from 15 yards out in the 79thminute. Porto then went on to take Roma to overtime in the second leg and, in front of their home fans, score in the 117thminute. To summarize, Porto squeezed in by the skin of their teeth. The Portuguese club, backed by Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas, has their work cut out for them in the quarterfinals.
Liverpool is the 2018 Champions League finalist and just came off an impressive 3-1 win over Bayern Munich, on the road. Liverpool's deadly counter-attack has produced 68 goals in 30 games during their EPL season. Outside of a healthy PSG team, the front three of Mane, Firmino, and Salah is arguably the strongest in Europe. These two teams met in last year's competition in the round of 16 where Liverpool won on aggregate 5-0. Since their meeting last year, Liverpool has had a significant upgrade at goalie with the addition of Alisson Becker, who has 17 clean sheets in his first 30 Premier League games.
Prediction: Bet your bottom dollar on Liverpool. Soccer is a game where anyone can win on any given day, except when you're Porto playing Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. History will repeat itself as Liverpool advances to the semi-finals on a 5-0 aggregate score line.
Ajax vs. Juventus
Real Madrid is (or really was) regarded by many as the best club team in the world. That is, until Ajax went to Spain and squashed the three-time defending champions in the second leg, 4-1, to advance with an aggregate of 5-3. Ajax has housed some absolute legends in the game: Danny Blind, Dennis Bergkamp, Edgar Davids, Johan Cruyff, and many others. However, there is another name you should become familiar with - Dušan Tadić. The Serbian number ten has run the midfield like a well-oiled machine thus far. Expect another heroic performance in the quarter-finals from him.
If there is any other midfielder to watch besides Dušan Tadić, it should be Federico Bernardeschi of Juventus. The Italian assisted CR7 on one of his three goals in the 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid and earned the penalty that eventually sealed the hat-trick for Ronaldo and win for his team. Bernardeschi is like an Italian stallion on the wing that will wreak havoc on Ajax. Oh, and by the way, Juventus has Cristiano Ronaldo. Never mind the fact he brought them back from the dead, to advance 3-2 on aggregate past Atletico Madrid, he is flat out the most athletic and prolific striker who has ever walked the face of the earth. Ronaldo has appeared in 160 career Champions League games and scored 124 goals. Tadićis one of the best midfielders in Europe, but Ronaldo is Ronaldo. Good luck to the Ajax back line.
via The Times
Prediction: Ajax will not go gentle into the night, but they will not be advancing into the semi-finals. Juventus is Ronaldo's team, the Champions League is his stage, and the semi-finals will be his next landing point. Juventus go through with an aggregate line of 4-3.
Manchester United vs. Barcelona
via Forbes
A reserve United squad somehow visited Paris and beat PSG in the second leg 3-1 to advance to the quarter-finals. Yes, Neymar was injured. Yes, it was a controversial penalty call late in the game. Yes, Buffon only moved to Paris for the wine and not really to play soccer. Nevertheless, here we are with Manchester United in the final eight of Europe. The Red Devils are not even in the top four of the EPL and yet somehow, they have made it here. After the club fired manager Jose Mourinho mid-way through the season, they went on to win 10 out their next 11 games. The one game they did not win resulted in a draw to Burnley FC. Manchester United have one of the best goalkeepers in the world in David De Gea, a world-class midfielder in Paul Pogba, and a strong attacking force of Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard, and Anthony Martial.
The only problem for Manchester United is that they are playing the team that defines soccer, Barcelona. Tiki-taka, team goals, "sexy soccer," whatever you want to call it, it's Barcelona. The Spanish club smacked Lyon in the Round of 16 to advance on aggregate of 5-1. Luis Suárez and Philippe Coutinho will most likely be in the front three next to Messi. Now let us just get this out there before any questions/comments/concerns/boycotts arise, Messi is the greatest soccer player on the planet. This is not a debate, this is factual. The man is a magician that does things people cannot explain. Not only that, but Barcelona have a goal differential of +43 in La Liga this year.
Prediction: This is a rematch of the 2011 Champions League Final at Wembley Stadium in London, England. Barcelona won then, 3-1, and Barcelona will win again in 2019. The Spaniards advance with an aggregate line of 2-0.
Check back in a few weeks for an inside look at the semi-finals on the road to the Final in Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitan Stadium.
written by Isaac Monson
edited by Jack Kurtz
