Champions League Predictions: Who will win in the Quarterfinal?
Finally, after a rather long wait, the Champions League quarter-finals are finally here upon us all and fans are overjoyed at the fixture list the fixture gods have handed down. All four quarter-final clashes are mouth-watering prospects in what will be the final quarter-finals that this version of the Champions League will have. But what a finale it has on a show for fans, with four tantalizing games of quarter-final football.
That is especially true since the winners of the last two seasons have been pitted against each other, Arsenal faces Bayern Munich and Harry Kane in a grudge match, Barcelona is back against PSG and the neutrals have a cracking game between Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. The sub-plots are all over the place and with only two of the eight sides competing for titles, it makes things even better.
Yet the real question is about Champions League Predictions, who will win their quarter-final clashes?
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
Arsenal have faced Bayern Munich 12 times in the Champions League since the turn of the century and the Gunners have won just three times. Not good right? It means that there’s all this history for Mikel Arteta and his team to overcome especially after the Bavarians ended Arsenal’s last foray into the Champions League with a humiliating 10-2 aggregate win.
That was, effectively, the final nail in Arsene Wenger’s coffin at the Emirates Stadium with the Frenchman leaving a year later. And yet, there’s hope for Arsenal. Shocking, right? It’s mainly because Bayern aren’t quite Bayern-ing things right now, the way a team that has won 11 straight league titles and two trebles in the last 12 years.
Plus there’s the fact that Bayer Leverkusen is literally one win away from a Bundesliga title and the fact that Thomas Tuchel’s time at Bayern has led to turmoil inside the dressing room. However, there’s a certain English striker who once played his trade for a North London Premier League club that has done nothing shows that he is arguably the best striker in world football.
It’s what makes this one a tough game to call as Bayern haven’t been their usual brilliant selves and yet, have Harry Kane. Arsenal have been one of the teams of the season and yet, are against their bogeyman.
Prediction: Arsenal 3-4 Bayern Munich (over two legs)
Real Madrid vs Manchester City
Two powerhouse teams. The last two winners of the Champions League. The two teams were given the best odds to win the whole caboose by Opta’s supercomputer (28.3% chance for City, 15% for Real Madrid) and yet somehow, UEFA’s system managed to pair the two together in the quarter-finals. It’s why this version of the Champions League is going to be missed so much because of the tantalizing fixtures it offers.
Yet, this fixture is so much more than just two great teams facing each other, it’ll be about revenge for Real Madrid and Carlo Ancelotti. After all, Manchester City did beat the Los Blancos on their way to a treble last term and few teams forget about that so fast. But with Real Madrid eight points clear at the top in the La Liga, while Manchester City are embroiled in a three-team title race, it becomes slightly more difficult.
Especially since Pep Guardiola’s side want to fight across every possible competition again. That is especially in a season where City hasn’t quite looked like the world-dominating monster they usually are with their forwards struggling to hit usual levels. Yet, at the same time, this is Manchester City, a team coached by one of the best managers in the world and while it will be tough, it will be a cracking contest for anyone.
But predicting a winner might be tough…
Prediction: Real Madrid 3-2 Manchester City (over two legs)
Atletico Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund
Arguably the tie of the round is because of how evenly matched the two are. Atletico Madrid hasn’t quite been themselves as Diego Simeone continues to evolve from “sufferball” into something more watchable. It’s why they find themselves in fourth, seventeen points off league leaders Real Madrid in first. But it’s also why La Liga has been so much fun this season as the Los Rojiblancos continue to evolve and cause chaos.
On the flip side, Borussia Dortmund suffered without the presence of Jude Bellingham and the fact that a bright, young Xabi Alonso has taken an underachieving Bayer Leverkusen into the spotlight. All the praise that the Spaniard has gotten has been well deserved but it has left Dortmund languishing in fifth place, a massive twenty-three points behind Leverkusen.
The never-the-bride-always-bridesmaid tag really does hurt sometimes, but never as much as for Borussia Dortmund now. Yet, somehow, they managed to finish second in the group of death, losing just once so far in the Champions League. Dortmund saved their best for the Champions League and so did Atletico as they have a similar record to their German opposition.
Plus the fact that both teams will be going for it, makes this an enthralling fixture to watch.
Prediction: Atletico Madrid 4-3 Borussia Dortmund (over two legs)
PSG vs Barcelona
This brings back a few memories, doesn’t it?
No Neymar this time, for either side, but Kylian Mbappe still remains if only for another four-odd months or so. However, there is the presence of Ousmane Dembele and former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique but it’s not quite the same grudge match without Neymar. Yet, don’t write off Paris Saint-Germain just because they tend to overly depend on one of the brightest young footballers around.
They do have a very talented squad even if a large portion of them have underachieved for most of the season. The same can be said about Barcelona. Things aren’t clicking for them and yet they’re second in the league, eight points behind Real Madrid. Yet without Robert Lewandowski’s goals (just 13 in the league), injuries have led to an overdependence on young talent which has turned Xavi’s job into a fire-fight.
It’s what makes this clash so evenly matched although the magic and sheer brilliance that is Kylian Mbappe will indubitably be the game-changing star yet again. The Frenchman almost singlehandedly beat Barcelona the last time two times these two sides met and something tells everyone, he’ll do it again.
Prediction: Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 Barcelona (over two legs).