The big debate: The Champions League resumes this week, with Arsenal and Liverpool flying the Premier League flag and Real Madrid clashing with Bayern Munich.
Arsenal aim to get their season back on track in the Champions League (Image: Offside, Getty Images)
The Champions League quarter-finals begin on Tuesday with a strong lineup as Arsenal, whose season is on the verge of collapse, take on Sporting Lisbon, while Real Madrid take on Bayern Munich.
The Gunners have won all but one of their European games this term and have been favorites for most of the season. A string of domestic defeats has raised doubts about their ability to get over the line, but the Portuguese side will need to do some work to silence those doubts.
Liverpool are the only Premier League team remaining in the competition, but they face a difficult task against defending champions PSG. It was a repeat of the last-16 draw 12 months ago, when the Parisians beat the Reds, who have fallen significantly in the year since and become firm underdogs.
Real and Bayern will face each other in the first leg at the Bernabéu. The two teams have won 21 European Cups between them and are one of the most decorated teams on the continent. Bayern bring good form to Spain and ambitions to win the treble, but Los Blancos have a knack for this competition.
read more: How many more wins do Arsenal need to mathematically confirm Premier League title glory?read more: John Henry’s comments against Liverpool in the FA Cup shed new light on Arne Slott’s future
In La Liga as a whole, Barcelona, who defeated the English team in the last 16, and Atletico Madrid are clashing. The Catalans were semi-finalists last season and will be hoping to go beyond that, while Diego Simeone was runner-up twice during his time at Atlético.
The winner of this draw could face Arsenal if he is able to work with Sporting over the next 10 days. As things really start to heat up in Europe, Mirror Football writers turned their attention to the four quarter-final matches.
sam mead
PSG beating Liverpool looks like the most obvious outcome in the last eight. The Parisians are doing well, the Reds are not, and ultimately Luis Enrique’s side are simply the better team at the moment. They have continued their momentum from last year and from what we saw against Chelsea, it will be difficult to break that.
A month ago, I would have said Arsenal would have taken Sporting lightly. I don’t really understand it now. Mikel Arteta needs to halt the slide in north London and prove his team can put up a fight. But this draw has all the ingredients for an upset.
Sporting Lisbon beat Bodø/Glimt in the last 16 in a sensational comeback
Elsewhere, I would back Barcelona to see off Atletico, even though Simeone’s side have already beaten the Catalans in cup competitions this season. It seems like Real have a God-given right to win relationships in Europe even when everything says they shouldn’t, but I’m going to back the Germans to stop the Spanish giants.
From an English perspective, it would be great to see Harry Kane conquer Europe and he is arguably the most in-form striker on the continent at the moment. He definitely deserves a Champions League winners medal.
Semi-finalists: Bayern Munich, Sporting, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain
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Andy Dunn
After a boring, boring and never-ending Champions League qualifier, the quarter-finals will be a mouth-watering encounter. Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich? What. A. Tie.
Hopefully, Harry Kane will be fit to start after missing out on Saturday’s dramatic win over Freiburg, and if he does, he will be hoping to score at the Bernabeu and give Bayern the platform to make a breakthrough. Bayern will not only improve, but continue to win the competition. And they would not have to deal with British opposition.
Harry Kane is two goals away from reaching 50 goals this season (Image: Markus Gilliar – GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)
Sporting Lisbon are the dark horses of this competition and will cause a big upset against Arsenal, but Liverpool will find Paris Saint-Germain too classy. The French side’s young and lively attacking line-up will be too much for a Liverpool defense that suddenly looks a little scrappy.
And with Hansi Flick’s attacking options, Barcelona will beat Atlético Madrid to complete a fantastic last four.
Semi-finalists: Bayern Munich, Sporting, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain
ben husband
Arsenal are wobbling… it’s tough. But I think Sporting still has a lot to offer, although they may have to overturn the deficit at the Emirates next week.
Liverpool had a great performance against Galatasaray at Anfield in the last 16, but were completely eliminated in the cup match against Manchester City. And maybe that’s where they really belong. There is heat and cold, but the level is lower than that of Europe’s elite. That’s why I think PSG will come out of this game and put more pressure on Arne Slott.
The Champions League is Liverpool’s only remaining trophy hope (Image: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich is a blockbuster match. The Spaniard silenced a few doubters against City, but I think this Bayern are a different animal and will go all the way.
And in the final draw, I like to see Barcelona face Atlético Madrid in two legs. However, Diego Simeone will certainly make it difficult.
Semi-finalists: Arsenal, PSG, Bayern Munich, Barcelona
john cross
The lineup for the semi-finals will be filled with strong players. My top four predictions are Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich. Football rarely follows plans or follows the odds, but it’s an attractive line-up and would be great news for the Champions League.
Arsenal will have a very difficult match in the quarter-finals against Sporting Lisbon, but I think they will be too strong for the Portuguese opponents in both games.
PSG have a great habit of really increasing their game, tempo and momentum and that’s why I think they will beat Liverpool in that quarterfinal.
Barcelona defeated Newcastle in the final match and are one of the favorites to win (Image: Xavi Bonilla/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
Barcelona are far from their glory days, but they are still capable of dominating teams like they did against Newcastle, and their pace and ability to get behind should be a big concern for Arsenal when they meet in the semi-finals.
And in the end, I think Bayern will win against Real Madrid. I have a sneaking feeling that this could be a big year for Harry Kane and if he’s healthy he could be able to score against any opponent right now. This year is Ballon d’Or season for him.
Semi-finalists: Arsenal, PSG, Bayern Munich, Barcelona
alex richards
Arsenal were eliminated from the FA Cup in midweek, but with two games under their belt and the second leg being at home, I don’t think they will be on the back foot against Sporting Lisbon.
The Gunners should be too strong against a Sporting team that boasts an excellent centre-forward in Luis Suarez, who replaced Victor Goqueres, but they have tended to lose to promising teams in this competition over the past two years.
Liverpool head to Paris on a low ebb following Saturday’s disastrous defeat to Manchester City, hoping that will inspire them to turn their backs on the Parisian wall and unite as a team against the holders.
PSG know how to step up against better opponents, but I think Liverpool could do something a little special in these two games. There are currently a lot of question marks over the squad and Arne Slott, but the PSG side will give them a chance.
Barcelona came from behind to win against Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital on Saturday night as Atletico were reduced to 10 men. Atletico have rested many key players and are doing everything they can to qualify for the Champions League.
Already, the Catalan media is full of speculation that Atre are aiming to reach the top four by any means necessary. I can see it happening if they are very careful and disciplined.
In the same round, Bayern vs. Real Madrid. It’s a big test for Vincent Kompany, but it’s also a big test for Alvaro Arbeloa if he wants to be part of negotiations for a permanent job at the Bernabéu.
While Madrid are getting their star man back at just the right time, the shock to Harry Kane while on England duty could not have come at a worse time. In the end, I would expect a goal fest over both legs, with Real in the lead.
This leaves two English clubs and two Madrid clubs in the semi-finals.
Semi-finalists: Liverpool, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid
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