Advancing to the Quarter-Finals of the UEFA Champions League is an incredible achievement for a European club, and testifies to the club’s prestige within the continent. Not only do these clubs make a significant amount of money for doing so, but they also increase their popularity amongst players and fans alike, which usually leads to continued success in the future. While it is almost expected for teams like Barcelona and Juventus, qualifying for this stage is a great accomplishment and indication of progress for others, such as Tottenham Hotspur. When 3x reigning champions Real Madrid were knocked out by Ajax in the Round of 16, it sent shockwaves through the global soccer community, and reminded all of us how magical and fairytale-esque that the beautiful game truly can be at times. Ajax, the storied Dutch club from Amsterdam, has produced some of the greatest talents in the history of the game, but has struggled to compete with the European giants in recent years due to the influx of money at clubs like Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain. While they have still produced world class talents, such as Luis Suarez, Christian Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld, etc., they have been forced to sell them to clubs with more resources. As a fan of the game, it is difficult not to root for them to continue their improbable run in Europe’s most prestigious competition, as they play against a team who pays one player (in salary) nearly the same amount as Ajax pays its entire squad. However, only 4/8 teams can advance to the semi-finals. Here are my predictions for the second leg of each of the quarter finals.
Barcelona 3 — Manchester United 1 (4-1)
Although Manchester United have come alive again under the tutelage of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, it is improbable that they are able to muster a comeback akin to that of 1999 at the Nou Camp. It is nearly impossible to get a result at Barcelona in European competition, and tonight’s game should not be any different. With a longer outlook, Messi’s Barcelona haven’t had much recent success in the Champions League, and surely the Catalan club will have their eyes on this year’s prize, with arch rival Real Madrid and German contender Bayern Munich already eliminated.
Juventus 2 — Ajax 1 (3-2)
Mr. Champions League, Christiano Ronaldo, came to Juventus in the summer with one goal in mind— bring a Champions League trophy to Turin. Against all odds, Ronaldo almost singlehandedly dug Juventus out of a 2-0 deficit against Atletico Madrid in the Round of 16, and it seems foolhardy to bet against his side from advancing yet again, especially against a relatively inexperienced Ajax side. Players like Brazilian winger David Neres, young captain Matthijs De Light and Barcelona signee Frenkie De Jong have all been incredible throughout the season, they will find it tough to pull out a result away at Juventus, although I believe their attacking ingenuity will see them bulge the back of the net.
Porto 1 — Liverpool 2 (1-4)
Fresh off a huge victory in the EPL against Chelsea and perhaps the hottest side in all of Europe at the moment, Liverpool look to make it through to the semi-finals for the second consecutive year. With the likes of Mo Salah, Sadio Mané and Bobby Firmino going forward, and the Virgil van Dijk anchoring the defense, Liverpool look to be a serious contender to win the Champions League. Furthermore, young fullbacks Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson are emerging as the top fullbacks in the continent, providing width going forward and consistently making key tackles. With a 2-0 lead heading into the match without having given up any away goals, it would be a huge surprise if Porto is able to win this tie.
Manchester City 2 — Tottenham Hotspur 1 (2-2, Spurs to advance on away goals)
Last, but certainly not least, comes the all English affair. In a highly anticipated and highly contested first leg, Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham did not allow City to get into their typical rhythm, which involves plenty of possession and incisive passing. The question for this leg will be, can Spurs maintain that level of pressure and keep City out for another 90 minutes? This match will also take place at the Etihad. This question is further obfuscated by Spurs’ loss of Harry Kane, who will be out for the rest of the season after suffering a devastating ankle injury in the first leg. Spurs will be riding an emotional high though, after finally moving into their new stadium and winning the first 3 of 3 matches without having conceded a goal. On the other hand, Pep Guardiola has already won a UCL trophy with Barcelona, and seems destined to bring European glory to Manchester. This is a tough fixture to try to predict, but I believe Tottenham will do just enough to make it through to the semi-finals, which would mark the furthest the club have ever made it in the competition.
*home teams listed first
Do you agree? Why or why not? Please feel free to comment if you have an opinion!
