adminTHE Champions League quarter-finals match-ups have been announced giving pundits a tonne to talk about and looking ahead at which sides are in the most advantageous position to move forward.Here is a look at the eight remaining teams and how the corresponding match-ups boost or damage their chances at glory.
Benfica
The Portuguese team is undeniably the one in the most precarious situation moving forward. Despite taking out Zenit St. Petersburg in the previous round, few will note that Benfica excelled in that match-up.
Now the team must take on a powerhouse Bayern Munich side that seemed to be losing its mental edge after conceding four straight goals against Juventus.
Wolfsburg
The most favourable match-up for the German side would have been Benfica, but now it draws Real Madrid in a game that is clearly in the Spanish giant’s favour.
Wolfsburg is a solid defensive side, ranked 10th among all teams in this year’s tournament in shots conceded, but its number is far below second ranked Real Madrid which is also the highest shooting team in the league.
Atletico Madrid
The Spanish side was dealt a big blow when it was put together with Barcelona, a club that has owned Atletico since the Colchoneros knocked out Blaugrana from the UCL quarter-finals back in 2013-14 on its way to the final.
Manchester City
The English side has finally made it this far and has a decent match-up against PSG. The French side is actually rather suspect defensively, allowing 13 shots per game, ranked 14th in the UCL and worst among the remaining sides in the tournament.
City ranks fourth in preventing shots, but the team has struggled with its consistency on the offensive side of the game.
PSG has a tremendous amount of star talent and still remains the favourite here.
Paris Saint-Germain
This is a tough match-up for the French side, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic is starting to hit his stride yet again alongside Angel Di Maria, who excels in this tournament.
PSG has shown that it can be a dominant force in this tournament, put Real Madrid’s back against the wall in a tense affair in Spain before taking down Chelsea rather methodically across two legs.
Real Madrid
Choosing between Los Blancos and Bayern Munich is a tough task, but match-ups and consistency of form is the difference here. While Real Madrid has been excellent in the Champions League thus far, the team’s form in the domestic league has been nothing if not inconsistent and questionable.
Cristiano Ronaldo is starting to round into form over the last few weeks and could have a major impact. Real Madrid is the top team at creating scoring chances in this tournament and the best of the remaining squads at preventing chances. If Madrid continues the play it has sustained in this tournament against Wolfs0burg and beyond, this club could be looking at the Undecima.
Bayern Munich
Anyone wondering whether Pep Guardiola’s early announcement of his exit might have an impact on Germany’s top team only need look at its performances against Juventus to see a team that looks disinterested at times.
However, that second half against the Italian side in the second leg proved that Guardiola is still capable of guiding this deep squad to greater heights when it is demanded of him.
Barcelona
Closing in on 40 games unbeaten, this club just looks unstoppable yet again. The combination of the best attacking line in soccer and a sturdy midfield and defence has this writer electing Barcelona as the runaway favourite to claim the title. — The Latin Post.
Online Reporter