After a turbulent round of first leg games, the Champions League quarter-finals return for the reverse fixtures where this year’s final four will be decided.
With two ties all square and just one goal separating the sides in the second set of quarter-finals, this is set up to be a blockbuster week of European football as both English sides remaining in the competition find out their fate.
We preview the Champions League quarter-final second legs below.
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Tuesday 16th April, 20:00
Barcelona v Paris Saint-Germain (3-2)
Before we take a look at what the English sides have in store, there are two crucial quarter-final matches taking place on Tuesday, with both perfectly poised. Barcelona v Paris Saint-Germain is Tuesday’s clash of the titans as two of Europe’s heavyweights go head-to-head, with Barcelona carrying a one-goal advantage to the Nou Camp.
As such, Barca are 23/20 favourites to win the second leg, with their odds 1/4 to reach the semi-finals shortened by the one-goal buffer. PSG on the other hand head to Spain with memories of having a 4-0 aggregate lead overturned here back in 2017. The Parisians are 11/4 to make good on that haunting result and make it into the semi-finals, whilst their odds to win the match are a shade shorter at 15/8.
Borussia Dortmund v Atletico Madrid (1-2)
The other quarter-final action on Tuesday night comes from what is certain to be a noisy Signal Iduna Park, as Borussia Dortmund look to overturn a one-goal deficit in front of their own fans. Dortmund could have been as good as out of this tie had Sebastien Haller not clawed one back in Madrid and they now find themselves 6/5 to win this match, and 13/8 to progress to the final four.
Diego Simeone has always built his Atletico Madrid sides around defensive stability and will hope that his tactical nous, which some may refer to as “parking the bus”, will prevail and see Atletico justify their 4/9 favouritism to progress to the next round.
Wednesday 17th April, 20:00
Bayern Munich v Arsenal (2-2)
Onto Wednesday night and Arsenal have once again been found wanting in the Champions League, and once again it is Bayern Munich who have stood in their way. It wasn’t quite the 10-2 drubbing which we saw back in 2017, but the Gunners will certainly have been disappointed to only manage a draw at home to a vulnerable Bayern side.
The lack of a first leg advantage has turned the tables as it is Bayern who are now 8/11 favourites to progress to the semis, should they slog out a win in front of an expectant home crowd (13/10). Arsenal on the other hand have it all to lose after their Premier League title chances seemingly slipped away against Aston Villa on Sunday. Mikel Arteta’s side are underdogs in both regards at 9/5 to win away at the Allianz, and EVS to progress through to the semi-finals by any means.
Manchester City v Real Madrid (3-3)
Manchester City and Real Madrid will do well to top their first leg which was a total footballing spectacle, providing the neutral with a six-goal thriller. Both sets of players, managers and fans will likely be hoping for a slightly more solid defensive display for their sides, but we’ll certainly be hoping for more goals!
City went to the Bernabeu as favourites and, having come away relatively unscathed, return to home soil with favouritism still very much on their side at 13/20 to win the game and 4/11 to progress through the semi-finals. However, Real Madrid have been down and out with only injury time to play against Pep Guardiola’s side before and still gone through, so being level with at least 90 minutes ahead of them will seem a good enough opportunity to make it to a 17th Champions League semi-final, even if they are 2/1 underdogs to do so.
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