Quarterfinals shaping up
After the first legs, Bayern Munich and Atlético Madrid head into the second legs holding important advantages while Real Madrid and Barcelona face pressure to turn ties around. Broad previews note that PSG and Atlético’s leads look comfortable, and Real Madrid are using a La Liga match against Girona as a chance to build momentum—with Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga and Ferland Mendy singled out to regain form ahead of Madrid’s Bayern second leg. (beinsports.com, sports.yahoo.com)
The UEFA Champions League quarterfinals are set up like two different kinds of second legs: Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain carry two-goal cushions, while Real Madrid and Barcelona go into next week needing a comeback after first-leg losses. The official schedule has Atlético Madrid against Barcelona and Liverpool against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, April 14, with Bayern Munich against Real Madrid and Arsenal against Sporting on Wednesday, April 15. (uefa.com) Real Madrid’s problem is the smallest on paper and maybe the trickiest in practice. Bayern Munich won the first leg 2-1, so one Madrid goal would level the tie on aggregate, but Bayern now get the return match at home in Munich on April 15. (uefa.com, foxsports.com) Madrid are treating their La Liga game against Girona on Friday, April 10, as a tune-up for that trip. Yahoo Sports reported that coach Álvaro Arbeloa could use the match to give Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, and Ferland Mendy minutes so they can build rhythm before Bayern. (sports.yahoo.com) Barcelona’s hole is deeper because Atlético Madrid won the first leg 2-0 at Camp Nou. ESPN noted that it was Barcelona’s first home defeat to Atlético Madrid in 26 meetings since 2006, and the second leg now shifts to Madrid on Tuesday, April 14. (espn.com, uefa.com) That first leg did not end quietly. Barcelona filed a formal complaint with the Union of European Football Associations over a denied handball penalty in the match, which means the return leg arrives with both a two-goal deficit and a refereeing dispute hanging over it. (sports.yahoo.com, outlookindia.com) Paris Saint-Germain are in the most comfortable position of the four favorites still alive. They beat Liverpool 2-0 in Paris on April 8, so Liverpool need at least two goals at Anfield on April 14 just to drag the tie level. (uefa.com, bolavip.com) The one quarterfinal that feels less lopsided is Arsenal against Sporting. UEFA lists that tie as 0-0 after the first leg, which makes the second leg in London the cleanest equation of the round: win and advance, draw and the match keeps stretching. (uefa.com) So the pressure points are clear before the second legs even start. Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain can play with the scoreboard in their favor, while Real Madrid and Barcelona have to chase the game, and Madrid are trying to use a domestic match against Girona to fix that before Bayern make the margin feel bigger. (uefa.com, sports.yahoo.com)
