LaLiga, Premier League dominate final eight; affect of no away objectives; dream quarterfinal match-ups

The Champions League first knockout spherical is full, with notable moments seeing Real Madrid produce a stirring comeback in opposition to Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid beautiful Manchester United and Manchester City and Bayern Munich scoring objectives galore.

We requested Mark Ogden, Julien Laurens and Alex Kirkland for his or her views on some huge questions.

What caught your consideration from the second legs of the spherical of 16?

Ogden: Inter Milan‘s 1-Zero win at Liverpool within the second leg of their tie wasn’t sufficient to keep away from elimination, however Simone Inzaghi’s group have been spectacular for an hour within the first leg at San Siro and unlucky to not win by extra at Anfield.

No Italian group has gained the Champions League since Jose Mourinho’s Inter in 2010, however maybe there at the moment are some indicators of a Serie A resurgence on the again of Italy’s Euro 2020 success. If Inter can maintain onto Inzaghi and exchange a few of the group’s older gamers, they’ll solely get higher. Inter and Juventus each reached the spherical of 16 and, though Juve have been routed by Villarreal, Inter confirmed sufficient to recommend that Italian golf equipment can begin to compete frequently once more.

Laurens: I completely beloved all of the away wins we noticed within the second legs. Even when Inter did not undergo, they inflicted a primary dwelling defeat of the season on Liverpool, which is an achievement in itself. Atletico went to Previous Trafford and delivered the archetypal Diego Simeone efficiency, totally helped by how poor Manchester United have been.

For Benfica, the duty was even more durable as Ajax had been in superb type at dwelling. And in opposition to all the percentages, when all people, together with myself, predicted them to be out, they defended beautifully and took, just about, the one probability that they had.

However perhaps probably the most spectacular away win was Villarreal in Turin. This Juventus group will not be the Juve of outdated and their supervisor, Max Allegri, is just too old-school, however Unai Emery and his Villarreal gamers have been unbelievable. They rode their luck within the first half and hit Juve exhausting with three objectives within the remaining 12 minutes. Large credit score to them.

Kirkland: In a decade of going to video games on the Bernabeu I’ve by no means heard the gang as raucous as throughout Actual Madrid’s second-half turnaround in opposition to Paris Saint-Germain. Madrid’s status for European comebacks is, to a sure extent, self-mythologising — they have not executed it that always — however this was the actual deal and it was a privilege to be there.

Villarreal’s 3-Zero win at Juventus was virtually as outstanding. The Yellow Submarine, the final word well-run small-town membership, have a proud report in Europe — 2006 Champions League semifinalists, Europa League winners final 12 months — however this good, medical show to get rid of the would-be Tremendous League founders ranked amongst their easiest European nights.

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England and Spain every have three golf equipment left; choose your favorite from every nation to win all of it

Laurens: Chelsea are a unbelievable cup group for the reason that arrival of Thomas Tuchel. With all the pieces occurring to the membership proper now off the sphere, their progress might galvanise this squad much more. Karim Benzema is the most effective participant on this planet proper now, together with Kylian Mbappe, and he can take Actual Madrid all the way in which too.

Kirkland: I can see Manchester Metropolis going one step additional than final 12 months and at last successful their first Champions League, or Actual Madrid successful their 14th.

Ogden: Liverpool play with a freedom and perception within the Champions League that Man Metropolis are nonetheless looking for, so I might again Jurgen Klopp’s group each time forward of Pep Guardiola’s facet. And similar goes for Actual Madrid in Spain — no one does the Champions League fairly like they do.

Do you miss the away objectives rule?

Kirkland: Greater than miss it, I’ve needed to preserve reminding myself it is not an element. Away objectives have been so dominant within the discourse for thus a few years that it’s going to take slightly longer to interrupt the behavior. We’ve not seen a big affect but. Actual Madrid’s place when Mbappe scored on the Bernabeu to place PSG 2-Zero up on combination felt hopeless, regardless. There have been fears that the rule’s abolition would lead extra video games to go to additional time or be selected penalties — to date that hasn’t been the case.

Ogden: Sure, the knockout ties have lacked a component of jeopardy with out away objectives. Quite than being an outdated idea, the rule posed a tactical problem to groups and coaches by way of whether or not they have been daring sufficient to push for a purpose on the street, on the danger of leaving gaps in defence.

Furthermore, deciding video games by away objectives a minimum of mirrored one thing that occurred through the course of the sport. Absolutely it’s higher for it to be determined by a purpose in open play than by way of a penalty shootout? Each groups have the chance to attain an away purpose, so these on the fallacious finish solely have themselves guilty.

Laurens: Completely not. It was a pointless and unfair rule. I can assure that United and Juventus, for instance, would have performed for a 0-Zero draw at dwelling within the second legs to undergo. I am sorry, however a group enjoying for a draw twice over two legs shouldn’t be in a position to qualify with out going to a penalty shootout. As a substitute, we had some fascinating second legs the place all people needed to assault and needed to rating. That is what soccer is about. As for the away objectives rule posing a tactical problem, that is ridiculous. All it used to do was make groups be extra calculating and cautious.

What’s the quarterfinal match-up you wish to see and why?

Ogden: Man Metropolis vs. Liverpool. Maybe I’m being grasping, but when the groups additionally attain the FA Cup semifinals, there’s the prospect of 4 conferences in 12 days. They’re already as a consequence of play a possible Premier League title decider on the Etihad Stadium on April 10, which is sandwiched between the primary and second legs of the Champions League quarterfinals.

Bayern Munich could argue in any other case, however Metropolis and Liverpool are the most effective two groups in Europe. Pep Guardiola’s facet are chasing a treble, whereas Jurgen Klopp’s males can nonetheless obtain a quadruple. Provided that, let’s have a look at them rise up shut and private as typically as attainable to determine who is basically No. 1.

Laurens: I desire a full Anglo-Spanish battle within the quarterfinals! I would like all three of every nation to face one another. Manchester Metropolis vs. Actual Madrid with Pep Guardiola vs. Carlo Ancelotti, Kevin De Bruyne vs. Karim the Dream. Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid would give the Reds a shot at revenge, two years after Marcos Llorente‘s objectives at Anfield knocked them out. And eventually, Chelsea vs. Villarreal could be Thomas Tuchel vs. Unai Emery, with each coaches displaying former employers PSG what they’re lacking.

Spain vs. England: Felipe VI vs. Elizabeth II, tapas vs. Sunday roast, bullfighting vs. darts! This is able to be superb. Spanish groups often do nicely in England. Nevertheless, this time, it might be a troublesome ask. I predict England 3-Zero Spain.

Kirkland: Actual Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid. It has been 5 years for the reason that Madrid groups final met in Europe — earlier than that, a four-year run noticed Atletico’s European desires cruelly dashed by their native rivals season after season, crushed within the 2014 and 2016 finals and eradicated within the 2015 quarterfinals and 2017 semifinals — so it is excessive time Simeone’s group got one other alternative for revenge. Likelihood is, Actual Madrid would solely break their hearts once more, although.