Madrid – Real and Atletico -, Paris, London, Manchester, Barcelona, Munich: except the intrusion of Dortmundthe quarters of Champions propose a long-distance challenge between big cities Europeans. Madrid, destined to become the London of the Mediterranean; Paris, which is still Paris and has made quite a difference surgical treatment with the works for theOlympic; London, which is always London even in the dark times of Brexit; Manchester, grey, but rich and “youthful”; Munich, which is the southern capital of Germania; Barcelona, which is re-emerging from independence impulses. Who’s missing? L’Italiajust to make us – again – some male.
However, we have an important piece of the Italian flag, represented bymost successful coach of the modern history of our football, 26 titles without counting the 1999 Intertoto: Carlo Ancelotti. Il signor Champions: four trophies da coach (2003, 2007, 2014, 2022), due and player (1989, 1990). Someone who has Europe in his pocket and is the only one to have won the championships from the five leagues most important: Italy, England, France, Spain and Germany. Charlemagne will find himself facing, for the third season in a row, the Manchester City. In 2022 Ancelotti won, who then went on to win the Champions League in the Paris final against Liverpool. In 2023 the Citywho rose to the top of Europe in the match againstInter in Istanbul. The Ancelotti-Guardiola duel and the strong dish of these quarters: it would have deserved a much different place, see the final. One of the two will say goodbye before the semi-finals and it’s a real one Sin.
Guardiola also smells of the Champions League: Three as coach (2009, 2011, 2023), a as a player (1992). He imposed on the world the trademark of his football, starting from the lesson of Sacks – and here the elective affinities with Ancelotti -, but shaping it on the experience lived with a master like Cruyff. The contents of his football have evolved, developing the lines vertical after having traveled the horizontal ones, in which other coaches got stuck, unable to update. Ancelotti (199 games on the bench in the Champions League, 115 wins, 42 draws and the same number of defeats) and Guardiola (169 matches, 139 successes, 34 draws and 26 knockouts) are the best of these quarters. Real Madrid governs La Liga with 8 points ahead on Barcelona. City are busy with fantasy sprint in Premier for the title: Arsenal e Liverpool at 71, Guardiola’s band at 70. A stunning quarter-final: BellinghamVinicius, Rodrygo against HaalandDe Bruyne, The foot and apologies due to the names we do not mention.
On the night of April 9th, simultaneously with Real Madrid-Manchester Citythe menu also includes Arsenal-Bayern Monaco. The emerging Mikel Arteta against the disappointing Thomas Tuchel, leaving the Bavarian club. Arsenal acquired solidity in recent months, while Bayern have been crushed in the league by Bayer Leverkusen Of Xavi Alonsodespite the goals of Harry Kane: 32 in the Bundesliga alone for the English center forward. A manifesto of uselessness, given the results. But this very situation, with Bayern out of everything in Germany, makes the Champions League the last resort of a season horrible for the Bavarians. Will Arsenal be distracted/conditioned by the Premier League race? There answer is the key to the double challenge.
PSG-Barcelona it is the fourth of nostalgia. Luis Enrique finds himself having to deal with the past. Paris hasn’t been a walk in the park so far for the last manager to win the Champions League in Barcelona, in 2015. The Ligue 1 is in the hands of the Blues, but Lucho, as he was renamed in Rome, had to manage the case–Mbappéthe rebellion of some players – the latest story is the protest of Mukiele at the time of the substitution against Clermont – ei whistles of the public in some situations. Barcelona, like Bayern, also has an outgoing coach: Xavi. The day of the Champions League final between the Blaugrana and the Juventus (3-1 for the Catalans), on 6 June 2015 a BerlinXavi started from the bench: he came on in the 78th minute, replacing Iniesta. That was his last appearance with the Blaugrana shirt, the peak of 767 matches, 25 titles and 85 goals. Xavi is about to say Goodbye for the second time at Barcelona. It is unlikely that there will be a third, although in football you never say never.
Atletico-Borussia completes the picture. With all due respect, it’s the fourth less glamour. Atletico Madrid should be renamed Atletico–Simeone. Recruited on 23 December 2011, the Argentine coach has a contract with the Colchoneros valid until 30 June 2027. In these thirteen years of work, has placed Atletico on a permanent basis at the topcand Spanish football, the third wheel of the eternal Real-Barcelona challenge. He has won two Spanish championships, two Europa Leagues, two UEFA Super Cups, one Copa del Rey and one Spanish Super Cup. His football, renamed Cholismohas evolved over time, but the basis always remains that of one ferocious spirit and great attention to phase defensive. Borussia’s Eden Terzic it is one of the best European trampolines, the last name on the list Jude Bellingham. Modern football, young people and the Yellow Wall of the Westphalia Stadium – the largest plant in Germany – represent the dragging force of the Ruhr team. The last title won by the yellow and blacks – also Terzic’s only one as coach – is the German Cup 2021. In the world, Borussia has a fair amount of appeal: eight affiliated clubs, from Greece (Aris Thessaloniki) atAustralia (Marconi), passing through Japan (Shonan Bellmare e Iwate Morioka), Vietnam (Hoa Binh), Thailand (Burinam) e India (Hyderabad), until reaching the Canada (BVB Academy Waterloo). Over there they will support Borussia: obviously.
2024-04-09 06:17:59
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