Champions League Quarterfinals: A Legendary Last Edition in the Making

The Champions League is experiencing its final hours in its current format, and it is as if the stars are aligning to offer us one last legendary edition. Forgotten the sometimes unbalanced, often boring, round of 16 of recent weeks. Welcome to the extremely dense quarter table. And started on very high bases.

Arsenal – Bayern (2-2), Real Madrid – Manchester City (3-3): The first two matches on Tuesday evening gave us as many goals as the last four round of 16 matches. But it was especially at the Bernabeu that we had a blast, in a breathtaking match.

And you still had to have had time to take a first breath. After around thirty seconds, Aurélien Tchouaméni was warned. After two minutes, Bernardo Silva punished this first big mistake with a little stroke of genius from a free kick. But Real reversed the situation for the first time in two minutes top time, thanks to a lucky Eduardo Camavinga (12th) and a clever Rodrygo (14th). Three goals in fourteen minutes, first.

Lewandowski or not, Ter Stegen or Donnarumma: we mixed the eleven

This is the type of match we all like to play.

Then City also had their bloodshed, for five minutes of delirium, time to clean the right corner (66th), then the left (71st) of Andriy Lunin thanks to Phil Foden and Joško Gvardiol. But eight minutes later, Federico Valverde went there with his cannon, with a volley from the right (79th). Three goals in… fourteen minutes, second.

“We had a great time, it’s the type of match that we all like to play,” Camavinga said on Canal + at the end of the match. “What a match,” confirmed Gvardiol. “It’s the first time I’ve played here in this stadium, the atmosphere is incredible and we’re looking forward to the home match.” U.S. too.

Eduardo Camavinga celebrates Real Madrid’s equalizer against Manchester City

Credit: Getty Images

Because if City has an obsession with control which can sometimes anesthetize a match, if Real is capable of winning “ugly” as it did against Leipzig in the previous round – to the point of provoking excuses from Carlo Ancelotti – if the first legs are rarely so unbridled, this spectacle of incredible quality was anything but the result of chance. After all, the last two C1 winners were facing each other.

With them, their wonderful individualities. Erling Haaland or Rodri were able to afford to go through, Kevin De Bruyne to be ill: Vinicius, Rodrygo and other Phil Foden put on the show. Their qualities are above average, their performance above normal: for 1.5 “expected goals” in total, six were scored. Including four on inspirations from outside the area.

Strongly the next week

With them, their old habits, too. It was only the second time in a Champions League knockout match that three goals were scored in the opening 14 minutes. The previous ? Manchester City – Tottenham, in 2019 (2-2 after… 11 minutes). It was only the fourth time that two opponents had scored three or more goals each in a knockout phase first leg. The previous ? Manchester City – Real Madrid, in 2022 (4-3).

With them, the elite of coaches, finally. The duel between Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola never disappoints, and the Merengue have the gift of involving City in games of ping-pong that they hardly appreciate. “The pace they have up front is really impressive,” admitted Pep Guardiola at the end of the match on TNT Sports. Pace favored by arbitration also at Champions League level, signed François Letexier.

“The upcoming match is going to be interesting for everyone, we have to score goals, they too, it’s going to be an open match,” Camavinga continued. After all, the house price is still the same with the Mancunian club, which has scored three goals in each of its nine C1 matches this season. Real’s knowledge in these matches is still impressive. It was the duel of the two favorites on paper, it is one of the matches of the year in reality. It’s as if the Champions League was really launched. Strongly the next week.

Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham congratulate each other after Real Madrid-Manchester City (3-3), April 9, 2024.

Credit: Getty Images

2024-04-09 23:50:00
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