Pep Guardiola and Manchester City must follow a frightening path to the club’s very first Champions League final, after the draw for the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Premier League leaders against Borussia Dortmund and the winners of the match between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint- Germain provoked.
As UEFA chart the road to the final in Istanbul by drawing both quarter-finals and semi-finals, the prospect of Liverpool repeating their 2005 Champions League success at Ataturk Stadium depends on Jurgen Klopp’s side Real Madrid in the last eight, before facing the winners. of the Chelsea-Porto draw. Before winning the Champions League in 2005, Liverpool beat Chelsea in the semi-finals with Luis Garcia’s infamous ‘ghost goal’.
– UCL draw: Real Madrid vs Liverpool, Bayern vs PSG
– Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN + (US only)
ESPN + Viewer Guide: Bundesliga, Serie A, MLS, FA Cup and more
The draw also keeps alive the prospect of an overall English final, with a draw between Real and Bayern.
With the route to Istanbul now clear, ESPN has tried to predict how the final rounds will go – and who will meet in the final on May 29.
While Manchester City will be strong favorites to progress over a Dortmund team outside the top four in the German Bundesliga, it could go terribly wrong for Pep Guardiola’s team if they do not eliminate the threat of Erling Haaland.
The 20-year-old, whose father Alfie played for City between 2000 and 03, is a big summer target for Guardiola, but at the moment he is the biggest threat to City’s prospects of reaching the semi-finals. Haaland is the best scorer in the competition this season with ten goals and will not be confronted by City, but Dortmund also have the attacking talents of former City youngster Jadon Sancho to worry Guardiola and his players.
Dortmund’s weakness is behind them, as they have conceded nine goals in the competition so far this season. City have meanwhile conceded just one goal in eight Champions League matches: a 14th minute in City’s 3-1 win over Porto in October. But just as impressive as City still were, they did not face an attacker of Haaland’s quality during a soft run after the quarters, so the tie is less clear than it appears on paper.
City’s overall strengths, such as Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling, should see them progress, but Haaland can turn the tie on its head.
Who qualifies? Manchester City
1:15
Julien Laurens feels that Dortmund’s quarter-final against Manchester City is an interesting one for Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland.
Although Porto shocked Juventus in the final round to reach the quarter-finals, the two-time Champions League winners were the team that wanted to draw the other seven clubs.
The coach, Sergio Conceicao, has built up a tough, underrated team at Estadio do Dragao, with the 38-year-old Pepe leading the defense against Juve in an excellent way. Sergio Oliveira’s midfield threat will worry Chelsea, but Thomas Tuchel’s side have been transformed since German coach Frank Lampard was replaced in January and unbeaten in 13 games (all competitions). Their impressive round of 16 wins against Atletico Madrid also highlights their appearance as a dangerous outsider in this season’s competition.
– Laurens: How Tuchel turned Chelsea around
Tuchel organized Chelsea defensively, and he also started getting the best of Kai Havertz. Timo Werner is another player who started performing under Tuchel after struggling with Lampard.
Although Porto have the ability and the coach to make life difficult for Chelsea and push them completely, it is difficult to see beyond the English club.
Who qualifies? Chelsea
0:56
Julien Laurens explains why Chelsea and Thomas Tuchel will be delighted to be against Porto in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
A rematch of last season’s final, won by Bayern in Lisbon, is likely to be the two favorites for this year’s competition.
Bayern have surpassed every second club with 24 goals in eight games so far this season, but Hansi Flick’s team showed defenselessness in the Bundesliga in 2021 by losing twice – against Borussia Monchengladbach and Eintracht Frankfurt – PSG also struggled for their usual use. winning form, with Mauricio Pochettino’s team in an unknown second place in Ligue 1 behind leader Lille. The elimination of Barcelona in the round of 16 was a major psychological obstacle that removed PSG due to their previous weaknesses against the European elite clubs, and Bayern’s action came at a good time for the French team.
If Neymar can return to full fitness in time after a long time with a thigh injury, he and Kylian Mbappe can bring Bayern down. But at the moment, it seems likely that Bayern will come out on top in the closest of the four tires.
Who qualifies? Bayern munich
1:01
Julien Laurens says PSG are struggling as favorites to win, but will not face the problem against Bayern.
It is a repeat of the Champions League final in 1981 and 2018, but also a clash between two parties who have struggled to form this season. Mohamed Salah’s reunion with Sergio Ramos for the first time since the Liverpool forward was injured by the Madrid captain in the 2018 final will be a fascinating part of this battle, but the outcome will likely be decided by which team the best defended.
Liverpool’s defensive crisis caused by the prolonged injuries of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez has destabilized Klopp’s team, while captain Jordan Henderson’s absence in midfield has also had an effect on the results. Still, Real have been leaking goals all season, with Zinedine Zidane’s team conceding ten in eight Champions League matches. Liverpool, despite their problems, have conceded just three goals in the competition this season.
The prospect of the tires being played in Real’s small Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium on the club’s training ground, and the second leg on an empty Anfield, will also have an impact, as both sides rely on formidable home support in the last stages of the Champions League.
It’s a draw between an aging Real and a Liverpool injured, but if Salah and Sadio Mane are in form, Liverpool will win.
Who qualifies? Liverpool
SEMIFINAL SUPPLY
Bayern Munich vs. Man City: If the quarter-finals go as predicted, a match between Bayern and City will take place in the semi-finals, with City again ending up with the toughest possible road to the final.
Pep Guardiola has spent three years at Bayern trying to win the Champions League, and in May it will be ten years since he last led a team to European glory, following Barcelona’s win over Manchester United at Wembley in 2011. City, of course. , has never won the Champions League or reached the final, and despite the incredible success he has enjoyed since arriving at the Etihad in 2016, they remain waiting for glory in the biggest competition.
In terms of the quality of teams and groups, there is little gap between City and Bayern, although the German club’s pedigree in the Champions League gives them the lead. They were not there and City, which is important in the final stage, with City not having the psychological strength to overcome an inferior Lyon team in last year’s quarterfinals.
The one area that can be crucial. While Sergio Aguero has been struggling for fitness all season, City have a reliable goal scorer. Gabriel Jesus, simply did not measure up as a substitute. Meanwhile, Bayern have Robert Lewandowski, and the reliability of the International Poland means that the reigning European champion is the favorite to reach the final.
Who qualifies? Bayern munich
Liverpool vs. Chelsea: This clash with the Premier League became a resentment in the Champions League during the 2000s, and Liverpool beat the London club twice in the semi-finals, in 2005 and 2007, before finally losing a third in 2008. This time, if Liverpool beat Real Madrid and Chelsea, Porto were able to meet for the fourth time at this stage.
The pedigree of Liverpool’s Champions League always counts in their favor, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they will not be able to rely on a noisy, crowded Anfield this time. Chelsea won their last trip to Anfield in the Premier League earlier this month and Tuchel will believe he has the durability and confidence in his team to win again when they meet in the semi-finals.
Both teams have struggled this season, but Chelsea have now found their form and they look fresh and strong under their new manager. If they meet Liverpool in the semi-finals, Chelsea will have the lead to discuss a rematch of their final victory against Bayern Munich in 2012.
Who qualifies? Chelsea