Iltalehti analyzes the Champions League quarter-final teams.
Erling Haaland scored five goals against Leipzig. PDO
Real Madrid
The reigning Champions League winner made it to the quarterfinals even with the handbrake on. The Whites settled the pair of matches by bombarding five goals at Anfield Road, and Liverpool was unable to repeat the Istanbul miracle at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday.
Madrid is of course synonymous with the European Cup, but this spring there is no pitcher to present to the goddess Cibeles. Now it is clear that Casemiro sold too early. Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga are still growing up.
Last year, Real Madrid luckily made it to the final in Paris. This time, the bet freezes in the semifinals at the latest.
Spur seam: 15%
Manchester City
Erling Haaland was acquired for the Etihad only with the Champions League in mind. The Norwegian responded to the call by breaking almost all possible records with goal kicks into the Leipzig net.
City is now more balanced and experienced than in previous years. If still Kevin De Bruyne returns to its usual level, it’s hard to see how anyone could stop it.
However, it has been successful in previous years as well.
After the slaughter in Leipzig at the latest, City grabbed the favorite cape for themselves. The biggest opponent seems to be found between the players’ ears.
Spur seam: 22.5%
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Karim Benzema completed Real Madrid’s winning goal against Liverpool on Wednesday. PDO
Naples
In the two previous Champions League seasons, the quarterfinals were played entirely without Italian representatives. Now there are as many as three of them in Friday’s draw.
However, the duo from Milan is just completing the match chart. Napoli, on the other hand, is currently the toughest gang in all of Europe.
Luciano Spalletti the speed machine could skilfully run until the finals, but the Serie A championship celebrations that await in the spring may still confuse the power relations.
Napoli is the choice of football romantics. Unfortunately, the championship usually goes to the cynics.
Spur seam: 20%
Bayern Munich
After the Bavarian giant held Kylian Mbappé and Leo Messi’s with zero for 180 minutes, no one asked about the injured number one Manuel Neuer’s after.
Only a 35-year-old head coach Julian Nagelsmann is the little old man in the futs world, but at some point he too has to pay tuition fees.
Bayern fans hope that the inexperience would not show at least before the final in Istanbul.
Spur seam: 17.5%
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Bayern Munich power forward Éric Maxim Choupo-Moting is sure to cause trouble for future opponents. PDO
Benfica
Whatever happens in the quarterfinals, Benfica is already one of the biggest winners this season. The club sold its two best players (Darwin Nunez and Enzo Fernandez) for a cheeky total price of 250 million.
Nevertheless, it marched lightly into the quarterfinals. Of course, the choice of route was not the most challenging, but who says that the favorable luck of the lottery could not continue?
The quarter-finals have historically meant the final European stop for Kotki. The team’s previous appearance in the semifinals dates back to the spring of 1990.
Then the road led all the way to the final in Vienna. Now such a miracle will not happen.
Spur seam: 7.5%
Chelsea
Siniset is a funny club because it has won the Champions League twice, although neither time was the best team in Europe.
Against that background, this spring could very well be the third time.
That is the only thing that would remotely support Chelsea’s championship. Graham Potter has only gradually learned the names of its players, and at Stamford Bridge one cannot speak of a shared playing philosophy.
Potter admitted on his Chelsea Euro debut that he had never even been in the stands at a Champions League game. Now he just hopes that he will be able to join sometime in the coming years.
Spur seam: 10%
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Napoli’s Victor Osimhen is one of the hottest strikers in Europe. PDO
Inter
The quarter-finals offer a nostalgia trip for the Nerazzurri congregation. 12 years have already passed since Inter’s last time in the top eight.
That’s where the story ends, because it’s hard to see a lottery result that would make it possible Simone Inzaghi even a faint dream of the semi-finals for the group.
If luck doesn’t pit the Milanese clubs against each other.
Spur seam: 2.5%
AC Milan
The Rossoneri half from Milan celebrated the scudetto last spring. The success of the Champions League has to be dug further, because it has been more than ten years since the previous time in the quarter-finals.
Based in Oulu Malick Thiaw gives Finnish color to Milan’s defense line. Unfortunately Hansi Flick will soon take the topper away from Huuhkaj.
Spur seam: 5%