The 2023-24 UEFA Champions League has eight competitors. The draw for the final eight is complete, and the matches are officially set. The tournament will proceed on April 9th, and the final will occur on June 1st at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
Atlético Madrid pulled off an upset earlier this week by eliminating tournament favorites Inter Milan. Barcelona solidified themselves as the tournament's possible dark horse, while Arsenal managed to get through the Round of 16 for the first time since the 2009-10 Champions League tournament. Manchester City easily cruised into the final eight, while the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are huffing and puffing after fighting tooth and nail against RB Leipzig and Real Sociedad, respectively. Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund easily took care of business in their second-leg matches after a disappointing result in their first-leg, respectively.
Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona. There's a history between the two clubs in the Champions League. In the 2016-17 tournament, the two met in the Round of 16, with PSG winning the first leg 4-0 and Barcelona winning 6-1 in the second, resulting in Les Parisiens being eliminated 6-5 on aggregate. In the 2020-21 edition, they met again in the Round of 16, with Kylian Mbappé scoring a hat-trick in the first leg in a 4-1 win for PSG. Les Parisiens went on to advance to the final eight.
Barcelona has to be favored in this one. PSG's potentially dangerous attack may prove otherwise, but Barcelona's defense may be more than a worthy threat. PSG's defense is up against a Barcelona attack that can't be taken lightly. PSG manager Luis Enrique has used questionable tactics lately, and the team has not been doing that well.
Barcelona is on a roll after eliminating Napoli in the Round of 16. After losing to Real Madrid in the Supercopa de España final and being eliminated from the Copa del Rey, Barcelona have a chip on their shoulder, and they're determined to prove themselves as a team making progress in their rebuild. Convincingly eliminating PSG would be beneficial.
Bayern Munich vs. Arsenal. Seven years ago, the two met in the Round of 16, and Bayern Munich won both games 5-1, resulting in a 10-2 aggregate deficit for the Gunners. Arsenal has not made it this far for nearly a decade and a half. The Gunners barely made it past Porto, so hopefully, they learned their lesson about underestimating their opponent.
Bayern Munich's Champions League history of accomplishments is unique. Die Bayern have had some decent moments since their last UCL title triumph four years ago, but they've been mostly unfortunate since. Bayern Munich is known for making an example of any club that takes them lightly.
What's interesting about this match-up is that Harry Kane is partaking in it. Kane has quite a history against Arsenal, scoring 14 goals against the Gunners in 19 matches. The 30-year-old English striker could be a significant difference-maker for Die Bayern, but he should not have to carry the team. Arsenal has plenty of talent in their lineup, and the Gunners can get it done, but it won't be a walk in the park. The same goes for Die Bayern.
Atlético Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund. Both clubs have a chip on their shoulder. Atlético are trying to overcome the fact that they've been to the finals three times and lost. Ten years ago, they made the final for the first time in 40 years and lost in a humiliating fashion. Both times to cross-town rivals Real Madrid. Until Atlético hoist their first UCL title, their past shortcomings will haunt them.
Borussia Dortmund's last UCL triumph was in 1997. Eleven years ago, Dortmund was the runners-up. Since reaching the final in 2013, Dortmund has not reached the semifinals. Since 2014, they've made it through the UCL group stage seven times, reaching the quarterfinals at least three times. The club has had its fair share of ups and downs in the past ten years, and it's looking to prove itself as a legitimate contender.
Atlético is favored in this one, but Dortmund can give Atlético more than a run for their money. Both clubs have a tremendous amount of talent. This match-up is up for grabs. In other words, surprises may happen in this one.
Real Madrid vs Manchester City. These clubs have gone to war in the knockout stage in the last two years. In 2022, Real Madrid pulled off perhaps the greatest UCL comeback in the semifinals to erase a 5-3 aggregate deficit in the closing minutes of the second leg, going to win 6-5 after extra time. Los Blancos went on to win their 14th Champions League.
Manchester City achieved redemption in last year's semifinal rematch with Real Madrid. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Manchester City dominated the second leg with a 4-0 final score. Manchester City went on to win their first UCL title.
Real Madrid is at a disadvantage in this one. The injuries have been a problem, as well as a few inconsistencies. Defense is a cause for concern for Los Blancos, which gives Manchester City a massive advantage. Luckily, Andriy Lunin has been doing well in the goalie position for Los Blancos. Lunin will face his biggest challenge when he squares off against Manchester City's Erling Haaland and Phil Foden, along with several offensive threats. Midfield needs to step it up for Real Madrid. Vini Jr. can be the goal-scoring difference maker, but he'll need the midfield to do their part so he can do his.
Manchester City is licking its chops. Right now, it's in a position to come from behind and retain the Premier League title. In addition, it can retain the FA Cup and may retain its UCL title. Manchester City is just that good. However, it's about time that it faced some real competition in this season's UCL.
Real Madrid are determined to win their 15th UCL title. Los Blancos have had the odds stacked against them before, and they've pulled through. The same goes for Manchester City. Perhaps Real Madrid are also licking their chops.
The fun and games are over. Now that the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League is deep in the knockout stage, the level of seriousness is crucial. What started as 32 competitors is down to 8. Three of the remaining competitors have never won the title before, but they've each been very close before. Nobody has been anywhere near as successful as Real Madrid.
Arsenal has to be the most driven to win. They have a chance of winning their first UCL title, and winning it in London would be a special moment in the club's history. PSG and Atlético are still waiting and wondering. Out of the three, Arsenal has the most to lose.
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