UCL Quarter Finals Preview: Games To Look Out For
Draws have been concluded for the quarter-final stage of the 2023/2024 UEFA Champions League, and each fixture is worthy of anticipation. Arsenal pair Bayern Munich, Atletico play Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid meet Manchester City, and Paris Saint Germain tie Barcelona. Both legs have been scheduled for April 9/10 and 16/17, and fans are looking forward to seeing these matches. Whilst all the fixtures are worthy of anticipation, there is a euphoria around two of these encounters. The first is the game between Real Madrid and Manchester City, and the second is the encounter between Barcelona and PSG.
Real Madrid CF vs Manchester City FC
Real Madrid are 14-time UCL champions and have been paired with defending champions Manchester City in what is undoubtedly one of the best fixtures of this round. Despite only recently winning their first ever UEFA Champions League title, they’ve always proven to be a stubborn side when they face Los Blancos. It was an awful sight for Carlo Ancelotti last season as he watched his team fall to a 4-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium after drawing the first leg of the semi-finals at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.Â
Interestingly, both teams also met in the 2021/22 semi-finals, with Real Madrid making their way to the finals and winning the title. It’s a similar scenario for the Pep Guardiola-led side last season, beating the Santiago Bernabeu outfit in the semi-finals and ending up winning the title. The two teams are arguably the best sides in this year’s edition, and we could witness a repeat of the two previous years where the winner of the clash between the two sides ends up winning the title.
The outcome of this encounter is of interest to both fans and bettors. The top bookies have already provided odds for the first leg of the encounter. Of course, we expect an even game, but Rhinobet has slightly backed Man City as favourites. You could also opt-in to play live betting on the night instead of wagering before the game. This allows you to make your decisions based on the actions in the game.
Paris Saint Germain vs FC Barcelona
The talks of the ‘la Remontada‘ will always be a topic for discussion when these two sides meet. The match saw the biggest comeback in UEFA Champions League history, which is why it’s one of our picks to look out for in the 2023/24 edition quarterfinals. After Barcelona’s 6-1 historic comeback victory in the 2016/17 season following a 4-0 loss in the first leg, both teams met again in the 2020/21 round of 16 clash. Kylian Mbappe avenged the previous defeat, netting three goals at the Camp Nou and ending the chances of the Catalans advancing to the next round.Â
Since that defeat to PSG in the 2020/21 Champions League campaign, 5-time champions Barcelona have failed to get past the group stages. It has been a turn of events this season for Barcelona as they go closer to winning another UCL title since the last one from the 2014/15 season. However, they must first pass the hurdle from PSG. The French side is also eyeing glory, trying to win the competition for the first time. The closest the Parisians have ever come to winning the Champions League was in 2019/20 when they made the final but lost to FC Bayern Munich.Â
Now, like Barcelona, they have a chance once again and having a player like Mpabbe is a plus for Luis Enrique. Barcelona is without Messi at this time, the first time they will be without him in a quarter-final encounter. However, they have Robert Lewandowski and other exciting young players, making the fixture one not to miss.
