As the second legs of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 approaches, four teams will secure their spots in the quarterfinals. Let’s delve into some significant discussion points leading up to the first week of these decisive fixtures.
Tuesday 5 March
Real Sociedad v Paris
Bayern v Lazio
Wednesday 6 March
Manchester City v Copenhagen
Real Madrid v Leipzig
All kick-offs 21:00 CAT, Live on SuperSport
THE DIFFICULT ROUTE
Bayern Munich finds themselves in a precarious situation as they face the possibility of an early exit from the UEFA Champions League round of 16. Despite their consistent presence in the quarterfinals over the past 12 seasons, with only one exception in 2018/19, the German powerhouse is under threat after a 1-0 loss to a formidable Lazio side in the first leg held in Rome.
Lazio, led by manager Maurizio Sarri, aims to secure a spot in the quarterfinals for the first time in 24 years. Bayern, on the other hand, boasts an impressive unbeaten streak of 13 home matches in the Champions League (winning 10 and drawing 3). The Biancocelesti are well aware that they face a significant challenge in order to progress. Sarri acknowledged Bayern’s strength, even praising the performance of the substitutes who entered the match. “Let’s take the victory, with the knowledge that it will be tough in Germany.”Sarri commented, acknowledging the difficulty of the upcoming second leg.
CHALLENGING TASK
Real Sociedad faced a daunting task in the first leg against Paris Saint-Germain, where they held their ground for nearly an hour against the French side’s formidable attacking prowess. Despite their resilience, the quality of the home team eventually prevailed, resulting in goals from Kylian Mbappé and Bradley Barcola. As a result, La Real now requires an extraordinary performance in San Sebastián if they aspire to reach their first European Cup quarterfinal since the 1982/83 season.
The Basque club may find solace in the example set by Newcastle, who harnessed the energy of their passionate home crowd to defeat Paris 4-1 during the group stage. Reflecting on the first leg, coach Imanol Alguacil expressed satisfaction at only conceding two goals, acknowledging that the outcome could have been more unfavorable. Alguacil remains optimistic, stating, “Therefore, I’m happy with only having let in two goals. If we can play like we did in the first half at home, then we will have our opportunities”. Real Sociedad draws inspiration from their earlier display and hopes to capitalize on their home advantage in pursuit of a memorable comeback.
A BONUS OPPORTUNITY
Copenhagen coach Jacob Neestrup gave an honest evaluation, describing the 3-1 defeat to Manchester City as a challenging encounter, with City proving to be superior to their previous group opponents. This result has placed Copenhagen in a difficult position for the upcoming second leg.
However, there is a silver lining as Copenhagen can approach the return leg in England with a sense of freedom, knowing they have nothing to lose. Additionally, they have the opportunity to test themselves against arguably the best team in the world and the current Champions League titleholders. Defender Denis Vavro expressed their intention to aim for a draw or even a victory in the match.
EARLY MOTIVATION
Real Madrid’s Brahim Díaz produced a remarkable moment in the tight first leg against Leipzig in Germany. Substituting for the injured Jude Bellingham, the Spanish winger showcased his skills by evading three defenders and delivering a sublime curling shot into the far post, securing the game’s only goal shortly after halftime.
While Leipzig undoubtedly felt the impact of Díaz’s strike, they can draw encouragement from the fact that they matched Real Madrid for the remainder of the match. With their hopes of causing an upset still alive, they now look forward to the second leg at the Bernabéu. Forward Benjamin Šeško expressed satisfaction with their overall performance, stating, “We played really well and showed we have a lot of quality,” said forward Benjamin Šeško. “It just didn’t work out. Hopefully, it’s going to be better in the second game.”
LARGER LEAD
Arsenal will strive to reverse a 1-0 deficit from the first leg against Porto when they face off in London on 12 March, with the goal of reaching the quarterfinals for the first time since 2009/10.
The outcome of Atlético de Madrid’s match against Inter hangs in the balance, as Inter emerged victorious with a 1-0 win in the initial clash held in Milan. The return leg at the Estadio Metropolitano is scheduled for 13 March.
The victorious teams from all eight ties will eagerly await the quarterfinal draw, which is set to take place on 15 March.