Arsenal vs. Bayern
Arsenal are having one in every of their finest seasons in latest reminiscence, as they’re on prime of the Premier League, and have reached a UCL quarterfinal for the primary time in over a decade, however Bayern are vulnerable to a stunning trophyless season if they cannot elevate the UCL.
There’s additionally some memorable UCL historical past between these two groups; again in 2017, Bayern famously received every leg of their Spherical of 16 matchup by a rating of 5-1, for an mixture rating of 10-2.
There’s additionally the matchup between Arsenal and Bayern striker Harry Kane, who had spent the earlier 11 seasons of his profession with the Gunners’ North London archrivals, Tottenham. Will Kane devastate his previous foes as soon as extra, or will he stay cursed and permit Arsenal to maintain marching ahead on the search for his or her first-ever UCL title?
Manchester Metropolis vs. Actual Madrid
This matchup has been a semifinal every of the previous two seasons. A yr in the past, Metropolis secured a spot within the remaining with an emphatic house win after drawing in Madrid for the primary leg, and earlier than that, Madrid pulled off a stunning, inconceivable and above all else unforgettable comeback to achieve the 2022 remaining; each groups would go on to win that large subsequent match and elevate the trophy.
It is also arguably a conflict between the world’s finest groups. Madrid have misplaced simply as soon as in league play as they sit comfortably atop the La Liga desk, and whereas Metropolis are in third place within the Premier League, they’ve only recently regained well being, and no person doubts their capacity to make it again to the highest.
This conflict has additionally turn out to be emblematic of the wrestle between traditionally dominant golf equipment, and “new-money” groups rising to the highest. We’ll see which facet finally ends up on prime this time round, however both manner, we needs to be in for one more immediate traditional.
A look forward to the semifinal
The winners of the 2 matchups we have already mentioned are slated to fulfill in a semifinal, making this facet of the bracket by far the stronger and extra attention-grabbing one.
In years previous, the Barcelona-PSG matchup on the opposite facet would have been rife with storylines about Neymar and Lionel Messi’s respective switches between the 2 golf equipment, or the generational conflict between Kylian Mbappé and Messi, however now, solely Mbappé stays in Europe.
On the more durable facet of the bracket, the potential semifinal storylines are large. Bayern vs. Madrid can be a conflict between two of probably the most profitable European golf equipment, Metropolis and Arsenal are presently locked in a dead-even Premier League race, Madrid vs. Arsenal can be the last word David and Goliath story and Metropolis towards Bayern can be a conflict between Pep Guardiola and his previous membership.
This positively brutal path will even throw a wrench into the Premier League race. The largest winner of all won’t be anybody on this competitors; it is second-place Liverpool. The English groups left on this competitors will probably should throw their prime gamers into extraordinarily taxing matchups the remainder of the best way. It’s protected to say that If Metropolis wish to full the treble once more, or if Arsenal wish to get atop Europe for the primary time, it will take every thing they’ve, and it’s going to be fascinating to look at all of it unfold.