Bayern Munich and Chelsea to reach the final?

Pep Guardiola and Manchester City have a daunting path to the club’s first Champions League final after the draw for the quarter-finals and semi-finals put Premier League leaders Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich and Paris Saint winners -Germain.

With UEFA planning its way to the Istanbul final by drawing for the quarter-finals and semi-finals, the prospect of Liverpool repeating their 2005 Champions League success at Ataturk Stadium depends on Jurgen Klopp’s side defeating Real Madrid in the last eight. face the winners of the Chelsea-Porto tie. Before winning the Champions League in 2005, Liverpool defeated Chelsea in the semi-finals with Luis Garcia’s infamous “ghost goal”.

– UCL draw: Real Madrid vs. Liverpool, Bayern Vs. PSG
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The draw also keeps a completely English final in perspective, being possible a clash at the box office between Real and Bayern.

With the route to Istanbul now clear, ESPN has tried to predict how the final rounds will be formed – and who will meet in the May 29 final.

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While Manchester City will be a strong favorite to progress to a Dortmund team outside the top four in the German Bundesliga, all could go terribly wrong for Pep Guardiola’s side if they fail to undo Erling Haaland’s threat.

The 20-year-old, whose father Alfie played for City between 2000-03, is a major summer target for Guardiola, but at the moment, he is the biggest threat to City’s prospects of reaching the semifinals. Haaland is the top scorer in the competition this season, with 10 goals and will be upset when he faces City, but Dortmund also has the attacking talents of former youngster Jadon Sancho to worry Guardiola and his players.

Dortmund’s weakness is behind them, as they have scored nine goals this season in competition. City, meanwhile, allowed just one goal in eight Champions League games: a 14-minute goal in City’s 3-1 win over Porto in October. But as impressive as City was, they did not face a Haaland-style striker during a light run to the quarterfinals, so the tie is less clear than it would seem on paper.

The city’s general power, like Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling, should see them progress, but Haaland could return the tie.

Who qualifies? the city of Manchester

Although Porto shocked Juventus in the last round to reach the quarterfinals, the two-time Champions League winners were the team the other seven clubs wanted to draw.

Coach Sergio Conceicao has built a tough and underrated team at the Estadio do Dragao, Pepe, 38, is organizing his defense in a remarkable way against Juve. Sergio Oliveira’s midfield threat will worry Chelsea, but Thomas Tuchel’s team has changed since the German coach replaced Frank Lampard in January, remaining undefeated in 13 games (all competitions). Their impressive quarter-final wins against Atletico Madrid have also highlighted their emergence as a dangerous outsider in this season’s competition.

– Laurens: How Tuchel turned Chelsea

Tuchel organized Chelsea’s defense and starts to get the best out of Kai Havertz. Timo Werner is another player who starts playing under Tuchel after fighting Lampard.

While Porto have the ability and the coach to make life difficult for Chelsea and push them to the end, it is hard to see beyond the English club.

Who qualifies? Chelsea

A replay of last season’s final, which was won by Bayern in Lisbon, undoubtedly sees the two favorites for this year’s competition go head to head again.

Bayern have surpassed all other clubs this season by 24 goals in eight games so far, but Hansi Flick’s side have shown vulnerability in the Bundesliga by losing twice – to Borussia Monchengladbach and Eintracht Frankfurt – in 2021. PSG have struggled and for their usual winning form, with Mauricio Pochettino’s team in an unknown second place in Ligue 1 behind leaders Lille. However, the elimination of Barcelona from the eighth was a major psychological obstacle eliminated by PSG due to their previous weaknesses against the elite European clubs, and the confrontation with Bayern again came at a good time for the French team.

If Neymar can return to full fitness in time after a long time with a thigh injury, he and Kylian Mbappe could bring down Bayern. But at the moment, Bayern seem most likely to reach first place in the closest of the four draws.

Who qualifies? Bayern Munich

It is a rehearsal of the Champions League finals in 1981 and 2018, but also a clash between two teams that fought for form this season. Mohamed Salah’s reunion with Sergio Ramos for the first time since the Liverpool striker was injured by the Madrid captain in the 2018 final will be a fascinating subplot for this tie, but the result is likely to be decided by which team defends best .

Liverpool’s defensive crisis caused by the long-term injuries of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez destabilized Klopp’s team, while the absence of captain Jordan Henderson in midfield also affected the results. However, Real scored goals all season, with Zinedine Zidane’s side conceding 10 in eight Champions League matches. Liverpool, despite their problems, have allowed only three goals in competition this season.

The prospect of connections to Alfredo Di Stefano’s small Real stadium from the club’s training ground and to the second leg on an empty Anfield will also have an impact, as both sides can usually rely on formidable support at home. From behind. the stages of the Champions League.

This is a link between an aging Real and an injured Liverpool, but if Salah and Sadio Mane are fit, Liverpool will win.

Who qualifies? Liverpool

SEMIFINAL PREVIEW

Bayern Munich vs. Man City: If the quarterfinals go as planned, there will be a confrontation between Bayern and City in the semifinals, and City landed again with the toughest possible route to the final.

Pep Guardiola has spent three years at Bayern trying, and failing, to win the Champions League and it will be 10 years since he last led a team to European glory after Barcelona’s win over Manchester United at Wembley in 2011. City, of course , have never won the Champions League and have not reached the final, and despite the incredible success they have achieved at the Etihad since arriving in 2016, they continue to look forward to glory in the biggest competition.

In terms of the quality of the teams and teams, there is a small difference between City and Bayern, although the pedigree of the German club in the Champions League gives them the advantage. They were there and City did not, which matters in the final stages, City does not have the psychological strength to beat a lower Lyon team in the quarterfinals last year.

The only area that could prove decisive. With Sergio Aguero battling for fitness all season, City lacked a reliable striker. Gabriel Jesus was simply not a substitute. Meanwhile, Bayern have Robert Lewandowski, and the reliability of the Polish international means that the reigning European champions are favored to reach the final.

Who qualifies? Bayern Munich

Liverpool Vs. Chelsea: This Premier League clash turned into a Champions League clash in the 2000s, with Liverpool twice defeating the London club in the semi-finals in 2005 and 2007, before finally losing a third in 2008. will overtake Real and Chelsea will stop at Porto, they could meet again at this stage for the fourth time.

The Champions League pedigree in Liverpool always counts in their favor, but it will not be possible to rely on a noisy and full Anfield this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chelsea won their last outing at Anfield in the Premier League earlier this month and Tuchel will believe he has the endurance and confidence in his team to win again if they meet in the semi-finals.

Both teams have had fights this season, but Chelsea have now found their form and look fresh and strong under their new manager. If they meet Liverpool in the semi-finals, Chelsea will have the advantage of reserving a rematch of the 2012 final victory against Bayern Munich.

Who qualifies? Chelsea