UEFA Champions League play resumes this week with a batch of exciting quarterfinal matchups, each of them likely to pose new challenges to a group of heavy-hitters eager to inch closer to the May 31 final at Budapest’s Puskas Arena.
Four of the last six Champions League-winning teams are still in the competition, but will have to face each other to win a spot in the semifinals, with the focus firstly on Bayern Munich’s trip to Real Madrid. Harry Kane made the trip to Spain, though his availability is unclear after picking up an injury during the international break with England, but Bayern will still be favored against an inconsistent Madrid. Los Blancos are coming off their fifth loss in 18 games since Alvaro Arbeloa took over as the head coach, and even after they pummeled Manchester City in the round of 16, they will be in desperate need of a reset against Bayern on Tuesday, no matter how unlikely it might be.
Liverpool travel to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday in a matchup with similar themes, PSG hitting their stride at the right time while the Reds come off a 4-0 pounding by Manchester City in the FA Cup. The action is rounded out by Barcelona’s clash with Atletico Madrid, their fifth of six meetings this season, which comes weeks after a thrilling two-legged series in the Copa del Rey that Atleti won 4-3 on aggregate, and a dominant performance on Saturday where Barcelona won 2-1 in LaLiga. Then there’s Arsenal’s visit to Sporting Lisbon. The Gunners remain the favorites to win the competition, but enter the fixture after back-to-back losses, the first time they have suffered such a fate all season long.
Here’s what the CBS Sports team is predicting ahead of a compelling week of matches.
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Champions League quarterfinal matches
Should Arsenal be worried after FA Cup, EFL Cup losses?
Not yet — Arsenal may have had a rough few weeks, but the Champions League quarterfinals offer a perfect opportunity to return to winning ways. Their tie against Sporting is the greatest mismatch of the round, the Gunners boasting full ability to outdo their opponents and book a straightforward passageway to the semifinals. The onus is on the north London side to deliver, and there is no reason to doubt they will. If they don’t, though, it is well and truly time to panic. — Pardeep Cattry
Yes — The side coached by Mikel Arteta still holds an advantage in the Premier League and has reached the quarter finals of the UEFA Champions League, but for the first time this season, signs of vulnerability are beginning to emerge. Arsenal remain favorites against Sporting CP and are widely expected to progress, yet this tie could prove pivotal, not only for their European campaign but also for maintaining momentum in their domestic title ambitions. — Francesco Porzio
Technically — Not yet is the correct answer here because I don’t think that this Arsenal team struggles much in this round facing Sporting CP, but given their performances against top sides as of late, it’s tough to see how they’d get past a team like Bayern Munich. When winning the Champions League is the goal, you need a top gear, and the Gunners haven’t been able to find theirs in weeks now, seeing chances at two trophies slip away in the process. — Chuck Booth
Best equipped to win it all: Bayern Munich or Real Madrid?
Bayern Munich — Real Madrid are not to be underestimated, but if there is one team that looks like the finished product, it is Bayern Munich. Vincent Kompany has built a team that’s well-organized in defense and wastes no time in attack, so much so that they are one goal shy of the Bundesliga’s single-season goalscoring record after notching their 100th tally of the season on Saturday. The best part for Kompany is that they can manage without Harry Kane if need be. The England international traveled to Madrid, but his availability is still a question, though Michael Olise and Lennart Karl are in the midst of breakout seasons, and Luis Diaz has slotted in nicely after his summertime move. Those are the makings of a Champions League contender, without a doubt. — Pardeep Cattry
Bayern Munich — I consider the German giants as one of the best teams, if not the best, this season, and they are my leading candidate to win the final. Even if their road to the final is definitely challenging, as they will meet Real Madrid in the quarterfinals and then the winner of the tie between PSG and Liverpool, they have the potential and the talent to win it all. — Francesco Porzio
Bayern Munich — If Thiabut Courtois was healthy, this may be a different story, but it’s hard to bet against this version of Bayern Munich. It’s still a toss-up between the squads, but Andriy Lunin is such a downgrade in an already porous Real Madrid defense that Bayern will make them pay if this is a game is close late. All signs point to Bayern winning the entire competition, and even if they’ll need to go through Real Madrid to do it, Vincent Kompany has a plan. — Chuck Booth
Game of the week
Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich: No matter which version of Real Madrid show up, Los Blancos are appointment viewing in large part because it is hard to know whether or not they will rise to the challenge. They are unpredictable on good days and bad, their star-studded squad sometimes able to outdo their tactical imbalance and other times are fully overwhelmed by it. If that’s not must-see TV, I’m not sure what is. — Pardeep Cattry
Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid: The two Spanish sides are set to meet again following last weekend’s away victory for Barcelona, and they have already delivered some of the most thrilling matches of the season. That includes their dramatic two-legged semifinal, when Diego Simeone’s team won 4–0 in the first leg in Madrid before losing 3–0 at the Spotify Camp Nou. We can expect another high-intensity clash filled with goals and drama in the coming week.— Francesco Porzio
PSG vs. Liverpool: I can’t take my eyes off the Parisians. When you get to this level, every match is watchable, but Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and the Mohamed Salah goodbye tour? That’s great theater and neither team is overly interested in playing defense, which will set us up for true end-to-end stuff. — Chuck Booth
