PSG vs Liverpool: The blockbuster is detonated
Liverpool will return to Paris for the first time since losing to Real Madrid in the 2022 Champions League final. The match between them and PSG was no different from a blockbuster in the round of 16. This is certainly the biggest challenge for Arne Slot and his team since the beginning of the season.
Liverpool have led the qualifying round with overwhelming form. However, they did not benefit at all from that achievement. It is only seen that even if the "Red Brigade" won all the qualifying rounds, the fateful draw still forced them to face PSG in the next match.
PSG this year has emerged as one of the strongest teams as they have just completed the play-off round with a 10-0 victory after 2 matches against Brest. The bravery of Luis Enrique's team has also been trained this season when they have been resilient to qualify. One of the points that is beneficial for PSG is that Liverpool have no rest. The Premier League representative just had to play Aston Villa at Villa Park because the tournament organizers wanted to push up the match schedule early to avoid coinciding with the League Cup final.
Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid: The next challenge for the European king
Atletico Madrid fans will probably still remember the two finals in 2014 and 2016. Sergio Ramos' last-minute header in 2014 and a thrilling turnover in 2016 defeated Atletico in the final stand, preventing them from winning the Champions League for the first time. In addition, those were 2 out of 4 seasons Real directly took Atletico out of the game.
Leaving behind many difficulties in the qualifying round, Real Madrid has completely changed their appearance in the play-off match against Manchester City. Kylian Mbappe's hat-trick was the most fearsome challenge for any remaining team in the Champions League. Once Carlo Ancelotti has found balance with his superb attacking quartet, he can completely make up for it.
Real Madrid have a squad of top stars, Atletico Madrid is not too inferior. Spending nearly 200 million Euros in the summer transfer window of 2024 has created a huge boost for Diego Simeone's team. This season, along with Barcelona, Real Madrid are having a hard time against Atletico Madrid in the La Liga race. The proof is that in the most recent Madrid Derby, Los Blancos could not beat their arch-rivals in the same city.
PSV faces Arsenal: Wherever it rains, the faces will be cool
PSV Eindhoven is Arsenal's familiar opponent in the 1/8 round of the Champions League. They have met 10 times in the past and in the last 3 seasons, the two teams have met every year.
In terms of form and star players in the current squad, Arsenal are considered to be better than PSV. If they win this match against the representative from the Netherlands, the "Gunners" will face one of two Madrid teams, names with superior experience compared to The Gunners in this playground. Going further, if they reach the semi-finals, Arsenal could be Liverpool or PSG in the immediate future.
Arsenal have never won the Champions League and have only reached the final once throughout the tournament's era. If they want to end their thirst for major titles, perhaps Mikel Arteta and his team should focus on the Premier League instead of the Champions League. With The Gunners in the European playground at the moment, wherever it rains, they cannot calculate the current level and force.
Club Brugge vs Aston Villa: Horses are transformed into battle horses
Not many people believe that Aston Villa can end the qualifying round with a position in the Top 8. This is as surprising as Brugge's ability to beat Atalanta to qualify for the play-off round.
This past winter, Unai Emery has had very good additions, especially the attacking pair Marcus Rashford - Marco Asensio. Therefore, Villa is ready to truly become a formidable opponent in the quarter-finals for any opponent.
The two teams met in the qualifying round when Brugge won by a minimum at home. It was a very deadlocked evening for Aston Villa with only 1 shot on target. Center back Tyrone Mings made a silly mistake that led to a goal. This time, after gaining experience from failure, Emery and his students will be more vigilant.
As for Club Brugge, although they finished in 24th place in the qualifying round, in the play-off round, they fell into the net of their opponents with 5 goals after 2 matches. Vanaken, ferran Jutgla, Chemsdine Talbi and Christos Tzolis all pose significant threats up front. They promise to make Aston Villa's defense have many changes.
