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A bandwagoner's guide to the Champions League quarter-finals

Lionel Messi was at his devastating best against Chelsea. (Photo by Joan Cros Garcia/Corbis via Getty Images)
Roar Pro
31st March, 2018
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With the Champions League quarter-finals set to kick off in under a week, we assess the final eight teams, separating the contenders from the pretenders.

Sevilla
Few predicted that Sevilla would’ve overcome a difficult round of 16 draw against Manchester United, but after a first-leg stalemate they defied the odds to win 2-1 at Old Trafford.

After winning three consecutive Europa League tournaments Sevilla have further proven their European pedigree by making two consecutive appearances in the Champions League knockout stages, but a difficult draw against Bayern Munich could be a stretch too far for Vincenzo Montella and his men.

Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich eased past Besiktas 8-1 on aggregate in the round of 16. Having a 17-point lead over domestic rivals, Bayern will be able to focus all their firepower on claiming the Champions League, a feat they haven’t accomplished since the 2012-13 edition.

Suffering only one defeat in the competition, a 3-0 away defeat to PSG, Bayern will look favourably on this draw and fancy their chances of going all the way in the competition.

Juventus
After a three-minute blitz that saw Juventus seal their progress in a scrappy round of 16 tie with Tottenham, they now face Real Madrid in a replay of last year’s final.

Having won the six previous scudetti at a canter, Juventus face real competition for the title for the first time in recent memory that, in combination with drawing possibly the toughest opponent in Real Madrid, could see Juventus fail to progress past the quarter-finals for the first time since 15-16.

Juventus coach Maxi Allegri

(AFP Photo/Marco Bertorello)

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Real Madrid
Two-time reigning champions Real Madrid are looking for the Champions League to be the sole shining light of their season. Struggling domestically 15 points behind fierce rival Barcelona in third place, Real are hitting form at the right time of the season to once again prove they are a force to be reckoned with on the European scene.

Led by the competition’s top scorer, Cristiano Ronaldo, and fresh from beating Paris Saint-Germain home and away, Real Madrid will be confident of defeating Juventus and making it three Champions League titles in a row.

Barcelona
A 4-1 aggregate win over a disappointing Chelsea in the round of 16 sets up a quarter-final clash between La Liga champions-elect Barcelona and AS Roma. Barcelona are looking to progress past the quarter-final stage for the first time since being champions in 2014-15.

Led by the talismanic Leo Messi, Barca will be pleased with drawing arguably the weakest remaining team and adding the icing on the cake by finishing their season with a domestic and European double.

AS Roma
After beating a gritty Shakhtar Donetsk 2-2 on away goals, Roma find themselves in the quarter-finals for the first time in a decade, their last appearance coming in the 2007-08 season. The last time the two sides met in the Champions League Roma salvaged a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Olimpico, giving them hope of the tie being a competitive affair.

On the domestic scene they find themselves 16 points behind league leaders Juventus, and with only a five-point buffer between them and the Europa league places, you can’t help but feel Roma’s priorities lie elsewhere for the remainder of the season.

Barcelona and France star Ousmane Dembele.

(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

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Liverpool
Competing in the quarter-finals for the first time since 2008-09, Liverpool have so far breezed through the competition and are yet to taste defeat. After easily dispatching Porto 5-0 after a first-leg blitz, Liverpool take confidence into the all-English clash, having been the first and only team to date to defeat Manchester City in the league.

England’s most successful team in European competitions, Liverpool will head into the clash fearless, currently boasting one of the most potent attacking trios in the world. They will be backing their home ability to help guide them deeper in the competition.
Manchester City
The EPL tearaway champions, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City head into the Champions League quarter-finals as the current favourites for the competition. Despite a surprising loss in the home leg against Basel in the round of 16, they progressed 5-2 on aggregate. Semi-finalists in the 15-16 season, Man City’s biggest asset in the tournament this time around is having Guardiola at the helm.

While the league is all but signed, sealed and delivered, Man City have a difficult schedule over the next fortnight, facing cross-town rivals Manchester United in between the two Champions League ties, then Spurs three days after the second leg.

Guardiola, twice a Champions League-winning manager with Barcelona, will provide an electric City with the confidence and experience to overcome Liverpool and claim their first piece of European silverware in late May.

Who will progress to the semi-finals? Who is your tip to take out the competition? Let us know in the comment section below.

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