The majority of the expected teams advanced to the quarter-finals after overcoming some difficult matches in both legs of the Round of 16. As per the draw, the quarter-final matchups between Real Madrid and Chelsea will be the most entertaining. Chelsea are the current European champion, whereas Real Madrid are one of Europe’s traditional powerhouses. The remainder of the quarter-final matches will be enthralling as well. Let’s have a look at the teams with the best possibilities of reaching the UEFA Champions League 2022 quarter-finals.
2022 Champions League: Quarter-Finals Fixtures and Favourites
The first quarter-final matches of the UEFA Champions League 2022 will take place on April 5 and 6. This knockout round’s second tie will be staged on April 12 and 13, respectively. Eight matches will be played in the quarter-final phase, with the winners determined by the aggregate goals scored. If the aggregate goals aren’t enough to determine the winner, a penalty shootout will be held. Let’s have a look at the favorites to reach the UEFA Champions League 2022 semi-finals.
Benfica vs Liverpool
First Leg Fixture: Wednesday (April 6/1 a.m.) | Venue: Estadio da Luz
Second Leg Fixture: Thursday (April 14/1 a.m.) | Venue: Anfield
Liverpool had a tough fight against Inter Milan in the Round of 16 fixtures. They eventually came out as winners, with a 2-1 aggregate. On the other hand, Benfica overcame Ajax in the last round. Liverpool have a better squad and higher-quality players than Benfica. That is why Liverpool will start as favorites in their quarter-final ties.
Verdict: Liverpool
Manchester City vs Atletico Madrid
First Leg Fixture: Wednesday (April 6/1 a.m.) | Venue: Etihad Stadium
Second Leg Fixture: Thursday (April 14/1 a.m.) | Venue: Wanda Metropolitano Stadium
Manchester City thrashed Sporting CP in the Round of 16 with a resounding victory. On the other side, Atletico Madrid fought hard to defeat Manchester United and proceed to the quarter-finals. Manchester City will start as the favourites in the quarter-final match against Atletico Madrid. Oppositely, Atletico Madrid have the potential to upset Manchester City if they can formulate an effective plan.
Verdict: Manchester City.
Villarreal vs Bayern Munich
First Leg Fixture: Thursday (April 7/1 a.m.) | Venue: El Madrigal
Second Leg Fixture: Wednesday (April 13/1 a.m.) | Venue: Allianz Arena
Villarreal won 4-1 on aggregate against Juventus in the Round of 16 of the Champions League. Villarreal’s quarter-final opponent, Bayern Munich were merciless against Red Bull Salzburg in the previous round. Though Villarreal will give Bayern Munich a strong fight, the Bavarians will be the favourites to proceed to the semi-finals.
Verdict: Bayern Munich.
Chelsea vs Real Madrid
First Leg Fixture: Thursday (April 7/1 a.m.) | Venue: Stamford Bridge
Second Leg Fixture: Wednesday (April 13/1 a.m.) | Venue: Santiago Bernabeu
Both Chelsea and Real Madrid have some genuine world-class players. So there will be no clear favorites in these quarter-final matches. Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti will use their own strategies to attempt to stop each other. Therefore it could be a tactical match. Whoever execute their game plan well has the best chance of making it to the semifinals.
Verdict: Chelsea.
Bottom Line
One thing is clear after the quarter-finals: players from squads with good teamwork are more likely to do well in this event. As a result, the best eight teams from the Round of 16 have advanced to the quarter-finals. Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and Chelsea are among them. With the exception of Chelsea, the rest of the clubs will be in a better position to proceed to the semi-finals in their respective quarter-final matches. Chelsea must defeat Real Madrid to advance to the semi-finals, which will be a challenging task. On the whole, it is expected that the UEFA Champions League 2022 quarter-finals will be fascinating.
Source: United News of Bangladesh