Here’s a quick synopsis on this week’s European football fixtures.
Champions League
Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich
A clash of giants, this match-up has been witnessed before in recent years with Bayern Munich then under Pep Guardiola. That time, Pep’s side suffered a big defeat. It ended 6-3 on aggregate, as Madrid managed to score 4 goals in the second leg with Ronaldo adding two to his ludicrous goal tally. Can Bayern earn revenge with recently appointed Jupp Heynckes. Heynckes lead Munich to win a historic Treble in the 2012/2013 season; Including a Champions League trophy win over Borussia Dortmund. Real Madrid will be looking for another place in the final and make it a historic 3 times in a row and add another Champions League title to Ronaldo’s amazing resume.
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid Semi Final Clash to take place on 25th April 2018.
Liverpool vs Roma
This is a tie that Liverpool fans most certainly wished for and it looks like the odds are in their favour. They’re the only team in the semi-final to win both legs, and doing it convincingly against Manchester City where they won a 3-0 and then 2-1. This series of victories has pushed the side to be ranked amongst Europe’s best. However, Roma are no pushovers and if they get to the final, it will not be too much of a surprise. This is the team that put 3 goals past a defensively compact Chelsea side. Let us not forget their performance against Barcelona in the quarterfinals, where they went on to overcome a 3-goal deficit. It will be a nostalgic moment for Mo Salah as Roma is the team he came from before being sold to Liverpool for 34 million. A price tag which looks like small pickings in today’s market especially for a player with 40 goals in all competitions. If Liverpool wins the Champions League could Mo Salah be in serious contention to win the Ballon d’Or?
Europa League
Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid
Wenger has never touched a European trophy in his career, coming close in the 2006 Champions League final against Barcelona. Atletico have won the Europa league previously in 2010 and 2012. Wenger’s side are one of the favourites to win the competition due to the sheer amount of talent in their team. Naturally, this is the first time Arsenal are meeting someone in the competition that is at their level or above them, so it will be a test. Atletico are currently second in La Liga and are most likely assured a place in the Champions League next season. However, Arsenal are sixth in the Premier League and will be in Europa again next year unless they win it all, making the stakes higher for them. Antoine Griezmann and Diego Costa players with world-class abilities could prove to be the deciding factor. Unfortunately, the latter’s appearance for this week’s game is in doubt, amidst injury woes. Despite this, Atletico Madrid still have a strong team and are very defensively resilient under Diego Simeone.
Marseille vs Salzburg
Salzburg only have one defeat in 21 matches in Europe and are currently first in their league with an 8-point lead. Marseille possesses plenty of flair and attacking prowess. In the front lies former West Ham player Dimitri Payet who is known for his wonder free-kicks when he used to play in the Premier League. Moreover, the top scorer in their team for this competition is the Argentinean Lucas Ocampos. Having never won the competition before it will be a first for Marseille and Salzburg. The winner of this game will most likely be the underdogs against Arsenal or Atletico, but in Europe anything is possible.
Overall the match ups are sure to provide a lot of entertainment and hopefully goals. It’s a great chance for all players to step up and once again show what they’re made of.
