The spring has arrived to Europe and with it the pinnacle of club football – the season’s peak, that last run of games that decides who’s season is top, and who ends up being a flop. The most attractive, the most exciting and appealing of those matches are, of course, played in the Champions League. Eight of Europe’s best teams battling it out for the most prestigious trophy in club football. With the pairings known for a while now, we knew we’d be in for a treat, but the way it turned out… it’s hard to ask for anything more!
Bayern München – Inter Milan 1:2
Two true giants, heavyweights of European football with quite a bit of history between them, most notoriously, the 2010 final in Madrid in which Inter managed to beat Bayern and lift the trophy.
Both teams on top of their respective league tables came into this one in great form, albeit barred with injuries, especially in Bayern’s case – with big names such as Musiala, Neuer, Davies and Upamecano, all part of the regular starting XI, missing out on the big European clash.
Bayern fans will probably be wondering would it have been any different if all of them were avaliable, as Inter clinically took their chances and earned a big win, ending Bayern’s long unbeaten home streak in the Champions League. The statline correctly suggests that Bayern saw much more of the game, having twice as many shots as Inter (20-10), accumulating more xG (2.30-0.78) and having more big chances (5-1) in the game. But, the goals count and Simone Inzaghi’s Inter are masters of taking what the opponents give them, forgiving nothing and scoring twice to take the big away win.
Certainly, this one is far from over, but in Inzaghi’s head, this definitely is the perfect scenario – defending a one goal lead in front of your home crowd. This will definitely be the biggest test so far for Vincent Kompany’s Bayern München side, who do play an attractive, exciting brand of football, but just seem to lack the cutting edge needed in these big matches. Either way, they have another shot to erase those mistakes next week.
Arsenal – Real Madrid 3:0
As we said earlier in the season, the games that attract the most attention in the Champions League are those involving Real Madrid, the absolute kings of the tournament. Of course their clash against Arsenal couldn’t have been any different, especially given that their season hadn’t quite been going up to plan.
Dropping points in LaLiga, losing matches in the UCL, conceding more goals than usual, but… this is the Champions League. It’s their competition. They always show up. The build-up to the game was intense, the excitement growing and a sensation of some kind of a legacy-defining moment for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. They’ve gone leaps and bounds since the Spaniard took over, but still just fell short against the best opponents. A big, European scalp would definitely help everyone in and around the club and fuel their optimism for the future.
Well… Declan Rice took care of business with not one, but two free-kick wonder goals, the midfielder lit up the Emirates, and when Mikel Merino added the third, it felt like we were witnessing history. The Gunners and Mikel Arteta needed such a huge moment and a big win to take the next step, and there’s no bigger win than beating Real Madrid on a Champions League night.
There are, however, 90 minutes at the Bernabéu yet to be played, a challenge that got the best of the world’s biggest, bravest teams throughout the history…
Paris Saint-Germain – Aston Villa 3:1
This one was a clash of two sides that you might not have expected to see in this stage of the tournament, with all due respect. Their respective league phases were a completely different story, as Aston Villa had a successful campaign and clinched the Top 8 spot, whereas Paris Saint-Germain were not sure of a Top 24 spot before the final matchday.
The turning point of Les Parisiens’ campaign was definitely their big win over the #1 league phase seed, Liverpool, in the Round of 16. They are arguably Europe’s most in-form team, having already clinched the Ligue 1 title, winning games convincingly, banging goals left and right.
On the other side of Luis Enrique’s machine, another Spanish coach leading a team arguably punching above their weight. Unai Emery has a long record of achieving big results in Europe, whether it’s winning three Europa League titles with Sevilla or taking Villarreal to the semifinal of the Champions League.
Paris put Villa under early pressure, seeing much more of the ball and the action, attacking wave after wave. However, when Morgan Rogers capped a wonderfully executed counter-attack, it all started to look like another Unai Emery’s masterclass. Then, PSG’s wizards came out to play. Doué and Kvaratskhelia’s wonder-goals turned things around before the hour, and just as Aston Villa fans were thinking of how they got a decent result ahead of the return leg, Nuno Mendes added another to give PSG a two-goal advantage.
Villa Park has been waiting for nights like these for decades. We have to wait and see if it can add that bit of magic the Villa might need do turn the tie around.
Barcelona – Borussia Dortmund 4:0
The last quarterfinal clash put together two sides that already met in the league phase. Interestingly, Barcelona already met Benfica both in the Round of 16 and in the league phase, and should Bayern progress against Inter, they could repeat three out of three opponents from the league phase.
Same matchup on paper, but it was a very different one in reality – Dortmund went through a managerial change in the meantime and successfully got past two hurdles in the Champions League under Kovač – Sporting CP and Lille.
This one, however, was a completely different beast. #2 seed in the league phase, top of LaLiga, Copa del Rey final and an undefeated run in 2025, Barcelona’s season at the moment is looking as good as their best seasons ever. And that’s exactly the way they looked on Wednesday, putting four past a brave Dortmund side that fought, had their chances, but ultimately couldn’t keep up with Barcelona’s amazing trio, led by Raphinha who’s having an inspired season in the Champions League.
When there’s still football left to be played, there’s still a chance, but given that Barça already went to Dortmund and won this season, BVB would really need more than a miracle.