Real Madrid struggled to get in in the back of a brick wall of a backline in Paris – but they have having no such issues right here proper now.
They’ve got tempo down the wings and Vinicius Junior mainly is inflicting some critical complications for a PSG defence already looking a bit stretched.
Half the world away in Manchester, Sporting are rocking too – but that is much less of a wonder.
Well, are we in for one cracker – or should we get two?
We’re approximately to find out. It’s stay from Madrid and Manchester – and it’s the UEFA Champions League!
Here we move!
Almost time…
20 mins ago 01:25
Madrid v PSG
The teams are approximately to take to the sphere in Madrid and Manchester. The official UEFA Champions League anthem is about to make its conventional fanfare.
Eyes are glued between two video games. Well, this is a lie – if everybody has the choice, it’s clearly to Santiago Bernabeu instead of Etihad Stadium they will be searching.
Kylian Mbappe has received Ligue 1. He has received the World Cup. And – like Lionel Messi, his group-mate – he will in all likelihood win the Champions League in the future too.
But if you want to have a shot at it, he will should see off the club he seems set to call home. It is the stuff of scripting dreams – the destiny king of the Bernabeu, set to strike on the throne he ought to occupy, for an area in records. Tasty does not even cover it.
Fernandinho is about to make his a hundredth Champions League appearance, the forty fourth player overall to reach this milestone and the fourth Brazilian, after Roberto Carlos, Dani Alves and Marcelo. His debut got here returned in September 2006 with Shakhtar Donetsk, over 15 years in the past.
Real Madrid continue to be the undisputed historical kings of Europe, and as recently as 2018, their keep at the Champions League remained fearsome. But they’ve been lacking for three finals at the trot and in spite of their hopes in La Liga, they input this in shape a ways from the favourites.
Against them stands Paris Saint-Germain, spearheaded via guys at opposite ends in their careers and with a Brazilian sandwiched in-between. Kylian Mbappe looks all but set to be the brand new hero of Santiago Bernabeu next time period – but along Los Blancos’ maximum famous enermy Lionel Messi, he will desire to send them packing today.
Throw in Neymar, and it’s far an in reality fearsome aspect that Mauricio Pochettino has up the front. In the Spanish capital, will that be sufficient?
Bar a disintegrate of legendary proportions, their 5-0 first leg win in Portugal means they will be rolling through to join Liverpool – legitimate competitors on numerous fronts now and arguably in better shape – and Bayern. But which other heavyweight will be a part of them too?
But before we dive into the nitty-gritty of modern-day dynamite clashes – properly, one dynamite clash and a foregone conclusion, if we are sincere – let’s have a brief reminder who is already inside the hat for the sector-finals, yes?
Robert Lewandowski nabbed a speedy-fireplace hat-trick as Bayern Munich routed Red Bull Salzburg 7-1 for an eight-2 aggregate win, at the same time as Inter beat Liverpool on their very own turf 1-0 – however without enough to overturn a primary leg loss, because the Reds went through 2-1 on mixture.
That’s of the final 3 European champions already in the blend. It’s going to take a difficult side to topple both of them – but if there may be any who can do it…