The 2015-16 UEFA Champions League is back in action as the tournament pushes towards the semifinals. Eight teams are in contention for the trophy, but only four can advance to the next stage.
The Quarterfinal Matches:
Tuesday:
Real Madrid vs. Wolfsburg
Manchester City vs. Paris Saint-Germain
Wednesday:
Benfica vs. Bayern Munich
Atlético Madrid vs. Barcelona
Game-by-game breakdown
Real Madrid vs. Wolfsburg
Real Madrid enters the match after losing 2-0 in the opening leg, meaning the squad will have to overturn a two-goal deficit to advance to the next stage. Real came into the first leg after a strong performance against La Liga rival Barcelona—winning 2-1 away at Camp Nou—but they followed that up with the dud against Wolfsburg. Now the team has the chance to turn things around with a strong performance at home.
Cristiano Ronaldo is always the player to watch for Real, but for this match, Karim Benzema can make a big impact for his club. The forward suffered a knee injury in the opening leg against Wolfsburg, but he is fit for the match on Tuesday. Wolfsburg has a tough task in Madrid, but players like Julian Draxler and Andre Schurrle give the team a good chance to hold their lead. An exit in the quarters would be a disappointment for Real after making it to the semifinal last season.
.@VfLWolfsburg_EN have won all four ties in UEFA competition in which they won the home first leg. A good omen? #UCLpic.twitter.com/NVPRIdCkgf
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 12, 2016
Manchester City vs. Paris Saint-Germain
Both Manchester City and PSG have a lot riding on this match. Neither team has ever advanced to the semifinals in the Champions League, and both sides have a lot of expectations (and money) invested in their current rosters. Getting eliminated now could mean some uncertain futures for players and coaches on each side.
The teams are tied 2-2 on aggregate coming into the second leg after opening things in Paris. Manchester City has the advantage of being at home, but they will be without two of their most dominant players in the massive Vincent Kompany and the shifty Raheem Sterling. The Sky Blues don’t need much to advance—0-0 or 1-1 draw will do—but getting it done without two star players could be difficult. On a positive note, manager Manuel Pellegrini said he expects Nicolas Otamendi to play after suffering an ankle injury last week.
The City of Manchester Stadium looks #GameReady...#UCLpic.twitter.com/NqxKMTkxdC
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 12, 2016
Stay tuned for analysis of Wednesday's matches.
