Champions League: Quarter-finals review

• We look at the lessons we took away from the second legs of the Champions League quarterfinals.

We look at the lessons we took away from the second legs of the Champions League quarterfinals, which included the English outcasts having amazing nights, the Premier League‘s annihilation, and the question of whether the football gods are starting to write a masterpiece.

Premier League teams out of Europe

Arsenal are out of the Champions League. Photo/ Yardbarker.

Three of the previous five Champions League champions have come from England thanks to the Premier League’s financial might, making English teams a major power in Europe at the moment. At least one English side has participated in five of the last six finals; all-Premier League competitions will take place in 2019 and 2021.

Just the second time since 2017–18, though, there won’t be any Premier League teams in the Champions League semifinals. Although they were both small favorites going into their quarterfinal matches, Manchester City and Arsenal both lost in the last eight.

Real Madrid defeated Manchester City on penalties, ending Pep Guardiola’s chances of a back-to-back treble. The Spanish team survived a storm from the holders to win in a shootout. After a lackluster showing in the second leg, Arsenal, on the other hand, lacked the European expertise necessary to defeat Bayern Munich.

Europe will be relieved to see the English teams go, since clubs there have grown uneasy about the increasing financial disparity between the Premier League and other leagues. The eliminations also portend badly for England’s chances of earning a spot in the competition the following season. England is presently behind Germany in the coefficient standings.

Ex-Prem players wreck havoc

Jadon Sancho and Maatsen. Photo/ Football365

There were triumphs for underappreciated Premier League players in a week that saw England’s elite teams beaten from the Champions League.

Eric Dier, who was rejected by Tottenham earlier in the season, will now play in a glamorous semifinal match against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, two clubs that have combined for 20 Champions League titles. The defender, a January surprise arrival, was outstanding in the 1-0 victory over Arsenal and relished the opportunity to play against his former team’s north London rivals.

In other news, Ian Maatsen and Jadon Sancho are loving their football at Borussia Dortmund after being shunned at Manchester United and Chelsea, respectively, while Vitinha has become a key player in PSG’s quest for European glory following a lackluster stint at Wolves in 2020–21. For each of them, the Champions League semifinals are on the horizon.

Is Harry Kane’s trophy curse ending?

Harry Kane. Photo/ ESPN.

This season, the Champions League quarterfinals are the German giants’ last chance for trophy, and Bayern Munich survived by defeating Arsenal to keep their season alive. Bayern had minimal margin for mistake against Arsenal and responded with an effective performance to eliminate the north London team, having already lost the Bundesliga crown to Bayer Leverkusen.

Harry Kane’s quest for honors may be coming to an end with the 1-0 victory. Despite Kane’s lackluster club trophy history, the social media taunts directed towards the England captain might make him feel uncomfortable even in a neutral role among the world’s best footballers.

With 39 goals in all competitions this season, he has improved his reputation at Bayern following a deal intended to elevate the striker to the top levels. Few things are more important than playing Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals.

Will it be Mbappe vs Madrid in the final?

Kylian Mbappe against Real Madrid in a past match. Photo/ Foot11

Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappe are eager to keep their highly anticipated transfer to one another a secret while they are still in the running for the Champions League, therefore the transaction has not yet been formally disclosed. As it happens, after moving to opposing sides of the semi-final draw, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid may face off in the championship game.

The possibility of Mbappe playing his farewell match while wearing a Paris Saint-Germain shirt in a Champions League final against the side he will sign with in the summer has been discussed. A scriptwriter’s dream come true when you include the supporting story of PSG’s pursuit of an elusive European championship and a possible triple this season.

Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will try to throw a wrench in the works when they play each other again in the 2013 Der Klassiker Champions League final.