On Wednesday, March 18, the world will find out all the UEFA Champions League quarter-finalists. The four teams that secured their spots yesterday will be joined by four more winners. Can Newcastle shock Camp Nou? Should we expect a comeback from Liverpool? And is there any intrigue left in Munich and London at all? Let’s break it down together with the TipsGG analysts team in our traditional digest.
Barcelona vs Newcastle United
The first leg at St James’ Park left Barcelona with a result they can be reasonably happy with (1:1). Lamine Yamal’s converted penalty made it a draw in the end, but in terms of overall play, Newcastle looked significantly stronger. Quick wing play, aggressive pressing and the desire to get a result in front of their own fans – that’s what powered the Magpies.
Over the weekend, the Catalans played a home La Liga match against Sevilla. A fixture that on paper didn’t promise much resistance given the visitors’ form turned out to be exactly that (5:2). Two quick penalties from Raphinha killed off any intrigue early, and after the break Hansi Flick began rotating the squad to preserve energy for key players. Barcelona currently sit top of the table, four points clear of Real Madrid.
Rotation in the attacking department helped Newcastle secure an away win over Chelsea (1:0). This was quite an unexpected success, considering the Londoners are fighting for a top-four spot, while the black-and-whites have little chance of qualifying for Europe. At the moment, the Geordies occupy 9th place in the Premier League.
Bet on the match: Total goals Under 3.5 (odds 1.87)
The first leg exposed Barcelona’s defensive problems: their high defensive line lacked flexibility, which gave Newcastle plenty of space on the flanks. I think the fear of conceding will force the hosts to play more cautiously, which will affect the goal output.
Bayern Munich vs Atalanta
Bayern approach the second leg in the most comfortable position possible. The 6:1 thrashing in Italy has virtually eliminated any remaining tension and allows Vincent Kompany’s side to control the game. The Munich side are maintaining good match rhythm and remain unbeaten in recent games across all competitions. Bayern have issues in goal and several defensive absentees, while suspensions of Michael Olise and Joshua Kimmich limit their usual structure. Still, the home factor and the massive first-leg advantage allow the hosts to play pragmatically and avoid unnecessary risk.
For Atalanta the situation looks far more complicated. The Italian side are going through an unstable period and have failed to win several matches in a row. Bergamo travel to Munich with an almost full-strength squad, and they still have several players up front who regularly create scoring chances. However, a five-goal deficit forces the visitors to play much more boldly than usual, inevitably leaving space for the opponent’s counter-attacks.
Bet on the match: Bayern Munich to win & Total goals Under 4.5 (odds 2.07)
Atalanta are capable of making a fight of it in certain spells, but the overall balance of the tie clearly remains heavily in favour of the German club.
Tottenham vs Atlético Madrid
After the first leg in Madrid, where Tottenham displayed unprecedented generosity and effectively gifted the home side three goals, the task for Igor Tudor’s men at home looks extremely difficult.
Only in their most recent league match did Tottenham, under the Croatian manager, manage to pick up their first point – a 1:1 draw against Liverpool. Perhaps that result will give the team some confidence ahead of the Champions League clash. At the same time, a large number of first-team injuries remains a serious problem for the Londoners, although this situation has persisted for quite a while now.
While Atlético boast one of La Liga’s best defences – just 25 goals conceded in 28 matches – their Champions League defending looks considerably worse: 15 goals against. Los Colchoneros have conceded in every away game of the competition, and only once did they let in fewer than two. Overall, their away results are far from convincing: one win, two draws and two defeats.
Despite the significant number of personnel losses for the hosts, Tottenham will have to produce maximum aggressive football, as they need to overturn the deficit. Such a scenario could lead to an open game with plenty of chances.
Bet on the match: Tottenham individual total Over 1.5 (odds 2.20)
So it’s quite likely that the Londoners will be able to seriously test the opposition defence and score at least twice in this match.
Liverpool vs Galatasaray
The Galatasaray vs Liverpool match in Istanbul completely repeated the script of their last group-stage meeting (1:0). The Lions once again took an early lead, while the Merseysiders failed to create enough clear chances to equalise over 90 minutes. Towards the end it even looked more likely that the Turkish side would score a second than that Liverpool would manage to level.
The good Champions League result did not prevent Okan Buruk’s men from claiming a confident home win over Başakşehir (3:0). Galatasaray currently lead the Turkish Süper Lig by seven points.
Meanwhile, Arne Slot and his side threw away a win against Tottenham in the 90th minute when Richarlison beat Alisson. That result prevented Liverpool from capitalising on slip-ups by Chelsea and Aston Villa and climbing into the top four.
Bet on the match: Liverpool to win & Both teams to score – Yes (odds 2.4)
This season Galatasaray have only won one away match in the Champions League. I believe the “Anfield magic” will do its job and the hosts will win comfortably, but the visitors won’t leave without scoring at least once from open play.