Champions League 2022
Favourites to reach the UEFA Champions League 2022 Finals
The football world was treated to a few spectacular contests in the quarter-final stage because the majority of the matches were evenly poised. Manchester City, Liverpool, Villarreal, and Real Madrid are the teams that have qualified for the semi-finals. The first leg will take place at the end of this month, with the second leg taking place at the start of May. This article discussed which teams could qualify for the UEFA Champions League 2022 finals.
Champions League 2021/2022: Semi-Finals Fixtures and Favourites
The opening legs of the semi-finals will take place on April 26 and 27. The second tie in this elimination round will take place on May 3 and 4, respectively. A total of four matches will be played in the semi-finals. The winners of the semi-final stage will be determined by goal differential. If the aggregate goals aren't enough to decide the winner, a penalty shootout will be held.
The defending Premier League champions, Manchester City, will face European heavyweights, Real Madrid, according to the draw. In the other semifinal, English club Liverpool will meet Spanish side Villarreal. Let's have a look at the teams with the best chances of reaching the UEFA Champions League 2022 finals.
Read 3 known Chelsea bids left after Cubs owners drop buyout plan
Manchester City vs Real Madrid
First Leg Fixture: Tuesday (April 26/1 a.m.) | Venue: Etihad Stadium
Second Leg Fixture: Wednesday (May 4/1 a.m.) | Venue: Santiago Bernabeu
Manchester City and Real Madrid both faced a tough opponents in the quarter-finals. Manchester City beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 at home in the first leg but had to settle for a 0-0 draw at the Wanda Metropolitano in the second leg. Though both ties were difficult for the English champions. On the other hand, Real Madrid enjoyed a big lead over Chelsea after winning the first leg 3-1 at Stamford Bridge. It was believed that Madrid would have an easier time in the second leg, but Chelsea fought back strongly and won the match 3-2. However, Real Madrid proceeded to the semi-finals with a scoreline of 5-4 on aggregate.
The semi-finals ties between them will be difficult to predict because both teams have been in excellent form this season. Manchester City prefer to play in the build-up and control possession. Oppositely, Real Madrid have the potential to surprise the opponent out of nowhere, and this has been a feature of their game this season. Manchester City's top scorer is Riyad Mahrez, who has six goals, while Real Madrid's top scorer is Karim Benzema, who has twelve.
Read Bahrain-based investors in talks to buy AC Milan
Verdict: Manchester City
Liverpool vs Villarreal
First Leg Fixture: Wednesday (April 27/1 a.m.) | Venue: Anfield
Second Leg Fixture: Tuesday (May 3/1 a.m.) | Venue: Estadio de la Ceramica
Villarreal's ousting of Bayern Munich from the competition was the most unexpected outcome of the quarter-finals. Villareal had created a fantastic chance for themselves after defeating Bayern Munich 1-0 at home in the first leg. They qualified for the semi-finals after a 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. On the other hand, Liverpool enjoyed a big lead over Benfica after winning the first leg 3-1 away from home. Benfica performed well in the second leg, scoring three goals at Anfield. However, the match finished 3-3, and Liverpool proceeded to the next round with a 6-4 aggregate.
In the semi-finals, Liverpool may start as favourites against Villarreal. However, Villarreal's team has so much confidence right now that they can overcome Liverpool in this round. Therefore, it won't come as a surprise if Villarreal reach the final. Mohamed Salah leads Liverpool with eight goals, while Arnaut Danjuma leads Villarreal with six.
Read Manchester City vs Liverpool 2022: The Match that Could Decide Premier League Champion
Verdict: Liverpool
Bottom Line
On paper and based on current form, no team appears to be a strong favorite to go to the semi-finals. Whoever executes their game plan properly in both games will have a better chance of advancing to the UEFA Champions League 2022 finals. Given the intensity of the quarter-finals, the semi-final stage promises to be even more exciting.
2 years ago
UEFA Champions League 2022: Top favourites to reach the semi-finals
The majority of the expected teams advanced to the quarter-finals after overcoming some difficult matches in both legs of the Round of 16. As per the draw, the quarter-final matchups between Real Madrid and Chelsea will be the most entertaining. Chelsea are the current European champion, whereas Real Madrid are one of Europe's traditional powerhouses. The remainder of the quarter-final matches will be enthralling as well. Let's have a look at the teams with the best possibilities of reaching the UEFA Champions League 2022 quarter-finals.
2022 Champions League: Quarter-Finals Fixtures and Favourites
The first quarter-final matches of the UEFA Champions League 2022 will take place on April 5 and 6. This knockout round's second tie will be staged on April 12 and 13, respectively. Eight matches will be played in the quarter-final phase, with the winners determined by the aggregate goals scored. If the aggregate goals aren't enough to determine the winner, a penalty shootout will be held. Let's have a look at the favorites to reach the UEFA Champions League 2022 semi-finals.
Benfica vs Liverpool
First Leg Fixture: Wednesday (April 6/1 a.m.) | Venue: Estadio da Luz
Second Leg Fixture: Thursday (April 14/1 a.m.) | Venue: Anfield
Liverpool had a tough fight against Inter Milan in the Round of 16 fixtures. They eventually came out as winners, with a 2-1 aggregate. On the other hand, Benfica overcame Ajax in the last round. Liverpool have a better squad and higher-quality players than Benfica. That is why Liverpool will start as favorites in their quarter-final ties.
Verdict: Liverpool
Read Mbappe runs the show in PSG’s 5-1 win over Lorient
Manchester City vs Atletico Madrid
First Leg Fixture: Wednesday (April 6/1 a.m.) | Venue: Etihad Stadium
Second Leg Fixture: Thursday (April 14/1 a.m.) | Venue: Wanda Metropolitano Stadium
Manchester City thrashed Sporting CP in the Round of 16 with a resounding victory. On the other side, Atletico Madrid fought hard to defeat Manchester United and proceed to the quarter-finals. Manchester City will start as the favourites in the quarter-final match against Atletico Madrid. Oppositely, Atletico Madrid have the potential to upset Manchester City if they can formulate an effective plan.
Verdict: Manchester City.
Read Barcelona edges Sevilla to move into 2nd in Spanish league
Villarreal vs Bayern Munich
First Leg Fixture: Thursday (April 7/1 a.m.) | Venue: El Madrigal
Second Leg Fixture: Wednesday (April 13/1 a.m.) | Venue: Allianz Arena
Villarreal won 4-1 on aggregate against Juventus in the Round of 16 of the Champions League. Villarreal's quarter-final opponent, Bayern Munich were merciless against Red Bull Salzburg in the previous round. Though Villarreal will give Bayern Munich a strong fight, the Bavarians will be the favourites to proceed to the semi-finals.
Verdict: Bayern Munich.
Read FIFA World Cup 2022: GroupWise Favourites to Advance to Round of 16
Chelsea vs Real Madrid
First Leg Fixture: Thursday (April 7/1 a.m.) | Venue: Stamford Bridge
Second Leg Fixture: Wednesday (April 13/1 a.m.) | Venue: Santiago Bernabeu
Both Chelsea and Real Madrid have some genuine world-class players. So there will be no clear favorites in these quarter-final matches. Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti will use their own strategies to attempt to stop each other. Therefore it could be a tactical match. Whoever execute their game plan well has the best chance of making it to the semifinals.
Verdict: Chelsea.
Read CONMEBOL World Cup 2022 Qualifiers: Peru, Colombia, Chile vying for playoff spot
Bottom Line
One thing is clear after the quarter-finals: players from squads with good teamwork are more likely to do well in this event. As a result, the best eight teams from the Round of 16 have advanced to the quarter-finals. Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and Chelsea are among them. With the exception of Chelsea, the rest of the clubs will be in a better position to proceed to the semi-finals in their respective quarter-final matches. Chelsea must defeat Real Madrid to advance to the semi-finals, which will be a challenging task. On the whole, it is expected that the UEFA Champions League 2022 quarter-finals will be fascinating.
2 years ago
2022 UEFA Champions League: Who are Front-Runners to Reach Quarter-Finals?
The first ties of Round of 16 of the ongoing UEFA Champions League were concluded in February. The clubs with the highest chance of reaching the quarter-finals were revealed after the first ties. As a result, teams will be able to build out flawless strategies for the second tie. Some of the clubs have a significant edge after securing big victories in their first ties, while others appear to be wide-open matchups in the second ties. Let's take a look at the teams with the best chances of making the 2022 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
UEFA Champions League 2022 Round of 16: Fixtures and Results
Sixteen matches are scheduled to be played in the Round of 16. Each side is slated to play two games on a home-and-away basis. If the aggregate goals in a two-legged tie are the same, the winner will be determined by 30 minutes of extra time. If extra time fails to determine the winner, a penalty shoot-out will be held. Let's see who the favorites are to advance to the 2022 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
Sporting CP vs Manchester City
First Leg: 0-5; Second Leg: 9 March; Aggregate: TBD
Manchester City have a huge lead over Sporting CP after scoring five goals away from home in the first leg. Pep Guardiola's side will almost certainly advance to the quarter-finals unless Sporting CP makes the biggest comeback in UCL history. The second leg between these two teams will take place at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, March 9.
Read Epyllion clinch BGMEA Cup
Red Bull Salzburg vs Bayern Munich
First Leg: 1-1; Second Leg: 1-7; Aggregate: 2-8
Bayern Munich were dissatisfied following a 1-1 draw in the first leg against Red Bull Salzburg. They intended to make a big impression in the second leg, which they achieved by beating Salzburg 7-1 on Tuesday. Bayern Munich earned a place in the quarter-finals with a 2-8 aggregate score.
Benfica vs Ajax
First Leg: 2-2; Second Leg: 15 March; Aggregate: TBD
This match was expected to be competitive, and neither team was disappointed in the first leg. After a 2-2 draw in the first leg, the winner will be decided in the second leg. The second leg will take place on March 15 in Amsterdam.
Read Ukraine asks FIFA to postpone World Cup playoff vs Scotland
Chelsea vs Lille
First Leg: 2-0; Second Leg: 16 March; Aggregate: TBD
Chelsea won 2-0 at home in the first leg against the French league champions, Lille. Lille will need to outperform Chelsea in order to qualify for the quarter-finals. However, the reigning Ligue 1 champions will find it incredibly tough to overcome Chelsea in the second leg. The second tie will take place on March 16 at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester United
First Leg: 1-1; Second Leg: 15 March; Aggregate: TBD
Both Atletico Madrid and Manchester United have had a difficult season thus far. When the tie was confirmed, neither team was the bookies' favourite. The Wanda Metropolitano hosted the first leg, which finished in a 1-1 draw. The winner will be decided in the second leg, which will take place on March 15 at Old Trafford.
Read Chelsea FC: Roman Abramovich ready to sell the club due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Villarreal vs Juventus
First Leg: 1-1; Second Leg: 16 March; Aggregate: TBD
The tie is wide open for any side after the first leg ended in a 1-1 draw. Juventus will host Villarreal for the second leg on March 16th. Juventus may start the match as a slight favourite before the second leg as they will be playing at home.
Inter Milan vs Liverpool
First Leg: 0-2; Second Leg: 1-0; Aggregate: 1-2
Inter Milan were under pressure heading into the second game after losing the first leg 2-0 at San Siro. Inter Milan made a valiant effort to reduce the deficit and end the game at 2-2 at Anfield, but they were only able to score one goal. Therefore, Liverpool have qualified for the quarter-finals with a 1-2 aggregate.
Read Russia loses Champions League final to Paris; Sochi F1 axed
Paris Saint-Germain vs Real Madrid
First Leg: 1-0; Second Leg: 9 March; Aggregate: TBD
Paris Saint-Germain defeated Real Madrid 1-0 in the first leg. As a result, the second tie is wide open and will take place at the Santiago Bernabeu on March 9. This is one of the most thrilling Round of 16 matchups since both teams have some world-class players. Both teams would aim to outwit each other in terms of strategies in this game.
Bottom Line
Following the first ties of the Round of 16, it is apparent that the in-form teams have the upper hand in securing a quarter-final berth. Therefore, the best teams are likely to compete in the tournament's last eight rounds. Two of the tournament's favorites, Bayern Munich and Liverpool have already qualified for the next round. The remaining six spots will be confirmed by next week. The remainder Round of 16 matches of the 2022 UEFA Champions League are predicted to be enthralling.
Read AFC Asian Cup: Bangladesh to face Bahrain in opener on June 8
2 years ago