Champions League Takeaways: Haaland, Manchester City outclass Davies, Bayern Munich
The quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League kicked off this week as the ultimate eight groups continued on of their quest to clinch a spot within the closing in Istanbul on June 10.
Erling Haaland and Manchester City rolled over German giants Bayern Munich, Inter Milan earned a powerful street win vs. Benfica, AC Milan bested Napoli in an all-Italian affair, and reigning champions Real Madrid shut out Chelsea.
Here’s what stood out from the primary leg of the quarter-finals:
Real Madrid comfortably brushes apart Chelsea
Real Madrid’s marketing campaign to repeat as Champions League holders stays intact following a reasonably straight ahead 2-0 win over Chelsea in Spain on Wednesday.
Karim Benzema’s rebound try – his twenty sixth purpose of the season in all competitions – gave Real the lead going into halftime, whereas substitute Marco Asensio put the sport away within the 74th minute with a shot from the sting of the field.
Vinícius Júnior collected assists on each targets, and the Brazilian has now been instantly concerned in 20 targets in his final 20 appearances within the Champions League, scoring 10 instances and recording 10 assists.
It was removed from a convincing efficiency by Real Madrid at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, as they did not dwell as much as their extremely excessive requirements of attacking excellence. What the Spanish giants did do was fairly comfortably handle the sport, as Chelsea not often threatened them, particularly after the Blues have been lowered to 10 males when Ben Chilwell was despatched off within the 59th minute.
But Wednesday’s end result reminded all people of the opposite aspect of Real Madrid. Yes, they will play some breathless soccer and so they know the way to pour on the fashion with their blistering assault. But additionally they know the way to grind out outcomes and win ugly when the event requires it.
With a two-goal benefit forward of subsequent week’s second leg in London, the Spanish membership is in an excellent place and regarded poised to advance to the semifinals, though it was the very last thing supervisor Carlo Ancelotti would admit to after the win.
“Chelsea is a very good team, with very good players. We won 2-0, and we took advantage of this game. It’s not done yet, we still need to go to Stamford Bridge and fight,” Ancelotti informed English broadcaster BT Sport.
Brahim Diaz flies beneath the radar for AC Milan
For the second time this month, AC Milan managed to get the higher of Italian rivals Napoli on Wednesday with a 1-0 win at San Siro. Napoli was out for revenge after struggling an embarrassing 4-0 house loss to Milan on April 2 in a Serie A match.
Like he was within the Rossoneri’s win in Napoli when he scored, Brahim Diaz was an unheralded hero once more within the first leg of this quarter-final collection. Ismael Bennacer will garner the headlines for his poised end within the fortieth minute when he beat Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret with a elegant shot on the close to submit.
But it was Diaz’s probing run down the center that started that play that led to the purpose, and it was his deft flick on the ball contained in the penalty space that teed up Bennacer for his shot.
Diaz, 23, was on the coronary heart of most of Milan’s greatest counter-attacking moments on the night time alongside Bennacer and Rafael Leao, and he acquitted himself effectively earlier than being subbed out within the eightieth minute. Aside from amassing an help, the Spanish winger registered one shot and accomplished practically 85 per cent of his passes, whereas additionally contributing on the defensive aspect with three interceptions.
Diaz has confirmed to be a useful contributor to the Milan trigger this season with 4 targets and 6 assists in all competitions. He additionally performed a starring function for Milan in Serie A throughout the 2021-22 marketing campaign, serving to them win their first scudetto in 11 years. His three-year mortgage spell with the Italians from Real Madrid will come to an finish in June, with los blancos anticipated to carry him again for subsequent season.
Considering how a lot his inventory has risen throughout his mortgage spell in Italy, one can see why Real Madrid is so eager to recall the gifted Spaniard. But it’ll be fascinating to see what lengths Milan go to attempt to signal Diaz on a everlasting foundation, particularly if he will help lead the Italians to a Champions League crown.
Manchester City appears unstoppable
Manchester City appears on target to succeed in the semifinals of the Champions League for a 3rd consecutive 12 months after its dismantling of Bayern Munich in a 3-0 house win on Tuesday.
The Blues benefitted from targets by Rodri, Bernardo Silva and the incomparable Erling Haaland, who now has scored 45 instances in all competitions this season. Silva and Haaland each collected assists on the night time, whereas Rodri labored tirelessly off the ball by successful possession again for Man City a minimum of 17 instances.
The victory prolonged the Premier League membership’s unbeaten streak to 25 house video games within the Champions League (23 wins), and extremely, the Blues have outscored the opposition 81-19 in that run.
Man City’s attacking prowess this season is well-known, and it was on full show on Tuesday. Even with its world-class line-up that included Canadian Alphonso Davies, Bayern couldn’t address what their English opponents threw at them. The tone was set within the twenty seventh minute when Rodri’s wonder-strike – the Spaniard took a move from Silva, simply sidestepped Bayern’s Jamal Musiala after which arrowed a shot from 25 yards out into the highest left nook of the web.
But the Blues’ victory owed as a lot to their maturity and recreation administration abilities because it did the ruthlessness of their assault. Even when Bayern regarded able to mounting a comeback, City remained poised and turned again the Germans’ problem at each flip. The Bavarians have been outclassed on the day, and now face a significant hurdle to beat in subsequent week’s second leg in Munich.
“This never happens to Bayern Munich, but credit to Manchester City, they were brilliant in both boxes,” former Bayern participant Owen Hargreaves stated.
A story of two Inter Milans
Inter Milan is a tough crew to determine in the intervening time.
They regarded cursed in a 1-1 draw final week away to Salernitana, a modest outfit that’s simply above the relegation zone in Serie A and is 22 factors behind the Milan membership within the league desk. Former Inter participant Antonio Candreva scored a last-gasp equalizer to earn Salernitana a draw and sting the delight of a Nerazzurri aspect that regarded uninspired.
Contrast that with Tuesday’s efficiency in Lisbon during which the Italians bossed the sport and benefited from some luck in a convincing 2-0 win over Benfica, a perennial powerhouse of Portuguese soccer that could be a a lot harder opponent than Salernitana.
History didn’t favour Inter going into Tuesday’s contest. The Italians had failed to attain in seven of their earlier 10 video games in European membership competitors on Portuguese soil, together with 5 out of the final six – Obafemi Martins was the final Inter participant to do it in 2005 towards FC Porto.
Inter’s latest type additionally instructed they’d have a tough time on the Stadium of Light, because the Serie A crew was using a six-match winless streak in all competitions and hadn’t collected a victory in additional than a month.
But Inter got here up with an impressed street efficiency in Lisbon, capped off by second-half targets from Nicolo Barella and Romelu Lukaku. Also essential to the Italian victory was goalkeeper Andre Onana, who made an important save within the dying seconds of the match to protect the clear sheet and provides Inter a determined edge going into subsequent week’s second leg again in Milan. Onana leads the Champions League this season in saves (39) and clear sheets (6).
“I always say you must have no fear. I am happy with the work done by the team, we worked hard against an excellent opponent,” Onana informed Italian broadcaster Mediaset.
“However, we must not make the mistake of thinking we are already in the semifinal.”
John Molinaro is among the main soccer journalists in Canada, having coated the sport for over 20 years for a number of media retailers, together with Sportsnet, CBC Sports and Sun Media. He is presently the editor-in-chief of TFC Republic, an internet site devoted to in-depth protection of Toronto FC and Canadian soccer. TFC Republic might be discovered right here.
