Europe’s elite football competition returns as high-flying Manchester City takes on faltering Borussia Dortmund, and Real Madrid faces old foe, Liverpool, in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals Tuesday.
While City could hardly be in better shape, Dortmund has been plunged back into uncertainty and self-doubt.
City, the runaway Premier League leader, headed into April still on track for an unprecedented “quadruple” of major trophies this season and has won 26 of its last 27 games in all competitions.
The Champions League will be the toughest title to claim and there will be much focus on the approach Pep Guardiola takes for the game, with the Spanish coach often accused of overthinking his tactics on the big occasions, reported The Associated Press (AP)
Dortmund’s hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League were dealt a major blow by the 2-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, which left Edin Terzic’s team seven points behind fourth-place Frankfurt with seven rounds of the Bundesliga to go.
"If you are realistic, even with six or seven wins it will be difficult to finish fourth," admitted defender Mats Hummels.
A return to the riches and prestige of the Champions League next season by winning this year's competition looks even more unlikely.
Even if Dortmund can shock City, a daunting semifinal against Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain awaits.
Speculation over the star striker Erling Haaland’s future has only added to the concerns, with City among the many clubs reportedly interested in the Norway international.
Holding onto this season’s Champions League top scorer to play in the Europa League next season may prove as difficult a task for Zorc as defenses have found stopping him from finding the net.
Meanwhile, in the Spanish capital, Real Madrid will take on English giant Liverpool – in a meeting between two of the aristocrats of European football.
They have won the competition 19 times between them and they come into the quarterfinals in good form.
Madrid, a 13-time champion, is unbeaten in all competitions since Jan. 30 and is back in the title race in the Spanish league, not least because of the brilliant form of striker Karim Benzema.
The Frenchman has scored nine goals in his last seven games, including against Atalanta in the Champions League's last 16.
After beating Eibar in La Liga on Saturday, Zidane struck a confident note.
"We are alive in two competitions and we are going to be ready," he said. "We know where we have come from this season, that we have suffered a lot to get here, but we haven't achieved anything yet," according to the Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Liverpool's improvement has been more recent – and chiefly due to the return of Fabinho to central midfield after a spell filling in at center back as well as Diogo Jota after injury. Its recent victory over Arsenal was the third in a row and the side’s most convincing performance this year.
The soon-to-be-deposed English champions have kept clean sheets in their last three games but there are still concerns about their defense, especially at center back where understudies Ozan Kabak and Nat Phillips are holding the fort.
Real Madrid will remain without the injured Sergio Ramos, but there's a chance Eden Hazard may return to the squad after another injury layoff.
Crucially, however, both clubs will believe winning this quarterfinal puts them in sight of another European success, that from there they could defy recent trajectories by beating even the loftiest opponents in the competition.
In 2018, Real Madrid and Liverpool knew victory would secure them the trophy. This time they will hope it sparks a resurgence.
