Champions League predictions: What to expect in the semi-final first legs
And then there were four. Projected Premier League supremacy has not quite manifested in the 2023/24 Champions League, with England’s remaining stalwarts succumbing in the last eight.
Arsenal and Manchester City’s respective exits means fans will get to enjoy a battle of European behemoths between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid with a place at Wembley at stake.
On the other side of the draw, a pair of familiar foes collide. Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain met twice during the group stage to kick-off their European campaigns this term, with a draw in Dortmund on Matchday 6 ensuring PSG qualified for the knockouts.
The quarter-final first legs produced majestic chaos in abundance, so the semis have plenty to live up to. Here’s how 90min sees this week’s Champions League fixtures panning out.
Tuesday 30 April
Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are used to facing off at this stage of the competition, although this will be their first tussle since 2018.
The pair have played out a litany of memorable duels over the years, including Pep Guardiola’s „f*** up“ which facilitated a Madrid thrashing at the Allianz Arena back in 2014.
There will be no 4-2-4 from Thomas Tuchel on Tuesday night with Bayern hosting the first leg. The Germans have surrendered their Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen, but their performance against Arsenal in the quarter-finals suggested Tuchel’s men are capable of going all the way in Europe.
Tuchel will aim to stifle Madrid’s stellar individuals who have carried the club to another La Liga title. Los Blancos were forced to be resilient to bypass Man City on penalties and are now favourites to win a record-extending 15th European title.
It’s hard to bet against Carlo Ancelotti’s men in this competition, with a result in Munich standing them in good stead for the return leg in the Spanish capital.
|
Kick-off Time (GMT) |
Fixture |
Prediction |
|---|---|---|
|
20:00 |
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid |
1-1 |
Wednesday 1 May
Warren Zaire-Emery’s equaliser in Dortmund ensured PSG joined Edin Terzic’s BVB in the knockouts, with the pair playing out a 1-1 draw at Signal Iduna Park to round off the group stages.
PSG have perpetually shown vulnerability in this competition, but their journey under Luis Enrique so far has offered glimmers of hope of a steelier evolution. They were forced to come from behind to beat Barcelona in the last eight and, although they were aided by Ronaldo Araujo’s dismissal, it felt like a watershed victory for Les Parisiens.
Borussia Dortmund have endured an indifferent domestic campaign, but they’ve been exceptional in Europe. They topped the toughest group of the bunch to advance into the knockouts and have since brushed aside PSV and Atletico Madrid.
The Yellow Wall helped BVB over the line against Atleti in the quarters and Terzic’s men, who’ll aim to spring in transition across the two legs, will need full backing from a fervent home crowd on Wednesday.
|
Kick-off Time (GMT) |
Fixture |
Prediction |
|---|---|---|
|
20:00 |
Borussia Dortmund vs Paris Saint-Germain |
1-2 |