Bold predictions ahead of the Champions League quarter-finals

The 2023/24 UEFA Champions League is on the business end of things. The quarter-finals kick off on 9 April 2024 to determine the semi-finalists of the 69th edition of Europe’s elite competition.

Interesting matchups have been drawn up by UEFA’s leadership and fans are gearing up for a historical run. The winners of this season’s tournament will go down in history as the last winners of the current format. This fight for glory promises to be as interesting as it will be intense.

In light of this, here are some bold predictions ahead of the Champions League quarter-finals.

Kylian Mbappe’s masterclass against Barcelona

Kylian Mbappe is expected to feature for Paris Saint-Germain as they take on Barcelona. PSG vs Barcelona tickets for 10 April 2024 (first leg) and Barcelona vs PSG tickets for 16 April 2024 (second leg) are available on seatsnet.com from verified ticket resellers.

Mbappe has only faced Barcelona once in his career (a two-legged Champions League round of 16 tie in the 2020/21 season). He scored a hat-trick at the Camp Nou and four goals out of PSG’s five in that 5-2 aggregate defeat. He helped the Parisiens dismiss the ghosts of the 2016/17 season when Barcelona came back from four goals down in the first leg to thrash PSG 6-1 at Camp Nou.

Not even Cristiano Ronaldo – who is the joint-second highest goal scorer in El Clasico history and the man with the most hat tricks in football history – has managed to score a hattrick against Barcelona.

Barcelona are considerably stronger than when Mbappe faced them but they have also conceded more goals than they did in that season. Mbappe is currently the joint-top scorer of this season’s Champions League and the player with the best overall attacking stats in the ongoing competition.

We predict that Xavi will have his hands full with the Frenchman on 10 and 16 April, and only fine margins will stop the Catalans from being demolished by Mbappe once again.

Arsenal to take Bayern Munich to extra time

Arsenal vs Bayern Munich tickets for 9 April 2024 (first leg) and Bayern Munich vs Arsenal tickets for 17 April 2024 (second leg) are on sale. Both tickets have been sold out on each club’s website.

Bayern fans have been banned from the Emirates by UEFA as a disciplinary measure. This means they cannot buy tickets from their club or Arsenal. This is where trusted ticket resellers like seatsnet.com come in. Bayern fans can connect with fans who wish to resell their tickets so that they can support their club on 9 April.

They will be dying to see what Arsenal have become since their last meeting in the 2016/17 season. The Bavarians thrashed the Gunners 10 – 2 on aggregate, winning 5-1 in the home and away ties. Their head-to-head record against Arsenal stands at 7W, 2D, and 3L with their last loss being a group stage loss in the 2015/16 season.

Bayern fans have also never witnessed their club lose to Arsenal in the knockout rounds. They have also not struggled to win. We predict, however, that this tie will be a lot different.

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal will make Bayern Munich work for any result they might earn at the end of the tie. This includes extra time and possibly a penalty shootout. Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel has his work cut out for him.

Atlético-Dortmund to be decided by penalties

The first hurdle in Dortmund’s way to the final is Atlético de Madrid. They have faced each other twice in the competition (two ties, four matches) and their head-to-head record stands at 2W, 0D, and 2L.

Fans are currently checking out different seats using the seatsnet.com platform for both legs of the tie. Atlético de Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund tickets for 10 April 2024 and Borussia Dortmund vs Atlético de Madrid tickets for 16 April 2024 are also selling fast.

Their last meeting was in 2018/19. Only one thing has not changed since that last meeting and that is Diego Simeone. Dortmund manager Edin Terzic may not know the Argentine manager but will have years of footage to review and understand his patterns.

Dortmund has been brilliant in the Champions League this season too. They topped a group with PSG and AC Milan before dispatching PSV Eindhoven in the round of 16. Their confidence level is at an all-time high.

Against Atléti, they will have to increase their tempo, however. The Spaniards are expert at dragging games to hurt their opponents on the counter. This is evident from their having the joint-top scorer and the second-top scorer of the competition.

We predict they will apply this tactic but it will only work to help them stretch the game to extra time and then to penalties.

Home and away wins for Man City

Manchester City has the opportunity to extend their record against Real Madrid in a high-stakes game in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Both teams are meeting in the knockout rounds once again. City has the upper hand in head-to-head with four wins from 10 meetings (4W, 3D and 3L). City’s wins have also been more convincing, which strongly places this tie in their favor.

The latest iteration of their tie is near. Real Madrid vs Manchester City tickets for 9 April 2024 and Manchester City vs Real Madrid tickets for 17 April 2024 are already on sale on seatsnets.com. Fans are preparing to witness another Champions League classic between the best two teams in the world.

Real Madrid have enjoyed a great campaign so far but have struggled away from home to dominate games. City do not have this problem. The first leg being at Santiago Bernabeu plays into Madrid’s hands, however. Carlo Ancelotti can make a lot of defensive-minded changes to his side for that tie to hold their own against City at the Etihad.

Guardiola hardly changes his tactics but his evolution as a manager has seen him do it when necessary.

We predict, however, that City will have more chances to go ahead than Madrid in both legs and will take them. Guardiola is the coach who is the most likely to progress.