UEFA Champions League 2018-19: The historic comebacks to go through to the quarter-finals and the analysis of the quarter-finals draw in full

Today the draw has been made for the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals and semi-finals. Let’s have a look at the draws in full!

This season’s UEFA Champions League has been the stories of comebacks and shocks. The biggest shock of the Round of 16 was the elimination of the 3 times defending champion Real Madrid, by a young but inspired Ajax side The teams that made to the quarter-finals are:
1. AFC Ajax
2. FC Porto
3. FC Barcelona
4. Liverpool FC
5. Juventus FC
6. Manchester City
7. Manchester United
8. Tottenham Hotspur

The draw for the semi-finals is:
Semi-final 1: Winner of Tottenham vs Manchester City VS Winner of Ajax vs Juventus
Semi-final 2: Winner of Barcelona vs Manchester United VS Winner of Liverpool vs Porto

Final: The winner of the semi-final 1 will be the designated home team in the final and it will be played in the Wanda Metropolitiano, Altetico Madrid’s stadium in Madrid, Spain.

Let’s have a look at each of the quarter-finals and the teams’ journey to the quarter-finals and their possibility of going through to the semi-finals:

AFC Ajax vs Juventus FC

Ajax have staged the most shocking comeback of this season. They knocked out Real Madrid in the Round of 16. Real Madrid had beaten them 2-1 in their home ground and were the clear favourites to progress to the quarter-finals. But the young yet inspired Ajax side beat Solari’s men 4-1 in the Santiago Bernabeu. This defeat and elimination from the Champions League proved to be fatal for Solari and he has been replaced by Zidane as the head coach of Real Madrid on Tuesday.
There were stars everywhere in this Ajax team, with Frenkie de Jong controlling the midfield and Neres tying Dani Carvajal in knots. But Tadic was undoubtedly the star of the show. He looked a threat every time he got on the ball and the piece of skill that sold Casemiro and led to the second goal was simply breathtaking – as was his finish for the third.
Read more about Real Madrid’s suffering, here.

Cristiano Ronaldo led Juventus to an astonishing comeback against Atletico Madrid. Atletico Madrid had taken a 2-0 lead in the 1st leg in their home ground. For the records, they have never lost after being 2-0 up and also have never lost to an Italian side. But Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick to make the impossible happen and steer Juventus through to the quarter-finals. Read the full match report, here.

Our Prediction: Cristiano Ronaldo inspired Juventus will beat the young Ajax side, as experience does matter at this stage.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City

Hugo Lloris kept Dortmund out in the first half with fine saves from Marco Reus, Julian Weigl and Mario Gotze, before Harry Kane’s second-half winner settled Tottenham as they beat Dortmund 1-0 on the night and 4-0 on aggregate in their Champions League last-16 second leg in Germany. The result means Spurs reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2011.

Manchester City ran through the Schalke team. They cruised into the Champions League quarter-finals as an emphatic 7-0 second-leg victory over Schalke saw them progress 10-2 on aggregate and completed the biggest Champions League win in their history.

Our Prediction: It will be a hard fought match but Manchester City will eventually go through to the semi-finals.

Liverpool FC vs FC Porto

Liverpool are once again becoming an European force day-by-day. They reached the last season’s final and have already made their intentions clear for this season. They have beat the old and experienced Bayern Munich side 3-1 and proved that they are ready for European glory.

FC Porto have also scripted a comeback in the Round of 16. Trailing 2-1 from the 1st leg, Porto advanced to the quarter-finals of the Champions League in a dramatic fashion after beating Roma 3-1 in the second leg of their last-16 tie to advance 4-3 on aggregate. The powerful Porto striker, Moussa Marega produced a brilliant all-round display, hustling and harrying the Roma defence and chasing the ball around the pitch to help his team.

Our Prediction: Liverpool are clear favourites to beat Porto and advance to the semi-finals.

FC Barcelona vs Manchester United

Lionel Messi was the star man with two goals and two assists as Barcelona dismantled Lyon on Wednesday evening. They eased into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 5-1 win over Lyon (5-1 on aggregate). Barcelona have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the 12th successive season, last failing to do so in the 2006-07 campaign.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s injury-plagued side – which featured youngsters Mason Greenwood and Tahith Chong in the closing stages – roared back in the most dramatic fashion to become the first side in Champions League history to win a tie after losing the first leg at home by two or more goals. PSG was leading the two match tie 2-0 after a sensational performance by Mbappe in the 1st leg. But Marcus Rashford’s VAR-awarded stoppage-time penalty helped Manchester United to make a stunning comeback. They went into the Champions League quarter-finals on away goals after a sensational 3-1 victory (3-3 on agg) stunned Paris Saint-Germain.

Our Prediction: It will be the match to watch for in the semi-finals. Two of the biggest clubs with so much history will face each other. But any team with Lionel Messi in it, is always a threat under any situation. Therefore, Barcelona will win the quarter-final if Messi is at his best.

Our prediction for the semi-finals draw:

Semi-final 1: Juventus FC vs Manchester City
Semi-final 2: FC Barcelona vs Liverpool FC

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