It looks like a travel agency advertisement, but no, it is the reality of the Champions League that will resume tomorrow, after the end of the national tournaments in the Old World. Due to the serious delay caused by the infamous coronavirus (the new season should be starting now), UEFA decided that the remaining rounds of the most attractive club competition will take place in a single venue - Lisbon - in a single match format and without an audience. For the first time in history, quarter-finals and semi-finals will be decided this way. And in 17 days, there will be a champion. A lightning tournament. But first, the four remaining round of 16 matches postponed by the pandemic must be completed: Manchester City (2), Real Madrid (1); and Juventus (0)-Olympique de Lyon (1), tomorrow Friday, and Barcelona (1), Napoli (1); Bayern Munich (3)-Chelsea (0), on Saturday. These matches will actually take place on the home fields of the listed teams. That is why the opposition of Napoli's president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, to travel to Barcelona for the rematch with the Catalans is incomprehensible.
"Something terrible might happen there," he repeatedly threatened. Barcelona had to play the first leg in Naples - with an audience - when the epidemic was already claiming many lives in Italy. And they didn't say a word. Now they will have to resign the support of their fans, as the Camp Nou will be empty, but it is logical that they host the second leg at home. The same goes for Manchester City. The Madrid media reported almost indignant: "Guardiola pressured UEFA to play in Manchester". That's logical, they have the right to it. It has been proven, especially in the Bundesliga: without the support of the fans, playing at home weighs much less. However, it is not the same to go to a neutral ground as to bet everything at their own field, in their own city. Bayern...? Manchester City...? PSG...? Although there are still twelve contenders for the title, these are, at least on paper, the strongest candidates to lift the Cup. Bayern is a compact collective force and has delivered astonishing results since Hansi Flick took over as coach (what we always say: a remarkable leader makes the difference these days). For many, Bayern wins because the Bundesliga is a joke. For this journalist, their secret is being the best-managed club in the world. We will see.
City has Guardiola, which is like playing with twelve. There are hundreds of millions of Mourinho fans who try to downplay him because he is the opposite of the Portuguese in terms of playing style. And because he has repeatedly beaten him. But he has been the mastermind behind the best team in history, and every supporter is certain that their club will step onto the field giving their all, in terms of playing, commitment, preparation, and concepts. PSG has less potential as a team than the previous two, although they have Neymar and Mbappé. No one has two such outstanding stars. The others have a soloist and ten guitarists. Apart from these three, everything is level. And even with all of the above, it does not mean that the crown is exclusive to them. At this level, several teams can surprise, as Atletico did against Liverpool. Klopp's team was tough, efficient, compact, and consistent, with excellent individualities in all lines and a strategist of the era, however, Simeone's uncomfortable Atleti defeated them in Madrid and in Liverpool. And when you lose both matches, there can be no complaints. Before the final phase in Portugal, four spots in the quarter-finals remain to be decided. Since they will be played at the same time tomorrow, Manchester City and Real Madrid steal the limelight against Juventus and Lyon. City won 2-1 at the Bernabeu, so Di Stefano's team will have to score at least two goals; 1-0 is not enough. And they will have to attempt this feat without Sergio Ramos, who was rightfully sent off in the first leg for bringing down Sterling when he was going for the potentially decisive 3-1. Ramos' physical and spiritual vigor will be missed. As for City, they rely on their football, and if they score a goal, it will make it even more difficult for Real Madrid. The match will be refereed by German Felix Brych, who has been present in many joyful European nights for Madrid. He has officiated them nine times and has only lost once. Overturning a 0-1 deficit against Lyon does not seem like a Herculean task for Juventus, especially playing in Turin. However, Juventus does not provide any guarantees, they lack the necessary football to be considered favorites against anyone. They won the Scudetto because their Italian rivals seem to clear the path for them. They don't have anything to spare. They depend too much on the creative doses that Dybala can provide. Paulo is the air that Juventus breathes. He gives value to the Bianconeri squad in Italy, but they need much more in Europe. Nevertheless, Olympique (as seen against PSG in the French League Cup final) is a physically strong team that does not concede many goals but also does not score frequently. They finished seventh in a league that is not as strong as the French league. They will surely try to hold on to their advantage. On Saturday, in Munich, Bayern will only have to go through the formalities against Chelsea, whom they have already beaten 3-0 in London. As an exercise, the commitment suits Bayern perfectly, as 35 days will have passed since their last game, the German Cup final against Leverkusen. It seems impossible for Chelsea to reverse such a result.
Lastly, Barcelona will host Napoli, with whom they drew 1-1 at the San Paolo. The team of Maradona also finished seventh in their local tournament. We don't rule them out at all, they try to play good football, with neatness and ball control, which is strange considering that Gattuso is in charge, from whom one would expect a more combative and rough football style. Precisely, the coach is one of their hopeful cards, he passes on his winning spirit. And facing them will be Barcelona, a mere shadow of the blue and garnet ballet that amazed the world. But Messi is still there. And that's the golden ace, it trumps any card that is dealt. (O)