Liverpool welcome PSG to Anfield
Surely still counting their lucky Parisian stars, Liverpool will play host to Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 contest at Anfield on Tuesday evening.
Arne Slot‘s men somehow left the French capital with a 1-0 win on their record from last week’s first leg, where a super sub and a super goalkeeper were their heroes of the hour.
Try as they might for the full 90 minutes, an increasingly desperate PSG remarkably failed to breach the goal of an inspired Alisson Becker – barring an offside Khvicha Kvaratskhelia effort – as the long-serving Liverpool number one made a masterful nine saves at the Parc des Princes.
As surprising as Les Parisiens’ first-leg loss may have been given their volume of opportunities, it was just the same old story for PSG in the Champions League, the one trophy that continues to elude them amid their non-stop spending sprees.
The perennial Ligue 1 champions can take inspiration from last year’s tournament as they seek to complete a mesmerising comeback job today.
PSG’s crop were allegedly left surprised at the level of Liverpool’s performance in midweek, and while Anfield on Champions League nights can prove intimidating for any all foes, the Kop may be silenced.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Barcelona to defend narrow first-leg lead as they host Benfica
Barcelona will look to defend a narrow first-leg lead when they welcome Portuguese giants Benfica to Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys for Tuesday’s return leg of their Champions League last-16 clash.
The Blaugrana are looking to reach the quarter-finals in back-to-back Champions League campaigns, while the visitors want to advance to the last eight for the third time in four seasons.
Barcelona have not played since last week’s trip to Lisbon after Saturday’s La Liga home match was postponed following the tragic death of first-team doctor Carles Minarro Garcia.
Barcelona will try their best to prepare for Tuesday’s Champions League clash in difficult circumstances.
Benfica would have been bitterly disappointed to fall to a narrow defeat in last week’s home leg, especially as they missed the chance to take advantage of Cubarsi’s red card as they lost at home to Barcelona for the second time this season after previously suffering a 5-4 loss in January’s league phase encounter.
Barcelona’s high defensive line could offer opportunities for Benfica’s attack to exploit, but while we think that the visitors will get on the scoresheet, we believe the Blaugrana will showcase their firepower to seal a relatively comfortable victory and a place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Inter Milan aim to finish the job against Feyenoord
With one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals after last week’s first leg, Inter Milan will aim to finish the job against Feyenoord when the pair meet again on Tuesday.
Inter take a two-goal lead into the second leg of their last-16 tie at San Siro, so the Dutch club face an improbable task against Europe’s meanest defence.
Simone Inzaghi‘s side have played 875 minutes of Champions League football this term and only been behind for 285 seconds, during a late loss to Bayer Leverkusen – the sole goal they have conceded in nine matches.
So, having won each of their last five European home games without conceding, fans of the Nerazzurri may expect their team to progress without too much fuss.
Across all competitions, Inter have won 28 and lost only five of 41 games this season, recently overtaking immediate predecessors Napoli in the fight to retain their Scudetto.
There was very little in the first leg to suggest Feyenoord have sufficient firepower to topple another Milan giant.
With clean sheets written in their DNA under Simone Inzaghi, Inter can expect to progress and book a possible last-eight clash with Bayern Munich – their victims in the 2010 final.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
