Former Barcelona manager and the man who led them to win the UCL trophy in 2015, Luis Enrique, now with PSG, will be looking forward to stopping a Barca side led by his former player, Xavi, in the first leg of this season’s UEFA Champions League quarterfinal.

First, welcoming his former team to the Parc des Princes, Luis Enrique will be looking to use a Real Madrid-bound Kylian Mbappe to gain a first-leg advantage before the second leg at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, their temporary home amidst a Camp Nou revamp.

 

Luis Enrique Would Love to Prove a Point with Barca

Luis has many reasons for wanting to beat and eliminate Barca from the UEFA Champions League, the most obvious of which is that he is the manager of their opponents, PSG, however, aside from the most obvious, the Spanish manager has others.

The first of those reasons is that the manager, underneath all his affection for Barca, will be looking for his form of payback for the fact that he was given the boot from the Barca job only two years after lifting ten (10) trophies for them including the UCL and La Liga.

Away from that, the UEFA Champions League has been a trophy that has eluded the PSG team for years and regardless of the money, investments, and managers, they have brought to try to change that, they have not been able to.

With Kylian Mbappe set to leave the French club at the end of this season, it will feel for Luis Enrique as his last opportunity to try to take advantage of the presence of the star winger to try to do the thing many top managers like Ancelotti, Tuchel, Emery, and Pochettino have failed to do.

 

Barca Seems a Reinvented Side since Xavi’s Threat to Leave

The Barcelona side that started the La Liga season and went 5 points behind Girona at 3rd place on the La Liga table would have probably made this UCL quarter final fixture a foregone conclusion but not this Barca side, and it’s because of their manager Xavi.

Ever since Xavi publicly announced his intentions to leave the job at the end of the season, the Spanish side looks like a whole new different team, compared to the one from before.

Since dropping his resignation bombshell after a 5-3 loss to Villarreal in January, Xavi has presided over an 11-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, a run that includes an emphatic 3-1 home beating of Napoli in the 2nd leg of their last-16 tie following a 1-1 draw on Italian soil.

This rejuvenated Barca side and their current form mean the game on Wednesday would be anything but easy for PSG, and if that is not enough the history between the two sides in the competition, which has seen each side win the fixture four times each, sets this up beautifully.

 

Match Stats

PSG, sitting 10 points clear at the top of the French Ligue 1 with six games left to play, are currently on a 27-game unbeaten run in all competitions while Barca, 8 points behind Spanish League leaders, Real Madrid, are on an 11-game unbeaten run.

PSG are unbeaten in 19 home games in all competitions including their R16 game against Spanish side Real Sociedad, while Barca are unbeaten in their 5 most recent away games in all competitions including their round 16 game versus Napoli.

PSG are reaching an average of 2.00 goals in home Champions League games while the average number of goals scored by Barcelona is 2.00 for their matches in the Champions League.

You can check out the 1st leg of the PSG vs Barca UEFA Champions League quarterfinal game here on MSport.

Erik and his Manchester United team do not have the time to reel from their recent shocking defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Chelsea during mid-week, as they have to welcome the EPL title chasers now, Liverpool at the Old Trafford this Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool team is in much better spirits than their upcoming opponents as they survived a second-half scare the same day United went down at the Bridge when Sheffield equalized an early Darwin Nunez goal for two late goals to hand them all 3 points.

 

United Have Enjoyed Success against Liverpool at Home Recently

While Manchester United’s home form has not been particularly incredible or exemplary, they have found a way to make it just so in games against Jurgen Klopp’s side in recent times beating the Merseyside Reds in their last two meetings at the Theatre of Dreams, one this season in the FA Cup and the other in the league last season.

To underscore just how peculiar United’s upper hand over Liverpool at their home is, one has to take into consideration that United is the 11th-best club in the English Premier League this season at home, a huge difference from the 6th they are in away games.

Erik Ten Hag will have to make sure resting Marcus Rashford against Chelsea was worth it come Sunday or get the likes of Anthony and Garnacho to repeat their great performance against the Blues versus the Reds especially if they would like to keep the 6th position they currently occupy on the league table.

 

1st-Placed Liverpool Really Want this EPL Title

Liverpool has never really needed a reason to want to win a title. It has been for a long time something they had to do and was expected of them by their mere existence, especially after the arrival of their German gaffer, Jurgen Klopp.

So this season they have already chalked up the EFL Carabao, and are looking forward to adding the Premier League title and the FA Cup title all of which they are very much going strong in.

That is what their 13-game unbeaten run in all competitions screams and for that run to come to an end this Sunday, it would take something very very strong but away from that, if Liverpool ever needed a reason to win the league this season, that it is Klopp’s last season seems a very good reason.

 

Possible Absentees

Due to either injuries or suspensions, either one of Varane, Shaw, Martinez, Lindelof could miss the Liverpool game for United while the likes of Alisson, Wataru Endo, Trent, Jota, and Robertson could miss the game for Klopp’s side.

Match Stats

Man. United are ranked 12th in goals scored per match (1.4 goals) while Liverpool are ranked 2nd in goals scored per match (2.3 goals) in the EPL this season.

Bruno Fernandes is ranked 3rd in big chances created in the competition (14) while Mohamed Salah is ranked 1st in big chances created in the competition (19). Both players have the most goal contributions for their sides, 11 for Bruno and 25 for Salah.

Liverpool have managed to win in only 4 of their 24 most recent away clashes with Manchester United in all competitions.

 

You can check out the Man United vs Liverpool game on MSport here:

https://www.msport.com/ng/web/sports/Soccer/England_Premier_League/Man_Utd_vs_Liverpool/sr:match:41763537?k=Liverpool?EMA

 

After seizing a vital lead in their Champions League quarter-final first leg, Atletico Madrid now turn their attention back to La Liga as they prepare to take on Girona in a crucial match at the Wanda Metropolitano on today.

With both teams competing for a top-four spot, the significance of this game cannot be understated as they look to enhance their chances of qualifying for the Champions League.

 

 

Match Preview

Fresh off a hard-earned victory over Borussia Dortmund in the elite European competition, Atletico Madrid is now laser-focused on securing their place in the top four of La Liga. Diego Simeone's squad is currently just two points ahead of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao, making every upcoming match crucial in the race for Champions League qualification. 

Up next is a tough test against Girona, who are in third place and have a comfortable nine-point lead over fifth. Despite Girona's recent road struggles, they have a strong record at home, and Atletico must be on high alert. Michel's team is determined to bounce back from their recent away losses and cement their top-four position with a positive result against Atletico.

 

Team News

Atletico Madrid will have to make do without key players Memphis Depay, Mario Hermoso, and Thomas Lemar due to injuries, while midfielder Pablo Barrios is suspended. Manager Diego Simeone will have to make some tough decisions on team selection in order to bring  fresh energy to the team.

On the other hand, Girona will also be missing Joel Roca and Toni Villa due to knee injuries, with Ricard Artero's fitness uncertain. Ivan Martin's suspension paves the way for Yangel Herrera to make a comeback in the starting lineup, while Savio is expected to play a crucial role in the team's attacking strategy.

 

Predictions and insights

1️⃣In their recent form, Atlético Madrid has earned 7 points from their last 5 matches, whether playing at home or away, averaging 1.4 points per game. Notably, both teams have scored in 3 of these games, adding excitement to their performances. Atlético Madrid has found the net 6 times in their last 5 fixtures, showcasing their attacking prowess.

2️⃣In their past five games, Girona FC has earned an impressive 9 points, averaging 1.8 points per game. They have only allowed both teams to score in one of those matches. Additionally, Girona FC has found the back of the net 8 times in their last 5 fixtures.

3️⃣In their history of 9 meetings, Atlético Madrid has won 3 matches, Girona FC has won 1, and they have drawn 5 times.

4️⃣In recent matchups, Atlético Madrid and Girona FC have seen an average of 3.22 goals scored per game.

 

👉Find the match here👈

 

 

 

In a highly-anticipated rematch between two European heavyweights, Arsenal and Bayern Munich will face off in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. The Gunners, riding high on their recent domestic success, are eager to avenge their previous encounters with the German giants.

Bayern Munich, on the other hand, come into the match with a depleted squad and a chip on their shoulder, looking to prove themselves against their English rivals.

 

Match Preview

Arsenal enters this clash with a renewed sense of confidence, having overcome their Champions League last-16 jinx by dispatching Porto on penalties in the previous round. Under the guidance of manager Mikel Arteta, the Gunners have showcased impressive form domestically, reclaiming the top spot in the Premier League with a convincing win over Brighton & Hove Albion. Their formidable home record, coupled with a six-match winning streak at the Emirates Stadium, sets the stage for an electrifying encounter.

Bayern Munich, meanwhile, faces a challenging predicament following their recent Bundesliga defeat to Heidenheim. Despite their domestic woes, the German champions remain a formidable force in Europe, led by talismanic striker Harry Kane. However, Bayern's defensive vulnerabilities, highlighted by their inability to keep clean sheets in recent matches, could provide Arsenal with an opportunity to exploit

 

Team News

Arsenal will welcome back Bukayo Saka after his brief injury scare, providing a significant boost to their attacking prowess. However, the Gunners will be without Jurrien Timber, who continues his recovery from injury. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich faces a multitude of injury concerns, with several key players, including Manuel Neuer and Kingsley Coman, sidelined for the crucial first leg.

 

Predictions and Insights

1️⃣Out of 10 previous meetings, Arsenal have won 3 matches while Bayern München won 5. 2 matches between them have ended in a draw.

2️⃣Previous matches between Arsenal and Bayern München have averaged 3.5 goals

3️⃣Coming into this game, Arsenal has picked up 10 points from the last 5 games, both home and away. That's 2 points per game on average. BTTS has landed in just 1 of those games. Arsenal has scored 10 times in the last 5 fixtures.

4️⃣Coming into this game, Bayern München has picked up 10 points from the last 5 games, both home and away. That's 2 points per game on average. BTTS has landed in just 1 of those games. Bayern München has scored 6 times in the last 5 fixtures.

 

👉Find the link here👈