Wednesday 10 April
19/20 PSG | Draw 11/4 | Barcelona 5/2 (21:00)
Probably the most evenly matched fixture in the round. These two teams have so much prickly history off the field as well, which only adds layers to an already spicy affair.
Luis Enrique and Xavi will have no choice but to play a chess match here and look to create opportunity for their young players to stake a claim on the biggest stage. The midfield, however, is where I think the game is won and lost. Barca are better there and given PSG’s inability to achieve anything continental, I’m backing the Spaniards overall, but I think this ends in a draw.
8/10 Atletico Madrid | Draw 26/10 | Dortmund 34/10 (21:00)
From an atmosphere perspective, this fixture probably takes the cake. Atleti have not been their usual defensive, compact and patient selves. They have shown to be rather loose and open this season, which (with respect) is Dortmund’s middle-name.
These two teams have incredible attacking threats, and if the game opens up the way I suspect, it favours the German’s. Furthermore, neither side is having an incredible season, a lot of their results have come off the back of emotional experiences and momentum…so if that then becomes the metric, I suspect the confidence harnessed by Diego Simeone’s sides victory over Inter sees them get off to a great start here.
Written by Ryan Liberty