MADRID, 15 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
This Tuesday the Champions League returns with the round of 16 qualifiers, with three Spanish teams, Real Madrid, who will play this first week, Atlético de Madrid and Villarreal, who will do so in the following week, as the only representatives of LaLiga Santander and with the objective of curdling a great role in the maximum continental competition.
Opposite, the hype provided crosses against top-level teams, some of them with new faces after the winter market and with players who have been able to recover in time for the playoffs. This is how the rivals of the Spanish clubs arrive in the final race for the ‘Orejona’.
1. Paris Saint-Germain-Real Madrid. February 15 (21.00).
Real Madrid are leaders in the League but with more doubts than certainties after drawing 0-0 against Villarreal and, before, being eliminated as it hurts the most in the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey. With Ferland Mendy already looking recovered, the presence of Karim Benzema is the big unknown for the Whites’ most important game so far this season.
For its part, PSG, who lead Ligue 1 by a wide margin, also recently suffered elimination from the Coupe de France in the round of 16 against Nice on penalties. On the last matchday they beat Stade Rennais ‘in extremis’ with a goal in the 92nd minute from Kylian Mbappé and they haven’t lost a game since the end of November on their visit to Manchester City (2-1).
With Sergio Ramos and Ander Herrera ruled out, the good news for the Parisians is the recovery of three pillars in the eleven. Paredes, Di María, who already played in the last league game and, above all, Neymar, who has not played since November 28 and could be the big news.
Another great attraction will be Leo Messi -with only 7 goals this season-, who will face the whites again, against whom he has scored 26 goals, after leaving Barça, a great opportunity to show the high level that has not yet been achieved seen in Paris. But all eyes will focus on Kylian Mbappé, who will add ‘morbidity’ to the duel over his possible signing for Real Madrid and who also seems to be the French’s main threat.
2. Atletico Madrid – Manchester United. February 23 (21.00)
The rojiblancos qualified for the round of 16 ‘in extremis’ and are experiencing their worst moment since Simeone’s arrival on the bench. Although the Madrid team should never be underestimated, the team is experiencing a worrying drop in play and they hope that the Champions League will be an oasis in their particular desert. Although United are not enjoying a good moment either as they have gone three games without a win, with only three goals scored, and are out of the Champions League positions in the Premier League (they are provisional 5th). In addition, like the mattresses, he is also out of the FA Cup after losing in the fourth round against Middlesbrough on penalties.
Its main star is Cristiano Ronaldo -14 goals this season-, a figure who stands out above the team, but who is currently going through his worst goalscoring drought of the season, without scoring so far in 2022. The team hired Jadon Sancho in the summer and Raphael Varane, who have not achieved the expected performance, and in the winter market they have not signed, although they did lose Van de Beek and Anthony Martial, players without minutes with Ralf Rangnick.
Paul Pogba is already back in the starting eleven after his muscle problems, as are Luke Shaw, Wan-Bissaka, and Alex Telles, while Fred has already overcome the coronavirus and should be ready for the Metropolitan. Matic and Cavani are the affected players and they will have to hurry to recover before the tie.
3. Villarreal-Juventus. February 22 (21.00).
Although this season’s Juventus are far from being the team that dazzled Europe with their defensive solidity and attacking brilliance, even reaching the finals in 2015 and 2017, the ‘Vecchia Signora’ have linked a series of positive results that They prevent it from being fourth, nine points behind the leader Milan, although it is already in the semifinals of the Italian Cup.
Without Cristiano Ronaldo, they are experiencing a year of transition to build a new project and in this winter market they have been reinforced to raise their level. The great addition to the Italian team, and a great threat to Unai Emery’s men, is the Serbian Dusan Vlahovic, formerly of Fiorentina -where he scored 20 goals-, and who has already made his debut with Turin’s men. Desired Swiss midfielder Denis Zakaria has also signed to strengthen an area weakened by Bentancour’s departure to Tottenham.
As for the casualties for the tie, the most sensitive at present is that of Chiellini, a stronghold in the defense of the Italian team, who could miss the first leg against Villarreal due to a muscular problem. Bernardeschi and Chiesa will also not be available due to their long-term injuries.