Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund survived scares last night to make it to the semi-finals, but who will join them?
By Declan Whooley
The two fixtures tonight will have their work cut out to match last night’s drama and excitement, with Juventus and PSG under-dogs to progress. Can they upset the odds? Or will Barcelona and Bayern have enough to ensure the four favourites reach the penultimate stage of the competition?
Barcelona v PSG
While they will have been disappointed to have coughed up a lead twice in Paris, with home advantage Barcelona will be confident of making it a sixth straight semi-final. Hope for the visitors will come from their impressive first half-performance and spirited comeback at the end of the game. They will also face a depleted Spanish side.
Leo Messi, Pedro and Adriano are out through injury, Javier Mascherano is suspended (and injured), while Carlos Puyol is also sidelined.
Thiago Motta’s return would be a huge boost for PSG
For the French side, Thiago Motta would be a welcome returnee as the most natural replacement for the banned Blaise Matuidi, but he is rated as 50/50. They warmed up for the challenge with a 2-0 away win at the weekend, but will need to replicate the performance of Rubin Kazan, the last team to win at the Nou Camp in Europe 20 games ago – and that wasn’ in a quarter-final – if they are to go through.
Carlo Ancelotti has conceded his side only has a “small chance” and will need Ibrahimovic to be at his most efficient should opportunities present themselves at a ground where he would relish the chance to create an upset.
Juventus v Bayern
Juventus really have a mountain to climb if they are to reach their first Champions League semi-final in 10 years. The Italians were expected to give Bayern a stern test in Munich, but after conceding a goal in the first minute, they never looked like troubling the home side and can count themselves fortunate that Bayern wasted a number of chances to put the tie to bed.
Manager Antonio Conte has spoken of putting to bed the disappointing first leg, but Juve will have to achieve a result minus the services of the suspended Stephan Lichtsteiner and Arturo Vidal. Sebastian Giovinco and Nicolas Anelka are out through injury, though Gianluigi Buffon is expected to return to the team after missing Saturday’s league match.
Bayern welcome back Javi Martinez from suspension
Bayern for their part will be buoyed by being crowned Bundesliga champions for the 23rd time at the weekend and will seek the early goal that would see the Old Lady requiring four goals, a tall order against such a stingy defence.
Javi Martinez is available after his suspension but Toni Kroos is definitely out after suffering an adductor injury.
Juventus have won all five European quarter-finals against German opponents, and while a victory is more than achievable, overturning the two-goal deficit may be a bridge too far.
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