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quarta-feira, 6 de abril de 2016

PSG aiming high, Wolfsburg ready to be bold - UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

PSG aiming high, Wolfsburg ready to be bold - UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
AFP
As well as boasting an array of seasoned campaigners, this year’s UEFA Champions League quarter-finals include two debutants at this level. We also take a look at the man who decided the latest El Clásico and reveal why Barcelona were far from buoyant about being drawn against Atletico.

 The fixtures
Tuesday 5 April
Bayern Munich – Benfica
Barcelona – Atletico Madrid

 Wednesday 6 April 
Wolfsburg – Real Madrid
Paris Saint-Germain – Manchester City

 Match of the day 
Paris Saint-Germain – Manchester City, Parc des Princes, 20:45 (CET)

 Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City are two clubs pursuing a similar approach who can both boast substantial resources and options. Having recently defended their league crown, the French side have progressed slightly further in their development than an English team making their first-ever UEFA Champions League last-eight appearance.

 Under the watchful eye of departing coach Manuel Pellegrini, the Citizens have faltered in their own championship efforts and are now pinning their hopes on Europe’s biggest club competition to provide them with their latest piece of silverware. By contrast, PSG have reached the quarter-finals for the fourth successive year, although their only semi-final appearance back in 1994/95 ended in defeat at the hands of AC Milan.

 While the Sky Blues are delighted to have got this far for the first time, Laurent Blanc’s side have their sights set on the biggest victory of all – one many observers believe they are capable of achieving. “We’re making progress and getting better and better,” said Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has yet to lift Europe’s most prestigious trophy. “We have done all there is to do in France, so the Champions League is the next step for us.” His team-mate David Luiz agrees, explaining: “When you play for a big club, you have to aim to end the season at the very top.”

 In the spotlight 
The differences could hardly be more pronounced: in one corner Manchester City’s fellow last-eight debutants Wolfsburg, in the other corner Real Madrid, who with ten trophies to their name are the most successful club ever to grace the competition.

 Currently languishing eighth in the Bundesliga, it is no surprise to find the Germans tipped as steep underdogs. But as Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking sees it: "Outsiders have to be bold, and I want to see that from my players in both games.

 “I think we can be successful if we don’t go into the match with too much respect. They’re only a football team, just like us, and we have to make it as tough as possible for them with the tools at our disposal.”
Player to watch 
Although Real Madrid still have a long way to go in the Spanish championship despite beating Barcelona 2-1 in El Clásico on Saturday evening, winning the game with ten men provides Los Blancos with more than just a confidence boost. This was particularly clear from the intense celebrations that greeted Cristiano Ronaldo’s matchwinning goal in the 85th minute, with his trademark pose taking social networks by storm in the minutes that followed.

 The Portuguese star may be interested to learn that while his tally of 30 shots on target is higher than that of any other player in this season’s UEFA Champions League (Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller is in second place with 18), no individual has missed as many times as he has (20 shots off target, followed by 16 from PSG striker Ibrahimovic). Less surprisingly, Ronaldo heads the goalscorers’ list with 13 goals, followed by Bayern representatives Robert Lewandowski and Muller with eight and seven respectively.

 Did you know? 
Barcelona tend to struggle on the European stage when faced with teams from their own country. Barça have been drawn against their compatriots 15 times in European competition, more than any other club (the next are Sevilla with 11 such duels to their name), losing eight of these encounters while winning seven. Their tie with Atletico in 2013/14 marked the end of Lionel Messi and Co's campaign, after a 1-1 draw at Camp Nou was followed by a 1-0 loss at the Vicente Calderon.

 The stat 
15 – Bayern Munich are making a record 15th appearance in the Champions League quarter-finals, one more than both Real Madrid and Barcelona. As if that were not impressive enough, the German champions have progressed to the semi-finals after each of their five most recent last-eight encounters.

 What they said 
"People in Germany are very confident about our chances of winning this tie, and although I understand that, my impression is very different. Benfica are fantastically well organised: they stay very tight and leave very little space between their lines. They have a back four unlike anything I’ve seen for a long time. We thrive on possession. If you don’t have the ball, anything can happen.”
Bayern Munich coach Josep Guardiola