The European Football Federation (UEFA) Champions League (CL) is back. The Champions League, which had been suspended for nearly three months due to the 2022 Qatar World Cup, will resume on the 15th, a week later. UCL, which has completed the group stage matches in which 32 teams compete, will digest the schedule for the round of 16, which will be held in a home-and-away format.
The best ‘big match’ of this Champions League round of 16 is the match between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). In fact, it is a match called a preview final. The two teams also faced each other in the UCL finals of the 2019-2020 season.
Bayern Munich and PSG are teams that represent each league and are lined with the best players in the world. Bayern Munich, the strongest team in the German Bundesliga, leads the league with 11 wins, 7 draws and 1 loss with 40 points. In particular, he scored only 18 points while scoring 56 goals in 19 games. Bayern Munich is characterized by no holes in all positions, including Jamal Musiala, Serge Gnabri, Sadio Mane and Matthias de Ligt. In the transfer market this winter, the team’s power was further strengthened by embracing Joao Cancelo, one of the best wingbacks in the English professional football Premier League (EPL).
PSG, the No. 1 team in France’s Ligue 1, has the world’s best strikers, including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. Called the ‘MNM Trio’, they are responsible for about 70-80% of PSG’s goals. Mbappe is tied for second with 13 goals, Neymar is tied for fourth with 12 goals, and Messi with 10 goals is tied for ninth. It is regrettable that Mbappe recently left due to an injury, but PSG, who is aiming to win the UCL, is determined to avenge the defeat of the UCL final in the past. The match between the two teams will be held on the 15th at the Parc des Princes in Paris, France.
The match between the defending champions, Real Madrid and Liverpool, is also worth seeing. The two teams that clashed in the UCL finals last season now face each other on the way to the quarterfinals. Real Madrid is a team that has been strong in the UCL to the point of being nicknamed the team with ‘Champions DNA’. He has won 14 championships. Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, soccer guru Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, and ‘vinyl shoes’ Vinicius Junior are lined up.
Liverpool are showing sluggishness within the EPL, but they are one of the UCL regulars. The attacking team led by Mohamed Salah has been very active on the UCL stage and has advanced to the top every year. However, this confrontation is expected to be dominated by Real Madrid. Liverpool have not been able to use their strength when they only meet Real Madrid, and Virgil van Dijk, a key resource in the team, has recently left due to injury. The match between the two teams will be held at Anfield in Liverpool, England on the 22nd.
The performance of Korean players is also of interest. Kim Min-jae, who is having his UCL debut season, will play in the round of 16. ‘Iron Pillar’ Kim Min-jae firmly guarded the rear Napoli met Germany’s Frankfurt. If you look at the recent atmosphere, Napoli, which is showing overwhelming prowess in the league, is advantageous. Napoli is in first place, 13 points ahead of second place, showing perfect ball-defense balance. Frankfurt is in 5th place in the league. 카지노
Son Heung-min’s Tottenham Hotspur will face Serie A powerhouse AC Milan. AC Milan’s ‘divine’ Rafael Leang is active with eight goals in the league, but the uneasy ‘back door’ is a drawback. They have the most goals among the leading teams. In particular, in the last 3 games, 12 goals have been criticized as the worst defense. On the other hand, Tottenham won 1-0 against Manchester City on the 6th. The match between the two teams will be held on the 15th.
