The 2021/2022 Champions League quarter-finals bracket has been set.
We were treated to a mixture of fixtures. From the one-sided drubbings by Bayern Munich and Manchester City to the drama of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
We had some upsets in Villareal and Benfica going through, and some close encounters in Atlético Madrid v Manchester United and Liverpool v Inter Milan.
The Last 16 is behind us now. It's time to look forward and take a look at how these sides shape up heading into the Champions League quarter-finals.
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8 - Benfica
It had to be someone. They put in a spirited effort in their first leg with Ajax in home territory, but the return leg was nothing short of a goal against the break. Credit to Darwin Nunez for coming up with a goal in a big moment, but whoever they are drawn against, they'll be lucky to make it through.
7️⃣4️⃣' Gerard Moreno comes on
7️⃣8️⃣' Gerard Moreno Scores
Villarreal lead in Turin 🇪🇸 🔥 #UCL pic.twitter.com/qVjO7jnFTC— LiveScore (@livescore) March 16, 2022
7 - Villareal
Villareal are a bit of a surprise package in this Champions League campaign. After finishing runners-up to Manchester United, they've shown plenty of fight. That was evident in their final group game win over Atalanta and second leg performance against Juventus. Domestically, they're seventh in La Liga, so it's a question of how long they can ride this wave of momentum.
6 - Atlético Madrid
Let's not forget Atlético needed a result against Porto in their final Champions League group game to go through. Let's not forget they narrowly beat Manchester United over two legs to get to this point. It's not their strongest team over the past few years, but they're dogged and narky and difficult opposition to come up against on their night.
César Azpilicueta puts the tie beyond doubt! 💪🔵
Chelsea strolling into the last 8 of the #UCL pic.twitter.com/q0sYxtET1R— Watch the UCL on LiveScore 🇮🇪 (@LiveScoreIE) March 16, 2022
5 - Chelsea
Personally, I felt like this was a bit of a disservice to Chelsea given they are defending champions and have looked strong in Europe again. But it's difficult to place them any higher. Given what's going on at the club, and whether that'll affect things, it remains to be seen. They did finish runner-up in their group to Juventus, which is worth noting.
4 - Real Madrid
Flying high at the top of La Liga and fresh off beating the financial behemoth that is Paris Saint-Germain. Real Madrid are on a bit of a roll and will be full of confidence heading into the quarter-finals. They did lose to Sherriff earlier on in the campaign, but they seem to be hitting their stride at just the right time.
Thomas Muller was 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 this one 😂⚽️#UCL pic.twitter.com/xychnqcRXd
— Watch the UCL on LiveScore 🇮🇪 (@LiveScoreIE) March 8, 2022
3 - Bayern Munich
Is it fair to call Bayern a sleeping giant? With most of the talk dominating around the top two, Bayern had the most convincing Group Stage performance of any team. They very nearly had a nightmare night in Austria but turned the tide in the second leg. With Lewandowski scoring and their defence in shape, they could be a match for any team.
2 - Manchester City
This was a difficult one. The argument for Manchester City being top of this list is they are probably the best team in the world, and they're top of the best league in the world. The con is they always seem to fall flat in the latter stages of the Champions League, and there's not a strong enough indication they won't repeat it. Will the lack of an out-and-out striker come back to haunt them?
Who else? 🇪🇬👑
Mo Salah doubles Liverpool's lead in Milan! 🔴#INTLIV #UCL pic.twitter.com/a2eGISyiJf— Watch the UCL on LiveScore 🇮🇪 (@LiveScoreIE) February 16, 2022
1 - Liverpool
Regardless of their loss to Inter Milan at Anfield, Liverpool feel like the team to beat this season. Their Group Stage performance was effortless. They're the in-form team in the Premier League and hot on Manchester City's heels. It's one of the strongest Jurgen Klopp squads we've seen and they're for the most part healthy. They've shown they can beat teams on off days this season too.
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See Also: Quiz: Which Clubs Did These Players Win Champions League Titles At?
