European competitions are back with Champions and Europa League

As for the European Championships, Europe and Conference League competitions, only one Italian side remained in the competition. It is the Roma of José Mourinho, for the Uefa Conference League, while Atalanta were eliminated in the quarter-finals against RB Lipsia, a team that snatched the pass for the semifinals. The teams that had reached the Champions League round of 16 have also been eliminated: Inter and Juventus. If Inter had been given as an underdog against Klopp's Liverpool, the elimination of Massimiliano Allegri 's Juventus against the Spaniards of Villareal coached by Emery aroused greater surprise.

The scenario that lies ahead for the Champions League final

As happens in every edition, there are at least two revelation teams able to compete for a place of honor among the semi-finalists of the tournament. A component that during the last editions has become almost a constant. This year, in fact, Benfica and Villareal have perfectly interpreted the role of outsider and underdog, to enter into the merits of the terms linked to the context of the bookmakers' forecasts and champions odds .

The other six formations that will be played for the passage of the round are instead more highly rated teams in terms of palmares; coat of arms and as far as they have shown in recent years. It was not easy to clearly establish who was stronger between Tuchel's Chelsea, reigning European champion and already winner of the Europa League edition in 2019, and Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid. A prediction that is not easy to make, but not at the level of Bayern Munich's surprise elimination against Villareal.

The Ancelotti's Real Madrid passes against the Chelsea champions

Real Madrid in particular enjoy the fact that they have eliminated a battleship like Mauricio Pochettino's PSG, but Chelsea have repeatedly proven themselves to be an excellent team, especially in the context of European competition.

Then there are Klopp's Liverpool and Julian Nagelsmann's Bayern Munich which at least on paper could have a pass for the semifinals; while the double confrontation between Manchester City and Atletico Madrid breathes the atmosphere of a great sporting event, given the value of the two teams. The City coached by Pep Guardiola is called to redeem after the bitter disappointment of the last edition; with the final lost against Tuchel's Chelsea. Guardiola will then be able to win the Champions League with another team other than the Barcelona of the past years. This and much more should emerge from the 180 minutes of these quarter-finals. However, we must not take for granted the fact that the four most popular teams will necessarily access the two semifinals.

Predictions not easy to hit in the European field for the Champions League

Over the years the Champions League has shown us that this type of speculation, linked to rigid predictions, the coat of arms and the value put on the field, does not always reward the team considered stronger. There are exceptions, of course, but it is enough to review the roll of honor of recent years to understand that the results are far from obvious. Emery's Villareal proved to be the revelation team of this edition of the Champions League having eliminated Allegri's Juventus in the round of 16 and a battleship like Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

The chances of accessing the final for the English formations

This edition of the Champions League has effectively become a double challenge between Spanish and English football. Two different game philosophies that over the last few years have rewarded English football as of the last three editions we have seen first Klopp's Liverpool and then Tuchel's Chelsea triumph.

Instead, Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid is back, a coach who has repeatedly shown that he has a certain feeling with this competition. First time for Emery's Villareal, a coach who, however, has already won several times in the Europa League and has shown that he has the quality to play against the top of the class; as we have been able to see during this edition of the Champions League 2021-2022. There remains to be said of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, who will be able to try to redeem himself after the final lost during the last edition against Tuchel's Chelsea. On the other hand, PSG previously eliminated by Real Madrid do not find space among the semi-finalist formations; nor Bayern Munich, in practice the two finalists of the 2020 edition of the tournament.

A signal that shows that the only teams that have shown a certain continuity in the European field are currently only two: Real Madrid and Liverpool. Klopp's Liverpool in particular have played two finals in the last four years and if the passage of the round were to be central, it would be the third final in four editions; records that until now belonged only to Real Madrid and precisely to Barcelona when he was coached by Pep Guardiola; now a technique of the City which is missing the victory of this competition to close a great path and a winning cycle with the Manchester team.

The article The European competitions are back with Champions and Europa League was written on: Tech CuE | Close-up Engineering .