The eight teams qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League are known after the qualifications of Real Madrid and Naples against Liverpool (1-0) and Frankfurt (3-0) this Wednesday, March 15. There will be three Italian teams in the quarters, a first for 17 years.
There really wasn’t a lot of suspense in this last evening of the round of 16. Winners in the first leg, Real Madrid and Naples had already done the hardest part by winning respectively at Liverpool (5-2) and Frankfurt (2-0). For this return encounter, the people of Madrid did not have to force their talent to muzzle an uninspired Liverpool team who had great difficulty laying the groundwork for an improbable feat. Ancelotti’s men could even have offered another brilliant victory if Benzema, Camavinga, and especially Vinicius had not fallen on Alisson, the Liverpool goalkeeper who has long repelled attacks. It is finally the Frenchman Karim Benzema who will end up finding the opening at the end of the match (79th) confirming the undisputed domination of Real, defending champion, against his finalist, less than a year ago.
The Italians at the top
In Napoli, the second leg was more marked by the violent clashes between Napoli and Frankfurt supporters which broke out on the streets of the city before the start of the encounter. Clashes caused by a group of some 150 Neapolitans, who attacked the German supporters while the latter were escorted by the police. On the pitch, Naples confirmed their victory in the first leg by winning thanks to a double from Nigerian Victor Osimhen (45 + 2, 58th), his third and fourth goals in C1 this season, and a penalty from Zielinski (64th ).
Shocking scenes currently ongoing in Naples:
guerrilla in downtown, a squad of 20 policemen risking their lives, as a Eintracht and Atalanta hooligans allied are setting on fire the city.
Naples is currently host of 300 hooligans pic.twitter.com/yFqgQBmEoc
— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) March 15, 2023
These quarter-final qualifications mark the strong comeback of Italian clubs with the presence of Inter Milan, AC Milan and Naples. Formerly a stronghold of European football, Italy, 12 Champions League won (Milan 7, Inter 3, Juventus 2) had lost its luster, like its championship whose exposure is less, compared to the Premier League, La Liga, even the Bundesliga. It had therefore been 17 years since the 2005-2006 season that Italy had not placed three clubs in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. If Inter and AC Milan have long been regulars, this is the first time that Naples has invited itself to these heights.
City, the good year?
Despite their strong presence however, none of the three Italian clubs will claim the status of favorites for the final crown. Of the eight remaining teams, defending champions Real and Manchester City appear as the most serious contenders. The people of Madrid, even when they don’t have the best team on paper, know the recipes for winning the trophy. What Manchester City has never succeeded. With a striker named Erling Haaland, the Mancunian club hopes to finally lift the Cup. Bayern Munich, still well placed, acts as a serious outsider, a little more than Benfica and Naples who will have less pressure to hope to continue their great adventure.
The draw for the quarter-finals will take place this Friday, March 17. The first legs will take place on Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12 April, with the return matches being scheduled for 18 and 19 April. The semi-finals will take place on 9/10 and 16/17 May, while the final will be played on Saturday 10 June.
The eight teams qualified for the quarter-finals: Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Napoli, Manchester City, Chelsea, Benfica Lisbon, Real Madrid