Some say that reuniting with music is like reuniting with your first love. That he Champions League anthem sounds again after three months on a day like Valentine’s should not be a coincidence. It is for pure love of football. Never before have we gone so long without listening to it in winter. The World Cup, which had always been a summer girlfriend, was to blame. The usual break between the group stage and the round of 16 lasted one more month. A month that served for Chelsea, for example, to become fond of Enzo Fernández and will pay Benfica €130M (121 plus 10 in variables) by the Argentine in the winter market.
It was not the only movement of Chelsea in a January in which he went completely crazy. The bad results of the team in the Premier made Todd Boehly take out his wallet and spend almost 400 million in eight signingsof which only the aforementioned Enzo, Mudryk (100 million) and joao felix (11 for six months on loan) will be part of the blue list in the round of 16. A round in which several of the participating teams reappear with a different make-up than the one they wore when the group stage ended.
An example of this is PSG, whose luxury cosmetics now look like wax paintings. Before the World Cup, Neymar, Mbappé and Messi were in the best form that they have been remembered together since the three met in Paris. Now the Frenchman is almost certainly out for tonight’s game against Bayern due to injury, Messi has taken his foot off the accelerator after rising to the top in Qatar and Neymar is missing and with the board showing him the exit door. A crisis situation opposed to the joy that reigns in his German rival, who, although he does not have Neuer or Mané, is experiencing a moment of happiness in the Bundesliga, joined by Cancelo, on loan from Manchester City, and Sommer, signed from Borussia Monchengladbach.
conditioning lesions
In addition to the low sounds of Mané and mbappealthough the latter may force his return today, there are teams like Liverpool and Tottenham whose plans have been disrupted by injuries. Madrid’s rival in the round of 16 will not be able to count on Van Dijk, Thiago Alcántara or Luis DÃaz, Key pieces in the backbone of Klopp’s team, which has had to pull young promises like the Spanish Bajcetic to resist the January slope. The signing of Gakpo, who came from PSV for 42 million, is the great hope of the network to change the course. He Tottenham, meanwhile, lost Bentancur last weekend, his starting midfielder, out for the entire season due to a cruciate ligament injury. A sensitive loss for the spurs, who have been reinforced with the signing of Pedro Porro, for which he has paid Sporting Portugal more than 40 million euros.
Precisely, Tottenham will reappear tonight against a Milan that has also been fatal to the three-month hiatus. Milan are out of the Champions League positions in Serie A and their coach Pioli is being questioned for the first time since he took over at the San Siro. Those who have not been affected are Napoli and City, who three months later maintain a high level in their leagues and are very favorites to go to the quarterfinals despite having no news in their squads.
Liverpool vs Real Madrid
He real Madrid is favorite in the reissue of the last final. Not only because the white team arrive motivated after the achievement of Club World Cup, but for him bad moment who lives the Liverpool. The networks they are very far of the European posts in the Premier and they are being heavily punished by injuries. Klopp will not be able to count on Van Dijk, Thiago or Luis DÃaz for the first leg. Gakpo, for which Liverpool paid 42 million euros to PSV, is the great novelty of the tie.
PSG-Bayern
The arrival of I cancel it has changed the face to a bayern that started 2023 with doubts. Since his arrival, the Bavarians have thrashed in all their matches despite the loss of Mané. On the contrary, the psg comes from fall into the cup of France against Marseille and in Ligue 1 against Monaco. The Parisian ultras have broken out against the team. The recovery of mbappe in time, a burning nail to cling to.
Milan-Tottenham
The winter break was a jug of cold water for a Milan who lives a bad moment. Maignan’s loss in goal has been terrifying. Tatarusanu, 37, has starred in a few songs that have favored the decline of Milan in the A series, in whichand gear fifth. The Romanian goalkeeper will face a kane that arrives in shape and that you can put pioli against the ropes. Since his arrival on the San Siro bench in 2019, the Italian coach has never been so disputed like now.
Bruges-Benfica
He witches shocked everyone in the group stage of the Champions League, especially Atlético, but the Belgians have hit a big downturn since then. The bad run of the team in the Belgian league led to the March from his technical Hoefkens, who was replaced by Scott Parker. He Benfica, intractable in the portuguese league, is a very favorite despite having sold Enzo Fernández. Even more so after the injuries to the most decisive Bruges attackers: Jutglá and Skov Olsen.
Dortmund vs Chelsea
All open in a playoff in which is a unknown how will the Chelsea’s new signings. UEFA regulations only allow registering three new players per team and Graham Potter opted for Enzo Fernandez, Mudryk and Joao Felix. He Dortmundcommanded by a good Bellingham, has reason to be happy after the Haller’s recoverywho was out for several months after being diagnosed with cancer.
Eintracht-Naples
After having done the best first lap in its history and caressing the Scudetto with his fingertips, the Naples has plenty of room for dedicate further efforts to the Champions. Even more so when his rival is the eintracht who, despite being the Europa League champion, is one of the weaker teams of the eighth Kolo Muani is the great threat of the German team.
Leipzig vs Manchester City
City did not move in the winter market. So that? In summer they added to their spectacular cast of stars Julian Alvarez, revalued after the World Cup, already Haalandwhat is pulverizing all the records possible in the Premier and the Champions League. He leipzig Nor has it been strengthened and, to top it off, You will not be able to count on Dani Olmo due to injury. It would be a historic surprise if they qualified.
Porto-Inter
Neither Porto nor Inter were reinforced in the winter market and the situation of both clubs does not differ much from which they lived before of the break. Napoli and Benfica have been prominent leaders in their respective leagues for months, so the very close Champions League tie has become a priority to keep their fans happy. It will be a special game for the coach Sergio Conceicao, who as a player made history in both clubs.
