The eight first round matches of the final Champions League (CL) tournament are over. The following eight teams progressed to the quarter-finals.
Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Napoli, Chelsea, Milan, Benfica, Inter
Italy was divided into 3, England 2, Germany, Spain and Portugal 1 each. The situation has changed completely since last season when England had 3, Spain 3, Germany and Portugal 1 each. Spain jumped from 3 to 1, England from 3 to 2, while Italy increased from 0 to 3.
This is the first time in four seasons since Juventus in 2018-19 that an Italian team has reached the last eight. As for the past when three teams progressed to the top 8, it goes back to 18 seasons ago (2005-06).
The eight teams listed above are arranged in order of the bookies’ winning predictions. The highest rated of the three Italian teams is Napoli, the fourth favorite overall. Currently leading the league in Serie A. With an 18-point lead over runners-up Inter, they have already secured the league title. It is a team that can fight while aiming for CL more than anywhere else. This is the reason why the evaluation is increasing.
The opponent in the first round of the last tournament was Frankfurt, and they won the away game in the first game with a score of 0-2. I was showing the difference in the strength of the ground. Aiming for a comeback, Frankfurt went into the second leg at the San Paolo with a more attacking 4-2-3-1 line instead of the traditional back three.
Frankfurt’s Daichi Kamata suffered a 5-0 loss against Napoli
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The other match of the day, Real Madrid v Liverpool, was a similar affair, with away Real Madrid winning the first match 2-5.
The 2004-05 Champions League final against Milan is noted as the game in which Liverpool overturned a three-point deficit. Liverpool, who turned the first half 0-3, scored three points in the second half to catch up to 3-3, beating Milan in extra time and a penalty. They switched from a 4-2-3-1 formation to a 3-3-3-1 from the start of the second half, and their intense pressing that made them feel hopeless was a success. This was the biggest factor that led to the great reversal.
