UEFA Champions League Predictions

Only 8 teams remain in UEFA’s most prestigious club tournament competition—Barcelona, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Schalke, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Tottenham. The First Leg of the Quarterfinal Knockout Stage of the Champions League was completed this week with 3 of the clubs providing convincing victories.

• Barcelona convincingly dominated Shakhtar Donetsk at Camp Nou, 5-1
        (Iniesta, Alves, Pique, Keita, Xavi ; Rakitskiy)

• Real Madrid kept a clean sheet against Tottenham at the Bernabeu, 4-0
        (Adebayor, Di Maria, Adebayor, Cristiano Ronaldo)

• Defending Champion Inter Milan took a haymaker and lost to Schalke at the San Siro, 2-5
        (Stankovic, Milito ; Matip, Edu, Raul, Ranocchia[og], Edu)

• Chelsea was defeated in a closely fought battle to Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, 0-1
        (Rooney)

Going forward, these are the latest bookmaking odds today for teams to win the Champions League: Barcelona 2/1 , Real Madrid 4.5/1 , Man United 5/1 , Chelsea 10/1 , Schalke 17/1 , Inter Milan 151/1 , Tottenham 351/1 , Shakhtar Donetsk 501/1, according to bet365.com.

Looking ahead to next week’s Second Leg match-ups, we could get some interesting scenarios and certainly some entertaining football. I’ll predict 2 of the matches today and the other 2 later this weekend

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Barcelona

Goal.com

There were questions coming into this tie about Barcelona’s lack of goal scoring form lately, especially when compared to their ability to score goals at will earlier this year. The Catalans answered most of those questions by scoring 5 goals—none of which came from Barcelona’s top three scorers this season (Leo Messi, David Villa and Pedro).  Both Carles Puyol (injury) and Eric Abidal (recovery) were out of action in the back four defense and opposing teams with pace have exposed this area of weakness occasionally. With 14 clean sheets, you could even make the argument that Victor Valdes has been La Liga’s best keeper, if not in all of Europe this season.

Going into Donbass Arena this next Wednesday, Shakhtar Donetsk is unbeaten at home since the arena opened in August of 2009. According to the Donbass Arena website, Shakhtar has played 35 total matches with winning 32 of those, with an unbelievable goal scored/allowed differential of 82-9.

Luiz Adriano exposed a bit of Barcelona’s defense on counter-attacks, getting past Pique and Sergio Busquets a few times with relative ease, just unable to finish with goals. Andres Iniesta will be out of this match with a suspension of yellows, which possibly could’ve been on purpose to avoid being suspended from a potential Champions League Semifinal match-up with nemesis Real Madrid. Dani Alves was the real troublemaker last match, flying down the right side with his patented runs, setting up opportunities and taking advantage of a weakened Shakhtar Donetsk defense. In order for Shakhtar to advance past FCB, at the very least, they would have to score 4 goals and not allow a single Barca goal. Still, this match is going to be a lot closer than most people think. Shakhtar’s historic home record will be on the line and I can’t wait to see the atmosphere.

Prediction: Shakhtar 2-2 Barcelona (Aggregate Score: 3-7) Barcelona advances to the Semifinals.

Tottenham vs Real Madrid

Google Images

Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham side fell upon the fortunes of bad luck when striker Peter Crouch received 2 yellow cards and subsequently sent off within the first 15 minutes of the First Leg. Being down to 10 men, the Hotspurs had virtually no chance of surviving at the Bernabeu. Getting the dismissal means Crouch will have to sit out this Second Leg as well and Tottenham lose their top goal threat of the competition. Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart will have huge burdens on their shoulders trying to carry the club at White Hart Lane. Being behind 4 goals in the Aggregate Score just deepens the climb and going against one of the game’s great defensive tactical managers in Jose Mourinho must seem like an impossible task is at hand.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid is just starting to become healthy and see productivity come from someone other than Cristiano Ronaldo. Gonzalo Higuain is just coming back from injury and his fitness levels are improving. Angel Di Maria, Karim Benzema and Emmanuel Adebayor have all contributed lately with goals. Not to mention, Madrid’s most consistent player, Mesut Ozil leads the UEFA Champions League with 6 assists. This end result on this one just seems destined and is headed for an El Clasico Champions League Semifinal with Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Prediction: Tottenham 1-2 Real Madrid (Aggregate Score: 1-6) Real Madrid advances to the Semifinals

Predictions for Inter Milan/Schalke and Manchester United/Chelsea will be up soon this weekend… stay posted.