Four English Teams in the Champions League Quarter Final Draw
Nobody Thought It Was Possible
The unpredictability of football was well and truly on show last week in UEFA Champions League as the quarter finalists were decided. The departure from the competition of Real Madrid and Dortmund were probably the most surprising results for the fans. However, Juventus beating Atletico so convincingly was totally unexpected as was Liverpool’s destruction of the mighty Bayern. The game that really had everybody talking was Manchester United’s amazing victory over PSG, and what a spectacular comeback that was. The pre-draw tension must have been enormous, and not just for the team representatives either. Commercially, having four English sides in the quarter final is a bit of a disaster for UEFA. The betting odds of an all English final are very high, and highlights how much quality there is in the English Premier League.
The Quarter Final Draw
At 12.30 CET in a tiny hamlet town of Nyon on the shore of lake Geneva Switzerland, the legendary goalkeeper Julio Cesar nervously drew the teams for the quarter final of the Champions League. The auditorium filled with officials was deathly silent, and first out of the hat was Ajax. A gentle sigh of UEFA relief was evident as Juventus were next to be drawn out. Generally, most teams would have been happy with the draw with the exception of perhaps Tottenham, who will play Manchester City. This is how the rest of the draw went:
- Ajax v Juventus
- Liverpool v Porto
- Tottenham v Man City
- Man United v Barcelona
The Aftermath
Once the auditorium atmosphere had cleared a little, attention turned to the semi final draw. Judging by the reactions in the room, more or less everyone was licking their lips with anticipation with their own idea of a perfect final. At this stage of the competition, it’s anybody’s guess as to who might be dazzling us with their individual skills on the football field on Saturday 1st June at the Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid. If you would like to gamble on who the finalists might be, it will definitely be one of these teams:
- Tottenham / Man City v Ajax / Juventus
- Man United / Barcelona v Liverpool / Porto
