
Champions League expert picks, predictions: Can Arsenal top PSG at home? Can anything slowdown Barcelona?
Champions League expert picks, predictions: Can Arsenal top PSG at home? Can anything slowdown Barcelona?
UEFA Champions League is due to the last four teams, which will start their semi -final this week as a place in the final of May 31 in the Allianz Arena of Munich, feels at a moving distance.
Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, fresh from winning their first trophies of the season, are still hunting to win the Treble, but are confronted with various obstacles en route. The French champions start on Tuesday with their semi -final in Arsenal, opposite the Gunners for their first semifinal of the Champions League in almost 20 years. In the meantime, Barcelona is organizing Inter on Wednesday in this week’s other first leg band.
Both Arsenal and Inter, however, will have enough to play for – the Champions League is now the only title for grabbing for the Gunners this season, while Inter de Champions League will balance with a Serie A title race that might slip out of reach for them.
View our expert choices below.
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Here are our expert choices for this matchday:
Champions League Quarterfinals
Arsenal vs. PSG
Player to watch: Declan Rice – The hero of the quarterfinals will probably go into a deeper midfield role, given the suspension of Thomas Pedey and the injury of Jorginho. Arsenal needs someone who can physically impose himself on PSG’s ultra -technical midfield. In theory, rice should be the perfect man for that .. – James Benge
Man of the match: Ganluigi Donnarumma, PSG – The Italian goalkeeper is impressive this season, especially in the second stage of the quarterfinals of the Champions League against Aston Villa, where at least three crucial rescues made the top four qualification possible for the team coached by Luis Enrique. The French giants need a different implementation of that level of their goalkeeper at the Emirates Stadium. – Francesco Porzio
Best bet: Both teams to score (-146)- This is more juice than I would usually be at ease, but in a game that is difficult to break down between Arsenal and PSG, it is best to rely on star attackers to get the job done. PSG will come in with extra fire after they have seen their invincible competition season rise in smoke, but with the strong defense of Arsenal this is unlikely a high scoring match. However, that does not mean that both teams will not score, because PSG just as likely admit a goal as to score one. – Chuck Booth
Prediction: Arsenal 1, Paris Saint-Germain 2- Arsenal may have picked up a simple 2-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the competition phase, but this version of the Luis Enrique side is very different from the one in North London in October. The French champions have slowly but surely become the most exciting team in Europe, unique managed by Enrique in a way that makes them difficult to beat. Expect a competitive game in the Emirates Stadium, but a game that eventually waves PSG’s way thanks to an attacking power that is better than that of Arsenal, and possibly with the help of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma after his strong show at Aston Villa two weeks ago. – PARDEEP CATRY
Barcelona vs. Intercourse
Player to view: Pedri — Barcelona figure to see a lot of possession in advanced areas, against an internet that is pre -eminently able to organize herself against top attacks. Can Pedri choose the gaps in the backline and fast balls fly the field when Barcelona has the chance? The proof of this season is that he can absolutely. – James Benge
Man of the match: Lamine Yamal – The Spanish wing player has been phenomenal this season, also in the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid on Saturday, where the 3-2 victory of FC Barcelona has awarded the team by Hansi Trophy their second trophy of the season against Real Madrid. Inter is also suffering, and both Federico Dimarco and Alessandro Bastoni will have the most difficult task to contain Yamal’s talent on the left wing. – Francesco Porzio
Best bet: Dani Olmo to have 1+ shot on goal and make 2+ shots (-128)– The defense of Inter has been good to keep the ball out of the back of the net, but that does not mean that they do not allow many opportunities on their opposition. With too many attackers to follow in the build -up on Barcelona between Raphinha, Pedri and Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo will have room to work and he has not met a shot that he does not like. Olmo could easily scatter Yann Sommer with shots on goal, but with this is the first stage, it is better to be a bit more conservative. – Chuck Booth
Prediction: Barcelona 2, Inter 1 – Barcelona may be without Robert Lewandowski, but they are still the favorites in this and it is not difficult to see why. The Copa del Rey Triumph on Saturday proved that they can still find goals without the Poland International and also demonstrated the ability of Barcelona not to crumble under the pressure of expectations. That is far from Inter, whose high hope hopes has been poured and now being Winloos in their last four. The Champions League is perhaps everything they still have to play for after they are going to Second in the Serie A race, but against this version of Barcelona is perhaps a task for too long. – PARDEEP CATRY
Semi -finals TV schedule
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