A look at the second leg of the Champions League quarter finals

The Champions League is back, and it is back with a bang! Last week's match-ups displayed top-quality football. Everyone has their eyes set on Manchester City and Real Madrid as the two big favorites to win the title this year, however, Inter Milan and AC Milan are worthy underdogs who might cause an upset in the semi-finals.

The ‘Citizens’ gave a brilliant display of football at the Etihad Stadium last week, completely dominating Bayern Munich. The Bavarian squad plays very similarly to Pep Guardiola, where possession keeps the opponent at bay. Both squads clashed head to head but Manchester City’s individual quality is unmatched throughout Europe.

The Bavarian squad has been undergoing many changes since Nagelsmann was sacked in March. Tuchel, the newly signed coach, has enjoyed positive results in the Bundesliga but the team still lacks cohesion in Europe.

Manchester City kept business as usual. Their field transitions alongside their ability to retain position completely split the Bavarian team in half. They forced Bayern into uncomfortable situations on the pitch, generating plenty of unforced errors and pointless long passes.

The Norwegian striker put the nail in the coffin scoring the 3rd goal in the 76’ minute, giving Manchester City a comfortable lead before heading to Munich.

Another magical night at the Santiago Bernabeu with a brilliant display of offensive football from ‘los Blancos’. Carlo Ancelotti designed the perfect game plan to disrupt Chelsea’s game, pressing high on the pitch and counter-attacking down the sides.

Vinicius was one of the most menacing players on the pitch with his pace and versatility. He and Reece James exchanged a series of 1vs1’s that got everyone on their feet. Karim Benzema cracked open the scoreboard with a tap in goal and then Marco Asensio extended Madrid’s lead with a great finish in minute 74’.

Chelsea has been a rollercoaster this season, experiencing many changes around the club. Lampard was summoned to pick up the pieces, but the ‘Blues’ were playing aimlessly, with no personality. The frustration shown on the pitch ended in a booking for Ben Chilwell after a tough tackle on Rodrygo.

The Portuguese team didn’t have their most extraordinary Champions League night as they fell short to Inter Milan by two goals. Nicolo Barella and Romelu Lukaku scored for the Italian side, setting a foot and a half in the semi-finals. Benfica dominated possession and had more shots on goal, yet Inter’s defensive structure shut down the Portuguese offense.

Inter enjoyed a strong start in the Champions League, due to Inzaghi's dedication to the European competition. Their race to win the Scudetto finished a long time ago. Inter dropped to 5th place, fighting for a Champions League spot next year.

The return game in San Siro will prove to be a test for the ‘nero azzurri’ after gambling their season for a finish in the Champions League final. Benfica will come out in full force to force a draw, so we can expect a very defensive game with constant pressure coming from the Portuguese side.

Arguably two of the strongest teams in the Serie A are fighting for a one-way ticket to the Champions League semi-final. Napoli has outperformed themselves with a remarkable league season, leading the race for the Scudetto by 14 points. Milan capitalized on Napoli’s tired legs during the first fixture, finishing 1-0 with a brilliant goal from Bennacer.

The fixture has been a football spectacle, and we can only assume there will be more goals in the second leg. Napoli is sitting with a comfortable lead in the league and can force a comeback in their home stadium. Tune in at 9:00 pm CET for some thrilling football.