The first day of action for the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals did not disappoint. Inter’s Davide Frattesi delivered an 88th-minute blow to send the Nerrazzuri 2-1 up on aggregate coming back to the San Siro, and Arsenal effectively knocked 15-time champions Real Madrid out of the competition with a 3-0 thrashing at the Emirates.
Two more first-leg games will take place on Wednesday, as Barcelona will host Dortmund and PSG will host Aston Villa at 3 p.m. ET.
In this preview, I’ll break down each game.
Borussia Dortmund at FC Barcelona, April 9, 3 p.m. ET
Moneyline: Barcelona -280, Draw +475, Dortmund +650
To Advance: Barcelona -500, Dortmund +350
Preview: Barcelona’s high-powered attack, led by Ballon d’Or contender Raphinha, La Liga current top scorer Robert Lewandowski, and wunderkind Lamine Yamal, will be simply too much in this game, especially since the match will take place in Catalonia. The Blaugrana currently sit at the top of the Spanish table, four points clear of the Galacticos and seven points ahead of Atlético Madrid, and they’re still in contention for their first treble since 2014-15.
For as solid as Dortmund has been in the Champions League, it has struggled mightily in the Bundesliga, with goalkeeper Gregor Kobel having one of the worst seasons of his career. BVB has allowed the third-most goals of any team still in the competition. Dortmund won’t get shut out — its main man, Serhou Guirassy, is third in the competition in scoring — but its defense won’t present Barcelona with much of a challenge.
The winner after two legs will go on to face the winner of Inter-Bayern Munich in the semifinals.
Prediction: FC Barcelona 3, Borussia Dortmund 1
Aston Villa at Paris Saint-Germain, April 9, 3 p.m. ET
Moneyline: Paris Saint-Germain -260, Draw +425, Aston Villa +650
To Advance: Paris Saint-Germain -800, Aston Villa +300
Preview: PSG knocked soon-to-be Premier League champions Liverpool out during the Round of 16, and they’ll take out another English side here. The Parisians are the only invincible side in Europe’s top five leagues and recently became the first team to clinch their domestic title. Far from missing a beat after losing Kylian Mbappe during the summer transfer window, PSG has been clinical. Winger Ousmane Dembélé is finally living up to his lofty potential and newcomer Kvicha Kvaratskhelia is starting to get accustomed to his new team.
It’s been an up-and-down season for Aston Villa, and while they it sits a respectable sixth in the Premier League, two-time reigning Yashin Trophy winner Emiliano Martínez hasn’t been quite as incredible as usual. He’s stepped up when it matters, posting an 86.0% save percentage in the Champions League so far, but unless he’s at his World Cup-winning best, PSG’s front three — which ranked first in total attacks, second in shot attempts, and second in shots on goal entering the week — is going to be tough to handle.
The winner after two legs will go on to face the winner of Real Madrid-Arsenal in the semifinals.
Prediction: Paris Saint-Germain 2, Aston Villa 0
