Matchday 7; a round that brought flair and favor
With the Champions League matchday taking place this week, we take a look at some of the best moments from Round 7. From goals galore to star power on show to huge upsets, this matchday did not fail to live up to its expectations. There are several factors fans will be eager to know. For starters, where does Manchester City’s shock defeat in Norway leave them? Which other teams will join Arsenal and Bayern and secure direct spots to the Round of 16? Which team between 9th and 16th place could potentially snatch a spot from a top 8 team and directly qualify for the Round of 16? Stay tuned as we explore all the details from this past matchday and what lies ahead.
Real Madrid’s 6-1 thrashing over Monaco the highlight of the week
This past Champions League round had endless storylines, but one of the main headlines that grabbed our attention was Real Madrid’s stellar 6-1 victory over Monaco. Prior to their win at the Bernabeu, Real Madrid experienced quite an eventful week that saw Alonso leave his post, a defeat at Albacete that saw them get eliminated from the Copa del Rey, and a crowd that met their players with whistles. However, Arbeloa’s men responded in impressive fashion as his side were firing on all cylinders against Monaco, with Vinicius being at the centre of their impressive victory with two assists and a goal. Los Blancos will be eager to secure a top 8 spot but face a tricky trio away to Benfica.
City’s defeat in Norway leaves a-lot to be evaluated
Manchester City’s shock defeat in Norway leaves them in a worse state, with the Cityzens only picking up two wins in seven games since the beginning of the new year. There have also been questions raised about Guardiola, with some football experts arguing that his time in Manchester may be coming to an end. The defeat also saw them drop from 4th place to 11th in the league phase table. This leaves them with a must-win situation against Galatasaray, as well as relying on other top teams like Atletico, Chelsea, and Newcastle to drop points.
Barcelona tipped to qualify directly for the Round of 16 of the Champions League
There are several sides that could potentially sneak their way into the top 8 and snatch a direct spot from a team currently en route to the Round of 16. As it stands, Barcelona currently leads the way for teams outside of the top 8 who could still possibly snatch a place from a top 8 team. Should the Catalan giants beat Copenhagen, they would need one of the teams in the top 8 to drop points. They currently are tied with several other top 8 clubs such as PSG, Newcastle, and Chelsea but are behind on goal difference.
Both PSG and Newcastle face off against each other next week, with one side guaranteed to drop points. Not to mention Chelsea facing a difficult away trip to a Napoli side who sit just outside 24th place and desperately need the points. From a Barcelona perspective, you cannot help but feel that the odds are working in your favor.
