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The UEFA Champions League has reached crunch time, with the eight remaining clubs all aware of their routes to glory.
But while each merits their place in the quarter-finals and each will hold their own aspirations of winning, the odds are stacked in the favour of some and significantly against others.
It may be the time of the season when ties can turn on tiny details, but injuries, form and quality play the greatest role in determining who will emerge on top.
UEFA Champions League Power Ranking
Here is the power ranking of the final eight clubs.
#8 Porto
Porto are undoubtedly the underdogs in the last eight, though their victory against Juventus in the previous round shows that they should not be underestimated. They qualified through a relatively easy group that contained Olympiacos and Marseille as well as Manchester City, with their strength in their defence. However, they have shown domestically that they do not always have the instinct to win matches.
Four draws in their last nine matches have allowed Sporting CP to go clear at the top of the table and they must seek to close that gap while negotiating their tie against Chelsea.
Sergio Conceicao is a clever coach, but it would be one of his greatest achievements yet if he were to upset the Blues – and the thought of them going on to lift the Champions League title is a very distant one.
#7 Borussia Dortmund
While it would be unfair to class Borussia Dortmund as a club in a state of turmoil, there are very real problems in the squad. The hype surrounding star forwards Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho has gone some distance in distracting fans from just how wretched a season they have endured.
Indeed, Saturday’s 2-1 loss at home to Eintracht Frankfurt leaves them facing a massive uphill battle to qualify for the Champions League next season via the Bundesliga. Meanwhile, speculation over Haaland’s future continues to cloud their performances.
Dortmund have won just one of their last five matches, and while the combination of Haaland and Sancho gives them an X-factor that means they cannot easily be written off, Manchester City are strong favourites to end their UEFA Champions League hopes in the quarter-finals.
#6 Paris Saint-Germain
Although PSG were UEFA Champions League finalists last season, they face a stern challenge to better that achievement in 2020/21. Firstly, if they are to reach that stage, they are probably going to have to overcome Bayern Munich and Manchester City – the two best sides in Europe on current form.
Secondly, PSG are nursing some key selection issues for the first leg of their quarter-final in Germany, missing midfield tempo-makers Marco Verratti and Leandro Paredes as well as right-back Alessandro Florenzi.
Thirdly, PSG are just not playing that well. They are second in Ligue 1 after a loss to Lille and while they would sacrifice their domestic title for UEFA Champions League glory, they cannot afford to miss out on both. The pressure is on Mauricio Pochettino, who has not had the immediate influence in Paris that they might have hoped for.
#5 Real Madrid
Real Madrid might be the UEFA Champions League’s most successful club ever, but they are also in the midst of what has been a difficult campaign for them.
They have rather stumbled their way into the Spanish title race thanks to Atletico Madrid’s problems, and that means they will have a string of vital fixtures domestically to intertwine with their European aspirations.
Zinedine Zidane has often been able to pull a rabbit out of the hat in the UEFA Champions League, and indeed he did so again as Madrid just escaped the groups, but it would not be a surprise to anyone if Liverpool were to be a bridge too far for them in the quarter-finals.
#4 Liverpool
Liverpool may be seventh in the Premier League, but they should not be underestimated in Europe. They have swept into the quarter-finals without any problems, dispatching RB Leipzig 4-0 on aggregate with some ease. Furthermore, their 3-0 win away to Arsenal on Saturday suggests that the international break has done Jurgen Klopp’s side a great deal of good.
For this edition of the UEFA Champions League, they are on the right side of the draw, with the potential of Chelsea or Porto in the semis should they overcome Real Madrid.
Of course, Liverpool’s greatest problem comes in the form of injury issues, with key defenders Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip all out – not to mention influential captain Jordan Henderson. The UEFA Champions League final is not beyond this group, however, and in a one-off match, they stand a chance against anyone.
#3 Chelsea
Chelsea might not be enjoying a vintage season, but they still remain fourth in the Premier League and had been an improved force under Thomas Tuchel – at least until they suffered a stunning loss to WBA at home on Saturday.
The one-time Champions League winners should not be considered among the favorites this season, but where they do have an edge is that they have had a very generous draw.
Not only will they face the weakest side on paper in the quarter-finals, but they will miss the other big favourites in the semi-finals. This gives them a chance, although juggling domestic and UEFA Champions League commitments could prove tricky.
#2 Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich were undoubtedly the greatest team in Europe last season but face a challenge to replicate that achievement by winning the UEFA Champions League again. A 1-0 victory over RB Leipzig on Saturday effectively ensured that they will win the Bundesliga this season barring an uncharacteristic collapse, allowing them to channel their energy towards the UEFA Champions League.
PSG in the quarter-finals will be no easy nut to crack – especially with Robert Lewandowski injured - but their opponents are missing key players and are out of form. It is a tie Bayern should win. A potential semi-final against Manchester City would appear to be their greatest obstacle – especially if the Pole is not fit by that point.
#1 Manchester City
It may not be official, but Manchester City will win the Premier League this season – and the stars are aligning for them in the Champions League, too. A massive 14 points clear of second-placed Manchester United, they can concentrate their efforts on Europe like no other team in the draw.
Furthermore, they do not have a single major injury problem in their ranks – an incredible state of affairs given the intensity of the season to date. Pep Guardiola has created a winning machine. They may not be particularly great to watch, grinding down opponents with their sheer weight of possession, but they have proven themselves to be highly effective.
If a team can get ahead of them, though, they have shown at times that they struggle to come back from behind, so a maiden UEFA Champions League title is certainly not to be taken for granted.
