It’s hard to escape the feeling we may be heading for an all-English Champions League Final this season.
That’s not to be disrespectful to either the mighty Real Madrid or Europa League holders Villarreal.
But the chances of Manchester City and Liverpool locking horns in the Stade de France at the end of May is potentially 180 minutes away after another night of Champions League highlights.
In truth, the two ties they were involved in could not have been any different.
Just 24 hours after Real Madrid showed their character to complete a 5-4 aggregate win over reigning European champions Chelsea – who threatened to secure an almighty turnaround following a superb Real showing in the first leg – this was tension of a different kind in the Spanish capital.
Yet on this occasion the Spanish side would not prevail.
With just one goal separating City and Atletico Madrid following the first leg in Manchester, it was always likely to be the closer of the contests.
Amidst a cacophony of noise, the clash of two old foes in the Spanish capital was actually mildly amusing in the final stages as Atletico – a side known for gamesmanship and eating up every moment – came across a side who held firm against the hosts’ histrionics and refused to buckle.
This was a showing of real character from the English champions in a goalless encounter that was anything but dull, although perhaps we should not be surprised there were no goals as Atletico’s recent matches in the Champions League haven’t seen many scored – less than 2.5 per match have been netted in six of their last seven matches in the competition.
There was no doubting that the best team triumphed over two legs but what few expected was that Atletico – a team which failed to muster a single first leg effort on target– would be doing most of the attacking in the latter stages against a team renowned for beautiful football.
City have now kept clean sheets in their last four Champions League encounters, while Atletico – who had Felipe sent off for a crude challenge in the closing minutes – are winless in their last eight home games in the tournament (drawn five, lost three).
They will be back in the city of Madrid very soon when I expect far more football and less of the dark arts from the hosts.
The only question that remains is: why didn’t Atletico play this well in the first leg?
Over at Anfield, it was far less tense and, in many ways, far less dramatic, although Benfica can take some heart after twice coming from behind to earn a 3-3 draw on the night.
Trailing 3-1 from the first leg, the SBOTOP Champions League betting odds were firmly in the favour of Liverpool who had progressed from each of their past 12 ties in the knockout stages after winning the first leg.
Furthermore, Benfica had won only one of their past nine away games in the competition.
For those of a superstitious nature, the Portuguese outfit are only one of two teams to have won by more than one goal away to Liverpool in the knockout stages of the Champions League (a 2-success in the last 16 in 2006).
The Merseysiders, who had won each of their last five games against Portuguese sides by a combined scoreline of 16-3, went ahead when centre back Ibrahima Konate headed home a corner from Kostas Tsimikas.
To their credit, Benfica went into the break level through Goncalo Ramos’ excellent turn but, even at 1-1, there was never any chance of them threatening a comeback in the tie.
That was confirmed through a quickfire double from Roberto Firmino whose close range finish and volley put them 6-2 in front overall.
Again, the visitors showed spirit and substitute Roman Yaremchuk broke through to beat Alisson before Darwin Nunez scored a late equaliser.
Overall, there were three goals disallowed (one for Liverpool, two for Benfica) as both sides showed attacking menace without the outcome ever being in doubt.
After seeing off the lowest ranked team left in the competition, awaiting Liverpool in a fortnight’s time are the second lowest ranked side of the quarter-finalists in Villarreal.
Again, Jurgen Klopp’s men will begin as red hot favourites, although as Manchester United can attest last season, the Spanish side are resilient and, in former Arsenal boss Unai Emery, have a manager with real pedigree in European football, winning the Europa League twice with Sevilla as well as with the Yellow Submarine.
Can they upset the form book again and reach another European final?
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