Certainly, the betting odds suggest the sides with healthy first leg leads will progress to the semi-finals, whatever the outcome of these return football games.
Put it this way, to have any realistic chance of overturning three goal deficits, Man City and Roma must strike early.
Manchester City vs (0-3 on agg.) Liverpool
To what extent Man City players were affected by last week’s thuggish attack by Liverpool fans on their team coach (as it arrived at Anfield), we may never know.
One thing for certain was that Pep Guardiola seemed to have got it wrong in the way he lined-up his team who were quickly 3-0 down.
That they dominated possession counted for little as they were unable to get a goal back – let alone muster a shot on target – which would have made an uphill task more manageable.
Guardiola says his players must ‘believe’ and indeed they must but it would be a surprise if Liverpool fail to hold onto this advantage, even without suspended skipper Jordan Henderson and with Mohamed Salah a serious doubt after he limped out of the first leg.
This tie may not be over, especially if City get an early goal and the crowd behind them in the way Liverpool did at home, but it would take the best performance of Guardiola’s near two-year reign at the Etihad Stadium to keep their Euro dream alive.
AS Roma vs (1-4 on agg.) Barcelona
It was hard not to feel some sympathy for Roma in their first leg defeat.
Their 4-1 reversal certainly didn’t seem to be a fair reflection of events in the Nou Camp where two own goals set treble-chasing Barca on their way.
Eusebio Di Francesco and his players know they are up against a superior side but will continue to give it their all.
A repeat performance and a bit more luck will not turn the tie around but may well give Roma something to shout about in the StadioOlimpico.
Ernesto Valverde has helped ensure there is substance as well as style in this Catalan side and, even on an off-day, that means a 3-0 Roma success is unlikely.
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