The global betting company 1xBet estimates the participants’ chances in games on April 11-12.
April 11, Benfica – Inter
After reaching the quarterfinals, Benfica had a challenging task – to change the unsuccessful statistics. The Eagles have never gone beyond ¼ final since the 1990 Champions Cup final – it’s time to remember the curse of Béla Guttmann. Inter has a similar situation – the Italians entered the top eight for the first time in 12 years. Thus, both teams expect to regain their former glory at least partially.
The Portuguese’s results this season are admirable. Benfica went through two Champions League qualification rounds, beat Juventus in the group stage twi
ce, gnawed out two draws in matches against PSG and shattered Brugge in the playoffs first stage. In the championship, the team had a confident first place (23 wins in 26 games) and only twice left the field defeated. Why not continue in the same vein?
Inter managed to get out of the toughest group with Bayern and Barcelona and then knock out a very unyielding Porto. Against the Portuguese, Simone Inzaghi’s team had two clean sheets, scored one goal and advanced thanks to Andre Onana’s saves. But in Serie A, the team turned into Robin Hood – it takes points from the leaders and gives them to outsiders. The Nerazzurri lost to Empoli, Bologna and Spezia but were stronger than Napoli and Milan (twice). Inter continues to fight for the Top 4, but at least three teams can move it.
You can bet on Benfica vs Inter here
April 11, Manchester City – Bayern
Munich shocked the football world by firing Julian Nagelsmann, who inappropriately left to ski during the international break, and inviting Thomas Tuchel. Many media wrote that this decision was due to the fear of being eliminated from the Champions League, despite the fact the Reds won all the tournament matches (including Barcelona, Inter and PSG). It is sad to realize that this is how the path of the current generation’s best German coach in the strongest German team ends.
Tuchel was put on the spot in the very first game. Bayern, which at that time occupied second place in the Bundesliga, needed a victory over the leader – Borussia Dortmund. The new manager coped with this task successfully – the rival number 1 was beaten with a score of 4-2. Tuchel knew that not much could be changed in an incomplete week of training and rolled back to the factory settings. The wings of the defence with Davies and Pavard sparkled with new colors, the super coordinated center with Kimmich-Goretzka-Müller led the game, and Sane, with Coman, was responsible for dribbling and finishing at the far post. Too easy? But football isn’t a hard game, especially when you have superstars on your team.
Manchester City is stable in the Champions League – the team overcomes one opponent after another and dreams of playing in the final. One of the last to suffer was RB Leipzig, which was not helped even by Red Bull. All the necessary energy was accumulated by Haaland, who scored five (!) goals in the decisive game and entered his name in Champions League history. The Norwegian is the third player after Messi and Luiz Adriano to score a penta-trick in one Champions League match. Nobody scored 6 goals.
Then there was a game against Liverpool in the Premier League, but without Erling Haaland – the Norwegian center forward is injured, and we still don’t know if he plays with Munich. Fortunately, the Citizens managed without the Premier League’s best goal scorer – the struggle ended with a score of 4-1 and resembled one with an outsider and not with a contender for getting into the Champions League zone.
You can bet on Manchester City vs Bayern here
April 12, Real Madrid – Chelsea
The baton of dismissals from Bayern was picked up by Chelsea, who parted ways with Graham Potter. Now we know that in the universe of team owner Todd Boehly, a long-term project lasts 9 months. Potter arrived as the season progressed and had to adapt to terrible conditions: a tough schedule, top players’ injuries and a downpour of dubious transfers. The club’s game looked awful, and the place in the Premier League standings was sad (alas, it is still). The Chelsea board heroically endured all this, showed Potter their love and trust, and at some point, the team made some progress – the Blues reached the Champions League quarterfinals and began to win occasionally. But then there was a loss from Aston Villa, and the coach was shown the door.
The team was then led by Bruno Saltor, who had no independent work experience. The fans’ only hope is the memory of the 2012 miracle. Then Roberto Di Matteo also changed the status of an assistant to the head coach and led the Londoners to triumph in the Champions League.
Carlo Ancelotti will oppose the Spanish newcomer – a world football living legend and the Champions League current winner. His squad will give it all to leave the trophy in Madrid – after all, the La Liga champion title was hopelessly lost to Barca, and the Spanish Cup will not save the season for the world’s best team.
You can bet on Real Madrid vs Chelsea here
April 12, Milan – Napoli
After a confident victory over Eintracht, Napoli made history. For the first time, the team made it to the Champions League quarterfinals – there was no such case even in Maradona’s time! It became a moment of glory for Italian football – three representatives of Serie A made it to the quarterfinals at once. The last time this happened was in the 2005/2006 season.
Immediately after the announcement of the draw, the Parthenopeans were considered the favorite – this season, the team will deservedly win the first scudetto since 1990. However, Milan had its own opinion: ten days before the game, the Rossoneri visited Naples and scored four unanswered goals. The championship gold medals will not go anywhere from Napoli, but Spalletti’s team has not yet received such a powerful slap this season. On that day in Naples, there was an ultras strike against the management – apparently, the team also decided to join. The attack turned out to be toothless (only 4 shots on target out of 20 attempts), the midfield fell, the defence messed up, and the team’s best forward Victor Osimhen did not enter the game due to injury.
Milan was flexible and proved they could win in the toughest conditions with Pioli. Defeats against Empoli, Udinese or Torino are forgotten – now Milan can compete for a place in the Champions League semi-finals. There is an inspiration and effective coaching ideas. The team is cheered up and can play even better. And we are talking about the classic battle between the Italian North and South, so you can’t miss such a spectacle.
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