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Today, the first two second leg quarter-final matches will be played in the UEFA Champions League, after which the first semi-final participants will be determined. EuroFootball.com presents a brief overview of these matches.
(first leg 1-1) Start: 21:45 Lithuanian time
Without a doubt, these are the most interesting matches of this stage. Both London teams will seek to secure a victory after the draw in the first leg matches and advance to the semi-finals. Although both teams will play in their city, the "Arsenal" players, who will be considered hosts, will be playing in their fortress - the Highbury stadium.
This season, "Chelsea" has not won against "Arsenal" in any of their previous matches, so now is a great opportunity to do so and secure a spot in the next stage. Especially since "Arsenal" has failed to beat the team twice in a row in recent weeks, while "Chelsea" has been winning in the English Premier League.
"Arsenal" coach Arsene Wenger admitted that his team will first try to maintain the advantage they gained by scoring an away goal. This task may be made easier by the return of Ashley Cole to the field after an injury. The situation is somewhat different in the attacking line of "Arsenal," as it is unclear if Freddie Ljungberg and Jose Antonio Reyes, who have suffered injuries, will be able to play.
"Chelsea" will also have problems in the defense line, as Marcel Desailly will miss this match due to a red card, but the attacking line of the team should work flawlessly. Claudio Ranieri's only problem on this issue is deciding which of his four attackers to field.
(first leg 2-4) Start: 21:45 Lithuanian time
After losing in Madrid with a score of 2-4, many have already written off the "Monaco" team and see "Real" in the tournament's semi-final, but this should not be done. The French club, having scored two goals at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, still has a good chance to eliminate the royal club - they need to win today's match 2-0.
This task should be facilitated for Monaco by the return of the most productive player of the previous season, Shabani Nonda, to the field after a serious injury. Despite missing almost the entire season, Nonda is now in great shape and managed to score a goal in his return match this weekend.
Another additional factor that may help "Monaco" win by the necessary margin is Fernando Morientes. This Spanish player, who is loaned to "Monaco" from Real Madrid, will try to prove his abilities. Before these matches, Fernando said: "If we give only 100% of ourselves - we will lose. To win, we must sacrifice more than 100%."
In these matches, the Madrid club will have to play without English player David Beckham, who cannot participate due to card limits, but Luis Figo, Ivan Helguera, and Roberto Carlos will return to the team. This should certainly make the situation difficult for "Monaco."
