Barcelona and PSG look to avoid massive Champions League upsets; Premier League’s top-five race heats up

What a ride we have for us. The Champions League, Europa League and Conference League Quarterfinals are closed from Tuesday to Thursday for an Easter weekend that will certainly be filled with drama and tension throughout Europe and beyond. I’m James Benge. Let’s see what of the tap, shall we?

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Monday April 14
🇮🇹 Series A: Naples vs. Empoli, 2.45 pm ➢ Paramount+
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 EPL: Bournemouth vs. Fulham, 3 pm ➡️ USA Network
🇪🇸 La Liga: Atletico Madrid vs. Real Valladolid, 3 p.m. ➡️ ESPN+
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Championship: Hull City vs. Coventry City, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+

Tuesday, April 15
🇪🇺 UCL: Aston Villa vs. PSG, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇪🇺 UCL: Borussia Dortmund vs. Barcelona, ​​3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇺🇸 US Open Cup: Columbus Crew II vs. Pittsburgh River Hounds, 4 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+

⚽ The forward line

Can Aston Villa or Borussia Dortmund Mission jerk off: impossible?

The first two of the semi -finalists of the Champions League will be dropped off on Tuesday evening, but in the cold daylight they were probably already last Wednesday, right? Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, who now looked like the best two parties in Europe, drove through their home assignments in the first stage. The only thing that remains for them is not to ruin things.

To be honest, Barcelona can probably also get away with that and still continue to their first semifinal of the Champions League in six years. That is the advantage that they have built for themselves in their home leg against Borussia Dortmund, 4-0 winners in Camp Nou with Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal Outstanding. Only one team in the history of the Champions League has destroyed a shortage of four goals of the first stage and that was the Re -assemble Barcelona from Lionel Messi, Neymar et al. With the greatest respect for last season’s beaten, they have no game changers at that level. Dortmund’s director Lars Ricken may have said it best:

• Rick: “Progression would be one of the greatest miracles in the history of Borussia Dortmund. But the stadium is sold out again; We have to give it all we have. “

It will almost certainly not be enough. The same is probably the case when Aston Villa is concerned. Unai Emery would have thought that his side was in the Parc des Princes in the 92nd minute, when Nuno Mendes finished Emiliano Martinez. A shortage of 2-1 to destroy in Villa Park? That certainly sounds feasible. But 3-1 down? That will get something out of the film.

On the other hand, Villa can at least be convinced in this competition that they have the firepower to test the backline of Paris Saint-Germain. On Saturday they became the first Premier League side to get goals from three different substitutes when Ollie Watkins, Donyell Malen and John McGinn yielded a 3-0 win over Southampton. Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Morgan Rogers all started that competition. That is a lot of talent in advanced areas to work with.

• Emery: “We are going to enjoy Tuesday in Villa Park something whole, very special for our supporters, for us. The possibility and opportunities we have to try to face PSG and try to come back. Of course it will be difficult, but we have to feel strong at home and try to get the best football, we can be achieved as well as possible for the match and we try to play this year.

Villa Park has already proven to be a rather effective 12th man on the European stage and when it gets as loud as it got in the victory over Bayern Munich in the competition phase, it is enough to intimidate even the most experienced opponents. An early goal and Emery, the beaten man in the Put together again, Who is still a specialist in waving the opportunities on the European stage, may have something to work with. Yet Villa Advancing would certainly be one of the biggest shocks in the history of Champions League.

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England’s race for Champions League spots costs more twists

While the Champions League of this season reaches its conclusion, the race for an invitation for next year’s match is warmed up in England. Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Real Madrid insured the Premier League of five places and now there are six teams that compete for the three places behind the Gunners and champions choose Liverpool. That number can be cut as Fulham loses from Bournemouth on Monday evening, but it is difficult to be sure when few of the contenders look particularly convincing.

Manchester City started on Saturday with a 5-2 victory over Crystal Palace, impressive on paper, but depending on the kind of magic Kevin De Bruyne, did not produce as regularly as he once earlier. They will still be without Erling Haaland for most, if not all, of the run in and Rodri too.

The champions are in the fifth, above them a Nottingham Forest side that look like they are coming back to earth after successive defeats for Aston Villa and Everton. Speaking after a bad 1-0 defeat against the last, Nuno Espirito Santo challenged his way to “bounce back” with six more league games to play.

• Nuno: “We can’t get away from the decisive moment in the season. We were not comfortable and the fans also saw that we had a hard time. You can’t get that away. We want to try to try it.”

Win their game in hand against Palace in midweek and Newcastle will jump to third place, their 4-1 thrashing or Manchester United confirms the status of the Magpies as the form team in the Race for Champions League qualification. It may well be that the top five remain as currently founded. It seems that the team that had long seemed like at least fourth or fifth, chasing away their lead.

Chelsea may have returned from 2-0 to take a point against ippswich, but that has still fallen two points for a side whose luminaire list looks like from here, there is a free slow slow-in-it-out: at home in Liverpool, road to Newcastle and Forest. Perhaps that will at least offer them the opportunity to swing the table more in their own way. The same applies to in-form Aston Villa, who won their last four in the competition, and, if they win tonight, Fulham. There is only 15% of the season left to play and it feels like there are many more turns and turn left for the Premier League.

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💰 The back line

💵 Dear bets

• Premier League: Bournemouth vs. Fulham, 3 p.m.
  💰 Fulham to come from behind and win (+1400): A big gamble on a large game, but it talks about what we know about both teams. Even in the midst of their recent problems, the cherries can fly out of the blocks early and tend to do exactly that. Bournemouth has also become tired in recent weeks and one thing that Fulham -Baas Marco Silva is doing very well is operating his bank. He has plenty of options and could use them well to get a crucial road for the cottagers.

For more choices, predictions, expert tips and the latest bet news, you don’t miss the homepage of CBSSports.com.

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