Desh Parthab highlights a couple of things to keep an eye out for tonight in the Champions League including Serge Gnabry who has a point to prove, Kai Haverts' importance to Chelsea and more!
The quarter-final stages have left us wanting more. Villareal manager Unai Emery is looking to progress beyond the CHampions League quarter-final stage for the first time in his career.
Indeed, his 2016/17 PSG side won their first leg quarter-final bout 4-0, but bowed out after a shock 2nd leg loss against Barcelona, effectively becoming the first side to be eliminated in the knockout stages of the competition after winning the first leg by four or more goals.
Chelsea come into this one trailing by two goals from the first leg at Stamford Bridge and could make history should they progress as no English side has ever won by a margin of more than a single goal at the Santiago Bernabeu in the UCL. With that being said, here are a few players that will look to do the damage and send their clubs through to the semi-finals!
Another clean sheet for Courtois?
Thibaut Courtois has kept four clean sheets in his nine Champions League appearances this season – only two goalkeepers have registered more. Despite this, his 37 saves in the competition thus far is the most from all goalkeepers. Of the six goals that he has conceded, four of them have come on home turf. Furthermore, five of the six goals conceded have come from inside the box.
🤯 @thibautcourtois airlines! ✈️
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) April 10, 2022
🆚 @ChelseaFC pic.twitter.com/HSZlnJXJfT
Parejo to put on a plate?
Dani Parejo has created 5 big chances in the Champions League this season – only bettered by two players. The midfield maestro ranks in the top 10 for accurate opposition half passes and accurate final third passes from all players to have participated in this season’s tournament. Parejo has returned a goal and an assist across his previous five outings for The Yellow Submarine. Moreover, he has created four chances across his previous three away appearances and has the potential to sway the tie.
Across the two legs against Juventus, Dani Parejo was:
— La Liga Lowdown 🧡🇪🇸⚽️ (@LaLigaLowdown) April 6, 2022
- The player with the most key passes across both games
- Scored the vital equaliser in the first leg
- Averaged 90% and 87% pass accuracy in each game
Metronomic, commanding and dictating.#LLL
🧡🇪🇦⚽ pic.twitter.com/29YWLOoHIm
Chelsea hoping on Haverts
Kai Haverts has been directly involved in seven goals across his previous seven outings for the Blues. He has bagged six goals and assisted a further one during that period. This included netting the consolation goal against Madrid – the last time the clubs met. Across his previous three outings, Haverts has attempted a total of 12 shots (missing two big chances) and created six chances, emphasising his overall attacking output on the pitch.
Kai Havertz vs Southampton pic.twitter.com/vsRezVyYIZ
— َ (@CheIseaComps) April 9, 2022
Serge to get over his slump?
Serge Gnabry hasn’t quite been his ruthless self of late. The attacker has bagged three goals across his seven competition appearances this season – but has missed four big chances already. He still is a force to be reckoned with, as his 18 efforts have only been bettered by teammates Sane and Lewandowski, who have more than 300 minutes of Champions League football over Gnabry. The German champions are currently the competition’s highest scorers (20) at home and come up against a Villareal team that have kept just a single clean sheet on their travels in the competition this season.
Our last #UCL home knockout game: a 𝟕-𝟏 win!
— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) April 12, 2022
⚽⚽⚽ @lewy_official
⚽⚽ @esmuellert_
⚽ @SergeGnabry
⚽ @leroy_sane
Work to do tonight against Villarreal 👊🔴#FCBVCF #packmas pic.twitter.com/e5GIUYTROl
Real to go for the kill or sit back and wait against Chelsea?
Club Form: Real Madrid (23) have recorded the most direct attacks (essentially counter-attacks) out of this season’s quarterfinalists – ahead of the quarter-final stage. Suffice to say, they come into that tie in some fashion and have won six of their previous seven UCL fixtures. Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has scored 40% of the goals Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea have conceded in the European competition thus far. Indeed, their three goals scored against the Blues are already the most goals Chelsea have conceded in a knockout tie. With that being said, Los Blancos are heavily fancied to finish the tie in Spain.
🔥 Monsieur Hat-trick 🔥 @Benzema | #UCL pic.twitter.com/B0lo7ggWbE
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) April 8, 2022
