Global Courant 2023-04-18 17:38:16
Two intriguing Champions League quarter-final matches await Tuesday night with a renewed rivalry between old foes in one and a spirited all-Italian clash in the other.
Real Madrid are on course for the semi-finals after beating Chelsea 2-0 in the first leg of the quarter-finals in Spain last week. Chelsea are short on confidence and form, having lost all three games under interim manager Frank Lampard but need to prove a point at home.
And while AC Milan hope to get a step closer to reviving their past European glory, Napoli are aiming to overcome a 1-0 deficit in the first leg to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time.
Chelsea against Real Madrid
When: Tuesday, April 18
Where: Stamford Bridge, London
Kick-off: 19:00 GMT
Real Madrid sauntered to victory over Chelsea last week at home and will confidently reach their 11th Champions League semi-final in 13 seasons. Madrid is aiming to win the trophy for the 15th time this year.
Madrid had to dig deep to survive against Chelsea in the second leg of their quarter-final last season in Madrid, despite leading 3-1 in the first leg.
Chelsea, who beat Madrid on their way to winning the Champions League in 2021, are in poor form and are currently 11th in the Premier League. But they will try to draw on their history of overcoming the odds in the league.
The winner of the tie will play against Bayern Munich or Manchester City in the semi-finals.
Team news:
Chelsea’s Kai Havertz and Ruben Loftus-Cheek return from injuries. The Blues are missing central defender Kalidou Koulibaly with a thigh injury, while Carney Chukwuemeka and Armando Broja are also out of shape. Ben Chilwell is suspended after being sent off in the first leg.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti was able to rotate the squad during Madrid’s 2-0 win over Cadiz on Saturday to keep most of his key players fresh for Chelsea. Left back Ferland Mendy is the only one absent in Madrid on Tuesday.
Quotes from coaches:
Lampard said descriptions of his team as “broken” were too strong, but admitted Chelsea were not playing at the level they should be.
“It’s up to us as a team to play with the desire and know-how to turn this game around,” he said. “I’ve been here too many times on a Champions League night not to understand that the atmosphere will be great. It’s up to us to get the crowd involved.”
Former Chelsea boss Ancelotti believes Chelsea will still be determined to prove a point by beating Madrid in the second leg.
“Chelsea is having a difficult moment. I think tomorrow’s game can be a great opportunity for them to get out of this situation,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“There are 90 minutes left and anything can happen in this kind of competition,” he said. “We will be ready to play our best.”
Napoli against AC Milan
When: Tuesday, April 18
Where: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples
Kick-off: 19:00 GMT
The all-Italian clash is wide open after a tight first leg. Milan will draw confidence from their 4-0 win over Napoli in the league on April 2. But Napoli, on the verge of a first Scudetto in 33 years, will take their chance in front of a boisterous home crowd, especially with their star striker returning from injury.
Milan won the last of its seven European titles in 2007, while Napoli reached the quarter-finals for the first time.
The winner of the tie will play against Inter Milan or Benfica in the semi-finals.
Team news:
Serie A top scorer Victor Osimhen is back from an injured abductor muscle in his left leg that kept him out of Napoli’s 1-0 first-game defeat last week. The defeat at the San Siro also cost Napoli two key players for Tuesday night’s game with midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and starting centre-back Kim Min-jae both suspended.
Milan striker Olivier Giroud has been cleared to play the second leg after an Achilles tendon problem, but questions remain about his condition.
Quotes from coaches:
Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti says Osimhen’s return will more than make up for other missing players.
“We’ve been absent a few times,” he told reporters, “but we make more money with Osimhen’s presence than we lose with those absences, because he’s probably left one-on-one if Milan comes after you. They’re pressing Please.”
“You always have the chance to make up for any deficit and I expect the team to do everything in the game to do that,” he said.
Milan coach Stefano Pioli said he believes it’s “50-50” about who goes through.
“Thinking about defending would be a mistake,” said Pioli.
“We have a minimal advantage against a team that has averaged three to four goals at home in the Champions League,” he said. “We have to play our game, as a team, and control the ball well when we have it.”
