2023 Champions League Quarter Final: Analysis and Predictions

Champions League 2023 Trophy in Turkey
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Champions League 2023 quarter-finals draw has been announced and the match-ups are sure to excite fans. Defending champions, Real Madrid, will take on Chelsea, while Manchester City will play Pep Guardiola former side, Bayern Munich. On the other hand, Serie A is on the rise with Inter Milan will face off against Benfica and AC Milan will take on Napoli.

One thing is for certain. One Serie A team is guaranteed to be in the Champion League Finals held in Istanbul, Turkey.

Let's dive deep into key areas on how each quarter-finals match is going to play out. The road to Champion League finals and key dates of Champion League 2023 seasons.

Champions League 2023 Team Schedule

2023 Champions League Path

  • Real Madrid vs Chelsea
  • Inter Mila vs Benfica
  • Manchester City vs Bayern Munich
  • AC Milan vs Napoli
    • Semi Final Path
    • AC Milan/Napoli vs Inter Milan/Benfica
    • Real Madrid/Chelsea vs Manchester City/Bayern Munnich

Champion League Quarter Final Key Areas

A repeat of last year quarter finals between Real Madrid and Chelsea. It will be a site of beauty to watch Modric pass again.

Real Madrid vs Chelsea

Real Madrid, who are looking to win their 15th European crown, could potentially face Pep Guardiola's Man City or Bayern Munich in the last four. There's also the possibility of a reunion with Real Madrid for Guardiola, who previously managed Barcelona.

Chelsea has only lost one of their seven games against Real Madrid in European competition, giving them the lowest percentage of losses against Real Madrid (14%) of any team to have played them five or more times in Europe. Their only defeat in seven matches against Real Madrid in Europe came in their most recent match in the 2021-22 quarter-final first leg.

Real Madrid has won their last four Champions League ties against Premier League teams, including wins against Chelsea in last season's quarter-final, Manchester City in last season's semi-finals, and Liverpool in both last season's final and this season's round of 16.

Real Madrid is the happiest of the losers. They have already dispatched Liverpool in one-sided fashion and are pleased to see Manchester City and Bayern Munich pulled together at this stage. Real Madrid has an excellent chance of progressing to the semifinals. Why their path to the Champion League finals does seem hard? Tell us in the comments below.

Karim Benzema Real Madrid
Karim Benzema Real Madrid. Would he score a hat-trick against Chelsea?: Source

Manchester City vs Bayern Munich

Man City and Bayern Munich have faced off six times previously in the Champions League group stages. Each team winning three times between each other. This will be Pep Guardiola's first meeting with Bayern Munich since leaving the club, with his only managerial games against them coming in the 2008-09 Champions League quarter-finals when he was managing Barcelona. Man City have progressed from all four of their previous UEFA Champions League knockout ties against German clubs, including one quarter-final win against Borussia Dortmund in 2020-21.

Bayern Munich has a tough draw against Manchester City, but they have a proven record of winning the competition. Julian Nagelsmann must impress in this tie to dispel any lingering doubts.

Manchester City even put 7 pass Leipzig in the Round of 16 in Champion League. But Bayern Munich have got Mane back. The team is looking organized under the manager now too. It is going to be a fantastic match of tactics and strategies for both managers. Yet with a tough draw, Pep Guardiola is under great pressure to deliver the club's first-ever Champions League trophy. He needs to get his tactics right quickly if Manchester City is to progress to the semifinals.

Serie A and Benifca

Inter Milan is unbeaten in three European games against Benfica, including a win in the 1965 European Cup final to retain the trophy.

Napoli and Milan have never played each other in Europe. Napoli defeated Juventus on their way to winning the 1988-89 UEFA Cup, while Milan is unbeaten in five matches against Italian teams in the UCL, including a win in 2003 on penalties against Juventus. They haven't played an Italian team since their infamous quarter-final with Inter Milan in 2005.

Key Dates of Champion League 2023 Seasons

Down below are key date on when is the quarter finals starting, the dates of the semi finals and also what date the finals is held in Istanbul, Turkey.

Round First Leg Second Leg
Quarter-finals Tuesday, April 11 & Wednesday, April 12 Tuesday, April 18 & Wednesday, April 19
Semi-finals Tuesday, May 9 & Wednesday, May 10 Tuesday, May 16 & Wednesday, May 17
Final Saturday, June 10 (Ataturk Stadium, Istanbul)

Well as the infamous quote by Jurgen Klopp "book your tickets to Istanbul". But if you think your team will reach the finals. Do you book your tickets. As Istanbul is a fun and vibrant city to visit and travel.

Of course with the quarter finals draw we are going to pick some winners and losers of the draw. Here at The Stats Ball, we are giving some opinionated yet back with statistic analysis on which team and players are likely to succeeded in this year Champion League season.

Winners and Losers of Quarter-Finals Draw

Champion League Trophy
Champion League 2023 Trophy and Final held in Istanbul, Turkey: Source

Winners: Napoli, AC Milan, Inter Milan

The three Italian teams from Serie A have the most favorable draws of all the teams in the competition. They are expected to progress to the semifinals with ease. All three teams will feel they have a fair shot at winning the competition, and any combination of the semifinals seems winnable. Napoli, in particular, has not won a European trophy since 1989, and this may be their best shot at winning the competition.

Losers: Man City, Real Madrid, Bayern

The other four teams in the quarterfinals are facing nightmare draws. Manchester City, in particular, is under immense pressure to win the competition. Pep Guardiola famously failed to win the competition while managing Bayern, and he needs to get it right this time. Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, on the other hand, have a proven record of winning the competition and will be slightly more comfortable facing the tough draws.

Young Managers On the Rise

Despite being underdogs, the upcoming Champions League quarterfinals offer a chance for managers Graham Potter and Julian Nagelsmann to make a statement. Potter's Chelsea faces a tough task against defending champions Real Madrid, but a recent upturn in form presents a potential sliding doors moment for the young manager.

While he's struggled to address some of the issues left behind by former coach Thomas Tuchel, the return of key players like Ben Chilwell and Reece James could be vital to trouble a Madrid team that shut down Liverpool's attacking fullbacks.

Similarly, Nagelsmann's Bayern Munich faces off against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, with a win offering a chance to dispel any doubts about his abilities. Both Ancelotti and Guardiola have defined an era in football, but these upcoming matches offer Potter and Nagelsmann an opportunity to begin doing the same.

What's Next

In conclusion, 2023 Champions League quarterfinals draw produced some tough draws for some teams and favorable draws for others. Especially for Serie A teams this season. The next round promises to be exciting and we can't wait to see which teams will progress to the semifinals.

Overall, the quarter-final draw sets the stage for an exciting round of matches, with the possibility of a Premier League or Serie A showdown in the semi-finals. It is nice to see a change once of traditionally powerhouses in Serie A with their fans and tactics coming back to the upper echelon of European Football.

You will eagerly anticipate the matches on April 11/12 2023 and the following week, leading up to the final in Istanbul on June 10 2023. Tell us in the comments below of your thoughts on the quarter finals draw?

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2023 Champions League Quarter Final: Analysis and Predictions
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2023 Champions League Quarter Final: Analysis and Predictions
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Deep dive into the 2023 Champions League Quarter Final: From game-changing players to underdog stories and surprise victories, we'll take you on a journey through the drama and excitement of this iconic tournament.
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Sports Stats Talk
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