Champions League last 16: What do each England team need to do to reach the quarter-finals? | Soccer News

6 games, 4 losses, no wins. Every team in England has a task to complete if they are to qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals.

Failing to win in either of the first legs, the Premier League’s place in the latter stages of Europe’s top competition is in jeopardy.

Manchester City, Chelsea and Spurs all need to pull off a miracle to overturn a three-goal deficit against top-flight opposition. Liverpool must also complete a comeback at Anfield, but Arsenal and Newcastle cannot afford to lose the second leg.

Sky Sports’ football writers consider what each team needs to do to gain access to the Champions League’s last eight…

Arteta needs to improve Arsenal’s attack

Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen (1-1 aggregate) – Tuesday, 8pm kick-off

The game keeps getting bigger and bigger. Arsenal must bounce back after Saturday’s dramatic, emotional and energy-sapping comeback victory over Everton.

The Gunners are back in Champions League action, but this time they know that failure will mean elimination. And that would be the first big disappointment of the season.

Mikel Arteta needs to not only balance his team in terms of workload, but also work out which combinations are most effective. I feel like Arteta doesn’t quite know what his best front line is yet.

What is he doing on the right wing? Noni Madueke was Arsenal’s best player off the bench in the first leg against Leverkusen, but is he preferred for that role? And what does that mean for Bukayo Saka, who tends to start on the bench for at least one game in a three-game week? He has started two games in the last six days…

The front line is a good dilemma for Arsenal as well. The Gunners seem to be playing better with Kai Havertz up front, but does Victor Gokeres deserve a crack after scoring off the bench against the Toffees?

And with Sunday’s Carabao Cup final just around the corner, Arsenal cannot afford extra time due to fatigue or last-minute injuries.

So Arteta needs to get the combination right…and will he be putting Max Dauman at risk again?
Sam Blitz

Chelsea need Palmer’s magic if they are to do anything special.

Chelsea vs Paris Saint-Germain (2-5 aggregate) – Tuesday, 8pm

Liam Rosenier isn’t giving up hope. “I’ve seen teams come back from three goals down at home in the Champions League many times,” he said.

In fact, matches like this only happened 4 times out of 51 games. But Rosenior’s confidence was rooted in the gaps Chelsea created in Paris, converting four “big chances” to PSG’s two.

Cole Palmer will be key to repeating that offensive threat and capitalizing on it this time around. England’s ace has been at a disadvantage in Paris and is not at his best, having scored just one goal in his last five games. But Chelsea need to produce something special from Rosenior if they are to make his reaction a reality.

Of course, the consensus is far more pessimistic about Chelsea’s prospects. Their challenges throughout the season have been regarding chance conversion, giving up strong positions in the match, and discipline in key moments, which has limited this team.

Newcastle’s easy goal against Stamford Bridge on Saturday was a reminder that Chelsea’s three-goal lead in this tie could easily widen before it closes.

Defending champions PSG have been given a weekend off in Ligue 1, as is customary in France, but they will be chomping at the bit to add salt to the team’s wounds after their pride was hurt in the Club World Cup final. Chelsea need to be near perfect.

peter smith

Will Cherki direct the city’s revival?

Man City vs Real Madrid (0-3 aggregate) – Tuesday 8pm

If Manchester City are to become the first team in 36 attempts against Real Madrid to overturn a three-goal deficit in a knockout tie, they better get creative. Forget about the first leg, it’s gone. Now Pep Guardiola needs his slugger to create something special.

City probably defended okay at the Bernabéu a week ago, but they were undone by a once-in-a-lifetime performance from Federico Valverde. The scoreline suggests that the groove was much larger than it actually was, but it also shows that Real were much smoother and sharper in their work in the final third.

Guardiola must definitely accept that he set up his attack incorrectly. City had the upper hand in the opposition half, completing more than twice as many passes as Real, but they lacked the depth. They had no urgency or rhythm. Erling Haaland finished the game with an xG value of zero.

This can be addressed by using Rayan Cherki behind Haaland, and Nico O’Reilly should move from full-back to firmly move into midfield. That would give Antoine Semenyo a chance to get closer to the big Norwegian. He must receive proper service at Etihad on Tuesday, otherwise City’s exit from Europe is inevitable.
laura hunter

Liverpool need a perfect performance to overcome dangerous conditions

Liverpool vs. Galatasaray (0-1 aggregate) – Wednesday, 8pm

Liverpool will first need to get off to a fast start in the crucial Champions League showdown with Galatasaray, putting pressure on their opponents from the start and making things difficult for the home fans under the lights at Anfield.

Early goals will be the aim, but patience on this night will also be vital against a dangerous side who have both European experience and the quality of their players, defending deep and looking to counter-attack the Reds.

Even if Liverpool do manage to get through, one thing that Arne Slott’s side must not do is start to “sleepwalk” during games, as Jamie Carragher has criticized them many times this season. That’s because an away goal would likely end this season’s European dream.

The Reds will ultimately need a perfect performance at both ends of the pitch – including not conceding a goal in stoppage time – if they are to defeat the Turkish champions on Wednesday night and progress to the last eight in Europe’s top club competition.

The only problem is, as Carragher alluded to in his commentary for Sunday’s home draw with Tottenham Hotspur, “I can’t think of a single game all season where Liverpool put in a perfect performance, both attacking and defending, and we lost by three or four points. Every game was a struggle.”

Reds supporters will be feeling hopeless on Wednesday night…
rich morgan

Spurs need to be perfect at both ends – easy, right?

Tottenham vs Atletico Madrid (2-5 aggregate) – Wednesday, 8pm

Tottenham suffered a crushing defeat against Atlético Madrid last week due to a number of blunders and mistakes, so the No. 1 priority will probably be “don’t make any more mistakes.”

A confident team shot is a tall order for anyone, and they are likely still somewhat reeling from Tuesday’s disastrous night in Madrid, where they lost 5-2 in the first leg.

A late draw with Liverpool helped, but it wasn’t without mistakes, most notably Guglielmo Vicario’s blunder in the Reds’ opening game.

All eyes will once again be on the goalkeeper after a horrendous few days for the Spurs stopper, but the truth remains that Vicario is Spurs’ undisputed number one.

And if Atlético are to prevent their lead from increasing by three points, Tottenham will need to score at least three goals to equalize and four to win.

Despite keeping a clean sheet against Getafe at the weekend, he has already scored twice against Atlético, who are not a defensive team.

It’s near perfect on either end, so it’s easy, right?
charlotte marsh

Gordon takes command from the front as energetic Newcastle aim for glory

Barcelona vs Newcastle (1-1 aggregate) – Wednesday, 5:45pm

Eddie Howe described the first leg as the “biggest game” in Newcastle’s history, and this will be an equally huge and historic match for the club. We were disappointed to concede a last-minute penalty at St James’ Park, but the draw is still alive at 1-1. A wonderful night is coming.

Anthony Gordon hit back at his critics on and off the pitch in Saturday’s game against Chelsea, with victory boosting the Magpies’ morale ahead of their trip to Barcelona. But his speed and directness on the counter-attack will also be important at the Spotify Camp Nou.

Barcelona, ​​who have only lost once at home this season, will dominate possession and territory after beating Sevilla 5-2 on Sunday. It goes without saying that this is still a big challenge for visitors, even at the level of the score. But Hansi Flick’s high line will play to Howe’s Newcastle’s strengths.

Joelinton’s minutes were manageable on the night, but Sandro Tonali could put aside transfer speculation and join the Brazilian in a high-energy midfield to confuse Barça’s technicians.

If Newcastle can show the intensity they need for 90 minutes, with or without the ball, they will be etched into club lore.

peter smith