Ranking the Quarterfinalists of the 2015-2016 CL Campaign

Barcelona
To no one’s surprise, it is the current treble holders that look to continue to be the most dominant in Europe. With an overall 5-1 aggregate win against an inconsistent, but trick Arsenal side; Barcelona now look to the final eight to continue their defense of the Champions League trophy. The infamous trio of Messi, Neymar, and Suarez all contributed a goal each in the return 3-1 win over the London side at the Camp Nou. Even though Barcelona weren’t at their brilliant best, it just shows how a side playing at about 70% of their potential can make the overall tie against a decent Arsenal side look comfortable. They will obviously need to be more focused in the back, as the Spanish side did provide many chances for Arsenal to score – a mistake that better sides in Europe would surely punish them for. But, providing that the “MSN” trio stays fit, it’s quite possible that that offense would be all what Barcelona need to complete an unprecedented defense of the title.

Bayern Munich
A side that will be eager to put Barcelona to the sword is the giants from Bavaria. Having been handed arguably the toughest side in the Round of 16, Pep Guardiola’s men had to leave it extremely late before ensuring their passage to the quarterfinals of the competition. Last year’s runners up in Juventus exploited a weak Bayern defense time and time again, and were at one point 2-4 up on aggregate. However, Bayern Munich showed why they are so feared at the Allianz in Europe. After Polish striker Robert Lewandowski scored his side’s first on the evening at the 73rd minute, Bayern scored three more goals in nearly 30 minutes, ending the match 4-2 in their favor. It was the wingers, Douglas Costa and Kingsley Coman, that provided the inspiration for Bayern’s comeback. They will certainly one of Bayern’s most effective tools coming into the final eight. Bayern’s strength is their depth in offense and just the amount of said tools they can call upon to win the match – Lewandowski, Mueller, Robben and Ribery are all players that can potentially be match winners against any level of opponent. However, Guardiola’s men will have to be wary of the counterattacking prowess and offensive lineups of the other Champions League contenders, as it has been their undoing in previous CL campaigns.

Paris Saint Germain
Having wrapped their domestic league in dominating fashion, the French capital side now set their sights on the holy grail of Europe’s premier competition. PSG were comfortably the better side against a tricky Chelsea team in the Round of 16. Angel Di Maria, who was Real Madrid’s best player in their victorious run in the 2013-2014 season, looks to be close to the explosive danger man he once was under Los Blancos. Zlatan Ibrahimovic also played a pivotal role against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, having scored a goal and provided an assist- a sight that any Parisian fan would be glad to see. What’s more, PSG have a deceptively balanced and strong midfield in Matuiti, Motta, Verrati (if fit), and Rabiot. This is also a side that can afford to rest and rotate as coach Laurent Blanc sees fit. Despite not having the pedigree that Bayern and Barcelona have, PSG has enough talent and experience to challenge any side in Europe – as was shown against Real Madrid as well in the group stages.

Real Madrid
Los Blancos have had quite the inconsistent season. Having sacked Rafa Benitez, it’s French great Zinedine Zidane that is at the helm for the capital club. Real Madrid are currently 12 points behind the frontrunners Barcelona in La Liga, and they have been solid – if unspectacular – in the CL up to this point. Getting the job done against a mediocre Roma was expected, however their form overall this season makes it difficult to see how they can stand against the likes of Bayern or Barcelona (or even PSG, judging their performances in the group stage) over two legs. But, there is no doubt that the talent on the pitch is more than enough to strike fear into any side of Europe. Ronaldo, Bale, and Benzema – backed up by Rodriguez, Isco, and Jese – are all names that can pose threats to anyone. However, they are a bit of a mess at the moment, and for that reason they simply don’t have the consistent structure that the other European heavyweights have. Their midfield of Kroos, Modric, and Casemiro can be a major weakness that can be exploited by said sides. Make no mistake though, they have the talent upfront to power through anyone in Europe.

Atletico Madrid
Whilst Real Madrid have the star studded attack up front with a limited structure, their cross town rivals have an incredible defensive structure but somewhat limited offensive capability. Having to beat PSV Eindhoven 8-7 on penalties isn’t the most impressive outing for Diego Simeone’s men, although it was an outcome that could be predicted. Atletico has had problems recently dealing with teams that play as a compact defensive unit, since most of the offensive play runs through one man – Antoine Griezzman. Even though that can pose a problem for Atletico against the “weaker” sides, their defensive prowess and counterattacking ability is more suited against the elite of Europe. For that reason, they can easily frustrate teams that hold possession and constantly attack with the ball. This is a side that can setup effectively against any of the big boys.

Manchester City
For the first time ever the blue side of Manchester was able to progress into the quarterfinals of the Champions League. Having a relatively easy time against the Ukrainian side of Dynamo Kiev, Pellegrini’s men look set to be focused on this competition until the end of the season. Sergio Aguero, David Silva, and Yaya Toure are quality players on their own right, and can cause trouble to anyone. However, the loss of Vincent Kompany is a huge blow to the Citizens. Defensively they are a side that can be opened up with ease, and against the prestigious attacks they may very well be up against, that will certainly be an issue as the quarterfinals approach. Still, if Pellegrini sets his team up correctly, and if the talent up front is firing on all cylinders, Manchester City may well find themselves even one step further this season.

Benfica
The Portuguese side surprised quite a few people when they were able to beat Zenit St. Petersburg in Russia in the Round of 16. Having two of the most inform strikers in Jonas and Mitroglou can cause peril to sides who underestimate them, but over a two leg affair against an elite European side, that may well not be enough to progress further. This is a side that has talent, but certainly lacks the experience and the defensive nous (especially on the flanks) to potentially successfully negotiate a 180+ minute affair.

Wolfsburg
The weakest side left in the CL, Wolfsburg aren’t the same powerhouse that they were last season in Germany. Julian Draxler is an exciting prospect and has been the heart of the attack of their successful play, but otherwise lack quality throughout the pitch to match up against the other big boys in Europe. They have fallen far, far off the Bundesliga table; and everyone will be looking to be drawn against them in the next round. Wolfsburg also haven’t been accurately tested against the stronger sides in Europe – beating a mediocre Gent side in the last round, and quite an average Manchester United side in the group stages- is simply a few levels down from the sort of competition they will play now. This is a side that was at the wrong end of the famous Lewandowski 5-goal-in-10-minutes performance. They can cause trouble here and there with nice patterns of play – but over two legs – it would be a monumental task against anyone besides possibly Benfica.

Michael Skok
Football Editor for
Polish-American Portal www.Poland.us
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