Champions League predictions: Arsenal bounce back but it’s misery for Spain’s big two and Liverpool

Last week’s first legs in the Champions League quarter-finals threw up some surprises, expected wins and intriguing narratives.

The returns are this week with four teams set to secure their places in the semi-finals.

Here, we look at the fixtures and pick our winners!

TUESDAY

Atletico Madrid v Barcelona (8pm)
The biggest shock of all last week took place at Camp Nou with Barcelona falling to a 2-0 defeat against an Atletico Madrid side they had beaten in La Liga the previous weekend. Pau Cubarsi’s dismissal after 44 minutes proved pivotal with Julian Alvarez curling in the subsequent free-kick and Alexander Sorloth volleying home a second in the second half. Atletico boss Diego Simeone is the expert at protecting a lead and he will set his team up to preserve what they have. That still might not be enough to keep out the likes of Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford for the entire 90 minutes but we can’t see Barca getting the two-goal win they need to go through.
Prediction: Atletico Madrid 1-2 Barcelona

Liverpool v Paris Saint-Germain (8pm)
That Liverpool are still in the tie should come as a boost after they were comprehensively outplayed at the Parc des Princes. Some wayward finishing and good goalkeeping from Giorgi Mamardashvili kept the score at 2-0 and, if this were the Liverpool of 12 months ago, you’d fancy them to cause Paris Saint-Germain some major headaches at Anfield. But this is not the same Liverpool that romped to the Premier League title last season. They are fragile at the back and lack potency in attack. If PSG take a front-foot approach then we can’t see any other outcome than another away win.
Prediction: Liverpool 0-2 Paris Saint-Germain

WEDNESDAY

Arsenal v Sporting CP (8pm)
Arsenal appeared to have got their season back on track in Lisbon last week, Kai Havertz’s late goal giving them a 1-0 win that puts them on course to go through. But a dismal 2-1 defeat at home to Bournemouth on Saturday has cast more doubt on their ability to hold their nerve and win the Premier League. If those doubts resurface again on Wednesday it could complicate their progress in this competition as well. The question is whether Sporting CP are good enough to capitalise. We’re not sure they are and we think Arsenal come through this quite comfortably and give themselves a much-needed boost in confidence ahead of their crunch weekend trip to Manchester City.
Prediction: Arsenal 3-0 Sporting CP

Bayern Munich v Real Madrid (8pm)
Real Madrid’s hopes of a first-leg advantage were thwarted last week with Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer rolling back the years with a vintage display at the Santiago Bernabeu. It finished 2-1 to Bayern and the visitors know failure to overturn that deficit will most likely see them having to face up to a trophyless season that started with such high hopes. It would be foolish to discount a Madrid team that has the attacking talents of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham but Bayern are one of the few teams in Europe that can match them with Harry Kane, Luis Diaz and Michael OIise. Bayern at home are a difficult proposition and we can’t see Madrid having enough to get through.
Prediction: Bayern Munich 3-1 Real Madrid