Champions LeagueVillarrealBayern Munich

Hardly anyone gave Villarreal a chance to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League, but the Yellow Submarine fully deserved this right. In the current phase, the opponent is even more serious than the previous one, which was Juventus. Bayern Munich arrives in Spain as one of the big favorites for the final triumph in the tournament of the rich, which happened last two seasons ago.

I start with Villarreal's feat in the round of 16. The team fell behind in Spain after a few seconds of play, but responded in a great way to this challenge. The Yellow Submarine was the better team in the match and deservedly got to the draw in the 66th minute. In the return match, everyone expected Juventus to win relatively easily, including me, but this not only did not happen, and the Bianconeri shipwrecked. The Villarreal players waited for their moment and with three goals in the final fifteen minutes recorded one of the most famous successes in their history.

Bayern Munich's quarter-final did not offer as much emotion, although the German colossus did not fare well in the first meeting with Red Bull Salzburg in Austria. The Bulls were extremely dangerous on the counterattack and did not come out ahead in the result, but they could have taken the lead with 2: 0 or 3: 0. However, this did not happen, and Bayern avoided defeat in the 90th minute. Everything in the rematch was decided in the first half. Lewandowski scored a hat-trick in nine minutes and the final score was 7: 1.

Things are not going well for Villarreal in La Liga lately and the team remains on the sidelines of participating in European club tournaments. In three of the last four rounds the team lost, and over the weekend it happened during the visit of the penultimate in the table Levante. Bayern Munich is confidently heading for another Bundesliga title. On Saturday, the visit of Freiburg was won 4: 1, and Borussia Dortmund lost at home to RB Leitzpig. This opened a gap of nine points at the top, leaving only six rounds to go.

Villarreal have hinted that they will make a memorable season in the Champions League in the group stage of the tournament. In it, the team deserved the first position, but missed its chances with Manchester United and Atalanta. In the already eight matches, the "Yellow Submarine" has 16 goals scored and today I expect it to be scored as well. This season, Bayern Munich is much easier to concede goals, but on Wednesday we will see Noer return to the Champions League. However, I expect new mistakes in the defense of the German colossus, which the hosts will take advantage of for a more interesting match.