The stage is all set for the UEFA Champions League, UCL, semi-final second leg fixtures.
The second leg fixtures, which will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, are expected to be an epic battle for the four teams as only two will progress to the Champions League final in Munich later this month.
NEWSUNPLUGKE recalls that the first leg ties were played last week.
There are currently four teams – Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Arsenal in the Champions League semi-final stage.
Here are the fixtures for the Champions League last-4 second leg games:
Tuesday:
Inter Milan vs Barcelona – This game will take place at San Siro by 8 pm. The Serie A champions played a 3-3 draw with Barcelona in the first leg last week. Both teams are expected to put in a strong performance as only one team will advance to the Champions League final on 31 May.
Inter head to the encounter following a 1-0 win against Verona in the Serie A on Saturday. Simone Inzaghi’s side currently sit in the second position on the Serie A table with three points behind leaders Napoli.
Barcelona, on the other hand, head to the game after beating Real Valladolid 2-1 in the LaLiga on Saturday. Hansi Flick’s men currently sit on top of the LaLiga table with four points ahead of second position Real Madrid.
Wednesday:
PSG vs Arsenal – This match will take place at the Parc des Princes in Paris by 8pm. The Parisians won 1-0 against Arsenal in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium last week.
Both teams lost their last matches at the weekend. PSG were beaten 2-1 by Strasbourg in the French Ligue 1, while Arsenal also lost against Bournemouth in the Premier League by the same scoreline.
The Gunners will need to put in an outstanding display in order to have a comeback win against Luis Enrique’s side which is not going to be easy for the Premier League North London club.
Speaking with DAILY POST on Monday evening, Saheed Afolabi, who works at Clear TV, gave his thoughts on the Champions League semi-final second leg fixtures.
He also backed Arsenal and Inter Milan to progress to the Champions League final this season.
Afolabi said: “The Champions League semi-final is going to be a cracker. It’s more or less like a war.
“The first leg games gave us exciting moments and tough cracking results because if you take a look at it PSG won 1-0 against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, while Inter Milan had to force Barcelona to a 3-3 draw in Spain.
“So it just shows you that the first leg of the Champions League semi-final was an exciting one that gave both teams a fight for honour and the second leg will be a bigger cracker because Arsenal will be hoping to beat PSG at their own ground.
“We will see the return of Thomas Partey, who was suspended for the first leg due to accumulation of yellow cards.
“The Ghanaian is going to appear for Arsenal in the second leg and again provide that much needed shield in front of Arsenal’s defence.
“Also, Georgian star Kvara [Khvicha Kvaratskhelia] would be a much needed key player for PSG because he is in the form of his life.
“He is enjoying his game, so he is going to be key to PSG winning and Gianluigi Donnarumma, the goalkeeper of PSG is in the form of his life also, so that is a very key game and it can go either way,” he said.
When asked to provide his prediction for the Champions League semi-final second leg and name the two teams to progress to the final this year, Afolabi added: “I give Arsenal the edge over PSG.
“Barcelona vs Inter Milan is another game that would go down the wire. If you take a look at the last meetings between the two sides under Jose Mourinho’s tenure as manager of Inter Milan, Inter had to defeat Barcelona 3-1 at the San Siro before Barcelona then beat them 1-0 at the Camp Nou.
“But this time around, they had a 3-3 draw at the Camp Nou and they [Barcelona] are coming to the San Siro, it would surely be a huge game for both sides.
“Barcelona would bank in on Lamine Yamal’s brilliance, though he will test his capability and how he is going to manage the tension in front of a huge and terrific crowd at the San Siro.
“But in all I believe Inter Milan will scale through. So to me Arsenal and Inter Milan for Champions League final,” he stated.
