The four UEFA Champions League semifinalists are now set, and they’re a pretty fearsome foursome. The field of four features three of the competition’s last four champions in Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, along with soon-to-be-four-time defending Italian champions Juventus.
All four teams have the pedigree to be crowned worthy champions of Europe, but which one holds the edge over the others? Let’s get to know all four semifinalists a little better as we examine the strengths and weaknesses that could decide their fate in the competition.
Read on below for our comprehensive semifinal preview.
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2015 UEFA Champions League Semi-final Predictions and Preview
Barcelona
Team Strength – Attack
[sc:Soccer240banner ]Barca’s three-man attack of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, arguably the greatest collection of attacking talent in the world at the moment, is clicking at just the right time. Messi shockingly failed to tally even one goal in the two quarterfinal legs against PSG, but Suarez and Neymar picked up the slack by scoring five in the tie to lead Barca’s safe passage.
Key Player – Andres Iniesta
With Xavi’s powers waning, club captain Iniesta is now the main man that makes the Barca machine tick from midfield. Iniesta suffered an injury scare in the quarterfinal first leg in Paris, but it wasn’t serious enough to prevent him from playing brilliantly in the second leg. Messi may be the best player in the world, but Iniesta is the one player Barca can’t afford to lose.
Team Weakness – Defense
For all of Barca’s brilliance going forward, they still have some question marks at the back. Dani Alves has never been the best defensive rightback, and his once lively legs have slowed with age. Their goalkeeping situation, with young Marc-Andre Ter Stegen playing in the Champions League exclusively, is an odd arrangement. And with all the attacking they do, they can often be left vulnerable on the counter-attack.
Barca Will Win the Champions League if…
…Suarez and Neymar back Messi up. Last summer’s World Cup was a stark reminder that while Messi is the best, even he can’t carry his team to victory without a little help. If Suarez and Neymar play up to their capabilities, Messi won’t have to do it all by himself, and would make Barca all the more dangerous.
Prediction
As good as Messi, Neymar and Suarez are, they can’t quite match up to Bayern’s all-around brilliance.
Bayern Munich
Team Strength – Cohesion and depth
After two years at the helm, Pep Guardiola has his Bayern team functioning like a well-oiled, footballing machine. Even with a rash of injuries against Porto, they still comfortably smashed the Portuguese upstarts 6-1 in Germany. That’s in large part due to the cohesion Guardiola’s system has induced into the team, wherein anyone can come in and do a job.
Of course, Guardiola has a unique luxury of being able to fill openings left by Bastian Schweinsteiger, Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben with world-class talent in Thiago Alcantara, Mario Gotze and Thomas Muller. Injuries are part of the game, but Bayern’s enviable depth makes them perhaps the best-equipped among the final four to handle them.
Key Player – Thiago Alcantara
After an injury-riddled start to his Bayern career, the finally healthy Thiago Alcantara is back and better than ever. He was Bayern’s best player over two legs against Porto, with two goals and an assist, and has provided the driving force in midfield that Schweinsteiger used to supply. Thiago’s return suddenly lifts Bayern to another level, which is a scary thought given that Robben and Ribery are also soon to return.
Team Weakness – Vulnerable to counter-attack
The last two teams that have knocked out Guardiola-managed teams in the Champions League – Bayern in 2012 and Real Madrid in 2014 – were successful because of their ability to catch Bayern cold on the counter-attack. After two failed attempts, it remains to be seen whether Guardiola has learned from his past mistakes and can adjust his system to successfully stop those counters.
Bayern Will Win the Champions League if…
…They get healthy. Thiago’s return was a major boost, as will Robben’s and Ribery’s. Robben’s pace on the wing is invaluable to the team, while Ribery would be a terrific weapon off their bench. At full strength, this is the most complete side left in the competition.
Prediction
Pep gets past his old club Barca as Bayern goes on to win the cup.
Juventus
Team Strength – Defense
Leave it to Juventus to keep the very Italian trademark of being a rock-solid defensive unit alive and well. Juve have kept clean sheets in five of their last six Champions League games after shutting out Monaco in the quarterfinals. Their all-Italian backline is one of, if not the most experienced backline in Europe in terms of playing with one another. This Juve defense will be one tough nut to crack over two legs.
Key Player – Paul Pogba
Juventus’ powerhouse midfielder Paul Pogba missed both quarterfinal legs after tearing a thigh muscle back on March 19. The initial prognosis was around seven weeks’ recovery time, which would likely see him play in the second leg of the semifinal.
Pogba is a real game-changer in that Juventus team, with his ability to make some powerful late runs from midfield. Juve have enough talent in midfield to compensate, but Pogba’s presence transforms them into a legitimate title contender.
Team Weakness – Overreliance on Carlos Tevez
Without Pogba, Tevez is Juventus’ only other threat to produce an inspired piece of individual brilliance going forward. Tevez has certainly been capable of such feats, and has six goals thus far in the tournament. But Juve’s lack of other truly threatening world-class attackers will be a concern against the very best competition.
Juve Will Win the Champions League if…
…Pogba returns in time and produces his pre-injury form. Pogba can dominate a game like no other Juve player can, and his sheer physicality will be difficult for any of the other three teams to deal with.
Prediction
Pogba isn’t quite the force that he was earlier in the year, and it ultimately costs Juve the chance to lift the cup.
Real Madrid
Team Strength – Attack
The Galacticos Real Madrid can call upon in attack – Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez, Isco – are the closest thing anyone can come to matching Barcelona in terms of sheer firepower. They can carve defenses open on the counter-attack with their pace on the wings, and can slice them up incisively with some precision passes.
Key Player – Iker Casillas
All eyes will be on Ronaldo, but it’s Real captain Iker Casillas that could hold the key to Real’s title defense. San Iker hasn’t been the force he once was for some time now, but he’s still capable of coming up with a vintage performance from time to time. Real will need consistent and mistake-free football from their captain between the sticks in order to lift the cup again.
Team Weakness – Midfield
Midfielder Luka Modric will miss both semifinals after suffering a knee injury, which is a major blow to Real’s chances. Modric is the midfield bridge connecting defense to the attack, and without him, Real can look like a disjointed mess. Manager Carlo Ancelotti played Sergio Ramos in midfield in the second leg against Atletico, and he’ll need the same type of creativity to guide Real past the semis without Modric.
Real Will Win the Champions League if…
…Modric makes a miraculous return. Modric has been invaluable to this Real team all season long, and despite the best efforts of Ancelotti to make do with what he has, he doesn’t possess another player capable of replicating what Modric brings to the table.
Prediction
Modric’s absence is too much for Real to overcome as they crash out in the semis.
Which of these four European heayweights will be celebrating in Berlin? Create a betting account now and get wagering on the last few games of Champions League action for this season.
