Once the UEFA Champions League semi-final has been confirmed, it feels like the perfect time to reflect on what was a very entertaining round of matches.
It can be argued that the Premier League has been disappointing to watch this season, but Europe’s premier competition has somehow gone to compensate the fans.
Many people’s favorites Bayern Munich crashed out, Real Madrid face Chelsea in the last four and Manchester City have set up a semi-final match with Paris Saint-Germain. Now the adrenaline is gone, here is what we have learned …
Jude Bellingham opened the second round of the Champions League quarter-final between Dortmund and Man City | Pool / Getty Images
Bellingham was wrongly denied a goal in the first stage but no one took his strike in the second stage from him. It is hard to believe that he is only 17 years old when you see him control the midfield in the Champions League and score goals of the highest quality.
His performances during the match with Manchester City have raised doubts about whether he should be part of Gareth Southgate’s England squad this summer.
With Jordan Henderson facing a race against the clock in terms of his fitness, the position next to Declan Rice in midfield is clear and Bellingham, in his current form, seems the right option.
Real Madrid kept clean sheets at Anfield to book their place in the last four of the season’s Champions League | Shaun Botterill / Getty Images
When it comes to the UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid are the undisputed kings in the competition. They have won it four of the last seven times and in one season very few gave them hope, they did easy work of the reigning champions of the Premier League.
After traveling to Anfield with a 3-1 lead from the first stage, even without the likes of Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane and Lucas Vazquez, they were able to keep Jurgen Klopp’s side in check.
They are streetwise, talented and know how to get the job done in Europe.
Mbappe and Neymar are not the only two stars at PSG | Matthias Hangst / Getty Images
Kylian Mbappe and Neymar are pretty good at football, in fact, they are the talents of the generation. They have everything.
After doing the damage in Munich last week, it was over to the rest of Mauricio Pochettino’s side to ensure they could hold on to the lead that was already established.
Even without Robert Lewandowski, the Bundesliga leaders have bags of attacking talent and PSG showed a tough side to ensure they did enough to advance at the expense of their winners in last season’s final – revenge is sweet.
Phil Foden scored his third UEFA Champions League goal of the season in Borussia Dortmund | BSR Agency / Getty Images
He shines in an elite team, has a player’s football brain far beyond his years and must start for England in the Euro. Not choosing him would be a crime.
We have run out of superlatives for the 20-year-old and the fact that he looks so at home on the biggest stage, scores regularly and influences games a lot, places him in a league above the rest of England’s creative talent.
After netting in both legs in the Champions League quarter-final against Dortmund – his contribution proved crucial and he is on his way to the top.
Jorginho has proved his worth on Thomas Tuchel’s page | Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
He has been receiving some harsh criticism since joining the Blues and in many eyes embodied a football style under Maurizio Sarri that the fans largely disliked.
Under Tuchel, however, he played regularly and once again showed his worth in the second leg against Porto – which made the most tackles (8) in the Champions League for a Chelsea player since 2018.
The 29-year-old provides technical safety and positional discipline and for a coach like Tuchel that is the key. Regardless of how he played before, it is impossible to deny that he has improved under the German – which shows that his doubters are wrong.
