Champions League hits & misses: Jude Bellingham, Man City snap hoodoo, professional Chelsea | Football News

Bellingham bosses big stage again

“I am not dangerous at soccer,” 17-year-old Jude Bellingham replied, when requested if enjoying on the most important stage was a pinch-yourself second.

It might need sounded just like the cocksure quip of a teen but it surely was delivered with the form of metal and self-assurance that pervaded the previous Birmingham teenager’s performances throughout each legs of a fascinating Champions League tie between Borussia Dortmund and Manchester Metropolis.

Bellingham left the sector on the shedding aspect on Wednesday after tilting the last-eight decider in Borussia Dortmund’s favour for 40 minutes, however this was one other showcase of his profitable credentials.

He had insisted his team-mates may overturn a slender deficit on house soil and he was the protagonist from the off, urgent at every alternative, supporting assaults when the possibility got here.

There was a goal-line clearance celebrated lustily, a reserving for a tug that prompted a short howl of frustration earlier than the main focus returned. He needed it and it confirmed, his legs carrying him additional than any of his team-mates within the first half.

Nevertheless it was his composure on the ball because the adrenaline coursed that caught the attention once more; the power to play a diagonal go or a slide-rule one between the strains and, when the ball rolled free to him on the sting of the world, the sureness of the contact out of his toes, earlier than one other despatched the ball past the diving Ederson.

It was a second for the report books; he’s now the youngest English participant to attain on this competitors.

Discovering the fitting midfield mix seems to stay a puzzle for Gareth Southgate however Bellingham’s box-to-box model feels extra enthralling with every watch. Roy Keane was impressed sufficient to opine he had the look of a “full midfielder” after a nerveless show in opposition to San Marino. In opposition to far starrier opposition, Pep Guardiola was stunned. “I can not imagine [he is only 17]. Possibly he’s a liar! He’s so good!”

Not dangerous at soccer is an understatement certainly.
Kate Burlaga

Man City take important step

May Man Metropolis address the strain of a Champions League quarter-final, understanding all that had gone earlier than? The reply was a convincing sure. And, they did it the onerous method.

Pep Guardiola is within the final 4 of a contest he as soon as made his personal. The last-eight hurdle with Metropolis has lastly been cleared. For the membership, too, this can be a huge achievement within the context of historical past as it’s simply the second time they’ve reached this stage of the competitors, following the last-four look in 2016 beneath Manuel Pellegrini.

Guardiola and his gamers would have been forgiven for considering a fourth straight quarter-final exit was on the playing cards. Metropolis allowed the primary quarter-hour to float by, one thing not advisable in opposition to a workforce like Dortmund who’ve fantastic gamers within the closing third.

Bellingham is a kind of. His opening aim was a factor of magnificence after a nervy John Stones had been simply turned by Erling Haaland. And the Metropolis followers watching on from house – or in a pub backyard – could have been rolling their eyes when Kevin De Bruyne rattled the bar simply earlier than the break.

One other a kind of days?

No probability, stated Phil Foden, enjoying with out many of the scars his team-mates have suffered on this competitors. It was his cross which tempted Emre Can to stay out an arm for the penalty and, after all, it was his rasping strike which gave Metropolis the two-goal respiratory house.

He ran to his supervisor, who seemed like a proud father throughout these celebrations. Guardiola is constructing a particular aspect. And a aspect that may ship when the chips are down. The Quadruple is on.
Lewis Jones

Liverpool’s big challenge

Liverpool exited the Champions League – however at the very least wanting extra like themselves.

“The efficiency generally was good, it was significantly better,” stated Klopp. “We did not lose the tie tonight, we misplaced it in Madrid.”

The problem for them now, with a slimmed-down schedule containing solely Premier League fixtures, is to proceed in the identical vein domestically.

Liverpool’s title hopes are lengthy over however a top-four end will not be out of attain. In reality, they’re solely three factors behind fourth-placed West Ham with seven video games nonetheless to play.

“I believe crucial factor is that we think about our degree of efficiency,” stated James Milner. “If we carry out with the depth, need and tempo that we performed with tonight for the final league video games then hopefully we are able to get into these top-four spots.”

Their Premier League kind bodes nicely. Liverpool have gained three consecutive video games within the competitors – in opposition to Aston Villa, Arsenal and Wolves – for the primary time because the opening weeks of the season and the chance is there to construct momentum.

Their Monday Night time Soccer assembly with Leeds – “leading-all-physical-stats-in-the-league Leeds,” as Klopp known as them in his post-match interview – will check their stamina following their European exertions.

However victory at Elland Street may shut the hole additional on the groups above them and 5 of Liverpool’s closing six video games after which can be in opposition to groups within the backside half.

It’s a sort run-in for a aspect concentrating on a robust end and it’s right down to Liverpool to get better from their European disappointment and benefit from it.
Nick Wright

No airs and graces about Chelsea

As a impartial, you’d be forgiven if you weren’t too keen on Chelsea’s second leg in opposition to Porto. There was some wild attacking soccer happening in Paris, in any case, and even Thomas Tuchel recognised that this was not nice for tv viewing.

However this business-like Chelsea aspect confirmed they’ve professionalism to play two-legged European soccer, regardless of inexperience working all through the squad. Chelsea’s full-backs in Seville had been 21-year-old Reece James and 24-year-old Ben Chilwell. Their entrance line of Christian Pulisic, Kai Havertz and Mason Mount? Simply 22, 21 and 22 respectively.

This isn’t the age or profile of gamers you’d count on to be supremely disciplined, however Chelsea’s kids resisted the urge to commit numbers ahead, maybe helped by an empty stadium.

Disregarding a fairly elegant Mehdi Taremi overhead kick within the fourth minute of injury-time, this was practically the proper second-leg efficiency. That entrance three, attack-minded at their core, knew their function: decelerate play, win fouls and struggle onerous.

Pulisic, specifically, was good, and chargeable for 11 of the 20 fouls gained by Chelsea. It isn’t creativity. It isn’t silky play. It’s actually not superb, until you’re Tuchel wanting on. He barely had a contact within the Porto field. Nevertheless it was so essential to see Chelsea via, in a house sport that felt like an away sport, and exhibits that Tuchel’s aspect have this chameleon-like skill to adapt to their environment.

Such is the character of two-legged soccer, it is going to likely be wanted once more.
Gerard Model

Has Poch found the perfect mix of skill and steel?

It was onerous to disregard any of the majestic PSG entrance three as Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria had been all filled with invention and high quality as Maurico Pochettino’s aspect booked their spot within the final 4. A 1-0 defeat on the evening to Bayern Munich was nonetheless adequate to make it via having scored three targets in Germany. If Bayern had scored one other to knock them out it could have been an enormous injustice. Neymar struck the publish and bar, whereas Mbappe’s tempo in behind Bayern’s excessive line was at instances horrifying.

A very powerful a part of the PSG efficiency was going the opposite method, although.

The important thing space the place this sport was gained was the house in entrance of the PSG again 4. Bayern – via Thomas Muller largely – work that a part of the pitch so cleverly, however there was no method via on this sport. The PSG defence had been protected expertly by Idrissa Gueye, who put within the efficiency of his life. He has taken his sport to a different degree since his Everton days, judged on this efficiency. When he was required to snuff out hazard, he was there. When he was required to cowl certainly one of his team-mates, he was there. For all their attacking expertise, Gueye is maybe their most essential participant on this model beneath Pochettino.

No participant made extra tackles than him on the evening (six) as he was supported within the engine room by the stylish Leandro Paredes, who sparked loads of PSG counter-attacks with elegant passing into his entrance three.

PSG now appear to have the platform to assist their array of attacking riches.
Lewis Jones

Is this the end for Flick?

No Bayern Munich supervisor has ever posted the next win proportion than Hansi Flick. Nope, not even Pep Guardiola.

But, the present boss may have simply managed his final sport within the Champions League for Bayern Munich having been knocked out by PSG.

Since taking on when the membership had been fourth within the Bundesliga in November 2019, all the things Flick had beforehand touched has turned to silverware, profitable the Treble within the type of the Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League. A Twelfth-straight Bundesliga title appears to be like on the playing cards, too, with simply six video games remaining.

But, Flick’s future is in critical doubt with the 56-year-old the robust favorite to switch the outgoing Joachim Low as Germany supervisor after the connection with Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic grew to become unworkable, in response to stories in BILD.

RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann is reportedly the person to switch Flick, who has not precisely cooled discuss of his impending departure. He stated after the PSG defeat: “My household will at all times be utterly behind me, irrespective of my choice. No matter whether or not all the things goes nicely right here or not, you at all times need to assume.”
Lewis Jones

Semi-final draw

First legs: April 27/28 | Second legs: Might 4/5

• Paris Saint-Germain vs Manchester Metropolis
• Actual Madrid vs Chelsea