Data drop: Everything you need to know about the Champions League quarter-finals

The Champions League quarter-finals will bring together some of European football’s heavyweights.

Ahead of some mouthwatering ties, we’ve delved into Twenty3’s Toolbox to assess the data.

Arsenal vs Bayern Munich (Tuesday 9th April, 8pm)

The last time Arsenal and Bayern Munich met in the Champions League, the German side were emphatic winners.

Arsene Wenger’s Gunners were beaten 5-1 home and away in 2017, falling to a humiliating 10-2 aggregate defeat.

But things are very different in 2024. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are flying high in the Premier League and are among the favourites to win Europe’s top prize this season.

Bayern, meanwhile, are set to miss out on the Bundesliga title for the first time in over a decade, and will part ways with manager Thomas Tuchel in the summer.

Arsenal, up to this point in the Champions League, have scored more goals (17 to 15), although Bayern have a slightly better xG (13.63 vs 13.53).

Defensively, though, the Gunners have been far more convincing, with an xG conceded of just 6.57 to Bayern’s 9.55.

Based on recent performance, then, Arsenal will be considered favourites to progress, although the Bundesliga champions boast the attacking firepower of Harry Kane, who leads the way for goal contributions (nine) in the competition so far.

Real Madrid vs Manchester City (Tuesday 9th April, 8pm)

Manchester City beat Real Madrid in the semi-finals last season on the way to Champions League glory.

A 5-1 aggregate victory highlighted the dominance of Pep Guardiola’s side, but Los Blancos are likely to provide a sterner test this year.

With Jude Bellingham driving them forward, Real Madrid look back to their swaggering best, both domestically and in Europe.

And this will be something of a clash of styles. City have averaged a staggering 69.9% possession in the Champions League, while Real Madrid have averaged just 54.39%.

Expect the Premier League champions to dominate the ball, then. No team in the competition has completed more passes (5,514) or scored more goals (24).

With Erling Haaland — joint top scorer in the Champions League with six goals so far — leading the line, City will again be favourites to progress.

But Real Madrid have the star quality of Bellingham (eight goal contributions in six Champions League appearances), Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo. All three could be potential match-winners.

Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona (Wednesday 10th April, 8pm)

This could be one of the most intriguing quarter-finals from a tactical perspective.

Both teams are managed by Spaniards — Luis Enrique and Xavi — and both typically look to control possession, averaging 58.98% and 57.13% respectively in the Champions League.

Barcelona, of course, are no longer the force they once were, but there have been signs of improvement in recent weeks, despite the news that Xavi will depart in the summer.

There is little to separate the two teams statistically, although Paris Saint-Germain have been more effective in the final third, with an xG of 16.58 to Barcelona’s 13.54.

The French side, whose hunt for a first Champions League title has proved frustratingly elusive, will hope that Kylian Mbappé is the difference maker.

He has six goals in eight appearances, netting three times over two legs against Real Sociedad in the last 16.

Atlético Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund (Wednesday 10th April, 8pm)

Both Atlético Madrid and Borussia Dortmund will have been pleased to have avoided some of the favourites in the quarter-final draw.

Neither are expected to win the Champions League, but there is a real opportunity now for a dark horse to go deep in the competition.

Atlético, having beaten an excellent Inter side in the previous round, will fancy their chances of getting past Dortmund.

The German side have had a stuttering season in the Bundesliga and did not entirely convince in their last-16 win over PSV.

Diego Simeone’s outfit have scored almost twice as many goals in the competition so far (19 to 10).

They are also far more aggressive out of possession than Dortmund, completing 248 ball recoveries in the opposition half to the latter’s 183.

And in Antoine Griezmann, they have one of Europe’s most talented attacking players.

The Frenchman has scored six goals in the Champions League, despite an xG of just 3.97. Give him an opening and he will likely take advantage.

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