How Bayern Can Win The Champions League & Quarterfinal Predictions | SI FC

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa , hold on, hold on, this is a Champions League conversation.

We are not in the Champions League this season.

Why are Man United catching strays, man?

Madrid have 6 players on a yellow card.

Wow.

I don't think there's a player more valuable to a team maybe than than Thibaut Courtois.

Simeone vintage going 1-1, uh, I can't know.

Barca being at home.

First, might actually favor them.

It's Champions League week, the one we love the most.

This is Sports Illustrated Football Club, your weekly show here on Sports Illustrated.

I'm Alessandro Amiti and I'm joined by two elite Champions League players, Lia Buzziti, Luca Alolo.

Hi guys, are you ready for the elite football?

I'm born ready, man, let's get it.

I want to ask you, I'm gonna start with Luca.

Who is gonna go through?

Who is gonna go through, quick fire, quick fire.

Real Madrid, Bayern, Bayern.

Bayern.

Sporting Arsenal.

Hm.

I'm gonna go just Arsenal.

No, I was gonna say Arsenal as well.

OK.

Paris Saint-Germain.

No, PSG.

Oh, PSG, this is gonna be a cricket score, man, seriously, cricket score.

And this one for me is the most interesting one.

Barcelona Atletico.

This is a, a good tie.

I think this will be a good tie.

I think Barcelona, I think it'll be a good tie.

You know what, it's actually funny because I think the whole idea behind like the higher seed getting the second leg at home is supposed to be an advantage for them, but I actually think Barca being at home first might actually favor them because I think they're gonna look to run up the score in the first leg to give themselves enough of an advantage where, because I think they're gonna lose in Alytico, but they're gonna hope that they score so many goals that doesn't matter.

So I go though, right?

Barca, yeah, exactly.

I think it's actually, yeah, exactly like that.

I think Barca will go through.

Barca as well.

OK, do you think that there's gonna be any impact of Rafinha missing in the tie?

Definitely, that's a big loss.

It's a huge loss.

He's one of the best players in the world, but they still have enough to get over the line.

I don't know why I have this feeling.

I'm expecting a sort of Simeone vintage going 1-1, uh, I can't know.

You reckon, yeah, and then like 1-1, 2-2 or something like that.

And then we do it.

It's possible, but do you think they have the strong enough defense to be able to contain Barcelona that well?

Probably no one has a Barca have a strong enough defense to keep Atletico out though?

Exactly, because it's gonna be different with Lukman and, and Julian Albert now.

It will, I think, I think they'll concede for sure Barcelona, but I think they'll still take a lead going into the second leg.

Uh, I want to quote Pique on Real Madrid Bayern because it's Pique said it looks like that kind of season when you don't know how, but Real Madrid, I'm gonna make it into the final.

It wouldn't be the most surprising thing ever.

I think the absence of Courtois though is huge, man.

Like Mbappe and Bellingham are back, but I don't think there's a player more valuable to a team maybe than than Thibaut Courtois in terms of this competition.

I think he's that valuable, right?

And there's times where Real Madrid is getting pelted from every single angle and Courtois just manages to stay on his feet and keep them in the game.

So if he was there, I actually think they'd have a really big chance.

Uh, you can never count out Real Madrid, right ?

I'm not here to say they have no chance, but I just think the form Bayern are in at the moment, it, it feels like it's their year.

For me, they are the best team in, in, in Europe right now on, on the seasons of it, yeah, I would agree.

On that, on that perception, perception, and again before you go, sorry, Harry Kane might be out for the game as well too though.

Yeah, but yesterday they said we are gonna make it work to, to, I hope, I hope he's fit because if it's, if it's a, if it's a, yeah, hampered Harry Kane, it's Gnabry up top, yeah, or even Jackson up front, yeah.

But even I just wanted to add quickly Ala on that game, it's quite interesting because Madrid.

have 6 players on a yellow card.

Wow, yeah, 6.

I think Dean, Vinny, Mbappe and 3 more.

I can't remember the other 3.

Yeah, and you can already guarantee Vinny's gonna get a yellow card.

Yeah, yeah, one of them will, which will then hinder them in the second leg in Munich.

Munich.

Vinny goes that entire first game because I'm sure they're going to target him.

They're going to try and provoke him.

Yeah, he's gonna get a yellow in that first game.

So on Bayern guys, I want to know more about your perception on reputation of Bayern internationally because sometimes when you, when you talk about Bayern here, it's underrated.

So my question is for you and I want to see your reaction.

Is Bayern Munich a better club than Manchester United?

Whoa, whoa, whoa whoa.

Whoa, whoa, hold on, hold on, it's a Champions League conversation.

We are not in the Champions League this season.

Why are Man United catching threes, man?

Why not?

Why not?

What?

What's going on here, man?

When was the last time you won a league title?

Don't, don't worry about Man United.

It's about Champions League.

It's just terms of reputation because for me, Manchester United are a great team, great, I mean.

If, if I look at, for example, Real Madrid and then Barcelona, then for me Manchester United.

So what's the conversation here?

Are they a better team?

Are they a bigger club?

What's not a bigger club, not a bigger club than Man United.

I'm sorry, no, they're not.

Hold on.

If, if, if Man United are at their best and Bayern are at their best and they're competing for a player, there's no conversation about where that.

Player is going unless he's German maybe , but uh, I'm sorry, if, if they're both at their apex right now, obviously United have been in the mud for 13 years, but when both are at their best, which I think is probably the best way of looking at which club would be bigger, Man United have a way, maybe not way bigger because Bayern have a big fan base, but in terms of global outreach, Man United are bigger.

In terms of finances, I would probably bet Man United are bigger.

I, I, I don't think Bayern have been better over the last 13 years, but I don't think this is as one-sided as you might think.

I, the thing is with ranking clubs is I, I hate it so much because I, I think there are so many factors that go into it.

Fan base, players, consistency throughout their club's history, trophies, European heritage, league heritage, and I think Bayern.

I think you top them in a few things.

Fan base, global reach.

I think they're, I, the thing is they have more trophies than Man United, but you have to put context to the league as well, man .

I mean they play.

That's why it's so, but that's why it's so hard to rank clubs.

They have more European heritage.

I think if you were to do like an all-time Bayern 11 versus an all-time.

I that would be interesting.

It'd be quite close, but I'd, I'd edge it to Bayern .

I think they've had better players.

So it's, it's so hard to rank.

I mean, if I imagine also an 11 on Manchester United, I think it'd be, I think it'd be really cool.

quite tight.

I think it'd be, I don't, I, it's not top.

4 for all time 11s and out of every club it's probably like a 6th maybe.

No, no, no, let's just say it as it is.

No, I'll let you land, man.

Go ahead Juventus AC Milan say what you wanna say, Milan.

Say what you wanna say.

No, no, no, this is just, this is true.

You're not a top 4 in terms of all time 11.

This is a fact.

Um, the 4 Ballon d'Or winners, I mean 4 only.

That's cute, man.

What's all the 4 Ballon d'Or, 4 Ballond'Or winners is apparently something to sniff at now.

That's 4 players have looked at the Ballon d'Or.

Don't look at me.

You're you're not top 4 with 4 though, bro .

So, how many?

Players have Juve had that won the Ballon d'Or who was a lati won at Juve though, yeah, 8 Ballon d'O kindnavaro doesn't really count, man.

He dipped he dipped the following season they've had Zidan Del Piero, no, no, no, Piero, no, no Del Pierro the Zidane, sorry, uh, Zidane Platini, Bajo Bajo at Juve, or was it like he was at the season before?

I'm just trying to make sure it's Baggio.

I think it was Bajo.

I think it was Pavel Nedved, yeah, Paolo Rossi, mm, all right, now you are good, but Bayern, Bayern have Gerd Muller and Beckenbauer.

I know, yeah, he would have, I think he, I think he might have won the Ballon d'Or.

I'm looking at players.

How many, who else has won it?

So I mean, it's like it's tight.

Let us know in the comments.

Bayern versus Man United versus, I, I think Man United is a bigger club.

I'm not gonna lie.

I think in terms of look at Schweinsteiger.

Schweinsteiger played his entire career at Bayern Munich, spent his washed up years at Man United.

Go look at who this guy is supporting on a week to week basis.

Man United's cultural impact of the football club.

I'm sorry.

I want to get your idea because I think they are two massive clubs, and they are, they are.

Up there, no, for sure, for me, both these clubs are top five clubs in the world.

I was thinking now if I look at the tie, Real Madrid, Bayern for me represent the Champions League, you know.

Yeah.

And if I look back early 2000, late 90s for me was Real Madrid, Manchester United, or Milan, something involving Man United, the thing of them, the thing of us is in the Champions League, it's been a competition that we've historically underachieved in.

In our best years we didn't win enough in Europe, and if you're not even winning it, you don't even tell him.

To be honest with you, there's similarities between Juve and Man United for me, I mean, I'm, I'm firmly, I'm firmly convinced that there is a DNA in the squads, and for me the DNA of Juventus and Manchester United are quite, I think it's quite, I think if you were to look at Italy, who is like the equivalent in England, I think it would be Man United for, for me, yes.

I think with the Bayern, just to conclude, I think off the pitch, United are far bigger.

I think on the pitch I'd go Bayern are more successful.

Yeah, it's probably true.

Yeah, but then it depends what you favor.

Yeah, if, if we look at modern football off the pitch, probably Manchester United are not in, in terms of reaching fans all over the world, uh, yeah, yeah, even because the Premier League, I mean, it's, yeah, Man United are also probably the biggest thing for why the Premier League is the size that it is.

The, the success they had in the 90s and early 2000s is what really started this, the, the, the growth of the Premier League, I think.

It's definitely tough to say because Bayern as well too.

Their periods of dominance came in different times to Man United.

Like Bayern had the, the Beckenbauer, Gerd Mueller era.

Then Man United came in with, with Sir Alex, and during that period, Bayern were probably a little shaky, to be honest, even in, even in Germany.

But then since 2010, Bayern in both Europe and domestically, they've just had a stranglehold, man.

And to be honest, even Bayern, for as good as they are in Europe, how many champions do they have?

66.

They, they.

They should probably have more.

They've lost a lot.

They've lost some finals and they should never have lost.

But even they had teams, especially in the Guardiola years, like they had for me at one point probably the best team in Europe what season was it?

I think 1515, 1016 they should have won it in my opinion, even like they, they had teams, man.

You think of the Atleti, yeah, and they should be Atleti, but you think a team of Robin, Riberry, Lewandowski, and then you had look at that midfield they had Philip Lamb, Neuer, they had .

For me, at one point they're unlucky they, they came up in the same era as Messi and Ronaldo.

Otherwise I think they would have more Champions Leagues than they did.

Probably, yes , yeah, I think them and probably Juventus are the teams that were maybe even Atletico as well too, teams that were unlucky to, to come up in that era.

I think those are probably the three that when you look back at it in a different era they would have dominated.

I think, I think you put that Bayern team in today's game, they would, I think they're probably better than this year's Bayern, which tells you something because this is a good team.

He's a good buyer, I would say.

Yeah, it's a tough debate that, you know, you're not , I, I, the ranking clubs I hate so much, yeah, because it really comes down to like what you value.

For me, like if you're a big club, you're a big club, but now for me I know Real Madrid are top.

I know for me the rest of my top five is Barca, United, Bayern, Juve, Liverpool, one of those guys in that probably order, and then the rest is the rest.

No, no, I, I, I quite Milan I mean you, you can change, yeah, but Milan is like.

Yeah, but 7 Champions League when you look at the caliber of players that they've had, yeah, yeah, but Milan probably reflect perfectly what is happening in the Italian football.

It's like if Milan cannot perform in the Champions League, something is going wrong, something has changed.

Yeah.

But now guys, it's time to react to what we've done on the.

On the round of 16, he had a few weeks, he had a good few weeks.

So I remind, I remind you the rules, uh, 3 points for the correct scores, 1 point for the correct results.

We were 5-4 for me, and then this is what happened.

Luca, have a quick look, tell me, tell me what you think.

So I actually don't remember every score off by heart.

Sporting Bodo limp, Sporting won that, so neither of you get a point.

No.

Uh, Chelsea PSG.

I thought because the game was already finished in Paris, I thought Chelsea might sneak around so it didn't matter.

We, we, yeah , exactly, we were looking for something that neither of you get a point there.

City, Madrid .

I was so close to that 1-1.

It was at the last minute Vinny scored.

I was, I would have gotten a perfect 3 points out of them.

Beautiful.

You are close fuming.

Arsenal Leverkusen, what was it, 2-0?

Was it 3-0 I think.

No, it was 2-0.

Was it only 2-0?

So it means I get 3 points if I'm not mistaken.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, good, good one.

Good one there, Alan.

Barca, Newcastle, both outcome correct.

Yeah, so it's 1 point yes and yes.

Uh, Liverpool Gala outcome was right score 4-0 I think.

Uh, Bayern Atalanta.

Correct outcome, right?

Yeah, I think I was right with this one, right, 4-1.

Did you get this score?

Yeah, yeah, you got the score on 3 points for, for him, 1 point for me.

And Tottenham Athletico Nevo.

Another one.

I was so close, man.

No, no, no, it wasn't no, no, they won 3-2 Spurs, 32 Spurs, yeah, so, uh, it means it's 6-0.

I think it was a tie.

Yeah, 6-0.

What was then you won the the week before .

Yeah, so we are 11-10.

You've still got a point difference.

Now this is the situation, 11-10, I let you decide.

I step back, I give my point to Luca and you challenge yourself until the final.

Do you think, do you, do you back yourself?

You can, it's not about that, man.

I would love to face Luca, it's not, it's not about that, but you want to beat me.

I need one up on you, man, right now.

This is, uh, what's it called, Wilder versus Fury, man.

OK, so you won the first matchup.

I, I gotta get my look back now.

The, the, the, the other thing we can do, if you want, we can stay in the competition.

What if we add Luca and his points count double to almost overcome the deficit we already have?

Would that work?

No, I'll do, I'll go, what do you have, 10?

I'll go 9, I'll go 9 then.

So Luca.

Are you happy to join the challenge with 9 points?

Yeah, I'll be 2 below you, 1 below you.

OK.

So the new leader pool is Ale, surprisingly because we have 2 of the best football and currently I haven't, I haven't played yet.

I haven't.

I'm gonna stay humble.

Ale 11, Leah 10, Luca entering the challenge.

Let's do our scores then, we have to do our scores then because we need to just guess the, the winner.

Yeah, now, now, now we do a prediction for this leg, OK, OK.

And and we start with Real Madrid Bayern, Lia.

No, you know what, 9 point, we start with Lucas.

Start with me, yeah.

Real Madrid, Bayern, I'm gonna go a win for Bayern, I'm gonna say 2-1, 2-1 Bayern Munich.

2-1 Bayern Munich.

I go 1-1.

I don't know if he played Italian and and.

And say exactly what you say to defend my to to defend my bar for me maybe going Italian these days and the smart decision.

Oh, it's back, he's back.

I love this beef, um.

I'm, I'm gonna go exotic.

Real Madrid 0, Bayern Munich 2.

Woo, OK, that's a big one.

We start again from Luca, Sporting Club de Portugal versus Arsenal.

Arsenal away from home in poor form.

I think it's gonna be tight.

I'm gonna go, I don't wanna be boring again I say, I'm gonna go.

I'll go 2-2.

I'm gonna go 22.

I'm going to go.

2-1 sporting.

First leg sporting are gonna get signed.

Oh, interesting.

I'm gonna go 1-0.

I'll see you back.

I'll see you back at the Emirates.

Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool.

I think Liverpool are gonna go there and completely park the bus.

Try and get something to take back to A.

They're gonna try.

They didn't, they didn't know how to park the bus.

They're gonna try.

But can they park the bus with the defensive mindset we saw at the.

No, they're gonna struggle, but that's our, that's what I think they're gonna try and do, bring something back to, um, to Mersey side, but I'm gonna go 2-0 PSG.

I, I don't think they'll, they'll be successful.

OK, they didn't park it properly.

No, no, no, no, the bus has no wheels.

I'm gonna go 3-1 PSG.

This one, I agree with him.

It's gonna be 3-1 Paris Saint-Germain.

And we close with Barcelona Atletico de Madrid.

I'm gonna go bold here, 4-2 Barcelona 4-2 goals, goals, goals.

I'm going to go 3-1 Barca.

3 Wambasa.

I'm gonna go 2-1 Barcelona.

So everyone scores , but it's just it's they're gonna score and um I mean, good luck to Warri, who is behind the camera on Easter Monday, who's gonna travel to Barcelona to support his Atletico Madrid, so we have to say we have to say it and uh.

I mean, so no chances for Liverpool in this tie, no, no, no, no chances, no surprises.

Let us know your predictions in the comments and I'm gonna see you next week because we are gonna react to what we say and we'll see if Liez is gonna be on top of the leader pool.

Enjoy the football and see you next time.