By now almost forgotten the World Cup in November and archived the winter transfer market that spoke only English, the European cups burst into attention, which resume this week with the Champions League round of 16, the Europa League playoffs and the 16th of Conference League. Italy shows up in force, fielding seven teams in the knockout phase: Napoli, Inter and Milan in the most important tournament, Juve and Roma in the Europa League and Lazio and Fiorentina in the Conference. The competition is enormous, but many of the big names in Europe, even the English catch-all, arrive at this crucial junction far from the best conditions and there is therefore room to return to making tricolor football shine, after the 2022 success of the Giallorossi.
Napoli, who dominate Serie A in terms of game and results and who will play at Eintracht on 21 February, are considered anything but outsiders in the Champions League and the great advantage they have in the league allows Luciano Spalletti’s team to keep blow to aim for a historic brace. However, the first Italian on the pitch will be AC Milan, who host Antonio Conte’s Tottenham on Tuesday. The Rossoneri are in a dark moment and the return to the knockout stage after 9 years is a mountain to climb. Spurs, despite ups and downs in the league, see the collapse with Leicester, seem favorites but for both coaches the outcome of the double challenge could decide the future. Also on Tuesday there is Psg-Bayern Monaco: for the French giant – in a period of crisis, with coach Galtier under discussion – a new failure in the assault on the Champions League is not foreseen, but it will be without Mbappé and probably also Messi against the solid concreteness of the German champions, who in the same way cannot afford to leave immediately.
Inter have avoided confrontation with a Premier team and next week they will cross paths with Porto. It therefore has the opportunity to return to the top eight teams in Europe, as it hasn’t happened since 2011. This milestone is essential for the English, who have made signings worth hundreds of millions. Chelsea have spent more than a third of all the money lavished by the Premier League in January, but will only be able to employ three of the new recruits. Furthermore, they have won only once in their last eight games and will face a Borussia Dortmund who are going like a train in the league. The risk of elimination, for the Blues, is concrete.
Equal pressure is on Manchester City, as rich as PSG and still without a Champions League. Pep Guardiola’s team will face Leipzig but in the mind they risk losing everything after the allegations of over 100 violations of the financial rules advanced by the Premier League. Then there is Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, languishing in mid-table and must face a repeat of the 2022 final against Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti’s ‘cup machine’ back from yet another triumph in the Club World Cup.
In the Europa League, where the match between Barcelona and Manchester United dominates the playoffs, Juventus ‘relegated’ from the Champions League will face Nantes on Thursday (way to Turin), 13th in Ligue and the right opponent on paper to regain some confidence after sporting and legal penalties. After Zaniolo’s Roma, between the enthusiasm of its fans and Mourinho’s desire to win, will be a guest of Salzburg and will also go to Austria to make up for it after the elimination from the Italian Cup. The other Roman, Lazio, will host Cluji for the first leg of the 16/1 Conference, while Fiorentina will go to Portugal at Braga. Both Italians have more than one reason to do well.
Source: Ansa
Brayden White, a veteran sports writer at Global Happening, brings his wealth of knowledge and expertise to the sports section. With over a decade of experience, he is committed to delivering high-quality coverage of the latest games and events.
