5️⃣ things to look out for in the Champions League this week | OneFootball

The Champions League returns this week with some fascinating first leg quarter-final match-ups.

This is what to look out for from the action.

⚔️ Match of the Week

Arguably the standout fixture comes from north London on Tuesday night where Arsenal welcome holders Real Madrid for their first meeting since 2006.

The Gunners are reportedly planning a raucous welcome for Real to make things as intimidating as possible, while the return of the fit again Bukayo Saka may also carry enough sway to spook the visitors.

Madrid come into it off the back of a contentious loss to Valencia but they always come alive when that famous anthem rings out and have also won on every single one of their previous four Champions League quarter-final trips to England's capital.

Interestingly though, Los Blancos have defeated more different sides (111) than any other club in competition history - but Arsenal are now among that list, having drawn one and won the other of their only previous two encounters.

🔎 Team to Watch

Inter's defensive dominance in the competition has been extremely impressive. Historically so, in fact.

Of clubs to have played 10+ matches in a single European Cup/Champions League campaign, the Nerazzurri's 80% clean sheet percentage for the current season is the highest of any side, having shut opponents out in eight of their 10 games so far.

They have also eliminated Bayern in the only two knockout games they've played in the modern edition of the tournament - including a memorable win in the 2010 final in Madrid.

But their uncharacteristic collapse last weekend against Parma in Serie A, drawing 2-2 after taking a 2-0 lead into half-time, may just offer hope to the home side.

🔥 Player to Watch

Marco Asensio has the rare opportunity to add his name to the list of loanees who have come back to haunt their parent club in this competition when the Aston Villa playmaker returns to Paris to face the newly-crowned Ligue 1 champions.

Fernando Morientes (Monaco against Real Madrid), Philippe Coutinho (Bayern Munich against Barcelona) and Thibaut Courtois (Atlético de Madrid against Chelsea) are just some of the infamous examples of a player's permanent owner being embarrassed in this competition by a player they own.

After failing to find the net in 10 Champions League appearances for PSG, Asensio has netted three times in two games for the Villans (both off the bench) and if he scores again, it would mark his best ever scoring season in this tournament.

It almost seems destined to happen. Would you really bet against it?

👀 Potential upset

At this stage of the competition, there isn't (or shouldn't be) much between the remaining sides, but if Borussia Dortmund can topple Barcelona away from home it would certainly go down as the most eye-catching result of the week.

The Blaugrana are flying high atop LaLiga under Hansi Flick, while BVB are struggling this season, and there are very real concerns they will fail to qualify for Europe next year for the first time since the 2009/10 campaign.

But after defeating Lille in the last round, there have been further promising signs under Niko Kovač with impressive wins over Mainz and Freiburg in their most recent outings.

Their continental showings also give reason for confidence, losing just one of their last eight knockout games (last year's final) and winning their last three away elimination trips - the same amount they'd managed in the previous 17 attempts before that.

📊 Fascinating stat

Bayern Munich are unbeaten in their last 22 home fixtures in this competition (winning 17 and drawing five) and it is incredibly five years since they've lost at the Allianz Arena - 3-2 to PSG in April 2021.

📸 ADRIAN DENNIS - AFP or licensors