The first legs of the 2023/24 Champions League semi-finals were typically entertaining.
This season’s competition has been particularly enthralling, especially in the knockout stages, and a place in the showpiece event at Wembley Stadium on 1 June is up for grabs this midweek.
Both last-four duels are finely poised ahead of the second legs, with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid playing out an end-to-end 2-2 draw at the Allianz Arena last week and Borussia Dortmund edging an exciting 1-0 affair with Paris Saint-Germain.
With so much on the line, here are four key battles that could prove decisive in the Champions League this week.
Nuno Mendes had an evening to forget at Signal Iduna Park during last Wednesday’s first leg. The Portuguese was offered very little defensive support from his attacking teammates as he was continually torn to shreds by the quick feet and dazzling dribbling of Jadon Sancho.
The on-loan Borussia Dortmund forward was at his electric best against PSG, much to the frustration of Manchester United supporters, and was relentless in driving at Mendes down the right-hand side. He was willing to cut inside on his weaker left foot and sprint towards the byline, repeatedly bamboozling the punch-drunk full-back.
It will be interesting to see whether Luis Enrique has concocted any special plan to deny Sancho this Tuesday, but Mendes will have to be far more stern against the winger this time around. If he isn’t, PSG could be facing a semi-final exit.
Mats Hummels rolled back the years with an effortless centre-back display against PSG in Dortmund, tasked with battling the cream of the crop in Kylian Mbappe. Despite the Frenchman’s obvious advantages in such a duel – pace, acceleration, youth – the veteran defender was not left fooled.
Enrique may opt to use a more traditional number nine against Dortmund for the second leg, with Randal Kolo Muani and Goncalo Ramos both good options, but even if that is the case, Mbappe will still get chances to run at Hummels playing in an inside forward position off the left flank.
The forward is rarely denied twice and still managed to crash the inside of the post during the first leg, with Hummels having to maintain his standards in Paris this Tuesday.
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