Foden and Bellingham: The battle of England’s No 10s
Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden, two of England’s brightest young talents, play in the coveted No 10 role for their respective clubs, Real Madrid and Manchester City. Bellingham, who is currently Gareth Southgate’s pick for the position, has had an impressive first season in Madrid, scoring 20 goals so far. Foden, on the other hand, has been in scintillating form for City, scoring a hat-trick from the No 10 role against Aston Villa last week. The two will face off against each other in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at Bernabeu, providing an opportunity to showcase their talent and convince Southgate why they should be prioritized in that key playmaking position.
Will Kane strike against Arsenal again?
Harry Kane, one of the deadliest strikers in world football, returns to the Emirates Stadium, where he has scored goals in five out of his eight visits. Kane has been in phenomenal form for Bayern Munich, scoring 38 goals in his first 37 matches for his new side. However, he is coming up against an Arsenal defense that has not conceded in a month, with William Saliba and Gabriel fresh from keeping out Erling Haaland at the Etihad Stadium a few weeks ago. It remains to be seen whether Kane can continue his impressive record against Arsenal.
Sancho to showcase revived form?
Jadon Sancho, Manchester United’s forgotten man, will aim to showcase his revived form when Borussia Dortmund take on Atletico Madrid. Sancho has been in excellent form for Dortmund lately, scoring goals in back-to-back games before the international break. He has also been impressive in the 2-0 win at Bayern Munich, where he topped the dribbling stats, and stood out in the defeat to Stuttgart, where he created no fewer than seven chances for his teammates. Sancho will aim to show his parent club what they are missing this week.
CL would be perfect PSG farewell for Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe, one of the world’s most talented footballers, has enjoyed a successful season with Paris Saint-Germain, scoring 39 goals in all competitions, including six in this season’s Champions League. However, rumours of a departure have resulted in a disjointed season at the Parc des Princes. PSG’s quarter-final tie against Barcelona will give the French forward another opportunity to write himself into football folklore. Barcelona will be wary of the prospect of coming up against Mbappe, who has scored four goals in just two games against them. The Spanish champions’ 6-1 comeback in 2017 preceded Mbappe’s move to Paris, but PSG’s hopes to avenge the result will surely rest at the feet of their star forward.