Leg 2 Champions League Predictions

The first legs of the 2026 Champions League quarter-finals gave us a really good idea of how these ties are shaping up. One big trend was how strong away teams were, with three out of four of them winning. The end results reveal a lot about how the teams played, and what we can see in the upcoming future. In today’s article of The Hound, we’ll give our predictions on the next legs of the quarter-finals and who to look out for!

For Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona, Atletico 2–0 away win puts them in a really strong position, but I don’t think the second leg will be quiet. Barcelona has no choice but to go all out, especially away, so the game should be much more open. They struggled to score in the first leg, however they had over double the expected goals () and 15% more possession. With more on the line, it’s hard to see them not getting on the scoresheet this time. Just earlier this season, they were 4-0 down to Atletico in the first leg of the Copa Del Rey. Barcelona also had over double the shots on target than Atletico, showing effectiveness in front of goal. In the second leg, they nearly came back, scoring 3. Furthermore, both of Atletico’s knockout fixtures have been high scoring, with Atletico scoring 7 goals across both legs of their Round of 16 games. However, Atletico took their chances well, missing none of their big chances against Barcelona. The next game is also at home for them. They also have an easier game in La Liga than Barcelona this weekend, allowing for them to rest their main players for the next leg. Atletico should be wary of Yamal, who had an 8.3 rating without scoring or assisting. Meanwhile, on Atletico, Barcelona should watch out for Alvarez. He’s already scored a free kick against the Catalonians and has been having a great season. So, my final prediction is a 2–2 draw. It makes sense; Barcelona improves, but Atletico still stay in control overall. Expect the Spanish giants to have a tight game!

Looking at Liverpool vs Paris Saint-Germain, the first leg was pretty one-sided. I personally believe the scoreline doesn’t even fully capture the extent to which PSG played. Liverpool didn’t even get a shot on target, which says everything about how dominant PSG were. They also had over 2 more expected goals and had 74% possession of the ball. Now Liverpool has to chase the game, which usually suits PSG even more because of how dangerous they are on the counter-attack. Liverpool will try to come out as aggressive at home, but that could actually play in PSG’s hands. Liverpool have also lost their past three games and have generally been inconsistent this season. With their recent form and attacking quality, it’s easy to see PSG punishing those gaps. If PSG were to watch out for one player in particular, it would be Szoboszlai, as he’s been a standout midfielder this season. Liverpool, on the other hand, have to watch out for pretty much everyone. That’s the beauty of PSG: they all work together as a team and have the best talents in the world. Some specific players they should look out for though are Dembele, Doue, and Vitinha. That’s why a 3–0 PSG win feels realistic, as they’re simply levels above the Reds.

The Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid tie was arguably the biggest tie of the quarter-finals, and even the whole season. The two largest European clubs, who have a long, heated rivalry went head-to-head for the 4th time since 2017. Coming into this game, Bayern hadn’t won against Madrid since 2012. However, the Bavarians have statistically been the best team in the world this season. They only have 2 losses all season, and the game before playing Madrid, came back from 2 goals in 15 minutes against Freiburg. Meanwhile, Real Madrid lost 2-1 against Mallorca, a relegation-side in La Liga. Bayern capitalized on this poor run of form and had a comfortable 2-1 win. Had they finished some of their chances, it could’ve been upwards of 4 or 5-1. Madrid also had their fair share of chances, having one more shot on target than Bayern, yet Manuel Neuer pulled out some massive saves. The next game will be in Munich, which will give Madrid some trouble. Bayern is known for having some of the best fans out of big clubs and is hungry to move on to the semi-finals. They also statistically have the best attack in the world: consisting of Diaz, Kane, and Olise, who all have over 40 goals and assists this season. They all dropped great performances against Madrid, and they should watch out for them again. The Bavarians, however, should watch out for Bellingham and Vinicius. When Bellingham was subbed on, Madrid started to play better and even scored a consolidation goal. Vinicius also played well, apart from a huge chance he missed, and Bayern should keep an eye out for him. I can see Bayern winning 2-1 again, being at home and already having momentum. However, Madrid is notorious for coming back when the odds are against them, and Bayern should watch out.

Finally, Arsenal vs Sporting CP was surprisingly close. Arsenal won 1–0 away thanks to a Havertz last minute goal. The Gunners have proved themselves to be one of the best defensive teams in the Champions League and the world this season. They are also in first place in the Premier League by 9 points. However, for a team of their caliber, they should be comfortably winning by at least 2-3 more goals. Sporting did create chances in the first leg but couldn’t finish, and it’s hard to see that suddenly changing away from home. Arsenal is good at controlling games like this and passing by with narrow wins. So, another narrow 1–0 win for the Gunners seems likely. Arsenal’s defense should watch out for Trincao on Sporting. Sporting should watch out for Raya, Arsenal’s goalkeeper. Raya dropped a man of the match performance against Sporting, making 5 saves and preventing a lot of big chances. Sporting should aim to finish those chances next leg, but with a goalkeeper like that, it could prove difficult.