SIX MONTHS ago, not many people would have predicted that Jadon Sancho would be preparing for a Champions League semi-final this week.
When he arrived at Borussia Dortmund in a loan deal during the January transfer window, he had not started a single match all season.
All three of his Man United appearances had been from the bench, the last of which — a 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest — came in August.
A high-profile falling out with boss Erik ten Hag saw him frozen out of the United first team, essentially forced to spend half a season on the sidelines after reportedly refusing to apologise for his behaviour.
Yet Sancho’s fortunes have improved since returning to the club where he originally made his name, scoring three goals in 16 appearances this season.
The England international has not quite shown the brilliance he demonstrated at his Bundesliga peak — he scored 17 goals in 32 appearances during the 2019-20 season.
But the player’s current form suggests he is moving in the right direction.
If he can inspire Dortmund to a Champions League triumph, or at least help them seal a top-five spot that will likely be enough to secure their return to the competition next season, it will see a significant rise in his stock.
Recent reports suggest Dortmund would be prepared to offer £35 million (€41 million) to United to make the Sancho deal permanent.
On the other hand, there have also been suggestions that Sancho would be open to an Old Trafford return if Ten Hag leaves.
At this point, amid a disappointing season with the Red Devils sixth in the table, the Dutch coach’s summer departure is looking increasingly likely.
Yet even if Ten Hag’s exit is confirmed, United must ask themselves whether they want to hold onto a player whose off-field attitude has been questioned and whose on-field performances at Premier League level were sub-par more often than not.
What’s less ambiguous is that while United have hardly thrived in Sancho’s absence, the player has gone some way towards reviving his flagging career in Germany.
2. Will perennial underachievers PSG finally silence the critics?
Last season, after years of domestic dominance, Man City finally broke their Champions League duck.
Could another state-owned club, PSG, do the same this year?
Given their abundant resources compared to nearly every other team in Europe, it’s a surprise that the French champions haven’t done so already. Their persistent failure in the competition emphasises that notwithstanding their vast riches, success is not necessarily guaranteed.
It is almost 13 years since Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, bought PSG through Qatar Sports Investments (QSI).
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Before the takeover, they had won just two Ligue 1 titles.
Rivals Monaco’s loss to Lyon at the weekend saw them claim their 12th title and 10th in 11 years.
Yet despite the enormously talented squads at their disposal over the last decade, they have continually flopped on Europe’s biggest stage.
Could this season be different?
Their European history is considerably less impressive than the other three remaining teams.
The only non-domestic trophies they have ever won are the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1996 and the Intertoto Cup in 2001.
This is just the fourth time they have ever reached the Champions League semi-finals and one of those was way back in 1995 when Liberia legend George Weah was in his pomp.
Even the policy of signing multiple world-renowned stars didn’t bring them success. Neymar left after six years, joining Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal in August.
Miami-bound Lionel Messi had departed two months previously.
Their one remaining superstar, Kylian Mbappe, is widely expected to join Real Madrid in the summer.
But in the absence of Messi and Neymar, some less heralded but exceptionally talented players have thrived.
There are few if any teams in Europe who would be better off without players of the calibre of Vitinha, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Lucas Hernández and Achraf Hakimi in their squad.
But whether they have enough to guide PSG to unprecedented heights remains doubtful.
3. Can Harry Kane land a major trophy at last?
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Rival fans have routinely mocked Harry Kane over his failure to win a major trophy at Tottenham.
Unfortunately, the England international’s first season at Bayern saw them fall short in their bid for a 12th consecutive Bundesliga title owing primarily to the remarkable Xabi Alonso-led revolution at Bayer Leverkusen.
Of all the games he played in over 400 appearances for Spurs, perhaps the one match that will haunt the Londoner the most was where he was 90 minutes away from landing silverware.
Kane looked half-fit as he played the 2018-19 Champions League final and had missed a substantial portion of Tottenham’s most memorable campaign in decades through injury, including their remarkable semi-final comeback.
The North London outfit consequently suffered a meek 2-0 loss against Liverpool which contrasted starkly with thrilling victories over Man City and Ajax in previous rounds.
A Champions League triumph this season would go some way towards exorcising the ghosts of five years ago.
It would certainly be a fitting end to a season in which Kane has excelled at least on a personal level.
Despite Bayern’s domestic struggles, it has been another prolific campaign for the 30-year-old, who has managed 46 goals from 47 appearances in all competitions including seven from 10 in the Champions League.
4. How do Real Madrid keep winning?
Given how much La Liga has generally struggled and been overshadowed by the Premier League of late, it’s incredible to think that Real Madrid could conceivably win their sixth Champions League in 11 seasons.
Even domestically they have not been so dominant, though they are on the verge of winning their fourth La Liga title during that same period.
Some critics might have been tempted to cast aspersions about the ‘end of an era’ and write off Los Blancos following last season’s emphatic 5-1 aggregate semi-final loss to Man City.
Yet they have recovered well this year and look set to take the La Liga crown from reigning champions and bitter rivals Barcelona.
And perhaps more significantly, Carlo Ancelotti’s side managed to produce a major upset and knock out Champions League favourites Man City on penalties while gaining some revenge for last season’s thrashing.
There were changes to the squad last summer but it was hardly a dramatic overhaul despite containing several players on the wrong side of 30.
Karim Benzema, Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio were among the more high-profile departures.
And the importance of bringing in the likes of Fran García, Joselu and Kepa Arrizabalaga cannot be overlooked.
Yet recruiting Jude Bellingham has been the obvious game changer.
There is a case to be made that the England international is the best player in the world on current form — he finished second in The Guardian’s most recent poll.
The 20-year-old has thrived in an advanced midfield role, scoring 23 goals from 41 appearances in all competitions, including an important one in their recent 3-2 victory over Barca.
And while Bellingham has grabbed most of the headlines and eclipsed everyone else in the squad to a degree, there are further important factors behind Madrid’s success.
At 34 and 38 respectively, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric are not at the height of their physical powers.
Yet they have made 42 and 39 appearances respectively this season — more than Bellingham’s 36. Granted, neither can be expected to exert the level of influence they once had on football matches, but their part in the success should not be underestimated.
At this level, veterans know better than anyone what it takes to win silverware and can be major assets if they retain high levels of fitness and hunger.
They give teams that bit of know-how to claim unlikely victories, or get over the line against (in some cases) more talented sides like Man City and contribute to a positive environment and winning mentality throughout the club.
It is why Alex Ferguson kept the likes of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs around well past their peak at Man United, and partially also explains how Madrid defy doubters season after season.
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Redemption for Man United outcast Sancho and 3 other Champions League talking points
1. Redemption for Jadon Sancho at Dortmund?
SIX MONTHS ago, not many people would have predicted that Jadon Sancho would be preparing for a Champions League semi-final this week.
When he arrived at Borussia Dortmund in a loan deal during the January transfer window, he had not started a single match all season.
All three of his Man United appearances had been from the bench, the last of which — a 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest — came in August.
A high-profile falling out with boss Erik ten Hag saw him frozen out of the United first team, essentially forced to spend half a season on the sidelines after reportedly refusing to apologise for his behaviour.
Yet Sancho’s fortunes have improved since returning to the club where he originally made his name, scoring three goals in 16 appearances this season.
The 24-year-old’s goal at the weekend saw him become the highest-scoring Englishman in Bundesliga history with 40, although Harry Kane (35) may soon surpass him.
The England international has not quite shown the brilliance he demonstrated at his Bundesliga peak — he scored 17 goals in 32 appearances during the 2019-20 season.
But the player’s current form suggests he is moving in the right direction.
If he can inspire Dortmund to a Champions League triumph, or at least help them seal a top-five spot that will likely be enough to secure their return to the competition next season, it will see a significant rise in his stock.
Recent reports suggest Dortmund would be prepared to offer £35 million (€41 million) to United to make the Sancho deal permanent.
On the other hand, there have also been suggestions that Sancho would be open to an Old Trafford return if Ten Hag leaves.
At this point, amid a disappointing season with the Red Devils sixth in the table, the Dutch coach’s summer departure is looking increasingly likely.
Yet even if Ten Hag’s exit is confirmed, United must ask themselves whether they want to hold onto a player whose off-field attitude has been questioned and whose on-field performances at Premier League level were sub-par more often than not.
What’s less ambiguous is that while United have hardly thrived in Sancho’s absence, the player has gone some way towards reviving his flagging career in Germany.
2. Will perennial underachievers PSG finally silence the critics?
Last season, after years of domestic dominance, Man City finally broke their Champions League duck.
Could another state-owned club, PSG, do the same this year?
Given their abundant resources compared to nearly every other team in Europe, it’s a surprise that the French champions haven’t done so already. Their persistent failure in the competition emphasises that notwithstanding their vast riches, success is not necessarily guaranteed.
It is almost 13 years since Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, bought PSG through Qatar Sports Investments (QSI).
Before the takeover, they had won just two Ligue 1 titles.
Rivals Monaco’s loss to Lyon at the weekend saw them claim their 12th title and 10th in 11 years.
Yet despite the enormously talented squads at their disposal over the last decade, they have continually flopped on Europe’s biggest stage.
Could this season be different?
Their European history is considerably less impressive than the other three remaining teams.
The only non-domestic trophies they have ever won are the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1996 and the Intertoto Cup in 2001.
This is just the fourth time they have ever reached the Champions League semi-finals and one of those was way back in 1995 when Liberia legend George Weah was in his pomp.
Even the policy of signing multiple world-renowned stars didn’t bring them success. Neymar left after six years, joining Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal in August.
Miami-bound Lionel Messi had departed two months previously.
Their one remaining superstar, Kylian Mbappe, is widely expected to join Real Madrid in the summer.
But in the absence of Messi and Neymar, some less heralded but exceptionally talented players have thrived.
There are few if any teams in Europe who would be better off without players of the calibre of Vitinha, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Lucas Hernández and Achraf Hakimi in their squad.
But whether they have enough to guide PSG to unprecedented heights remains doubtful.
3. Can Harry Kane land a major trophy at last?
Rival fans have routinely mocked Harry Kane over his failure to win a major trophy at Tottenham.
Unfortunately, the England international’s first season at Bayern saw them fall short in their bid for a 12th consecutive Bundesliga title owing primarily to the remarkable Xabi Alonso-led revolution at Bayer Leverkusen.
Of all the games he played in over 400 appearances for Spurs, perhaps the one match that will haunt the Londoner the most was where he was 90 minutes away from landing silverware.
Kane looked half-fit as he played the 2018-19 Champions League final and had missed a substantial portion of Tottenham’s most memorable campaign in decades through injury, including their remarkable semi-final comeback.
The North London outfit consequently suffered a meek 2-0 loss against Liverpool which contrasted starkly with thrilling victories over Man City and Ajax in previous rounds.
A Champions League triumph this season would go some way towards exorcising the ghosts of five years ago.
It would certainly be a fitting end to a season in which Kane has excelled at least on a personal level.
Despite Bayern’s domestic struggles, it has been another prolific campaign for the 30-year-old, who has managed 46 goals from 47 appearances in all competitions including seven from 10 in the Champions League.
4. How do Real Madrid keep winning?
Given how much La Liga has generally struggled and been overshadowed by the Premier League of late, it’s incredible to think that Real Madrid could conceivably win their sixth Champions League in 11 seasons.
Even domestically they have not been so dominant, though they are on the verge of winning their fourth La Liga title during that same period.
Some critics might have been tempted to cast aspersions about the ‘end of an era’ and write off Los Blancos following last season’s emphatic 5-1 aggregate semi-final loss to Man City.
Yet they have recovered well this year and look set to take the La Liga crown from reigning champions and bitter rivals Barcelona.
And perhaps more significantly, Carlo Ancelotti’s side managed to produce a major upset and knock out Champions League favourites Man City on penalties while gaining some revenge for last season’s thrashing.
There were changes to the squad last summer but it was hardly a dramatic overhaul despite containing several players on the wrong side of 30.
Karim Benzema, Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio were among the more high-profile departures.
And the importance of bringing in the likes of Fran García, Joselu and Kepa Arrizabalaga cannot be overlooked.
Yet recruiting Jude Bellingham has been the obvious game changer.
There is a case to be made that the England international is the best player in the world on current form — he finished second in The Guardian’s most recent poll.
The 20-year-old has thrived in an advanced midfield role, scoring 23 goals from 41 appearances in all competitions, including an important one in their recent 3-2 victory over Barca.
And while Bellingham has grabbed most of the headlines and eclipsed everyone else in the squad to a degree, there are further important factors behind Madrid’s success.
At 34 and 38 respectively, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric are not at the height of their physical powers.
Yet they have made 42 and 39 appearances respectively this season — more than Bellingham’s 36. Granted, neither can be expected to exert the level of influence they once had on football matches, but their part in the success should not be underestimated.
At this level, veterans know better than anyone what it takes to win silverware and can be major assets if they retain high levels of fitness and hunger.
They give teams that bit of know-how to claim unlikely victories, or get over the line against (in some cases) more talented sides like Man City and contribute to a positive environment and winning mentality throughout the club.
It is why Alex Ferguson kept the likes of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs around well past their peak at Man United, and partially also explains how Madrid defy doubters season after season.
Upcoming first-leg fixtures:
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid — today, 8pm.
Dortmund v PSG — Wednesday, 8pm.
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UEFA Champions League Opinion Bayern Munich Borussia Dortmund PSG Real Madrid