Sunday 3am

BAYERN MUNICH vs CHELSEA (Bayern won first leg 3-0): This is surely a formality, with Bayern producing a stunning display to beat Chelsea 3-0 away in February thanks to Serge Gnabry’s brace and a Robert Lewandowski goal. The Bavarians picked up where they left off in style when the Bundesliga resumed in mid-May, romping to a league and cup double by winning 11 games in a row post-lockdown. Overall Hansi Flick’s side have won 17 on the bounce and are unbeaten in 26 matches since early December. Lewandowski has 51 goals this season. The pressure is off Chelsea after they achieved their aim of finishing in the top four in the Premier League. Frank Lampard’s team lost to Arsenal in the FA Cup final last weekend and lost Cesar Azpilicueta and Christian Pulisic to injury in the same game. It looks an impossible task for them.

BARCELONA vs NAPOLI (First leg 1-1): After missing out to Real Madrid in La Liga, Barcelona cannot contemplate being knocked out of the Champions League already, but they are far from safe against Napoli. They drew 1-1 in the first leg in Italy with Antoine Griezmann cancelling out Dries Mertens’ opener, so Barca have the upper hand. However, all is not well at the Nou Camp , with coach Quique Setien under intense scrutiny. Barca are looking for a sixth European Cup, five years on from their last success. Lionel Messi has turned 33 since the first leg and time is running out for the Argentine to lift the trophy again. Napoli are a club on the up under Gennaro Gattuso, witness their triumph on penalties over Juventus in the

Italian Cup final in June and their recent statement signing of Lille’s Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen.

AFP