Champions League | The fourth round of the league stage starts in the early morning of the 5th. Who will lead the two focus battles?

Qilu Evening News·Qilu One Point Reporter Yin Chengjun

At 4 a.m. on November 5, the fourth round of the UEFA Champions League this season will usher in two peak matchups that attract global attention. One is Paris Saint-Germain versus Bayern Munich, and the other is Liverpool versus Real Madrid. If you look at the team's paper strength alone, they should be the four strongest teams in Europe. Even if they reach the semi-finals of this season's Champions League at the same time, it is not an exaggeration. However, football has never been about talking on paper, and it pays more attention to on-the-spot performance. On this point, the current gap between Liverpool and the other top three is obvious.

In the middle of last week, Liverpool was eliminated by Crystal Palace and missed the competition for the League Cup championship this season. Because most of the Red Army's main players did not play, this may be a strategic abandonment made by head coach Slott based on the team's recent record. The purpose is to cope with the next three key matchups with Aston Villa, Real Madrid and Manchester City.

In the early morning of November 2, Liverpool defeated Premier League rival Aston Villa 2:0, winning its second victory since October. Slaughter did not dare to have any illusions anymore. He put aside the big-name stars introduced this season. Except for Ekitic, the starting lineup returned to the "basic set" of last season's championship. The players cooperated more tacitly and freely, easily defeating Aston Villa, which was already not weak.

Just after leading 2:0, Slott replaced Wirtz, but the offensive line was scattered again. In the entire game, Slott made only one substitution and did not dare to move in other positions. This shows how cautious this originally ambitious coach has become after losing consecutive games.

The upcoming Champions League will be Slott’s first big test this season. Real Madrid is in better and better shape as they play, and coach Alonso is no stranger to Liverpool. Therefore, if Slott wants to score points from the "Galaxy", in addition to maintaining the morale that has been finally improved, it is more important to play well with the original championship lineup, which is the trump card in his hand.

Another focus match is between last season’s Champions League champion Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich. Last August, Bayern was still a mess that no one dared to take over. The young Kompany had no experience in coaching a giant, but he was promoted to the coaching position of Bayern. Many people were waiting to see his joke. However, after more than a year of building, Bayern has undergone radical changes, regained its "kingly spirit" and occupied a dominant position in the Bundesliga. Last week in the Bundesliga, Bayern replaced seven of its main players and defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3:0, which had troubled them for two years. With a bloodless victory, Bayern announced that the former hegemon had returned to the throne. More importantly, they have won 15 consecutive games since the start of this season, which is the only record in European football.

Bayern faced Paris Saint-Germain. Both teams were very sharp offensively, with Kane on one side and Dembele on the other. Defensively, both sides were equally methodical. Bayern conceded fewer goals overall than PSG. In comparison, the defending champion seemed to be at a disadvantage.

Of course, football is never about statistical analysis. When two teams stand on the field, it also depends on their on-the-spot performance. The two best teams in Europe collide, competing for performance, momentum and pressure. Fans can feast their eyes on this drama that is comparable to the Champions League final.