Tuesday 17 March 2026 saw every English team needing to improve if they wanted to qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals. Six matches have resulted in four losses and no wins.
Liverpool’s Anfield Challenge
Liverpool need to start fast in their Champions League showdown with Galatasaray. They must press their opponents from the off and make life difficult by getting the home faithful roused under the Anfield lights.
While an early goal will be the objective, patience will also be crucial against dangerous opponents who have both the European experience and quality of players to be able to defend deep and then try and catch the Reds on the counterattack. Arne Slot’s side must not start to “sleepwalk” during the game. An away goal will more than likely end their European dream for this season.
The Reds will ultimately need to produce the complete display at both ends of the pitch – including conceding no more stoppage-time goals – in order to overcome the Turkish champions and make the last eight. Liverpool supporters will be desperate that this comes on Wednesday night.
“I cannot think of one match all season where Liverpool have put in the perfect performance in both attack and defence and been three or four nil up, every game has been a struggle,” said Jamie Carragher.
Tottenham’s Mountain to Climb
Tottenham were undone by a number of slips and errors at Atletico Madrid last week. The first priority is not to make any more mistakes.
It will be a hard ask for anyone, let alone a team shot of confidence and likely still reeling somewhat from Tuesday’s dismal evening in Madrid where they lost 5-2 in the first leg. What will have helped was a late draw at Liverpool, although again, this did not come without error, especially Guglielmo Vicario’s blunder for the Reds’ opener.
All eyes will be on the goalkeepers again after a horrible few days for the Spurs stoppers, but the truth remains though that Vicario is Spurs’ undisputed No1. Tottenham need to score at least three goals to level and four to win, providing that they can keep Atletico from adding any more to their three-goal lead. They did already score twice against Atletico who, for their part, are not the most defensively-minded side, although they did keep a clean sheet against Getafe at the weekend.
English Teams Face Three-Goal Deficits
Premier League participation in the last eight is in doubt. Chelsea, Spurs and Man City have to overturn three-goal deficits, while Liverpool have to come from behind. Arsenal and Newcastle are level in their ties.
Every single English team has work to do to qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals.