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Argentine Champions League Quarter Finals preview: Angel Di Maria, Sergio Aguero

Roy Nemer
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31

The quarter finals of the Champions League begins on Tuesday as we have six Argentine players who are left in the tournament.

We have Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria, Leandro Paredes, Mauro Icardi, Agustin Marchesin and Willy Caballero as the only Argentine players left in the tournament with PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino as the only Argentine coach left. Of the six remaining, only one has managed to win the Champions League and that was Angel Di Maria back in 2014 when he won it with Real Madrid prior to the World Cup.

Two matches on Tuesday and two on Wednesday with only one Argentine representative on the first day and the other five on Wednesday. Real Madrid host Liverpool in a repeat of the final from a few years ago, neither team has any Argentine players at the club.

Manchester City along with Sergio Aguero host Borussia Dortmund in the second match on Tuesday. This is Aguero’s swan song season and he would like to cap it off by winning the big one but they’ll first have to go through Dortmund and make it to the semi finals.

A repeat of last season’s final will take place on Wednesday where Bayern Munich host PSG in the first leg. Angel Di Maria, Leandro Paredes and Mauro Icardi will be out for revenge in hopes of knocking out the reigning champions and edging closer to a place in the final once more.

Wednesday will also bring a clash of two Argentine goalkeepers. Agustin Marchesin will start for Porto after they knocked out Juventus in the last round while fellow Argentine Willy Caballero will be watching from the stands when Porto host Chelsea in the other match that day. Here are the matches:

Tuesday:
Real Madrid vs. Liverpool
Manchester City (Sergio Aguero) vs. Borussia Dortmund

Wednesday:
Bayern Munich vs. PSG (Angel Di Maria, Leandro Paredes and Mauro Icardi)
FC Porto (Agustin Marchesin) vs. Chelsea (Willy Caballero)

Leonardo Balerdi scores for Marseille in 2-0 win vs. Dijon

Roy Nemer
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3

Leonardo Balerdi scored for Marseille in their 2-0 win vs. Dijon.

Balerdi started in a three man back line for Jorge Sampaoli’s men and scored his second goal of the season to give Marseille the 1-0 lead. Sampaoli’s team would go on to score a second as they have now won three of their last four matches with Sampaoli in charge.

The 22 year old Argentine has started the last five matches for Marseille, with three wins, two of them clean sheets and two losses. He has played 90 minutes in every one of those games.

Marseille are presently in sixth spot in the league, three points ahead of both Montpellier and Rennes, one point behind Lens.

Marcos Acuña scores, Lucas Ocampos misses penalty for Sevilla in win vs. Atletico

Roy Nemer
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12

Marcos Acuña scored for Sevilla as Lucas Ocampos had his penalty saved for Sevilla in their 1-0 win vs. Atletico Madrid.

It was an Argentine on Sevilla sinking Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid as the Liga race is completely open. Sevilla were awarded a penalty kick and it was Lucas Ocampos who would step up to take it. Despite his previous track record from the spot being solid, Ocampos would miss his second penalty of the season. His first miss coming vs. FC Barcelona and now this one as he saw goalkeeper Oblak save his effort.

Acuña would end up saving Ocampos in the second half. A cross sent into the penalty area would find the 29 year old who’s header would give Sevilla the 1-0 lead and the three points. That goal was Acuña’s first of the season to go with his one assist.

In addition to Acuña and Ocampos, both Alejandro Papu Gomez and Franco Vazquez were brought on as substitutes. Atletico’s only Argentine representative on the pitch was Angel Correa who was also substituted on by Simeone.

Roberto Pereyra scores for Udinese in 3-2 loss vs. Atalanta

Roy Nemer
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26

Roberto Pereyra scored for Udinese in their 2-1 loss vs. Atalanta.

Pereyra scored his fourth goal of the season as he played the full 90 minutes for the fourth match in a row. It was 2-0 for Atalanta as a pass found the Argentine on the edge of the penalty area and his first time effort would beat the goalkeeper to pull one back for Udinese.

Rodrigo de Paul and Juan Musso both started and played the full 90 minutes for Udinese. Musso has played 27 matches this season, allowing 34 goals and keeping 8 clean sheets. As for Rodrido de Paul, he has played 28 matches, scoring six goals and assisting six goals. Nahuel Molina provided both assists on Udinese’s goals.

Sergio Aguero Manchester City exit, Barcelona, PSG possible options

Roy Nemer
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20

With it being confirmed that Sergio Aguero will be leaving Manchester City at the end of the season, several clubs are appear to be interested in signing the club legend.

Aguero will be leaving the club after 10 years with several championships in his trophy cabinet. Having joined City from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2011, Aguero became an instant legend at the club in the first season. The famous last second goal vs. QPR to win Manchester City in Premier League after decades of waiting is no doubt one of the, if not the best Premier League moment in history.

During his time in Manchester City, Aguero became the club’s all time leading scorer as he is on 257 goals in 384 matches. Not only has he made Manchester City history but he has also made Premier League history. He is the foreign player with the most Premier League goals, as he is on 181 goals (in 271 matches) ahead of Thierry Henry who finished on 175 goals. He is also in the top five Premier League goal scorers, ahead of Frank Lampard who is fifth and just behind Andy Cole on 187 goals who is third.

With all of those accomplishments and accolades, the now 32 year old striker will be wearing a new shirt at the start of next season. While no official bids have surfaced, reports in the media have FC Barcelona, PSG and even Juventus as possible choices for him. The most interesting from an Argentine point of view could be that of Barcelona where he would join Lionel Messi, should Messi remain at the club.

PSG would see him play alongside Angel Di Maria, Leandro Paredes and Mauro Icardi while being managed by Mauricio Pochettino. A move to Juventus would have him along with Paulo Dybala. Where would you like to see Aguero play next season?

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