In his latest Sky Sports-Column, Paul Merson gives an example of the quarterfinals of the Champions League, with Arsenal and Aston Villa both in action.
The Gunners of Mikel Arteta stand for holders and 15 Champions League winners Real Madrid, with the first stage in the Emirates on Tuesday evening.
In the meantime, Villa continues a day later with their journey when they visit Paris Saint-Germain, who eliminated Premier League leaders Liverpool in the final round. The draw sees Unai Emery and Marco Asensio visit their former club.
Read below for the thoughts of the Magic Man about the last -like collisions …
'Arsenal must win the first leg – possibly with at least two'
Arsenal has to win this first stage. By winning one is the absolute minimum, I think they will have to win with at least two.
We saw it in last year's quarterfinals with Bayern Munich, where it was comfortable for Bayern in the second stage, after the 2-2 draw at the Emirates. And I don't see Real Madrid score two goals at the Bernabeu.
Real is not playing well at the moment. Arsenal will hurt them because Real admits too many goals at the moment.
They lost from Valencia during the weekend, they lost in the Bernabeu of Real Sociedad in the second stage of the semi-final of Copa del Rey, the match for that against Leganes, they were 2-1 down before they returned and won 3-2.
But although they don't play well, they always appear in the Champions League. This is the care of Arsenal.
Real should have really go out against Atletico Madrid, and they find a way. I remember a few years ago when they played against Chelsea in the knockout phase of 2022, Chelsea was comfortable at the Bernabeu, but then Luka Modric plays one of the biggest passes I have ever seen with the outside of his boot to save them.
If Arsenal can reach a lead of two goals in the first stage, I think they have a chance.
It is a big demand for Arsenal – but I will not judge Mikel Arteta here. You have to weigh it, they don't have a center-forward and have lost a center-back in Gabriel.
I rate Arteta next season when he gets the Center-Forward. If they do not win the competition after he has received the center, I think he will be in major problems.
'Gabriel injury damages the opportunities of Arsenal'
I thought it was a 50:50 chance when Bukayo Saka came back from an injury. But now with Gabriel is injured, I say 25 percent.
If you had a choice between Saka and Gabriel for these two legs, you would choose Gabriel. Because the way Arsenal will win, is if they make a Cagey Cup similar. If this reaches a Gung-Ho football match, there is only one winner.
Saliba and Gabriel make each other better. They are like Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, they play together much better.
It is a big demand for Jakub Kiwior, if he is the one who starts. Jurrien Timber has only played in the middle of the center once or twice, while Ben White has been out for a long time.
You ask someone who hardly plays – because he is not as good as the other two – to get in a quarterfinals of the Champions League. Kiwior is good, but he is not an arsenal.
And you ask Kiwior to mark him. Kylian Mbappe, the best in the world or at least in the top three next to Harry Kane and Erling Haaland.
He plays on the shoulder and when he comes through, I don't see anyone catching him.
And I think that's the concern for me with Arsenal. They will have to win this football match and they sometimes have to chase it. That's where it is dangerous.
'Rashford's pace can hurt Villa'
I have a good feeling about Aston Villa in this.
It is a difficult for villa, but they have 100 percent the pace on the counterattack and the deception to hurt PSG.
They have the pace of Marcus Rashford, Morgan Rogers and John McGinn, they will make opportunities.
Villa will have to play a counter -falling game and when PSG pushes people forward, I just remember when Rashford did it to PSG where he was at Manchester United.
My only concern is that I could never see Aston Villa doing what Liverpool did with PSG in the first stage. Any other Cup -Stropdas in the world would have been that night.
But Liverpool was much better in the second stage. I thought they destroyed PSG, who couldn't get out of their half that night. That can be the PSG that pops up.
But my concern is the first stage against Liverpool. If PSG plays somewhere like that, it will be difficult for Aston Villa.
The first stage in Paris is perhaps also the game where PSG Villa hurt a little more. PSG will come out and I don't think Villa can play such a high line compared to what they usually play.
And if they do that, you will never catch Ousmane Dembele in a month of Sunday.
I think if Villa loses with one in the first stage in Paris, they have a chance. I think Villa will score goals in this draw.
The only thing is that you don't have gone goals – what I think the worst change of rule I have ever seen.
That road goal was the name of the game, that is what Europe was about. The only thing it does is that you can go outside and be negative in the first stage.
If you are defeated with 1-0, it is now a great result in Europe. When I played in Europe, you were beaten 1-0 and that is a horrible result.
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