Cup football, eh? We've had three rounds of twists and turns - we've had 56 matches so far, and the vast majority of those have gone down to the wire, with 11 penalty shootouts, 7 extra-time wins and 19 other matches that were decided by one goal. All the teams that I personally fancied as likely contenders crashed out immediately, and it leaves us with eight relatively surprising contenders for the crown. After defeats for Split, Rotterdam, Birmingham and Sheffield, no country has more than one team representing them in the final eight, which is neat.
The draw for the quarter-finals also includes the draw for the final - so now each team knows the route they'll have to traverse to win the trophy. Here is how the draw looks, with results from the second round onward:
The draw for the quarter-finals also includes the draw for the final - so now each team knows the route they'll have to traverse to win the trophy. Here is how the draw looks, with results from the second round onward:
In case that's not easy to follow, this is the full draw for the quarter-finals:
Rome vs. Kyiv
Zagreb vs. Bilbao
Manchester vs. Amsterdam
Nis vs. Tbilisi
Zagreb vs. Bilbao
Manchester vs. Amsterdam
Nis vs. Tbilisi
Where the winners of the top two matches play each other in the first semi-final, and the two winners from the bottom two matches contest the other.
So, let's see how each match pans out! As well as a match report, I will include the starting XI for each team, along with their club, so you can get an idea of where each team is at.
So, let's see how each match pans out! As well as a match report, I will include the starting XI for each team, along with their club, so you can get an idea of where each team is at.
Rome vs. Kyiv
Rome XI (4-3-3): Pigliacelli (Universitatea Craiova); De Silvestri (Torino), Moretti (Torino), Vicari (SPAL), Peluso (Sassuolo); De Rossi (Roma), Florenzi (Roma), Pellegrini (Roma); Candreva (Internazionale), Caprari (Sampdoria), Politano (Internazionale)
Kyiv XI (4-2-3-1): Boyko (Dynamo Kyiv); Favorov (Desna Chernihiv), Shabanov (Dynamo Kyiv), Kucher (Kayserispor), Makarenko (Anderlecht); Bogdanov (Arka Gdynia), Andrievskyi (Dynamo Kyiv); Myakushko (Karpaty Lviv), Kovalets (Oleksandriya), Yakovenko (unattached); Zozulya (Albacete)
Rome start this match as favourites after a slightly smoother ride to this stage, but at this point in the tournament nothing is for certain. It was indeed Rome who got the opening goal, as Antonio Candreva fired a low shot home. The lead didn't last a full minute, however, as Andriy Bogdanov lashed home a beautiful volley. Emiliano Moretti put Rome back into the lead with a simple header, and just after the break they extended their lead with a Candreva penalty. Kyiv got their own spot kick, and Denys Favorov put it away to reduce the deficit, but Rome were able to hold on to a 3-2 victory.
Rome XI (4-3-3): Pigliacelli (Universitatea Craiova); De Silvestri (Torino), Moretti (Torino), Vicari (SPAL), Peluso (Sassuolo); De Rossi (Roma), Florenzi (Roma), Pellegrini (Roma); Candreva (Internazionale), Caprari (Sampdoria), Politano (Internazionale)
Kyiv XI (4-2-3-1): Boyko (Dynamo Kyiv); Favorov (Desna Chernihiv), Shabanov (Dynamo Kyiv), Kucher (Kayserispor), Makarenko (Anderlecht); Bogdanov (Arka Gdynia), Andrievskyi (Dynamo Kyiv); Myakushko (Karpaty Lviv), Kovalets (Oleksandriya), Yakovenko (unattached); Zozulya (Albacete)
Rome start this match as favourites after a slightly smoother ride to this stage, but at this point in the tournament nothing is for certain. It was indeed Rome who got the opening goal, as Antonio Candreva fired a low shot home. The lead didn't last a full minute, however, as Andriy Bogdanov lashed home a beautiful volley. Emiliano Moretti put Rome back into the lead with a simple header, and just after the break they extended their lead with a Candreva penalty. Kyiv got their own spot kick, and Denys Favorov put it away to reduce the deficit, but Rome were able to hold on to a 3-2 victory.
Zagreb vs. Bilbao
Zagreb XI (4-4-1-1): Kelava (Inter Zapresic); Bartolec (Nordsjaelland), Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen), Simunovic (Celtic), Pivaric (Dynamo Kyiv); Tomecak (Club Brugge), Rog (Napoli), Brozovic (Internationale), Pjaca (Fiorentina); Krovinovic (Benfica); Kramaric (Hoffenheim)
Bilbao XI (4-2-3-1): Herrerin (Athletic Bilbao); Boveda (Deportivo La Coruna), Bilbao (Atletico San Luis), Lekue (Athletic Bilbao); Benat (Athletic Bilbao), Herrera (Manchester United); Guarrotxena (Pogon Szczecin), Aketxe (Cadiz), Gomez (Deportivo Alaves); Williams (Athletic Bilbao)
Bilbao have been the most thrilling side throughout this tournament, racking up five goals in each of their last two games. However, this match only saw goals scored between the 52nd and 54th minutes. Incredibly, there were three of them! Firstly, Andrej Kramaric put Zagreb ahead with a strong header. Bilbao hit back immediately, as Ager Aketxe teed up Inaki Williams to nod level. But the decisive goal went to Zagreb, as Kramaric stole in at the near post to divert a cross home - just 113 seconds after his first goal!
Zagreb XI (4-4-1-1): Kelava (Inter Zapresic); Bartolec (Nordsjaelland), Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen), Simunovic (Celtic), Pivaric (Dynamo Kyiv); Tomecak (Club Brugge), Rog (Napoli), Brozovic (Internationale), Pjaca (Fiorentina); Krovinovic (Benfica); Kramaric (Hoffenheim)
Bilbao XI (4-2-3-1): Herrerin (Athletic Bilbao); Boveda (Deportivo La Coruna), Bilbao (Atletico San Luis), Lekue (Athletic Bilbao); Benat (Athletic Bilbao), Herrera (Manchester United); Guarrotxena (Pogon Szczecin), Aketxe (Cadiz), Gomez (Deportivo Alaves); Williams (Athletic Bilbao)
Bilbao have been the most thrilling side throughout this tournament, racking up five goals in each of their last two games. However, this match only saw goals scored between the 52nd and 54th minutes. Incredibly, there were three of them! Firstly, Andrej Kramaric put Zagreb ahead with a strong header. Bilbao hit back immediately, as Ager Aketxe teed up Inaki Williams to nod level. But the decisive goal went to Zagreb, as Kramaric stole in at the near post to divert a cross home - just 113 seconds after his first goal!
Manchester vs. Amsterdam
Manchester XI (4-2-3-1): Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday); Logan (Aberdeen), Jagielka (Everton), Tarkowski (Burnley), Borthwick-Jackson (Scunthorpe United); Drinkwater (Chelsea), Benali (Crotone); Watmore (Sunderland), Morrison (Lazio), Welbeck (Arsenal); Rashford (Manchester United)
Amsterdam XI (4-2-3-1): Padt (Groningen); Tete (Lyon), Fosu-Mensah (Fulham), Riedewald (Crystal Palace), Blind (Manchester United); De Jong (Al Ahli), Luckassen (PSV); Lens (Besiktas), Boussoufa (Al Jazira), Promes (Spartak Moscow); Babel (Besiktas)
This is a heavy match-up between two strong sides who will be fancying their chances of going all the way. Quincy Promes is one of Amsterdam's strongest players, but hasn't shone yet - so he was delighted to open the scoring by tucking away Ryan Babel's pass. Manchester soon leveled, also through their left winger as Danny Welbeck scored with a neat low finish. The sides traded goals again through Babel and Marcus Rashford, before a wonderful shot from substitute Adam Clayton put Manchester ahead for the first time. Amsterdam were soon level again though, as Babel poked a cross home. This saw us go to extra time, and the winning goal went the way of Manchester, as Rashford rounded Padt to secure a thrilling 4-3 win!
Manchester XI (4-2-3-1): Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday); Logan (Aberdeen), Jagielka (Everton), Tarkowski (Burnley), Borthwick-Jackson (Scunthorpe United); Drinkwater (Chelsea), Benali (Crotone); Watmore (Sunderland), Morrison (Lazio), Welbeck (Arsenal); Rashford (Manchester United)
Amsterdam XI (4-2-3-1): Padt (Groningen); Tete (Lyon), Fosu-Mensah (Fulham), Riedewald (Crystal Palace), Blind (Manchester United); De Jong (Al Ahli), Luckassen (PSV); Lens (Besiktas), Boussoufa (Al Jazira), Promes (Spartak Moscow); Babel (Besiktas)
This is a heavy match-up between two strong sides who will be fancying their chances of going all the way. Quincy Promes is one of Amsterdam's strongest players, but hasn't shone yet - so he was delighted to open the scoring by tucking away Ryan Babel's pass. Manchester soon leveled, also through their left winger as Danny Welbeck scored with a neat low finish. The sides traded goals again through Babel and Marcus Rashford, before a wonderful shot from substitute Adam Clayton put Manchester ahead for the first time. Amsterdam were soon level again though, as Babel poked a cross home. This saw us go to extra time, and the winning goal went the way of Manchester, as Rashford rounded Padt to secure a thrilling 4-3 win!
Nis vs. Tbilisi
Nis XI (4-2-3-1): Jovanovic (Aarhus); Petrovic (Lokomotiv Plovdiv), Dugalic (Yenisey Krasnoyarsk), Vitas (Mechelen), Volkov (FK Rad); Marjanovic (Aktobe), Djoric (Backa); Zivkovic (Benfica), Stojanovic (Radnicki Nis), Radonjic (Red Star Belgade); Pesic (Al-Ittihad)
Tbilisi XI (4-1-4-1): Loria (Krylia Sovetov); Partsvaniya (Kisvarda), Kashia (San Jose Earthquakes), Navalovski (Dinamo Minsk); Daushvili (Samtredia); Targamadze (Saburtalo), Kankava (Tobol), Aburjania (Lugo), Merebashvili (Wisla Plock); Mchedlidze (Empoli)
If you read through the players and teams above, you'd be forgiven for wondering how both teams got here, particularly with the results they did. In Tbilisi's case, they have got here through wonderful defending, with a compact deep formation that has frustrated many top forwards. Nis, meanwhile, have shown some nice attacking panache to get here with some high-scoring wins. It's fairly likely that of the players involved in this match, the only one you would have heard of is Andrija Zivkovic of Benfica, and fittingly he was the player to get the game's only goal, stealing in at the far post to head in Vladimir Volkov's fine cross.
Nis XI (4-2-3-1): Jovanovic (Aarhus); Petrovic (Lokomotiv Plovdiv), Dugalic (Yenisey Krasnoyarsk), Vitas (Mechelen), Volkov (FK Rad); Marjanovic (Aktobe), Djoric (Backa); Zivkovic (Benfica), Stojanovic (Radnicki Nis), Radonjic (Red Star Belgade); Pesic (Al-Ittihad)
Tbilisi XI (4-1-4-1): Loria (Krylia Sovetov); Partsvaniya (Kisvarda), Kashia (San Jose Earthquakes), Navalovski (Dinamo Minsk); Daushvili (Samtredia); Targamadze (Saburtalo), Kankava (Tobol), Aburjania (Lugo), Merebashvili (Wisla Plock); Mchedlidze (Empoli)
If you read through the players and teams above, you'd be forgiven for wondering how both teams got here, particularly with the results they did. In Tbilisi's case, they have got here through wonderful defending, with a compact deep formation that has frustrated many top forwards. Nis, meanwhile, have shown some nice attacking panache to get here with some high-scoring wins. It's fairly likely that of the players involved in this match, the only one you would have heard of is Andrija Zivkovic of Benfica, and fittingly he was the player to get the game's only goal, stealing in at the far post to head in Vladimir Volkov's fine cross.
Full results
Rome 3-2 Kyiv
Zagreb 2-1 Bilbao
Manchester e4-3 Amsterdam
Nis 1-0 Tbilisi
Zagreb 2-1 Bilbao
Manchester e4-3 Amsterdam
Nis 1-0 Tbilisi
So that's the quarter-finals complete, and arguably the four favourites emerged victorious. Nis probably go into the semis as outsiders, but it's hard to split the other four teams - so we should expect some great games next time!