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The Champions League quarter-final stage is where the contenders and pretenders show their true colours. Some teams have aspirations of winning the tournament, while others are here to enjoy the ride. Here, theScore poses the most pressing questions facing each team in the competition's last eight:

What is Massimiliano Allegri's best formation?
Either by necessity or design, juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri has lined up his players in eight different formations this season. When everyone's fit, Allegri has good enough defenders to field a back-three and more than enough talent to stack a four-man attack.
However, suspensions to mehdi Benatia and Miralem Pjanic will likely force Allegri to use a 4-3-3 in the first leg versus Real Madrid. The 4-2-3-1 had been favoured in Champions League play, but a midfield two including the slowing Sami khedira would be risky: He was a passenger in the first leg of Juventus' last-16 meeting with Tottenham, watching as the game bypassed him. With an additional player in the centre of the park, Juventus would have a more mobile, compact setup to withstand Madrid's pace.
Does Zidane need to three-peat to keep his job?
Zinedine Zidane is aware of his mortality, admitting on numerous occasions he's one bad result from the sack. A season without silverware is practically a death sentence at Madrid, where managers rarely outlast the players they coach.
A third consecutive Champions League title would surely keep Zidane in the job, but, considering no team's achieved that feat since Bayern Munich in the 1970s, it's unlikely. Unfortunately for Zidane, there's no other avenue for success: Madrid is out of both the Copa del Rey and the La Liga title race.
The Frenchman has done amazing things since replacing Rafa Benitez on the bench in January 2016, establishing an identity with a core group of players while resisting the urge to spend like other big clubs. Based on the evidence of his two years in charge, Zidane deserves another season at the helm, but president Florentino Perez isn't always interested in logic.
Is Sevilla the worst quarter-finalist in recent years?
Sevilla has struggled to find its feet under Vincenzo Montella, conceding five goals on three different occasions since the Italian took the reins. Just days after beating Manchester United in the round of 16, the Andalusian side somehow managed to lose to bottom-feeder Leganes. It then carried a 2-0 lead into the final stretch of Saturday's match against Barcelona before conceding twice in a single minute. That defensive blunder was costly, as rival Real Betis won its match Monday to overtake Sevilla for the final European spot.
But Montella's side isn't the worst to reach the quarter-finals. The biggest mismatch of all was presented by APOEL Nicosia in the 2011-12 season. The Cypriot team of misfits and journeymen made a fairytale run to the knockout round after navigating the backwaters of qualifying, but could only go so far, losing 8-2 on aggregate to Madrid.
Does Bayern have a shot of winning the Champions League?
Sharper in front of goal and stronger at the back, Bayern has returned to its dominant self after Carlo Ancelotti's disappointing departure, scoring goals at will and keeping clean sheets in the process. Odd hiccups against Borussia Monchenglabbach, Herter Berlin, and RB leigsi aside, Bayern has made mincemeat of its opponents in recent months.
With Robert Lewandowski firing, James Rodriguez creating, and both Franck Ribery and Argen Robben healthy, Bayern has a legitimate chance to win the Champions League. It last did so under the tutelage of Jupp Heynckes, sending the German into retirement with nothing short of a treble. It could well do the same thing this time around.
Is Barcelona too dependent on Messi?
Ernesto Valverde's switch to a 4-4-2 formation granted Lionel Messi the freedom to play virtually anywhere on the pitch, but more importantly, it asked him to play like the world-beater he is. Messi is essentially doing the work of two players, creating from deeper positions while buying enough time to arrive in the penalty area. With 35 goals in 40 appearances across all competitions - including 11 game-winners - his scoring touch has hardly diminished despite the change in position.
Valverde's been able to pursue a more defensive approach largely because of Messi's all-around ability. The new system has put more pressure on the Argentine to pull the strings, but as long as he's in the lineup, Barcelona  is a forced to be reckoned with.
When will Roma ever make the next step?
If AS Roma isn't a supermarket, as president James Pallotta contends,  it's certainly ripe for the picking. Handcuffed by UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations, the capital club will likely have to sell off one or two of its star players this summer. Allison is the most popular name on the market, but Cengiz Under is also turning heads across the continent.
With a new stadium to finance and losses of €40.3 million reported on its half-year accounts, Roma can't expect to keep its best players. The club agreed to reach full break-even compliance by the end of the season, and while the quarter-final will provide a boost in revenue, the financial situation is still delicate.
Can Salah, Firmino, and Mane be stopped?
With 75 goals between them in all competitions, Liverpool's high-voltage triumvirate has terrorised defences in both England and Europe.
Each has had the best season of their career, and each has played a massive role in Jurgen Klopp's pressing system. Mohammed Salah has shed his reputation as a misfiring winger, Roberto Fermino has become more than a selfless striker, and Sadio Mane, despite missing big chances throughout the campaign, has recorded more goals and assists than he did last year.
Manchester City had trouble containing the trio in January at Anfield, and while City's defence has improved, it's still vulnerable to the counter-attack and the high press. Liverpool can do both well.
Should City be considered the Champions League favourite?
But few teams are as well-rounded as Pep Guardiola's lot. Aside from the left-back position - where the likes of Fabian Delph have played in the absence of Benjamen Mendy - City can count on reliable performers all over the pitch. Even Vincent Kompany is playing regular football again.
The one thing preventing City being the odds-on favourite is the fact it's never played in a Champions League final before. Based on pedigree, Barcelona is the easier bet.
But Guardiola's side is so balanced across the pitch that it's difficult to render it anything less than the team to beat. City has five players with 10 or more goals in all competitions - more than any other quarter-finalist - and a creative midfield that's healthy. That's a scary combination

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