Sports
DEFENDING champions Manchester City will play record winners Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals while Barcelona take on Paris St Germain.
This was after the UEFA Champions League (UCL) quarter-finals draw was held at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday.
Real Madrid are 14-times champions but Carlo Ancelotti’s side were soundly beaten 5-1 on aggregate by Pep Guardiola’s City in the semi-finals last year.
Paris St Germain, who are seeking their first Champions League title, will take on Barcelona while Atletico Madrid face Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.
This means all three Spanish teams have the opportunity to reach the semi-finals.
This may also be Kylian Mbappe’s last chance to win the title with PSG with the French forward set to leave the Ligue 1 club at the end of the season.
PSG reached the final in 2020 where they lost to Bayern Munich.
Arsenal returned to the quarter-finals for the first time in 14 years and they play Bayern Munich.
This will give the German club’s star striker Harry Kane who has scored 36 goals this season another crack at his former north London rivals.
Kane has played Arsenal 19 times in all competitions and scored 14 goals.
The former Tottenham Hotspur striker is the joint-top scorer in the Champions League this season, alongside Antoine Griezmann, Erling Haaland and Mbappe with six goals.
Six-times champions Bayern have been Arsenal’s biggest nemesis in the competition, with the German side triumphing in all four knockout ties between the two sides.
The last time they met, Bayern beat Arsenal 10-2 on aggregate in the last 16 in 2017. Bayern have won each of the last three meetings 5-1.
However, Bayern will not have their fans in the away end due to a UEFA ban after their supporters threw fireworks onto the pitch during their 3-1 win at Lazio earlier this month.
The path to the semi-finals was also set, with City and Premier League leaders Arsenal on a collision course if they advance.
The quarter-final draw was the last in the current format with UEFA adopting an all-new format from the 2024-25 season onwards.
The Champions League final will be held on June 1 at the 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium in London.
QUARTER-FINALS
Quarter final 1: Arsenal v Bayern Munich
Quarter final 2: Atletico Madrid v Borussia Dortmund
Quarter final 3: Real Madrid v Manchester City
Quarter final 4: Paris St Germain v Barcelona
SEMI-FINALS
Semi-final 1: Winner of Q/F 2 v Winner of Q/F 4
Semi-final 1: Winner of Q/F 1 v Winner of Q/F 3
* Teams mentioned first will play the first leg at home
SCHEDULE
Quarter-final first legs: April 9-10
Quarter-final second legs: April 16-17
Semi-final first legs: April 30-May 1
Semi-final second legs: May 7-8
FINAL
Wembley Stadium: June 1.(Reuters/NAN)
A.
-March 15, 2024 @ 17:07 GMT|
Tags: UEFA Champions League
