The quarterfinal (and also the semifinal) draw for the UEFA Champions League happened on Friday. Headlining the results is Chelsea FC vs Real Madrid, a match-up of the current champions vrsus the club that has won it the most. It’s also a rematch of one of last season’s two semifinals. Elsewhere Liverpool drew Benfica, playing in Portugal on April 5 and at Anfield April 10. The winner of the tie will face the winner of Bayern Munich and Villareal.
Manchester City vs Atletico Madrid completes the quartet, in a very intriguing clash of contrasting managerial styles (Diego Simeone vs Pep Guardiola) The full quarter and semi final draws are listed out below:
Champions League quarterfinal draw:
Chelsea vs. Real Madrid
Manchester City vs. Atletico Madrid
Villarreal vs. Bayern Munich
Liverpool vs. Benfica
Champions League semifinal draw:
Manchester City or Atletico Madrid vs. Chelsea or Real Madrid
Liverpool or Benfica vs. Villarreal or Bayern Munich
Due to UEFA upholding the EU sanctions against Chelsea’s owner, Russian oligarch and Vladimir Putin enabler Roman Abramovich, Chelsea will not be allowed to have any supporters for either leg of the tie. The EU has frozen the assets of Abramovich, who announced that he is going to sell the club, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine.
“In general I think this game changes so much with spectators so hopefully we find a solution and I’m pretty sure everyone at the club, the board, will fight for a chance,” Blues boss Thomas Tuchel said of the prospect of having to play this tie with no Chelsea supporters at either leg.
“Hopefully we make it happen somehow….Playing the second leg in the Bernabeu with spectators is a big challenge. We know what’s coming, but there is a big excitement around this fixture.”
The three Premier League clubs also advanced to the Elite Eight in the FA Cup, with those fixtures to take place this weekend. So Chelsea, City and Liverpool still have a lot to play for this season.
FA Cup Previews
Liverpool: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Manchester City: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Chelsea: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Both the English Premier League and the Spanish La Liga have three sides remaining among the eight quarterfinalists. All were drawn against each other for the Elite Eight round.
“It’s nice to avoid the English clubs, it’s always nice to play European teams,” Tuchel added.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.