Champions League draw delivers heavyweight match-ups

The draw for the quarter-finals of the Champions League resulted in heavy-caliber confrontations, led by the renewed clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City, in a confrontation that has become a constant headline for recent seasons in the continental championship, while Barcelona breathed a sigh of relief after avoiding facing defending champions Paris Saint-Germain, colliding instead with Newcastle United.

The draw, conducted by UEFA in Nyon, Switzerland, saw former Croatian star Ivan Rakitic participate in the ball draw, and resulted in open paths to exciting possibilities until the final match.

Champions League draw: renewed summit between Real Madrid and City

European football fans will face a fiery confrontation between Real Madrid, the record holder for the number of titles, and Manchester City, the English champion, in an early test that may determine the features of the competition for the title.

Recent years have not been without decisive clashes between the two teams, giving this confrontation a high-level revenge and tactical character, especially in light of the technical rapprochement between them.

Barcelona avoids the Paris complex

On the other hand, Barcelona avoided facing Paris Saint-Germain, a team that formed a clear knot for the Catalan club in recent years, despite the historic “Remontada” night in 2017. Since that confrontation, the Parisian team has eliminated its Spanish counterpart twice, and also defeated it during the league stage this season.

Barcelona will face a different test against Newcastle United, which has been performing remarkably domestically and continentally this season. Despite the development of the English team, the numbers are in favor of the Catalan club, which has won four out of five matches that brought them together previously, the last of which was a victory in the league stage this season, which contributed to its direct qualification to the knockout rounds.

Barcelona will benefit from the advantage of playing the return match at its home stadium.

Full 16-final matches

The quarter-final matches were as follows (the first leg on the home soil of the first-mentioned teams):

• Atletico Madrid × Tottenham Hotspur
• Newcastle United × Barcelona
• Bodø/Glimt × Sporting Lisbon
• Bayer Leverkusen × Arsenal
• Galatasaray × Liverpool
• Paris Saint-Germain × Chelsea
• Real Madrid × Manchester City
• Atalanta × Bayern Munich

The first leg matches will be held on March 10 and 11, while the return matches will be played on the 17 and 18 of the same month.

Quarter and semi-final tracks

The draw has set possible paths for upcoming matches in the next rounds, as the winner of the Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea match will meet the winner of the Galatasaray and Liverpool match. In the opposite path, the winner of the Real Madrid and Manchester City summit will face the winner of the Atalanta and Bayern Munich match.

The winner of the Newcastle-Barcelona match will clash with the winner of the Atletico Madrid-Tottenham match, while the final path will bring together the winner of the Bodø/Glimt-Sporting Lisbon match, and the winner of the Bayer Leverkusen-Arsenal clash.

In the semi-finals, one of the two teams in the semi-finals from Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Galatasaray or Liverpool will face the winner from Real Madrid, Manchester City, Atalanta or Bayern Munich. While the other semi-final brings together the winner from the Barcelona, Newcastle, Atletico Madrid or Tottenham path, with the winner from the Bodø/Glimt path, Sporting Lisbon, Bayer Leverkusen or Arsenal.

A draw promises open matches for all possibilities, in an edition that seems likely to present one of the most exciting editions of the Champions League in recent years

Featured image via the Canary