Reigning champions Real Madrid have been pitted towards Chelsea within the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League for the second consecutive season, whereas Manchester City have been drawn to face Pep Guardiola’s former membership Bayern Munich within the final eight.
Serie A leaders Napoli tackle AC Milan in an all-Italian showdown and Inter Milan face Portuguese league leaders Benfica.
The winners of Real’s tie towards Chelsea will go on to face both City or Bayern within the semifinals, throwing open the potential of an all-English last-four tie.
That additionally will increase possibilities of an Italian staff reaching the ultimate for the primary time since Juventus in 2017, as Inter will play both Milan or Napoli within the final 4 ought to the Nerazzurri beat Benfica.
Real’s path to what can be a fifteenth European Cup is beginning to look remarkably just like the final season, after they beat Chelsea and City earlier than defeating Liverpool within the closing.
Carlo Ancelotti’s staff are contemporary from beating Liverpool within the final 16, and can now hope for a repeat of a yr in the past after they eradicated Chelsea 5-4 on mixture within the quarterfinals.
The groups additionally met within the semifinals in 2021, when the Stamford Bridge aspect received on their approach to lifting the trophy for the second time.
City’s ongoing bid to win the Champions League for the primary time faces a serious impediment in a Bayern aspect who knocked out Paris Saint-Germain within the final spherical.
It would be the first encounter between the golf equipment for the reason that 2014/15 group stage, when Guardiola was answerable for the German giants.
Guardiola left Bayern to hitch City in 2016, however remains to be chasing after a primary Champions League title as a coach since profitable it with Barcelona for the second time in 2011.
Italian accent
The draw seems considerably lopsided, with the 4 richest golf equipment left within the competitors all on the identical aspect, whereas Italian golf equipment discover themselves within the different half.
A yr in the past no Serie A aspect made it past the final 16, however now the runaway Italian league leaders Napoli will face the staff who received the home title final season.
Napoli received 2-1 away to Milan within the league earlier this season and are on account of host the seven-time European champions in Serie A on April 2, only a week and a half earlier than the primary leg of their Champions League tie.
Napoli are the one different membership left within the competitors apart from City who’ve by no means received the trophy, whereas Inter’s assembly with Benfica brings collectively two groups who’ve received it 5 instances between them.
Benfica misplaced to Liverpool within the final eight a yr in the past and have by no means reached the semifinals within the Champions League period.
Inter, at present second in Serie A, 18 factors behind Napoli, haven’t reached the semifinals since final profitable the trophy underneath Jose Mourinho in 2010, the final victory for an Italian membership within the Champions League.
The quarterfinal first legs will likely be performed on April 11 and 12, with Real entertaining Chelsea on the Santiago Bernabeu first earlier than travelling to London for the return per week later, and City at house to Bayern first.
Inter have been drawn to play Benfica at house initially however will now journey to Lisbon for the primary leg to keep away from a conflict with Milan’s assembly with Napoli at San Siro.
The semifinals will likely be performed in May with the ultimate in Istanbul scheduled for Saturday, June 10.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
