Photo: Via Fabrizio Romano
The UEFA Champions League quarter-final draw has taken place, and fans are waiting in anticipation to watch the very exciting fixtures.
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich:
Though it is Arsenal’s first time participating in the Champions League since the 2016/17 season, they have taken the tournament by storm. They topped their group and defeated Porto on penalties to reach the quarter-final. Their opponents, nonetheless, must not be taken lightly. Bayern Munich, though facing difficulties in the Bundesliga, are not disappointing in the Champions League. Besides a first leg loss to Lazio in the round of 16, they are undefeated in the tournament. The matchup will certainly not be one to miss.
Real Madrid vs Manchester City:
Another big matchup that has developed into quite a rivalry in recent years, Real Madrid vs Manchester City is also set to take place. Though Los Blancos knocked out City in a thriller 6-5 win on aggregate in 2022, City got their revenge with a 5-1 (on aggregate) semi-final victory the very next year. This one could go either way and is arguably the biggest fixture of the round.
FC Barcelona vs PSG:
Next is FC Barcelona vs PSG, which takes fans back to their historic meeting in 2017, with Barcelona’s last minute win. However, this one could go the other way, with PSG at the top of the Ligue 1 while Barca sit in third in Laliga. But it cannot be denied that their form has improved and a win for them is certainly not out of the question. As we all saw in 2017, Barcelona are never truly out till the blow of the final whistle.
Atletico Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund:
Finally, Atletico Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund. Though on paper these two teams may not be at the standard of the other six, they are very evenly matched and often exceed expectations in the Champions League. Despite difficulties in their respective domestic leagues, they have made it this far and seem to show no indication of slowing down. Atletico managed a tough win against Inter Milan on penalties, while Dortmund beat PSV with relative ease.
Many highly awaited fixtures are to yet come, and with multiple rivals still in the tournament, we could potentially see a Madrid Derby (Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid), El Classico (Real Madrid vs FC Barcelona) or Der Klassiker (Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund) final, with the teams in each of the three rivalries on different sides of the draw.