Champions League Quarter-Finals: Arsenal to Clash with Bayern, Manchester City Take on Real Madrid
The stage is set for an enthralling UEFA Champions League quarter-final as the draw has pitted Arsenal against Bayern Munich and Manchester City against 14-time winners Real Madrid.
The Gunners will host the German giants, who boast England captain Harry Kane, at Emirates Stadium in the first leg. Meanwhile, City, last season’s Champions League winners, will face Real Madrid for the third consecutive knockout stage encounter between the two sides.
The first legs are scheduled for 9–10 April, with the return fixtures set for 16–17 April. Should both Arsenal and City advance, the Premier League clubs would meet in the semi-finals.
In the other quarter-final ties, five-time winners Barcelona will clash with French champions Paris Saint-Germain, while Atletico Madrid host German side Borussia Dortmund. The semi-finals are slated for 30 April–1 May, with the second legs on 7–8 May, and Wembley Stadium will stage the final on Saturday, 1 June.
Quarter-Finals Draw:
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Arsenal v Bayern Munich
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Atletico Madrid v Borussia Dortmund
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Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona
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Real Madrid v Manchester City
Semi-Finals Draw:
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Winner of Atletico/Borussia Dortmund v Winner of PSG/Barcelona
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Winner of Arsenal/Bayern v Winner of Real Madrid/Man City
Arsenal reached the last eight for the first time since 2010, edging past Porto in a tense penalty shootout at the Emirates. Kane, who joined Bayern from Tottenham last summer, has scored 30 goals in 25 league appearances this season.
Historically, Arsenal have struggled against Bayern, losing 10–2 on aggregate in the 2016–17 last-16 tie, and suffering another heavy defeat in the previous season’s group stage.
City, on the other hand, secured their seventh consecutive Champions League quarter-final spot after a 6–2 aggregate win over Danish champions Copenhagen in the round of 16. Pep Guardiola’s side demolished Real Madrid 5–1 on aggregate in last year’s semi-finals but fell 6–5 over two legs to the Spanish giants in the previous season.
With these high-profile clashes on the horizon, the Champions League promises another month of gripping European football.
