Atletico Madrid-Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal-Bayern Munich complete the crossings

Real Madrid-City and PSG-Barcelona, star clashes in Champions League quarter-finals

Real Madrid's England midfielder Jude Bellingham celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Napoli vs Real Madrid UEFA Champions League Group C matchday 1 football match at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples on October 3, 2023 - PHOTO/AFP/CARLO HERMANN

AFP

15 de marzo de 2024 (13:54 h.)

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Real Madrid will face holders Manchester City, with the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, in the Champions League quarter-finals, while FC Barcelona will seek a place in the last four against Luis Enrique's Paris SG, according to Friday's draw in Nyon.

Champions League quarter-final draw:

Spain's third Spanish representative in the quarter-finals, Atletico Madrid, will face Borussia Dortmund.

Arsenal and Bayern Munich will contest the other quarter-final on 9 and 10 April (first leg) and 16 and 17 April (second leg).

The draw was also made for the hypothetical semi-finals, in which the winner of Atlético-Borussia will meet the winner of PSG-Barcelona, on the one hand, and the winner of Arsenal-Bayern will meet the survivor of Real Madrid-City, on the other.

It will be the third consecutive occasion on which the La Liga leaders and the English champions will face each other in the top continental competition, in a clash that, on paper, will bring together the two favourites to lift the "Orejona" in view of their squads and their track record.

Vinicius Junior celebrates the first goal during the match between Real Madrid CF and RB Leipzig at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on March 6, 2024 - PHOTO/JAVIER SORIANO/AFP

Barça, for their part, will face Kylian Mbappé's Paris SG, coached by Luis Enrique, the last coach under whom the side won the Champions League (2015). Seven years have passed since Barça's famous comeback against the Parisians at the Camp Nou in the second leg of the last 16 (6-1, first leg 4-0).

Paris Saint-Germain's French striker Kylian Mbappé - AFP/FRANCK FIFE

"A priori" the Spanish representative most favoured by the innocent hand of former Nigerian player John Obi Mikel, who was in charge of taking the balls, was Atlético de Madrid, who have just eliminated Inter Milan, the current runners-up and leaders of Serie A, on penalties and will face the current fourth-placed team in the Bundesliga.

Finally, Thomas Tuchel's "giants" Bayern Munich are a little less imposing than in previous seasons, so the clash against Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, leaders of the Premier League, looks to be wide open.

Atletico Madrid's Dutch striker #09 Memphis Depay celebrates his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match between Club Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan at the Metropolitano stadium - PHOTO/JAVIER SORIANO/AFP

Champions League quarter-final draw:

Arsenal (ENG) - Bayern Munich (GER)

Atlético Madrid (ESP) - Borussia Dortmund (GER)

Real Madrid (ESP) - Manchester City (ENG)

Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) - Barcelona (ESP)

- First leg on 9/10 April, return leg on 16/17 April.

-- Semi-finals:

Atletico Madrid/Borussia Dortmund - Paris Saint-Germain/FC Barcelona.

Arsenal/Bayern Munich - Real Madrid/Manchester City

- First leg on 30 April and 1 May, return leg on 7 and 8 May