Champions League draw: Real Madrid to face Manchester City in pick of the quarterfinals
By Matias Grez, CNN
(CNN) — Manchester City has been drawn against Real Madrid in a mouthwatering Champions League quarterfinal clash.
Real Madrid will be looking for revenge after suffering a 5-1 aggregate drubbing at the hands of City in last season’s semifinals, as Pep Guardiola’s side went on to win the title for the first time in the club’s history.
Elsewhere, Harry Kane will return to north London for the first time since leaving Tottenham for Bayern Munich last summer after the Bavarians were drawn on Friday against Arsenal in the quarterfinals.
Kane regularly inflicted punishment on Arsenal while at Spurs and Bayern will be hoping for more of the same in what has been a rollercoaster season for the team, despite the England international’s remarkable goal tally since joining the German club.
In what is likely to be Kylian Mbappé’s final season at Paris Saint-Germain, the French champion will play a Barcelona team that will bid farewell to manager Xavi at the end of the current campaign.
Victory in the Champions League would be the perfect send off for both men, but neither side are considered to be among the favorites to lift the trophy.
Finally, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund – arguably the two underdog teams in the quarterfinals – will face off in perhaps the most even of the ties for a place in the semifinals.
Atletico last reached the semifinals in 2017, while Dortmund hasn’t reached the last four since it made the final back in 2013 where it lost to Bayern.
The first and second legs will take place on April 9 and 16.
Draw in full
Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich
Atletico Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund
Real Madrid vs. Manchester City
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Barcelona
Semifinal draw
Atlético or Dortmund vs. PSG or Barcelona
Arsenal or Bayern vs. Real Madrid or Man City
Europa League draw
The Europa League draw also took place on Friday, with some huge clubs present in European football’s second tier competition.
Liverpool is sure to face a sterner test against Atalanta than it did in the 11-2 aggregate drubbing of Sparta Prague in the round of 16, though Jürgen Klopp’s side will still be the heavy favorite to go through.
There is also a huge clash between Italian giants AC Milan and Roma – both Champions League semifinalists within the past six years – as the Giallorossi look to go one better than last season when Jose Mourinho’s side lost to Sevilla on penalties in the final.
The first and second legs will take place on April 11 and 18.
Draw in full
AC Milan vs. Roma
Liverpool vs. Atalanta
Bayer Leverkusen vs. West Ham
Benfica vs. Marseille
Semifinal draw
Benfica or Marseille vs. Liverpool or Atalanta
Milan or Roma vs. Leverkusen or West Ham
The-CNN-Wire
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