July 10 – All five former Champions League winners were placed in the same half of the quarter-final draw today, setting up some mouth-watering ties but also making things far easier, on paper at least, for some teams than others.
Under the new ‘Final Eight’ mini-tournament format in the wake of Covid-19, all matches will be one-off ties in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon but one side of the draw is fraught with danger with Real Madrid, Juventus, Barcelona, Chelsea and Bayern Munich all trying to reach the final on August 23.
The other side features Atlético Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Atalanta and Leipzig.
Four of the eight quarterfinalists are still to be determined, with the winner of Juventus and Lyon in the round of 16 playing either Real Madrid or Manchester City in the quarterfinals.
Barcelona and Napoli also have a last-16 fixture to complete but a likely meeting with Bayern beckons, the Germans already 3-0 ahead from their first leg last-16 tie with Chelsea.
Manchester City, trying to win the competition for the first time, will know by the time their last-16 tie against Real takes place whether they have won their appeal against a two-year ban that would start next season. Paris St-Germain, meanwhile, will not have played since March 11 after the French domestic season was abandoned.
Draw in full
All quarter-finals to take place from 12-15 August. Remaining last-16 fixtures on 7-8 August.
1) Real Madrid or Manchester City v Lyon or Juventus
2) RB Leipzig v Atletico Madrid
3) Napoli or Barcelona v Chelsea or Bayern Munich
4) Atalanta v Paris St-Germain
Semi-final draw – ties to take place 18-19 August.
Winner of quarter-final one v winner of quarter-final three
Winner of quarter-final two v winner of quarter-final four
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