Champions League reaction as three Premier League clubs learn their fate

The quarter-finals are set! ✔️

What’s your reaction to the draw?#UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/Je3NQHabuy

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 18, 2022

As this season’s Champions League knockout stages reach their climax, for the final eight teams, all roads lead to Paris. The draw for the quarter-finals has been made, and in the pick of the ties, reigning champions Chelsea face 13-time winners Real Madrid.

While fans check out the latest Champions League odds, which at the time of writing, tip Liverpool and Manchester City as joint-favorites to lift the trophy – and both teams could well meet in an all-English final at the Stade de France – read on, as we take a look at how the Premier League’s three clubs could fare.

Liverpool

The draw was fairly kind to Liverpool, who managed to avoid a Premier League side – and this will remain the case, for as long as they (and City or Chelsea) reach the final. Jürgen Klopp will also be aiming to guide the Anfield club to the quadruple this season – with the EFL Cup already in the bag, and the title race still wide open.

Benfica edged past Ajax in the round of 16, and haven’t won a European title since the early 1960s – losing eight finals since then. And the two clubs haven’t met under the German’s stewardship – with their last meeting in the 2009-10 Europa League quarter-finals.

Reflecting on the draw, Klopp was pleased his side managed to avoid the two teams he didn’t want:

“I would have taken everybody but the only thing I didn’t want was an English team.

“We had that in the past and we went through, we played a final against an English team, it’s absolutely fine, in the final anyway you take whoever you get.”

Manchester City

It’s a battle of last season’s domestic champions as Pep Guardiola takes on the old rival, Diego Simeone in the final eight. Manchester City beat Sporting 5-0 on aggregate to reach the quarter-finals for the fifth successive season, while Atléti beat their city rivals in red to secure their place.

The City boss has come unstuck against the Spanish outfit before, with his Bayern Munich side on the end of defeat in the 2016 semi-finals – however, his current side has never faced Atlético in a European competition. And he believes that they will be a formidable appointment, as he told the media:

“They went through an incredibly tough group stage and then over 180 minutes against United they were better,

“Playing the second leg away is more complicated. But these are the best eight teams in Europe. All roads are difficult.”

Chelsea

There’s a return for former boss Carlo Ancelotti, as the Blues face Real Madrid. The Italian, who returned to Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in the summer, is only one of three managers that have won the Champions League three times, including once with Real during his first spell at the club.

The two clubs met in last season’s semi-final, which Chelsea won 3-1 on aggregate, after a 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge in the second leg – albeit, behind closed doors – and they’ll be hoping for a similar result this campaign, too.

On the draw, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel said:

“The challenge couldn’t be much higher, playing the second leg in the Bernabéu with spectators. It’s a big challenge and a big excitement around this match and this fixture. We know what’s coming and it will be an exciting match and a tough challenge.”

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The draw in full:

• Chelsea vs Real Madrid
• Manchester City vs Atlético Madrid
• Villarreal vs Bayern Munich
• Benfica vs Liverpool

The first legs will be played on April 5^th and 6^th, with the reverse fixtures, played during the following week.