Champions League draw produces top-heavy quarter-final…

Champions League draw produces top-heavy quarter-final line-up

Chelsea will play holders Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals, with the winners facing either Manchester City or Bayern Munich following a top-heavy draw that produced two blockbuster ties. On the other side of the draw Napoli will face AC Milan in an all-Italian clash while Inter Milan will play Benfica, with one of those sides guaranteed to reach the Champions League final.

Real Madrid defeated Chelsea in last season’s quarter-finals on their way to lifting the Champions League for the 14th time and Friday’s draw produced a repeat of that tie. Manchester City’s quest to win their first Champions League title will also have to be done the hard way, with Pep Guardiola his former club Bayern Munich for the first time, before a potential rematch with Madrid in the last four.

City have added Erling Haaland to the side that were knocked out by Real Madrid in last season’s semi-finals but Carlo Ancelotti’s team remain the team to beat following their thrashing of Liverpool in the round of 16. Serie A leaders Napoli look to be favourites to reach the Istanbul final on the other side of the draw, in what would be a first Champions League final for the Italian club.

Meanwhile in the Europa League, Manchester United will return to Spain once again having been drawn against Sevilla in the quarter-finals. Erik ten Hag’s side faced Real Sociedad in the group stages before beating Barcelona in the play-off round and seeing off Real Betis – also based in Seville – in the last 16.

Sevilla have won the competition a record six times but if United can progress they will face a semi-final against either Juventus or Sporting, who beat Arsenal on penalties to reach this stage. On the other side of the draw, Feyenoord face Roma in a repeat of last season’s Europa Conference League final while Bayer Leverkusen take on Belgium’s Union Saint-Gilloise.

West Ham will face Gent in the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League. David Moyes’ side are struggling in the Premier League but have enjoyed a fine European campaign and will be aiming to reach a semi-final for the second year running. The Hammers were eliminated in the last four of the Europa League last season and will face either Anderlecht or AZ Alkmaar if they can get past Gent.