Champions League last eight; Prospect of all-Premier League tie and El Clasico awaits
The last eight teams to contest the Champions League are now known.
After Wednesday night’s results, Atletico Madrid/Inter and Dortmund/PSV join Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Man City, Arsenal and Real Madrid in the hat for Friday’s quarter-final draw.
Champions League draw: El Clasico a possibility
It’s an enticing prospect given the sheer amount of narrative that can be weaved depending on how the balls are selected.
For example, Barcelona could draw Real Madrid in what will be the first El Clasico double header in the competition since 2011 when the Catalans went on to win the trophy – at this year’s venue, Wembley.
Were Barca to draw PSG, it would pit Luis Enrique against the captain – Xavi – that lifted the trophy for him when he was Barcelona manager in 2015.
If Man City were the Blaugranes opponents, Xavi would face another old manager in Pep Guardiola.
City could draw Bayern Munich and then Pep is up against another of his old sides, but get Arsenal, and he pits his wits against his former assistant manager, Mikel Arteta, and gives us a dreamy all-Premier League tie in the process.
With Borussia Dortmund edging PSV Eindhoven out on Wednesday night, we even have the possibility of Der Klassiker against Bayern too.
Atletico Madrid’s epic penalty shoot-out win over Inter Milan also means that a Madrid derby might be one of the four matches to be played over two legs for a place in the last four.
The current holders will remain the favourites to hold the trophy aloft again this season, with Los Blancos perhaps a close second in the betting.
At this stage of the competition, however, a couple of decent performances can put a team within touching distance of the final.
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