Soccer

News24.com | Champions League final 8 draw throws up possible Barcelona-Bayern clash


Lionel Messi


Lionel Messi

Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

Barcelona and Bayern Munich will meet in the quarter-finals of the Champions League should both sides make it through, Friday’s draw
for the final eight confirmed.

Both teams still need to complete
their last-16 ties, with Bayern almost there having won 3-0 away to
Chelsea in the first leg, while Barcelona are due to host Napoli after a
1-1 draw in Italy.

Meanwhile, if Manchester City can finish the
job in their last-16 tie against Real Madrid, Pep Guardiola’s team will
go on to a quarter-final against either Juventus or Lyon.

City won
2-1 in Madrid in the first leg in March, while Juventus must overturn a
1-0 deficit from the first leg of their last-16 tie against Lyon.

Postponed in March as the pandemic took over, all remaining last 16 second legs are due to be played on 7 and 8 August.

The
winners will advance to the Final Eight, which will be held as a unique
straight knockout tournament in Lisbon due to the difficulties caused
by the coronavirus.

The draw threw up the possibility of a Clasico
semi-final, with Barcelona and Madrid on collision course to meet in
the last four should both make it that far.

The other side of the
draw is clearer. First-time quarter-finalists RB Leipzig of Germany will
meet Atletico Madrid, runners-up to city rivals Real the last time the
Champions League final was played in Lisbon in 2014. Atletico knocked
out holders Liverpool in the last 16.

The winners of the Leipzig v Atletico quarter-final will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Atalanta in the last four.

The
quarter-finals will be played between 12 and 15 August 12 in the
Portuguese capital, with matches shared between Benfica’s Estadio da Luz
and Sporting’s Estadio Jose Alvalade.

The semi-finals are scheduled for 18 and 19 August, with the final on 23 August at the Estadio da Luz.

All
games are set to be played without spectators after UEFA confirmed on
Thursday that “matches should take place behind closed doors until
further notice” because of the uncertain health situation around Europe.

The
situation in Lisbon itself is particularly concerning, with lockdown
restrictions reimposed last week on 19 neighbourhoods across the
northern periphery of the city as virus cases increase at a worrying
rate.

The draw for the final eight of this season’s Champions League made at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday:

Quarter-finals

Real Madrid (ESP) or Manchester City (ENG) v Juventus (ITA) or Lyon (FRA)

RB Leipzig (GER) v Atletico Madrid (ESP)

Barcelona (ESP) or Napoli (ITA) v Bayern Munich (GER) or Chelsea (ENG)

Atalanta (ITA) v Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)

Ties to be played 12-15 August in Lisbon

Semi-finals

Real Madrid/Man City/Juventus/Lyon v Barcelona/Napoli/Bayern Munich/Chelsea

RB Leipzig or Atletico Madrid v Atalanta or Paris Saint-Germain

Ties to be played on 18 and 19 August in Lisbon

Final on 23 August

All matches to be played in Lisbon



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