Champions League quarter-final, semi-final draw: Real Madrid vs Chelsea in the last eight – The Athletic

Defending champions Real Madrid will take on Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, while Manchester City will take on Pep Guardiola’s former team Bayern Munich.

Inter Milan has drawn against Benfica and the other eighth finals will play AC Milan against Napoli.

The draw has also been made for the semifinals, raising the prospect of an all-Premier League or all-Serie A last-four showdown.

Real Madrid – looking for a 15th European crown – or Chelsea will face Manchester City or Bayern Munich in the last four. A reunion with Real Madrid could also be on the horizon for ex-Barcelona boss Guardiola.

The winner of the quarter-final between AC Milan and Napoli will face Inter Milan or Benfica in the other semi-final.

The first legs of the quarter-finals — with the first team drawn to play at home — will take place on 11/12 April, with the second legs played the following week.

But as AC Milan and Inter share the same stadium for home matches and cannot play on the same night, nor at home within 24 hours, Inter’s quarter-final tie with Benfica has been reversed, with the Portuguese side playing first at home. AC Milan took priority as Italian champions.

The semi-finals will then take place in May, before the two remaining teams face each other in the final in Istanbul on June 10.

Champions League quarter-final draw

• Real Madrid vs Chelsea
• Inter Milan vs Benfica
• Manchester City vs Bayern Munich
• AC Milan against Naples

Champions League semi-final draw

• AC Milan/Napoli vs Inter Milan/Benfica
• Real Madrid/Chelsea vs Manchester City/Bayern Munich

Champions League important dates

• First legs quarterfinals: Tuesday April 11 & Wednesday April 12
• Second legs quarterfinals: Tuesday April 18 & Wednesday April 19
• First legs semi-final: Tuesday 9 May & Wednesday 10 May
• Second stage semi-final: Tuesday 16 May & Wednesday 17 May
• Last: Saturday, June 10 (Ataturk Stadium, Istanbul)

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Champions League head-to-head — key stats

Chelsea have lost just one of their seven games against Real Madrid in European competition. They have the lowest percentage of losses to Real Madrid (14 percent) of any team that has played against them five or more times in Europe.

Chelsea’s only defeat in seven games against Real Madrid in Europe came in their most recent game at Stamford Bridge where they lost 1-3 in the 2021/22 quarter-final.

Real Madrid have won their last four Champions League matches against English sides, beating Chelsea in last season’s quarter-finals, Manchester City in last season’s semi-finals and Liverpool in last season’s final and this season’s round of 16.

All six previous encounters between Man City and Bayern Munich have taken place in the Champions League group stage (2011-12, 2013-14, 2014-15), with both sides winning three times.

These will be Pep Guardiola’s first encounters with Bayern Munich since leaving the club. His only managerial games against them came in the quarter-finals of the 2008–09 Champions League, knocking them out with Barcelona en route to lifting the trophy.

Man City have progressed from all four previous UEFA Champions League knockout matches against German clubs, including a quarter-final (2020-21 against Borussia Dortmund).

Inter are unbeaten in three European matches against Benfica, including a victory in the 1965 European Cup Final to retain the trophy.

Napoli and Milan have never played against each other in Europe. Napoli defeated Juve on their way to winning the 1988-89 UEFA Cup (L 0-2 away, W 3-0 at home)

Milan unbeaten in five (W2 D3) vs Italian teams in the UCL, including winning in 2003 on pins vs Juventus. I haven’t played against an Italian team since the infamous quarter-final with Inter in 2005.

(Photo: Getty Images)

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