UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW AND STATISTICS OF THE TEAMS PLAYING

The quarter-final match-ups for the UEFA Champions League quarter finals are locked in!

In a mouthwatering result for football fans, Manchester United will take on Barcelona in a clash of football heavyweights, while Liverpool fans got a dream draw with their Reds to take on Porto.

There’s also a massive clash of Premier League giants with Manchester City and Spurs to face off in the last eight.

Leaving Ajax to take on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus in the other tie.

MATCH DATES (AEST)

Quarter-finals Leg 1: April 10 and 11

Quarter-finals Leg 2: April 18 and 18

Semi-finals Leg 1: May 1 and 2

Semi-finals Leg 2: May 8 and 9

Final: June 2 at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain.

A LOOK AT THE FINAL 8

JUVENTUS

Juventus’ off-season move to sign Cristiano Ronaldo was intended to end a 23-year wait for a third European title.

It’s working so far.

Ronaldo delivered another career-defining performance, scoring a hat trick against Atletico Madrid to overturn a 2-0 first-leg loss. His legal issues in the United States, where he has been accused of rape, seemed a world away. Ronaldo is looking to join Seedorf as the only players to win the European Cup or Champions League with three different clubs. Veteran Juventus defenders Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, along with coach Massimiliano
Allegri, just want a first title after losing in the final in 2015 and ‘17.

LIVERPOOL

A finalist last season and now in the quarterfinals again, Liverpool is back at Europe’s top table.

The mature way the five-time European champions dealt with Bayern Munich in their 3-1 away win in the last 16 showed how far they have come under Juergen Klopp over the past two years.

It was fitting that a goal by Virgil van Dijk proved to be key in Munich, with the arrival of the centre back for $99 million in January 2018 shoring up a defence that had been shaky in Klopp’s first two years in charge. Liverpool also now has a world-class goalkeeper in Brazil international Alisson Becker. Few will relish going to Anfield in the last eight. Just ask Manchester City, which was swept aside 3-0 in the first leg last year to virtually end its Champions League ambitions.

MANCHESTER CITY

This season seems like City’s best chance to become European champion since being taken over by its Abu Dhabi owners in 2008.

No longer Champions League novices, City is in the quarterfinals for the third time in four years.

The depth in Pep Guardiola’s squad is fueling a challenge for an unprecedented quadruple of trophies, having already won the English League Cup. City has benefited from benign draws, with Schalke shaping up as the weakest round of 16 option. City won 10-2 over two legs.

A two-leg quarterfinal against Liverpool, its Premier League title rival, or against Manchester United, its neighbour, would be quite an experience.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Twenty years after scoring the winning goal for United in a Champions League final, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking to lead the team to the title as manager. After his understrength team’s amazing comeback at Paris Saint-Germain from a 2-0 first-leg loss, who would bet against them?

There’s a “nothing to lose” feel about United, which was a huge outsider when qualifying for the knockout stage under Jose Mourinho.

Solskjaer has restored some of the team’s belief and attacking swagger in three months in charge. See especially Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku. It might not be enough for a fourth European title but it should be fun watching.

PORTO

Porto is, perhaps, the team everyone else in the draw wants to face. Coached by former player Sergio Conceicao, Porto is looking to go beyond the quarterfinals for the first time since 2004 when Jose Mourinho led the team to its second title.

Porto has flavours of South America and Mexico in the team, plus a foundation of Champions League-winning former Madrid veterans: 37-year-old goalkeeper Iker Casillas and 36-year-old defender Pepe, who returned to his former club in January.

Like Liverpool, Porto has a strong African influence in attack with Mali forward Moussa Marega its top scorer with six goals in the competition.

TOTTENHAM

Tottenham is in the quarterfinals for only the second time, despite not buying any players in the past year.

That highlights the extraordinary job coach Mauricio Pochettino is doing with a tight-knit squad - headlined by England striker Harry Kane and Denmark playmaker Christian Eriksen - and an ever tighter budget.

Tottenham’s new stadium, built on the site of its former White Hart Lane ground in north London, should finally get to host a Champions League game after season-long construction delays and safety concerns.

If Tottenham is drawn at home for the first leg on April 9-10, it could even officially open the new arena.