UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE QUATERFINALS DRAW AND STATISTICS OF THE TEAMS PLAYING

 

Arsenal will take on Napoli in the pick of the ties in the quarter-finals of this season’s Europa League following Friday’s draw, as Chelsea were paired with outsiders Slavia Prague. 

Unai Emery’s team will host Napoli at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg on April 11, with the return in Italy a week later.

It is a tough draw for the Gunners, with Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli currently second in Serie A -- they were eliminated from the Champions League in the group stage despite beating Liverpool at home and drawing twice with Paris Saint-Germain.

The winners of that tie will go on to a semi-final against the winners of an all-Spanish quarter-final between local rivals Valencia and Villarreal.

Both La Liga sides defeated Russian opposition in the last 16, with Valencia edging out Krasnodar and Villarreal, who are struggling domestically, knocking out Zenit Saint Petersburg.

FULL DRAW:

Arsenal (England) vs. Napoli (Italy)

Villarreal (Spain) vs. Valencia (Spain)

Benfica (Portugal) vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany)

Slavia Prague (Czech Republic) vs. Chelsea (England)

Before winning the Europa League three years running with Sevilla between 2014 and 2016, Emery really came to prominence during three years in charge of Valencia. He led them to three consecutive third-place finishes in La Liga between 2010 and 2012.

Emery and Ancelotti are both former Paris Saint-Germain coaches, but the latter may have wished for a match-up with another of his old sides, Chelsea.

Instead, the west London club will face Slavia, heading to the capital of the Czech Republic for the first leg on April 11.

Chelsea, winners of the Europa League in 2013, will fancy their chances of advancing, although they would be wise to beware a Slavia side who are top of the Czech league and knocked out Sevilla in the last 16.

The winners of that tie will go through to a semi-final against either Benfica or dark horses Eintracht Frankfurt.

Benfica, who dropped out of this season’s Champions League at the group stage, lost to Chelsea in the 2013 Europa League final and were then beaten by Sevilla on penalties in the final a year later.

Eintracht are a dangerous prospect, and the only German survivor in any European competition this season.

The 1980 UEFA Cup winners, and runners-up in the European Cup in 1960, won the German Cup last season and are fresh from eliminating Inter Milan in the last 16.

This year’s Europa League final will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on May 29. The winners will secure passage to next season’s Champions League group stage

OFFICIAL STARTING XI BAYERN VS LIVERPOOL

The starting lineups are out! Ribery replaces Coman at left wing, Rafinha at right-back, Hummels and Süle start at center-back, and James Rodriguez joins Thiago and Javi Martinez in the midfield.

Here it is! The starting lineup:

Liverpool has released their official starting lineup. Interestingly, Klopp has opted not to start Fabinho, as many had anticipated:

Bild has learned Kovac’s starting lineup a little before the official announcement. According to them, Franck Ribery will start at left wing today, putting Coman on the bench. At center-back, Mats Hummels will be joined by Niklas Süle. Rafinha will play at right-back as expected, since David Alaba is fully fit.

The midfield will consist of Javi Martinez at CDM, with Thiago Alcantara joining him in a flexible double-pivot. James Rodriguez plays at the 10. The rest of the lineup: Robert Lewandowski at striker, Serge Gnabry at right wing, and of course Manuel Neuer in goal.

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It’s time for the game that will define this round of the Champions League — Bayern Munich vs Liverpool at the Allianz Arena. Since the first leg of the tie ended 0-0, both teams still have everything to play for.

Niko Kovac is burdened with the absence of two key players — Thomas Müller and Joshua Kimmich— to suspension. Kimmich will presumably be replaced by Rafinha, a more than capable backup, but he will have to be at his best to keep Sadio Mané and Andy Robertson at bay.

In attack, since Müller is absent, Robert Lewandowski will have his work cut out for him breaking down the pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip. He will be supported by a winger duo of Serge Gnabry and one of Franck Ribery or Kingsley Coman, but, as we saw in the first leg, it’s very difficult for a striker when he doesn’t get any touches on the ball.

James Rodriguez may end up key to the tie. The Colombian had a terrible game at Anfield, but he’s shown a resurgence in form since. His skill and technicality could help Bayern beat Liverpool’s press, and he may have an easier time now that Liverpool’s Naby Keita is out injured. Of course, Kovac has the option of using Leon Goretzkainstead of James, for added speed and physicality.

As you can see, the tie promises to be a great tactical battle and a feast for the eyes. These are the games that the Champions League was meant for. Time for Niko Kovac and his men to show the world what they are made of.

It’s Bayern time.

GUARDIOLA: MAN CITY NOT IN THE SAME BRACKET AS BARCELONA, REAL MADRID AND BAYERN

Manchester City cannot be considered to be a club of equal stature to Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, but Pep Guardiola feels they are making steps in the right direction.

Since being taken over by Sheikh Mansour in 2008, City have established themselves as one of the leading forces in the Premier League, winning the title on three occasions.

For the past three seasons they have been managed by one of the greatest coaches in the modern era in Guardiola.

The Catalan led Barca to the treble in 2008-09 and instilled a brand of football that won admirers across the world, including at Bayern, where he won three Bundesliga titles in as many seasons before heading to City.

Guardiola believes sustained success is needed for City to enter the same bracket as Europe's premier clubs and he is confident they are on the right path.

"The last decade, one of the teams to have grown the most is Manchester City. Not just in our period [together], but over the last decade," he said.

"To compare with Barca, we are far away in terms of history and legacy. We are far because we are one decade. But what we do is getting better and better.

"My humble opinion is we are making small, small steps and every time getting better. We made back-to-back [EFL Cup] titles, we won 100 points, we are fighting for all the titles.

"In the next years still being there, those are the best steps. [When you] compare with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, they have an incredible history of results. We are not there.

"The best way [to describe it] is that we feel far, far away from these clubs. That's the best way. At Barcelona and Munich I didn't go to work thinking about a legacy, it just happens.

"If we'll be remembered we'll see. We'll have to win more and more through the years. They are a step forward in many terms."

City are in pole position to become the first team to win successive Premier League titles since Manchester United in 2008-09, sitting one point clear of Liverpool at the summit with nine games remaining.

Jurgen Klopp's side were seven points ahead in January but drawing four of their past six games has seen a significant shift in the balance.

Guardiola does not feel suggestions Liverpool have buckled under the pressure take away from City's exploits and his point of view was similar with regards to the investigations into his club opened by UEFA and the Premier League, following allegations published by Der Spiegel.

A series of articles from the German publication, which drew upon documents purportedly obtained by whistleblowers Football Leaks, included claims of impropriety with regards to circumventing UEFA's Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules, youth player recruitment and third-party ownership. City insist accusations of financial irregularities are "entirely false".

"I don't know what happens there [at Liverpool]. When you are fighting, people want to underestimate what you achieve," Guardiola said.

"I'm not too concerned or worried about what people say if we win the title and, just because of what is happening now with UEFA, they do not give us credit for what we have done. Believe me, I don't care. Absolutely zero.

"I know exactly what the guys are doing for the last two seasons and more and that is what remains, my feelings.

"If we have made mistakes we will be punished - it is what it is, on and off the pitch - but I'm pretty sure what we have done is incredible. Incredible.

"I don't know whether it is important for the rest of the people but it is important for ourselves. When we did it [win] it belongs to us and nobody is going to change that."

ROBBEN SAYS ANFIELD IS HIS WORSE STADIUM

 Bayern Munich star Arjen Robben says Anfield is his "worst stadium" ahead of the German champions' blockbuster Champions League showdown with Liverpool.

Robben and his teammates will travel to the iconic ground on Tuesday night for the first leg of their Round of 16 tie, and the Netherlands international was transparent about his feelings towards the Reds' home.

"I think, if you ask the worst stadium for me, it’s probably Liverpool," Robben told The Guardian.

"You always have your favourite opponent and there always has to be a negative one."

The 35-year-old has been on the wrong end of a number of heavy defeats at the famed arena, including a 4-0 loss in 2009 when playing for Real Madrid.

He was also twice knocked out of the Champions League at Anfield, in 2005 and again in 2007, so Anfield certainly holds bad memories for the flashy winger.

Robben will have to watch from the bench against the Reds after failing to overcome an injury that has not been disclosed. Jerome Boateng will also not feature for Bayern after struggling with his own fitness.