The Chelsea-Real Madrid match will be the pinnacle of the Champions League quarter-finals at the start of April, after the draw was made on Friday March 18 in Nyon (Switzerland). The other key meeting will be the opposition between Manchester City and Atlético Madrid.
Karim Benzema’s Real Madrid have a meeting in London with the defending champion on April 5 or 6 for the first leg, before a return match scheduled for April 12 or 13 in Spain.
The two clubs met in the semi-finals last season: the English club, coached by Thomas Tuchel, won 2-0 at home after a 1-1 draw in the first leg. The Blues, who eliminated Lille in the round of 16, are aiming for the double.
But Chelsea has been evolving in recent weeks in a particular climate: the club’s Russian owner, Roman Abramovich, is targeted by European sanctions because of the war in Ukraine unleashed by Russia.
Restrictions imposed by the British government are likely to complicate their trip to Madrid, as the maximum budget the London team can spend on travel arrangements is now £20,000, or €24,000.
Liverpool and Bayern Munich relatively spared
Antoine Griezmann’s Atlético Madrid, Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo scorer in the round of 16, will have a new trip to Manchester on its program, during the first leg against the Citizens “, still looking for their first coronation after their lost final in 2021.
Liverpool, winner of the 2019 edition and Bayern Munich, crowned after the “Final 8” of 2020, are relatively spared from this draw: they will face Benfica Lisbon and Villarreal respectively, with the return match at home.
The draw for the semi-finals has also been made: the winner of Manchester City-Atlético will face that of Chelsea-Real Madrid, while the other poster could see Liverpool oppose Bayern on April 26 and 27 and 3 and May 4.
The final of the event, initially scheduled in Saint Petersburg before being relocated to the Stade de France, near Paris, in reaction to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, is scheduled for May 28 at the end of the season.
