Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could not continue their form in the Champions League, but there are many interesting things in the quarter-final draw on Friday (18/3) evening WIB.
Defending champions Chelsea will have a tough game against Real Madrid, with the winner of the duel taking on either Manchester City or Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals.
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Meanwhile, Liverpool will play against Benfica, and Bayern Munich will travel to Villarreal in the first leg of the quarter-finals.
So, who’s excited about today’s draw and who has the tougher task of being the champion?
GOAL Describe the winners and losers below…
Winner: Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool are in the hunt for four titles and while the task is huge, the quarter-final draw against Benfica will help their bid.
The strength of the English Premier League compared to the Primeira Liga Portugal is underlined this season by the fact Liverpool won 5-1 away against Porto in the group stage and Manchester City beat Sporting CP in the previous round.
Benfica caused some surprises on their way to the last eight, eliminating Barcelona in the group stage and Ajax in the previous round, but Liverpool will be another challenge.
The Reds will definitely be happy with this draw, considering their match against Benfica was easier than their trip to the Etihad in the Premier League.
Klopp may now have the chance to rotate his squad against Benfica, given that some of the second-line players may prove too strong for the Portuguese club.
Loser: Chelsea
The quarter-finals against the Champions League aristocracy should at least be a celebration among the fans.
However, due to the current sanctions against Chelsea’s Russian owner Roman Abramovic, the club is not allowed to sell tickets to fans, meaning home games The Blues against Real Madrid can be played behind closed doors.
Of course, a takeover of ownership could be completed before then, which would be a huge boost for Thomas Tuchel and his players. They really hope to get the full support of the fans at Stamford Bridge.
However, we see strength from the enthusiastic host audience inside comeback Real Madrid vs Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Chelsea may have a very good record against Real Madrid, but they definitely need all the help they can get.
Chelsea beat Los Blancos in the Champions League last season, but Carlo Ancelotti’s side have improved significantly in the meantime, with Karim Benzema arguably now in the best form of his illustrious career.
Winner: Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich have progressed to the quarter-finals in their usual fashion, and the German Bundesliga champions are favorites to qualify for the last four after meeting Villarreal.
Bayern were untouched in the group stage, winning all six matches, including two impressive regular wins over Barcelona, while a shock away draw against RB Salzburg in the first leg of the last 16 was improved upon by a 7-1 win in the second meeting.
Bayern have the chance to win a tenth consecutive Bundesliga title this season, but they cannot focus solely on Europe as Borussia Dortmund are only four points behind.
So, Bayern will be delighted to meet Villarreal, who are currently seventh in the Spanish La Liga, and perhaps the weakest team left, despite their heroics in beating Juventus in the previous round.
Loser: Diego Simeone
The Atletico Madrid coach was eager to end the club’s wait for Champions League success, but he had to do it the hard way.
After eliminating United, ‘El Cholo’ returns to Manchester to face English champions City.
Simeone and Pep Guardiola have met once before in the competition when the Argentine mastermind a stunning away goals win over Bayern’s side in Pep’s final season in Germany.
