Liverpool had been drawn to play Benfica as all three final English clubs have been stored aside and Bayern Munich were paired with Spanish facet Villarreal.
Chelsea are hoping to guard their identify in Europe in spite of turmoil at the Stamford Bridge club, who had been placed up on the market after the British authorities placed Russian proprietor Roman Abramovich underneath sanctions inside the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Thomas Tuchel's group are because of play Real at home inside the first leg on April 5 or 6, before the return on the Santiago Bernabeu a week later. It was said this week that Chelsea might also should play their subsequent Champions League home ties at the back of closed doors due to EU sanctions on Abramovich that prevent them from promoting tickets.
Chelsea beat Madrid -- now coached by ex-Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti -- within the semi-finals final season at the manner to defeating Pep Guardiola's City inside the final in Porto and lifting the Champions League trophy for the second time under Abramovich's possession. With the draw for the semi-finals taking vicinity on the identical time, Chelsea and City realize they may meet each different in the ultimate 4 ought to they each development thru their sector-very last ties towards Spanish warring parties, but a Madrid derby at that degree is likewise a opportunity.
Having removed Manchester United within the ultimate sixteen, Atletico will go back to northwest England for the primary leg of their tie towards City, which sees Guardiola pit his wits towards Diego Simeone.
Liverpool, the 2019 European champions who are nevertheless in competition to win a quadruple this season, might be hotly fancied to get the higher of -time European Cup winners Benfica, with the first leg of that tie to be played in Lisbon. Benfica are currently simply 1/3 inside the Portuguese league this season but they certified for the final sixteen at the expense of Barcelona after which ousted a far-fancied Ajax aspect.
The winners of that tie will face either Bayern or Villarreal inside the final four, with the German giants heading to Spain for the primary leg towards Unai Emery's facet. Villarreal gained remaining season's Europa League and reached the Champions League area-finals by lovely Juventus, beating the Italians 3-zero in Turin on Wednesday to go through 4-1 on combination.
The semi-finals of the Champions League will be played in overdue April and early May, with the very last taking place at the Stade de France in Paris on May 28. The in shape changed into to begin with due to be played in Saint Petersburg earlier than the Russian metropolis become stripped of the healthy by UEFA due to Russia's army action in Ukraine.
It is the 0.33 12 months strolling that UEFA has moved the Champions League very last with the Covid-19 pandemic leading to the 2020 version being switched from Istanbul to Lisbon, and then again from the Turkish city to Porto last 12 months. The 80,000-capability Stade de France, in Saint-Denis just to the north of the French capital, has hosted the Champions League very last twice before, in 2000 whilst Real Madrid beat Valencia, and in 2006 while Barcelona defeated Arsenal.
