Champions League quarterfinals draw: Last 8 learn their fates

15 March 2019

THANKS AND GOODBYE! 

That's it from our Live Updates from the Champions League draw, thanks for joining us for an event which threw up plenty of intriguing ties. 

Be sure to follow RT Sport as we continue to bring you all the news from the Champions League and beyond!  

DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES

The quarterfinal first  legs will be played on April 9 and 10, with the second legs coming a week later, on April 16 and 17.

The semifinal first legs are scheduled for April 30 and May 1, with the return legs on May 7 and 8. 

The grand finale in Madrid is on Saturday, June 1. 

Cancel any plans, get those dates in your diaries – you will not want to miss these games!

AJAX VS JUVENTUS  

A meeting of two teams that contested the 1996 final, which Juventus won on penalties.

That was the last time the Old Lady tasted European glory, having since lost five finals.

But this time they have serial winner Cristiano Ronaldo in their ranks, the competitions all-time top-scorer on 124 goals in 160 games.

Ajax were fantastic against Real Madrid, but will face a wily, seasoned outfit in Juventus that have been sharpened by the arrival of their Portuguese superstar.

Juve will be favorites.      

LIVERPOOL VS PORTO 

Last year's beaten finalists will be pleased with the draw, given that Porto are among the lesser-fancied teams left.

The pair met at the last 16 stage last season, with Liverpool winning 5-0 on aggregate after a demolition job in Portugal. 

This campaigm, Jurgen Klopp's team were impressive in beating Bayern 3-1 on Wednesday, and while they are fighting on two fronts with their push for the Premier League, their fabled attacking trident of Salah, Mane and Firmino - plus the poise and calm of van Dijk in defense - will make them among the outright favorites for this year's Champions League. 

The five-time winners meet a Porto team with two European Cups to their name, the last coming in 2004 under a certain Jose Mourinho.

They will be the underdogs, but then again they were in the last round before they put in a gutsy display to beat Roma 4-3 on aggregate. 

Liverpool favorites, but won't be taking the Portuguese lightly. 

TOTTENHAM VS MANCHESTER CITY 

An all-English affair between two teams seeking their first ever title at this level.

Pep Guardiola is a man who knows what it takes to get his hands on the coveted trophy, having done so as a player and manager with Barcelona.

His team are again flying high in the Premier League and destroyed Schalke 10-3 on aggregate in the last 16.

Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs, meanwhile, have stumbled in the league in recent weeks but put that behond them with a confident 4-0 aggregate win over Borussia Dortmund in the last 16.

City will be favorites, but not by much.   

MANCHESTER UNITED VS BARCELONA

Barcelona have been United's nemesis in the competion in recent seasons, beating them in the final in 2009 and 2011. 

The Catalans are looking to add to their five titles in Europe's top club competition, while United are seeking a fourth triumph.

While United were brilliant in seeing off PSG in the last round, Barca will be heavily fancied to progress. 

So, plenty to digest there... 

An all-English affair between Man City and Tottenham, while Juventus and Barcelona have been kept apart potentially until the final, meaning Messi and Ronaldo could meet in Madrid on June 1.

SEMI-FINAL DRAW 

So the last 8 is done, but a reminder that they are also drawing what the semi-finals will be:

TOTTENHAM/MAN CITY VS AJAX/JUVENTUS 

MAN UTD/BARCA VS LIVERPOOL/PORTO 

MANCHESTER UNITED VS BARCELONA

TOTTENHAM VS MANCHESTER CITY 

LIVERPOOL VS PORTO 

AJAX VS JUVENTUS  

THE BALLS ARE COMING OUT...

OK, here we go, the balls are coming out.

HAIL CESAR 

Former Inter Milan 'keeper Julio Cesar is on stage to help out withe draw, and the Brazilian is saying a few words about his Champions League win with the club in 2010.

A solid defense is key to winning the title, is the gist of what he says. 

Favorites? Liverpool doing well, Juventus, Barcelona, Manchester City, he says - so that's narrowed it down then.  

THE DRAW 

Right, the montage is done, the UEFA dignitaries are on stage and ready to get things going... 

LAST 16 ROUND-UP 

UEFA is providing us with a nice montage of all the thrills and spills from the last round - and to be fair there were plenty - including that Ronaldo spot-kick that sealed his hat-trick vs Atletico.

It's dragging on a bit, but at least there's a pumping soundtrack to go with it...  

THE CHAMPIONSSSSSS! 

The UEFA Champions League theme tune is blaring out in Nyon, the ceremony is underway.

We can expect a bit of preamble, but the action has at least started....

FIGO IN THE HOUSE 

Anticipation is building as we are minutes away from the draw kicking off.

One man in attendance is Portugal legend Luis Figo, who posted a picture of himself touching the trophy he won with Real Madrid in 2002. 

THE UNDERDOGS

There will be a new name on the big-eared Champions League trophy this year, thanks to the Dutch Masters Ajax, who dumped out Real Madrid with a stunning 4-1 win at the Bernabeu.

Of all the teams left in the competition, the Dutch are ranked the lowest by UEFA at 22nd in their tables.

But they have made a mockery of that – as well as their fresh-faced young line-up – in their run to the last eight.

They are the first Dutch side to reach this stage since PSV Eindhoven in 2006-07, and will be aiming to add to their four European Cup/Champions League titles – the last coming in 1995.

Unfancied Porto – shock winners in 2004 – are also in the hat after seeing off Roma. The dark horses have shared around the goals more than any other team so far this competition, with 10 different players getting on the scoresheet.

They are currently ranked ninth by UEFA, surprisingly ahead of Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham, as well as Ajax.  

MESSI TO MEET RONALDO?

Cristiano  Ronaldo and Lionel Messi both produced match-winning heroics in the last 16, with Ronaldo’s hat-trick for Juventus seeing off Atletico Madrid, while Messi’s double for Barcelona downed Lyon.

The pair – and in particular Ronaldo – have made the competition their own over the past 15 years, with Ronaldo winning it five times, and Messi four.

A meeting now would deprive the competition of a potentially bigger blockbuster further down the line, but it could well be on the cards….

ENGLAND EXPECTS

Forget Brexit, each English team that entered this year’s competition is still standing in Europe at the quarterfinal stage – the first time this has happened since 2008-09, when Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United all made the last eight.

Ironically, none of them went on to win the title on that occassion, with Man United going down to Barcelona in the final.

But England’s fantastic four will be hoping for better luck this time, especially after some stunning performances in the last 16 stage, including United’s stirring comeback win in Paris, Tottenham’s dominant win over Dortmund, Man City’s annihilation of Schalke, and Liverpool’s confident display in Munich.

There hasn’t been an English name on the trophy since Chelsea in 2012, but the omens are looking decent this time round for at least one team to reach the final in Madrid on June 1.        

Incidentally, Spain have just one team (Barcelona) in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2009-10, while there are no German teams remaining at this stage for the first time since 2005-06.

RT pundit Jose Mourinho says he wants two all-English ties for the quarterfinals, but will he get his wish? We’ll find out soon…

THE GREAT EIGHT, THE FAB FOUR

Welcome to RT Sport’s live updates on the Champions League quarterfinal draw, being held at the UEFA HQ in Nyon, Switzerland.

It’s the Great Eight, including England’s Fab Four.

But who will face who in the quarterfinals? We’ll soon find out…

Here’s a reminder of who’s in the hat (or rather, the funny glass bowl they use nowadays):

Liverpool (ENG)

Manchester United (ENG)

Manchester City (ENG)      

Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)    

Ajax (NED)

Barcelona (ESP)

Juventus (ITA)

Porto (POR)

The semi-final ties will also be drawn today, so the teams will be able to plot a potential route all the way to the final at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium on June 1!