Champions League

City lock horns with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday in the first leg of what in an eagerly awaited Champions League quarter-final tie.

City will kick-off on Tuesday night, boasting a 59.5% score in terms of our average possession so far this Champions League campaign. So far in our 2021/22 Champions League campaign, Guardiola’s side have accumulated a remarkable 90.9% figure from our first eight games, further illustrating our quality and consistency in terms of that facet of the game. But how do City and Atletico square up in terms of how each have fared in the Champions League so far this season? Long admired as one of the finest passing squads assembled in the European game, City have the edge in terms of this statistical square up. From our eight games to date in Europe so far this season, City have won five, drawn one and lost twice. Ahead of Tuesday’s clash, we have run the rule over City and Atletico’s head-to-head statistical records in the Champions League so far this term.

Liverpool are hard to stop at the best of times, but one classic method for halting Jürgen Klopp won't really be available to Benfica in the Champions ...

Jürgen Klopp will be happy with what he saw.Liverpool handed extra Champions League advantage as Benfica cannot counter Jürgen Klopp planLiverpool FCLiverpool are hard to stop at the best of times, but one classic method for halting Jürgen Klopp won’t really be available to Benfica in the Champions League.Liverpool target 'hopes' £50m offer accepted as Jürgen Klopp 'pushes' for Barcelona transferMedia DigestMedia Digest: Liverpool are reportedly in the queue to sign another RB Leipzig player while Jürgen Klopp's side are also said to be keen on a Barcelona transfer steal.Liverpool might be set to solve their first summer dilemma as Jürgen Klopp drops transfer hintLiverpool FCLiverpool defender Joe Gomez has a decision to make in the summer. Jürgen Klopp will be happy with what he saw.Liverpool handed extra Champions League advantage as Benfica cannot counter Jürgen Klopp planLiverpool FCLiverpool are hard to stop at the best of times, but one classic method for halting Jürgen Klopp won’t really be available to Benfica in the Champions League.Liverpool target 'hopes' £50m offer accepted as Jürgen Klopp 'pushes' for Barcelona transferMedia DigestMedia Digest: Liverpool are reportedly in the queue to sign another RB Leipzig player while Jürgen Klopp's side are also said to be keen on a Barcelona transfer steal. Liverpool handed extra Champions League advantage as Benfica cannot counter Jürgen Klopp planLiverpool FCLiverpool are hard to stop at the best of times, but one classic method for halting Jürgen Klopp won’t really be available to Benfica in the Champions League.Liverpool might be set to solve their first summer dilemma as Jürgen Klopp drops transfer hintLiverpool FCLiverpool defender Joe Gomez has a decision to make in the summer. Manager Jürgen Klopp doesn't seem to be in much doubt as to what the answer should be.Liverpool FCFSG can replace £21m Liverpool duo with transfer of 18-goal star from Jürgen Klopp's former clubLiverpool may say farewell to two attacking fringe players in Liverpool's squad and FSG could replace them with an exciting forward from Jürgen Klopp's former side.Liverpool handed extra Champions League advantage as Benfica cannot counter Jürgen Klopp planLiverpool FCLiverpool are hard to stop at the best of times, but one classic method for halting Jürgen Klopp won’t really be available to Benfica in the Champions League.Liverpool might be set to solve their first summer dilemma as Jürgen Klopp drops transfer hintLiverpool FCLiverpool defender Joe Gomez has a decision to make in the summer. Klopp will not be celebrating already as a result of the yellow card situation, and Liverpool must still be at their best to book their place in the Champions League semi-final, but Benfica could certainly have done without the extra headache. There is even a residual Premier League advantage available to Klopp, in the sense that his players will not be subjected to a night of butchery ahead of a colossal meeting with Manchester City. Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola’s men will face the ordeal of Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid, who are certain to leave their mark. By its nature, all of the sides in the tournament are used to being towards the top of their domestic divisions — none will routinely be used to producing backs-to-the-wall performances. Liverpool are not completely immune in this respect, with Mané himself a booking away from suspension, alongside Diogo Jota. This may force Klopp to rein in the aggression of the press to some extent. The manager could even choose to rotate his two attackers out of this fixture, a luxury far less viable for Benfica. For a team that racked up 24 fouls and four bookings over the course of the last-16 tie with Ajax, suddenly having to adjust will be difficult. Yet Benfica cannot afford to be blasé with the risk of suspension — their hopes hinge on the likes of Weigl and Otamendi. Klopp may duly have the rare luxury of being able to implement his plan without too much interference. READ MORE:Liverpool might be set to solve their first summer dilemma as Jürgen Klopp drops transfer hint READ MORE:FSG can replace £21m Liverpool duo with transfer of 18-goal star from Jürgen Klopp's former club However, they will face a significant hindrance in this respect. Benfica are the latest to step up to the plate, and they do so with a significant disadvantage.

Liverpool will continue its quest for a quadruple of major trophies when it visits Benfica, considered one of the easiest teams in the draw for the last eight.

Both have reached the final, with Atléti losing to Real Madrid in 2014 and ‘16 and City beaten by Chelsea last year. Jurgen Klopp will have a full squad available for the first time since he took charge of the team in 2015. Liverpool will continue its quest for a quadruple of major trophies when it visits Benfica, considered one of the easiest teams in the draw for the last eight.

PEP GUARDIOLA HAS joked he will field 12 players against Atletico Madrid in a swipe at critics who claim he overthinks crucial Champions League ties.

“We don’t know if they’re going to try to press high or go low and wait for us. He said: “It’s something that we cannot control. “They know how they have to play in (certain) moments. It definitely won’t be an open game because that isn’t Atletico’s quality. Tonight I will take inspiration and I’m going to do incredible tactics tomorrow. It would be boring if I always played the same way.

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has praised the development of Rodri during his time at the Etihad Stadium ahead of his side's Champions League ...

City face a mouth-watering battle Liverpool in the Premier League at the weekend before travelling to the Spanish capital for the return-leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie next week. Atletico's visit is likely to see Rodri come up against his former side, whom he departed to join Manchester City for a fee of £62.8 million in the summer of 2019, with the Spain international expected to keep his place in the middle of the park after starting against Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday. The reigning Premier League champions meet with the La Liga holders for the first time competitively at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday evening, with Manchester City looking to end Atletico Madrid's impressive winning streak ahead of the tie.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says he is “happy” with Mohamed Salah's contract situation.

It is a healthy club in a good situation. But I don’t judge my time here about the trophies too much. So now we are here, let’s try to get the most (out) of it.” The performance level is, for me, important. Liverpool's Mohamed Salah with manager Juergen Klopp after he was substituted during the Premier League win over Watford on Saturday Liverpool's Mohamed Salah with manager Juergen Klopp after he was substituted during the Premier League win over Watford on Saturday

Wayne Rooney was forced to play out wide as he sacrificed himself for Cristiano Ronaldo during the 2008 Champions League final - which Man Utd beat Chelsea ...

Wayne still had the mentality to criticise himself the night he won a Champions League medal because the next time he was in a game of that magnitude he wanted to perform at his best level.” I put an arm around him and it was clear that the fact he had been played out of position to accommodate other players had hurt him deeply. “I asked him what he meant and he said ‘I was s*** out there’ - and he put his head on my shoulder and the tears came.

The Champions League quarter finals begin this week, with Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea still flying the flag for the Premier League in what ...

Once he’s there he just needs to resist the temptation to play a brand new formation or Ederson in centre midfield and they have a real chance to end their drought. Robert Lewandowski means they will always have a real chance and they will expect to beat Villarreal with relative ease over the two legs. Having lost out in the final last time around, City will be desperate to go one better with this attempt. It feels strange to put Bayern as third in this list, such has been their prolific and relentless form this season, but that is perhaps more a nod to Liverpool and Man City than a slight on the German champions. So with that in mind, here are the fixtures and how the tournament will map out until only two remain. With the first legs of the quarter finals now just hours away, Mirror Football have rolled out our power rankings to determine who could reach and win the final in May.

Guardiola gave a sarcastic response when asked about his tactical tinkering in Europe as he prepares to meet the wily Diego Simeone again but there is ...

vs Real Madrid in 2014 semi-final second leg – Trailing the tie 1-0, Guardiola opted for a 4-2-4 formation in the second leg at home, but Bayern lost 4-0. vs Atletico Madrid in 2016 semi-final first leg – When Bayern boss, Guardiola dropped Thomas Muller, who had been a regular and scored eight Champions League goals that term, for the 1-0 loss in Madrid. Atletico would then advance 2-2 on away goals. vs Lyon in 2020 quarter-final – Guardiola opted to match Lyon’s three-man central defence, but the change in formation led to a 3-1 defeat. It comes with the territory, for as a manager who rarely loses, there will always be greater scrutiny on those rare defeats, often on the grandest of stages. I overthink a lot, that's why I have very good results in the Champions League. The movements are different, the players are all different with different personalities. "In the Champions League I always I overthink,” he said.

Villarreal also host Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals; Chelsea continue their Champions League title defence against Real Madrid; ...

"It is a team which has been playing four or five years together so I think they have the momentum and know each other very well. It's for the players, the difference will be there." "When you play for Benfica you know every game is important. It was very untypical and killed the game for us," Blues boss Thomas Tuchel said after the game. I'm not going to judge what they do, I'll analyse what to do to get a good result to go to Madrid next week. So now we are here, let's try to get the most [out] of it."

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has called on UEFA to make the Champions League final more like the Super Bowl.

"I can't understand how the Super Bowl can feel bigger than the Champions League final. That's what I have suggested, to have an opening ceremony to the Champions League, to have one match on the opening night where the winners take on a big team. "The Super Bowl, and the US generally, have this mindset, creativity and entertainment.

The quarterfinals of the Champions League begin this week as we're down to the last eight clubs competing for the top prize in European club football.

Bayern had a comprehensive 4-1 win away against high-flying SC Freiburg. All the goals came in the second half as three goals in the last 20 minutes put the game out of sight. Atleti continued their winning streak at home on the weekend as they beat Deportivo Alaves 4-1 at the Wanda Metropolitano. Both Joao Felix and Luis Suarez got braces as Atleti have now won their last six games in a row now and have slowly climbed up the La Liga table. They're now level on points with Barcelona in second place at time of writing as they look to qualify for the Champions League next season. Liverpool are still on their hunt to overtake Manchester City in the Premier League and for a couple of hours on Saturday, they did that. It wasn't a good weekend for Benfica as they lost 3-2 away against Sporting Braga. They actually went 2-o down early but substitutes Darwin Nunez and Joao Mario both scored quickly to salvage the game, or so they thought. There is some very interesting ties ahead and we've made a form guide for each team heading into this round to see who could be the heading into the semi-finals.

Guardiola has been criticised for 'overthinking' in the past and, with Manchester City to host Atlético Madrid on Tuesday, he gave a wry response to his ...

He doesn’t want to take the risk in the build-up, but after they have quality and play really well in the final third. I never judge the opponent, what they do and try to do – they try to do it to win.” “It has not been very often because we do not play in the same country. “I’m not going to judge for one second what they do, just try and get a result on Tuesday then to go to Madrid [for the return leg].” “In the Champions League I always overthink,” the Catalan said. Tonight I will take inspiration and I’m going to do incredible tactics tomorrow – we play with 12 tomorrow.”

It was all something of an overreaction (in this sport!?) to Barcelona being in terrible shape and Real Madrid just getting off to a slow start. Now it's April, ...

While I have my doubts about Villarreal's chances to survive these two matches and move on, this is a team that can put your defense in difficult spots, and Bayern has been a lot weaker defensively the last two seasons. Not only does it win a lot, but there are plenty of times you don't even need the other team to score for it to cash. Madrid were leaky defensively even in their 3-0 win over Mallorca the week before with an xG allowed of 1.4. Things didn't change much during a 2-1 win over Celta Vigo on Saturday, as Vigo had an xG of 1.7 in the match. If there's a Cinderella left in the Champions League, it's Benfica. This is a team that currently sits in third place in Portugal's Primeira Liga and just looks outmatched against the teams remaining in this competition. They were able to get away with it against those clubs, but asking them to do the same against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge is a bit much. Yep, it's Liverpool, and I think they'll have a good night at the office Tuesday. Pick: Liverpool Over 2.5 (+130) Benfica was overrun in two matches against Bayern and in the first match against Ajax. Do you know who plays a similar style to those teams but has even more attacking talent? I doubt once will be enough to win the match, but both teams will get on the scoresheet. While City were able to overwhelm Sporting, I don't see that being the case against Atletico. In fact, I think this is an excellent matchup for Atletico. Diego Simeone's entire philosophy is built upon having to withstand the pressure of facing teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona and putting his team in a position to beat them. This team is designed to let its opponent have the ball and quickly strike on the counter when the opportunity arises. So as we reach the final stages of the season, La Liga is looking a lot better than it did six months ago. In those 21 matches, City have played four matches against teams in the top six of the Premier League, and five of those 12 goals came in those matches.

5. Geoffrey Kondogbia. Atletico Madrid certainly have their work cut out against Manchester City, but could Diego Simeone be the man who inflicts the latest UCL ...

5. Geoffrey Kondogbia. Atletico Madrid certainly have their work cut out against Manchester City, but could Diego Simeone be the man who inflicts the latest UCL ...

Real Madrid were 'not unhappy' after having drawn with Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, according to reports.

Both sides will be eager to stamp their mark on the game and get a foot into the semi-final of the tournament, where the competition will be fierce. The two sides faced off in the semi-final of the same competition last season and the Blues got the better of their Spanish opponents over the course of the two leg tie. Real Madrid were 'not unhappy' after having drawn with Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, according to reports.

Manchester City and Liverpool will temporarily put the Premier League title race to one side, while Chelsea need to bounce back after a humbling defeat to ...

* Live stream: BT Sport app or via the BT Sport website * Live stream: BT Sport app and via the BT Sport website * Live stream: BT Sport app and via the BT Sport website

The Reds face Benfica in their opener while City host Atletico Madrid. On Wednesday, it will be Chelsea hosting Real Madrid in a rematch of last season's ...

Man of the Match pick: Robert Lewandowski. His European record is just unbelievable. While it will be a tight affair, Benzema will pull Real Madrid across the line in victory. While I see Chelsea scoring in the match, he'll keep Real in a match that they likely shouldn't walk away with a victory from. Benzema also has a chance at the golden boot if Real Madrid are to advance in the competition sitting on eight goals in the competition. Most likely to score a goal: Karim Benzema. Although it's an away match, I find it hard to bet against Benzema performing on the big stage, especially after his hat trick with everything on the line against a star-studded PSG side. It's hard to look at this matchup and come away with the expectation that anyone will have a larger say in how things will go than Benzema. With eight goals already in Champions League play, Benzema has been instrumental in Real's performance. Heavy City possession leads to a ton of chances, but a lone goal is enough as they combat Atleti's pressure with crisp passing. If they can keep the ball on the ground and be smart in their distribution, they can limit the chances and get a key clean sheet. The Uruguayan is a tank at the back, but he will have to be super cautious when going up against a tricky and speedy Foden, knowing that one wrong challenge can dig a huge hole. Man of the Match pick: Thiago Alcantara has the technical ability to dominate and dictate this sort of contest and he will be one of the main dangers Benfica seek to neutralize. Given that the Egyptian is under a little scrutiny of late, this could be the sort of game where he makes the difference as a reminder of his quality. Adding to the stakes is the fact that Otamendi is a booking away from second-leg suspension so will be walking a tightrope from the off.

Organized by the Union of European Football Associations, UCL is one of the most competitive and popular football club organizations. Originating in 1955 ...

Then six teams advance to the group stage and join 26 other teams qualified in advance. In 1992, the competition adopted its current name. The winner was crowned the European club champion.

That Klopp couldn't wait until the interval to hook Keita appeared to speak volumes. Indeed, the midfielder didn't play another minute that season, left to ...

I think I also have to work a lot on my level of aggression because here in England you need that as you have to win a lot of tackles. This doesn't come around every season and so right now, this season, we can't say it's going to be easy, but it's a work in progress and we're on the case." “But now as I start to grow in confidence a lot more, I will be the kind of player who helps his team a lot. The biggest thing here is we play as a team, as a collective unit. It hasn't always been easy in the past because when you are on the way back, you try to be a bit more careful at first. It's great to know when you're playing to not have the worry of getting injured.

Manchester United are facing the prospect of no Champions League football next term but a revamped Champions League could see them benefit from new UEFA ...

Those triumphs could yet prove advantageous going forward as the current crop of players struggle on the pitch. They also made finals in 2009 and 2011 and were regulars in the knockout stages. They will need to put together an impressive winning run and hope their rivals falter if they are to be a Champions League side next term.

The last time Benfica made the semis, they went on to reach the final, in 1990, when a team coached by Sven-Goran Eriksson lost 1-0 to AC Milan and missed ...

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. "We've also eliminated Barcelona, who were in our group, and Ajax. Looking at the two teams, it is possible to do it again. Watch UEFA Champions League 2021-22 (Quarter-final Leg 1) – Benfica vs. Another former Spurs player, Adel Taraabt, is now plying his trade in central midfield. We have to correct it." "We always have to work.

Thomas Tuchel will require a strong response from Edouard Mendy after Brentford nightmare to thwart Karim Benzema's Real Madrid.

The precedent under Tuchel in Europe suggests this is the case, too. Some 90 seconds later, the Blues were scoring at the other end with Timo Werner. What has not changed is just how much Thomas Tuchel’s team need another massive Mendy performance to make the difference for the home side. The La Liga side already knocked out city rivals Manchester United last month, owing to a 1-0 defeat of the Red Devils at Old Trafford, which saw Geoffrey Kondogbia and his teammates claim a 2-1 aggregate success. The timing of those stops was crucial to Chelsea making it to last season’s Champions League final, which they owed largely to the Senegal shot-stopper’s heroics in denying Benzema. The sight of Edouard Mendy bellowing at his defence was clear and loud for all to see and hear.

Liverpool travel to Benfica for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash on Tuesday, with Jurgen Klopp needing every advantage he can get ...

With Klopp himself admitting one slip-up could spell disaster for Liverpool's quadruple hopes, the presence of Diaz should be a key advantage. Diaz is part of a core of Portuguese experts at Anfield, something the Reds boss can use to full effect in the quarter-final match-up. The Reds travel to the Estadio da Luz on Tuesday night for the first leg of their last eight tie, with a quadruple of trophies still very much on the cards. That is how it should be. It is an interesting challenge. "He [Diaz] tried for 10 minutes, but we didn't understand a word!

Liverpool's quest for an historic quadruple has taken them to Lisbon.They play Benfica tonight in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

The Premier League leaders welcome Atletico Madrid to the Etihad Stadium tonight. Liverpool have lost on each of their last three European visits to the Stadium of Light. They play Benfica tonight in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

Liverpool's quest for Champions League glory heads to Portugal on Tuesday night where Benfica await. Who will take the advantage in this quarter-final first ...

For the Champions League, you may wish to choose 'USA' for Paramount+. You can add BT Sport to your package for only £15 a month (plus a £20 joining fee). Even if you have subscribed to the relevant Benfica vs Liverpool live stream rights holders, you won't be able to access them when outside your own country. Fetch TV, Apple TV, Android TV, most smart TVs, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast also carry the app for smart TV viewing. To begin with, there's a Stan 30-day free trial. Simply use a VPN to access a live stream without being blocked. Those on Virgin Media will need the Virgin V6 box and a 4K TV to make sure they're getting the action at maximum resolution. All the information passing back and forth is entirely encrypted. Can the Reds bring their scintillating Premier League form with them to the Portuguese capital? Jurgen Klopp's relentless Liverpool will present by far their toughest challenge yet, but much-admired Uruguayan striker Darwin Núñez could cause problems for them and will be looking to make an impression in the biggest game of his career so far. It's an 8pm GMT kick-off at the Estádio da Luz on Tuesday 5th April 2022. Who will take the advantage in this quarter-final first leg?

Liverpool's quest for Champions League glory heads to Portugal on Tuesday night where Benfica await. Who will take the advantage in this quarter-final first ...

For the Champions League, you may wish to choose 'USA' for Paramount+. You can add BT Sport to your package for only £15 a month (plus a £20 joining fee). Even if you have subscribed to the relevant Benfica vs Liverpool live stream rights holders, you won't be able to access them when outside your own country. Fetch TV, Apple TV, Android TV, most smart TVs, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast also carry the app for smart TV viewing. To begin with, there's a Stan 30-day free trial. Simply use a VPN to access a live stream without being blocked. Those on Virgin Media will need the Virgin V6 box and a 4K TV to make sure they're getting the action at maximum resolution. All the information passing back and forth is entirely encrypted. Can the Reds bring their scintillating Premier League form with them to the Portuguese capital? Jurgen Klopp's relentless Liverpool will present by far their toughest challenge yet, but much-admired Uruguayan striker Darwin Núñez could cause problems for them and will be looking to make an impression in the biggest game of his career so far. It's an 8pm GMT kick-off at the Estádio da Luz on Tuesday 5th April 2022. Who will take the advantage in this quarter-final first leg?

Liverpool's 24 man squad for tonight's Champions League clash with Benfica has been revealed, however, it has one key man missing.

The only loss of their campaign so far was at home to Inter Milan in the round of 16, where they still progressed following an impressive victory in the first leg. The absence of the keeper' from the photos suggests that Adrian will be on the bench tonight in case of injury to first-choice Allison Becker. The Irish international was on the bench for the weekend's 2-0 victory over Watford and took part in training.

The Reds have travelled to Lisbon for the first leg of the Champions League quarter finals against Benfica.

The Reds arrived in Lisbon on Monday night with the full squad available for today's game. Thank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow me Liverpool face Benfica in the Champions League quarter finals after they saw off Inter Milan in their last-16 tie. Liverpool's English defender Trent Alexander-Arnold takes part in a training session at the Liverpool FC training ground in Liverpool, north west England, on April 4, 2022, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League quater final leg 1 football match against Benfica. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)Follow the latest transfer news and more with our LFC newsletterSomething went wrong, please try again later.

Benfica are preparing to knock Liverpool out of the Champions League quarter-finals three years after helping the Reds win the competition.

And the Liverpool players were top-notch. They were asked to face the Reds in a secret friendly, an offer which they accepted. "It was a privilege. They were brilliant. Benfica's players were briefed against reckless tackles, apart from that concern, they were excited about the game. "We went through the gameplan of Liverpool, and how they felt Tottenham would play.

Team news and form guides for Benfica v Liverpool, City v Atlético, Villarreal v Bayern and Chelsea v Real Madrid.

They did the double over Villarreal when they last met in the Champions League a decade ago, and will be confident of repeating that feat over the next week. As for Bayern, they booked their place in the last eight by beating RB Salzburg 8-2 on aggregate, with seven of those goals coming in the second leg. They have only won one home game in the Champions League , when they beat Young Boys in the group stage, yet are in the last eight. They have now been beaten in three of their last five games in all competitions, dropping down to seventh in La Liga, but they did pull off an impressive 3-0 win at Juventus to book their spot in the quarter-finals. City eased into the quarter-finals with a 5-0 aggregate win over Sporting CP in the last 16. Benfica’s defeat over the weekend was away, but their home form has not been great either – they have only won three of their last seven matches at Estádio Da Luz. However, they have already upset the odds in the Champions League this season, reaching the quarter-finals by beating Ajax 3-2 on aggregate in the last 16.

The current rules on yellow cards mean that two Liverpool stars are just one yellow away from missing the second leg of the Reds Champions League tie with ...

Benfica have more to worry about than the Reds though, with SEVEN of their players at risk of missing the second leg. Both Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota risk missing the Anfield leg of the tie if they receive yellow cards in tonight's game. The current rules on yellow cards mean that two Liverpool stars are just one yellow away from missing the second leg of the Reds Champions League tie with Benfica.

Here's where things stand in the Champions League as the quarterfinal round begins.

Benfica is likely to bow out against Liverpool in the quarterfinal round. Bayern has a relatively light draw with Villarreal in the quarterfinal, so these odds are likely to improve after this round. This team can defend, which makes its matchup against Chelsea in the quarterfinal round intriguing. Liverpool has been great in the UCL arena under Jurgen Klopp, making back-to-back finals in 2017-18 and 2018-19. These Premier League rivals have gone back and forth in recent seasons to assert their dominance on the sport. The UEFA Champions League has moved into the quarterfinal round, with Benfica-Liverpool and Manchester City-Atletico Madrid kicking things off Tuesday, April 5.

A report claimed Europe's top football chiefs had backed proposals to include two teams in the Champions League from the 2024-25 campaign based on former ...

The Champions League bracket from here on out is balanced and rich with intrigue, but which power is most likely to lift the trophy in Paris?

Benfica squeezed past Ajax in an entertaining round-of-16 matchup and survived a group with Bayern (despite being destroyed on two occasions by the German giants). And while it would have preferred Villarreal or maybe even Atlético, Benfica will have to face one of the most in-form teams in the world. Without that win over Manchester United, Villarreal would have never found itself in the Champions League this season, let alone in the quarterfinals after upsetting Juventus. Its trip to Turin last month was more than just an upset—it was a stunning show of force. The one thing Villarreal has going for it is a raucous home crowd from the get-go, and an early goal would go a long way on multiple fronts. And after leading Atlético to his second La Liga title, Simeone will surely go all in on taking down the giants of the European stage in search of the club’s first Champions League title. And in a tie that should be very close (and very entertaining), a lockdown defense is usually what provides the difference. After a nail-biting last-16 tie with Manchester United, Atlético must now head to the more formidable Manchester side in Guardiola’s City, where it definitely cannot look ahead to meeting Chelsea/Real in the semifinal and then potentially Liverpool or Bayern Munich. But is it out of the question? First up is its quarterfinal against a Real Madrid side that turned the tables on PSG in the final half-hour of the tie. Last season in the semifinal, Chelsea used the second leg at home to its advantage with a 2–0 (3–1 agg. Bayern is coming off consecutive four-goal performances in the Bundesliga and has its eyes set on a 10th straight league title, given its nine-point lead atop the table with eight games to go. The journey is difficult with Atlético potentially followed by a semifinal against Real Madrid or Chelsea. And if it gets past them, then Liverpool and Bayern could await in the final. It would be easy to get caught looking ahead to a potential showdown with Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the semifinals, but this Bayern team is too experienced and balanced, especially in his high-octane attack. Yet they could both be caught looking ahead at the other in a mouthwatering semifinal that is sure to entertain.