Title-holders Bayern Munich were on Friday drawn to meet Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the 2020/2021 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals in what is a rematch of last year’s final.
Bayern Munich won the 2019/2020 decider 1-0 in Lisbon to lift the top European trophy a sixth time against first-time finalists PSG.
The French side had ousted FC Barcelona in the last 16 to reach the quarter-finals.
Record winners Real Madrid will face 2018/2019 champions, Liverpool, in what is a rematch of the 2017/2018 final Real Madrid won 3-1.
Runaway English Premier League leaders Manchester City face German opposition again in Erling Haaland’s Borussia Dortmund after ousting Borussia Moenchengladbach in the last 16.
Juventus’ conquerors Porto are up against Chelsea as the three English and two German sides were kept apart.
In order to defend their title on May 29 in Istanbul, Bayern Munich would need to beat the Manchester City team of their former coach Pep Guardiola or Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals.
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The semi-finals were also drawn at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
Kingsley Coman made the difference seven months ago and Bayern Munich know they will face another tough fight against Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and company in the quarters scheduled for April 6/April 7 and April 13/April 14.
“Paris are a very good side. They are currently second in the league, but will pose a tough challenge for us,” Bayern Munich sports director Hasan Salihamidzic said.
Before the 2019/2020 final, the sides met eight times in group action with PSG winning all their four home games and getting one draw in Munich while losing the other three there.
PSG are now coached by Mauricio Pochettino as Thomas Tuchel was oursted and is now unbeaten in charge at Chelsea who face the 2003/2004 winners Porto.
The winner of that game will be up against Real Madrid or Liverpool in the April 27/April 28 and May 4/May 5 semi-finals.
Real Madrid and Liverpool not only contested the 2017/2018 final but also that from 1980/1981 which Liverpool won 1-0, and Real Madrid won both of their group stage matches in 2014/2015.
Juergen Klopp’s Reds must effectively lift the trophy again this term if they want to be in the elite event again in 2021/2022, given their poor domestic form.
Manchester City are in full control in the English Premier League and a search of four titles overall, with a first-ever UEFA Champions League success a priority.
The two sides met in the 2012/2013 group stage, drawing 1-1 at the Etihad and Borussia Dortmund winning the home game 1-0 en route to the final.
But Guardiola has never lost against German opposition, winning 11 and drawing two matches.(dpa/NAN)