Champions League draw throws up mouthwatering clashes
Manchester City will face Lyon or Juventus in the Champions League quarter-finals if they overcome Real Madrid as Pep Guardiola’s men drew a tough-looking path to the final.
Play has been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic, but action in the competition will return next month with the remaining last-16 ties and a final eight mini-tournament in Portugal.
The route to the Estadio da Luz final on 23 August was set out at an empty auditorium in Nyon, Switzerland, with City given a difficult road to the Lisbon showpiece.
If Guardiola’s men can progress past Real Madrid in their last-16 second leg at the Etihad Stadium, having won 2-1 at the Bernabeu in February, they will face French side Lyon or perennial Serie A champions Juventus in a one-leg quarter-final.
The semi-final draw was also made and City could face Chelsea, although the chances of an all-English encounter seems extremely unlikely as Frank Lampard’s Blues head to Bayern Munich for their last-16 second leg trailing 3-0.
Guardiola’s former clubs Bayern and Barcelona are more likely potential semi-final opponents, with Napoli the other possibility.
The other side of the draw will provide the home team for the final in Lisbon, with RB Leipzig or Atletico Madrid facing Atalanta or Paris St Germain in the other semi-final.
All matches will take place behind closed doors in Lisbon, with Benfica’s Estadio da Luz and Sporting’s Estadio Jose Alvalade providing the venue for the behind-closed-doors ties.
The remaining round-of-16 fixtures will be decided on 7 and 8 August, with the mini-tournament in Portugal kicking off on 12 August.
RTÉ Sport will broadcast the Atlanta-PSG (12 August) and Napoli/Barcelona v Chelsea/Bayern Munich (14 August) ties live.
Key dates
7-8 August: Round of 16 second legs
12-15 August: Quarter-finals (Lisbon)
18-19 August: Semi-finals (Lisbon)
23 August: Final (Stadium of Light, Lisbon)
