UEFA Champions League – Quarterfinals Preview

What once started with 82 sides from 53 different nations has wound down substantially. The UEFA Champions League has been whittled down to just eight sides. Next week, the quarterfinals get underway and there are some well-known powerhouses left in the field.

The winner automatically qualifies for the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League and the 2026 FIFA International Cup Final. In addition, the victor earns a slot in the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup stage and gets to square off with the winner of the 2025-26 UEFA Europa League in the UEFA Super Cup.

Knowing what’s at stake, let’s take a look at the quarterfinal matchups. The first leg of each quarterfinal takes place Tuesday April 7 and Wednesday, April 8. Meanwhile, the return leg will take place on the home pitch of the side that was the visitor in the opening leg April 14 and 15.

Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich

Real Madrid was 5-3-0 in the league phase, leaving them seeded ninth in the field. In the knockout phase of the playoffs, they dropped 24th-seeded Benfica, a team that beat them in the final fixture of the league phase. Real Madrid prevailed 1-0 in the opening leg and 2-1 in the second leg to win by an aggregate of 3-1. In the round of 16, Real Madrid dispatched eighth-seeded Manchester City, winning the first leg 3-0 and the second 2-1 to advance by a 5-1 aggregate.

Bayern Munich was 7-1-0 in the league phase.  That earned them the second seed and they earned a bye to the round of 16. As it turned out, they had an easy time with 15th-seeded Atalanta, cruising to a 6-1 win in the first leg. They followed with a 4-1 triumph in the second leg to win by a massive 10-2 aggregate.

Real Madrid owns a 13-11-4 advantage in the head-to-head matchups in Champions League play. That includes a 4-3 aggregate win in the most recent clash, which came in the semifinals of the 2023-24 Champions League.

Sporting CP vs. Arsenal

Sporting CP went 5-2-1 in the league phase and earned the seventh seed. That earned them a pass through the knockout phase of the playoffs and into the field of 16. In that round, Sporting CP faced 23rd-seeded Bodø/Glimt and immediately ran into trouble. They were beaten 3-0 in the first leg, leaving them in an unenviable position.

In the second leg, Sporting CP was up 3-0 at the end of regulation, sending the game to extra time. Maximiliano Araújo scored in the 92nd minute to give Sporting CP a 4-3 aggregate lead before Rafael Nel sealed it. That gave Sporting CP a 5-0 win in the second leg and a 5-3 aggregate victory.

Arsenal obliterated opponents in the league phase, rolling to a perfect 8-0-0 mark. They outscored the opposition by a 23-4 margin and earned the top seed. In the round of 16, Arsenal dispatched 16th-seeded Bayern Leverkusen to advance. They were held to a 1-1 draw in the opening leg before winning the second leg 2-0 to advance by a 3-1 aggregate.

All-time, the teams have faced off just once in Champions League play. Arsenal rolled to a 5-1 win on Match Day 5 in the 2024/25 Champions League.

Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid

Barcelona went 5-2-1 in the league phase and earned the fifth seed based on goal differential. That earned them a bye through the knockout phase of the playoffs and into the field of 16. Barcelona squared off with 12th-seeded Newcastle United in the round of 16. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Barcelona was relentless offensively in the second leg. They rolled to a 7-2 win to advance to the quarterfinals by an 8-3 aggregate.

Atlético Madrid may be the surprise in this stage of things. After a 4-3-1 run in the league phase, Atleti was seeded 14th in the field of 16 thanks to a +2 goal differential. Atlético Madrid stunned fourth-seeded Tottenham Hotspur in a high-scoring round. They picked up a 5-2 win in the opening leg and, despite falling 3-2 in the second leg, punched their ticket to the quarters. Atleti advanced based on a 7-5 advantage in the aggregate.

Atleti owns a 2-1-1 advantage in the four meetings between the sides in Champions League play. That includes a 2-1 loss followed by a 2-0 win in the quarterfinals of the 2015/16 Champions League. Atleti advanced on a 3-2 aggregate.

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Liverpool

Paris Saint-Germain was 4-2-2 in the league phase and earned the 11th seed as they had a higher goal total than Newcastle United. In the first round, they beat 21st-seeded Monaco 3-2 in the first leg. The second leg was a 2-2 draw, allowing PSG to advance on a 5-4 aggregate. In the round of 16, Paris Saint-Germain blitzed sixth-seeded Chelsea to advance. They beat Chelsea 5-2 in the first leg and followed up with a 3-0 triumph in the second leg. That sent them to the quarterfinals by an 8-2 aggregate.

Liverpool posted a 6-2-0 mark in league phase, earning the third seed in the field. That gave them a spot in the Round of 16. Liverpool squared off with 20th-seeded Galatasaray and found themselves down 1-0 after the opening leg. They responded with a vengeance, rolling to a 4-0 victory in the second leg to advance by a 4-1 aggregate.

These sides have split four previous meetings in Champions League play. Each team prevailed 1-0 in the most recent matchup, which came in the round of 16 in the 2024/25 Champions League. Paris Saint-Germain ended up advancing with a 4-1 triumph on penalty kicks.