After Friday’s draw for the latter stages of the Champions League, which will be played out in Lisbon in August following a long suspension because of the coronavirus, Barcelona and Bayern Munich will meet in a Champions League quarter-final if both sides make it through.
Barca and Bayern, who have each won five European Cups, are hoping to be among the eight teams who will head to the Portuguese capital for a ‘Final Eight’.
Bayern, who won their eighth straight German Bundesliga title last month, already have one foot in the quarter-finals having won 3-0 away to Chelsea in the first leg, while Barcelona have more work to do after a 1-1 draw with Napoli in the first leg.
Meanwhile, if Manchester City can finish the job in their last-16 tie against record 13-time European champions Real Madrid, Pep Guardiola’s team will go on to a quarter-final against either Juventus or Lyon.
City won 2-1 in Madrid in the first leg in March and are well placed to advance to the mini-tournament in Lisbon. This year could be Pep’s last chance to win the coveted trophy in sky blue, as they are due to be banned from the Champions League for the next two seasons for breaches of Financial Fair Play rules.
Elsewhere, Juventus must overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg against Lyon to make it to Lisbon.
The winners will advance to the Final Eight, which will be held as a unique straight knockout tournament in Lisbon due to the difficulties caused by the coronavirus.
The draw threw up the possibility of an El Classico semi-final, with Barcelona and Madrid on a collision course to meet in the last four should both make it that far.
All games are set to be played without spectators after UEFA confirmed on Thursday that “matches should take place behind closed doors until further notice” because of the uncertain health situation around Europe.
The competition’s final round was initially supposed to be played in Istanbul in late May before the Covid-19 crisis took hold. The Turkish city will now host the 2021 final instead.
The ‘Final Eight’ in Lisbon
Quarter-Finals
Wednesday, August 12 – Atalanta (ITA) v Paris Saint-Germain (FRA); Estadio da Luz (19:00 GMT)
Thursday, August 13 – RB Leipzig (GER) v Atletico Madrid (ESP); Estadio Jose Alvalade (19:00 GMT)
Friday, August 14 -Barcelona (ESP) or Napoli (ITA) v Bayern Munich (GER) or Chelsea (ENG); Estadio da Luz (19:00 GMT)
Saturday, August 15 – Real Madrid (ESP) or Manchester City (ENG) v Juventus (ITA) or Lyon (FRA); Estadio Jose Alvalade (19:00 GMT)
Semi-Finals
Tuesday, August 18 – RB Leipzig or Atletico Madrid v Atalanta or Paris Saint-Germain; Estadio da Luz (19:00 GMT)
Wednesday, August 19 – Real Madrid/Man City/Juventus/Lyon v Barcelona/Napoli/Bayern Munich/Chelsea; Estadio Jose Alvalade (19:00 GMT)
