UCL DRAWS: Guardiola Returns To Bayern, Chelsea Face Madrid As Two Italian Teams Go Head To Head
Written By Jacobs Dunga
The eight teams have been paired against each other for the quarter finals of the Champions League.
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The draws have been made for the quarter final pairings of the Champions League.
Holders Real Madrid will square up against Chelsea whom they beat at the same stage en route to lifting the trophy.
Pep Guardiola will be making a return to Bayern Munich for the first time since he departed the club in 2016.
He’ll lead his Manchester City team against his former employers as he bids to win his first UCL trophy since leavening Barcelona in 2012.
Inter Milan have been paired against Portuguese high flyers SL Benfica with the first leg taking place in Lisbon.
The Nerazzurri had already beaten a Portuguese team in this year’s tournament after seeing off Porto in the previous round.
An all Italian matchup will see AC Milan go up against Serie A table toppers Napoli as both teams bid to reach the last four.
Napoli came off a 5-0 aggregate victory over Eintracht Frankfurt while Milan saw off Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 on aggregate.
Meanwhile…
There are some interesting facts to be known as these teams begin preparations for the quarter finals in April. Statistics are as per Opta.
“Inter are unbeaten in their three matches against Benfica in European competitions (W2, D1). Their last meeting was back on the Last 16 stage of the 2003/04 UEFA Cup, when the Nerazzurri, following a 0-0 draw in the first leg, won 4-3 at the Meazza.”
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“Napoli will face an Italian opponent in a European competition for the second time after 1988/89 season, when they progressed against Juventus in the Quarter Final stage of the UEFA Cup.”
“AC Milan have lost only one of their nine meetings against Italian sides in European competitions (0-2 v Parma in the second leg of the 1993 European Supercup) – 5 wins (one after the penalty shoot-out in the 2003 UCL Final v Juventus) and 3 draws.”
“This will be Pep Guardiola’s first meeting with Bayern Munich since leaving the club. His only managerial games against them came in the 2008-09 Champions League quarter-finals, knocking them out with Barcelona en route to lifting the trophy.”
“Chelsea have only lost one of their seven games against Real Madrid in European competition – indeed, they have the lowest percentage of losses against Real Madrid (14%) of any side to have played them 5+ times in Europe.”
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