Chelsea-Madrid, Man City-Bayern to meet in Champions League soccer QFs
Bayern #Bayern
Star striker Karim Benzema (L) and Real Madrid will face Chelsea in April in the 2023 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. Photo by Rodrigo Jimenez/EPA-EFE
March 17 (UPI) — Real Madrid will battle Chelsea and Manchester City will face Bayern Munich as part of the 2023 Champions League quarterfinals, UEFA officials announced through a draw Friday in Nyon, Switzerland.
Italian Serie A club Inter Milan also will take on Benficia, of Portugal’s Primeira Liga, in another two-leg quarterfinal at the annual European soccer tournament. Serie A leader Napoli will face league rival AC Milan.
“They’re really tough opponents,” Real Madrid director of institutional relations Emilio Butragueno said, according to the team website, when asked about Chelsea.
“We’re in for two really exciting games and we know how hard they will be. We’re hugely excited about this [matchup]. Making the quarterfinals, having knocked out Liverpool, is reason to be satisfied. We’re going to prepare as well as we possibly can and see if we can make the semifinals.”
The first legs of the quarterfinals will be April 11 and 12. Second-leg games will be held April 18 and 19. The games will air on CBS platforms.
The winner of the Real Madrid-Chelsea matchup will meet Manchester City or Bayern Munich in the semifinals. AC Milan or Napoli will face Benfica or Inter Milan in the other semifinal.
“Bayern are one of the candidates with us and you can see what they have done, they beat one of the other contenders in Paris Saint-Germain,” Manchester City director of football Txiki Begiristain said, according to ManCity.com.
“They are a very strong team, very solid. It’s going to be very difficult, but also I guess we’ll also be difficult for them.”
Semifinal first-leg matches will be held May 9 and 10. Second-leg semifinals will be held May 16 and 17.
The 2023 Champions League final will be held June 10 at Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. Real Madrid won the 2022 title. The Spanish La Liga power owns a record 14 Champions League crowns.