LONDON: Defending champions Real Madrid will face inform Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League Quarter finals.
The Premier League champions Leicester City, who are also making their debut in the quarterfinals, will take on runners up of last season Atletico Madrid.
Madrids arch rivals, Barcelona meet Juventus in repeat of 2014/15 final while the final tie sees Borussia Dortmund play Monaco, who defeated Manchester City on away goals in the last round.
Real Madrid's director of institutional relations, Emilio Butragueno addressing to media disappointingly said he would have hoped to face them later in the competition.
"Bayern are one of the worst opponents we could get, no doubt," Butragueno told beIN Sports. "But [it is disappointing] also for them. We know each other very well, the two teams. We must go into the games knowing how difficult it will be. They have top-class players in every position, with so much experience. It is a great club. We have a very good relationship with them. We would have liked to meet them later in the competition, but the draw is this, and we must take it on."
On the other hand, Leicester manager Craig Shakespeare told BBC, "Facing a team who have reached the final in two of the past three seasons is a massive challenge but it's just the kind of tie you expect in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke was happy to avoid Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich but said they will not take Monaco, the highest scorers in Europe's top five leagues, lightly.
"We wanted to avoid Bayern, and thus the draw is good," Watzke told Sky Deutschland. "But we've seen the games against Manchester City, and their goal difference is at plus 58. Still, we can't complain. Overall, it's a nice draw.
Barcelona vice president Jordi Mestre hopes to avoid the mistakes made against Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16 in order to ensure, and will not take Juventus lightly.
Comments
Comments are closed.