Champions League quarterfinals: Analyzing the draw for each team

The Champions League quarterfinal draw has been set and the path to Madrid mapped out. Here’s how the draw shakes out for each team.

The eight teams remaining in the Champions League learned on Friday who they’d face in the quarterfinals when UEFA conducted its draw in its Swiss headquarters of Nyon.

The result was a series of intriguing matchups like the all-English clash between Tottenham and Manchester City and Barcelona taking on Manchester United.

The draw also placed the teams in an NCAA basketball-style bracket, meaning that clubs can trace their path to the final, which will be played on June 1 in Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano.

The quarterfinals will be played on April 9-10 and April 16-17. The semifinals kick off on April 30 and May 1 and May 7-8.

With the draw set, here’s a look at the eight teams remaining in the competition and how the draw affects them.

Juventus

The Italian champions grabbed headlines this week after Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat trick flipped a 2-0 first-leg defeat against Atletico Madrid to keep its Champions League hopes alive. While the team has dominated Serie A, Europe’s premier trophy has been elusive in recent years. Ronaldo’s arrival this past summer from Real Madrid could be that missing piece this team needed all along.

Ronaldo’s career-defining performance aside, the team’s veteran stars, defenders Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, have the experience to get this team far. Expect the Bianconeri duo to put in a strong performance against a plucky Ajax side in the quarterfinals in a bid to finally land the trophy after losing in the final in both 2015 and ’17.

Ajax

The Dutch club has put together a young, entertaining lineup and they’ve proven to be this season’s Cinderella team after eliminating defending champion Real Madrid. The team’s budding stars, like Frenkie De Jong and Matthijs de Ligt, may take this team deep before moving on to other clubs this summer.

Ajax has come a long way to get this far. They are the only team left in the tournament that started in the qualifying rounds back in July.

Liverpool

The Premier League club are one of three English teams left in this tournament. While Jurgen Klopp’s side remains a contender for the Premier League crown, Liverpool could very well want to favor the continental championship this spring after finishing runners up last year.

There are some things working against them. While they do have a favorable draw against Porto, it is worth noting that only two English teams (Liverpool in 2005 and Manchester United in 2008) have lifted the Champions League trophy this century. By comparison, Spanish teams have won the tournament 10 times.

Porto

Along with Ajax, the famed Portuguese club remains the biggest darkhorse remaining in the Champions League. Coached by former Portuguese star Sergio Conceicao, Porto is looking to go beyond the quarterfinals for the first time since 2004. That was the same year a young manager named Jose Mourinho led the team to its second European title.

Porto have an interesting mix of young and experienced players, including Real Madrid veteran goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

Manchester City

Like Juve, Pep Guardiola’s side isn’t so much interested in domestic success, but continental glory. This is a team loaded with talent and one that has its best chance at winning the Champions League since its Qatari owners purchased the club in 2008.

No longer Champions League novices, City has reached the quarterfinals for the third time in four seasons. While the team avoided city rivals United in the draw, it did land Spurs, a club they know very well.

Tottenham

Possibly the weakest of the English teams left in the competition, Spurs are in the Champions League quarterfinals for only the second time in their history. Headlined by England striker Harry Kane and Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen, Tottenham are one of the most-entertaining sides in Europe.

Expect this team to give it their all against City, and maybe even pull off an upset in what has been one of the most unpredictable tournaments in years.

Manchester United

From one English team to another, United have had a turnaround in fortunes this season after sacking Mourinho and replacing him with the team’s former superstar Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The team has the pieces to go far in midfielder Paul Pogba, who is coming off a wonderful World Cup where he helped France win the World Cup, but faces Barcelona in one of the most unfavorable draws of the round. An upset isn’t impossible here, but it will take United another amazing game like the one that overturned its 2-0 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16.

Barcelona

With Real Madrid out of the tournament, the Catalan giants are the odds-on favorites to win the whole thing.

Lionel Messi remains one of the best players on the planet and the Champions League can again be the place where the Argentine can showcase his amazing skills. At the same time, Barcelona have their sights on the treble. The Blaugrana currently have the lead in La Liga and recently defeated Real Madrid to reach the Copa del Rey final.