Madrid rivals to meet in Champions League quarterfinals

Holders Real Madrid will play city rivals Atletico Madrid in the European Champions League quarterfinals, a repeat of the 2014 final.

Real won 4-1 after extra-time on that occasion, but only after Sergio Ramos leveled the scores when scoring three minutes into injury time.

However, Atletico have already won four times this season against Real.

The other ties see Paris Saint-Germain, who knocked out Chelsea, host four-time champions Barcelona.

2013 champions Bayern Munich will travel to two-time winners FC Porto, while Juventus will meet AS Monaco in the remaining quarterfinal.

Real and Atletico have met on six occasions this season, with the 10-time European champions failing to win a single game against Diego Simeone’s side.

Atletico have won four and drawn twice, thumping their bitter rivals 4-0 the last time they met.

“Atletico are a competitive side and we have faced each other a lot this season and know each other well,” Emilio Butragueño, director of institutional relations at Real Madrid, told UEFA.com.

“They’re a side who know how to compete, they let in few goals, are good from dead balls and get the best out of each situation.”

PSG and Barca are two sides that are also getting accustomed to playing one another.

They meet for the third time in the tournament this season, having already faced one another in the group stage — with the French side winning 3-2 at home but losing 3-1 in the Camp Nou.

Porto’s clash with five-time champions Bayern is a repeat of the 1987 European Cup final, which the Portuguese side won despite trailing with just over ten minutes left.

“Bayern were one of the least desirable opponents, but nothing is impossible,” former Porto goalkeeper Vitor Baia also told UEFA.com.

“Last time we came across Bayern [in the 1987 European Cup final], we also weren’t favorites, but we won. On a perfect day with a perfect game, anything can happen.”

When Juventus and Monaco last met, their Champions League semifinal clash in 1997-98 produced ten goals, with the Italians winning 6-4 on aggregate.

“Juventus are among the biggest sides. They are the favorites,” Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim told European governing body UEFA, before adding: “We’re lucky to have the second leg at home.”

The open draw, meaning that clubs from the same country could be drawn against each other, took place at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

The quarterfinal ties are to be played on April 14-15 and 21-22, with the final taking place in Berlin on Saturday June 6.

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