Champions League quarter final draw simulated as Chelsea & Man City given tough ties

Chelsea could get tough opponents on Friday
Chelsea could get tough opponents on Friday / ADRIAN DENNIS/GettyImages
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Friday's Champions League draw will have plenty of viewers as players and fans tune in to see who their teams will face in the quarter finals and potentially the semi finals.

Defending champions Real Madrid remain the team to beat after comfortably seeing off Liverpool in the last 16, though European giants like Manchester City, Chelsea and Bayern Munich remain in contention for most coveted prize on the continent.

There are no restrictions for proceedings on Friday, meaning the eight teams left in the draw can be drawn against any other team.

Ahead of the gathering in Nyon, Switzerland, 90min simulated a run through draw for the quarter finals of the Champions League, and there were some tough ties thrown out for the two remaining English sides.


Real Madrid vs Chelsea

Real Madrid v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League
Teams will be hoping to avoid Real Madrid / Anadolu Agency/GettyImages

So what was Graham Potter's reward for steering Chelsea past Bundesliga title challengers Borussia Dortmund in the last 16? Two dates with current European champions Real Madrid.

The two clubs have been familiar foes in recent seasons, meeting in the knockout stages of the 2020/21 and 2021/22 editions. Chelsea won the first tie in the semi finals before beating Manchester City in the final, while a late comeback from Real last season was enough for them to progress to the last four last term.


Benfica vs AC Milan

Alejandro Grimaldo, Fredrik Aursnes, Goncalo Ramos
Benfica easily saw off Club Brugge / Soccrates Images/GettyImages

Benfica showed they weren't messing around in this year's Champions League with strong performances in a group also containing Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus. They squeezed through in first place, with the reward being a last 16 tie against Club Brugge which they dominated.

AC Milan managed to hold off a poor Tottenham across two legs thanks to Brahim Diaz's strike at San Siro but a major improvement will be needed against the Portuguese outfit, who sit top of the Primeira Liga by eight points.


Napoli vs Inter

Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Kim Min-jae of SSC Napoli celebrate...
It'll take a strong team to beat Napoli this season / Insidefoto/GettyImages

There are three Italian teams left in the Champions League - it's the first time that's happened since 2005/06. Napoli are among the favourites this year thanks to their Serie A title charge but it's the first time they've ever reached the quarter finals of the competition.

If they are drawn against Inter, it'll give Luciano Spalletti's side the chance to avenge one of just two league defeats they've suffered this season.


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Manchester City vs Bayern Munich

Erling Haaland
Haaland could return to Germany / James Gill - Danehouse/GettyImages

Our simulator didn't fancy giving Manchester City an easy tie this time around, though they'd still be favourites to reach the semi finals ahead of Julian Nagelsmann's Bayern Munich.

The Bavarian giants are in the middle of a Bundesliga title tussle with Borussia Dortmund but have shown they can hang with the best of the best in Europe, winning all eight games including clashes with Inter, Barcelona and most recently Paris Saint-Germain.


When are the 2022/23 Champions League quarter finals?

The quarter finals of the 2022/23 Champions League will be played on Tuesday 11, Wednesday 12, Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 April 2023.


When are the 2022/23 Champions League semi finals?

The semi finals of the 2022/23 Champions League will take place on Tuesday 9, Wednesday 10, Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 May 2023.