The Champions League quarter-final draw is nearly upon us, and with it, the potential to inflict Liverpool with their most intense run of the season.
With a Premier League trip to Man City lying in wait on April 10th, the Reds already know the potential title-decider will fall between the first and second legs. Throw in a potential FA Cup semi-final straight afterwards and Jurgen Klopp ’s squad are left battling the highest of stakes in a do or die period for their quadruple dreams.
Of course, they aren’t alone facing the prospect of intimidating tie after intimidating tie. City are in the same boat, with a title-decider against the Reds along with a potential FA Cup semi-final falling either side of a Champions League quarter-final second leg. It remains possible that the two sides could end up facing off four times in a row between April 5th and April 17th.
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Meanwhile, like Liverpool and Man City, Chelsea are in FA Cup quarter-final action this weekend, setting up their own possibility of facing either club three times in quick-succession if they progress to the Wembley semi-final.
From the five European sides left in the Champions League, none of them are left in domestic cup competition, while only Bayern Munich and Real Madrid currently looking capable of ending the season as national champions. Yet they both boast healthy leads at the top of the Bundesliga and La Liga, sparing them the repeated high-pressure Liverpool and Man City are about to face in the weeks ahead.
With the Champions League the only piece of silverware Atletico Madrid, Villarreal and Benfica can end the season with, they will be able to focus solely on the quarter-finals - a liberty the Reds and Pep Guardiola’s side will not be afforded.
Naturally, all sides would prefer to be in Liverpool and Man City’s shoes as they look to finish the season with a quadruple or treble respectively. Yet it means they are both at a disadvantage compared to their continental counterparts when it comes to the stresses of competing in the Champions League quarter-finals.
As a result, you could argue that City could actually be the draw which would suit the Reds best. At least they would be under the exact same strains and pressure after all.
With that in mind, we take a look at the league standings and upcoming fixtures for this season’s Champions League quarter-finalists to see, with every little advantage counting, which side has the most favoured run when it comes to booking their place in the last four of the continental competition.
Liverpool
With the Champions League quarter-final first legs falling on April 5th and 6th, Liverpool return to action following the March international break by warming up for such a tieby hosting Watford in the lunchtime kick-off on April 2nd .
Then comes that decisive trip to Man City on April 10th , kicking off at 4.30pm, before the Champions League quarter-final second leg on April 12th or April 13th.
Then just two games away from a Champions League final appearance in Paris or out of Europe for another season, Klopp’s side travel to Aston Villa on April 16th in the 5.30pm kick-off. However, if they beat Nottingham Forest to progress in the FA Cup, they will instead take part in the semi-finals on April 16th or April 17th, with Man City, Chelsea, Everton, Crystal Palace, Southampton or Middlesbrough their potential opponents.
Man City
Man City are treated to a traditional Saturday 3pm kick-off when they return to action after the international break, travelling to Burnley on April 2nd before a Champions League quarter-final first leg. With Jurgen Klopp’s side hosting Watford earlier that day, they could find themselves down in second place, temporarily at least, by kick-off as a result.
They then host Liverpool in that potential Premier League title-decider on April 10th , before a Champions League quarter-final second leg. Guardiola’s men are then scheduled to travel to Wolves on April 17th , but, like the Reds, could find themselves in FA Cup semi-final action.
Chelsea
Currently 11 points behind Man City and 10 points behind Liverpool, though boasting a game-in-hand on both, Chelsea’s Premier League title hopes currently look to be over for another year.
As such, they don’t face quite the same stresses as their domestic rivals as they look to defend their Champions League crown, with Thomas Tuchel’s men hosting Brentford in a 3pm kick-off on April 2nd in the build-up to their first Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Another Saturday 3pm kick-off follows the following weekend as they travel to Southampton on April 9th , with a trip to Leeds United falling at midday on April 17th after their Champions League quarter-final second leg. Yet that could be moved to accommodate a potential FA Cup semi-final.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid currently sit 10 points clear at the top of the La Liga table and look set to wrestle back the title from local-rivals Atletico Madrid with 10 games left to play.
They are granted a reasonable build-up to their Champions League quarter-final first leg, with a trip to 10th-placed Celta Vigo taking place at 5.30pm on April 2nd . A home clash with 15th-placed Getafe is then sandwiched between the two European ties on April 10th .
However, it is marginally more intimidating for Carlo Ancelotti’s side after the Champions League quarter-final second leg, with the La Liga giants travelling to second-placed Sevilla on April 17th . Admittedly the La Liga title is currently in their hands with a 10-point advantage, with victory likely to make them becoming champions a formality. However, you never know, a late twist could still unfold.
Atletico Madrid
It’s slightly more nail-biting for Atletico Madrid then their local-rivals, even if they won’t be defending the La Liga title this season. 15 points behind Real Madrid, qualifying for next season’s Champions League is their domestic priority with Diego Simeone’s side currently fourth, behind Barcelona on goal-difference and ahead of Real Betis by two points.
They host 19th-placed Alaves on April 2nd , kicking off at 8pm, before a Champions League quarter-final first leg, then travel to 16th-placed Mallorca on April 10th . Their European second leg awaits before a trip to 12th-placed Espanyol on April 17th . They need the points by hardly the most intimidating fixtures up against a potential heavyweight in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Villarreal
In truth, Villarreal’s best hope of qualifying for the Champions League next season is by winning the competition this year, with them currently seventh in La Liga and six points behind Atletico Madrid.
They travel to bottom-placed Levante on April 2nd in a 3.15pm kick-off, before hosting Athletic Bilbao , who current sit five points behind them in eighth, on April 10th in the days after their Champions League quarter-final first leg. Meanwhile, they will travel to 15th-placed Getafe on April 17th following their quarter-final second leg.
Bayern Munich
Another year, another Bayern Munich Bundesliga win. The Bavarians currently sit four points ahead of Borussia Dortmund at the top of the table, and while the gap isn’t the biggest, it would take a brave man to bet against them ending the season as champions.
They are perhaps the side you want to face least in the Champions League quarter-finals, considering they are one of the favourites for the tournament and appear to have the kindest set of domestic fixtures either side of the first and second legs.
A trip to fifth-placed Freiburg awaits on April 2nd , with a home clash with 14th-placed Augsburg sandwiched between the afroemented European ties on April 9th . They then travel to 15th-placed Arminia on April 17th , with all three domestic games currently scheduled to kick off at 2.30pm.
Benfica
Benfica perhaps have the toughest domestic fixtures when it comes to the five European sides, as they look to qualify for next season’s Champions League. Currently sitting third in the table, in the last qualifying spot for Europe’s elite competition, they travel to fourth-placed Braga, who currently sit 12 points behind them, on April 3rd.
After a quarter-final first leg, they host bottom-placed Belenenses on April 10th, with a local derby away at Sporting Lisbon falling on April 16th after the second leg. With their fierce rivals currently occupying second place and sitting six points ahead of Benfica in the table, it is a game they will be more desperate than ever to win.
