The draws for the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League will be streamed live on UEFA.com from 12 noon CET on Friday 19 March.
Quarter-final draw
DORTMUND (GER)
UEFA ranking: 12
Best European Cup result: winners (1997)
Last season: round of 16 (L vs Paris)
This season
Record: W5 D2 L1 F17 A9
Top scorer: Erling Haaland (10)
Round of 16: 5-4 v Sevilla
Group F: winners
Key player
Dortmund’s hopes of an extended UEFA Champions League run appear to be linked to Erling Haaland – and who can blame them? With an incredible transport of 20 goals in 14 games, Haaland is eager to take the lead at the European top table. Is there something stopping him?
Who is in charge?
Edin Terzić is the new man in the hot seat after taking over in December as interim coach until the end of the season. A former BVB youth coach and Jürgen Klopp analyst, the 38-year-old was an assistant to former boss Lucien Favre, whose reign ended after a 5-1 home loss to Stuttgart.
Why they can earn it
In a recent interview with UEFA.com, Haaland said: “call us the underdogs”. This is a role in which BVB thrived when they won the title in 1997 and again when they reached the final in 2013. Fully adapted and pulling all cylinders, Haaland, Sancho and Co. can give the best in Europe real problems.
James Thorogood, journalist from Dortmund
Liverpool (ENGLISH)
UEFA ranking: 10
Best European Cup result: winners x6 (1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005, 2019)
Last season: round of 16 (L vs Atlético)
This season
Registration: W6 D1 L1 F14 A3
Top scorer: Mohamed Salah (5)
Round of 16: 4-0 vs Leipzig
Group D: winners
Key player
Mohamed Salah may have suffered a dip lately, but Liverpool have yet to lose a UEFA Champions League game when the Egyptian scored (S18 D2). The Reds’ other quarterfinals are hopeful Salah doesn’t touch a rich vein of form.
Who is in charge?
Jürgen Klopp led Dortmund to successive Bundesliga titles and a UEFA Champions League final before guiding the Reds to a sixth European Cup in 2019. His Liverpool stock grew further after winning a debut title of high level since 1990.
Why they can earn it
As Georginio Wijnaldum said: The UEFA Champions League could ‘save’ what has been a turbulent campaign for Klopp and his players. There’s no sugaring off about the Reds’ alarming league form, but it would be foolish to rule out a side that were the envy of Europe not so long ago.
Matthew Howarth, Liverpool journalist
Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
UEFA ranking: 7
Best European Cup result: finalists (2020)
Last season: final (L vs Bayern)
This season
Record: W5 D1 L2 F17 A7
Top scorers: Neymar, Kylian Mbappé (6)
Round of 16: 5-2 vs Barcelona
Group H: winners
Key player
It’s hard to choose between the two, especially after Neymar’s vital group stage goals, but Kylian Mbappé’s hat-trick at Barcelona looked like a defining performance. The French striker had been an effortless year in the UEFA Champions League until Matchday 6, but his pace, power and hunger – in Neymar’s absence – simply swept Barca away. In this kind of condition, it can devastate any defense.
Who is in charge?
Mauricio Pochettino ended his 13-month hiatus as coach by taking the reins from Paris in January. The 49-year-old Argentinian reached the UEFA Champions League final with Tottenham in 2019, but left before the end of the calendar year – the same fate as former Paris boss Thomas Tuchel in 2020.
Why they can earn it
Paris seemed to have seen through the psychological chains that held them back last season, and their magnificent display at Camp Nou confirmed that they are a confident and mature team under pressure. Add in superstar talents Mbappé and Neymar, midfielder elegance from Marco Verratti, solid central defense and their best keeper in years, and the club’s first European title is a realistic target.
Chris Burke, Parisian reporter
PORTO (POR)
UEFA ranking: 15
Best European Cup result: winners x2 (1987, 2004)
Last season: did not qualify
This season
Record: W5 D1 L2 F14 A7
Top scorer: Sérgio Oliveira (5)
Round of 16: 4-4 vs Juventus (won on away goals)
Group C: finalists
Key player
In a team of hard workers, Jesús Corona is currently Porto’s most influential player. He gives balance to the midfield when he needs to defend himself, while providing an attacking quality, making a difference in head-to-head situations and on crosses. In their best season for Porto, Corona, on the right side, showed this game-changing ability – whether it was with an assist, a decisive tackle in their own zone or a wonderful goal.
Who is in charge?
Three-time Portuguese elite winner in two periods of play with Porto, former Portuguese winger Sérgio Conceição has led the club to two more championships since returning from Nantes in 2017.
Why they can earn it
Like when they triumphed 17 years ago, Porto are clearly an underdog. They were the last team outside the big five European leagues to win this trophy and they have proven that term how competitive they can be at this level. They are defensively consistent, have the soul and passion of an inspiring coach, and can be clinical from the start. Barring injuries to key players, they can compete with anyone.
Carlos Machado, Porto reporter
The draws for the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League will be streamed live on UEFA.com from 12 noon CET on Friday 19 March.
Quarter-final draw
DORTMUND (GER)
UEFA ranking: 12
Best European Cup result: winners (1997)
Last season: round of 16 (L vs Paris)
This season
Record: W5 D2 L1 F17 A9
Top scorer: Erling Haaland (10)
Round of 16: 5-4 v Sevilla
Group F: winners
Key player
Dortmund’s hopes of an extended UEFA Champions League run appear to be linked to Erling Haaland – and who can blame them? With an incredible transport of 20 goals in 14 games, Haaland is eager to take the lead at the European top table. Is there something stopping him?
Who is in charge?
Edin Terzić is the new man in the hot seat after taking over in December as interim coach until the end of the season. A former BVB youth coach and Jürgen Klopp analyst, the 38-year-old was an assistant to former boss Lucien Favre, whose reign ended after a 5-1 home loss to Stuttgart.
Why they can earn it
In a recent interview with UEFA.com, Haaland said: “call us the underdogs”. This is a role in which BVB thrived when they won the title in 1997 and again when they reached the final in 2013. Fully adapted and pulling all cylinders, Haaland, Sancho and Co. can give the best in Europe real problems.
James Thorogood, journalist from Dortmund
Liverpool (ENGLISH)
UEFA ranking: 10
Best European Cup result: winners x6 (1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005, 2019)
Last season: round of 16 (L vs Atlético)
This season
Registration: W6 D1 L1 F14 A3
Top scorer: Mohamed Salah (5)
Round of 16: 4-0 vs Leipzig
Group D: winners
Key player
Mohamed Salah may have suffered a dip lately, but Liverpool have yet to lose a UEFA Champions League game when the Egyptian scored (S18 D2). The Reds’ other quarterfinals are hopeful Salah doesn’t touch a rich vein of form.
Who is in charge?
Jürgen Klopp led Dortmund to successive Bundesliga titles and a UEFA Champions League final before guiding the Reds to a sixth European Cup in 2019. His Liverpool stock grew further after winning a debut title of high level since 1990.
Why they can earn it
As Georginio Wijnaldum said: The UEFA Champions League could ‘save’ what has been a turbulent campaign for Klopp and his players. There’s no sugaring off about the Reds’ alarming league form, but it would be foolish to rule out a side that were the envy of Europe not so long ago.
Matthew Howarth, Liverpool journalist
Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
UEFA ranking: 7
Best European Cup result: finalists (2020)
Last season: final (L vs Bayern)
This season
Record: W5 D1 L2 F17 A7
Top scorers: Neymar, Kylian Mbappé (6)
Round of 16: 5-2 vs Barcelona
Group H: winners
Key player
It’s hard to choose between the two, especially after Neymar’s vital group stage goals, but Kylian Mbappé’s hat-trick at Barcelona looked like a defining performance. The French striker had been an effortless year in the UEFA Champions League until Matchday 6, but his pace, power and hunger – in Neymar’s absence – simply swept Barca away. In this kind of condition, it can devastate any defense.
Who is in charge?
Mauricio Pochettino ended his 13-month hiatus as coach by taking the reins from Paris in January. The 49-year-old Argentinian reached the UEFA Champions League final with Tottenham in 2019, but left before the end of the calendar year – the same fate as former Paris boss Thomas Tuchel in 2020.
Why they can earn it
Paris seemed to have seen through the psychological chains that held them back last season, and their magnificent display at Camp Nou confirmed that they are a confident and mature team under pressure. Add in superstar talents Mbappé and Neymar, midfielder elegance from Marco Verratti, solid central defense and their best keeper in years, and the club’s first European title is a realistic target.
Chris Burke, Parisian reporter
PORTO (POR)
UEFA ranking: 15
Best European Cup result: winners x2 (1987, 2004)
Last season: did not qualify
This season
Record: W5 D1 L2 F14 A7
Top scorer: Sérgio Oliveira (5)
Round of 16: 4-4 vs Juventus (won on away goals)
Group C: finalists
Key player
In a team of hard workers, Jesús Corona is currently Porto’s most influential player. He gives balance to the midfield when he needs to defend himself, while providing an attacking quality, making a difference in head-to-head situations and on crosses. In their best season for Porto, Corona, on the right side, showed this game-changing ability – whether it was with an assist, a decisive tackle in their own zone or a wonderful goal.
Who is in charge?
Three-time Portuguese elite winner in two periods of play with Porto, former Portuguese winger Sérgio Conceição has led the club to two more championships since returning from Nantes in 2017.
Why they can earn it
Like when they triumphed 17 years ago, Porto are clearly an underdog. They were the last team outside the big five European leagues to win this trophy and they have proven that term how competitive they can be at this level. They are defensively consistent, have the soul and passion of an inspiring coach, and can be clinical from the start. Barring injuries to key players, they can compete with anyone.
Carlos Machado, Porto reporter
