11:07 am
Giorgio Marchetti on stage
We are getting closer to the moment when the balls are drawn.
Hamit Altintop is the special guest assisting the draw. This year the final of the Champions League is in Istanbul.
11:02 am
The Champions League draw is now underway
Well, at least the compilation of the quarterfinalists’ best moments has begun.
10:58 am
Man Utd’s possible Europa League opponents recalled
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Roma
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juventus
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bayer leverkusen
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Sporting CP
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Seville
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feyenoord
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Union St. Gillois
United are strong favorites for the competition following Arsenal’s elimination. Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen will evoke memories of the 1999 and 2002 Champions League semi-finals, while a reunion with Jose Mourinho and Roma would be delicious. Sevilla beat Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s United in the Europa semis three years ago, in that very strange summer lockdown knockout competition in Germany.
10:51 am
OK, when we say ‘all set’
There will be the usual prelude as the club representatives are chosen before the balls are drawn out. Remember that there is no longer any restriction on draws at this level. Teams that have played each other before in the groups and teams from the same country may be drawn together. The 2003 semi-final was an epic Milan derby and although the potential of today’s squad is nowhere near as stellar, it will be a great couple of nights at the San Siro if we get another Madonina.
10:42 am
they’re all set in nyon
Looks like Patrick Kluivert is drawing.
It needs no excuse to show it:
10:01 am
luck of the draw
Good morning and welcome to live coverage of the quarter-final draws for the Champions League (11am GMT), Europa League (12pm GMT) and, if you’ve got the stamina, the Conference League (1pm) live and straight from Nyon,’ ‘And dear old Pedro Pinto of European football’ from ‘The House’. In all the three tournaments, the semi-final draw will take place immediately after the quarter-final matches have been allocated.
There are eight teams left in each competition and each is only two steps away from Istanbul… or Budapest… or Prague. In the Champions League we have 14-time champions Real Madrid, seven-time champions Milan, six-time champions Bayern Munich, three-time champions Inter, two-time champions Benfica and Chelsea, as well as our two light blue virgins Manchester City and It’s Napoli. It is the first time in 17 years that three Serie A sides have gone past it, but despite the great history and pedigree of the Milan giants, Napoli provides a stern test not only of the trio but also of the draw. The prospect of a trip to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona will make not only the fans of their opponents, but the teams cry as well.
There are some mouth-watering possibilities as it’s a free draw – City could play Chelsea in a re-run in the 2021 final, we could have a Milan derby, Chelsea could repeat 2012 taking on Bayern Munich. Pep may face Real, Benfica vs Milan will remind us of the curse of Béla Gutmann… the possibilities are endless
In the Europa League, Manchester United, Juventus, Feyenoord and, you can knock me down with a wing, Sevilla qualified from Thursday’s opening kick-off. (Shall we start a petition demanding that they win it for the seventh time in 17 years to be renamed UEFA Sevilla League?) Joining them from the late kick-off are Bayer Leverkusen, Roma, Union There are Saint-Gillois and Sporting. , A reunion with Jose Mourinho for United would be delicious, or Sevilla vs Anyone is always worth watching.
Fiorentina, Gent, Lech Poznan and Basel put themselves in the hat for Thursday evening’s Conference League quarter-final draw, where they are joined by AZ, Nice, Anderlecht and West Ham United three hours later.
Stay tuned to find out their fate.
