Champions League draw LIVE: Arsenal and Manchester City set to learn their fate – with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich all potential quarter-final rivals

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Follow Mail Sport’s live blog for the quarter and semi-final draw of the 2023-24 Champions League. Arsenal, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich will all learn their quarter-final opponents this morning. 

How they got here

I may as well do a run through of how each team got to where they are in terms of their last 16 results.

The great thing about knockout football is that anything can happen, it really can.

We saw it in the last round and when you have eight elite teams left it’s hard to predict.

Anyway, here’s a recap of the second legs. I’ll even hyperlink each one. You are so welcome.

MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 13: Atletico Madrid players Rodrigo Riquelme, Saul Niguez, Cesar Azpilicueta  Jan Oblak and Mario Hermoso celebrate victory after the penalty shoot out during the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 round of 16 second leg match between Atlético Madrid and FC Internazionale at Civitas Metropolitano Stadium on March 13, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images) (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
Soccer Football - Champions League - Round of 16 - Second Leg - Real Madrid v RB Leipzig - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - March 6, 2024 Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti with RB Leipzig coach Marco Rose after the match REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura

What do the odds say?

Can anyone make a solid case for Man City not winning the Treble again this season…?

They are favourties to win the Champions League once again, ahead of fellow Premier League side Arsenal!

Real Madrid follow, and then Bayern Munich, who I think will need to go some if they are to help Harry Kane win his first trophy.

Check out the odds from our friends at Paddy Power below.

  • Man City – 6/4
  • Arsenal – 4/1
  • Real Madrid – 9/2
  • Bayern Munich – 6/1
  • PSG – 11/1
  • Barcelona – 14/1
  • Atletico Madrid – 19/1
  • Dortmund – 25/1
(FILES) Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan holds aloft the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, on June 10, 2023. Manchester City won the match 1-0. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

We have simulated the draw to see what the teams remaining could end up with today. A lot of make believe before the action gets underway at 11, apparently.

I personally would not be opposed to this being the real thing. My mouth is watering.

Check out our simulated draw below.

How the rest of the league could be affected

I’ve been scanning for some predicted tables for some hypothesising and Football Web Pages have come up with the following. I’m not sure how, but it’s fun to think of potential scenarios.

In this case, Aston Villa would be the beneficiaries of the extra place, qualifying for the Champions League in fifth. Newcastle and Brighton would get Europa League spots, while Chelsea – I know – would finish in the Conference League.

Good news for the likes of Tottenham

Detailed in the article below is how a number of teams from England could play in Europe next season. It’s up to 11 – but, relax, that would involve Man City or Arsenal finishing outside the top eight which is simply not going to happen.

Nine, though is a possibility. It would likely need England to earn the extra place and West Ham win the Europa League.

All in all, this is good news for the likes of Tottenham, Aston Villa, Manchester United, etc. Spurs being helped out by Arsenal and West Ham is quite funny.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - MARCH 10: Tottenham Hotspur Head Coach Ange Postecoglou celebrates after the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur at Villa Park on March 10, 2024 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images) (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

On the topic of the new format, more places means more teams and England have moved ahead of Germany in the bid to secure the extra spot next season.

That’s mainly in thanks to West Ham thrashing Freiburg in the Champions League last night. It means England have five teams left in Europe compared to Germany’s three, and the two countries are almost equal when it comes to the coefficient points.

It’s very confusing, I can’t lie to you. I’ve been back and forth with my editor all day. So check out the full breakdown of what’s going on on that front below.

As weird as it may sound, today is actually the final ever Champions League draw. Sort of.

From next year, the competition format is changing, and the draw will be done somewhat automatically due to time constraints surrounding the new format.

UEFA have said the precise format for the draw is still in the final development phase but that it would be a ‘hybrid’ event involving some manual drawing of balls and some automation.

The teams involved

There are of course eight teams remaining in the competition after the last 16 ties concluded this week.

  • Arsenal
  • Atletico Madrid
  • Barcelona
  • Bayern Munich
  • Borussia Dortmund
  • Manchster City
  • PSG
  • Real Madrid

Anyone can play anyone now, so it’s anyone’s game. Some absolutely gigantic ties are sure to be made.

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 12: The Arsenal players (L-R) Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Ben White, Eddie Nketiah, Declan Rice, William Saliba, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Magalhaes and Kai Havertz react to winning the penalty shoot out during the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 round of 16 second leg match between Arsenal FC and FC Porto at Emirates Stadium on March 12, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Manchester City - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - March 10, 2024 Manchester City players huddle before the match REUTERS/Carl Recine NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR 'LIVE' SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 45 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS.

Hello!

Good morning one and all and welcome to Mail Sport’s coverage of today’s Champions League draw.

We will have the last eight and last four draws for you, with the ceremony expected to get underway at around 11am UK time in Nyon, Switzerland.

We’ll have all the build-up to then right here as the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City prepare to learn their fate.

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Group Stage Draw - Grimaldi Forum, Monaco - August 31, 2023 The Champions League trophy is pictured before the draw REUTERS/Massimo Pinca/File Photo
Key Updates

  • The teams involved



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