The European Champions League has thrown up a repeat of last year’s final as Italian giants Juventus must face 2017 champions Real Madrid.
Last year’s final ended in a humiliating 4-1 defeat for Juventus as veteran Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to give the Spanish team their 12thvictory in the premier club soccer tournament.
This year’s mouth-watering tie in the quarter finals of the competition looks a different prospect.
Juventus showed their credentials to come from behind to defeat Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 over two legs in the last round, with players showing their desire to win after throwing in their hand in the second half of last year’s final.
Real Madrid have suffered some defeats on a rocky road in this year’s competition – notably to Tottenham.
Bookies’ favourite Manchester City will face Liverpool in an all British quarter final.
Free scoring tie
The game threatens to become a classic as both teams play fast-flowing, free-scoring football.
City have scored 85 times in 30 games, while Liverpool have netted 68 goals from the same number of matches this season.
Home and away matches are played on April 3,4, 10 and 11.
“We take what we’ve got, let’s go,” said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain added: “It’s going to be a great couple of games.”
City lead the English Premier League by 16 points and should wrap up the title within a game or two, with a six-point decider against second place Manchester United looming. Liverpool are in fourth position, 21 points behind City.
Political tensions
Elsewhere, Spanish side Sevilla play Bayern Munich and Spanish La Liga leaders Barcelona must beat Italian side Roma to progress.
In the Europa League quarter finals, Arsenal must travel to CSKA Moscow, Lazio face Red Bull, RB Leipzig play Marseille and Sporting Lisbon line up against Atletico Madrid.
The two-legged ties are played on April 5 and 12.
With political tensions between Britain and Russia are riding high following the attempted murder of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in the cathedral city of Salisbury.
The British embassy in Moscow says no harassment of Brits in the city has been reported, but fans should take care.
>