Pro Sports

Champions League final rematches come to quarterfinals

Posted March 19, 2021 7:00 am

By GRAHAM DUNBAR

FILE - In this file photo dated Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020, Bayern's goalkeeper Manuel Neuer lifts the trophy after the Champions League final soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, Portugal. The 2021 Champions League quarterfinals will feature rematches from two of the past three finals, with defending champion Bayern Munich drawn on Friday March 19, 2021, to face Paris Saint-Germain. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, FILE) The Associated Press

Kylian MbappÃ© will again meet Robert Lewandowski in the Champions League. Sergio Ramos and Mohamed Salah will also face each other once more.

The quarterfinal draw on Friday offered rematches from two of the past three finals, reuniting a pair of soccer's best scorers and the protagonists of an infamous injury incident.

Defending champion Bayern Munich and Lewandowski, the FIFA player of the year, were drawn to face Paris Saint-Germain, the team it beat 1-0 in the final last August. The first leg is in Munich on April 7.

Although Bayern kept MbappÃ© quiet that night in Lisbon, the France striker's four goals in the round of 16 eliminated Barcelona and Lionel Messi.

'œIf you want to win the Champions League, you have to beat teams like Bayern Munich,'ť PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino said.

Real Madrid and Ramos will play Liverpool, the team it beat 3-1 in the 2018 final to win a record-extending 13th European title. Liverpool won the title in 2019.

Ramos was involved in a tussle with Salah in the first half in Kyiv three years ago when the Liverpool forward's left shoulder was damaged in a fall.

Liverpool, which beat Madrid in the 1981 final, will travel to Spain for the first leg on April 6.

Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane noted how both teams have had tough spells this season.

'œWe were on the brink of elimination, and yet here we are, alive,'ť said Zidane, recalling his team's tricky group stage.

Also, Manchester City was paired with Borussia Dortmund, putting the best defense in this season's competition against the top scorer, Erling Haaland.

City has kept clean sheets in seven straight games and has only conceded one goal - in the 14th-minute of its opening group game against Porto. Haaland, a 20-year-old forward from Norway, has scored 10 goals in the Champions League this season and is widely seen as a future transfer target for City.

Porto will face Chelsea, but it is unclear if neutral venues will be needed because of travel restrictions between Portugal and England amid the pandemic.

In the Europa League, Benfica played Arsenal in Italy and then Greece. Other travel issues in England forced Liverpool and Man City to play 'œhome'ť Champions League games in Hungary this month.

'œWe will play where they tell us,'ť Zidane said.

The Champions League quarterfinal lineup is the first without either Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo since 2005. No Italian team is involved for the first time since 2016.

The draw includes six previous champions who have a combined 29 titles in the 65-year history of the European Cup and Champions League. Man City and PSG are chasing a first title.

Liverpool and Dortmund, who are sixth and fifth in their leagues, respectively, currently need to win the Champions League to qualify for the next one.

UEFA also made the pairings for the semifinals on Friday. The winner of Bayern-PSG will go on to have the first leg at home against either Man City or Dortmund. Madrid or Liverpool will host Porto or Chelsea first.

The semifinals will be played on April 27 and 28, and May 4 and 5. The final is scheduled for May 29 at the AtatÃ¼rk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul.

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FILE - In this file photo dated Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020, Bayern's goalkeeper Manuel Neuer saves a shot by PSG's Kylian Mbappe during the Champions League final soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, Portugal. The 2021 Champions League quarterfinals will feature rematches from two of the past three finals, with defending champion Bayern Munich drawn on Friday March 19, 2021, to face Paris Saint-Germain. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, FILE) The Associated Press

Bayern's Robert Lewandowski celebrates after scoring from a penalty kick during the Champions League, round of 16, second leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Lazio at the soccer Arena stadium in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, March 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) The Associated Press

Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos celebrates scoring his side's 2nd goal during the Champions League, round of 16, second leg soccer match between Atalanta and Real Madrid at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) The Associated Press

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah in action during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Liverpool and RB Leipzig at the Puskas Arena stadium in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, March 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Laszlo Balogh) The Associated Press

Dortmund's Erling Haaland gestures during the Champions League, round of 16, second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla FC in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, March 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool) The Associated Press

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Manchester City and Borussia Moenchengladbach at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Laszlo Balogh) The Associated Press

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