MATCHDAY: Benfica-Liverpool, City-AtlÃ©ti in Champions League

Posted April 04, 2022 7:00 am

By The Associated Press

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah attends a training session ahead of Tuesday's Champions League, first-leg, quarterfinal soccer match against Benfica, at the AXA Training Centre, Liverpool, Monday April 4, 2022. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP) The Associated Press

A look at what's happening in the Champions League on Tuesday:

BENFICA vs. LIVERPOOL

Liverpool will continue its quest for a quadruple of major trophies when it visits Benfica, considered one of the easiest teams in the draw for the last eight. Jurgen Klopp will have a full squad available for the first time since he took charge of the team in 2015. Right back Trent Alexander-Arnold was rested against Watford on Saturday in the Premier League after injury but is expected to return. Benfica is considered an underdog but has already finished ahead of Barcelona in the group stage and won in the last 16 against Ajax, another team with a free-flowing attack like Liverpool's. Benfica coach NÃ©lson VerÃssimo also is expected to have all his players available for the first leg at the EstÃ¡dio da Luz, including Morocco international Adel Taarabt, who had been out injured. Benfica had been unbeaten in nine straight matches in all competitions before losing at Braga in the Portuguese league on Friday.

MANCHESTER CITY vs. ATLÃ‰TICO MADRID

It's the first competitive match between two teams who are looking to win the Champions League for the first time. Both have reached the final, with AtlÃ©ti losing to Real Madrid in 2014 and '~16 and City beaten by Chelsea last year. City is heading into a crunch period of the season with the two legs against AtlÃ©tico coming either side of a Premier League title showdown with Liverpool on Sunday. First-choice center back Ruben Dias is unlikely to play in any of those games as he recovers from a hamstring injury while right back Kyle Walker completes a three-match European suspension. AtlÃ©tico is back in Manchester having beaten United 1-0 away last month to advance from the last 16. That's one of the six games the Spanish champions have won in a row - their longest winning streak since February 2018. The winner over two legs will face Chelsea or Real Madrid in the semifinals.

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Atletico Madrid's head coach Diego Simeone watches the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Alaves at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, April 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) The Associated Press

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola, center, hugs Raheem Sterling during the Premier League soccer match between Burnley and Manchester City at Turf Moor, in Burnley, England, Saturday, April 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira) The Associated Press

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