Madrid will be out for revenge against City; Arsenal meets Bayern
Real Madrid vs. Manchester City. The alltime kings of Europe take on the current holders in the standout tie of the Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday.
For the third year running Madrid and City meet in a matchup in which the winner has gone on to lift the trophy in the past two seasons.
And it would be difficult to look beyond either team going on to continue that streak this time around.
City is still in contention for backtoback trebles after winning the Premier League title, Champions League and FA Cup last year. Madrid, reinvigorated by the signing of Jude Bellingham, is aiming for a recordextending 15th European Cup title.
It also has a point to prove after being routed 40 by City in the second leg of last year’s semifinals.
Then it was City who had a score to settle, having suffered a late collapse at the Bernabeu to crash out in the semifinals in 2022.
Pep Guardiola will likely know how motivated Madrid will be to exact revenge — just as his players were last year — and that adds a subplot to a tie that is heavy on intrigue.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, Premier League titlechasing Arsenal takes on a Bayern Munich team that is limping towards the end of a miserable campaign in the German league.
Bayern Coach Thomas Tuchel wants to end a “frustrating” season, and his tenure, on a high with a trip to Wembley for the Champions League final. But its preparation for Arsenal could hardly have been worse after its latest defeat, this time to Heidenheim on Saturday after leading 20.
The mood at Arsenal is very different with Mikel Arteta’s team looking better equipped to last the course in the race for the title this year after a late collapse last season.
The Champions League run feels like an unexpected bonus, but victory against Bayern will strengthen belief that a trophy double could be on.