Champions League Quarterfinals: Matches to Watch, Schedule and Storylines

The UEFA Champions League is down to the final eight teams, as they prepare to compete this week on their journey to the final in Munich on May 31.

Real Madrid versus Arsenal stands out as a major quarterfinal clash, although every pairing offers its own interesting angles. The current Champions League title holders, Real Madrid, are still in contention for three major trophies, just like Barcelona. Barcelona will be playing against Borussia Dortmund, who were in the Champions League final last season. Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan are also aiming for a treble, but they face different challenges. PSG, a team with young and exciting players, will compete against Aston Villa, who are having a remarkable season, returning to the Champions League after forty years. Inter Milan will face Bayern Munich, a team looking to prove their championship quality after inconsistent performances in European games.

The two-game series starts on Tuesday and continues until April 16. Teams will advance to the next round based on their combined scores from both matches. If needed, the second games will include extra time and penalty shootouts to decide the winner.

Here’s what you should know before the next set of crucial Champions League matches.

How to Watch

For complete Champions League coverage this week, refer to various sports networks. Check local listings for specific channels and streaming options.

Quarterfinal TV Schedule

Quarterfinal Storylines

1. Real Madrid and Arsenal Face Off in a Season of Ups and Downs

Each week in the Champions League brings up the same question about Real Madrid: Which version of the team will we see? This season has been inconsistent for the reigning champions, especially in the league stage where they suffered three defeats. However, their form has improved recently, with wins against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid leading them to the quarterfinals. This suggests that Carlo Ancelotti`s team might be reaching their peak form at the crucial moment, but their upcoming match against Arsenal will really test this idea.

Real Madrid has not managed to keep a clean sheet in their last eight games and most of their recent matches have been decided by a single goal, except for one draw. They have shown defensive weaknesses and have often relied on their strong attack to compensate, although this strategy hasn`t always been successful – as seen in their 2-1 loss to Valencia where Vinicius Junior missed a penalty. Despite these inconsistencies, Real Madrid has a unique ability to get through challenging situations, making them still a strong contender to win the Champions League.

While Real Madrid`s journey to the quarterfinals has been tough, Arsenal has had a smoother path, finishing high in their league group and easily defeating PSV in the round of 16. The match against Real Madrid will be the first major test for Arsenal`s ambitions to win the title. However, Arsenal may not be at their strongest for these matches. Although Bukayo Saka is back, Gabriel and Jurien Timber are injured and will miss the quarterfinals. This raises questions about Arsenal`s ability to truly challenge Real Madrid, especially as they aim to reach the Champions League semifinals for the first time in about twenty years.

2. PSG and Aston Villa Compete for a Semifinal Spot

It might have seemed unlikely at first for Paris Saint-Germain or Aston Villa to be considered potential semifinalists in this competition, but both teams have worked hard to get close to a spot in the final four. Now, they must compete against each other, making their quarterfinal match one of the most interesting ones.

PSG played better than Liverpool in the round of 16 and have become known as one of the most exciting teams in Europe. They are showing that Luis Enrique`s vision for the team after Kylian Mbappe’s departure is heading in a positive direction. Aston Villa might seem like an easier opponent than Liverpool, but Unai Emery`s team has improved since adding Marcus Rashford and Marco Ascensio in the winter transfer window. We can expect a very competitive matchup between these two teams, especially with the added storylines – Emery and Ascensio will be playing against their former (or parent) club. Also, Emery was the coach of PSG when Enrique`s Barcelona team achieved the famous “La Remontada” in 2017, overcoming a 4-0 first-leg deficit to win.

3. Inter and Bayern Seek to Prove Their Strength

The game between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich feels like a classic Champions League encounter between two of the most successful clubs in the competition. This match could show which of these teams truly lives up to their prestigious reputation.

Inter has been very consistent this season, including in the Champions League, where they secured a top spot in their group and comfortably won their round of 16 match against Feyenoord. It can be argued that the current Inter team has the quality and ambition expected from such a famous club, especially considering they reached the final just two years ago. The pressure is on Bayern Munich to show their worth – despite easily defeating Bayer Leverkusen in the previous round and leading the Bundesliga, their Champions League campaign has been inconsistent. This match will be a perfect test for Vincent Kompany`s team to demonstrate how serious they are, or to what extent they still need to improve after last year`s disappointments.