Munich: Bayern Munich’s Champions League quarter-final clash against Manchester City next month is a massive challenge for the Bavarians but as contenders they need to eliminate big clubs en route to the title, coach Julian Nagelsmann said on Friday.
Bayern, aiming to become European champions for the seventh time, will face a City side whose Spanish coach Pep Guardiola sat on the Bundesliga club’s bench from 2013-16 following the draw made in Nyon, Switzerland earlier in the day.
Luck of the draw
“We watched the draw together with the coaching staff and I think it is a challenging tie but I think it is good because if you end up winning the title ... no one can accuse you of having the luck of the draw,” Nagelsmann told a news conference.
“Should there be a Champions League title at the end of the season it would be a great triumph,” he said.
Bayern, who came through a group that included Inter Milan and Barcelona, eliminated star-studded Paris St Germain with a 3-0 aggregate win over two legs in the Round of 16 with PSG’s leading striker Kylian Mbappe shut out.
High value
The winners of Bayern’s quarter-final will face either Real Madrid or Chelsea in the semi-finals.
“You have to eliminate these teams if you want to win,” Nagelsmann added. “It was PSG, then it would be Manchester City then maybe Real or Chelsea and then in the final either a Portuguese or Italian team.
“It would be a triumph, which would have a high value, one of great mentality and quality.”
Challenging times
AC Milan face Napoli and Inter take on Benfica in the other two quarterfinals.
“I take a lot of energy and joy. It is challenging but we will prepare for it. We want to advance even further so we have to win the game against City,” Nagelsmann said.
Juventus face Arsenal
Manchester United face record six-time winners Sevilla in the quarterfinals of the Europa League while Juventus will play Arsenal’s conquerors Sporting for a place in the last four.
Roma take on Feyenoord in a repeat of last season’s Europa Conference League final won by the Italians, with Bayer Leverkusen drawn against Union Saint-Gilloise of Belgium.
Potential clash
United, who won the competition in 2017 and lost the final two years, could potentially take on Juventus — and former midfielder Paul Pogba — in the semi-finals.
The English side host Sevilla in the first leg of their tie on April 13, with the return a week later in Spain. United beat Sevilla’s city rivals Real Betis 5-1 on aggregate in the last 16.
Sevilla defeated United 2-1 in a single-leg semi-final in the 2019-20 competition en route to their most recent Europa League title.
