The 2022/23 UEFA Champions League quarter-final and semi-final draws have been made at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
Holders Manchester City and 14-time European champions Real Madrid meet for the third season running in the latter stages of the competition. Pep Guardiola’s men eased to a 5-1 aggregate win last term in the semis, exacting a measure of revenge for their dramatic defeat at the same stage 12 month earlier.
There’s also a rematch of perhaps the most famous Champions League comeback of them all, La Remontada, seven years on from Barcelona’s astonishing recovery after losing 4-0 in Paris. Bayern take on Arsenal having won the last three meetings between the pair 5-1, while Axel Witsel will line up against his former employers when Atlético de Madrid take on Dortmund.
How did the draws work?
Eight balls containing the names of the quarter-finalists were placed in a large central bowl and shuffled. The first and second balls drawn determined the first quarter-final pairing, with the first ball drawn representing the home team for the first leg. The procedure was repeated with the remaining balls in the bowl to complete the quarter-final pairings. No teams were seeded and there was no country protection.
For the semi-final draw, four balls containing slips of paper marked ‘Winners of quarter-final 1’ to ‘Winners of quarter-final 4’ were placed in a large central bowl and shuffled. The first and second balls drawn determined the first semi-final pairing, with the first ball drawn representing the home team for the first leg. The procedure was repeated with the remaining balls in the bowl to complete the semi-final pairings.
Was there also a draw for the final?
Yes, for administrative purposes. The winners of semi-final 1 (Atlético / Dortmund vs Paris / Barcelona) will be the ‘home’ side for the Champions League final.
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