'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABhAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgcQAAIBBAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECBAADBQYREwcVMgEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwURAAICAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEDAgQAEQUSMVH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/ANa07dtrzyapNsZzIx4pvsJES61mR2p0MwU3OpD9AElualsr5t3eJlJ0dPXFbMm6ikxF5IViKUoTYeiZitkoj4DllXH0bXYurrYRrRMQfRn/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The dates for the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals have been announced. The first legs of the last eight will be played on 11 April and 12 April. The second legs, meanwhile, will be played on 18 and 19 April.
This year's quarter-finals will see Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Benfica, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Manchester City, and Napoli compete for the biggest prize in club football.
All ties will be played at 3 pm ET (7:30 pm UK Time).
Benfica will host Inter Milan at the Estadio da Luz on 11 April in the first leg. Meanwhile, Manchester City will host Bayern Munich at the Etihad Stadium at the same time.
On 12 April, 14-time Champions League winners Real Madrid will host Chelsea at the Santiago Bernabeu in their first-leg clash. AC Milan, meanwhile, will host Napoli at the San Siro.
Napoli will then host the second leg at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on 18 April. Chelsea will host Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge in the second leg at the same time.
Inter Milan will host Benfica at the San Siro and Bayern Munich will welcome Manchester City to the Allianz Arena on 19 April.
The winners of the two-legged tie between Real Madrid vs Chelsea and Manchester City vs Bayern Munich will face each other in the semi-finals. The other two semi-finalists will be decided between the remaining four teams. This year's Champions League final will take place in Istanbul.
Jose Mourinho backs Real Madrid to win the UEFA Champions League
Former Chelsea and Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has backed Los Blancos to win the UEFA Champions League this season. Ahead of the quarter-final draw, the Portuguese manager said (via talkSPORT):
“There is a club that is close to my heart and there is a manager who is my friend. Real Madrid are great and Carlo Ancelotti is great! Hopefully, they will go on in this way to win the final.”
Chelsea and Real Madrid will face off in the UCL for the third time in a row. The Blues won the semi-finals of the 2020-21 season and went on to lift the trophy. Los Blancos then beat Chelsea in the quarter-finals last season and eventually lifted the trophy for a record-extending 14th time.
