Kane blow, Mbappe given Real Madrid opportunity – Winners and losers of Champions League draw

The Champions League 2023-24 quarterfinal draw is out and it’s more than delivered in terms of quality.

Now just eight clubs remain in contention for the Champions League trophy at Wembley in June. With each game that’s been seeded, there is no clear favourite – but of course, there are still plenty of winners and losers from it.

The Champions League last-16 draw

Arsenal vs Bayern Munich

Real Madrid vs Manchester City

Atletico Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund

Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona

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Winner – Liverpool

It would’ve been heart-breaking for Liverpool to miss out on the competition this season, especially given how sharp they are looking this campaign.

They can at least rest in the knowledge that their Premier League rivals have been handed some of the hardest possible fixtures.

The Reds are no stranger to the competition, having made the final three times during Jurgen Klopp’s reign, but for Man City to earn their second Champions League trophy and for Arsenal to earn their first, it’s going to take some doing. The draw means that if Arsenal and Man City do progress to the semi-finals, they will be bound to play each other, too.

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Winner – Xavi

Xavi is set to leave Barcelona at the end of the season, with results not going his way during his second year in charge. But a draw to Paris Saint-Germain is one of the better outcomes.

Quarter-finals confirmed ✅#UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/s7PpLFP0Bn

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 15, 2024

The Ligue 1 champions struggled in their group stage group, with a 4-1 loss to Newcastle being a particular nadir. Achieving progression to the knockout stages was not plain sailing by any measure and Xavi must be looking at this as a winnable fixture.

Loser – Harry Kane

Harry Kane joined Bayern Munich in a club-record deal over the summer from Tottenham. It was a move that was to enable him to win a major trophy during his playing career.

He’s having a great season with the Bundesliga club but it’s looking more and more unlikely that they will achieve any league triumph. Meanwhile, their Champions League draw is against the Premier League leaders – Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. A win over a Spurs legend is going to be extra motivation for the Gunners, no question.

Winner – Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe won’t be staying with PSG for another season. He is very likely to depart the club when his contract ends in the summer and join Real Madrid.

And what better way to win over the Los Blancos fans than to slay Barcelona in the Champions League? PSG are a volatile side in this European competition but Barcelona have looked equally jaded in this term. Either way, it’s added impetus for the Frenchman.

Loser – Pep Guardiola

The reigning champions may have to beat the best team in Spain and the best team in England (as per the tables, at least) to land a chance of retaining their trophy in the final.

It’s a tall order for the Spaniard, who is also gunning for another Premier League title. But if he does manage to pull off this feat, it would certainly cement his name as the greatest coach who ever lived.