Europa League draw LIVE: Liverpool and West Ham learn quarter-final fate

Jon Obi Mikel reflects on that famous win over Bayern Munich in 2012: “It was the one trophy the owner really wanted us to win, the fans wanted us to win. We had won everything else. For us to finally do it, knowing star players were leaving the club – Drogba, Cech – it was really special.”

Giorgio Marchetti welcomes to the stage... Jon Obi Mikel. The former Chelsea midfielder helped the Blues to their first Champions League crown in 2012.

Uefa deputy general secretary Giorgio Marchetti takes to the stage. “Today we are celebrating the last Champions League draw of the current format ... congratulations to the eight quarter-finalists.”

A reminder of the eight sides who have made it into the quarter-finals of the Champions League – Pedro Pinto calls it a “star-studded line-up” and we can’t disagree with that.

Three teams from Spain, two from Germany, two from England and one from France comprise the final eight, meaning only Italy missed out of the big five leagues (incidentally, three Italian sides are in the Europa League quarter-final draw, which follows this one).

The Champions League quarter-finalists:

• Arsenal
• Atletico Madrid
• Barcelona
• Bayern Munich
• Borussia Dortmund
• Manchester City
• Paris Saint-Germain
• Real Madrid

The draw will kick-off in just a few minutes now. And by “kick-off”, I of course mean that host Pedro Pinto will begin the long and unnecessary premable before the actual draw begins.

That being said, this might be the last ever Champions League draw that isn’t conducted by a super computer once the format changes next season. Drink it in.

If, like me, you miss the away goals rule for the drama it brought late on in knockout ties and the way it coaxed out visiting teams in the away leg, well it doesn’t sound like it’s coming back any time soon.

Here’s Miguel Delaney with the full story:

You might not be surprised to hear that Manchester City are the favourites to win the Champions League and retain their crown. Real Madrid have been installed as second favourites, with Arsenal third ahead of Bayern, PSG and Barcelona.

Man City 7/4

Real Madrid 5/1

Arsenal 4/1

Bayern Munich 6/1

PSG 12//1

Barcelona 16/1

Atletico Madrid 20/1

Borussia Dortmund 25/1

via oddschecker

For the first time in the Champions League this season, it’s an open draw. There are no seeded teams and anyone can play anyone.

The draw will reveal not just the quarter-final fixtures, but the possible semi-final ties as well.

It will be the last time Uefa holds a Champions League draw manually, with the procedure changing to a computerised system when the competition switches formats next season.

Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr has called on Uefa to punish Atletico Madrid fans for alleged racist chanting ahead of their team’s Champions League match against Inter Milan on Wednesday.

A video posted on social media appears to show Atletico fans outside the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid chanting racist abuse targeting the Real Madrid forward.

“I hope you’ve already thought about their punishment Champions League, Uefa,” Vinicius said on social media platform X on Thursday. “It’s a sad reality this happens even at matches I’m not at.”

The Madrid winger has been the target of racist abuse on a number of occasions, sparking a series of local and international campaigns, including the creation of a special Fifa anti-racism committee.

“If the chants took place within the stadium or its precinct, then the disciplinary body will assess reports from the match,” a UEFA spokesperson said in an email to Reuters.

Brazil will play a friendly match against Spain at the Bernabeu on 26 March as part of an anti-racism campaign in support of the Real Madrid forward.

The round dates for the fixtures are as follows:

Quarter-finals: 9/10 and 16/17 April 2024

Semi-finals: 30 April/1 May and 7/8 May 2024

Final: 1 June 2024

Wembley Stadium will host the Champions League final in 2024 for a record eighth time (including European Cup finals). The home of English football was last utilised for the showpiece decider in 2013, when Bayern Munich defeated Borussia Dortmund in an all-German final.