Feature

Could there be an all-English Champions League semi-final?

13 Mar 2025
Arsenal and Villa

See the confirmed quarter-final ties and the route to the final for Arsenal and Aston Villa, who could meet in the last four

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Arsenal will face 15-time UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of this season's competition, while Aston Villa will play Paris Saint-Germain. 

If both English teams win we will have an all-English Champions League semi-final, but for that to happen Arsenal need to knock out the most successful team in the competition's history, while Villa must progress past the side who just knocked out Liverpool, who finished top of the league phase.

What happened in the last 16?

Arsenal knocked out Dutch side PSV Eindhoven 9-3 on aggregate. The Gunners drew the second leg 2-2 on Wednesday after a 7-1 win in the first leg, allowing them to rest a number of key players at the Emirates Stadium last night. 

Aston Villa progressed past Club Brugge, beating them 6-1 on aggregate. It makes Villa the ninth English club to reach a Champions League quarter-final - the most of any nation in the competition's history. They join Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Leeds United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Leicester City as the teams to reach the last eight of the Champions League.

Liverpool were the sole Premier League team to be knocked out of the last 16, going out on penalties to PSG after the tie ended 1-1 on aggregate after extra-time at Anfield on Tuesday. Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones had penalties saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma, allowing Desire Doue to send the French team through. 

Elsewhere, Real Madrid also went through on penalties, against local rivals Atletico Madrid, while Borussia Dortmund edged past Lille and a Harry Kane-inspired Bayern Munich beat fellow Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen 5-0 on aggregate.

What are the quarter-finals?

Arsenal v Real Madrid
First leg Tuesday 8 April, 20:00 BST, Emirates Stadium
Second leg Wednesday 16 April, 20:00 BST, Bernabeu

Bayern Munich v Internazionale
First leg Tuesday 8 April, 20:00 BST, Allianz Arena
Second leg Wednesday 16 April, 20:00 BST, San Siro

PSG v Aston Villa
First leg
Wednesday 9 April, 20:00 BST, Parc des Princes
Second leg Tuesday 15 April, 20:00 BST, Villa Park

Barcelona v Borussia Dortmund
First leg Wednesday 9 April, 20:00 BST, Nou Camp
Second leg Tuesday 15 April, 20:00 BST, Signal Iduna Park

The Champions League quarter-final first legs fall between Matchweeks 31 and 32 in the Premier League. 

PL clubs' matches around quarter-finals
Arsenal Aston Villa
5 Apr v Everton (A) PL 5 Apr v Nott'm Forest (H) PL
8 Apr v Real Madrid (H) UCL 9 Apr v PSG (A) UCL
12 Apr v Brentford (H) PL 12 Apr v Southampton (A) PL
16 Apr v Real Madrid (A) UCL 15 Apr v PSG (H) UCL
20 Apr v Ipswich (A) PL 19 Apr v Newcastle (H) PL
What could the semi-finals and final be?

With the bracket already set, we can plot each team's route to the final. 

If Arsenal and Aston Villa beat Real Madrid and PSG respectively, it would set up an all-English semi-final and guarantee a Premier League team in the final, where they would face one of Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich or Internazionale. 

There is also the chance of an all-German semi-final on the other side of the draw to where the Premier League clubs sit. For that to happen Bayern need to beat Inter and Dortmund must beat Barcelona. 

There could be the first "El Clasico" final in Champions League history, given Real Madrid and Barcelona are on opposite sides of the draw. 

When are where is the final?

The final will take place at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena on Saturday 31 May. 

What about Europa and Conference League?

Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea play the second legs of their last-16 ties on Thursday 13 March. Read more about those matches here

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