Holders Real Madrid will have to overcome city rivals Atletico in the Champions League quarterfinals, in a repeat of last year’s final, while Barcelona face familiar opponents in Paris Saint-Germain after the draw made Friday in Nyon.
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Portuguese giants Porto host Bayern Munich of Germany in the first leg of their last eight matchup while Italian champions Juventus welcome the Monaco side who knocked out English side Arsenal in midweek.
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Sergio Ramos equalised in the dying minutes in Lisbon last year to send the final to extra-time before Real prevailed 4-1 over Diego Simeone’s Atletico for their 10th European crown.
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Real’s legendary striker and current director of institutional relations at the club Emilio Butragueno thinks the tie is finely poised.
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“Atletico are a competitive side and we have faced each other a lot this season and know each other well,” said the Spaniard in reference to the six matches the two clubs have played with Real yet to register a victory since last year’s final.
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“The Champions League is a different competition altogether. You never know if it’s an advantage playing the second leg at home,” said Butragueno.
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“We have to be at our best because we know exactly the difficulties that we’re going to face. We need to be right on it if we want to go through.”
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Atletico are the Spanish champions and currently third in La Liga with Real seven points above them in second and Barcelona top of the league and one point above Carlo Ancelotti’s glamour side led by Cristiano Ronaldo.
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“Football doesn’t have a memory. It would be a big error to think about the recent results we have had against Real Madrid,” warned Atletico director Clemente Villaverde.
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