sport news ULTIMATE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Quarter-Final GUIDE: Your rundown of ALL the ... trends now
Arsenal and Manchester City await their Champions League quarter-final faith as a blockbluster draw is scheduled to take place this Friday as the journey to Wembley is coming to the end.
Pep Guadriola's Man city side will be the team to avoid as the reigning Champions humiliated FC Copenhagen 6-2 on aggregate in the last-16 stage. Last year's treble winners are strong favourites to lift the trophy once more, having gone unbeaten in the competition so far.
The only other remianing English side Arsenal, just about managed to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit agaisnt Portuguese side Porto after winning the second leg on penalties to advance to the quarter-final stage.
Jude Bellingham's Real Madrid side and Europe's top scorer Harry Kane's Bayern Munich are also still in the run-in for Europe's biggest club competition.
Here, Mail Sport has the lowdown on each of the sides involved in the draw, which will begin at 11am UK time, and details their key players and danger ratings.
Manchester City are strong favourites to retain their Champions League crown
Pep Guardiola's City side rather impressively ended their European Cup drought last season against a formidable Inter Milan side who challenged the English side till the very end.
In the end the club from Manchester finally acclaimed European glory thanks to a Rodri second half winner.
Last year's victory which saw City lift the Champions League trophy for the first time in the clubs history and solidified their treble bid is a year most players can only dream of recreacting.
However, this season City have already shown huge ambition and drive to retain their Champions League title. City are strong contenders to re-lift the trophy as their previous outings in this year's competiton have been nothing but breathtaking.
They are yet to lose a game in this years competition and have scored no fewer than three goals in all of their games so far.
ONE TO WATCH - ERLING HAALAND
Who else is there to mark as City's danger man but their top scorer in all compettions so far this season, Erling Haaland.
Even on his worst days, the ruthless striker is still a threat in front of any goal. He has been in fine from in this year's competiton, netting six times so far, which ties him with Mbappe, Griezman and Kane at the top for the tournaments golden boot.
DANGER RATING - 5/5
Haaland has been in fine from in this year's Champions League, netting six times so far
Arsenal have been a joy to watch all season starting from when Arteta's side announced their return back to the Champions League with a dominant 4-0 win against PSV in their opening group game.
The side domestically speaking are looking unstoppable at the minute, winning their last eight games, putting over 30 goals past their oppositions goalkeeper.
However they have looked shaky and unconvincing at times in Europe, no more so than in their 1-0 defeat to Porto in the first leg of their last-16 tie.
But saying that they have shown the characteristics of true champions by managing to win and get a result even when they aren't playing their finest football.
ONE TO WATCH -KAI HAVERTZ
After signing for Arsenal from London rivals Chelsea in June of last year for £65million, Havertz failed to make any real headway early on in his career as an Arsenal player, with many sports fans coining him the worst transfer of the window.
However like anything, giving time Havertz has shown his value to the Gunners. The German man has been directly involved in six of arsenal goals in their last four Premier League games.
Havertz seems to be finding his form at the perfect time as Arsenal look to draw a close to the 2023-24 season as champions as they are still in the running to lift both the Champions League and Premier League trophy.
DANGER RATING - 4.5/5
Following his move from Chelsea, Havertz was slow to hit the ground running but after finding his feet earlier this year, he has showed no signs of slowing
Following a disappointing European campaign last season, Ateltico will be looking to prove they can still play with the big dogs in European football.
The Spanish side have an impressive home streak in the competiton which they will certainly look to use to their advantage when they host their quarter-final oponents in the Civitas Metropolitan Stadium.
Atletico started of their European campaign in flying form, earning qualification from their group early on but since then, they have looked unconvincing at times but Simeone's side have shown their resilient and determinded character to get acorss the line thus far.
ONE TO WATCH - ANTOINE GRIEZMANN
Argubably in the form of his life, Griezmann has posed danger for all opponnents Atletico have faced so far this season.
The 32-year-old scored 16
