2022 Champions League quarter final draw: Are there restrictions or is it a pure draw?

Last summer, UEFA decided to modify the competition rules for the knockout stage onwards in all of their European club tournaments - the most significant being the change to the old away goals rule.

But there were no changes regarding how teams are drawn - the same procedure applies for the draw after the Round of 16 stage has been concluded. The restrictions which impeded certain clubs from facing each other during the earlier rounds of the competition will be lifted for the final two knockout phases - Friday’s 2021/22 Champions League quarter final draw will be a pure draw, meaning that any of the remaining clubs could face each other - regardless of seeding, whether they are from the same member association or if they have met during the group stage earlier in the tournament.

Teams from the same country can now play each other

Thsi year, there are three English clubs (Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea) and three Spanish clubs (Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Villarreal) in the last eight. Until now, teams from the same country could not face each other but that is not the case from the quarter finals onwards. It means that there is a chance that there could be a Madrid derby or a clash between the top two teams in the Premier League (Man City and Liverpool) in the next round.

The draw for both the quarter finals and semi-finals of the 2021/22 Champions League quarter-final takes place at 12:00 hours CET on Friday 18 March at UEFA’s headquarters, the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland. A draw will be made to determine which team will be classified as the home team in the final - i.e. the team which will be able to wear their usual home strip rather than their second ‘away’ strip. The first team to be drawn from the pot in each pairing will play the first leg of the tie at their own stadium, and the return leg away from home against the second team drawn.

2021/22 Champions League quarter finalists

Bayern Munich

Liverpool

Real Madrid

Manchester City

Benfica

Chelsea

Atlético Madrid

Villarreal

The 2021/22 Champions League dates

Quarter finals

First leg: Tuesday 5 / Wednesday 6 April

Second leg: Tuesday 12 / Wednesday 13 April

Semi-finals

First leg: Tuesday 26 / Wednesday 27 April

Second leg: Tuesday 3 / Wednesday 4 May

Final

Saturday 28 May. Stade de France, Paris, France.