Champions League quarter-finals: Meet the teams

UEFA.com profiles the eight remaining teams in this season's UEFA Champions League following the quarter-final and semi-final draws.

Real Madrid vs Chelsea (12 & 18 April)

Real Madrid (ESP)

UEFA coefficient ranking: 5
This season: W6 D1 L1 F21 A7
Group F: Winners
Round of 16: W 6-2agg vs Liverpool
Last season: Winners (W 1-0 vs Liverpool)
Best European Cup performance: Winners (1955/56, 1956/57, 1957/58, 1958/59, 1959/60, 1965/66, 1997/98, 1999/2000, 2001/02, 2013/14, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2021/22)

Campaign so far
It has largely been a case of full-steam ahead. Group F was competitive. The goal Federico Valverde scored to open up the home game against Leipzig will live long in the memory – as will the brilliant display of cold ruthlessness in winning 3-0 at Celtic after Karim Benzema had gone off injured. But the five-star football came at Anfield. To give a side of Liverpool's class a two-goal start and then score five times in 46 minutes was wonderfully entertaining and history in the making. Perhaps there's more of that to come.

Why they can go all the way
Because that's what the club exists for. Because this is 'what we do', as everybody – from the groundskeepers to the president via some of the most exciting footballers in the world – would tell you. No club has a more explosive mix of desire, talent, know-how, expectation and 'been here, seen this, done that' than Madrid. Disbelieve them at your peril.

How do Real Madrid play?
There really hasn't been any change of system or idea this season. Valverde often plays 'in' a front three, particularly in matches where Carlo Ancelotti wants extra help for midfield and at right-back. However, the integration of Aurélien Tchouaméni has been pretty spectacular, Eduardo Camavinga's acceleration has really counted and although Benzema hasn't racked up as many matches this term, his partnership with Vinícius Júnior remains world class. Late goals and impact performances off the bench have become signature.

Coach: Carlo Ancelotti
The man who led Madrid to 'La Décima' in 2014 came back for a second spell in charge in summer 2021 and rewrote the history books by becoming the first coach to win the European Cup/UEFA Champions League four times. Cruised to the Liga title last season as well for good measure, making him the first coach to win championships in Italy, England, France, Germany and Spain.

Key player: Vinícius Júnior
Benzema, not to mention Thibaut Courtois, remain crucial. But when a coach of Ancelotti's savoir-faire, experience and judgement declares that in his No20 he possesses "the most decisive player in the world" who could possibly argue against the idea that Vinícius, this wonderful, mercurial Brazilian forward, is Madrid's key player?

Did you know?
Real Madrid became the first side to contest 300 UEFA Champions League matches in the second leg against Liverpool.

Chelsea (ENG)

UEFA coefficient ranking: 3
This season: W5 D1 L2 F12 A5
Group E: Winners
Round of 16: W 2-1agg vs Dortmund
Last season: Quarter-finals (L 4-5agg vs Real Madrid)
Best European Cup performance: Winners (2011/12, 2020/21)

Campaign so far
Barring the first leg of the last-16 tie, where the result was disappointing but the substance of the performance actually contained a lot of good, Chelsea have been at their best in the Champions League. The Blues' second-leg comeback against a Dortmund side that began the night on a ten-match winning run spoke volumes of their resolve on the European stage – no team can better their record of overturning five first-leg deficits in this competition.

Why they can go all the way
The quality throughout Chelsea's squad is undeniable; the question was always whether they could get all this attacking talent to gel, especially with so many new signings in January. The process received a huge boost from the win against Dortmund, which felt like it brought the fans firmly back on side following domestic disappointment. At their best, Chelsea can trouble anyone.

How do Chelsea play?
Former coach Graham Potter built on the foundations of Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea at their best, typically playing with a robust back three and the double No6 pairing in front. Potter may now be gone, but given the quality in the squad, the Blues are a dangerous prospect.

Coach: Frank Lampard
A Chelsea midfield great, and the club's manager from 2019-21, Lampard was appointed as the club's coach until the end of the season on 6 April.

Key player: João Félix
The Portuguese playmaker was signed on loan from Atlético de Madrid in January and is a proven player at this level. He has swiftly settled in his new surroundings and offers flair, dynamism and a threat in front of goal.

Did you know?
Chelsea have won eight of their previous 11 Champions League quarter-final ties.

Man City vs Bayern (11 & 19 April)

Manchester City (ENG)

UEFA coefficient ranking: 1
This season: W5 D3 L0 F22 A3
Group G: Winners
Round of 16: W 8-1agg vs Leipzig
Last season: Semi-finals (L 5-6agg vs Real Madrid)
Best European Cup performance: Runners-up (2020/21)

Campaign so far
City wasted little time in securing their place in the knockout stage for the tenth successive season, but it wasn't all smooth sailing for Pep Guardiola's star-studded ensemble. They needed a spectacular winner from the prolific Erling Haaland to complete the turnaround against Dortmund in September before playing over an hour with ten men in a goalless draw at Copenhagen. After a quiet display in the last-16 first leg, Haaland rediscovered his goalscoring touch in sensational fashion in the return, hitting a record-breaking five goals.

Why they can go all the way
City have one of the game's most astute tacticians, phenomenal strength in depth and one of the best strikers of his generation at their disposal. Why shouldn’t they lift the trophy in Istanbul in June? There are no guarantees in a competition where fine margins so often prove decisive, but Guardiola's team fear no one. With Lady Luck on their side, a maiden Champions League crown could be just around the corner.

How do Man City play?
A 4-3-3 on paper becomes more of a 2-3-5 when City are in possession – which is most of the time. Pinning opponents in their own half with a high defensive line, City circulate the ball with trademark ease until the relentless pressure finally tells. Unlike last season, when Guardiola often operated with a false nine, the Cityzens now have arguably the most prolific focal point in the game to finish off their free-flowing moves.

Coach: Josep Guardiola
One of the most decorated coaches in the game, the 51-year-old won this competition twice with Barcelona but will be desperate to end his 12-year wait for a third triumph. Scooped three league titles apiece at the helm of the Catalan club and Bayern, and made it four Premier League winners' medals with City in 2021/22.

Key player: Kevin De Bruyne
The 31-year-old midfielder passed 300 appearances for City in 2021/22, when he won the Premier League Player of the Season award for the second time. He remains a talismanic figure, contributing a constant supply of chances for the relentless Haaland.

Did you know?
At 22 years 236 days old and after only 25 games, Haaland is both the youngest and the quickest player to reach 30 Champions League goals.

Bayern München (GER)

UEFA coefficient ranking: 2
This season: W8 D0 L0 F21 A2
Group C: Winners
Round of 16: W 3-0agg vs Paris
Last season: Quarter-finals (L 1-2agg vs Villarreal)
Best European Cup performance: Winners (1973/74, 1974/75, 1975/76, 2000/01, 2012/13, 2019/20)

Campaign so far
Six wins from six in the group stage, followed by two victories over a star-studded Paris side in the round of 16. It has been a faultless campaign so far from the Bavarians, in which only one team has managed to breach their defence. Even this was not enough for Julian Nagelsmann to keep his job, however. The 35-year-old was dismissed on 24 March and replaced by 2021-winning coach Thomas Tuchel.

Why they can go all the way
Bayern emerged from arguably the toughest group unscathed and were rewarded with a last-16 clash against one of the pre-tournament favourites, Paris. This test too, they passed with flying colours. With eight wins and seven clean sheets, it has been an almost faultless campaign from the Bavarians. The question therefore isn't why can they win it, but rather who can stop them?

How do Bayern play?
Tuchel's Bayern are something of an unknown quantity, but under Nagelsmann they were tactically adaptable depending on their opponents, player availability and whether they were in or out of possession. The emergence of Jamal Musiala as the talismanic roaming playmaker has been an unexpected delight, but Bayern's strength is in the collective.

Coach: Thomas Tuchel
Thrust into the Bayern hotseat between the round of 16 and quarter-finals, Tuchel arrives with a brief to do as he did at Chelsea in 2020/21 – take over mid-season and win the Champions League.

Key player: Jamal Musiala
Bayern have a new star. The 19-year-old has established himself as one of the first names on Nagelsmann's team sheet this season with performances displaying a maturity beyond his years. A delightful dribbler, a productive playmaker and an efficient goalscorer, "Magic Musiala" has more than a few shades of a young Lionel Messi.

Did you know?
Bayern have reached the Champions League quarter-finals for a record 21st time.

Benfica vs Inter (11 & 19 April)

Benfica (POR)

UEFA coefficient ranking: 18
This season: W6 D2 L0 F25 A8
Round of 16: W 7-1agg vs Club Brugge
Group H: Winners
Last season: Quarter-finals (L 4-6agg vs Liverpool)
Best European Cup performance: Winners (1960/61, 1961/62)

Campaign so far
Having started the season in the third qualifying round, Roger Schmidt's Benfica were not overawed by Paris and Juventus in the group stage, holding the French champions twice, recording two wins against the Bianconeri and defeating Maccabi Haifa twice to win the section. Club Brugge were a surprise package in the group stage but were unable to offer much resistance in the round of 16, and the Eagles will feel they can be a match for anyone in the last quarter-finals.

Why they can go all the way
Reaching the last eight in successive seasons is a significant achievement for a team from outside Europe's to five leagues. However, if Benfica hit their ceiling in the quarter-finals last time, this season they have a more balanced squad and even without world champion Enzo Fernández (who joined Chelsea in the winter) they look sharp, patient and clinical. The pressure is off, and in a campaign where none of the biggest sides look invincible, this could be Benfica's time.

How do Benfica play?
Schmidt's side play a German gegenpress with a heavy Portuguese accent. Lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, they press from the off, with attacking full-backs and wingers who overload midfield supporting the gifted Rafa Silva and hard-working Gonçalo Ramos. Winter signing Gonçalo Guedes gives more options up front, while Alejandro Grimaldo's free-kicks and assists have been key features. They mix youth and experience at the back, with octopus-like Florentino's long limbs helping to snuff out opposition threats. Add in David Neres's invention and you have the recipe for something special.

Coach: Roger Schmidt
Having made his name at Salzburg, the former midfielder coached Leverkusen in his native Germany and more recently was in charge of PSV Eindhoven, his side winning the 2021/22 Dutch Cup. He landed in Lisbon in the summer, at an Eagles side without a trophy in three years, and has been a huge success.

Key player: Rafa Silva
A special character: quiet and capable of conjuring something from nothing. Schmidt has managed to harness the 29-year-old's powers to make the most of his capacity to run with the ball and create panic in any defence. He weighs in with goals and also contributes defensively, working hard in the press.

Did you know?
Before every Benfica home match, the club flies its bald eagle mascot (Águia Vitória), decked out in red and white ribbons, around their stadium.

Inter (ITA)

UEFA coefficient ranking: 10
This season: W4 D2 L2 F11 A7
Group C: Runners-up
Round of 16: W 1-0agg vs Porto
Last season: Round of 16 (L 1-2agg vs Liverpool)
Best European Cup performance: Winners (1963/64, 1964/65, 2009/10)

Campaign so far
While Inter have struggled for consistency in Serie A (eight defeats), the Nerazzurri have constantly played well in the Champions League. They managed to qualify from a strong group also including Bayern and Barcelona and now have reached the quarter-finals after eliminating a dangerous side in Porto with two solid performances and two clean sheets built on some great saves by goalkeeper André Onana.

Why they can go all the way
Because this Inter side seemed designed to produce their best in big games. Just watch their results in all competitions in 2023. The Nerazzurri have lost against Empoli, Bologna and Spezia in Serie A but have beaten Napoli, Milan (twice) and now Porto. And from now until the final in Istanbul on 10 June the remaining games will only be of two kinds: big or huge.

How do Inter play?
The system is a 3-5-2, where wing-backs are required to cover the entire flank. Unsurprisingly, Inzaghi often replaces them both during games with Matteo Darmian and Robin Gosens good alternative options to Denzel Dumfries and Federico Dimarco. One of the three midfielders is a deep-lying playmaker: Hakan Çalhanoğlu is now preferred to Marcelo Brozović for this role. The two other midfielders, Nicolò Barella and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, lead the pressing and support the attackers. Romelu Lukaku is still short of his best condition but Inter fans and Inzaghi hope he will soon return to form the lethal 'Lu-La' partnership with Lautaro Martínez.

Coach: Simone Inzaghi
A Serie A and three-time Coppa Italia winner as a player with Lazio, the 46-year-old also brought a domestic cup to Rome during his five seasons in charge. Took over from Antonio Conte in 2021, winning the domestic Super Cup and Coppa Italia in his first campaign at the helm.

Key player: Lautaro Martínez
Nicknamed 'The Bull', Martínez ended the 2021/22 campaign with 25 goals in 49 appearances across all competitions – his best haul since arriving in Milan from Racing Club in 2018. Formed a prolific partnership with Lukaku, who returned from Chelsea but did not play much in the first half of the season due to injury.

Did you know?
Inter had not reached the quarter-finals since 2011, the season after their third triumph in the competition.

Milan vs Napoli (12 & 18 April)

Milan (ITA)

UEFA coefficient ranking: 35
This season: W4 D2 L2 F13 A7
Group E: Runners-up
Round of 16: W 1-0agg vs Tottenham
Last season: Group stage (fourth place)
Best European Cup performance: Winners (1962/63, 1968/69, 1988/89, 1989/90, 1993/94, 2002/03, 2006/07)

Campaign so far
Milan struggled to cope with Chelsea in the group stage but comfortably secured second spot and a place in the round of 16, picking up wins at San Siro and on the road. The Rossoneri then made the most of the home crowd to win the first leg against Tottenham, before showing off their defensive mettle in north London to finish the job.

Why they can go all the way
Milan are a fluid, attacking side. They are very flexible and can adapt to opponents, meaning they play to their own strengths but also to their opponents' weaknesses. On their day, Stefano Pioli's men are a test for anybody.

How do Milan play?
A flexible side with an attacking mentality, Milan can build from deep and hit on the break. Their basic systems are 4-2-3-1 or 3-4-2-1, with attacking full-backs, dynamic midfielders and three or four attacking players. Rafael Leão and Theo Hernández combine brilliantly on the left, while defensively the Rossoneri have quick centre-backs and press high to help get the ball forward.

Coach: Stefano Pioli
The former defender has won over doubters at Milan with his calm and relaxed approach since taking over in 2019. Led the Rossoneri into the Champions League after a seven-year absence in 2020/21 and flirted with the Scudetto before steering the club to their first domestic title since 2011 last term.

Key player: Theo Hernández
The France international has developed into an impressive all-round player: solid at the back, fluid going forward, laying on assists, scoring goals and generally creating havoc. He can operate down the left flank or through the middle, and fully embodies the captain's leadership and spirit.

Did you know?
Milan finished bottom of their Champions League section last season, the first time they had propped up a group since 2000.

Napoli (ITA)

UEFA coefficient ranking: 20
This season: W7 D0 L1 F25 A6
Group A: Winners
Round of 16: W 5-0agg vs Eintracht Frankfurt
Last season: Europa League knockout round play-offs
Best European Cup performance: Round of 16 (2011/12, 2016/17, 2019/20, 2022/23)

Campaign so far
It has been an almost perfect route to the quarter-finals, Napoli dispatching Liverpool, Ajax and Rangers in their group and easing past Frankfurt in the round of 16. All this while playing some of the most entertaining football in Europe.

Why they can go all the way
Man City boss Pep Guardiola is not the only person to suggest that Napoli may be the best team in Europe this season. Rapidly closing on the Serie A title, they will also be able to focus almost entirely on their Champions League campaign in the coming weeks.

How do Napoli play?
The basic system is a 4-3-3 but, depending on how Piotr Zieliński functions on the pitch, it can become a 4-2-3-1. Defensively, the two wingers drop deep to help at the back in a 4-5-1. However, in the words of Luciano Spalletti himself, "Football is not about systems any more but about using the spaces left by opponents." Napoli can use their wingers to hit quickly on the break, go centrally through Victor Osimhen or link up play via Giacomo Raspadori and the midfielders. In short, they can score in a multitude of ways.

Coach: Luciano Spalletti
An industrious midfielder in his playing days, former Inter and Roma coach Spalletti replaced Gennaro Gattuso at the Napoli helm in May 2021 after two years out of the game. He won ten of his first 11 Serie A games at the club, who led the way at the end of February 2022 but finished the campaign in third. There has been no looking back in 2022/23, though.

Key player: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Can anyone remember a new signing having as big an impact in Serie A (or, indeed, the Champions League) as the Georgian winger? With 13 goals – including some stunning efforts – and 15 assists in all competitions, he is Napoli's standout performer, slotting in wonderfully down the left and delivering a stream of dribbles, shots, long balls and laser-guided passes.

Did you know?
Napoli scored 17 goals in their first four group games, beating their previous highest tally in an entire single edition (group stage to final) – they managed 14 in eight games in 2011/12. Spalletti's side ended the group stage with 20, adding another five in the last 16.