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UEFA Champions League

European Quarterfinals Draw: PSG-Barca and more!

European Quarterfinals Draw: PSG-Barca and more!

UEFA Champions League
Publish on 03/15 at 19:00 - E. DEVIN

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It's a meeting of familiar foes in the Champions League while Marseille have Benfica and Lille will face Aston Villa

After this morning's draws, each of the three Ligue 1 Uber Eats sides remaining in European competition now know their quarterfinal opponents.

In the Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain will face a familiar foe in FC Barcelona. The two sides have faced each other several times in the competition, including at this stage in 2013, 2012 and 1995. The Catalan side emerged victorious in the most recent two of those meetings, as they did in the Round of 16 in 2017, the year of the 'Remontada' but PSG emerged victorious in their most recent clash in 2021, winning 5-1 on aggregate after Kylian Mbappé netted a hat trick at the Nou Camp.

Barcelona have been in uneven form this season -- they topped their Champions League group and beat Napoli in the Round of 16, but have largely been off the pace domestically, having been eliminated from the Copa del Rey and lagging in the title race. Still, though, they remain a dangerous team, with a wealth of attacking options and will surely be a strong test for the Ligue 1 leaders, who edged past fellow Spanish side Real Sociedad, 4-1 on aggregate.

 

In the Europa League, Olympique de Marseille will take on SL Benfica. The Portuguese club and the French giants have faced off twice before, but not in the recent past. In 1990, Benfica eliminated Marseille in the European Cup semifinals, while in 2010, the two met in the Round of 16 in the Europa League. A certain Ángel Di Maria was in the eleven for Os Aguilas that day, and after an impressive spell in the French capital, he has returned to Portugal where's he been key to their attack, getting a goal and an assist in the Round of 16 against Rangers.

Despite being eliminated from the Champions League, the Portuguese team will be a tough opponent, having previously eliminated Toulouse FC in the Round of 32 before doing the same to Rangers. Second in their domestic league, in addition to Di Maria, they also boast Rafa Silva -- the Portugese playmaker has hit double digits in both goals and assists this season, and stopping him will be key to Marseille's hopes of progress.

Finally, in the UEFA Conference League, LOSC Lille will take on Aston Villa. The English side and Les Dogues have met just once before, in the 2002 Intertoto Cup, with Lille emerging victorious. Aston Villa are having one of their best seasons domestically in decades, battling for a place in the top four under Unai Emery.

In addition to Emery, the Villans have several players who will be familiar to fans of Ligue 1, including left back Lucas Digne, who will take on his former club, while Diego Carlos, Youri Tielemans, Moussa Diaby, Boubacar Kamara and Clément Lenglet have all spent time in France's first tier as well.

Like Lille, Villa comfortably topped their group before impressing in the Round of 16, seeing off Ajax 4-0 on aggregate, with all of the goals coming in the second leg at home.

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