Champions League Quarterfinals: Real Madrid vs Bayern and Barcelona vs Atletico
- The 2025-26 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals begin on April 7, 2026, featuring a high-profile clash between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
- Real Madrid enters the tie after eliminating Manchester City for the third consecutive season.
- The knockout bracket is divided into two paths, the Silver Path and the Blue Path, with eight teams remaining in the competition.
The 2025-26 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals begin on April 7, 2026, featuring a high-profile clash between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. This matchup serves as the headlining act of the round, marking the 29th encounter between the two clubs in UEFA competition history.
Real Madrid enters the tie after eliminating Manchester City for the third consecutive season. The first leg of the quarterfinal will take place at the Santiago Bernabeu on April 7, 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 8 p.m. BST.
Quarterfinal Matchups and Schedule
The knockout bracket is divided into two paths, the Silver Path and the Blue Path, with eight teams remaining in the competition. The schedule for the quarterfinals is as follows:
- April 7 (First Leg) / April 15 (Second Leg): Sporting CP vs. Arsenal and Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich.
- April 8 (First Leg) / April 14 (Second Leg): Paris Saint-Germain vs. Liverpool and Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid.
The competition will proceed to the semifinals on April 28-29 and May 5-6, 2026. The final is scheduled for May 30, 2026, at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.
Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich
Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa has acknowledged the strength of the German side, noting that Bayern Munich is one of the most in-form teams in Europe. Arbeloa stated that to become European champions, a team must defeat the best.
Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany expressed respect for the stature of Real Madrid while emphasizing the need for his team to maintain confidence heading into the fixture.
Despite Real Madrid’s historical success in the competition, CBS Sports has identified them as underdogs in this quarterfinal pairing, citing an inconsistent run of form for Los Blancos compared to a Bayern side that is considered among the favorites to win the tournament.
Other Key Quarterfinal Ties
In the Blue Path of the bracket, Arsenal is heavily favored as they face Sporting CP. This tie features Gunners forward Viktor Gyokeres facing his former club, starting with a visit to Portugal.
Reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain will face Liverpool on April 8, 2026. This match is a rematch of the previous season’s round of 16 tie. PSG advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Chelsea, while Liverpool reached this stage by defeating Galatasaray 4-1 on aggregate.
The remaining fixture features LaLiga leaders Barcelona against Atletico Madrid. This quarterfinal matchup is part of a congested schedule for the two Spanish sides, who are set to face each other three times within a single week.
Similar to Real Madrid, Liverpool has also been categorized by CBS Sports as an underdog in their respective quarterfinal matchup against the defending champions from France.
Viewing Information
The first leg of the Real Madrid and Bayern Munich match will be broadcast on April 7, 2026, via Paramount+ in the United States, HBO Max and Prime Video in the United Kingdom, SonyLiv in India, and Stan Sport in Australia.