The UEFA Champions League quarterfinal and semi-final draws took place on Friday with some huge ties being served up by Hamit Altintop in Nyon, Switzerland.

The pick of the quarterfinals is arguably the rematch between last season’s finalists Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, but competition is fierce with Manchester City up against Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid paired with Liverpool.

Chelsea will probably feel happy with their draw against FC Porto, but there are no easy ties at this point with a number of strong sides having already fallen by the wayside.

All eyes will be on Erling Haaland as he returns to England and the club where his father Alf-Inge played for three years while PSG go up against Hansi Flick’s champions with a new head coach in Mauricio Pochettino.

Real and Liverpool is a meeting of two historical giants who have not had it easy this season while Thomas Tuchel will be plotting a return to the final with Chelsea after leading PSG there last summer.

In the semi-finals, Bayern or PSG will meet the winner of City against Dortmund and Real or Liverpool will come up against Porto or Chelsea to decided the finalists with Bayern, PSG, City or Dortmund destined to be the home team in the ultimate Istanbul final.

Champions League quarterfinal draw

Manchester City vs. Borussia Dortmund (April 6 and April 14)

FC Porto vs. Chelsea (April 7 and April 13)

Bayern Munich vs. Paris Saint-Germain (April 7 and April 13)

Real Madrid vs. Liverpool (April 6 and April 14)

Champions League semifinal draw

Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain vs. Manchester City or Borussia Dortmund

Real Madrid or Liverpool vs. FC Porto or Chelsea

Europa League

The drama was not limited to the Champions League either, with the Europa League quarterfinals delivering some big names too — AFC Ajax against AS Roma arguably the pick of the ties there.

Underdogs Granada got Manchester United at home for the first leg while Slavia Prague drew Arsenal away and Dinamo Zagreb’s reward for dumping out Tottenham Hotspur was Europa League specialist Unai Emery’s Villarreal.

The winner of Granada against United could face Ajax or Roma while Dinamo or Villarreal will come up against Arsenal or Slavia on the side of the draw that will ultimately produce the home team for the final.

Europa League quarterfinal draw

Granada CF vs. Manchester United (April 8 and April 15)

Arsenal vs. Slavia Prague (April 8 and April 15)

AFC Ajax vs. AS Roma (April 8 and April 15)

Dinamo Zagreb vs. Villarreal CF (April 8 and April 15)

Europa League semifinal draw

Granada CF or Manchester United vs. AFC Ajax or AS Roma

Dinamo Zagreb or Villarreal CF vs. Arsenal or Slavia Prague

-CBS Sports

Will Salah avenge Ramos hard tackle

Everyone remembers the final of the 2017/18 Champions League final, where Loris Karius’ goalkeeping errors handed a third successive continental success to Real Madrid.

However, there was a degree of controversy in the first-half, with a physical tussle between Sergio Ramos and Mohamed Salah ending in the Egyptian suffering a shoulder injury which forced him out of the final, and put his 2018 World Cup preparations in difficulty.

Liverpool supporters have since held a grudge against the Los Blancos captain, and many feel it is an interesting subplot for the two teams to be drawn against each other again.

England overtake Spain

The disappointing showing from Spain’s European representatives this campaign, with Real Madrid the only remaining competitor in the Champions League and Granada in the Europa League, has seen England overtake them in UEFA’s coefficient ranking.

England’s rise to the top of the pile is down to their strong representation in the latter stages of European competition, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City still in the Champions League. And in the Europa League, Arsenal and Manchester United are still involved.

-Marca