UEFA Champions League Man City vs. Bayern seem best bets to meet in final

The path to the Champions League final in Paris on May 28 is now clear following the draw for the last eight and semifinals of the competition. The prospect of a heavyweight clash at the Stade de France remains alive, with favourites Liverpool and Manchester City, and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, kept apart en route to the final.

– Full UCL draw: Chelsea get Real Madrid

Despite three English teams and three Spanish clubs reaching the last eight, no Premier League or La Liga clash came out of the pots for next month’s quarterfinals. Holders Chelsea will face Real Madrid for the second successive season, while City must overcome Manchester United’s round of 16 conquerors Atletico Madrid to maintain their hopes of a first Champions League title. Six-time winners Liverpool face Benfica, while Bayern have been paired with Villarreal following the Spanish club’s surprise 4-1 aggregate win against Juventus in the last round.

There promises to be a true clash of the titans in the semis, however, with the winners of Chelsea and Real drawn to face City or Atletico, while the other semifinal will see Liverpool take on Bayern if they win their quarterfinal ties.

So how will the quarterfinals play out, and who is most likely to meet in the semis and the final?

(All odds listed below are from Caesars Sportsbook)

Chelsea vs. Real Madrid

Chelsea -125, Real Madrid -105 to advance

First up is a repeat of last season’s semifinal, which Chelsea won 3-1 on aggregate on the way to beating Manchester City in the final to win the Champions League for the second time. That success extended Chelsea’s record of never having lost against Real: in five meetings, the English club has won three and drawn twice.

This is perhaps the most closely matched tie of the quarterfinals. Although Chelsea have struggled to keep pace with Liverpool and City in the Premier League, they are comfortable in third position and cruised past Lille in the last round. The off-field uncertainty surrounding the club…