The Champions League draw has paved the way to the final in Berlin. The paths have divided into the two usual routes, one of them indicating the fortune of a simple draw, and the other representing what is commonly known as the draw of death, offering different results for the Spanish teams.
The main beneficiary of the draw has undoubtedly been FC Barcelona. Not only because they avoided PSG in the round of 16, but also because they apparently avoided the most complicated path. On the other hand, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid have had the misfortune of falling into that death pool.
Real Madrid and Atlético’s tough road to a hypothetical final
The two Madrid teams have not only had the bad luck of meeting in the round of 16, but they have also fallen on the most complex side of the draw. However, it is important to start at the beginning: first the Santiago Bernabéu and then the Riyadh Metropolitano will witness a new tie between Real Madrid and Atleti, in what is shaping up to be a great battle in the capital.
However, whoever gets through to the last sixteen directly will not have an easier match either. Firstly, because their rival will come from the clash between PSV and Arsenal. Barring a major surprise, it will be the Gunners who will go through to the next round, as they are one of the best teams in the Premier League, and will be one of the biggest obstacles in the way.
If they also get through that tie, the semi-finals would not be much easier either. The big rival to avoid in these semi-finals on this side of the draw is a Liverpool side that has established itself over the last few months as the best team in Europe, and already managed to defeat a Real Madrid squad last November. In addition, PSG would be the other ‘bogeyman’ to avoid if they manage to eliminate Arne Slot’s men.
Barça, with a much more placid path ahead
This luck has been very different to that of Hansi Flick’s FC Barcelona. Firstly, because they have avoided facing PSG in the round of 16 and will instead face S.L. Benfica, who, with all due respect as a rival, are much less fearsome than the Parisian side.
If they were to get past that tie, Barça would face the winner of the tie between Borussia Dortmund and Lille, neither of which are teams that instill great fear in Can Barça either. The first tough opponent, therefore, would not come until the semifinals of the competition, in which the Barça team would face some old acquaintance.
The first of these could be Bayern Munich, who have been the Catalan team’s nemesis for several years but, as demonstrated in the group stage clash between the two, no longer instill the terror they used to in Europe. The other possible opponents would be an Inter Milan who are also going through a good moment, or a Bayer Leverkusen who already caused a stir last season.
Two very different paths, in which the Champions League has marked the paths to the final. A final to which the 16 teams still alive in the competition aspire, and only two can reach. And Real Madrid, Barça and Atleti will do everything possible to be one of those who reach the Champions League final in Berlin.