Champions League quarter-finals: meet the qualified teams

Atalanta, Atlético, Barcelona, Bayern, Leipzig, Lyon, Manchester City and Paris are this season's UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

Wednesday 12 August: Atalanta vs Paris

ATALANTA (ITA)

UEFA ranking: 50
This season: P8 W4 D1 L3 F16 A16
Round of 16: 8-4 vs Valencia
Top scorer: Josip Iličić (5)
Last season: N/A
European Cup best: quarter-finals (2019/20 – debut season)

Vieri Capretta, Atalanta reporter: La Dea are through to the last eight in their debut campaign. Josip Iličić was unreal in the round of 16, scoring four in the second leg back in the spring, but the whole side have been impressive this season. Just amazing.

PARIS (FRA)

UEFA ranking: 7
This season: P8 W6 D1 L1 F20 A4
Round of 16: 3-2 vs Dortmund
Top scorer: Mauro Icardi, Kylian Mbappé (5)
Last season: round of 16

UEFA ranking: 4
This season: P8 W8 D0 L0 F31 A6
Round of 16: 7-1 vs Chelsea
Top scorer: Robert Lewandowski (13)
Last season: quarter-finals
European Cup best: winners x5 (most recently 2013)

Jordan Maciel, Bayern reporter: Double winners Bayern have been relentless in 2020 and, with a perfect record in the Champions League this season, will rightly be considered among the tournament favourites. However, Flick & Co. will not be getting carried away with treble talk just yet, knowing anything can happen in a straight knockout tournament. A European giant in Barcelona awaits in Lisbon, so they are well-advised to take things one step at a time.

European Cup best: semi-finals (1994/95)

Chris Burke, Paris reporter: The critics pounced after Paris's first-leg defeat at Dortmund, but the French champions finally got beyond the round of 16 for the first time in four years thanks to an impressively hard-working, controlled and united display at home. Before that, Thomas Tuchel's side were once again full of promise in the group stage, starting with a memorable 3-0 victory against Real Madrid and ending with five wins from six to go with the competition's best defensive record.

Thursday 13 August: Leipzig vs Atlético

LEIPZIG (GER)

UEFA ranking: 32
This season: P8 W5 D2 L1 F15 A8
Round of 16: 4-0 vs Tottenham
Top scorer: Timo Werner, Marcel Sabitzer (4)
Last season: Europa League group stage
European Cup best: quarter-finals (2019/20)

James Thorogood, Leipzig reporter: Leipzig's composure over the course of their tie against Tottenham, last season's runners-up, belied their status as knockout stage debutants. They had answers to all the questions posed. Julian Nagelsmann becomes the youngest head coach to reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, sharing his side's level of maturity and confidence.

ATLÉTICO (ESP)

UEFA ranking: 2
This season: P8 W5 D1 L2 F12 A7
Round of 16: 4-2 vs Liverpool, aet
Top scorer: Álvaro Morata (3)
Last season: round of 16
European Cup best: runners-up (most recently 2015/16)

Joseph Walker, Atlético reporter: Atlético's last-16 victory over Liverpool is pretty much their season in a microcosm. Diego Simeone's men have not been at their best, they have looked sluggish at times, yet they still know how to get the job done.

Friday 14 August: Barcelona vs Bayern

BAYERN (GER)

UEFA ranking: 4
This season: P8 W8 D0 L0 F31 A6
Round of 16: 7-1 vs Chelsea
Top scorer: Robert Lewandowski (13)
Last season: quarter-finals
European Cup best: winners x5 (most recently 2013)

Jordan Maciel, Bayern reporter: Double winners Bayern have been relentless in 2020 and, with a perfect record in the Champions League this season, will rightly be considered among the tournament favourites. However, Flick & Co. will not be getting carried away with treble talk just yet, knowing anything can happen in a straight knockout tournament. A European giant in Barcelona awaits in Lisbon, so they are well-advised to take things one step at a time.

BARCELONA (ESP)

UEFA ranking: 3
This season: P8 W5 D3 L0 F13 A6
Round of 16: 4-2 vs Napoli
Top scorer: Luis Suárez (4)
Last season: semi-finals
European Cup best: winners x5 (most recently 2015)

Graham Hunter, Barcelona reporter: Although Barcelona are now in the quarter-finals only an optimist would make them favourites judging by the campaign which got them there. Have they been determined, hard to beat, better in the Champions League than domestically? Yes. But home and away against Slavia Praha it was a struggle. And don't forget that they removed coach Ernesto Valverde mid-season. Rivals will point out that they leave Dortmund, Inter and Napoli in their wake. The art of winning even if you're not playing exceptionally!

Saturday 15 August: Manchester City vs Lyon

Manchester City (ENG)

UEFA ranking: 6
This season: P8 W6 D2 L0 F20 A6
Round of 16: 4-2 vs Real Madrid
Top scorer: Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling (6)
Last season: quarter-finals
European Cup best: semi-finals (2015/16)

Simon Hart, Man. City reporter: City have taken their time to look like true contenders in this competition but they will travel to Lisbon undefeated and with a spring in their step. This is a team with one of the world’s finest passers of the ball in Kevin De Bruyne and two forwards – Sterling and Jesus – in a rich vein of form (and Sergio Agüero potentially to return). Their style under Josep Guardiola has never been in question but now, after past near misses, they’ve never looked better placed to show their substance, with just one loss in their last 17 in this competition.

LYON (FRA)

UEFA ranking: 17
This season: P8 W3 D2 L3 F11 A10
Round of 16: 2-2 vs Juventus, OL won on away goals
Top scorer: Memphis Depay (6)
Last season: round of 16
European Cup best: semi-finals (2009/10)

David Crossan, Lyon Reporter: Lyon rode their luck a bit in the group stage but were outstanding against Italian champions Juventus to make the quarter-finals. With Depay fit and on the goal trail (he has scored in every one of his UEFA Champions League appearances this season), and the 3-5-2 suited to Europe, they could well spring another surprise.

Source: UEFA