Champions League Quarterfinals: PSG and Bayern Munich Enter Marquee Matchups as Favorites

Champions League quarterfinals kick off as PSG faces a pressured Liverpool and Bayern Munich looks to break Real Madrid's historic knockout dominance.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 6, 2026, 1:09 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from AP News

Pressure Mounts on Arne Slot in PSG Rematch

Liverpool enters Wednesday’s first-leg clash against Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes under significant duress. Manager Arne Slot, who describes last season’s narrow round-of-16 exit to PSG as the best game of his career, is currently facing intense scrutiny following a 4-0 FA Cup loss to Manchester City. Despite a record summer expenditure of $570 million, Liverpool has lost four of its last seven matches. Conversely, the defending champions are on a four-match winning streak, including dominant back-to-back victories over Chelsea, positioning them as strong favorites to become the first team since Real Madrid to retain the title.

A One-Sided Historical Rivalry Renewed

Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, winners of a combined 21 European titles, prepare to face off in a pairing that has surprisingly never occurred in a final. Real Madrid has historically dominated this rivalry, winning four of the last five two-legged knockout ties against the German giants since 2011. However, Bayern enters this quarterfinal unbeaten in 13 games across all competitions. The German side received a significant boost with the expected return of star striker Harry Kane, who missed a recent Bundesliga victory over Freiburg due to a minor ankle injury sustained during international duty.

Spanish Rivals Brace for Familiar Combat

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are set for an grueling stretch of matches, meeting five times in the span of two months. This Champions League doubleheader marks their third meeting in just ten days. While Barcelona recently secured a 2-1 league victory over Atletico, Diego Simeone’s side holds the historical edge in European play, having eliminated Barcelona in the quarterfinals during both the 2014 and 2016 seasons. Atletico will once again have the advantage of playing the second leg at home as they look to replicate those successful runs to the final.