Champions League title on line

“Our team has shown it can handle him,” Bayern director Michael Gerlinger said of Haaland, who was with Borussia Dortmund for the past two seasons. “There are players like Erling that you can never 100% neutralize so he is still very, very dangerous.”

March 17, 2023 - 3:39 PM

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, right, celebrates with Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior after scoring his sides first goal during the Champions League, round of 16, second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Liverpool at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Real Madrid’s path to another Champions League title will have to go through Chelsea in the quarterfinals for the second straight year.

Friday’s draw takes Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti back to face his former club, which was eliminated by a goal from Karim Benzema in extra time a year ago.

This time, the first leg between the past two Champions League winners will be in Madrid instead of London — on April 11 or 12.

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