Champions League: Reigning champion Chelsea to face Real Madrid in quarterfinals

By Ben Church, CNN

Updated 1158 GMT (1958 HKT) March 18, 2022

Karim Benzema produced heroics to beat PSG in the round of 16 tie.

(CNN)Reigning champion Chelsea will face 13-time winner Real Madrid in the quarterfinals of the Champions League after the draw for the last eight took place Friday.

Chelsea is mired in the middle of controversy after its owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Real Madrid executed a stunning comeback to beat Paris Saint-Germain to reach the quarterfinals and have experience of dominating Europe's most prestigious club competition.Questions still remain over the future of Chelsea with the club due to be sold soon. Until then, it faces restrictions which could make the tie even more difficult. Current sanctions prevent it from selling new tickets for upcoming matches until a new owner comes in and their budget for traveling to away games has also been capped.81 executions in Saudi Arabia on one day and horror of Russia's invasion of Ukraine buffet the Premier LeagueRead MoreThe match itself will also throw up plenty of headlines with Eden Hazard making his return to Stamford Bridge alongside former Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti. Manchester City also faces a Spanish side in Atletico Madrid, Benfica will take on Liverpool, while Villarreal will play Bayern Munich. The first leg of the quarterfinals will be played on April 5 and 6 with the return leg scheduled for the week after.Teams also discovered their potential route to the final during the live draw in Nyon, Switzerland. The winner of the Chelsea and Real Madrid quarterfinal will face either Atletico Madrid or Manchester City in the semifinals, while Benfica or Liverpool will play the