Everything you need to know as the Champions League heads to Lisbon for a pulsating mini-tournament

An unprecedented conclusion to club football’s greatest opposition will get started right now in what guarantees to be a thrilling – and bizarre – mini match to crown the champions of Europe.

The Champions League final will be held in Lisbon for the second time in 6 several years later on this month, but the situation couldn’t be any more diverse. 

The 2014 showpiece observed hordes of Atletico and Real Madrid admirers flock to what is generally a vivid and welcoming city in advance of their pulsating all-Spain clash.

But this year, there will an eerie silence that greets the arrival of the remaining eight teams during the strangest festival of soccer in record. 

The Champions League final will take place in Lisbon this month with a new format introduced

The Champions League remaining will choose area in Lisbon this month with a new format released

The 2014 showpiece saw Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid fans flock to the Portuguese capital

The 2014 showpiece observed Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid admirers flock to the Portuguese cash

Gamers, all donned in masks and latex gloves, will traipse through airports in their teams to jet out to the cash of Portugal. They will remain as a tightly-knit unit, shut off from the outside entire world until the historic opposition has its winner.

The remaining ties, throughout the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the remaining, will be performed as solitary legs throughout two diverse stadiums in the coastal city. The Estadio da Luz and the Estadio Jose Alvalade will enjoy host to each individual fixture, and the grounds will sadly be silent aside from the bellowing of gamers and coaching team.

It will be a spectacle which has rapidly come to be the new norm. The coronavirus pandemic brought with it a 3-month hiatus throughout the wider soccer entire world, and leagues have been pressured to restart powering shut doors.

This match, steeped in record and wonderfully endearing to supporters of any club, will regrettably be no diverse. Lisbon was struck challenging by the wellness crisis and is continue to recovering from its results right now, whilst Portugal as a entire dealt admirably in tackling coronavirus.

The remaining ties will all take place in Lisbon with the final at the Estadio da Luz on August 23

The remaining ties will all choose area in Lisbon with the remaining at the Estadio da Luz on August 23

The eight teams in the competition will remain inside bio-secure bubbles for the tournament

The eight teams in the opposition will remain within bio-protected bubbles for the match

But the UEFA Govt Committee permitted the sensational mini match to choose area there rather of Istanbul, to stay clear of teams acquiring to fly throughout the continent during this time period of uncertainty.

All the drama and stress that mounted during the off-period will culminate with the remaining on August 23. But until then, teams will be kept within their personal bio-protected bubbles in a comparable vogue to how domestic leagues about Europe have been capable to get to a conclusion.

Just about every club have been set aside their personal resort, which are all in 30 miles of the city centre, and they have also been supplied instruction facilities.  

The line-up for the a person-city shootout was complete after wins for both Barcelona and Bayern Munich on Saturday, aiding them to come to be part of the elite group continue to standing in advance of the latter levels. 

Here, Sportsmail can take a glimpse at the remaining eight team’s odds prior to the eagerly-anticipated quarter-finals acquiring underway…

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES

twelve August – Atalanta v Paris St-Germain (Estadio da Luz, Lisbon)

thirteen August – RB Leipzig v Atletico Madrid (Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon)

fourteen August – Barcelona v Bayern Munich (Estadio da Luz, Lisbon)

fifteen August – Manchester City v Lyon (Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon)

18 August – Semi-remaining

19 August – Semi-remaining

23 August – Final 

MANCHESTER City

Man
chester City have in no way gained the Champions League in their record, but they will be bullish about their odds of lastly lifting the prestigious trophy this time about.

Pep Guardiola’s gentlemen are in fantastic kind, despite missing out on retaining their league title and suffering disappointment in the FA Cup, and shown their newfound maturity on the European stage by easing beyond Real Madrid.

City completely deserved to progress at the expense of the thirteen-time winners, and ought to even have scored more plans throughout both legs of their very last-16 tie.

Manchester City are among the favourites to win the first Champions League in their history

Manchester City are between the favourites to win the initially Champions League in their record

Pep Guardiola's men eased beyond 13-time winners Real Madrid and will face Lyon in quarters

Pep Guardiola’s gentlemen eased beyond thirteen-time winners Real Madrid and will deal with Lyon in quarters

Just after their two-1 win at the Etihad ensured their flight to Lisbon, Guardiola admitted that evening proved to be a key stage towards his aim of going through European glory at the time once again.

Their initially opponents after touching down will be Ligue 1 outfit Lyon. The French club have established by themselves no pushovers throughout the match, and even knocked out Juventus on absent plans despite their narrow defeat in Turin.

But the only remaining Premier League workforce ought to have no authentic induce for concern. City have netted at minimum 2 times in fourteen of their very last 17 matches in Europe, with Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling both boasting a tally of 6.

Quite basically, City have to be regarded between the favourites. 

BAYERN MUNICH 

Bayern Munich have been capable to seal their place in the quarter-finals after battering Chelsea on Saturday. The Bundesliga champions did not look fazed by the 6-month pause concerning each individual leg, and went about their business enterprise in ruthless vogue.

Their awareness had very likely presently shifted to their future showdown with Barcelona on Friday after they eased two plans in advance in Bavaria. And they will rightly be confident about their odds.

The juggernaut, helmed by Hansi Flick, demonstrates no indications of faltering after the thorough thumping. Bayern handed Chelsea their worst-at any time mixture defeat in a European tie, and typically did not look to have damaged a sweat.

Bayern Munich had sealed their spot in the quarter-finals after battering Chelsea on Saturday

Bayern Munich had sealed their place in the quarter-finals after battering Chelsea on Saturday

The juggernaut, helmed by Hansi Flick, shows no signs of faltering as they bid for the trophy

The juggernaut, helmed by Hansi Flick, demonstrates no indications of faltering as they bid for the trophy

Bayern have also shattered countless documents during their operate to Lisbon. They grew to become the second-at any time workforce to have gained every solitary Champions League sport so far this period. They have also scored the most plans in this season’s match, with 31 in complete. That tally is sensationally 11 better than the future closest workforce, Paris Saint-Germain. 

Flick grew to become only the third coach in record to guidebook his side to a win in his initially 5 Champions League matches. His achievements have been rendered even more remarkable taking into consideration the mess he had inherited from predecessor Niko Kovac in November. 

Of system, it usually aids that serial scorer Robert Lewandowski has netted the most plans in the opposition with thirteen. Bayern are the favourites in a lot of peoples’ eyes, and understandably so. 

BARCELONA

Barcelona have been also pressured to wait a painfully extended time to assure they too would be heading to Portugal. Their gamers might have thought they would be paying time on the beach locations of the region on holiday rather, owing to the turmoil that has gripped them in new months, but they eased to a job nicely carried out.

The tie with Napoli was efficiently ended at 50 %-time in the second leg at the Nou Camp. And at the time once again, Barcelona had the magical Lionel Messi to thank for that. The diminutive celebrity managed to curl residence a fantastic exertion even while on the turf, a different speculate aim to insert to his enviable selection. 

The dethroned LaLiga giants seale
d a 4-two mixture win above the Italians and will satisfy Bayern Munich in a mouthwatering showdown later on this 7 days. 

Barcelona beat Napoli to guarantee their flight to Lisbon despite the lengthy wait between legs

Barcelona defeat Napoli to promise their flight to Lisbon despite the lengthy wait concerning legs

Lionel Messi stepped up again with a moment of brilliance to ensure Barcelona's progression

Lionel Messi stepped up once again with a instant of brilliance to assure Barcelona’s progression

The battle concerning the two European giants has typically viewed Barcelona progress, but this year the tables have nicely and actually turned. Bayern will be favourites, and Barcelona need to unusually adopt and adapt to their underdogs tag.

It was Messi once again who proved the variation when both these clubs clashed in the similar opposition in 2015. Jerome Boateng was memorably remaining stranded and flailing on the floor after Messi’s rapid jink within, and it is this kind of magic that Barcelona might be pressured to rely on once again.

‘It’s likely to be quite complicated,’ Quique Setien has admitted. ‘They completed off their tie with 7 plans. They are a superb workforce and we will see a good sport.’ 

The below-fireplace tactician has been unable to reverse the club’s ailing fortunes, and his time is sure to operate out ought to Bayern’s rampant forces get the greater of his workforce.

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 

Paris Saint-Germain will hope to set to bed this month the curse that has dogged French clubs in European competitions. Only at the time has an outfit from that country gained either of the prime two continental trophies, with the solitary success coming from Marseille all the way back in 1993.

This time, no region has more clubs than France in the Champions League quarter-finals – and, of system, it is PSG who are below the most pressure to lastly triumph in the most bizarre ailments.

The club, bankrolled by their Qatari house owners, have been mercilessly mocked for their incapacity to get to the remaining four of the showpiece. It has been nicely claimed that the heavy expense pumped into the club was carried out so in the hope of lifting the major trophy of them all.

PSG have never reached the Champions League semi-finals despite heavy Qatari investment

PSG have in no way arrived at the Champions League semi-finals despite heavy Qatari expense

The French champions beat Borussia Dortmund to set up a clash with free-scoring Atalanta

The French champions defeat Borussia Dortmund to set up a clash with cost-free-scoring Atalanta

But below an assortment of managers and gamers, PSG have ongoing to tumble woefully shorter. Now, on the other hand, they deal with a club in Atalanta who are competing in the opposition for the initially time in their record. 

The discomfort and embarrassment from earlier stunning knockouts, notably Barcelona’s unthinkable and jaw-dropping mixture comeback in 2017, will surely inspire them to a place in the remaining four.

Kylian Mbappe is very likely a doubt for the clash after Thomas Tuchel admitted it would ‘take a miracle’ for the mercurial ahead to shake off his major ankle personal injury. Marco Verratti is also a doubt.

ATLETICO MADRID 

Atletico Madrid’s Champions League preparations have been thrown into chaos. The LaLiga giants confronted a anxious wait to find which gamers can fly to Lisbon owing to a coronavirus scare.

It was at some point unveiled on Monday that Angel Correa and Sime Vrsaljko have been the two gamers who had examined positive for Covid-19, and both will now be pressured to skip the quarter-remaining tie this Thursday owing to UEFA’s rigid protocols.  

Atletico had feared that other gamers might have been infected, which would have also ruled them out of travelling to Portugal, but no other particular person examined returned a positive outcome in the newest round just before their flight out.

Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid side ha
ve endured a chaotic time ahead of the last-eight

Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid side have endured a chaotic time in advance of the very last-eight

Marcos Llorente and Alvaro Morata netted at Anfield as Atletico knocked out holders Liverpool

Marcos Llorente and Alvaro Morata netted at Anfield as Atletico knocked out holders Liverpool

The shock news was a dampener for the club, who had knocked out holders Liverpool in extraordinary vogue to get to this stage. Marcos Llorente and Alvaro Morata’s very last-gasp heroics surprised Anfield and resulted in Diego Simeone’s now-notorious charge down the touchline.

And the man at the helm has been eager for his workforce to shake off any belief they are between the favourites to win the entire match in advance of their conference with RB Leipzig.

Atletico’s dressing home have thrived off their underdog title and will be eager for this to go on, with the club’s greatest times on the European stage typically arriving owing to their sheer willpower to induce an upset.

Regardless of reaching the remaining 2 times in new memory, Atletico have in no way gained the Champions League. They came agonisingly shut in the 2013-fourteen campaign, but fell shorter in opposition to bitter rivals Real Madrid. It was their cross-city neighbours who also lifted the trophy at Atletico’s highly-priced in 2015-16.

ATALANTA 

Atalanta have been the shock package deal of this year’s Champions League and have enthralled neutrals during their passage to the quarter-finals. The Italian side scrapped to this stage after blitzing earlier Valencia, and now deal with a screening showdown in opposition to Paris Saint-Germain to extend their fairytale story even even further. 

Their workforce have thrived off the cost-free-flowing and fluid fashion of enjoy that has permitted them to internet countless plans this period. They will surely head into the tie full of vigour and ambition, and are more than able of pulling off however a different shock.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s favoured 3-4-3 process has carried out miracles. Atalanta have typically been viewed hurtling towards their opponents through hordes of devilish attacks and scoring seemingly at will. 

Rampant scorers Atalanta have been the shock package deal of this year’s Champions League

Atalanta are the highest scoring team in Italy and enthralled neutrals across Europe this year

Atalanta are the best scoring workforce in Italy and enthralled neutrals throughout Europe this year

They are the most prolific workforce in Italy, acquiring bagged 96 plans presently. A substantial quantity of those came in the several online games in which Atalanta had netted above 6.

PSG will very likely panic the simple fact that the Serie A outfit have absolutely nothing to reduce. Atalanta’s maiden period sitting at the prime desk has been wonderfully defined by their bullish angle and thrilling in no way-say-die nature. 

This year’s solitary-leg format might even hand them even further hope. Provided they can remain steadfast in defence and flood ahead in the similar vein which has viewed them bag practically a century of plans, Atalanta will verify a stern problem. 

RB LEIPZIG

This period marks RB Leipzig’s second at any time overall look in the Champions League. Their place in the earlier round also designed record, as that was the initially time the Bundesliga club had arrived at the knockout levels. 

Julian Nagelsmann’s side gained just 3 of their group levels fixtures but edged through with 11 details to set up a conference with earlier runners-up Tottenham. 

With their superior depth urgent and chopping edge in hazardous positions, Leipzig blew their opponents absent 4- on mixture. 

This season marks Bundesliga club RB Leipzig's second appearance in the Champions League

This period marks Bundesliga club RB Leipzig’s second overall look in the Champions League

Julian Nagelsmann's side blew away former runners-up Tottenham to reach the quarter-finals

Julian Nagelsmann’s side blew absent former runners-up Tottenham to get to the quarter-finals

The workforce are multipurpose and can be fielded in a variety of devices. It is this unpredictably, and the sound spine that underlines it all, that has viewed them protected their showdown in Lisbon with Atletico Madrid this 7 days. 

Their opponents will rightly be fearing a knockout, primarily in light-weight of the coronavirus disruption to their travelling roster. Only Bayern Munich conceded less league plans this period, with Leipzig shipping and delivery just 37. 

They also netted the third-best quantity of plans in the prime flight, demonstrating their ability at both finishes of the discipline. 

But this will be a stern examination in maturity for Nagelsmann’s gentlemen. Atletico boast a watertight backline, acquiring transported just 7 occasions in their eight Champions League online games. Leipzig will also be without major ace Timo Werner, who completed his go to Chelsea earlier this month. 

LYON 

There have been fears that the two Ligue 1 clubs remaining in the Champions League after Ligue 1 was referred to as to an early complete would have suffered from a deficiency of preparing. But Lyon have blown that preconception nicely and actually out of the drinking water.

They overcame Juventus and sealed a quarter-remaining place in what was only their second competitive sport in 5 months. Lyon appeared in prime physical situation, despite their defeat in Turin, and deserved their eventual triumph on absent plans.  

Memphis Depay had bullishly predicted that Lyon have been fearless and able of springing an upset, and he was proved appropriate. 

Memphis Depay correctly predicted fearless Lyon would knock out Serie A giants Juventus

Memphis Depay the right way predicted fearless Lyon would knock out Serie A giants Juventus

Rudi Garcia's men have impressed in Europe but now face a stern test against Manchester City

Rudi Garcia’s gentlemen have amazed in Europe but now deal with a stern examination in opposition to Manchester City

The Dutchman also highlighted the recently-released solitary-leg format and now thinks that ‘anyone can be favourites’.

Even so, that might not be the situation for Rudi Garcia’s troops for their future clash. They deal with Manchester City, a person of the favourites to win the opposition for the initially time in their record.   

Lyon will will need to replicate the defiance which observed them narrowly reduce out to Paris Saint-Germain in the French League Cup remaining very last month in buy to pose any authentic danger of reaching the remaining four.  

WHAT DO THE BOOKIES SAY? 

Manchester City – 9-4

Bayern Munich – 3-1 

Paris Saint-Germain – 11-two

Barcelona – seven-1

Atletico Madrid – eight-1

Atalanta – twelve-1

RB Leipzig – 20-1

Lyon – forty-1

(Odds courtesy of bet365