In any normal football season, European action in the height of summer means the preliminary rounds of the Europa League in some far-flung corner of the continent. But not this year. This is a Champions League / Europa League draw with a difference, and not just because it’s taking place in July: the Covid-19 shutdown left a number of two-legged Champions League and Europa League ties still to be completed.
The format of the latter stages of the Champions League and Europa League has been radically altered due to the time pressures brought by the pandemic: following the conclusion of the Round of 16, the Champions League will be completed as a knockout tournament in Lisbon next month, while the Europa League will conclude in the same way, but in Germany.
Atalanta, Atlético Madrid, RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain are the teams already through to the Champions League last 16.
Of the Champions League ties still to be completed, the one that is surely already done and dusted is Chelsea against Bayern Munich. Treble-chasing Bayern having put Frank Lampard’s team to the sword with a 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge towards the end of February, so unless Chelsea can pull off an unprecedented miracle in Munich, it’s the German club that will go through.
The other three Champions League are very much alive and kicking: Napoli and Barcelona drew 1-1 at the San Paolo, Lyon defeated the Serie A leaders, Juventus, 1-0 at home, and of course Manchester City pulled off a 2-1 win in Spain against Real Madrid.
Uefa confirmed yesterday that the Champions League second-leg ties can be played at the usual venues, while reserving the right to move them if they see fit.
The Europa League draw will follow hot on the heels of the Champions League draw at 12pm. Here are the teams involved in both draws:
Champions League
Completed ties (aggregate scores):
Valencia 4-8 Atalanta
RB Leipzig 4-0 Tottenham
Liverpool 2-3 Atletico Madrid
PSG 3-2 Borussia Dortmund
Incomplete ties:
Juventus 0-1 Lyon
Man City 2-1 Real Madrid
Bayern Munich 3-0 Chelsea
Barcelona 1-1 Napoli
Europa League ties – as they stand
Copenhagen 0-1 Istanbul Basaksehir
Wolves 1-1 Olympiacos
Leverkusen 3-1 Rangers
Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 Wolfsburg
Internazionale – Getafe (first leg postponed)
Roma v Sevilla (first leg postponed)
Basel 3-0 Frankfurt
Manchester United 5-0 LASK
More details of this unique – some might say historic – European draw coming up shortly …