Champions League Draw: Separation of Powers

The Spanish rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona and the German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund avoided each other when the matchups were drawn for the Champions League quarterfinals on Friday in Nyon, Switzerland.

Real Madrid will host Turkey’s Galatasaray in the first leg of the quarterfinals, set for April 2-3, then travel to Istanbul for the return leg on April 9 or 10. Barcelona will travel to Paris St.-German in the first leg. P.S.G. employs the former Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but the Catalans caught a break because he will be suspended for the first leg.

Bayern Munich, a finalist last year, will face the Italian champion Juventus, and Dortmund will face the third Spanish club in the quarterfinals, Malaga.

This is the first time in 17 years that there are no English clubs in the quarterfinals, though three of them — Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle — advanced to the quarters of the second-tier Europa League. That draw was also held Friday morning (updated below).

The eight Champions League quarterfinalists are a star-studded lot, with five former winners. Real Madrid is seeking a record 10th title, and Bayern Munich and Barcelona their fifth. Juventus (twice) and Dortmund have also won the tournament, and P.S.G.’s manager Carlo Ancelotti lifted the trophy as a player and coach with A.C. Milan.

Galatasaray striker Didier Drogba had the silverware in his hands last spring, when — playing for Chelsea — he scored a goal to force extra time and then converted the winning penalty kick in a shootout. He will square off against Real Madrid Manager Jose Mourinho, his former boss at Chelsea.

The quarterfinal matchups again:

April 2-3
Borussia Dortmund at Malaga
Galatasaray at Real Madrid
Barcelona at Paris St.-Germain
Juventus at Bayern Munich
April 9-10
Malaga at Borussia Dortmund
Real Madrid at Galatasaray
Paris St.-Germain at Barcelona
Bayern Munich at Juventus

7:58 a.m. |Europa League Draw

The Europa League draw was held about a half-hour later and gave the disappointed Premier League — shut out of the Champions League quarters — a moment in the spotlight.

Chelsea was drawn against the Russian team Rubin Kazan, but more important will have to travel in the second leg. That will make success at home vitally important for the Blues and their beleaguered manager, Rafael Benitez. Should they lose that first game, Benitez probably won’t be around for the return leg.

The matchups:

April 4
Rubin Kazan at Chelsea
F.C. Basel at Tottenham
Lazio at Fenerbahce
Newcastle at Benfica
April 11
Chelsea at Rubin Kazan
Tottenham at F.C. Basel
Fenerbahce at Lazio
Benfica at Newcastle

Corner kick: Take a look at the Champions League power rankings posted on Goal Thursday night, and then weigh in with your picks for the semifinals.