Daliath. Posted March 14, 2019 Posted March 14, 2019 United may face Champions League fixture reversal Paris - The home leg of Manchester United's Champions League quarter-final tie could be reversed in the event of a clash with that involving Manchester City, depending on the outcome of Friday's draw, UEFA said on Thursday. The two Manchester clubs are through to the last eight alongside two other Premier League sides, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool. Unlike in previous rounds, there is no longer any country protection in the draw, meaning teams from the same domestic league can now face one another. That throws open the possibility of a Manchester derby in the quarter-finals. However, if they do not face each other, United will have to reverse their fixture if they are drawn at home in the same week as City. "Following a decision made by the relevant local authorities, Manchester City and Manchester United cannot play at home on the same night, nor on consecutive nights," said UEFA. The semi-final draw will also take place on Friday, and UEFA added: "The calendar for the semi-finals will be communicated to all parties on April 18, 2019, following the return legs of the quarter-finals." Juventus, Barcelona, Porto and Ajax complete the Champions League quarter-final line-up. Manchester City and Manchester United will not play their home games in next month's Champions League quarter-finals on the same or consecutive nights following a decision by local authorities, UEFA said on Thursday. Ahead of Friday's draw, European soccer's governing body said it would amend the scheduling if both Manchester clubs are drawn to play their home games in the same week. UEFA said United, who finished below champions City in the Premier League last season, would have their fixture reversed. The quarter-final first-legs will be played on April 9/10 with the return legs scheduled for April 16/17. "Should both clubs be drawn within the same sequence (home or away), the team having finished lower in the domestic league the previous season – in this case United - will be reversed in accordance with the UEFA Club Competitions Committee principles. "In accordance with paragraph 21.01(b) of the UEFA Champions League regulations, the UEFA administration will determine which matches will be played on Tuesday, which matches on Wednesday." UEFA said that the same rule would apply should both teams advance to the semi-finals. There is also the possibility that derby rivals United and City could face each other in the quarter-finals or take on fellow Premier League sides Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. (Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
Premium
Recommended Posts