CL quarter-finals

Seven billion fighting for the European crown

The Champions League kicks off today with the quarter-finals. Record winners against defending champions: Real Madrid eagerly await their clash with Manchester City. "Big game for the soccer world." Bayern under pressure against Arsenal.

A few embarrassing upsets, some spectacular sensations - but in the end the giants are among themselves. Once again. Of the seven teams with the highest market value at the start of the current premier class, six are in the quarter-finals - only Manchester United (fifth place with 882.3 million euros) failed to make it through early. In total, players with a total value of more than seven billion euros are still vying for the trophy.

Although most of the money is now at home in Madrid. Where at Real against Manchester City, the third most expensive squad receives the most valuable squad. And where Jude Belingham and Erling Haaland are two of the three most expensive players in the world. Value: 180 million euros each, only Paris star Kylian Mbappé can keep up.

Ancelotti vs. Guardiola
In sporting terms, the duel between the record Champions League winners and the defending champions is already an early final for many. Only twice in the last eight years have neither of them reached the final. This is partly down to the coaches: Real's Carlo Ancelotti (coaching his 200th Champions League game today) is the record winner with four titles, while City's Pep Guardiola has three. Their paths have already crossed in the past two years - with different outcomes: last year, City prevailed in the semi-final and humiliated Real in the second leg - 4:0. Two years ago, however, the Spaniards came out on top in the semi-final. A good omen for both: the winner of these duels went on to win the title.

"A big game for the soccer world"
Real's advantage: the Whites have had nine days off recently to prepare for City. Compared to last year, Ancelotti wants to see more "courage and personality" from his team, and the anticipation for the clash is huge: "This is a big game for the soccer world." Guardiola agrees: "Nobody can deny that."

Bayern under pressure
Meanwhile, Bayern have to face Arsenal - the premier class is the last chance for Munich to avoid their first title-less season in twelve years. But the omens are bad: while Arsenal climbed to the top of the Premier League at the weekend, there is fire under the roof in Munich: defeats against Dortmund and Heidenheim, the league title gone, loud calls for the premature dismissal of coach Thomas Tuchel. He is combative: "With the right mentality, many things are possible". Arsenal, who have won all their home games in the top flight without conceding a goal, want to lay the foundations for their first semi-final since 2009 at the Emirates. Coach Mikel Arteta: "The team spirit is right."