Champions League semi-final draw: Who Arsenal will face if Real Madrid seen off at Bernabeu

Arsenal make the trip to the Bernabeu this week as favourites to overcome Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter final in a somewhat unexpected turn of events.

The Gunners were the underdogs against the Galacticos, who have won the competition a record 15 times, but an unforgettable 3-0 win under the lights at the Emirates Stadium last week makes it Arsenal’s cup tie to lose.

It’s a huge week for the club and Mikel Arteta, whose only chance of silverware this season is the Champions League haven fallen well away from the Premier League title race. Speaking after the win last week, the Spaniard said: “You have to continue to make steps, and tonight we have won in the right direction. Now it’s half-time, and now we have to go to the Bernabeu and we're going to have to elevate the level again to be the team that we want to be there, and to prepare the game to win it.”

By Wednesday night, Arsenal will know their fate in the competition and who they will face in the semi-final, should they hold onto their lead over Real Madrid.

Who could Arsenal play in the Champions League semi-final?

There is no Champions League semi-final draw with the pathway through the tournament set for clubs ahead of the first knockout stage. That means that the teams that Arsenal could face on the way to the final are pre-determined.

The winner between Arsenal and Real Madrid will face either Aston Villa or Paris-Saint Germain in the semi-final. The Gunners’ Premier League rivals booked their place in the quarter final by beating Club Brugge, while PSG got the better of Liverpool over two legs.

It’s the first time that Aston Villa have played in the Champions League thanks to finishing fourth in the Premier League last season. PSG are regulars in the tournament and have featured in every edition since 2012. The French outfit has never won the competition but made it to the final in 2020, when beaten by Bayern Munich.

PSG look the more likely to progress and play either Arsenal or Real Madrid at this stage. The hosts won the first leg at the Parc de Princes 3-1 last week, leaving the Villains with a two goal deficit to overcome at Villa Park on Tuesday night.

The four football clubs in the other half of the draw are Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan. One of those teams will take on either Arsenal, Real Madrid, Aston Villa or PSG in the Champions League final.

When and where is the Champions League final 2025?

The Champions League final will take place on Saturday, May 31 and will be played in Munich, Germany. That comes after the conclusion of the Premier League season, which finishes on May 25.

The match will be played at the Allianz Arena. That venue has been home to Bayern Munich since the 2005/06 season and also hosts international Germany matches.

The winner of the Champions League will earn the right to play the winners of the Europa League this season - one of Bodo/Glimt, Lazio, Rangers, Athletic Bilbao, Lyon, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur or Eintracht Frankfurt - in the 2025 Uefa Super Cup.

Can Arsenal v Real Madrid go to extra time and penalties?

Arsenal and Real Madrid could play extra time and penalties at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night. The first leg of the quarter final was always going to finish after 90 minutes, regardless of the score, but that is not the case this time around.

The cup tie can progress past 90 minutes in Spain if the score is level on aggregate after 90 minutes. Away goals do not count as a tiebreaker in the tournament.

The last time the Gunners were involved in a Champions League penalty shoot out was against FC Porto last season in Round of 16 action. Arsenal won that shoot out 4-2.

In other news, Arsenal are close to a £84m transfer with the 43-goal striker's agent to attend Real Madrid clash.