In the 2015 quarterfinal stage of the Champions League we’re going to have three teams from Spain (Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid), two from France (PSG, Monaco), one from Italy (Juventus), one from Germany (Bayern Munich) and one from Portugal (FC Porto).
Atletico Madrid
The defending La Liga champions might be a bit behind in the title race (nine points behind Barcelona, currently fourth), but they’re doing just fine in the Champions League, making the quarterfinals for a second straight season. After finishing first in a group that included Juventus, Olympiakos and Malmo, the Colchoneros got through to the final eight thanks to a penalty shootout victory against Leverkusen following a 1-1 aggregate score. Mario Mandzukic with 5 goals is their top scorer in the competition.
FC Barcelona
Barcelona are back on top of the La Liga, opening a one point lead over Real Madrid. In the Champions League, they’ve been looking very convincing, finishing ahead of PSG, Ajax and APOEL in the group stage followed by beating Manchester City 3-1 on aggregate, making it into the quarterfinals for a record eighth straight season. With 8 goals, Lionel Messi is their top scorer in the competition.
Real Madrid
The defending European champions are second in the La Liga (one point behind Barcelona) and barely made it through into the quarterfinals for a fifth straight season, going through against Schalke on a 5-4 aggregate score. They finished ahead of Basel, Liverpool and Ludogorets in the group stage. With eight goals, Cristiano Ronaldo is their top scorer in the competition.
PSG
In France, the defending champions of the last two years are behind Lyon in the table. They also finished second in the group stage behind Barcelona (but ahead of Ajax and Ludogorets). In the round of 16, they didn’t beat Chelsea, but went through thanks to a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, taking advantage of the away goals rule to make a third consecutive UCL quarterfinal. Edinson Cavani with six goals is their top scorer.
AS Monaco
Despite the loss of talent, Monaco are fourth in Ligue 1 and make it through to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2004 (when they made the final). After finishing first in the group stage ahead of Leverkusen, Zenit and Benfica, their 3-1 win in London over Arsenal turned out to be the tiebreaker thanks to one more away goal following a 2-0 loss at home. In their eight matches they’ve only scored seven goals.
Juventus
Italian champions three years in a row, they’re on their way to make it a fourth (14 points lead) Scudetto. They are in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2013, beating Dortmund 5-1 on aggregate including 3-0 in Germany. In the group stage, they finished behind Atletico Madrid but ahead of Olympiakos and Malmo. Carlos Tevez with six goals is their top scorer in the competition.
Bayern Munich
The German champions of the last two years (and lets face it, this season also) are in the quarterfinals for a fourth consecutive season following the pummeling of Shakhtar Donetsk 7-0. They finished first in the group stage ahead of Manchester City, Roma and CSKA Moscow. Thomas Muller, scoring five goals, is their top scorer so far.
FC Porto
Porto are in the Champions League quarterfinal for the first time since 2009 and only their second time since winning the competition in 2004. They got through with a 4-0 aggregate win against Basel, all the goals coming in the home leg. In Portugal they are four points behind champions Benfica, and made it through the group stage at first place ahead of Shakhtar, Athletic Bilbao and BATE Borisov. Jackson Martinez and Yacine Brahimi lead the scoring charts with five goals each.