UEFA Champions League: Road to Munich heats up with fiery QF fixtures

As the UEFA Champions League enters its final stages with the quarterfinals set to begin on Wednesday, more drama will unfold in what has been an extraordinary tournament so far, full of surprises and excitement.

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

The thrilling mid-week action has two exciting matches lined up. In one, defending champions Real Madrid will face off against an injury-depleted Arsenal, while Bayern Munich will take on Inter Milan in the other.

In the first match, which will start at 12:30 AM (IST) on Thursday, Real Madrid will be hunting for another victory against an Arsenal side that has been ravaged by injuries.

Mikel Arteta faces a major dilemma as key players Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Jurrien Timber have all been sidelined.

While Bukayo Saka's return is a boost for the Gunners, facing a team like Real Madrid without their full-strength squad will be a monumental challenge. Real Madrid enters the match in high spirits, with recent victories in both La Liga and the Copa del Rey.

All eyes will be on Kylian Mbappe, who is increasingly being viewed as a future legend at the club, drawing comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo's time there.