The final countdown: Must-know Champions League dates you really can't afford to miss until Munich | OneFootball

Come on, many has been there - you start the Champions League season going, "I'll take a closer look when things get serious." And now, suddenly, things are serious. The quarter-finals are here, the final is looming, and if you're not watching now, you're gonna miss the actual fireworks.

So, whether your team’s still in it or you’re just here for the chaos, and maybe a cheeky accumulator, here’s your guide to the key dates, biggest matchups, and that glorious final in Munich.

Quarter-final return legs – season defining stuff

Let's begin with what's staring us in the face. Quarter-final first legs were played on April 8 and 9, and if there's a word to describe them: tense. No one is walking into the next round unharmed. Return legs are scheduled for April 15 and 16, and each tie has just enough scope for mayhem to break the internet.

Arsenal vs Real Madrid

Arsenal have waited nearly two decades to feel this relevant in Europe again. But now they’re staring down the kings of the Champions League. Madrid don’t play football, they do football. They live and breathe these nights. You could be two goals up, and Modri? or Viní Jr. will pop up with a bit of magic to ruin your dreams. Arsenal have youth, hunger, and form - but they’ll need nerves of steel.

Bayern Munich vs Inter Milan

This is a genuine football heritage tie. Bayern at home in Munich is a scary proposition, especially with a final in their own stadium on the horison. But Inter are nothing if not stubborn. They know how to frustrate, how to steal a goal, and how to drag the tempo down to a crawl. If Bayern don't kill them off early, it's going to get very uncomfortable.

Barcelona vs Borussia Dortmund

This tie should carry a health warning for neutrals. Both sides are volatile, explosive, and capable of either brilliance or utter defensive meltdown. Barcelona are still rebuilding but have some serious flair in the final third. Dortmund? They're a wild Pokémon - volatile, fiesty, and able to alter the path of a game in five minutes. This could be the tie of the round.

PSG vs Aston Villa

Aston Villa in a Champions League quarter-final still feels like something out of a Football Manager save. Unai Emery is a knockout stage sorcerer of Europe, and this Villa side doesn't bother with your big club tradition. PSG are stacked, of course, but they've choked enough times for all of us to be cautiously optimistic on Villa's behalf.

Semi-finals beckoning – no room for error

No sooner do the quarter-finals finish before the semis takes over - first legs on April 29, second legs on May 6. This is where it gets ruthless. Fatigue kicks in, injuries pile up, and pressure reaches a boiling point. Reaching the quarters is one thing. Keeping your cool when the final is just two matches away is another.

The final in Munich – football's greatest night

Circle May 31 with a red pen. That's when the 2025 Champions League Final kicks off in the Football Arena Munich - better known as the Allianz Arena. It hosted the final in 2012, when Chelsea snatched the trophy on penalties and broke Bayern hearts in front of their home fans.

This year’s final has everything going for it. A packed house of over 75,000 fans, a German city that lives for football, and the possibility of a Bundesliga team fighting for glory at home. It’s going to be loud, intense, and probably full of drama.

Betting angle – who’s the smart money on?

Let's talk about what some fans are really thinking about when they gaze at the fixtures - the odds. Online you can find a long list of the best casinos in Malta, including the ones offering sportsbooks for the dedicated sports fans to place bets on outcomes of matches. By using such websites, it is possible to compare the large variation of MGA casino operators, and find the right sportsbook with the best odds. Seaking of odds, at the moment, the usual suspects are still topping the betting charts. Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are the bookies' favourites, and with good reason.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t value out there. Barcelona and PSG are in the mix, and if you’re feeling adventurous (or just want bragging rights), Aston Villa are sitting at long odds but with plenty of belief.

Key dates to lock in

Here's your football fan calendar for the next two months: