Has there ever been a Clasico UEFA Champions League final? Real Madrid and Barcelona could meet in 2025 showpiece

(Getty Images) Has there ever been a Clasico UEFA Champions League final? Real Madrid and Barcelona could meet in 2025 showpiece originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

The race for the Champions League final looks set to be another fascinating battle among Europe's elite. The expanded format of the tournament has meant changes to how teams qualify for the knockout rounds with more games added to the league phase and the creation of Round of 16 playoffs for teams finishing outside the top eight of the league standings. Clasico rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid have endured contrasting adaptations to the new layout.

Madrid have twice had to come through to the knockouts via the playoffs after disappointing league-phase performances. Both sides are now in the quarterfinals, and with the bracket now set all the way to the final, European football's biggest modern rivalry could give us the ultimate showdown in Budapest. MORE: Full bracket for the 2025/26 Champions League knockout phase Can Barcelona face Real Madrid in 2024/25 Champions League?

Real Madrid progressed through playoffs and were drawn against Manchester City in the Round of 16 in the "top" half of the bracket. They eliminated Pep Guardiola's team via an emphatic 5-1 aggregate scoreline . Barcelona were drawn against Newcastle United, which means that, as they were last season, they are in the opposite half of the bracket to Madrid and therefore cannot meet their Clasico rivals until the final.