Champions League: Manchester City-Real Madrid and Liverpool-Villarreal in the semis
Belgian Kevin De Bruyne trying to score for Manchester City against Atletico Madrid on April 13, 2022 in the Champions League.
Action Images via Reuters - LEE SMITH
Text by: David Kalfa Follow
2 mins
The semi-finals of the Champions League will oppose Manchester City to Real Madrid and Liverpool to Villarreal, on April 26 and 27 (first legs) then May 3 and 4 (return).
City held Atletico Madrid 0-0 at home in the quarter-final second leg on April 13, 2022, while the Reds drew 3-3 with Benfica.
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The 2021-2021 Champions League semi-finals will therefore offer two Anglo-Spanish confrontations: on the one hand Manchester City-Real Madrid and on the other Liverpool-Villarreal.
With the possibility of attending a 100% English or 100% Iberian final on May 28 in Saint-Denis in France.
The first leg semi-finals are scheduled for April 26 and 27, while the return matches will take place on May 3 and 4.
Liverpool probably already saw it a little before their quarter-final return, this April 13, 2022. The Reds, 3-1 winners against Benfica in Lisbon, indeed approached the second act with their star attackers Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah on the bench.
Result: a 3-3 draw.
French defender Ibrahima Konaté with a header (21st) and a brace from Brazilian striker Roberto Firmino (55th, 65th) allowed the hosts to score, while the visitors scored through Portuguese striker Gonçalo Ramos ( 32nd), Ukrainian striker Roman Yaremchuk (73rd) and Uruguayan striker Darwan Nunez (82nd).
Manchester City resists
The outcome of the other quarter-final of the evening seemed much more uncertain.
Winner 1-0 in England, Manchester City approached the second act, in Madrid, with little lead.
But Atletico never found the fault, in front of their public, despite constant pressure during the last half hour.
It was even the Citizens who got the best chances of the match, the German midfielder İlkay Gündoğan having sent the ball on the opposing right post (30th) and having lost a duel against the Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak (90th +6 ).
Note the deleterious end of the game with the expulsion of Brazilian defender Felipe (90th + 1), Madrid side, following a nasty gesture on English winger Phil Foden…
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