It’s Bayern v Real in last-four clash
NYON, SWITZERLAND: Two-time defending champion Real Madrid will play Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals in a clash off clubs with a combined 17 European titles. The two European powers have never met in the final but this will be their seventh semi-final meeting in the 63-year-old competition. The first leg is in Madrid.
In the other semi-final, Liverpool were drawn to face Roma in a repeat of the 1984 final. The English team won that match in the Italian club’s home stadium. Liverpool will play at home first.
The first legs will be played on April 24-25, with the return games on May 1-2. The final is scheduled for May 26 at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine.
Madrid, seeking a record-extending 13th European title, are in the semi-finals for the eighth straight year. That run has included three titles and four losses at the semi-final stage, including to Bayern in 2012 on penalties in Madrid.
Bayern, five-time champions, also eliminated Madrid in the semi-finals of 1976, 1987 and 2001.
Madrid beat a Bayern team coached by Pep Guardiola home and away in the 2014 semi-finals, and also won their 2000 semi-final matchup. A Champions League final for Bayern would be a fitting end to coach Jupp Heynckes’ career with the German champions, who announced Friday they had hired Niko Kovac to take over
next season.
Heynckes came out of retirement in October after Bayern’s faltering start to the season led to Carlo Ancelotti leaving as coach.
Bayern have not been to a Champions League final since 2013, when they won in what was also a last game for Heynckes before his first retirement. Heynckes also coached Madrid to the title in 1998 — another trophywinning farewell before he was fired. Liverpool won the fourth of its five European titles in 1984 in Rome in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw. That was the only time Roma ever reached the semi-finals. Liverpool are in its first Champions League semi-final match since 2008, when it lost to Chelsea.
This season, Liverpool are the only unbeaten team despite playing the most games, 12, after coming through the playoff round in August.