Madrid derby spices up draw
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Real to meet city rivals Atletico, Monaco run into mighty Juventus in semis
Holders Real Madrid face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semifinals as the city rivals do battle once more and French surprisepackage Monaco take on Juventus, following the draw on Friday.
The all-Madrid showdown is a rerun of the 2014 and 2016 finals in Europe’s top club competition, with a Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired Real victorious on both occasions in tight, cagey affairs.
Real will host Atletico at the Santiago Bernabeu on May 2 and Monaco are home to Italian champions Juventus on May 3, with the second legs the following week. Going into the draw at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland all four teams were making the usual noises: there is nothing to choose between any of them, they said publicly.
But the 39-year-old Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon broke ranks, saying that he would prefer to avoid a wily Atletico side because they are out of the La Liga title race so can rest players for Europe.
“The only distinction from the three teams is that Atletico Madrid have a more marked and defined position in the (league) standings,” said the stopper, who is yet to win the Champions League, calling Diego Simeone’s team“thetrickiest”ofthe sides left. “The other two (Real and Monaco) are fighting for the championship (as are Juventus) so that could be a factor.”
Real Madrid, for whom Ronaldo hit a hat-trick as they saw off Bayern Munich in the quarters, are favourites with British bookmakers.
But Juventus were hugely impressive in beating Barcelona 3-0 in the first leg and then holding the Spanish champions to a 0-0 draw at the Camp Nou on Wednesday in a defensive masterclass. Beaten Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has tipped Juventus to lift the trophy they last won in 1996 and they will be favourites against Monaco.
French league leaders Monaco are the outsiders but they have already claimed victims in Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals and Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur before that.
Juventus and Monaco promises to be a battle of resolute Italian defending versus youthful exuberance.
Kylian Mbappe has been a revelation for Monaco having scored five goals to be joint club top-scorer in the Champions League with
Radamel Falcao.
conceded just Monaco won Finalists in 2004 Winners in 1985, 1996 Drawn Juventus won two goals in 10 Champions League matches while scoring 17 to have the joint least goals conceded and best goal difference by any club.
top their respective domestic league tables with Juventus aiming for a sixth straight Serie A title while Monaco are targeting a Ligue 1 title for the first time since 2000.
excellent domestic form into the tie as they top the La Liga table and are 10 points ahead of third-placed Atletico. They also hold the edge over their city rivals this season having beaten them 3-0 at the Vicente Calderon and drawn 1-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in league matches. Winners in 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016 Real Madrid won Drawn Atletico Madrid won