All-Madrid Champions League final still possible after draw

LONDON (Reuters) – A repeat of the 2014 Champions League final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid is still possible after Friday’s semifinal draw.

Real, which won that game 4-1 after extra-time, will play first-time semifinalist Manchester City, with the first leg in north-west England.

Atletico, which beat holders Barcelona in the last eight, hosts Bayern Munich in their first leg.

Bayern manager Pep Guardiola misses what would have been a difficult semifinal for him personally against City, the Premier League side he will take charge of next season.

“It’s a great tie against the team that has won the competition the most times,” Txiki Begiristain, Manchester City’s sporting director, told reporters.

“But we have got this far and we want to keep dreaming.

“I think that Madrid are the favorites. They have been in the semi-finals 27 times, six in a row. But Paris [St. Germain] were also a great team and we were able to knock them out.”

Real, record 10-times champions, is unbeaten in its last eight games against English clubs. Its only previous tie against City came in 2012 when the Spanish side won 3-2 at home before drawing 1-1 in Manchester.

For Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored a hat-trick to win the quarterfinal against Vfl Wolfsburg, it will be another return to Manchester, where he spent six years with United before moving to Spain in 2009.

The Madrid manager at that time was Manuel Pellegrini, now in charge at City until Guardiola replaces him.

The Chilean was sacked by Real after only one season but denied that would be any extra motivation.

City will host Real on April 26 and Atletico faces Bayern the following evening.

The final is in Milan on May 28.