Liverpool face Roma, Bayern renew battle with Real
Liverpool will need to overcome Serie A side Roma over two legs if they are to prevail to the Champions League final in Kiev at the end of May. Jürgen Klopp’s side will play the first leg at Anfield, before making the trip to Stadio Olimpico at the start of next month. For Mohamed Salah, the Liverpool forward, it will be a return to Rome, where he scored 29 goals in 65 league appearances before moving on last summer. In the other tie, Real Madrid will take on Bayern Munich, who they knocked out of the quarter-finals last season. The first leg will take place at the Allianz Arena, with the second at the Bernabéu. Bayern, who, on Friday confirmed Niko Kovac will succeed manager Jupp Heynckes in the dugout in July, are targeting another treble under the 72-year-old. The German club have also confirmed Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben are in talks over extending their contracts with the club until the summer of 2019.
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Key dates
First legs, Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 April
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
Liverpool v Roma
Second legs, Tuesday 1 May and Wednesday 2 May
Real Madrid v Bayern Munich
Roma v Liverpool
Champions League final, Saturday 26 May
Winner of Bayern/Real Madrid v Liverpool/Roma
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More on that news a moment ago that Niko Kovac will succeed 72-year-old Heynckes:
So, Liverpool face Roma in the last four. That’s probably the best draw they could have hoped for, really. “Could not have been better for LFC,” is the verdict from Dean Kinsella, via email. They will play the first leg at Anfield before a date in Rome, at the mammoth Stadio Olimpico. A Roma reunion for Mo Salah, too.
The other tie? Bayern Munich and Real Madrid renew their European rivalry, with what surely guarantees us another 180 minutes of brilliant football. And a brief footnote that the winner of Bayern/Real Madrid will, technically, be the nominal home team v Liverpool/Roma in Kiev for the final in May.
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Liverpool v Roma
A trip to Rome for Liverpool, and the Serie A side will visit Anfield. Jürgen Klopp’s men will also play the first of two legs at home.
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Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
The Bundesliga champions will face Real, and will play the first leg at the Allianz Arena. That’s going to be some match-up. That’s a repeat of last season’s quarter-final.
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Here we go ... with Shevchenko’s wise words that “anything can happen” the last soundbite before he plunges into the hats.
An email, a question for you to ponder while Andriy Shevchenko rocks up on stage in Nyon to get the draw, and party, started. “Given Arsenal were given the toughest possible draw in the semis,” says Simon. “I’d like to ask The Guardian readership, is it better to face a top side over two legs or in a one off in the final? I’d go one off in the final.”
Some breaking news coming out of one our semi-finalists: Bayern Munich have announced that Niko Kovac will take over as the club’s new manager from 1 July, after agreeing a three-year contract on Thursday. So, there we go. Heynckes will depart, as originally planned, perhaps off the back of a treble and Kovac will enter. The 46-year-old, a former midfielder at Bayern, is currently in charge at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga, that being his first job in club management.
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The mayor of Kiev, the one and only Vitali Klitschko – that’s right – is out on the stage to give a whimsical presentation about how the Ukrainian capital has transformed into a sporting hub, for this year at least. He’s wearing glasses, and looks a changed man himself from the one we’ve seen in the ring. “Kiev is a beautiful city, especially in spring, especially beautiful in May,” he muses. “Welcome.” Superb.
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Here we go ... kick-off is upon us in Nyon, Switzerland. Just the formalities, pleasantries and a flurry of quarter-final montages to get through. While we wait, a reminder that the final takes place in Kiev, on Saturday 26 May at the Olimpiyskyi Stadium.
This is Real Madrid’s eighth successive Champions League semi-final. Not bad, eh? They squeezed through this time, at least. As for Liverpool, the last time they reached this stage was in 2008, when they lost to Chelsea over two legs. As for Roma, they have not been this far since 1984, when, believe it or not, Dundee United were the opposition. Bayern, meanwhile, have plenty of pedigree when it comes to breezing into the last four – but not last year, when Real beat them in the quarter-finals.
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With six minutes to go until the get-go in Nyon, some people are just tempting fate. “It feels like I’ve played Real Madrid thousands of times in my career, so if it’s them it’s fine,” Mats Hummels, the Bayern defender muses. “That said, the other opponents would be more interesting: I’ve only played Liverpool once, and never against Roma.”
Jupp Heynckes is a mightily good bloke. The Bayern Munich manager, who can still win the treble this year, has been having his say on he fancies being cobbled together with shortly. “My players have big ambitions to win the Champions League,” the 72-year-old says. “No coach ever has a preference [for the draw]. Look at what happened to Barcelona. The games will be tight.”
Another thing that you ought to be doing in the meantime is signing up to The Fiver. If you haven’t already, you are missing out on your tea-timely football fix:
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While we’re waiting to get under way – we’re expecting kick-off in less than 20 minutes – soak back into your armchair, and lap up this European treat:
The Liverpool defender, Andy Robertson, has had his two-pennies’ worth about who wants who. “I don’t think we have a preference,” he trilled. “This club has been here before and they know how hard it is – regardless of who you are playing – to get to the final and try to win this trophy. We know how hard it’s going to be and we need to try and work so hard to get to the final because we need to deserve it.” As for Trent Alexander-Arnold, the 19-year-old reckons him and his team-mates are fearless:
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The good news? Andriy Shevchenko and Wladimir Klitschko are both in the house in Nyon, with the Champions League semi-final draw almost upon us. With the Europa League draw out of the way, all eyes move to this, where Liverpool, Roma, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid all await their fate.
Preamble
The road to Kiev has narrowed, with just four teams remaining in the semi-finals. Liverpool, Roma, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich await their fate in Nyon, with the draw set to get under way around 12pm. We will get started shortly. In the meantime, whet your appetite for what lies ahead:
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