Champions League

Predicted line-ups and team news ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final between Liverpool and Villarreal, as well as the confirmed starting ...

This means no player can miss the final by virtue of picking up three cautions which did not result in a red card. Predicted line-ups and team news ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final between Liverpool and Villarreal, as well as the confirmed starting XIs for Tuesday's game between Manchester City and Real Madrid. Champions League semi-finals: possible line-ups and team news

Jurgen Klopp has dismissed the idea that Liverpool have a dream Champions League semi-final draw as they prepare to face Villarreal in the next stage of ...

"That is for us the same. "They're a really good football team who obviously wants to make history as well. "

Liverpool take on Villarreal at Anfield in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final on Wednesday and we can bring you the details of when and ...

Premier League Premier League Premier League

The Champions League semifinals begin as four teams remain in pursuit of continental glory. The action starts on Tuesday when Real Madrid head to Manchester ...

Match prediction: Manchester City 2, Real Madrid 1. His technical ability and speed should give the Real Madrid center-backs some serious trouble. I'll go with the guy who has to be on for Real to advance. He's had back-to-back hat tricks in the knockout stage and is playing out of his mind. Benzema, 34, is having far and away the best season of his career. The action kicks off on Tuesday when Real Madrid head to Manchester City for the first leg.

Manchester City meets Real Madrid Tuesday in the first of two Champions League semifinal first legs this week, with Liverpool and Villareal locking up on ...

The Scottish has just one European title to its name (the 1972 Cup Winners’ Cup) and last approached glory in this tournament 14 years ago, when it lost to Zenit Saint Petersburg in the final of what was then known as the UEFA Cup. Despite being such a young franchise, this is RB Leipzig’s second semifinal appearance in a major European competition, having advanced to the final four of the Champions League in 2020. Thursday, 3 p.m. Eintracht Frankfurt has a minus-two goal differential and sits in ninth place in the Bundesliga, but has won four of its last five road Europa League games this year, and tied the other. Thursday, 3 p.m. Liverpool is one of three six-time winners of Europe’s top club competition, last taking the Champions League in 2019, and is a heavy favorite here against a Villareal side that sits only seventh in the La Liga standings. City and Real Madrid, who both lead their respective domestic leagues, met in the Champions League round of 16 two years ago, with the Premier League team winning both legs by identical 2-1 scores.

Villarreal boss Unai Emery said his team deserve to be in the semifinals of the Champions League ahead of Wednesday's clash with Liverpool.

"Anfield is special and the atmosphere is impressive, incredible," Villarreal midfielder Dani Parejo said. "I recognise the work done and the identity created by Klopp, which has since been further improved. "It's not by chance that we are here," Villarreal midfielder Dani Parejo said. "Any side that is in a Champions League semifinal is there because they deserve to be. They are the number one favourites to win this competition. They will feel like favourites, of course, but will have respect for us."

The stars are out at the Etihad, where the Premier League leader and La Liga leader go head-to-head with a place in the Champions League final the endgame.

Then, City held on for a scrappy 1–0 aggregate win over Atlético Madrid in the quarterfinal. However, Real Madrid eliminated City in the 2016 semifinals on a tight 1–0 aggregate en route to its first of three straight Champions League titles. Then, in the quarterfinals, Real eliminated defending champion Chelsea in extra time after blowing a 3–1 aggregate lead.

Minute-by-minute report: Join Scott Murray for updates as the two European heavyweights go toe-to-toe at the Etihad.

Kick-off at the City of Manchester Stadium is at 8pm BST. It’s on! It’s the last time they met, so surely those are the most pertinent numbers of all. Then a taking of the knee ... and City get the ball rolling. It’s quite the sight, the sound, the atmosphere. They were humped 5-1 at Hamburg in 1980; lost 4-1 to Borussia Dortmund in 2013; and then there’s the famous 5-0 spanking handed out by Milan in 1989. Pep Guardiola emerges from the tunnel and shares a moment with Carlo Ancelotti. The mutual respect obvious as they embrace.

The Blues have reached only their third Champions League semi-final, with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Sporting CP, and Atletico Madrid already beaten ...

As expected, Pep Guardiola explained in yesterday's pre-match press conference that Kyle Walker and John Stones had not trained with the rest of the City squad and were major doubts for the clash. Manchester City Diego Simeone's La Liga champions were beaten in the quarter-finals, with Kevin De Bruyne's lone goal at the Etihad enough for City to earn progression.

Carlo Ancelotti believes Real Madrid's record of 13 European Cup wins is a “positive burden” for his players as they face Manchester City in the Champions ...

Normally, if Real Madrid get to the final, there is more of a possibility to win it.” “I think the history that Real Madrid has in this competition counts for a lot, more for us than opponents,” Ancelotti said. Real last won the competition in 2018, sealing a third consecutive triumph, while Ancelotti was the head coach who guided the club to their 10th success in 2014.

The quarterfinal round saw reigning champions Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid and Benfica eliminated from the competition, as the field was cut down ...

Manchester City’s own Raheem Sterling secured a total of three goals in the Champions League. Manchester City are the favorite to win against Real Madrid in the semifinals, and also make it to the finals. He scores an average of 1.11 goals every 90 minutes with 32 total goals so far this season, 13 of those being in the UEFA Champions League. Chelsea did come back to claim victory in the second leg at 3-2, but it wasn’t enough for them to advance. Manchester City’s 1-0 victory occurred in the first leg while their second matchup with Atlético Madrid resulted in a tie of 0-0. The second leg of the quarterfinals ended in a tie, 3-3, so Benfica said their goodbyes.

The Champions League semifinals are upon us, the action starts Tuesday on CBS and Paramount+. Manchester City host Real Madrid on Tuesday before Liverpool ...

A defense that may have only Craig Dawson as a fit center back will be tested but this is a team that has stood firm at both ends of the pitch in Europe. With the London Stadium at their backs they could well do enough to take control of the tie this week and book their passage back to Seville, where their knockout stage journey began. But, there is something to be said for the remorseless momentum that has gripped this club, where everything is being funneled into their pursuit of continental silverware. if their manager is ready to abandon the possession play he has gravitated to of late. Certainly that's no great surprise in the case of the Champions League where Liverpool and Manchester City have been strides ahead of the field for some time now. But, it was in that first half of the second leg that Villarreal seemed to conclude that they would win this tie, their belief not repressed even by Robert Lewandowski's goal. Here's one that has been sizzling away in the background for a while, not ready to be unleashed on the world until Barcelona crashed out of the Europa League. Now is the time to boldly declare this bit of Premier League exceptionalism. Flip the script of recent Villarreal games and if Klopp needs to tighten things up, he tends to have a top tier midfielder with fresh legs on the bench. Almost certainly not is the answer, an unfortunate one for those of a Villarreal persuasion or indeed those who just want to see a bit of spice in the latter stages of the Champions League. Then again one could have written the exact same thing throughout this competition. Across their Champions League games so far Villarreal have given up 4.85 expected goals and two actual goals in the first half as opposed to 9.73 and nine in the second. As the Belgian has hit top gear in recent weeks he has had something of another Manchester City great to his game. At full pelt Walker should be able to tame the Brazilian. If City do not have their best covering defender at that sort of level, then it might be Vinicius rather than Benzema who does the damage. Real Madrid have not gotten this far because they have been the clearly better team across the entirety of two legs in the previous rounds.

Carlo Ancelotti admitted Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro is a doubt ahead of tonight's Champions League semi-final first leg and played down suggestions his ...

'If you are not compact you will suffer,' he said. 'Success is reaching the final where we have a good chance of winning it.' Asked if he felt confident about being able to name his strongest side he said: '[Ferland] Mendy is fine.

Raheem Sterling claims Manchester City are 'focussed' on the Champions League because it is the one trophy the club have yet to win.

I always help the team, if I can get records even better," the winger said. As ever, Sterling was humble in his response, pointing out that he just takes games one at a time. He continued, "It's a special competition, every young player wants to be here.

Manchester City go welcome Real Madrid for di first-leg of dia Champions League semi-final match.

Di EPL no dey dia hands to win, but di Champions League and FA Cup still dey dia hand." "DeM dey smell blood and dem no go go away easily. I expect Manchester City to win wit a slim margin, but dis Real Madrid team na Carlo Ancelotti dey coach dem."

Raheem Sterling has described the Champions League as a 'special' competition ahead of City's semi-final first leg against Real Madrid.

He said: “(Benzema is) a top player. To be playing at such a high level for such a long time is a remarkable thing. “It’s a special competition,” the winger said to the media in his pre-match press conference.

Los Blancos are runaway winners in La Liga, but their expected goal differential is second-best in Spain and suggests that Real Madrid is a bit fortunate to ...

Madrid’s best path to success in this fixture is to sit back and allow City the lion’s share of possession. Los Blancos are runaway winners in La Liga, but their expected goal differential is second-best in Spain and suggests that Real Madrid is a bit fortunate to have such a big cushion over Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. Manchester City and Real Madrid begin their two-leg Champions League semifinal on Tuesday afternoon.

Kevin De Bruyne's superb header has given Manchester City an early lead in this Champions League semi-final first leg.Manchester City: Ederson; Stones, ...

The bookmaker's odds suggest that Manchester City and Liverpool are likely to be the two teams contesting the Champions League final. Manchester City have made four changes from their demolition of Watford at the weekend. As talk rages on about where Mahrez will be playing his football next season, he has been given the trust of his manager this evening. This evening's clash has all the hallmarks of a classic Champions League clash. Success is what every footballer craves as a youngster and then when they get their break at the top level. It is unlikely the England regular would have got a look in had Cancelo not been suspended but such is the scenario that he and Guardiola find themselves in. Rematch.— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 26, 2022 We are just 20 minutes away from kick off in the first of the two Champions League semi finals. We are just moments away from kick off in Manchester as the two teams make their way out onto the Etihad pitch. That is exactly what Guardiola would have wanted as Mahrez clips a perfect cross into the Real Madrid penalty area where De Bruyne is on hand to bravely nod beyond Thibaut Courtois. Although, they do seem relatively happy to let City control the ball in rather ineffective areas. City have doubled their lead and De Bruyne is once again at the heart of it.

Latest updates from the Man City versus Real Madrid semi-final first leg taking place at Etihad Stadium in England.

Man City 2-0 Real Madrid Man City 2-0 Real Madrid Man City 2-0 Real Madrid Man City 2-1 Real Madrid Man City 2-0 Real Madrid Man City 2-1 Real Madrid Man City 2-1 Real Madrid Man City 2-1 Real Madrid Man City 2-1 Real Madrid Man City 2-1 Real Madrid Man City 2-1 Real Madrid Man City 2-1 Real Madrid

Who will follow Chelsea to become the European champion? The Champions League semifinals are here and here's everything you need to know.

Real Madrid (+550) Chelsea 1-3 Real Madrid – Recap Villarreal – 7 Manchester City (-215) *Atletico Madrid – 7 Or will Europe be singing from a familiar songbook with Liverpool and Real Madrid winning the trophy once again?

A new-look Champions League group stage from 2024 will see each team playing 10 rather than six games based around a single standings, unless UEFA scales ...

“We are just a small club, a middle-class club in Germany, and we are not the voice of all the European clubs,” Hellman said. We could give the other middle-class clubs a voice and organizing an initiative with some other clubs, and that’s something we are working on.” “What I am not in favor of is building up step by step, a closed shop that only generates profit on itself.” “The other alternative will be clear if we don’t do this to a certain extent, we build our own monster,” Hellman said. “If you’re participating in the Champions League, your coefficient gets higher and higher and the shop is more closed,” Hellman said in a video call on Monday. “So I do not believe that should be the right requirement to participate in the European competitions. But Frankfurt is preparing for its second Europa League semifinal in four seasons, against West Ham on Thursday.

UEFA plans to give two Champions League places to teams that didn't qualify based on their historic record in Europe when the tournament expands to 36 teams ...

“We are just a small club, a middle-class club in Germany, and we are not the voice of all the European clubs,” Hellman said. We could give the other middle-class clubs a voice and organizing an initiative with some other clubs, and that’s something we are working on.” “If you’re participating in the Champions League, your coefficient gets higher and higher and the shop is more closed,” Hellman said in a video call on Monday. “So I do not believe that should be the right requirement to participate in the European competitions.

Eintracht Frankfurt CEO Axel Hellman says he is working with other middle-ranking clubs to try to thwart UEFA plans to give two places to teams based on their ...

“We are just a small club, a middle-class club in Germany, and we are not the voice of all the European clubs,” Hellman said. We could give the other middle-class clubs a voice and organizing an initiative with some other clubs, and that’s something we are working on.” “What I am not in favor of is building up step by step, a closed shop that only generates profit on itself.” “The other alternative will be clear if we don’t do this to a certain extent, we build our own monster,” Hellman said. “If you’re participating in the Champions League, your coefficient gets higher and higher and the shop is more closed,” Hellman said in a video call on Monday. “So I do not believe that should be the right requirement to participate in the European competitions. But Frankfurt is preparing for its second Europa League semifinal in four seasons, against West Ham on Thursday.

'Wouldn't have a chance': City's long-time flaw may expose them again says Real boss — CL LIVE.

“Being in the semi-final is so good,” he said. But maybe there are things we have they don’t have, I don’t know. It’s a success to win the final in this competition. We need to suffer, to stick together, when we have the ball, try to attack. Normally if Real Madrid reaches the final, they have a good chance of winning.” “That’s why they have things that maybe still we don’t have.

Liverpool will be eyeing a spot in this season's Champions League final when Villarreal come to town on Wednesday night. Can the Spanish side pull off yet ...

You can add BT Sport to your package for only £15 a month (plus a £20 joining fee). You can cancel the subscription at any time. It brings coverage of football, rugby, cricket, UFC and more, plus access to BT Sport Ultra HD for 4K viewing. Enjoy the English Premier League, Champions League and more through the BT Sport app on smart TVs, mobiles, tablets, games consoles, Chromecast or through the BT Sport website. If you're hooked up specifically on the BT TV platform then it's also available in with Dolby Atmos sound. Even if you have subscribed to the relevant Liverpool vs Villarreal live stream rights holders, you won't be able to access them when outside your own country. For the Big Bundle, which includes all the Sky Sports too, it's £40 per month – more expensive, granted, but you'll never miss a match again. For the Champions League, you may wish to choose 'USA' for Paramount +. This UK-only pass gets you full access to all the BT Sport channels for a simple monthly fee. You can use it to watch on your mobile, tablet, laptop, TV, games console and more. Liverpool will be eyeing a spot in this season's Champions League final when Villarreal come to town on Wednesday night. Villarreal have already dumped Juventus and Bayern Munich out of this year's competition but a trip to Anfield represents their greatest challenge so far.

The excellence achieved in the era of Klopp and Guardiola in England's north-west has seen Liverpool and City persistently rewrite the record books.

Watch UEFA Champions League 2021-22 (Semi Final Leg 1) - Liverpool vs. Watch UEFA Champions League 2021-22 (Semi Final Leg 1) - Man. City vs. The excellence achieved in the era of Klopp and Guardiola in England's north-west has seen Liverpool and City persistently rewrite the record books. It is unbelievable what he is doing." Real Madrid and Villarreal stand in the way of Manchester City and Liverpool taking their battle for domestic honours to the biggest stage of all next month in the Champions League final. The excellence achieved in the era of Klopp and Guardiola in England's north-west has seen Liverpool and City persistently rewrite the record books.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says his team, who face Real Madrid in their Champions League semi-final, first leg on Tuesday, need to put aside the ...

We see how they feel, (and) tomorrow take a decision," said Guardiola. Liverpool face Villarreal in the other semi-final, at Anfield, on Wednesday. "If we have to compete with their history, we don`t have a chance. City may have to take on Real without their first choice right back Kyle Walker and central defender John Stones, who are both doubtful with injuries.

Carlo Ancelotti doesn't seem bothered by hearing that Real Madrid isn't the favorite against Manchester City in the Champions League semifinals.

With Liverpool a potential opponent in the final, the path could hardly have been tougher. In 2020, City won both home and away in the last 16. The semifinals begin with the master of European soccer visiting an upstart.

A Spanish team's run to the semifinals offers a template for how teams can thrive by turning the impatience of Europe's giants against them.

It demonstrates that it is possible to grow strong on the scraps from the feast, to thrive in soccer’s increasingly Anglocentric ecosystem, by remembering that the appeal of a product depends on its use. Villarreal has long nurtured connections in South America in general and in Argentina in particular: When it last reached a Champions League semifinal, in 2006, it was with a team stocked with Boca Juniors alumni. Villarreal, on the other hand, does not feel like a vision of what is to come. “So they created a cleaning product made with vinegar,” Miguel Blanco, a business economics professor at King Juan Carlos University, once told a business journal from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Mercadona, like Villarreal, understands that the appeal of a product depends on how it is used. There is Vicente Iborra, a 34-year-old midfielder who struggled to make an impact at Leicester City, and Pervis Estupiñán, the young Ecuadorean left back who noodled around the great Watford loan factory for a while. But both contained trace elements of lightning strikes, too: difficult — if not impossible — to repeat or replicate. These are held at 10 stores around Spain, and each is devoted to a particular strand of the business: pet care, for example, or snacks or personal hygiene. Those familiar with Villarreal’s strategy say that is not a deliberate policy. To ensure the company is meeting their needs, Mercadona, every so often, invites a selection of its most reliable customers to take part in a testing laboratory. There has, instead, been a degree of opportunism. It was in Monaco’s run past Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund that Kylian Mbappé, Bernardo Silva and Fabinho first pierced the sport’s broader consciousness. Fernando Roig, Villarreal’s president and benefactor, has a minority stake in Mercadona, Spain’s largest retail chain, but it is his brother, Juan, the majority shareholder, who is credited with turning the latter into a staple case study for business schools around the world.

Villarreal are thriving against Europe's elite with sights set on Champions League glory. Can they crack Liverpool next in semifinal bid?

Yet he's the one, in the Yellow Submarine's words, ensuring that 'everyone of us, has all we need' for a Champions League semifinal against the six-time competition winners. He was told on arrival that his negative test hadn't been produced early enough to allow him access to the stadium where his team were on the verge of history. Then we have optimistic expectations but based on a lot of work." Win, lose, draw -- Emery immediately sensed that there was urgency, ambition and grit about the Yellow Submarine project. Villarreal were on a promotion mission that, by 1967, would see them wriggle their way back into the third division, and there's a lovely faded black-and-white photo of a fan banner held up by first-team players on the day which reads: "The Yellow Submarine is Advancing At Full Steam." Emery, a Basque-born footballer of workmanlike ability, is a good witness to what his boss has achieved. I experienced the final by myself because my kids were in Poland, my brother was in Poland; everyone was in Poland. I watched more or less alone because my wife finds it very tense. There's a presumption that because the club have only become world-known over the last sixteen or so years the nickname is a modern creation. Relegation, from which the club bounced back with rubber-ball speed, was the most painful experience for him across this magical quarter-century. But 2006, the last time the Yellow Submarine reached the Champions League semifinal, was the more brutally iconic image. Like his brother and sister-in-law, he is a billionaire. On the day when the Beatles' publicity machine for their Yellow Submarine/Eleanor Rigby release went into overdrive, Villarreal were in Spanish football's fifth tier.

The Champions League is down to four clubs, two from the Premier League and two from La Liga. Manchester City, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Villarreal will battle ...

Then there's West Ham, who cannot reach the Champions League places in England, so their only route to the Champions League is by winning the Europa League (and look how well that path has worked out for Villarreal!). They're facing a Frankfurt team that sits in ninth place in Germany with a goal differential of -2. While they've played well in the Europa League, they're not likely to provide much of a threat to the Hammers in London. Pick: West Ham and RB Leipzig to win (+156) Rangers getting this far in the competition is a credit to them, but they aren't in the same league as Leipzig, and I can't imagine they'll go to Germany and come away with a result. I see the value on a parlay of the likely winners. Villarreal are a great story and an excellent example of what a club can accomplish when the entire organization is in line and follows a vision. Villarreal's problem is that Liverpool are a club very much in the same mold, but with more money and much better players. After all, Liverpool did allow four goals in two matches against Benfica and have allowed at least one goal in seven of their 10 Champions League matches this season. Like the last round against Chelsea, I want to take the over, but I fear what Carlo Ancelloti did in the Round of 16 against PSG. He sent Real Madrid out there and had them playing like Sean Dyche's Burnley squad. The good news is Villarreal are strong enough in attack that I believe they can get at least one goal of their own more often than not. In other words, a pragmatic approach against City might not work out nearly as well as Ancelloti hopes, so I'm betting on City finding the back of the net at least twice. I can't guarantee anything, but I have a pretty good idea of what to expect. The Champions League semifinals begin this week, and while Manchester City and Liverpool are the heavy favorites to move on and give us an all-England final, Real Madrid has been written off a few times in this tournament already, and it's still here.

Thirteen-time winners face Manchester City in the first leg of the semi-final at the Etihad Stadium.

We need to suffer, to stick together, when we have the ball, try to attack.” We need to suffer, to stick together, when we have the ball, try to attack. But maybe there are things we have they don’t have, I don’t know. Ancelotti: “We are very close to playing another final of the most important competition in the world and we are worried because we are facing a very strong team. Guardiola: “We have to have the desire to compete against them. “We have to have the desire to compete against them.

"We will suffer" city coach Pep Guardiola has warned as he prepares his side against a team he calls "kings of the competition". City, finalists last year, ...

Now we are trying to be ourselves, to compete well, and we have to play two outstanding games to reach the final, and I hope we can do that." Meanwhile, the Merengue are dreaming of a final victory at the Stade de France after the one they won against Valencia in 2000. Asked what Manchester City must do to beat Real Madrid, Guardiola said "to be there in the last stages with the best teams in the world, in Europe, to be here is good.

The critics say this must be the year Manchester City win the Champions League. The predictor says it's the most likely outcome with Liverpool not far ...

Their opponents shouldn’t expect the same. What that seems to be doing is giving their attackers some space on the occasion that they are attacking. Villarreal seem to know what they’re doing at this stage of knockout tournaments. One step at a time, and the Reds are at 85% to be playing at the Stade de France on 28 May. Unai Emery’s side held Bayern to 0.07 xG per shot over 180 minutes, while Julian Nagelsmann’s side settled for plenty of low-quality opportunities: They’ve had six or fewer high turnovers three times in the Champions League this season. They’ve had 10 or more in the remaining seven. Real Madrid have scored a goal from a high turnover in three straight games. Pep Guardiola’s side have allowed 24 shots on target in the entire competition. But the two Spanish teams they’ll face have just eliminated the last two European champions in Chelsea and Bayern Munich. It should be said their group contained an attacking-mad RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain, but the recent form is nonetheless encouraging. Sixteen of them only played six games.

Manchester City take on Real Madrid at the Etihad in the Champions League tonight.

But we have the desire to play against them and take on this incredible test and we want to improve. This is the motive to do my job.” Reaching the final [last year] is a good lesson for us and for the future it will be good.” “If we have to compete with history, we don’t have any chance. We want to be ourselves.” And ahead of the game, Guardiola said: “We have to be so precise against them.

Real have won Europe's top trophy a record 13 times while City remains in search of their first Champions League title after losing in the final to Chelsea last ...

The live streaming of the Champions League semi-final match between Manchester City and Real Madrid will be available on SonyLiv. The Champions League semi-final match between Manchester City and Real Madrid will be played at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester. Where is the Champions League semi-final match between Manchester City and Real Madrid going to be held?

Team news and tactics for City v Real, Liverpool v Villarreal, RB Leipzig v Rangers and West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt.

Centre-back Obite Evan Ndicka is suspended following his dismissal in the second leg win at Barcelona this month, while Kristijan Jakic is also banned for the trip to London. Tuta is available following a ban of his own and should deputise for Ndicka in Eintracht’s three-man backline. Djibril Sow returned from injury off the bench against Hoffenheim on Saturday, so should cover for Jakic in the middle of the park. Emery has an able deputy for the striker in Arnaut Danjuma, who scored both goals in that 2-0 win over Valencia and has scored against Juventus and Bayern Munich in the Champions League this season. He won the Europa League with Villarreal last season and his team has already seen off Juventus and Bayern Munich in the Champions League this year. That depends on Aaron Ramsey’s fitness, however, after the Welshman missed the win over Motherwell. His presence would be a huge boost for Rangers. Filip Helander, Ianis Hagi and Nnamdi Ofoborh are all absent. Tedesco has revitalised their season but Rangers can take heart from the fact that RB Leipzig have won only two of their last seven home games. Liverpool did the double over Spanish opponents in the group stage, beating Atlético Madrid home and away, and they are strong favourites against Villarreal, who are seventh in La Liga. Liverpool may be without Roberto Firmino but their squad now has the depth to cope without one of their regular front three. They have won their last four games in La Liga to all but clinch the title; they are 15 points clear of Barcelona and Sevilla with five games to play, and will be crowned champions if they avoid defeat to Espanyol on Saturday. Federico Valverde played both legs against Chelsea on the right wing and should join Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior on the frontline, with Marco Asensio and Rodrygo available from the bench if required. After their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Liverpool this month, City have just the Champions League and Premier League to focus on. CJ Egan-Riley has experience in the Champions League, though the teenager’s sole appearance came against Sporting when the two-legged affair was over as a contest.

Manchester City will take a 4-3 lead into the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid after an extraordinary game at Etihad ...

Both clubs' tendencies were on full display, leading to a seven-goal thriller and an open-ended set of potential outcomes entering the second leg.

We performed really well the first one, you have to do it the second one. Pep Guardiola had reacted with fury to the Mahrez miss, largely because he went for goal when he could have squared it to Foden who would have had an open goal, but that response showed that he knew the game was not won at 2–0, no matter how dominant City seemed. It missed opportunity after opportunity, although it won the shot count only 16–11 and the shots-on-target count only 6–5. Not for the first time in a big game in Guardiola’s career, it felt like an opportunity had been wasted; both league games against Liverpool this season went the same way. When it took on a more natural shape, City looked like much the better side. And that it lost only 4–3 to a Manchester City that threatened at times to outclass it said much for its remarkable stickability. Madrid for long spells simply couldn’t get out, while every turnover threatened to become an opportunity for the hosts.

Based on Tuesday's evidence, scoring at least once at Santiago Bernabeu is not beyond Real Madrid. They countered an onslaught from Manchester City ...

The Brazil international remains a key piece for Los Blancos, and at least two of City's goals could have been avoided with his vigilance. The balance that he brings to Real's midfield is inimitable and his presence would certainly have helped to avoid the quickfire efforts which arguably cost the Spanish giants this game, but not the overall tie. Bernardo Silva spectacularly re-established the two-goal cushion entering the final quarter of an hour and then Benzema cut the deficit again from the penalty spot with a sublime panenka. Based on Tuesday's evidence, scoring at least once at Santiago Bernabeu is not beyond Real Madrid. They countered an onslaught from Manchester City impressively to emerge just one goal down after a breathless 4-3 first leg. Real looked a shambles at that point. City go to Madrid a goal to the good in the UEFA Champions League semifinals after a wild opener at Etihad Stadium and it could easily have been over before it even started.

Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva were on target for Pep Guardiola's men, who should have scored many more. But Karim Benzema's ...

Benzema was the coolest man in the stadium as he chipped the spot-kick down the middle to leave the tie on a knife-edge headed back to the Spanish capital. Again City failed to put the tie to bed as Mahrez was inches away from finding the far corner from the narrowest of angles. But his decision to break from the mould of the past two seasons and play Jesus as a central striker was inspired as the Brazilian ran the Real defence ragged.

As the semifinals begin, is English club success inevitable?

A defense that may have only Craig Dawson as a fit center back will be tested but this is a team that has stood firm at both ends of the pitch in Europe. With the London Stadium at their backs they could well do enough to take control of the tie this week and book their passage back to Seville, where their knockout stage journey began. But, there is something to be said for the remorseless momentum that has gripped this club, where everything is being funneled into their pursuit of continental silverware. if their manager is ready to abandon the possession play he has gravitated to of late. Certainly that's no great surprise in the case of the Champions League where Liverpool and Manchester City have been strides ahead of the field for some time now. Here's one that has been sizzling away in the background for a while, not ready to be unleashed on the world until Barcelona crashed out of the Europa League. Now is the time to boldly declare this bit of Premier League exceptionalism. But, it was in that first half of the second leg that Villarreal seemed to conclude that they would win this tie, their belief not repressed even by Robert Lewandowski's goal. Flip the script of recent Villarreal games and if Klopp needs to tighten things up, he tends to have a top tier midfielder with fresh legs on the bench. Almost certainly not is the answer, an unfortunate one for those of a Villarreal persuasion or indeed those who just want to see a bit of spice in the latter stages of the Champions League. Then again one could have written the exact same thing throughout this competition. Across their Champions League games so far Villarreal have given up 4.85 expected goals and two actual goals in the first half as opposed to 9.73 and nine in the second. As the Belgian has hit top gear in recent weeks he has had something of another Manchester City great to his game. At full pelt Walker should be able to tame the Brazilian. If City do not have their best covering defender at that sort of level, then it might be Vinicius rather than Benzema who does the damage. Real Madrid have not gotten this far because they have been the clearly better team across the entirety of two legs in the previous rounds.

Plus: Karim Benzema delivers yet another decisive Champions League performance, showing why Real Madrids hopes rest on his shoulders.

It's not easy in the semi-final of the Champions League to shoot a penalty like this." Then, with Madrid's hopes of qualification fading, he produced a sublime Panenka penalty for his ninth Champions League knock-out goal this year. "I always have it in my head that if you don't take a penalty, you will never miss a penalty," he said afterwards. You can tell his emotions are overly heightened when it comes to Manchester City and winning the Champions League. Play for free, entries by 7:45. Against Lyon in 2020, Guardiola decided to play Rodri and Fernandinho and his side were eliminated. If Real Madrid are to produce a memorable comeback against Manchester City and then go on to win a 14th Champions League title - and Benzema's fifth - then they will need him to keep being at his best. Manchester City continue their quest for the Premier League title with a trip to Leeds on Saturday evening at 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports. City hold a one-point lead over Liverpool, who visit Newcastle on Saturday lunchtime. His manager Carlo Ancelotti added: "I think he changed because the last two penalties were not good. The striker marked his 600th appearance for Real Madrid with yet another fine display to bring up his 13th and 14th Champions League goals of the season - and further strengthen his case for the Ballon d'Or. He set up City's second goal with a diagonal cross for Gabriel Jesus from City's left flank and, had it not been for the profligacy of his team-mates, he would have ended the game with more than one assist to his name in addition to his goal. Yes, Real haven't managed to progress through a semi-final in this competition when losing the first-leg but no team shoot themselves in the foot like Manchester City do when the going gets tough in the Champions League.

Footballing giants Manchester City and Real Madrid turn it on in their Champions League semi-final first leg, with Pep Guardiola's men gaining the advantage ...

Benzema kept his composure while all around him were losing theirs, giving Madrid renewed belief of reaching a first final since 2018. For manager Pep Guardiola, whose team has taken all before it in domestic football with three Premier League crowns and a number of cups, the one thing missing from his CV at Manchester City is a Champions League trophy to go with the two he won coaching Barcelona. In between, Benzema had gotten his now-customary goal in the Champions League, clipping a volley in off the post from Ferland Mendy's cross in the 33rd and City was living dangerously at times — especially goalkeeper Ederson when he dallied on the ball.

Manchester City will take a 4-3 lead into the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid after an extraordinary game in Manchester.

But we take three goals to the Bernabeu. We now hope to get to the final." "As a football fan, it was a fantastic game of football. Unfortunately we conceded goals and we could not score more.

Manchester City beat Real Madrid 4-3 in Champions League thriller but may be left to regret not winning by a bigger margin after dominating first leg of ...

The Champions League semifinals have begun and the first leg started with Manchester City and Real Madrid. Heres a rundown of what happened during the ...

The two teams came out fighting but Manchester took home the win after defeating Real Madrid 4-3. Goal number two was not far behind. Oh, but that’s not all. De Bruyne has once again proved his relentless rigor, making this his seventh goal during his Champions League glory. The first was during the Round of 16 match with Real Madrid in 2020, next was during the 2020 quarterfinals against Lyon and then in 2021 during the Round of 16 against Gladbach. Then came his goal during the 2021 quarterfinals against Dortmund, the 2021 Semifinals against Paris and the 2022 quarterfinals against Atlético. And now the 2022 semifinals. Arguably the best team in the world, Manchester City, took on Real Madrid in the first game of the first leg of the semifinals.

The Premier League's title challengers are in contention to win European football's prize but will have to overcome Spanish opposition to reach the final.

Pep Guardiola’s side are renowned for the quality of their football, but they demonstrated their grit and resilience to overcome Atletico in the previous round. David Alaba has been an inspired signing at the other end of the pitch. On each occasion, the trophy was won by a Spanish club, with Real Madrid defeating La Liga rivals Valencia 3-0 in 2000 and Barcelona overcoming 10-man Arsenal 2-1 in 2006.

With his cheekily dispatched “Panenka,” Karim Benzema might just have kept Real Madrid's chances alive against Manchester City in the semifinals. Advertisement.

Benzema now has 41 goals in all competitions in the most prolific season of his career. “It is a defeat,” Ancelotti said, “that leaves us alive in the second leg.” “It doesn’t matter if you are one goal, two goals or three goals ahead.” With Madrid fielding a ball-playing midfield _ of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Federico Valverde _ that lacked the bite of injured Casemiro, City cut through the visitors at will and should have been further clear before Benzema steered a volley in off the post from Ferland Mendy’s cross in the 33rd. But he surely knows City should be out of sight and already preparing for a second straight appearance in the final and the chance to avenge last year’s loss to Chelsea. It was the coolest of penalties at the end of one of the wildest matches in Champions League history.

"We have to do a magical thing," said Karim Benzema after Real Madrid performed another Houdini act in the Champions League to escape only 4-3 down from ...

This time it took just 10 minutes for Madrid to be clinging on to stay in the tie. Once again it was left to Benzema to dig Los Blancos out of the mire by halving the deficit before half-time. It was the first time the City fans had something to cheer in a semi-final. Had City not successfully appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, they would have been banned from the Champions League for the past two seasons. By contrast, this was just City's third trip to the semi-finals, but the English champions justified their status as tournament favourites on the night the Etihad Stadium may finally have warmed to the Champions League. Benzema set up what should be a special night at the Santiago Bernabeu on May 4 by scoring twice to take his tally for the season to 41 goals in as many games.

Nick Hennion of The Action Network provides a preview + best bet for Wednesday's Champions League semifinal between Liverpool and Villarreal.

Add in Liverpool’s defensive numbers in the Champions League and I don’t believe Villarreal are capable of grabbing more than a single goal. Plus, for as strong as Liverpool’s attack has played in the Champions League, I would expect some tired legs here. At the same time, though, Villarreal’s attack has proven somewhat reliable of late. The 2019 UCL winners have created 19.5 expected goals through 10 fixtures, the second-highest mark amongst the four semi-finalists. That came in the second leg against Benfica with the tie virtually wrapped up. Hosts Liverpool, which knocked out Benfica in the quarterfinals, are sizable favorites for the opener.

Arnaut Danjuma has been a star of Villarreal's run to the UCL semis. He talks to ESPN about his career and returning to England to face Liverpool.

"I want to play against the best to prove myself and test myself against the best. It was a privilege to play there and always special to come back." As a forward, it is so great to have a high defensive line behind you because it keeps you high up the pitch." It is the best league, and you want to compete there. It made me more mature, I developed a lot and it took me to where I am right now. Juventus are one of the best defensive teams in the world, while Bayern have some of the best forwards in the world and play very attacking football. "I watch everything," he tells ESPN. "I am a fan to start with and because I want to become one of the best in the world, watching a lot of football will improve my skills. "Maybe the rest of the world didn't expect us to get this far, but we have always been confident," Danjuma said. The "Yellow Submarine" will have the same mindset they had against Juventus and Bayern Munich in the two previous rounds. They finished second in a group with Manchester United, Young Boys and Atalanta, charging their way to the semifinals with huge victories away at Atalanta to qualify for the last-16, in Turin against Juventus to book their place in the quarterfinals, and at home against Bayern to defy all the odds over the two legs, eliminating the Bundesliga champions 2-1 on aggregate. We should keep doing what we have been doing and believe in our own strategy." It's also about football intelligence and the amount of work you put in outside of the pitch.

Soccer's elite teams have all trended towards all-out attack, but the Champions League has shown that elite defensive play is every bit as awesome.

Many fans -- perhaps even Atléti and Villarreal's own supporters -- would prefer to see these defensive sides break out of their shells and show a little bravery, but if every team plays the same style of football and the game becomes tactically homogeneous, we're left with something that's frankly not interesting, and loses its value as an entertainment product. Real Madrid, a matchup between two teams who wouldn't know how to sit back in a bunker in the unlikely event it was demanded of them, was a back-and-forth thriller with multiple goals for both sides in Tuesday's first leg at the Etihad. But it's just as intriguing to see Liverpool, a team that thrives on attacking quickly into open spaces, have to contend with a Villarreal team that's proven they can stifle Europe's best with their low defensive block. Everton was kind enough to give the Reds a test run in Sunday's Merseyside Derby, keeping Liverpool off the scoreboard (and with zero shots on target) until the 62nd minute by defending with all 11 men deep in their own half, but ultimately falling 2-0. And the style of play used by Villarreal boss Unai Emery in the quarterfinal maximized the talent of the players he had available. In midfielder Dani Parejo, Villarreal has a player who does not have the athletic qualities to succeed in a transitional game against a team of Bayern's quality, though he does have the passing ability to create dangerous attacks from a very small number of opportunities -- among central midfielders, he's in the 97th percentile for Expected Assists in Europe's top 5 leagues. A similar pair of matches played out between Villarreal and Bayern Munich, but with a bit more precision on the counter for the underdogs, which produced an even better result. Atlético Madrid, the one side that's consistently bucked all these tactical trends under manager Diego Simeone, opted to camp all 11 of its players within 30 yards of its own goal in the first leg of its tie against Manchester City. Phil Foden got City on the board once, but Atléti persisted with its tactics in the first half of the second leg, albeit with a bit more ambition on the counterattack. Liverpool match which team was managed by an innovator in how to play without the ball and which was managed by an innovator in how to play with it. But this has come at the expense of tactical variety, and there are very few true clashes of styles at the top level of the game. The quality that mid-budget teams in top leagues can display using this style is extremely impressive -- Serie A's Atalanta and Real Betis in LaLiga come most readily to mind -- and there are more teams than ever before that play in a way that is popularly referred to as "good football." If their quarterfinal performance against Bayern Munich is anything to go by, Villarreal is likely to set up in an extremely defensive system with all of their players close to their own penalty area and their opponents Liverpool will enjoy the vast majority of possession while trying to break down the "Yellow Submarine." Not all defensive football is anti-football, and Villarreal is adding a refreshing bit of diversity to a competition that doesn't feature as many different tactical styles as it once did.

It was a match which will be remembered as a Champions League classic. There were seven goals, one an outrageous penalty, plenty of chances and outstanding ...

Unfortunately we conceded goals and we could not score more. "As a manager of Madrid, I have to take into consideration that we ... conceded two goals very early. Kevin De Bruyne's superb diving header gave City the lead after just 94 seconds. "It was a fantastic game for both sides. It was a fitting way to end a special night. "As a football fan, it was a fantastic game of football," Real manager Carlo Ancelotti told reporters.

Now the club from a small town of 50000 inhabitants in eastern Spain must get past one more giant standing in the way of a dream appearance in its first ...

If Gerard is not available, the scoring burden will fall to Arnaut Danjuma, who a season after playing in England’s second-tier with Bournemouth now leads Villarreal with 16 goals across all competitions. Villarreal will arrive to the game after eight days of rest, compared to Liverpool’s three. It is having confidence in a project that has been in place for years.” We made history last year by winning the (Europa League) and we are making history this year too, and that’s no coincidence. “We are here because we have our credentials after having gotten through the previous rounds against important rivals. Relatively unknown among casual soccer fans outside Spain, Villarreal has for years established a reputation for being one of the best-run Spanish clubs.

From playing Millwall away to Liverpool in Europe's last four, Villarreal forward Arnaut Danjuma talks to Pete Hall about his fairytale 12 months.

“He is one of the reasons why I’ve improved my football intelligence to perform in multiple positions. The Champions League knockout rounds give him a chance to be able to do what he is good at over the course of two games. I speak a lot with the manager, I’ve got my own personal trainer, my own personal nutritionist, my own individual striker coach, who I work with on a daily basis after training, watching hours of clips. That persuaded Unai Emery that he would be the latest former Premier League star to become part of his revolution in Castellon. I am doing the exact same thing as I was in the Championship last season, just on a higher platform.” “The Championship was amazing for me,” Danjuma tells i from Villarreal’s training base.

Soccer's elite teams have all trended towards all-out attack, but the Champions League has shown that elite defensive play is every bit as awesome.

Many fans -- perhaps even Atléti and Villarreal's own supporters -- would prefer to see these defensive sides break out of their shells and show a little bravery, but if every team plays the same style of football and the game becomes tactically homogeneous, we're left with something that's frankly not interesting, and loses its value as an entertainment product. Real Madrid, a matchup between two teams who wouldn't know how to sit back in a bunker in the unlikely event it was demanded of them, was a back-and-forth thriller with multiple goals for both sides in Tuesday's first leg at the Etihad. But it's just as intriguing to see Liverpool, a team that thrives on attacking quickly into open spaces, have to contend with a Villarreal team that's proven they can stifle Europe's best with their low defensive block. Everton was kind enough to give the Reds a test run in Sunday's Merseyside Derby, keeping Liverpool off the scoreboard (and with zero shots on target) until the 62nd minute by defending with all 11 men deep in their own half, but ultimately falling 2-0. And the style of play used by Villarreal boss Unai Emery in the quarterfinal maximized the talent of the players he had available. In midfielder Dani Parejo, Villarreal has a player who does not have the athletic qualities to succeed in a transitional game against a team of Bayern's quality, though he does have the passing ability to create dangerous attacks from a very small number of opportunities -- among central midfielders, he's in the 97th percentile for Expected Assists in Europe's top 5 leagues. A similar pair of matches played out between Villarreal and Bayern Munich, but with a bit more precision on the counter for the underdogs, which produced an even better result. Atlético Madrid, the one side that's consistently bucked all these tactical trends under manager Diego Simeone, opted to camp all 11 of its players within 30 yards of its own goal in the first leg of its tie against Manchester City. Phil Foden got City on the board once, but Atléti persisted with its tactics in the first half of the second leg, albeit with a bit more ambition on the counterattack. Liverpool match which team was managed by an innovator in how to play without the ball and which was managed by an innovator in how to play with it. But this has come at the expense of tactical variety, and there are very few true clashes of styles at the top level of the game. The quality that mid-budget teams in top leagues can display using this style is extremely impressive -- Serie A's Atalanta and Real Betis in LaLiga come most readily to mind -- and there are more teams than ever before that play in a way that is popularly referred to as "good football." If their quarterfinal performance against Bayern Munich is anything to go by, Villarreal is likely to set up in an extremely defensive system with all of their players close to their own penalty area and their opponents Liverpool will enjoy the vast majority of possession while trying to break down the "Yellow Submarine." Not all defensive football is anti-football, and Villarreal is adding a refreshing bit of diversity to a competition that doesn't feature as many different tactical styles as it once did.

The greatest underdog stories from the biggest stage in club football.

As all the traditional big guns fell, Porto just kept on going, and easily swatted Monaco aside in the showpiece final in Gelsenkirchen. Mourinho’s side are the last outside of England, Italy, Spain and Germany to win the competition, and that isn’t likely to change anytime soon. A team with players who would go on to become household names, such as Gaizka Mendieta, Claudio Lopez and Kily Gonzalez, but weren’t so at the beginning of that season. In a group that included Panathinaikos, Porto and Aalborg, Nantes finished second and after seeing off Spartak Moscow, they set up a clash with Juventus. Starring a young Claude Makelele, Nantes were narrowly beaten 4-3 on aggregate by the eventual winners. Like Nantes, Villarreal made it to the semi final at the first attempt. The season that put Jose Mourinho on the map. Yet, every once in a while, it isn't one of the elite that grabs the headlines, but a relative minnow.

They also cast their eye across the dramatic night at the Etihad, where Manchester City claimed a 4-3 victory over Real Madrid in the semi-final first-leg. Want ...

It is easy to see a clash between Manchester City and Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinal as the ultimate contrast of footballing cultures: If ...

It was a reminder that, regardless of the advanced technology with which you try to beat them, Real Madrid will always be there by the roadside, ready to block your path to European glory: this week, next week, and for years beyond. If an opposing midfield is not playing well, then Modric will scamper gladly about at the edge of the opposition’s area, playing a series of sharp and smart diagonal passes to his wingers, looking dominant and carefree. Judging by the body language of Manchester City’s players at the final whistle, several of whom trudged from the field as if they had been dealt a defeat, Benzema was successful. The second goal is the one that, despite City’s outstanding attacking football, will claim the bulk of the attention: a Panenka, the epitome of footballing guts, a penalty floated directly into the middle of the goal while City goalkeeper Ederson flailed helplessly beneath it. It is easy to see a clash between Manchester City and Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinal as the ultimate contrast of footballing cultures: If City are the brash young upstart of European football, then Madrid are its landed gentry. Historians might see this as a reductive reading of the situation—as a club, City were actually founded several years before Madrid, but in terms of prestige, the Mancunians are still playing catch-up.

Manchester City edged Real Madrid in an entertaining 4-3 win for Pep Guardiola's men in the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final tie at the Etihad ...

He epitomises the modern day number six, winning back the ball and offloading it to the creative midfielders or even playing through some balls himself. A midfield three of Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne has been a regular occurrence for City this season and rightly so. Onto the first negative point and without a surprise, it is regarding the infuriating number of chances that weren’t taken or went to waste. The Belgian then went on to dictate much of City’s play, adding an assist for Jesus too. Many expected him to score, but certainly not in the fashion he did. The tie kicked off in style with two goals scored in just 11 minutes.

Klopp rejects 'easy draw' claim in quadruple quest as Liverpool face mid-table Spaniards: CL LIVE.

“That is for us the same. The same importance. “They’re a really good football team who obviously wants to make history as well.

Liverpool face Villarreal in their latest Champions League semi-final tonight and here we take a look at their history in the European Cup competition.

- Steven Gerrard (87) - Steven Gerrard (30) Bayern Munich have also been victorious on six occasions.

Liverpool's taken on Villarreal in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final at Anfield this evening and we can now bring you the confirmed team ...

Premier League Premier League Premier League

Minute-by-minute report: Will Liverpool maintain their relentless form against the conquerors of Bayern? Find out with Barry Glendenning.

12 min: Mane beats the Villarreal offside trap to run on to a dinked Salah cross from the right. 3 min: A raking Thiago Alcantara pass from deep aimed towards Mo Salah is a little too weighty and bounces wide of the Villarreal goal. 14 min: Luis Diaz tries to curl a shot home from outside the Villarreal penalty area. 36 min: With Villarreal on a rare attack, Dani Parejo tries to pick out Lo Celso with a ball from the touchline. 39 min: Luis Diaz is penalised for a foul on Dani Parejo near the edge of the Villarreal penalty area. And if you like what you hear, we’re touring in the UK and Ireland this summer, so why not come along to see us at a venue near (or very far away) from you. He wasn’t expecting it, isn’t able to control the ball and it clanks off his shin and out of harm’s way. 23 min: Thiago picks out Henderson near the byline and his low cross-shot from a very tight angle goes into the side-netting. Salah gets on the end of his cross but steer it wide. The denizens of the Kop appeal for a penalty but none is forthcoming. It’s a Liverpool corner, which Villarreal clear. Nothing comes of the free-kick but Liverpool continue to apply pressure.

The Reds outshot the Yellow Submarine, 12–1, in the first half, but things remained goalless at Anfield.

History between the two sides is scant, but they did meet in a 2016 Europa League semifinal, with Liverpool roaring back to win 3–1 on the heels of a 3–0 second-leg win. Sadio Mané followed that up in the 12th minute with a seemingly perfect chance. It sits a point out of first in the Premier League with five matches to go and is the favorite to reach the Champions League final despite what Unai Emery’s side has been able to do thus far.

An own goal and a Sadio Mane strike earned Liverpool a 2-0 victory in their Champions League semi-final first-leg against Villarreal on Wednesday, ...

A third Champions League final in five seasons is in sight for the English club, secured after an own goal and a poked finish by Sadio Mane in a two-minute ...

And a rendition of The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine, which is the nickname of the visitors, was well-received by the lively away contingent before kick-off. “They are a very organised team and we knew they would make it difficult. It made it difficult for them. Villarreal’s fairytale run in the competition might be coming to an end. “Majority of the game, our counter-press was really good. A team sitting in seventh place in the Spanish league and filled with players who failed to make it in England somehow managed to eliminate European royalty in Juventus and Bayern Munich in the knockout stage.

Benzema has arguably carried Real Madrid to LaLiga glory and has given them a chance against Man City. He's been doing this for a while, too.

He will win LaLiga and be the player of the season there (he currently leads the goals and assists rankings), he is in the semi finals of the Champions League, he lifted the Nations League trophy with France after playing a big part in Les Bleus' triumph in the semi final and the final. At half time, he was the one telling his teammates to keep fighting and to stay positive. With the new rules and the Ballon d'Or now reflective of a full season and not a calendar year, he has a huge chance. "All I think of right now is winning LaLiga and the Champions League. This is my mindset. He then brought Madrid back into the tie with an impressive finish from an under-hit cross by Ferland Mendy. On the edge of the box, with his left foot, with Oleksandr Zinchenko defending tight and without even checking where he was in relation to the City goal, he slotted the ball with a first-time volley beyond Ederson's despairing dive. He was also the on-pitch tactician, urging his teammates to play higher up the pitch with him, show more aggression and pass with more verticality. This is also the reason of his success. Both times, he aimed to the goalkeeper's right side and both times, Sergio Herrera saved it. After the third Chelsea goal, he was the one shouting that they were going to score and force the game to extra time. His 41 goals (and 13 assists) in 41 games in all competitions have been vital to Real's LaLiga title push, but it's in the Champions League (14 goals in 10 games from an xG of 7.6) where he's carried his team to the brink of the final. He knew the Spaniards would get more chances, and, with City leading 4-2 thanks to Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva -- they scored either side of Vinicius' dazzling solo goal -- Real Madrid won a penalty with eight minutes remaining. Though Manchester City won the semifinal, first leg 4-3, Benzema's brace -- including an remarkable "Panenka" penalty in the 82nd minute -- has given his side more than a fighting chance.

Liverpool defeated Villarreal 2-0 at Anfield on Wednesday, earning a vital first-leg victory in the clubs' 2021-22 UEFA Champions League semi-final tie.

Buoyed by their sudden cushion, the Reds didn't let up. The defender deflected Jordan Henderson's cross from the right flank over goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli, giving the home side a fortuitous lead, albeit one that was deserved from the run of play. - Why Katie Taylor vs.

The Reds are a step away from returning to the European title match after surviving the Villarreal experience with a relentlessness that was ultimately ...

Liverpool probably needed a third to feel absolutely certain, but after an extremely one-sided game, even against a Villarreal side that hasn’t lost at home since November, it should go on to reach a third Champions League final in five years. Emery’s entire approach is to thwart the opponent and strike on the break; as soon as it comes out to chase the game in Spain, Liverpool should be able to prosper with the transitions at which it excels. The idea of a first XI is perhaps a little old-fashioned, but a pattern is emerging in Jürgen Klopp’s selections. Like Manchester City on Tuesday, Liverpool may feel it may have made more of that, that it might have had the tie entirely wrapped up. Not for the first time in recent years, the physical difference between the Premier League and La Liga was clear. But a little calm is no bad thing and if this is, as it should be, a precursor to a Champions League final, few of a red persuasion will be too concerned.

Part of the irresistible appeal of this Villarreal CF side and their fairytale run to these Champions League semifinals has been their ability to ride their ...

There is still an opportunity for them to do the unthinkable next week -- it is just that much harder after this. The important thing is that it is not enough to end their dreamlike run here and now. The sense of occasion might also create those unique senses that a miracle might be in the air and see the Spaniards pull level at some point. This was always the risk, though. Difficulty.— OptaJose (@OptaJose) pic.twitter.com/x3JMV5zNch April 27, 2022 Once the ball had hit the back of the Anfield net for the first time in Liverpool's favor on Wednesday, it was simply a question of how long it would be until Jurgen Klopp's men suffocated the Spaniards enough to score again.

Jurgen Klopp's side remain on track for an unprecedented quadruple of trophies after a comfortable 2-0 first leg victory at Anfield.

Liverpool dominated from the opening whistle in the first leg of their semi-final tie against the Spaniards.

Liverpool beat Villarreal and look set to book another Champions League final spot. But the Anfield side know very well that the job isn't done yet.