Champions League

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.

The two EPL giants are separated by a point in the league standings with five games to go.

The UEFA Champions League semifinals start Tuesday with a massive clash in England as Manchester City host Real Madrid in the first of two legs.

Real Madrid: No injuries of note for Real, even including the struggling Eden Hazard, and that combined with no suspensions means Ancelotti will have pretty much everybody at his disposal. There are no major injury concerns, and no player will miss the next match if they get a yellow in this one as the accumulation is reset following the quarterfinals. Craving even more coverage of the world's game? - UEFA Champions League Today, 2 p.m. ET,CBS and Paramount+ - UEFA Champions League Today, 2 p.m. ET,CBS and Paramount+ These two teams have plenty of recent history in the competition, meeting in the 2015/16 semifinals with Real winning, while City bounced Los Blancos in the round of 16 in the 2019-20 edition of the competition.

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."

We make our picks for the Champions League semifinal first leg.

Villarreal isn’t down and out by default, though, as their defense has been a huge factor in making it this far into the tournament. I think City, who are favorites to win at -215 on the moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook, get the edge in the first leg and will carry a lead into the second leg at Santiago Bernabeu. Villarreal comes in at +1000 on the board, with a draw at +425. Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah has been fantastic for the Reds, knocking in eight goals, while Roberto Firmino has tallied 5. This matchup is a little easier to pick, given that Liverpool are the overwhelming favorites with moneyline odds at -320. City defender Ruben Dias will be tasked with attempting to keep Benzema at bay as the home side will look to get an early lead on their home grounds. Riyad Mahrez leads the way in scoring for Man City, tallying six goals throughout the group stage and knockout rounds.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of today's football news.Leeds were unable to extend their lead above the relegation zone by much after their 0-0 ...

“We have time tonight and tomorrow morning to decide. Then we will see what happens in terms of renewing my contract or ending a cycle." "When I arrived I was very young, only 19, and both the club and the players have won many trophies. GO FURTHER GO FURTHER GO FURTHER That will certainly be my last game with Italy.” GO FURTHER GO FURTHER GO FURTHER GO FURTHER Blackburn Rovers, however, have kept themselves in the fight for a play-off spot after their 4-1 win over Preston North End moved them within three points of the top six.

Manchester City and Real Madrid square off in one semifinal, while Liverpool take on Villarreal in the other. Come next Wednesday, we will know what two teams ...

This will be the third Champions League Final to be played there after 2000 and 2006. Where is the UEFA Champions League final taking place? Both Real Madrid and Liverpool have won the tournament multiple times.

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.

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.

MLS has ambitions of being among the best in the world, but that can't happen until it can best the league in the country it shares a border with.

There needs to be a prolonged period of MLS-over-Liga MX success at all stages of the competition, not just in the final, before MLS would have any claim to CONCACAF superiority. (However, the revamped Leagues Cup, set to begin in 2023, has intriguing potential). If MLS is able to usurp Liga MX atop a theoretical CONCACAF "power ranking" of leagues, it would a represent one of the most important milestones in league history. In many ways, the Sounders would be a fitting club to break the seal for MLS. They have long been one of the league's standard bearers, a club that has showcased the potential of what MLS can be. Since the format of the competition changed, and it was rebranded from the Champions Cup to the Champions League in 2008-09, only four MLS teams prior to Seattle reached the final: Real Salt Lake, 2010-11; CF Montreal, 2014-15; Toronto FC, 2018; LAFC, 2020. However, the most important layer of validation for MLS has remained elusive: a CONCACAF Champions League winner. Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber's long-held aspiration for the league to grow into one of the best in the world has always felt more like a bit than a worthwhile pursuit.

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.

With Real Madrid and Man City knocked out in the same stage of Europa League play last year, we should have a good match. For updates on this game and more, ...

- UEFA Champions League Today, 2 p.m. ET,CBS and Paramount+ - UEFA Champions League Today, 2 p.m. ET,CBS and Paramount+ - UEFA Champions League Post-Match Show, 5 p.m. ET,CBS Sports Networkand Paramount+ As for Man City, they were one match away from winning it all, losing to Chelsea 1-0 in the Champions League final. Craving even more coverage of the world's game? Man City tied Atletico Madrid in their previous round but narrowly survived based on tiebreaking rules.

It was a wild Champions League semifinal, but Man City leave Etihad Stadium with the upper hand over Real Madrid. Here are the key talking points.

The one thing City couldn't control was Benzema's brilliance. The 37-year-old started well -- it was his cross which set up Foden's header -- but struggled more as the game wore on. While other world-class midfielders like Luka Modric and Toni Kroos took a while to find their rhythm, De Bruyne scored after just 90 seconds and set up Jesus 10 minutes later. Even after Foden had scored City's third, Aymeric passed up another clear opportunity from Oleksandr Zinchenko's cross. Phil Foden made it 3-1 after 53 minutes, only for Vinicius Junior to hit back again two minutes later. Here are three thoughts on the game.

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City just couldn't shake off Real Madrid.

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.

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.

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

It will be Liverpool and Villarreal on Wednesday in the other semifinal. Tuesday's clash at the Etihad features a club in Real that have won the tournament 13 ...

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. It will be Liverpool and Villarreal on Wednesday in the other semifinal.

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.

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.

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City just couldn't shake off Real Madrid. In a wild Champions League match that resembled a basketball game at times, ...

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.” “Madrid is just Madrid," Guardiola said. Benzema had the final say, however, like he has so many times in this season's competition, and Madrid has renewed belief of reaching a first final since 2018. 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.

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.

After one of the greatest of Champions League semi-final clashes, Manchester City will take a 4-3 lead into the second leg of their tie against Real Madrid ...

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. Yet again City found a way through. Unfortunately we conceded goals and we could not score more. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com

Manchester City had its way with Real Madrid — sort of. In the game's aftermath, it was hard to shake the feeling that things had gone the other way.

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City just couldn't shake off Real Madrid.

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.

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.

Manchester City earned a dramatic 4-3 win over Real Madrid on Tuesday at Etihad Stadium in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal matchup.

City's Phil Foden scored a header in the opening minutes of the second to restore his club's two-goal advantage. De Bruyne scored a header inside two minutes to give City an early 1-0 lead in the match. Kevin De Bruyne quickly put City ahead and the Premier League club never looked back in the thrilling seven-goal affair.

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.

While the other select few teams at their level prefer a patterned, tactical game, Madrid live for chaos. And it's their uncanny ability to drag opponents down ...

Presses are supposed to be compact and orderly, with players stepping forward together: when one leaves a line to close down, another fills the hole from behind, so that defenders only ever have to chase the ball forward (for them), toward the opponent’s goal. That’s how they got on the scoresheet half an hour in: a Thibaut Courtois long ball led to Vinicius chasing a back pass to Ederson, which led to another long pass from the City keeper, a second ball, some unpredictable 50-50s, and finally, a loose ball falling to Ferland Mendy, who picked out Karim Benzema for an incredible side-volley that felt totally accidental and also pretty much exactly how Ancelotti would have liked to draw it up. Knowing he couldn’t beat Vinicius in a footrace, Fernandinho looked to cut out the service to him instead. Madrid had been battered, outplayed, and demolished on the defensive end, but everyone expected that. Madrid forced the style with long balls to their dribbling wingers and hyper-aggressive pressing behind City’s back line every time they went backwards to Ederson to try to reset and calm things down. They don’t want to break forward when they don’t have numbers. Oleksandr Zinchenko had been doing his best Joao Cancelo impression, coming into the left half-space to orchestrate City’s possession from the full-back position and leaving Rodrygo alone behind him. The same pressing instincts and haphazard man-marking that led to City’s second goal also earned Madrid their first. On the other hand, here are some questions that might be harder to agree on: What the hell does any of that mean? But that would have meant playing an organised game, and Ancelotti didn’t think his side could win that war of attrition. While the other select few teams at their level prefer a patterned, tactical game, Madrid live for chaos. Here are some sentiments that are probably pretty easy to agree on: Real Madrid thrive on brilliant individual play.

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.

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.

The UEFA Champions League is back this midweek with the first legs of the semifinals and Villarreal CF are aiming to extend their fairytale run against ...

The Spain international is one to keep a close eye on as this first leg unfolds. The 30-year-old is a hot favorite to tally again here given his penchant for providing goals in the biggest fixtures, as we have seen recently against Manchester City, Manchester United and Benfica. El Submarino Amarillo are not considered favorites for a reason, though, and that is because they are up against Jurgen Klopp's Premier League powerhouse and our panel very much expects this one to go the Reds' way. Match prediction: Liverpool 1, Villarreal 0. was man of the match against Bayern Munich despite Robert Lewandowski scoring. The UEFA Champions League is back this midweek with the first legs of the semifinals and Villarreal CF are aiming to extend their fairytale run against Liverpool on Wednesday. Unai Emery's unfancied Spanish outfit travel to Anfield for the opening leg and will be aiming to repeat strong showings on the road against Bayern Munich and Juventus which have earned them a deserved final four berth.

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.

Liverpool welcomes Villarreal to Anfield Wednesday for the first leg of its UEFA Champions League semifinal matchup. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET.

The same can be said of the home side as Liverpool has allowed .67 goals per game in league play. It sits second in the EPL, having scored the most goals (85) and allowed the second-fewest (22). Typically, I then look at the "both teams to score" odds, and you can get both teams to not score at -135, a price I don't find much value in. Villarreal +750 (bet $100 to win $750) Villarreal odds and lines, and make our best Champions League bets, picks and predictions. Villarreal sits 7th on the La Liga table and is led by its defense which allows just .94 goals per game.

Liverpool host Villarreal in the second of this season's Champions League semi-final first legs. It will be some feat to live up to the drama of last night, ...

They are also the reigning Europa League champions, beating Manchester United 11-10 on penalties in last season’s final. Above all, we’re going to live it.” Emery continued: “We have to analyse, prepare, produce the best version of ourselves, let the wave carry us. The Villarreal manager has set a high bar for his players ahead of Wednesday's game. GO FURTHER GO FURTHER GO FURTHER GO FURTHER So, it was a nice little kickback to win the Europa League against them. GO FURTHER GO FURTHER Liverpool host Villarreal in the second of this season's Champions League semi-final first legs.

El Submarino Amarillo are not considered favorites for a reason, though, and that is because they are up against Jurgen Klopp's Premier League powerhouse and ...

The Spain international is one to keep a close eye on as this first leg unfolds. The 30-year-old is a hot favorite to tally again here given his penchant for providing goals in the biggest fixtures, as we have seen recently against Manchester City, Manchester United and Benfica. El Submarino Amarillo are not considered favorites for a reason, though, and that is because they are up against Jurgen Klopp's Premier League powerhouse and our panel very much expects this one to go the Reds' way. Match prediction: Liverpool 1, Villarreal 0. was man of the match against Bayern Munich despite Robert Lewandowski scoring. The Champions League returns with the first leg of the second semifinal as Villarreal CF are aiming to extend their fairytale run against Liverpool on Wednesday. Unai Emery's unfancied Spanish outfit travel to Anfield for the opening leg and will be aiming to repeat strong showings on the road against Bayern Munich and Juventus which have earned them a deserved final four berth.

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

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.

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.

The Champions League semifinals are in motion and todays first leg features Liverpool and Villarreal. Heres what happened during the match.

And Liverpool proved victorious after a stellar second half rush, defeating Villarreal 2-0. Liverpool’s Thiago Alcântara, Andrew Robertson and Luis Diaz made headway in the first 45 minutes of play. The first half proved the match was even. Liverpool’s Fábio Tavares had the ball in the net but an offside was called against Virgil van Dijk. The game might not have had the melodramatics of Real Madrid and Manchester City’s match yesterday, but the competition was clear. The draw was +460 and the over-under for total goals scored was 2.5. It was no surprise that Liverpool would prove triumphant.

LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) - An own goal and a Sadio Mane strike earned Liverpool a 2-0 victory in their Champions League semi-final first-leg again...

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.

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.

The 2022 Champions League title remains open with Manchester City, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Villarreal after the first leg of semifinal action.

A scoreless battle turned into a comfortable Liverpool win, putting the Premier League squad one step closer to the UCL final. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions. 53': Liverpool 1-0 Villarreal
55': Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal

Two goals in two minutes. Mohamed Salah is next highest among those still alive in the competition with eight. Odds and lines subject to change. It still wasn't enough to pull away, as Benzema and Vinicius Junior had their own heroics to keep things close.