(Left to Right) Retired Czech football midfielder, ambassador for the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, and Juventus representative Pavel Nedved, retired player and current Real Madrid’s Director of International Relations, Emilio Butragueno, former players Germany’s Paul Breitner, representing Bayern Munich and France’s Ludovic Giuly, representing Barcelona, and UEFA secretary general Gianni Infantino on stage after the draw for the UEFA Champions League semi-final at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon.
DPA/Nyon, Switzerland
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola has been handed a match against former club Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final draw Friday while holders Real Madrid face Serie A champions Juventus.
Barcelona will host Bayern in the first leg of the tie on May 6 while Real head to Italy to meet Juventus on May 5. Bayern then host Barca on May 12 with Real welcoming Juve on May 13.
The final takes place in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on June 6.
Guardiola won the Champions League as Barcelona coach in 2009 and 2011 but now leads a Bayern side seeking banish the demons of a 5-0 semi-final demolition by Real Madrid last season.
“I knew that it would happen sooner or later,” Guardiola said. “It is my first return to Barcelona, my home. I was a player there, I was coach there. Of course it is special for me.
“It is a great game but not easy. Believe me, Barcelona are the best.”
The tie is a repeat of the 2013 semi-final which the Germans won in crushing fashion, 7-0 on aggregate, en route to a historic treble of Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup titles.
“I had a feeling that it would be Barcelona,” Bayern sport director Matthias Sammer said. “Football writes these stories that our coach goes up against his old club.
“The chances are 50-50, I’m really looking forward to it. There is nothing better in football than big games.”
Barcelona currently top the Spanish Liga and are aiming to reach their first Champions League final since 2011 when they defeated Manchester United at Wembley.
“It is a special game because of Pep, for me and for the players,” UEFA.com quoted Barcelona coach Luis Enrique as saying. “It’s a great date for all Barca fans.
“We will go with the objective of winning both at home and away from home. The process is the same.”
Real Madrid are aiming to become the first team to successfully defend the modern Champions League and face Juventus in a repeat of the 1998 final which they won 1-0.
“We are confident that we can follow our dream, which is to reach another final after last year,” coach Carlo Ancelotti said.
“We need Real Madrid to be at their best to win, we need the same side that played against Atletico, with the same enthusiasm and hope. We have a lot of confidence.
“The fans helped us a lot last year in the semi-finals against Bayern, with a fantastic atmosphere. They also helped in these quarter-finals, the atmosphere was amazing at the Bernabeu and they had the same enthusiasm as us.”
Real and Juventus met in the group stage last season but have not played a knock-out fixture since 2005, when the Italians triumphed 2-1 after extra-time in a last 16 tie.
Juventus are in the Champions League last four for first time since 2003 when they also met Real, winning a thriller 4-3 on aggregate, before losing to AC Milan in the final.
“We are very happy to be in a semi-final (again) after 12 years,” Juventus ambassador Pavel Nedved said.
“I played against Madrid last time (in 2003). It will be very exciting semi-final.”