There’s no surprise in seeing holders Real Madrid and record German champions Bayern Munich back in the semi-finals, where they are joined by Italy’s Roma and the Premier League’s Liverpool. The latter two played in the old European Cup final in 1984, when Liverpool won in Roma’s Stadio Olimpico, while there is plenty of past history involving Real, Bayern and Liverpool, who have 22 European Cup/Champions League titles between them.
Roma’s elimination of Barcelona after coming back from 4-1 down from the first leg to win the second 3-0 was the biggest upset of the quarters, while Liverpool were impressive in knocking out fancied Manchester City 5-1 on aggregate.
Real were close to being another major victim after trailing 3-0 at home to Juventus, only for Cristiano Ronaldo to convert a disputed penalty deep into stoppage time to go through 4-3 on aggregate. Real are in the last four for the eighth season in a row as they seek a third straight Champions League title, while Bayern are in their sixth semi-final in the last seven years — and it was against Real that Bayern went out to in last season’s quarter-finals.
Those two will be hoping to save a repeat meeting for the May 26 final in Kiev, but Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes said all possible last-four opponents would be tough.
“There are three possible opponents who are at the absolute top level,” he said, adding he had no preference.
“No, no coach has that because it often turns out differently to what you think,” he added.
Midfielder Thomas Mueller said: “The quarter-final results were crazy. There are no great favourites now in the last rounds of the Champions League.”
Bayern’s last Champions League title win was in 2013 in the final against Borussia Dortmund under Juergen Klopp, who has now guided Liverpool into a first semi-final for a decade.
Klopp meanwhile would not put Liverpool, who won the Champions League in 2005, in the same bracket as favourites Real and Bayern, and warned of the Roma threat. Drawing Roma would also see Mohamed Salah, who has 39 goals this season for Liverpool, up against his former club.
Real are meanwhile just relieved to be still in the competition after Juventus came close to a major upset. After taking a 3-0 lead at the Bernabeu Stadium to level the tie at 3-3, Juve were stopped only by Real’s late penalty to prevent the game going into extra-time — with veteran Juve keeper Gianluigi Buffon sent off by English referee Michael Oliver amid vehement protests.
The 40-year-old keeper did not mince his words after the game — very likely his last in the Champions League.
“The team gave its all,” he said “But a human being cannot destroy dreams like that at the end of an extraordinary comeback on a dubious situation.
“Clearly you cannot have a heart in your chest, but a bin.”
Real coach Zinedine Zidane had some sympathy with Buffon’s likely Champions League red-card farewell — the keeper’s first sending off in the competition. Zidane’s departure from the football stage as a player came when the former France international was sent-off in his last-ever game — the World Cup final in 2006.
Buffon played in goal for Italy in that match. “I don’t think that he deserves to go out in this way, but there’s no going back on it now,” Zidane said.