The Malta Independent 25 April 2024, Thursday
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Updated: Spanish, Italian derbies avoided in Champions League, Europa League semi-finals draw

Friday, 24 April 2015, 12:02 Last update: about 10 years ago

Barcelona will play Bayern Munich in the Champions League semifinals, pairing coach Pep Guardiola's past and current teams.

Guardiola, who spent four trophy-filled years at Barcelona, took over at Bayern in 2013.

In the other semifinal, defending champion Real Madrid will face Juventus, with the Italian champions playing at home first. Two-time champion Juventus is back in the semifinals after a 12-year absence.

The four teams have combined to win the European Cup or Champions League 21 times, with 16 runner-up finishes, in the competition's 60-year history.

The first legs will be played on May 5-6, with the return matches on May 12-13. The final will be played on June 6 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

Guardiola will face his former team for the first time since leaving Barcelona in 2012 after winning two Champions League titles. Guardiola also played on Barcelona's 1992 European Cup-winning team.

The two teams also met in the 2013 semifinals while Guardiola was on his one-year sabbatical.

Back then, Bayern humiliated Barcelona, winning 7-0 on aggregate before claiming its fifth European title.

Ten-time champion Real Madrid is aiming to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Champions League format began in 1992. And Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, a former Juventus and AC Milan coach, is looking to become the first man to lead teams to club football's most coveted trophy for a fourth time.

The draws of the Europa League were made first.

Napoli have been drawn against Dnipro, while Sevilla will be playing Fiorentina.

Matches will be played on 7 and 14 May.

The final will be played in Warsaw on 27 May, with Napoli or Dnipro to be the home team on that occasion. 

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