The UEFA Champions League (2021/22)

[Firebat]

Lewandowski scores earliest Champions League hat-trick as Bayern hit seven

Robert Lewandowski scored a 9-minute hat-trick, inside the opening 23 minutes, as Bayern Munich thrashed Red Bull Salzburg 7-1 (8-2 agg.) to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

The Poland captain, on his 100th start in the competition, confidently stroked home two penalties inside 21 minutes, after twice being recklessly brought down by Salzburg defender Maximilian Wober, the second confirmed after a VAR review.

The first spot-kick, swept into the bottom-left corner, was Lewandowski's 40th goal of the season in all competitions.

He added his third after chasing down an attempted clearance from visiting goalkeeper Philipp Kohn to tap in from close range.

It is the first time a Champions League hat-trick has been completed as early as the 23rd minute, although it is not the quickest treble in the competition, with that record held by Bafetimbi Gomis following his three goals in eight minutes for Lyon in a 7-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb in 2011.

Bayern's quick start put them firmly in control of a game that had been billed as "all or nothing" by some in the Bavarian media after the six-time winners were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw in the first leg in Austria.

Matthias Jaissle's Salzburg had early chances with Nicolas Capaldo and Nicolas Seiwald both guilty of failing to convert glorious opportunities.

They were made to pay for their profligacy by the deadly Lewandowski before another mistake in defence allowed Serge Gnabry to add a fourth with a low shot that squirmed under Kohn, while Thomas Muller thumped in a fifth after the break.

On an otherwise bleak night for the visitors Maurits Kjaergaard did at least mange a consolation with a powerful effort into the top-left corner.

But that only seemed to stir Julian Nagelsmann's team back into life, with Muller finishing off a well-worked move for number six before Leroy Sane thumped home late on.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60667847

 

[MenInG]

 

[Saj]

Karim Benzema scored a superb second-half hat-trick as Real Madrid produced a stirring fightback at a raucous Bernabeu to reach the Champions League quarter-finals at the expense of Paris St-Germain.

Kylian Mbappe's first-half goal had given PSG a deserved two-goal aggregate lead and looked to have put Mauricio Pochettino's side well on course for the last eight.

However, a mistake from PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma proved the catalyst for a dramatic recovery with Benzema turning home after the Italian dawdled in possession.

Luka Modric's driving run and intricate pass made Benzema's second as he levelled the tie against a clearly panicked PSG, and as the visitors attempted to regroup the 34-year-old drove a low effort into the bottom right corner seconds after the restart to settle the tie.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Wow!

What a second half.

Karim Benzema, take a bow!

PSG defence in tatters, the pace of Junior and the intelligence of Karim, along with so much hunger & desire stole the tie!

Real are always within a shout of the European Cup. Hoping Liverpool can avoid them lol.

 

[Maher96]

Manchester City cruised into the quarter-finals of the Champions League despite being held at home by a Sporting Lisbon side who were intent on damage limitation.

City's stunning 5-0 win in last month's first leg in Lisbon had already effectively settled this tie, and it was clear from the outset that the Portuguese did not entertain any hope of an unlikely comeback.

They packed their defence, perhaps wary of suffering another damaging defeat, leaving Pep Guardiola's side in total control of possession but struggling to carve out meaningful chances.

Raheem Sterling wasted City's best opportunity before the break when he ran on to Phil Foden's pass and tried to dink the ball over Antonio Adan but did not get enough height on his shot.

Gabriel Jesus did find the net for the home side at the start of the second half but a VAR review ruled he was offside from Riyad Mahrez's pass and the goal was disallowed.

Despite being unable to make the breakthrough, City remained completely comfortable and Guardiola was relaxed enough to bring on third-choice keeper Scott Carson for Ederson with 20 minutes remaining.

The 36-year-old, making his first appearance of the season, was quickly called into action to deny Paulinho from close range, bringing chants of 'England's number one' from the delighted City fans.

City are into the quarter-finals for the fifth successive season, and will find out their opponents in the last eight on 18 March.

Man City lack sparkle but still keep control

This was the first time since the end of October that City had failed to score at home but, while this performance lacked the sparkle of their win in Lisbon, they never loosened their grip on the tie.

Sporting did manage some efforts at goal before the end but in the early stages they barely got a kick, and seemed content to try to keep City quiet.

Until Sterling ran clear before half-time, there had been precious little goalmouth action at either end but the home fans, still chanting noisily about Sunday's thumping derby win over Manchester United, did not seem to care too much.

City's lack of fit or available defenders had been a cause for concern for Guardiola before kick-off but Sporting's lack of ambition meant he had little to worry about on the night, and teenage defender Conrad Egan-Riley acquitted himself well on his debut at this level.

So too did veteran midfielder Fernandinho, who was making his 100th Champions League appearance, and seemed to relish his recall to the starting line-up.

There are much tougher tests to come for City this season, starting with their trip to Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Monday, but they made effortless progress here.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60666631

 

[Firebat]

Man United 2-1 down on aggregate at Old Trafford against Atletico in the 2nd leg...

25 minutes to save the tie.

 

[Maher96]

 

[PakLFC]

It just keeps getting better for Liverpool and it's fans after the latest humiliation inflicted on Man Utd. Their overrated millionaires being paid stupid money have been left embarrassed again this time by Atletico Madrid beating them at home This is the same Atletico Madrid we defeated both home and away during the groups stages.

Watched the match so can tell you that MU hardly created any chances in the match rightfully being thrown out of the competition like the waste of space they are. Eliminated from every competition now most likely they won't be qualifying for next seasons champions league either, their fans will be made to suffer even more with the taunts they will be made to hear by rival fans

MU are rubbish, the are mince with overrated players being paid crazy money for doing nothing. They deserve to suffer and be taunted. Must be killing their fans to see their local rivals and historical rivals playing on a different planet!

 

[Maher96]

Chelsea maintained their hopes of retaining the Champions League as they beat Lille at a lively Stade Pierre-Mauroy to secure a 4-1 aggregate win and reach the quarter-finals.

The Blues took a 2-0 first-leg lead to France but, in a match played amid continued uncertainty over the club's future, they had to come from behind after a slow start to earn success in the return.

Burak Yilmaz pulled Lille back into the tie with a penalty after Jorginho handled, only for Christian Pulisic to reply in first-half injury time.

Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta then put the last-16 encounter beyond the French champions when he finished at the back post with 19 minutes remaining.

Thomas Tuchel's side will find out their last-eight opponents in Friday's draw.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60755067

 

[Maher96]

 

[Bilal Ahmad15]

I haven't been watching that much football at all, but here are my prediction;

RB Salzburg v Bayern Munich - Bayern Munich

Sporting Lisbon v Manchester City - Manchester City

Benfica v Ajax - Ajax

Chelsea v Lille - Chelsea

Atletico Madrid v Manchester United - Atletico Madrid (Please, would be a pleasure to see Man Utd fail for the hundredth time).

Villareal vs Juventus - Juventus? But Villareal has a better chance of causing an upset compared to the other weaker teams in the other draws

Inter Milan vs Liverpool - Liverpool. It was good while it lasted for Inter, since the last time they made it to UCL R16 was like 10 years ago.

PSG vs Real Madrid - Real Madrid - As a Messi Fan, I obviously want Messi to go through, but for some reason, I have a really bad feeling that Real Madrid will go through; therefore, once again every media person and football website will be putting up figures that say how much money PSG has spent while not winning UCL.

I will say it now, I believe Liverpool and Bayern Munich are the two top favourites. I will make a guess and say Liverpool to win this Champions League.

I got 6 out of 8 predictions correct, not bad, but I should have put Villareal, because (believe it or not), at the time I kept thinking of a Villareal upset.

And it's great to see Man Utd fail for the millionth time

 

[James]

NEW



<b>Champions League quarter-final draw</b>

Chelsea v Real Madrid

Manchester City v Atletico Madrid

Villarreal v Bayern Munich

Benfica v Liverpool


<b>Champions League semi-final draw</b>

Manchester City or Atletico Madrid v Chelsea or Real Madrid

Benfica or Liverpool v Villarreal or Bayern Munich

 

[James]

Conceivably: 3 out of the 4 semi-finalists could be English clubs, in which case there would be at least one guaranteed English finalist. It could then also be another all-English final.

 

[James]

City, Liverpool, and Bayern the favourites this year to lift the trophy IMO.

 

[Firebat]

I'd say Liverpool, Man City and Bayern are most likely to make it to the final 4.

The Chelsea-Real Madrid tie looks mouth-watering though, impossible to call that.

 

[Maher96]

I agree with FireBat.

I think Madrid will beat Chelsea as they seem very united and strong this year. Beating PSG would have added belief and we knew all about Real and this cup.

 

[Firebat]

The UCL QF's kick off tonight!

 

[Bilal Ahmad15]

My predictions -
Liverpool, Bayern and Man City are the favourites. However, in the majority of the football tournaments, the obvious favourites, or the teams that are being favoured the most, usually don't win. And so I believe the trophy is going to Madrid. Which team is in Madrid? I feel like saying Atletico Madrid, but I will say Real Madrid, to win.

Quater-Finals
Liverpool vs Benfica - Liverpool
Man City vs Atletico Madrid - Man City
Vilarreal vs Bayern - Bayern
Chelsea vs Real Madrid - Real Madrid

Sem-Finals
Liverpool vs Bayern - Bayern Munich
Manchester City vs Real Madrid - Real Madrid

Final
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid - Real Madrid

 

[Maher96]

Manchester City v Atlético Madrid 1-0

Kevin de Bruyne's second-half goal gave Manchester City a narrow victory over Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

While Pep Guardiola's side dominated possession they struggled to penetrate a typically resilient and robust Atletico defence for long periods.

However, the introduction of Phil Foden reaped immediate dividends, with the England midfielder sliding in De Bruyne, 79 seconds after entering the fray as a substitute - and the Belgian firmly placed his finish past visiting goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

City travel to Spain for the second leg on 13 April (20:00 BST).

 

[Maher96]

Benfica vs Liverpool 1-3

Liverpool will take a two-goal lead into the Champions League quarter-final second leg at Anfield after earning an important victory over Benfica in Lisbon.

Luis Diaz scored late in the second half to put Jurgen Klopp's side in control of the contest after it looked like they had failed to capitalise on a dominant first half.

Ibrahima Konate rose highest to head the visitors into the lead from a corner in the 17th minute before Sadio Mane added a clinical second to dampen the mood at a lively Estadio da Luz.

But the home fans ramped up the noise again shortly after the interval when Konate's mistake allowed sought-after striker Darwin Nunez to pull one back for the Portuguese outfit.

The Premier League side will have a healthy advantage when they welcome Benfica in the second leg next Wednesday, however, after Diaz added a late third with a composed finish after rounding the keeper.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60986738

 

[Maher96]

Chelsea vs Real Madrid

Chelsea's hold on the Champions League hangs precariously after Karim Benzema's hat-trick put Real Madrid in a position of power following the quarter-final first leg at Stamford Bridge.

Real coach Carlo Ancelotti made a winning return to the club where he won the Premier League and FA Cup double after veteran France striker Benzema delivered his latest masterclass.

Benzema, 34 and fresh from the treble that sunk Paris St-Germain in the last 16, punished holders Chelsea with two magnificent headers in the space of three minutes midway through the first half.

Kai Havertz's header gave Chelsea hope before the break but keeper Edouard Mendy's poor clearance seconds after the restart gifted Benzema his third to put Real in command of the tie before the second leg at the Bernabeu next Tuesday (12 April).

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61002171

 

[Maher96]

Ex-Bournemouth striker Arnaut Danjuma scored as Villarreal stunned Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

The home side were superb from the outset and led inside 10 minutes when Danjuma stabbed in from close range.

Francis Coquelin had a goal ruled out while Gerard Moreno hit the post as Villarreal pushed for a second.

German champions Bayern were well below par and did not manage a shot on target until the second half.

Robert Lewandowski, who has scored 51 goals for club and country this season, was kept quiet by a well-organised Villarreal defence as the hosts followed up their impressive win against Juventus in the previous round with another big result.

But as poor as Bayern were they will feel they can turn things round against the Spanish side in the return leg on Tuesday, 12 April.


They will need to play significantly better than they did in this game as they suffered their first Champions League defeat away from home since 2017.

Indeed, Bayern's players will likely come away relieved that they only have a one-goal deficit as Villarreal had a plethora of chances to win by a bigger margin.

Coquelin was narrowly offside before seeing his cross fly over Manuel Neuer's head and as well as Moreno's shot against the post they really should have got a second in the final few minutes when substitute Alfonso Pedraza shot wide from close range.

Kingsley Coman saw an effort saved by Geronimo Rulli at his near post in stoppage time but an equaliser would have been supremely harsh on brilliant Villarreal, who understandably celebrated wildly when the full-time whistle was blown.

 

[Maher96]

Atletico Madrid must close part of their stadium for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Manchester City, Uefa has ruled.

The Spanish champions must close off at least 5,000 seats at the 68,456-capacity Wanda Metropolitano.

Uefa's punishment is for the "discriminatory behaviour" of Atletico fans during last week's first-leg match in Manchester, where City won 1-0.

Atletico will also have to display a Uefa banner reading "#NoToRacism".

Meanwhile, Uefa has provisionally suspended Roma goalkeeper coach Nuno Santos and Bodo/Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen while they investigate an alleged altercation between the two in the aftermath of last Thursday's Europa Conference League game.

Bodo/Glimt claimed a 2-1 victory over Jose Mourinho's Roma side in the first leg of the quarter-final.

The Norwegian club released a statement which stated they had video evidence of head coach Knutsen being attacked by members of Roma's support staff, including Santos.

In response to Uefa's decision to suspend Knutsen, Bodo/Glimt released a statement saying: "We are surprised and shocked by Uefa's decision. We will appeal, and will work on it throughout the evening. Beyond that, we currently have no comments."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61071217

 

[MenInG]

The line-up for this season's Champions League quarter-finals contains teams from Madrid (two), Munich, Lisbon, London, Manchester and Liverpool - some of Europe's largest and most influential cities.

There is also Villarreal, a team from an industrial city of the same name in eastern Spain with a population of 50,000 and, some might say, little right to be keeping such exalted company.

And yet a shock 1-0 win over German champions Bayern Munich last week means the Yellow Submarine, as Villarreal are nicknamed, go into Tuesday's second leg with the chance to reach a first semi-final in Europe's premier club competition since 2006.

But their success should not come as a surprise. Despite their size, they have qualified for Europe in 17 of the past 22 seasons.

When Marcos Senna joined the club after arriving from Brazil in 2002, things were very different. Villarreal were in only their fourth La Liga campaign and featured mostly in the now defunct Intertoto Cup.

They have since become one of the strongest sides in Spain, going on to beat Manchester United in the Europa League final last season to lift their first trophy - a landmark moment.

The club is at the heart of the city, and the 21,626 crowd that watched the win over Bayern is a figure not far off half its population.

Many of those will have entered the club's Ceramica stadium that night through gate number 19. Or, as it has been known for a decade, the Marcos Senna gate, a tribute to one of the club's most celebrated footballers.

A Euro 2008 winner, the Spanish-Brazilian has seen it all and argues that, unlike what others may think, playing for a small-city team can be a dream come true.

"Obviously, this is not a place for partygoers," Senna, who currently works as the club's director of institutional relations, told BBC Sport.

"No team wants players who are always out in nightclubs and Villarreal were so serious about that in the past that they didn't even accept anyone living in Valencia [which is around a 45-minute drive away], so they could have some control. It's not like this any more though - I'd say half of the squad now lives there, and I also do.

"If you come with the right mentality, this can be a very easy area to adapt to. We are close to the mountains and beaches, have incredible weather the entire year, the club are always playing in the first division, pay on time and provide everything you need.

"So you get here and you don't want to leave. When I arrived, I didn't plan to stay long. And now look at me, 20 years on and still loving it here."

Unfortunately for Bayern, nothing much has changed after the Europa League title.

"It's all the same, except for one thing: we no longer have that pressure of never reaching finals. We got there for the first time and we won it," Senna said.

"We had been working hard and doing things well for so many seasons that football kind of owed us one. But we want more. We know if we knock Bayern out, things will get serious."

Despite being a family-run team and having a considerably smaller budget compared to their Champions League rivals, Villarreal have managed to consistently challenge big guns from other countries over the years.

No-one had expected them to upset the odds against Juventus in the last 16, but after a 1-1 home draw in the first leg they won 3-0 in Turin.

It was arguably the best night in their European history.

They achieved it via a shrewd recruitment strategy, often signing players who have faltered elsewhere and giving them a second chance.

Their manager, Unai Emery, himself fits that mould, having been sacked by Paris-St Germain and Arsenal.

His team has a backline that combines the youthful energy of highly rated local boy Pau Torres with the experience of former Real Madrid and Napoli centre-back Raul Albiol, a European champion in 2008. In midfield, they have Tottenham Hotspur loanee Giovani lo Celso in great form and in attack they have ex-Bournemouth forward Arnaut Danjuma and last season's Europa League top scorer Gerard Moreno.

Unsurprisingly, the Yellow Submarine have been hailed as one of the best success stories in football.

"None of this happened overnight. It's the result of 25 years of work," Senna explained. "It's no exaggeration to say Villarreal were lucky to find Fernando [Roig], a great businessman who wanted to bring new ideas and create our own philosophy. We could go beyond and do some mad business in the transfer market, but that's not us.

"Other fans say 'Villarreal's owner has lots of money'. Yes, that's true, but behind all this there is a great project. You see other teams that have investors and things just don't click. It's not like this here.

"Fernando's son [Fernando Roig Negueroles, the club's chief executive] has been in charge of our transfer policy and is the most responsible for what Villarreal have become today.

"When players arrive here, they know they will be playing for a side that is always fighting for a top-six finish in La Liga, that are regularly in Europe and have an average attendance of 17,000. No fan will ever bother you and you always have that full stadium feeling. It's quality of life in all aspects."

Senna was a key cog in the Villarreal team defeated by Arsenal in the 2005-06 Champions League semi-final.

If they can beat Bayern on Tuesday and reach the same stage again, the former midfielder would rate their chances higher this time.

"Back then, we had a much smaller budget and also an inferior team than the one we have now," Senna added. "When I say inferior, it's because we weren't covered in all areas. The current squad is more balanced in every position. I mean no disrespect to the rest of that group, but this team is stronger.

"Who would win if they faced each other? That's a very difficult question - it would surely be a great game, but if it went to extra time and required more from the bench, the current side would do better."

BBC

 

[MenInG]

 

[MenInG]

HALF-TIME
Bayern Munich 0-0 Villarreal (Agg: 0-1)

Exquisite from Villarreal so far.

Held their line, dealt with a barrage of crosses and even had a shot into the side netting from Gerard Moreno to end the half.

The man Unai Emery has posed Julian Nagelsmann a Wordle and the Bayern manager is on his final guess.

 

[MenInG]

HALF-TIME
Real Madrid 0-1 Chelsea (Agg: 3-2)

It has been Chelsea's half. They have one of the goals they wanted and kept Real largely penned in and quiet.

More for Ancelotti to sort at the break than Tuchel.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Wow Chelsea playing great football.

0-2 . 3-3 on aggregate.

Benzima is still dangerous but this game is for the taking now.

 

[Saj]

Big shock as Villarreal knock out Bayern Munich.

2-1 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw tonight.

 

[Maher96]

Samuel Chukwueze scored a late winner in the tie as Villarreal stunned Bayern Munich to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 16 years.

Unai Emery masterminded a 1-0 first-leg win in Spain, but a dominant Bayern looked seemingly in control once Robert Lewandowski broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute at the Allianz Arena.

But, with just his side's second shot on target across both legs, Chukwueze levelled on the break in the 88th minute to give Villarreal the lead on aggregate - and earn them an historic victory against the six-time European champions.

They will face the winner of Liverpool versus Benfica in the last four, a contest Jurgen Klopp's side currently lead 3-1 on aggregate.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61086842

 

[KingKhanWC]

Big shock as Villarreal knock out Bayern Munich.

2-1 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw tonight.

If LFC dont have a nightmare tommorow, what a boost to face Villareal in the semis!

What a game here. Benzima is a truly great striker.

Still a few mins to play.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Poor Chelsea tried so hard but a ATG secured semis for Real. Chances are they will face City next.

 

[Maher96]

Chelsea's reign as European champions came to an agonising end despite beating Real Madrid on a night of high drama at the Bernabeu Stadium.

In a Champions League epic, Mason Mount's wonderful finish and Antonio Rudiger's powerful header wiped out Real's 3-1 first-leg advantage and brought the quarter-final tie level in Spain's capital.

Thomas Tuchel's side were outstanding throughout and Timo Werner's clever finish from an angle put them ahead for the first time on aggregate and within sight of a place in the semi-finals.

But substitute Rodrygo forced extra time with a volleyed finish before Karim Benzema, hat-trick hero in the first leg at Stamford Bridge six days ago, headed the decisive goal in the 96th minute to send Real through 5-4 on aggregate.

Benzema, who had earlier headed against the bar on a rollercoaster night, was unmarked when he scored to break Chelsea's hearts after Rudiger slipped inside the box.

In the end Chelsea, who played superbly, were made to pay for their first-leg performance as Tuchel's side just fell short of producing one of the great comebacks in the competition.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61067661

 

[Firebat]

A truly iconic, unforgettable 210 minutes of football over 2 legs between Real Madrid and Chelsea, what a tie. Football and drama of the highest quality.

Benzema at the age of 34 scoring 4 of RM's 5 goals in the tie (not to mention his hat-trick in the previous round vs PSG), his late career resurgence is mind-blowing.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Tonight

Athletico Madrid v Man City

Liverpool v Benfica

I expect both English sides to progress to the semis.

 

[James]

CL brilliant this year.

 

[MenInG]

HALF-TIME

Liverpool 1-1 Benfica (4-2 agg)

Diogo Goncalves looks perhaps slightly offside as he puts pressure on the Liverpool defence, and Alisson is able to collect a weak shot.

That's all for the first half. Plenty of entertainment, and Liverpool are closing in on the Champions League semi-finals.

==

Atletico Madrid 0-0 Man City (0-1 agg)

And that's the break.

Ilkay Gundogan has gone closest to breaking the deadlock for City but it remains all square on the night. The visitors lead 1-0 on aggregate.

 

[Maher96]

Liverpool remain on course for an historic quadruple after a thrilling draw with Benfica secured a two-legged Champions League semi-final against Villarreal.

Having established a 3-1 lead in Lisbon, Liverpool extended their advantage with Ibrahima Konate's powerful 21st-minute header from a Kostas Tsimikas corner.

Benfica equalised through Goncalo Ramos' excellent turn and finish, before Roberto Firmino's two second-half goals - a tap-in followed by a volley - in front of the Kop looked to have put the Reds in control.

But after Roman Yaremchuk broke through to beat Alisson and make it 3-2 on the night, Darwin Nunez scored a late equaliser.

Nunez was then denied by Alisson as Benfica finished strongly but Liverpool held out to advance 6-4 on aggregate.

They now host Villarreal - the club they beat in the semi-finals of the Europa League in 2016 - on 27 April before travelling to Spain for the second leg on 4 May.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61083788

 

[Maher96]

Manchester City produced a mature and disciplined performance to hold off the challenge of Atletico Madrid - and set up a Champions League semi-final showdown with the Spanish side's city rivals Real.

Knowing a clean sheet would be enough to seal the tie, City kept their cool in the face of a hostile home crowd and intimidation from a physical Atleti side showing far more ambition than in the first leg.

Ilkay Gundogan could have made life much easier for Pep Guardiola's men by slotting in from close range, instead of against the post in the first half.

But in the face of much-increased pressure and a home side pushing desperately for parity, City put up a resolute rearguard action to confirm their progression to the last four.

Atletico ended the contest with 10 men when defender Felipe was shown a second yellow card for a dangerous follow-through on Phil Foden, having received his first for an arm that drew blood from the England international's head.

Real Madrid, who edged past Chelsea in a thrilling quarter-final tie on Tuesday, now stand between City and a second successive appearance in the final of Europe's premier club competition.

Having lost to Thomas Tuchel's Blues in last season's final, Guardiola's side are seeking a maiden Champions League title in a campaign where they are still challenging on three fronts.

They lead the Premier League by one point from second-placed Liverpool - and face Jurgen Klopp's Reds in an FA Cup semi-final this Saturday.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61086835

 

[IAJ]

Amazing supporters of Atletico Madrid. Despite defeat they were still there 10 minutes after the match applauding the effort of the team. I have played and followed football since 1987, never seen such a gesture before.

 

[Rajdeep]

Disgusting behavior by Atletico players. Police involved after the game as Savic aparently attacked Grealish in the tunnel

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: Jack Grealish involved in ugly tunnel spat at Atletico Madrid as police intervene <a href="https://t.co/le18jOaBK1">https://t.co/le18jOaBK1</a> <a href="https://t.co/eWb6q1ljbX">pic.twitter.com/eWb6q1ljbX</a></p>— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/MirrorFootball/status/1514352444121223175?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[KingKhanWC]

Disgusting behavior by Atletico players. Police involved after the game as Savic aparently attacked Grealish in the tunnel

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: Jack Grealish involved in ugly tunnel spat at Atletico Madrid as police intervene <a href="https://t.co/le18jOaBK1">https://t.co/le18jOaBK1</a> <a href="https://t.co/eWb6q1ljbX">pic.twitter.com/eWb6q1ljbX</a></p>— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/MirrorFootball/status/1514352444121223175?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It was probably Jack inciting it.

Liverpool v Villarreal. Dangerous team but we are rightly strong favourites to once again reach the final !

Highly unlikely but Liverpool win 12 games in a row we’ll win a treble & finish one point behind city in the league

City look mentally much stronger this season esp in the Champions league . Benzema msg spoil the party .

 

[MenInG]

Atletico Madrid could face UEFA action as a result of the series of flashpoints that marred their Champions League game against Manchester City on Wednesday night.

The Spanish champions exited the competition after a 0-0 draw in the Wanda Metropolitano saw Man City secure a 1-0 aggregate victory, but clashes on the field and in the tunnel after the game between both sets of players overshadowed proceedings.

Atletico's players did not hold back in their treatment of their Man City counterparts, and Phil Foden was left requiring treatment on a head injury after a strong challenge from Felipe early in the first half.

The Atletico defender was later given a second yellow card for kicking out at the same player, before his team-mate Stefan Savic - formerly of Man City - sparked a melee when he tried to manhandle Foden as he lay injured.

Spanish football journalist Alvaro Montero gives the reaction from Spain to Atletico Madrid's performance against Manchester City in the Champions League.

Savic went on to aim a headbutt at Raheem Sterling and pull the hair of Jack Grealish during the same incident, but both the on-field officials and the VAR opted not to dismiss the Atletico centre-back.

The ugly scenes continued after the final whistle, with footage showing tempers continued to fray as the players headed into the tunnel. Sime Vrsaljko, who was an unused Atletico substitute, was seen throwing a bottle in the direction of Aymeric Laporte, while police reportedly rushed in to calm the scene.

While referee Daniel Siebert only issued one red card on the night, more punishment could follow, with UEFA saying it will wait to receive reports from the referee and match delegate before deciding whether to open disciplinary proceedings.

European football's governing body could appoint an ethics and disciplinary inspector to fully investigate what happened.

"In the build up we were focused a lot on the styles. Guardiola before the game was talking about the aggression he was expecting, but I think he was expecting it to be a little bit less than we saw last night because it did boil over.

"There were a number of flashpoints. The first time we saw it was getting really nasty on the pitch was that melee which erupted after that tackle on Phil Foden, Felipe ultimately sent off. Stefan Savic, the former Man City player, got himself involved. There were shots of him pulling Jack Grealish's hair, he's putting his head into another player.

"I can't remember being at a game where there were that many players involved in such a melee, and it was physical. It was quite nasty and it went on for such a long time.

"Normally it all dies down pretty quickly and often there are a lot more peacemakers - it wasn't the case last night. I think it did just get to the point where Atletico's frustration really boiled over.

"It all kicked off again in the tunnel. From my point of view, the players were being shepherded down there and the security were doing their best to keep them from getting things thrown at them by the Atletico Madrid fans.

"And then just as they were disappearing from view, you could see them coming together again, police rushed in to separate them in the tunnel. So a lot for UEFA to mull over."

Pep Guardiola refused to criticise Atletico's approach after the game, and instead insisted he was consistently positive about Simeone's tactics and the former Argentina midfielder could set up his team in whichever way he liked.

Responding to Spanish reporters, the Man City manager said: "It was you who said that Simeone's cycle was always the same, it was you, three or four months ago. This is what you were saying when they were not winning matches. It was you, don't put it on me.

"I always said good things about the club and the team. El Cholo [Diego Simeone] can play the way he wants, nothing else."

Speaking after his side's exit, Simeone said he felt people had praised the style of Atletico with "disdain".

"I have no reason to comment about whether somebody says good or bad things," said Simeone. "Often those who have a wide vocabulary are very smart and they can praise you with disdain.

"But those of us who maybe don't have as much vocabulary, we are not stupid either."

Simeone also denied witnessing any of the scenes in the tunnel, saying: "I didn't see it. I stayed on the pitch applauding the fans and saying hi to everyone on the pitch. So by the time I went upstairs everyone had gone."

Koke hits out at City 'time-wasting' | Stones proud of City team-mates
Atletico captain Koke defended his side's antics during Man City's visit and instead hit out at what he saw as time-wasting by Guardiola's team.

"The match takes you to that madness when you see that you have chances and they drop to the ground and waste time," said Koke.

"Many times we are criticised for this situation, but today it was them. Let's see what people think of this. Today it has been seen, we are Atletico de Madrid and I am proud of this team.

"I'm proud of my team-mates for the effort. I have nothing to reproach the team with. I'm proud of everyone and the fans, who have lost, stayed to applaud us after the game. This is Atletico."

Man City defender John Stones, meanwhile, admitted the mass brawl at the end of the game is "not nice to talk about" but hailed his side's reaction to Atleti's actions.

"We know they sometimes try and make things happen like that and I think we dealt with it really well," said Stones. "It's not nice to talk about that. I don't want to dwell on that because over two legs we played incredible against such an experienced team in what they do.

"I'm so proud of the lads of how we controlled our tempers. It's so easy to get drawn into stuff like that. So happy to be through and a great night.

"We definitely knew it's not an easy place to come. It's my first time here and it's a hostile environment. It was a difficult night all round but how we defended and how we controlled ourselves was incredible."

Stones also addressed suggestions Foden, who was the victim for both of Felipe's yellow card offences, was targeted by Atleti's players.

"[They started] early doors," said Stones about Atleti's treatment of Foden. "Phil was such a threat in both games, especially when he came on in the first time, an instant impact.

"Then in this game, he drove us up the pitch and gained us yards. He was outstanding. He's feeling it after the game now."

SKY

 

[James]

It was probably Jack inciting it.

Liverpool v Villarreal. Dangerous team but we are rightly strong favourites to once again reach the final !

Highly unlikely but Liverpool win 12 games in a row we’ll win a treble & finish one point behind city in the league

City look mentally much stronger this season esp in the Champions league . Benzema msg spoil the party .

Liverpool will best Villarreal over two legs.

Madrid v City is a toss up, but if City can somehow get a 2 goal lead in the first (home) leg, then after last night’s resilient performance they have proven that they can certainly take this away from home for 90 minutes and defend it.

 

[James]

<b>ESPN: European leagues tell UEFA to scale back plans for extra Champions League games</b>

Europe's leagues told UEFA on Friday to scale back its plans aimed at adding more Champions League matches and helping teams to qualify based on their historical performances in the competition.

"An increase of more than 50% of games will hurt the vast majority of clubs and benefit very few," European Leagues chairman Claus Thomsen said after a meeting in Istanbul. "We need to have a lower number of rounds."

The divisions within European football come a year after UEFA united with the leagues to thwart a Super League breakaway by elite clubs which would still benefit from the changes planned to the Champions League from 2024.

The competition is due to expand from 32 to 36 teams with two slots set aside for teams with a strong five-season European record which fail to qualify based on their domestic league position.

The European Leagues group met to formalise its opposition to the safety-net places for the biggest clubs, telling UEFA that all Champions League spots must be based on qualification secured from the previous season's domestic results.

UEFA has been urged ahead of key meetings in Vienna next month that it must roll back the enlargement of the group stage, so it only grows from six to eight games per team rather than the 10 envisaged from 2024 based around a single standings format.

The proposed places for two teams based on their UEFA "coefficient" points are worth tens of millions of dollars in prize money and would reward an elite team having a poor season and also ensure broadcasters can still show the biggest teams in the Champions League. Those teams would still have to finish in a Europa League qualification spot -- or win their domestic cup -- to make the jump up to the Champions League rather than finishing lower and leapfrogging higher-place rivals.

But the European Leagues group wants the historic performance places stripped completely from the format to ensure all spots are earned by sporting merit the previous season. The exemption is the place set aside, as now, for the actual Champions League winners if they fail to qualify through the league.

"On the whole European Super League issue we saw football in Europe coming together and agreeing on certain things including that it is sporting merit that takes us from one level to the next and we should not have closed tournaments and that we should not move in that direction," Thomsen said. "You could argue it is only two places and now no leapfrogging but you are leaving the basic principle and in the end I trust UEFA will move in that direction as well."

Thomsen, who is chief executive of the Danish league, sits on the UEFA Club Competitions Committee, which will meet on May 10. The committee makes formal proposals for approval by the European governing body's executive committee, which will meet later that day in Vienna, Austria.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/uefa-ch...e-back-plans-for-extra-champions-league-games