NYON, Switzerland — Eleven-time champion Real Madrid will take on neighbours Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semifinal after the Draw pitted last year’s finalists against each other.
The other semifinal will feature Monaco vs. Juventus. Monaco and Real will play the first leg at home, on May 2 and 3 respectively, with the return fixtures being played on May 9-10.
Real Madrid beat Atletico in the final in 2014 and again in 2016 but playing the second leg away could favor its bitter rival.
Emilio Butragueño, former Real Madrid forward and the club’s current Director of Institutional Relations said: “We know each other well. It’s the fourth season in a row we’re facing them in Europe and they’re a tough opponent.
“In theory it’s better to play the return leg at home but that all depends on the result of the first leg.
“When we played against Bayern it seemed that having the second leg at home was an inconvenience but we got through,” he added.
The second semifinal pitches a free-scoring Monaco side, which has scored 24 goals since reaching the group phase, against the steely Juventus defense, the Italian side having conceded only two goals in the campaign.
“Monaco ! Strong team with many talented players and an impressive run this season. We have to be careful, but the goal is clear,” Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira said on Twitter.
Monaco, which was knocked out by two-time champions Juve in the 1997-98 Champions League semifinals and in the quarterfinals two years ago, has never won the competition but reached the final in 2004.
“This Monaco team have no limits. They are young and fearless,” said Monaco vice president Vadim Vasiliyev.
“They (Juventus) have re-inforced their squad in the last two years, but so have we,” added Vasiliyev.
Real and Juventus are still undefeated in the competition.
The final will be played in Cardiff on June 3.
Europa League
Manchester United will face the Spanish side Celta Vigo in the semifinals of the Europa League over two legs and Ajax take on Lyon, after the Draw Friday.
Jose Mourinho’s United will be strong favorite and has the advantage of playing the second leg at Old Trafford as it attempts to lift the Europa League, knowing victory in the final would give them a place in next season’s Champions League. United will travel to Spain for the first leg on May 4 before Celta visits Manchester for the return on May 11.
With United currently four points outside the Premier League top four, winning the Europa League for the first time may represent its best chance of qualifying for the Champions League.
Celta sits 10th in La Liga and progressed from the quarterfinals after following up a 3-2 home win against Genk by Drawing Thursday’s second leg 1-1 in Belgium.
United has never faced Celta in UEFA competition and the Spanish side is through to a major European semifinal for the first time in its history.
If United makes it to the final in Stockholm’s Friends Arena on May 24 it will be the club’s first appearance in the decisive match of Europe’s second-tier tournament.
It would also be United’s first European final since it lost the 2011 Champions League decider against Barcelona at Wembley. 90
