The Champions League semifinal round perhaps isn’t bringing us quite the foursome we were expecting when the quarterfinals were drawn, with two major favorites eliminated and the defending champions were given a huge scare. But with the draw on Friday, we’re about to find out just who’s going to be facing who in the final four of the race to determine the best club side in Europe.
Champions League 2018 draw: Time, live stream info for semifinals
The Champions League semifinals are almost set.
Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images
Real Madrid just barely survived a tie with Juventus that went down to almost the last kick before it was decided. But as the defending champions and a team that’s rounded into excellent form over the last month, they’re still going to be a force to be reckoned with for whoever they’re drawn against. A team spearheaded by Cristiano Ronaldo can never be counted out, and they proved that in a big way with their last-second win to qualify for the semifinals.
You could argue that Bayern Munich are feeling a bit nostalgic in the semifinals right now with Jupp Heynckes at the helm — though his successor has finally been announced in the form of Eintracht Frankfurt boss Niko Kovac. Those fans will be hoping that Heynckes can bring them glory once more, having won the Champions League with Bayern back in 2013.
Liverpool got here by absolutely dominating Manchester City, beating them both 3-0 and Anfield and coming back at the Etihad Stadium to win the away leg 2-1. That performance opened a lot of eyes, and no one is going to look forward to facing the attacking trio of Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Sadio Mane. This is Liverpool’s first Champions League semifinal since 2008, and they want to re-establish themselves as a team to be feared on the European stage.
AS Roma may have been the biggest surprise to get here though, drawn against Barcelona and losing the first leg 4-1 at the Camp Nou. But that away goal wound up being worth everything, because Roma won the second leg 3-0 at the Stadio Olimpico, giving them an absolutely shocking win on away goals. They’ve been inspiringly good in the Champions League this season, continuously being underestimated and coming out on top anyways. Any team they’re drawn against will need to be ready for a fight, because that’s exactly what they’ll get from Roma.
Match info, plus how to watch on TV and stream
Match Date/Time: Friday, 7 a.m. ET, 1 p.m. local
Venue: UEFA headquarters, Nyon, Switzerland
TV: Fox Sports 2 (U.S.), Sky Sport News (Germany), Eurosport Italy (Italy), Movistar+ (Spain), BT Sport 2 (U.K.)
Online: YouTubem Fox Sports Go (U.S.), Sky Go Deutschland (Germany), beIN Sports Connect España (Spain), BT Sport Live (U.K.)
Make friends: Check out Bavarian Football Works (Bayern Munich), Chiesa di Totti (AS Roma), Managing Madrid (Real Madrid), and The Liverpool Offside (Liverpool) to learn more about the Champions League semifinalists.
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