We know the posters for the next four ace in the Champions League.
The day after the fireworks between Real and Chelsea, defending champions released with panache, and the enormous sensation of Villarreal's qualification in front of Bayern, the last two quarter-finals were played on Wednesday evening.
Two festive evenings but two different atmospheres.
If Liverpool did not tremble to get rid of Benfica Lisbon (3-3 Wednesday but 6-4 on the whole of the two games), the clash between Manchester City and Atlético Madrid kept its promises and reached heights of intensity and suspense.
After an incredible duel and 13 long minutes of added time, Pep Guardiola's players finally maintained their first-leg advantage.
They are still in the hunt for their first Champions League victory.
9 - @ManCity's Pep Guardiola has reached his ninth @ChampionsLeague semi-final, the most of any manager in the history of the competition (four with Barcelona, three with Bayern Munich, two with City).
Unique.
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— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 13, 2022
Man City resist the fury of Atlético
A small goal!
Only one goal but a huge release for an incredible qualification.
Manchester City, which has one of the most prolific attacks in the main European championships, this time was satisfied with the smallest of differences to defeat Atlético Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League .
The 1-0 defeat in the first leg will therefore have been crippling for the reigning Spanish champion.
After leaving control of the game to their opponent in the first period (70% possession for City at the break) - as in the first leg - Atlético changed their face when they returned from the locker room.
Back to the mu, the Colchoneros press higher, play all the shots thoroughly and show themselves - finally - dangerous.
While they had only managed one shot in the first three halves of this duel, they chained the strikes like Antoine Griezmann who saw his shot graze the post of Man City (57th).
It's the world upside down !
The English, masters in the art of confiscating the ball from their opponents, are cornered, besieged in their 30 meters and cannot develop their game.
The match escalated in a packed stadium with 67,000 incandescent Spaniards - the club had learned the very morning of the match that the partial closure of its stands following discriminatory behavior by some of its supporters had been lifted by the arbitration tribunal sports (TAS).
The exit on injury of the master to play Kevin De Bruyne in the 65th then of the defender Kyle Walker (73rd) destabilizes the building of City a little more.
The match enters when the fourth dimension.
At the end of the match, the tension at its height, the spirits are heated between the players on a new fault of Felipe.
Until the last second, Diego Simeone's players think the feat is possible.
But after 13 minutes of added time, the referee whistled the end of this duel.
Intense, exciting, magnificent.
Despite the defeat, the supporters accompany the exit of the actors under the songs and the applause.
📷 Griezmann's tears after the elimination of Atlético de Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
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– RMC Sport (@RMCsport) April 13, 2022
Liverpool in half without shaking
The suspense did not last long at Anfield Road.
The home of Liverpool players.
After their great success (3-1) last week on the lawn of Benfica Lisbon, the players of Jürgen Klopp confirmed their domination on Wednesday evening, despite a draw (3-3).
The away win prompted the coach to significantly revamp his starting XI from the first leg.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson, Virgil Van Dijk, Thiago Alcantara, Fabinho, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané started the game on the bench.
A vast – and dangerous – turnover undoubtedly also motivated by the shock to come, Saturday, in the semi-final of the Cup against rival Man City.
Insatiable, Liverpool hopes to achieve a unique quadruple by winning four titles.
10 - Roberto Firmino has netted his 10th goal of the season in all competitions, bettering his tally from the 2020-21 campaign (9);
the Brazilian has scored at Anfield in the Champions League for the first time since March 2020 (v Atlético Madrid).
Cue.
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— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 13, 2022
Holder as in the first leg, Ibrahima Konaté gave his coach reason to trust him.
Already a scorer in Portugal, the defender opened the scoring and validated the strong domination of his team with a header in the 21st minute.
Benfica must then score at least 4 goals to hope to qualify.
The Portuguese grab part of their handicap a few moments later by Ramos in the 31st.
The start of an attacking festival but not enough to prevent Liverpool from qualifying for the last four.
🏆 #UCL
🎙 Ibrahima Konaté: "We are disappointed with the result, but the most important thing is qualifying!"
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— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) April 13, 2022
The semi-finals
(first leg on April 26 and 27, return on May 3 and 4): Real Madrid - Man City;
Villarreal-Liverpool.
The final will be played on May 28 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.