UEFA Champions League/Europa League Semi-Final Draw – 11th April

Cosimo

Cosimo

Cosimo

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Champions League, 11:00


Real Madrid v Bayern Munich (winner will be home team in final)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea


The semi-finals are played with the first legs on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 April and the return legs the following week, Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 April.​


Europa League follows Champions League draw

Sevilla v Valencia (winner will be home team in final)
Benfica v Juventus​

Coverage

Sky Sports News, EuroSport, ITV, BBC Football, UEFA.com
http://www.uefa.com/​
 
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None of those are weak teams by any means so I don't think it matters who Chelsea end up with. Would be nice to see Jose going back to the Bernabéu though.
 
Shame that Courtois wont be able to play against Chelsea in the semi if they get drawn together, Atletico cant pay the £8mill in order for him to play.

Seeing as that is the case then id rather see Chelsea play Bayern or Real in the semifinal. Would be even better if Real and Chelsea played though, Mourinho up against his old team of over paid prima donnas and Ronaldo:p.
 
Semi final of chelsea against Real Madrid pls, grudge match of epicness would be perfect for a Liverpool supporter - A Bayern vs Real final would be the best spectacle all round I would think too.
 
Either Real or Bayern will be great for us. Mourinho against Pep or his old side will hopefully mean he'll prioritise that over our game.

Hopefully Chelsea's 2nd leg is on the Wednesday too or the Liverpool - Chelsea game might not be on Sky. If Chelsea play the 2nd leg on the Tuesday then the PL have to give Chelsea the option of moving our game from Sunday to Saturday (which they'll surely take) and both Saturday TV slots are taken.
 
BaZ87 said:
Either Real or Bayern will be great for us. Mourinho against Pep or his old side will hopefully mean he'll prioritise that over our game.

Hopefully Chelsea's 2nd leg is on the Wednesday too or the Liverpool - Chelsea game might not be on Sky. If Chelsea play the 2nd leg on the Tuesday then the PL have to give Chelsea the option of moving our game from Sunday to Saturday (which they'll surely take) and both Saturday TV slots are taken.
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If Man.C. do the decent thing for football fans everywhere and beat you at the weekend the Liverpool/Chelsea game won't count for much anyway I reckon, if you take points off them and we don't screw up away again then it might get interesting.
One of the plus points though is that either way Matic will be playing, he's one of the reasons we've been so solid defensively in the PL since the new year.
 
I Want Chelsea - Real Madrid and Atletico - Bayern. Atletico to knock out Bayern and Madrid to knock out Chelsea. That way Chelsea's out, no Boring Bayern and Atletico have a great chance to win in the final having a great record against Madrid in the last couple of years.
 
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My guess for the draw is:

Athletico Madrid v Bayern Munich
Chelsea v Real Madrid

That way UEFA will have a decent final regardless of who wins between Athletico v Bayern, I can't see Chelsea beating Real Madrid but the Mourinho vs his old club will obviously be the big selling point.
 
I think Courtois is a better goalkeeper than Cech, and has been for a while now. Chelsea would be absolutely mad to not want him to be their first choice.

Anyway, three fantastic side's left and Chelsea ;). Should be some good football played.
 
Tummy said:
I think Courtois is a better goalkeeper than Cech, and has been for a while now...
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What makes you say that & how long is a while?
Is there a particular part of his game that you've seen which makes him better than Cech or is he better in all areas?
 
Have you seen much of him?

I think Cech has been on a slight decline for a good couple of seasons now and Courtois stock has risen and risen, I'd argue for the last ~20 months I would have picked Courtois over Cech.

I think he's an over all better keeper, but I still think Cech is a slightly better organiser and voice on the pitch, however he is playing behind a much more organised team specifically in defense (and I'd argue defensive set up in general) and so I think Chelsea concede less chances. Prior to Mourinho coming back I thought Cech looked poor and had made a series of mediocre performances in his last ~18 months or so of football.

I do not think by any means that Cech is a particularly bad goalkeeper, he's still more than capable, but I think his time at Chelsea should be coming towards an end, because in Courtois there is an absolutely fantastic keeper and at this moment (and like I said, has been for a while) were Chelsea to bring him in as first choice, they would be in the situation that they have a fabulous goalkeeper with a lot of time on his side.

I think Courtois could improve his handling in terms of catching the ball, but I think that about a lot of goalkeepers, pushing balls away is very 'in' at the minute, despite it being the wrong decision sometimes.

I actually rate Courtois as one of the better goalkeepers in World football, I think he's up there as one of the best younger keepers and on his form, there aren't many older keepers better either.
 
I haven't seen much of him at all no as I don't watch other European leagues on the whole, just seen him in the odd 'big' game. I certainly haven't seen enough of him to compare him to one of the PL's best 'keepers that's for sure.
I do read reports from Anglo Spanish hacks who label him as the best in the world though which I take with a pinch of salt of course.
 
Tummy said:
however he is playing behind a much more organised team specifically in defense (and I'd argue defensive set up in general) and so I think Chelsea concede less chances. Prior to Mourinho coming back I thought Cech looked poor and had made a series of mediocre performances in his last ~18 months or so of football.
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Courtois has had to make less saves and had more clean sheets than Cech and Atletico have had on average 1 less shot against per game than Chelsea. Atletico are arguably one of the best teams in terms of defence in the world right now which has been shown plenty this season against Barcelona and Real Madrid. Saying Cech is behind a more solid defence isn't true at all.
 
UEFA have said that any agreement between Chelsea and Atletico that prevents Courtois playing, should they draw each other, is null and void as far as they're concerned.
 
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