Real Madrid and Juventus joined Bayern Munich and Barcelona in the semi-finals of the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, and the final four will know which opponents they’ll face when the draw is made in Switzerland on Friday.
Not that it matters all that much―all four rank among the most historic clubs in football, and both ties should be must-watch TV. Or, as Bleacher Report UK put it:
Tuesday’s action was filled with goals and excitement, and Wednesday’s was the exact opposite. Javier Hernandez scored the only goal in Real’s 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid, while Juventus played out a goalless draw with AS Monaco, successfully defending their 1-0 win in Turin, Italy.
The full results for every Champions League Quarter-Final:
The draw for the semi-finals will be made in Nyon, Switzerland, on Friday. The ceremony will start at 10 a.m. GMT/5 a.m. ET and will also include the draw for the next round of the Europa League.
Fans weren’t expecting many goals from the eighth (!) clash between rivals Real and Atletico, and those fears would prove to be well-founded. Like the first leg, the match at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu was filled with fouls, rash tackles and plenty of emotion, but few chances.
Surprisingly, Hernandez was one of the bright spots for the injury-ravaged Blancos, as the Mexico international worked hard and combined well with his team-mates.
His lack of finishing touch was a source for hilarity on social media, but Chicarito got the last laugh. Bleacher Report UK had no qualms with apologising:
Real’s hunt for a goal was aided by Arda Turan’s dismissal late in the second half. The Turkish midfielder was already on a yellow card when he made―minimal―contact with Sergio Ramos, who proceeded to roll around the pitch until the official brandished the red.
Some fans were outraged by the decision of the official, but as shared by DW – Sports, Turan shouldn’t have given the referee the opportunity to make the decision in the first place:
Real were far from their best, but playing against a hated rival and with several star players (Luka Modric, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale) sitting in the stands due to injury, it’s easy to see why Los Blancos were sucked into another physical clash with the Atleti.
They’ll now have several weeks to get healthy again and should look far better in the semi-finals.
Juventus produced a horrendous display against AS Monaco but took full advantage of the hosts’ lack of a true top striker, holding on to a 0-0 draw to secure progression to the next round. The Bianconeri become the first Italian side to reach the semis since Inter Milan won the tournament in 2010.
Veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon can’t believe it took so long for his team to advance to this stage of the tournament once again, as shared by Squawka Football:
The Italian champions faced real pressure midway through the first half and at the start of the second, and Buffon had to bail them out a few times during those spells. But outside of those difficult minutes, they once again showed their defensive class, managing yet another clean sheet.
Giorgio Chiellini provided us with perhaps the top highlight of the match in the very first minute, as he was booked for one of the most blatant handballs you’ll ever see. The memes soon followed:
Of the four semi-finalists, the Bianconeri have the least amount of experience at this stage of the competition, but their defensive solidity and ability on the counter will make life hard on whoever they face.
Midfielder Paul Pogba should also return from injury to strengthen a midfield unit that is bursting with talent, and anyone underestimating Juventus could be in for a rude awakening when the semi-finals kick off in a few weeks.
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