Champions League semifinal matchups set as EPL giants crash out

The UEFA Champions League semifinal matchups were confirmed on Wednesday night, with European giants Real Madrid and Bayern Munich both successful.

After a 3-3 first leg at the Bernabeu, defending champions Manchester City were heavily favoured to make it through to the next round.

However, facing Real Madrid, the most successful team in Champions League history, it was always going to be tough, and the Brazilian pair of Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo combined to give the Spanish powerhouse the lead in just the 12th minute.

From then on, Carlo Ancelotti’s side parked the bus, conceding 33 shots and 18 corners as they blockaded a City attack that dominated possession looking for an opening.

A Jeremy Doku cross found Kevin De Bruyne inside the six-yard box to give City the equaliser in the 76th minute to force the match to extra time.

But despite their consistent attack, the Premier League leaders were unable to stop the match from going to penalties.

Luka Modric missed his first penalty to give City the advantage, but a pair of saves from Ukrainian keeper Andriy Lunin flipped the shootout in Real Madrid’s favour and Antonio Rudiger eventually netted the winning penalty.

Over in Munich, it was a different story as Bayern got the job done against Arsenal in front of their home fans.

After an exciting 2-2 first leg, this match was a cagey affair as both sides struggled to create any meaningful chances in the first half.

But midway through the second half, a perfectly placed Raphael Guerreiro cross found Joshua Kimmich bursting through at the back post to head in what proved to be the winner.

On the other side of the draw, it was a pair of underdogs that got the job done as Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund were able to overcome first-leg deficits.

Losing the opening game to Barcelona 3-2 at home, it looked dire early for PSG as they went 1-0 down inside the first 12 minutes.

However, when Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo earned a red card soon after, the game flipped completely as the visitors took total control.

A goal just before halftime cut the lead to one before the Parisians ran riot, scoring three second-half goals to win 6-4 on aggregate.

In Dortmund, it was also a drama-filled affair as the home side showed its attacking quality against an inconsistent Atletico Madrid.

After dominating the first half-hour, Borussia Dortmund broke through in the 34th minute and then again in the 39th minute to take the aggregate lead.

But after halftime, Atleti turned the game on its head, scoring in the 49th and 64th minutes to take back the lead.

The game then took another twist as Dortmund scored twice in four minutes late in the match to secure an unlikely semifinal spot.

As a result, Borussia Dortmund will face Paris Saint-Germain in the next stage, while Real Madrid will take on Bayern Munich.

The first leg of the Champions League semifinals are set to take place on Tuesday, April 30, with both games being played in Germany.

The Champions League title betting odds have also drastically changed, with Real Madrid now favoured to win at +140 with Bovada.

PSG (+250) and Bayern Munich (+275) are not far back, with Borussia Dortmund (+900) pegged as outsiders with the top soccer betting sites.

Sports news