Guardiola to Return to Barcelona in Champions League Semi-Finals
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SPORTS SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2015 Guardiola to return to Barcelona in Champions League semi-finals PARIS: Pep Guardiola will return to face his on May 6 with the return at the Allianz Arena will be the first time that he has faced his ter-final despite being without the injured former club Barcelona after the draw for on May 12. Barca, it will be the first time that I have Luka Modric, Gareth Bale and Karim the Champions League semi-finals yester- Guardiola won the European Cup as a faced him as a coach which will be special Benzema, although coach Carlo Ancelotti is day paired the Catalans with Bayern player with Barcelona in 1992 and then for me, and I am sure it will be for my play- confident that at least the latter two will be Munich while holders Real Madrid were won 14 trophies in four seasons as coach, ers,” said Luis Enrique, who did not seem fit for the semi-finals. drawn against Juventus. including the Champions League in 2009 too concerned about having to play the Italian Ancelotti played in the last team Barcelona, who are in the last four for the and 2011. first leg at home. “We have played 10 to win the European Cup in successive sea- seventh time in eight seasons,will be at He had made way for Tito Vilanova by games in the Champions League, and we sons, the AC Milan side of 1989 and 1990, home to the Bundesliga side in the first leg the time Barca were destroyed 7-0 on have won nine and lost one, playing both and coached Juventus between 1999 and aggregate by Bayern in the semi-finals in home and away.” 2001. 2013, when the German giants went on to Meanwhile, Madrid go to Italy for the Juventus, who will go to the Santiago win the trophy. first leg of their tie against Serie A leaders Bernabeu for the return on May 13, are Matches on TV “When you play in the semi-finals, you Juventus on May 5 as they look to become through to their first Champions League (Local Timings) always get a big team. I have great respect the first club to retain the trophy in the semi-final since losing on penalties to for them and I am very, very happy to have Champions League era. Ancelotti’s Milan in the 2003 final. had this experience in my life, but at the The tie is a repeat of the 1998 final, They are the outsiders in the last four, English Premier League end of the day it’s a football match,” said which Madrid won 1-0 in Amsterdam, and with Barcelona, Bayern and Madrid having Southampton V Tottenham 14:45 beIN SPORTS Newcastle V Swansea 17:00 beIN SPORTS Burnley V Leicester 17:00 beIN SPORTS Crystal V Hull City 17:00 beIN SPORTS QPR V West Ham 17:00 beIN SPORTS Bromwich V Liverpool 17:00 beIN SPORTS Stoke City V Sunderland 17:00 beIN SPORTS Man City V Aston Villa 19:30 beIN SPORTS Spanish League Espanyol V Barcelona 17:00 beIN SPORTS Atletico V Elche 19:00 beIN SPORTS Getafe V Levante 21:00 beIN SPORTS Sociedad V Villarreal 23:00 beIN SPORTS Italian Calcio League Udinese V AC Milan 19:00 beIN SPORTS Inter V AS Roma 21:45 beIN SPORTS German Bundesliga Koln V Bayer 16:30 beIN SPORTS Hamburger V Augsburg 16:30 beIN SPORTS Borussia V Eintracht 16:30 beIN SPORTS Hannover V Hoffenheim 16:30 beIN SPORTS SWITZERLAND: Former players Germany’s Paul Breitner (left) representing Bayern Munich and France’s Ludovic Giuly, representing Stuttgart V Freiburg 16:30 Barcelona, joke on stage with the UEFA Champions League trophy after the draw for the UEFA Champions League semi-final football beIN SPORTS matches. — AFP Bayern Munich V Hertha 19:30 beIN SPORTS Guardiola. “Of course it is special for me the Spanish side will be fancied to come racked up 13 semi-final appearances French League and very, very emotional, whether it is one out on top on this occasion too. between them in the last six seasons and PSG V Lille 18:00 game or two.” “Of course, only football can “We will face a legendary club, I think it having won the Champions League four beIN SPORTS write stories like this,” remarked Bayern’s is good news for football and the times between them over the same period. Girondins V Metz 21:00 sporting director Matthias Sammer. Champions League that Juventus have However, they beat the then-holders beIN SPORTS “We know we’ll be facing a good oppo- returned to this level and obviously it will Madrid in the semi-finals in 2003, and for- Caen V Guingamp 21:00 nent. It’s a great situation to be in and I’m be a very even tie,” said former Real player mer player Pavel Nedved, now an ambassa- beIN SPORTS looking forward to it hugely.” After leaving Emilio Butragueno, now the club’s Director dor for the club, said: “This reminds me of Gaillard V Bastia 21:00 in 2012, Guardiola did not go back to the of Institutional Relations. something. beIN SPORTS Camp Nou until he attended Barcelona’s “We faced them last year, they are a very “They are monsters. We are happy to be Stade Rennes V Nice 21:00 victory over Manchester City in the last 16 competitive team and hopefully we can competing with these three teams, who beIN SPORTS last month. His old side are now coached recover the injured players to be able to are the best sides in the world. I have Toulouse V Nantes 21:00 by Luis Enrique, alongside whom he played face this tie at our maximum level.” great confidence in the team.” This year’s beIN SPORTS at Barcelona in the 1990s. “It is a special The 10-time European champions beat final will be played in Berlin on Saturday, game because Pep is on the other side. It city rivals Atletico Madrid in a tense quar- June 6. — AFP.