UEFA Champions League. At the end of the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals, the English clubs took over the Spanish clubs.
A spectacular first act. During the semi-finals of the Champions League, the four clubs involved in the last four did honor to the competition with in particular a Manchester City – real Madrid absolutely grandiose (4-3) suggesting a spectacular return match in a few days in Madrid (May 4). Indeed, thanks in particular to Benzema’s double, Madrid remain alive even if the away goal rule no longer counts.
In the other semi-final played this Wednesday, April 27, Liverpool managed to break the Spanish lock in two short minutes (53rd and 55th) and took a big option on qualification even if the return match will be played at the “under yellow sailor” on May 5th. “The work remains to be done, nothing is finished. We are 2-0 at half-time, we will have to be 100% concentrated, stay in the right attitude which is not to go there to defend anything. “Over there, there will be a difficult atmosphere, they give everything, they fight all the time. Maturity is one of our qualities. We talked about it at the break. We were in good shape in the first half, was intense for us but it was also intense to defend for the opponent. We had to stay very positive, try, fail, try, fail but try again. The best thing, on the return, will be to forget the 2-0 of going, to tell ourselves that we are at 0-0 and to try to win on the return” analyzed Jurgen Klopp after the meeting.
The group stage of the Football Champions League is played from Tuesday September 14, 2021 to Wednesday December 8, 2021 while the knockout stage will be played from Tuesday February 15, 2022 to Wednesday May 4, 2022. As for the final, it is scheduled for Saturday, May 28, 2021 at Saint Petersburg Stadium, Russia. The calendar was then drawn up as follows by UEFA:
- Group stage
- September 14 and 15
- September 28 and 29
- October 19 and 20
- November 2 and 3
- November 23 and 24
- December 7 and 8
- Knockout stage
- Round of 16
- February 15 and 16 (one way)
- February 22 and 23 (return)
- Quarter-finals
- April 5 and 6 (one way)
- April 12 and 13 (return)
- Semi-finals
- April 26 and 27 (one way)
- May 3 and 4 (return)
- Final
- Saturday May 28, 2022
The TV rights battle continued to rage for this new 2021/2022 season. UEFA has awarded the French TV rights for the “Big Ears Cup” to beIN Sports and Canal+, which thus ensure the broadcasting of the 2021-2022 Champions League. RMC Sport will co-broadcast with Canal the two best Champions League posters until 2024 and beIN SPORTS will offer all the remaining matches. TF1 will broadcast the final scheduled for May 28, 2022.
As the knockout stages of the Champions League begin on Tuesday March 8 and end on March 16, Robert Lewandowski, Bayern’s Polish striker, is currently the competition’s top scorer ahead of Ivorian Sébastien Haller and Egyptian Mohamed Salah. Classification :
- Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich12 goals
- Karim Benzema, Real Madrid, 11 goals
- Sebastien Haller, Ajax Amsterdam, 11 goals
- Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, 8 goals
- Christopher Nkunku, Leipzig, 7 goals
- Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United, 6 goals
- Riyad Mahrez, Manchester City, 6 goals
- Leroy Sané, Bayern Munich, 6 goals
- Kylian Mbappé, PSG, 6 goals
- Lionel Messi, PSG, 5 goals