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UEFA Champions League Wrap

UEFA Champions League Wrap

Atletico Madrid 0-0 Manchester City (0-1 on aggregate)

Manchester City advanced to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League after playing to a fiery 0-0 draw against Atletico Madrid.

Pep Guardiola made two changes from the draw with Liverpool over the weekend, as Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus dropped to the bench in favour of Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez.

Atletico, meanwhile, recalled Joao Felix, Renan Lodi and Thomas Lemar from the loss to Real Mallorca, with Luis Suarez, Yannick Carrasco and Rodrigo de Paul dropping to the bench.

The game was played at a lively pace in the first half, as City went close to pulling ahead on 30 minutes when Gundogan saw his first-time strike crash against the upright.

That proved to be the only big opening of the first half as Diego Simeone's charges failed to register a single effort at Ederson's goal.

The Citizens suffered a blow in the second half when talisman Kevin de Bruyne was forced off with an injury and replaced by Sterling for the final 25 minutes.

It became a heated affair as City began to see out the latter stages as Atletico finished the game with 10 men after Filipe was sent off for kicking out Foden, the Premier League side held on for the draw to secure a spot in the final four.

Liverpool 3-3 Benfica (6-4 on aggregate)

Liverpool secured passage to the semi-finals after a 3-3 draw with Benfica in the second leg at Anfield.

After winning the first leg 3-1 in Portugal, Reds manager Jurgen Klopp opted for a few changes as Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Sadio Mane were named on the bench.

Despite the flurry of changes from Klopp, it was the Premier League outfit who broke the deadlock on 21 minutes when Ibrahima Konate bagged his second goal of the tie after nodding home a corner from Kostas Tsimikas.

The visitors gave themselves some after Goncalo Ramos levelled matters on the night in the 32nd minute with a neat low finish past Alisson Becker.

However, the Reds put some daylight between themselves and Benfica in the overall tie after bagging the second goal 10 minutes into the second half through Roberto Firmino after a howler from goalkeeper Odisseas Vlachodimos.

Firmino went on to complete his brace on 65 minutes after getting on the end of Tsimikas' cross at the far post and volleying home the side's third goal on the night.

Benfica did manage to pull another goal back with just under 20 minutes to go, with Roman Yaremchuk firing past Alisson after being picked out Alex Grimaldo.

The visitors were not done there as Darwin Nunez levelled matters on the night with his second goal in the tie on 81 minutes.

Semi-Final Fixtures:

Liverpool v Villarreal

Real Madrid v Manchester City

Here are the highest-paid players in the Champions League this season:

10. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) – £348 000
10. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) – £348 000 a week before tax
9. David de Gea (Manchester United) – £372 000 a w
9. David de Gea (Manchester United) – £372 000 a week before tax
8. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) – £382 000 a
8. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) – £382 000 a week before tax
7. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) – £382 00
7. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) – £382 000 a week before tax
6. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) – £408 000
6. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) – £408 000 a week before tax
5. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) – £497 000 a week bef
5. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) – £497 000 a week before tax
4. Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid) – £571 000 a week
4. Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid) – £571 000 a week before tax
3. Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) – £594 000
3. Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) – £594 000 a week before tax
2. Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain) – £602 000 a week
2. Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain) – £602 000 a week before tax
1. Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain) – £940 000 a
1. Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain) – £940 000 a week before tax

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