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A closer look at the Champions League semi-finals

A closer look at the Champions League semi-finals
© Reuters
PSG will play Manchester City while Real Madrid take on Chelsea.

The line-up for the Champions League semi-finals is complete after Manchester City and Real Madrid secured their spots on Wednesday.

City, having seen off Borussia Dortmund, will now face Paris St Germain, while Real's reward for getting past Liverpool is a clash with Chelsea.

Here, the PA new agency takes a look at how the teams left in Europe's elite club competition shape up.

Paris St Germain

Group stage: Group H winners
Quarter-final result: 3-3 v Bayern Munich (A: 3-2, H: 0-1)
European Cup best: Runners-up (2020)

PSG advanced to the last four by getting the better of the side who beat them in last season's final, Bayern. The quarter-final tie featured two goals from Kylian Mbappe, who has scored eight times in the competition this term. While they are playing catch-up behind Lille in Ligue 1, Mauricio Pochettino's men look capable of causing major problems for any opposition.

Manchester City

Group stage: Group C winners
Quarter-final result:  4-2 v Borussia Dortmund (H: 2-1, A: 2-1)
European Cup best: Semi-finals (2016)

Manchester City survived an early scare in Germany to see off Borussia Dortmund and reach the semi-finals for the first time under Pep Guardiola. Jude Bellingham levelled up the tie after 15 minutes of the second leg at Signal Iduna Park but second-half goals from Riyad Mahrez, from the penalty spot, and Phil Foden saw City win 2-1 on the night and progress 4-2 on aggregate. The result ended City's run of quarter-final frustration, having gone out at the last-eight stage in each of the previous three years, and kept alive their hopes of a potential unprecedented quadruple.

Real Madrid

Real Madrid's first-leg dominance saw them progress.
Real Madrid's first-leg dominance saw them progress (Isabel Infantes/PA)

Group stage: Group B winners
Quarter-final result:  3-1 v Liverpool (H: 3-1, A: 0-0)
European Cup best: Winners – 13 (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018)

Real Madrid swept aside Liverpool in the first leg and then defended their 3-1 lead at Anfield, where a goalless draw saw them advance. The hosts created enough chances to win but Zinedine Zidane's team rode the storm. Los Blancos may not be the force they once were, but Zidane's squad have hit a decent run of form, unbeaten since the start of February.

Chelsea

Mason Mount's goal helped Chelsea get past Porto (Clive Mason/PA).
Mason Mount's goal helped Chelsea get past Porto (Clive Mason/PA).

Group stage: Group E winners
Quarter-final result: 2-1 v Porto (A: 2-0, H: 0-1)
European Cup best: Winners (2012)

Goals from England pair Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell helped the Blues come through their last-eight tie as boss Thomas Tuchel, having overseen PSG's run last term, moved closer to another final. The 1-0 loss in the second leg against Porto was only a second defeat in 18 matches for Chelsea since Tuchel succeeded Frank Lampard in January – they are currently fifth in the Premier League, a point behind fourth-placed West Ham.

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Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel pictured on April 10, 2021
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256


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