Juventus may be in the semi-finals for the first time in 12 years but of all four clubs left in, the Italian side have the best record at this stage of the competition.
The “Old Lady” has been in the semi-finals of Uefa’s flagship club competition 10 times and on seven of those occasions has made it to the final.
Neither Real Madrid, Barcelona nor Bayern Munich can boast anything like as good a record: holders Real have 13 wins and 12 defeats, while Barcelona have lost more than they have won at this stage of the competition: six wins and eight losses. Bayern Munich come closest to Juve’s success with 10 wins from 16 appearances.
The draw at Uefa’s headquarters in Nyon could throw up an all-Spanish semi-final between Barcelona and Real Madrid. There is no “country protection” at this stage meaning it is a completely open draw.
Whatever the outcome, there will be some intriguing meetings. The last time Juventus made it to the semi-finals in 2003 a Pavel Nedved-inspired side won the second leg against Real Madrid 3-1 – 4-3 on aggregate – overturning a 2-1 deficit from the first leg.
A Barcelona v Bayern Munich semi-final would revive painful memories in Catalonia of the 2012/’13 season when they suffered a record 7-0 aggregate defeat to the German side who went on to be crowned champions.
Barcelona triumphed
There has never been a Barcelona v Real Madrid final, but
Cristiano Ronaldo
and team were the losers on the only time they have met in the semi-finals before in 2011 when
Lionel Messi
and Barcelona triumphed 3-1 on aggregate.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola will see out his three-year contract with the German champions, who are hopeful of an extension beyond 2016, club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said.
Guardiola, who joined in 2013 after winning 14 titles in four season at Barcelona and taking a year out, has been a top target for several European clubs.
The Spaniard, who won the domestic double last season, has repeatedly been linked with a possible move to Premier League club Manchester City.
Speculation intensified in the days after Bayern‘s 3-1 quarter-final first leg loss at Porto last week and the subsequent departure of their long-time team doctor, who said his medical team was blamed for the defeat. But their 6-1 demolition of the Portuguese on Tuesday saw Bayern book a semi-final spot with Guardiola on track for a treble of titles this season.
"I know very well that he will be the coach here at least until June 30th, 2016," Rummenigge told Bild newspaper.
He said contract extension talks would take place in the second half of the year, following the end of the season.
“The aim is to extend Guardiola‘s contract and I think we have very good chances that he remains the coach here beyond 2016.”
Bayern defender Holger Badstuber has been ruled out for three to four months after tearing a thigh muscle in their victory over Porto this week that will require surgery.
