Barcelona-Bayern Munich and Real Madrid-Borussia Dortmund in Champions League semifinals

The group formations are shown
on an electronic panel after the
draw of the games of the UEFA
Champions League 2012/13 for
the semi-finals and final of the
2012/13 UEFA headquarters in
Nyon, Switzerland, Friday,11 April
2013.
By Associated Press, Published:
FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 12:47 PM ET
Aa
NYON, Switzerland — It’s a Spain
vs. Germany double bill in the
Champions League semifinals.
Barcelona will play Bayern Munich
and Real Madrid will face Borussia
Dortmund as Friday’s draw kept
the Spanish and German teams
apart.
“I find it very thrilling to be playing
against the best team in Europe,”
Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz
Rummenigge said.
Seeking its fourth title in eight
years, Barcelona opens at Bayern
on April 23 in a matchup of
runaway league leaders, then hosts
the second leg on May 1. Real
Madrid starts at Dortmund on April
24 and is home on April 30.
The draw avoided a rematch of the
foul-filled 2011 semifinal between
the Spanish powers, won by
Barcelona on 3-1 aggregate.
Real Madrid defeated defending
champion Dortmund 2-0 in the
1998 semifinals, winning the first
leg 2-0 at home.
“I don’t have to repeat that Real is
a difficult opponent, but from the
three possible opponents Real is
the only one we’ve beaten this
season,” Dortmund coach Juergen
Klopp said.
The winners meet in the final on
May 25 at London’s Wembley
Stadium, where Barcelona beat
Manchester United in the 2011
final.
In the second-tier Europa League,
Chelsea meets Basel and
Fenerbahce plays Benfica. The
Swiss and Turkish teams are hosts
for the first leg April 25, and the
second legs are May 2.