UEFA Champions League semi-final draw

**Retz** · April 13th, 2013 10:50 AM

The Spanish elite will meet the top two in Germany in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals after today's draw paired FC Bayern München with FC Barcelona and pitted Borussia Dortmund against Real Madrid CF.

Both first legs will take place in Germany on 23 and 24 April, with the returns in Spain on 30 April and 1 May after the open draw at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, conducted by UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino and former Netherlands striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The Bayern v Barcelona tie is a mouth-watering prospect: newly crowned German title holders take on Spanish champions-elect. They have met surprisingly little on the European stage, though their six encounters encompass the 1995/96 UEFA Cup semi-finals – which Bayern edged – and most recently the last eight of the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League. There a first-half double from Lionel Messi in the first leg meant there was only ever going to be one winner.

Both teams have had their scares this season. Arsenal FC pushed Bayern all the way in a stirring round of 16 comeback while Barcelona were 19 minutes from elimination on Wednesday before Pedro Rodríguez struck against Paris Saint-Germain FC to seal progress to a record sixth straight semi on away goals. Dortmund left it somewhat later against Málaga CF, needing two added-time goals to complete their Lazarus act in a turnaround up there with the best in the UEFA Champions League's 21-year history.

Source: UEFA Champions League semi-final draw - UEFA Champions League - News - UEFA.com