Holders Bayern face Real test as Chelsea draw Atletico

Sport360 staff 16:19 11/04/2014
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  • The Champions League semi-final draw has pitted Chelsea against Atletico Madrid and incumbent champions Bayern Munich against Real Madrid.

    Atletico will host Chelsea at the Vicente Calderon stadium on the 22 April with the second-leg at Stamford Bridge scheduled eight days later.

    Real, meanwhile, will host Bayern at the Bernabeu before making the trip to the Allianz Arena for what promises to be a mouth-watering tie.

    After reports had stated that Atelico Madrid's on-loan Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois could be withdrawn from any potential tie between his loan and parent clubs, UEFA released a strong statement saying the young Belgian will be eligible for Atletico regardless of any agreement in place betrween the two clubs.

    The statement read: "Both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations contain clear provisions which strictly forbid any club to exert, or attempt to exert, any influence whatsoever over the players that another club may (or may not) field in a match.

    "It follows that any provision in a private contract between clubs which might function in such a way as to influence who a club fields in a match is null, void and unenforceable so far as UEFA is concerned.

    "Furthermore, any attempt to enforce such a provision would be a clear violation of both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations and would therefore be sanctioned accordingly.

    In the Europa League semi-final draw, Juventus will face Benfica and Sevilla have been drawn against fellow La Liga side Valencia.

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