Bayern vs. Real Madrid, Liverpool vs. Roma in CL semis

Record champions Real Madrid are set to take on German football giants Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals while English team Liverpool will meet AS Roma, as revealed in a draw here on Friday.

The draw at the UEFA headquarters rounded of an electrifying quarter-final stage that saw favourites Barcelona and Manchester City knocked out of the race by Roma and Liverpool respectively and Real Madrid surviving an epic comeback from Juventus, reported Efe.

Defending champions Real Madrid's second-leg encounter with last year's runners-up Juventus ended with a hotly contested penalty and the subsequent sending off of Ganluigi Buffon, the legendary Italian goalkeeper who perhaps did not imagine such an end to what was likely to be his last game in Europe's top competition.

The draw, carried out by retired Ukraine and AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko, revealed that Bayern Munich are to play their first leg at home to Real Madrid on April 24 and Liverpool will host the first leg of their clash the following day against Roma.

The second legs are to take place on May 1-2 respectively.

Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are both regulars in this late stage of the Champions League, but both Roma and Liverpool beat the odds to make it through to this stage.

"It's one of European football's top clashes. It's the defending champions against a top side with quality players," Bayern chief coach Jupp Heynckes said via the club's Twitter account.

Liverpool chief coach Jurgen Klopp warned his side against complacency while facing Roma. "If anybody think this is the easiest draw then I cannot help this person; they obviously didn't see both games against Barcelona.

"In the first result, the 4-1, it was not like the game was - it was Messi genius against a good side of Roma. The second leg was outstanding, it was outstanding what they did. They should have probably won four or five-nil -- I was really impressed.

"It is work and no problem with that and now we are looking forward of course to the first game."

Reacting to the draw, Roma captain Daniele De Rossi told his club's website: "We have seen the draw now and, it would have changed little whoever we had got.

"At this level all the teams -- Liverpool, Bayern, Real Madrid -- are great sides, incredible. Liverpool have made a statement, similar to ours, knocking out the team that I thought might be the favourites to win it all, Manchester City.

"They have a coach whose approach I love. We respect them, of course, just as we did Barcelona and Shakhtar -- but we will have our chances."

--IANS

pur/vd