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Liverpool and Manchester City will resume their domestic duel in the FA Cup on Saturday after the pair reached the semi-finals of the Champions League in contrasting styles on Thursday AEST.
Jürgen Klopp’s Reds proved too strong for Benfica despite being held to a 3-3 draw at Anfield a week after winning 3-1 in Lisbon. They meet Villarreal, conquerors of Bayern Munich, in the last four ties which begin at the end of the month.
City meanwhile endured a nervous and fractious night where tempers exploded at Atletico Madrid as they secured a goalless draw in their quarter-final second leg which gave them progress 1-0 on aggregate.
Pep Guardiola’s Premier League leaders now face a mouth-watering clash against record winners Real Madrid but will first focus on Wembley where they meet Liverpool, a point behind them domestically, in the FA Cup semi-final.
The teams also drew 2-2 in Manchester last weekend and Klopp took the chance to rotate heavily given the heavy schedule facing his players.
Star forwards Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were rested along with defender Virgil Van Dijk but Liverpool always had an element of control.
Ibrahima Konate, who opened the scoring in Portugal, repeated the trick by heading in Konstantinos Tsimikas’ 21st minute corner only for Gonçalo Ramos to level from a break of the ball soon after.
But farcial defending ended Benfica’s hopes when keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos spilled the ball and Roberto Firmino tapped in a cross from Diogo Jota 10 minutes after the restart.
Firmino then volleyed his second in the 65th from an excellent Tsimikas free-kick but Roman Yaremchuk and Darwin Núñez drew Benfica level.
Only a brilliant save from Alisson stopped Núñez immediately cutting the deficit to one with seven minutes remaining but Liverpool settled and saw out the tie.
Atletico started strongly in Madrid in the reverse of their defensive display in Manchester but the only first-half chance fell to City’s Ilkay Gündogan, who stroked a shot off the post.
City were pinned back in the second period but Antoine Griezmann and Rodrigo De Paul fired just off target.
Defender Felipe was sent off in an injury-time brawl but there was one more chance which Ángel Correa struck straight at City keeper Ederson which ended Atletico’s hopes of a semi-final derby with Madrid rivals Real, who eliminated holders Chelsea in the last eight.
“It is the champion of Spain and they played with energy and in second half were better than us and we were lucky we didn’t concede. In the first half we had chances, overall we are in the semi-finals – it is well deserved,” said Guardiola.
“The opponent is so tough, all the teams in Champions League come here an suffer so it is important we go through.”
© AAP
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