MATCHDAY: Man City and Madrid try to seal spot in CL semis

Updated Apr. 13, 2021 4:33 p.m. ET

Associated Press

A look at what’s happening in the Champions League on Wednesday with the second legs of the quarterfinals:

BORUSSIA DORTMUND VS. MANCHESTER CITY (1-2)

City is seeking to reach the semifinals for only the second time in its history and the first time under Pep Guardiola. The Premier League leader has no fresh injury concerns, with a number of key players — like Kevin De Bruyne and Ruben Dias — rested in the Premier League over the weekend. Dortmund will be without the injured Jadon Sancho, while forward Marco Reus and defender Mats Hummels are injury doubts. A semifinal would be a triumph for a team that is not on course to qualify for next season's Champions League through its finish in the Bundesliga and is led by an interim coach in Edin Terzic. All eyes will be on star striker Erling Haaland, who is a transfer target for many of Europe's biggest clubs, reportedly including City. However, he hasn't scored in his last three games for Dortmund, or in three for Norway before that.

LIVERPOOL VS. REAL MADRID (1-3)

Already facing a two-goal deficit against the form team in Spain, Liverpool is under even more pressure because the team might need to win the Champions League to qualify for the competition next season. Liverpool is in sixth place in the Premier League in a disappointing title defense. The passionate Anfield crowd is regarded as a so-called “12th man” for the Reds, helping them mount stunning comebacks in European competitions over the years, but that benefit will not be there because the stadium will be empty due to the pandemic. Madrid is depleted by injuries and coach Zinedine Zidane hasn't said who will replace the injured Lucas Vázquez as right back. In central defense, he will likely stick with Éder Militão and Nacho Fernández to substitute Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane, the regular starters who tested positive for the coronavirus. Ramos was already set to miss the game because of a muscle injury. Eden Hazard also won't play for Madrid.

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