Citizens 9-4 to stun Real Madrid in semi-finals

By Mark Langdon 4:37PM 15 APR 2016

MANCHESTER CITY’S reward for earning a spot in the Champions League semi-finals for the first time is a date with the most successful club in the history of the European Cup.

Real Madrid stand between City and a place in the Milan final next month but bookmakers are far from convinced Manuel Pellegrini will be able to cause an upset against his former club.

City are 9-4 to oust Madrid, who are 2-5 to qualify and the draw was seen as good news for any punters on the Spanish giants to win the Champions League with Zinedine Zidane’s all-stars chopped to 9-4 for an 11th European Cup triumph.

Playing at home first is considered a disadvantage so the draw was unkind to City in that respect too with Madrid travelling to Manchester for the Etihad contest on Tuesday April 26 before the Bernabeu return on Wednesday May 4.

City are the rank outsiders at 15-2 for Champions League glory in a market headed by 6-4 favourites Bayern Munich, who travel to Madrid to face Atletico for their semi-final first leg.

It still leaves the intriguing prospect of a San Siro showdown for City against their new manager for next term, current Bayern boss Pep Guardiola.

Bayern are 8-15 to progress past Atletico with the Spanish side available at 13-8 to reach the final and 4-1 to lift the trophy in Milan.

There remains the possibility for England to land a European double after Liverpool’s reward for their astonishing comeback against Borussia Dortmund on Thursday is a Europa League semi-final tie against Villarreal.

Liverpool are 7-4 favourites to win the competition and with it gain entry into next season’s Champions League, but they face a tricky test against La Liga’s fourth-best side despite hosting the second leg at Anfield.

Villarreal, who have eliminated Bayer Leverkusen and Napoli en route to the last four, have held Barcelona in La Liga this season, beaten Real Madrid and taken four points off Atletico.

However, the Reds are 8-13 to progress with the Yellow Submarine available at 7-4, while in the other semi-final holders Seville are 8-15 to qualify against Shakhtar Donetsk.

Liverpool’s rally from 2-0 and 3-1 down to beat Dortmund 4-3 at Anfield has seen belief grow that Jurgen Klopp is the man to bring the glory days back to Merseyside in the near future.

Bet365’s Steve Freeth reported “hundreds of bets” on Liverpool to win next season’s Premier League with the firm cutting them from 16-1 to 12-1. They are as short as 15-2 and best at 14-1.