THE Champions League is down to the semifinals - and clubs from Europe’s four biggest soccer nations still have a shot at the title.

For the first time since 1981, teams from Spain (Real Madrid), England (Liverpool), Italy (Roma) and Germany (Bayern Munich) make up the last four of Europe’s elite club competition.

Three of them are aristocrats of the continent, with Madrid, Bayern and Liverpool having won the competition 22 times between them. Roma has never been European champion but cannot be discounted after its historic comeback against Barcelona in the quarterfinals.
Spanish representation in the semifinals has been cut to one team for the first time since 2010. The fact that team is Real Madrid isn’t a surprise. Seeking a record-extending 13th European title, Madrid is in the semifinals for the eighth straight year and is meeting Bayern at this stage for the seventh time in the competition’s history. The most recent was 2014, when Madrid won home and away against a team coached by Pep Guardiola.

Now the German team is coached by Jupp Heynckes, who led Bayern to the title in 2013 before his first retirement. Heynckes came back in October to rescue Bayern after its faltering start to the season led to Carlo Ancelotti’s departure and has already said he will not be staying on beyond this season. Heynckes led Bayern to a Champions League-Bundesliga-German Cup treble in 2013 and is attempting to do so again, having already won the league and reached the final of the cup.