Liverpool will host Villarreal in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final on Thursday (April 28) at 1 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time). Liverpool are one of the best clubs in Europe, and they are currently on fire. On the other hand, Villarreal astonished everyone by defeating two heavyweights, Juventus and Bayern Munich in the Round of 16 and Quarter-Final stages respectively. Villarreal knocking Liverpool out of the semi-finals would be one of the biggest upsets of the season. The match preview, team news, and prediction for Liverpool vs Villarreal 2022 are discussed in this article. Liverpool vs Villarreal 2022: Team Lineups Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino is in doubt for this fixture as he has been struggling with a foot injury, which kept him out of the Merseyside derby on Sunday (April 24). Apart from that, the rest of the Liverpool players from the squad would be available for selection.  Predicted Starting XI (Liverpool) Alisson Ramses Becker (GK); Trent Alexander-Arnold (RB), Ibrahima Konate (CB), Virgil van Dijk (CB), Andrew Robertson (LB); Jordan Henderson (MF), Fabinho (MF), Thiago Alcantara (MF); Mohamed Salah (FW), Sadio Mane (FW), Luis Diaz (FW). Read Manchester City vs Real Madrid 2022: Champions League Semi-Final Match Preview Former Liverpool full-back Alberto Moreno and star forward Gerard Moreno are both in doubt for this match due to injury issues. Therefore, one of the major dilemmas in this fixture for Villarreal would be to pick an ideal partner for Arnaut Danjuma. Predicted Starting XI (Villarreal): Geronimo Rulli (GK); Juan Foyth (RB), Raul Albiol (CB), Pau Torres (CB), Pervis Estupinan (LB); Dani Parejo (MF), Francis Coquelin (MF), Etienne Capoue (MF); Giovani Lo Celso (FW), Samuel Chukwueze (FW), Arnaut Danjuma (FW) Villarreal vs Liverpool: Head-to-Head Record Villarreal and Liverpool have never met in the UEFA Champions League; therefore, Thursday's match will be their first. However, both teams have previously played each other in the 2016 Europa League semi-finals. Liverpool reached the final by defeating Villarreal 3-1 on aggregate in the semi-final, but they were defeated by Sevilla in the championship match. In all, Villarreal and Liverpool have met twice in official matches, with both teams winning once. Read PSG Secure 10th Ligue 1 Trophy Courtesy of Lionel Messi's Amazing Strike So far, Liverpool have scored three goals against Villarreal, while Villarreal have only scored once. Villarreal's highest goal scorer in the UCL is Arnaut Danjuma, who has six goals, whereas Liverpool's top scorer is Mohamed Salah, who has 34. Liverpool vs Villarreal First Leg of Semi-Final 2022: Match Prediction Liverpool have won their previous three matches. More importantly, all those three matches were against their bitter rivals. They beat Manchester City 3-2 in the FA Cup semi-final, followed by a 4-0 win over Manchester United and a 2-0 win over Everton in the Premier League. So, the Red Devils squad has a positive vibe at the moment. On the other hand, after drawing a UCL match against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, Villarreal overcame Getafe 2-1 and Valencia by 2-0. So, the confidence level of the Villarreal team is also very high at the moment. Read English Premier League 2021-22: Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester United Race for Top Four Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp's ideal formation is 4-3-3. However, he prefers heavy metal football, which means high pressure, high defensive line, and fluid forward. He demands counter-pressing or gegenpressing from his players. It basically encourages players to recover the ball immediately after losing it. So, it is expected that Kloop will deploy the same tactics against Villarreal in the first leg of their semi-final match. Villarreal head coach Unai Emery loves to build-up play and encourages his full-backs to support the attacking players. Emery usually deploys a traditional 4-4-2 system, and he was successful against both Bayern Munich and Juventus in the previous phases. However, he can also switch his system to 4-4-1-1, 4-2-3-1, or 4-3-3. It will be interesting to see what tactics Emery will deploy against Liverpool at Anfield. But one thing is certain: he will make every effort to limit the number of goals conceded. Read Juventus to Face Inter Milan in the Coppa Italia Final 2022 Match Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Villarreal  Verdict The hosts will start as favourites in the first leg of the Liverpool vs Villarreal 2022 semi-final encounter. However, the Yellow Submarine still have a chance if they play to their full potential in both legs. To take Villarreal to the final for the first time, Unai Emery will need to craft a better plan to counter Liverpool's, Jurgen Klopp. Despite being favourites, Liverpool will be put to the test as Villarreal attempt for the third time in a row to shock football fans.   Read Argentina vs Brazil 2022: MCG to host a SuperClasico match in June

The first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final match between Manchester City and Real Madrid will take place at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, April 27 at 1 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time). This matchup promises to be intriguing, as Real Madrid is one of the most exciting teams to watch in the Champions League this season, while Manchester City's team is one of the heavy favourites to win the elite club football championship in Europe. Take a look at the team news and preview for the Manchester City vs Real Madrid 2022 match. Manchester City vs Real Madrid 2022: Team Lineups Manchester City's regular fullback this season, Joao Cancelo will miss the first leg due to suspension. Right-back Kyle Walker and center-back John Stones are both questionable for this match due to injury. Apart from that, the rest of the players should be ready for selection in the match against Real Madrid. Predicted Starting XI (Manchester City) Ederson Moraes (GK), Oleksandr Zinchenko (RB), Ruben Dias (CB), Aymeric Laporte (CB), Nathan Ake (LB), Bernardo Silva (CM), Rodri (CM), Kevin De Bruyne (CM), Riyad Mahrez (RW), Phil Foden (CF), Raheem Sterling (LW) Read: BPL Football: Holders Bashundhara Kings make good start in 2nd phase beating Swadhinata KS 2-0 Real Madrid have no suspension issues, but they do have some serious injury concerns. David Alaba, Eden Hazard, Luka Jovic, Mariano Diaz, Casemiro, and Ferland Mendy are among the players who have sustained injuries. It remains to be seen how many of them will be fit to participate in the Manchester City encounter. Predicted Starting XI (Real Madrid): Thibaut Courtois (GK), Dani Carvajal (RB), Eder Militao (CB), Nacho (CB), Marcelo (LB), Toni Kroos (CM), Eduardo Camavinga (CM), Luka Modric (CM), Rodrygo (RW), Vinicius Junior (LW), Karim Benzema (FW) . Read PSG Secure 10th Ligue 1 Trophy Courtesy of Lionel Messi's Amazing Strike Real Madrid vs Manchester City: Head-to-Head In the UEFA Champions League, Manchester City and Real Madrid have played six times. Both teams have beaten each other twice, with two matches ending in draws. Interestingly, both teams have scored seven times against each other. In their most recent meeting, Manchester City defeated Real Madrid 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium in the second leg of the Round of 16 in the 2019-2020 Champions League. With 39 goals in the Champions League, Sergio Aguero of Argentina leads Manchester City, while Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal leads Real Madrid with 105 goals. Man City vs Real Madrid Semi-Final 2022: First Leg Match Prediction Both Manchester City and Real Madrid have won their previous two matches and will be in high spirits when they meet on April 27 at the Etihad Stadium. Manchester City trounced Watford 5-1 at home in the Premier League on Saturday (April 23), with Brazilian Gabriel Jesus scoring four goals. On the other hand, Real Madrid defeated Osasuna 3-1 away from home on Thursday (April 21). Manchester City like to play in a 4-3-3 system, but Pep Guardiola's team always has a backup plan in case things go wrong. They will be well prepared for the match against Real Madrid, as the Los Blancos have proven in the past with some stunning late comebacks. Man City will anticipate having more possession than Madrid. The Citizens will be able to create more opportunities if they execute their plan properly. Read: Afghan women's team plays first game in Australia Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti also likes to use the 4-3-3 formation. However, they may alter their strategy if necessary. Two methods appear to have worked successfully against Manchester City this season. One strategy may be to press Man City's defense high up the pitch, while another could be to defend deep in the backline. However, Real Madrid must be confident in its ability to execute the strategy against Manchester City. Match Prediction: Manchester City 2-1 Real Madrid Verdict Manchester City and Real Madrid are two of Europe's top football clubs right now. Therefore, the Manchester City vs Real Madrid 2022 Champions League match is expected to be a high-voltage affair on Wednesday at midnight. Both sides will aim to outwit each other in tactical combat. However, Manchester City may start as favourites to beat Real Madrid owing to the strength of their squad. Read English Premier League 2021-22: Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester United Race for Top Four.