Chelsea
Chelsea claimed the Champions League semifinals for the second consecutive season under Russian owner Roman
Abramovich. The London club lost to Monaco in last year's semifinals. However, this time, Chelsea have manager
Jose Mourinho, the man who led Porto to the 2004 Champions League crown and the 2003 UEFA Cup title.
Mourinho's men have already won this season's Premier League Cup and are favorites to reach their first
Premiership title since 1955. They also have beaten Spanish league leader Barcelona and the German Bundesliga's top
team Bayern Munich to reach the Champions League last four. Mourinho, banned by UEFA from coaching the two
quarterfinal games, will be back for the semifinals.
Liverpool
Despite starting afresh with a new manager and a raft of new players, Liverpool have been inconsistent in the
Premier League this season. They have lost three times to Chelsea, twice in the Premiership and 3-2 after extra time
in the Carling Cup final, but Liverpool were very close to the London team in all three matches and could have won.
After a dramatic goalless draw against Italian title challengers Juventus, maybe Liverpool will have more
confidence. Manager Rafa Benitez, who led Valencia to the UEFA Cup title, proved a two-legged tactical battle
is his specialty. It is the first time in two decades that they have reached the last four of the European Cup.
Liverpool won Europe's top club competition four times from 1977 to 1984.
Milan
Milan have conceded just three goals in their entire Champions League campaign so far this season. With an impressive
defense and European Footballer of the Year Andriy Shevchenko in attack, they are one of the best teams in the
competition. Milan swept all four games on their way to the semifinals, against Manchester United and Inter, but they
have often struggled against mediocre opponents in Serie A.
However, Milan remain in the race for the Italian league title. The six-time European champions also have two years of
extra experience of playing together and playing big games. Coach Carlo Ancelotti believes his team now is even stronger
than the one that lifted the European Cup at Old Trafford two years ago, when they beat
Serie A rivals Juventus in the final.
PSV Eindhoven
Guus Hiddink, who led PSV Eindhoven to the European Cup title 17 years ago and guided underdogs South Korea to the
semifinals of the 2002 World Cup, is again coaching the club. After losing influential attacking duo Arjen Robben and
Mateja Kezman to Chelsea last summer, in his second spell at PSV, Hiddink has been forced to rebuild his entire forward
line.
Now, PSV Eindhoven, one of the surprise teams left in the last four of the UEFA Champions League, are in a superb run
of form themselves, unbeaten since December and looking likely champions of their national league and also can claim the
Dutch Cup. PSV won their quarterfinal with Lyon after a penalty shootout, which is another area where Hiddink has made his
experience count.
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