European football matchday: Liverpool host Manchester United; Inter face AC Milan in Coppa Italia

A look at what’s happening in European football on Tuesday:

ENGLAND

After advancing in the Champions League and FA Cup over the past week on their charge for the quadruple, Liverpool turns their attention back to the Premier League title race when great rival Manchester United visit Anfield.

What is historically the biggest fixture in English football has been dominated by Liverpool in recent years and the Reds are big favourites again for a win that would move them top of the league above Manchester City — at least for a day.

Liverpool are a point behind City — who host Brighton on Wednesday — with seven games remaining for each team.

It’s a significant game for United, too, not just because it’s Liverpool but because Ralf Rangnick’s team is back in with a shout of a top-four finish after favourable results on the weekend. Fifth-placed United are three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham and tied for points with Arsenal in sixth.

United midfielder Bruno Fernandes was involved in a car crash on Monday but was unhurt and is expected to be play against Liverpool.

ITALY

Involved in a tight battle for the Serie A title, Inter Milan and AC Milan resume their rivalry in the second leg of the Italian Cup semifinals. The first leg ended 0-0. Milan lead Serie A by two points from Inter.

Milan haven’t won the cup in nearly two decades — since 2003 — while Inter haven’t gotten past the semi-finals since winning the last of their seven titles in 2011. The Milan teams drew 1-1 in their first Serie A derby in November, then Olivier Giroud scored twice when Milan beat Inter 2-1 in their second league meeting.

Defending champions Juventus take a 1-0 lead into their return game with in-form Fiorentina on Wednesday.

The final is scheduled for 11 May.

GERMANY

Former Bundesliga heavyweights Hamburger SV can gain some consolation for another disappointing season in the second division by reaching the German Cup final with a win over Freiburg in their semi-final. Hamburg have been striving for a return to Germany’s top division since they were finally relegated in 2018 as the last of the Bundesliga’s founding teams to go down. They finished fourth in each of the following three seasons and are currently sixth, on course to miss promotion again.

The German Cup has offered tonic for long-suffering Hamburg fans. Only around 25,000 bothered to attend the team’s last league games in the second division, but all 67,000 tickets have been sold for Freiburg’s visit.

Hamburg last won the cup 35 years ago. They twice met Freiburg in the competition and won both times, in 1983 and 2007.

Freiburg are enjoying a remarkable season, however, winning their last two Bundesliga games to climb to fifth and challenge for European qualification.

Freiburg reached the German Cup semifinals in 2013 but didn’t reach the final.

“I’m not there to dream,” Freiburg coach Christian Streich said. “I have a job to do with my work colleagues so that perhaps a dream can come true. We have to go to Hamburg with humility.”

Last year’s beaten finalist, Leipzig, host Union Berlin in the other semi-final on Wednesday.

SPAIN

Real Betis will try to stay close to the Champions League places when they host Elche in LaLiga. A win would put Manuel Pellegrini’s team even on points with fourth-placed Atletico Madrid and third-placed Sevilla.

Betis are unbeaten in five league matches, since a loss to Atletico at home last month.

Seventh-placed Villarreal host Valencia, while Mallorca host Alaves in a match between teams in the relegation zone. Mallorca are in 18th place and Alavés are last, four points from safety.

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