UEFA Champions League Semi-Final Draw: Zadar & Madrid Produce Most Players

Zadar

The UEFA Champions League semi-final draw has taken place today in Nyon, with some tasty matchups in store.

Mario Mandžukić’s Juventus will face Danijel Subašić’s Monaco side, whilst Luka Modrić and Mateo Kovačić’s Real Madrid meet Šime Vrsaljko’s Atletico Madrid.

Monaco v Juventus
Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid 

Whilst Croatia and Brazil are the only two nations in the world with players in all four sides, it is the small city of Zadar on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast which has supplied the second most number of players.

Only the city of Madrid has produced more players than Zadar.

St. Donat in Zadar (photo: Yuya Matsuo)

Five players – Fernando Torres, Alvaro Morata, Nacho, Gabi and Koke – are hail from Madrid, which has a population of over 3 million people.

Zadar, a city with a population of just over 75,000 (County has 170,000), is next with three players – Danijel Subašić (Monaco), Luka Modrić (Real Madrid) and Šime Vrsaljko (Atletico Madrid).

Šime Vrsaljko

Not only are they from the same city, but the trio are all within a 1 km radius of each other.

Modrić has a place in Višnjik, under a kilometre away from Bulevar, where Subašić has an apartment. The Vrsaljkos live close by in Smiljevac.

Danijel Subašić and Luka Modrić (photo: HNS)

Whilst three Champions League semi-finalists from one small city is an achievement, a street in Split has gone one better. Ulica Put Firula, a street in the Dalmatian city of Split, has produced tennis players Nikola Pilić, Željko Franulović, Goran Ivanišević Mario Ančić, and Marin Draganja.

The first legs of the semi-finals will take place on 2 and 3 May, with the return legs the following week. The UEFA Champions League final takes place on 3 June at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.