UEFA Youth League semi-final preview, where to watch: Sporting CP-AZ Alkmaar, Hajduk Split-AC Milan

The ninth UEFA Youth League concludes from Friday with four new finalists and a fresh venue as Sporting CP face AZ Alkmaar and Hajduk Split take on AC Milan in the semis at Stade de Genève.

All eight previous final tournaments were held at Colovray Stadium in Nyon but extraordinary interest from fans of the competing clubs meant the move to the larger stadium in nearby Geneva. The final is also at Stade de Genève, at 18:00 CET on Monday.

Sporting are the only one of the four contenders from a nation who have previously produced a winning club; Benfica were victorious last season, as were Porto in 2019.

No team in the group stage let in fewer than the three goals Sporting conceded in finishing ahead of Eintracht Frankfurt, Tottenham Hotspur and Marseille, and their 5-1 defeat of Ajax and 1-0 win against Liverpool confirmed that they will take some beating.

AZ are competing in the club's overall third European semi, the senior side having reached the UEFA Cup final in 1981 and last four in 2005. Several of AZ's Youth League squad, like Mexx Meerdink and Walter Goes, have also played a part in their club's UEFA Europa Conference League quarter-final run.

Alkmaar came through the domestic champions path, needing penalties to pip Crvena zvezda in the second round, but then had the most emphatic knockout progress in this competition's history, beating Frankfurt 5-0, Barcelona 3-0 (away) and Real Madrid 4-0. Meerdink hit six goals in those three games.

Filipe Çelikkaya, Sporting coach: "AZ are a very good, aggressive team who know when to press and when to wait in a low block. There are players up front having an excellent season, but we also have good players and we are worthy as a team. We have our own way of playing and a strategy based on where the ball is and the player who has it."

Mateus Fernandes, Sporting midfielder: "AZ are a strong side, especially in the attacking transition. They are the highest-scoring side in the competition and, together with us, also have the best defence. We are aware of our strengths, our qualities, confident of what we can do. We focus on ourselves, on what we can control on the pitch."

Daniël Beukers, AZ defender: "It will be a different match than it was against, for example, Barcelona or Real Madrid. They played possession-based football, and we got round that by playing the ball deep, behind their defences. This game will require a different kind of approach, but I know we're capable."

Jan Sierksma, AZ coach: "I'm anticipating a real battle. We're up against opponents full of quality and talented players, some of whom are already involved in the first team. They're eight matches unbeaten, score a lot and don't concede much. In that respect, they're similar to us."

Though Dinamo Zagreb have had some fine recent UEFA Youth League runs, Hajduk are first Croatian side to reach the semis, and the first from their nation to make the last four of any UEFA football club competition since Hajduk's seniors (representing Yugoslavia) did so in the 1983/84 UEFA Cup. Like AZ, Hajduk came through the domestic champions path. It is the first time two teams have made same finals by that route (only three clubs had done so before in total, including 2016/17 winners Salzburg).

Hajduk won the first six games of their run over 90 minutes, Manchester City among their victims, before an epic 9-8 penalty shoot-out victory at Borussia Dortmund, with a large Croatian contingent among the 16,000 crowd showing how the Split side's run has captured their fans' imaginations, and they will have a big following in Geneva. They can call on Luka Vušković and Rokas Pukštas, who have both been playing with the senior squad.

Milan finished ahead of Salzburg, Dinamo Zagreb and Chelsea in a group full of pedigree performers in this competition. They then defeated Ruh Lviv and Atlético in two home ties.

Coach Ignazio Abate himself came through Milan's academy and later played more than 300 times for the first team, while his side hope to improve Italy's fortunes in this competition. Only twice previously have Italian sides reached the semi-finals, and neither made it through, including Juventus, who missed out on penalties against Benfica last season after coming back from 2-0 down.

Luka Vušković, Hajduk midfielder: "I think that it will be really hard to dominate them but if we do our best, I’m certain that we will do it.

"This generation that I am a part of as well is truly unbelievable. We all give our maximum effort in each game and that is something I have never seen before. We are completely focused in each game and that has paid off for us in the end. That is why we are in the semi-finals of the Youth League. I hope we continue to play like this and win the title in the end."

Noa Skoko, Hajduk midfielder: "I expect a hard-fought game, and it’s going to be a tough battle. We’ve got our fans there. I’ve heard there [are] going to be around 10,000 fans, so that’s going to be a big motivator for us. You can expect to see a hard-fought match, and we will leave our hearts on the field and, hopefully, get a result.

"Obviously, we’ve made history. It’s been an amazing journey, and I think the boys have been unbelievable, creating history. We’ve had an unbelievable run; the team’s had some unbelievable results, great fighting spirit. But it’s been because we’ve all been together, and we’ve got that team spirit, working for each other, working together, that’s the secret."

Ignazio Abate, Milan coach: "We know [Hajduk] very well. We’ve watched and studied a lot of their games. They’re a very physical team, with four or five top-level players. In my eyes, two or three of them are ready for senior football. It‘s going to be a tough game. We’re at a similar level, so we hope to get there in our best condition. We’ve come this far, so now we have to believe in ourselves.

"We’re not going there for a holiday or as competition winners. May the best team win – if they beat us and play better, we’ll shake their hands. But our boys are definitely going to put their hearts into it. I’m sure they’ll put in a great performance. This is going to be a good match because they have a lot of quality and intensity as well. There’ll be a great crowd as they have a big following. So, everything is set up for a good day that we have to seize and enjoy and give our best as we always have done."

Lapo Nava, Milan goalkeeper: "For me, the Youth League is an opportunity. It opens doors, not just in Italy, but in other European countries, too. Taking part in this tournament and going far in the competition is a huge boost, which you should always make the most out of.

"When I started playing for the club, my passion grew stronger and now here I am. After every training session, after every match, my father [former Milan defender and youth coach Stefano Nava] and I speak, and he gives me tips.He explains to me how best to manage specific situations and things I can improve on during matches, but also how I can do things in the right way. He always wants to get the most out of me, which sometimes I find very tough."