There aren’t many competitions steeped in history like the UEFA Champions League, and even fewer football clubs with as proud a tradition as Real Madrid. It is no surprise, then, that Los Blancos have been synonymous with the trophy, which they have won 12 times over the two different formats. After 12 years of heartache and desperate attempts to conquer Europe for a 10th time, they did so in 2014 under Carlo Ancelotti, beating city rivals Atletico Madrid in the final in Lisbon, Portugal. During that long wait for La Decima, Real became obsessed as a club, stopping at nothing to reach the pinnacle again; but everything they had done up until then had proved futile.
That victory on that night, though, was a turning point, and the self-proclaimed ‘Kings of the European Cup’ have dominated again since, making history with another two titles. Crucially, those in 2016 and 2017 meant they became the first team to defend their crown since UEFA rebranded the competition in 1992.
Zinedine Zidane, the scorer of arguably the most famous goal in Champions League history on the night of Real’s ninth win and assistant to Ancelotti in Lisbon, has inspired this new European empire despite having no previous coaching experience at the top level. No matter how troublesome the campaign in LaLiga, as this year has been, Real have found an extra gear in Europe. They’ve had tough moments, but are favourites to be celebrating again; this time in Kyiv at the end of May.
So much football is to be played between now and then, and Bayern Munich, Real’s semi-final opponents, will have a lot to say, starting on Wednesday night at the Allianz Arena. Bayern, themselves looking for a sixth title and a first in five years, are under the stewardship of Jupp Heynckes until the end of the season; the 72-year-old returned to the club after leading them to the treble in 2013 when they sacked Ancelotti in September. He has pedigree, and Real know it, after he led them to their seventh European title in 1998. Heynckes has guided the Bavarians to a sixth-straight Bundesliga title already, but he will return to retired life in the summer whatever happens next, with Eintracht Frankfurt boss Niko Kovac already confirmed to replace him.
For all of their superiority in the last four years of the Champions League, Real have shown their weaknesses, particularly this season. Mauricio Pochettino’s young, vibrant Tottenham team took them apart with a 3-1 win in the group stages before Juventus shocked them by almost completing a quarter-final comeback at the Santiago Bernabeu. Only a controversial penalty in the final minute of stoppage time, scored by the irrepressible Cristiano Ronaldo, saw them through to the last four, but it was a nervy evening, and one for Bayern, who had no such issues after professionally dispatching Sevilla, can definitely learn from.
With the exception of Roma’s victory over Barcelona, most of the crucial knockout ties this season have been settled by experience. Real were able to send Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern’s group stage conquerors, packing with minimal fuss in the last 16, and Juventus put Spurs out before meeting the current holders themselves. In many ways, though, the experience, or lack of youthful exuberance in the Bayern team could prove costly over two legs. Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery are both well into their 30s but still make this team tick; they aren’t going to be threatening to embarrass the likes of Sergio Ramos and Marcelo the way Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen did back in November, for example. But Zidane’s side are ageing, too, and Robert Lewandowski will be desperate to get on the scoresheet against the team many expect him to join at the end of the season. James Rodriguez, who recently turned a two-year loan at Bayern from Madrid into a permanent deal, should have the bit between his teeth after a miserable end to his career in Spain.
Team News
Rather worryingly for Bayern, they will be without a strong contingent of their regular starting lineup when they welcome Real Madrid.
Manuel Neuer is training again after a year out with a knee injury, but he is not fit enough to return to action. David Alaba, the left back, will miss out too, as will Kingsley Coman, the French winger, out until next month with a knee problem. Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal still hasn’t recovered from an injury picked up in the first leg against Sevilla.
Defender Nacho Fernandez is the only player unavailable to Zidane, who could leave Gareth Bale out amid constant speculation that he will return to the Premier League this summer. Marco Asensio could be pushing for a start alongside Ronaldo, who will be hoping to add to his 120 Champions League goals so far.
Probable line ups
Bayern Munich: Ulreich, Bernat, Boateng, Hummels, Kimmich, Javi Martinez, Thiago, Rodriguez, Müller, Ribery, Lewandowski
Real Madrid: Navas, Marcelo, Varane, Sergio Ramos, Carvajal, Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, Isco, Asensio, Ronaldo
Did you know?
Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich is the most played out clash in European Cup/Champions League history with 24 meetings. But the past doesn’t give a clear indication of how this game will go, with both sides winning 11 previous games, drawing four.
Prediction
Bayern have been going through the competition under the radar this season, but they have grown into real contenders without flexing their muscles too much. They’ll want to stay compact and organised in the home leg and travel to Madrid with something to hold onto, but with so many injuries to deal with, it may be tough for them, especially if Real are as devastating on the counter-attack as they were against Juventus in the first leg last time out. Score Prediction: Bayern Munich 1-2 Real Madrid
