Champions League: Bayern, Madrid in battle of European elite

Two of Europe’s greatest clubs will go head to head in the Champions League on Wednesday as Bayern Munich host Real Madrid in the first leg of their semi-final. It’s an added layer of spice to the clash between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinal. One or the other has been in six of the past eight Champions League finals and they’ve been in the top four of the Deloitte Money League (which ranks clubs by revenue) in nine of the past 10 years.

In 2013, he said farewell after guiding Bayern to another Champions League win, something that eluded his otherwise much-lauded successor Pep Guardiola, and could say goodbye again with the same treble of Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League. Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in each leg of that quarterfinals, after Bayern had failed to capitalise on its chances at home, as Real won 6-3 on aggregate.

Having a year ago become the first side ever to retain the competition in its current expanded format, the challenge for Real Madrid is now to win three in a row – a feat last achieved by Bayern in the mid-1970s. He seems even stronger after changing positions from the wing to the job in the middle.

“I took care of him, I had lot of talks with him and step by step he found confidence”, Heynckes said. “Shutting him out is only 50 per cent of it, the other players are simply too good for that at this level”.

“Such a player as Ronaldo, you can only turn off as a whole team anyway”.

His stoppage time goal now pairs these two teams together once more, with last season’s quarter-final defeat still fresh in the memory for Bayern.

Zinedine Zidane’s men are eyeing a historic third consecutive UEFA Champions League title – a trophy that will make this season a success. Heynckes will never go all out. In the two games they have failed to score, they’ve made sure not to concede.

The feeling is mutual; there was warmth in Heynckes’s words.

“I’m not anxious”, said Zidane. I don’t think there’s a clear favourite in this rivalry. “For 90 minutes he follows what is happening on the pitch”.

“He is more relaxed within the team”.

Boateng says no team can stop him entirely, but his side will try.

Apart from the return leg against Juventus, Madrid have been excellent in the knockout stages of the Champions League this season, playing exceptionally well to knock out Paris Saint Germain and winning 3-0 in Turin.