Real Madrid: five reasons to fear Bayern Munich
Real Madrid host Bayern Munich in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final aiming to defend a 2-1 advantage from the first leg. The USA vs. Ecuador live and direct: Friendly FIFA Date
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1. Lewandowski's goal scoring
He didn't score in the first leg but showed how dangerous he'll be in the second at the Bernabéu. This season he's bagged 39 goals in in 44 matches, five in the Champions League, scoring every 87 minutes. And nobody can forget the four goals Lewandowski scored on 24 April 2013 in the Santiago Bernabéu, wearing Dortmund's shirt. With Bayern he scored against Madrid last year, a penalty in the match which Madrid won 4-2. In total he's scored five goals against Real Madrid (five with Dortmund and one with Bayern) and is looking to extend that tonight.
2. James' revenge
The Colombian, who cost Real Madrid 80 million euros, didn't triumph as he'd wished at the Barnabéu, and he's coming back to show what he's worth, this time in the colours of Real Madrid's eternal European rival. He's still on the books at the Spanish giants, on loan to Bayern, but he's already decided to stay in Germany, with Bayern willing to pay his buy-out clause of 42 million euros (to which should be added the 13 million his loan deal cost). This season he's scored eight goals and set up 13, in 35 matches. Last season with Madrid he had similar numbers: 11 goals and 13 assists in 33 matches, but the overall feeling this season is very different.
3. Heynckes always makes the final
Bayern Munich's coach has been in charge in the Champions League on three occasions and never been knocked out before the final. In fact, he's won the trophy with both sides he's coached in the tournament: with Real Madrid in 1998, the longed for Séptima (the seventh) and with Bayern in 2013, against Borussia Dortmund. He also reached the final with Bayern in 2012, but was beaten by Chelsea. He also knows how to knock Real Madrid out of the competition, beating them in 11-12 after an agonising penalty shoot-out, with Ramos blazing his kick over the bar.
4. Experience in crunch matches
Bayern have a hugely experienced squad. Heynckes has 19 full internationals, including four World Champions from Germany (Neuer, Hummels, Müller and Boateng) who also got to the semi-final in the 2016 European Championships, plus Kimmich. They also have Javi Martínez, World Cup winner and European Championships winner, with Spain (2010 and 2012). The side have also just won their sixth consecutive Bundesliga and are in the German cup final, with Heynckes aiming to repeat the Treble of 2013. What's more they have the German philosophy of never giving up fully installed in the squad, and won't be overly concerned at being able to overturn a first leg one goal deficit.
5. Real Madrid v Bayern Munich: the history
Madrid and Bayern have played each other 25 times, with a record of 12 wins for Real Madrid (including the first leg 1-2 triumph in the Allianz Arena), two draws and 11 wins for the German side. Despite the equality, Bayern Munich have long been considered one of Real Madrid's most difficult rivals. In ties over two legs they've met 11 times: Madrid have gone through six times (1988, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2014 and 2017) and Bayern Munich on the other five occasions (1976, 1987, 2001, 2007 and 2012). All of their encounters have been in the European Cup or Champions League, but never in the final. And of these matches, Bayern have turned around a first leg deficit once, in the last 16 in 2006-2007. Real Madrid won at home 3-2 and Bayern went through winning 2-1 in Germany. Bayern Munich also know how to win at the Bernabéu: 2-4 in 99/00 and 0-1 in 2000/01.
